Author's note: About this chapter … Hmm, it's quite different from what I'm used to writing. There's an awful lot of conversation instead of inner thoughts. Hope you don't mind. :-) I hart Booth, remember your request? °grins excitedly as she nods at her computer screen° They're back! And I'm planning on bringing them back in another chapter.

For my reviewers: Oh dear, just look at all those reviews! You people are just too nice! Thank you Amasayda, Bellabun, NakedQuidditchFan, krisnina77, bb-4ever, EternalConfusion (thanks for beta-ing!), Spuffyshipper (interesting time line ... Too bad mine's a bit different :-)), I hart Booth (hope you like how I worked in your request), Egyptianautumn, goldpiece, jaed621, saz89, jess.stretch, Addictt, canadianagurl, squinter, ShortyMae, Lady Elanya, moonofmathmaticalwisdom, pagan-seijou (lol no, that conversation will have to wait :-P), maricejayo, HolidayArmadillo and angel6!

Disclaimer: Still waiting for the day the world admits Bones was created by me ...

- Week 4: Thursday -
-----------------------------------------

The door of the bedroom silently swung open until there was enough room for the blond-haired four year old to take a peek at the inside. His eyes scanned the room. No visible movement. As silently as possible he squirmed through the opening and made a mad dash for the foot of the bed where he got down on all fours. He pricked up his ears to catch the possible sounds of grown-ups waking up. All he heard was soft snoring and his own rapid breathing. Slowly he lifted his head until he could peek right over the edge of the bed. Two large bumps in the bed cradled close to each other were all he saw. Still no visible movement. He brought his head back down and slowly crept around the bed until he nearly bumped his head into the nightstand. After another minute of intense listening, Parker decided to take another look. He raised his head again and was met by the sight of a soft snoring Temperance with her hair sprawled out over the cushion. She was clutching at his father's arm that was draped across her stomach.

Wrong side of the bed. He ducked his head again and turned to crawl to the other side of the bed where he would find his father. While doing so, his foot caught onto something. Frowning he yanked his foot forward. A faint sound floated through the room and made him hold his breath for a second. He let out a relieved sigh when the snoring continued. The distance between the two sides of the bed had never seemed so long to Parker as now, when he was travelling it on his knees in the dark. Finally he arrived at his father's side. He stuck his head up over the edge to take a look at his father who was facing him with his back. Parker reached out to softly shake Booth's shoulder.

Booth turned around, mumbling and cracking his eyes open. "Parker?"

"Daddy, I can't sleep."

Temperance began to wake up now too. She rolled over onto her other side to find a very much awake Parker staring at her. Booth gave her an apologetic smile.

"He can't sleep."

She stared at him. Booth stared right back. What does he want me to do? Bore him to sleep with scientific facts? Temperance rubbed her eyes, trying to come up with an answer. She ended up holding the covers up.

"Get in here, Parker."

She figured that the presence of other human beings would assure the boy and eventually lull him to sleep. Booth lifted the boy up and set him down between them. Parker immediately snuggled deep under the covers. The two grown-ups gazed at him, both propped up on an elbow. They watched him slowly fall asleep. Booth smiled at the anthropologist.

"Good thinking." Temperance shrugged at his praise. "I guess I have to find another way to wake you up now." She playfully hit him on the shoulder and slid down under the covers again to fall asleep just like the cute blond-haired angel that was lying next to her.

---°---

Her eyes fluttered open. What's that sound? Faint beeping noises were making their way from the living room into the bedroom. Temperance rolled onto her back and put her hands on her stomach. There are those beeping sounds again. She listened intently to the noise before a smile appeared on her face. It's the TV. Parker's probably watching cartoons. Next she heard Booth's cell phone going off.

"I said I'd call you when I had her answer." He sighed. "Fine. I'll make sure to ask her today but stop calling me then, alright? Good. I'll talk to you later."

Another mysterious call. He's been getting quite a few lately. Her thoughts were interrupted by the shrill sound of her own phone. She quickly flipped it open.

"Brennan."

"You're late."

Temperance fell down onto her pillow again. "Angela …" She could almost see the grin on the artist's face as Angela announced what time it was. Temperance shot up right. "It's 10.15?!" The anthropologist was up and storming out of the bedroom in no time. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes, Angela."

"Take your time, sweetie. You're already running late; why not take advantage of that? I'm sure Booth will agree with me."

Temperance sighed. "Fifteen minutes, Angela. Then I'll be there."

"Fine. I'll tell Hodgins and Zach to have their findings ready." Angela answered before ending the call.

She came to a stop in front of Booth. "Why didn't your alarm clock go off? No, better question - why didn't you wake me up?"

"Chill, Bones." he soothed her. "I thought you hadn't set the alarm because you wanted to sleep in and stay for half a day with me and Parker."

"I'm absolutely sure I set the alarm last night!" she said before stomping off to the bedroom again. A loud curse rang through the apartment a couple of moments later. It was loud enough to tear Parker away from his precious cartoons.

"Tempe said a bad word!"

Booth sighed. "Yes she did, bud." Note to me: remind Bones not to swear in front of Parker.

Next thing he knew, a fuming Brennan was shoving an alarm clock in his face. "Someone unplugged it!"

"Not me!"

"Who else could've done it, huh? You're always on about 'loosening up' and 'living life'." She underlined her words by using air quotes. "It sounds just like you to unplug the alarm to keep me from going to work. We've got a case to solve, Booth!"

"I know we do, Bones." he shot back. "I'm just as determined as you are to find out who killed that girl. And stop pushing that thing up my nose!"

Neither of them noticed how Parker, eyes wide with fear and guilt, approached them until he said in a small voice, "I did it, Tempe." They slowly turned to him. "I pulled it out. My foot … it …" By now the little boy's eyes were starting to well up.

"It was an accident." Booth calmly stated.

Parker nodded. "I'm sorry, Tempe. Please don't be mad at daddy. I did it." His words were accompanied by such a sad and pleading look that she couldn't help but kneel down to look him straight in the eyes.

"It's ok, Parker. It was an accident. You didn't do it on purpose. And I'm …" She briefly averted her eyes to the alarm clock she was still holding. "And I'm sorry for yelling at your dad. I shouldn't have done that."

Booth knelt down as well. "We weren't really mad at each other, bud."

The four year old glanced from his father to Temperance and back. "You weren't?"

"We weren't." Booth agreed, shaking his head as he pulled his son in for a hug. After having returned his warmth, Parker pulled back and launched himself into Temperance's arms.

"I'm really sorry, Tempe."

She hesitantly put her arm around the little boy's shoulders. "It's ok, Parker."

Satisfied with the hugs and the forgiveness he had gotten, Parker quickly scurried back to the living room to watch some more cartoons. Booth and Brennan watched him take off, not getting up from their kneeled position on the floor.

"This is why I wouldn't be a good mother."

This time it was Booth who put his arms around her. "That's bull and you know it, Bones." he mumbled into her hair. "You were great with him yesterday. You can't expect to act perfect around him all the time. I make mistakes as well and I'm his father!"

Temperance withdrew a little to look at him. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It was … wrong of me. I'm …" She drew in a sharp breath. "I'm sorry." she choked out. Does he know how hard it is for me to say that?

"It's alright, Bones. No hard feelings. Besides, I like a good fight from time to time." He flashed her a smile to answer her puzzled expression. "After a fight, you have to kiss and make up."

This brought a smile on Brennan's face. "And we both know that making up can be very satisfying."

Booth leaned forward to give her a chaste kiss, nothing too sensual just in case Parker walked in on them. "You got that right." he grinned afterwards.

And just like Booth had predicted, Parker walked in right when he leaned in again for another kiss. "Daddy, I'm hungry."

"Just give me a minute to make some pancakes, bud." He gave Temperance a quick glance. Great kid. Bad timing. "You're staying for breakfast, right?"

"Seeley no, I told Angela I'd be there in fifteen minutes. I've already lost five minutes because of our little quarrel." Temperance reasoned, completely forgetting about Booth's persistent nature.

"Bones, I'm not letting you leave this apartment without two or three pancakes in your stomach."

Temperance was about to protest when Parker cut her off. "Please, Tempe? Daddy's pancakes are yummy!" The boy rubbed his stomach to emphasize his words.

She looked from one Booth to the other; they were both giving her the deadly combination of pleading eyes and a charm smile. Sighing internally, she flipped her phone open and dialled the lab. "Angela? Tell Hodgins and Zach to have their findings ready by 1 pm. Yeah, I'm coming in later …"

---°---

"Daddy, I want to see The House again."

Temperance noted how Booth gripped the steering wheel just a tad tighter. "Now's not a good time, bud. Your mom's expecting you back at noon."

"But daddy …" Parker whined. "I want to see The House!"

"The house? Is that the name of a movie?" Temperance queried Booth.

He gave her a quick look. "No." Then he peered into the rear view mirror at his son. "No, Parker. I'm not driving by The House today. There's no time."

"But daddy!"

"Driving by? Oh, The House is a real house!"

Booth gritted his teeth at the simultaneous exclamations of his fellow passengers. They're already teaming up against me! "Bones … Parker …" he warned in a low voice.

Temperance rolled her eyes and averted her gaze to the rapidly passing surroundings while Parker resolved to pout. Booth let out a deep sigh. "Thank you."

---°---

She watched him wave one last time at his son in the doorway before shifting from neutral into first gear and driving away. He nudged her quite hard to signal that she should be waving as well. Temperance turned around and did as her partner had silently but quite violently requested. A happy Parker waved at them until they were out of sight. Next she turned back to Booth to give him a calculating stare, like she gave every pile of bones she came across. The House is a real house, there's no question about that. It must be an important place if Seeley's showed it to Parker. Narrowing her eyes to intensify her stare, she thought Come on Seeley; you know you want to tell me.

Booth shifted under her intense stare, feeling rather uncomfortable to be treated with the same look she usually preserved for the remains lying on her table. She wants to see the house. No doubt about that. He dared to glance over at her. She raised her eyebrows in response. Booth sighed. Like I can deny her anything …

Temperance patted his knee, a satisfied smile plastered on her face, when he made a U-turn and headed in the opposite direction of the lab. Thank you, Seeley.

Fifteen minutes later they pulled up at a fairly large Victorian House. The rather large front garden, filled with trees and other plants, formed a nice background for the house with white walls and black roof tiles. Temperance noted the two floors, the garage and the cosy-looking porch the house counted.

"This is it." Booth mumbled.

Brennan's mind was working at full speed now. Booth obviously likes the house otherwise he wouldn't have showed it to his son. But why is he so interested in it? Is he thinking of buying it? Her eyes searched for a 'For Sale'-sign but found none.

"There's no 'For Sale' sign." she stated.

"That's because it's not for sale. The owner's still living there."

She chewed her bottom lip as she turned back to study the house. Two days ago, Booth had given her the comment that Miss Hovrey's place was very nice. If her memory served her correctly, he had asked her if she wouldn't like to live in such a house. Temperance's eyes flew back to Booth's face. Is he actually considering buying that house for us to live in? Seeing his distressed look, she calmed down in a matter of seconds. It's a logical move. My apartment is big enough for two grown-ups; not for two grown-ups and an energetic four year old.

"Have you ever asked the owner if he's willing to sell?" The relief that flashed across his features tugged at her heart.

"Yeah, I've done that once. The owner was an old lady. She claimed she would only sell the house to a very special couple. Since I came alone, I wasn't considered a worthy buyer."

"Well, we are a couple. Aren't we?" Booth nodded. "Let's go ask her again then." Temperance quickly opened the door and got out.

"Whoa wait, Bones!" He jumped out of the car and ran after her. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"If you mean I'm planning on convincing that lady to sell that house to us then yes, I'm suggesting what you think I'm suggesting." She stopped walking for a moment to smile at him. She laughed softly at his imitation of a fish, his mouth slowly opening and closing and his eyes wide with surprise. "Don't be so surprised, Seeley." she said, brining her face closer to his. "I told you I've got a very steep learning curve."

He shook his head as Temperance took off again towards the front door. That woman will never cease to amaze me. He arrived at her side just when the front door opened, revealing a beautiful young woman with striking green eyes and nut-brown hair. Temperance gave her partner a sideway glance. An old lady, right?

"Yes? How can I help you?" the young woman asked cautiously.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan and this is Seeley Booth, my …" she trailed off, not quite knowing how to describe the man standing next to her. The terms 'boyfriend' and 'lover' briefly flashed through her mind but they didn't seem to fit in this situation.

"Her partner." Booth helped her. "We're interested in buying your house."

The young woman nodded and immediately shouted, "Granma, there's another couple here for the house."

An older woman with greying hair and equally striking green eyes came rushing into the hallway, surprisingly fast for her age. "Who is it, Mary?" She came to an abrupt stop when she laid eyes on Booth. "You're back." she simply stated. Her eyes slid over to the auburn-haired scientist standing close to him. "I see you've brought someone along." She studied the anthropologist for a while. Temperance put her hands in her pockets and bluntly stared back. Then the corners of her mouth pulled up in a large smile. "Come in, please. I'd be happy to show you around. I'm Elisabeth and this is my granddaughter, Mary."

---°---

Booth turned the engine off when the car came to a stop on his parking spot at the Jeffersonian. He contemplated his hands lying on the steering wheel for a while before turning around to face Temperance.

"She's selling the house … to us …"

Temperance nodded. "I told you I would convince her."

"That's just it. You didn't need to. It was like she'd already decided that we were going to be the new owners the second she saw us."

"I wouldn't question it, Seeley." Temperance said, reaching out to pat his hand on the steering wheel. "We're buying that house. That's all that matters." Temperance gathered her coat and purse and got out of the car, leaving Booth behind.

He went back to contemplating his hands. How Elisabeth had examined him and Temperance as they had been waiting at her front door and how she had happily announced half an hour later that they were the couple she had been waiting for, didn't stop bugging him. The old lady was eccentric, that was a sure fact. In between showing them the bedrooms and the bathroom upstairs, her granddaughter had explained to him how her grandmother and her grandfather had built this house with their bare hands. After her grandfather had died, her grandmother had decided that she would sell the house since her granddaughter didn't want to live in a place that was filled with memories. But she would only sell to a couple that was as much in love as she had been with her deceased husband. In the past five years there had been many couples interested in the house but up till now Booth and Brennan had been the only ones Elisabeth had invited in.

Is it that obvious that I love her? He said to himself. He still didn't know when he had begun to love her. All he knew was that he loved her with every fibre of his being. He'd turn every stone if she was missing. He'd take on everyone that gave her so much as a glare. He was even willing to sacrifice his dreams of getting married and having a pack of children if it meant he could love her until the last day of his life.

For a very long time he had believed that she didn't return his feelings, that she saw him as her partner and nothing more. And he had been just fine with that position. He had deemed it better to have her as his partner then to lose her over something as futile as his schoolboy crush. His crush had soon evolved into something deeper, though. He felt a tug at his heart every time he saw her snap on a pair of new latex gloves or when she snagged a file from his hands. Booth had known he was in trouble when he had found himself wishing another skeleton would turn up. It is never a good thing when you start wishing for a juicy corpse instead of a day of sunshine when you're taking the day off.

When he had realised he was head over heels in love, he had decided to stay close to her and wait for his chance. Slowly but surely he had approached her, ready to jump back the second she saw through his intentions. He had smelled a golden opportunity when those dreams had begun taunting her. He still couldn't believe how Temperance had opened up to him but he certainly didn't mind. It's just that everything that has happened since our talk on her roof top seems so surreal. And now she is considering buying the house I've been interested in for years. She wants us to live there, damn it! Booth rested his head on the steering wheel. God, what have I done to deserve her? Someone who used to kill people in cold blood shouldn't be so lucky.

Suddenly the door on the passenger's side of the car swung open. Temperance hopping in made him lift his head.

"I figured out who killed Gloria."

---°---

"If that isn't Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan." Miss Hovrey scoffed, stressing Temperance's title on purpose. "What are you two doing here?"

Booth took off his sunglasses to throw the woman a piercing stare. "Would you mind, Miss Hovrey?" he said, indicating the inside of the house.

This time she immediately took a couple of steps back to let them enter, albeit reluctant. Miss Hovrey led the way to the kitchen where she picked up the cup of coffee she had just poured herself.

"We've got more questions for you, Miss Hovrey." Booth began.

"How much did you hate your son's girlfriend, Gloria?" Temperance asked straightforward.

The stern-looking woman nearly smashed her cup to pieces when she put it down on the counter. "What makes you think I hated her?"

"Your husband left you to take care of Jacob by yourself. You gave your son all the love and affection you could muster to see him grow up to the man he is today - a man who deeply loved Gloria McLennan. It must've been hard for you to see him be infatuated with another woman."

Booth watched Miss Hovrey grip onto the counter. Her expression went from stern to hurt to angry. Temperance on the other hand moved around the kitchen as quietly as possible. If she was right, which she usually was, then the murder weapon would be somewhere in this room.

"It must've been a shock to hear that Gloria and Jacob were going to live together. Your son told us you nearly threw him out of the house when he told you." Booth continued. "You must've blown a fuse when Gloria came over three months ago to try to explain the whole situation to you."

"She told me she loved him but that wasn't possible. I'm the only one who's supposed, no allowed, to love him." Miss Hovrey spit out, still holding on tightly to the counter.

"So you decided to bash her skull into pieces with a rolling pin." Temperance announced as she held up the murder weapon, a wooden rolling pin. "But not after you had broken both of her arms, had fractured three ribs and had punched her left knee to a pulp. Afterwards you cut her up in pieces and stuffed her in one of your son's gym bags which you threw into the canal."

"I only wanted my son back." the older woman mumbled. "She didn't deserve him."

Booth moved forward, cuffs ready, when Miss Hovrey released the counter and let her head hang down in guilt.

---°---

She picked up the lacy garment to take a good look at it. "I really don't understand why you get so turned on whenever you see one, let alone feel one."

Booth kissed his way up from her stomach to her face. He gave her a toe-curling kiss after he had pulled her naked body flush against his. "There's nothing a bigger turn-on than a sexy woman wearing sexy underwear."

"Yeah, but why lace?"

He shrugged. "It feels nice."

Temperance snagged the lacy piece of underwear from his hands to study them. She shook her head. "I still don't get it."

"That's because you don't have a thing for lace panties." he chuckled. "I'm sure there's something you like the feel of."

Temperance lowered her mouth onto his shoulders to nibble her way to his neck and then down his chest. "Yeah, your skin." she murmured against him.

He pulled her up for another kiss. "Damn woman, you sure know how to push my buttons." he groaned after having ravaged her lips.

A satisfied smile tugging at her lips, she placed her head in the crook of his arm and cuddled up against him. A comfortable silence descended on them, only broken by the sound of Booth's arms moving around until they were wrapped around Temperance's waist.

"So Seeley, when are you going to fill me in on those mysterious phone calls you've been getting lately?"

She felt Booth stiffen. "What phone calls?" he carefully probed.

"Seeley …" Temperance warned.

He sighed. "It was my mother. She called to ask if I was coming to the party my family is throwing for her birthday." He paused for two, maybe three seconds. "She asked if I was taking you with me."

Now it was Temperance who stiffened. "You want me to meet your family?" Booth nodded against her hair. Temperance remained quiet for a few moments before letting out a deep sigh. "Let's hope your mother likes me. I have no intention to end up like Gloria."