Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last two parts of this story. I really kept writing because the support caused the juices to keep flowing.

As usual I don't own Bones.

Brennan hummed along with the radio in the living room as she filled the sink with hot water to start on the huge pile of dishes that had accumulated during their dinner party. The party been a huge success – their friends and family could not be more excited about their upcoming nuptials and 'mini-squint' that would soon join their ranks. They had laughed and talked well into the evening, but everyone had slowly trickled out with heartfelt 'goodnights' and hugs until it was down to Max, Parker, Brennan and Booth. Booth and Max had just left to go the video store to rent a movie, leaving Brennan and Parker to do the dishes, stating that they always picked the same three movies when they took them. Left to their own devices Parker and Brennan had turned on the classic rock station and had begun to clean up. Brennan sank further into the peace in the apartment as she poured soap into the sink.

In recently doing dishes had become one of her favorite tasks. One night not long before they had moved in together, they had been doing dishes together when Booth had noticed her cringing every time he handed her a dish to dry. All at once, he'd remembered the terrible time when her foster parents had locked her in the car after breaking a dish. He immediately took the dish away from her, whisked her away and ravished her until the dishes were completely forgotten. The next morning when Brennan woke up Booth was making breakfast and all the dishes had been washed and been put away.

She thought he'd forgotten about it after that, but a few weeks later they had been in Greek restaurant in downtown D.C. when after dinner Booth had taken her into a special back room and the owner had handed her a stack of clean, white dishes. Booth had smiled at her and kissed her on the forehead, "Bones, you are to break every single dish and then I'm going to take you home and make love to you all night. That way you'll have good memories associated with dishes." Breaking those dishes, Brennan felt alive and free; it was in those moments as the dishes crashed down around her, she had felt so loved and so free. They still kept shards from the broken dishes in vase by the sink. Looking at them always brought a smile to her face.

She turned to ask Parker something and stopped short by the look on Parker's face. Although she still did not possess Booth's ability to read people, she could read Booth and at this moment Parker looked so much like his father that she could practically read his mind. That look, this particular formation of facial features, meant only one thing and she knew that. Parker yearned for something he believed he would never have or something he felt like he'd lost. Brennan nearly began to cry seeing that facial expression on another Booth's face; she only hoped this time she wasn't the cause of it.

Brennan swallowed the emerging tears and moved to the doorway of the kitchen. "Hey Parker, what are you thinking about?"

Parker jumped to attention his eyes suddenly coming into focus. He hurriedly picked up the plate he had been starring at and moved to take a stack into the kitchen. "I'm fine, Bones," he had never given up calling Brennan by his father's nickname for her. "I've just got a lot my mind." He brushed past Brennan and started to gather up another stack of plates.

Brennan leaned against the doorframe to let Parker pass her. She placed her hand on her stomach, a gesture she'd picked up early on during her pregnancy. Breathing slowing and trying not to cry Brennan suddenly realized that she and the tiny child growing inside her were causing pain to this boy that she loved so much. Brennan firmly believed that even without the excess of hormones raging through her body that very thought would cause tears to pour down her face.

She attempted to hide the tears from Parker, so as not to further upset the boy, but all at once she began to sniffle and hiccup all in one breath. Parker looked up startled from the table. "Bones, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, Parker, a pregnant woman often has unexplained bouts of strong emotion. I must be experiencing one of those right now. It's nothing."

Parker considered her seriously. "Bones, I'm twelve years old, but even I can tell you're lying."

"I'm sorry, Parker. I am just trying to figure out how to make my marriage to your father and the birth of our baby has as little impact on your life as possible because it's clearly upsetting you."

He didn't say a word for a moment thinking over what Brennan had just said and then snapped to life, running over to hug Brennan. "Bones, do you think I'm upset about the baby; and you and Dad getting married? That's crazy! I'm excited about being a big brother and you finally being my step mom."

Brennan wiped her nose and hugged the growing boy. "You've been almost silent since we made the announcement at dinner and your features contort in the same way as your father's when you are upset; I simply made a rational conclusion."

"Bones – don't jump to conclusion without all the facts." Over the past few years, working in and around the Jeffersonian, Parker had picked up more and more of "Brennanisms." He sighed and said nothing for a moment. "Can I talk to you about something and you not tell my dad about it?"

She thought for a moment. "Well I suppose as long as you're not putting yourself or anyone else in danger."

He walked over to the couch and looked at Brennan beckoning her to join him. Brennan walked over to the couch and sat down facing the young boy as he tried to organize his thoughts. After another moment, he spoke. "Bones, I'm so excited about the little baby you're going to have but I'm worried that I'm not going to be a very good big brother."

"Parker, you're a wonderful young man and any little boy or girl would be lucky to have you as a big brother. You are an affectionate, intelligent and funny; what makes you think that you won't be a good big brother?"

"My whole life I have had to split my time between my mom and dad. I've essentially had a part time dad. I know that he loves me and we talk all the time, but I've never spent more than a week with him at one time. At first I was jealous of the baby because they would get to spend all their time with their mom and their dad."

Although Brennan new that Parker was on a track, she reached out and placed a hand on the boy's knee, "Parker, your father could see you once a month, once a year even and would still love you with the same magnitude. Just because this baby will not have to split its time between two families does not mean that it will be any more loved."

Parker smiled in spite of himself, "I know and I figured that out the moment I actually thought about it rationally, but then I started to think about it another way and I have been able to logic myself out it." He took in a deep breath and sighed, refusing to meet Brennan's eyes. "I will only be a part time big brother. Now you and dad are having a baby and becoming this whole new family and I will only be a part of it every other weekend. This little baby will grow up so quickly – at least that's what grown-ups always say and I'm going to miss all of it, just like my dad did with me."

"What do you mean, Parker?"

"A while back I had a project at school where we had to talk about our development. We were supposed to talk to our parents about when we started walking and talking; what our first words were – all that baby stuff. Well, it was Dad's weekend, so I talked to him about it. He knew all the answers and stuff, but when I asked him more about it, he told me that he'd missed almost all of it because of how little he saw me."

Parker could no longer fight the frustrated tears that were accumulating and one streaked down his face. "And now I will have the same schedule with my little brother or sister and I'm going to miss all of it."

Brennan sat there silent for a moment, overwhelmed by the heart and mind of the young man sitting next to her. She had repeatedly been amazed by the boy that Booth had raised, but at this moment she could not believe the depth of love, pain and knowledge that Parker possessed. And despite the futility and frustration that Brennan knew that Parker was feeling, she also looked forward to having him and Booth to help her show the child inside her the world. There were many things that she would teach this child, but Booth and Parker would be the ones to teach it about love.

Parker wiped his nose on his sleeve and finally looked at Brennan. "Bones, please, don't you have something logical to say that will make me feel better? I would use a little rationality right now."

Her heart was crushed a little. "I'm sorry, Parker, there's not really much I can say. Your father struggles with missing you every single day. He loves you so much and wants so much to share your life, but also understands the situation that you all are in. I'm afraid it is a trial you will face too when your sibling is born. I'm so sorry, Parker." She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him into a hug.

His tears began to fall a little more freely and she kissed him gently on top of his head. "But, isn't there anything I can do to change it – I don't know if I'm strong enough to hurt like this all the time. I don't know how Dad does it."

Brennan laughed through her tears. "It's that Booth capacity to love – it's momentous."

"That's great and all, but I just wish there was something I could do to change it. I wish I could be a real part of this family. I mean I love Mom and everything and I really feel like a part of that family – now I want to feel like part of this family, but what can I do?"

Brennan held the boy close as she contemplated breaking a self imposed oath. Even before she had become romantically involved with Booth she had struggled to not interfere in his complicated relationship with his ex and his son. She had seen him hurting and missing Parker so many times, but instinctively knew it was not her place to comment on the situation. She could only comfort him on the bad days and hope for the best. But sitting here holding the younger Booth, she knew she could no longer be idle.

"Parker," she lifted the boy's face, gently forcing his eyes to meet hers. "I have worked very hard to not become involved in your parents' ongoing custody struggle, but I can no longer remain silent."

"What are you saying, Bones?"

"You are growing up and I firmly believe you are more thoughtful and mature than most boys your age; maybe it's time you have a say in how much you see each of your parents."

Parker looked confused, "Can I do that?"

"All I know is that your parents have never had a formal custody agreement, so I imagine your schedule can be whatever they can agree on."

A long moment passed while Parker considered what Brennan had said; then the boy frowned. "But I don't want to hurt my Mom's feelings. I love her so much, but I just miss you and Dad a lot."

Brennan fought off a fresh batch of tears. "Then you have to tell her exactly what you just told me and make sure you have a fair schedule in mind, so you don't end up missing your Mom instead."

There was more silence as Parker thought about flaws in Brennan's logic. "What about your late night cases? And what about the baby; would having me around just make things more complicated?"

"No, Parker," Brennan said firmly squeezing his hand, "your father and I would be thrilled if we got to spend more time with you, we miss when you're not here. As far as cases, we'll work something out with my Dad or the Hodgins and you will just have to commit to helping out with the baby once he or she is born."

Parker finally smiled. "I like the idea of being able to help out with the baby. Do you really thing my Mom might go for this?"

"There's only one way to find out, Parker; you'll have to ask her."

Parker sighed, "I guess you're right. I'm going to ask her tomorrow and I think I've even thought of a schedule that is fair to my Mom and Dad."

Brennan beamed at the young man in front of her. "I'm very proud of you, Parker. It takes a lot of courage and maturity to talk to your parents about this."

"Thanks, Bones, but could I ask you a favor?"

Brennan nodded, "Sure, Parks."

"Can you tell Dad that we talked and I'm going to talk to my Mom? I think I would get too excited if I told him myself, but I don't want him to be shocked when Mom calls."

"I can handle that."

"Thank you, Bones."

"You're welcome. Now let's get this mess cleaned up."

They had just put the last dish in the dishwasher when Booth and Max returned from the video store. Dishes and leftovers carefully stowed away, they settled in for a movie. Parker wedged himself between Booth and Brennan while Max dozed in the recliner. After the movie ended, Max said his good-byes as Parker packed up to head back to his Mom's.

As soon as the movie ended, Booth became very quiet as he always did at this point. Even though he'd had a wonderful weekend with his son, it was never enough and could feel his son's childhood slipping away from him. Brennan just watched him quietly as he dropped off Parker and let him tell his Mom the big announcements that had been revealed at dinner. Rebecca had congratulated them both warmly, but Brennan could see that Booth's smile only went skin deep. She decided to wait and tell him about another potential change in his life. It was not until they were in their pajamas, curled up on the couch watching some late night talk show that Brennan decided to broach the subject.

"Booth, can I talk to you?"

"Sure, Baby, what's up?"

Brennan took a deep breath and sighed it out before beginning. "While you and Max were at the video store, Parker and I had a discussion about your and Rebecca's custody arrangement."

"Bones, that's not like you to get involved with that."

"I know, Booth, and usually I wouldn't, but I could tell Parker was upset and I asked him about it. He told me that he was upset that he would only be a part-time big brother."

"What?"

"Parker knows you love him, but he also recognizes that you were forced to miss a lot of the big moments in his early childhood. He doesn't want to miss those same moments in his younger brother or sister."

Booth sat back amazed at his little boy, young man actually. He could not believe how insightful and loving Parker was at his age.

"So, what did you tell him, Bones?"

"After debating about whether or not to get involved, I decided to tell Parker I believed he was old enough to have a voice in his own custody arrangement."

Booth was now hanging on to her every word about ready to burst from curiosity. "So, what did Parker say?"

"Well after a brief discussion Parker informed that he was going to talk to Rebecca about an arrangement he felt was fair to both of you. Also he asked me to let you know about our conversation when Rebecca inevitability calls."

"Wow," Booth muttered before falling silent for several long moments.

Unable to bear the chatter of the television or Booth's silence, Brennan asked in a rush, "Are you upset with me?"

"Oh my God, no," Booth snapped out of his silence and pulled Brennan into his lap, so she was facing him. "I was just sitting here trying to figure out how I got so lucky. I have a beautiful woman who is carrying my child and has agreed to marry me; an incredible son who wants to be a great big brother and spend more time with me. On top of that I'm blown away by how much and Parker love one another. I'm not upset; I was just shocked into silence by all the wonderful things in my life." Booth punctuated his statement by kissing her warmly on the lips.

"Okay," Brennan said after their lips parted, "but I'm sorry if I overstepped any boundaries. I just couldn't stand to see Parker so upset."

"Please don't apologize, Bones. Thanks to you I at least get to have a discussion about seeing Parker more. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now we just have to see what Rebecca says."

Brennan came home from a late night lecture she had given to find Booth having a serious phone call, she assumed with Rebecca. Unwilling to intrude any further, Brennan grabbed an apple and a bottle of water before retreating to their bedroom. She attempted to check her email, but found herself continually straining to catch snippets of the conversation.

She had almost given up the ruse of checking her email when she heard from a yell from the kitchen. Brennan jumped up from the bed only to meet Booth halfway, grinning.

"Booth, that look suggests that your conversation with Rebecca went very well." Booth continued to grin, until Brennan found herself grinning and eyes welling up. "Oh my, I don't believe Parker gets to be with us more."

Booth lunged at her, pulling her into a twirling hug. "Well, you better believe it, Baby, because I pick Parker up from school on Wednesday and from there on he's ours every other week."

"Booth, that is very exciting, but I will need you to put me down. The child I'm carrying is causing my inner ear to be more sensitive and easily triggers nausea."

"Oh Baby, I'm sorry," he said putting her down gently and kissing her forehead. "I forgot about all the trouble the little one is giving you."

"It's just a normal part of pregnancy and I share your excitement over having, Parker every other week. It's wonderful news!" She wrapped her arms around Booth and pulled him into a warm hug. They stood like that in the hall for a while, basking in all the wonderful things that were happening in their world.

"Wow, a new baby, a teenager, a wedding – we're becoming quite the little family, Bones."

"Yeah, I guess we are."