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Chapter 4

The next morning Booth woke and there was no Lance hanging over the couch waiting for food. He got up and pushed open the stubborn kid's door.

"Rise and shine Lance." He said with a smile. "Today is when the fun begins." Lance answered by pulling the pillow over his head. "Come onnn. We talked about this. It's happening...you want pancakes?"

"Nope not hungry." Lance knew he had to go but he just wanted to block it all out for a little while longer. The not being hungry thing was a blatant lie. His tummy felt like it was eating itself. It hadn't had food since he'd had a snack before bed the night before.

"Now I know that's not true. You're always hungry."

"Nope."

"Suit yourself." Damn, Booth thought. He hoped it would go a little easier. He'd go tough if he had to but he was hoping it wouldn't come to that.

Bones got home from her run and Lance still hadn't made an appearance.

"Where's Lance?" she asked. By this time Booth had decided to bring out the big guns. He'd made eggs and had bacon sizzling in a pan.

"Still in bed." He said flicking a dishtowel widely around the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" Bones asked with a grin at Booth's antics. "Shouldn't we wake him up if he has to go to school?"

"I am..."

"But he's in the other room." she said with confusion.

"I'm wafting Bones." Booth whispered.

"Wafting?" Bones asked in her normal voice with a chuckle. "Why?"

"Shhhh Bones." Booth whispered again. "I'm trying to entice the kid out with the bacon and eggs."

"Ohhhh...Lance!" she called. "Booth's made bacon and eggs." Booth threw the towel in the sink and shook his head. I give up, he thought. It was gonna have to be go tough. He was all prepared to go and make Lance get up when the boy appeared, though still in his pyjamas. Still, baby steps. Booth passed him a plate laden with bacon and eggs.

"Eat up." he said with a smile. "Toast's on it's way."

"Thanks." Lance said stony faced. He chewed and swallowed through most of the plate without talking then when he got to the end he picked up his last piece of bacon and nibbled on it. "I don't know why you can't give me one last chance." he said. "I'll do my work I promise." He looked at Bones with sad dog eyes. "Please?" Bones looked at Booth.

"No." he said. "You're going to school." He spoke to Lance but looked at Bones.

BONESBONESBONESBONESBONES

Half an hour later and they were all ready and in the car.

"You don't really have to walk me in A..Booth." said Lance with what he hoped was a winning smile.

"It will be my pleasure." Booth said sarcastically. Bones looked from one to the other of them. She was missing something.

"Booth..." she said with a smile. "Lance is twelve...I'm sure he is MORE than capable of finding his class by himself." Booth shot Bones a brief but firm look.

"It isn't really about what he CAN do but what he WILL do." he said. "We trusted him...well I trusted him and he didn't do the right thing. NOW I'm going to escort him..."

"Ohhh." Bones said a with look of realisation. "So this is more of the parental responsibility thing...You're making a point."

"Yes Bones." Booth said with a smile. "I'm making a point...See...so you get that point Lance?"

"Yes." Lance said with a sarcastic sigh. No point wasting the winning smile now.

They arrived out the front of the school and Booth parked the car and came around to Lance's side. He waited and waited until he had to knock on the window. Finally the door opened and a less than enthusiastic Lance stepped out.

"You'll be fine." Booth said walking alongside him.

"Uhhuh sure." Lance said.

"It could be fine." Bones said from the other side of Lance. She had her arm wrapped inside his suddenly like she was escorting a suspect to jail.

"Oh kill me now." Lance said shooting a look around to see if anyone was watching them while he tried to disentangle himself.

"What are ya doin Bones?" Booth asked.

"I'm helping." she said. "The responsibility for Lance is shared between the two of us...so if we're making a point...we should be making it together." Booth helped Lance to escape from Bones' hold with a role of his eyes.

"Bones..." he said pulling her off to the side. "We're making a point here...not trying to make the kid an outcast." At her hurt look he softened. "It's a guy thing Bones. Young boys are...they're sensitive." he finished with a conspiratorial tone.

"Ok...I understand." she said. "I'll just wait in the car."

"Thanks Bones." Booth said.

BONESBONESBONESBONESBONES

"Tomorrow Bones we're going to have to get another bed from my place...for Parker." Booth said ashe sat opposite her at the diner. Bones smiled and helped herself to one of his fries.

"That's right...we'll have both the boys this weekend."

"Uhhuh...I can't wait." Booth said enthusiastically. "If one child is fun two should be..." Bones nodded.

"More fun..." she added helpfully. We should...plan... something stimulating and educational to do." she said. "Like an exhibit...or..." Booth tried not to laugh.

"As fun as that sounds Bones...maybe they might like something a little more kid like ...maybe mini golf or bowling." Bones grinned widely.

"I'd like to bowl." she said enthusiastically. "And then we could get some food."

"Sounds like a plan Bones." Booth couldn't believe how content all this domestic bliss made him. Simple but happy times, he thought.

BONESBONESBONESBONESBONES

When they stopped at Mrs Johnson's house that afternoon they were both hesitant. Lance's school day could have gone either way. Bones was the first to ring the bell. She had been well warned by Booth about the aftermath and the possibility of no babysitter if she alienated Mrs Johnson, so she was ready when the older woman opened the door.

"Mrs Johnson."she smiled.

"Hi...Mrs Johnson." Booth said.

"We've come to collect Lance." he said with smile.

"That is an obvious statement Booth." Bones said with a giggle. "WE would never be here if didn't have to pick up Lance." Having made herself laugh, bones kept on giggling until Booth stepped in front of her.

"That may have come out wrong." Booth said with a smile. "What Bones MEANT to say..." he said while holding her back with a hand behind his back. "Was that we would never have had the PLEASURE of meeting you if we hadn't have fostered Lance."

"Hi!" Lance said suddenly appearing at the door with a giant smile. "I'll get my stuff."

"How was your day?" Booth asked.

"OK." Lance said blandly. His voice said one thing but the shine in his eyes told another.

They said their goodbyes and then headed back to their own apartment. Booth nodded to Bones as Lance hopped skipped and jumped.

"See." he said. "I was right." Bones grinned.

"Right about what exactly?"she said.

"He had a good day."

"I don't know how you can determine that by a simple childish physical moment Booth." Bones said incredulously.

"I determine it by his eyes Bones." Booth said with a knowing smile. "The eyes are the window to the soul."
"That is just impossible Booth." Bones said with a scoff. "If in fact there was such a thing as soul, it wouldn't be able to be seen. And as for the eyes being a window..."

"Bones, Bones,Bones." Booth said. "It's a saying...not meant to be taken so literally."

"Ohhh. I see." Bones said with a smile... "through my windows." Booth grinned at her joke that was as always just a little off, but the fact that it made her smile made him smile also.

BONESBONESBONESBONESBONES

"You should slow down a little Lance." Bones said. "I don't know how you don't choke on your food."

"I'm just hungry." Lance said shovelling another forkful of mac and cheese into his mouth. He barely tasted the food before swallowing to make room for more.

"Lance...Bones told you to slow down." Booth said.

"No she didn't. She said I SHOULD slow down. She didn't say I HAD to slow down."

"He's right Booth." Bones said. "I should have said...SLOW DOWN LANCE."

"Bones, he knew what you meant."

"Maybe but I should have been more clear...Lance slow down." she said.

"I'm finished." Lance said with a grin.

Deciding that there would be bigger battles ahead and to let that one slide Booth determined to find out more abut Lance's day.

"Sooo...?" he asked

"Yeesss..." Lance answered.

"Your day Lance...what HAPPENED? Did you make friends?...did you do anything fun?"

"Actually it wasn't so bad." Lance said. "I joined the glee club and the kids were nice."

"Glee club...nice..glee club." Booth repeated. "And your friends?"

"Yeah they're in the glee club too." he said.

"Okay...that's good...glad you had fun."

"Yeah." Lance said. "I have homework."

"Good, good." Booth said. "You go and do your homework." Booth said.

After Lance disappeared into his bedroom Booth started to load the plates into the dishwasher.

"So that's good Booth...he's happy." Booth smiled. "You may have been right."

"May have been?"

"Well it's only been one day." she said with a sideways glance at Booth. "He may even join up for stick ball or something tomorrow." she said. Booth smiled at both her unusual perception and the fact that she thought kids actually played stick ball in school nowadays. But he knew what she meant and she knew him. That's what made him happy. And if Lance would rather sing than play ball.. that would be ok too.

BONESBONESBONESBONESBONES

The next day, Lance was back to leaning over the couch again. It was a simple thing but it was like the sun shining to Booth...it was the promise of a bright and enthusiastic day.

"Good morning sunshine." Booth said with his own pearly white smile. Lance reddened.

"Booooth..." he said, embarrassed to be called such a silly name. He hadn't even realised that he'd inadvertently dropped the Agent.

"I was referring to your happy face." Booth said with a grin. He ruffled the boys hair and then pointed him the the bathroom. "Shower." he said. "I'll start the breakfast."

A short while later a fully dressed Lance sat up at the breakfast bar and shovelled down his breakfast. This time it was for two reasons. One because he was starving and the other because he was actually looking forward to going to school.

"Lance...slow down...you cannot possible digest that food when you hardly even chew it." Bones said.

"Sh..o...rry." Lance said through a mouthful.

"Oh Lance." Booth said. "This afternoon, you stay and wait for me at school. I'm finishing early...I'll come get you."

"Why?" Lance asked.

"We're gonna head on over to my place to pick up Parker's bed. It's my weekend with him." Lance felt the bottom fall out of his world. Suddenly he wasn't so hungry. The real child was coming. He knew that Booth had his own son but he hadn't let himself think as far ahead as actually having to share Booth and Bones with him.

"Where's the bed gonna go?" he asked.

"In your room silly." Booth said. "It's gonna be great... you'll be able to share everything."

"Yeah great." Lance said as he forced himself to smile. Can't wait."

TBC