"Seeley, I need to talk to you about something." I walked into the kitchen where he was sitting with a beer in his hand.
"What is it Tori?"
"Rough day?" I indicated the bottle in his hand.
"Yeah but let's skip the interrogation and focus on what you need to talk about."
"I'm going to date Ryan. He's my boyfriend now."
"I don't like you having a boyfriend."
"I don't like you drinking, even if it is only occasionally."
"It's not the same thing."
"Just because you are an adult? Because we both now that if age were measured by experience and exposure rather than years we would be about the same age."
"I don't think you can handle a boyfriend."
"Why?"
"You were right about the age thing so tell you what I am going to speak to you as if you were an adult. Giving you a boyfriend is like putting me in a casino and handing me a stack of bills. I have a past gambling problem and chances are I would find it easier to fall back into those patterns rather than turn around and walk out of that casino."
"Have you been in a casino since going through the program, which I assume you did?"
"Yes for a case."
"Was someone with you? Generally you don't work cases alone."
"Bones was there. What are you getting at?"
"Does Dr. Brennan know about your past gambling problems?"
"Yes."
"Would you say that having her there made it easier for you to focus on why you were truly there? You previously stated that you were on a case so I assume that you weren't there to gamble."
"Yes I would say that."
"Well Ryan knows about my past and I feel that him knowing and being there will help me to focus enough not to slip into my old ways."
"You made a compelling case and I agree that you should date him. You should be a lawyer some day."
"I took a Debate class."
"Well you definitely got an A+ in that course. On the Ryan thing though?"
"What?"
"If I see anything happening that makes me suspect you are slipping back I am going to interfere. Will you promise not to hate me if I do?"
"I promise not to hate you if you should have to do that." I made a pinky promise with a grown man.
"Thank you."
"So would you say that being with Tempe makes a lot of things easier?"
"That's enough questions for tonight Miss Lawyer."
"Oh come on Seeley, what is with you and the hot doctor?"
"The hot doctor?"
"Sorry, what is with you and Dr. Brennan? I've seen how you look at her and I've also seen the way she looks at you."
"What are you talking about Tori?"
"Ever notice how every time you walk into a room she smiles? You do the same thing when she walks in too."
"There is nothing going on. We are just partners."
"Angela says differently."
"You spend too much time with her and Hodgins."
"You spend too much time working. When do I get to meet my nephew?"
"I talked to Rebecca yesterday and she said that Parker can come over Friday night and spend the whole weekend with us."
"What about Jared? Did you talk to him?"
"No matter how many times I call him I don't think he is going to change his mind. You know there is bad blood between you two. Besides if you don't like my occasional drink then you aren't going to want to hang out with him."
"I know he started drinking again but he is still my brother and I want to apologize to him."
"You are more of a grown up than him." I laughed. "Give him time and he will come to you."
A/N: Next chapter is going to be a little Tori/Parker fluff probably. Are you as excited as I am?