Booth hated to leave Brennan. She had been so upset last night as Max hadn't appeared to accept their little 'bun in the oven'. She had tried not to cry, but at a late hour, she had curled into his shoulder and let the tears flow. How he hated to see her so upset. He wanted to go have a nice long talk with Max, and would have, but he knew she wouldn't appreciate it. She was his priority, and he couldn't hurt her by going to Max, no matter how tempting it seemed.

He hated to leave now, but it was his weekend with Parker. He was supposed to pick him up at noon. And he and Brennan had agreed that the sooner Parker knew the better. Neither was sure how the young boy would react, and they wanted to give him time to come around to the fact that Booth would be having another child before said child arrived.

As Booth pulled into Rebecca's driveway, he could see Parker out on the balcony.

"Daddy!" He waved ecstatically.

"Hey, buddy!" Booth waved back just as excited. "What are you doing?"

"Smash derby!" Parker held up a battered dinky car.

"I'll be up as soon as I talk to your Mom," Booth called.

"Okay!" The young Booth agreed.

Booth walked to the door. He didn't even have to knock. Rebecca was already waiting for him.

"Hi, Seeley." She greeted him with the soft voice she usually did.

"Rebecca, can we talk?" Booth asked. "I need your help with something." Booth honestly did want Rebecca's help in revealing the news to Parker. Also, it was probably in his best interests if she knew first, in case Parker let it slip. He didn't want her caught off guard.

"Of course," she waved him inside. "I was just making some tea. Do you want something?"

"Uh, no. Thanks anyway." Booth took a seat at the island. "Listen."

He waited until she had turned to face him, playing with her tea bag. "I'm listening," she assured him, meeting his eyes.

"Brennan and I are together." Booth revealed first.

Rebecca smiled. "I'm happy for you. Is that what you wanted my help with? Telling Parker? That won't be a problem. He adores that woman. Thinks she's the best thing since sliced bread."

"No. That's not it." Booth stared intently at her, but he was more lost in thought that looking at her face. "She's pregnant."

"Wow." Rebecca blinked. "Now I can see why you need my help."

Booth took these words as a bad sign. "Do you think he'll react the wrong way?"

"Kids come around to things quickly," Rebecca mused. "I think he'll be surprised, but he'll be happy for you. Brennan's a great woman. He brags about her. Not like that Hannah. He said she was okay. Nothing more."

Booth nodded, but he was sick of Rebecca's rambling. "I would like to tell him while we're still here. In case he's not comfortable spending more time with me." The thought of Parker not wanting to be with him made Booth feel ill, but his child – children – were his first priority. If Parker needed time away from Booth to come to terms with a sibling, then Booth would give Parker all the time in the world.

"Of course. Do we go to him or do you want him to come to us?"

"Whatever you think will be easiest." Booth was nervous. Telling Parker was the most nerve-wracking thing he had ever done. He would rather be back in the war, or back hunting Jacob Broadsky. He was calmer in those moments then he was facing his eight year old child.

"PARKER!" Rebecca shouted, making Booth jump with surprise.

"What Mom?" Came the returning voice.

"Come down please. I need to talk to you."

Not even a full minute later, the blonde child appeared dutifully in the kitchen. "Yeah?"

"Parker," Rebecca knelt down to his height. "Your father has something important to tell you. It's big news. And whatever you feel about it, that's okay. We're here for you right now."

Parker nodded, without understanding. He faced his father. "Yeah Dad?"

Booth followed Rebecca's example, getting down on one knee so that he was at eye level with the boy. "What do you think of Bones?"

Parker was anything but stupid. "Daddy," his young face filled with awe. "Are you dating Doctor Bones?"

"Yes," Booth stuttered. Parker had caught on too quickly. Booth had counted on being able to work his way slowly into this.

"This is awesome! She's awesome."

Rebecca mouthed an 'I told you so', but Booth missed it.

"Parker, that's not all."

Parker's smile slipped off his face as he thought. "What else is there?" He was thinking what else could it be? It can't be anything bad. Not right next to something so good.

"Parks, Bones is pregnant with my baby. You're going to have a little brother or sister." Booth held his breath. Surely that was the right way to say it. It had to be. He couldn't handle making a mistake right now.

Parker's expression went from thinking hard to blank.

"Parker," Rebecca put an arm around her son's shoulder. "Do you want to go with your dad this weekend, or do you want to stay here?"

"Is Doctor Bones at your house?" He asked his father, though his voice sounded slightly mechanical to Booth.

"I think so." Booth replied.

"Then, take me to your house." Parker left the kitchen and climbed in the backseat of the S.U.V.

"Good or bad?" Booth asked Rebecca as she passed him Parker's overnight bag.

"Normal," she decided.

Booth took a breath, and followed his son outside. The drive to his apartment was quiet. The only noise was their breathing, and the trill of his cellphone as Brennan confirmed she was still there.

"Daddy," Parker said, and Booth froze. "I want to talk to her alone."

"I'll stay in the hall," Booth told his son. Then, he let the boy into his apartment.

Parker found Brennan in the kitchen.

"Hi," Brennan greeted.

"Hi." Parker took a seat at the table. "I have questions."

"I have answers." Brennan took a seat across from him.

"Are you Daddy's girlfriend now?"

"Yes, I am. Are you okay with that?"

Parker nodded. "Are you going to have a baby?"

"Yes, I am." Brennan repeated.

"It's my brother or sister, right?" Brennan nodded. "Do you know what one yet?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't. It's too early to tell."

"Oh." Parker looked down at his knees as he asked the next question. "Does this mean that Daddy will love me less?"

"No Parker, of course not. When you love someone new, it doesn't mean that you love the people you loved before less. Your father has a lot of love in his heart for you, but there's a lot of room for him to have new love for this baby too," Brennan slightly blundered through her speech, but thought she did quite well. "Do you understand?"

Parker nodded. "I think so." He looked Brennan in the eye. "Can you feel the baby kick yet?"

"No, it's too early."

Parker bit his lip. "Can I try anyway?"

Brennan was about to launch into a lecture on the development of her embryo and when Parker would be able to feel it kick. But she knew the look on his face. This is what he needed to come to terms with his half sibling, with this idea of his father having another little baby to love and care for.

"Sure. Come here," Brennan beckoned Parker forward. Awkwardly, he curled his growing limbs into her lap.

He placed one hand on her stomach and his head on her shoulder. "I hope," he confided, "that it's a girl. I want to be my Daddy's only boy."

Brennan smiled. She believed she wanted a girl too. "No matter what, Booth will always have loved you first," Brennan reminded him.

Parker hugged her tightly.

And this was the scene Booth walked in on.

Parker's eight, right? Or is he older than that? I don't own Bones. I hope Parker's reaction was appropriate.

~TLL~