So I wrote the Parker chapter! And oh my got, 150 reviews? You guys area amazing, I swear - you're too good to me! Thanks a million :) HAH, and then it took me a good twenty minutes to realize that I edited it but hadnt posted it yet! SORRY!

Chapter 7:

Reunions

Life is a pure flame, and we live by an invisible sun within us.
-Sir Thomas Browne

They sat for a while, Temperance watching with heavy lidded eyes, her head still resting comfortably on Booth's shoulder, as he played with their daughter. He read her a book or two that were in reach, and Temperance watched the love dance in his eyes as he did so, making animal sounds as the text demanded, drawing helpless giggles from the young girl.

It was just as Elizabeth was beginning to drift off that Temperance wiggled her way out of Booth's grasp. "I'll be right back," she said, tossing Booth a smile over her shoulder as she made her way into her room. Moments later, she reemerged, carrying an object in her hand.

Dropping back down next to Booth, she held out the object, and he took it from her with a raised eyebrow. "Parker gave it to me for Christmas," she stated, scooping up Elizabeth who had begun crawling over her fathers legs to get to her mother.

"You had Christmas?" he asked, looking up at her, stunned.

Temperance shrugged, "Things change," she said simply, looking down to Elizabeth as if for proof. The young girl yawned and Temperance swayed her gently, coaxing her to sleep in her lap, leaning back against Booth's shoulder to observe the pictures with him.

"This one was taken when she was a week old," Temperance said, pointing to the first picture – one with her, Singer, Parker and Beth in it. She felt, rather than saw, Booth smile as he draped his arm back over her and flipped to the next picture. "She's three months there," she said, pointing to a picture of Beth asleep against Singer's side. "This one is from Parker's birthday…"

They continued through the photo album for the better part of an hour, Temperance narrating the different pictures as Booth listened, making occasional comments, but mostly sitting there, his arm draped around Temperance, smiling as he leaned his head against hers, listening to the sound of her voice and thinking about how much she had changed since he last saw her – but not at all in a bad way.

It was when they reached a picture taken during one of the times that Parker had slept over that Temperance sat up abruptly, surprisingly not disturbing the sleeping toddler on her lap. "What time is it?" she asked, her eyes scanning the room for a clock.

"It's 7:18," Booth said, knitting his eyebrows together in confusion. "Why, is there somewhere…?"

"Parker's coming at 7:30," Temperance said, looking up to Booth. "He's staying the night – Rebecca has some thing for work…"

"Parker's coming?" Booth asked, a gentle, happy expression on his face, his voice light, soft excitement creeping into it.

"He should be here soon."

"Well then, we'll just have to get ready," Booth said, grinning.

Now it was Temperance's turn to be confused. "Ready?" she asked. "For…?" Booth put his head down next to hers, and whispered his plan in her ears.

XxX

To us, family means putting your arms around each-other and being there.
-Barbara Bush

Fifteen minutes later, the knock sounded on the door, and Temperance was ready. Getting up, she slid the door open, just as Singer came bounding across the floor to lap at Parker's face. Parker laughed, petting the dog before throwing his arms around Temperance's waist with a cry of "Hey, Mom!"

Temperance laughed, ruffling his hair in greeting. "Hey, Bud, how are you?"

"I'm good," Parker replied. "Where's Elizabeth?"

"She's on the couch," Temperance said, squeezing Parker's shoulder before he jumped off in search of his sister.

"I'll see you tomorrow night!" Rebecca called to Parker, then shook her head when he didn't respond. She smiled at Temperance, "Thanks again."

"Anytime," Temperance said with a smile, waving at Rebecca as she headed down the hallway.

As she made her way back to the couch Parker looked up at her from where he was bouncing Elizabeth. "So what're we going to do t'day?" he asked. His eyes lit up as an idea ran through his head. "Can we make cookies?"

Temperance laughed, sitting down next to him. "Sure," she said. Placing a hand on his knee, she continued, "But first, I have a surprise for you, Parker."

"Really?" he asked, his eyes bright and sparkling.

"Uh-huh," Temperance said. "But first, you have to give me Elizabeth," she paused, taking her daughter as Parker handed her over, "And then you have to close your eyes…no peeking!"

Parker jammed his eyelids shut, and Temperance turned nodding to Booth, who had stuck his head out of Elizabeth's room. He made his way to stand in front of Parker, his arms open wide. "Hey, bud, didja miss me?"

Parker's eyes flew open at the sound of his dads voice, and a gasp filled his throat. Then he launched himself off of the couch, flinging himself into his dads arms with a cry of "Daddy!" Booth scooped him up easily, holding his son – who's arms were thrown around his neck – tightly to him.

"You grew," he grunted as Parker clung to him tightly.

Temperance watched, holding her own daughter, as Booth reunited with his son. She turned her attention respectfully away, and directed it at Elizabeth, as Booth and Parker chattered on for a few minutes. Then Parker twisted in his fathers arms to look back at Temperance and Elizabeth. "Does this mean that we'll be a real family now?" he asked, looking between them.

"Yeah," Booth said, looking down at Temperance, a smile gracing both of their lips. "I think it does."

A large grin stretched acrosds Parkers face. "Cool."

XxX

Come live with me, and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That valleys, groves, hills and fields,
Woods or steepy mountain yields.
Christopher Marlowe

That night, Temperance let Booth put Elizabeth to sleep as she and Parker finished making cookies, and then got ready for bed herself as he put his son to bed – in a spare bed that was in Elizabeth's room. She was out in the living room reading a magazine when he emerged from the room. He smiled at her and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Well I guess I should get going," he said, jerking his chin to the door. "It's getting late."

"You dont have to," Temperance said, standing up to move in front of him. Although his sudden reentrance into her life had taken her by surprise, she didn't think she could live with him leaving again. Her heart pounded in her chest. "Stay?"

He grinned at her. "Sure," he said, and she smiled, stifling a yawn. "You look like you're about ready to fall asleep yourself."

"Probably," she admitted sheepishly. "It's been a long day." She yawned again, and he let her take his hand as she moved to the bedroom. She slipped into bed, and he stripped down to his boxers before joining her. She snuggled into him immediately after he climbed in, and he snaked his arm across her stomach, pulling her in close to him. She placed her hands over his.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" she asked, her voice filled with sleepiness.

"About?"

"About us being a family?" she said, her eyes closed as she began to drift off, reveling in the warmth of Booth, his scent and his presence.

"Of course," he said, burying his face into her hair, soaking in her presence, seeking comfort in it. "Did you think I didn't?"

"No," she replied. "I was just…asking," she said, fluttering her eyelids once before drifting off into a comfortable, dreamless sleep. Booth smiled into her hair and kissed the top of her head, knowing that that night, with her in his arms and their daughter and his son – their son, for Parker and she seemed to have adopted each other – in the room beside them, was the start of many more to come.

Aww, how cute. Not my proudest chapter - I was tired when I wrote it. Two more chapters to go people, no more filler chapters - this is it! Well, ones a chapter ones an epilogue They're short but cute, hope you stick around to read them! I know you will all ADORE the epilogue (and you know how much I say my writing isnt that great, so...look forward to that :D )
Ponies: Haha, glad you liked it! here is zee Parker chapter! That's a good idea, I shall see if I can work on that - but I'm going to take a fanfiction break for a while after this story! Ah, yes, I figured you were Ponys, haha. Hope you liked this chapter!! Hope this update was up at the right time for ya!

Fanfictionmonster: Thanks!! I'm glad you loved it! Hope you liked this one just as much :D Thanks for read/reviewing!

Bayeelizabeth: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the double update/chapters :) Thanks for read/reviewing and reading the other stories! Only a few more chapters left in this one though - what I can do with it has come to a close, but dont worry, it still goes somewhere into cuteness :)

Rae: Thanks!! I'm glad you liked it :) I hope you enjoyed this one as well! Thanks for read/reviewing!

Someone: Aww, thanks! I'm glad you like my work. Haha, I hope this chapter was just as exciting for you :) :) Egad, hehe. I love the word Alas!! Its so fun to use! You know, I havent used egad for a while either...Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, two more to go...as of now, haha! Thanks for read/reviewing!