It's been awhile since I updated this. RobinAngelena, LoveShipper, 554Laura, GalaxieGurl, dms517, MstgSzy, Vmf447, FaithinBones, kareneb, Poppyblue5, mendenbar, mphs95, Carpathian Princess, Annarita, regbride12. Thank you all for taking the time to drop a review.

This story can be viewed as sort of a follow up to Chapter 9: Fort.

Damn It

Having spent almost 2 weeks away from his beloved family, Booth aspired to spend quality time with his family. Nights were reserved for his wife, so he decided to dedicate a day to one-on-one time with each child. He started by taking Christine to the zoo. She was at the age where she loved animals and Booth took great pleasure in their father-daughter time, watching her gawk over each animal as if it were her first time there. Hank being only two-and-a-half enjoyed the simpler things in life. So Booth had decided father-son time would be well spent running around in the park throwing a ball around. That Saturday morning, Booth strapped Hank in his car seat and left for the nearby park. Along the way, Aubrey called to update him on their current case. Booth answered the phone, putting his partner on speaker as he drove.

"So you know Lilian Kowalski, our primary suspect?" Aubrey began.

In the back seat, Hank having recognised the voice of his favourite uncle chatted excitedly to himself.

"Yeah?"

"Has a rock solid alibi."

"Damn it!" Booth cursed. He had been sure the case would be solved and they would have the killer in custody by Monday. "You doubled checked it?"

"What the alibi? Course I did."

Booth ran a hand through his hair as he pulled up at the park. "Right. We'll re-look our pool of suspects on Monday."

"Right. Hope I did spoil your weekend."

Booth glanced at Hank in the back seat who excitedly pointed out the window. "Dada!"

He grinned. "You know what Aubrey? I'm spendin' the morning with Hank. Don't think any news could spoil the weekend."

"Great. I'll see you Monday." Aubrey hung up, leaving Booth to spend the morning, as planned with Hank.

Later that evening, Booth was in the kitchen preparing dinner with Brennan as their two children played nearby.

Hank, whose vocabulary was still currently only limited to "Mama", "Dada" and "apple", was stacking blocks on the floor as Christine drew with her crayons at the kitchen island.

Without warning, Hank uttered, "Damn it."

The adults froze and Christine looked up from her drawing.

Booth thought he might have heard wrong but Christine was quick to point out her brother's error, "Hank said a naughty word!"

"Where would Hank have learnt that word?" Brennan asked Booth, a perplexed look on her face. "And why would he chose to say that? It has nothing to do with a need or want."

Booth placed the knife in his hand on the chopping board, rubbing his face. His conversation with Aubrey in the car replayed in his head. "I think it's my fault."

"It is? Why?"

"On the way to the park this morning with Hank, Aubrey called and we talked about the case. He said something and I got mad and the words just slipped out. Sorry."

"We talked about being careful with our choice of words when around the children Booth."

"I know. I just said it that one time. Maybe he'll forget it soon."

Booth washed his hands and approached Hank. Crouching down he called out to his son. "Hey Tiger, you know what you just said?"

Hank stared back at his father with large brown eyes. After a moment he handed Booth a toy car, then pointed to his toys.

"I'm helpin' Mommy make dinner. We can play later okay? Now about what you just said."

Hank stared back wordlessly at his father.

"I know you understand what I'm sayin'. What you said just now, those are naughty words. We don't use those words okay?"

Hank looked at his father, then mother, seemingly considering what Booth said, before returning his attention to his toys.

Booth sighed as he walked towards Brennan. "I hope he got that."

"I hope so too."

The next day Booth and the two children met Brennan at the diner for lunch after they had attended mass. Halfway through lunch, Hank was putting a fry into his mouth when he uttered the words again, "Damn it."

He spoke it so calmly and matter-of-factly that it could have been any other word.

"Hank said it again!" Christine exclaimed.

Booth sighed before looking at his wife.

"We need to stop this Booth, he clearly does not understand the meaning of those words."

"Yeah I didn't think just hearing me say it once would make such an impact. He hears us say a ton of other words all the time."

"We need to replace the words with others."

"Like?"

"How about 'more'? It helps him convey a want and it has the "Mm" sound which he has a grasp of."

"Yeah great idea." Booth turned to Hank. "Hey Hank, do you want more fries?"

Hank nodded.

"Can you say more?"

"Or more juice." Brennan added.

"Or more food." Christine chimed in. It was a fact that Hank loved food.

Hank remained silent, but pointed at the plate of fries.

"More. Say more Hank." Brennan urged her son.

"Mama." Hank said, pointing to the fries, a frown on his face.

"That's a good try Sweetheart." Brennan said as she placed more fries on Hank's plate.

To his parents' chagrin, Hank continued to say the forbidden words at random times in the week that followed. It would seem that Booth's slip had added a not too desirable word to his son's limited vocabulary. Try as they might, it didn't seem like they would be able to unring the proverbial bell.

A week after Booth's slip of tongue, he was in the family room watching his beloved Flyers while Hank sat on the couch next to his father. Booth's excitement over the game was contagious and seemed to be spreading to Hank who was clapping and cheering along with his Dad.

The Flyers scored and Booth jumped up from the couch in excitement shouting, "Score! Yeah!"

He whipped round, grinning at Hank, lifting the boy up in the air and swinging him round. Hank laughed uncontrollably. "You see that Hank?"

"Booth! Don't over-stimulate him. It's his bedtime." Brennan admonished as she entered the family room. Booth handed their son over to Brennan.

"Sorry, heat of the game."

He pressed a kiss to his Hank's head. "Bedtime okay Tiger?"

Hank nodded.

As Brennan walked down the hall towards the bathroom with Hank in her arms, she heard the toddler yell, "Ya!"

She froze in her tracks, looking at her son. "What did you say?"

Hank pointed towards the family room where the tv was blaring. "Ya."

"Booth!" Brennan called for her husband.

"What?" Booth came running.

"Sweetheart, tell Daddy what you just said." Hank rarely repeated what he said and Brennan hoped this time he would.

Hank stared at his mother then father. "Ya." He said calmly.

Booth broke into a wide smile. "Yeah little man, not those naughty words anymore."

"You clearly have a very big impact on his vocabulary Booth, you must remember to be mindful of what you say around him."

"I do, don't I." Booth smiled, ruffling his son's hair. "I'll remember that."

"Let's hope this enables him to forget what he inadvertently picked up from you last week."

"I hope so too."

That night after his bath, as Booth and Brennan kissed Hank goodnight, the little boy grinned cheekily at his parents and said, "Ya."

Feels like I'm a little rusty with these one shots. Hope this one was just as good.