Once Brennan was settled in the car, that was when it really hit her: Booth was conscious. Suddenly feeling very overwhelmed, she leaned back in the driver's seat and closed her eyes, her hands clutching the steering wheel. The engine was running, the air-conditioning blowing harshly against her skin, but the car was still in park, still in the visitor's lot at the hospital. Her heart was racing and even though she was breathing, she didn't feel like she was getting enough oxygen. Tears silently fell down her cheeks and her stomach flipped.

After a minute, she calmed down and pulled her cell phone out of her purse. She held down the button, powering it on, and waited while it booted up. She had two missed calls and two voicemails. She checked her messages, discovering they were both from Angela. She dialed her best friend's number and put the phone in her cup holder, activating her car's Bluetooth. She pulled out of the parking spot finally and drove out of the lot.

"Sweetie, thank God! I was getting worried." There was a pause and then Angela's voice came back. "Are you in the car?"

Brennan nodded, even though her best friend wouldn't know it. "Yes. I'm just leaving the hospital now." She flipped on her left blinker and switched lanes.

"So how'd it go at the hospital?"

Brennan was distracted by the traffic, so she didn't answer right away.

Angela took Brennan's silence to mean something had happened at the hospital that her best friend didn't want to talk about. "Is Booth okay?"

Stopping at a red light, Brennan tugged on her seatbelt to adjust it and nodded again. "Are you still at the lab?"

Angela hesitated. That couldn't be good, she thought. "Yeah. I'm still working on this reconstruction for the man in the roller coaster case."

"Is everyone else there?"

Something was definitely up and Angela was getting nervous now. "I think they're on the platform. I'll go check." She continued to talk while she was walking. "Bren, you're scaring me. Is Booth okay?"

"I'd rather tell everyone at once." Brennan heard Angela swipe her card and heard the artist's footsteps as she walked onto the platform.

"You're on speaker phone, Sweetie. Cam, Hodgins, and Wendell are here too. Now what's going on?"

Brennan took a deep breath and exhaled. "Booth—Booth's conscious."

A collective 'what' echoed.

Brennan smiled and cleared her throat, thinking her constricted throat had prevented them from hearing her correctly. "He's awake."

"That's great, Dr. B," Wendell chimed in.

"How is he?" Cam asked, snapping off her gloves and taking a step closer to where the phone was situated on the edge of the exam table.

"It took him a few minutes to actually open his eyes and he can't speak at the moment, which is not uncommon, especially given that he's been comatose for twenty three months and intubated for the last six. He can hear, though, and can follow simple instructions. He has minimal motion of his hands, feet, limbs, and phalanges, but Dr. Jurzik was expecting even less."

"How'd he take the news?"

"What news, Mr. Bray?"

"You know, that he has another kid."

"Oh, yes, of course, that news—I haven't told him yet."

"What do you mean you haven't told him yet, Sweetie?"

"I mean, he doesn't know about RJ, Ange."

"You need to tell him." Angela, Cam, Hodgins, and Wendell said at the same time.

"Why are you all assuming that I'm going to keep the paternity of my son a secret from Booth?" Brennan asked, clearly offended.

"Are you still scared about how he's going to take it? Because Sweetie, we talked about this and—."

"No!" Brennan sighed. "A little," she admitted, "but that is not why I haven't told him yet. He's not yet cognizant enough to process or understand what I would be telling him. I am going to tell him. I want RJ to have a father-son relationship with him, I do, but I don't want to overwhelm him with all this new information. He still has no idea how long he's been unconscious. Telling him about RJ now would only confuse him more." She paused. "I have to go. I just wanted to tell everyone that he's awake and somewhat responsive. If someone can call Sweets and let him know, that would be great." She paused. "It's still visiting hours at the hospital. Booth was asleep when I left, but I'm sure he would appreciate it if you went to see him, especially now that he's conscious." She said goodbye and hung up.

Brennan pulled up to the curb in front of Rebecca's house and parked the car. She got out and unbuckled and lifted a now awake Ryder out of his car seat. Knowing he would start to fuss soon out of hunger, she grabbed the diaper bag. Not wanting to unload and unfold the stroller for the short hike to the front door, she set the infant on her hip and headed towards the house.

She rang the bell, wincing slightly. Her right wrist was starting to ache, especially when she moved her fingers. She shifted her weight from hip to hip and adjusted her arm around her son. She pressed a kiss to the side of his head and smiled at the baby. "We're here to see Parker, RJ. You remember who that is, don't you?"

Ryder pulled the rubber teething pretzel from his mouth and looked up at his mom with sleepy eyes. He giggled at the smile she gave him and moved his arms up and down, waving the pretzel in the air. "Ah-ka," he babbled.

She nodded. "That's right—Parker. I bet he'll be happy to see you too." She was about to ring the bell again when the door started to open. As she stood there, she heard Rebecca yell.

"Parker, you don't just open the do—Oh, Temperance, hello. It's late. Is everything okay?"

Parker threw his arms around her waist and hugged her. "Bones!" He paused and stepped back. "We're just about to have dinner. You should come in and join us. It's make-your-own pasta night!" He turned his head and looked up at his mom. "Can she, Mom? She's already here, after all."

"Thank you for the invitation, but I can't stay." Brennan paused, hoisting Ryder higher on her hip. "I'd like to talk to you for a minute, Bud, if that's okay with your mom."

Parker looked up at his mom again.

Rebecca nodded. "That would be fine, but when you're done talking to Temperance, you need to set the table. I've told you to do that twice already. I'm not going to tell you again."

"But you just did."

"Parker Matthew Booth, I don't appreciate the attitude."

The boy sighed. "Sorry, Mom."

Rebecca nodded and retreated into the house.

Parker took Brennan's hand and guided her into the living room. He hopped up on the couch and smiled. "Can I hold Rhino?"

"You can feed him if you'd like. Just give me a minute." Brennan walked out of the room and went into the kitchen. She prepared the bottle and returned to the living room. She set the infant in his big brother's waiting arms and sat down beside the two boys. She told Parker how to position his arms properly and handed him the bottle.

Parker smiled at his brother and gave him a kiss. He slipped the nipple into Ryder's mouth and held the bottle there for a couple seconds until the baby grabbed hold of it himself. He then looked up at Brennan and his face fell, seeing the serious look on her face. "Something happened to my dad, didn't it?" He asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

Brennan could see his golden-brown eyes gloss over with fresh tears and she sighed, wanting to make that sad look disappear immediately. "Yes, but it's a very, very good something. I apologize if I gave you the impression that it was something unpleasant."

Parker perked up at that. "Did my dad wake up?" He tried not to get his hopes up, but it was too late. He was staring at her, his eyes imploring her to answer his question in the affirmative.

Brennan's expression softened and she gave him a nod and the answer he'd been waiting and hoping for for the last two years. "Yes, this afternoon. I came straight from the hospital to tell you."

Parker blinked. "Really?"

Brennan nodded. "Why would I lie to you about that, Parks?"

He shrugged. "I just—does he remember me? You said a while ago that he might not remember a lot, like people and events and other stuff."

She shrugged. "I honestly don't know what your dad does or doesn't remember."

"Oh. Can I see him?"

She nodded. "I don't see why not." She paused. "Are you busy tomorrow?"

"No, I don't think so."

"I'm going to take the afternoon off, so I can come pick you up and we can go see your dad together. That is if it's okay with your mom."

He nodded. "What if he doesn't remember me, Bones?"

"Then you'll just have to remind him." She ruffled his curls and gave him a one-armed hug.

He bopped his baby brother on the nose with his fingertip, causing the infant to stop sucking on the bottle momentarily and shift his gaze to his big brother's. "Did Dad meet Rhino yet?"

She shook her head. "Not yet, but he will. It's inevitable."

"He's gonna love him." He sighed, feeling a slight twinge of jealousy.

"Just as much as he loves you." I hope, she added silently.

He smiled and started to make funny faces at his brother.

Ryder kicked and let go of the empty bottle. He burped and started to laugh, reaching up and grabbing onto his brother's nose.

"Ow, Rhino, that's my nose. Give it back. You've got your own," Parker joked.

Ryder squealed and kicked his legs harder.

Brennan just sat back and watched the interactions between the siblings. She heard Parker's stomach growl, reminding her that is was dinnertime. "I need to get going, but if your mom agrees, I'll come pick you up at 1:30."

Parker nodded and kissed Ryder goodbye. "Bye, Rhino." He tickled him one last time and kissed him again. He handed Brennan the bottle and watched as she put it back into its slot in the diaper bag.

She smiled and took the infant from Parker's arms. With the baby perched on her hip, she gave the older boy another one-armed hug, dropping a kiss on the top of his head. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bud. Now, go set the table."

Parker sighed, but with a stern look from Brennan, he nodded. "Bye, Bones." He gave her another hug and stepped back. "Love you."

"I love you too, Parks. Now, go."

He waved her off. "I'm going, I'm going." He reluctantly walked off towards the kitchen, a smile on his face.

Rebecca emerged and glanced back at her son before focusing on the woman in front of her. "Seeley's awake?"

Brennan nodded. "Yes." She paused. "Parker said he didn't have plans tomorrow, so I told him I'd pick him up around 1:30 and take him to the hospital to visit Booth—but only if that's okay with you."

"Is that a good idea?"

Brennan was confused. "Why wouldn't it be a good idea?"

"I just don't want Parker to get hurt."

"I understand where you're coming from, but I believe it's a little late for that. Parker's already hurt." Brennan paused. "I was at the hospital yesterday and while Booth is only minimally conscious right now, he can hear and will become more aware each day. I have visited Booth almost every day since he was admitted to the hospital two years ago and seeing him open his eyes and knowing, without a doubt, that he could hear my voice, even though he is not yet the Booth I knew before, it was reassuring and wonderful. Parker has been waiting for this day for a long time. I get your reservations, but Parker needs to see that his dad is really okay. I didn't believe it until Booth opened his eyes. He needs this. He has missed his father very much and I know this will help because it helped me."

Rebecca blinked, stunned. "How can I argue with that?"

"That is the point." Brennan cracked a smile. "I also think it will be good for Booth to see and hear his son, though I have no proof of that."

"I'll have Parker ready by 1:30."

"Thank you."

Rebecca nodded. "I just hope Seeley remembers him because if he doesn't, it will crush him."

"I know the feeling." Brennan adjusted her arm around Ryder, who was starting to get a little fussy. "Goodnight, Rebecca." She waved and left the house.