At The Beginning

Chapter Two

Brennan and Max quietly began to pick up the dishes from the table. Russ,Amy,and the girls had left a few moments ago to return home. Max had decided to stay and help his daughter clean up the place a little. And perhaps ask a few questions as well. He could tell that his daughter was upset about Booth and he knew that she hadn't been to see him in almost five days. A fact of which he learned from Angela,Tempe's friend.

"So why haven't you went to see Booth,Tempe?" He asked bluntly.

She looked up sharply and looked to her father as she placed the dishes in the sink that was filling up with soapy water. "Did Angela tell you that?" She asked of her father as she sucked in a breath.

"She was worried about you honey. She said that you haven't seen him in four days since he woke up with no memory." Max replied softly,tilting his head in his daughter's direction as he dried the dishes she handed him with a dish towel.

Brennan's hand froze in the soapy water for a brief moment before she caught hold of herself and began to wash a dish. "Well she has no reason to be. I'm fine. I've just been busy is all." She said carefully,veiling her emotions.

"No offense Tempe,but that is a load of crap your spewing. Your not seeing him because you feel betrayed. You know it's irrational but you can't help it. I suppose it's mine and your mother's fault for that." Max said sadly.

She didn't say anything,just turned her blue eyes on her father a look in them which Booth had correctly dubbed as "sad little girl face" reflecting at him through those eyes of hers.

Max moved closer to his daughter and pulled her into a warm hug. "I'm sorry we left you back then sweetie but I meant what I said two years ago when I found you again and told you that if you met a guy you trusted then to not let him go. Booth wouldn't hurt you. Not purposefully. He cares for you,I can tell."

Brennan choked on a laugh as she hugged her father back desperately,squeezing her eyes shut on the tears that threatened to fall.

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It was morning time the next day, Russ shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he tentatively opened the door to Seeley Booth's hospital room. He was nervous. Tempe would kick his ass if she new that he was here. But he wasn't worried about that now. He had to talk to Booth. Had to make him remember. He couldn't bare to see the pain in his sister's eyes anymore. A pain he'd only seen a few times before. He looked at the drawing Hayley had handed him early that morning over breakfast for him to give Booth. She'd never really met Booth but she knew that her Aunt Temperance cared for him and that he was the man who'd given them that tree on Christmas last year at the jail. Since then,Hayley had been begging to meet Booth and his son Parker to thank them.

The man in question sat in the bed,brows furrowed as he looked at a purple book in his hand. He seemed to be studying it intently.

Russ didn't say a word as he walked quietly over to the bed and sat down in the chair that Tempe had occupied five days ago. The book,he noticed contained photos of his sister and Booth in a hug or smiling at one another,pictures of the squints and of Parker. "Booth?" He asked softly trying to gain the man's attention.

The FBI agent looked up sharply from his spot in the bed,narrowing his eyes at Russ. "Why can't I remember her? I feel like I should." His eyes were on a picture that he was rubbing with his thumb. It was one of Tempe dressed up for a party being hosted by the Jefforsonian.

Russ smiled at the photo. His sister was laughing at the camera her unique blue eyes absolutely sparkling. She looked happier than he'd seen her in a long time. "That's because you two are close. Tempe...that's the woman in the picture is my little sister. You two work together and are the best of friends. Your really important to her."

"If I'm so important to her then why hasn't she come to see me once in the past four days?" Booth asked roughly as he dropped the book and ran a large hand down his face. He didn't know why,but it hurt that the strange woman he'd seen when he'd first woken up hadn't come back to see him. Why was she so unwilling?

"Tempe's been hurt alot in the past. She trust you and cares for you and suddenly she feels like she lost you. You can't blame her for that. If you blame anyone blame my father and I." Russ whispered slowly.

Booth raised an eyebrow at him as he wondered what Russ was implying. His eyes then landed on the construction paper in Russ' hand. "What's that?" He asked,nodding his head torward it.

Russ laughed as he handed him the picture. "Haley made it. She's my girlfriend's daughter. I love her like she was my own. She's about your son's age."

The drawing was stick figures and a square shape with circles he recognised as faces peeking out. on the other side a stick figure drawn in blue stood next to a smaller stick figure in green. Something in the shape of a large cone with small circles on it was beside them. Each figure and face was named and in colorful lettering,it said:"Thank you for the tree last year and get well soon!" written in a child's scraw.

Booth looked at Russ absolutely puzzled. "What does she mean thank you for the tree?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

"Last year,my father and I were in jail. You and Tempe arranged it so we could rent a trailer for the night so dad,Tempe,Amy,Hayley,Emma,and I could spend Christmas Eve together. We weren't aloud to have a Christmas tree inside and I guess Tempe told you because that night you called her on the phone and told all of us to look out the window. When we did you and your son were standing out there with a tree all lit up. It meant alot to all of us." He looked to his watch and noticed that he should be heading back home. He,Amy,and the girls had moved closer to where Tempe lived and owned a small house. He had managed to get a job at a garage. "Listen,I should go now. I have to be getting home. Don't worry so much about remembering right now. You'll remember when your ready." With that he was out the door.

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It was sometime after lunch when a blonde woman walked into the room holding the hand of a small boy around seven. The child had a mop of blond curls and big brown eyes that were half hidden by his hair.

"Daddy!" The little boy cried as he pratically ran to the bed and bounced onto it.

"Easy Parker." Rebecca scolded half-heartedly as she watched her son smile for the first time since Booth had went in for surgery nine days ago. She hadn't brought her's and Seeley's son to see his father for a few days because she got word from Dr Brennan that Booth had amnesia. The woman had been distraught over the phone. The woman that supposedly didn't get too emotional and who was calm and rational at all times was anything but. Luckily though,Booth remembered Parker from what Hodgins had told her over the phone. He'd just lost his memory of the years of knowing the squints. Rebecca couldn't help but wonder how he'd react to seeing the son he last remembered as a three year old.

But she didn't need to worry about that as a grin immediatly lit up Booth's face as he sat up and wrapped his arms around Parker. "Hey Parker!" He said as he hugged his son tightly to him for once in the five days since he woke up he didn't feel frustrated or like a failure for not remembering obviously important people in his life.

Next Chapter:Parker and Booth continue to hang out,Brennan decides to go see Booth.