It's been a little less than a week since Parker allegedly squeezed Booth's hand and he hasn't done it since, but Booth continues to sit in the chair by his son's bedside, holding his hand, waiting. This time, however, it's less about comforting himself as it is about comforting Parker because today Dr. Brooks is attempting to disconnect the ventilator.
Dr. Brooks detaches the ventilator from the endotracheal tube and checks for sufficient airflow. Satisfied, she removes the holder from around Parker's head and mouth and carefully dislodges the tube from his windpipe. She presses the drum of her stethoscope against his chest and listens. She cranes her neck and looks at the monitor, watching as his oxygen levels gradually rise. She looks at Booth and Brennan and smiles. "He's breathing on his own, but he's not out of the woods yet. The nurse will keep a strict eye on his oxygen levels, and if she notices any negative changes, we'll talk about possible alternatives to the ventilator if there happens to be any."
Brennan nods, squeezing Booth's shoulder. "Thank you, Dr. Brooks."
Booth tilts his head and looks up at Brennan, smiling. "He's breathing on his own, Bones."
"I heard." When Dr. Brooks leaves the room, Brennan leans down and closes the gap between her and Booth's lips, framing his face with her hands.
He straightens and reciprocates the kiss, contorting his body towards her. He swallows and pulls back. "Thanks, Bones."
She raises an eyebrow. "For what?"
"Thanks for being here, not only for me, but for Parker. You're awesome, and if he was awake, I know he'd agree."
Her lips twist up into a shy smile and she brushes her hand against the back of his neck.
"It's been a long three and a half weeks, but you've been here the whole time. It means a lot."
"Where else would I be? I love you, I love Parker. He's in trouble and you're hurting. For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, right?"
He blinks. "But you don't believe in marriage."
"No, I don't, but you do, and I know we're not married, but the principles still apply, don't they? You believe that."
He smiles, letting go of Parker's hand for a brief minute as he gets lost in her eyes and grin. As he grabs his son's hand again, he feels a slight squeeze. He turns his head and squeezes back. "I love you too, Bones."
She sits down and drapes her arm around his shoulders, leaning slightly into him. She turns and presses a kiss to the side of his head. She lets out a breath and looks at Parker.
Booth glances at her for a second and then turns back to his son.
"Angela said something a while ago and I haven't been able to let it go," she blurts out.
"What'd she say?"
She shakes her head. "It's not important. Never mind."
"You're the one who brought it up. For you not to have let it go already, tells me it has to be important. What'd she say?"
She swallows and pulls her arm back. She fiddles with her bracelet and inhales, exhaling slowly. "It was the morning after the accident and I called Angela to update her on Parker's and Rebecca's conditions. She said that if Rebecca didn't make it, that Parker would be my responsibility. Now that it's reality, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it." She sighs.
"What are trying to say, Bones?"
"When she said that, it caught be off guard. I hadn't thought about that possibility before." She pauses. "I love Parker like a son. I've known that kid since he was four and I've been helping you raise him since about that long, but he's sixteen. I don't know the first thing about raising a sixteen year-old boy."
"You're nervous."
She shakes her head. "No, no, I'm not ner—." She meets his eyes and then corrects herself, "Okay, yes, I'm nervous."
"Look, Bones. When Parker was born, I didn't know a thing about being a father, and when Christine was born, I didn't know a thing about raising a daughter, and you didn't know the first thing about being a mother." He pauses and then adds, "Parker's my son, but that doesn't mean I know anything about raising a sixteen year-old boy. I've never done that before either. Plus, I was a sixteen year-old boy once, which makes me even more nervous." He smiles. "What I'm trying to say, Bones, is that there's a lot of stuff we don't know anything about until the first time we come across it. It's okay to be nervous. We're human. We're allowed to make mistakes."
She nods.
"And you know more than you give yourself credit for. Like you've said, you've been practically helping me raise Parker since he was four. Being his full-time step mom won't be any different than the part time job you've been doing for years."
"Of course it'll be different. His mother is dead, Booth. Someone doesn't just get over that and open his arms to a new person."
"You're not new. He loves you, Bones. Besides, who better to help him move past this than you? You were a year younger than he is when your parents left. You know what it's like. You had no one, but Parker has me, Christine, and he has you."
"You really think I can do this?"
He laughs. "I don't think you can do this, I know you can, and that's not because my gut's telling me that, but it's because I've seen what you can do, what you've been doing. You're an amazing mother."
"You used logic on me."
He smiles. "Well, you used faith on me, so let's just say, we're even." He pulls her into a hug and holds her tight.
She fully embraces him, shifting into his lap. She buries her face into the crook of his neck as she hugs him back. She drops her arms and kisses him. She turns her head at the sound of a groan and hits Booth on the shoulder to get his attention. "Booth."
I just thought you all would appreciate the fact that as I'm typing this note, it's 4:47 where I am. Anyway, hope you liked this chapter.