You knew the peace couldn't last, didn't you? They just won't play nice together :-)

I still don't own them, and I'm still making no money from any of this.


When you're spending too much time with other people, tempers can flare...

Sunday morning

Brennan was washed and dressed the next morning before anyone else was awake. She felt uncomfortable, knowing Booth was asleep in the next room, and blushed at the memory of standing in front of him in her nightdress the night before. She was determined to be up and dressed before he awoke this morning. When Parker woke up she sent him to play in the living room, warning him to be quiet and not wake his dad, then went to make coffee. She heard clattering noises, and put her head out of the kitchen door to see Parker staggering down the hallway from his bedroom, bashing a large box noisily against his legs as he walked. "I got my train set, Dr. Bones."

Brennan frowned at him, recognizing the box of train track from the shelf in Parker's room. "I thought I told you not to disturb your dad while he's asleep," she rebuked him.

"He's awake," Parker answered defiantly.

"I am now!" came Booth's voice down the hall. His door stood wide open, and Brennan put her head round it. Booth was still lying down, hardly moved from when she had last seen him. His hair was sticking up on end, and he looked adorably cute and sleepy. She tried to shake off the feeling that was starting to rise in her whenever she saw him.

"Sorry," she said. "I told Parker not to disturb you."

He just smiled. "Don't worry about it, Bones. I slept well in the end last night. I'm more than ready to get going for the day."

"Do you want some coffee?" she asked him.

"Oh, please, Bones, that'd be great."

She duly delivered a mug of coffee and he pulled himself up to a sitting position on the bed, running his hand through his hair in a vain attempt to flatten it down. She fought the temptation to sit and talk with him, and instead left him to his coffee and went to help Parker with his train set.

A short while later Booth appeared in the living room, again wearing pajama bottoms and robe, and his sling. He put his empty mug in the kitchen, then sat watching for a while as Brennan and Parker put the train set together. "You're not doing it right, Bones," he said. "Let me do it." He slipped down onto the floor and took the piece from Brennan's hand, saying something to Parker about track building being a man's job. Parker giggled and Brennan stood up, feeling left out, and went into the kitchen to get something to eat.

A short time later, the train set was built. Brennan had been watching from the kitchen doorway. "Okay, Parker, time for some breakfast," she said.

"Not yet," he answered, absorbed in watching the train move round the track. "Daddy, I don't have to have breakfast yet, do I?"

Brennan caught Booth's eye, and he grinned at her. "Come on, Parker, if Bones says it's time for breakfast, then it's time for breakfast," he told the boy. Parker's eyes opened wide, and he looked from one to the other as if confused.

"I'm just going for a wash," Booth told Brennan, and disappeared to the bathroom. Her visions of them sitting down at breakfast together faded.

Parker was tucking into Fruity Pebbles when Booth appeared again, this time wearing jeans but bare-chested. His hair had been tamed, he was freshly shaven, and he was carrying a shirt. "Bones, I'm sorry – could you help me get this on?"

"Of course." She helped him slip his bad arm into the shirt first, then held it for him to put his good arm through the sleeve. He bent his arm awkwardly to do up the buttons, and she moved to help him, then took a look at his face and decided it would be better not to.

"Can I ride my bike today, Daddy?"

"Ah..." Booth looked at Brennan.

She thought for a moment. "Maybe later, Parker. I really should do some writing this morning."

Parker scowled. "Please, Daddy," he said, turning to his dad.

Booth shook his head. "You heard Bones," he said. "We'll have to wait until she says we can."

"You can take me, can't you Daddy?" Parker persisted.

"I'm not allowed," he said. "We've got to wait until Bones says." He looked in the cupboard. "Hey, coco puffs – my favorite." Brennan passed him a bowl, and he sat down and started to tuck into the cereal dry.

"You're not allowed, Daddy," Parker said. "Dr. Bones says we've got to have milk on it."

Booth pulled a face and pretended to sulk. "Oh, all right then."

Brennan felt her irritation beginning to grow. "Booth, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked stiffly. He nodded, looking surprised, and followed her out of the kitchen.

"What's up?" He looked at her, puzzled.

She forced herself to remember she was annoyed with him. "Don't make me into the bad guy, Booth."

"What?" He looked confused. She wondered how he could possibly be unaware of what he was doing. "I'm backing you up, aren't I?"

"Yes, but –" She searched for the words to explain. "It's like you're agreeing with me, but telling him you'd rather agree with him. That makes it almost worse, Booth, because you're telling him I'm the enemy."

"That's not my intention, Bones." Now Booth sounded angry. "Look, I never said I was any good at this. I'm just not used to sharing Parker with anybody. I've always had sole charge of him before when he's been with me."

"Then I'd better stay out of your way," she snapped.

"No, Bones, please – I want us to work together. You just have to give me a chance to figure out how to do it. You're not used to kids; I'm not used to sharing my kid. We're going to make mistakes, Bones. Don't expect us to get it perfect first time."

She opened her mouth to snap at him again, when they both heard a loud crash coming from the kitchen. This was followed by an even more terrifying noise: complete silence.

As ever, comments welcome! I'll try to post the next part before I go away for the weekend, but I can't promise. Reviews might help me move updating up the list of priorities ;-)