Phone Calls

A/N: I really, really hate this phone call. I can't make it work. I feel like I'm wielding a sledgehammer again. I like my idea that somewhere in that time period, he called Lucy, but that's all I've got. Suggestions are welcome. Thank you!

"Lucy?"

"Speaking."

"Hey, Luce. It's your favourite brother." His voice sounded strained.

"Jared!" he forced a laugh and she knew something was really wrong.

"Seel, is Parker okay?" she asked, worried.

"Parker's great."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. I just – needed to talk. Luce, how do you know you're in love? I mean, Greg isn't really your type. How did you know that he was the one?" she was silent for a second.

"He got offered a job in San Diego. We'd only been dating for seven months, but I just couldn't imagine life without him anymore."

"Yeah. Okay. Well, look, I have to go. I – we're trying to catch a serial killer."

"I hope you get him."

"I hope so too. Bye, Luce."

"He never tells me what he's working on. So when he did, I knew he was rattled. A lot."

"We're partners. He saved my life, but that doesn't mean that-,"

"I knew I was in love with Greg when I couldn't imagine life without him anymore." They fell silent as she tried to imagine life without the FBI agent.

Lunch was a sandwich buffet outside in the backyard. It was big and covered in grass and the kids were kicking a soccer ball around after they finished eating. Then the girls convinced their mother to even the odds, and, the Booths being the Booths, it turned into a huge game. Tom, Jimmy, Tempe, Greg, Mark, Alice and Lisa watched from the sidelines. Then Tempe heard her cell phone. She walked inside to answer it.

"Brennan."

"Hey, Bren. I just thought I'd see how you were doing."

"Fine. It's going okay."

"Okay?"

"His mother asked me when to expect grandchildren."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. I choked on my food." Angela laughed. "And B – art told her we were taking things slow. And then his sister changed the subject."

"Bart? I don't know a Bart. How did you meet this guy?"

"Uh – he works at my publishers." She lied quickly.

"Really. Interesting."

"Are you going to play?" Seeley walked in and asked her. She gestured for him to hush.

"I have to go, Ange. Bye."

"Bye, sweetie. Call me after the party, tell me how it went."

"If I have time, sure. Bye."

"Did she hear me?"

"I don't think so." She shook her head.

"Good. So, you want to play?"

"I don't really know how."

"It's easy, Bones. You kick the ball at the other team's net."

"Okay, I'll try." She said when she saw Lisa carrying dishes into the kitchen.