Sunday, July 8th- 3pm-
Antonia sat at the table surrounded by papers, her eyes scanning through page after page that had been sent to her from the Jeffersonian. The printer was still warm from the copies that had been sent, and she could feel a yawn deep in her chest as she heard the sound of pounding feet as they came nearer.
Suddenly, the door to the dining room burst open, and tiny feet came parading inside as quickly as they could as laughter erupted from the little sprite they belonged to. Suddenly, the sound of larger feet came just after, as Aiden burst into the room, a laugh on his tongue, his t-shirt damp, with a beach towel on his shoulder as he reached out and grabbed the squealing child, lifting her over his head as he swung her around. Water dripped from the bathing suit Melody was wearing, and her giggle cascaded across the room like a babbling brook.
"What on earth are you two doing?" Antonia exclaimed, laughing lightly as she sat back in the chair, watching as Aiden dropped Melody into his arms, cradling the smiling girl as he caught his breath. "You're getting the papers wet." She teased.
"We're not getting the papers wet." He laughed, moving toward her, he dropped the dripping child into her arms as she squeaked. "You're getting the papers wet!"
"Aiden!" She exclaimed, half humored, and half concerned as Melody wrapped her arms around Antonia, her wet hair against her neck as Aiden reached for her. "I thought you guys were swimming."
"We were swimming, she missed you." He said, plucking Melody from Antonia's arms, the little girl held onto Aiden's t-shirt as he dropped a kiss on her cheek. "How are things going?"
"They are the same as they were when you were in here last time." She sighed. "Mom has nothing new. They've been canvasing the area where they were taking us, but still haven't figured out where they were taking us, and the suspects aren't talking."
"They identified them, though. Did they identify their associates?" Aiden asked, pulling the towel from his shoulder, he wrapped Melody in it and held her against him.
"Most of their past associates are either dead or in jail. It looks like they are relatively new to whatever trouble they've gotten themselves into this time." She sighed. "It doesn't really explain their loyalty though."
"I think not wanting to be killed is a good enough reason to keep their mouths shut." Aiden sighed.
"I guess." Antonia said, looking back at the papers. "I haven't heard from Mom or Dad since yesterday morning. I don't know if they've gotten anywhere with Melody's mother's files." Antonia sighed. "I wish they would get them so that I can see them."
"You do know that you're a forensic anthropologist, and not an investigator, right?" Aiden asked, laughing a little as he put Melody to the ground and crouched in front of her, drying her quickly with the towel. Antonia didn't answer, and when he looked up at her, he smiled innocently at her scowl. "I love you." He grinned.
"You are lucky that I love you." She teased, a smile sneaking onto her lips. "I take it you guys are done swimming."
"Yeah, it was getting a little warm out there." He sighed, dropping the towel on Melody's head, he listened to her giggle as he stood up and watched Antonia for a moment.
"We could always…" She started, stopping when she heard the sound of the gate bell buzzing. She jumped at the sound.
"What was that?" Aiden asked, suddenly on alert, she noticed how his eyes flicked to the gun box on the refrigerator.
"Someone's at the gate, my trigger happy friend." She said, smiling slightly as she pushed a couple buttons on the laptop, a picture appeared, and the face of the person at the gate came into view, staring at the camera, sticking their tongue out. It made Antonia smile.
"What is he doing here?" Aiden asked, standing up straight, he glanced to Antonia, and she grinned at him.
"I have no idea, let's go ask him!" She said excitedly, jumping from her chair, she ran from the room and quickly out the door. Aiden shook his head and sighed, glancing to Melody, who looked up at him curiously. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded toward the door as they walked together toward the open door.
Aiden walked out onto the steps just as she swung the gate open, her arms wrapped around the man at the gate, laughing out loud as she let him go and grabbed his face with her hands.
"Parker, Parker, Parker!" She exclaimed, and sighed with relief. "What are you doing here?"
"Bones wanted me to bring supplies, clothes, some food. Hodgins wanted me to bring you some gadgets." He said, holding up a briefcase in his hand, he laughed at his sister's excitement and held his hand out to Aiden as he approached the siblings, shaking his hand firmly.
"Gadgets?"
"He wanted me to upgrade the software on the security system, and get you some newer laptops, and increase the speed on the broadband, and install the Jeffersonian security cameras into the servers here, so you can see the lab. Do you mind if I stay the night? I have a lot of work to do." He asked, making a hopeful face at his sister, he glanced to Aiden, who shrugged.
"It's fine with me." Antonia smiled. "Where are the boys?"
"Oh, they're staying with Grace and JV." Parker said, glancing back to the car. "Can you guys give me hand?"
Antonia nodded, glancing to the door of the house to see Melody peeking outside, her dark blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. She signed for her to stay put, and walked toward the car with Aiden and Parker. "You left those two with bridezilla? I thought you loved your children, Parker."
"I figure they're evenly matched." Parker shrugged as the three of them walked toward the car. Parker opened the back of the SUV, and they began to pull items from the back.
"What are you doing with my truck?" Aiden asked, watching Parker smile slightly as he pulled a bag onto his shoulder.
"I'll return the rental. We have no idea how long you three are going to be here, so it's just easier to bring your own car. And on that note…" Parker said, turning to see Antonia's eyebrows lift. "Grace says if you're not back for her wedding, she knows where you are and will eliminate you if she needs to."
Antonia turned and glared at Aiden when he let out a loud laugh, to which his smile disappeared. "I love you."
"Mmhm…" She said as they approached the doorway, only to see Melody take off running through the house. Parker glanced to Aiden, and he shrugged as they both glanced to Antonia. "You guys get the rest in the house, I'll go get Shadow." She said, setting one of the bags on the ground as she went to find where Melody had run off to.
Aiden followed Parker out to the car to grab more bags. They stepped to the back of the car and Parker turned to Aiden. "I just had to come out here and see her for myself." Parker said, giving Aiden a slight smile.
"They're both doing remarkably well, considering." Aiden said, hefting another bag onto his shoulder. "It's good to see a familiar face. We're glad you're here."
"Well, being on the outside of the investigative stuff gives me the benefit of not getting wrapped up in the trouble my sisters find themselves in. My job though, is pretty flexible in that I can usually help get them out of said trouble." Parker laughed, lugging a bag of equipment with him. They closed up the SUV, and Parker handed Aiden the keys and they walked toward the house again. Once inside, Aiden closed the door and listened for Antonia.
"I'm going to go find the girls." Aiden said, watching as Parker nodded and started going through his things.
Aiden walked through the house, looking for Antonia, when he heard her talking softly in one of the bedrooms. He walked around the corner to find her sitting quietly with Melody, speaking to her as she signed.
"There is nothing to be afraid of." Antonia signed to the little girl, whose eyes looked up at Aiden curiously.
"You are safe." He signed to her, watching her eyes flick back to Antonia.
"Parker is my big brother." She said, smiling as she said it, tipping her head. "He is here to help us." She said, looking to the door, where Parker appeared behind Aiden. Aiden glanced to him and smiled a little, noticing what was in his hand. He stepped back, and watched Melody's eyes widen.
"Bonnie!" she signed excitedly, running toward the pink bunny that Parker was holding. She looked up at Parker as she hugged her beloved friend tightly.
Parker smiled brightly as the little girl immediately hugged him, wrapping her arms around his leg as she held Bonnie close to her.
"Looks like you made a friend for life." Aiden said, watching Parker touch the little girl's head as she looked up at him, tears of joy on her cheeks as she thanked him.
"Bones asked me to bring it to her." He smiled back at her, signing "You're welcome."
The four of them settled on pizza for dinner, and enjoyed their food as they sat at the table talking to one another. "So you seriously flung the crowbar at the guy?" Parker asked, watching as Aiden listened intently to Antonia's story.
"I had to. I signed to Melody to scream, cause a distraction, and I just hurled it at him. I figured I'd either impale him or knock him out. At that point, I was not going to quibble." She said with a laugh. She looked to Melody as she reached for a third slice, and Antonia shook her head. "Wait." She signed, reminding the little girl of their conversation from earlier when she explained to her that her tummy may just not know it's full yet, and that she should give it some time. Melody pouted and sat back, wrapping her arms around Bonnie securely.
"How have you been feeling?" Parker asked, watching his sister's raised eyebrow.
"They told you, didn't they?" She asked.
"They've told everyone." Parker said, watching as his sister rolled her eyes. "They're just proud, and excited. And Dad wanted me to…"
"Doctor's appointment is set for tomorrow." Antonia said, quelling his worries quickly.
"Good." Parker smiled. "Congratulations, though. You're going to be a great mom. You already are." He said, watching as Melody sipped from her cup of milk, looking around at the adults.
"We'll have to see about that." Antonia sighed, smiling a bit shyly as she reached out to hand Melody a napkin, just seconds before the milk dribbled down her chin.
"The boys love their Aunt Toni."
"Yes, and after I wind your children up with sugar, teach them pranks, and let them stay up until all hours of the night when they stay with me, I always send them home to you." Antonia replied.
"Yeah, payback is going to be so much fun." Parker smiled, watching as Antonia and Aiden both let out nervous laughs.