III.

The high spirits of early summer deepened, and alongside with fruit-bearing trees came the heat. A wave so mighty that the leaves turned brown and crispy way before time. Life seemed to slow down, the city's pulsating vitality being reduced to a slow-motion version of itself due to the ridiculous increase in temperature.

People were sighing, swiping sweat drops out of their overheated and sunburned faces, and more than one air conditioning gave up the ghost.

Parker's annual summer school feast fell into the midst of the heat period, and Booth groaned at the prospect of spending this Saturday with a bunch of twirly kids instead of lolling on his couch with a bowl of ice cubes for his swollen feet.

Unfortunately, there was no way to back out. This year the school wanted to raise money for new textbooks, and most of the parents were involved in the activity. Even Brennan was supposed to be part of it: For a quarter she would answer every question the kids could come up with, serving as a living and breathing science book, Booth mused.

His first reaction had been to dismiss the idea and to give some money instead, but Brennan herself had been so pleased about Parker's request that Booth hadn't had the heart to suggest otherwise. So he had settled for teaching her – very subtly and under the influence of a good glass of wine of course – the appropriate and not so appropriate ways to answer a child's question.

Booth doubted that Brennan had a clue what she had gotten herself into, and he really hoped the afternoon wouldn't end in a disaster.

To crown it all, they were supposed to meet the whole squint squad for drinks in a new little club tonight. Only Angela could come up with the idea to go dancing in the hottest night of the year, Booth assumed.

Surprisingly, Brennan herself didn't seem to be the least agitated, Booth thought with a frown, as he watched her running around in their apartment from his position on the couch. He could barely move, the heat suffocating all his energy, but she seemed to be calm and balanced. Her only confessions to the merciless temperature were the messy ponytail and the short pants she was sporting.

Pants that revealed every gorgeous inch of her long and slightly tanned legs. Booth ogled said pair of legs lustily, but even his sexual appetite was dampened by the weather. He had barely touched her in the last days, and part of him was aching with withdrawal; the other part was just lazy and unable to sweat some more.

"Booth, you really have to get dressed, or we'll be late."

Stopping in her tracks, Brennan regarded the excuse of a man on the couch with mocked impatience. They would be running late, but she could hardly blame him for his current lack of energy. The heat was taking a toll on her, too, but he seemed to suffer more. He didn't even respond properly, merely producing weak sounds of resignation.

Taking pity on him, Brennan sunk on her knees, resting her chin on his thigh to look at him with big, pleading puppy eyes.

"Babe, it's hot, and I know that you suffer more than anybody else right now. But you really have to get up. Do it for Parker."

Booth regarded the cute woman in front of him with a frown on his face.

"Are you making fun of me?"

Her eyes got even bigger.

"I wouldn't dare!"

Mustering some energy, he pulled her up and into his lap. Surprised by his action, she squealed adoringly, as he nuzzled her neck with his lips.

"Hmm, you are salty."

"Just like everyone else these days, Booth."

"Agreed, but I don't lick everyone else."

"I hope so," she smiled, breathing in his heavy summer scent. Immediately, her body reminded her what it has missed the last days, and she snuggled into her man, seeking his closeness.

Weak as he was, Booth felt a stirring in his belly as she wriggled on top of him, and he let his hand travel down her waist until it disappeared in her pants. She parted her thighs for him, and his finger dove into her wetness as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Her eyes fell close, and she purred.

Peppering soft kisses along her jawline, Booth caressed her tenderly, and she almost forgot that they were supposed to be somewhere else.

"Booth, you're behaving very irresponsible. We have to go."

In and out.

"Yeah, but you have to change clothes beforehand. I'm just helping you."

In and out.

She turned around in his arms to kiss him with passion as hot as the sun.

"You're not helping," she panted, "you're increasing our time problem."

In and out.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Yes. No. Yes... Booth... you can play later."

Reluctantly, he withdrew his fingers, and she almost whimpered at the loss of contact.

"Promise?"

One more firm kiss.

"Promise."

"I hope my energy doesn't abandon me again."

She smiled at him, gently nudging his nose with her own.

"Well, I will play with you, then."

Twenty minutes later they were out of the door, freshly showered, their hair drying naturally. Brennan was wearing a floral-printed summer dress that waved around her knees, and Booth had opted for light trousers and a white shirt. Even in this merciless heat he couldn't bring himself to wearing shorts. His dignity wouldn't allow it.

-BONE-

The school yard was a hurly-burly of kids – running and laughing despite the heat – and sweating adults with unusual ice cream cravings. Rebecca was fanning herself with a flyer someone had pressed into her hand, alternatively looking after Parker and searching for the boy's father.

When she spotted Seeley and his lovely Doctor walking in her direction, her lips curved into a smile. Since the relationship of the two partners had changed, Rebecca had spent more time with Temperance Brennan, and they had gotten past the initial awkwardness. She wouldn't consider the scientist a close friend, but she was definitely a woman Rebecca was glad to have in her son's life. Besides, she and Seeley seemed to be so freaking perfect for each other that is was almost unfair.

"Rebecca."

"Seeley. Temperance."

The adults exchanged smiles, hugs and pleasantries.

"Where's Parker?"

The question answered itself when something small collided with Booth's legs, arms wrapping around him.

"Daddy! You're late!"

"Sorry, Parks! Are you having fun?"

The boy nodded enthusiastically before turning his attention to Brennan.

"Hi, Bones, shall I bring you to your booth?"

He giggled at the play of words, and Brennan bent down to kiss him on the cheek.

"Sure thing."

Taking Brennan's hand in his small one, Parker tugged her away, waving his parents goodbye.

"See you later, Mom, Dad."

Rebecca smiled.

"Watch it, Seeley, or he might steal your girlfriend one day."

Booth chuckled.

"Won't happen. But I'm truly glad the two of them get along so well."

"Parker really adores her."

"Bones has always taken him seriously, I think she got him with that. Besides, he has my genes, and all the Booth men have a soft spot for Temperance Brennan."

"Be careful or I might get jealous," Rebecca nudged him playfully.

"Don't worry, Becs, you are Parker's mom, and that makes you pretty unique. I will always love you for our little boy."

Her eyes softened.

"I know, Seeley. He's the best we ever made. By the way, he would be over the moon to become a big brother. You're the one in a serious relationship, so I happily pass the stick over to you."

His lips turned into a wistful smile.

"Kids and marriage – that's not her style, Rebecca."

"Oh. And that's okay for you?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth turned to the blonde woman next to him.

"I can't change her, and besides, I don't want to. She's everything for me."

Rebecca gave him a true smile.

"I'm happy for the two of you, Seeley. Do you know that your eyes sparkle whenever you speak of her?"

Grinning stupidly, Booth shrugged his shoulder one more time.

"I cannot help it. I guess, love really makes you a fool sometimes."

"Well, above everything else it makes you happy. That's the important part. Can I buy you ice cream while our offspring is busy charming your girlfriend? He already had more than enough sugar for one day."

"Sure! But then I'd like to watch Bones doing her job for a while."

Offering her his arm, Booth set himself in motion. The sun was still burning with full force, but talking about Bones always made him almost as happy as being with her, and he tried to hold on to his good mood.

A few feet away, Brennan's head was spinning.

Could grass grow on the moon? Can coke really decompose bones? Could your stomach explode because of eating Pop Rocks?

Sometimes she couldn't believe the questions the kids came up with. One girl even asked her in a serious tone if braces can interlock if you kiss too long – apparently she had witnessed her older brother with his girlfriend and wondered about it ever since.

Parker refused to leave her side. He was guarding her with pride, and Brennan was oddly thankful for the little boy's presence. One teenager even tried to hit on her, and to her amusement Parker dismissed him thoroughly.

When there was a moment of peace, Parker turned to her with a grimace on his face.

"Bones, I'm really glad I was here to help you. Nobody should give you his number."

Trying her best to hide her smile, Brennan reassured the boy.

"Don't worry, Parker, I wouldn't have taken it. I'm with your father."

"Maybe you should marry him. Just in case, Bones."

Immediately, a conversation came to her mind.

"That would be the wrong reason, Parker."

"Hmm. Which is the right one?"

Struggling on foreign ground, she tried to find a satisfying answer.

"Well, love, I suppose. The certainty that you want to wake up next to another person for the rest of your life. That you value him or her more than your own life."

Digesting the words, Parker played with a strand of her hair absentmindedly.

"Do you love Dad and want to wake up next to him?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation.

"But why don't you marry him, then?"

"Because... ahem... because..."

Brennan paused, and Parker looked at her in puzzlement.

"This is the first time you don't have an answer."

Her eyes were just as big as his, as they regarded each other silently. Finally, she confessed,

"I'm frightened I might suck at it."

"At being married?"

She nodded slowly, debating whether she should elaborate her reasoning or not. Eventually, she sighed.

"At being married, getting babies, being committed. I haven't had a real family for most of my life, and I'm so scared that I could fail. And even though your father is the best man ever, the thought of being dependent scares me as well."

Sensing that this was a very important moment, Parker flung his arms around her neck.

"But, Bones, you don't suck. You already have a family. You have Dad, you have me and you are wonderful to us. We love you, and you don't let us down. And you will never be dependent in a bad way, you're way too clever for that."

Responding to the hug with all her heart, Brennan had to admit that Parker had made some good points.

"You're awfully smart for your age, Parker."

The boy laughed, his chest swelling with pride.

"And sometimes you're awfully stupid for your age."

Joining in his laughter, Brennan tickled Parker's sides to punish him for the comment – and that's how Booth and Rebecca found them a few minutes later. Giggling, hugging each other, bright smiles on their faces.

"Somebody seems to be having fun."

"Dad! Bones is very cool, and I protected her."

Looking from his woman to his son, Booth arched an eyebrow.

"Huh?"

"Milton's older brother wanted to give her his phone number, but didn't let him."

'Like father, like son,᾽ Rebecca mused and bit her lips in an attempt not to laugh at the boy's premature chivalry.

"That was very considerate of you, Parker."

Parker nodded vehemently.

"Bones said she could have protected herself as well, but I wanted to be on the safe side. After all, you're not married, and people might not know that she is ours. But..."

He felt Brennan poking his ribcage, and his mouth fell shut.

"But?" Booth encouraged his son to continue, but Parker shook his head.

"Nope. That's all."

Booth ogled the mask of innocence on Brennan's face suspiciously.

Children's voices nearby indicated the end of their break, and Brennan felt truly glad to go back to answering some questions that had nothing to do with her marital status. Booth observed her with wonderment, willing to give a lot more than one penny for her or Parker's thoughts.

The afternoon went by without further incidents, and when they all said goodbye two hours later, Booth was in control of his curiosity and in desperate need for another shower.

Brennan, however, could still hear Parker's words in her head.