(The Male in the Mail)

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I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Even though it seemed like a frantic time to everyone involved, Brennan had her baby girl and both she and the child were in good health. Booth had stayed in the room and tried to help comfort Brennan during the delivery of their baby and Brennan had appreciated his many kindnesses. She had never felt as much pain as she had felt delivering her baby, but when it was over, all she could think was that it had been worth it.

While Brennan was in labor, Hank had called Max to let him know that he was going to be a grandfather soon. The conman had made it to the house an hour before the baby was born and he was grateful that Hank had thought of him.

The baby was of average weight and length for a new born and that was fine for everyone. Christine Angela Booth had made an appearance during a rather sad moment in Hank Booth's life and he appreciated that a new life had entered the Booth line to replace the loss of his son. His one regret was that Edwin and his sons hadn't been able to connect in the last few years of Edwin's life. Much to his regret, his son had been a horrible parent and Hank couldn't get around that, but the man had been mentally ill and his addiction to alcohol had made the situation much worse.

When the midwife was ready for them, both Max and Hank had been allowed to enter Brennan and Booth's bedroom and they had both held the sleeping baby. Max couldn't get over how his granddaughter looked like his daughter when she had been a baby and Hank had wept tears of joy knowing that he had lived long enough to see another great-grandchild enter into the world.

Watching Max and Hank react towards his daughter, Booth felt pride in his family. For a long time, he hadn't thought he would have one, but Brennan had changed everything and he would always be grateful that she had taken a chance on him. Parker had given him a lot of joy and he expected Christine would do the same. He loved Brennan so much and now they had a daughter together. His grandfather had had a blow yesterday when he had lost his son, but he now had a great-granddaughter to help him recover. A life had left this earth and another had entered it.

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Booth had called the cemetery where his grandmother was buried and found out when his father was going to be buried. "Bones, I need to go to the grave site service. Not because my father is dead, but because my grandfather lost his son. He's always been there for me and I need to be there for him. I'd like to get Max to stay here for a couple of days. I'll drive up to Philadelphia, attend the service and maybe stay a day or two with Pops . . . I know he's disappointed that I didn't go see Dad when he was dying and I want to try to make up for that."

"I understand, Booth." Brennan was feeding her baby and couldn't get over how satisfying it was to see the child content. She had always feared she would be an awful parent, but so far she found that being a mother was not the mystery she thought it would be. She was confident she could handle any emergency that came up and Booth needed to support his grandfather during his time of grief. "I'll call Max. I'm sure it won't be a problem." The child finished, Brennan gently burped her and smiled when Christine gave out a lusty belch. "Would you like to hold her?"

"You know I would." Booth lifted he baby from her mother's arms, walked over to the chair near the closet and sat down. "She's so beautiful . . . just like you."

Flattered, Brennan nodded her head. "She is exceptional."

"She is." Booth knew that Brennan was aware of just how beautiful she was and sometimes it amused him. There was no false modesty in his partner. "I'm going to miss you guys, but it will only be for a few days . . . I'll let Jared know. They don't plan to let him out of the hospital until Friday. I'll be back in time to bring him back here."

"When is Jared expected in court to answer for the DUI charge?" Brennan wanted to make sure that Jared didn't miss that appearance.

Christine now asleep, Booth lowered his voice when he replied. "I need to let the judge's clerk know when Jared is released from the hospital and she'll give him a court date. I'll take him to court and see what happens from there."

"Will he get jail time?" Brennan knew that Booth's brother needed therapy and he might not get any if he was in prison.

His gaze flicked from his daughter to his partner, Booth shook his head. "I don't know. He's had three DUIs, only one of them stuck . . . so I don't know. For the one he was convicted of, his driver's license was suspended for 180 days. I expect him to get jail time this time, but I'm hoping the Judge will show mercy. Jared is going to need therapy for that leg. Right now, that cast is from his ankle to just below his hip. I don't know if the court wants to deal with that or not. It will depend upon the prosecutor and the judge. We'll just have to wait and see."

"I hope that Jared takes this as a cautionary tale and gives up drinking alcohol." Brennan knew that Jared wasn't as strong as Booth and she knew that it would have to be up to Jared.

"Yeah, me too." Disgusted with his brother, Booth hoped that this time, his brother would consider making some big changes in his life. "No one can make him give it up. Look at Dad. Pops got him into a program a few months before he went nuts on me and beat the shit out of me. He gave up drinking for two weeks, but he wanted the booze more than he wanted his family. Jared has to want this or it's not going to work."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Hank had walked slowly from the parking lot to the grave site where his son was going to be buried. He was starting to feel his age. The death of a child is hard to take even if that child is in his 60's and he knew that he would miss Edwin even if no one else did. As he approached the grave site, he was surprised to see his grandson Seeley talking to the priest.

When he finally reached the grave site, he stopped and stared at his grandson. "Seeley?"

"Pops." Booth turned to face his grandfather. "I couldn't let you go through this by yourself. You've lost your son and you shouldn't have to bury him alone."

His throat tight from emotion, Hank reached out and grasped his grandson's arm. "Thank you, Seeley . . . I appreciate that you came."

"We're family, Pops. We'll get through this together." The coffin was oak and glistened in the sun. "You picked a nice coffin. Dad always did like oak."

"Yeah . . . I remember when he found that oak rocking chair at a garage sale and bought it for $25. He bragged about that chair for a long time." Hank felt a tear fall down his cheek and he let it. "Vietnam kind of messed him up. He was a damn good pilot, but when he was shot down and injured . . . they gave him a medical discharge and that made him bitter. He didn't want to give up being a pilot, but they didn't care what he wanted. He tried a few things after that, but he didn't seem satisfied until his uncle offered him a job as a barber and he liked that job . . . It was the drinking that did him in. If he could have given it up, he wouldn't have . . . he would have been better off . . . He just couldn't give it up and now it's killed him."

Placing his arm around his grandfather's shoulders, Booth shook his head. "He's at peace, Pops. Whatever demons that were chasing him aren't chasing him anymore."

"Yeah." Hank dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief. "He's with his mother now. They always got on so well."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Back home, Booth entered the house and found Brennan in the kitchen with Christine and Max was cooking lunch and regaling his daughter with stories about some of the crazy things he'd done as a boy. "Hey, I'm home."

Flashing a smile at Booth, Brennan stood up and walked over to where her mate was standing. After kissing him, she handed his daughter to him. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too." Booth leaned over and kissed his daughter's cheek. "Pops is back at the retirement home. He needs the rest. He gave me a box that belonged to my Dad. I didn't want to take it, but . . . well, I couldn't say no to Pops."

"Did you open it?" Brennan was curious and hoped she got to see the contents of the box.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do with the box, but for now, he was going to place it in the closet. "No. Maybe someday, but I don't want to look at it right now . . . Have you talked to Jared? Is he doing okay?"

"Yes, I talked to him." Brennan took Christine from Booth's arms and sat down at the kitchen table. "He's still in pain, but it's not as bad as the day he woke from surgery."

"I'm going to go unpack and if Max has made enough lunch, I'll join you two."

Turning from the stove, Max held up the spatula and waved it. "I always cook enough for left overs . . . We're eating in about fifteen minutes. You can set the table."

"Will do." Amused, Booth winked at Brennan and left the room. Once he was in their bedroom, he unloaded his bag including the wooden box his grandfather had given him. Shoving the box on the top shelf of the closet under his gun case, Booth placed the bag in the bottom of the closet and left the room to join his family in the kitchen. He was glad he had gone to Philadelphia to be with his grandfather. The old man deserved respect and support and he would always give him both.

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