AN: This is a one-shot based on the wonderful AU storyline "Healing Two Souls/The Beginning" created by cmol8806. In chapter 14 of 'The Beginning' Brennan discovers she is pregnant with her fiance Booth's child, this scene happens about six years later. This not a collaboration with the original author, but is based on assumptions I made about where her story could be headed.

Disclaimer: Standard, I own none of it.


A fling?

Brennan sighed with relief as she swiped her card and ascended the forensics platform, the last three and a half hours of meeting with her agent and publisher finally ebbing from her thoughts. Looking at examination table she is pleased to see that her interns have completed cleaning the remains of the latest murder victim. She snaps on a pair of gloves and starts assessing the skeleton looking for possible cause of death.

"Dr. Brennan! You're back from your meeting. As you can see we finished removing the flesh before we went to lunch. OH! You'll never guess what happened on the way back from the diner, it was so amazing" Daisy gushed excitedly.

Without looking up from studying a mark she spotted on the C4 vertebrae, Brennan responded dryly "You're correct Ms Wick, I'll never guess." Wendell, Vincent and Arastoo glanced at one another and tried to hide their smirks.

"Well we met Dr. Saroyan, Ms. Montenegro and Dr. Hodgins at the diner, they were already seated so we had to sit at a different table of course, but we all finished eating at about the same time so we started walking back together, it is such a beautiful day so we took the scenic path through the park" Daisy pauses to take a short breath, "and along the way we saw Agent Booth, he was playing with his little boy Parker, he's so cute, and it was so adorable when he gave Dr. Saroyan a hug and called her Auntie Cami and then he called Ms Montenegro Auntie Ange and Dr. Hodgins Uncle Hodgie when he hugged them" another audible breath, "then Agent Booth introduced us as the Squinterns, and Parker shook our hands and said 'Hello, it's nice to meet you, I'm Parker Booth and I'm five years old', it was so amazing, he spoke so formally and respectfully, just like his father..."

Brennan smiled slightly, it always invoked her sense of pride to hear someone compliment her son for his good manners and emerging alpha-male tendencies, although she'd never admit that to Booth.

Part way through Daisy's long winded soliloquy Cam, Angela and Hodgins emerged from their offices to investigate the commotion. Jack and Angela stood together just outside Jack's door, while Cam walked up to the examination table on the platform, to a position across from Brennan. She noticed the slight upturn of the anthropologist's lips when Daisy said 'just like his father'.

"... after we talked to Parker about having a day off school and being able to spend it in the park with his dad, Dr. Saroyan reminded us we needed to come back to work, so we said good bye and resumed our trek. On the way Vincent and I started discussing Parker and tried to figure out what he calls you Dr. Brennan. We asked Dr Saroyan but she said that was your business and we would have to ask you. I believe that because Agent Booth always calls you Bones, that Parker probably calls you Auntie Bones, that's right isn't it?" Daisy queried now completely out of breath.

Brennan raised her head and frowned. "No Ms Wick, Parker calls me Mommy, which I am quite certain is the appropriate moniker for a child his age to use for his female parent. I expect he will shorten it to Mom in the next year or so, and perhaps use Mother when I have done something to embarrass or annoy him."

Behind her gasps could be heard as four mouths fell open in shock. She looked and saw Cam bring her hand to her mouth to try and suppress a giggle, off to the side she heard Hodgins snort as he tried not to laugh.

"what?", "huh", "Really?"

"how?" squeaked Daisy.

"How Ms Wick?" Brennan began as she turned toward her interns. "Since I know you understand the biological functions involved I assume you're asking about the logistics, it happened like most unplanned pregnancies, Booth and I engaged in sexual intercourse and my contraceptive failed as they are known to do a small percentage of the time." She was met by four blank stares, she rolled her eyes and waited for one of them to say something.

"Wow! That must be a...awkward" stumbled Wendell.

"Awkward? I don't understand Mr Bray"

"I think he means it must be awkward for you and Agent Booth to have had a fling, go through a pregnancy as a result, and then you end up working with him." injected Daisy.

"A fling? I am not aware of any societal benchmark or social convention which could be used to classify the eleven years that Booth and I have been in a monogamous relationship as a fling. We are quite happily married and working together is not awkward in the slightest." She noticed the incredulous looks on the four faces in front of her and turned as she heard Cam break into open laughter.

"Did I say something inappropriate Dr Saroyan?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Goodness no, Dr Brennan, you were quite eloquent as usual, it's just that the look on their faces is so comical." Cam explained pointing to the interns.

Brennan grimaced before once again lowering her gaze to the remains on the table. "I find I am somewhat disappointed in their lack of observation and reasoning skills, they have been here for several months and have obviously not picked up on the fact that Booth and I are in a relationship far more intimate than would be typical of an FBI partnership. It brings into question their suitability for continued studies in the field of forensic anthropology."

Cam slightly taken aback replied, "I'm not sure I'd go that far Temperance, after all, you and Seeley do an exceptional job of maintaining an air of professionalism here at the lab and in the field from what I've seen," looking in the direction of Angela and Hodgins, she continued "unlike some other couples, who's names I won't mention."

Brennan smiled brightly, "Thank you Cam. We both feel it is very important to maintain a degree of separation between our personal and professional lives." Straightening slightly and glancing over her shoulder to address her interns "Mr Vaziri you will assist me here, Mr Bray, Mr Nigel-Murray and Ms Wick please proceed to bone storage and investigate cause of death for file 79-0042F, I expect a full report before the end of the day."

"Yes Dr Brennan" all four interns replied simultaneously as they started moving to their assigned tasks, Angela went back in her office, Hodgins and Arastoo joined Cam and Brennan on the platform, and the other three interns had gone to bone storage. Things settled down to the serious business of finding a probable cause of death for the victim.

A few minutes later the relative quiet was shattered by the swish of the main doors and the excited voice of a little boy "MOMMY!" followed instantly by the recognizable masculine voice of Seeley Booth "Parker, indoor voice please."

"Sorry daddy" Parker looked sheepishly at his dad and then smiled brightly before turning towards the platform.

Parker stopped at the bottom of the steps leading to the forensics platform and looked up at familiar adults who were now watching him. "May I come up?"

Brennan smiled, removed and discarded her gloves, looked around the platform then back to her son. "Well since there are no yucky fleshy bits laying around, yes you may." Cam rolled her eyes, Hodgins smirked and Arastoo's brow raised.

Parker bounced on his toes impatiently waiting for his father to swipe his security card, as soon as he heard the tone he bound up the steps and ran into his mother's waiting arms. Brennan hugged Parker tightly, kissed him on the cheek and then stood while settling him on her hip. Parker snuggled into her neck and sighed. "Love you Mommy."

Arastoo stared in astonishment as his normally stoic mentor's features softened. She practically glowed with the look of love and happiness.

"I love you too baby. So tell me what have you and Daddy been up to this morning?"

It was impossible for those on the platform not to pay attention as the little boy regaled his mother with a very detailed description of his mornings activities. Angela came out of her office to see what was going on. To those around them the interaction between mother and son was mesmerizing, as Brennan cooed, giggled and asked child-like questions.

After bringing his mom up to speed on his day, Parker looked down at the skeleton on the examination table. "Mommy, how did that lady die?"

"I don't know yet sweetie, we just started examining her a little while ago." Brennan responded. Arastoo's brow shot up.

"Dr. Brennan, may I ask your son a question?"

"Yes Mr. Vaziri, you may"

Parker looked expectantly at the intern. "Parker, how did you know that these are the remains of a lady?"

Parker frowned "The rounded shape of the pelvic bone indicates a female. Daddy told me that you and the others are here to learn about bones from Mommy. You should pay attention better when she talks, then you would know how to tell too."

Hodgins nearly dropped the petri dish he was about to examine, Cam turned away and bit her bottom lip, Angela covered her mouth with her hands, the two other technicians on the platform barely suppressed their giggles and Booth scrubbed his hand over his face. "Parker that was inappropriate, please apologize to Mr Vaziri" Brennan said in a serious tone.

Parker looked at Arastoo while trying to hold back his tears and said "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Arastoo smiled at the young boy. "It's alright Parker. Thank you for apologizing, you are forgiven."

Parker turned into his mother and buried his face in her neck. Brennan stroked his cheek and cooed "Love you baby."

"Hey buddy, we need to get going. Let your Mom and the squints get back to work. We got a few stops to make and then you can help me make a nice dinner for your Mom"

"Ok Daddy." Parker squirmed and Brennan let him down, as he reached the stairs to leave the platform he turned and smiled. "Bye Mommy, see you at home, bye everybody, hope you and Daddy catch the bad guy tomorrow."

"Bye Parker" everyone on the platform chimed in. They all watched as Parker took Booth's hand and the two of them walked out the main doors and turned towards the elevators. Brennan moved towards the edge of the platform while watching her two boys disappear, Angela sidled up next to her and glanced over at her friend's face. She noticed the wistful expression and the beginnings of a tear forming. "Ahh Sweetie"

Brennan blushed slightly and wiped the moisture from her eye. "I find I very much miss being able to go downstairs to see him in the daycare whenever.."

"'I know, I found it really hard last year when Michael started kindergarten too. It's a natural mom thing." Angela took Brennan's hand and gave it a firm squeeze. Brennan returned the squeeze for a second and gave her friend a slight smile. She straightened her features and walked back to the examination table to resume the task of finding a cause of death, her feelings once again contained.


And thus ends my first attempt at creative writing since high school back in the 70's. What do ya think?