AUTHORS NOTE: This chapter jumps ahead in time quite a bit! Also sorry for the delay in updating, with school ending this week things have been crazy for me. Now I have all summer to write! Hopefully I will have this chapter posted within a reasonable amount of time since the last update! :)
Brennan wrung out her sopping wet hair. It was mid- April and she was running late for work.
Jenna had been sick the day before causing her to stay home. She hadn't got much sleep the night before and with Booth out of town and Parker at Rebecca's all week, she didn't find a reason to hurry.
" Hey, mommy is running late today. Ok, Jenna? I need 10 more minutes of you being good, please."
Brennan said smiling down at the small girl who was sitting on a blanket on their bedroom floor.
She quickly changed and blow-dryed her hair before Jenna let out a scream and started crying.
She knew Jenna's tempature was back and she felt very frustrated. She knew she couldn't miss 2 days with her upcoming nuptials and she didn't know who could watch the baby.
" Ok, sweetie. I'm gonna get you some medicine, and hopefully you will feel better." Brennan said picking up and rocking her 11 month old daughter.
As Jenna began to nod off back to sleep Brennan heard her phone ring. She scrambled to answer it before Jenna woke up.
" Bones, hey! I'll be back by night." Booth said cheerfully.
" Oh, Jenna is sick. She has a fever and I need to get to work." Brennan said hurriedly.
" Did you find someone to watch her?" Booth asked.
" No, I don't want to bother anyone with a sick child. The lab truly isn't a good place for her to be, and everyone there has a job they need to do." Brennan replied quickly.
She knew no matter what she needed to go so she laid Jenna down and quickly packed her bag.
" What about your father?" Booth asked.
" Max? I don't know... I've never left her completely alone with him." Brennan said unsure.
" Look you know I'm not one to trust Max but the man would never put Jenna in any harm, sick or not. He loves her." Booth argued.
" Ok, I'll see if I can call him. He gave me a hotel room number to call a couple weeks ago. See you tonight, I love you." Brennan said and hung up the phone.
She wasn't sure if it was the best option but it was her only option at the moment.
_ Washington Mall_
" Why did you want to meet here?" Brennan asked.
" My hotel is close by, and I'm hoping if she feels better I could take her to the park." Max replied.
" Well, she is sick so I wouldn't be to hopeful." Brennan said handing Max Jenna who was asleep in her arms.
" Thanks, Tempe. It means a lot that you asked me. I won't let anything happen." Max said as he leaned in and hugged his daughter.
" Dad?" Brennan said before she turned and left. " I know you love me, and you love Jenna. I want you to know that... I think I love you too."
And with that she left, in a very good state of mind.
Later that day...
" I'm back Bones!" Booth said coming in and finding Brennan sitting on the couch Thai food containers strewn to the side and pouring over her paperwork.
" Sorry... Max brought Jenna home and she fell right to sleep. I have a lot of work to catch up on." she said caught off guard.
" Its okay Bones, I'm just glad to see you." Booth said leaning over the couch and kissing her.
She held his kiss for a long time but finally pulled away and whispered. " I missed you too." Then she pulled him onto the couch with her.
" I'm sorry Booth. Not tonight. I want to but, I'm exhausted." Brennan said yawning but with a smile.
She was glad to be laying in Booth's arms again.
" Bones, by now i can tell when something is on your mind. Please tell me." Booth said sensing that something was wrong.
" Its just that.. this morning I told Max I loved him. I think that meant it." she said quietly.
" Bones, thats good. You can love your father." Booth said rubbing small circles on her back.
" I know, I just feel like I shouldn't be able to forgive him. I was so adjusted to not having a father.
I know he has been back for a few years, but up until now I hadn't realized that I actually loved him." Brennan said telling him her thoughts.
" Thats good Bones. I'm proud of you." Booth said. They lay there in silence for what felt like an hour but was really only 15 minutes.
" Oh and Booth?" she asked.
" Yeah," he said sleepily.
" How was Kansas?" she asked curiously.
" It sucked without you there." he said cheesily.
" Your a liar." she said with a laugh.
I guess that was more of a reasonable thing for Brennan to do, at least in my world to admit that she loved Max. I personally love episodes with Max. He is my favorite family member from the team. I would choose him over Jared, Angela's father, or even Michelle any day. Lol :)
