Hello everybody, how are we doing on this lovely bonesday morning? (It's 12:50am where I am. lol) Enjoy the chap.

A/N: No, I don't own Bones...but a girl can dream can't she??

1988

"Aw Dad c'mon! Do we have to do this right now?" Seeley whined, wiping grease off his forehead and nose.

"I promised your mother."

"But Dad! I'm seventeen. Don't you think the time for this conversation was about five years ago when I discovered Playboy?" Seeley grinned and raised an eyebrow to match his father's.

"Playboy huh?"

Seeley shrugged. "Found 'em under Jared's bed." Then getting back to the subject at hand, he continued his plea for mercy.

"Dad, I know how to treat a girl. Its just Prom you don't have to worry about it."

"I know you do Seeley, but they don't really cover the topic of safe sex in school and…"

"Dad!" Seeley was grateful his father had slid back under the car so he didn't see the bright red blush creeping into his cheeks at what his father was implying.

"I'm just saying Seeley, it only takes one time. I was a teenage boy once too ya' know. I know what's running through that hormonal little head of yours." Sam Booth slid out from under the car and waggled a flat head screwdriver at his son.

"Dad please. Give me a little credit here. Rebecca and I are just going to dance. Nothing is going to happen." He lifted his water to his lips and closed his eyes to the mocking voice in the back of his mind.

Then why do you have a Motel room booked already? Planning a little after party are we Seeley?

"Only if I'm lucky." He muttered aloud.

"What was that?"

"Nothing Dad."

Sam sighed and sat up to look Seeley in the eye.

"Seeley. You know Rebecca wants kids one day and…"

Seeley almost choked on his drink.

"Kids?! Kids Dad? Where did that…I mean who…what…kids?"

Sam smiled at his sputtering son.

"You'll wear protection then?"

"Dad we're not going to…"

"Seeley." Sam frowned.

Booth sighed. "Yessir. I'll wear…I'll do that."

"Good. Now when she asks, tell your Mom we had a good long talk about it."

"Sure thing Dad."

"That's my boy, now hand me a…a 5/8 wrench."

Booth nodded slowly, dropping his arms to his sides.

"I knew that." He whispered and stared over her shoulder at the kitchen wall. "I guess I knew that."

Brennan studied him intently, wishing she knew better how to handle such a situation.

What did Booth do for me when I was going through this?

She thought she remembered something, but Thai food didn't sound very practical at the moment.

"Booth." No response. He didn't even seem to be in the same room with her.

"Booth." She repeated, taking his face in her hands. After a moment his eyes focused on hers. "Talk to me Baby, are you okay?"

A crooked smile that didn't reach his eyes broke up the melancholy of his face.

"I can't call you Babe, you can't call me Baby."

Brennan frowned.

Why is he joking at a time like this?

"Seeley is that you?" They turned around to find a woman Brennan recognized from the picture coming out of the coat closet, that apparently wasn't a coat closet, but the steps to the basement.

Caroline rushed at her son, so relieved to see him she hardly noticed the strange woman at his side.

"Hi Mom." Booth tensed up as his mother rushed into an embrace.

Brennan started to pull away but Booth grasped her waist, keeping her close. He glanced over at her and she gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Caroline." She stepped back from Booth, sensing his tension and directed her attention to Brennan.

Booth cleared his throat.

"Mom, this is Dr. Temperance Brennan, Bones, this is my Mother."

Brennan extended the hand not wrapped around Booth.

"Dr. Brennan? Your partner Seeley?" Caoline asked.

Brennan looked at Booth and saw him struggling for an answer.

"Yeah…partners…something like that." Brennan answered for him, not sure whether or not 'girlfriend' applied after a single afternoon together and a few dozen passionate kisses.

Booth squeezed her hip gratefully, he didn't really want to get into their complicated and somewhat vague relationship with his mother right then.

"It's very nice to meet you Dr. Brennan. Seeley speaks of nothing else."

"Thank you…it's very nice to meet you as well." Brennan decided to act on the side of politeness, although what Caroline had done to Booth just in the past day made her blood boil. She forced a smile, for whose benefit she wasn't sure.

"Call me Temperance, please."

"Sure, Temperance. So why are you…"

"Mom, I need to speak to you and Jared, is he here?" Booth cut off the conversation before it got started. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Yeah, of course Seeley…I'll go get him." Caroline tried not to look confused at her son's edgy behavior. It wasn't like him, but she had dropped a pretty big bomb on him two nights before, it was understandable that he be upset. At least he was there.

Booth turned to the scientist in his arms after his mother disappeared through the living room toward the bedrooms.

"Bones, would it be alright if…I just think I should do this alone." Booth winced slightly, not sure what her reaction would be.

"Of course Booth…are you sure?" Brennan was slightly relieved. Delivering this kind of news to a family she didn't know was one thing. But this was Booth's family, it would kill her if she said something wrong…which she had a nasty habit of doing.

Booth nodded mutely and attempted a smile as Brennan stared at him a moment too long. He couldn't take the way her clear blue eyes were probing his brown ones, the way they seemed to touch deep inside his soul. A place where he felt only empty at the moment.

He didn't want her to see that.

In one swift motion he pushed both his hands into her hair and bent his head to kiss her. Skipping right past gentle and going straight to hungry, he kissed her until he had to close his eyes because his vision was getting blurry.

Brennan felt his tense muscles under her grip and knew, as much as she wanted it, the kiss…this kiss, was not what he needed right then.

"Booth." She pulled away just enough to speak, their foreheads leaning against one another, his hands slid down until they held her face in them.

"Hmmm?"

"What do you need from me? I want to help." She said softly.

Booth closed his eyes again, this time trying to think of something to say, but was interrupted by a loud and familiar voice making whooping noises.

"Whoa! Look at you Seeley my boy! Mackin' the ladies as usual." Jared laughed and stuffed one hand into his baggy basketball shorts while adjusting his backwards ball cap with the other.

"Some things never change huh little brother?"

Brennan blushed and immediately pulled away, Booth's hand once again finding hers and lacing fingers. It was as if he couldn't bring himself to lose physical contact with her.

Booth sighed. "Jared, this is my…this is Dr. Brennan, Bones, my brother Jared."

Brennan smiled and nodded politely before turning to Booth.

Leaning in close to his ear she whispered, "I'll be right outside if you need me."

He nodded and stole a quick kiss before reluctantly letting go of her hand and watching her walk out the front door.

"Jared, Mom, why don't we sit down?"

Brennan shut the door quietly and sunk down onto the first step of the porch, tryiing to ignore the impending panic she felt seeping into her blood.

I can do this. I love Booth. I know that. She told herself, carefully dissecting a dandelion flower she'd plucked from the grass beside her. But before it was just his parents separating. A situation that is sad, but manageable. This is…this is so much bigger. Booth was very close to his father…how do I do this?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft vibration in her hip pocket.

"Angela, just the person I wanted to talk to." She breathed a sigh of relief and ran a hand through her auburn hair.

"Hey Sweetie, what's up? Zach said you hung up on him and Booth seemed pretty upset earlier."

"Yeah…about that…" Brennan hesitated, and a moment too long for Angela's liking.

"What is it Bren?"

"Ange…the victim…Booth knows the victim."

"The Meth lab guy?" Angela glanced at her sketchbook where the victim's portrait was still splayed out on top. "How?"

Brennan bit her lip. "Oh Ange…it's…the victim is…Booth's father."

Angela covered her mouth, making her 'Oh my God' come out muffled.

"I know. I know. This is huge and I don't know what to do. How do I comfort him during something like this? It's horrible for him…but I have no idea…we haven't even…I mean we aren't…Ange I don't know what to do."

"Okay Sweetie, just calm down. You're his partner. I mean…what did Booth do when you found out about your mother? Thai food right?"

"No Ange. We're more than partners. More than friends."

After scolding Angela for squealing at a time like this, Brennan explained all the events since they'd first landed in Philadelphia. Everything from her rather embarrassing attempt at dancing in the kitchen, to their almost sexual encounter in her hotel room.

"I'm going to kill Zach."

"Angela!"

"Okay, okay Sweetie I know. Not important." Angela took a moment to gather her thoughts, finally she sighed.

"I don't know Bren…you're right. This is huge. But from what I know about Booth…just your being there will help. Just do your best. Make sure he doesn't work himself into the ground, since that seems to be the way both of you deal with stress. If he wants a few drinks, make sure he doesn't drive, and if he feels like crying…let him, Sweetie. Just be yourself and be there for him. That's what he needs. And if there's anything else...he'll tell you."

Brennan nodded into the cell phone.

"I can do that."

"I know you can. Be strong...for both of you."

Brennan hung up just as the front door opened, revealing a tired and angry Booth.

Who is he angry at? She wondered.

Booth met her eyes briefly and went passed her toward the car. Brennan followed him, as she passed the large bay window in the living room she peaked inside and saw Booth's mother hugging Jared, her head buried in his chest, both of them sobbing.

"Booth, are you sure you don't want to stay with them?" Brennan asked once they were both in the car. If the way he was speeding out of the driveway and down the street was any indication, the answer to that was a 'yes'.

"Yes, I'm sure Bones. We have a case to solve." Booth said calmly, professional detachment in full swing.

He sounds like me.

"Booth…"

"Bones," He warned, "I'm fine."

Brennan watched him for a moment longer before turning and staring out at the road.

If I know anything, I know this Agent Booth. you are not fine.

Hope you enjoyed it! Lemmeknow!