(Sometime in the Future)
This is a reminder that these stories are not in chronological order. I write them as I think of them. Warning: rated T for language.
I don't own Bones.
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The call for Brennan had come at a very inconvenient time, but her children had to come first even if she was under a lot of pressure to identify the victim of what may have been a possible serial killer. "This is Dr. Brennan."
Dr. Brennan, this is April Blackman. I need you to come to Day Care as soon as possible. This is about Hank.
"Is Hank alright?" A cold chill ran down Brennan's spine. "Has something happened to my son?"
He's fine, Dr. Brennan. I really need you to come to the Day Care center. Hank has been involved in a . . . uh, graffiti incident.
"Graffiti?" Brennan didn't want to waste her time on something as incidental as graffiti. "If Hank has drawn on something valuable I will of course have it fixed or replaced, but children are known to show off their artistic abilities and sometimes they do so in inconvenient places."
Dr. Brennan, graffiti may have been the wrong word to use. I really do need you to come to Day Care as soon as you can. If you can't I will contact Agent Booth.
Her husband was in the middle of a meeting with the Director of the FBI and Brennan knew that he couldn't be interrupted. This meeting was very important. "I'll be there as soon as I can. You may not contact my husband under any circumstances. He is in an important meeting and if you interrupt it I will hold you responsible for the consequences. I'm sure you won't like it."
No, probably not . . . I'll be waiting for you at the front entrance.
The call ended, Brennan removed her gloves and turned her gaze upon Cam. "It would seem that Hank has interrupted the tranquil setting of the Day Care Center." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and Cam knew that her anthropologist was angry.
"I'll get Dr. Edison to help me while you're gone." Cam was under as much pressure as Brennan was and they needed the identity of their victim as quickly as possible. "Let me know if you're going to be gone for the rest of the day."
"I can assure you I won't be." Brennan walked towards the stairs leading off the platform. "I am not happy with the new manager at the Day Care Center. She is easily upset which seems a fatal flaw when managing a group of small children."
"Amen." Cam was glad her sons were older and didn't need Day Care or baby sitters. She wasn't sure she would have the patience required to deal with martinets like April Blackman. "Good luck."
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Brennan spied the Day Care Center manager standing just inside the door and the woman seemed to be wringing her hands. A bad sign. Once in the center, Brennan shifted the strap of her purse on her shoulder. She had brought it just in case she needed to write a check or use her credit card. "Now what was so important that you insisted I leave my job and come here. I am in the middle of a very important murder case. The FBI is waiting for my input."
April hated dealing with Dr. Brennan or Agent Booth. They were very important people at the Jeffersonian and the FBI and they could be very intimidating. Still she had a job to do. "Dr. Brennan if you will come with me, I need to show you something."
As patiently as she could, Brennan remained silent and followed the manager. She didn't want to waste any more time than she needed to. As they moved towards a group of children, she spied her son sitting on the floor playing with some Legos. "Hank are you alright?"
The four year old boy turned and grinned at his mother. "Mommy." Standing he ran to her and threw his arms around her legs. "Hi Mommy."
Brennan leaned over, picked him up and placed him on her hip. "Ms. Blackman wanted me to come down and see some of your art work."
Before April could say anything, the boy held out his left arm and grinned. "I just like Daddy, Mommy."
Her gaze drawn to a black squiggle on her son's wrist, Brennan stared it for a few seconds then touched the mark with her free hand. "What did you use to mark your wrist, Hank?"
Proud of what he had done, the boy beamed. "A magic mawka . . . It like Daddy's."
Brennan sighed, leaned over and placed her son on his feet. "I'm sure your father will be thrilled. Thank you for showing it to me. You may go play now."
Happy that his mother loved his new tattoo, Hank laughed and ran back to his Legos.
Her attention now on the manager, Brennan gave the woman a very firm look. "Why did my son have access to magic markers? That seems a rather unprofessional thing to let happen."
Embarrassed, April shook her head. "They were in the desk drawer. He waited until Ms. Fisher was busy with one of the other children and chose that time to remove one of them from the desk. He drew on his wrists and unfortunately on the wrists of three other children."
"I see." Brennan knew that Hank loved her husband's Kanji tattoos. "My husband has a Kanji tattoo on each wrist. One means 'soul' and the other 'destiny'. Hank loves them and likes to trace his finger over them."
"The parents of the children with the squiggles are not going to be happy Dr. Brennan." April worried that she would be blamed. "Hank is being suspended from the Jeffersonian Day Care Center for two months. If the parents raise enough hell about this, I may have to bar him from coming back."
Brennan stared coldly at the Day Care Manager. "Day Care is supposed to protect our children not only from outsiders, but from themselves. You and Ms. Fisher have failed in your duties and to blame my son for your irresponsible actions is ludicrous. If the markers had not been accessible, Hank would not have drawn on his wrists or the wrists of his friends. The ink will wear off after a few washings. It is not a permanent tattoo."
"None the less, Hank may not come to Day Care until his two month suspension is complete." April was not going to allow Brennan to blame her for something her son had done. "Your son stole the marker. We try to watch the children, but there are many and they all require our attention."
Not impressed, Brennan called Hank back to her side. "Your incompetence worries me. I am withdrawing my son from this Day Care and I will find one that takes its duties more seriously." Her son now standing next to her, Brennan leaned over and picked up the boy. "Say goodbye Hank."
"Bye." Hank stared at his mother and smiled. "Are we going?"
"Yes, Hank. Your Aunt Angela is going to look after you for a bit this afternoon and then we are going to find you a safer Day Care Center to stay at."
April heard Brennan's criticizing words and started to wring her hands again. She knew that Dr. Brennan was a powerful figure in the Jeffersonian and she might not have her job for very long which was so unfair. She did her job well and she didn't think she was appreciated.
Ooooooooooooooooooooo
Booth had great news and he wanted to share it with his wife. As he entered the Lab he heard his youngest son call out to Angela. Curious why Hank wasn't at Day Care, he walked over to Angela's office and saw Hank standing in front of an easel waving a piece of blue chalk. "Hank."
Surprised to see his father, Hank dropped his piece of chalk on the floor and ran towards him. "Daddy!" Once he was next to Booth, he raised his hands up in the air. "Up Daddy."
Wary of the chalk on his son's hands and clothes, Booth knelt next to the boy, pulled a handkerchief from his pants pocket and began to wipe the child's hands and brushed his shirt. "Let's get you cleaned up, Tiger."
Angela heard Booth near the entrance and knew that chalk and business suits weren't compatible. Carrying a damp hand towel over to where he was, she handed it to him. "Here, this will work better."
Grateful, Booth took the damp cloth and began the process over again. Hank stood still while his father wiped his face, but squirmed when his clothes were brushed with the damp cloth. "It wet, Daddy."
Most of the chalk gone, Booth picked up his boy and kissed his cheek. "Why aren't you in Day Care, Hank?"
Proud of his art work, Hank held out his hand and turned his wrist to show his father his squiggle. "See Daddy? I gots a thing like you."
His eyes large, Booth stared at the black squiggle on his son's wrist. "Angela!"
"Hey, I didn't do that. Hank did that all on his own." Angela was an artist and if she had done it, it would have been a real Kanji. "He found a marker in Day Care and took care of that himself."
Hank nodded his head. "Do you like it Daddy?"
Not sure how to answer that question, Booth frowned. "It's nice, Tiger. Um, you really shouldn't write on your skin unless you ask me or Mommy." Booth looked at Angela. "Is this going to wash off?"
Slowly shaking her head, Angela gave him the bad news. "Not right away, but eventually."
"Great." Booth placed his son on his feet and patted his head. "Why don't you play with Auntie Angela while I go talk to Mommy."
Eager to play with the art paper, Hank ran back to the easel, picked up the chalk and continued to 'paint' a sky. Angela shrugged her shoulders and grinned at Booth. "He wants be like his Daddy."
Booth ran his hand through his hair. "Where's Bones?"
Angela pointed down the hallway. "On the platform, I think."
Striding down the hallway, Booth was soon on the platform. "Bones, what idiot let Hank have a magic marker?"
Her gaze on the body before her, Brennan continued to examine the pelvic region. "He took it from Ms. Fisher's desk when she was occupied somewhere else."
Leaning against the railing, Booth crossed his arms, his gaze upon his wife and not the rotten body. "Well, she's an idiot. You have to keep that kind of shit out of the reach of kids."
Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "He drew on the wrists of other children as well as his own wrist."
"Shit!' Booth exhaled deeply. "Now what?"
Her gaze finally upon her husband, Brennan frowned. "He has been suspended from Day Care for two months. He may be permanently banned if the parents demand it."
"So, their blaming their idiocy on our boy?" Booth was furious. "Okay, well they can shove it where the sun doesn't shine. Hank is not going back there. We can't trust those idiots. The next thing you know they might leave a knife lying around and Hank will try to play with it. Idiots!" Booth began to pace. "I knew I didn't like that new manager. She acts like my kid is a hooligan every time he gets a little loud. 'Your son needs to use his inside voice, Agent Booth.' Booth imitated April Blackman then stopped to face Brennan. "Well fuck her." He began to pace again. "My boy is four and he doesn't have an inside voice. He has a four year old voice."
Cam was fascinated. Booth reminded her of a pacing tiger. "Dr. Benoit uses 'It's a Small World Day Care'."
Booth turned to face his friend. "I'll check into it. Can you imagine telling a four year old boy that he can't be noisy when he's playing? April Blackman is an idiot."
Brennan agreed. "I feel that Hank's spirit has been stifled at the Jeffersonian Day Care. I have been displeased for the last few weeks. I informed Ms. Blackman before I left with Hank that we would not be back. I am glad you agree with me. I think he will be happier in a more positive atmosphere."
Stepping closer to Brennan, Booth kissed her cheek and walked back to the stairs. A sudden thought hit him and he stopped and turned. "Oh yeah, you're looking at the new Assistant Deputy Director of the FBI."
Happy for her husband, Brennan removed her gloves and hurried across the platform. Throwing her arms around his neck she kissed him. "Congratulations Booth. It's long overdue."
Booth placed his hands on her hips and returned her kiss. "Thanks. That means I won't be going out in the field anymore. Aubrey gets to handle all the gruesome shit now."
Kissing him once more, Brennan stepped back. "Aubrey will do an excellent job as your replacement. I am so proud of you, Booth."
Proud of his accomplishments, Booth grinned. "Thanks. I have to go . . . Angela is letting Hank play with chalk. You may want to wipe him down or maybe strip him before you let him in your car. It's blue chalk."
Concerned, Brennan shook her head. "I just had the upholstery cleaned . . .. oh well. I suppose a little chalk won't hurt anything. After all, the coke stain he created last week came out of the back seat, so I imagine chalk will too."
"That's it, Bones. Keep up those positive thoughts." Booth walked down the stairs. "He won't be a little boy forever."
Brennan sighed. "Yes, I know."
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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.
