Song Named After: Smile by Nat King Cole (OS: Charlie Chaplin)

Rating: K

Genre: Romance/ Family/ Friendship

Timeline: Present

Spoilers: Mild spoilers for season 3

Summary: Brennan receives a gift from an unlikely source.

AN: Sorry it's been so long, my life is crazy busy at the moment; I hope you enjoy this one.

Smile

Dr. Temperance Brennan was bored, which was not something she was used to. She had just finished identifying her third limbo case of the day, and she was weary about starting another identification, she didn't want anyone to think she wasn't giving the Limbo cases her full attention, and even she had to admit she had gotten through those first three cases a lot faster than was normally expected of her. She let out an exaggerated sigh before turning towards her office, she'd decided she should work on her latest book for a while. Her new editor's nickname amongst colleagues was "The fire breathing dragon." And she found it best to just do as told and hand the chapters in on time; it was just easier that way.

She had just begun typing when the familiar shout of "Bones!" could be heard throughout the lab, however this time the voice was not that of her partner. She stood from her desk curiously, and with a confused frown on her face she looked out of her office doorway to see who had called her. Suddenly a very excited 5 year old bounded into her office and threw his arms around her legs in an awkward hug. Brennan hardly had time to react as she embraced the child, surprised at his enthusiasm.

"Hi Bones!" The little boy beamed.

"Hi Parker, where's your Dad?" Brennan asked confused.

"Right here Bones." Booth replied nonchalantly, sauntering into her office a huge grin on his face.

"Do we have a case?" Brennan's voice held a little too much excitement and Booth had to smile at that.

"No Bones." He chuckled. "Parker here just wanted to give you something, didn't you Bub?"

"Yep" Parker replied eagerly. "I made this for you today in school and Daddy said I could come and give it to you." He pulled out a sheet of paper from his backpack and handed it to Brennan with a smile.

The paper held a drawing on it; the drawing was of three figures and a black SUV. The figures were all labelled, the first was of her. She had her blue lab coat on and in her right hand was a bone. The picture also had Booth and Parker in it; they were all standing next to Booth's SUV. Brennan studied the picture carefully. The figure labelled Booth was hugging her from behind, with his arms wrapped around her waist and his head on her shoulder in a loving embrace. Brennan was rather impressed by the boy's drawing skills, she wouldn't have thought a child of 5 would have fine motor skills refined enough to draw like this and although the drawing was a little rough she could clearly see what he was trying to get across.

"It's amazing Parker, this must have taken you a long time to draw."

"Yup." He said definitively, nodding his head in agreement. "And look." He said, pointing at the picture. "I drawed Daddy hugging you, 'cos he says you should smile more, he says you have a beautiful smile, and a hug from Daddy always makes me smile. Daddy gives the bestest hugs, doesn't he Bones?"

"Yes Parker, he does." She replied smiling, Parker beamed back at her. "Thank you Parker this is a very nice gift." Parker smiled once again and extended his arms towards Brennan. Brennan turned to Booth with a look of panic and fear.

"Relax Bones, he just wants to give you a hug."

"Oh…" she smiled and bent down to hug the young boy. Parker pulled away and turned to his father.

"You have to hug her too Daddy, like in the picture. Booth's eyes grew wider slightly, normally Bones would only allow him to hug her when she was upset or the circumstances were more serious. "Pleeeease Daddy." Parker pouted. Brennan smiled and gave a slight nod to Booth, letting him know that it was ok. Booth smiled and walked towards Brennan embracing her in a quick hug before pulling away.

"Noooooo." Moaned parker, "You have to hug her like in the picture!"

"Oh, sorry." Booth said with an embarrassed smile, before turning to Brennan awkwardly and then back to his son." Well you see Bub, friends don't normally hug each other like that."

"But Mommy hugs captain fantastic like that."

Booth sighed, how was he going to explain this to a five year old? "Well you see Parker that's different, because Brent and mommy have a different kind of relationship to me and Bones."

"Oh" Parker said dejectedly. "So Bones isn't your girlfriend?"

"No Parker, we're partners and friends, that's all." Booth replied in a tone that implied he was sick of referring to their relationship as "Just partners." The truth was she meant so much more than that to him, He wasn't an overly complicated man, all he wanted was to be able to call her his own, to say that he belonged to her and in return she belonged to him.

"Oh…when will Bones be your girlfriend then, Mommy used to call Brent her friend, but now she calls him her boyfriend. When will you call Bones your girlfriend?" Parker asked hopefully. 'Man my kid just doesn't let things go' Booth thought before attempting to come up with a valid response, but realizing he had nothing he chose to change the topic.

"Wow! Look at the time! We better get going, say goodbye to Bones Parker."

"What! No! I don't wanna go, and you didn't answer my question!"

"I'll explain in the car Parker ok?"

"Fine" Parker said grumpily. "Bye Bones" he said sadly and turned to walk out the office.

"I'm sorry about that Bones." Booth said apologetically.

"It's ok Booth, I understand. It must be difficult for him to understand our relationship; it's difficult for adults to understand it too." Brennan and Booth both smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow Bones." Booth said, gazing intently at her with a longing smile on his face.

"Yeah see you tomorrow."

Booth turned to leave the office, ushering his son out of the lab. Booth turned back to look at her and sighed before exiting the lab.

"Put your seatbelt on Parker."

"Ok we're in the car, spill." Booth smiled at his son's colloquialism usage.

"The truth is Parker, Daddy cares about Dr. Brennan, a lot. I would love to call Bones my girlfriend, but you see Parker, Bones isn't ready to call me her boyfriend yet, and I'm not sure if she ever will be."

"Oh…but you love her right?"

"Yes Parker, I love her very much." Booth smiled at his son, and Parker smiled back.

"You should tell her that Daddy."

"One day, Parker. I'll tell her one day, if she's ever ready to hear it."

Hope you enjoyed it!