A/N: Michael is 20 and Christine is 14
Today was Michael's last day of high school, Booth made him and Christine Mickey Mouse pancakes to celebrate. Christine was the first one in the kitchen. "Good morning, Christine are you excited for your last day of middle school?"
"Yeah. Michael is so lucky he doesn't have to go to school ever again."
"He doesn't think he's lucky, he'd rather go to school."
"He's weird."
"Christine, your brother is not weird, routine is how he manages to function in society. Taking away a huge portion of his routine is going to be so very hard for him. It's going to take a while for him to adapt to his new routine…"
"Mom, I know how much Mikey needs routine and I'm sad that his whole world for the last fifteen years is gonna be turned upside down after today. I was just making a joke…"
"Bones, relax Michael will be fine." Michael walked into the kitchen then.
"Good morning Michael are you ready for your last day of school?"
"Yeah. Work now…"
Brennan smiled, "Yes, you're going to work next Monday. You have a week off first. We'll do some fun things before you start working."
"Okay."
"When I pick you up afterschool we'll go shopping for the things you need for work."
"Okay." Booth put a plate of Mickey Mouse pancakes in front of Michael, "Mickey!"
Booth chuckled, "enjoy, buddy."
'B&B
Later that morning Brennan walked into the pick-up area of Michael's school and waited for his class to be walked down for the last time. Michael spotted her as soon as he rounded the corner "MOM!" he got out of line and quickly walked to her, just like he had at the end of every school day for the last fifteen years. The only major difference now was Brennan didn't have to kneel down to hug him.
"Hi sweetheart, did you have a good last day of high school?"
"Uh-huh."
"Did you say goodbye to everyone?"
"Yeah…" Michael's teacher, Mrs. Corman, came over
"Doctor Brennan, Michael had a fantastic last day of twelfth grade. I'm going to miss having him in class every day."
"I'm glad he had a good last day. He's going to miss school too."
"I work now…" Brennan smiled at Michael.
"Congratulations, you're going to do great! I will see you tomorrow for graduation. It will be just like we practiced today."
"Okay." One of Michael's classmates walked over and started talking to him.
Mrs. Cormann turned to Brennan, "Michael did it, in 23 hours he will be a high school graduate, who is starting a job in a week…. He's going to do great. a few years ago, I did my student teaching in his class, he's improved so much since then. His speech is a lot better. Every year I worry about my students when they graduate, whether they'll fail at being out in the world. I'm not worried about Michael, he may struggle a little, but he will get there. You're doing the right thing for him."
"I hope we are.."
'You are. The adult program would not be enough of a challenge for him. He needs this. Yes, he's way behind the curve academically compared to most high school seniors are, but he can write his name, do basic math and he can write basic sentences. That's a lot more than a lot of the kids in the adult program are capable of. He will be fine."
"I know. When we enrolled him here, my only goal was to get him to willingly come here three days a week and like it. I didn't let myself think about Michael graduating until the first day of school this year."
"At least you thought about it, some of our parents don't until their individual end of the year parent meeting."
"Mom, home now?"
"No, we have to go shopping for what you need for work and do some other things. Then you can go practice the ticket scanner again."
"Okay."
Brennan helped Michael get his backpack and other bags and they headed to her car. Once Michael was in the backseat Brennan turned to him, "We're going to the courthouse to get your state identification card…"
"Okay…" thankfully they didn't have to wait at the courthouse. Brennan filled out the paperwork and Michael stood in front of the blue screen and got his picture taken then he signed the reader and a few minutes later they were on their way to the diner for lunch, Brennan knew that if she wanted to successfully complete the rest of their errands Michael needed to eat.
"Dad come?"
"No, he has to work."
"Hun…"
Brennan was sitting at her and Booth's table watching Michael play with his straw wrapper when she noticed Booth crossing the street heading for the diner. "Michael, look…"
Michal turned his head and looked out the window. "dad come!'
A minute later Booth was sitting next to Brennan at their table. "Did you have a good last day of high school, Michael?"
"Uh-huh. Had cupcake and practice…"
"Are you excited for tomorrow?"
"Uh-huh…" the waitress, Maggie walked over
"Hello Booth family, everybody want their usual?"
'Yes.."
"All right, it'll be a few minutes. Booth I''ll bring your coffee."
'"Thanks, Maggie. What have you done with mom so far today, Michael?"
"Went to the….mom?"
"It's okay, buddy…"
"We went to the courthouse and got his state I.D. our next stop is the bank then we're going shopping. Depending on time we might run by the lab and Michael can practice the scanner with Janet."
"That's good. let me see your I.D., Michael?" Michael took the I.D. from his shorts pocket and handed it to Booth.
"That's' a good picture of you, buddy." Maggie brought their food then.
"Cheeseburger with everything and extra fries for you. "Maggie set the plate in front of Booth. "Chef salad, hold the cheese, meat, and eggs for you." Maggie put Brennan's plate in front of her. "And for the graduate we have a cheeseburger with ketchup and pickles, hold the bun and fries." Booth handed Michael his plate.
"Thanks, Maggie."
"You're welcome. If you need anything else, just ask."
They ate in mostly silence, talking between bites of food was difficult for Michael. When they were done Booth took some money out of his walet and slid it across the table to Michael."Why don't you go pay while mom and I finish our coffee? Maggie will give some money back as change." Michael picked up the money but didn't get up.
"Go on, sweetheart. You can do it…." Michael nodded and stood up and made his way to the counter. Maggie coought Booth's eye and he nodded.
"He couldn't have done that a year ago."
"No. hopefully he can handle the bank. I'm getting him a checking and savings account, he may never be able to write a check, but we'll try."
"He'll do fine."
"I hope so."
Michael came back to the table and handed Booth the change. "You can keep it, buddy. You might need it for something later. Put it in your pocket. " he nodded and put the $7.63 in his shorts pocket.
"Ready to go?"
"Uh-huh. Bye dad."
"Bye buddy. Have fun with mom…"
"Goodbye, Booth." Brennan kissed Booth's cheek.
"Bye Bones. Love you." Booth watched Brennan and Michael get in her car and drive away before he left the diner.
B&B
"Michael, we're going to the bank to open an account for you to deposit your paychecks into every two weeks. Don't be nervous, I will help you and so will dad."
"Okay."
"You'll need your id, make sure it's in your pocket."
"Okay."
They got to the bank and didn't have to wait long before the baker Booth and Brennan always delt with led them back to his office. "Hello temperance, what can I do for you today?"
"Hi Jimmy, Michael needs to open a checking and savings account to deposit his work checks into."
"We can do that. Are you going to be on the account with him?"
"Yes, Booth will be on it also."
"Great. I'll need his I.D. if he has it. And yours too." Michael fished his I.D. out of his pocket and handed it to Brennan, she laid both of them on Jimmy's desk. "So, Michael what kind of job do you have."
"…Mom…"
Brennan smiled and said, "Michael will be a ticket scanner at the Jeffersonian for their Imax films and occasionally the lectures."
"Very good. My wife and I take the kids to the Jeffersonian a few times during the summer. Maybe we'll see you. How is Seeley these days?"
"He's fine. They offered him the deputy director position, he's not sure he'll take it. He doesn't want to sit behind a desk yet."
"I understand. I spend all day behind a desk, and it's not all it's cracked up to be. How's Christine?"
"She's fine. She will be starting high school next year."
"So is my Katie, I can't believe she's old enough…"
"Yes."
"Is there going to be anything deposited into the account today?"
"Yes." Brennan pulled her checkbook from her purse and wrote a check and handed it across the desk.
"Excellent! Jimmy picked up the check and walked from behind his desk. I'm going to deposit this and get your starter checks. I'll be right back." Brennan nodded.
Once Jimmy was out of the room Brennan turned to Michael, "You're doing good. we'll work on writing checks. Don't worry."
"Okay."
"We're going to get all the stuff you need for work next then you can go practice the scanner with Janet."
"Okay."
Jimmy came back a few minutes later and handed Michael the starter checks and his I.D. back. Michael put his I.D. in his pocket and handed the starter checks to Brennan.
"You're all set, Michael. Good luck with your new job. Temperance if you need anything don't hesitate to call."
"I won't. It was good to see you."
"Are you ready to go, Michael?"
"Uh-huh"
Once Michael was in the backseat Brennan pulled a small box out of her bag " You're going to get a lot of presents tomorrow, but dad and I thought you could use this one today." Brennan handed Michael the box
Michael quickly pulled off the Mickey Mouse wrapping paper and opened the box. "Mickey!"
Brennan smiled and took the wallet out of the box. "We got you a wallet to put your I.D. in and some money since you're going to be working now. Do you want me to help you put your I.D. and the money dad gave you in it?"
"Uh-huh." Michael handed Brennan his I.D. she opened the Velcro flap and unfolded the wallet then Brennan put her hand over Michael's and helped him slide it in the I.D. window slot. "Good job, bud! Now get the money out." Michael handed the bills to Brennan, she straightened them out and handed them back to Michael. Then she held the wallet as Michael stuffed the bills inside. "Good job. Now close your wallet and open the zipper on the coin compartment and put the coins in." Brennan watched as Michael carefully folded the wallet and closed the Velcro flap and open the change pocket then he pulled the sixty-three cents from his pocket and put them in the change pouch and zipped it shut.
"Good job, Michael. I'm proud of you. Are you ready to go shopping for the things you need for work now?"
"Yeah…"
"Okay."
A half hour later they were at Target which thankfully wasn't that busy. Once inside Brennan grabbed a cart and they headed for the men's clothing section Brennan got Michael six pairs of khaki pants and two bundles of black socks. Their next task was finding black shoes that were either Velcro or ones that she could replace the laces with special elastic ones that turned any pair of shoes into slip-ons since Michael still struggled to tie his shoes. Once they found shoes that Michael liked and could easily be adapted with the elastic laces, Brennan got Michael to try on flipflops for their Virginia Beach vacation he didn't know about yet. Brennan got Michael and Christine new t-shirts, shorts and swimwear for vacation. She also found Michael long sleave t-shirts to wear under his polo shirts in the summer in the air conditioning.
"We're done shopping, are you ready to go practice the scanner, Michael?""
"yeah."
Once they were in the car, Brennan turned to Michael, "We're close to the art supply store, would you like to go there?"
"Uh-huh need paper…"
Brennan chuckled, "Okay."
Brennan and Michael walked into the store, but Brennan stopped by the rack of baskets. "Michael, I'm going to stay here while you get what you need."
"NO!"
"Yes, you can do it. You know where everything you need is don't you?"
"Uh-huh."
"Then go get it. Get three sketch books instead of two." Brennan held up three fingers, she smiled as Michael silently counted them. He nodded a little and took a basket off the rack and headed to the paper section.
"He'll do fine, Dr. Brennan, he knows this store better than I do."
"I know Sandy. Booth and I are trying to let him do small tasks without us being there. We Know he can do them, it's just hard to watch his internal struggle."
"I know. He's came so far. I remember the first time Angie brought him in here. They walked around and looked at everything. She got him the biggest art supply case I have. He didn't say a word the whole time they were in here. He lit up when I got the case from the back. He must have been about 10."
"He was 9. He still has the case; we refill it every few months . He never used the paints or markers. He's always preferred pencils and colored pencils. Sometimes he'll use a pen if that's his only option. He uses the oil pastels sometimes if he's not drawing to calm down."
"A purist. Angie showed me some of his drawings, he's really good."
"He is. He doesn't take after Booth or me in that respect. "
"I know what you mean, both my parents were artists… I have trouble drawing stick people. I guess that's why dad left me the shop and my artistic brother got their studio."
"Yes. I'm just happy Michael has an age approate activity that he enjoys and it relaxes him."
"Yeah, dad always said drawing was his favorite way to relax. When is he done with school?"
Brennan smiled, "He graduates tomorrow. Then the next day Booth and I are taking him and Christine on a surprise vacation to Virginia Beach before Michael starts working at the museum as a ticket scanner on the first."
"Working will be so good for him and the vacation will be good for all of you."
"Yes. I admit I'm looking forward to vacation and Michael working even though the thought does scare me a bit."
"Understandable. My kids don't have any problems and I was a nervous wreck when they started their first jobs after college. It comes with the territory."
Michael walked up and placed the basket on the counter and laid a reem of drawing paper next to it.
"Did you find everything you needed?"
"Uh-huh."
"'That's good. We have new erasers and sharpeners that you might like. Let me go get a couple for you." Michael nodded as Sandy walked from behind the counter. A minute later she was back to ring up Michael's supplies. "Three sketch books, two packages of drawing pencils, colored pencils, graphite pencils , one reem of super bright drawing paper, two gum erasers and one sharpener. Your total today is $55.50." Brennan handed Sandy her credit card. Sandy swiped the card and handed it back to Brennan, then she handed Michael his very large and heavy bag of art supplies.
"Can you carry it, buddy?" Michael nodded, Brennan smiled and walked ahead to open the door. She smiled as Michael climbed in the backseat with his bag of supplies she knew Michael would spend the ride to the Jeffersonian looking at everything he got even though he got the same supplies every three months.
"I'm very proud of you for going and getting your supplies by yourself." Michael just grinned and pulled a box of drawing pencils out of the bag. When they got to the Jeffersonian Brennan got Michael to Janet in the theater and Went to her office to do paperwork. Over an hour later Michael walked into her office. "Mom, home now?"
"Hey, buddy. How did it go?"
"Good. I got shirts…"
"That's great. I'm glad you got your shirts; I'll wash them with your pants and socks tonight."
"Home?"
"We're going to get your employee I.D. taken tonight so we don't have to do it on your first day of work. Then we'll go home…" Brennan packed up her bag and took the bag of shirts from Michael
"K."
Brennan walked Michael to the Security Department. "Hi Dr. Brennan what can I do for you?"
"Hello, Micah, Michael needs his employee I.D. taken for his new job as ticket scanner that he starts on the first."
"Ah, one of our new museum support staff. Nice to meet you, Michael. Come stand on the blue X look straight ahead and don't smile…"
Fifteen minutes later Brennan was headed home after she showed Michael how to put his employee I.D. in one of the card slots in his wallet. When they got home, Brennan took the tags off Michael's pants and threw them with the shorts she got him for vacation in the washer. Then she opened and put the new 500 sheet reem of paper Michael bought in his plastic paper storage box.
"There you go, buddy, you're all set."
"I go swing."
"Okay. You did well with all of our errands today. I'm proud of you." Brennan kissed the top of Michael's head and left his bedroom.
B&B
A while later Booth came home. "Hey, Bones."
"Hello Booth." They kissed.
"Did you get all of Michael's errands done?"
"Yes, he did well. We even squeezed in a trip to the art supply store. I stood at the counter while he got his supplies himself. He got everything he usually gets plus Sandy got him two of the new type of gum erasers she's begun carrying plus a sharpener."
"I'm glad he got his own supplies."
"Me too. I think we should get pizza for dinner…"
"Good idea, I'm going to have Michael order it from the app on my phone."
"Go for it. He's swinging." Booth grinned and kissed Brennan before heading outside. He got a few steps outside before his phone rang , he listened to the call and came back inside.
"Do we have a case?"
"No, Parker is coming for dinner, Addie is working late and he doesn't want to cook…"
"That's fine. I can make something since Parker is coming…"
"He said pizza is fine."
"Okay. I'll call Dianne and have her send Christine home."
"Sounds good." Booth headed outside to Michael and his swing. Brennan watched from the window Booth was patiently showing Michael how to order pizza on his phone as she waited for Dianne to answer. Brennan hung up as Booth came back inside. "He did it, I had to tell him each thing to choose and hold the phone because he can't hold it in one hand and use the other to touch the app."
"At least he did it, last time we tried to get him to use an app on one of our phones he wouldn't touch it."
"Yeah, hopefully he'll do better with his own phone even though it's not a smartphone."
"He will. Christine is going to flip out when she realizes that she gets one too."
"I know. I hope she doesn't mind that it's not a smartphone."
''She shouldn't once we explain why. If she wants a smartphone she can use the money she has squirreled away in her teddy bear bank to buy one outright."
"Booth, she is not using her savings money to buy a smartphone. She'll just have to learn to deal with it."
"Let's eat dinner at the coffee table and watch a movie like we used to."
"Okay."
A half hour later Michael and Christine were sitting on opposite sides of the coffee table, Booth and Brennan were on the couch. Parker was sitting Booth's recliner, they all were eating pizza and watching National Treasure.
"Michael are you excited about graduating tomorrow?" Michael shrugged and took a breadstick from the box.
"it's going to be fun Addie and I will be there." Michael nodded a little and took a bite of his onion and mushroom pizza.
"After your graduation we'll come back here and have a party. Some of your friends from school might stop by too. That'll be fun won't it?"
"Uh-huh."
B&B
Later that night Booth and Brennan were sitting together on the couch. "Are you ready for tomorrow, Bones?"
"Yes, as much as I can be. I'm very thankful that Addison, Jack, and Katie are willing to come here while we're at the ceremony and get things set up for the party…"
"Me too. I can't believe Michael is graduating from high school tomorrow… It seems like just yesterday we were singing him up for preschool…"
"I know. After he started school there I didn't let myself think about him graduating until the first day of school this year… a few times over the years I didn't think he'd make it."
"Seventh grade…"
"Yes… The anxiety medication he was on at the time wasn't. working that well."
"it wasn't working at all. That was the only time he hit you…"
"Yes…I had to pick him up early because his behavior was out of control and it wasn't safe for him to be at school so many times that year. The last time He got in the car fine and we got home and things were okay I gave him his medication and , he started calming down. I was going to let him go swing to work though whatever was bothering him. then Diane rang the doorbell when she dropped off Christine. That set his agitation off and Christine was being extremely chatty and noisy that day. I tried to get him outside away from her, but he spiraled out of control fast pacing and yelling at me if I got close to him. I called you to come home to help me with him. You got here in ten minutes…and then…he saw you come in the door and lost it…"
"I remember coming in the door and seeing him getting ready to run at me. I told Christine to go to the bathroom and lock the door and stay there until I came to get her… then I heard skin hitting skin…HARD….I looked over and you were up against the couch. Michael looked at you for a minute then he started running through the house…. I NEVER thought I'd have to use modified FBI restraint techniques on my own kid… I cornered him in the kitchen and held on to him until he calmed down…. I held him against the island with his hands behind his back so he couldn't hit me or you for what felt like hours…."
"It was 38 minutes…."
"I just talked to him, I don't remember what I said, but eventually he sagged to the floor and I let go of his hands. After a little bit longer, I got him a plastic cup of water left him sitting there and went to check on you…."
"Thankfully I was okay mostly. He didn't bruise me or break my skin. I just had a light red mark that faded by Monday. I was mostly in shock; I never thought my Mickey Mouse obsessed artistic son would ever be violent."
"Me too. Thankfully you were okay.. You called Diane and asked if Christine could spend the night while I got her out of the bathroom. I told her Michael was sick, that's why you picked him up early from school, and we wanted her to go to Kelly's so we could take him to the doctor if we needed to. I got her out of the house without her seeing you or Michael."
"I've always been thankful she never knew about it. While you were taking her down the street Michael came in the living room and sat next to me. He looked at me and I could tell he was sorry for what he did, but at the same time he didn't understand what happened. I told him I was okay and that we'd figure out how best to help him."
"Then I came back and made him spaghetti. He ate and fell asleep in your lap…"
"Despite of everything that is one of my favorite nights. I don't think he meant to hit me or do any of the things he had been doing for a few weeks before that or for the next three months until we got him on the right medication at the right dosage. The medication was making his hormones more out of control and he didn't know what was happening or how to tell us what was going on inside his head. The next morning, I called his doctor and we took him in. All the doctor did was increase his meds. That didn't help at all, I think it made everything worse."
"He didn't mean to hurt you or act out like he was. The medication increase did make everything worse . There were a few days I thought about NOT giving it to him before school just to see what would happen. That started our three-month rollercoaster of doctors' appointments and failed medications…"
"Yes, I'm glad. Angela saw that article about Doctor Jacobs and we decided to see him I'm thankful he's the one doctor who sees Michael as a person who has disabilities and not as a disabled person. Otherwise, I probably would have pulled him out of school and homeschooled him. I'm very thankful that Cam allowed me to bring him back to the lab when he couldn't stay at school as long as he stayed in my office or Angela's. He'd usually drink some really cold water and take a nap for a half hour. Then he'd go to Angela's office and draw for a while. When he'd calmed down he'd come ask me to take him back to school… I'd explain he could only go to school if he stayed calm ALL day. He'd look so sad then, I'd tell him he could go to school the next morning and stay all day if he was calm like he was at that moment. The days he was successful we'd get ice cream before dinner. We only got it a dozen times in the three months before he started seeing doctor Jacobs."
"Doctor Jacobs saved us all. Remember the last med ween before he got on the one that actually helped him?"
"Yes, I'm glad we sent Christine on Spring Break with Hodgins and Angela then she stayed at dads until he was regulated on the new one. It was hard on all of us for her to be gone for a month, but she didn't need to see the mood swings and her noise level would have set him off."
"Yeah, remember when he started having better afternoons and we'd go to Max's for dinner?"
"Yes, Christine thought we were going to take her home with us the first time we did it."
"I felt so bad disappointing her, but Michael was so happy to see her. We went back a few days later and brought her home to spend the night. It went fine until Christine wanted to watch a movie with him and he couldn't sit through it because of the 'noise'. It was so hard to explain to her why Michael couldn't watch movies with her. She didn't watch it either, I read to her for a long time that night."
"The next day when I got home Michael met me at the door asking to go get her. We went over to Max's for ice cream and candy land after dinner. We had to promise Michael that he could sleepover at Max's with Christine when he was in a better place with the new medications before he would leave…."
Brennan smiled a little, "I remember. I also remember how nervous I was when we dropped him off at the end of the week. He'd only been on the medication a little over two weeks and I wasn't sure how he'd do away from us…."
"…but by the pictures and videos we got that night he had a blast…."
"Yeah he was his normal happy self. He went back to school on Monday and we didn't have any more problems for the rest of the year. We've never really had any more problems with his behavior beyond his anxiety rearing its ugly head once and a while."
"And the normal sibling fights.."
"Yes, I know sometimes Christine purposely does things to get a reaction out of Michael."
"Of course, she does. I did with Jared and he did the same with me. Russ did with you too, I'm sure."
'He did. Michael did so well today. I'm going to have him keep out twenty-five dollars a week. I don't know what he'll spend it on. He doesn't want anything."
"He can buy some of his art supplies and pay for lunch when we take him to the diner on Fridays."
"Yes, he'll like that. You need to see Jimmy and get put on his account."
"I'll do it as soon as we get back from vacation."
"Good."
B&B
Late the next morning Booth, Brennan, Parker, Christine, Hodgins, and Angela were packed in to the school gym with the family and friends of the other 21 students in Michael's graduating class waiting for the ceremony to start.
"Bones, what's wrong? You've got my hand in a vice grip…"
"I'm nervous, what if this is all too much for him and he melts down?"
"Bones, every teacher and para Michael has had since preschool is here, they'll get him through it IF it happens. He's going to rock this."
"I hope so."
Forty-five minutes later Brennan's grip tightened on Booth's hand as Michael's name was called.
"…Michael Joseph Booth…" Michael walked across the stage and received his diploma.
"Breathe Bones…Michael did it, he graduated." Booth kissed Brennan's cheek and pulled a small package of tissues from the inside pocket of his suit and handed them to her.
"Thanks Booth."
Two hours later Michael was changing into denim shorts and a Mickey Mouse t-shirt while Brennan and Booth finished getting ready for his party. He walked into the kitchen.
"I go swing now…"
"It's almost time for your party to start, buddy."
"I go swing…"
"Okay buddy. Have fun." Michael nodded and went outside.
"I knew the ceremony and party on the same day would be too much for him…"
"Bones, he didn't seem agitated or upset. Nobody is really here yet, let him swing for a little bit then I'll go talk to him."
'Okay. I just want him to have fun today he deserves it. "
"He does deserve to have fun today and he is. He's not swinging fast like he does when he's upset and needs to calm down, it's his normal swinging."
"Good."
A half hour later Booth walked over to Michael "Michael, people are coming for your party why don't you come inside?"
"No. I still swing!"
"Do you want us to move your party out here so you can be at your party and swing if you need to?"
"Uh-huh."
"All right, I'll be right back. " Booth went inside, "Change of venue , everybody grab a bowl and take it outside. Michael needs to swing, but wants to have his party. We're moving it outside so he can do that. Parks, go grab the two folding tables out of the garage ."
"Okay." Once everybody had grabbed a dish or decoration and headed outside Booth went to Brennan.
"Stop worrying, Bones. Michael is fine. He's trying to keep his anxiety in check in one of the odd ways that works for him without needing extra meds. Two years ago, he'd needed extra meds before we left the school parking lot. If not before. See he's happy…" Booth pointed out the window at Michael and Jack laughing about something. The party was quickly set up in the back yard. The banner Brennan had made for the day was hung on the fence. The balloons were at the ends of the folding tables. As more people arrived they walked over to Michael and his swing to talk to him. Once it was time to eat Brennan walked over to Michael. "Come get something to eat, Michael."
"I swing…"
"I know, but why don't you come have some lunch and cake then open your graduation gifts. After that you can go back to your swing. You can sit next to me and dad…"
"Okay." Michael got up and followed Brennan to the food and she helped him fill his plate. Michael walked to the picnic table and sat next to Booth. "Are you having a good time at your party, buddy?"
"Uh-huh." Michael picked up a piece of chicken and took a bite.
"That's good." a few minutes later Brennan sat down on Michael's other side and tucked a napkin in his shirt collar. After lunch Brennan carried Michael's graduation cake over to him. "Mickey!"
"Do you like it?"
"Uh-huh." Since Michael's fourth birthday Booth's favorite bakery had been putting Mickey Mouse on his birthday cakes. They had put Mickey Mouse in a cap and gown in the school colors of Michael's school on his graduation cake with 'congratulations Michael' under it. Brennan cut and served the chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. After he finished his cake and ice cream Michael opened his gifts, he got art supplies and Mickey Mouse items. Parker and Addison got him a new Mickey Mouse backpack to take the art supplies and audiobooks Brennan recorded for him to work to fill downtime. Christine got him the matching lunchbox.
B&B
After the party wrapped up a few hours late Booth and Brennan had Michael and Christine in the living room.
"We have a few more surprises for you, the next one is for Christine too. We're going to Virginia Beach very early tomorrow morning to spend a week in a beach house doing all kinds of fun stuff before Michael starts working."
"Cool. Is there s pool?"
"Yes, the house we're renting does have a pool… I got you new swimsuits, flip flops and other clothes yesterday when I took Michael shopping. Everything is washed and folded on the dryer waiting for you to pack it."
"COOL!" Christine started to get up and go to the laundry room.
"Hold on, there are more gifts."
Brennan handed Michael a box, he tore off the paper and opened the box to reveal a basic cell phone.
"Mom and I got you a cell phone to call us if you need us when you're working. I'll show you how to use it." Booth flipped open the phone and pressed a button and a loud ringing could be heard coming from Christine's room.
"You got me a phone?"
"Maybe…" Christine ran to her room.
"Say 'hi' when Christine answers…"
The ringing stopped, "hi Christine!"
Christine walked back to the living room. With her phone "This so cool! Thanks mom, dad!"
"You're welcome, Christine. We got you a phone because we decided to let you stay home by yourself while mom, Michael and I are at work. You can go to Kelly's but you have to text or call mom or me to tell us that you left the house and when you get to her house. She can also come here. You can sleep late too, but as soon as you get up you need to call or text mom to let her know you're up. If you go to Kelly's and forget to text or call us to tell us you got to her house or back to ours after ten minutes I will come find you… if you go to Kelly's without telling us you will be grounded indefinitely… understand?"
"Yes, I understand."
"Good, now go pack, take a shower, and go to bed, we're leaving early. We're leaving earlier than we do to go to school."
"Okay. Can I call Kelly and tell her?"
"Yes! Your charger is on your desk, don't forget to pack it!"
"I can take my phone?"
"Yes. Michael can too."
"Okay." Christine went to the laundry room to get the new stuff Brennan got her.
"Are you excited about going on vacation, Michael?"
'Uh-huh. Swing?"
"I don't think the house we're renting has a swing we'll have to wait and see. There is a park close to the house we can go to though."
"Okay."
" I'll go pack your clothes while you pack your drawing supplies. Then you can take a shower and when you're done dad and I will practice using your phone with you."
"Okay." Michael got up and headed for his room, Brennan followed.
A/N2: Muse went off the rails and went somewhere I didn't have planned. The Virginia Beach vacation, Michael's first day of work etc. will be in the next chapter….