Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: I've been a bad author lately. I have been so busy, and will be for the next two weeks. I will try and get my other stories updated as soon as possible, but it's going to be a little while. I'm sorry for the delays, and hope that you are still around with me. I hope you enjoy the latest chapter. Who doesn't love a little Parker/Brennan bonding.

Chapter Three: Kyoikumama

Kyoikumama: Japanese – A mother who relentlessly pushes her children toward academic achievement

Brennan was partway through her half of the paperwork on her latest case when she was interrupted by the ringing of her office phone. She hastily picked it up, anxious to get back off the phone and back to work.

"Brennan."

"Dr. Brennan? It's Rebecca Stinson. You know, Parker's mom?"

Brennan suddenly sat a little straighter in her chair. She couldn't imagine that there could be any positive reason behind this phone call. Her voice became increasingly panicked as she spoke. "Yes, I know who you are. Is everything fine with Parker? Is he hurt? Have you talked to Booth yet?"

Rebecca calmed the rather frantic scientist, "Oh, he's fine. He was just a bit nervous to call you himself."

"I don't understand, then. Why would he want to call me?"

"Well, he misses you. I know that you haven't been as close since you and Seeley went away, but he used to love coming to the lab to see you."

Brennan was quiet for a moment, while she and Booth were regaining the relationship of their past, she had yet to really enter back into Parker's life. Her voice was soft as she responded. "Yes, I have missed him, too."

Now it was time for Rebecca to pause. She could hear the wistfulness in the voice at the other end of the phone. Whatever had happened to Seeley and Dr. Brennan with their travels and the arrival and departure of Hannah had obviously had a great effect, one that both partners were still recovering from. She found the courage to speak again. "Yes, anyway. Parker has this huge science fair coming up, and he is determined to win. He wanted you to help him. I told him that you were probably far too busy to work on it, but..."

Brennan cut Rebecca off. "Yes. Of course, I'll help him."

"Are you sure? It's quite a commitment, it's an Honor's Project at school. The winner goes on to a Regional and National Fair. But Parker is so determined to win. He keeps telling me that he has to win."

"He will win if I help him."

Rebeca quickly backpedalled, she could now see Dr. Brennan completing the entire project and slapping Parker's name on it. It still had to be Parker's project. She quickly explained the main rules over the phone and asked Brennan if she really wanted to help Parker.

"I would be happy to help him. When can we start?"

Before Rebecca could respond, Parker had grabbed the phone out of his mother's hand, confident enough to talk on the phone once he knew that Brennan would help him.

"Thanks, Dr. Bones. I'm so excited. I have this great idea, and if you help me, I know that I can win."

Brennan's scientific curiosity got the best of her. "Why do you want to win so badly?"

Parker paused "You get a huge trophy!"

Over the phone, Brennan smiled a bit. Of course, he would want a trophy. "Parker, it seems like this will be a lot of work for just a trophy."

Parker looked guiltily up at his mother and then excused himself. Once he was barricaded in his room, he spoke again. "OK, the trophy would be cool, but there is another reason that I have to win. I have to beat Tiffany. She's always telling that she is better at science than I am. So I have to beat her." He sounded a bit guilty as he admitted the truth to his mentor. "Is it bad that I want to beat a girl? I don't think that Dad would like it. He is always telling me to respect everybody, especially girls."

Brennan considered it for a moment. She could say for a fact that Booth would never condone Parker competing in a science fair for the sole purpose of beating a girl. She, however, had no such compunctions. "The best scientist will win, Parker. You will be competing against dozens of girls and boys, you would be showing your respect by working your hardest. There will still be only one winner. And I think that it could be you if you are willing to work hard enough."

"I'll work real hard. I promise, Dr. Bones. I won't let you down."

"I'm sure you won't, Parker. Tell your mother to bring you to the lab tomorrow, and we can get started."

"Thanks, Bones. You are the best!"

Parker started his project the next day, being dropped off by his mother after school and spending several hours a day at the lab. He continued to come to the lab everyday, greeted by a cheerful, but focused Brennan who was helping him formulate his hyptheses and begin his experiments. There was no active case and Booth had been pulled into a training seminar for new recruits and was out at Quantico for a week, so the project was well on its way before Booth found out about it. He ordinarily would have been thrilled that his son was working so hard on his project. Unfortunately, Booth had used his siren to get back into town for his son's club hockey game, only to find out that the boy had taken a leave of absence from the team until his project was finished.

Booth stormed into the lab, shouting for his partner. "Bones, you're turning my son into a Squint!"

Brennan and Parker looked up from Parker's petri dish. They were both wearing blue lab coats, Parker's was a few sizes too large, but someone had rolled up the sleeves. Parker and Bones were also wearing lab goggles that made them look a bit like insects. All the anger left his body as he took in the sight. Yes, he was upset that his son had picked science over sports, but he couldn't fault the boy. If he could spend uninterrupted hours with Bones, he'd take it too. Even if they had to talk science to do it.

Brennan removed her goggles and stared at her partner, "Is there something wrong, Booth?"

Booth stammered, "Yes... I mean... No. I mean, Parker, why'd you quit hockey?"

Parker now spoke up. "I took a sab... sabbat... what's the word again, Bones?"

"Sabbatical. Parker decided that the science project was more important than his hockey team right now. Once the project is complete, he can return to the team. He really wants to win, and has chosen to focus on his academics right now. I believe that we should all fully support him in his scholarly research. He is a very talented boy."

Booth looked a bit sheepish. "Well, when you put it that way." He pulled a spare pair of goggles off of the shelf and moved toward his son and partner. "OK, squints, show me what you've got."

Parker worked hard on his project over the next several weeks, but he didn't just work with Brennan. He had help on the science from Hodgins and help with the graphics for his poster from Angela. Cam had donated supplies and the use of equipment and Wendell had helped Parker assemble his display. The entire team had been careful to only guide the boy, and point him in the right direction, and they were all amazed by the final project. Brennan had then forced all of her interns to attend a practice event, where they listened to Parker's presentation and were able to ask him questions. Brennan was beaming with pride as Parker was able to answer an obscure question from Nigel-Murray and decipher the excited squeals that emanated from Daisy.

Rebecca had come to collect her son and the final display, and was dragged into the lab to hear yet another recitation of the project. Rebecca may have been sick and tired of hearing about the project that had stolen all of her son's free time for the past month, but she relented when she saw the excitement and pride on Parker's face and on Dr. Brennan's as well. She had never interacted much with the anthropologist, but Rebecca could now see why exactly father and son had fallen so hard for the awkward doctor. It was an amazing sight to see the entire team gathered around and supporting Parker and his mentor.

Rebecca approached the scientist. "I hope that you can attend the fair tomorrow, Dr. Brennan. It would be a shame for you not to see the competition."

Brennan looked around at her team that all nodded along with her. "We will all be there. We are all here to support Parker and his academic pursuits."

Rebecca smiled, "I'm sure that you will be his good luck charm."

Brennan's eyebrow raised, "He won't need luck, he is very well prepared, and an excellent student. I have nothing but confidence in his abilities."

Rebecca couldn't help but reach over and hug the scientist. She was a bit emotional at hearing such praise from the stoic Dr. Brennan. Brennan awkwardly returned the hug and exhaled a sharp breath when Parker ran into the two females and joined in the group hug.

"Mom, Dr. Bones, can we go get milkshakes? I'm starving."

By the time Booth got a chance to swing by and drag his partner to dinner, he was surprised to find that she had already left for the diner. He whistled a bit as he entered the diner, excited to surprise his partner and ask how the project had finished up. The breath was caught in his throat as he watched his ex and his partner laughing over coffee while Parker shoved fries in his mouth and slurped at a shake. He just stood their staring until Brennan noticed him. Her eyes lit up when he slid into the seat next to her and grabbed at Parker's plate, snatching a few crisp potatoes.

"So, Bub. You ready for tomorrow?"

Parker didn't have a chance to answer, as Brennan spoke instead, while simultaneously flagging down a waitress and getting Booth his own coffee and a slice of pie. "He is more than ready, I predict that he will perform very well. He has worked very hard. You should be proud of your son."

Booth beamed down at his boy. "I always am. Thanks for helping him, Bones. We all appreciate it." Rebecca and Parker nodded vigorously in agreement.

"It was my pleasure." The evening continued until Rebecca decided that Parker needed his rest and took her son home. The partners remained, chatting and lingering over coffee. Booth's arm casually reached behind Brennan's chair and she was taken aback at the flirtatious touch, but chose to ignore it.

"We should get going, Booth. It's been a long day, and tomorrow is very important to Parker, we should be well rested."

Booth reluctantly pulled his arm back. "You are right, Bones. Tomorrow is a big day. And just so you know, I'm proud of you, too." Her eyebrow raised quizzically, and Booth covered. "You know, for helping Parker, you are really wonderful with him."

Booth could have sworn that Brennan blushed slightly, and Booth couldn't resist placing a soft kiss on her cheek, further expressing his appreciation. Brennan's eyes widened a bit in shock, but she said nothing as he threw some money on the table and led her out of the diner.

Brennan bit her lip nervously as the panel announced the winners of the fair. Parker's rival was the runner up, and when Parker's name was announced as the winner of the fair, Brennan shouted her approval and gave Booth an impulsive hug. The Squint Squad and Rebecca joined in with the applause and celebration and waited for Parker to receive his trophy, his ribbon, and handshakes from the judges. He beamed with pride as he looked at his support system, his mom crying a bit, the squints clapping, and his dad with his arm around Brennan looking a bit misty-eyed himself. As soon as he was able he brought the trophy to his family and then went out in the crowd in search of Tiffany. He had a bet to settle. He returned to the group a few minutes later, grinning like an idiot.

"Now she has to go on a date with me!" Parker shouted as he pumped his fist in the air. All adults present turned their heads abruptly.

Booth recovered first. "What do you mean, she has to go on a date with you?"

Parker kept grinning. "We had a bet. If I beat her at the science fair, then she would go with me to Go Karts and pizza and ice cream."

Booth looked helplessly between his partner and his son's mother. Brennan looked slightly offended. She had been working under the presumption that Parker was working on the fair for its own merits and his own competitive spirit. And now he admitted that all this work had been to impress the very girl he was determined to beat. Her anger shifted to confusion. "I don't know what that means."

Parker continued. "Tiffany. She's the prettiest and the smartest girl in school. All the boys like her, but she said that she would go out with me if I could impress her more than the other boys. I told her that I'd win the fair and take her on the best date ever. Right, Dad? Nothing is more fun then Go Karts and pizza."

Booth had no answer as he continued to gape like a fish out of water. Angela suddenly snorted and turned to her husband. "Did you see the program? Tiffany is Tiffany Brenneman." She quickly flipped through the colored program, to a brunette girl with bright blue eyes. "Look at her, her initials are even T.B." She pointed it out to Hodgins, and they were both choking on their own laughter. Cam caught an eye of the program as well and hid her smile behind her hand to keep a sense of decorum. Booth's eyes shot daggers at the scientists as Rebecca smirked in his direction.

"This whole project was over a bet, over a girl?" He didn't know whether to be horrified or proud.

Parker looked a bit sheepish. All of these people had helped him, given him their full support and he hadn't been completely honest with them.

"I may have started this project for the wrong reasons, but I had a lot of fun doing it. And I learned a lot. I'm sorry if I wasn't honest. I just wanted to win." The innocent and regretful look on the boy's face had all of the adults reassuring him, even if they were still a bit concerned over the boy's true motives. The conversation was interrupted by the girl in question.

"Hi Parker."

"Hi Tiffany. I liked your project."

"Thanks, yours was better though. Do you think you could show me how the bacteria glowed under the black-light again?"

"Sure! Just one second." The boy turned to Brennan. "Dr. Bones, when we go to the Go Karts, can you come with us? It won't be as much fun unless you are there. Please say you'll come. I wouldn't have won without you helping me. You really are the best." Tiffany nodded in agreement. She had heard all about the famous scientist, and she was secretly dying to talk about skeletons with the expert.

Booth suddenly recovered, "Of course you have to come, Bones. He couldn't have done it without you."

Brennan nodded her agreement and the two children scampered off. The rest of the team also scattered, still giggling a bit, leaving the partners and Rebecca standing together. Booth squinted at Brennan. "Do you realize that he quit hockey for a girl? That's true love, Bones."

Rebecca turned to Booth, "Haven't you ever done something crazy in the name of love, Seeley?"

Booth shrugged as he carefully avoided the gaze of his ex and his partner. He changed the subject instead, "I am so going to kick your butt at Go Karts, Bones."

Brennan raised an eyebrow at her partner. "Winner picks the pizza toppings?"

Booth smiled and threw an arm around his partner. "Sounds like a deal. I'll even let you pick off the pepperoni and sausage, when I win."

Brennan smirked at Booth, "I will let you pick off the mushrooms."

"In your dreams, Bones." He threw his arm around his partner and pulled her close.

Two nights later, they did in fact order a vegetarian pizza as both girls celebrated their success over two pouting Booth boys.