Bones has always said she has a steep learning curve. Does that also include relationships? In this one Parker is worried about his upcoming marriage and comes to Bones for advice. I hope you enjoy it. Gregg.
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Dr. Temperance Brennan-Booth walked up to the door of the small, modest home. It was the house that she had bought Parker so he could have a nice place to live while in college. He was 20 now and a junior at Georgetown majoring in forensic science with a minor in anthropology. She had been thrilled when two years before he had told her and Booth that he wanted to be a forensic anthropologist like her, and also to catch criminals like she did with Booth. Being the student that she always knew he was he was a 4.0 student, and had been offered several very important internships the last two summers that were considered to be high honors in the field.
"Doctor Bones!" Parker said with a wide smile as he opened the door.
Bones smiled. For as long as she'd known him Parker had called her Dr. Bones. She loved the moniker as much as she loved Bones which Booth called her. She gave Parker a hug and followed him into the home. Taking a seat on the couch, she looked around. He kept the home nicely furnished and very tidy.
"How is your project in mummification techniques?" she asked when Parker returned with some coffee fro them.
"I finished the other day," Parker told her. "I should know in a week or so how I did, but I don't think I have anything to worry about." He paused and then went right to why he had asked to talk to her. "I asked Cindy to marry me," he told his step-mother.
Bones raised a brow. Parker had introduced Cindy to her and Booth a few months before, but there had been nothing to indicate that there may be anything more serious going on that good friends. Bones had spent the remainder of the evening teasing Booth once Parker and Cindy had left that his son was now a man in an adult sexual relationship. Booth, predictably, had not been amused and groused about his baby boy being too young for all that. She could very well imagine how he would react to this news. Inside she was looking forward to the amusing event.
"Congratulations," Bones replied, making sure that he knew she was sincere. Her views of marriage were as defined as always, but when it came to the Booth men in her life, she was willing to admit that some exceptions were appropriate. "Have you told your Father?" she inquired. She was sure he hadn't as she had not heard Booth in the throes of a stroke or a heart attack so far that day.
"Not yet," Parker replied, scratching his head in embarrassment. He knew he should have told them together, but he wanted to talk to Dr. Bones first. "I wanted to ask you something, first."
"Alright," she said reluctantly. She had always been more than willing to answer any questions he had, but the idea of discussing marriage made her nervous. She had a wonderful marriage with Booth, but she had struggled early on in their relationship. She felt Booth was the person to talk to about anything related to that.
"I love Cindy, and we definitely want to get married," Parker told her, prefacing his question so she wouldn't get the wrong idea. "But getting married, living together, and all that is a big step, and it changes so much. How did you and Dad make it work?" he asked.
Bones had definitely not been expecting that question. She had figured, once he had said that he hadn't told Booth, that he wanted some advice on how to break the news. To be honest she wasn't sure that this was something she could answer.
"I'm not sure that I'm the one to answer that, Parker," she told him. "Your Father is the one who is more in tune with relationships."
"What do you mean?" Parker asked. He'd always admired Dr. Bones and how she fit so well with his Dad. They seemed to have the perfect relationship.
Bones sighed. "The relationship you see when you look at me and your Dad took a lot of work to accomplish, and almost didn't happen," she told him. "I made a lot of mistakes when we got together, and while Booth made some, too, I had a lot more to learn than he did."
"What would you have to learn," Parker asked. He knew how ridiculous that question sounded, as everyone had things to learn in life, but Dr. Bones had always seemed to know everything.
Bones chuckled. "A lot," she told him. "A good example was when I didn't invite him to the ultra-sound of your half-sister. I honestly didn't think of it. He was mad, though, and rightfully so. I also had trouble, and still do at times, dealing with your Dad's pride when it comes to money."
"But those are all the practical things," he responded. "I guess I'm more worried about the intangible things."
"Those are the worst for me," Bones admitted. "Your Dad once said he's the heart and I'm the mind in our partnership, and also our relationship. For better or worse, that's true most of the time. I have taught him a few practical things, too, over the years. It's why we don't have a television in our bedroom."
"Huh?" Parker tilted his head in curiosity.
"Studies show that a television in the bedroom decreases a couples sexual desires and how often they engage in sexual relations," she told him, amused at the horrified look on his face, just like Booth always had when she brought up anything sex related in public.
"I really didn't need to hear that, Bones," he told her, but made a mental note to get the TV out of the bedroom pronto.
"You sound so much like your Father," she said fondly. "Do you really want to know why our relationship works? What really makes the ultimate difference?" she asked, a serious look on her face.
"Yeah," Parker leaned forward and listened intently.
"When Booth and I were having a difficult time dealing with the idea of buying a home, I was pregnant and fell in my office and couldn't get up," she told him. "It was late, and the only people at the Jeffersonian were the security guards. Instead of calling one of them, which would have been the most practical solution, I could only think of calling Booth. The only person I wanted to help me was Booth. I'd never felt like that before for anyone, Parker. Just the thought of him coming to help me made everything alright. I felt safe. I think for the first time I knew the full depth of what the concept of love really was, and also that the relationship would work. That Booth and I would have that thirty or forty or fifty years he is so passionate about."
"It's that easy?" Parker asked. He wasn't trying to be deliberately that obtuse, but Bones was usually much more direct in answering questions.
"Hardly," Bones smiled. "Booth and I have had our fair share of troubles over the last eight years of our intimate relationship. But those feelings I alluded to allow us to know that no matter the issue, nothing is bad enough to ruin what we have. If you can say that about your relationship with Cindy, then you already have the most important piece of the puzzle in place."
"She's the first person I think of when anything happens," he admitted, a slight blush coming to his face.
"I have a very steep learning curve, but I can admit that when it comes to relationships, I was very slow to learn what you are already figuring out, Parker," she told him. "I think that you will do very well in your relationship. Remember one thing, though, that your Great-Grandfather told your father and I a long while back. Never go to bed angry. There have been a lot of evenings, and some nights, where we spent a lot of time talking out our problems before going to bed, but it is very sound advice. The making up is also quite satisfying afterwards," she added with a wicked gleam in her eyes. Parker was just as easy to fluster as Booth was.
"Way too much information, Dr. Bones," Parker groaned.
"It's very obvious who your Father is, Parker," Bones said with a short laugh. "There is no right or wrong way to make a relationship work. I can give you advice, just like your Father can. The important thing to remember, though, is that if you are asking these questions now, you are already well ahead of the learning curve when it comes to relationships. I think your marriage will succeed very well. Just break the news to your Father gently. I don't want him having a stroke at the thought of his baby boy being all grown up."
Parker laughed. "Deal," he told her. He looked down a minute, and then up at her. "I don't know if I've ever said it, but you always being willing to listen to me and take my problems seriously really has meant a lot to me. Dad and Mom are great, and I know they love me, but you made me feel as if I was grown up enough to have a serious conversation with. Whether you know it or not, you're an awesome Mom, and a great role model. I don't know what I'd do without you there backing me up."
Bones had to fight the tears at those words. They meant so much to her, and it was all the more special seeing as she had tried so hard to make sure that Parker did not ever think she was trying to take the place of Rebecca in any way. Parker, in his own way, had just told her she'd been ahead of the learning curve all along. Instead of breaking down, she just went over and hugged him tightly.
"How about we go and get Cindy, and then the two of you join Booth and I for dinner. Elizabeth us at her friends house tonight and the two of you can let your father know the good news," she suggested. When he nodded, she led him out of the house and to her car. This one short conversation had just shown her that her decision to take a huge chance and begin the relationship with Booth when she got pregnant after Vincent's death had been the wisest decision she had ever made.
A/N: I am considering writing a second chapter to this where Booth gets told at dinner, so for the moment I am leaving this listed as in progress. I hope you enjoyed this future fic. It is not related to my Deep Regrets series. Gregg.