(The Cheat in the Retreat)

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I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth glanced at his watch for the third time and wondered where his partner was when she stepped into the Diner and walked down the aisle to their table. Once she was seated, she placed an order and accepted a glass of ice water from Jane.

Growing impatient, Booth leaned forward on the table and stared intently at his partner. "Who is Dr. Wayne Sherman and what offer did he make you?" Direct and to the point. He wanted an answer to his questions and he hoped it wasn't going to be bad news for him.

"Dr. Wayne Sherman is starting to organize a dig in Peru." Thirsty, Brennan sipped some of her water. "Apparently someone at the National University of Trujillo has found a potential Chavin Cultural site . . . The Chavin were a theocracy that existed between 1200 and 400 B.C. Dr. Wayne Sherman has been offered a position on the dig and he's asked me to join him." Excited, she placed her hand on Booth's arm. "It may be a very important find. The dig is supposed to start in August and the position I'm being offered is for one year."

He couldn't help it, Booth felt the blood drain from his face. "One year?" He couldn't believe that Brennan was considering a job that might keep her from her family for one year. "In Peru?"

Oblivious of Booth's reaction, Brennan squeezed Booth's arm. "It's a very exciting offer. Dr. Sherman teaches archaeology at Yale and he's an expert on the Chavin society . . . Of course, I turned the offer down. Christine is too young for me to be away from her for a year. If she was in her mid-teens I might consider it, but she would never understand me going away for a year and I will not upset my child no matter how much the offer tempts me."

"No, of course not. You're a great Mom." Booth felt overwhelmed with relief. He had thought she was going to take the offer. "Of course, you could take her with you." He didn't know why he said that and he wished he hadn't. What if she considered that option? Stupid!

"Oh, I considered that, but the dig would be in a remote location, far from doctors and the comforts of home. I would be too busy doing my job and Christine wouldn't see me very much. I'm certain she would be unhappy surrounded by strangers. She's a toddler. She likes the comforts of air conditioning and a home with four solid walls, access to a bathroom with running water and her toys and her family. Of course, she would also hate being away from you and I couldn't do that to her or to you."

Slowly nodding his head, Booth knew that Brennan loved their child and she wouldn't do anything to make Christine unhappy. "You really thought about it. The negatives for Christine I mean."

"Yes, I appreciated the offer, but I turned it down." Brennan leaned back and allowed Jane to set her plate on the table before her. "Dr. Sherman didn't seem to be happy that I rejected his offer, but he understands my reasoning. In fact, he still wants to use my expertise so he's made me a different offer. He wants to video anything they find and have me examine the videos and see what I think of their finds. It won't be the same thing as being there, but I can offer my opinions about his discoveries. It may mean I may work at home for an hour or two every time the videos are sent to me and I wanted to warn you that I will probably be busier starting in August when his dig begins. It shouldn't interfere with any cases that might come up, but it may interfere with some of our family time."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth patted Brennan's hand. "Hey, you're the best forensic anthropologist in the world and if they want your help, then who am I to object?" Grateful Brennan was staying home, Booth knew he could put up with her working at home since the alternative would be a nightmare. "We'll work out a schedule for you to help Dr. Sherman."

"Thank you, Booth." Surprised that Booth was being so understanding, Brennan nodded her head and picked up her fork. "I thought you might be angry and try to talk me out of it."

"Ha, not me." Booth picked up his hamburger. "You know I have your back Bones." He knew he would have raised hell if she had told him that she was going to Peru, but Brennan had thought through everything and found the best solution. It surprised him that she would turn down an offer like that from Dr. Sherman, but he wasn't about to talk her out of it. Not when that meant she was staying.

"I appreciate that Booth."

Oooooooooooooooo

Booth arrived home before Brennan and paid Mrs. Moore for watching Christine and Parker.

"They were good as gold." Mrs. Moore enjoyed being around children and she really considered Christine and Parker well behaved children. "Do you need me to watch them tomorrow?"

"Yes, if you don't mind. Parker is going back to England at the end of the week and we'll put Christine back in day care next week. I want to thank you for watching the kids for me."

Grateful for the extra pocket money, Mrs. Moore smiled. "You know I'm retired, Agent Booth. I can use the extra money and I really do like babysitting for you."

Once she was gone, Booth found Parker in the man cave watching 'My Little Pony' with Christine sitting on the couch beside him. The boy didn't really like 'My Little Pony' but Christine loved it and he wanted to make her happy.

"Parker, I'm home." Moving over to the couch, he lifted Christine into his arms and kissed her cheek. "You probably don't want me to kiss you, do you Parker?"

Embarrassed, Parker shook his head. "Dad, no way. We can shake hands if you want to."

Placing his free arm around his son's shoulders, Booth hugged him. "A hug will do." Sitting on the couch, Christine on his lap, Booth noticed what his children were watching on TV. "Did you have a good day?"

"Sure, I finished putting my Tank Droid Lego set together. It's pretty cool." Brennan had bought the Star Wars Lego set for Parker while they were on vacation and he'd decided to put it together when they were back home.

"Good for you." Booth looked around. "Where is it?"

After glancing at Christine, Parker pointed at the staircase. "I put it together in my room. I had to do it when Christine was napping because she tried to take it apart while I was trying to put it together. I kind of yelled at her and Mrs. Moore told me I was older than her and I shouldn't yell at her, so I put it my room instead of down here." Glancing at his sister again, Parker blushed. "I'm sorry I yelled at her, Dad. She didn't cry or anything. She just threw a Lego piece at me and hit me here." The boy rubbed his chest. "She's got a temper."

Chuckling, Booth nodded his head. "Yeah, she does." Standing, Booth pointed at the TV. "Okay, turn the TV off and help me cook dinner. I'll show you how to make chicken alfredo. My grandmother started showing me how to cook when I was ten. She wanted to make sure I knew how to cook so I'd never starve."

"I know how to make salad. Mom lets me make salad at home." Parker thought it would be cool to learn to cook. Maybe he could cook for his mother.

"Great, I'll show you how to make alfredo sauce and we can make salad together." Booth loved being with his children. They made him happy. "Come on." Walking over to the staircase, Booth pointed at the TV. "Don't forget to turn it off."

After the TV was off, Parker followed his father upstairs. He knew he only had a few more days left before he had to return to England and he wanted to be with his father as much as possible. This vacation had been a lot of fun and staying at Dr. Hodgins's beach house had been awesome. His mother usually took them on cruises or they visited castles or they visited Switzerland and in the winter and they went skiing. He liked those vacations, but getting to play in the ocean and being with his father and Brennan had been great and he hoped they got to do again someday.

Ooooooooooooooo

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