CHAPTER 29- WHEN THE NIGHT FALLS

" Really, Sweets?A game? Wans´t this supposed to be a serious session to evaluate mine and Bones capacity to work together even if we´re married to each other? This is just ridiculous.A freaking game? " Booth gazed amused at the therapist, watching with satisfaction as the kid took another deep breathe before answering; he loved messing with Sweets.

" It happens t o be a very efficient way of evaluating one´s mental state and actions, Agent Booth. So, yes, I´m making the two of you play it. Now, shall we begin? It´s quite simple. One of you will say a word, and the other will answer the first thing that comes into mind, no time for thinking about it. Dr. Brennan, you may be first." Sweets linked his hands and adopted a contemplative position, a small smile playing at his lips as he watched the couple sigh heavily, the ghost of the end of their partnership haunting both of them. Brennan finally decided to go along, with the hope that, if she did what Sweets wanted so much, they could very well be released sooner to do other useful things. Showing Booth Parker´s room at her apartment, for instance. Her husband was going to have a surprise for sure. Plus, I may hear something interesting from Booth, even if I don´t really believe in psychology.

" Fine. I´ll start." She surveyed Booth carefully, already knowing what she was going to say. It was always fun to mess a little with Seeley Booth and his famous prude side. " Sex." She watched as Booth´s eyes immediately grew wider, and couldn´t suppress a smile. Just what she was waiting for.

" Bones, we´re not discussing sex in front of a twelve years old. He will probably don´t even know what we´re talking about. Right, Sweets?" He tried to diverge the subject, because he sure a s hell didn´t want to talk about something so intimate in front of anyone besides Temperance. But the therapist just raised his eyebrows, a poker expression at his face.

" I suggest you start to take this more seriously, agent Booth. Just answer with another word, that´s all." Booth could see that his Bones was having fun with his embarrassment, but damn, a gentleman do not kiss and tell.

" Ok, Bones. Just give me another word and I´ll play." She just gave him a very innocent look, her baby blue eyes filled with amusement.

" I don´t remember rules about what kind of words we could say, Booth. It is my understanding that we say whatever comes to our mind. Am I right?" She eyed Sweets with a kind and satisfied expression as the therapist nodded in agreement, giving her permission to proceed. " C´mon, Booth. Sex."

Seeley Booth eyed the woman that was now his wife in utter annoyance, knowing she had picked that particular word on purpose. He also sent a death glare at Sweets for allowing it and menacing them with their partnership, but both of his opponents remained calm and just stared back. He sighed heavily, realizing that there was no way out. So, he could very well start to be honest and play with the true. Maybe that way, Sweets would be happy and end with that hell.

" Fine. You." He felt kind of ashamed to say that outloud, but hey, it was the true. Temperance eyed him in surprise, the classic " I don´t know what that means" already plastered all over her face. " What? It´s the first thing that I remember,ok? You. My wife. Isn´t that natural?" Plus, you are the best sexual partner that I´ve ever had. But he would never say that in front of Sweets. For Bones, he could say when they were alone. He watched as Temperance melted in a smile, her eyes twinkling just the way he loved so much.

" I guess so. Parker." This time, Booth didn´t even blink, his face a large satisfied expression.

" love." He was only glad she hadn´t asked about love itself, because he would just say " You" again, which would possibly freak his Bones out. But his boy? Piece of cake.

" Anthropology."

" Boring" he was sorry the moment he said it, but it wasn´t like he had any control. Bones looked positively outraged, ready to start a long speech about the wonders of her field of work.

" What? It´s not boring, Booth! I thought you had learnt how to value the importance of my work by now. It´s…" She was cut by Sweets, who interrupted with an attempt of a stern face.

" Guys…you´re not supposed to go and discuss every single answer that you give. Let this to me for analyse." Booth actually felt a little thankful by Sweets speech, but his Bones was never one to quit easily.

" But this is important! He has to learn not to minimize what I do. Especially considering how it helps his work. How can you not like it?" All Booth could think was how he liked that passionate expression at her face. She looked to cute when angry.Ok, seeley. You´re starting to sound like a silly teenager in love. Give yourself a break. He raised his hands in surrender, barely hearing sweets´s protest as he elaborated.

" It was just one word, ok, Bones? I like what you do. It´s just…anthropology is something that you learn to like with time. Like some wines. Got it? But I totally admire what you do." She still seemed a little angry, but somewhat pleased with his explanations.

" Ok, you know what? Maybe we should exchange the functions. Agent Booth, you say a word now and dr. Brennan will answer. Maybe this way you stop contesting each other every time. Please, try to make it right now." Sweets seemed kind of desperate, and the couple just stared at him with confused expressions.

" But I´m not done with my set of words." Brennan stated firmly, and Sweets asked himself one more time in his life if he was ever to have some control over those two sessions.

" I understand that, dr. Brennan. But our time is almost ending, and I would like to hear what agent Booth would have to say too. Next session, we can try again if it pleases you." Sweets could see that Brennan was not satisfied, but Booth seemed to perk up with his statement that the session was almost over, immediately starting to talk.

" yeah, sure. My turn then. Ok, Bones, here we go. Marriage." He just hoped that she wouldn´t say something ultra feminist about it, but he just couldn´t help himself. He needed to know.

" Unexpected." She gazed at him with her lost little girl look, and he was actually pleased to hear nothing really negative about it. Unexpected wasn´t a bad choice, after all. He decided that he could very well use one of he r own questions.

" sex" She seemed surprised at his word picking, but answered right away.

" Excellent. With you." She added, and Booth couldn´t help but let a cocky smile spreading over his lips, as Sweets sighed heavily again.

" Just one word, dr. Brennan. Please." She casted the therapist a skeptical look, and Booth was fast to release his next word before his Bones started arguing with the kid. Time to try and test the waters.

" Children." He knew he was getting into a dangerous land, but he honestly had to know, to even pry a little. Because now he realized how bad he ha d it for Temperance Brennan, Booth also realized how much he would like for, someday, form a true family with that woman. He just kept thinking about how great it would be to see Parker with a little brother or sister, one that was born of his wife. But oh, she was smart, giving his an answer to disarm him.

" parker." She realized that both men in the room were staring at her as if she had grown two heads, and just blinked confusedly. " What? He is my stepson now. There´s nothing unnatural about thinking of him as my child. I will perform the function of a mother, after all." She felt Booth´s hand squeezing hers lightly, and looked at him to find a proud and sweet smile all over his face. That´s when she realized that she wasn´t as deprived of emotions as some people had told her so many times. She knew how to make Booth happy, after all. And it was an amazing feeling.

But despite all the happiness that Booth had felt by seeing that temperance was embracing his son so deeply and dearly, Booth still wanted to press the subject in a way to make her think. To just imagine how great they can do it together, to built something so precious.

" Baby" he almost closed his eyes in anticipation, but fought the urge to look deeply at her eyes and see completely what her reaction would be. He was honestly afraid that she would just dismiss the word with some absurd comment, but then he saw it. Fleeting, quick, confused, but there it was : Hesitance. She hesitated before giving her answer.

" never." She heard her voice saying that, she forced her mind to think quickly and tell it, but something inside her stirred, something she didn´t even know that existed inside her. But right as she said the never word, there was something very hidden inside her that whispered " maybe". And she felt like yelling and running for her life, for it was a feeling that she had never anticipated. And she wasn´t sure if it was welcomed at all.

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" Ok, Booth. Before I open this door, I would just like to say that I´ve tried to follow all your instructions regarding Parker´s likings and disliking, and that I´ve instructed Ange to do everything the way you´ve me told to do. And it´s exactly the way that you and me have been fixing for this week, except for one single thing. I honestly hope you don´t mind, but I couldn´t help myself. Since you´ve told me about what were Parker´s favorite things this idea kept playing on my mind, and I just had to do it." Booth looked at his Bones in utter confusion a s they stopped in front of the closed door of parker´s room at her apartment. Temperance Brennan was blabbing, which made sirens turn on his head. It was so unlike her, and only a few times he had seen her doing that. Usually, when she was nervous. And right now, it was exactly what she was looking like. Which made him nervous. What could she have possibly done in his boy´s room? He remembered again how categorical he was about having weird things such as bones, human organs prototypes and so at the place his boy slept. He was agreeable with puzzles, a child´s chemistry lab, some science books. He had even agreed with the idea of letting Angle painting the ceiling with the solar system theme. But good Lord, he hoped Temperance didn´t got too carried with herself and placed a freaking skeleton inside the bedroom. Because that would be for sure a reason for a fight. So, he braced himself as she slowly opened the door and turned the lights on, letting his eyes adjusting to it and taking at the place. It was beautiful and immaculate. And that´s when he saw it. There, lying at one corner on the room, where the single old guest bed used to be, laid the most amazing piece of wood work he had ever seen.

It was almost an art piece, he thought. There was a child´s bed, but not the regular, simple one. It was shaped as a red train, the wood carved so it would adopt such look. It was a perfect replica. Parker would just go crazy. He looked at Temperance without words, and she just gave him a shy smile as she pointed to the bed.

" You told me he loves trains, and Ange knew this man who would do artesenal beds, so I just thought… that I might please parker." She honestly hoped that Booth understood why she did it. It was just suddenly so important for her to see, to make Parker Booth happy. And Angela had said that any child would love it. So, she leaped at the idea, silently taking the old, simple bed away and planning one just for Booth. For him to see how much she was really trying. She just wished he said something instead of just keeping looking at her. It was making her uncomfortable. Maybe he wasn´t pleased with the surprise. But then, he took her face between his hands, his eyes shinning as he kissed her deeply, until they were both out of air.

" Parker will go nuts. You, temperance Brennan-Booth…are an amazing, caring woman. Don´t you ever doubt that." She didn´t even tried to fight the " Brennan- Booth". It was just a too good moment to be broken with trivialities. So, she just kissed him back, until he decided they needed more than a kiss and carried her to their own room.

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She felt squeezed in her sleep, as if something was taking her hard. She tried to ignore that unusual feeling and turn on her side, only to find out that she couldn´t, for she w as indeed trapped. Temperance opened her eyes slowly, at the exact time that a whimper was heard in the silent bedroom, and she suddenly felt fully awake as Booth´s strong arms squeezed her harder, and his mouth let out another small moan, almost weeping. She immediately tensed up, knowing with sure what was happening. He was having a nightmare, just like the ones that parker had prevented her.

Brennan moved carefully , getting out of Booth´s grasp, which only agitated him more. She looked at the face of her husband, feeling her chest tighten with the expression of pure suffering that took over his features. He started tossing and turning, as if protecting himself of something, his lips moving and whispering senseless things, that she could barely hear. He would plead at someone not to hurt him, and she tersed when Booth asked for his younger brother,jared. She was starting to have a pretty good idea about what he was dreaming.

" No, not Jared. Please. Call Grandpa…" He sounded like a little boy,his voice filled with fear and anger, and Temperance suddenly realized some tears in his face. Never in her life she thought of seeing Booth so helpless, so scared. His inner demons were much more strong and horrible than she had ever imagined. She shook him gingerly, trying to make him come back to reality, and almost jumped when he seated upright in the bed, a positive furious scream reverberating at the room as he adopted a fighting position.

"Don´t you dare touch my boy!" And with that, he was awake, a positively horrified look at his face as he slowly realized that it was all a dream and surveyed the room as if something could attack him anytime soon. Brennan stared at him not knowing exactly what to do or say, but also knowing that it was her time to honor the promise she had made to parker. That she would protect his father from the monsters. Booth still seemed oblivious to her presence, and she suspected that he wasn´t yet fully awake, for his eyes seemed glassy and he couldn´t stop looking around him, as if ready to fight . So, she gingerly touched his arm, afraid of scaring him even more, her fingers caressing him with a sweetness that very rarely she let happen in her always practical way of being.

" Booth. It´s fine. You were dreaming. Look at me." He seemed to react imediately to her voice, his muscles relaxing a bit, as well as the defensive position. His eyes looked at her confusingly, and she placed her other hand at his chest.

" Bones." He whispered her name with such a relief that it scared her and made her wonder what the hell could he possibly be thinking that it was so bad to frighten a man like Seeley Booth. She knew that a very few things were capable of doing so. " Temperance. Where´s Parker? Is he ok?" He seemed to wait that his boy would just appear out of thin air, his head still searching for him. Brennan raised her hand to his face, cupping it and making him look directly at her eyes.

" parker is fine, Booth. He is asleep at his mother´s house. You were dreaming. It was just a nightmare. Here. Have some water." She handed him the glass that she kept at her nightstand, amazed by the sudden tenderness that she felt assaulting her heart as she looked at this façade of Booth. All she wanted to do was to make things right, to protect him from whatever was haunting him. He looked at her suspiciously, as if trying to decide if what she was saying was true, and finally drank the water, only to both realize that he was shaking. That was all that temperance Brennan needed. She let go of her composed being and encircled him with her arms, the way Parker had asked her to do. She was surprised with the ferocity that he responded to her embrace, as if by hugging her, things would go back to their normal place. Brennan kept silent for a long moment, just absorbing the heat of his body and trying to provide him the security he seemed to need so much right now. " It´s ok, Seeley. I´m here, just as I said I would be." It was like opening a Pandora box with those words, for Booth tightened the embrace as he started talking, his head resting at her shoulder as his fingers played with he r hair.

" Freaking nightmares. I hate it. Jeez. I was doing so good without them. But then, it had to happen. Freaking shitty childhood, freaking shitty father. I hate him, Temperance. I really do." She thought she could actually feel the hurt in his heart as he ventured those words, a thing that she never imagined she would hear. Booth was telling her he hated his own father. And suddenly, she found herself hating that unknown man too, because she was now seeing the extent of the damage he had done in Booth´s life.

" You were dreaming about your childhood?" She asked gently, her fingers stroking his hair and neck, trying to make him relax, and he nodded with his head still buried at her own hair. " You can tell me, Booth. Just tell me ." She kissed his head before pulling him away so they were gazing at each other, and she could see the hesitance in his face.

" It´s not a pretty story, Temperance." He stated sadly, his brown eyes lacking the usual glint, and she just kissed him again before staring at him deeply.

" Mine wasn´t pretty either, and you heard it all. Now, it´s my turn. Tell me, Seeley."

TBC…

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