AN: Jeeze! Long day at work, can I get a witness? But nothing that a bubble bath, chocolate ice cream, a chocolate lab and some Bones luvin' can't solve. The song is by Paul Carrack. Oh, and brennanmars suggested a line for this fic a long time ago. I loved the line, knew I wanted to use it and was kinda annoyed I had to wait this long. Thanks for the suggestion, it really did Inspire Me.

Chapter 28 Inspire Me

It was early morning; just hours after the Booth household had finally found sleep when a solid knocking at the front door woke the campers. Parker was up first, peeking out the curtain and then shouting excitedly,

"Grandpa! Grandpa! He's here, get up, get up, get up!" Running to the front door, Parker threw it open and Booth was behind him, in a mild state of shock, before the man, obviously an expected guest, could step inside.

"Good mornin'. Why Parker, you look like a week old foul just barely able to keep his eyes open, son." The farmer drawled in a light Southern accent as he smiled kindly.

"Bob, this is my Daddy." Parker peered around Booth's legs into the living room accusingly, "Grandpa, get up!" Temperance appeared, her hair mussed and her eyes sleepy with too few hours of rest.

"Parker, honey, Grandpa went to the bathroom. What's this about?" Bob smiled again at the pair that were about to be blindsided.

"Bob brought my pig, Daddy!" Parker rushed past the old farmer to find the small animal he'd picked out exploring the front yard. Bob stifled a laugh as Parker's parents stood, mouths agape, watching the pig walking on the dew drenched grass.

Russ stepped in to explain for his father, who was taking his time, hiding, in the bathroom.

"We took Parker to a petting zoo in the country and Farmer Bob had some pigs for sale. 4-H project, you know. And Parker was so excited about his puppy and Dad joked about Tempe's pig," he smiled at his sister, watching Booth squeeze her hand tight. "The next thing we know Parker has decided he doesn't want a puppy but he wants a pig instead. Dad figured at least you know how to take care of them, huh, Tempe?"

Parker rushed back to his Daddy, the small pig cradled in his arms. It was light pink, almost white, with a smattering of black markings on its belly, and very close to falling asleep in Parker's embrace. Despite all her misgivings over the pet when Temperance knelt down and felt its soft hide, a sensation so familiar, she melted. Booth recognized her struggle and followed her, kneeling in front of his son and his son's pig, asking the first question that came to his mind,

"What did you name him, Parker?" The boy shrugged, his blonde curls bouncing lightly.

"Don't know yet. I wanted to name him Wilbur and Uncle Russ said Jasper but Grandpa said to ask Dr. Bones 'cause she's real good at naming pigs…." Temperance smiled at her step-son.

"Yep, she sure is bub." Booth confirmed and the family invited Bob (and the pig by default) in to eat breakfast and decide on a name for Parker's pal. Bacon was, for this and all mornings to come, off the menu.

BBBB

Angela, Jack and Davey arrived around noon, shocked to find the adults lounging in their pajamas atop mussed sleeping bags in the living room, a pig wandering between them. Parker's fascination with his new best friend was surpassed by the surprise awaiting him upstairs. He ran for the stairs but was called back by Temperance.

"Parker, we can't just leave the pig alone downstairs. Since Grandpa and Uncle Russ haven't made that pen they promised you," a glare to the men in question, "let's tie him up on the leash outside okay?" Parker nodded and quickly swooped outside with his pet.

Upstairs Angela was waiting for Parker to join Temperance and Booth, the rest of the family patiently awaiting their turn. When everyone was present Angela smiled wide, her eyes sparkling.

"Okay, the first thing you're going to notice sweetie is that the walls are very dark; midnight blue to be exact. But I have a very good reason, namely that one excited little boy found my paints and by the time I got back from feeding Davey there were handprints all over the walls." The artist smiled at Parker who was wishing very much he could disappear into the floor.

"Parker!" Booth was shocked at his usually well behaved son. Kneeling down so they were eye level he spoke softly. "Bub, did you apologize to Angela for touching her paints without asking?" Parker nodded seriously and Angela decided to rescue him.

"We had a good talk while the handprints dried and Parker cleaned up. But, it did give me new inspiration for the space. So, without further ado, I present Parker's room!" She swung the door open into the room, allowing the family to take in the site.

They did indeed first notice that the walls were a dark blue, almost black with shades of purple covering all four walls and the ceiling. Straight ahead, on the wall with two windows overlooking the backyard, a thousand tiny stars were scattered at the top of the wall, continuing up to the ceiling and across the expanse. Angela explained that they were painted with glow-in-the-dark paint and would light up in the night, providing Parker a bit of the outdoors even when he wasn't sleeping in his tree house.

Temperance gasped when she saw the wall to the right, it was an amazing, almost 3-D, forced perspective that featured a large, familiar looking, tree and playhouse. The foreground had caricatures of each of the squints and Booth family, including the yet to be named pig outside.

"It was Jack's idea to add the insects," Angela noted, as Temperance traced a lifelike representation of a butterfly sitting on a tree branch. Booth was speechless as he watched his son take in the amazing artwork, clearly shocked that this was his room.

"Ange, it's so beautiful!" Temperance smiled at her friend, enveloping her in a tight hug.

"What's this wall about?" Booth asked, motioning to the final long wall which was covered in a dozen large rectangles of varying sizes, some overlapping, but all outlined in the same midnight blue. Angela grinned as she imagined the finished product.

"This is Parker's future wall. Every year until he's eighteen I'll come back and paint a new portrait. Maybe something special that happened that year. I'm waiting to do your six year old painting until I get a picture of you with that pig. Maybe next year it'll be you in your t-ball uniform or at space camp some year," she winked at Booth, "but when we're done you'll have a record of your childhood."

Parker, nudged by Temperance, flew into Angela's arms, hugging her tight and whispering in her ear,

"I love you Auntie Angie! You're the bestest Auntie EVER!" Booth enveloped Temperance in a warm hug and tried to imagine his father-in-law's response to such a gift.

Suddenly Angela pulled away, forgetting her Parker-inspired touch. Shutting the door to the room she revealed the door's back which had been covered nearly from top to bottom with handprints in a dozen colors. Parker giggled as he placed his hand next to his print on the bottom half of the door.

"Look, Daddy. Auntie Angie let me put my hands in all the paint, but she took the door off first. And she put her hands and Uncle Jack and Uncle Zack and Uncle Russ. Even Grandpa and Mema and Papa put their hands in the paint!" Angela smiled at Booth and Temperance slyly.

"There's room at the top for you two and room at the bottom for Davey when he's old enough not to eat paint. I thought it would go well with the quote." She motioned to the space atop the door jam which read, in Angela's flowing script:

"Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art. Leonardo da Vinci"

"I don't know what that means." Booth admitted, searching for the deeper meaning behind the quote. Damn, he always did hate poetry. Temperance smiled at her befuddled husband, rolling her eyes gently.

"I think it means that no matter how well you do something, if your spirit, your soul is not involved, there will not be beauty… success… justice…" she reached down and, with great effort, heaved the boy up into her arms. "Remember that, every time you leave this room. It's not about the good things you do. What's important is that you are a good person." Booth relieved his wife of his son.

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Bones. Now, there are some people downstairs who want to see what Angela's created; let's go get them bub!"

END Chapter

AN: Thanks to friendsidol5 for chatting with me (again) as we watched Psych and I typed this chapter and for the beta work. Miss Katie is determined to finish her homework L Bad teachers, assigning homework. The pig will be named next chapter as well as the departure of our famed Brennan/Keenan criminals.

At the moment I'm verrry annoyed with my family for being presumptious little leeches. Thanks to all my reviewers for making me smile.