Author's Note – jenlovesbones sent me Story Cubes for Christmas. (SC is nine cubes with pictures on them. Roll them & viola a story to create.)

Here's to always having inspiration.

For my ladies – there's more than one kind of family.

oOo

Booth had witnessed better nights. Brennan was overtired and grumpy which meant he was overtired of grumpy. Hadley hadn't been sleeping through the last few nights, so taking turns holding her and rocking her back and forth were taking there toll. He knew it was a just a stage she was going through. It would end. It had to, eventually.

He was in the kitchen get Hadley some formula, thinking maybe she was hungry. Booth was thinking about when Parker was a baby. He knew the past couldn't change but he wished he'd been around more to witness all of this and help Rebecca with the baby. But some things just don't turn out they way you want them to so, he was going be there every second he could be with Brennan and Hadley. He wouldn't make the same mistake.

As he approached Hadley's room, he heard Brennan telling her a story. "Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful girl named Hadley. Hadley's father was a shepard and her mother was a scientist."

"Bones," He whispered. "Why do you get to be scientist and I have to be a shepard?"

"It's my story, Booth." She retorted. "Plus, I want Hadley to know she can be whatever she wants."

Brennan started to rock Hadley again and continued with her story. "Since Hadley's mother was had done well for herself, they lived in a modest castle with a tower and a moat. Sometimes, if a guest was lucky, they could see fish as they crossed the bridge to see the family."

Booth interjected. "Hadley's father was happy with his job. He was the best shepard this side of the Anacostia. His sheep grazed around the apple trees on the castle grounds. The nutrients of the apples provided the sheep with great wool. One day, a lightbulb when off in Shepard Booth's head. He could sell the wool to provide more for this family."

Brennan looked over at him. "Your story is irrational."

"It's a made-up story. . .plus Hadley doesn't even understand what we are saying."

"You don't know that."

"You do?"

"Well, studies. . ." They looked down. Hadley had fallen asleep. "Finally! Let me put her down and we can finish this discussion."

"Bones, we are really having this again? I'm going to keep making up crazy stories. It's what parents do. You were doing it, too."

"Mine was more plausible."

"She fell asleep, didn't she?"

"Yes, but. . ."

"Uh uh – we are not re-evaluating this. We aren't under a magnifying glass, Bones."

Brennan took Booth's hand and led him from the room. "She needs sleep just like we do."

"Sleep, I've forgotten what that's like."

"One thing before we sleep, can you tell me what happened in the tower again, Booth?"

"Bones, that's where the bad mother's went. . ."

As Booth was shutting the door, Brennan grabbed his shoulder and whispered, "What kind of bad?"

Thanks for reading.