Ok so I would have had this up earlier today, but I decided to go see Batman the dark knight, instead. haha. Sorry.

There might be a few grammer errors. idk. I didn't check it very well and I'm to lazy to do it now. haha.

OH and one more thing. This takes place sometime in the third season before the whole Zach thing. I like Zach to much to write him off.

But, anywho, here it is...

Chapter 3

Friday May 22 – Booth's Apartment – 12:13 pm

"Parker who are you talking to," Booth repeated.

"Dr. Bones, Daddy," he told him as if the answer was right in front him.

Booth stared attentively at his son, not sure what to believe. He was silent for a moment as he took a seat across from Parker. "So," he started as he began to pass out slices of Pizza. "Where is –"

"Dad, you didn't get a piece for Dr. Bones."

Brennan smiled; glad that someone knew she was there. "That's ok, Parker. I'm not hungry."

Booth frowned, but nevertheless he reached out for another piece of pizza. However, just as he was about to cut another slice, he was swiftly cut off by his son… again.

"That's ok. She's not hungry."

"So… where is Dr. Bones?"

The little boy eyed his father suspiciously and when he finally realized his dad couldn't see Brennan, he took a quick glance to where she was sitting. Booth followed his son's eyes and saw nothing but air. He had never known his son was one to have an imaginary friend, let alone someone he knew. Maybe Rebecca had gotten their son to test him, and if they had he wasn't going to fall for it.

"Uh huh, can you ask her why she didn't come to work today?"

Parker turned to Brennan, his eyes wide. Without hesitation she told him, "Tell him that something is wrong. Something happened to me. Tell him someone was at my apartment."

Parker hesitated for a moment, but nevertheless he eventually turned back to his father. "She says something happened to her and that someone was in her apartment…"

With excitement and hope overwhelming her, she sat up on the chair, and scooted closer to the young boy. "Parker, tell him I was attacked," she added quickly.

"She was attacked."

Booth paled. That wasn't the response he had been expecting. He knew this wasn't some trick Rebecca had planed out. Something was wrong, and he wanted to know what. "Parker, is something wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

Brennan frowned. Apparently this was going to be harder then she thought. Then again, she should have known it wouldn't have been easy to convince him. Suddenly, she found the situation all wrong, and her hopes vanished with a blink of an eye. Booth would never believe. Hell, even she didn't believe it. And besides, she knew he wasn't going to believe his five year old son. He'll probably just assume that Parker has an imaginary friend.

"Nothing wrong," Parker told him, his voice soft and suddenly scared.

"Did something happening at school?"

"What? No. Daddy, Dr. Bones is sitting right there," he pointed to the empty chair. "Can't you see her?"

A look of sympathy appeared across Booth's face. He could see the plea in his son's eyes. Maybe he should just accept that Parker had imaginary friend. It's not like it would kill him. Taking a deep breath, he decided to play along with Parker's childish game. "No, buddy. I don't see her, but could you tell her something for me?"

Parker nodded.

"Tell her to come home."

"She's says she's trying."

"Where is she?" Booth asked, suddenly curious to where the game was going.

Parker frowned. "I told you already," he said sternly. "She's right there." He pointed to the empty air.

At that moment, Brennan saw the look of worry flash before her partner's eyes. He wasn't buying it, and soon his son wouldn't either. Without dithering she turned to Parker, her voice quivering, threatening to break at any moment. "Parker… you have to believe that I'm really here. Ok?"

Booth watched as Parker suddenly lost all interest in him, and started to talk to the empty seat beside them. He was bewildered, confused, and unsure of what to do. Should he call a doctor? Talk to Sweets? Not once, had his son or Rebecca mentioned an imaginary friend. Why had it happened so suddenly? The only explanation he could conjure was a call for help.

"…ok…" he heard his son whisper.

"Parker," he started, his voice soft, but stern. "I want you to stop this right now."

"No," Brennan screamed. "Parker, please. You're my only hope. We have to convince your dad that I'm really here."

"How?"

"… I don't know… let me think…"

"Parker!"

"Dad no! She's scared!" Parker shouted back, his voice pleading.

Booth pinched the bridge of nose, trying to calm himself down. "Parker. I don't know what's going on, but –"

"But, Dad," he interrupted. "She's trying to think of a way to convince you that's she's really here. Please…"

"Ok..." Thinking it was better to play along, and talk to Sweets about it later, he gave in. "…well, if she wants to convince me. Why doesn't Bones tell me something that only we know?"

"Like a secret?"

Booth nodded. "Yup. Only between me and her." He smiled, knowing full-well that he had just stumped his son. However, to his shock Parker simply turned back to the vacant chair.

"Ew," Parker exclaimed, his face twisting in disgust.

Brennan rolled her eyes. She had forgotten about little kids and cooties. "Just tell him… please."

Sighing, Parker turned back to his dad. "She says that you… kissed… in her office under mistletoe."

Booth could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. He eyed the vacant chair for a moment and then looked sternly at Parker. Only he, Bones, and Caroline had been in the room. Parker had never met Caroline before, so she couldn't have told him. Disbelief was clearly written all over his face. Intently, Booth stared straight into his son's eyes. "Who told you that?"

"Dr. Bones."

"Parker, I'm going to ask you one more time. Who told you that?" Booth rarely got angry at his son, but the one thing that pushed his buttons was lying. His son knew this, so he had every right to be angry.

"Dr. Bones!"

"Go to your room. You know I don't accept lying."

"But –"

"Unless you tell me who told you that –"

Parker quickly cut him offm "Dr. Bones did! She says you stole her earring from a crime scene down in New Orleans."

Booth was at lost for words. He and Bones were definitely the only ones who knew that. But how did Parker know?

As Booth was at lost for words, Brennan took the opportunity to talk. "Tell him we danced to Hot Blooded at my apartment two years ago. Tell him..."

"She says you guys danced to Hot Blooded almost two years ago. She says you never let her drive, or let her have her own gun. She says you call them squints. She says –

Without warning Booth slammed his fist on the table, making Parker and Brennan jump. "Go to your room," he told his son sternly.

Brennan's eyes grew wide with shock. "Wait… no. Parker, you have to convince him. Tell him to go back to my apartment…"

"Dad, she wants you to go back to her place…"

Booth, stared wide eyed at his son. Never had his son stood up to him before. "Parker…"

"Start to cry!" Brennan finally decided.

"What?"

"Pretend to cry. Act! Plead with him. Tell him that everything is out of place. Tell him I've been attacked. Make him believe."

"But –"

"Parker, I said go to your –"

"If you do this for me I'll give you twenty dollars!"

In a matter of seconds Parker broke down into a fit of tears, and started to plead to his dad. "No Dad," he sobbed. "You have to save her. She's been attacked! Please –"

Brennan smiled. Either Parker was truly distraught or he was an excellent actor. Either way, it was working. She could see the anger vanish from Booth's eyes and a look of concern replace it.

"Parker, calm down. Dr. Bones is ok…" He had no idea what had possessed his son to break down to tears like this. Something was seriously wrong, but he didn't know what. His head began to swarm with possibilities, but none seemed to fit.

"Then how come she won't answer her phone?"

Booth was at lost for words. He didn't even know the answer to the question. The truth was, he was very worried for his partner. The fact that she hadn't come to work, or call him left him very distraught, and Parker wasn't helping the matter. Sighing he wrapped Parker in a tight embrace. "Will you feel better if I go back to her apartment?"

Parker nodded tearfully.

"You'll have to stay with Mrs. Richmond," he warned

He watched his son hesitate for a moment. "That's ok. She makes good cookies."

Booth smiled. "Ok. Let me go next door and talk to her. You wait here. I'll be back."

Parker waited until he heard the front door shut, before breaking out into a huge smile. It was the difference between day and night. His frown was replaced with a smile, his puffy eyes vanished to his bright chocolate-hazel ones, and the redness in his face slowly returned to its original color.

"Did I do good, Dr. Bones?!"

Brennan smiled a wide full-hearted smile. "Perfect."

"Where's my money?" his tone was soft, not demanding or bratty. Just cute.

She couldn't help but laugh. "I promise I'll give it to you once I…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say. When she what? When she was real again? "When I come back… When I'm…really here…."

Parker looked confused. "Dr. Bones… are you a ghost?"

"I…" If he had asked that question any other day she would have told him no, ghost don't exist. All her life she had been taught that superpowers and spirits were not real. But now she wasn't so sure. For once in her life she had no idea what was happening to her. It terrified her to no end. "I don't know Parker."

They heard the click of the door opening and heavy footsteps heading there way. In a moment Booth was in the kitchen with Mrs. Richmond, who was standing behind him.

"Parker, tell him…"

"Daddy," he began softly. "Dr. Bones wants you to test for blood on her coffee table. She says there used to be a vase on top. It's not there anymore. She says everything in her apartment has been rearranged. She wants you to look closely."

Booth stared at his son in disbelief for the one hundredth time. Sighing he nodded his head. "Ok, you be good. I'll be back."

Booth leaned down and hugged his son goodbye.

--

Friday May 22 – Brennan's Apartment – 12:47 pm

"But how do you even –" Zach began, but he was immediately cut off as Booth pushed him roughly into Brennan's apartment.

Booth cut him off angrily, "I just do. Now, did you bring everything I asked for?"

Brennan stood at Booth's side, hope returning to her once more. He had listened to his son. He had brought – well dragged – Zach over to her apartment to test for blood. Everything was going to be okay. They would find her.

She frowned at the thought. But where was she? She couldn't remember anything. Hell, she hardly even remembered the attack. What if she was really dead? No. She wasn't. Booth would save her; like he always did. He would protect her and everything would be ok.

"But I don't understand. I thought you told Angela that Dr. Brennan was fine and –"

"Would you just do the test?"

"Fine, but I prefer if you don't hover. I don't work very well when I'm under a lot of stress, so if you don't mind I would –" Zach mumbled in his scientific tone.

Booth rolled his eyes. "I'll stand over here. Now do the test."

"Where?"

Booth ran his hands through his short hair. "Uh… start over by the coffee table…"

Deciding it would be best to give Zach his space (like he had asked), Booth stepped into the kitchen.

Brennan followed him. She had never seen him look so distraught before. Was this how he felt when the gravedigger had taken her? His face was pale, anxiety played across his features, and his movement was tense. She had never been good at reading people, but it didn't take a genius to see that Booth was upset.

"God, Bones. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" he muttered into his hands.

"I don't know," she told him pointlessly.

He suddenly dipped his towards the ceiling. "Please, let her be ok. I... I can't lose her."

Even though she or he wouldn't be able to feel it, Brennan gently placed her hand on Booth's. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Booth," Zach called as he ran into the kitchen.

"Did you find anything?" he asked anxious.

However, the answer was already etched onto the young scientist face. Anxiety, confusion, and distraught played across his features. Zach's eyes, the color of a dark starry night, remained glassy and unfocused, and yet he still made no move to answer. Booth felt his heart shattered into a million pieces. And even though Zach had told him the answer in an unspoken manner, he still felt the need to verbalize it.

"Positive."