My apologies for neglecting this story. I only recently realized that I'd left Booth, Brennan, and their family at the seashore for several months longer than I'd intended. I'm sure they didn't mind. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura

"So you're sure you're gonna be okay staying here at the beach by yourself?" Booth threw his duffel bag in the back of the SUV and turned to his wife. "Maybe you and the kids should come back to town with me…"

"We'll be fine, Booth. As you know, I'm quite capable of taking care of myself. Somehow I managed to do that before I met you." Brennan kissed her husband's cheek and winked at him. "Anyway, I made these arrangements several weeks ago, and it's too late now to change the schedule just because the weather may not cooperate. I don't want you to miss your doctor's appointment tomorrow, and Parker is supposed to leave for London the following morning, so you can take him to the airport, see him off, and then come back here to enjoy the last week of our beach vacation before you're supposed to go back to work." She tilted her head, watching him grumble as he rearranged things in the back of the car. "You know I'm right…"

"Yeah, I know, but it still bothers me for some reason. I guess I shouldn't have listened to the weather news last night. Hearing about that tropical storm moving up the coast toward North Carolina makes me nervous." He paused, reaching over to take her hand. "There's a weather radio in the house, right? It runs on batteries in case there's no electricity..."

Brennan rolled her eyes at her fretful husband. "Yes, and we have flashlights, lanterns, extra batteries, bottled water, coolers for storing our food, and there are security officers patrolling the area on a regular basis. If the electricity does go out and the approaching storm looks ominous, they'll inform us, and we'll evacuate to the community center in the middle of town or to the casino on the mainland. It's a very sturdy building, Booth. I'm sure you must realize that the community has a storm evacuation plan in place, should the need arise. We'll be fine. You know that I wouldn't deliberately put our children in harm's way."

"I know." He ran his thumb over her knuckles as he sighed quietly. "I just...I mean, leaving you here with two little kids...it doesn't seem right. What if something should happen while I'm gone? I'll have the car, and how would you leave if you needed to? Maybe I should call the doctor and postpone my appointment."

"You could do that, but Parker would still need to be at the airport very early on the day of his flight. If we are required to leave Ocean City because of the weather, I'm sure we can find a ride with someone, but I sincerely doubt we'll need to do that." Pulling her husband close, Brennan wrapped her arms around his neck. "I know you feel the need to protect us, and I love you for that, but the weather forecasters have looked at several models of the storm track, all of which show the storm most likely moving out to sea and away from our location without making landfall. Even if the storm does change course, we'll have plenty of time to move inland." Giving him another kiss, she grinned happily. "I'm looking forward to finding out what the doctor says, Booth. If you're completely released from her care, we can resume some of our more boisterous love making activities…"

Booth exhaled slowly, wondering if maybe they were a little bit too 'mature' to get any more boisterous than they already were in the lovemaking department. "Well, last time I saw her, she said we needed to take it easy with that sort of thing, but I guess she doesn't know that my wife has studied kinesiology, right? We've been pretty adventurous even while we've been taking it easy. What's gonna happen if I'm no longer restricted?"

"I don't know." Brennan shrugged as she let her eyes play over her husband's broad shoulders and muscular arms. "I guess you'll need to bring the doctor's note back here for me to see so you can find out." Running her hands down his chest, she gave him a seductive smile. "I can be very creative…"

"Jesus…" Booth exhaled slowly before giving her another passionate kiss. "Hold that thought 'til I get back, okay? I'm gonna make that doctor give me an 'all clear' note at my appointment, no matter what it takes."

Brennan giggled as she reached around to squeeze his gluteus muscles. "I hope so."

"Yeah…" One more quick kiss and then Booth shook his head, smiling at his beautiful wife. "If I don't hit the road soon, I'm gonna wanna stay all night, and then I might miss tomorrow's appointment." Holding her hand, they walked over to the door that led from the garage to the house and he called to his oldest child. "Parker? You ready to go, Bud?"

"Coming, Dad." The teenager came bounding down the steps with his younger siblings close at his heels. Lugging his suitcase behind him, he dragged it out to the garage and put it in the back end of the SUV before giving Brennan a hug. "Thanks for sharing your vacation with me, Bones. I'm glad you suggested it. I had a great time."

"We enjoyed your visit. Perhaps we can make it an annual affair."

"I'd like that." Parker stooped down to give Christine and Hank big hugs as well. "Okay, you guys, remember...you're gonna ask Dad to let you skype with me, right? As often as possible?"

"Okay, Parker." Christine blinked back her tears as she nodded. "I'll miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you, too, but I'll talk to you soon. Bye, Sissy…" He offered Hank a fist bump. "Bye, Partner." Parker stood up and drew a shuddering breath. "Okay...let's go, Dad…"

"Yeah." Booth turned to Brennan. "Listen, I'll call you when we get to the house, okay? And if you need anything…"

"I'll let you know. We'll be fine…" She patted his butt as she gave him a goodbye kiss. "We love you. See you in a couple of days."

Ooooooooooo

After an uneventful trip home, Booth unlocked the door of the darkened house as he juggled a large pizza box, a two liter bottle of soda, and a six pack of beer. "Come on in. I bet you're hungry."

Parker followed his father in and dropped his bags by the door. "Yeah, I could eat." Rubbing his hands together gleefully, he sat down at the kitchen counter as his dad set out some plates and flatware. "I really miss having pizza like this, you know? I mean, they have good restaurants in London, but their idea of pizza isn't even close to being as good as Luigi's."

Booth poured some soda into a glass and handed it to his son. "I know. I love Luigi's." He took a sip of his beer and grinned at his son. "But you still like living in London, right? It seems like you're enjoying school, and you've got friends there...and your mom is there…"

"Yeah, it's okay, I guess." Parker picked up a piece of sausage from the bottom of the pizza box and popped it into his mouth. "I'm glad I've had the opportunity to live in the UK. I've been to a lot of different places in Europe that I probably wouldn't have gotten to see otherwise, and my school is great." He sighed softly as he ran his finger across the rim of his glass. "Mom really likes it there, and I like her new husband, Brent, a lot, but...I don't know...I still miss you and Bones a lot, too, and Christine, and Hank...it's hard to explain…"

"Nah...I get it." Booth opened a bottle of beer and sat down next to his son. "We miss you, too, but if we know that you're happy, that makes it easier for us while you're living so far away." After choosing a slice of pizza from the box, he gave Parker a sidelong glance. "Have you and your mom discussed where you want to go to college yet?"

"Kinda…" Parker shrugged a shoulder slightly. "It depends on how things go with her job, and with Brent's, over the next few years. She's talked about them moving back to the States, and if they do, I'll probably apply at some universities here...probably University of North Carolina, or maybe West Virginia, but I'm not even sure what I want to study yet."

"That's alright. You've got a little bit of time before you have to decide. Who knows? Maybe you'll want to go to American or George Washington, if they offer something you're interested in."

"Maybe." The normally talkative Parker grew quiet as they ate dinner, watching his father intently, until finally he coughed softly. "Um...Dad? Have you thought about taking a desk job with the Bureau, or maybe working at Quantico? I bet you'd be a really good teacher at the Academy…"

Booth chuckled softly as he picked up another slice of pizza. "Still worried about your old man, huh?" He paused as he saw Parker cringe slightly in embarrassment. "Hey, no reason to be ashamed about that. I know you love me, okay? And yeah, I've considered it. I'll probably think about it more over the next few years, since I'm getting closer to fifty." He sipped his beer thoughtfully. "I want to do field work for maybe five more years or so, and then I'm gonna look into doing something else for the Bureau. Who knows? Maybe I can move up to be a director. That might help me pay for your college education, right?"

"Right." Parker drained his glass and grinned at his father. "Thanks, Dad."

"For what?" Booth cocked his head to one side. "Of course, we're gonna pay for college…me and your mom, that is..."

"No, thanks for being you. I guess I never realized how hard things were for you sometimes, like dealing with work and all, but you always put me first, and I appreciate it, so thanks, okay?"

"Yeah...okay." Booth rose from the table and picked up the plates. "Hey, how about some dessert? Luigi put some cinnamon twists in the bag, and I think there's some chocolate ice cream in the freezer…unless Aubrey found it and ate it all..."

"Sounds good." Getting up to help his father load the dishwasher, Parker smiled to himself as he remembered once again just how lucky he was.

Oooooooooo

"Mommy, why did Daddy have to go home today?", Christine asked as she watched her mother cut up some apples. "Wasn't he having fun at the beach?"

"Of course, he's been having fun." Brennan scooped up Hank from the floor where he was playing with his toy cars and set him down at the kitchen table. "He has an appointment tomorrow, and then the day after that, he has to take Parker to the airport so he can fly home to London. After he leaves the airport, Daddy will come back here, and we'll spend a few more days at the beach before our vacation time is over and we return home."

"Awww…" Christine's lower lip quivered as she picked up an apple slice. "I like the beach. I don't wanna go home."

"Bea, Mama...bea. Like the bea, Mama. Wanna twim." Hank bounced around in his chair, waving his slice of apple in one hand and a toy truck in the other. "Twim, Mama."

"We'll go swimming tomorrow, Hank." Reaching down to wipe his hands, Brennan shook her head. "We can't stay at the beach forever, Christine. Mommy and Daddy both have jobs, and we'll have to go back to work soon. If we didn't work, we couldn't afford to go on a beach vacation."

"Why don't you just write another book? You make lots of money that way, right?" Christine pouted a little bit as she pushed some apple seeds around on her plate. "I want to live at the beach forever."

"Writing a book is a lengthy process, but you're right. I am compensated well for my books." Brennan smiled as she rubbed her daughter's back. "When you are an adult, you may choose to live at the beach, if you have a good job and can afford to do so, but in order to have a good job, you must go to school to learn as much as you can. You attend an excellent elementary school in DC, Christine, and you'll need to start another year there in approximately six weeks, so we need to go home to have time to prepare. You'll need some new clothing, and some new shoes…"

"Can I get some My Little Pony shoes, Mommy? I want some light blue ones with rainbow unicorns on them." Christine giggled as she looked down at her bare feet. "And maybe some sparkly shoe laces, and maybe we can get some shoes that light up when I walk…"

"That sounds like a very nice pair of shoes, Christine. We'll go shopping for shoes when we get home. Will that be satisfactory?"

"I suppose." Chewing her apple thoughtfully, Christine finally smiled at her mother. "Can we go for a walk down the beach before dinner tonight?"

"I think that would be very enjoyable." Brennan sat down at the table and ate an apple slice as she thought over her daughter's suggestion. "Perhaps we should look for some shells to take home to your Aunt Angela. Maybe if we find some pretty ones, she can paint a picture of them for us to help us remember our vacation. Why don't we take our pails when we go on our walk?"

"Okay." Jumping down from her chair, Christine took her plate to the sink. "I'll go get them."

Brennan reached out to tousle Hank's hair as he finished his apple. As she gazed wistfully out the kitchen window, she sighed softly. Perhaps it would be nice to live at the beach all the time…

Ooooooooo

The next day, Booth picked up his tee shirt as he sat on the examination table. "So, good to go, right, Doc?"

Dr. LeConte typed the last of her notes into the computer file. "Yes, I believe so." The physician chuckled to herself as she made her entries. Her patient was remarkably fit for someone who was supposed to be taking it easy, and it was obvious from how well defined his musculature was that he had ignored her advice about resting. If this is what he looks like when he's not exercising a lot, I wonder what his physique is like when he's working out full tilt. Wow... Realizing that he was waiting on her verdict, she quickly cleared her throat. "I'm releasing you to go back to work next Wednesday." She glanced at her monitor before she continued. "I'm not placing any restrictions, as such, on you, but I would like you to limit the amount you lift to forty pounds to begin with, and then work up gradually to more weight over the next few months." She glanced at his torso before smiling at him. "I'm afraid you'll have a real dandy of a scar on your abdomen…"

"Yeah, I know. It'll match all the other ones I've got." Without thinking, he ran his fingers over the area where he'd been injured. "But it seems like it's completely healed…"

"I agree, but there's no reason to overdo things right away. After all, it was a very deep wound, and since you've been 'resting' for several weeks, you may need to build up your muscle mass again." Dr. LeConte pretended to be annoyed. "I know you haven't really been taking things easy, Agent Booth, but you'll be better off in the long run if you're cautious when you resume your physical training regimen." She printed a page and signed her name on it before handing it to him. "Here's a copy of what I sent the FBI human resources department. It says you can resume your normal duties, and that I'll need to see you in three months to check on your progress. Until then, please take care of yourself."

"You got it, Doc. Hey, thanks for everything. I appreciate all you've done for me." He reached out to shake her hand.

"My pleasure, Agent Booth. See you in three months."

He stopped by the front desk to make his next appointment before walking out to his SUV. As he climbed up into his car and put his key in the ignition, it finally hit him. He was completely healed, and all of the pain...all of the drama...all of the trouble...it was really over. Everything that had happened with Jared and that crazy, deadly plan of his was finally at an end. Sure, he had one more appointment, but for all intents and purposes, that ugly chapter of his life was behind him now, and he could look toward the future. A wave of relief seemed to crash over him as he sat there thinking about everything that had happened. He could finally move on.

It wasn't until Booth saw the wet spot on his letter from Dr. LeConte that he realized tears were running down his face. He wondered how many more times his grief over his brother would sneak up to bite him in the ass like that, but now...maybe now he was done with all that shit. Nodding to himself, he knew what he needed to do. He had to talk to the woman who'd been his ray of hope through this whole terrible storm. Pulling out his phone, he hit the speed dial and waited breathlessly for her to answer. "Bones?"

"Booth?" He could hear the happiness in her voice. "I hoped you'd call. I assume your appointment had a satisfactory outcome?"

He chuckled softly as he imagined her sitting on the beach house veranda with her cup of tea as the kids played nearby. "Yeah, it did. I've been released to go back to work, but the doctor says I'm still not supposed to lift too much for the next few months. Something tells me she figured out I haven't exactly been following all of her orders. I think she just had to throw that bit out there to cover her ass."

"Perhaps, but I think it's a good idea to follow her instructions. What are you and Parker doing for dinner tonight?"

"I think we're going to Rigoletto's for Italian." He paused, listening intently for a few seconds. "Is it raining there?"

"Yes, it just started. Fortunately, we were able to get a quick swim in at the pool before it started. The ocean was too choppy for us to play in this morning. It appears we're catching the outer edge of the tropical depression before it moves out to sea. Is it raining in DC?"

"Not yet, but the weather guy says it may rain some tonight." Booth paused, chewing his lip slightly as he tried to find the words to explain how he was feeling. "So...um...listen, Bones...I know you know this, but...I love you so much, alright? I mean, it just hit me, while I was sitting here in the car after my appointment, about how much shit you had to put up with while I was trying to keep Jared out of trouble...for all those years, not just this last time. You went way above and beyond what I deserved…"

"Booth…", she sighed softly. "We've been over that. Jared was your brother, and it was natural for you to want to help him…"

"I know, but…" He stared out the car's window as he thought about the past few months. "I just want you to know that I know how hard it was for you, okay? And that I appreciate you…and I love you..."

Brennan hesitated, wondering why Booth felt the need to repeat these things after they'd gone over them so many times after Jared had died, but she decided to play along. "Thank you, Booth. I appreciate you as well, and I love you very much. I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow."

"Yeah, me too. I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you. See you tomorrow. Bye…" He ended the call and put his phone on the console next to him. Leaning back in his seat, he closed his eyes and thanked God again for the wonderful woman who was his wife.

One more chapter to go...