Created April 2013 - I don't own these characters as made famous by the TV show, Bones. Love them anyway. All the rest that follows is my feeble attempt to keep time in between broadcasts and Razztaztic, Threesquares, and Covalent Bond postings.

A/N: 11/25/2013. Just a quickie to share before the funeral. And a quick thanks to dg_schneider for killing it with "Need". Grown-people fic at its best.

"Shhhhhh! Don't talk." she placed her finger over my lips and stroked my hair. "I'm going to apply a cold compress to your head. Don't talk, try and be as still as possible." She whispered.

God, she was like an angel. Aw, this feels good. My brain thanks you Bones.

Christ, I feel like shit.

I'm not going to lie. Waking up after four and a half hours of sleep after a night of hard drinking and cigars was Hell, but if hell involved waking up to Bones playing nurse….

Bones in a nurse's uniform.

Nice, but nope.

Still not better than picturing her in that lab coat.

Naked underneath. With thigh highs boots on. A nice high heel…yeah, mmmmmm!

"Ow!" Holy fucking hangover. There's a Sherman firing tank in my head right now.

Her eyes just went super wide. She's over me like I'm on her examination table. Massaging my temple.

And don't think I haven't thought about that before either. That lab coat. Her table.

Yup.

Early in our partnership, I realized that I had a thing about that hideous blue lab coat on Bones. Yeah, all the employed squints wear them. Angela puts goofy artist bric-a-brac on hers. Cam has hers tailored.

But Bones in that lab coat…

Or out of that lab coat, I guess I should say. It definitely does it for me.

Since we first started working together, I've made a habit of showing up later and later at the Jeffersonian to pick up Bones for case calls, just for the rush of chasing her around the lab and tearing it off of her.

Heh, she gets so riled up when she's in a hurry, she never notices that she really doesn't need me to peel the coat off of her. Just those few moments of her distracted…Those brief moments where I get to see, and maybe graze my hands against her sweet, creamy skin.

Never cared that she was changing out of its hideousness to put on the even more hideous snowsuit.

Jumper. Whatever.

I've survived for years on those little moments with her. And now she's mine.

Sniper patience pays off.

"I see you have Ibuprofen and water here already. Have you taken any? Just blink twice for yes."

Blink! Best. Partner. Ever. I blink twice at her.

"Before you went to bed?"

Two blinks.

"Take some more in about an hour. If you over-medicate, it will compromise the intended effects of the medicine." She frowned, knowing our history of me not listening to her instructions. But I blinked twice anyway. And was rewarded with her adorable smile.

"I called down for some hangover remedies, I have some tomato juice, dry toast…"

The bed began to move. And it's not me and Bones. What the hell?

"…they were unable to prepare fried canaries." She's teasing, I hope.

How is she not feeling this? The bed's a fucking earthquake.

"Morning Dad!" I hear a voice booming to the left of me and Bones. .

Phew, it's my boy. I know this is a big bed, but he must have taken the scenic route. Definitely not a sniper. Need to teach him some stealth tactics.

"Hey Bub!" I croaked out.

Speaking is not a thing my body wants to do right now. God, my throat's on fire.

"Shhhh Booth! Don't talk!" what a cute frown.

"Temperance, he doesn't look so good."

Temperance?

"I know Parker, he's feeling the effects of alcohol poisoning and cigar smoking. He is what is colloquially referred to as 'hung over'. I'm certain that if he follows my instructions, he will alleviate a significant amount of the discomfort that he's experiencing. But he will have a significant amount of discomfort nonetheless. An excruciatingly painful headache, nausea, dry mouth, loose…"

Okay, sometimes the professor's voice could be grating. "Bones! Stop!" I winced.

Recognizing my distress, she halted the lesson. "Yes, of course! Parker, we should let him rest."

"But I need help with my tie!"

"I can help you with that, go get it."

She gave me a soft kiss on the side of my mouth. God she smells delicious.

"I'm leaving in ten minutes. Cam, Daisy and I are going to have breakfast with Vincent's family before the service. Parker will accompany me. A separate vehicle is scheduled to come pick up everyone else in a little less than two hours. Please get a little more rest. I have left instructions with Jack not to wake you for another forty five minutes. While I'll know that this will significantly cut into your morning routine…"

Hit a guy when his down, why don't you? Jack? Temperance?

"...But I'm confident that you'll rally accordingly." I can feel her soft hand caress my stubble. I know that she's bidding it farewell. For now.

She slips off the bed, and I watch as she helps my little boy with his tie. Aside from my coma dream, this is the first time, and the only real time I've ever seen her put a tie on.

Hmph, she can put them on, too.

Her delicate fingers expertly get to work, while she explains what's she's doing.

My boy's so polite. What Bones doesn't know is that he wears a tie every Sunday when we go to church. The tie ritual is just something between us. Between Parker and me.

She pulls at the tie to unloosen it. She smirks a little as she does it. She instructs Parker to now try it himself. She kneels in front of him as he completes the task.

Not a bad knot.

He smiles at her and kisses her cheek. Off he goes to get his jacket.

She stands, and comes back to me. Against my body's wishes, I pull her to sit on the bed. She leans in so that I can touch her sweet face. I can see that she's already weary from the day that has not even yet begun.

"You okay?" I ask. I know she's got Vincent on her mind. Vincent, us, Parker - this is a lot of emotional stuff for her. She's taking care of me, but really I should be taking care of her right now.

"No." she stated bluntly. "But I'm comforted by everyone from the Jeffersonian, you and Sweets being here. And Parker's a delightful companion. In your absence."

I will give you a house full of babies if you let me, Bones.

"Bones, I can come with you right now..."

"No. You should rest now. With rest, I'm sure that you'll be in better condition to support me through the even more difficult hours that will come later."

Rational about the irrational. My girl.

"I love you Bones."

She sighed a smile. "I love you too Booth."

I'm never gonna get tired of her saying this to me.

Or touching me.

Her hand slid from my face and down to my chest as she kissed me.

"I'm sorry that I won't be here to help you with your tie." she whispered in my ear before getting up.

Maybe my ties were her lab coat.

My handsome son came to kiss me goodbye before they took off hand in hand.

A house full of babies, Bones. Just ask.