A/N: So I am posting this with the knowledge that pretty much everyone is going to hate it but I am challenging myself with this one to write within the show canon as it stands right now. And as it stands right now, Booth thinks he is in love with Hannah (even though we all know better) and is not really friends with Brennan anymore. So be warned: this is a short little Veteran's Day fic from Booth's POV and it is very Hannah-friendly. So turn back now if you don't want to read that sort of thing, which I completely understand. But this idea wouldn't leave me alone, and rest assured, I will be back to writing my usual B&B fic in no time. Thanks, and if you can, leave a review!
The Best in the Worst
Today is Veteran's Day, as my work calendar blatantly reminds me when I step into my office. And if anyone were to step into said office, they would see from the decorations on the wall that I am indeed a veteran; now of two wars that have been recognized publicly and of several others that the majority of Americans will never know about.
I always try and lay low on days like this. In the past, the only good thing is the Parker is out of school for the day and Rebecca usually lets me have him since she has to work. I would bring him in with me to work and he would sit and play a video game while I work for half the day and then we would go to the park and do some fun guy stuff. It's always a fun day because not only do I get to spend time with my son, but I also get to avoid people who want to talk to me about my time in the service. It's not that I ashamed of serving my country; I am very proud of it, but I don't like when people want all the gory details. They don't really want to know even though they ask and I don't really want to tell them.
But today is looking to be a great day.
I still get Parker today but instead of having to drag him into the office with me, he is at home right now, with Hannah.
How could it be a bad day when I get to spend it with the two people I love most in the world?
My wonderful girlfriend decided to take the day off today as well and later today, all three of us are going to Teddy's grave. Hannah convinced me that Parker is old enough now to start seeing some of the things in my past and what better way to start than taking him to honor his namesake. And she totally makes sense; he had been asking about it more and more recently.
I can feel a smile spread across my face just thinking about those two together. I was nervous when I introduced my son to my girlfriend (after all, the one girl in my life I had ever introduced to him was Bones) but my worry was completely unfounded. Parker and Hannah really hit it off and they get along famously. I swear, sometimes I think Parker may be more excited to hang out with her than me.
The morning is productive, mostly completing paperwork from my last case with the squint squad but a necessary evil. A couple of my fellow agents have stopped by and just said a quick word of thanks. Since my last deployment was so recent, more of my FBI colleagues know of my service than last year.
Other than that, the only interruption in my morning was Bones calling to see if I could fax her the paperwork for the case so she could sign it. Well, she originally asked if I could bring it over to the Jeffersonian but when I told her that I was going out to lunch with Parker and Hannah, she insisted that it was fine that I fax it. It is such a relief that she has been so understanding about our new working relationship and my personal relationships. Now that I am in a healthy, adult relationship, I can see how unhealthy our surrogate relationship was last year. Gordon Gordon was right; I was building a life around her, a life that she did not want to be a part of, not with me anyway. So now, we are true work partners, which I know makes both of us better. I can see the improvement clearly in my work; now that I look forward to going home, our home, every night, I can focus so much better during the day.
So that's why, when 12:01 rolled around, I was out the door, coat in hand, ready to meet my family for lunch.
Lunch was a pleasant experience. We went to the diner, Parker and I split a milkshake and Hannah stole most of my fries, as well as a couple of kisses, neither of which I minded.
Now we were walking through Arlington, towards Teddy's grave.
"Parks, don't run so fast, buddy. Stay close enough so we can see you," I hear Hannah say from beside me. I'm so glad she is keeping an eye on him because I was so lost in thought for a moment there that I didn't even realize Parker had run ahead of us.
"You okay, babe?" she asks me, squeezing my hand that is currently intertwined with hers. I give her a small smile and wonder how she always manages to say the right things to comfort me. It's one of the things that made me fall in love with her. I lean down and give her a quick kiss, not breaking our stride.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Being here brings up some bad memories, you know? But it is so much better now that I am here with you. You and Parker," I tell her, meaning every single word.
"But just think about it Seeley; if you had not gone back to Afghanistan, then we never would have met. And that definitely would have been a tragedy because we really have something good going on."
"You are definitely the best thing about that horrible situation."
"Dad, is this the one?" Parker yells from across the cemetery, standing and pointing at a headstone.
All the little American flags placed in the ground in front of the graves were softly blowing in the cool November wind. Other families were gathering around various head stones and it made me proud as Parker, Hannah and I walked by that people probably thought of us as a family as well. Which we are, but not in the sense that they are thinking.
Stopping in front of Teddy's grave, I can see the fresh flowers that signify Claire has been here already. It makes me happy that even if I can't stop by, someone else is thinking about Teddy too, that his memory will never be forgotten.
"Hannah, should I put the flowers down now?" Parker asks her, probably realizing that I am a little out of it right now.
"Go ahead, buddy."
Parker bends down to put the flowers next to where Claire has left hers.
"Parks, did you read the name on the headstone?" I ask, reluctantly letting go of Hannah's hand to kneel down next to my son. Thankfully, she comes up behind me and puts her hands on my shoulders, silently giving me the support I need.
"Yeah, Dad. His last name is the same as my first name. Who was he?" Parker asks in his normal inquisitive nature.
"Well, Parker, Corporal Edward 'Teddy' Parker was someone I served with before you were even born…"
Late that night, lying exhausted in bed with the reason why I am so exhausted, I lean down to kiss her forehead as she lays sleeping against my chest. I look over at the clock and find that it is no longer Veteran's Day and for the first time since I came back from my first tour of duty, I had an awesome day. And finally, the after effects of my service has brought me more than just guilt over the men I've killed and a gambling addiction that I still fight to this day.
Love and happiness are now a mainstay in my life and it's all thanks to my last time in Afghanistan. Happy Veteran's Day indeed, is my last thought as I drift off to sleep, content with Hannah at my side.
A/N 2: *dodges rotten vegetables* Anyone still out there?