AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. And as promised…chapter 4 is ready and raring to go! For all of you who attempted guesses at the game they're playing…the title of this chapter should be a dead giveaway :oP Yes, this one is perfectly light and fluffy folks. But never fear…there's plenty of angst a-building in this soon-to-be series of fics! So here goes, I hope you enjoy…and I'd sure love to hear what you all have think.

Chapter 4

As he descends the hallway towards his son's lighted bedroom, Booth can't contain the smile that breaks over his lips at the sound that greets him as he approaches.

Laughter

Pure, energetic, carefree, silly laughter

Coming from Bones!

With little Parker sized giggles thrown in intermittently for good measure.

"This is impossible! And I'm a professional!" Booth hears her manage through her amusement; the sound immediately warming his heart to no end.

It isn't until he reaches the open doorway that he realizes what all the ruckus is about; the sight before him as the two of them come into view is nearly enough to make him roar with laughter himself.

He settles for a deep throaty chuckle instead.

Upon his entrance, he sees Bones and Parker seated Indian-style on the floor beside one another. Parker's newest addiction, the board game he'd gotten for Christmas, Operation, is sprawled in pieces between them everywhere. Temperance is slightly hunched over the game, her brow furrowed in intense concentration as she attempts to remove her next piece.

"Tempe you gotta hold real still!" his son counsels carefully.

"I'm trying…but these are by far the flimsiest pair of forceps I've ever used."

"Huh?" Lifting her eyes slightly up at him she finds that Parker is quirking his brow in puzzlement.

"Oh! Um, forceps...it's what doctors call tweezers," she explains, all the while oblivious to Booth's presence, she's so focused.

His son's continuous blank stare makes Booth smirk. Poor kid had no idea what she was talking about.

"Ok…I think I've finally got it…" she says more to herself than to Parker. Grinning mischievously Booth sneaks up behind her, "…who's ever heard of a Wishbonectomy anyway?"

Motioning a finger up to his lips, he quietly gestures to his son not to say anything. Overtaken with glee, Parker rocks back and forth on his knees, his hands fastened tightly over his mouth as he watches his dad bend down closer behind Tempe.

The room becomes quiet again as Booth continues his advance downward until finally he's kneeling on the floor behind her; then without any warning he reaches around and scoops her up into his arms. His quick movement eliciting what sounds like a cross between a surprised yelp and a scream from her; even though the last thing she was about to do was attempt to defend herself against her gorgeous, and amazingly well-built partner.

"Booth what do you think you're doing!" her objection is most definitely half-hearted and upon hearing it instigates the plastering of a conspiratorial grin over his lips.

"You know something Bones…" he starts thoughtfully, "it occurred to me that since we're getting to know each other…there's one very important thing that I still don't know about you…"

Feigning annoyance she pushes lightly against his chest; the effort though only makes Booth smile even more since he knows that with her skills, if she really wants to escape he won't be able to stop her.

"Oh really…and what one important thing is that?"

Lifting her higher against him, he pulls her in tightly to his chest and asks playfully, his brown orbs dancing with mischief, "…are you ticklish?"

"No! Booth…don't you dare!" But at that point, even she knows that her warning is inviting as it is useless.

Strengthening his hold on her so that she won't wriggle away, Booth leers over at his son, an unspoken agreement passing between them.

Oh great! Her mind screams.

And almost instantaneously the two Booth men descend mercilessly upon her, their fingers wreaking havoc on her tender spots and causing her to squirm in pleasurable agony. Booth's considerable hold though had her pinned in position, making any attempts to squirm away from their torture unsuccessful.

"Guys!" she roars with laughter, "GUYS!"

Her pleading falls on deaf ears though and their torment is unrelenting.

"Booth!" she yelps as his fingers brush the inside of her arm and then down the sides of her torso.

"Parker please!" she tries breathlessly, but the sound of his exuberance is unmistakable…and also a sign that he's enjoying their playfulness far too much to stop.

"Mercy! Mercy!" she cries between tears of joy, as finally it seems her capturers show her just that.

"Well, well, well…what do you know Parker...she is ticklish!" she hears Booth say through her euphoric daze.

"I told you she would be Daddy!"

"You mean you two planned this?" Her surprise at their admission is conveyed when she looks up into Booth's eyes and proclaims their association to be a, "…conspiracy!"

Booth chuckles, "Okay there Hodgins…"

"Ha ha, very cute…", her tone taunting.

"Thank you," he answers cleverly. Still cradling her against him Booth leans them over ever so slightly, "…okay Bub go wash your hands again. Dinner's ready."

Jumping up expectantly Parker follows his Dad's direction and leaves them sitting together on his bedroom floor.

Smiling playfully up at Booth, her arms wedged between them she starts, "You can put me down now…", when he doesn't respond beyond watching her softly she prods, "…really, you can."

"In a minute…" his voice is a throaty whisper as he closes the little distance between them both by lifting her up closer and leaning down into her. Capturing her lips against his, he surprises her with the fervor with which he devours her. Their embrace shifts as he loosens his hold on her, a move which simultaneously lowers her body against his.

She's immediately swept up in the passion that his kiss ignites within her own being. Holding him this close, his strength encircling her completely, she feels the most intense sensation of security grab ahold of her.

Not that that was strange per se, more that it was just unexpected in her own mind.

She feels emboldened in a way that she doesn't recall ever feeling before…and suddenly she understands how it is that she will to adapt to this new closeness between them.

She's going to simply trust that this choice that she's made to succumb to her feelings is the right one.

…And she's going to trust that he will catch her if ever she does fall. Not just because he's her friend, her confidant, or even her lover…but as he's told her all along…

…He's her partner

"God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food…"

"Good job!" Booth gushes instantly. Admittedly, the reality of the three of them sitting at his dinner table, hands joined as Parker led them in a short prayer, might have created in him a bit of over-enthusiasm.

"I'm not done Daddy!" The smile that pulls at the corners of Temperance's mouth is meant as much for Parker's exasperation as it is for Booth's congratulatory tone and subsequent chastisement.

"Oh…sorry Bub…" looking confusedly over at Temperance first and then back to Parker he adds, "…go on."

Nodding his satisfaction Parker starts anew, "God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food…" he repeats slowly and out of habit.

"…And thank you God for keeping Daddy safe at his dangerous FBI job, and for making Tempe his friend so she'll make sure he's okay, and for making Daddy so happy because she smiles. Amen."

Interestingly, once Parker is finished with his sweet little prayer, he's perfectly content to start plowing head-first into his plate-full of yummy spaghetti.

For Booth and Temperance on the other hand, food is completely forgotten as they are left staring meaningfully at one another…hands still clasped.

Chapter 5 coming tomorrow...stay tuned!