This chapter is for meg bristow, one of my anonymous reviewers who asked for Mattie to make a reappearance. Others asked, but she was the first. So YES, this is a continuation of 'F is for Family and Foster Days', just so no one gets confused.
M is for Mattie and Mothers and Miranda Rights.
M is also for meddling, Montenegro, Monte Carlo, Matchmaker, Magic, Machete, Moaning, Military, Microphones, Mischief, Mulder, marmalade jam, marriage, murky waters, maps, music, mope, mango, muffle, muffin, memories, movies, muscles, mousse, morning, mourning, midnight, madness, mayhem, more, making out, murder, messy, macaroni, MIA.
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Temperance Brennan was babysitting. Yes, babysitting. The woman who never thought she would make a good mother was currently watching her foster son, Matthew, and her partner's son, Parker. They were at the park – a large grassy field with a swing set and soccer goals – having a picnic on top of their favorite hill, and under the best climbing tree. They had just eaten and the boys, who were both five now and best friends, were kicking around a soccer ball while Brennan read a book. Glancing at her watch for the time, Brennan jumped up in shock. They had to get back to the Jeffersonian so that Booth could pick up Parker.
Putting two fingers between her lips, she let out a shrill whistle. The boys knew that this meant it was time to go, and started kicking the ball in the direction of the car. Brennan grabbed the remains of their picnic and started after them.
"Parker! Mattie!" She called once she reached her little silver sports car.
"Tempe! Did you see us? We kicked it without missing the whole time!" Said an excited Mattie. Parker, who was holding the soccer ball with both hands, nodded vigorously in agreement.
"I saw, guys. That's awesome! But we have to get back to the museum so that Booth can pick us up for dinner!" Both boys glanced at each other in excitement.
"We're going to dinner?!" Mattie asked.
"All together?!" Parker added. When Brennan nodded, he turned around and gave Mattie a high five.
"We're going to Sid's." Brennan informed them.
"Yes!" The boys cheered.
"Let's go so that your daddy doesn't end up making Auntie Ange help look for us like last time."
"But we weren't lost, Dr. Bones!" Parker said, attempting to buckle himself into his booster seat. Bren leaned over to help him after getting Mattie strapped in.
"I know, Park, but your dad gets worried when we don't show up in time." She explained, getting into the driver's seat and starting the car.
They made their way to the Jeffersonian, the boys chatting about Sponge bob, and how he was the best thing in the world, and Brennan contentedly listening to their rather hard to follow conversation.
They walked into her office still chatting. A police officer and a blond woman were sitting on her couch.
"Dr. Brennan?" The woman asked. Brennan instinctively stepped in front of the boys.
"What do you want."
"You are under arrest." The police officer, who she recognized as 'Marve' said.
"Why?"
The woman answered. "You stole my son." The police officer cuffed a protesting Brennan and started to lead her out of the lab.
"You can't do this!" She shrieked, struggling against the cuffs. Booth chose that moment to walk into the lab.
"Bones!" He said, hurrying over to his cuffed partner. "What's going on here?"
"Booth!" Brennan said. "Go get Parker and Mattie! Don't let her take them!" She ordered before she was tugged outside. As soon as they were at Marve's cruiser, he let her go. Brennan grabbed him in a hug.
"Thank you so much, Marve." She said.
"Ehh. I've always wanted to pull a Jetson." He said, smiling before tipping his hat and getting into his car.
The 'Jetson' was where a rookie Agent went out to arrest someone, but didn't read the suspect their Miranda rights. By law, if you aren't read your laws, you can walk free.
"Great acting, by the way." He complimented before driving off. Brennan did a small victory dance before sprinting back into the building. Sneaking to her office, she tried to hear what the people inside were saying. Booth was arguing with the woman, who seemed to think that she was Mattie's mother.
"He's MY son! You can't take him! I have every right to bring him home with me!" The woman was yelling as Brennan stepped into her office.
"And who do you think you are?" Bren asked, arms crossed and a murderous look on her face. Turning to Booth, she asked,
"Where are the boys?"
"They're with Ange." He answered before turning back to the woman. "Who are you again?"
"I'm the mother of Matthew, and I demand to know where he is!"
"I am his mother, as of this moment. If you plan to even start a trial on this, I want a DNA test." Brennan said coolly, arms crossed defensively as she glared at the woman. Only Booth could see that she was actually terrified. If this WAS his mother, she had every right to take him.
"I'll do the DNA test. You'll see that I am his mother. I will get him back." Without another word, the woman stomped out of the office. As soon as she was gone, Booth stepped up and pulled a trembling Brennan into his arms.
"Shh. We'll figure this out." He soothed, stroking her back as she clung to his neck, sniffling. He pulled her onto the couch with him and held her as she buried her face in his chest.
"I can't lose him, Booth." She mumbled.
"I know, Bones. Me either." Their moment was interrupted as Jack stumbled into the office, weighted down by two enthusiastic five year olds.
"Hey guys, sorry to interrupt, but we're all going to grab something to eat. And these two monkeys are hungry."
"We're not monkeys, Uncle Jack!" The boys protested.
"We were going to go out to dinner anyway." Brennan said, untangling herself from Booth. "Can we join you?"
"Of course. I'll go tell Ange you're coming." He walked away, only to trip in the middle of the lab. All three went tumbling and a loud shout of 'No more climbing on Uncle Jack!' could be heard throughout the lab. Brennan giggled.
Booth came up behind her, whispering in her ear,
"We'll figure this out, Temperance. I promise." She turned in his arms and wrapped him in a hug.
"Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you." She murmured against his neck.
"Probably wander around lost, confused, and hungry." He teased. Slapping him lightly on the chest in mock anger, she leaned up and kissed him sweetly. Stepping out of his arms and sauntering away, she turned to find him with a stunned look on his face. Laughing, she called 'You coming?' over her shoulder. He nodded dumbly before following.
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The mis-matched team sat squished in a booth at Wong Foo's. Parker and Mattie sat between Jack and Zack (they considered them the coolest people in the world other than Booth and Brennan). Angela (who was, in the boys opinion, the bestest Aunt ever) sat on Jack's free side, and Brennan sat next to her with Booth on the end. They had just finished eating vast amounts of Sid's 'Everything' pizza. Parker and Mattie were falling asleep as the adults talked.
Angela didn't say anything when she saw Brennan's head start to droop to Booth's shoulder. The Artist knew that her best friend had had a long, but not particularly unusual, day what with being sort-of-almost arrested.
She caught Booth's eye and, nodding in the direction of the various dozing occupants of the table, told Jack and Zack that they should all probably head home. Booth wrapped an arm around his partner's waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"Time to go, Bones." He breathed. She stirred, sighing slightly and snuggling closer to him. Booth chuckled and kissed her temple. "Booonnneeesss." He said a bit louder. She blinked, opening sleepy eyes to gaze up at him. Then suddenly realizing where she was, she jumped back with a yelp.
"I'm so sorry, Booth. I didn't mean to-"
"It's ok." He said softly. They locked eyes for a moment before breaking the gaze and turning to the rest of the group, grinning sheepishly.
"Well, I guess we'll be going." Brennan said, squeezing past Booth. She picked up a sleeping Mattie while Booth got Parker. Saying their goodbyes, the four went out to the parking lot.
"Booth?" Brennan asked shyly, shifting Mattie in her arms. "Can you drive me home?" She asked. At his questioning look, she added, "You drove us."
"Oh, yeah, sorry Bones. Come on." He gestured to his car. Once the boys were settled in the backseat, he started for her apartment. She was asleep by the time they were out of the parking lot. Smiling, he drove slowly through the deserted streets.
Glancing over at his partner, he tried to figure out where he stood with her. He was her partner, friend. . . but was he something more? He was practically the father to her foster child. She was practically a mother to his son. Things were going smooth, and then she kissed him today.
He had been stunned, pleasantly. It wasn't like her to make a move. It was their first kiss – in the doorway of her office, and it had been perfect. Short and sweet, like she had been kissing him all her life.
He hoped she continued to kiss him for the rest of her life.
Pulling up to her apartment building, he turned off the engine and turned to the woman curled in the passanger's seat. Reaching over, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She stirred.
"Bones. We're home." She opened her eyes and looked around. Nodding, she got out of the car and went around to pick up a sleeping Mattie. He woke along with Parker.
"Tempe?" Mattie asked.
"Yeah, munch?" Brennan asked, ruffling his hair.
"Can Parker sleep over tonight? We don't have school tomorrow." Parker nodded enthusiastically. Glancing at Booth, Brennan saw him nod.
"Well, only if Booth can sleep over too." She reasoned.
"Ok!" Both boys said excitedly. Chuckling, the partners put their respective munchkins down and started up the stairs. Reaching her door, Brennan unlocked it and stood back as the boys ran inside to Mattie's room to build a fort.
"Clever, Bones." Booth teased once they were inside.
"What?" She asked innocently.
"'Can Booth sleep over too?'" He imitated in a high pitched voice. Brennan rolled her eyes. "I'm just sayin', Bones. I'm not the one that kissed you today."
Her jaw dropped open and she gaped at him before Booth caught the mischievous glint in her eye. Jutting her chin out in defiance, she turned and walked towards the kitchen, throwing over her shoulder,
"Fine. I take it back."
"What?!" He exclaimed, quickly following her. He found her filling a glass with water. "You can't just 'take it back'! You kissed me!"
"No I didn't." She shrugged, taking a sip of water before putting the glass in the sink and clicking her tongue. "I don't know what you're talking about." Still playing along, but slightly hurt that she 'took it back', Booth stepped up and trapped her between the counter and his body.
"Take it back." He growled into her ear.
"Take what back?" She asked, teasingly running a finger down his chest.
"Take it back that you took it back."
"I can't take it back if I already took it back! That's a double negative!" She said quickly while attempting to duck under his arms. He held her tighter against him.
"Take. It. Back." He repeated, breathing in her ear so that she shivered.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"That's not a very good reas-" She trailed off when he moved closer to her so that his lips were hovering above hers. He made to kiss her but she pulled back a bit, making him chase her. Fed up with the teasing, Booth captured her lips. After a quick kiss, Brennan pulled back with the glint in her eye back in full force.
"Now who's kissing who?" Booth moved down so that instead of his palms being braced on the counter, his forearms were. This put him level with her neck, where he nuzzled into her collarbone.
"We're even."
"No." She said stubbornly. "You kissed me longer." Pulling his head up to her, she kissed him long and deep, probing her tongue into his mouth. He let out a groan when she curled her tongue along the roof of his mouth. Panting, she pulled back.
"Now we're even."
"Not even close." He murmured, kissing her again. The phone rang and they reluctantly broke apart, Booth growling at the interruption. He picked up the offending device and barked a greeting into it as Brennan giggled.
"Cher?" Came the voice from the other end of the line. "Isn't this Dr. Brennan's phone?"
"Hey Caroline. Sorry 'bout that." He apologised sheepishly. "What are you calling Bones for?"
"A judge just called me at this ungodly hour, asking about a DNA test for a certain Matthew Brennan." Caroline Julian explained.
"Matthew Brennan?" He asked, confused.
"Yes, Matthew Brennan. Dr. Brennan's kid?"
"Oh. Right. And what did you say?"
"The woman claims she is the mother. She has every right to a DNA test. Can you bring the kid down to the Hoover building tomorrow?" She asked.
"He's not mine. Here, you can talk to Bones." Booth handed his partner the phone.
"Caroline?" Brennan asked hesitantly.
"Here, Cherie. Listen, can you bring Matthew down to the Hoover building for a DNA test tomorrow around noon? I'll meet you in Cher's office."
"S-sure." She replied. "But Caroline, what if she IS his mother? What am I going to do?"
Caroline's heart broke a little at the worried tone of Brennan's voice. "We'll figure it out, Cherie. There has to be a reason she didn't keep him in the first place. I'll do some digging and see what I can come up with."
"Thank you." Brennan said quietly before hanging up the phone. Turning, she buried her face in Booth's chest.
"Shh." He soothed for the second time that day. "We'll figure it out."
"Everyone keeps saying that." She murmured. Booth chuckled, the sound vibrating through and relaxing her.
"Let's go see what the boys are up to, then we can get some sleep, ok?" He suggested, stroking her back one more time before allowing her to step out of his arms. Her quiet 'ok' worried him slightly as they walked down the hall to Mattie's room.
Just as he had expected, both boys were sound asleep in a mess of pillows and blankets. Smiling, Booth turned off the light and lead Brennan to her bedroom. They took turns in the bathroom, changing and brushing their teeth. Crawling into bed, Booth wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled into his side.
"Booth?" She asked after a while. "You awake?"
"Yeah."
"What happens when I don't get him back-"
"Shhh. Don't even think about it, Bones."
"But-"
"No."
"Booothhhh." He kissed her to stop her protests.
"Please Bones. Don't think about it. Let's just get some sleep and deal with it in the morning." Nodding, she relented and weaved one leg through his, her hand curling around the material of his t-shirt.
If she was going to have her partner in her bed, even for one night, she was going to get as close to him as possible.
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"TEMPE!"
"DADDY! DR. BONES!" Came the shouts of two very awake five year olds.
"What?" Booth mumbled into Brennan's neck. "What time is it?"
"It's six o'clock!" Parker exclaimed, bouncing up and down a bit. Mattie climbed over to where Brennan was and snuggled into her.
"What's up, Munch?" She asked.
"I'm not a munch!" He giggled.
"I know. You're a munchkin. Munch for short!" She teased, tickling him. Booth watched their interactions with a grin on his face. She's such a natural.
"Daddy! Can we have pancakes?" Parker asked. "Purleeeessssseeee?"
"Alright, fine. I'm up!I'll go make pancakes." Booth said sleepily, extracting himself from where he was tangled around his partner and heading to the kitchen.
"Mattie!" Booth called over his shoulder. "Make sure she gets up! If I have to get up at six, we're all getting up at six!" He chuckled when he heard 'getupgetupgetupgetupgetup!' coming from the bedroom. Ambling into the kitchen, he started pulling out ingredients for pancakes.
"Flour. . . butter. . .milk. . .eggs. . . " He muttered to himself. He started when he felt two arms wrap themselves around him from behind. Turning, he saw the grinning face of his partner. Leaning down he gave her a quick kiss.
"'Morning, Bones." He returned to making breakfast and felt her press her cheek into his shoulder blade.
"Smells good." She said, resting her chin on his shoulder as she peered at the concoction.
"The best!" He exclaimed, pouring a few rounds on to the hot griddle and adding chocolate chips to make a happy face. Brennan tilted her head to the side, studying the pancakes. Then she pointed at the biggest one.
"That one kind of looks like you." As Booth let out a gasp of fake hurt, the boys came running back into the kitchen, causing Brennan to jump away from him like she had been burned. Grinning sheepishly, she went and took a seat at one of the bar stools at her counter- trying to but a put a bit of distance between herself and the distraction who was currently flipping pancakes.
"Chocolate!" Mattie squealed, immediately digging in when the food was placed in front of him. Booth watched with interest as Brennan carefully added butter and syrup to hers, swirling the syrup in a spiral. He chuckled at the concentrated look on her face.
"What? They taste better this way." She defended, cutting a piece with the side of her fork and raising it to her mouth. Her eyes rolled back in her head when she took a bite.
"These are sooo good." She moaned, gulping down another bite. First pancake gone, she looked up to see Booth still watching her. Tilting her head to the side, she cut another bite, put it carefully on her fork, and walked over to him. Holding it out, she wiggled it teasingly in front of his mouth. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the bite and chewed.
"Those aren't half bad." He agreed. Making the rest of the pancakes, he shut off the griddle and gathered up the plates, putting them in the sink. The boys had run off to play, so Brennan was allowed to stare openly at her partner.
"We'd better get going, Booth. I know the boys don't have school today, but we still have work." He nodded and followed her back to her bedroom to get dressed.
Grabbing one of the extra suits that he kept at her place (they often fell asleep while working on paperwork), he went to the bathroom to change. Brennan got ready after him as he went to make sure Mattie and Parker were getting ready.
"You guys are coming to work with me today. No more bugging Uncle Jack!" Booth said as he helped Parker pull on his socks.
"Awww, Dad..." Parker complained.
"Come on, you guys love the FBI daycare!" Deciding they did, the five year olds ran to see if Tempe was ready yet.
"Tempe! Let's goooo!" Mattie said, pulling on her pant leg as she grabbed her cell phone.
"Coming, coming." She mumbled distractedly.
They all piled into the car and Booth drove to the Jeffersonian to drop Brennan off before heading to work. She was going to meet them at his office at 12 to see Caroline.
"Sweetie!" Angela squeed as soon as soon as she saw the anthropologist. "Did Booth drive you? Why was he with you at. . ." She checked her watch. "Eight in the morning?"
"Parker slept over, so Booth stayed too." She explained.
"Awww..." The artist said, dreamy-eyed. Brennan rolled her eyes and went off to get lost in a limbo case for a few hours.
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"Dr. Brennan speak-" She answered her cell, only to be cut off.
"Yeah, yeah, Bones. I know. Look at the time! You were supposed to be here!" She looked up. It was 12.
"Shoot. I'll be there in twenty, ok? I'm so sorry, I was-"
"Stuck in limbo, I know." He finished for her.
"See you in a bit." Snapping her phone shut, she scurried out of the Jeffersonian.
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15 minutes later she pulled into the parking lot of the Hoover building. Jumping out of the car she sprinted to her partner's office.
"Sorry I'm late, I-" She halted at the sight of Caroline.
"I've got some good news for you, Cherie." The procecuter said. "The woman who claims to be the mother of your foster child, well, she is the mother of your foster child." Brennan sank numbly into a chair.
"That's good news?" She asked weakly.
"Yes. She's got a record. The reason she gave him up in the first place is because she was forced to. The state wouldn't let someone like that keep a child. So the good news is, he's all yours. The bad news is, they recently caught her on a drug bust, and are sending her to jail for a VERY long time."
Great. Mattie's got another criminal in his family. She thought.
"Thank you, Caroline." Then she remembered something. "How did you know he was hers? Didn't you need a DNA-"
"It's all in the file, hun. His real name is Matthew Keenan."
"K-keenan?"
"His mother was your mother's sister. So he is, in a twisted way, your cousin."
"My cousin? How?..." As Brennan sat in stunned silence, Caroline got up to leave.
"Take care, Cher." She said before she was gone.
"Booth?" Brennan asked, sounding lost. He came to sit beside her.
"Yeah?"
"My cousin?"
"Mmm hmm."
"He's mine. I don't have to give him up." She murmured.
Wrapping an arm around her and pulling her into his side, Booth murmured back,
"I told you we'd figure it out."