Thank you for reviewing my story. Like most authors they are greatly appreciated.

I still don't own Bones.

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The next day was awkward for Booth. Russ didn't come home during the night and Brennan had looked worried the whole time they were dressing. When Booth offered to go look for Russ, Brennan had told him no. Russ was a grown man and he knew what he was doing. He must be angrier than she thought, that's all. Booth vowed to himself, to give Russ a piece of his mind the next time he saw him. As far as he was concerned, Russ was acting like more of a child than Parker.

Booth made blueberry pancakes for Parker and Brennan and then took Parker to the Zoo. Brennan decided that she didn't go with them. She had some things to do around the apartment and truthfully she didn't really like the zoo very much. She knew they were disappointed, but she agreed that she would meet them for lunch at the Royal Diner at noon and hoped that would make up for it.

Russ had slept in his car overnight. When he woke up, he was as stiff as a board and felt foolish for not going back to Brennan's apartment and sleeping in the comfortable bed he knew was waiting for him. He debated going up to the apartment for a while, when he saw Booth leave the apartment buidling with his son, Parker. Getting out of his car, he went up to the apartment and let himself in.

Brennan was vacuuming the carpet when he walked in to the apartment. Walking over to her, Russ took the vacuum cleaner from her hand and turned it off. "I'm sorry, Tempe . . . Again. I should have come home last night, but it was late and I didn't want to wake anyone up by coming in so late. "

Not happy with brother's choices, Brennan shook her head and fussed at him. "Oh Russ, you should have come home anyways. Booth and I were worried about you last night."

Embarrassed that he was being such a pain in the ass, Russ exhaled deeply. "Maybe I should go stay with Dad, Tempe. His couch is pretty comfortable. I'm just aggravating Booth and making you worried all of the time. You don't need that right now."

Grimly, Brennan informed her brother, "Booth isn't aggravated with you, Russ. He's just worried about you like I am. Dad is worried about you too. What's going on? Are you and Amy having marital problems? Booth and Dad say you are. You say you aren't and I'm beginning to believe that you aren't telling me the truth."

Walking over to the couch, Russ shook his head and sat down. Looking up at Brennan, Russ finally admitted his problem. "Amy is pregnant and I'm scared. I'm 39 years old and I'm going to be responsible for a baby for the first time in my life. I'm too old, Tempe. I'll be 57 when the kid graduates from High School. I'll be 61 when the kid graduates from college. I tried to talk to Booth about it. He's a year older than me. I thought for sure he would be scared too, that he would understand what I'm feeling, but he's not. He's not scared at all. He says he's happy . . . I just don't understand it. He'll be 62 when your kid gets out of college. I don't understand why he isn't scared. I know Amy hates me right now. When she told me about the baby, I didn't act very happy. What with the job offer in Maryland and me acting like an ass towards Amy, well . . . lets just say, she told me to leave and not to come back until I'm sure I can be the father I should be. She's having the baby and like it or not, I'm going to be a new father in seven months."

Sitting down next to Russ, Brennan patted his knee. "But Russ, you're already a father. You love Amy's kids and you're a great father to them. What's the difference between them and your own child?"

Disappointed that no one understood what he was going through, Russ tried to explain. "Amy's kids aren't babies, Tempe. They're almost teenagers. I don't think I'm explaining myself very well. I couldn't make Amy understand either. I'm afraid I'll die before I get to see my kid grow up. I'm 39, Tempe. Now do you see what the problem is?"

Shaking her head, Brennan failed to understand his problem. "No, I don't. I don't understand at all. Booth says a baby is something to cherish. It's proof that two people love each other. Don't you love Amy?"

Shocked that she would ask him something like that, Russ exclaimed, "Of course, I do Tempe . . . You know what? I shouldn't have told you about my problem. You're happy and I don't want to make you unhappy. Booth is a great guy. Better than me, I guess. Just . . . just never mind." Standing up, Russ offered, "Tell you what, I'll vacuum the carpets for you and you do whatever else you planned to do. I need something to do anyways."

Brennan staring at Russ with concern. "You don't have to do that Russ. I can do it."

Shaking his head and picking up the vacuum cleaner, Russ smiled, "I want to Tempe. I'm tired of watching TV."

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When noon came around, Brennan and Russ went over to the diner to meet Booth and Parker for lunch.

Booth and his son entered the diner talking about the zebras that Parker had seen and continued the conversations as Booth looked for his partner. Seeing that she was with Russ at the back of the diner, Booth moved down the aisle, sat down next to Brennan and kissed her.

Looking at Russ, Booth nodded and decided not to say anything. Parker saw that Booth was angry with Russ, but decided to sit down next to Russ anyways. Parker kept flicking his gaze from Russ to his father. Deciding that it would be better to be quiet, Parker looked at the menu and pretended he didn't know what was on it and had to study it before he could order food.

Russ was aware that Booth was angry with him and he realized that it might cause problems between the Agent and his sister which was the last thing he wanted to happen. "Look, I'm sorry, Booth. I didn't come home last night because I was angry, but I didn't mean to make you and Tempe worry."

Booth's silence his answer, Russ crossed his arms and glared at Booth.

Brennan placed her hand on Booth's right hand and decided that Booth needed to know what was going on. "Amy is pregnant, Booth. Russ is scared."

Surpised, Booth blurted out, "Scared? What's to be scared about? A baby is great news Russ. What's your problem anyway?"

Still glaring at Booth, Russ decided he didn't like Booth's condescending attitude. "Not everyone is gaga about babies, Booth. Some of us do worry that we may be too old to be parents. What if I drop dead before the baby gets to be an adult? Huh? What if I have a stroke or something and the kid is left with an old invalid father? What about that? I bet you haven't even thought about that. What's your problem Booth?"

Shaking his head, Booth tried to control his anger since he was Brennan's brother. "Get you're head out of your ass, damn it. If Amy is happy about the baby then you should be too. That baby is a gift to you from Amy. So your 39 . . . So what? You're worried that you might drop dead before the child becomes an adult? Hell, Russ, you could walk out of here in 30 minutes and get hit by a damn truck. You could slip in the shower tonight and break your stupid neck . . . Life doesn't come with a guarantee. No one knows how long they'll live. You could die when you're sixty or you might die when your ninety. Do you think only young guys get to be fathers? Shit, when you're young, you don't have a clue about how to be a father. Raising a baby is a mystery. You make dumb mistakes."

Booth realized that he was cursing in front of his young son and that was unexceptable. "You've been raising Amy's daughters. You've seen what it takes to be a father. You know how life works. You know the world is gray and not black and white. Give it a chance, Russ. Be that baby's father, be the husband Amy needs right now. Stop being a jerk."

Looking down at the table and then back at Booth, Russ gave the angry man a weak smile. "Thanks Booth. I needed you to tell me that. You walk around Tempe like you're on cloud nine. Dad thinks you're being a regular Pollyanna about the baby. I can see now that you've actually thought about what it'll be like to be your age and a new father. That is the person I needed to talk to, Booth. I needed to hear from the guy who had thought about what it will be like to be a father with a baby and being as old as you are. Not the Little Miss Sunshine you seem to be most of the time."

Not sure who Russ was talking about, Parker asked, "What's a Little Miss Sunshine?"

Russ and Booth realized that they had confused the boy and that they probably shouldn't have argued in front of him. Embarrased that he hadn't waited Booth decided to just answer the question. "A Little Miss Sunshine sees the happy side of life."

Confused, Parker asked his father. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Proud of Booth, Brennan smiled at the confused boy and assured him. "Yes, Parker, it is. You're Dad is a very good Little Miss Sunshine."

Laughing Booth grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "Thanks, Bones. I try."

Still embarrassed that he'd lost control of his temper, Booth turned his attention towards this son. "Look Buddy, I didn't mean to cuss. OK? Remember what we talked about last week about using cuss words?"

Nodding his head, Parker responded, "I remember Dad, besides I've heard you say worse things. Remember the time that guy was talking about Bones at the pool, when she was diving and you . . . "

Quickly shaking his head at Parker and making a cutting motion across the front of his neck with his hand, Booth glanced at Brennan. "How about we talk about something else, Buddy?"

Confused again, Parker looked down at his menu again and decided that he didn't understand adults.

Sensing Brennan was looking at him, Booth turned and gave her his brightest charm smile. He could see that she was about to say something when Russ interrupted them, "Uh, look, how about we order lunch. I'm hungry."

Grateful to Russ, Booth turned away from Brennan and tried to gets Tonya's attention so they could order. He was getting ready to call out to Tonya when he felt Brennan punch him on the arm. Rubbing his arm, Booth heard Russ snigger, but he decided to ignore both of them.

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Any good?