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Chapter 10

Another six weeks later and the Booth/ Brennan/ Sweets family had finally moved lock stock and barrel into their new house. Lance had his new room set up with a new TV and Xbox and he was happy. They were the epitome of the perfect family...sometimes.

"Hey Bones." Booth said as he wandered into Bones' new office where she was working on her latest book.

"Hey." she said returning Booth's light kiss.

"Where's Lance?" he asked.

"He's in his room playing video games." she said. "I went to see if he wanted to play scrabble with me but he said he didn't. He's been in there ever since."

"All day?"

"Well no...he did come out several times to retrieve food."

"Okayyy..." Booth said. "Think I'll go and have a chat with our little hermit." Bones frowned.

"Not THAT kind of a chat?" she asked. "Because he isn't really doing anything wrong. He has a new room with new things...he just wants to enjoy them." Booth rolled his eyes.

"NO Bones!" he said horrified. "I'm not an ogre. I just thought maybe he should have a little wander around the neighbourhood...make some friends...toss a ball..."

"OH! Good idea." she said with a smile. "She was hoping that Booth would give Lance some more freedom now that they were settled in their new home.

Lance looked up from his TV with irritation as there was a knock on the door.

"Yeah." he said. Booth opened the door and stepped inside.

"Hey there Lance." he said. "Whatya doin?"

"Playin this." Lance said.

"Why don't ya pause that for a minute."

"Why?" Lance said without stopping his game.

"Ok...I may have to reword that. Pause the game." Lance did it but Booth could see he was irritated. He needed to get out of this room and get some air.

"I can see you like playing Lance but it isn't good to play all day." he said. "You need to get outside and relax a little...have some fun." Lance looked at the controller in his hand. He WAS having fun...well he was until he was told to stop it.

"I'll be fine." he said before flicking the game back on again. Booth got up and switched off the TV.

"Awww commooonnnn man! You killed me!" Lance said as he threw himself back onto the bed dramatically.

"Nah...apparently your mouth still works."

"Very funny." Lance said dramatically.

"Now that I have your attention...why don't you go outside to play."

"What am I? Six?"

"Smart mouth's getting old." Booth said with his hands on his hips. "No... just go outside...the park is at the end of the street. Make friends...play a game." Lance sighed. He would rather just stay here.

"Really?" he asked.

"Really. Nothing lost, nothing gained...just try." Lance got up and reluctantly plonked a baseball cap on his curly head that was nearly as black as the dark look he gave Booth. "It'll be fun." Booth called as he watched the boy drag himself down the stairs. "Don't talk to strangers."

"Come on...they'll all be strangers if I don't know them."

"I meant adults." Booth said helpfully following him down the stairs. Bones had heard and came out of her office to join in the conversation.

"There could be someone from school Lance..." He rolled his eyes. "I could come with you until you see someone you know."

"Oh GOD NO!" he said.

"You can't take your Mom when you go to meet the guys Bones." Booth said. They all stopped and said nothing as embarrassment filled the air with silence. Finally, Lance kissed Bones on the cheek and then opened the door.

"I'll try." he said to both of them.

Lance could feel the butterflies in his tummy fluttering as he reached the park. There were probably heaps of cool kids there, skating or whatever... None of them would be interested in him. If only Joel hadn't been away...

He headed for a bench where he could see most of the park so he could observe who was here and what they were wearing, what kind of groups they hung in... where he might possibly fit in. Hmm. Pretty hard to observe...well nothing. There was a girl walking dogs and a couple of old guys sitting on another bench...there were little kids playing on the swings with their Moms watching them...he sighed and blew his hair out of his eyes.

"Hey." A voice came from behind him. It startled him so much that he jumped and nearly fell off the seat. When he looked up there was a girl from his class doubled over with a fit of the giggles.

"Scared ya huh?" she asked.

"I wouldn't say SCARED Skye." he said with a roll of his eyes. Skye was a cute looking twelve year old with long unruly blonde curls and big blue eyes the colour of the sky. No wonder they called her skye, he thought, that's the exact colour of her eyes. She was also the most annoying kid you could ever meet BUT for some reason, she made Lance blush bright red every time he set eyes on her. And set eyes on her he did...he couldn't help but to look at her when ever she was around.

"Why ya just sittin here doin nothin?" she asked. Lance shrugged.

"Well that's a good reason." she said sarcastically. "Wanna do somethin?"

"What ya have in mind?" Skye propped her feet up on the bench and rested her chin on her knees. Again with the blush. Lance pulled his hat over his face to hide it. Best way...cover your face and you're invisible right?

"Seriously...maybe I should go home." he said like the invisible man from under his hat."

"Why?" Skye asked in a disappointed voice. "We could go get some ice cream."

"I didn't bring any money." Lance said. He wasn't sure either if he was supposed to go where ever it was they were gonna get ice cream from.

"I have enough money for ice cream." she said. "You can pay next time." Lance thought for a minute. He looked back towards home and then back to Skye who was waiting for an answer.

"Ok ok...run back to Mommy and Daddy. I'll see you at school." Lance watched those long legs in denim shorts as they walked away and all of a sudden the decision was made.

"Wait up." he said as he jogged up behind her.

"Yay!" she said happily. "What's your favourite kind of ice cream?"

"The cold kind." Lance joked. She punched him in the arm and he punched her back.

"Booth...?" Bones asked as she caught Booth sneaking out of the front door. "Where are you going?" Booth tried to look vague.

"Ah...just for a walk." he said sheepishly. "Just feeling a little I dunno...housebound."

"Uhhuh." Bones smiled. "You were going to check on Lance."

"I may have seen Lance while I was on my walk...but I wasn't really going specifically to CHECK on Lance...no need...I'm sure he's having fun...making friends...livin the twelve year old dream..."

"What IS the twelve year old dream?" Bones asked.

"I dunno Bones...I guess it's different for every twelve year old."

"Oh. What was YOUR twelve year old dream?"

"Ahh I guess something sports related...but that was me...Lance isn't me. Anyway, that wasn't what I meant."

"I know." Bones said. "You were speaking metaphorically." she said with a grin.

"And you were playing with me... or buying time for Lance..."

"Maybe." she said. "We could make use of this alone time...or we could go and embarrass Lance in front of his new friends..." Booth sidled up to Bones.

Booth slammed the door shut. "Ok...I pick taking advantage of this rare alone time." he said with a grin that was very like a man that had found his dream.

The kids were nearly finished their ice creams while they wandered around the twenty four hour store.

"Wanna do somethin really fun?" Skye asked.

"Sure...you like video games?"

"Yeah but I meant something that would give you a REAL rush." Lance opened his eyes wide.

"I'm listening." he said.

"I'll let you in on the secret soon." she said with a cutesy smile. Lance felt uncomfortable not knowing what she had in mind. See, he thought...just when you thought she was gonna be normal and nice she got a little ...annoying.

"What's your favourite candy?" she asked. Lance thought for a moment..

"Chocolate...Three Musketeers...candy...M&Ms." he said.

"They're chocolate too." she said.

"With candy on the outside..." he explained.

"Ok." she said.

Before he could stop her, Skye had picked up a few of each and dropped them nonchalantly into his pocket. "Now let's go eat them." she whispered. Lance was on the verge of a full blown panic but Skye was already at the door of the store.

"See ya Mr Price!" she called bravely with a wave. Mr Price waved back, obviously none the wiser.

"Bye Skye!" he called. "Come again. Bring your friend." Lance nodded and tried to smile but he seriously feared that if he opened his mouth to show his teeth he might throw up. He followed Skye out of the store with his hands stuffed into his pockets and his head soon as they reached the pavement Skye laughed.

"You didn't rob a bank you know...it's candy." Lance heart thumped so noisily in his chest that he was sure every passerby could here it.

"I know." he tried to say bravely. It came out however more like a squeak. "Won't matter if it was six candy bars or or a bag of money...if he finds out Booth'll kill me."

"Better go eat them then." Skye said. "Destroy the evidence and if he does find out...even the condemned man gets a final meal." He was about to tell her to go jump...well he wanted to... he should...but when she took his hand he did what his thumping heart MADE him do...he followed her back to the park.

TBC