Chapter Fourteen:

Brennan was up at five in the morning, unable to sleep at the prospect of having Elizabeth with her all day. She paced around the apartment, cleaning up, gazing out the window at the nation's capitol. It was so long ago that she had spent time with her daughter that she didn't know what to do anymore.

"Temperance . . ." Ethan's voice filtered in through the room. It was laden with sleep.

"Ethan did I wake you?" She asked, gazing out the window.

"You were never a quiet person." He answered her. "Come back to bed."

"I can't go back to bed. I fall asleep and I dream that I am out of this nightmare, that Elizabeth is still here with us. That at any moment we are going to see her start crawling. All those moments are gone!"

Ethan sighed. "I don't think we can do this anymore."

Brennan turned to him. "What are you talking about?"

"We stayed together for Elizabeth. Now she isn't here anymore. We shouldn't pretend anymore."

Brennan nodded her head. She knew logically that they were only together because he got her pregnant. "I'll pack my things and leave." She walked into the bedroom she once shared with him and packed what little belongings she had. She picked up Elizabeth's rattle and bunny and walked out the door, leaving the only home that felt like home since she was fifteen.

Booth watched her, not wanting to break her out of the reverie she was in pacing around his apartment. He lived in a confirmed bachelor pad until his son came roaring into his life. Everything had changed, and it was the same change that happened in him, he saw in his partner. His bachelor pad had morphed into a home suitable for little hands and little minds. Plugs now had socket covers, rugs were now vacuumed everyday . . . among everything else.

He continued to watch her stop and pick up a picture of Parker on his first birthday. He was strapped in a high chair and had fallen asleep with frosting on his face. "That was exactly five years ago." He whispered, walking up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. "Come back to bed Bones. The excitement of the day is going to start in a couple of hours."

She smiled. "Parker was so excited yesterday." They had taken him out after dragging Brennan away from a tantalizing talk at the university. Parker had fallen asleep at the presentation, which she had expected.

"Bones are you okay?" He knew she wasn't sleeping well.

"What if I don't remember how to be a mother?" She spoke so quietly, that he almost missed it.

He looked at her, studying her body language. "I'll let you in on a secret." He winked at her. "I don't know how to be a father."

"Booth that is completely absurd! Even Rebecca agreed that you were a phenomenal father." She was shocked by his statement.

"I know that I am a good father. Logically I would like to think so. But Bones there are days where I feel like I am just making it up as I go along. I don't always have the answer to everything and sometimes the apartment needs to be cleaned, but I love my son, and that is all you really need." He explained to her.

She smiled. Booth opened his son's bedroom door, listening for the soft snores by the six year old. "He is the best thing I ever did." The honesty in his voice filled her with awe.

She watched him watch his son, knowing that eventually it would be her looking in on her daughter one day.

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As Booth predicted the morning started, however it was sooner than what he had predicted.

"Daddy can we go pick up Elizabeth?! What time is my party at today? Is mommy going to call?" The excitement in his voice was evident at 6 in the morning.

Booth opened his eyes, peering into identical eyes. "There's my birthday boy." He helped his son on to the bed. Brennan was now awake as well.

"Happy birthday Honey." She kissed him on the cheek. She reached under the bed and found a package. "This is from all of us at the Jeffersonian. We thought you would like it."

"Daddy, can I open it?" Parker was excited.

"Sure Buddy. What do you say to Bones?" Booth was teaching his son manners.

"Thank you Bones." He ripped the package open and pulled out a small blue lab coat with Parker's name embroidered on it, underneath his name read scientist in training. "Cool, I can wear this for my party today!"

Booth groaned. His son was going to be a squint. Booth flopped back down in his bed for a vain attempt on getting some sleep while Brennan caught a shower and Parker bounced up and down on his bed.

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Booth, Brennan, and Parker pulled up to the little white house in a small suburb of DC. Brennan eyed the surroundings. "It looks nice." She whispered to him as Booth watched Parker un-strap himself from the booster seat. He had found Parker's older seat in storage and had secured it in the SUV earlier.

They met up with the DCFS worker who was waiting for them at the residence. "Mr. and Mrs. O'Leary are expecting you two." She smiled at Parker. "And who are you?"

"Daddy says I can't talk to strangers." Parker explained, grabbing his father's hand.

"This is my son Parker. His birthday is today. Elizabeth will be attending the birthday party and we will be providing breakfast, lunch , and dinner for her." Booth gave the lady a schedule for the day's activities.

"Is there anything she is allergic to?" Brennan asked.

"Nothing in her medical history Dr. Brennan. Relax and have a good day. The test results will be in by Wednesday." They knocked on the door and was greeted by a nice looking elderly lady.

"Hi. You must be Dr. Brennan and Special Agent Booth. Elizabeth has been talking about you guys ever since we got her." She called to the little girl who came around the corner.

"Tempe, Seeley." She launched herself into Brennan's arms. "I missed you so much." Brennan was amazed at the attachment the small girl had with her in such a short time.

"We missed you too Elizabeth." She informed the little girl. "I want you to meet someone." She set Elizabeth back on the ground. Parker had become a little shy, and was hiding behind Booth's legs. "Elizabeth this is Parker, Seeley's son. Today is his birthday."

Elizabeth smiled shyly at the boy. Booth shook Mrs. O'Leary's hand and took Elizabeth's small backpack filled with the necessary things for the day and took off for pancakes at the local diner.

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Brennan watched as Elizabeth and Parker began to interact at the park. Parker was playing nicely with her helping her build a sandcastle. Booth and Brennan watched on, her eyes never leaving where her daughter stood.

"You know Booth I never thought I would see her again." She spoke softly, her hand intertwined with his.

"Sometimes miracles happen Bones, and that is what you got a miracle." Booth told her, watching Parker make his way to the tire swing. He was going to need a bath before his birthday party. He watched in amazement as Parker helped his new friend on to the playground toy, playing gently with her. His son seemed entranced with the little girl, they soon disappeared behind one of the massive play structures.

They stood to go to where the children were playing. Booth helped his partner up from the bench. "Do you think the kids are getting along okay?" Brennan asked him.

They heard Elizabeth laughing as Parker was chasing her around the sandbox and up the stairs. Booth chuckled, "I think they get along better than their parents. Lets go get them. Parker is going to need a nap and a bath soon."

Brennan nodded looking across the playground where they were playing. She called out their names. Parker and Elizabeth took off sprinting toward them. She braced herself for the onslaught of children as Elizabeth flew into her arms, and Parker into Booth's.

"Parker says he is having a party!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "At a mansion! And I can go too!"

Brennan smiled at the girl. "Yes he is. But first you guys have to go back to Parker and Booth's apartment so we can pick up the things we need." Brennan placed her on the ground, and Elizabeth held out her hand so they could hold hands. She linked their hands together. Parker grabbed Brennan's other hand and they made their way toward the SUV as Booth was left to clean up the children's toys.

"You have a wonderful looking family dear." An elderly woman was sitting on the bench letting the day pass by. She was smiling at him.

He watched Brennan strap the kids in the car. She must have a steep learning curve he thought. Parker was telling her one of his knock-knock jokes, he watched as she laughed, her brunette hues catching the sunlight.

He regarded the elderly lady and smiled back at her. "I know." He picked up Parker's dump tuck and walked to the vehicle to get ready for Parker's birthday party.


AN: I will be out of town for the next couple of weeks in the Philippines. I will not have internet access. I leave on Tuesday and have to work tomorrow - I hope to get out another chapted before, it just depends how busy I am. I hope you enjoyed this. Please read and review. Coming up in Coming Home - Parker's birthday, Brennan/Elizabeth moments, Ethan comes back, Booth fights back for his family (at least this is what I have planned, I don't actually know what will be going on).