Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or the song.

Story: In My Heart

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Three: Sweet Child O' Mine

Brennan and Parker sat on their living room floor playing a board game. Cam had bought Parker Monopoly Junior Disney Channel Edition for his birthday a month before and Bones decided tonight would be a family game night. They had been playing for about an hour and both being the competitive people they are the game was getting heated. Bones rolled the dice and counting the dots on them.

"Ten" she says picking up her game piece and moving it along the board. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. Brennan had landed on the most expensive square, a square that Parker happened to own. He was ecstatic knowing that the move would bankrupt his step-mother. Parker jumped up from his place on the floor and started a victory dance his father had taught him. The dance was essentially Parker jumping up and down in a tight circle while moving his arms and yelling.

"Whose 'da master? I'm 'da master! Who's the master? I'm the master!" Parker's chant was getting increasingly loud and his dance more erratic as he went on.

"Ok, ok, you're the master. Now Mr. Monopoly Master, help me clean up this mess and then we can make some popcorn and watch a movie before you go to bed, ok?" Bones knew that Parkers favorite end to a day was watching a movie and falling asleep on the sofa. She looked down at the boys face and watched his winning grin get even bigger.

Oddly enough he reminded her of Russ and herself as children, back in the good times before her parents had left. They had often had family game nights and it was a tradition that she was happy to continue with Parker. Every once in a while Bones would look at Parkers face and his little smile and think back on her life before age fifteen, before her parents left, sometimes if she looked too long she would get lost in the memories his innocent face brought up, sometimes she almost cried. Before that could happen this time Parker took a step towards her and wrapped his small arms around her waist, leaning into her body he gave her a tight hug. Bones returned the hug, placing one arm around him and her hand on his head. Parker looked up at her giving her another big grin before racing off to get a movie to watch.

"Parker, you were supposed to help me clean up!" Bones yelled after the boy. The only response she got was a laugh.

He's got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Now and then when I see his face
It takes me away to that special place
And if I stared too long
I'd probably break down and cry

Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love of mine

Bones cleaned up the game while she waited for Parker to return with the move. She left the game on the end table for Parker to put away in his room. Brennan heard the boys footfalls coming down the hallway at a fast pace.

"Parker, no running in the house, you'll trip and hurt….." Her sentence was cut off with the boys scream. Spinning around she gasped and dashed forward picking up her son and cradling him in her arms. He had tripped and fell into the coffee table.

"Shhh shhh, Parker let me see. I need to make sure you're ok. Please baby let me see." Bones tired to pry the little boys hands away from his bloody forehead.

"Ma ma Bo ones! Parker said dragging the words out because of his cries. "I hurt my head."

"I know child please let me see so I can make it better." Bones was practically begging the boy to remove his hand from his head. Slowly as if afraid of it hurting more Parker lowed his arms and let his mother look at the cut. It wasn't as bad as she had first thought, as is common with head wounds it bled profusely. The cut was not very long it started just above his right eyebrow and ended just below it, because of the cuts close proximity to his eye she decided they would have to go to the emergency room.

"Parks, I think we gotta go to the doctor's ok buddy? The cut isn't bad; you'll be fine I just want to make sure you don't end up with a nasty scar ok?" Bones tried to ease his worries. At his nod Bones picked him up and headed for the door. She stopped by the kitchen and found a clean wash cloth in one of the drawers.

"Here try and hold this to your head Bub, it'll make the blood stop ok?" Parker nodded and took the small white wash cloth out of her hand and gently placed it on his head.

"Make sure you put pressure on it, that's the only way it'll help." She reminded the boy. Grabbing a jacket for the boy and her keys from the bowl by the front door, Bones left the apartment with a semi calm child. She hated to see her little boy in so much pain. He was everything good in her life, her warm safe place and she hated to see him hurt. Her apartment wasn't far from the parking lot and it didn't take them long to reach their car.

He's got eyes of the bluest skies
And if they thought of rain
I hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain
His hair reminds me of a warm safe place
Where as a child I'd hide
And pray for the thunder
And the rain
To quietly pass me by

Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love of mine