I would like to thank you all for your reviews and alerts. I know I'm slow lol. I hope you all enjoy this one.

Thank you to the Maudlin Muse for being a sounding board :)

Chapter 18

"Are you saying that I'm not honest Booth?" Bones asked as she was being tugged down the hallway by Booth's firm grip on her hand. Booth didn't immediately answer and Bones felt her face flush. "Booth?"

They'd reached the living room and Booth steered Bones toward the sofa and he sat on the arm.

"I heard you talking to Ang."

"Oh? Oh."

"Uhhuh...oh...What were you talking about?"

"My conversation was private Booth." Bones looked Booth directly in the eye but she moved her hands nervously. She was used to Booth being stern, but he usually reserved that tone for the boys. What she'd said was the truth...her conversation with Ang had been private...the fact that his name was mentioned didn't make it any less private did it?

"Ok Bones, I think you really believe that but I distinctly heard Ang say that the boys had been blackmailing you."

"Oh?" Bones said innocently.

"Yes Bones again with the oh. That's why I said it, so you MUST have heard her say it." There was just no hedging or prompting with Bones, you just had to go right in and ask. "Did the boys blackmail you into telling me that they'd been good?"

"Booth... blackmail is a very strong word."

"Exactly...what happened?"

Bones sighed. "They HAD been fighting a little...but when they heard you coming they stopped..." booth sighed and took Bones' hand in his. They were getting nowhere.

"Bones... I think we need to start at the beginning." Bones sighed and threaded her fingers through the hand that was was gently squeezing hers.

"Parker came to see me in my office."

"Okayyy."

"He wanted to know WHY Lance was in trouble."

"Did you tell him?" Bones looked a little guilty.

"Not right away..."

"But you did tell him."

"Boooth...you TOLD me to start at the beginning and I'm trying." Booth held his hands up.

"Sorry...go ahead."

"He assumed that I wouldn't tell him because I wouldn't go against you...he thought you were in charge Booth."

"I'm sure you set him straight."

"Yes...I told him we were partners." Booth smiled. Not because he was happy but because he now had a pretty good idea what had happened and all arrows seemed to be pointing in the one direction.

"So he manipulated you."

"But I giggled...he said I was being mean...I wasn't meaning to be mean Booth..."

"I'm sure you weren't Bones."

"I laughed because it was very cute...him trying to take advantage of me...I'm smarter than a child." Now it was Booth's turn to try and keep his smile inside.

"Booth you have to believe me... I wasn't going to tell him...but he thought I didn't trust him..."

"No..." Booth said. "I bet he promised he wouldn't tell too."

"He DID! But after I told him...he seemed...impressed..."

"Oh not good."

"Exactly Booth!"

"So you told him what happens to naughty boys who steal...?"

"I HAD to."

"Oh I'm sure it seemed that way."

"It WAS that way."

"And what happened after you told him?"

"He ran off...he was satisfied I think by then."

"Oh I just bet he was..."

"Bones...we need to finish this conversation but first I need to see Lance."

"Ok..."

Booth withdrew his hand and jogged up the stairs and Bones was left sitting on the sofa by herself. She blew her hair away from her eyes and blinked back a stray tear. Booth wasn't happy with the way she'd handled things. She hated it when they were at odds about something...not that he'd said much but she could feel it.

BONESBONESBONESBONESBONES

Booth knocked on Lance's door.

"Come in." he said. When Booth walked in Lance sat up a little. What had he done now?

"I need a word."

"Ok."

"What happened yesterday when I went to work and you were alone with Bones?"

"Which part?" Lance asked.

"What happened with Parker and You?"

"He wanted to know why I was in trouble...I wouldn't tell him."

"Then?"

"He went downstairs and then after a while he came back and he knew..."

"He told you that?"

"He didn't have to. He said he didn't need to know anymore."

"Okay...you were mad huh?"

"YES... I thought it was you know... private." Booth sighed.

"I get it."

"Anything else you wanna tell me about what you did that day?" Booth held his breath. AS far as he was concerned if Lance came clean about fighting with Parker and trying to hoodwink Bones that would be about it. This was all Parker as far as the boys were concerned... so long as he didn't try to lie.

"I was mad Booth and Parker was being so annoying...I was trying to make him stop. Oh and Bones was gonna tell so we did kind of make her feel guilty, so she wouldn't." Booth finally let out a breath. Maybe he was getting somewhere with Lance.

"Ok. Later when Bones comes to kiss you good night I want you to apologise. I'm letting you off this time because I can see that Parker started this...but don't treat Bones like that again." Lance grinned.

"I won't I promise." Booth ruffled his hair and then went back down to Bones.

BONESBONESBONESBONESBONES

"Hey Booth."

"Hey."

"What did Lance say?"

"He knew that Parker knew...that's why they were fighting."

"He promised he wouldn't tell." Bones said again blinking back a stray tear.

"He's a little boy Bones. A little boy who's in big trouble but just a little boy."

"You lied to me Bones."

"I'm sorry."

"And you betrayed Lance's trust...Lance is a child but he still has a right to privacy."

"I know Booth...it was only Parker."

"Who then blurted it out to Carolyn and anyone else that he could get to listen."

"That was unfortunate."

"It was more than unfortunate Bones...what if I spanked you." Bones giggled.

"That would never happen."

"Well let's just say in your wildest dreams that it did happen...and then you told Ang..."

"You would NOT spank me Booth." Booth completely ignored Bones' somewhat rattled ramblings.

"And then Ang told Jack...who told...everyone at the Jeffersonian...that you got spanked on your bare tush?" Bones face flushed red and she was quite unused to such a feeling. She really didn't get embarrassed.

"That WOULD NOT happen Booth."

"Which part?" he teased.

"ANY of it! She stood and turned her back and started for the stairs. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Don't tell lies and you won't ever have to worry about it." Booth muttered under his breath. Bones turned to say something but instead poked her tongue out and stomped up the stairs.

BONESBONESBONESBONESBONES

Booth chuckled. He'd managed to rattle Bones...he looked up the stairs...but now there was Parker to deal with.

Parker was on his floor making a robot out of Leggos when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." He said turning to see who it was.

"Hi Parker." Booth said. "Pack up your blocks we need to talk."

"Ok but I'm not finished. I just have to..."

"No Parker pack them up right now."

"Am I in trouble?"

"Pack ..up... your blocks and then we'll talk."

"Okay." Parker had butterflies. He didn't like it when his Daddy was all serious like started to tip the blocks into their container he quickly not even worrying about keeping on the robot's arms. When he was finished, he walked over to his Daddy with his head down. Booth lifted him onto his knee.

"You thought you got away with being really naughty yesterday didn't you?" Parker scrunched his eyes up and started to cry.

"Save it Parker, we're still talking." The non existent tears dried right up.

"I just wanted to know what was happening. No one tells me nuffin."

"No body is going to tell you stuff that is none of your business."

"I'm part of the family too!"

"Of course you are but that doesn't mean you get to know everything about everything. You embarrassed Lance and that wasn't fair."

"I didn't mean to."

"Well you did. And the other thing was trying to trick Bones into doing what you want...that was very naughty."

"Lance did it too..."

"Lance is not your problem and you don't get to decide who's in trouble."

"Are you gonna spank me?"

"Yes I am." Deciding not to waste anymore time, Booth tipped Parker over his knee and slapped him hard on the back of his PJ's.

"Ow!" he cried. "Daddy that hurt!" Booth set his mouth in a determined line before smacking the wriggling target a few more times. His large hand covering both cheeks at once.

"No...no...no..." Parker squealed but to no avail...the hand just kept spanking his already burning bottom.

"Noooo." His short and desperate pleas finally turned into one long wail which nearly broke Booth's heart. To make a point though he had to finish the way he'd intended. He slipped down the bawling child's pyjamas...

As the cool air swished across his bottom Parker panicked..."Not like that Daddy noooo..." Booth spanked his bare bottom twice and then replaced his pants and gathered the sobbing child into his arms.

"Shhh."

"I'm...sorry..." Parker said through hitched breaths.

"It's over now. Shhh." He drew soft circles on the little boy's back and held him close until he felt him drifting towards sleep.

"Parker?" he asked.

"Yes Da..ddy." Parker answered sleepily.

"Would you like Lance to badger you about what just happened and tell everyone?"

"NO!" Parker cried...and the penny finally dropped.

"I'll tell Lance I'm sorry tomorrow."

"There's my good boy." Booth said proudly.

TBC