Here you go all...are we supposed to put disclaimers? I never do. I think it's quite obvious I don't own Bones or Booth would have come up "missing" long ago. I'd keep him for myself. te-he.

Booth blinked again as rain flooded into his eyes and added another ten pounds to his clothing.

"C'mon Jimmy! Keep moving!" He shouted over the roar of thunder and gunfire.

The mission had gone horribly wrong and now he and his best friend were running for their lives right through the line-of-fire.

Bullets flew all around, explosions set off sudden flashes of light that split apart the pitch black darkness of the night.

Suddenly Booth realized Jimmy was not by his side. Against his better judgment he stopped and turned around.

"Jimmy?" He strained his eyes and searched the darkness but still couldn't see anything.

"Ahhrrg!!" Booth screamed and stumbled foreword as a searing pain ripped through his body, emanating from a throbbing in his side. He put his hand on his ribs, not having to wonder what the warm sticky substance oozing through his fingers was.

"Jimmy!" Booth tried to make his voice heard over the sound of the deafening rain. Another deafening boom lit up the night sky and Booth saw the crumpled heap of camouflage clothing and gear not ten feet back. "Jimmy."

Booth rushed foreword in the sudden darkness, slipping more than once in the mud as he searched blindly for Jimmy's body.

When his arms landed on Jimmy's jacket he rolled him over.

"Seel." The young man's voice was barely audible as he gasped for air. "They got me man."

Booth felt his heart drop to the mud. "You'll be alright buddy. C'mon, I'm gonna get you back to camp alright?"

Booth didn't wait for a reply, he quickly shrugged his sniper rifle, the very weapon that had caused this whole mess he and Jimmy were now knee deep in, off his back and discarded it on the ground. Then he hoisted Jimmy up onto his shoulder, grunting at the pain the effort caused to his bullet wound.

He'd run more than halfway back to camp before another explosion hit. It landed no more than twenty feet away and sent Booth and his precious cargo flying through the air. After a brief bout with unconsciousness Booth lifted his face from the mud and called out again for his friend.

A groan to his left answered him and he reached out and pulled Jimmy closer to him.

"It's okay buddy, just hold on." Booth knew he'd lost too much blood to continue running. He felt Jimmy curled beside him and tried to use his body to protect the young soldier who had become like a brother to him. "It's almost over Jimmy." He lied.

To Booth's surprise after a few minutes that felt like hours, the gunfire suddenly stopped. He opened his eyes, but still saw nothing but blackness.

Then he heard the familiar whistle above him signaling the arrival of an unwelcome package set to land far too close for comfort.

"Seeley!!"

Booth shot straight up in bed and clapped his hands over his ears. Slowly the sound of bullets and explosions faded into the silence and all that was left of Jimmy was a cold shiver running up his spine.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed Booth leaned over and rubbed his face, trying to slow his rapid and forced breathing.

He looked at his watch. Four am. He'd barely been asleep for an hour.

Booth sighed and moved to stand, but gasped in pain as his ribs protested. Gingerly touching his side he waited for the pain to die. He knew it was just ghost pain left over from the dream and he didn't bother lifting his shirt to check and be sure. He tried not to look at that scar more often than was necessary.

Knowing he wouldn't be capturing sleep again any time soon Booth moved to the bathroom to clean up, but on sight of it, figured he would probably be more sanitary the way he was. Then, having decided to take advantage of the darkness, he grabbed his duffel and his rifle. The gun slipped easily over his wide shoulders and settled into his back as if it belonged there. Then, holding his duffel behind him he jogged out the door and down the stairs, pointing his car in the direction of Crater Lake National Park.

----------------------------------------------

Brennan woke the next morning and nearly flipped off the couch in an attempt to roll over. She pushed her hair out of her face and stood quickly, smoothing her clothes and looking around, trying to remember why she had been sleeping on the couch.

Noise coming from the kitchen reminded her that she wasn't alone in her apartment and she went to find out what Parker was doing.

The boy had his back to her, swinging his legs at one of Brennan's high kitchen barstools and chomping on Cocoa Puffs. He seemed to be enthrawled with the cereal box and trying to solve the puzzle on the back.

"Rather self-sufficient aren't we Parker?" She couldn't help but ruffle Parker's wild hair as she passed him through the kitchen, automatically picking up the milk he'd left uncapped and balancing precariously on the edge of the table.

Parker nodded and through a mouthful of chocolate cereal said, "I almost always wake up 'fore daddy on the weekends so I make m'self breakfast."

Brennan smiled as she started the coffee maker and grabbed some paper towels. "Do you always make such a mess?" She asked, playfully cupping his chin and shaking it slightly before wiping the spilled milk off the table in front of him.

Parker nodded, grinning. "Daddy says I should just forget about the bowl and pour my milk and cereal 'rectly on the table."

Brennan laughed at the thought of poor not-such-a-morning-person Booth being greeted with the sight of milk and cereal all over his kitchen table and floor before his first cup of coffee. Not a good plan for most people, but Brennan had a sneaking suspicion Parker could do just about anything and his father would love him only more.

She grabbed her cup of black coffee and joined Parker at the table.

"So what do you want to do today?" She pulled a handful of cocoa puffs out of the box and munched on them thoughtfully, hoping the small child knew what he wanted to do since she certainly didn't.

What does one do to entertain a four-year-old?

"Hey Dr. Brennan watch this." Parker picked up one of the dry cocoa puffs he'd spilled on the table and launched it straight into the air. Then, leaning back he expertly caught it in his open mouth. He looked at her and grinned, making himself into the spitting image of his father.

Brennen stared wide-eyed at him. "How did you do that?"

Parker just shrugged. "Daddy taught me." And he proceeded to repeat the action, again the cereal landing directly in his mouth. "You try."

Brennnan frowned. "No, that's alright Parker." I'm not a child, I can't be seen throwing food around like I was one.

"Please Dr. Brennan?" Parker clasped his hands in front of him and stuck out his bottom lip. An expression just about any person, even an empirical scientist, found impossible to resist.

Brennan hesitated, and pursed her lips. Why not? Who will see besides Parker? She looked again at Parker and his big brown pleading eyes. Ugh, bad move. No way I can be rational when he's looking at me like that.

She sighed. It's not like anyone will ever know. "Fine."

She took one of her pieces of cereal and threw it into the air.

However, on it's way back down the cereal peice drifted to the right. Brennan leaned far over to catch it, and ended up losing her balance and crashing to the floor.

And to make matters worse, she didn't even catch the cocoa puff.

Parker sat giggling uncontrollably in his chair. "You're not…supposed to fall...off the chair Dr..." His sentence broke apart in another fit of laughter, and he wrapped his arms around his stomach.

Brennan furrowed her brows in confusion, and then shrugged and suppressed her own laughter as she stood up and snatched Parker up from the chair.

"Think that's funny do ya'?" She found his ribs with her fingers and tickled him, causing Parker to squirm in her arms and squeal with delight.

"Don't don't don't." He pleaded, but wasn't able to finish as his laughter shook his body once more and they fell onto the couch. Brennan's ams relaxed their hold on him and Parker saw his opportunity. He flipped over and found Dr. Brennen's ribs as well and began to tickle her right back.

"Parker!" She squealed like a little girl and balled up on the couch, unable to hold onto the squirming boy as the laughter seemed to have made her weak.

The wrestling continued as both tried to gain the upper hand over the other, and didn't stop until both were gasping for air. Brennan slumped into the couch and attempted to relax her face muscles because her cheeks were starting to ache.

Parker collapsed against her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"That was fun Dr. Brennan." He said breathlessly.

Brennan nodded and then after a few moments, "You know what Parker, I think it would be alright if you called me Tempe."

Parker looked up at her. "Can I call you Bones like Daddy does?"

Brennan sucked on her cheek and twirled the boys' hair absently. "I don't know Parker, that's kind of your dad's special name for me." Thinking of the nickname that way brought a warmth to her heart she hadn't known was there before. "You can have your own nickname for me if you'd like though."

Parker thought for a moment. "Elmo."

"What?" Brennan thought for a moment and realized Elmo was the name of one of the characters from Sesame St., her favorite show as a child. "Why Elmo?"

"Because," Parker grinned mischievously, "You laugh like my Tickle-Me-Elmo I have at home!"

Brennan couldn't think of a response before Parker again found the ticklish spot between her ribs. As she wrestled to protect herself against his small fingers her thoughts returned suddenly to Booth.

I wonder what he is doing at this very moment while I am enjoying myself with his son…hey, I'm enjoying myself…with his son! Angela would have a fit if she knew that.

That thought brought a smile to Brennan's lips that was much larger and brighter than any the tickling had managed to muster from her.

Alright, everbody you know what to do.