Aubrey A Capella

A/N: This is my take on a Bones FF reader's wish for the Summer 2021 Writing Challenge: Aubrey has Christine and Hank for a fun afternoon with Uncle Aubrey when something happens (author's choice) that means he'll end up with them through the weekend and everyone he reaches out to for help with the kids is unavailable. How will he care for the two on his own? Hope its originator likes the story I spun.

Chapter 1

Aubrey has Christine and Hank for a fun afternoon with Uncle Aubrey when something happens (author's choice) that means he'll end up with them through the weekend and everyone he reaches out to for help with the kids is unavailable. How will he care for the two on his own?

Despite the fact that he had been an only child, Aubrey never hesitated to help out his boss and Dr. Brennan when they needed a 'sitter' for the mini-Booths. His volunteer uncle status had begun as a supposed secret between him and little Christine, when he offered her a packet of Welch's Fruit Snacks one afternoon when she complained of being hungry. Booth's car had been in the repair shop and Aubrey offered to drive him the few blocks over to pick it up after work.

Just as they were leaving, the senior agent's phone rang; and Dr. Brennan asked her husband to pick up Christine from day care so she could finish a victim's delicate bone-sliver test. So detouring to the Jeffersonian, the two men retrieved three-year-old Christine and her overstuffed backpack before racing carefully to the auto clinic before closing time. When they arrived, Johann informed Booth he needed an additional half hour to retest a valve seal on Dr. Brennan's Prius before signing off on its repair. He sighed, knowing how careful the mechanic was to meet his wife's exacting standards. About this time Christine, not normally a whiner, spoke up plaintively from the back seat of Aubrey's Honda Accord,

"Daddy, I'm hun-gwy!"

"Sorry, Monkey, I don't have any snacks with me at the moment, and we'll be home before long. You're gonna hafta wait a bit, Sweetie," her father replied.

"Hey, Booth, I can cover Christine…I have Fruit S-n-a-c-k-s or Granola bars in the trunk."

"Good call spelling that, Aubrey! Yeah, I guess what Bones doesn't k-n-o-w won't h-u-r-t her."

Aubrey grinned at his friend. He knew exactly why Booth was spelling back to him. A very perceptive little girl, Christine would react badly to any mention of 'hurt' and her momma in the same sentence.

Hey, Christine, I'm kinda hungry too; would you like to share a pack of Fruit Snacks with me?"

"Yay! Please! I love Fwoot Snacks! Fanks, Aubwey!"

From then on, Aubrey made sure to have a small non-melting treat in his pocket whenever he knew the mini-Booths would be around. And even when he didn't, his bottom desk drawer was filled with working-late-emergency snacks. It didn't take long for Booth's young daughter to observe and make note of this fact. (She was, after all, Temperance Brennan's child.) Once young Hank came on the scene, Christine made sure her little brother was also aware of this life-saving stash.

Thanks to their conscientious parents, the Booth children were kindly yet properly disciplined. Both youngsters were adaptable, easy-going, and eager for adventure. So before Jessica Warren entered his life, Aubrey frequently found himself volunteering to 'mind the troops' for Booth and Brennan on Friday evenings or Saturday mornings. And when Jessica did become a welcome 'regular' in his life, she enjoyed the two kids as much as he did. Her childhood in an educational cooperative made her a natural interacting with kids.

Jajajaja

One June morning, Aubrey headed over to the Mighty Booth Hut II to pick up his zoo buddies for their monthly jaunt to the National Zoological Park. The Smithsonian and the Jeffersonian had reciprocal member benefits for their employees, so nearly every lab employee took advantage of the Zoo's many enjoyable exhibits at least once a year, and those with children often spent time wandering among its various natural animal habitats.

Aubrey knew that Dr. Brennan appreciated the spirit and legacy of William Temple Hornaday. The Smithsonian's head taxidermist from 1882-1887 had come to the Washington D.C institution with extensive experience as the New York Zoological Park's first director. His work and advocacy while here at the Bronx Zoo, was largely responsible for saving the American buffalo from extinction. Temperance Brennan admired the taxidermist's dedicated conservation efforts, despite some of his skewed views and opinions. She had begun supporting the National Zoo when she first moved to D.C. and slipped a premium family membership card into Booth's annual Christmas stocking; having done so every year since she'd first met four-year-old Parker. Her extra contribution gave her children special access to several exhibits beyond what normal zoo patrons enjoyed.

Aubrey had loved zoos since childhood; and being a big kid at heart, loved accompanying the Booth children to the zoo whenever he got the chance. Booth and Brennan knew he was conscientious and responsible, so they never worried when Hank and Christine were with "Uncle Aubrey".

This particular early June "pedishun" as Hank called it, served two purposes. It gave the honorary uncle time with his favorite munchkins and provided child care for his boss and Dr. Brennan, who were presenting a "Methods of Crime Investigation" seminar at Mary Washington University for the Major County Sheriffs of America. The couple decided to take an early Amtrak train instead of driving and left as soon as Aubrey arrived with donuts.

Hank jumped up from his Transformer cartoon, and Christine begged to open the box. Aubrey handed it to her and produced 4 pint cartons of chocolate milk; 2 for himself and one each for the children. It took the trio exactly 16 minutes to devour six donuts; 2 applesauce, 2 chocolate sprinkle, and two blueberry. With rinsed-out milk and coffee cups placed in the dishwasher rinsed and the gooey sugary box in the trash, the trio grabbed backpacks, hopped into Aubrey's Toyota Camry and set off for their day. The children had gone with him so many times, they had the routine down pat. Booth had purchased two extra safety seats which Aubrey kept in his trunk.

Brennan had packed three lunches; with Aubrey's being triple the size of her kids'. PBJ's, orange slices, apple slices, grapes, Fritos, oatmeal cookies and large water bottles for each. With their early arrival, the agent swung into an easily-found parking space at 12th Street and Constitution Avenue; free on weekends. He pulled an umbrella stroller out of his trunk and placed his own backpack on its seat, knowing that the kids' packs would join it before the end of their zoo hike. Hank wiggled into his Captain America pack as Christine pulled on her green/turquoise/navy madras plaid bag. Aubrey chuckled to himself, knowing it hadn't been long since she 'upgraded' from Ariel. Turquoise still ruled the day.

They visited giant pandas, gorillas, and snakes; watched the otters cavort in their pool, and walked all the way through Amazonia. By 11 am, everyone was starving so they found a shady table and bench and devoured their food. Hank climbed into the stroller at noon, so Aubrey hung their packs from the handles and Christine pushed her brother. Wisely steering his two young charges back toward the front entrance, he sprung for cotton candy at a vendor's cart. Booth had explained the family's 'trick' beforehand. Since blue satisfied both kids, one cone was enough. Pulling out 3 pairs of nitrile gloves, he helped Hank, then donned his own. Each child pulled a handful and chomped happily on the sweet fluffy floss. Once they were done, taking off the sticky gloves removed any chance of gooey messes in the car.

By 1 pm, the Camry was headed back to Rockville and Hank was sound asleep in ten minutes. Aubrey had planned ahead to play kids' Monopoly and watch the Land Before Time videos he'd checked out of the library; fairly certain neither Christine nor Hank had ever seen his childhood favorites. When they reached the house, he carried Hank in and settled him on his parents' bed. Christine went upstairs to read for awhile and Aubrey stretched out on the couch to watch a low-volume Manchester soccer game. He expected Booth and Brennan back by 8 pm, and knew which pizzeria supplied the most satisfying evening meal.

Concentrating on the hockey game so as not to miss the announcers' commentary, Aubrey was startled when his phone suddenly vibrated. Rolling sideways to pull it from his hip pocket, he was surprised to see Booth's phone number on the screen. Glancing up the stairway, he arose from the couch and moved to the laundry room, closing its door behind him.

"Booth? Everything okay?"

"Nope, Aubrey, it's not. We're having a repeat of a few years ago. Bones gave the featured address at a forensic scientist convention and a dead body was found in a stairwell of the hotel."

"You're at a hotel? They moved the seminar?"

"No, Bud, that was years ago, but the situation's the same. A corpse was found in the maintenance building where heating units are housed for the university science labs. Looks like the poor guy was strangled. Brennan's been asked to participate in the autopsy, and Cam's coming down to help. Hodgins is on his way to do his bug-guy thing since he and Angela were already camping nearby. It looks like we might not be home until Monday morning. You think you can hold down the fort for us the rest of the weekend?"

"Sure, Booth. I can pinch-hit with the mini-Booths. But why aren't the home team guys handling this case?"

"We have dozens of sheriffs here, but the man in charge of Spotsylvania County is recovering from hip surgery, and the Fredericksburg Sheriff is out for a knee replacement. Since the local jurisdictions aren't available, they requested the FBI take over. Thus our need for your able help. Max might be able to come over to spell you," the senior agent said. "And what about that cute redhead Bones tells me you've been eyeing? Maybe she'd give you a hand."

"Jeez, Booth! Ix-nay on the girl talk!"

"Aubrey, what are you? A teenager?"

"Nope, of course not, but we're just friends."

"Nonetheless, you should take advantage of the opportunities Lady Luck throws your way…"

"I'll manage with your munchkins, but they're gonna want to talk to you and their momma."

"We'll call later this afternoon, but I wanted to give you a heads up as soon as I could. I guess our seminar is going to be very hands-on. Sorry about messing up your Sunday."

"No problem; your kids are fun to be with."

"You might not think so by Monday…"

"Hey, you said something like this has happened before? That's a weird situation!"

"Yup, it is, but I've gotta get back to the scene. I'll call you later when Bones can talk to the kids. Thanks a million, Aubrey."

"It's okay, Booth; one of these days you can return the favor; well maybe one of these years!"

"I've gotta go for now. Talk to you soon."

Aubrey clicked off the call, and rubbed his hand through his hair. "Well, James; you've got your hands full for sure!"