A/N: I apologize in advance for all incorrect medical information. Bones is not mine. I hope Princess Camille Phantomhive and IvoryKey enjoy this chapter as well. Thank you both for your reviews. IvoryKeys, a plot line begins to develop around chapter ten. I hope you stick around until then.


Chapter Seven: A Golden Birthday

Kennedy bound out of the car and raced ahead to the car. "Come on Daddy," she called eagerly to Booth.

"Cars," Brennan warned pulling out decorations and balloons from the back of the jeep.

Booth grabbed a couple bags from her and nodded towards Kennedy. Brennan pulled out the last few items and started to follow her husband inside.

She stopped quickly and tapped on the car window. Parker slid out of his seat and grinned at her "Sorry, Bones," he apologized, "I was finishing the last chapter". He held up the book she had suggested to him.

Brennan smiled at him, "Let's go, you know how impatient Booth can be". Parker took the piñata from his step-mom and they headed inside.

Brennan had just set down her purse and taken off her coat when skinny arms surrounded her waist. "Thank you so much Mommy," Kennedy cooed. Brennan's face lit up as she returned the hug. Sometimes she couldn't believe that somehow she had ended up here.

Booth picked Kennedy up and swung her up through the air. "Happy Birthday Baby," he told her.

"May 8th is my birthday" Kenzie giggled, "Today's only the seventh silly."

Kennedy wiggled down. "Come on Parks," she begged. Parker took her hand and took her down the hall.


Twenty minutes Brennan and Booth finished decorating and went to meet Kennedy's birthday guests. She was turning eight years old tomorrow. Kennedy smiled as each friend arrived.

She got to have eight people come. Parker, Michael, and Sophia were three people already. Then she invited Elizabeth, Jenna, Max, Gabi, and Henry. Each person handed her a present and told her "Happy Birthday".

Kennedy looked down at her light blue gymnastics outfit that had silver sparkles in it. Her tawny hair was gathered into a high ponytail. The other girls had similar outfits but the boys wore sweatpants and T-shirts.

They sat down crisscross applesauce and listened to the rules. Kennedy sat patiently and tried not to look bored. She knew all the rules and wished the instructor would hurry up.

Finally the kids were released and took off. They were walking across bars, jumping on trampolines and doing cartwheels. Kennedy was the center of attention as the party girl. She did a couple cartwheels and flip-flops. Then she jumped for a while summersaulting in the air.


After a few minutes of running around she stopped and looked around for her best friend. Michael was standing beside Angela who was talking to her Mom. Kennedy rolled her eyes and raced toward him.

"Come play," she told him.

Michael shook his head.

"I already tried that," Sophia said to Kennedy and then raced back to the other kids.

Kennedy took his hand and gently pulled. Michael had Angela's hand in a vise and refused to let go.

Ange was conflicted but finally said, "Go play Kennedy," and ran her hand through Michael's hair.

She shook her head showing every ounce of Brennan stubbornness. "Just a walk," Kennedy pleaded softly. Michael nodded reluctantly and took her hand. They carefully walked around the perimeter of the gym.

"It's loud," Michael finally said.

Kennedy listened for a moment the music's beat pounding in her ears. "Yeah," she agreed. "Don't you like my party?" she said sounding sad.

Michael hesitated and then nodded, "I like whenever I'm with you," he said truthfully.

"Let's go jump on the trampoline," she suggested. The terror was only on his face for a moment but it was unmistakable.

"Kenzie," he said softly.

"I promise I will stay with you the entire time," she attempted to reassure him. Michael nodded.

Angela watched her children carefully. Sophia was giggling and doing back walkovers. Her love of dance made her flexible and she adored practicing tricks Kenzie taught her. Ange then scanned the gym for Michael worriedly.

Kennedy was leading him up the steps to the trampoline. She pulled him on to the bouncy surface and told the other kids to clear out. He gasped as he sank down. Kennedy chuckled, "It's okay," she reassured him. She then grabbed both of Michael's hands and started to jump. Michael joined her; the experience of floating in the air for so long was odd. But soon he was laughing as Kennedy insisted he land on his bottom instead. Michael relaxed as the party continued and Kennedy never left his side.


Now it was time for cake. Kennedy's face was glowing in the darkened room, illuminated by the candles on her cake. They all sang Happy Birthday to her and Kennedy couldn't stop smiling. She loved all her presents, her yummy red velvet cake, and her friends who had been invited.

After cake it was time to hit the piñata. Kennedy insisted that everyone had to be blindfolded and spun around three times. Booth hung the yellow smiley face piñata and handed the rope to Parker.

Kennedy went first and managed to hit it once out of three strikes. When she slipped the blindfold up onto hair like a headband and opened her eyes Parker grinned at her.

"Don't worry, I won't make it as hard on your friends," he teased her. Kennedy stuck her tongue out at him and went to the end of the line.

Her friends all had varying levels of success as they attempted to swing the bat. Finally it was Sophia's turn. As Brennan had watched the other children she had realized they probably should have let Sophia go sooner. Luckily no one had managed to break piñata yet and they wouldn't need to deal with any tears.

Booth gave Parker a look and Parker nodded lowering the piñata a few inches. Sophia managed to hit it all three times. She pulled off the blindfold and pouted, "You didn't make the piñata move at all".

Angela pulled her into a hug, "No they didn't," she said honestly.

Sophia bit her lips and made her eyes water. The adults glanced at each other and got ready for a full on meltdown.

"Gotcha!" Sophia giggled looking up at Parker with sparkling eyes, "Thanks".

Parker lifted her up for a hug, "You're a pain," he told her with a laugh.

The piñata crashed to the ground when Parker dropped the rope. Parker set her down and tugged on the string. The piñata was undamaged and then it was Michael's turn. Brennan spun Michael around three times. The kids started yelling out instructions, "Up" "Left"...

Michael had never told anyone but he loved, loved, loved this game. It was just as fair for him as everybody else. If he managed to hit it, it was because he was good at the game not because of anyone's pity. Michael told Parker he better make the piñata move up and down and then managed to whack the thing twice.

When it still hadn't broken the dads insisted on trying. Angela shepherded all the children back quite a ways and Brennan took the rope from Parker. The kids continued to yell out advice and egg the dads on.

One of the dads had the bright idea that they should go at the same time. So blindfolded and dizzy Booth hit the piñata hard enough to break it open and Hodgins hit Booth's hand. Booth let out a cry and Brennan rushed over to examine it as the kids mobbed them. The children were crawling around on the floor picking up candy, as Booth and Brennan tried not to trip on them.

Angela laughed and pulled her husband out of the way. Jack had his bandana up around his forehead like a hippy and looked at her sheepishly. Angela pulled the red bandana off all the way and kissed him.

Kennedy carefully pushed candy towards Michael so he could find it a bit more easily, but never said a word. His bag was at least twice as full as hers. But that was okay, that's what being a best friend means.


After the goodie bags had been handed out and all the other kids had left, Michael and Kennedy sat on top of the table in the party room. Their parents were loading up all the gifts and throwing away garbage, but they were perfectly content to sit there swinging their legs.

Michael's sneaker clipped the back of Kennedy's calf and he apologized. Kennedy just shrugged. Michael reached into his bag and offered her a Twizzler.

"My favorite," Kennedy said happily.

She had pushed it towards his searching fingers anyway, and now he was giving it back. Do unto others what you would have them do to you, Matthew 7:12. Maybe her Daddy was a bit more right about God than her Mommy was. But Kennedy wasn't really certain; all she knew was that this had been her best birthday party so far. And that in thirteen hours she would be eight.

Things are never quite as scary when you have a best friend. ~Bill Watterson


A/N: Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!