A/N: So this story is definitely a lot more light and fluffy than The Angst in the Episodes. My main goal is to focus on the relationships between Christine and her parents because I love B&B as parents. There will also be a fair amount of Brennan and Angela in this one. I think it'll end up being around 5-10 chapters, but that's based on my outline so it could change. I hope you enjoy and reviews are much appreciated!
"How was school today, sweetie?" Brennan asks Christine at the dinner table. "Today is Monday, which means you had your art class today. What did you do for your project?"
"School was awesome! We got to do a science lesson today; we talked all about the water cycle. Art was a lot of fun! We worked on creating our own American flags because next week is Memorial Day," Christine replies excitedly. "Daddy, does that mean that it's almost time to go to the cemetery again?"
"Yes it does, Christine," Booth says to his daughter. "One week from today is Memorial Day, so that's when we go to the cemetery. Are you sure you still want to come, even though you have to get up super early to go with me?"
"Of course I still want to go! Going to the cemetery is our tradition! Plus it's important to remember the soldiers who died to protect us, right?"
"Right, peanut. I'm so pr-" Booth cuts off his statement to catch the broccoli that Hank tries to throw across the table at his sister.
"Hank," Brennan interjects, "broccoli is for eating, not for throwing at your big sister." Hank simply babbles in response and returns to eating his dinner.
"Daddy?" Christine asks.
"Yea, sweetie?"
"I wanna do something else for Memorial Day."
"Like what?" Booth asks.
Christine thinks for a moment before her face lights up and she exclaims, "Make cards! I could make cards for people's families."
Brennan and Booth both smile at their daughter before Booth responds. "That sounds like a great idea, Christine, but I'm not sure who to make the cards for." His little girl's face falls a bit, so Booth decides he will do anything in his power to make her plan work. "But," he begins, brightening her face again, "how about I talk to one of my old Army buddies to see if he could send the cards to families who have lost soldiers recently?"
"Please! I really want to remember and honor the soldiers." Booth looks at his daughter like she hung the stars before standing up and pulling her into a hug.
"I'm so proud of you, Christine," he says as he holds her to his chest. Brennan looks on, smiling at her husband and daughter, proud of them both.
After the family finishes dinner, Christine takes Hank to his room to read him a story while her parents work on cleaning up the kitchen. As she folds tinfoil over the plate of leftovers, Brennan looks over at Booth loading the dishwasher. "How do you feel about Memorial Day this year?" she asks softly.
He looks up and briefly meets her gaze before returning his attention to his task. "It hurts, Bones; it's always gonna hurt. But sharing it with Christine helps a little, and I'm so proud of how much it seems to mean to her."
"It means so much to her because it means so much to you, Booth. She loves you and she'd do anything to make you happy. I'm just glad that she seems to understand the true meaning of this weekend."
"Yeah," Booth smiles, "I guess you're right." He pauses a moment before continuing, "Remember when there was a time when you wouldn't have been able to explain that to me? I'm so proud of how far you've come and how much you've learned just by opening up to people, baby," he says, moving behind her and putting his arms around her waist.
She leans back into him for a moment before responding, "It's not just because I've opened up to people, Booth." She turns to look at him, gratitude shining in her eyes. "It's because you've taught me. You've taught me how to read people and you've taught me how to open myself up to others, how to trust people again." She presses a soft kiss to his lips. "Now let's go put the kids to bed so I can show you how thankful I am." A grin spreads across Booth's face as he hugs his wife tight before turning to go through the kids' bedtime routines.
The next morning at work, Booth finds a bit of downtime to work on Christine's request. He calls his friend Dean, who he served with when Bones ran off to Maluku. Dean is still enlisted, but working stateside due to an injury, so Booth figures he's his best bet to find families for whom Christine can make cards. When Dean hears that Booth's daughter wants to do something special for Memorial Day, he suggests that they meet up for lunch. Booth agrees, texting Bones to tell her that he can't pick her up for lunch today.
When Booth arrives at the restaurant, Dean is already there. He stands up to greet Booth with a hug and a handshake. "How's it going, Booth? It's been a while since I've heard from ya," Dean says sitting down.
The waiter comes over, asking if he can get Booth something to drink. Although he'd love to have a beer and catch up with his buddy, he has to go back to work, so he just orders a water. "I've been pretty good. Bones and the kids are great. We're actually working on getting approved for emergency placements for kids in foster care. And like I said on the phone, Christine wants to do something for soldiers' families for Memorial Day. How are you doin'?" Booth asks.
"I still can't believe you got the girl who broke your heart so bad that you re-enlisted to marry you," Dean laughs.
"Hey," Booth corrects, "I didn't re-enlist on my own. The Army reached out to me. Bones just happened to be the reason I couldn't say no. Really, how are you, though?"
"I'm alright. Being stateside for this long is weird, but I don't hate it. I've been here long enough that I actually may have found my own 'Bones.' I'm pretty happy about that situation at least."
"Really? I've never even heard you mention going on a date, I can't believe you've got a girlfriend."
"Well, I don't have a girlfriend," Dean says cautiously. Booth's face falls into confusion as Dean continues, "I have a boyfriend, Booth."
Understanding dawns on Booth as his face lights up again, happy for his friend. "You're—" he cuts himself off, trying to find the right thing to say. "How come you never mentioned it before? It doesn't matter to me as long as you're happy, Dean."
"Thanks, Booth, that means a lot. But just 'cause it doesn't matter to you doesn't mean it didn't matter to the Army. When we were over there, Don't Ask, Don't Tell hadn't been repealed yet. After you came home and it got repealed, we didn't see each other often. I wasn't seeing anyone; it never came up. I wasn't hiding it; I just don't shout it from the rooftops unprompted. Besides, I'm bisexual, so when the guys talk about women when we're overseas, it was easy for me to jump in. I didn't like that I couldn't talk about guys, but that's just how it was then."
Booth nods at his friend, asking to hear more about his boyfriend before they get around to the point of their meeting. They catch up through their meal, and once they finish eating, Booth feels lighter than he ever does this time of year. It's hard for him to go on like it's business as usual when the whole world is trying to remind him of fallen soldiers. He thinks it would be easier if people remembered that this weekend was about remembering, not just having a three-day weekend and spending it getting wasted by the pool.
Dean pulls Booth from his thoughts when he says, "So, what's this project that your little girl wants to do for Memorial Day?"
Booth shakes his head to clear his mind before responding. "Well, since Memorial Day is about remembering the soldiers we've lost, she wanted to make cards for their families. I was thinking about maybe doing them for some of these guys," Booth says, pulling a list of names from his pocket. He had gone through the news reports and FBI files he could access from the past few years to pull names of soldiers who had died in action in their area. Thankfully, there had been fewer deaths in the past few years than earlier in the decade, so Booth had to search harder for the names. "I know it's a long list, but I figured you wouldn't be able to track everyone down. It's important to Christine, so I wanna do whatever I can to make it happen."
Dean looks at his friend, noting the pride in the man's face. "Christine came up with this idea all on her own?" he asks.
"Yeah, she did," Booth beams.
"You've got a special little girl there, Booth. I don't think I've met many six year olds who know what Memorial Day really is, never mind who want to go out of their way to do something special for soldiers' families. I can't make any promises, but I'll talk to the superiors and see if there's anything I can do. I'll give you a call tomorrow afternoon to let you know."
The two men talk while they wait for the waiter to bring the check. As Booth climbs back into his SUV, he makes a mental note to talk with Dean more often. He stays at the office a little later than usual that day, making sure he's caught up on all his paperwork in case Christine's project needs him out of the office at all the next few days. As he's leaving the Hoover, he makes a mental note to email Hacker tomorrow morning and let him know he may need a few hours off for Memorial Day. And not just for getting drunk—for honoring those who sacrificed their lives for everyone else's safety.
When Angela and Brennan pick up the older kids from school, Christine runs crashing into her mother's legs. "Hi Mama!" she shouts before moving over to hug Angela. "Hi Auntie Angela. Why're you both here today? Usually it's only one of you," Christine observes.
"'Cause your mom needed an excuse to escape work for a little while, sweetie," Angela replies. "How was school, guys?"
Christine and Michael Vincent compete to tell their mothers about their days faster and louder as they walk over to the cars. "How about we go get some frozen yogurt before we drop you off at your after-school program?" Brennan asks.
"What's up with you, Mom, you never let me have that much sugar before dinner!"
"I guess I'm just feeling the effects of the seasonal transition, Christine. It's making me desirous of something cool and sweet before I have to get back to work," Brennan answers directly.
Although Michael Vincent is used to the genius-speak of Brennan and his dad, he looks at Christine, blank-faced, awaiting her translation. "She wants froyo because it's starting to feel like summer," Christine explains simply.
Michael's face lights up as he asks, "Can we go, Mom?"
"Hey, I'm pregnant, I'm never gonna say no to sugar, kid. Let's go."
After their frozen yogurt trip, Angela and Brennan drop the kids off at their enrichment program at the Jeffersonian. Ange stops Brennan before she can return to her work in limbo. "Yes, Angela?" Brennan says when she feels her friend's hand on her arm.
"What's going on with you today, Brennan?" Angela asks, concern present in her voice.
"Nothing. I'm fine, what are you talking about?"
"You voluntarily left work and then consumed a boatload of sugar with your kid a few hours before dinner. That is not 'fine' Brennan behavior and you know it."
"While 'boatload' is not a valid unit of measure," Brennan responds, "I understand your point. I suppose I have been a bit…off today. There's no cause for concern, however, as I feel fine. I suppose I was simply missing Christine and wanted and excuse to spend time with her, and with you and Michael Vincent."
Angela looks critically at her best friend, trying to find any outward signs that Brennan was not fine, no matter how often she said it. Failing to find these signs, she sighs and relents. "Okay, but you have to promise me you'll tell me if anything is wrong."
"I will, Angela. I'm getting much better at sharing my struggles, especially since the explosion." She pulls her best friend into a hug as if to show her progress. "Can I return to my work now?"
"Yea, just make sure you emerge from limbo in time to pick up Hank and Christine. Booth works late on Tuesdays," she reminds her friend, fighting the nagging suspicion that something wasn't quite right with Bren.
"Thank you, Ange. I won't forget," she says as she turns to head down the limbo. While she descends the stairs, Brennan's mind processes the conversation with Angela and its implications. Since when does she have strong sugar cravings, never mind give into them?
As Brennan drops her keys in the bowl by the front door, Hank barrels into her legs with a smile. "Up!" he shouts. "Up, up!" Brennan picks him up as she moves to shut and lock the door behind Christine. Hank leans in and plants a wet kiss on her cheek, bringing a smile to her mouth.
"Well someone missed Mama, didn't you, Hank?" Brennan asks, placing a kiss on the top of his head. He nods as he snuggles into her neck, further proving her point. "Would you like to cuddle on the couch for a little bit before I start cooking dinner?"
"Mmmm," he mumbles into her neck. She walks over to the couch and sits down, adjusting Hank so he is sitting across her lap and leaning into her chest. Christine comes down the hall, having put her school stuff away in her room, and shuffles over to join them.
"Can I snuggle too?" she asks.
"Of course you can, sweetie," Brennan says. She reaches her right arm out so that Christine can snuggle in next to them. Christine looks up at her mom and opens her mouth, but closes it before she says what was on her mind. "What is it, Christine?" Brennan asks, noticing her daughter's indecision.
"I think I wanna do something else for Memorial Day," she whispers into her mother's side.
"Why do you look embarrassed, honey? That's something to be proud of, not embarrassed about," Brennan replies, concern evident in both her voice and the V appearing in her brow.
"When I told the class at school about my cards, someone said they were stupid," she says. "They said that the cards wouldn't bring any of the soldiers back, so there wasn't any point in making them." As the words leave her mouth, her voice breaks. Brennan pulls her tightly into her body, trying to maneuver around Hank, who is half asleep in her lap. She presses soft kisses into her daughter's hair as she rubs her back. As she feels her daughter's small body shake with sobs, Brennan has to fight back tears of her own. She doesn't understand how anyone could turn her bright, bubbly daughter's sweet idea into fodder for feelings of inadequacy and foolishness.
As Christine's sobs begin to slow, she nuzzles into her mother's body and ends up nestled next to her brother. Even half asleep, he senses his big sister's presence and reaches out to grab her hand. Feeling his hand on hers, Christine calms down and manages to stop crying. Brennan smiles at how her children interact with each other, at how Hank can comfort his sister without recognizing it. She leans down and gives Christine another kiss on the forehead. "I'm going to go put Hank down in his bed so he can nap, and then I'll be right back, okay?" Christine nods and reluctantly pulls away from her mom and brother. As she watches them walk out of the room, she pulls her knees up to her chest, missing the comfort of their presence.
Brennan comes back a few minutes later and returns to her position at her daughter's side, where Christine immediately crawls into her lap. She sits in a position similar to the one Hank had fallen asleep in just a few minutes ago. Brennan holds her tightly as she says, "Do you feel a little better?"
Christine nods slightly, but doesn't speak or look at her mother's face. Brennan tucks her finger under Christine's chin, encouraging her to look up. "It's okay to be hurt by what your classmate said, Christine." Typically, Brennan would launch into an anthropological lecture at this point, but she skips it today. "But what that child said isn't true."
"Yes it is, Mama!" Christine says, shaking her head. "Nothing I can do will bring the soldiers back!" She drops her chin again and buries her face in her mother's chest to hide the fresh wave of tears.
Rubbing circles on Christine's back, Brennan speaks quietly, "Okay, you are correct. That part is true, but only that part, Christine. Just because the cards won't bring the soldiers back doesn't make them pointless." She pauses for a second, considering the best approach to take, before continuing. "What does Daddy teach you that Memorial Day is all about?"
Christine doesn't answer right away, but Brennan feels her daughter's breathing shift against her own chest, so she waits. She feels her calming down and is grateful she chose to go this route. "Remembering the soldiers," Christine whispers, her voice as small as Brennan has ever heard it.
"Right, Christine. Look at me please?" Christine looks into her mother's eyes, finding comfort as she sees her own reflection in them. Brennan gently wipes the tears from her daughter's eyes and kisses her forehead before continuing. "When you're making cards for the families of soldiers who died for our country, that's exactly what you're doing, sweetie. You're remembering them and you're honoring their sacrifice. That is what this holiday is all about. No matter what mean children say, your cards are not a stupid idea, Christine, and your father and I are so proud of you for coming up with a way to honor the soldiers all on your own."
Hearing her mother's words, relief washes over Christine. She throws her arms around her mother's neck and kisses her before burying her face in her neck. "I love you, Mama," she says.
"I love you too, Christine," Brennan replies, "more than you'll ever know." They sit in silence for a few minutes, simply cuddling and finding comfort in each other's presence. Brennan breathes in the scent of her daughter's hair with every breath, still fuming that someone had hurt her child's self-esteem, even if only temporarily. She makes a mental note to email Christine's teacher about the incident, although she doesn't know if the teacher will be able to help.
"Mama?" Christine asks. "Can I still do something else for Memorial Day?"
"Yes you may, Christine, on one condition. You will still make your cards for the soldiers' families. That idea is very sweet, and I do not want some mean child to take that away from you."
Christine hesitates for a moment, unsure as to whether she still wants to do the cards. But she remembers the look on her dad's face when she told him about her idea and nods her head. "Alright. Two projects for Memorial Day this year then." She stops for a moment before Brennan sees a glint in her eye, a look that usually only appears on Booth's face.
"What are you thinking about, Christine?" Brennan asks cautiously. "It looks as if you are up to something."
"I was thinking that we could make this project a surprise for Daddy for Memorial Day. I know it's importa-" Christine cannot finish her sentence because she is too surprised when she feels herself being crushed against her mother's chest. She hugs her mom back for a few breaths before pulling back and asking, "What was that for, Mama? You didn't even let me finish my sentence!"
"I'm sorry, Christine. It was rude of me to interrupt you like that. But I am just so proud of you. I'm proud that you're recognizing why Memorial Day is important, but I'm even more proud of how much you care about your father. This day is special to him, but it's hard for him, and sharing it with you makes it feel a bit lighter, metaphorically of course."
"Of course I care about Memorial Day, Mommy. I love Daddy and he cares about all of the soldiers, so I do too," she says proudly. She doesn't understand why her mother is proud of her, but it makes her happy anyway.
Brennan leans in and presses another kiss to Christine's temple before asking, "What kind of special surprise Memorial Day project would you like to do, Christine?"
Christine pauses for a moment, her face scrunched up in thought. Her features relax a bit as a smile overtakes them. "Care packages!" she shouts. "We should send care packages to soldiers! They always talk about doing that during Christmas at church, so it must be a good idea, right?"
"That's an excellent idea. We could send care packages to troops who have recently lost soldiers since Memorial Day is about remembering the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect our country. How about we go shopping on Saturday to get the supplies to send in the packages?"
"Okay, Mommy! Can we get our nails painted too? I wanna do a special girls-only day, no Hank allowed." Brennan smiles at her daughter. Sometimes Christine seems much older than six, but wanting a day with her mom and without her little brother reminds Brennan of her true age.
"That sounds like a great idea, sweetie."
"Can Auntie Ange and Auntie Cam come too? It can't be a real girls-only day without them!"
"I'll call them and ask. I'm sure Angela will come, but you know Cam doesn't want to spend too much time away from her sons right now."
"Okay, but I really want her to come. I miss her a lot, especially because she can't come visit me at the enrichment program anymore," Christine pouts.
"What are you talking about?" Brennan asks, clearly confused by her daughter's statement.
"Every day when Michael and I were at the enrichment program at the Jeffersonian Auntie Cam used to come visit us. Now she doesn't anymore because she isn't at work, and I miss seeing her! She gives awesome hugs."
Brennan grins. She didn't realize how important the children were to Cam, nor did she realize Cam's importance to Christine. She is happy they love each other, though. Although she and Cam butted heads sometimes, she considers Cam a part of their family and she is glad that Christine does too. "I'll tell her that you miss her visits, hopefully that will convince her." She gives Christine a squeeze before taking her off her lap. "You go start on your homework while I call your aunts and start planning for this surprise project."
Christine runs down the hall to her bedroom feeling much freer than she did before she sat down with her mother. It seemed to her that some time in Mommy's lap and a few hugs could solve all of her problems. Except her math problems, she needed to solve those on her own.