Chapter 6

Brennan lead Zach and Booth down the corridor that lead to her apartment, glancing over her shoulder regularly to make sure that Zach was still there, even though she was well aware that Booth was holding the little boys hand, and Zach was showing no inclination to go wandering on his own. For how happy had seemed to be when they were leaving the rest of his family, Zach had gone oddly quiet, and was keeping close to Booth and Brennan abas he looked around his new home curiously, his hair falling into his eyes as he studied the floor.

Brennan stopped in front of her apartment door, and retrieved her key from her handbag. She unlocked the door and pushed it open, stepping aside to let Zach be the first one through. She wanted him to feel welcome, since it was his home too now.

Booth let go of Zach's hand and let the little boy nervously cross the threshold into his new home for the first time. Zach took a few steps before he stopped and began to look around, his gaze lingering on the many bookshelves loaded up with Brennan's supply of books.

Booth and Brennan followed Zach into the apartment, and Brennan gently touched Zach on the shoulder.

"Come on, Zach; let's show you your room."

"Do I get a room to myself?" Zach asked as he followed Brennan towards his room. Booth followed the pair, Zach's bag slung over his shoulder. Brennan pushed the door to Zach's room open, and this time she led him into the room.

'This is your bedroom. My bedroom is across the hall, and the bathroom is next door to your room." She told him. Zach didn't really look like he was listening, as he was too interested in looking around his new room, his wide brown eyes taking in the new toys, and the brand new bed. Angela had brought the new bedspread, finding one with skulls and crossbones on it. Booth had found it amusing, while Brennan and frowned and pointed out the inaccuracies of the picture of the skull.

"Is this all for me?" Zach asked, turning his attention to Brennan and Booth. Booth nodded.

"Sure is, Buddy."

"But, it's not even my birthday. My birthday wasn't that long ago, and it's not Christmas either." Zach commented, his face showing his confusion.

"You're right, it's not. Booth and I and our friends, decided that since you were going to come and live with us you should be welcomed into our family, so that's why everyone brought you some toys that we could put in your room." Bones explained, crouching down to her son's level.

Zach paused, chewing on his lip nervously, "And this room is all mine? I had to share a bedroom with two of my brothers back at home, and it was smaller than this."

"It's all yours buddy, just try to keep it tidy, okay." Booth replied as Bones got back up to her feet.

"I promise." Zach said seriously, before he moved off to explore his new toys. Bones smiled as she saw Zach pick up the teddy bear that Booth had brought him, studying it closely, before hugging it tightly to his chest, tucking it under his arm so he still could use the other to look through his new toys. Beside her, she knew Booth was smiling as he watched his son exploring his new bedroom.

"Zach, if you need us we'll be out in the living room, alright?"

Zach nodded, not even bothering to turn his head in their direction, so Booth put Zach's duffle bag down on the floor, trusting that the little boy would find it, before he and Bones left the room and headed to the living room, giving Zach a little bit of space and privacy to play.

BONES

After a little bit, Zach emerged from his room, still clutching the bear close to his chest. Booth was the first to spot him.

"He, buddy, what's up."

Zach paused and looked up, "The ceiling, and above that would be the residents of this building who live above…us, and then the roof, and then their would be the first layer of the earth's atmosphere, which is the Troposphere, then would come the Stratosphere, then the Mesosphere and then the Thermosphere and then the exosphere and then…"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down Buddy. I meant to ask what are you doing?" Booth said, having got completely lost by the tangent Zach had gone out on. It looked like he was going to have to treat the little boy like Bones, saying what he meant with little sarcasm until the boy could understand the concept.

"Oh, I was wondering if I could have something to eat?" Zach replied, looking slightly sheepish. Booth and Bones both smiled.

"Sure thing, Zach, not a problem," Booth said. Bones looked at her watch.."

'How about we have something for lunch, since it's just past Twelve o'clock."

Booth and Zach nodded, so Brennan led the way to the kitchen.

"What do you fee like buddy? We're going out for dinner so you can meet some of our friends, so maybe not anything too filling." Booth said. Bones looked in her cupboards.

"What do you feel like, Zach? What is your favourite food to eat?"

"Macaroni and Cheese," Zach replied. Booth clapped his hands together.

"Ah, you are in luck, Dr. Brennan here makes the best macaroni cheese ever, don't you Bones?"

"I wouldn't know, as I have not tasted every single recipe and variation of making macaroni and cheese, but it does taste very good."

"Can you make some please?" Zach asked hopefully. Bones nodded.

"I have everything I need to make it, so I don't see why not."

Zach smiled at that moment, a small, shy little smile, so innocent and naïve. Brennan felt the wall that protected her heat shift at the sight. She busied herself with making up the macaroni and Cheese, while Booth took Zach to the bathroom so he could wash up, before coming back and getting forks out of the drawer. They set the table together, and Booth poured Zach a drink in one of the new plastic cups Brennan had brought, since they both knew that accidents were bound to happen at some point, so plastic was a safer option.

Zach paused midway through taking a sip.

"Special agent Booth?"

"Yeah, Zach?'

"Do we have to say Grace before we eat here?"

"Um, we'll have to talk to bones about that one."

"Why?" Zach asked.

"Dr. Brennan doesn't believe in God, she believes in science." Booth said, supposing that it was a good way of putting it.

"What do you believe in? Do you believe in God?" Zach asked.

"I do, I go to church as often as I can. Did you use to say grace?"

Zach shrugged, "yes, we went to church sometimes too, but I didn't understand any of it. It doesn't match up with science. Like, if God created the world in seven days, and humans were part of that, then how come the dinosaurs are millions of years older than humans?"

Booth didn't have an answer for that, although when he glanced at Brennan, who was watching the interaction, he swore that he saw her smirk.

"Alright Bones, so he takes after you as far a religion is concerned,' Booth conceded to himself as he helped carry a bowl of hot macaroni over to the table. Zach had already put his plastic bowl on the table, and was climbing up into his chair. Brennan sat down, and the Zach hesitated for a moment, before he whispered a few words under his breath in what Booth supposed was a internal Grace, before he opened his eyes and began to eat hungrily. Booth grinned, following his son's example. Brennan watched the two, a smile spreading, unnoticed, across her face. Booth and their son were alike, while at the same time completely different. As she began to eat, Brennan wondered what sort of person Zach would grow up to become.

So this is what parenthood is like, she concluded to herself.

BONES

Angela was almost bouncing in the front passenger's seat of Hodgins' mini as he drove towards the Dinner. She couldn't believe that Boot hand Brennan had brought their little boy home that morning. Angela hadn't heard from either of them, and she'd managed to restrain herself enough to stop herself from calling them. They would be busy helping Zach get settled into his new home.

And now little Zach Addy was going to meet them all, she and Hodgins, Cam and Sweets. She could barely contain her excitement at the thought of finally getting to meet baby booth and Brennan, even though he wasn't so much of a baby. Five was still pretty young though.

She glanced over at Hodgins, who was grinning at her as they stopped at a red light.

"Angela, calm down."

"But Hodgins, its mini Booth and Brennan; aren't you excited?"

Hodgins shrugged, "I guess, I mean, I'm curious about him, but he's a little kid, Angela, not some animal at the zoo."

"I know that," Angela rolled her eyes, "Poor kid, after everything he's been through, he must be so tired and confused."

"Booth and Dr. B will be good for him" Jack said confidently, "and Sweets will be happy he's not the youngest anymore."

You think he might be jealous?"

"Why would Sweets be jealous?"

"Oh, come on Jack, you know how he is, views Booth and Brennan as his surrogate parents, follows them around like a baby Duck. Hell, I've even heard Booth refer to Sweets as their baby duck."

Jack sighed. He knew all about it. He and Sweets were good friends, after all, bonding over geeky things that Sweets didn't feel he could bond with Booth about. Sweets had confessed, after a few drinks, how his adopted parents had died just before he come to work with the FBI, and how Booth and Brennan had just seemed to fill the void. Jack had nodded understandingly, and listened to his friend, knowing that, even though they would pretend otherwise, Booth and Brennan both cared about the Psychologist deeply. He'd never considered Sweets getting jealous of Zach though. Jack sighed. It looked like another night of getting Sweets drunk in order to making him open up about his feelings was in order.

For a psychologist who tried to get people to talk about their feelings, Sweets was very tight lipped about his own.