Thank you! LoveShipper, loverofbones (I'll consider writing a continuation of the previous chapter, though I'll be tough to keep to the T-rating), ETpho2 (you're right in saying their friendship is the foundation for their strong marriage), 554Laura (I miss that too, a lot), gatewatcher, mphs95, aadams00, Brandy, Nelapl, conservativegirl, mendenbar (I'm wishing that right now), ZinaR, yoshimi0701, kareneb (I do that too!), FaithinBones, wentzer (very true, he's the best gift to her), BonesfanJD, jsboneslover, grc73.
Another Parker story. Enjoy!
Checkered Past
It was summer and temperatures were hitting eighty-eight degrees. Under the hood of an old truck, that looked like it might fall apart at any moment, the two Booth men were drenched in sweat as they worked tirelessly on the engine.
"Hand me that wrench will ya?" Booth asked as he wiped at the sweat on his brow with the back of his grease-covered hand, causing a grease stain to mark his forehead.
Parker ducked out from under the hood, grabbing the tool his father wanted, he handed it to him. "Anthropologically speaking – "
"Anthropologically speaking?" Booth chuckled. "You're starting to sound like Bones."
Parker rolled his eyes, ignoring his father's teasing. "In ancient warrior cultures, fathers taught their teenage sons to hunt and kill to make sure they'd learn important survival skills. I can see how you wanting to teach me how to fix my own car relates to that, but Bones already offered to buy me a brand new car. We don't have to stay here sweating our butts off just to repair this beat-up old truck."
"We've been over this Parker. The answer's still no."
"C'mon Dad! Why not? I mean it's not like we can't afford it. Bones is like the best forensic anthropologist in the world and she's also a best-selling author. Buying me a new car wouldn't even put a tiny dent in her bank account. Besides, she was the one who offered. I didn't even ask."
"No!" Booth glared at his son. Angry that he considered his step-mother's wealth something he could spend frivolously.
"But Dad! I'm leaving next week. This truck's gonna need a lot more work before it can actually hit the road. I'm not gonna get to drive this thing till I'm fifty!"
It was Booth's turn to roll his eyes at his son's hyperbole. "Look, I know you're leaving next week alright? We've been working on this all summer. When we got it, it wouldn't even start. But now, at least it starts up right?"
"Yeah that's till we try to get it on the road, then it just gives up and dies on us."
"It just needs a little more work. I'll continue to work on it after you've gone back to your Mom. The next time you visit at Thanksgiving, we can work on it more. I bet we'll have it up and running by Christmas."
"Mom's not gonna let me visit over Christmas." Parker sighed dejectedly.
"Okay New Year then. Or maybe next summer."
"Dad! That's an entire year from now!"
"At least you won't have to wait till you're fifty." Booth laughed. "I promise you, we'll work on it over Thanksgiving. I'll keep at it to make sure its road ready. You can decide on the color and I'll put a new paint job on and by next summer, you'll be driving this baby on the road."
Parker sighed exaggeratedly.
"C'mon Parks. Tell me you didn't enjoy spending the summer working on your truck with your old man huh? I mean you got to spend two week with Bones on the job at the Jeffersonian, and you got a week with Hodgins. So putting this truck together is our thing."
Parker lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat dripping down the side of his head.
"There're lots of other things we could do that could be our thing Dad. Playing X-box, or watching a game together, or hockey, where it's cooler. Things that don't need me to dehydrate in this heat!"
"This is different. This is our project, something to build together, with our hands. It'll make a great memory." Booth was starting to get annoyed at his oldest son.
"I'm all about making memories Dad. But I'm hot and tired and dirty. I bet your Dad didn't make you work on a car in the summer heat."
Booth slammed the wrench in his hand on the side of the truck. "No Parker, he didn't! In fact, my Dad didn't care at all. I'm sorry I'm such a terrible father, making you sweat your ass off while trying to teaching you something!"
Booth stormed off into the house, leaving Parker feeling guilty over what he said.
In the kitchen, Brennan was making dinner when Booth stormed in. He didn't even make eye contact with her but immediately headed for their bedroom. Parker followed shortly after, looking slightly ashamed. He sighed as he slipped onto the stool at the counter. He reached for a slice of carrot that his step-mother had cut and was lying on the chopping board.
"Everything okay Parker?"
"Dad's mad at me."
"Give him some time."
"I guess I was whiny and complained a little too much about having to work on the car in this heat. I just don't get why he got so worked up."
"It's probably something you said."
"I just said, I bet his father didn't make him work on his car." Parker shrugged. "And he just lost it."
Brennan nodded. "The topic of your grandfather is something that always riles your father up."
"I knew Dad's parents were divorced, but it's like me now right? I get time with Mom in England and time with you and Dad here."
"Believe me Parker, it wasn't at all like you now."
"Dad never talks about his parents, and I hardly get to see Grandma, so…"
"It's not my place to explain this to you. Perhaps when he's ready, he will."
Booth didn't reappear until dinner and the family sat down for a meal. The two younger Booth children aware that their oldest brother was leaving soon, clamoured for his attention, providing ample distraction from the palpable tension that hung between Booth and Parker.
That night after activity in the Booth household had died down and Parker was alone in his room, he heard a knock on his room door.
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing his father and step-mother.
"Am I in trouble?" the teen asked.
Booth entered, followed by Brennan. "No Parker you're not." She answered.
"Bones and I talked. She thinks you're old enough for me to tell you."
"What are your parents actually bank robbers too? Cos I knew about Grandpa Max and the stuff he did. He told me."
Booth shook his head sadly. He sat down at the foot of Parker's bed, with Brennan taking the seat at Parker's desk. Sitting up, Parker set his cellphone that he had been using to text his friends aside.
"Listen Parker, you know that your Uncle Jared and I were brought up by Pops and Grams right? Your great-grandparents."
"Yeah, cause your parents got divorced."
"That's not entirely it." Booth sighed. This was difficult for him. He ducked his head, focusing his gaze on his right shoe.
"My old man, your grandfather? He was an alcoholic. I don't really remember many days that he was sober. When he got drunk, he lost control and he did things. He umm… he liked to take it out on my mom and me. When I was a kid, it was nothing like what you have now. The house I grew up in was full of violence. My mom… Grandma… she could only take so much. She left. Without taking us with her. If she stayed on, he might've killed her."
"That's why I never met her till I was eleven."
Booth paused to take a breath, nodding. He glanced at Parker who was looking at him intently, then at Brennan. She offered him an encouraging smile. He inhaled deeply then continued.
"Then it was just us, with him. And things got even worse. One day, Pops came by and saw what my Dad was doing to me. He threw Dad out. That's how your Uncle Jared and I came to live with Pops and Grams."
Booth blinked back unshed tears as Brennan reached out to take his hand in hers. Parker was silent for a long while.
"I'm sorry Dad," he offered. "I didn't know."
"I never told you." Booth sighed. "And one day when Christine and Hank are old enough, they'll know too. But there's something else I gotta tell you."
Parker looked at his father then his step-mother. She was surprised too. They had discussed telling Parker about his abusive grandfather and she wasn't sure what else Booth had to say.
"My Dad… he was addicted to alcohol. But for me…" Booth glanced over at Brennan, who realizing what her husband was about to say, gave him a reassuring nod, "I'm an addict too."
"But you don't drink Dad. I mean you don't get drunk like you said your father did."
"See alcohol, that's not my thing. For me, it's gambling. I gambled a lot. It was my way of coping when I got home from my first tour in the Gulf War. It was gambling that drove your Mom away from me. Then I met Bones, and I thought I had my addiction under control. But when Bones was pregnant with Hank, I messed up again. I thought I was strong enough not to get tempted but I wasn't. I gambled and my actions… they put Bones, Christine and Hank in danger. Bones kicked me out of the house for a month."
"Really? I didn't know that you and Bones were separated for a month."
"Yeah, I figured you didn't need to know, not back then. I didn't want to worry you."
"Your father worked through his addiction. He still attends GA meetings."
Parker nodded, suddenly understanding. "So that's where you go sometimes when Bones tells us you're working late."
"Right. Hank and Christine are too young to know about this stuff, but you're old enough. I'm very lucky Bones gave me a second chance." Booth quirked a small smile at Brennan who reciprocated by flashing him a smile of her own.
"I know being a soldier in a war is really hard. You never really told me what you did there."
Booth wasn't ready to share that part of his life to his firstborn. There were enough revelations that night for the teenager's mind to take. His sniper past would be a conversation for another time.
As if telepathically picking up on what her husband was thinking, Brennan replied, "Your father will reveal that to you when he feels the time is right."
"But for now, I need you to know that I'm tellin' you these things so you know. You're a Booth too. My father and I both struggled with addictions and you're a young man now. You need to keep your eyes open, be aware, so you don't fall into addiction of any kind. You, Christine, Hank, the three of you represent all that's good in me. I want you guys to grow up not having to make the same mistakes I made. I really hope you won't have to constantly fight an addiction like me. I pray to God you don't, but if you do, you shouldn't be ashamed to come to us for help."
He peered cautiously over at his son, wondering if sharing his past might have made his son change his opinion of him.
"I hear what you're saying Dad. And I appreciate you telling me."
"It's very difficult for your Dad to tell you these things. He was afraid that it might make you think lesser of him." Brennan added.
"It doesn't Dad. I don't say it often enough but you're still my hero. And you're not a terrible father. I'm lucky to have you."
Booth smiled, his charm smile mirrored back at him on Parker's face. Both Booth men stood up and Parker pulled his father to him for a hug.
"I'm sorry about today, when we were fixing my truck."
"Don't worry about it. I promise you, I'll keep working on it and you'll be driving it by New Year's Day."
"And I'll help. I've still got a week here before I go."
"Yeah that sounds like a plan."
…
The couple left Parker's room, closing the room door. Booth moved to pull Brennan to him for a hug, feeling like he needed her arms round him now more than ever.
"That was very brave of you, telling Parker about your gambling addiction."
"I have your support. Without you by my side, I'm nothing. I just hope he's lucky enough to find someone like you to call his wife some day."
"He will. He has inherited your good looks. And you've taught him well. I'm sure many women would find him attractive when he's of marriageable age."
"We've taught him well Bones. Us. It wasn't just me. You've been in his life since he was four. He's the man he is today cos of you too."
Brennan smiled.
"Thank you for loving my son as if he were your own."
I have no knowledge whatsoever on how cars are fixed, so pardon me if there were any inaccuracies.
I really appreciate all the positive response I'm getting from this series of one-shots. I think of all my stories, I enjoy writing these the most.