Title: A Time to Grow

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

Dr. Temperance Brennan dropped into her chair at the Jeffersonian with a soft sigh. Less than 2 months into her trip to Indonesia, Dr. Saroyan called her back. No explanation. Daisy wasn't required to join her. She was to return to the lab. Angela and Hodgins were called back as well.

She had dropped into her chair after Cam had given her the reason for calling them back.

"You're certain," Brennan breathed.

"There isn't a body, but there's no way Booth could survive with the amount of blood on the scene. His dog tags were sent to Parker. He's gone," Cam choked.

"Where's Rebecca's phone number? I need to see him."

"Rebecca and her husband were killed in an accident 3 weeks ago. Parker's been with me. That's another reason I called you back. It was Booth's wishes that you take Parker if something were to happen to both him and Rebecca." Brennan rested her head in her hands, and felt the tears pooling in her eyes. She made him promise not to go and get killed.

"I need to see the tags. If there is any trace of blood, we can see if its his or belonged to someone else."

"We did that. There was nothing," Hodgins said softly. "They were very well-cleaned."

"Where is Parker?" Cam rushed out of the room. She returned a few minutes later with the boy, who looked broken. Brennan gather him into her arms and they cried together.

"Temperance?" Parker called from his room. It was late, and he wasn't used to the new apartment yet. It had been three weeks since they got the news of Booth's death. He was recovering quickly, and they were finding a normal life together, just as Cam and Michelle had. Brennan hurried into the guest room. "I had a bad dream, about my mom."

"I had them a lot when I lost my parents." Brennan sat on the large bed next to the boy, and let him rest against her. She picked up the remote to the the lights she'd had installed for him. She pressed a button, and the ceiling lit up with a star-filled night sky. Parker snuggled closer and watched the stars move across his ceiling.

"Your dad is still alive," Parker whispered.

"I didn't know that. Your dad never told you about my family, did he?" Parker shook his head. Brennan took a deep breath, and emotionally prepared herself for the hard conversation that was about to happen.

"It isn't an easy story to tell." Parker nodded. "Shortly after I turned 15, a few days before Christmas, my parents went out for dinner, and never came back. The next time I saw my mother, she was a skeleton that had been in the Jeffersonian since 1998, as a Jane Doe. She died, and no one knew. A year or so later, we found my father, but he was in and out of hiding, and then in prison. I thought, for 15 years, that I had no one. Your Dad...was the best friend I've ever had."

"Me, too," Parker said, tears falling again. "But Dad wouldn't want us to cry. He would say that he is in a better place, watching over me from heaven, with God." Brennan bit down on her cheek to keep from crushing the boy's fantasy. "Dad would want us to celebrate his life, because he was a good man, and he should be celebtrated."

"You are right." The wheels in Brennan's head were spinning, and ideas were forming. "I would like to discuss something with you."

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Parker sat up in his bed.

"A year ago, your dad and I were talking about creating a baby together," she started. Parker's eyes went wide. "I wanted a child, and he...made a biological donation. But then when he got the tumor, I decided not to. He told me, before the surgery, if he were to not make it through, to have the baby. His biological donation is still stored," Brennan explained.

"You mean his sperm," Parker said. Brennan nodded. She imagined Seeley Booth's face dropping, turning very red, and him stumbling around with asking Parker when he became so comfortable with sex and issues surrounding sex.

"Since You now depend on me, I want you to have a say in this descision. You would be a part of the baby's family; the older brother, to be precise." Parker nodded and looked deep in thought. "If you aren't ready for that, it is something we can bring up again later, when you've had time to mourn your father." Parker shook his head hard.

"No. Now. You should do this now. It would be like getting a part of Dad back that I love. Him with you. It would be like having him with you."

"If you are absolutely certain, than I will go to the doctor tomorrow to begin the process."

"How does it work?"

"Scientifically, or 11-year-old version?" she asked, more out of respect for her partner than she realized.

"Scientifically. I want to understand, in your words, and really grasp it. Dad was good at sports, and taught me all about love, and God, and Football. I want you to teach me about science, and logic, and reasoning." Brennan felt moved.

"Well, do you understand what a woman's cycle is?"

"More or less."

"As soon the end of my cycle, I start shots of hormones that help my uterus prepare for a baby every day for 10 days, and when I ovulate, they put your father's donation in, right in the right spot, and the shots help the fertilized egg attach."

"Do all women have to do that?"

"No. I only have, at most, 2 chances for success, so the shots help to better the chances of success." Parker nodded. "Your dad would be really embarrassed by this conversation."

"Yeah," Parker said smiling for the first time in three weeks. "He would be as red as a beet." Brennan smiled. "I miss him, so much, Temperance."

"I miss him, too, Parker."

Brennan wasn't normally one who paced, for any reason. Today was different. A month ago, she had decided to have a baby. She had explained to Hodgins, Cam and Angela what she and Parker had discussed and decided. As soon as Parker informed them that it would be a part of his dad, the small family had everyone's support. Brennan had even visited Zach, to get his support. She know she didn't need it, but Parker wanted it. Zach was important to Seeley, and therefore, it was important that he be supportive.

Now, two weeks after the first attempt, she waited, impatiently, for the bloodwork to come back. She was running it herself, but Angela and Cam were there to make sure she was okay, if it came out negative. She had been queasy for the last 5 days. Brennan convinced herself, and those around her that it was just a bug going round.

"Oh," she breathed as she looked at the results as the test finished. "Oh. Wow."

"What wow?"

"It wasn't just a bug." A small smile creeped across her lips, and tears filled her eyes.

Chapter 2 should be up soon. Please, before you kill me for killing people off, re read this chapter very carefully. There is a hint in there.