(Season 4 and Season 7)

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

His best friend's mother had had a baby and Parker thought that was so cool. Brad had been an only child and now he wasn't alone anymore. He had a baby sister and Brad wasn't an 'only' anymore.

Parker knew what it was like to be an only child and he hated it. "Mom, can I have a baby brother or sister? I really don't care if it's a girl, honest. I'm tired of being an 'only'. I want a brother or sister."

"Honey, I know you hate being an only child or like you say an 'only', but that's a complicated issue." Rebecca had just broke up her relationship with Kevin and she wasn't sure if she was going to date anytime soon. The man had broken her heart by demanding she give up her job and stay home. He wanted her to marry him and he wanted to take care of her and Parker, he had been quite clear he didn't need her money. Kevin had told her he needed a stay at home wife and that was not negotiable. Outraged that Kevin thought so little of her career and the years she had put into it to get where she was, Rebecca had ordered him to leave. After a screaming match between them erupted, he had packed and left cursing her for being selfish and a bitch. "Kevin and I aren't together anymore. The way he treated . . . um, Kevin and I don't want the same things and I don't think he wanted another child anyway. I'm sorry Parker, but I can't give you a brother or sister, at least not yet. Maybe someday, but not now."

Disappointed, Parker accepted what his mother had said. He had been in his bedroom when Kevin and his mother had started arguing and Kevin had said some terrible things. "That's okay about Kevin, Mom. I didn't like him anyway. He hit me when you weren't around. He said I was weak and a mama's boy. What's wrong with being your boy, Mom? Aren't I supposed to be your boy and protect you? That's what Dad says. He says I'm the man of the house and he's proud of me."

Shocked and angry, Rebecca moved closer to her son and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Kevin hit you? Why didn't you tell me? Honey, no one has a right to hurt you. No one."

"He kind of said he'd hurt you if I told you about it." Parker saw the look of rage on his mother's face and that worried him. "Mom, I was going to tell Dad about it. Kevin just started hitting me a few weeks ago. He said it was his duty to make me a man. I knew that Dad would fix it and I didn't want you to get hurt. Please, don't be mad at me."

Appalled that her son thought she was angry with him, she pulled the boy into her arms and hugged him. "Honey, I'm not angry with you. Don't think that for one minute. I'm angry with Kevin. Really angry." Releasing him, she knelt in front of her son, her hands on his shoulders. "Parker, if anyone ever hits you, you tell me. You don't need to tell your father first. I want to know when someone is hurting you and threatening me shouldn't stop you. I can take care of me and you. I promise. No one has the right to hit you."

Slowly nodding his head, Parker knew he'd made a mistake by not telling his mother. Kevin had been mean to him and she needed to know about it in case he tried to be mean with her. "Okay, I get it, Mom. Next time I'll tell you."

"There won't be a next time." Rebecca had been unlucky in finding someone she could have a relationship with and now she had to worry about that leaving her son vulnerable to abuse. "I may wait until you're in high school before I date again. I just can't . . . I'm sorry Kevin hit you. I didn't know he was doing that. I would have kicked him out of this house the second I knew. You'll always come first, Parker. Always."

"Okay, Mom. It's okay." Parker wished he hadn't told his mother. She was upset and he felt responsible. "He didn't really hurt me that much. I just had some bruises on my shoulders. They didn't hurt that much."

Swallowing, Rebecca felt like she was going to be sick. "I love you, Parker. I don't love any one more than I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

Determined to protect her son and herself, Rebecca vowed to be more careful in the future about who she dated. "Don't tell your father, Parker. You know how upset he'd get if he knew Kevin was hitting you and we don't want to upset him. He'd feel guilty because he didn't protect you and he might do something we'd all regret."

"Gee Mom, I don't want Dad to get into trouble." The boy realized that his mother was now worried about his father. "I won't tell him."

God, I hope he doesn't say anything. Seeley would kill anyone that hurt Parker. I know he would.

Ooooooooooooooooo

"Dad, I want a brother or sister. I don't care if she's a girl, I promise." Parker was visiting his father and he was still hoping that someone would give him a brother or sister. "I'd take care of them and protect them and I'd play with them and I could babysit whenever you needed me to."

Even though they'd had this conversation before, Booth knew that Parker was lonely and hated to be an only child. "Gee, Buddy, I can't really do that for you. I wish I could, but I'm not married and well, I want to be married before I have any more kids."

Disappointed, Parker looked at the toes of his shoes. "Okay, it's just Mom broke up with Kevin and she says she can't give me a brother or sister either."

Glad to hear the news, Booth knew that was selfish, but he had always felt that Kevin was a douche and Rebecca could do better. "That's too bad, but she can do better than Kevin."

"Yeah, she can." Parker almost told his father about being hit by Kevin but remembered his promise. "Why don't you marry Bones? Then you can have a baby."

"Parker, she's my friend and my partner. She doesn't want to get married to anyone, ever." Even though he hoped she might change her mind someday, he was beginning to realize that Brennan couldn't change, at least not when it came to marriage. She had changed a little since he had met her, but not her core beliefs.

"Okay, it's just . . . she likes you, Dad."

"Yeah, but she doesn't love me." Booth had heard Brennan say she didn't believe in love and just thought they were chemicals that temporarily controlled you. It was horse shit, but she couldn't accept that love was real. "She likes me, but she . . . well, we're friends. I'm sorry, Buddy. Maybe someday, I'll get married, but not right now."

Disappointed, Parker knew that the subject was closed. He knew he'd probably be an only child forever and there wasn't anything he could do about it. It wasn't fair, but his grandpops had told him that life was never fair. You had to roll with the punches and make your own happiness.

Ooooooooooooooo

Brennan was pregnant and Booth was over the moon with happiness. He knew who else would be excited when he heard the news and Booth made the call. "Parker, it's Dad."

Dad, hey you normally call me on the weekends. Are you okay?

"Sure, I am, everything is great. Look, I have some news for you and I think you're going to like it . . . You know Bones and I are together in a relationship and . . . hold onto your seat, she's pregnant. You're finally going to get that brother or sister you wanted.

Mom, Mom, I'm going to be a brother. I'm going to be a brother.

Booth could hear the tears in his son's voice and he wished he was in England talking to the boy in person, but he knew Rebecca would calm Parker down. She was a good mother.

That's wonderful news, Parker. Is Temperance the one who is pregnant?

Booth resented that question since Rebecca knew that he was in a relationship with Brennan, but he let it go. He knew Rebecca wasn't being mean, at least not on purpose.

Yeah, Mom. Dad and Temperance are going to have a baby. This is so cool.

"Parker, I'm glad you're happy. I hoped you would be."

Are you kidding me? Of course, I'm happy. I'm not going to be alone anymore. I'm going to have a brother or sister and we won't be alone. We'll have each other. Thanks, Dad. Thank you and please thank Bones for me, too. Wait until I tell my friends. Gosh, I . . . thank you, Dad.

"You're welcome, Sport. I can't wait for you to meet the baby. Bones has a few months left before the baby is born, but I'll call you when the baby is here. I won't forget, I promise."

Thanks, Dad. The next time I get to come home and visit you, I can hold the baby and talk to her or him and . . . gosh, I can't wait.

"Me too, Parker. I can't wait for you to come home too."

Ooooooooooooooo

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