Babysitting Your Partner's Son
AN: I know I should be updating 'Miss You from Russia' but I had a long day. This is pure, ridiculous, candy-coated fluff.
Booth:POV
Booth was a kid in a candy store. Rebecca and Captain Fantastic were going off for vacation that Parker {for some adult reason} wasn't tagging along on. He had Parker for a full week. Is that not awesome? He was ecstatic. And his phone rang.
"Booth."
"Charlie here. All agents have to go to a mandatory meeting."
Shit. He was forgetful, but this was a bad thing to forget.
"It was not something I forgot was it? This meeting?"
"Spur of the moment.. A few female agents complained they kept getting hit on and instead of having a talk with Agent. Lurid.."
"They use it as an example.'
"We are all taking some class on sexual harassment in the workplace. 6:00" Charlie sighed.
Booth noted the time as 4:53. He had to get Parker and find someone to watch him. He would let him tag along, but between the subject matter and jokes the bolder Agents were sure to bring up…. He had Parker a week. He needed to get through this understandable but inconvenient meeting first. He drove to Rebecca's and Parker chatted happily as he wondered what to do. He has old Army buddies, but he didn't think they would want to. Jared was reckless. His parents were not involved with Parker because he and his old man hated another. Becca's parents liked her better and if they did the favor, would give her a laundry list of his irresponsibility… Bones. She would. She could go watch Parker at his apartment. He trusts her and she will most likely do her own thing while Parker watches TV and plays.
"Hey Parker. Dad has to go back to work a little longer but he knows who can play with you.'
"You're not gonna play with me?" His heart broke but he plowed onward. "Bub , do remember the bone lady we bought a tree to?'
"Yeah. Will she play with me?' Honestly Booth didn't know. Would she?
"Bones works a lot, but you will be at my house so you can show her your toys."
"Oh cool!" Parker babbled happily. Booth called Bones to ask. He felt bad sometimes ignoring Parker, but he talked to talk.
"Brennan."
"Hey Bones. You at the lab?"
"I went home because I could not find the anomaly."
"That's not true because you never let an anomaly go. You would be at the lab.'
She sighed because he knew her so well.
"Cam made me take a few days off because I haven't any off in the time she's been my boss. She believes I need a break."
'It's driving you nuts not being at work." He stated.
"Yes. Why did you call?"
"Rebecca let me have Parker a whole week."
" I am glad. I can hear him talking."
" Only the board is having a mandatory surprise sexual harassment class in 50 minutes"
'And I suppose that means female agents have come forward with complaints."
'And I've got a huge favor.'
'Naturally you need someone to watch Parker and I am the logical choice.'
"Can you Bones? I am sorry if I'm putting you out."
'I don't know what that means. But I can. Do I go to your house?"
"Yes. He has toys and everything. Thank you Bones.'
" Be there soon."
He hung up and tuned into the banter.
She was over quickly. Booth headed out to the meeting after telling Parker to be good.
Brennan POV
This tiny human was looking at her. What the hell did one do to provide entertainment to a pre-pubescent?
"Do you wanna see my toys?" Well, not really but what else?
"Alright."
His room was organized chaos. There was potential to rein it all in: storage boxes and the laundry hamper for example. The storage boxes must not have been in use since there were so many toy cars on the bed.
"You must like cars."
"Yeah! I like this best." He mentioned to a black box shaped one.
"It looks a bit like your father's"
"Course silly that's why I like it." She felt her heart warm. Metaphorically of course.
"Do you usually keep them on the bed?"
"It is fun to drive 'em off. I put them away when I go to bed so I don't sleep on 'em. They kinda hurt to roll over on."
She laughed a little because he told her this just as sheepishly as a suspect who admits he had an affair with the victim. He was so serious and confidential.
"I think it would be unpleasant to sleep on a car. What other toys do you own?"
He smiled widely and it was clear he was Booth's. He had the same charm smile. He led her around happily, showing her crayons and stuffed animals and an entire platitude of rubber army men. He didn't have very many. She would have thought Booth as more indulgent.
" Do you keep more toys at your mom's house?"
"Uh huh! Daddy and I play so I don't need as much.'
She could see Booth so clearly chasing and wrestling his laughing son.
"Do you like to color Dr. Bones?"
She could not say no to that little charm smile.
Booth POV
The meeting went on. He was sure they were fine but he still worried. It had been a half hour..
He wondered if they were having fun
Brennan POV
Parker actually colored in the lines fairly well, even if the dog in the coloring book was red. He was abnormally large as well. Parker had given her a strange look when she voiced her concerns. She needed to catch up on pop culture references such as this Clifford. After some time Parker announced he was hungry. Yet another thing he had in common with Booth. They were both frequently complaining of hunger. She had popped popcorn and he had eaten almost half of a bag, along with a few big glasses of milk. She suspected that all Booth men had tapeworms. She decided to make dinner. She reasoned that Mac and cheese was kid friendly and Booth approved. The kid ate like a shark. After a while he settled down to watch a bizarre program on PBS about cartoon robots. She let her mind wonder while she washed the dishes. She thought she knew why Booth almost seemed to need time with Parker. It did not have to do with being a parent. They handled death on a daily basis. She dealt by rationalizing. Booth felt comforted by this giddy and innocent kid. He trusted easily and was social. She knew he made Booth happy after a disturbing case simply because he was simple and good. She liked him. He wasn't like most people she liked. He wasn't a lover like Sully or a friend like Angela or Booth. He wasn't a fun colleague like Hodgins. He was just so damned likeable. She decided to spoil him just a bit. She found a brownie mix earlier looking for pasta to make dinner with and kids like brownies right?
Correction they love them. She announced it and he quickly grinned like a nut and convinced her to let him crack the eggs. He also convinced her against her argument that you could get salmonella by eating batter.
"But daddy always would let lick the spoon" Who was she to argue with tradition? By 8:00 he had crashed in his bed clutching the bunny stuffed animal he had shown her earlier.
Booth POV
He got back and noticed that a Clifford coloring book was nearly completed although new and there was a pan of brownies that had been dug into. There was a Tupperware container of leftover Mac and cheese in his fridge. So in a nutshell she let him color all day and he only stopped when she fed him homemade junk food? Bones was sure to be Parker's very favorite adult now.
Bones popped out of Parker's room looking exhausted and thankfully happy.
"How was the meeting?"
"Boring. And how was taking care of a hyper little boy?"
' Not boring."
" You two have a good time? What did you do?"
" He and I colored. He watched television when I made dinner. We made brownies."
"Together?" The image of his partner helping his son stir brownie mix was both cutely maternal and hard to believe.
"Yes. He fell asleep."
"You realize you are his favorite now?"
"Why? I let him play uninterrupted and fed him unhealthy food."
"That's how six year olds imagine the best day."
She grinned almost shyly. "He is simple and happy. I can't explain why he is fun company because of that."
He beamed at her. "I understand what you mean.'
"Well I should go home."
" Hey Bone how much time do you have forced off?"
"I have three days."
"Maybe Parker and I can keep you company."
"Well since I'm his new favorite it is logical."
"Admit it. You just like him and hanging out with him."
"Yeah. Booth men are fun people.'
FIN
AN: And didn't I warn you about fluff? ;] Reviews are love! And 'Clifford the Big Red dog' is a children's cartoon. I don't own it or 'Bones'