Booth woke up to Michael poking him in the shoulder. "Hey Buddy are ready to get up?" Michael nodded, Booth then glanced at the clock and saw he had a half hour before the alarm went off. He got out of bed and turned the alarm off before he picked up Michael and headed to the hallway. "Let's let mommy sleep. Since we're up early today how about pancakes for breakfast?"
"Choco chip?"
Booth chuckled and kissed the top of Michael's head. "I'll make you chocolate chip banana pancakes how's that?"
"K."
Booth entered the kitchen and sat Michael at the counter, "do you want to peel the bananas for me?"
"Yeah."
"Good job, buddy! Go wash your hands." While Michael was at the sink Booth cut small slits in the tops of three bananas to make the easier to peel. Michael came back to the counter. "Once you peel the bananas put them in the bowl."
"K." once Michael had the bananas peeled and in the bowl Booth handed him a fork. "Mash them up for me, buddy." Michael stared at Booth who picked up the fork and started to mash a banana. "Like this, just make sure there are no chucks of banana." Michael took the fork from Booth and began mashing the bananas. While Michael was busy with his task, Booth got the rest of the ingredients measured out. "The bananas are mashed enough, buddy. Do you want to put the rest of the ingredients in the bowl?" Michael nodded and picked up the flour. "That's flour."
"Flour." Michael dumped it on top of the bananas.
"Good job!" Booth and Brennan had figured out when they did things like this with Michael he would try on his own to say new words if they told him what things were as he was working with them. When the pancakes were almost done, Booth turned to Michael. "Michael, the pancakes are almost done. Go wake mommy up." he nodded and slid off the stool and headed for Booth and Brennan's bedroom. He squeezed through the door and walked to the bed, standing on his tiptoes to poke Brennan in the shoulder. Brennan smiled as she opened her eyes, she knew who was waking her up. Booth would be slower, gentler, and sweeter.
"Good morning, Michael."
"Ancake!" Brennan chuckled a little as she sat up, they had been working on proper greetings, but Michael hadn't grasped the concept yet.
"Do you want pancakes for breakfast, Michael?" He shook his head.
"Honey, I don't under-"just then Brennan caught a whiff of cooking pancakes with a hint of chocolate. "Daddy is making you pancakes and he sent you in here to wake me up?"
"Yeah." Brennan got out of bed and picked up Michael and headed to the kitchen. Booth looked up when he heard Brennan enter the room. "Good morning, Bones. I see you got your wakeup call."
"Good morning, Booth. Yes, Michael was very effective in waking me up. Why pancakes? You usually don't make them during the week."
"Michael woke me up early so I asked him if he wanted pancakes. He told me he wanted chocolate chip pancakes, so I'm making banana chocolate chip pancakes. I'm putting small chunks of banana on top in addition to the three bananas that are in the batter and I'm using mini dark chocolate chips, it's a little healthier… "Brennan smiled a little. "Michael peeled and mashed the bananas for me then dumped everything else into the bowl. We worked on speech too, he did well. Vanilla threw him."
Brennan kissed the top of Michael's head and sat him in a chair. "That's good. The rest of the alphabet is going to be hard for him I think, but we'll get through it."
"You will, I have faith in both of you…"
"I don't believe-"
"I do, enough for both of us. Michael has come so far, farther than any doctor ever thought he would."
"That he has." Booth dished up the pancakes. After Michael ate Brennan made sure he was free of chocolate before Booth scooped him up in a goodbye hug. "Goodbye Michael. Have a good day with mommy, okay? I love you. I'll see you tonight when I get home." Michael nodded. When he squirmed to get down, Booth let him down. "Somedays I wish, more than others that he'd say something when either of us leave without being prompted."
"I know, Booth me too. We're working on it."
"I know. See you tonight. I love you, Bones."
"I love you too, Booth. See you tonight." They kissed.
B&B
A few hours later Michael was sitting across from Brennan who was holding the flash card with an umbrella on it. "Michael, what is this?" Michael shook his head.
"Do you know this is, but you can't say it?" Michael nodded.
"Sweetheart, just try once, I don't care if you can't say it right. Try and you can get your sticker for yesterday and today then go play for the rest of the day." Michael shook his head. Brennan was about to try again when she noticed tears starting to run down Michael's cheeks. "Michael, what's wrong? Are you upset because you can't say umbrella?" Michael shook his head.
"You need to try to tell me what's wrong so I can fix it…" Michael shrugged.
Brennan sighed, "you don't know how to tell me what's wrong, do you?" Michael nodded. Brennan got up and walked around the table and knelt next to Michael's chair.
"Aww sweetheart. Does your stomach hurt?" Michael shook his head.
"Does anything else hurt? You can point to what hurts." Michael shook his head.
"That's good." Brennan felt Michael's forehead "It doesn't feel like you have a fever. You don't feel good do you?" Michael nodded.
"Okay, let's just go relax for a while and see if you start to feel better. " Brennan shutdown her laptop and followed Michael to the living room, he waited for her to sit down and climbed up in her lap. She pulled his dinosaur throw blanket over him and started rubbing his back. In a few minutes Michael was asleep. Brennan was worried about Michael, he'd never acted like this before. He had gotten frustrated about not being able to say new words before, but never to
The point of tears. Michael being able to tell her in his own way that he didn't feel well was good, but the fact that he was asymptomatic was a little concerning for her. After a little while she sent Booth a text, 'Michael started to meltdown while we were working. He told me he doesn't feel well. He's asymptomatic so far and currently taking a nap on my lap' Booth texted back in a few minutes, 'aww, poor guy. Hopefully he'll feel better after he wakes up. Let me know if you need me to get anything on the way home.'
A few hours later Michael woke up. "Hi sweetheart, do you feel better?" Michael shook his head.
"Do you feel worse?" Michael shook his head.
."That's good. How about some lunch?" Michael shook his head.
"It might help you feel better. I'll make you grilled cheese…" Michael shook his head.
"You can sit on my lap while you eat…" Michael nodded a little, Brennan kissed the side of his head and sat him on the couch. "sit here while I make it." five minutes later Brennan came back to the living room with the grilled cheese cut into triangles and a half glass of milk in one of Michael's spill proof cups. Brennan sat everything down on the table and picked up Michael, once he was settled she held the plate and watched as Michael picked at a half of the sandwich.
"Sweetheart, you need to eat "Michael shook his head.
"I'll make you something else if you don't want the grilled cheese." Michael shook his head. Brennan kissed his forehead. "Eat three bites and you can go back to sleep."
Michael picked up half of the sandwich and took a bite. He started to take another, but Brennan stopped him. "Chew and swallow that bite first." Michael ate a couple bites and put the remainder of the sandwich on the plate and pushed Brennen's hand away. She put the plate down and picked up the cup of milk and handed it to Michael. "It's just milk." Michael took the cup and settled back on Brennan's lap, she found a movie he liked on the TV and fixed his blanket. After a while Brennan could tell Michael wasn't really watching the movie, "Michael, would you like me to read to you?" he nodded.
"Okay, go pick out what books you want me to read to you." Michael slid off Brennan's lap and headed for his room. While Michael was choosing his books Brennan went to the kitchen and threw out the rest of his grilled cheese and topped off his cup of milk. Michael came back a few minutes later with an arm load of books and his stuffed frog. Brennan smiled and helped Michael pile the books and the frog on the cushion next to her. Once he was settled on her lap Brennan covered Michael and his frog up and handed him his cup. A few hours later Booth came home and found Brennan still holding a sleeping Michael.
"He still doesn't feel good?"
"He's still asymptomatic, but he's slept off and on all afternoon and wants me to hold him. Those things alone are signs that he doesn't feel well. If he's not better in the morning or has symptoms of something other than a cold I'll take him to the doctor."
"Yeah. Hopefully he just needs a lot of extra sleep. Let me go change and then I'll hold him for a while."
"Okay, we're having leftover lasagna for dinner. I hope Michael eats some of it, he's only had four bites of grilled cheese and two glasses of milk since breakfast."
"I'm sure he will, Max's lasagna is the best." Booth headed to their bedroom. A few minutes later Michael stirred in Booth's arms. "Hey buddy, do you feel better?" Michael shook his head and picked up a book, he handed it to Booth. "Do you want me to read to you?" Michael nodded and Booth started reading. A half hour later Brennan put a plate with a tiny piece of lasagna, a half slice of garlic bread and a few chunks of tomato and cucumbers on it in front of Michael. "Eat all of this then daddy or I will hold you." Michael picked up his fork and took off the top layer of cheese and started eating it. After Michael ate most of his dinner he and Booth settled on the couch and Booth started reading to him. A few hours later Brennan sat down next to Booth. "He's out, he didn't even fight me when I told him it was time to get out of the tub and go to bed. I'm a little worried, he's slept most of the day, but he has no symptoms…"
"Bones, he's probably coming down with something and his body is trying to fight it off. Parker used to sleep a lot when he was getting sick. If he's not better in the morning or really sick call the doctor. He'll be fine."
B&B
The next morning Brennan woke up to Booth watching her sleep. "Booth, why are you watching me sleep?"
"I'm not watching you sleep, Bones. I woke up early, but didn't want to get out of bed."
"Oh."
"How many times did you check on Michael last night?"
"Only twice after we went to bed, he still doesn't have a fever …"
"Bones, he'll be fine."
"I know. I just don't like that he's sick."
"I don't either, but at least this time he was able to sort of tell you he didn't feel good. Six months ago you'd have to keep guessing until you figured it out or it became obvious that he was sick."
"I know. I'm happy that he could tell me in his own way."
"I guess we should get the day started."
Brennan nodded, "I'll make the coffee."
"Okay. I think I'll just have cereal today."
"Have oatmeal so I can try to get Michael to eat some."
"Bones…"
"Booth, he didn't eat much yesterday, he needs the nutrients. You can put brown sugar on it."
"Fine!"
With the coffee made it was time to get Michael up. Brennan was about to go to his room when Michael shuffled into the kitchen and climbed into his chair. Brennan could tell he was feeling worse, she went over to him and knelt next to him. "Do you feel worse today, Michael?" Michael nodded.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Brennan felt his forehead. "You have a fever. Sit here, I'll be right back." Brennan stood up and kissed the top of Michael's head. A few minutes later she returned to the kitchen with the thermometer and medicine. "Does anything hurt? You can point to what hurts." Michael pointed to his throat and his head.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm going to take your temperature…" Brennan picked up the thermometer and Michael started trying to get away. "Michael, it's not going to hurt. It will only take a few seconds…" Michael continued to try to get out of his chair. "Will you let me do it if I hold you?" Michael nodded. Brennan smiled and picked Michael up and sat down in a chair, she was able to take his temperature without fight then. "101.4… you need to take some medicine now…"
Michael shook his head and tried to get off Brennan's lap. "Sweetheart, you need to take it, it will help you not be so warn and it will make your head stop hurting. After you take it you can go back to sleep, you can eat breakfast later…" Michael quit fighting, Brennan kissed the top of his head and measured out the medication. Brennan said a prayer that he'd take the medicine from the dosage cup by himself. The amount he had to take now was too much for the dropper they'd used in the past. Brennan handed Michael the little plastic cup. "Sweetheart, you need to drink it all at once." Michael took the cup and poured the medication into his mouth, he winced a little when he swallowed it. Brennan hugged Michael to her. "Good job, buddy. I'm proud of you for letting me take your temperature and then taking your medicine." Brennan took the dosage cup and handed Michael a glass of water." Drink a little water." Michael took a few sips and handed the glass back to Brennan.
"Do you want something to eat?" Michael shook his head and Brennan stood up and carried him over to the couch and laid him down. Once Michael was settled Brennan went back to the kitchen and started making Booth's oatmeal. "Hey Bones, you didn't get Michael up yet?"
"He's on the couch. He has a fever of 101.4 a sore throat headache and I heard him cough a few minutes ago."
"Aw poor guy, I was hoping that he could sleep it off. I'll help you dose him after breakfast then I'll come home at lunch…"
"Booth. We'll be okay. Michael let me take his temperature and give him meds already this morning. I had to hold him while I did it. He actually took the meds from a regular dosage cup himself… "
"That's great! I was preparing myself for kicking and crying and maybe a little bloodshed…"
Brennan chuckled, "I was too a little. Michael has grown so much the last few months I decided to try it not really expecting him to take the medicine from me. I was really just hoping he'd let me take his temperature without fighting me after I felt how warm he was. Your oatmeal is ready. Michael can eat breakfast later. I asked if he wanted something to eat after he took his medicine and he shook his head. I'm not pushing it right now, maybe when the mediation has a chance to work he'll feel like it."
"Yeah poor guy. I'll pick up dinner from Momma's on my way home."
"Sounds good. If today is anything like yesterday I'll spend most of the day holding Michael. I don't mind though there was a time not so long ago he didn't want to be held that much."
"I know." Once Booth finished his oatmeal he went to finish getting ready for work. He came back ten minutes later with Michael's frog, he walked to the couch and laid it next to Michael. "Are you feeling a little better now that you've had some medicine?" Michael shrugged his shoulders, Booth tucked the blankets around him. "You will soon. I'll see you when I get home from work tonight. I love you, buddy." Booth kissed Michael's forehead and started to walk away. Michael pulled on his sleeve, "What do you want, Michael?" Michael pulled harder on Booth's sleeve. "Michael, I can't stay home with you, I need to go to work. Mommy is going to stay with you." Michael shook his head. Brennan walked over to the couch, "Sweetheart, I'll hold you. We can read and watch movies all day or do whatever else you want, okay?" Brennan picked Michael up and sat down on the couch. Booth tucked the blanket around him, and then he put a few of his favorite movies in the DVD changer. He also made sure Brennan had the thermometer, medication, tissues, a spill proof cup of water and her phone within easy reach. "Goodbye, Bones. I'll see you tonight. Call me if you need me. I love you."
"Goodbye, Booth. I love you, too. I'll call if I need you." Booth grinned and kissed Brennan. Once Booth left Brennan turned her attention to Michael. "Do you want to watch a movie?" Michael shook his head. "Do you want me to read to you?" Michael nodded.
"Okay let's get some different books…" Brennan started to get up Michael shook his head.
"You want me to read the books we read yesterday to you again?" Michael nodded.
Brennan smiled, "Okay." Brennan picked up a book.
Two hours later Brennan was surprised to see Booth walk through the door. "Booth, what are you doing home?"
"Since the case is done and I finished the paperwork except you need to sign the last page. I decided to take the rest of the day off and spend it with Michael. It's not often he actually wants me…" Booth shrugged.
"I understand, go change and you can take him. He had some apple sauce a few minutes ago then he fell asleep again. Now that you're home I'm going to work on my book." Ten minutes later Booth was sitting on the couch holding Michael and watching ESPN.
A few hours later Brennan felt Michael pull on her sleeve, Brennan looked over and smiled at him. "Are you feeling better, sweetheart?" Michael shrugged. Brennan moved to pick him up he shook his head. "What do you need, Michael? I don't understand…" just then Booth appeared in the doorway. "I think he wants you to give him his meds and take his temperature. I told him it was time to do it again and he ran in here…"
"Is that what you want, Michael?" The little boy nodded and Brennan picked him up and headed for the kitchen. Michael sat in Brennan's lap and let her take his temperature. "100.3…" Booth handed Michael his dose of cold medicine. Michael took it. "Good job, buddy!" Brennan kissed the top of his head. "Did you eat lunch yet?" Michael nodded.
"He had a scrambled egg, two sliced strawberries, a half of a piece of toast and a little milk." Michael reached for Booth.
"That's good. I'm going to make myself a salad and get back to my book." A few hours later Michael walked into Brennan's office, this time he pulled on her hand. She saved the file and got up to follow him, Michael led Brennan into the living room. Booth smiled and slid his phone back into his pants pocket. "I think this time he's telling you you've worked enough for today. I didn't send him to get you, but I agree. I ordered chicken noodle soup, baked eggplant and a meatball sub from Momma's. It'll be ready in forty five minutes."
"Sounds good to me. I love their baked eggplant." Brennan picked Michael up, "how about you take your bath now and put on some clean pajamas so when daddy gets back with dinner you can eat, take some medicine and go to bed." Michael nodded and Brennan headed for the bathroom. After a small bowl of soup and another dose of medicine Michael was finally perking up a little. "It's almost bedtime and he's finally starting to feel better. "
Booth sighed," We'll both read to him that should relax him and help him sleep. "After four books Brennan tucked Michael in and kissed his forehead," He doesn't currently have a fever, that's good. Hopefully he's getting better."
"I'm sure he'll be better in the morning. I guess this means I'm going to Parker's game by myself."
"Yes, I know how much you were looking forward to taking him and Parker out for pizza and to the movies afterward…"
"It's okay we can do it next weekend. I'll get pizza and bring it home and Michael and I can watch a movie or play a game. Parker won't mind postponing, Evan invited the team over for a sleepover so he can just go there with the rest of the team."
B&B
The weekend was quiet and restful Booth brought home a half cheese half veggie pizza and he, Michael and Brennan watched Cars and The Lion King. By Monday Michael was doing a lot better his fever, sore throat and headache were gone and he wasn't wanting to be held all the time. He was still congested and had a cough so Brennan was going to let him have another day of rest before they attempted 'u' words again. Brennan left Michael watching Sesame Street while she went to put clothes in the washer. When she came back a few minutes later Michael wasn't on the couch, Brennan went down the hall to her office and found Michael playing with his flash cards.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing?" Michael held up the umbrella flash card. Brennan walked over to him.
"Michael, we don't have to work on your words today. You can have one more day to rest and feel better." Michael shook his head.
Brennan smiled and pulled Michael from his chair, "okay, but you can sit on my lap while you work." Brennan sat down in her desk chair and held up the umbrella card. "What is this?"
"Underella."
"Close it's an umbrella…"
"Umella."
"Good try, buddy we'll work on it more tomorrow. You get a sticker for today and Wednesday when you did worksheets with grandpa." Brennan handed Michael his basket of stickers then she helped him put the stickers on the right squares.
"You need a few more stickers before you have enough for a treat, but since you worked hard with grandpa and today I think you deserve a special treat. Do you want me to ask daddy to bring ice cream home for you?"
"Yeah!"
"Okay, what kind do you want?"
"Chocoate."
"Do you want anything on your chocolate ice cream?"
"Sprinles…"
"Okay, you want chocolate ice cream with sprinkles on it."
"Yeah."
"Okay. You did a good job today Michael. I'm proud of you."
That night after dinner Michael worked his way through an extra-large scoop of chocolate ice cream covered in sprinkles and whipped cream.