Brennan looked up with Booth came into the diner. He was smiling.

"Did he get to school okay?" she asked. It was a week after they had told Parker that Booth was his father. Brennan and Booth had met with her social worker, Janet, to discuss the plan for Parker. They started off with one day visit on the weekend and one overnight visit during the week. It would increase from there as more time went on.

"Well, we had to avoid the aliens at the apartment and then drive a drag race to win the chance to pass the dragon. We solved the dragon's riddle, and after that we dodged falling balls of fire but not before I picked a drink that could have been poison, but it wasn't, and I got him there in one piece."

"I don't understand what you're saying."

"I'm being sarcastic, Bones."

"Oh."

"Yes, I got him to school okay," Booth said. "He is very bright."

"He is," Brennan agreed.

Booth sat own and ordered a coffee, which came quickly. He didn't tell Brennan that Parker did nothing but talk about Brennan and how wonderful she was, not that Booth needed reminding. It seemed the boy was determined to get his father and his foster mother together by being not so subtle and constantly putting her in his face. Booth snuck peeks at Brennan as he sipped his coffee. She was engrossed in the newspaper for some reason.

He tapped his fingers on the table. Here was his chance to bring up her note, but for whatever reason, he just couldn't. It was like he was waiting for the perfect moment, but he didn't know when that would be. He was also a little afraid of her reaction, if he was honest.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked suddenly, this new thought having burst into his mind like a freight train.

"Excuse me?" she said, confused.

"By doing this. Am I hurting you?"

"By wanting to have custody of your son?"

"Yea."

Brennan lowered the paper, looking thoughtful.

"I don't know how to answer that," she said. If she was honest with him, she'd tell him that yes, it was killing her inside, but Parker was his son, so what right did she have to adopt him? She knew better than to get attached to the boy. Something always took away the things or people that meant the most to her.

"Yes, you do," he pointed at her. "I am hurting you. I can see it in your eyes."

"I'll get over it," she promised.

"Bones," Booth said. "If I wasn't around, there would be no other person in the world who I'd want to raise him."

"But you are around," she said logically.

"Yes, but I would still value your input. I'll be a single father. He needs some kind of female role model."

"Are you suggesting we co-parent Parker?" she asked.

"In a way," he answered, nodding. "I guess I am."

"I think it would confuse him," Brennan said, shaking her head. "We aren't together. I'm not his parent. I'm a foster parent. I did my job, and now he's going to be with you." She stood up then.

"Bones," Booth tried, standing too. He threw down some bills for the coffee and chased after her. "Wait."

"You're not making this better," she said once they were outside. "Stop trying. I've accepted it."

Booth's phone rang then, and he answered since Brennan was already walking down the street. Much to his annoyance, an ice cream truck came alongside him with its music blaring in his ear. He tried to get the driver to turn it off, but he only got arguing in return. In the end, Booth let his anger and impatience win, and he pulled out his gun and shot the speaker right out of the clown's mouth on top of the ice cream truck. The driver gaped at him, and Brennan turned to see him standing there on his phone, gun in hand. At least he'd gotten the flight number from the person on the other end.

"Booth," Brennan said, coming slowly towards him. "That was a very bad thing you just did."

"Yea, well. It's quiet now, right?" Booth asked, pocketing his phone and walking away. Brennan stood there watching, stunned.

...

"Do you realize that you've probably just screwed up your chances of getting custody of Parker?" Caroline asked Booth furiously, later that day. Booth was half paying attention. He was sulking because he had to see a shrink and Brennan was off in Florida with Sully. He had a bad feeling about those two.

"Do you?!" Caroline hollered, banging her hand on the desk and making him jump.

"How?"

"Oh, let's see. A deranged FBI agent just shot an unanimous object in public because he got annoyed. I think the social worker is gonna have a huge problem with that!" Caroline practically shouted.

"They wouldn't," Booth said, going a bit pale. "What does that have to do with my ability to parent?"

"If you can't control your temper and your impulsivity to shoot things, then who knows what you might do if Parker pisses you off," Caroline growled. "That is where their minds will go."

"You can't be serious..."

"I'm dead serious, Booth," Caroline said. "You better get to that therapist and talk your sweet little ass off and make this all better or else you'll be labeled unfit for parenting."

"Okay, okay," Booth said, getting up. It was time to meet this therapist, Gordon Gordon Wyatt. He had no idea what to expect. What kind of person had two of the same name? He wasn't exactly fond of the idea of spilling his guts to someone he didn't know at all. As he walked, he kept thinking about what Caroline just said. It scared the hell out of him.

...

Brennan picked up Parker from Ashley's house after work. She kept finding herself thinking about Sully. She didn't mind working with him, and he was pleasant to look at.

"Are you mad that I like being with Dad?" Parker asked when they entered the apartment.

"What? Goodness, no," Brennan answered, bending down to his level. "Whatever would make you think that?"

"You guys don't spend as much time together anymore like you used to," Parker pointed out."And you don't talk much. I just wondered."

"I'm not mad at all," Brennan promised, giving him a hug. "I'm glad you like being with him."

"I like being with you too."

"Parker..." Brennan warned, knowing where this was going.

"It could work," Parker insisted.

"I'm sorry, but it won't," Brennan replied. She wondered why Parker was so persistent in his mission to get Brennan to be with Booth. "Now get ready for bed."

"Okay."

She watched him scurry off. She wondered how many nights she'd have left with him. Pounding on her door made her flinch, and she went to answer it.

"Booth?" she said, seeing him. "What's wrong?"

"Janet suspended my visits," he said, angry.

"What? Why?"

"Because I shot a damn clown!"

"Shhh, Parker's just down the hall," she said, going out and shutting the door behind her. "It wasn't a real clown, though."

"It might as well have been," Booth growled.

"When can you see him again?"

"Oh, I can see him, but you have to supervise," he answered.

"I'll speak with her. You're a good parent, Booth. She can't do this."

"Maybe it's God telling me something," Booth said, leaning against the wall.

"Like what?" Brennan asked cautiously.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm not meant to be his father."

"Booth, you are his father. God can't change DNA," Brennan pointed out.

"I feel like this is a sign, though."

"You've been under a lot of stress. Breaking up with Cam, and Howard dying..."

"Stop," Booth ordered, holding up his hand. She shut her mouth quickly.

"How did the session go today?" she asked instead.

"It was...confusing," Booth answered. "He wants to see me tomorrow."

"It's okay. Sully and I have the case handled."

"How is Sully?"

"He's good," Brennan answered. A small flush hit her cheeks, and it did not go unnoticed by Booth.

"Oh."

Brennan cleared her throat. Yes, she kind of fancied Sully. It was only fair. Booth had made it clear he wasn't about to date a coworker again anytime soon. It was foolish to think he'd change his mind. If only she'd stop comparing the two of them, though.

"Bones?" Parker called.

"I gotta go."

"Okay."

The door opened, and Parker poked his head out.

"Dad!" he cried.

"Hey, buddy," Booth waved, smiling. "Just having a quick chat with Bones. I'm heading out now."

"Okay. Good night," Parker said, going to hug him. Booth hugged him back and released him. Parker gave him a meaningful look, but Booth just gave a slight shake of his head in return. He waved to them both and went down the stairs slowly. He knew he'd have to take this therapy seriously because it was not only his job on the line, having custody of his son was too.

...

"Did you release him? Or did he fall from your grasp? Was he your fiftieth kill? Or were you just there when he died?"

"I don't know. I had him, then I lost him. Something happened in the middle."

"Saying you don't know is relinquishing control, which makes me believe you."

These words rolled around in Booth's mind after he left his session with Gordon. He didn't really know. He thought back to that night often enough, but it was foggy to him whenever he thought about what made Howard Epps fall to his death. He was tired of thinking about it. He decided he wanted some pie to help him digest Gordon's talk. When he got there, though, he noticed Brennan and Sully sitting across from each other talking and laughing. He paused, watching. There seemed to be this spark flying back and forth between them, and it made him feel gutted inside.

He didn't even get out of his car. He simply started it up again and backed out of his spot. He took one last look at them before driving away.

A Few Days Later

Brennan was thinking about Sully like she seemed to always be doing lately. After their pie date, they had seen each other a few more times. She hadn't introduced him to Parker yet because she didn't want to if this wasn't going to be serious. She didn't need Parker getting attached and then having Sully take off.

"Good morning," Janet smiled as Brennan walked into her office. "What can I do for you?"

"Here," Brennan said, handing her a letter. "You'll find my statement regarding Seeley Booth in there."

"For what?"

"You shouldn't stop him from seeing his son. He made a mistake, Ms. Chambers, but it shouldn't cost him the right to see his son."

"He can see him. You just have to be there to supervise."

"Booth does not need to be supervised," Brennan said firmly. "He is father material. He is more than capable to raise his son. Read the letter."

She turned to walk away then, leaving Janet standing there flabbergasted.

...

Brennan was teaching Parker how to play crokinole when her phone rang. She was laughing as Parker shot his piece too hard, bouncing off her forehead.

"Sorry!" he exclaimed.

"It's all right," she smiled. She shot her piece quickly (it cleared the board entirely of all pieces) before answering her phone. "Brennan."

She watched Parker stick his tongue out slightly in the corner of his mouth as he concentrated. He was trying to get his piece into the center for 50 points. Brennan had to admit that he was very good at the game in such a short time.

"Thank you," Booth said.

"For what?"

"Janet called me and said I have visitation back. She said I had you to thank, so I'm thanking you."

"It was nothing," she dismissed.

"Well, I appreciate it all the same. Gordon is going to talk to her tomorrow too to let her know I'm not insane."

"That'll help."

"Is that Dad?" Parker asked, looking at her then. "Hi, Dad!"

"Parker says hi."

"Hi back."

"He says hi back," Brennan told Parker, who beamed. He took his shot then and crowed when it hit the center.

"Yes!"

"What's he doing?" Booth asked.

"Whupping me at crokinole," Brennan sighed.

"My fingers always hurt from that game after."

"Mine too."

They were quiet for a moment, and Brennan took her shot while waiting for Booth to speak next. She missed the center, and Parker worked to remove her piece from the board as she adjusted the phone in her hand.

"How's Sully?" Booth finally asked. Brennan wondered when he would bring it up.

"He's good."

"Good."

"Hey, if you want to pick up Parker Friday night, you can have him all day Saturday."

"You sure you're okay with that? It's more than what they allotted..."

"They said one evening and one weekend day. Why can't they be adjacent?"

"I guess so, yea."

"Thank you. It saves me asking Ashley to watch him."

"What are you doing?"

"Plans with our mutual friend," Brennan answered. She didn't even want to say Sully's name so as not to get Parker curious about it. She'd tell him when the time was right.

"Ah. Okay."

"I should go, though. I can't really play while on the phone," Brennan said.

"Yea, yea. Sure. I'll talk to you later."

"Talk to you later."

Brennan hung up, and she took Parker's piece off the board without batting an eye.

"Aw, man!" Parker groaned, smacking his hand against his forehead and making Brennan laugh.

She did her best to not think about Booth and instead focused on Sully. There was no point in thinking about something that would never happen.

Days Later

Booth felt unnerved. Sully had just asked him advice on how to get with Brennan, and it was not sitting well with him at all. Sully had hit a sore spot when he said Booth wasn't after her. He wasn't, not really. He just liked her from afar. She wasn't interested in being with him, so why would he force something that would end up being a disaster?

No, instead he was left to give another man information on how to be with Brennan, which he managed to flounder his way out of. He was such an idiot sometimes.

...

Brennan had deduced that it was up to her to make the first move. She was watching Sully play basketball again. She sat farther away from the two women who had made the "Peanut" comments last time. They had solved their case, so Booth had Parker for the night. Brennan was planning on inviting Sully over. She knew that after seeing Parker's toys, she would have to explain. She didn't care. She knew Sully would be completely fine with it.

When the game was over, she rushed over to him and kissed him. For a brief moment, Booth popped into her mind, but she shoved him out with such force she almost lost track of what she was doing.

"Wow," Sully said with a big smile. "I must have really impressed you tonight."

"You did."

"You know, there is no rush..." he started, but she kissed him again.

He didn't argue.

...

"I like your funny socks better," Parker said, gesturing. Booth looked down. He had put them back on after Gordon had told him to go back to his small, rebellious ways, and he had gladly done so. Being monotone was just too drab for him.

"Me too," Booth agreed.

They were playing a racing video game together, and Booth was losing. Parker laughed gleefully as he passed the finish line in first place.

"I could be a NASCAR racer," he gloated.

"Don't rub it in," Booth retorted, but he was smiling. He enjoyed these moments with his son. Parker was going to be six soon. He was going to speak with Brennan about doing something for Parker's birthday.

"I think Bones likes somebody," Parker said suddenly.

"Why do you think that?"

"She is looking at her phone and smiling more than she used to. I think she is talking to someone she likes on it."

"Oh."

"If you don't get ready soon, you'll be too late," Parker told Booth, looking at him then. He didn't have to ask the boy what he was talking about. He already knew.

...

"Okay," Sully said. "I gotta know. The toys?"

Brennan smiled. They were looking at each other, lying on their sides in her bed.

"I'm a foster parent."

"Seriously? Wow!" he said. "That is so cool."

"You think so?"

"Yea! You'd make a great foster mom."

"Thank you."

"So...where is he?"

"Well, he's with his father."

"Wait," Sully said, confused. "If he has a father, why is he with you?"

"We found his father while he was staying with me. We are making the transition."

"Oh. That must be so hard for you," Sully said, touching her face gently.

"It is," Brennan nodded. She left out the fact that it was Booth's son. She didn't know why.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I knew the risks of being a foster parent."

"Doesn't make it any easier, though."

Brennan didn't respond. She didn't want to talk about it anymore. She turned to her other side and let him hold her from behind. She just wanted to clear her mind of it. She didn't want to start crying again. It was easier to hide it from Parker than it would be to hide it from Sully. It was too early to be that vulnerable with him, but she had this strange feeling that she could be that vulnerable with Sully. It was a thought she kept in her mind as they fell asleep together.

The Next Day

Booth dropped Parker off at school, and after watching the boy skip inside and greet his friends eagerly, he drove to the Jeffersonian. He went to wait in Brennan's office, putting his feet up on her desk. He wondered if she had been with Sully the night before. They seemed to spend a bit of time together. He tried not to think about it. He hated to admit how jealous he was of Sully.

"Congrats, Brennan," Angela's voice said, and he tensed. Congrats for what?

Brennan entered her office then and stopped short upon seeing him in her chair. It cut into her thoughts about how Sully had asked if he could meet Parker one day. She hadn't really given him a straight answer.

"Those are very vivid socks," she commented.

"Well apparently the tie, the socks, and the belt buckle are ways that I'm channeling my socioeconomic rage," he told her.

"You know how much I hate psychology," she said.

"In other words, they help me deal with irritation towards the privileged people on a day to day basis," Booth finished.

Brennan had stopped listening because seeing him there made her feel guilty, and she didn't know why she felt guilty. She had no obligation towards Booth. They were not together. She could do what she wished with whom she wished. It made no sense to her, though, when she blurted it out.

"I slept with Sully. Last night."

The shock in his eyes. She caught it. She also saw the disappointment. This surprised her, but she dismissed it as bad lighting in her office. Booth did not like her that way. He had said it himself: no romances between partners as it ends badly.

"Oh. I thought, uh, you already..."

"Nope. Last night."

"Okay. That's...that's not really my business," he said.

"We're partners. And you told me about your socks," she gestured.

"Because sex and socks are the same thing," Booth said, taking his feet off her desk at this point.

"Do we have a case or are you just hanging around for no apparent reason?" she asked, changing the subject. She felt awkward now.

"A case. I'll fill you in. Oh, and wear some protective gear. It's messy."

"Okay," she nodded, going for her boots.

Booth waited while pretending not to care that Brennan had slept with Sully the night before.

It's just that it really did bug him after all.

He pulled out her note to him and tucked it under her day timer on her desk. All thoughts of telling her he'd found it went out the window. She was with Sully now. He had missed his chance, and he didn't think he'd get another one. She'd think someone had recognized her handwriting and put it there for her, or she might think she had put it there herself. He forced a smile when she came back out, ready to go.

He had really wanted to tell her.

Of course we're not done with that letter. Stay tuned!