83. Doctor
"Mommy?"
"Yes, Christine?"
"Why do Michael's Mommy and Daddy, and Doctor Cam, and Agent Aubrey, and everyone call you Brennan?"
Brennan turned to her daughter, the six year old's head tilted slightly as she stared questioningly at her mother from her seat on the kitchen counter.
"Because Brennan is my name, sweetheart."
"Daddy calls you Bones, so does Parker."
"Bones is the nickname that your father gave me—"
"Because you worked with bones?"
"Right, and when Parker heard Daddy calling me that he started to as well."
"Gramps and Uncle Russ calls you Tempe."
"They do, it's short for Temperance, which is my name: Temperance Brennan."
"Why isn't my last name Brennan?"
"Because Daddy's last name is Booth, which is why you're Christine Angela Booth, and why Henry is Henry Max Booth."
"And Parker."
"Right, and Parker: Parker Matthew Booth."
Christine sat for several moments, contemplating her mother's words, her face contorting in confusion.
"Mommy, why are you Brennan if all of us are Booth? You could be Temperance Booth and then all of us would be matching!"
Brennan stood in shock for several seconds, finally smiling at her daughter.
"You know how it's mine and Daddy's anniversary soon?"
"Daddy is counting down! You've almost been married five years!"
"What'd you say we surprise Daddy?"
"I'm good at surprises, Mommy!"
"Well Mommy is too, so we're going to surprise Daddy a lot!"