Chapter Ten:

Brennan and Booth sat at the dinner table listening to Parker list of the days events, chattering on about how he beat Leo in a sparring match. Booth had almost decided not to let Parker any where near Long Creek Park, but wanted his son to live life as normally as possible. So Booth decided to have the FBI stake out the place during the hours of the dance classes, which just happened to be at the same time of Parker's karate class.

"Dad are you going to coach the soccer practice on Saturday?" Parker piped up as he was "helping" with the dishes.

"Yeah Bub. I should have some time free that day." Booth had to get the assistant coach to take over for a little bit since the case was so time consuming. Parker understood, but it still hurt him when he saw his son's face fall.

Brennan looked up. "I should be there too Parker. What kind of snacks should I pick up for your team?"

"Juice boxes and Little Debbie snacks." Parker squealed.

Booth said a thank you to her over his son's shoulder as he was wiping the remains of dinner off of Parker's face. Booth scrubbed the spaghetti sauce as hard as he could, and then decided it would be easier to dye his son the color of the sauce.

"Time for a bath Park." Booth announced as Parker took off down the hall to grab his submarine. He turned to Brennan, "Leave the dishes, I'll take care of them in a minute."

Booth got Parker settled in for bath time, cracking the door open so he could hear his son singing the Spongebob theme as loud as he could. He knew with his son that if silence was around then something was wrong. He turned back into the kitchen to find Bones standing over the sink scrubbing the spaghetti pot. "You never listen to me do you?" He whispered.

"I just needed to keep moving. I keep checking my cell phone to find out if Hodgins made a connection with the fertilizer. I keep waiting for Caroline to call with news about what the judge says about the DNA analysis. I just don't know what to do." Brennan admitted.

"You lean on me." He whispered. He encased her in a hug. "It's going to be okay Bones. We found your daughter it is only a matter of time that we get her back."

"Booth do you think I will be a good mother?" She asked bluntly.

Booth broke the embrace and looked directly into her eyes. He was lost in the sea of emotion that her eyes held. "I think that you are a good mother. Believe it or not Temperance." He whispered. He listened to the Parker splashing around in the tub knowing this time he wouldn't be interrupted.

"How do you know?" She questioned.

"I know because there isn't anything you wouldn't do for Elizabeth, even if it meant giving up your own life. I know that you sing crazy songs about bones with my son, and you make his smile when he is missing his own mother. I know that you are going to go to the store early on Saturday morning and spend ridiculous amounts of money on snacks for kids you haven't even met because I won't have time. You are a good person, and that alone will make you a good mother. It's why I love you." His eyes searched hers. Booth took Brennan by the shoulders, his fingers tracing along her jaw line. He leaned in, and surprisingly so did she.

He wasn't surprised by the softness of her kiss, or by what scent she wore. He was in awe of the tenderness, the unspoken emotions that were held in that kiss.

"Booth, I don't know what to say." She admitted. Here she was a world renown writer speechless.

"Don't say anything. Just feel." He turned his ear in and found that Parker had stopped making noise. That was not a good sign, he was up to something. "Stay while I go check on Parker." He left his partner standing in the kitchen and he made his way down the hall. That went better than what he thought.

Brennan stood there, dumbstruck for a second, not realizing everything that was going on. She finally got her feet moving and went to check on Booth in the bathroom with Parker. She smiled when she saw what was happening, Parker had managed to get water everywhere and had tried cleaning it up with toilet paper.

"Parker, really next time call me. We will use a towel to clean it up." Booth explained has he was picking up the next clomp of paper off the ground throwing it in the trash. "How did you get the water everywhere?"

"Well, there was a huge sea battle, and I had to make waves." Parker explained logically. Brennan laughed as she heard the explanation. Just then, a wad of toilet paper fell from the ceiling, hitting Brennan in the head.

"Now, how did that get up there?" Booth asked him, waiting to hear the explanation for that one.

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Brennan finally got the call she was waiting for at 8:00 at night. Jack had worked relentlessly getting the formula broken down into the right parts. It was too late then to get started on that so they decided to get on that first thing in the morning. Booth got the call from Caroline stating that it would be a go for the DNA testing on Elizabeth Carmichael to see if she was a match for Brennan.

When Booth told Brennan that it was a go for the DNA testing, a smile graced her face that he swore he had never seen before. She wrapped her arms around him. Booth returned the embrace, swinging her around in a circle. Something was finally going right in Brennan's life.

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Brennan woke up several hours later, wrapped up in Booth's arms. Skin was on skin. A realization dawned on her. They had made love. She rolled over so she could prop herself up to look at him. He was so peaceful when he slept, when he wasn't having nightmares. Brennan knew that Booth felt deeply sorry for the things he had to do for his country, but didn't realize the extent of his own personal penance that he carried around. His nightmare was so vivid, so real to him that she had to wake him and he just kept whispering that he was sorry, until he feel back asleep.

"If you keep staring at me, you are going to burn a hole through my skin." He murmured, pulling her close to him. "What are you thinking about?" He asked her dropping a kiss on her head, his hands playing with her dark tresses.

"I was thinking about how much my life has changed with you in it. Seeley I can't say that I love you right now . . . but I can say that I can't imagine you not in my life. I need you." She told him honestly.

"That's all I need for now. I can wait as long as it takes. Just as long as you don't mind hearing it." He answered.

"Nope not at all."

"What time is it?" Booth asked, eyes still shut.

"Around four in the morning."

"Bones, we still have two hours to sleep before we have to get up. Just lay with me okay." He requested. She positioned herself on his chest, him wrapping an arm around her waist, trying to pull her closer. She listened to the strong beat of his heart, it the sound lulled her back into a dreamed filled sleep where Booth, Brennan, Parker, and Elizabeth were all playing at the park together.

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Brennan woke up the next morning hearing Booth in the shower and Parker padding around in the kitchen presumably trying to make himself breakfast. Booth had been a big believer in letting his child attempt to do things so he could learn from doing. Brennan believed it was a very practical approach to parenting. She tossed on one of Booth's button down shirts and made her way to the kitchen.

"Hi Tempe." Parker said.

"Good morning Parker." She responded reaching into the breadbox for the bread. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Coco Comets." Parker replied. She pulled out the box for him and set it on the table. She watched as he carefully poured out, looking at what he was doing this time. He only poured just a little too much this time.

Booth came out of the shower watching the scene. He thought his Bones was adorable in his shirt. He ran his towel through his hair as he listened to Parker's onslaught of questions.

"Are you and Daddy together like he and Tessa were?" Parker enquired as she poured his milk.

"I guess so." She told him. She didn't want to presume. "But I do like your Daddy very much."

"Do you like me too?" Parker kept on, shoving a spoon full of cereal in his mouth.

Brennan saw Booth out of the corner of her eye, "I think I like you more than your Daddy." She told him giving Parker a kiss on his head.

"I heard that Bones." Booth proclaimed stalking into the kitchen. He grabbed her by the waist and she giggled. Actually giggled.

"Put me down Booth!" She demanded.

He gave her a quick kiss and did as he was told. She grabbed her piece of toast and made her way into the shower.

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Brennan and Booth pulled up to the Carmichael's house with a warrant on hand to deliver news that Elizabeth's DNA would be needed ASAP. Pulling up to the drive, Booth saw the exterminator/fertilizer truck in the driveway.

"Bones, stay in the car." Booth demanded.

"I knew it! We sleep together and our working relationship changes." She said exasperatedly. "I'm going with you. Look there could be a potential killer in there, and my daughter lives there!"

Booth saw her point and knew that there was going to be no stopping her. "Take my backup gun. Don't use it unless it is absolutely necessary."

They cautiously stepped onto the porch and knocked. Booth heard the sound of the TV and the laughter of a woman insider. "FBI we have some questions regarding some kidnapping in the area."

The sound of a gunshot resounded in the air. Booth cursed. "Bones, back to the vehicle, take cover." He yelled. They ran for cover.

They made it just before another hail storm of bullets came ringing out of the house. Booth didn't want to fire back because there could be a child in there. He looked at his partner.

"Bones, you've been shot." He stated, roaring into the radio for backup and a bus.


AN: Cliffy, I'm evil. Is Elizabeth in the house? How is this going to play out? Read and Review.