Sometime in season 11...
Friday 16:45
His cell phone rang. "Hey Bones, what's up?"
"Booth, there's been a power issue here at the lab. Everyone is ok, but the doors automatically shut and we can't exit without breaking the glass doors. Since it's not an emergency we're going to wait till the power comes back on."
"You're sure you're okay?"
"Yes, we're fine, but, you need to pick up Hank from daycare, and Daisy has asked if you can grab Lance too. If we don't get out of here by 6 she gets charged extra. Also, Christine and Michael Vincent's after school program ends here at 5 and obviously they won't be able to get into the lab. Hank's likely to be cranky tonight since he just a round of vaccines this afternoon."
"No problem Bones, I got this. I have keys to your car so I'll grab the other set of car seats from there and take all 4 kids home until you guys get sprung." He's fine with kid duty but hopes for everyone's sake the lab stuff will be resolved soon. It's been a long week for them all
17:30
Booth opened the front door juggling Hank and 2 bags. Christine and Michael Vincent had Lance duty. His phone rang again.
"Hey Bones. Any word on the power?"
"No news yet."
"Ok, well don't worry. I just walked in, have all 4 kids, we have Max's lasagna from last night, so will feed them dinner. "
Coats were removed. Hank and Lance made a beeline for the trucks and started to play happily. Christine and Michael Vincent pulled out coloring books. Booth started heating the lasagna while the older kids regaled him with tales of their day. Most of which involved one of their friends, Emma, getting ill during the after school program. "She had obviously eaten a peanut butter sandwich and raisins Uncle Booth". Booth tried to stifle a grin. Leave it Hodgins' son to closely examine the vomit of a classmate.
19:00
Dinner was complete. Lance had balked at lasagna, so he'd had to break out some grilled cheese, which then had a domino effect on the rest of the kids, but they were all fed. The older kids and Lance had clean hands and faces and were playing Happy Hideaway. The dishes weren't cleaned up yet because as predicted, Hank was a little out of sorts and requiring some extra attention. The cell rang again.
"Hey Daisy."
"I am SOOOO sorry Agent Booth. But right now it doesn't look like we are going to get out of here before Lance's bed time. He usually goes down at 7:30."
"It's ok Daisy. Christine has a pad and blankets in Hank's room for slumber parties. I'll put them down together. My mom just sent Hank some new pajamas that are too big for him, but will probably fit Lance. It's not a problem. "
"But I didn't pack any of his training pants in his daycare bag. He only wears them at night. Most nights he's fine."
"If he wets the bed, he wets the bed. It's all washable. Let me put you on face time so you can say goodnight to him."
Daisy explained to her son that he was going to have a sleepover and she would come get him soon. Good night kisses were exchanged (Booth would have to clean his screen later).
19:45
The younger kids had brushed their teeth, had a couple of stories read to them and were tucked in. Only 15 minutes late on bedtime, that's close enough thought Booth. The older ones were reading on their own.
The cell rang again.
"Hey Angela."
"Hey Booth" Both Angela and Hodgins replied.
"Let me guess, you guys are still stuck, and Michael Vincent's bed time is 8:30."
"Yep. You still doing okay?"
"We're fine. I'll put him down in Parker's room."
"Thanks. We owe you one. Can we talk to him?"
Booth handed his phone to the little boy, tales of the day were told. Eventually good nights and I love yous were exchanged.
20:00
There went his phone again.
"Hey Bones."
"Booth. Still no luck on the doors. I guess I should say goodnight to Christine."
Booth handed his phone to his daughter.
"Ok mommy. Good night. Love you".
20:15
"Uncle Booth, I can't wear these pajamas they're GIRLS pajamas."
Booth looked at the offending garment. They were red, not a flower or a frill anywhere. Nothing to indicate girls pajamas other than they had come from Christine's dresser. Parenting 101 thought Booth, pick your battles. "Ok, go brush your teeth. Christine will show you where's there a new toothbrush. When you are done, come out to the living room, we'll read and then I'll get you a t-shirt to sleep in."
"Not a girls shirt though?"
"Right, not a girls shirt."
20:30
After the reading, he grabbed one of his FBI t-shirts, handed it to Michael Vincent and led him to Parker's room.
"Here. Get changed, crawl into bed. I'll come tuck you in after I get done with Christine."
He headed to Christine's room. Reminded her there were no such things as monsters, told all of her stuffed animals good night, then kissed her on the forehead.
"Goodnight princess. Sleep tight, love you."
"Love you too daddy."
He went to Parker's room. He tried not to laugh at the sight of Michael Vincent in his shirt.
"Ok Michael, into bed with you. " He gave the little boy a hug, and pulled the covers to his chin, on his way out he turned on the night light. "Good night. Do you want me to leave the door cracked and the hall light on?"
"Yes please Uncle Booth"
21:00
Kitchen was cleaned. Beer and ESPN time.
"Mama!" came the cry from Hank's room. Lance was upset.
"Shhhh, it's ok buddy. She'll be back soon."
"Want MOMMY"
"I know bud, and she wants to be here. But she can't right now. You'll see her in the morning."
"Wubba!"
Booth racked his brain. Finally remembering that wubba was Lance's stuffed bunny. Oh crap he thought, that wasn't in the bag from day care.
"Wubba's at your place, Lance." He grabs the first stuffed animal in reach. It's the Philly Phanatic, "but here's a little guy that could use a friend. Do you think you could help him out?"
"No!"
"Let's give it a try okay. And let's be quiet so we don't wake Hank." He gathered the toddler in his arms and headed to the rocking chair in the corner. He whispers a story introducing the phanatic to Lance, rocking him and rubbing his back the whole time.
22:00
Lance was asleep again, he had been for a while, but stirred every time Booth went to move him. Finally it felt safe to tuck him back into bed. He headed down the hall towards the living room and his now warm beer.
"Uncle Booth?" came the tentative voice from Parker's room.
"Yea Michael?"
"I don't feel so good."
"Ok, bud, what's wrong?"
He approached the bed just in time for Michael Vincent to sit up and vomit. All over himself and the bed.
"I'm sorry!"
"Not your fault. Come here, let's get you cleaned up." Without thinking Booth held out his arms. Michael Vincent hugged his uncle tight, not caring that he now covered them both in puke.
Booth carried the boy down the hallway to the bathroom. Stripped the kid down to his underwear, luckily those were mostly dry and washed him.
"Feeling better?"
"I think so."
"Ok, hang out here. You can brush your teeth again. Let me go get you a dry shirt and I'll clean the bed ok?"
He quickly changed the sheets on Parker's bed. Heading to the master he grabbed another shirt and waited for Michael to put it on. Leading him back to bed, the boy was tucked in, but still looked uncomfortable. Booth tiptoed into Christine's room and returned with a stuffed elephant. Michael settled in with his new friend. Leaving a trash can next to the bed in case of emergency, Booth turned out the lights.
22:30
All was quiet. Booth changed HIS clothes, started a vomit load of laundry, sat on the couch and winced at the taste of warm beer. His phone rang.
"Hey Bones."
"They're now saying it will be another 4 hours minimum. We're grabbing couch space. How are things there?"
He relayed the events. He could here Bones telling Angela.
Angela came on the phone. "Is he okay? Was he running a fever?"
"He's fine Ange. It's just a kid thing. He's asleep again. I'll check in on him. Don't worry."
23:00
The washer dinged. Booth roused himself and threw the stuff in the dryer.
23:02
"Daddy!"
He rushed down to Christine's room.
"What's up sweetheart?"
She held out her arms, clearly upset. He sat on the bed and gave her a hug as she whispered "I don't feel so good." And threw up. In his lap. She started to cry.
He sighed. Obviously Emma had shared. "It's okay sweetie. Let's get you cleaned up ok?"
He led her to the bathroom, cleaned her up, found a fresh pair of jammies. "Hold on here while I get your bed ready ok?"
He changed his clothes again, found fresh sheets and quickly changed the bed.
"You feeling better pumpkin?"
"Not really. Will you stay with me a while daddy?"
He gathered her in his arms, and rocked her gently and talked to her softly. When she sighed he looked down and saw that she was asleep. He tucked her in, and left a trash can next to the bed.
23:15
He threw another load into the wash. And then realized that while he put the clothes in the dryer, he didn't start it. Oh well.
23:45
A howl came from the nursery. Hank was awake and unhappy and stinky. Trying not to wake Lance he changed Hank including the pajamas, and rocked him to calm him down.
00:15 Saturday
Hank was finally asleep. Booth went to put him back to bed and realized that another set of sheets needed to be changed. He put Hank down on the pad with Lance, and headed down to the linen closet.
As he was changing Hank's bed a small voice came through the darkness, "Uncle Boof?"
"Yes Lance?"
"I wet"
"It's okay buddy." Of course there would be a potty training failure now.
Booth realized that both boys were now wet. He went to Lance's day care bag and found a spare pair of underwear, took the boy in, cleaned him up, and grabbed another FBI t-shirt. It was pretty much a sleeping bag on the boy but he didn't think any of Hanks other stuff would fit him and he wasn't going to risk waking anyone else up. He finished changing Hank's bed, put Lance on it. Grabbed Hank and changed his pajamas again, but the boy woke up and started fussing. He handed the baby his stuffed dog. That didn't seem to satisfy, so he picked him up and started bouncing to try and stave off a sleepy meltdown as he went to the linen closet again and found they had no more twin sheets. Three extra sets had always been plenty before. The ones in the dryer were still damp. He sighed.
00:45 Hank had finally succumbed to the walking. He headed to the master bedroom, laid his son down and crawled into bed next to him. He was still a little wired so he turned on SportsCenter and closed captioning.
01:45
He woke up enough to turn off the TV and fall back to sleep.
02:15
He heard the sounds of small feet. He roused, and found Michael Vincent standing in the hallway, stuffed elephant in hand.
"You feeling sick again buddy?"
"No, I just woke up for some reason." He looked scared.
"Bad dream?"
The boy nodded.
"Ok, come on, you can sleep with me and Hank." He tucked the boy in on Bones side of the bed.
02:45
He was dreaming about the dentist. There was pain in his jaw. He woke with a start, and removed Hank's foot from his face. He re-oriented his son and tried to go back to sleep.
03:15
There was tapping on his shoulder. "Daddy" came the whisper. He half opened his eyes to his daughter holding her bunny and staring at him.
"What's wrong pumpkin?"
"The wind is making a funny noise outside my window. Can I sleep here?"
He glanced over. Hank was now sleeping sideways, taking up most of the middle of the bed.
He stood up and grabbed his son. Whispered to Christine to crawl in and re-positioned Hank next to his sister. Oh joy, Michael Vincent talks in his sleep.
04:00
He had just drifted off, Michael's conversation having finished about 15 minutes ago. Another weird dream starts. This one involves a wet sandbag on his chest. He wakes again. His son is sprawled over him, and has had a diaper failure. Great. Head down to Hanks room via the laundry. Crap, when he checked the sheets earlier he didn't restart the dryer. Ok, STILL no clean sheets, but there is a clean t-shirt for him. He sighs and heads to the baby's room. He strips Hank again, re-diapers him with a minimum amount of fuss. Another set of pajamas. Lance is now sleeping sideways at the head of the crib, leaving room for Hank. He lays his son down in the empty space and covers both boys with a blanket. As he's heading back to the bedroom he hears the iPad ping.
4:10 The ping was Parker. Given Booth's irregular sleep schedule in the best of times, his oldest has gotten in the habit of just checking in first thing in the morning UK just in case his dad is awake. They chat for a bit before Parker heads off to soccer practice. Booth gives him a rundown on the night so far much to the teenager's amusement. After hanging up, Booth realizes he's hungry. Well, it IS almost breakfast time
04:25 Bowl of cereal consumed, he's halfway through a glass of orange juice when...
Wailing from the nursery. He rushes in setting his orange juice on the dresser at the end of the crib and determines that one of the toddlers kicked the other in their sleep. No lasting damage but both boys are awake and unhappy. They are both standing in the crib crying. He awkwardly lifts one in each arm, hoping to not hurt his back in the process, grabs the blanket and the three of them, the Phanatic and Hank's stuffed dog settle into the rocking chair.
05:00
He wakes to a sore back, cold feet and wet spots on his t-shirt. This time it's drool. Carefully he stands, trying not to wake either sleeping child. He lays them down and attempts to straighten up. Turning away he catches his toe on the corner of the dresser. As he grabs for balance, the orange juice spills, all over the crib. And Hank. Who lets his displeasure at the cold wake up be known. Sigh. One more cleanup. Pajama drawer is now empty, evidently 4 backups is not enough. And there are still no clean sheets. Ok, back to the master. T-shirt for Hank. He arranges Christine and Michael (why don't kids sleep vertically in a bed?) to make room for Hank and lays him on the bed. Lance cries. Back to the nursery. His godson has rolled into the orange juice. Remove the childs wet T-shirt. Back to the master. New T-shirt for Lance, but the toddler is now awake again, strange bed, no wubba and no mommy are taking their toll.
05:30 After walking around with Lance, he is finally asleep. Into bed with the others. He looks longingly at the bed and heads out to the couch. Once settled, he realizes that his shirt still has drool or is it orange juice on it? In any case, it's wet. He's too tired to try and find a new one, so just strips off the offending garment, grabs one of the kids blankets that was hanging on the arm of the couch and settles in.
06:05 He hears the keys in the front door. He sits up and blinks blearily at the arrivals. They all look a little worse for the wear as they stagger into the house. Angela and Daisy plop down on the couch next to him and Angela promptly steals his blanket. He can hear Bones doing something in the kitchen. Daisy is muttering something about tequila and glaring at Hodgins. Hodgins is muttering something about it's not his fault. Angela is shooting daggers at both of them.
06:15 Bones distributes coffee filled mugs to the quartet in the living room and then walks out. Still no one is speaking much, but after a couple of sips of coffee he becomes aware that Daisy and Angela are looking at him oddly. He's having trouble figuring it out when Bones walks in with her own cup and a hoodie sweatshirt which she tosses at him. Oh.
06:30 A noise comes from the master suite, Hodgins rolls over to check it out and makes a choking sound. The ladies rouse themselves to investigate. One by one they glance in, then cover their mouths to suppress laughter. It looks like a game of drunken Twister has occurred on the bed with kids and stuffed animal arms and legs in every direction. Finally everyone returns to the living room. Hodgins raises his mug towards Booth, "Looks like we missed a hell of a party dude."
