Thank you all as always for your reviews and alerts. I hope you enjoy this chapter...you may want to read up a little on the game Operation if you haven't played it before. :)

Chapter 17

"Sooo." Booth said pulling Bones back towards his body in a tight hug. "I was thinking...the kids have been good and it's Friday..."

"Yeeess?" she asked with a smile. All was quiet for the moment and she was happy with her decision not to tell on the boys. It just would have meant more angst and disharmony and that wasn't the kind of family picture she wanted. The perfect family in her mind were happy and fun loving...of course there would be gently teasing and sibling rivalry...of course there was the time when trouble couldn't be avoided...when they got arrested for instance.

"Pizza night?" Booth suggested enthusiastically. Bones shrugged.

"Yeah sure, that'd be good." she said happily. See that's what families did. Then Booth dropped the bomb that wiped the content smile from her face.

"I thought I'd see if Jack and Ang want to join us." Bones eyes widened. While she would love to have Ang there normally, she had a feeling that her friend wouldn't hesitate to mention the boys earlier behaviour. Booth wouldn't be pleased...

"They might be busy." she said hesitantly. Booth kissed the top of her head.

"Only one way to find out. Bones wasn't good as this deception thing and before she could think of a way to deter Booth he was already dialling...and speaking...and laughing. "They'll be here in an hour." he said. Bones grinned.

"Great." she said.

"Something wrong Bones?"

"No Booth. What could be wrong?" she said.

"I have no idea...I just have a feeling that something's wrong here."

"I'm going to get changed."

"I'm gonna get out a game that we can all play."

"Oh good." she said before heading up to their shared room. For some reason Bones wasn't feeling that the news was good. Not at all.

BONESBONESBONESBONES

"Penny for them..." Jack said on the drive over to their friends' house. Ang's big toothy grin lit up her face.

"I can't help but wonder what when on after I spoke to Temp this afternoon."

"Why?" Jack chuckled. "Something happen?"

"Well I don't know EXACTLY what happened but those boys were running rings around her."

"Bones can look after herself."

"Maybe...she sounded...I dunno...out of her depth."

"Out of her depth? Bones?" Jack asked incredulously. "Nah...she was probably just distracted." Ang pulled a face.

"We'll see." she said.

"Yes we will." Jack said happily. "Either way the evening promises to be entertaining."

"Yes it does." Ang agreed with a smile.

BONESBONESBONESBONES

Bones was on her way downstairs and she passed by Lance's bedroom. She knocked and then opened the door.

"You need to wash up Lance." she said. "Jack and Ang are coming over for pizza night." Lance grinned. He liked the other couple, they were fun. Anything to break the monotony of doing nothing.

"Yay. Pizza." he said excitedly.m "A movie maybe?"

"No but I think Booth is getting out a board game."

"Seriously?" Lance asked with a wince. "And we're gonna play with Parker?"

"Yes...of course."

"Ok then...but he IS only eight. Not really the best age for being a great sport you know... just warnin ya."

"We'll take that on board Lance." Bones said. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

"And he better not open his mouth about what happened...you know...last weekend."

"Ang and Jack were here remember. They would have known what was going to happen."

"That makes me feel so much better." He said as he blew out a breath that Bones took as relief...she of course was wrong. Bones smiled anyway, oblivious to Lance's sarcasm.

"Well good Lance." she said happily. "Don't be long." She let herself out of the room and Lance sighed before dragging himself up off the bed and going downstairs. Before he passed through the doorway though he had already resigned himself to making the best of the evening. His grounding was nearly over and he certainly didn't want to do anything to get it extended another week.

BONESBONESBONESBONES

"Can I pick the game Daddy?" Parker asked.

"Well it has to be a game that everyone will be happy to play." Booth said.

"Ok." The young boy said, his golden curls bouncing as he bent to pick a game off the shelf. "This one." Booth smiled at the choice in his son's hand...

"Operation." Booth nodded.

"Bones should like this one..." he smiled. "There's the door...wanna go see who it is?"

"Yay!" Parker ran off to open the door.

BONESBONESBONESBONES

"Parker!" Ang said pulling the small boy into a hug. "We missed you."

"Hey Parker my man." Jack said holding his hand up for a high five.

"We're gonna play Operation." he said happily.

"Excellent..." Jack said nodding. "Hey Bones." he called as Bones came down the stairs to greet their guests. She hugged both of her smiling friends.

"Come on in and we'll find Booth." she said. "I think he's looking for a board game."

"We're gonna play Operation." Parker piped up.

"Oh?" Bones said. "I haven't played that before."

"It's real neat." Parker enthused. "There's a guy on the operating table and we have to all take turns operating on him with tweezers and if you miss, his nose glows red you have to miss a turn." Bones giggled.

"That sounds like fun...but I don't think I'll be missing a turn Parker." she said with a smile at the ridiculousness thought that she may not be able to remove a game piece with tweezers. Jack chuckled.

"This should be fun." he said with a chuckle. "Lance.."

"Hi Jack." Lance said with a grin.

"Lance we're playing Operation." Lance laughed with a look at Bones.

"Oh really...you should be good at that Bones." he said. Bones gave him a one armed hug as they all walked in towards the living area.

"I KNOW. That's what I was just telling Parker."

BONESBONESBONESBONES

Booth took everyone's order for pizza and then phoned it in while the others all sat around outside and watched the kids...and Jack play. Bones sighed with relief. It was nice to see them playing nicely.

"So they're being good now." Ang said.

"Yes they are." Bones said acknowledging the obvious.

"So Booth have a word with them about giving you a hard time?" Bones smiled.

"No I didn't tell Booth." she said.

"Temp!" Ang admonished. "You really shouldn't cover for them."

"I wasn't." Bones said with surprise. "I...they...both the children thought that I would be...disloyal if I told. I'm trying to gain their trust."

"Um...I think you have things kind of back to front. It isn't YOU that should be earning THEIR trust."

"Why?" Bones asked. "They said if I told they wouldn't trust me...Parker said that no one wants a Mom they can't trust."

"Blackmail..." Ang said gently. "Honey you're the Mom now...you have to be the one in charge...and you have to tell Booth this stuff."

Booth was about to come out and caught the end of the conversation. He visibly sagged. What now, he thought and why wasn't Bones telling him whatever it was. He was about to ask her just that when the doorbell rang. Thats was quick for the pizza...

"Caroline!" he said as he opened the door. "Something wrong?"

"You could say that."Caroline barged right past him and into the living room, leaving him no option but to follow.

"Is there a case?" he asked.

"No." she said. "Well not an FBI case." She was clearly not very happy.

"Caroline you're gonna have to just come right out and tell me..."

"Oh I intend to." she huffed. "That child you and Dr Brennan have TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY for..."

"Lance." Booth offered.

"Yes...the Sweets boy...he get arrested?" Booth shuffled a little and looked at the carpet like he was standing in front of the Principal.

"He was...taken in."

"Really...cos a little birdy told me that he and some little girl got picked up and TAKEN IN for THEFT. Apparently you flashed your FBI badge and it all went away." Neither noticed as Parker stood in the doorway. He'd come to see if the pizzas had arrived.

"It didn't xactly go away." Parker added to the conversation. "He got spanked...bad...on the bare BUTT!" He didn't know if he was protecting his Dad or Lance...all he knew was he didn't like the look on Miss Julian's face.

Booth ran his hand through his hair. "Go back outside there Champ." he said through gritted teeth. His hand itched to send him on his way with a smack but he'd already been painted as a less than perfect Dad.

"That true?" Caroline asked.

"Which bit...the bit about the badge? They were never going to press charges."

"No..the bit about you spanking the boy's bare behind?" Again Booth ran his hand through his hair.

"Yes but..."

"Well good." she said. "That's all I wanted to know, that you didn't just pat the boy on the head and tell him not to do it again. Our courts are filled with enough of these kids that are allowed to get away with stuff already." Booth sighed with relief.

"I wouldn't let either of the kids get away with anything like that."

"Ok." she said peeking outside. "Is that Dr Hodgins and Miss Montenegro?"

"Ah yeah." Booth said. "They..." He was interrupted by the doorbell. The he came back ladened with boxes Caroline sniffed deeply.

"Ooh pizza..." She gave Booth a long still look.

"Would you like to stay?"

"Thanks Cherie. Don't mind if I do." Caroline said as she headed out to join the others.

"Caroline." Bones said with surprise. "Is there a case?" The party stopped as soon as the others realised who was there. Jack's attention waned from the game he was playing with Lance and he yelped as the ball hit his head.

"Ow." he said giving his head a rub while looking up at the new guest on the patio.

"No Cherie...I called in to have a word about your boy and Booth kindly invited me to stay for dinner...pizza's here by the way."

"Which one?" Bones asked.

"The taller one...with the light fingers."

"Oh..." Bones said. "That's all been taken care of and it's over now." she stated emphatically.

"I know. The little one told me all about it." Lance's face was full of horror and then he punched Parker in the arm.

"Good one!" He said. Parker immediately started wailing.

"I was tryin to help!" he cried. He pointed to Caroline. "She was bein mean to Daddy." Parker thumped Lance back and before long they were rolling around the grass.

"Good grief." Caroline said.

"Why were you bein mean to Booth?" Bones asked ignoring the wrestling match that had started in the yard.

"I wasn't bein mean to ANYBODY...and no hittin each other." Caroline yelled at the kids who in turn ignored her. " Hey bugman...you just gonna stand there and watch that?" Jack was suddenly shaken out of his trance and he grabbed and handful of each child and reefed them apart.

"Knock it off." he said with a poorly hidden smile. Ang's eyes widened and she covered her face to hide her own mirth. Watching Jack trying to be stern, was more amusing than the situation in general. This family always promised some kind of entertainment but THIS evening promised even more than usual. They'd only been there a short while and the evening was already off to a good start.

"Need I repeat? Pizza's here." Caroline said as she bustled inside. The other's all exchanged glances before following.

BONESBONESBONESBONES

They all scrambled for the table where Booth had laid out all the pizzas and garlic bread and the salad.

"This all looks good cherie." Caroline said taking a seat. "You DO order in a good pizza." Bones sat next to Ang and helped herself to a piece of vegetarian pizza.

"After dinner we're playing Operation." Parker said.

"It's a game where you have to do operations." Bones said.

"Oh do tell." Julian said. "I can't wait."

"Oh you don't have to stay and play games Caroline if you have something else to do." Booth said.

"I like to play games." Caroline said with her pizza paused near her lips. She smiled a crooked smile. "Unless you would rather I had something else to do..."

"No, no..." Booth said. Jack chuckled.

"Something funny Mr Hodgins?"

"Just the general ambience." he answered before taking a bite of his pizza.

BONESBONESBONESBONES

While the adults cleaned up, the kids set out the game on the table and were waiting when they all sat down.

"Is this the patient?" Bones asked curiously staring at the plastic cartoon like man on the table.

"Yep." Parker said. Bones read all the body parts with a frown. Adam's apple? She thought...Brain freeze...with an ice cream cone...Booth must have read her mind.

"It's a game Bones."

"Yes but an ice cream cone in the brain. Brain freeze is just a colloquial term to explain what happens when cold constricts the blood vessels and then...

"Like ice cream..." Ang said with a grin. "Hence the ice cream cone."

"But really IF you were going to operate for such an ailment...which would never be necessary as the condition only lasts for a very short time..."

"She always this much fun?" Caroline asked Jack dryly.

"Yep...it's great." he answered.

"Can we just play." Lance asked.

"Yeah." Parker said for once this weekend in complete agreement. "I wanna play the game.

"We will play, I was just pointing out that the body parts should be more realistic."

"It's meant to be fun Temp." Ang said.

"Ok ok let's play."

Booth explained the rules, although nearly everybody had played before. Finally the game started and went quite smoothly until it got to Bones' turn. She chose a Doctors card and read it...bread basket. She picked up the tweezers and searched the patient... then stopped.

"Is this patient a male or a female..."

"Bones...just operate on the patient.. no discrimination here."

"But Booth...this patient appears to be neither one or the other." You could hear a pin drop around the table while everyone watched with bated breath to see how this would end...

"Yes Bones...it's a children's game."

"I know but even children know their body parts."

"Yes yes they do...Parker where's your arm..?" Booth would have been uneasy even if it was just them and their friends but with Caroline there as well...Parker dutifully held up his arm. "See Bones. Knows his body parts...let's move on..." He snatched her card and read it and then passed her the tweezers. "Go on...remove the... bread basket." Bones wasn't happy with being cut short but she took the tweezers and started to poke it in the hole. Everyone held their breath as was the norm while waiting for the possibility that the nose may light up...

Bones tried to keep going but she just couldn't let it go, it didn't make sense...she withdrew the tweezers and everyone let out their breath.

"I'm sorry but I have to say it...this patient should either have a penis and testicles or breasts."

"Aww Bones..." Booth whined. Jack spat his drink out all over Caroline's arm and she snarled at him while mopping it up with a napkin.

"You people are all crazy..." she said.

"Sor...ry." Jack choked. Ang herself was in a fit of the giggles, Lance and Parker both seemed to be unperturbed.

"She likes things to be correct." Parker said matter of factly.

"Are we gonna play?" Lance asked. He loved Bones but he also hated how she drew everything out with her constant questions.

"Yes Lance we are." Booth said giving Bones a stern look and pointing to the game.

"Ok." she said. "But I am going to contact the people that made this game, and explain why it's wrong."

"I'm sure they'll be glad to be enlightened." Booth said as he guided Bones hand towards the sexless patient. "Remove the bread basket." Bones frowned and then once again attempted to remove her part only to be stopped again...this time by a red nose and a buzzer.

"You have to miss a turn Bones." Parker said.

"But I wasn't really ready." she argued. "Booth pushed me."

"I didn't." Booth whined. "I was just encouraging you."

"Encouraging me to go faster than I was ready for, in a game that requires you to keep your hand steady..."

"Hey!" Caroline shouted. "Do I have to put you BOTH in time out in front of your children."

"No." they both said together.

"So does that mean she puts you in time out when we're not around?" Lance asked with a twinkle in his eye. Jack was about to take a drink and Caroline frowned at him...

"You watch your liquids unless you can keep them in your mouth." she scolded. Jack took a long sip and then placed his glass down carefully and smiled.

"My turn." Booth said drawing the funny bone card.

BONESBONESBONESBONES

By the time they'd finished the game the whole group were laughing. Except Bones who was sniggering but a little put out and disappointed with the fact she didn't win.

The boys were in bed and they'd waved good bye to their friends when Booth turned to Bones.

"We need to talk." he said.

"What about?" she asked. "If it's about that game...I ..."

"No it's not about the game."

"Oh?"

"Bones I was about to come outside and I heard you and Angela talking. What have you been keeping from me?" Bones face was blank while she tried to recall the conversation.

"About the boys?" she said with a guilt face.

"Oh yeah... about the boys...or more to the point about you and the boys... and you and me...and honesty."

TBC