Chapter Four:

It had been a month since Booth's anniversary, and life had seemingly went back to a mere resemblance of what life used to be. Brennan sat at her desk writing a report for the FBI. She no longer went into the field, in fear that she would be making Parker a foster child, something that she promised to herself that she would never do to him.

She was pondering over what to write next, but all she could do was stare at the blinking curser. Annoyed she got up and started pacing her office. Then the picture of their wedding day caught her eye.

It had been a struggle on her part, but she realized that getting married in the church was something very important to her husband to be, and if it was important to him, it was important to her. So there she was, walking down an aisle in a white dress, holding red roses, with Parker escorting her down the aisle.

They said their vows, and shared a kiss, which was captured by the photographer. It was so much more than a kiss for her though, it was a promise of forever with them. A man that was as steady as rock, that wouldn't leave her the way her family had left her.

Then cruel reality had hit her, there was no such thing as happily ever after. She sighed, putting her head in her hands, sitting down on the couch. Tears started escaping again. She missed him so much. She really did feel that her life ended that day in the fire.

A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie. A delivery boy was standing there with a package for her. Brennan signed for it, grabbing her scissors on her desk. She opened the package and her heart skipped a beat. It had to be Booth again.

Temperance,

All work and no play makes for a very boring life.

I want you to play hooky.

That's right, hooky. You are going to go home sick,

sign Parker out of school early, and go on a picnic in the park.

You are going to push our son on the swings, and dance around in the

grass, not caring who looks at you. Do you understand?

Oh, don't worry about the food. Angela and Hodgins are in on this. They

are going to join you. There is more than one type of family Bones.

I love you.

Forever yours,

Love Seeley

PS: Take off your shoes in the grass, will ya!

Brennan put down the letter and opened up the picnic basket. Inside was freshly made sandwiches, potato salad, macaroni salad, a jug of sweet tea, and freshly made cookies. Brennan smiled. It was the same menu that was served on their first picnic date all those many months ago.

Debating in her head on what to do, the answer was clear. She shut down her computer, grabbed the basket and rounded up Hodgins and Angela. There wasn't any work that couldn't wait until tomorrow. Angela smiled, giddy to know that Booth was still around somehow.

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"Yes, I'm here to pick up Parker Booth early from school." She told the receptionist at the front desk. She looked at the clock it was only 11:00. She hoped he wouldn't be missing out to much of school, but had waited to get him until he could be counted there for the day.

Brennan smiled when she saw Parker running down the hall, obviously elated to be getting called out of school early.

"Bones!" He ran into her arms. "Nothing is wrong is it?"

"No, Bub. I just remembered you had a dentist appointment today." She winked at him to let him know that she was just joking around. He caught on the meaning and immediately played into the lie, moaning and groaning about how he didn't like the dentist.

"Why does your son call you Bones?" The receptionist asked as Brennan was finishing the rest of the paperwork.

Brennan shrugged, "It is what his father used to call me, and it's our little nickname for me." Parker lifted his arms up. Logically she and he both knew that he was too old to be carried anymore, but they didn't care. They enjoyed the closeness.

"Bones, really what is going on?" Parker demanded as soon as they were out of the office.

"Your dad just thought a day of hooky was what we needed." She explained to him. Parker knew about the letters because he too was receiving letters from Booth.

"Dad would pick me up sometimes." Parker said wistfully. Brennan gave Parker a look, "Well, Dad would tell me not to tell you because he knew what you would say. He would take me to the diner and we would get pie!"

Brenan made a mental note to start picking him up from school more and have more spontaneous moments that Parker would carry on into adulthood. She touched the letter that was now safely tucked into her pocket. It definitely felt like Booth was there with her, helping her raise their son.

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Parker sat on the swing, knowing that he could push himself however demanding that his Bones did it for him. "Higher Mommy. Higher." He screeched.

Bones pushed him higher, but caught the slip of the tongue. She decided to let it go, knowing that Parker would settle on calling her whatever title he saw fit. It had always been Booth who had wanted him to call her mom.

"Bones, would it be okay if one day Parker started calling you Mom?" Booth asked.

They were lying on their porch, watching the stars come out. "Parker had a mother that carried him around for nine months. I'm not biologically his mother." She explained rationally. "So it is natural for him to call me what you call me. Besides my nickname sounds so much cuter coming out of his mouth."

"But what if wanted to start calling you Mom? I know that Rebecca is his real mother biologically, but you are his Mom in every sense of the word. You tuck him in at night and you make him feel safe." Booth reasoned with her. "I'm not saying we should force it upon him, but if one day he naturally starts calling you mom, would you be okay with it."

"Yeah. I feel like his mom." She answered him. She laid back into his arms, and he gently placed a kiss on her forehead. She never wanted to leave that spot.

"Mom, I'm ready to eat now!" Parker exclaimed. His little voice broke her out of her memory. He smiled at her. "I'm the luckiest boy in the whole world." He hung around her neck, as she walked back to the blanket where Hodgins and Angela were waiting for them to return.

Hodgins was slowly massaging Angela's shoulders. "I told you Booth knew what he was doing when he was sending us those messages. Look, they already look like they are going to be okay." He told her as they were approaching.

Angela nodded. "Baby steps Jack. Everything in baby steps."

Brennan and Parker walked back up genuinely smiling for the first time in almost a year just because they were having a good time.

"Mom, in case I forget to tell you, I love you." Parker whispered in her ear. Brennan smiled and swung him around in a circle.

"Right back at you Kiddo. Now lets eat before Uncle Jack eats it all on us." Brennan told her little boy.

AN: I hope you like it. Please review and let me know if you have any tasks that you think would be good to add. Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know.