A/N Hey guys, Kimmy here. Thanks for waiting patiently for this chapter. Both me and Kelsey have unbelievably busy schedules. On my end, I literally have about 10 spare hours a week to do homework, eat and bathe so finding the time to write this has been an endeavor to say the least. So, saying that, we would really appreciate it if you guys could just stick with us through this. We know that you want updates and we want to give them to you, but unfortunately it's not as easy as that. You don't have to worry though, we aren't deserting this story and we never will. This is our baby and the light at the end of the schoolwork tunnel, but ultimately school does have to come first, and it is very difficult to work with both of our schedules. We're sorry that we can't post very often, but we promise that you'll still love every word when we do. :D
On another note, just so you know, the last few chapters have been really intense so be prepared for a calm down and fluff galore.
Enjoy!
Fall leaves crinkled under the feet of a dozen children as they ran through the ends and outs of the colorful playground structure. Brennan brought Parker for an after school play date. She'd learned it was common for parents of young children to do. There, they met Sarah and Sadie, the mother and daughter who attended Parker's birthday party a few months earlier. At the beginning of the academic year, Parker informed Brennan that Sadie was in his class and he was very pleased. In his words she wasn't one of those 'fussy girly girls'. While the six year olds released their pent up energy playing, Brennan conversed with the mother on a wooden bench
The topics they discussed were fairly tame. Brennan informed her new friend about her career and success as an author on the side. Sarah told her that she wanted to read her books, but she didn't have much time to herself being a stay at home mom to four children. Brennan learned that Sadie was her third.
"I know it's not nearly as interesting as what you do." Sarah joked in reference to her homemaking.
"In my experience this past year with Parker, I would assume you have very interesting days with four children." Brennan replied. Her mind wandered to imagine what her life would be if there were four Parkers running around. She quickly developed admiration for the mother seated beside her.
Sarah nodded and pulled out her wallet. Brennan's eyes focused on a picture of four little bodies dressed to the nines. The picture was professionally taken, but the children's expressions told her that they paid no mind. Each one was making a silly face at the camera. "Things do get a little crazy."
Brennan grinned at the picture while simultaneously making a mental note that she and Booth should have professional pictures of Parker taken. She'd seen his last portrait in Booth's apartment and it was at least two years old. "Does your husband enjoy supporting your large family?"
In the little time Sarah had been talking to Temperance, she learned that she sometimes asked strange questions. She found it endearing and quite refreshing. "He's always wanted a lot of children. I only wanted two. I actually told him that I wanted Sadie to be our last, but then little Seth came along and surprised us both. We both really love it though. Last weekend…"
As the redhead began to tell an amusing anecdote, Brennan gave the playground a once over with her eyes. During that quick glance, she didn't see Parker. She assumed he was running through one of the plastic tunnels and turned back to Sarah.
"…it was hilarious. My oldest girl, Sidney, was covered in purple paint and she was bawling her eyes out, so Scott dumped it all over himself so she'd calm down…"
Brennan smiled knowing that Booth would have done same thing. She let her eyes wander once more, but this time when they never landed on Parker a wave of anxiety crashed over her.
"Temperance, are you okay?" Sarah questioned her suddenly change in demeanor.
Her eyes darted back and forth. The longer time stretched on without any sign of Parker, the faster her heart started to beat. Brennan stood up from the bench ignoring the fact that her purse had fallen onto the grass. "I don't see him."
Both women jogged towards the playground as Brennan called out for Parker. She checked in all the visible hiding places, but there was no sign of him. She ran over to Sadie who was climbing up the narrow steps to the twisty slide. "Sadie!" She yelled, grabbing her little girl's attention. "Where's Parker?"
The six year old pointed towards a wooded area along the edge of the park. "He followed some big boys back there. He said-"
Brennan's legs took off before she could hear the rest of Sadie's answer. She ran as fast as she could into the trees and darted down the visible trail. Her mind raced while she yelled out for her son. "Parker!"
Big boys? How big? Older children or adults? Her hands shook as she pushed branches out of the way. What if adults had him? What if they had lured him down here? What if they planned on taking him? "Parker! Where are you?" She kept her eyes peeled on the fresh shoeprints in the dirt. "Parker! Answer me, baby!"
The words of the mothers she had met over the years repeated in her head. I never thought I'd lose him. I didn't think it would happen to me. I only looked away for a second. She felt sick. How many seconds passed when she was too wrapped in conversation to notice that Parker was running away from the playground? A stomach turning image of a small, mangled skeleton contrasting against her metal autopsy table flashed in her mind. She would have sworn her heart stopped, medical impossibilities be damned. Not my son. Not my son. She fiercely thought to herself as she climbed over a fallen tree. "Parker!" Her shallow breathing hardly left her enough voice to yell.
Just then the sounds of young voices filtered through her ears. She followed the noise until she spotted two boys who couldn't have been older than ten sitting on their knees next to her son who was doing the same. All three of them were looking down into a cardboard box.
"Parker." Brennan loudly sighed as her adrenaline levels started to descend.
The boy whirled around and his eyes grew wide obviously surprised by her presence there. "What's wrong?" He naively asked.
As she marched towards him, the other boys backed away with a tinge of fear in their eyes. At least they knew they shouldn't be back here, unlike her son who was making her angry by feigning ignorance when she was well aware that he knew better. Once she was close enough to touch him, her arms reached out and gathered him in a tight hug. He squirmed against her at first not understanding the sudden embrace. She pulled back just enough to eyes glance up and down his body quickly and found no sign of injury. When her gaze settled on his face, she brought her hands to both of his cheeks. "Parker, what were you thinking disappearing like that?"
"I didn't disappear!" He corrected. "Sadie was supposed to tell you I was gunna be right back."
His response sent a flare of anger through her body. "You know that you are not allowed to go anywhere without permission." She scolded in a firm voice.
"But I'm still in the park just a different part of it."
"A part that's surrounded by trees where I cannot see you." She retorted. "And don't attempt to argue with me!"
His bottom lip quivered a little. She was starting to yell and he couldn't ever remember a time when his mommy yelled like this. "I just wanted to see the puppies." He pointed to the cardboard box he'd been looking at right before she'd shown up. Brennan stood up straight and peered into the square container. Sure enough there were three small, brown puppies lying on a balled up blanket. "Those boys found them. I said we should tell a grown up about them or else they'd die." He explained with his head hanging. "I just wanted to see them first."
Brennan took a deep breath. She was slightly soothed by the cool, fresh air filling her lungs. Her right hand reached towards Parker's hair. Her fingers curved upward silently asking for him to look up. When his brown pools were staring at her, she spoke, "I understand that you wanted to help them, but it was very dangerous to go off by yourself."
"I know how to get back. You walk down that way past that tree that fell down and then-"
"Baby, that's not what I mean." Brennan cut off. He tried to look down once again, but she tucked her knuckles under his chin. Booth had it enough times for her to know that it was a sure fire way to get someones full attention. "You could have gotten hurt or…" She hesitated trying to find a delicate way to say this without scaring him. "…someone bad could have been back here."
"Like the bad guys you and daddy catch?"
Her chest hurt with the realization that he had no idea the extent of how bad those bad guys they put behind bars were. "Yes." He didn't provide any response besides his foot lightly kicking at the dirt beneath their feet. Brennan knew he was hearing her. His facial expression made it obvious that he knew his actions were wrong. There was no logical reason for her to still be so upset by the entire situation, so she chose to remove them from it. She grabbed his hand. "We're leaving."
"But-"
"Parker..." Her warning tone was enough to silent him for the next few minutes as they maneuvered their way out of the trees and back into the open area of the playground.
Brennan exchanged a quick apology to Sarah for leaving early and their children waved goodbye to each other. As she button Parker's jacket he quietly asked, "What about the puppies?"
Without hesitating, she looked up at her friend. "Sarah, there are three puppies in a box right down the trail on the edge of the trees. Could you please call local animal control so they are found before you leave?"
"Of course." The redhead agreed.
With a thankful nod, she took Parker's hand in hers once again and together they walked in the direction of her car.
(*)
"Okay, you're holding my hand really tight." Despite her son's pleas, Brennan gripped even tighter as she pulled him through the Jeffersonian doors towards her office. "Really, Mommy! My hand hurts…" Parker began to reiterate, but before he could finish his statement, Hodgins strode right up into their path.
"Hey, Dr. B, I was wondering if I could borrow the little man for a bit? I just came into possession of an Ailanthus Webworm Moth and I'm pretty sure he'd love it."
A smile grew on Parker's face having no idea what Hodgins was talking about though he knew it was most likely awesome. But before Brennan could even pretend to think about it she snapped back at him.
"I'm sure he appreciates the offer Dr. Hodgins, but we are just returning from a long day at the park, and I'm certain that Parker is looking forward to recuperating in my office with me."
Both Hodgins and Parker responded at the same moment with a chorus of disappointed appeals.
"Mommy, it's okay." Parker replied, trying to wrangle his hand free. "I'm not that tired; I can go see the bug!"
"Yeah, Dr. Brennan, it won't take that long. I'll have him back before you know it." Hodgins could sense that something wasn't quite right with his boss, but he still pushed slightly further..
"No. Like I have already stated, Parker will be in my office with me this afternoon." Brennan punctuated her resolve with a quick tug of Parker's hand that pulled the two of them around Hodgins' body and back on their original path.
As Hodgins watched the anthropologist yank the now cranky boy behind her, he shook his head in bewilderment. "Women…"
A half hour later, Brennan and Parker sat in a heavy silence; the former surrounded by paperwork and the latter placed directly in her lap with paper and crayons in front of him. The clock ticked loudly emphasizing not only the passing of time but also the anxiety that lingered from their earlier scare.
Brennan stopped scratching her pen over the case write-up that she was working on and flicked her eyes at the picture Parker was drawing. It was a puppy. She knew that he hadn't tried to scare her. She knew that he was a good boy. He was only trying to help what he was led to believe was a helpless animal. He had inherited his father's open heart and she admired that about him on most days. She just couldn't get over the image in her mind. The image of Parker's bones being splayed out on her work table. It made her sick to her stomach.
She tightened her arm around his waist pulling his body closer to hers. She needed to feel him warm and alive and breathing against her.
"Mommy, I can't reach!" Parker giggled as he stretched and tried to continue coloring his puppy's ear.
"Oops, sorry." Brennan scooted her rolling chair closer to her desk so that they both could have what they wanted.
As if she had heard the silence break, Angela strolled into Brennan's office with a stride that showed she meant business.
"Hey, buddy," she said leaning over Brennan's desk to poke his nose. "Why don't you head over to Dr. Jack's station? He's got something to show you."
Angela could see Brennan's glare in her peripheral vision, but she couldn't care less. She was prepared for an argument. The way Hodgins had explained it Brennan had suffered from a stage ten passive aggressive meltdown. This meant that she had some explaining to do, and Angela was not going to put up with her usual emotional detachment.
Parker moved his glance between the two women. "Mommy said that I have to stay in here with her today." He continued cautiously.
Angela shook her head vigorously and placed her hands on their respective hips, "I know she did, but I have to talk to her about some big girl stuff that you wouldn't be interested in at all, so I think you should listen to Auntie Angela." She finished with a smile.
"Angela, you are crossing the line."
"Brennan." Angela spoke with a tone that intimidated even Brennan.
No one moved, even Parker. Brennan and Angela weren't yelling but the way they were talking seemed even scarier to him. The room was silent for what seemed like minutes until Brennan cleared her throat and loosened her grip on her son.
"Alright, it's fine. Go see the bug. Tell me all about it when you come back."
Parker removed himself from his mother's lap and ran out of the room as quickly as he could desperate to escape.
Once the boy had reached a safe distance from the office Brennan stared at her best friend who stood solidly at the opposite side of her desk.
"What was that all about, Angela?" She tried to remain as calm as she could. Her scare with Parker had left her vulnerable and now she felt as if she was one step away from either screaming or breaking down into tears.
"You're acting even more odd than usual. I won't name names, but I heard some whispers that you were acting somewhat testy when you came into the lab earlier. I just came in here to be a good friend and see if you needed to talk about what was wrong." Angela moved from her resolute stance and leaned forward against the desk. "So, what happened with Parker?"
"What makes you think that my mood has anything to do with him?" Brennan snapped at her, completely unaware of the fact that she had just admitted to being in a bad mood.
Angela chuckled slightly under her breath. "Maybe because you are holding on to him as if the next gust of wind that comes along is going to blow him over the horizon. Plus, I saw you watch the kid until he was at Hodgins' station as if someone was going to kidnap him between here and there."
Brennan had absolutely no idea how Angela always knew exactly was going on in her head. In all honestly, it made her relatively angry. A woman should be able to have secrets. A woman should be able to keep all of her irrationalities and vulnerabilities safely inside the confines of her own mind.
"Sweetie, I see you thinking. Just please talk to me. If you keep this inside it's going to keep getting worse until you hug Parker so tight that his head pops off."
Brennan sighed too worn down to argue further. "It happened at the park today. He just...he disappeared. I had no idea where he'd gone. I searched for him for about ten minutes before I found him. It felt like so much more time though. It felt like I would never stop searching."
Angela's mouth fell into a tiny gasp, and she scurried around the desk forcing Brennan into a hug.
"Oh my god, Brennan, I'm sorry. It's okay though. You found him and now you both have the opportunity to learn from this." Angela saw the unconvinced look on her friend's face. "I promise its okay now."
"But I lost him, Angela. I lost him and it might not have ended well. I cannot believe I put him in that danger."
Angela rubbed soft circles into her back before ending the embrace. "Brennan, it's like a parenting rite of passage. Almost every parent goes through this, but more times than not both the parent and the child come out of it unscathed."
Brennan raised her eyebrows. "Angela, you wouldn't know. You're not a mother."
Angela ignored the sting of her comment knowing she did not mean it as harshly as it came out. "I promise you. Ask any parent. I would bet you a 1964 Gibson ES0335 TDC that 90 percent of them would say they 'lost' their kid in a park or a supermarket."
Brennan didn't entirely understand Angela's last comment, but she breathed in and out slowly. She knew that Angela would never lie to her at least about something this serious but that still couldn't ease her mind completely.
"Fine, Angela. I concede to the accuracy of your current point, but I still do not believe that I was completely irrational in my reaction. Still, I appreciate your advice and your kindness."
Angela felt slightly shell-shocked. She knew that Brennan's sudden clinical tone indicated that she was ready to end the discussion, but her gratitude touched her. She grabbed her best friend and pulled her into another hug.
"You know I am always here for you if you need it, when you know that you need it, and especially when you don't." Angela smiled one last time and exited the office, leaving Brennan to her work and her thoughts.
Brennan returned to her seat at her desk picked up her pen once again. She knew that Angela was right. She always seemed to be. At least when it came to things like these. She had to be right, Brennan thought before returning to her paperwork, she had to be.
(*)
Booth stepped through the front door of Brennan's apartment after a work day that was just too long. He had planned on leaving the Hoover hours ago, but local police picked up his suspect leaving him no choice other than to wait for them to process his misdemeanor so he could grill the creep in interrogation.
The FBI agent draped his gray suit jacket over the back of the couch and headed down the hallway. He popped his head into his son's bedroom. Parker slept soundly with one pajama clad leg hanging out from under the covers. He noticed the hand that normally rested by his mouth wasn't there. Inwardly, he cheered hoping he'd finally kicked that thumb sucking habit.
Assured that Parker was content, he moved towards the room that he now considered partly his. Unsurprisingly, he found his partner propped against the headboard reading a thick novel. He felt his pulse beat faster when his eyes raked over her torso that was only covered by a light blue, lace trimmed sleep slip. It wasn't the type of thing that was meant to be overly sexy. It was simple. It was comfortable. His eyes zoned in on the tiny bow sewn into the material right between her breasts. It was mouthwatering.
He was exhausted, but that little piece of cloth made him believe he could conjure up at least 30 more minutes worth of energy. After all, they had been reacquainting themselves with each other's bodies practically every night since the first time. There was no need to mess with a good thing.
Booth saw Brennan's eyes flicker upward when he started to unbutton his dress shirt, but her blue irises diverted right back to the page she was reading before he got to the last button. He smirked. Maybe she was going to play hard to get tonight.
By the time he was slipping into bed next to her wearing only his boxers, he was surprised she hadn't even said one word to him. Instead of using words himself, he decided to lean towards her and place a kiss on her shoulder.
Still, she gave no response. He continued his efforts and continued kissing her exposed skin lightly. He ran his hand down her arm that was closest to him and when he reached her fingers, he moved them to indicate that she should close the book. His lips curled into a smile when she did just that. When the book was securely on the nightstand, Booth let his hand travel across her stomach and it settled on her hip. Brennan finally turned her neck towards him at the perfect moment to receive a kiss on the lips.
"Hi." He whispered.
"Hello." She said back in one of the seconds he pulled his mouth off of hers to take a breath. They kissed a few more seconds before she pulled away. "You said you'd be home sooner."
"I know, but the police hauled Anderson in before I could leave. I had to stay and interrogate him." Booth explained before moving his lips to the smooth skin of her neck.
"I tried calling you. Why didn't you answer?"
"I left my phone in my office."
"What if Parker or I needed you?"
Her question finally cleared Booth's head of his wicked thoughts. He straightened his back and looked her in the eye. "I'm sorry. I didn't want Anderson thinking I was distracted."
Brennan removed his hand from where it was resting on the top of her thigh. "Would you consider an emergency with your son a distraction?"
His eyes widened and his boxers suddenly felt a lot looser. "Did something happen with Parker?"
She sighed and leaned back against the headboard. "Today at the park he wandered off into the woods with two other children to look at lost puppies. I couldn't find him for almost ten minutes." She spoke quietly with her head hanging.
"Oh, Bones." He gently ran his hand over her forearm. "I'm sorry. I know you were scared."
"I was, but I'm fine now." She partly lied. While she felt better because of Angela's words, the event was still weighing heavily on her.
"Are you sure because every other time I've kissed you there…" He motioned towards the spot on her neck that he'd been working on. "…you haven't pushed me away."
The corner of her mouth turned upward slightly before falling back down. "I'm sorry."
Booth shook his head a little. "You don't have to apologize for not being in the mood, Bones." He joked. "Are you sure nothing else is bothering you?"
"I believe I'm still feeling somewhat anxious." She admitted and took a calming breath before speaking her next sentence afraid that he'd think she was being irrational. "And Parker's room feels very far away." Her teeth caught her bottom lip as her eyes rose to meet his. "I would like for him to sleep in here tonight."
His lips descended on hers once again before he moved off of the bed. Brennan watched as he walked out of the room. Moments later, he returned carrying a snoozing Parker in his arms. "Move to the middle."
Brennan followed his quiet command. She smiled as he laid their son next to her. The boy's eyes cracked open and he raised his hand to shield his eyes from the light in the room. Booth's hand swiftly moved to the bedside lamp and he flicked it off. Parker snuggled into his mother who felt her partner slide up to the opposite side of her. She breathed deep taking in everything she could be surrounded by nothing but her family.
(*)
Brennan was warm. She could feel the slight sensation of sweat on her chest as she began to wake up. She didn't mind it though. Being wedged between her Booth boys was the perfect way to wake up; with a strong arm draped across her stomach, a nose to the nape of her neck and a little hand gripping gently at her forearm.
As the sleep-induced blur started to fade from her eyes, Brennan focused her vision on the child in front of her. Parker was curled mere inches away from her with his face nestled into the other half of her pillow. His chest moved up and down and his mouth began to twitch with the beginnings of awakening yawns.
Suddenly, one of Parker's eyes blinked open and a drowsy half-smile grew on his face. "You watchin' me, Mommy?"
"Maaaaaybe." Brennan answered, drawing out the 'a' and making her son giggle.
Parker opened his other eye and rubbed it with a tiny fist. "Daddy says that he likes watchin' me sleep when he has a bad day."
"It is very therapeutic."
Parker didn't reply. He stretched his body out, pointing his toes towards the end of the bed.
"Did you have good dreams, baby?" Brennan untangled her arm from Parker's and started to run her fingers through his curly hair.
"Mhmm. I could fly like a bird and I was flying over top of all the trees in a big forest, but they were all different colors like purple and blue instead of green."
"That's illogical though, trees are green. There is no genus of tree that sprouts leaves with vibrant colors like that."
Parker laughed and leaned into her stroking motions. "Yes, Mommy, I know. It was only a dream. Dreams are supposed to have lots of make-believe stuff in them. Don't you have really silly dreams sometimes?"
Brennan pondered her son's question. She had never thought about it but she actually couldn't remember the last time that she had a conscious awareness of her dream state after waking up.
"I don't think I have dreams."
"Everybody has dreams." Parker replied without a second thought.
"Well, if I do then I don't remember what occurred in them."
"That's sad, Mommy. Dreams are fun. I wish you could have them."
As Brennan continued to stroke Parker's hair she saw his eyes flutter shut. She let everything about him flood her senses; the smell of his shampoo, the feel of his tangle-free curls through her fingers, the sound of his breathing. Every single thing felt exponentially more important. It felt vital for her to remember everything about him. Just in case.
She couldn't believe that she had almost lost him. She never could have imagined how nauseated she felt running around the park feeling as if she had lost him forever. It did not matter how many people tried to reassure her. It did not matter that she was well aware that this was a common ordeal amongst parents. The feeling that she would never see Parker again frightened her more than anything she had ever experienced.
"I'm sorry I disappeared at the park." It was like he had read her mind. "I didn't mean to scare you. I promise I won't do it again. Never ever."
Brennan forced a smile upon her face touched by his apology but still unable to shake her anxiety. Afraid to wake Booth who was still deeply asleep, she pulled her son's head towards her lips to softly kiss his forehead.
"It's okay, baby. I know." Brennan pecked him once more.
"I love you, Mommy."
"I love you too." She replied simply. She felt relieved, with Parker so close that she could breathe him in and feel his love but as he rolled back to where he had been sleeping earlier the extra inches felt like miles.
(*)
Booth heard the door of his office click shut behind him. The moment he sat at his desk he leaned back slightly in his chair and propped his feet up on his desk. Rubbing his temples, he wished that the end of the day would come so he could go home, take off the tie and jacket and curl up on the couch with his family.
Suddenly he noticed something blinking on his desk. It was his phone. (1) New Voicemail adorned the front LED screen of his Razor.
He flipped open his phone, tapped a few keys and placed the receiver to his ear fully expecting a summons from Brennan yet to his surprise Angela's voice came flooding through the device.
"Okay, Booth. I think we might have an issue here. Brennan's still extremely distressed about what happened with Parker last week. I understand that it's a big deal, and I'm not looking for her to be flippant about it but she is still clinging to Parker like she'll stop breathing if he's more than two feet away from her. Parker's beginning to notice too. He won't leave her by herself. Today he told me he couldn't come help me in my office because he couldn't leave his Mommy alone. I'm tapping out Booth. I've done what I can and it's helped a little but I can't do what you do so you need to talk to your partner, girlfriend, mother of your child, future wife, whoever you guys are going with this week. Yes, Booth, I said talk. Believe me I know sex does wonders but I'm fairly certain -"
The message cut Angela off before she could finish her snarky aside and Booth smiled in appreciation at his cell phone's patience level. She was right though, he acknowledged. Brennan really seemed to be making little progress in recovering from the park incident and it had began to worry him. He couldn't help but feel like something else must be wrong, like something else was preventing her from moving forward.
He was going to find out though. When he got home he was going to fix this no matter what it took.
(*)
As Booth walked through the front door of Brennan's apartment he could hear the soft sounds of the late night news coming from the living area in front of him. He gripped the doorknob tightly, pulling the door shut as quietly as possible to avoid being detected just yet.
Booth followed the television noises into the living room. Brennan sat on the couch directly in front of the television with her auburn hair gathered loosely into a messy bun and a blue ceramic tea-cup nestled in her hands. He leaned quietly against the wall, watching her bring the mug to her lips as he gathered his thoughts and planned his next move.
He knew what he needed to say and he knew what he wanted to say but he also knew that he would forget all of those things the second his eyes met hers. She had a pesky habit of making him seem like a babbling fool and, of course, she would have it no other way. As if she had heard that thought, Brennan reached behind her head with her free hand and pulled the elastic from her hair, eliciting a small sigh from her partner as the hair fell freely.
"I thought I heard you lurking back there." Brennan spoke without turning her head towards Booth
Booth was going to reply charmingly but decided to skip the pretense. "Bones, we have to talk about something."
Despite his serious tone, Brennan ignored him completely. "Did you lock the door behind you?"
"Of course." Booth assured, slightly bothered by the fact that she'd even ask. Part of him thought that she could have simply been concerned about the apartment's security but the edge in her voice told him that it was still about Parker. "Didn't you hear me, Bones? We have to talk about something. And before you say that asking about the lock was talking, I'll tell you its something more important than that."
Brennan didn't even appear to take in his words. She swung her legs off of the couch, stood, and walked over to stand right in front of him. "I'm sure that whatever you'd like to talk about could wait a few minutes." She leaned in and pecked her lips against his.
That kiss started to become something more rather rapidly, but Booth wasn't going to let her steal away the small amount of resolve that he had managed to maintain through their conversation thus far. He cupped his hands around the curve of her cheeks and gently pulled her lips from his. "I said we had something to talk about, Bones. As much as I want to do that we have some business to attend to first."
"But you said previously that we should take advantage of our alone time when Parker is asleep. I put him to bed an hour ago and he hasn't made a sound since." She kissed the underside of his jaw. Her fingers slipped upward to the knot of his tie and tugged.
He allowed her to finish undoing his tie but made no efforts of his own to join into her game. "And if I thought that that was your only reasoning then I might be more inclined to agree. Tell me something, Bones. Where'd you put Parker to bed?"
Brennan's hand stayed pressed against his white dress shirt as she pulled back. "I read him his bedtime story in our room. He fell asleep and I didn't think it wise to wake him."
Booth pressed his eyes shut for a moment. "Bones. This has got to stop. You've got to breathe."
Her eyebrows dipped together. "Of course I'm breathing, Booth. If I wasn't breathing I'd be unconscious." She ran her finger over the line of small semi-transparent buttons down the middle of his shirt.
Booth was edging on being fed up. He curled his hand around her playful finger and stared her straight in the eyes. "Stop it. Seriously. We need to talk about what happened in the park the other day and I'm not going to let you distract me like you always do. Now please Bones, please, tell me what's going on." He stared into her cloudy eyes waiting for an answer, but one never came. "He has slept in our bed every night." His unwavering tone kept her frozen in place. "You insist on holding his hand like he's going to float away whenever we're in public. You won't let him out of your sight at the lab."
"How-"
"Angela left me a voicemail. She said you're still upset about what happened and it's starting to affect Parker. She says he knows he's not supposed to leave you. I know neither of us want him thinking he can stray off in public, but the lab is one place where we both know he's safe."
Brennan's head was now hanging. "I know he's safe at the lab." She murmured.
Booth used his pointer finger to softly lift Brennan's head so she was looking at him once more. "I know its scary, Bones, and I know he worried you. But he isn't the only one that needs to learn from this experience. Parker learned that he can't just run off without telling you but you have to learn that sometimes kids make mistakes. Even though those mistakes can frighten the crap out of you, kids have got to make them so they know what not to do after we aren't around all the time to guide them. Sometimes you just have to take what comes at you, freak out for a moment and then trust yourself as a parent." He kissed her lips to punctuate his point. "I for one trust your parenting."
"I know, Booth." Brennan whispered. "I have learned. Parker is very intelligent and I'm aware that he now knows better. I know that I am a more than satisfactory maternal figure. I provide Parker with guidance, support, and love as well as the basic needs to live a comfortable life. But through this ordeal I've realized that the three of us could function as a nuclear family more successfully if..." She took a steadying breath before continuing. "We raised Parker in a solitary household."
"A solitary what-now?" Booth whispered, afraid to let himself believe that she meant what he hoped she did.
"A single household." Brennan clarified.
"Like you and me? In one apartment? One kitchen, one bed, one living room. No commutes and no picking where to go at night?" Booth's brain was having trouble keeping up with what was going on in his mind.
"Yes, Booth. Although Parker would be included. This is mainly for his benefit." Brennan smiled. "I must say though, that if we are going to live as one family unit I would prefer to live in a house opposed to an apartment."
Her words caused the mile wide smile on Booth's face to shrink. Shocked by her declaration, he gasped, "You want to live in a house? With me and Parker?"
Brennan's forehead wrinkled. "That's what I just said." She walked over to her desk and pulled out a few pieces of paper from her desk drawer. "I've actually already done a significant amount of research." Booth looked down at the information she thrust into his hands. The words blurred together. "Although there are advantages of living in an apartment, there are several benefits that living in a house offers that are statistically shown to improve the lives of small families."
Booth was trying to comprehend the facts that Brennan was pointing out to him but only one thing kept running through his mind. "You want to live in a house with me and Parker. Like a real family."
"Yes, Booth. I have stated that multiple times. Are you even listening to what I am saying now?" Brennan pointed to the first page she'd handed him. "A house would provide us with a yard and garage. While we won't have the convenience of a landlord for maintenance, you're mechanical skills are quite adequate." She swallowed once before adding, "We could also have a security system that consists of more than a chain lock on the front door."
Booth felt so relieved that he still couldn't focus entirely on what she was saying to him. "So this is what has had you all crazed lately? The fact that you feel we could be a better family if we lived in a house together?"
Brennan pouted slightly. "Booth! Stop changing the subject. I would really appreciate your input beyond repeating what I have said and asking questions with obvious answers."
Shaking his head slightly as a small attempt to clear it, Booth set the papers down on the coffee table. He stepped into Brennan's personal space and indulged himself in a second of simply staring at her beautifully riled up face. He brought his hands to the side of her face. "You want the three of us to move into a house together." He blissfully stated.
"Booooth." She groaned, unable to understand why he kept repeating her. "How many times-"
She couldn't finish her complaint though because Booth pressed his lips to hers. It was a kiss that meant something. A kiss full of love and a kiss full of happiness. Most of all though, it was a kiss that meant that he had never agreed with her more.
"I suppose you are trying to use a kiss to show me that you would also like to move in together considering you apparently unable to speak coherently."
"You got it, Babe." He quipped.
Brennan's face twisted in disgust. "Don't call me Babe."
Booth laughed and leaned into kiss her again. This time their mouths didn't part until air was necessary and even then once they caught their breath, they returned to nipping at each other's lips. Brennan whimpered when she felt his hands slide down her ribs and hips straight to the back of her thighs. They had done this enough times for her to know he wanted to carry her. The first time she opposed Booth lugging her around like some caveman, but when she felt the pleasing sensation of their lower bodies being pressed together, she didn't offer another word of protest. Booth let out a husky breath of approval when her legs wrapped around his waist.
Instead of carrying her down the hall to the bedroom like she expected, he brought her over to the couch and lay her down first so he'd be on top. "W-why aren't we going to bed?" Brennan questioned unsteadily as he brought her fingertips to his lips. He kissed each one adoringly before linking their hands and raising them above their heads.
"Our bed's a little preoccupied, Bones." He reminded while nuzzling her neck. "Did you forget?"
Brennan moaned as his mouth kissed and sucked the skin on her neck. He went back and forth with the amount of pressure he used. It both drove her wild and insured that he wouldn't leave a mark. "Do you think Parker would like to live in a house?" She had to ask before they went farther.
Booth reared back and looked her straight in the eye. "Are you kidding? We both know he's fed up with living in two apartments. He'll love it."
ONE MONTH AGO
Parker determinedly dug through his toy box adding to the growing pile of cars, action figures, and blocks on his bedroom floor. He pushed his possessions back and forth until the white bottom of the chest peeked out. When the boy realized that the new transformer was nowhere to be found, he slumped down on his knees and let out a frustrated huff. Already, he had looked for his favorite toy under his bed and in the closet. He'd even circled the other rooms of his father's apartment.
Parker pushed himself onto his feet and scurried into the living room. He found his parents sitting cozily on the couch focusing their attention on the television.
"It's all about contact, Bones. Basically it's like this: there's a puck on the ice and you just aim to get it in other team's net. It's about manipulation, controlling the puck that your team can have the upper hand. At the end of the day we're just like soccer…except we lace up our skates, sharpen our blades, and hide behind a mask ready to make a mark." Booth attempted to once again explain the appeal of ice hockey to Brennan. He was about to point out how it, like her other favorite things, was a science. A science of deception, a science of winning, a science of skating as hard and as fast as you can to prove yourself to the opposing team until he noticed his son stepping around to their side of the sofa.
"Hey, bub." Booth greeted when he spotted his son approaching them. "You want to help me explain hockey to your athletically challenged momma? She has no appreciation for it. I don't know if we can keep her." He teased with a good hearted laugh.
Brennan scoffed but didn't speak. She still didn't quite grasp the concept of skating back and forth after a little round piece of plastic, but she was more than willing to listen to Booth try to communicate his passion for the sport.
"But we have to keep her, daddy! No one else make us as happy." Parker spoke as if Brennan wasn't sitting right there in front of him. Sweetly, he leaned over the arm of the couch towards her and scrunched his face. Routinely, Brennan did the same and nuzzled her nose against his. These 'eskimo kisses' as Parker called them were becoming a usual occurrence around bedtime. She spoke no word of protest.
When they pulled back, Parker looked at her hopefully. "Do you know where my transformer is? I looked all over for it."
"I believe you brought it to my apartment yesterday." She replied with a tender caress of his messy hair.
Parker pouted as the memory of playing with the toy at their other home flooded his mind. "Can we go get it?" He begged.
Both adults gaped at his request. "Bub, it's late. You have about twenty more minutes before it's time to lay down." Booth informed with a check of his watch.
"But we would not travel to my apartment simply for a toy. It's not a good use of time or gasoline." Brennan added feeling that it should be known that they wouldn't follow his every wish.
"I want to play with it!" The little boy argued.
"Find something else to play with for a few minutes. We can go get your transformer tomorrow." Booth reassured.
Parker crawled to the end of the couch that his parents weren't occupying. He crossed his legs and held his head up with the palms of his hands.
Silently, Booth and Brennan's lips curved upward while they watched him mope. Although Parker being upset was no laughing matter, they had to smile at the way he'd simply get quiet and sulk. It was a very dramatic, six year old thing for him to do.
"Parker…" Brennan trailed off in a calm voice trying to coax him out of his bad mood.
"S'not fair." He grumbled in his hands while stubbornly keeping his eyes facing the floor.
Booth tapped the boy's side lightly with his sock covered foot. "I know you want to play with it bu-"
"Not that!" Parker denied. "It's not fair cuz I have to leave stuff at both our houses."
"But you've always had stuff at two houses." Booth reminded.
The six year old sighed and turned his body ninety degrees to face them. "But we don't gotta live in two places. Let's just pick one." He insisted. "Then we can have all our stuff with us all the time."
Both adults were quiet while his proposal ran through their minds. Booth had considered mentioning to Bones how cumbersome it was to have to split their time between two apartments. Unbeknownst to him, she'd been having similar thoughts despite a small part of her mind screaming at her to maintain her independence by holding onto her own place. The parents caught each other's eyes.
Without breaking eye-contact with her, Booth spoke. "Your apartment is bigger."
That was the only motivation Parker needed. He crawled over and awkwardly laid himself on top of them. "Pleeeease, mommy. Let's live there."
Brennan looked at her little boy's desperate face. She knew Booth had turned him on her purposefully. Two could play at this game. "But this apartment is a shorted distance from work and school." She reasoned. "Living there would require us to wake up earlier every day."
Parker immediately turned to his dad. "I don't want to wake up early. Let's bring all our stuff here!"
Booth groaned. The small frown on Parker's face made the father want to give him anything he wanted. This decision however was not one to be decided on a whim. "I have an idea." He announced. "How about you go find a hiding spot." Booth growled playfully and held his hands up. "Before the tickle monster comes out!"
Parker yelled and hopped off the couch. In the process he grabbed Brennan's hand and pulled her up behind him. "Come on Mommy or he'll get you!" He warned instantly pulling her into their game.
Mother and son ran down the hallway into the master bedroom. Parker decided that they should squeeze into the closet. Brennan knew it'd be a tight fit, but she helped maneuver them into the abyss of clothes, shoes, and boxes of unimaginable knickknacks. Brennan held Parker tight against her chest as they silently listened to Booth stomp around the house pretending to search high and low for them.
Quietly, so the 'tickle monster' wouldn't hear, Parker looked up at Brennan in the darkness of the closet and whispered, "I really just want to live in one house, Mommy."
She kissed his forehead. "I know, baby. Daddy and I will talk about it."
Parker smiled and focused on the door that swung open moments later. He yelped as his father reached into the closet. Booth picked a flailing Parker up from Bone's lap and attacked his torso with his dexterous fingers sending all three of them into hysterics.
Kelsey here! I hope you guys enjoyed that extra-long chapter. A lot of work went into it. Like Kimmy said up top, we're both very busy. Just be patient and we promise to deliver the goodies when we can. Please drop a little review to us so we know that you all didn't forget about this story. We want to make sure we're still writing this for someone besides the two of us!