5:30am

Booth was startled awake by the sound of light clanking in the kitchen, and the hushed giggle of his daughter in the kitchen. He rolled over and listened, and was pretty sure that he heard the sound of a man's voice as well. He sat up a little, and glanced to his wife, noting that she was sleeping peacefully, and slowly climbed from the bed. He heard the sound again, this time he was sure he heard the sound of a man's voice, and his daughter's laugh.

"Booth, leave them alone." Temperance said, rolling over to look at her husband's suspicious glance.

"Them? You know that someone else is here?" Booth asked.

"It's Aiden." She said, reaching over to touch his hand when she sensed he was about to stand up. "Just let them be."

"But…"

"Booth, it's fine. He's been here all night. She needs him." Temperance whispered, taking his hand, she tugged a little and he rolled back onto the bed. He wrapped his arm around her and kept his head slightly off the pillow as he listened.

"How do you know he's been here all night?" He asked.

"Because I am a woman of advanced intelligence. Also, your daughter is not as quiet as she thinks she is." Temperance said, feeling Booth's arms tighten around her. "Booth?" Temperance whispered.

"Hm?" he said thoughtfully, kissing her neck lightly as he waited for her response.

"I gave her the letter that you wrote to her." She whispered.

"Hm…" He mumbled into her neck. "What letter?" There was a long pause, and she said nothing, allowing her words to infiltrate his foggy brain. "Oh." He said softly.

"I just wanted you to know." She said, feeling another light kiss on her neck.


Antonia reached up for a frying pan on the rack as a small sauce pan lost its grip on the hook and started to fall. Aiden reached up and grabbed the pot before it crashed to the ground, though not for it made a clanking sound against the frying pan. Antonia let out a laugh as Aiden put his finger to his lips and hushed her with a grin.

"You're going to wake up the whole house." He said with a hushed laugh, hanging the pot back up on the rack.

"Sorry." She giggled. "It's the price they pay for making me stay here last night." She joked, feeling his arm wrap around her from behind as she walked toward the refrigerator. "I can't cook if you're connected to me." She laughed.

"You could try." He said playfully, burying his face in her neck, she let out a squeak. "Sorry." He mumbled into her skin as she let out a throaty laugh. She opened the freezer and reached in for bacon. "Tex?"

"Hm?"

"Why are your keys in the freezer?" He asked, reaching over her shoulder for the set of keys that were sitting in the door.

"Because my mother thinks she's a comedienne." She said, grabbing the keys, she tossed them on the counter. "They really didn't want me to leave last night." She said, looking up at him. "I'm glad I didn't leave."

"I'm glad they didn't put your sneaker in the freezer." He said, listening to her giggle as she tossed the bacon onto the counter and turned around into his arms, wrapping hers around his waist as he pulled her closer. "You don't have to make me breakfast."

"I like to cook too, you know. You always cook for me, it's my turn." She said, resting her head on his chest as he rocked her gently. She looked up into his eyes. "You're distracting me, though." She whispered.

"Oh yeah?" He asked, as he kissed her nose. She gave him a playful, knowing glare and he smiled. "I'll just go sit over there." He said, nodding toward the barstools.

"Good idea." She said, dropping a kiss on his lips as he reluctantly let her go, and walked around the counter to sit down. He watched her from the other side of the counter as she moved about the kitchen, cracking eggs, preparing the bacon and bread for toast, and talking as she worked. He simply admired her, and listened. At one point, he was caught staring. She had pulled the food from the burner and turned and watched him for a moment. "What are you thinking about?" she asked. He sat up a bit, and smirked, surprised that the attention was on him suddenly, and shook his head.

"Nothing, I'm just watching you."

"Yes, but what are you thinking about?" She asked, though his eyes seemed to darken at the question. "Aiden?" she whispered.

"Just about how I messed up." He said softly. "I don't ever want to hear that pain in your voice again." He replied. "I don't ever want to be the cause of that pain ever again, that disappointment." He walked to the other side of the counter, pushing the stray strand of hair behind her ear as he kissed her tenderly. "I texted your mother." He said, his voice sounding slightly embarrassed. "I didn't know what to do, but when I saw you were here, I just needed her to know that I was sorry."

"She told me you texted her." Antonia whispered. "Pretty brave of you." She said, watching a blush creep up his cheeks, she held him tightly.

"I think of anyone in your life, I think your mother would understand the most." He said softly.

"You're not afraid of them, are you?" She asked with a smile, watching as he shook his head lightly. "Well good, because they're heading downstairs right now." She smiled wickedly.

"What?" He asked, seeing the door open to the kitchen, he suddenly fell to the ground behind the counter at her feet. Antonia let out a full, joyful laugh. She was still laughing as Booth shuffled into the kitchen.

Booth gave her a confused glance, the counter blocking the man hiding between his daughter and the stove. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." She said, continuing to laugh. Aiden tugged on her leg. "Stop!" She laughed.

"Stop what?" Booth asked, glancing toward the door, Temperance walked in. "I think she's finally gone insane."

"Get up!" Antonia laughed, looking down. "Come on, get up."

Suddenly, Aiden popped up from behind the counter. Booth and Temperance's eyes widened, though Temperance had a look of absolute amusement on her face. "Hey guys." Aiden said, his face turning a bright red as he stepped behind Antonia.

"What are you doing? Are you using me as a human shield?" She laughed, looking over her shoulder as Aiden held his hand up in greeting.

"Doctor Brennan, Sir. Good morning." He smiled sheepishly.

Booth narrowed his eyes, trying very hard to feign anger, but finding it very hard with his daughter's laugh ringing in his ears. "Fitz, what the hell are you doing on my kitchen floor?"

"Being brave." Antonia laughed, feeling him nudge her, she nudged him back. "Do you guys want breakfast? It's almost ready."

"Sure." Booth said, smiling as Antonia turned toward the refrigerator for a couple more eggs. Aiden stood awkwardly shifting a bit on his feet.

"Aiden, why don't you join us at the table." Temperance said, nodding her head as he smiled shyly and nodded. Booth and Temperance moved toward the table, and Aiden leaned over to Antonia.

"I love you." He whispered, dropping a kiss on her cheek.

"I love you." She replied, smiling a bright smile at him. "Good luck, brave man." She winked, laughing at his faux shocked expression, as he made his way over to sit at the table.

Aiden sat in one of the seats on one side of the table, glancing between them as he smiled politely. "Uh, I hope we didn't wake you up." He said, looking over at Antonia. "She likes to hit pans together in the morning."

"Funny." Antonia said from the stove.

"Actually." Booth said, watching Temperance give him a pointed glare, he stopped.

"You didn't wake us. We were getting up anyway." Temperance said, glancing to Antonia. Antonia dished out the breakfast onto the plates, and Aiden glanced over.

"Uh, I'll get you guys coffee." He said, smiling politely, he walked quickly over to Antonia.

"You bailed pretty quickly." She teased.

"I didn't bail…I am getting them coffee." He whispered, pulling four mugs from the cupboard, he filled them with coffee.

Antonia scoffed playfully and carried the plates over to the table as Aiden balanced the four mugs. "So, you slept in my daughter's bed last night?" Booth said, as Aiden nearly dropped the mugs on the table.

"Booth." Temperance said, watching his eyes dance with a bit of humor, though she could sense more than a little bit of warning in his words.

"I was just making conversation." He shrugged.

"Make other conversation." She said, watching as Aiden sat down beside Antonia and stared at his plate, his ears bright red.

Booth shrugged, watching the younger man for a moment. "You probably shouldn't go through files that aren't directly case related." Booth said, watching Aiden's eyes lift for a moment and lock with Booth's.

"Dad." Antonia said softly.

"Booth." Temperance said, shaking her head.

"I just think that it's important to point out that curiosity can be a very dangerous thing." He said, watching as Aiden's eyes become a bit defiant.

"I understand, sir." He said, watching Booth's eyes soften a bit. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to call him sir, Aiden. Seeley, or Booth is fine." Temperance said, watching the young man give her a slight smile.

"I'm kind of starting to like the whole 'sir' thing." Booth shrugged.

"Dad." Antonia said, watching as her father give her an innocent shrug. She shook her head and sighed, glancing to Aiden. His hand moved toward her, and she grasped it tightly, as they continued to eat, and the conversation seemed to flow a little better.