Booth carried Parkers bag out of Rebecca's house and out it in the back of the SUV. Parker was saying goodbye to his mother, and Zach was standing beside his big brother, smiling happily. Booth couldn't stop the smile that spread across his own face as he watched the pair. Rebecca was smiling, and she ruffled Parker's hair affectionately. Zach smiled and held out his had, which Rebecca took, and shook. The two boys turned and walked down the steps to the front yard off the porch, Parker holding Zach's hand securely so the little boy wouldn't wonder off.
"All ready?" Booth asked. Parker nodded, and Booth opened the two passenger side doors. Parker climbed into the front seat, while Booth boosted Zach into his seat, where the younger boy did up his buckles by himself. Satisfied that both his boys were well anchored into the car Booth walked around the car to his door, and got in, putting his seat belt on, and backing out.
"Do you need to get some stuff from my house, Parker? We're staying with Dr. Bones this weekend, because all of Zach's stuff is there."
"Yeah, mom told me that. I think I've got everything. Where are we going to sleep?"
"We're going to have a sleepover on Dr. Bones' living room floor, does that sound like fun?" Booth replied. Parker nodded happily
"How's it going back there, Zach?" Booth asked.
"I'm quite comfortable thank you Special Agent Booth." Zach said formally, although he was still grinning happily. Booth had never seen Zach smile so much, and was thrilled that he was so happy to be around Parker, and that Parker obviously liked Zach a lot too.
"Uncle Jared's going to come over for dinner tonight, Parker, and Max will be there too." Booth told his son. Parker beamed.
"Yes. Uncle Jared and Max are so funny Zach, they're really cool."
"They're cold?" Zach asked. Parker's face fell.
"No, they're just really awesome."
"Oh. I understand. My old foster siblings used that phrase," Zach said, 'I'm looking forward to meeting them."
Parker nodded, bouncing a little in his seat in anticipation. Booth looked at the clock on the dashboard of the SUV. It was quite a nice day outside, and both boys had been rather well behaved.
"How about this afternoon, after lunch, we take Dr. Bones and Zach, and we go to the park and have a play?" he suggested. Parker nodded enthusiastically, and Zach seemed to light up. Booth knew a good park not far from Bones' apartment building, and it would be good to all go out together.
The car ride was quiet for the rest of the trip. Zach had gone quiet, and was gazing out the window thoughtfully, while Parker chatted about his week at school to Booth, until Booth parked in his usual spot outside Brennan's apartment. She'd talked about getting him a sticker so he could park in the underground parking lot for her apartment building, but the paperwork hadn't gone through yet.
"Hey, dad, can we go in the pool at Dr Bones' at some point this weekend?" Parker asked.
"Your mom told me that she'd packed your bathers, Parker, so you bet we can." Booth grinned, before he saw the look that crossed Zach's face. Booth cringed. He'd forgotten that Zach was so little. Maybe he hadn't learned how to swim yet. He'd discuss it with Bones, and then together they could talk to Zach about it.
The car parked, they all got out, and Booth got Parker's stuff out of the back of the SUV, sharing out the load so he, Parker and Zach all were carrying something. Then he locked up the car and the little procession made its way up to Brennan's apartment. Booth knocked the door with his free hand, and it was quickly opened.
"Hi Dr. Bones," Parker cheerfully greeted, crossing the threshold, dropping his bag and jumping up to hug Bones. Booth smiled at the greeting as he led Zach into the apartment and closed the door. Zach watched his older brother and his mother, puzzlement written across his face as Booth put Parker's things in a corner, beside his own belongings.
"Thank-you for my little brother, Dr. Brennan. He might be already almost grown up, but I'm still going to look after him, and I'm going to help you be a good mommy, like my mommy." Parker was saying. Booth chuckled.
"Hey, Zach, how about you show Parker your room," he suggested. Zach nodded, and Parker leyt go of Bones, and they headed off together. Booth watched their retreating backs with a nostalgic look on his face.
"How did things go?' Bones asked. Both nodded, "It couldn't have gone better. Parker's already thinking that Zach is the best thing in the world, ad Zach followed Parker around. They'll be fine.
"Then why did you send them off together?" Brennan asked. Booth shifted.
"Parker asked if he could go swimming at some point, and Zach got this weird look on his face. I got a feeling he doesn't really know how to swim."
"There was a set of bathers in his bag," Brennan said, "Maybe we can teach him to swim. The pool downstairs does have a children's area that is nice a shallow. Zach may just like splashing in the water where he can still stand. We can go down tomorrow morning, if the boys feel like it."
Booth nodded. They'd talk to Zach about it, but Brennan's suggestion was quite workable.
'What did you have planned for this afternoon?"
'Getting ready for dinner, why?"
'Parker wants to show you and Zach one of the parks near here. It'll probably take about an hour, I was thinking after lunch."
Brennan nodded, "That sounds fine. After lunch we'll go to the park, and then we'll come back. Here."
"They'll probably be tired. Parker will be fine to do some colouring for a bit, from what he's like with me, and Zach might crash and have a sleep, or he might be happy to look at his books, so things will be a bit quiet for a bit." Booth told Brennan, who nodded. Zach was probably too old to regularly sleep through the day, but it had been a very busy few days, so it was possible that he would fall asleep during the afternoon.
"Hey, Dad, did you ask Dr. Bones about going to the park this afternoon?" Parker asked as he re-entered the room, Zach at his heels.
"Can we go, please Dr. Brennan?" Zach asked sweetly. Booth had to hide his grin. Zach might not be the most social of children, but he definitely knew how to use the Booth eyes just as well as Parker, if the puppy dog look Brennan had just received from the younger boy was anything to go by.
"Yes, in fact Booth had mentioned it to me. I think it would be a rather good idea."
"Yes!" Parker jumped up and down a little.
"After lunch though, buddy."
"Yes dad," Parker nodded, calming down a little. Booth grinned at the amount of enthusiasm the boys had shown, and grinned over their heads at Bones, who had an odd smile on her face. Their eyes met, and Bones' smile widened. Booth laughed. It was going to be a great afternoon.
BONES
Booth, Brennan, Parker and Zach walked to the park the Booth and Parker had picked out. it was not the closest, but it was big and the playground was far better than the one at the closest park to Bones' apartment building. Zach walked along, his eyes wide and curious, as he clutched onto Brennan's hand. Brennan was smiling, and Booth knew that he rarely saw her so content. Parker walked in between the two adults, beside Zach, not holding Booth's hand (unless they were crossing a road) but instead looking around happily.
They reached the park, and Booth lightly tapped Parker on the back, signalling to his eldest son that Parker was free to go and play. Parker took off, but Zach stayed clinging to Brennan's leg nervously. There were very few other people around, and Brennan walked over to a bench. Zach climbed up and sat beside her. Booth kept his distance, engaging in a game a tag with Parker, knowing that Bones and Zach needed a moment.
"Don't you want to go and play with Parker?" Bones asked gently. Zach pursed his lips and ducked his head, giving his head a soft shake that made his shaggy hiar wave.
"Why not?' Bones asked. Zach drew in a shaky breath.
"When you and Special Agent Booth told me that I had a brother…I thought he would be like me…you know…different, but he's not. He's just like my other brothers and sisters…he's normal, and I…I wish I was normal too. I wish I made friends easy, I wish I was happy to play in the park with other children, but I'm not good at that. I'm not good at ball games, and my brothers and sisters never used to play with me, because I did stupid things, and wanted to play stupid games. I just want to watch. Why aren't you playing with them?" he asked.
Brennan had tears in her eyes at Zach's words, "I don't know how to play them either. I don't know how to be a mommy, Zach, and I don't know how to play the games Booth and Parker like to play. I know that you are different Zach, but that doesn't mean we love you any less. When I was your age I didn't have any friends either. I didn't get any until I met Angela when I was at college, and now that I work at the Jefferosnian I have lots of people that I call my friends."
"Like Dr. Hodgins and Dr. Saroyen and Dr. Sweets?' Zach asked.
Brennan nodded, "and I'm sure that when you grow up you'll get some friends too, and untill then you have us, your family." she told him. Zach chewed his lip thoughtfully for a moment, before he engulfed Bones in a warm embrace, his head buried against her chest. Brennan instinctively wrapped her arms around him, rocking slightly and rubbing his back.
"I love you, Dr. Brennan," Zach said softly, and Bones almost missed it. She felt a tear roll down her cheek.
"I love you too, Zach," she replied. Zach snuggled against her chest, and she lowered her head, gently kissing the top of his head. She felt eyes on her, and glanced up. Booth was watching her, a smile on his face. He nodded approvingly when their eyes met, before he went back to his game with Parker, which seemed to have turned into some form of tickle war.
They stayed like that for a few minutes before Zach drew back, looking at the play ground and the grassland curiously. Brennan noticed the way that his eyes lingered on Booth and Parker as they chased each other about. Brennan had a sudden idea, and was glad that she'd trained into a pair sneakers and a pair of leggings and an old t-shirt.
"You know, Zach," she suggested as Zach watched, "I'm sure that Booth will be happy to teach us the principals of the game he and Parker are playing. He is a very effective teacher."
Zach looked up at her, before he went back to his study of his father and older borhter.
"You think so?"
Yes, I have learned many things from Booth,"
""Like what?"
"Well, for example, from watching his interactions I know that little boys are ticklish under their arms" Brennan smiled before she began to gently tickle him, unsure of what sort of response Zach would giver her. Zach, however, rather liked being tickled, and curled into a ball as he giggled.
"Special Agent Booth IS a very good teacher, you are very good at tickling," Zach told Brennan once she had stopped.
"Thank-you, Zach." Brennan smiled.
"Do you think that Parker needs some help?" Zach asked as he watched his brother chase Booth on the grass. Brennan shrugged.
"It seems likely."
"Three against one aren't very fair though," Zach considered, "but then, you and me are only learning how to play, and Parker isn't that much bigger than me, so does that make it fair. Special Agent Booth looks to be very skilled at this game."
"You're right, I think it'll be very even." Brennan agreed. Zach slid off the seat and tugged on her hand.
"Come on,' he told her seriously, "I think I understand the basic bits of the game now, do you?"
Brennan nodded, and togheterthey ran towards Booth. Botoh saw them coming and slowed down, letting them catch up. Catching up wasn't what Zach had in mind, though, and he threw himself at Booth's legs. He hardly made an impact, but booth exagertated it, and fell over, Zach pinning him to the ground.
"I got you," Zach claimed, "Now what."
"Now I get you back," Booth answered. Confusion flittered across Zach's face.
"Run Zach!" Parker yelled from where stood. Zach's eyes widened and he rolled off Booth, scrambling to his feet. Booth made to grab him, but Zach dodged, and ran off towards Parker, giggling as he ran. Booth got up, eying Brennan.
'Are you alright Booth, I didn't think he'd knock you over like that." Brennan said, concerned, although she kept her voice low enough so that the boys didn't hear.
"Bones, I was acting. He didn't hit me that hard. I've never been better in my entire life.' And with that he took off towards her. Bones shrieked girlishly, and ran towards the boys, who yelled encouragement at her, before scattering again, laughing as they went. Booth and Brennan laughed as they played too, chasing one another, and the boys around the playground, until they all fell in a exhausted heap on the ground. Booth and Brennan on their backs, Zach lying on top of Booth, and Parker lying in between the two adults, all breathing heavily and looking up at the clouds in the sky.
This, Brennan found herself thinking, was what family was all about.
.