Prompt: 9- "there's no right side to this"

Fandom: Bones

Characters: Seeley Booth, Temperance Brennan, Christine Booth

Rating: K

Word Count: 755

Other Notes: Mentions of Quarantine and the COVID-19 Pandemic

"Daddy's mad," Christine says, throwing herself upon her parent's freshly made bed. "He's trying to make my new bookshelf and I think it's frustrating him."

Brennan laughs. Christine was right. The cubed bookshelf had arrived late the night before and she'd had to do everything in her power to keep Booth from putting it together right then.

So when daylight hit, and hot coffee had been made, Booth set to work. He claimed it could be done in an hour or so, but when lunchtime came, and it still wasn't done, frustrations started to mount.

"Yes, I think he is very frustrated," Brennan agrees. "Did you offer to help?"

"Yeah, but that only made him madder!"

"Yeah. Your dad doesn't take help very easily."

"I hope he finishes it soon! I want to FaceTime Emma and show her my books. I'm gonna put them in a rainbow!"

Brennan was thankful for modern technology for keeping her daughter and her best friend together during this time of virtual school and uncertainty in the world. "That sounds like fun. I think I'm going to go see if daddy needs help."

Brennan walls down the hall, Christine following behind. They arrive to see Booth groan loudly and set the white board down. He digs his fingers in his hair and reaches for the crumpled instruction booklet.

"Is everything okay?" Brenna asks, sitting on the couch behind her husband.

"This thing is impossible. There is no right side to this!" He holds up the board again. "I've tried it every direction. It's not gonna work."

She never knew Booth to give up on something when it got hard, but she didn't think he was giving up. He just wasn't seeing it right. He needed a new perspective.

"Alright: scoot over. Let me try." She shoves him out of the way and looks at the loose pieces and partially constructed shelf before her. She looks at it slowly and analytically; as if it were an archaeological site. She picks up the long board and turns it in her hands. She holds it against where it was supposed to go and looks again from all angles.

"Do you need help, mommy?" Christine asks.

"Come here and hold this for me, please," Brennan instructs. With Christine's help, a minute later, Brennan finds the problem. "I know what's wrong." She looks over her shoulder at Booth.

He leans closer, ready to finally hear the answer to his problem.

"The holes were not drilled right. They don't line up with the other pieces. That's why it was not working."

"You are kidding me!" Booth shouts. "I've been struggling with this thing all day and it was as simple as a few holes!? God damn it!"

"Daddy!" Christine gasps at his cussing.

"Sorry, baby," Booth soothes.

"If you bring me a roll, I can fix it for you," Brenna offers.

"Not-uh. No way. Bones, you found the problem, and I thank you for that. But I promised Christine I would build it. And build it, I will."

"What, you're kicking me out now that I solved the problem for you? Come on!"

"I just want to keep my promise to our daughter, that's all."

Brennan stares him down. She was annoyed, but knew it wasn't about her. Though knowing she was the one to solve the problem made her feel immense joy.

"Fine. But I'm only giving you another hour. After that: Christine and I are taking over."

"Challenge accepted," Booth says with a cocky air. He heads for the garage to grab a drill to make new holes and the girls leave the room, a timer already counting down.

[][]

There is still twenty minutes left on the timer when Booth calls for them.

"You did it! Daddy! This is awesome! Thank you!" Christine squeals, rushing to her dad for a hug.

"You're welcome. Come on: let's go set this up in your room." He picks the shelf up and carries it into his daughter's bedroom, setting it into the space she directs him to.

Once her dad steps back, Christine sets right to work putting together her dream book display.

"You got her approval. I call that a success," Brenna nods, acknowledging their very opinionated daughter and how happy she was.

"You came in with the assist too. Couldn't have done it without you, Bones," Booth says.

"You're welcome." She holds out a hand, waiting for Booth to slap it. "Don't leave me hanging!"

"I would never leave you hanging! I just wasn't ready!"