A/N: This chapter isn't a take on an episode, I just made it up.

Middle of May 2006

Booth knocked lightly on Brennan's office door; she looked up, "Booth, do we have a case?"

"No, I was just wondering if you and Maddie had plans this weekend."

"She doesn't have any gymnastics this weekend so we're going to sleep in and do whatever she wants. She really loves the gymnastics and all the hours of practice, but I know some weekends she'd give anything to be home and do nothing."

Booth nodded, "Well I have Parker this weekend and since Rebecca is taking him to her family reunion over memorial weekend we are having our cookout tomorrow. You both are invited, we'll grill burgers and hotdogs, and I'll get veggie versions for you. We're also having potato salad, baked beans, corn on the cob and chips. I'll also get something for desert."

"Sounds delicious. What time? "

"We'll eat around 4, Parker will want to watch movies or play games or something before he goes to bed."

"Okay, I'll let Maddie decide and call you later. If we come Maddie will want normal burger and I'll want veggie."

"Sounds good."

"Do you need me to bring anything?"

"No, just yourself and Maddie."

"Okay."

That night Brennan knocked lightly on the door frame of Madelyn's bedroom, Madelyn looked up from her desk.

"Take a break for minute. I have something to ask you. Booth invited us to his house for an early memorial day BBQ this tomorrow with him and his son."

"Booth has a son?"

"Yes, Parker is four."

"I'm not playing with a four year old."

"If he asks you to you will, at least for a little while. It won't hurt you."

"Fine what time are we going?"

"Booth said we'd eat around 4 because Parker will want to play games or watch a movie before he goes to bed."

"All right."Madelyn went back to her homework and Brennan kissed the top of her head.

The next afternoon Brennan pulled up in front of Booth's duplex, he was in the yard setting up the grill. Booth looked up and grinned when he saw Brennan get out of the car, he was a little confused when she disappeared into the car again and pulled out a plastic bowl and handed Madelyn a bag.

"Bones what did you bring? I told you not to bring anything."

"I know but I had the ingredients for salsa that were starting to turn on me so I made some. It's not that spicy."

"Okay. Parker is inside looking for his play shoes. Come in dinner is going to be a little late; I ran out of charcoal, we had to run to the store."

Booth put an arm around Maddie,"What's in the bag?"

"Chips, mom got the plain and spicy. I like the spicy better though."

"Me too." Booth walked in the patio door into the kitchen. "Did you find your shoes Bub?"

"Yeah, but I can't get them on."

Booth knelt down and tried to put one of Parker's shoes on him. "Bub, they're too small wearer your other shoes. We'll go get you some new play shoes tomorrow."

"Okay. Who's that?" Parker pointed at Brennan.

"That's Doctor Brennan and her daughter Maddie. Doctor Brennan and I work together. Can you say hi?"

"Hi." Parker ran to his room for his shoes. Booth chuckled and stood up. "He's a boy of few words."

Brennan also chuckled, "its fine, perhaps he'll be more communicative later."

"Maybe." Booth took the lid off the bowl of salsa and dipped a chip into it and popped into his mouth and chewed. "Bones, this is the best salsa I've ever had."

"Thank you Booth."

"Daddy, can you tie my shoes?"

"Yep come here."

Parker came into the kitchen; Booth sat him on the counter and tied his shoes.

"What's that?" Parker pointed to the salsa.

"Salsa, it's a dip for chips." Booth dipped a chip into the salsa and handed it to Parker. "Try it." Parker took the chip and ate it.

"Do you like it?"

"Kinda."

"Do you want more?"

"No."

"Okay, why don't you get your hat and bubbles and go play while I start dinner."

"K." Parker went to the plastic storage box in the kitchen and got the bubbles and his floppy hat then he squeezed through the crack Booth left in the patio door and went outside.

"Maddie, why don't you go with Parker, he might not be able to get the lid off."

"Okay." Maddie went outside.

"Bones, why did you send Maddie outside?"

Brennan smiled."Because Maddie loves to play with bubbles, but won't anymore,' it's for little kids.' This way she can play with them under the pretext of helping Parker."

"Ah cleaver Bones."

"I do have my moments." Brennan smiled. Booth chuckled and headed out side with three burgers and Parker's hot dog. Brennan went outside and discreetly snapped a few pictures of Parker and Maddie blowing bubbles and laughing.

Twenty minutes later they were sitting at the picnic table eating their burgers, hot dog, chips, potato salad, baked beans and corn on the cob.

"Daddy can I ride my bike?"

"Yeah after we all get done with dinner, okay?"

"K." Parker went back to his hot dog. Once of the remains of their dinner were cleared , and Madelyn took over use of Parker's bubble maker, Booth parked the SUV across the driveway so Parker couldn't leave the drive and got Parker's bike with training wheels out and snapped his helmet on him and watched Parker begin his laps up and down the driveway. He'd been riding for a good ten minutes when he veered off the paved driveway and landed in the gravel on the side. Booth ran over, the bike was lying on Parker's hip. "Parker are you okay, bub?" Parker just lay their crying. Booth moved the bike. Brennan walked over and knelt down, silently asking Booth for permission to help his son, Booth nodded.

"Parker did you hit your head?"

"No. I want my daddy! "

"Park, I'm right here, can you let Dr. Brennan make sure you're okay, for me?" Booth put a hand on Parker's shoulder.

"K."

Brennan smiled at the scared little boy. "Parker, I want you to tell me if you arm or leg hurts when I touch them okay?"

"K."

Brennan felt up and down Parker's arm and leg, nothing felt broken or hurt Parker when Brennan touched them.

"Nothing is broken. He just scraped the left side of his body up, but it's nothing a first aid kit can't handle."

Booth sighed with relief, "come on Park let's get you patched up and have cupcakes and watch The Lion King. Maybe Dr. Brennan and Maddie will watch with us."

Brennan looked at Madelyn who nodded, Brennan smiled, "We'll watch with you, Parker." Parker smiled a little and let Booth take him into the house.

"Maddie can you bring in the bubbles and put the bike up on the patio? Parker is fine it looks worse than it is."

"Sure mom." Brennan kissed Madelyn's cheek.

Brennan followed in time to see Parker fighting Booth who was trying to clean each cut. "Parker, I know this stings and you don't like it, but I need to do it. If you hold real sill I can go faster and it won't hurt so much."

"No!"

"Parker!"

"Booth, can I try?

"Be my guest Bones. He hates the antiseptic stuff because it burns and fears band aids, why I don't know."

"So did Maddie, I'm going to do what I did with her, okay?"

"That's fine." Booth stood off to the side ready to grab Parker if he tried to take off.

"Is Maddie okay? She looked a little pale."

"She's fine; the sight of blood freaks her out." Brennan smiled slightly.

Booth chuckled, "You kid's afraid of blood…that's ironic…"

"I know, but at least she doesn't pass out when she sees it.' Brennan got a clean rag and wet it and knelt in front of Parker, gently pressing the rag to the largest cut on the side of his knee. Parker started to pull back, "No!"

"Parker, relax I's just water, it's not going to hurt. I'm just washing the blood off, okay?" Parker nodded.

'Brennan smiled and finished cleaning the cut and a few of the less severe ones that wouldn't need band aids.

Brennan picked up the antiseptic and Parker balked, "I don't want that."

"Shh Parker I'm not going to do anything yet, just listen. I know you don't like this stuff because it burns, but the burning just means that the germs are leaving. If the germs stay inside your cut, they could make your cut hurt more. You don't want that do you?"

"No."

"Okay, I'm going to do this fast and it won't burn too much."

"K."

"Close your eyes." Brennan waited for Parker's eyes to close then she dabbed the antiseptic on the cut and blew on it to lessen the burning sensation.

"Parker I'm almost done, I need you to do something, open your eyes first.

Parker opened his eyes and Brennan handed him a box of band aids she had in her purse." I don't like band aids."

"I know but I need to put one your knee, if I don't the germs can get in your cut again. These are special band aids anyway, they're neon colored mad glow in the dark. Open the box and choose the color you want." Parker handed Brennan a green band aid and she applied it to his knee. "Now I am going to do the same thing to the cuts on your arm and elbow, okay?"

"K." Brennan smiled. "Pick out what color band aid you want on your arm then close your eyes."

Parker handed Brennan an orange band aid, she took it and began the process all over again. "I'm done with that one, Parker pick out the band aid for your elbow." he close a blue one this time. When Brennan was done she stood up."That didn't hurt too much did it, Parker?"'

"No, I like my band aids!"

Booth chuckled, "Parker, why don't you go in the bathroom and watch your band aids glow while I get the cupcakes, okay."

"K daddy."

Booth turned and got the box form the counter and napkins. then he dumped some popcorn in a bowl"Thanks Bones, I'd still be fighting him."

'You're welcome Booth; I fought Maddie until I started buying her the kids' band aids. Make sure you have him close his eyes and let him pick out whatever band aid he wants, it serves as a distraction." Brennan grabbed serving bowls

"Thanks for the tips I'll have to get him some."

Brennan nodded and followed Booth in to the living room and smiled when she saw Parker on Madelyn sitting on the floor looking at his DVDs.

"Hey you too, popcorn and cupcakes are on the coffee table."

"Parker do you want popcorn and a cupcake?"

"Yeah." Booth took a bowl and put popcorn on one side and took a cupcake from its wrapper and put it in the bowl. Brennan did the same with a bowl for Madelyn and took them to both kids.

"Thanks." Brennan nodded and wet to sit next to Booth on the couch.

When they were done both kids climbed on the couch, Madelyn wedged herself between Booth and Brennan Parker climbed up and sat on Brennan's lap. Booth looked over.

"Bones, you don't have to hold him, Parker come here."

"He's fine Booth, I don't mind." Brennan ran her hand through Parker's hair as he snuggled down.

"All right." Both put an arm around Madelyn and they all watched the movie.

Later as Madelyn got ready for bed Brennan stopped in her doorway," Maddie, did you have fun today?"

"Yeah, Parker is okay for a little kid. I forgot how much I like The Lion King. Can we invite Booth and Parker for the fireworks in July?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure if Parker will come, he may be with his mom that weekend. Regardless we'll invite Booth and he'll come."

"Okay."

"By the way Maddie I still have all your 'little kid' movies if you want to watch them some time."

"Okay."

"And I also found and cleaned up your bubble maker…." Brennan smiled when she heard Madelyn give a little squeal in excitement. "We'll go get bubbles tomorrow if you want…."

"I do…"

"Okay, goodnight I love you."

"Night mom, love you too."

A/N 2: Next chapter is my take on 'woman in limbo'