Title: A Time to Grow

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

NOTE: An episode is lightly referenced. Season 5 episode 1. Brennan was stabbed in the arm, and Booth is holding her, with pressure on the wound and says "I got you. Shh. I got you, Baby," and kisses her head. Its the scenario Brennan is referencing.

Parker Brennan. It was strange to see that written on his paper, but Brennan was getting used to it. Chase still called him 'Booth,' at school and while they studied in the lab, when he thought Brennan couldn't hear him.

It was almost time to have the baby, and everyone was getting excited. Even Chase. Even though he was a year older than Parker, they'd become best friends.

"Dr. Brennan," Chase asked when Brennan groaned as she stood up. "You due date in several days away, correct?"

"Eight days, to be precise. I've hired a temporary replacement to start here on March 28th, giving us two days to get my lab in order." She gasped and put her hand over the baby. "Active today."

"Sweetie," Angela said looking in the door. "Are you okay?"

"He's just active today," Brennan answered, rubbing her back. She hissed when a sharp pain shot through her back.

"That's not active, that is labor, Brennan. Chase, call your mom. Parker, get changed out of your school uniform. We're going to the hospital. CAM!" Angela yelled into the lab. "CAM!" The whole lab came running in as Parker dashed out to change out of the uniform. Everyone was on high alert all week.

"I'll pull the car around," Cam said, taking Brennan's keys.

"I don't have anything that I planned to bring to the hospital," Brennan said, worried. "Angela-"

"I'll get everything. What do you want me to get?"

"My blue suit case, and the light blue bag in the nursery, my iPod, and Parker's portable DVD player, and some movies for him to watch."

"Got it!" she said, taking the spare key from Parker.

"Fisher, keep and eye on Chase. Don't scare or depress him. His mother will be here shortly."

"New life is depressing, Dr. Brennan, but I will certainly try to appear perky." Brennan rolled her eyes. "Please tell me you are toilet trained." he asked Chase.

"I'm 13."

"That means nothing."

"Um, yes, I'm toilet trained," Chase said, now a little worried. Brennan yelped in pain.

"Dr. Brennan, that isn't normal," Fisher said.

"Not now-"

"I mean, labor doesn't look like this. Might I suggest you call ahead, and tell them you are having frequent, irragular, and hard contractions, roughly 97 seconds apart?" Hodgins winced.

"He's right, Dr. B. Sit here and rest." He helped her into her chair.

"I'll escort the car," one of the new FBI agents said, trying to offer any help he could. He left to pull his car out.

"We ready?" Parker asked poking his head into the room. Hodgins helped Brennan up and walked her to the car. She had to stop for a contraction several times on the way to the car. Eventually, a security guard lifted her up and carried her to the car, sensing there may be trouble. Hodgins drove, with Parker in the front seat, and Cam in the back, supporting Brennan.

"Breathe, Dr. Brennan. We're 8 minutes away from the hospital." Parker reached his band back.

"Tell me about what Dad would do," Parker said. Brennan cried out again in pain and shook her head. "Mom, look at me." He'd never called her Mom before. It certainly got her attention. "What would Dad do?"

"Panic."

"Probably," Hodgins joked.

"And then what?" Parker squeezed her hand. "When he realized that you were in serious pain like this, what would he have done?"

"I don't know," she gasped. "He would have Hodgins drive me to the hospital, and hold my hand. He would tell me that women have babies in rice fields, and that it was going to be over soon, and I'd have a really beautiful baby at the end of it." She cried out again. "He'd tell me about the day you were born, and the first time he held you. He'd tell me how you were named after a soldier, and how much you remind him of all the good in the world."

"What would he do after?"

"He would," she paused as another contraction set in, harder than before. She closed her eyes, and screamed as it went into its fullest part of the contraction. As it slowly died down she caught her breath and "He would hold me. Booth would put his arms around me and tell me that I'm going to be okay, and that he's got me. He's kiss the top of my head and he would say, "Its okay. I got you, Baby." I know he would. He did it before, when I was stabbed in the arm."

"Then he would get you a strawberry milk-shake, with caramel and peanuts on top. No whipped cream, because it is a totally different texture than the ice cream, and it doesn't taste as good." Brennan nodded and looked at Parker. "And when he comes back, you can punch him again. Twice; once for you, once for me."

"And a smaller smack from the baby."

"And after that, you can tell him you love him."

"You can tell him I adopted you, turned you into a Squint, and put you in piano lessons."

"That will be more of a shocker than anything else," Cam said gently. They didn't know if he was still alive, but they knew that he wasn't the body that the Army sent to them with a part of Booth's dog tags. Brennan cried out again through another contraction, as they pulled up to the hospital.

There was a rush of people moving Brennan to a stretcher, and rushing her off with Cam. Parker followed them in and was instructed to wait in the proper waiting room. He paced until Hodgins came in, and waited with him.

Time seemed to pass very slowly, and after an eternity, Angela showed up with everything Brennan had asked for, only to be told that labor would be very short; the baby was in distress and would be taken via emergency C-section. They would meet the little man within the hour. Angela and Cam switched, and Angela would be with Brennan during the delivery.

Parker curled up across two chairs, and rested his head in Cam's lap. People started showing up; Max, Russ and the girls were first, Sweets shortly after, and Jared just before the nurse called for Parker.

Parker followed the nurse into the room. Brennan was in bed, looking much better than the last time he saw her. She was holding the baby, and smiled at Parker.

"Come meet your little brother, Joseph." Parker sat in the chair and the nurse transferred the baby into his arms. "Joseph Booth Brennan." Parker studied the little face and touched his tiny little hands.

"He's just so perfect," Parker said, holding the tiny fist. "Hi, Joey."

"I think he looks like you," Brennan said, smiling at her boys.

"Yeah," Parker answered. "He does." Parker looked up at Brennan. He looked so happy and so sad at the same time. "Do you really think Dad is still alive?

"I don't know. If he is, he will do anything to get back to you."

Three floors down, the unknown man, who only spoke 15 words tried to tell the nurse that he saw his son through the window.

"Parker, look!" he called. "Saw! Saw Parker!"

"Mr. Parker, we'll find him," the nurse said. He'd given in and allwed them to call him by his son's name. It was a connection. Now if only he could get out what was in his head.

Poor Booth. So close and yet so far, far away.