Chapter Two
a/n I really liked the idea of the teams meeting up. It's not gonna work quite like that just yet, but we'll see...
"Parker!"
The call came from across the park, and he looked up and saw the waving, blonde woman. "Parker!" he yelled back.
Ignoring his dad's questions and protests, he ran over to the other Parker and grabbed her hand. "I'm really happy you came today!"
"Me too," she laughed. "The stuff I had to do today got finished up early. It was really easy."
"Cool," Parker grinned up at her. "You can meet my dad."
...
Parker knew she should be worried about meeting Agent Booth, but it was just too neat to get to meet a real FBI agent when she wasn't on a job.
"I thought he was gonna be busy today?" she asked.
The little Parker shook his head as he dragged her back towards were his father stood, hands on hips, frowning. "Nope. They caught the bad guy already."
"Wow," Parker breathed. The closer she got to Agent Booth, the more he reminded her of Eliot. They didn't really look alike, but they both walked and stood like they could beat the crap out of you if they wanted to. The thought shot through her mind that maybe she shouldn't be so excited, but she brushed it away.
"What did you tell your dad about me?" Parker was curious. She didn't want Agent Booth to think she was some creepy lady.
The boy shrugged. "Just that I met a nice girl who had the same name as me, and we played together and she was cool."
Parker grinned. "Yup. I'm cool."
...
Parker laughed. This lady was crazy, but really nice, so he was happy she could meet his dad.
When they came to a stop in front of Dad and Bones, he watched them look Parker over. His dad looked suspicious, and Bones looked confused.
He looked up at Parker, and she was grinning. She really did act and look like a little kid.
"This is Parker. The one I met yesterday."
"She's a little older then I expected, bud," Dad frowned.
"Sorry about that," the older Parker shrugged. "I got bored yesterday and went for a walk and it was just really neat to meet someone else named Parker. He's really good at the swings."
Now Dad's eyebrows were way up, and he seemed surprised. Then he smiled, and Parker knew things would be okay. Dad only smiled when he liked someone.
"Well then," his dad held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Parker."
She gingerly shook his hand, and then bit her lip, eyes bright and eager. "Are you really FBI?"
"Yup," he nodded. "And this here is my partner, Bones. She's not FBI, but she's a valuable consultant to the Bureau."
...
The thief tilted her head at the tall woman with reddish hair. "You don't look boney."
Boy Parker laughed. "That's silly, Parker. She's not really boney, Dad just calls her Bones. I do too."
"Why?"
Booth jumped in, "Because she's a distinguished anthropologist."
"Oh! I know what that is! Lots of museums have plaques that talk about anthropologists!" Parker exclaimed. Then her face fell. "But why would the FBI want help from someone who digs up cities and stuff?"
Bones looked down at the odd girl and answered, "Because I am able to identify, by the bones alone, victims too decomposed to otherwise be identified."
"Wow. So you're, like, Sophie's worst nightmare."
"Huh?" Booth didn't understand.
Parker's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "Oops. Never mind. Do you still go places and dig up cities and artifacts?"
Bones smiled. "Yes. Normally only when I am on vacation, though, since Booth needs my expertise most of the time."
"That sounds like a fun vacation!"
...
Parker watched his dad shake his head as the two women talked about different digs around the world. The lady Parker seemed to know a lot about the pots and jewels and things they dug up at the different places Bones' travelled to.
Dad finally stepped up and asked if the girls wanted to go get something to eat. Bones nodded, and Older Parker giggled. "Food is good. Can we go somewhere with ice cream?"
"Yeah!" Parker shouted. He hadn't told his dad he'd had ice cream yesterday, since he was only supposed to have some every couple of days.
Dad chuckled. "I think that can be arranged. So, do you live around here, Miss?"
The blonde shook her head. "Nope. We were here for a job."
"We?"
"Yeah. Me and Eliot and Hardison and Sophie and Nate. They're my friends. We work together."
"Oh. What do you do?" Dad asked. His eyes looked skeptical again.
"Marketing!"
Parker knew the bigger Parker was lying, but she was good at it, and his dad stopped worrying.
...
It was after they had all been eating at the diner for an hour, talking about all sorts of stuff, that Parker saw Eliot.
Agent Booth had been telling a really funny story about the time he and Bones had gone after this scary serial killer. But he'd been dressed up like a "squint", and Bones had been wearing a Wonder Woman outfit. Parker was snickering so hard she couldn't breathe.
Then the bell over the front door rang, and Parker looked up to see her favorite hitter walk in, looking around. Probably for her.
So she jumped up and waved her arm at him. "Hey, Eliot! Want some pie?"
Parker could tell Eliot wanted to be mad at her. And she would probably get another lecture later. But, for now, he could see that she was okay and beaming, so he'd be nice.
When Eliot pulled up a chair and sat down at the end of the table, she watched Agent Booth and Eliot size each other up. They both finally did that manly nod thing, then Eliot turned to Parker.
"Where you been, sweetheart? You didn't let us know before you left. Soph's worried."
Parker's face fell. "I forgot to tell you! I'm sorry, Eliot."
He bumped her shoulder with his and a rueful smile turned his lips up. "It's okay, darlin'. I'm just glad you're alright."
She nodded, and then turned to the others at the table. "Eliot, this is my new friend Parker."
The little Parker waved, and he seemed really pleased to meet Eliot. "Parker talks about you a lot. She says you are really nice and keep her safe and stuff."
Eliot snorted, but he seemed pleased.
"And then this is Agent Booth, and his partner Bones."
Bones slid her hand out, and Eliot took it, eyes running appreciatively over her. "Hello."
"Bones is only what Booth and Parker call me. And your Parker seems to like the nickname as well. I'm Doctor Temperance Brennan."
"Beauty and brains. The best combination in a woman, I think," Eliot drawled. Then he blinked, and gave Agent Booth a second look. "Agent Booth, as in Seeley Booth? FBI Special Agent in Charge?"
"Yeah. How do you know me?" he questioned, eyebrow raised.
"The thing with Heather Taffet, that must have been tough."
Agent Booth studied Eliot. "What do you know about Agent Taffet?"
"I knew the Kent family. Matthew and Ryan. There dad was a friend of mine. I heard she got put away. Good job," Eliot answered quietly.
Parker could tell Eliot was remembering sad stuff and wanted to cheer him up. "Hey, Eliot, do you want some of my ice cream?"
He knew exactly what she was doing, and gave her a little hug and smiled. "Nah, that's okay. I gotta head back and get dinner started. You wanna help?"
"Yes!"
Looking over at the boy Parker, she held up her hand, and he gave her a high five. "You think you can play tomorrow?"
Parker looked over at Eliot, pouting. He rolled his eyes. "I'll ask Nate if we can stick around a while. Okay?"
"Thanks, Eliot!"
...
Parker watched the girl Parker and her friend Eliot leave and waved after them. His dad had got Parker's email, so they could write even after she left.
But she said she would try to come to the park again tomorrow.
"Isn't she cool, Dad?"
Bones nodded. "I found her a stimulating conversationists. Perhaps more innocent then our society expects from women of her age, but the lack of embarrassment and anxiety in new social situations is refreshing."
His dad was thoughtful. Then he agreed. "You're both right. She's a nice girl, and that Eliot seemed like a good guy."
"So can I hang out with her again tomorrow?"
"How about we go on a picnic?" Dad suggested. "You, me, Bones, Parker, Eliot, and any of her other friends that want to come. Does that sound good?"
"Yeah!"
Parker couldn't wait for tomorrow.