A Father's Praise
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the charaters in the following story. The plot and the storyline are mine though.
A/N: Hello! Well this is my take on Booth's childhood. Hope you like. Reviews are always appreciated.
Chapter One
He tore through the house, distantly registering his mother's reprimand about running indoors. Slowing his run to a jog, seven year old Seeley Booth continued his ceaseless journey through the house where he, his parents and his five year old brother, Jared, lived, only one destination in mind.
Sprinting through the front door, he raced down the steps and out to the garden where he watched with eager apprehension as his father, Michael, arrived home from work.
"Daddy! Dad! Look, look! I got an Excellent on my report card!" By the time his father had reached him, Seeley was practically bouncing with excitement.
"Be quiet." The scowl alone on Michael Booth's face would have halted many a man but the seven year old was still too young to know better
"But Daddy! Look!" He waved the crumpled piece of paper in his hand eagerly, desperate to share his achievement.
His father's hand struck out, grabbing the child's arm in a pincer-like grip, hard enough to leave bruises, as it pulled him to the older man's side.
"I said. Be. Quiet." The words were hissed, venom dripping from each word.
"Ouch, Daddy...ouch...you're hurting me...let go." The child struggled in his father's grip, desperate to get away.
The hold on his arm, if possible tightened even more. "I'll do more than this you little brat if you don't shut up."
Tears formed in the child's eyes. "I'm sorry daddy. I didn't mean to make you angry. I'm sorry."
SMACK
The back of the man's hand connected with the child's face, an ugly red hand print forming where it struck.
"Get out of my sight. NOW!"
Terrified, the boy ran, his frantic footsteps heard thundering through the house up the stairs, his prized piece of paper forgotten as it broke free of his hand and fluttered to the ground.
"Daddy! Daddy! Look, look! I got an Excellent on my report card!" The blond head tore through the restaurant, catapulting with immense speed towards the form of his father.
Catching his son, Seeley Booth picked him up, swirling him in the air before seating them both back into the booth where he had previously been sitting.
"Woah kiddo. Slow down. Now what's this you're saying?" He looked down on his seven year old son, nothing but adoration in his eyes.
"I got an Excellent on my report card! Miss Murray says I can move on to grade 3 work now!" The young boy was a bouncing mass of excitement.
"Wow! Kiddo that's great. I'm proud of you." He clutched his son to him, a delighted grin on his face.
Distantly in his mind, he registered on how much he himself would have longed to hear the words he himself spoke now, because there was nothing greater in the world to a child than what he gave now.
Praise
The praise of a father.
A/N: So what do you think? All reviews and comments are appreciated.
xXCharmedXx