Disclaimer: I still don't own Bones or anything thing else related to them.
Chapter 22 I'm Already There
It was hot and Booth had sand everywhere. He thought he was done with all this carp then they had called Cullen and Cullen had asked him, what could he say? They had lost their daughter just last year after a long bout with cancer; Janet didn't deserve to lose her younger brother too. He was a civilian working in-country with an oil company trying to help them return their destroyed oil fields to production. Now Booth sat in the heat, with sand in every crevasse waiting his turn for the sat phone.
As he waited he thought of how hard it would be leaving her. He had found her in Limbo. "Hey Bones I gotta talk to you for a moment can you stop?"
"Sure Booth do we need to go to my office?"
"No actually this is better fewer prying eyes." At her look of confusion he automatically added said "less people watching us," and continued. "Cullen called me into his office this morning…" taking a deep breath, knowing how hard it would be for them to be apart, he wondered how he was going to break this to her.
Hearing Cullen had called Booth into his office caused her concern, "what did he want Booth?" she broke in.
"Nothing to do with us, well actually that's wrong, it has to do with us but only indirectly… um actually can you just sit down and let me explain." After both of them were sitting down he continued. "Janet's little brother Jack has been taken a prisoner tried and convicted for crimes again the government. When Cullen was notified he asked me if I would consider taking a group of volunteer's in-country and bring him out. I had to agree Bones" he looked at her hoping she would see the regret and need all wrapped in his look.
She placed her hand on his arm and said "of course you do Booth It's for Janet and Cullen." They had all become closer after the team found the person responsible for Amy's cancer and eventual death. "Is there anything the team can do to help find him?"
"The military is supposed to have his location."
She snorted at that, "well Booth just remember we're here when you need us. When do you leave?"
"Thanks for always having my back Bones" he smiled at her offer to help find Jack. "I leave tomorrow morning for four days to pick a team and whatever days are left to train together then we are off no later than Friday, earlier if possible. I mean to make early probable, time is of the essence here."
Finally it was his turn for the phone. He had a twofold reason for wanting it this time even thought his true second reason hadn't gotten him the use any sooner. "Hey Bones," he said as soon as they connected. Seeing her beautiful face and hearing her silky voice was his first reason he admitted as soon as he saw her and heard her voice. He was glad it was a video connection and the feed to the Jeffersonian was the very best. Some guy's had to make do with either voice only or crappy video. They were all jealous of his video and partner. He could always be sure someone was watching him as he talked to her.
"Hey Booth I have a surprise for you. Come here" she whispered off camera.
A bouncing curly haired boy came into view with a bright "Hi Daddy! Dr. Bones got Mommy to let me come and talk to you isn't that cool, and I get to spend the day and night with her too. We are spending half the day in Limbo then the other half of the day at the dinosaur exhibit. She knows all the names of the dinosaurs ain't she smart."
"Isn't she" he corrected atomically "and she sure is Bub." He couldn't believe his ears she had not only made arrangement for Parker to talk to him but was keeping him all day and overnight too. "You sure you can handle all that energy Bones?" he asked of the woman who now had Parker sitting on her lap so Booth could talk and look at both of them at the same time.
"Of course Booth Parker is quite intelligent for his age and according to my Father almost able to care for himself. I take it you still need to be there?" She had counseled Parker about not mentioning anything about why his Father was on a com sat or where Booth was, not just for his Father's safety, but for everyone's safety.
"Yeah and that's another reason I need to talk to you. Remember our last talk?"
'Yes?"
He hoped she would get his veiled words her, she often didn't double entendre, so this next part of the conversation might be difficult but he could hope she would tell someone about their strange conversation and he would get what he needed. "Well Baby I'm sure glad Dr. Saroyan offered to send me all the information so I could help you make a birthing plan. I know baby Jack's birth is a long way away but I know how much you want to help me feel part of it all. Since I'm not there it will be so great to have that special phone set-up. You have the very best friends."
As he said this Parker leaned up and whispered to Bones asking her if she was now Daddy's girlfriend? At her negative nod he again asked if she was going to have a baby again she shook her head in the negative. He whispered to her it must be part of the secret, and she should play along with him.
"Yes Booth she offered to have Jack send you a phone so you can be at the next doctor's visit would you like that?"
"Wow Babe that would be great! Oh shit! I mean darn, Parker you didn't hear that, my time is up I guess I have to wait on that other phone. See ya both soon Love ya."
"Yeah Booth we love you." She added the last because she felt it was part of the plan he needed but damn it felt good, it felt right, but first things first. "Parker what made you ask me those questions then tell me to play along with your Father?"
"Well Dr. Bones you told me not to ask questions of Daddy or say anything that might be weird. I didn't think you and Daddy would be boyfriend and girlfriend without telling me, and unless you were you wouldn't be having a baby so I figured it had to do with Daddy's work. Since you didn't know about it I figured you needed to play along until you found out. Daddy told me he always helps you out with things like this. He says you like being under the blankets. It was simple you told me really don't tell the secret.."
Booth must have talked about them being under cover hence the under the blanket reference she laughed to herself. "Well Parker you are one very smart young man I never would have figured it out without you. Now we need to go see Uncle Jack and see what we can set up. Sorry it means the trip to Limbo and the dinosaurs may have to wait for another week-end while we get everything together for your Father. But as of now we are on a very very top secret mission. You can't talk about it to anyone except Uncle Jack, Aunt Angela and Aunt Cam ok?" Taking one look at the little boy's face she knew he would take this secret to his grave if asked and he was excited to be a part of it.
She called Jack and got the logistics set up. Then Parker helped her get a Forensic Set-up complete with high-tech computer and high speed imagery transmission ready to ship to Booth. After she had got Booth's current location using her highest connection as well as a promise he would remain there for another twelve hours she hurried to the Private Aviation Terminal Jack had his fastest jet land and meet her for their instructions. He told them to follow her instructions to the letter. They included the fact they were to give the package to no one but Booth and return to the US immediately. She gave them a bonus check to insure their compliance with her desires. She and Parker went home that night to watch movies. Soon Parker slept the sleep of the just and innocent while she paced waiting for his call. When it finally it came; she jumped when she heard the computer chime.
"Bones hey."
"Booth what's going on?" she asked. Concern dripping from her voice.
"Nice to hear from you too. We are just having a problem location the subject. Always just a few steps behind. I was hoping the brain trust could help us get a jump on them. Time is running out."
"Sure Booth, you know how to send us the evidence, just send it and we can process it and send it back as soon as you do."
"Getting evidence back and forth may be a bit of a problem. Can our bug and slime guy" using his nickname for Jack so as not to confuse him with Janet's brother "get any ideas from the pics?"
"Maybe, I'm not sure. I'll ask as soon as you have something. By the way it was Parker that let me know I should play along with you this morning otherwise I would have made a mess of everything."
"Oh great are you all making a squint of my son?" he laughed, sounding more like himself for the first time since he had been gone. "I'll get the info to you as soon as I can tomorrow. Can you get it to the bug guy?"
"Ok I'll have my computer with me so call anytime. Do you have to go now Booth?" She was not ready for him to leave now that she had unlimited access to him.
"Yeah I don't want anyone to catch me here. See yeah tomorrow" he said closing the connection. He was sorry he had to disconnect from her, he was so in love with her and she still wouldn't admit how she felt. He was pretty sure she felt the same but until he heard her say it he couldn't afford it push her.
The next morning he called her to give her an update or at least that is what he told himself. "Hey Bones how's it going."
"Pretty good Booth. Parker is play a game called Super Mario Galaxy 2 and is teaching me to play. I must say this gaming system is very good Booth we are both getting a good amount of exercise," she laughed.
"Bones" he exclaimed "you bought him a gaming console and a 3D game?"
"Actually he picked it out as well as two games. I am quite sure he is right in that he will complete this game fairly soon, so the second game will come in handy. And as I said Booth it is very stimulating unlike the older games."
"That isn't the point Bones, that system in expensive. Yes I am fully aware you can afford it but his Mother can't just go out and buy anything he desires whenever he wants it, and that puts her at a disadvantage. Kids in homes where the parents aren't living together always want to stay with the parent who has the most money and can give them the most stuff."
She wondered if he had noticed he had included her as a joint parent with him. She liked it. Her mind began to process her thoughts in their usual nanosecond, as Parker had heard his Father's voice and asked to talk to him. She heard portions of their conversation in the background.
"Daddy when are you coming home?"
She listened to Booth's reply "I'm already there, just take a look around. I'm the sunshine in your hair; I'm the shadow you see on the ground. I'm the whisper you hear in the wind, and I know you always keep me in your prayers so remember Parker I'm already there with you all day every day."
As she returned to her conversation with Booth she thought about how Booth had comforted Parker. She knew how she felt but did he feel the same? In the nanosecond it took her to dissect the new information she decided to tell him. There was no guarantee he would come home. He needed to know she loved him. She needed him to know and maybe he needed another reason to come home. "I really miss you Booth. I wish you were home and I was in your arms lying right here beside you. But maybe I can be in your dreams tonight. I'll gently kiss your lips, touch you with my fingertips so when you go to bed tonight turn out the light and close your eyes because I'm already there. I'm the beating of your heart, I'm the moonlight shining down, I'm the whisper of the desert wind I'll be there waiting in your dreams. I love you Booth" There she thought I've said it and as Angela says no take backs.
Booth had been silent afraid to break the bond between them, the moment they were in. It was one of those moments they had where everyone was gone and it was just them. When she was done he was speechless for a moment. She had finally said it. He saw the moment of panic as he took almost one heart beat too long to answer when the perfect thing came to him. "Bones" he whispered "We may be thousands of miles apart but I'm with you wherever you are. Just look around you will see me in the sunshine in your hair, in the shadows you see on the ground. I'm the whisper you hear through in the wind in the cherry trees and I'll be there until the end, can you feel the love that we share? Oh Baby soon I'll be home to show you I've always been there."
They ended that call, however managed to have at least one call every day thereafter as they passed information regarding Janet's brother back and forth. With the help of the squints Booth was able to find Jack within the next two days and get him and all of the other employees who had also been taken prisoner to safety. She and Booth spent most of his time jetting back on the Jeffersonian connection talking about anything and everything they had never talked about that they now wanted to know. She and Parker met Booth at the same Private Aviation Terminal since Hodgins had sent another jet to bring everyone home. They spent that night with Parker but the next one was for them. So were the next 18,980.
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As you know I am a sucker for a song that sets up a chapter and fits B&B well. This one was no different. Listen to "I'm Already There" performed by Lonestar – lyrics by Richie McDonald (member of Lonestar), Gary Baker and Frank Mayers. I hope you like this and hopefully the next update won't be delayed by next week episode. Also watch for "The Witch in the Wardrobe" written by Kathy Reich it's supposed to be very special.
Nyre
