A/N: So this is part of my Young Squint Series. I wrote a story called Pauropods And Pudding about Hodgins back in May and decided to follow it up with a few little stories about the rest of the squints. The Angela one, entitled Animals and Art is already posted. Stay tuned for Brains and Bullies, the Zach one!

Fractures and Fate

"Mom, Tempe won't leave me alone." Russ shouted up the stairs.

"Russ won't let me play with him." Another voice echoed.

Christine Brennan opened the door of the basement and found her nine year old son standing on the stairs, arms crossed, and an angry look on his face. Behind him, in the basement stood her five year old daughter, hands on hips and a pout on her lips.

"Will you two just get along please?" Christine asked.

"She keeps touching my stuff." Russ said. "She messed it all up."

"I was just looking for the electricity book." Tempe argued. "I didn't mean to."

Christine sighed. "Why don't you come make cookies with me, Tempe and we'll read the electricity book later, okay?"

Tempe shrugged and nodded, sticking her tongue out at Russ on the way up. Soon they were in the kitchen laughing and stirring together.

Russ came running up the stairs. "Mom, guess what? My ants made another trail. I'm going to take a picture."

"Okay, just no running." Christine shouted.

Russ ignored her as he rushed into his room and back down the stairs. Then they heard a loud crash followed by a scream. Christine ran to the basement door and opened it, finding Russ sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, shouting and crying.

Tempe stood at the top and watched as her mom calmed Russ down and looked at his arm. She was only a little bit scared. But she couldn't help but wonder about the bump that was now sticking out of Russ's arm.

Christine bundled them both in the car and they made their way to the doctors. Finally, they got to see Dr. Peters and he put a white cast on Russ's arm.

"Does it hurt, Russ?" Tempe asked. "Not anymore." Russ said proudly. "And all my friends can sign my cast."

"Can I, please?" she asked.

"I don't think so." Russ said.

She pouted and turned away from him, her arms crossed. Her mommy and the doctor were standing, talking quietly.

"Its called a greenstick fracture." Dr. Peters said. "It's a common injury. He'll be fine."

So that was the bump sticking out of Russ's arm. There was a stick in his arm.

When she grew up, she was going to use an x-ray and find the green stick in her arm too.