Parker is 15 in this chapter

OK. So I've FINALLY finished this story. After months of not updating, I finally managed to finish this chapter. I'm not 100% sure of it and feel slightly wary of posting it, but it feels so good to have completed a multi-chap fic. This chapter sort of took on a life of it's own, with the original plan for it to be just Brennan and Parker, with a family scene at the end, but of course nothing ever works out :L. I've excuses as to why it's taken me so long to update, but I'm sure you don't want to hear them.

I've got a bunch of one shots on my hard drive which should hopefully be up soon. Hope you enjoy it and please review and tell me what you think. Hope you enjoy.

"Bones?"

"Yeah Parks?" Booth was working late and Anna was asleep. Both Parker and Brennan were watching 'Meet The Parents.'

"How do you know if you love someone?" Brennan panicked. She thought she was no good with emotions and knew that this was more Booth's territory.

"Maybe you should ask your dad." Brennan suggested.

"But he'll go all 'you just know' on me. How do you know that you're in love?" Brennan fought back a grin at Parker's interpretation of his dad's version of love. Brennan had fallen victim to it countless times.

"With your dad? He made me smile and laugh. He made me eat, but most of all, he was there. Even if I didn't need him." Parker smiled and nodded.

"But how did you know you were in love with him?" Parker asked.

"When I realised that I would do anything for him and couldn't live without him." She said simply. Although she was better with emotions, she still didn't believe in herself fully when it came to them.

"Like I would for you, dad and Anna?"

"Just like that. I'd do it for you and Anna too Parks." Parker cuddled into her and continued talking.

"Like the time I rescued Anna from the duck?" Brennan smiled fondly at the memory of Parker chasing a duck around a small lake as it 'threatened' Anna. In reality, Anna had thrown a small piece of bread and the duck was coming to eat it, but no-one could tell Parker that after seeing how proud he was of saving his little sister.

"Exactly like that. What's up?"

"I think I'm in love."

"Oh." Brennan said, unable to think of what to say next.

"Dad would say that I'm too young to know what love is, but I didn't think you would."

"I don't think you're too young to be in love. Who is it?"

"She's in my class. She's really pretty and clever. She wants to be an Artist. Like Angela, but without dead bodies." Parker laughed a bit and Brennan joined in.

"What's her name?" Brennan asked, genuinely interested.

"Jess. I was wondering if I could ask her round to dinner one night?" Parker asked. "I really want her to meet Anna. She's got three younger sisters. Alice, Daisy and Tia. She's got a baby brother who was born two months ago called Luke. She's really nice and polite. She does really well in school and-" Parker was cut off by Brennan's hand placed softly on his lips.

"You're babbling Parker." She said smiling and the young boy's embarrassed expression of being caught talking about Jess. "She can come over. I'll have to ask your dad, but it should be fine."

"Thanks Bones. Love you." The young boy kissed her cheek and ran to his room.

"Love you too Parks." Brennan watched him run to his room. She was still amazed at how they got on so well. She knew Booth had done a great job of raising him before they had got involved, but it was only after she had started to spend more time with Parker she realised what an amazing young boy he was.

It was 11pm when Booth came back. Parker was asleep after tiring himself out. He'd come back downstairs an hour later to talk to Brennan and had eventually talked himself to sleep. Booth walked to the living room where the TV cast a dim light across Brennan's face.

"Baby." He whispered in Brennan's ear, hoping to awaken her easily. "I'm home."

"Hmm." Brennan said tiredly. Booth loved her voice just after she'd woken up. It was just so childlike and innocent that it made him want to smile every time he heard it. "I missed you."

"Missed you too Bones. Come on." Booth walked around to her front and gently pulled her into his arms and walked her to their bedroom. Her arms instantly went around his neck and she buried her head in his neck, placing soft, quick kisses there.

"Parker wants to invite a girl to dinner." She mumbled into his neck. "Jess."

"What did you say?"

"I said it should be fine, but I'll ask you. Did I say the right thing?" Brennan was self-conscious when it came to Parker and doubted herself frequently, but she was learning.

"Yeah Bones. You said the right thing." Booth placed her on her side of the bed and undressed. He slid under the covers and wrapped his arm around her waist as they both got impossibly close to each other. "Night Bones. Love you."

"Love you too Booth."

It was 5pm when the doorbell went.

"I'll get it." Yelled Parker as he ran down the stairs. He'd put on a new pair of faded blue jeans with a new white top. "Hi Jess." He said shyly, motioning her to come in. He'd been waiting for this day for a week now and each day he got more and more excited.

"Hi Parker." She walked into the house, and brought Parker into a hug.

"Come on. I'll let you meet the family." They walked into the kitchen, Parkers hand gently guiding her. "DAD!" Parker said, as they walked into the kitchen. Booth was gently kissing Brennan's neck tenderly as she stirred the pasta. Booth looked up sheepishly.

"Sorry." Parker looked at Brennan and saw her trying to hide a smile. He smirked at her as they saw Booth go a slight red colour.

"Dad. Bones. This is Jess. Jess, this is my dad, Seeley Booth and Bones."

"Call me Brennan." Brennan said, knowing that the Booth boys would never introduce her as anything other than Bones. "Nice to meet you Jess."

"Nice to meet you too. And you too Mr. Booth." Jess spoke. Both Booth and Brennan were amazed at the politeness of the girl.

"Call me Booth." Booth said, holding out his hand to shake. It was a reflex and he didn't realise he'd done it, until it was over.

"Parker? Can you go and get Anna?"

"Sure Bones. Come on Jess." Parker reached out to take her hand. Jess looked at him and then Brennan. She got a nod of Brennan and so thought that they would be OK with it. She wasn't sure how much they'd been told about Parker and hers relationship. They weren't technically a couple, but they both knew where it was heading.

"Booth." Brennan warned. Booth saw Parker take Jess's hand instantly started to worry. He knew parents were usually protective over their daughters, but his protective streak over Parker would outdo any other parent over any son or daughter.

"He was devastated over Becca. I don't want him to get hurt again." Booth said. Brennan pulled him into a hug.

"He likes her Booth. You've heard him talk about her. He really likes her. You can't protect him forever." She reached up and placed a kiss on his lips. "Can you get the salad? It's in the fridge." Booth happily obliged, not before placing a kiss on her cheek.

"PAARRRKKKKEEEERRRR" 4 year old Anna yelled, launching herself into his arms.

"Anna." Parker said, placing a kiss on the young girls forehead. "This is Jess." Anna was a shy girl and so instantly curled up in Parkers arms, burying her head into his neck. "Sorry. She's shy."

"It's OK. Hi Anna. I'm Jess." Jess said. She looked around the room and noticed a big teddy sat on her bed. "Wow. That's huge!" She exclaimed, pointing to the bear. "A girl right?" Anna nodded and slowly moved her head.

"Her name's Angela."

"Angela eh? That's a pretty name. Why is she called Angela?" Anna climbed out of Parkers arms and went to sit next to Jess.

"Auntie Angela bought her for me."

"Auntie Angela? Would she be an artist?" Jess asked. Anna nodded before looking at Parker.

"Is it dinner?" Parker nodded and took Anna's hand and led her to the table. Jess followed, but was shocked when she reached the table. Normally at home she would feed her sisters, as her mum worked late, and then her and her mum would have dinner, in front of the TV, once the girls were in bed. Here however, they all sat together.

"Jess. Sit next to me." Parker pulled out a chair for her, while catching Brennan's eye and receiving the glare she normally gave to his father when he was being chivalrous. He simply smiled and winked at her, receiving a smile back. Jess sat down and Parker poured her a drink.

"Thanks." She smiled. Parker could tell she was nervous. She was playing with her hands and shaking her leg. He saw that his Dad and Brennan had gone to fetch the food and Anna was content with just waiting and so he placed a hand on her leg.

"Chill babe. It's going fine." Parker smiled but then tensed instantly when he realised what he said. He expected Jess to recoil and was prepared for some sort of uncomfortable tension, but instead she took his hand, entwined their fingers and leaned across to whisper in his ear.

"Thanks. Call me babe again and die OK sweetie?" She placed extra emphasis and smiled an evil grin, but tightened her hold on his hand.

"Got it." Parker smiled back at her and they both got lost in their own little world.

"BONES" Booth whispered loudly. "Look at my son and Jess." He pointed towards the table and saw their fingers entwined and what looked to be an intense moment. "BONES!"

"What Booth?" Brennan said calmly as she got the salad out of the fridge. "Just cool OK?"

"Chill babe. Chill."

"Oh." Brennan furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to remember this information. "OK." She picked up the salad and Booth carried out the Mac 'n' Cheese.

Both Parker and Brennan could sense Booth's overprotective nature over dinner, with questions such as 'what are you planning on doing later on in life' and 'how successful are you in school but also extracurricular activities' coming up. Each time he said one, he got three glares. One off Brennan, one off Parker and Anna started to glare too once she caught on what her brother and mother were doing.

Other than that, dinner went well. Mac 'n' Cheese was a hit with everyone and Anna seemed to do well under the pressure that was put on her. Of course it helped that when everyone had finished eating and they were just sat talking, Parker took hold of Jess' hand and smiled gently at her. Brennan noticed and smiled at the pair, whereas Booth was too focused on checking whether Jess was good enough for his son.

"Parker. You and Jess can go if you want. Me, your dad and Anna will help with the washing up." Brennan said.

"Thanks Bones." Parker got up, kissed Brennan on the cheek and took Jess up to his room.

"Booonnneeesssss." Booth moaned as he saw what Brennan had done. "You don't just let them go. They could go upstairs and you know, do stuff!"

"Chill Booth," Brennan shot him a proud look for remembering the correct term, "they need to talk things through. I've become a lot more perceptive since I've been with you and if you weren't so intent on scaring the girl, then you would have noticed too! You better calm down with the whole 'overprotective parent' thing." Booth shot her a look. "I'm not joking. You need to stop. It's making me uncomfortable, not to mention Parker and Jess. Even Anna picked up on it. She's FOUR!"

"What am I supposed to do huh Bones? His mother LEFT him! Left him broken. You know how hard it's been trying to get him back to normal again."

"Normal? Booth there's no such thing. Parker needed time to adjust and get used to the fact, yes. But that doesn't mean he wasn't 'normal'." Brennan was getting agitated by now.

"OK." Booth said. There was a few moments of silence until he spoke again. "If I try not to be too overprotective, then will you please come away with me for a weekend?" Booth had been trying to persuade her to do so for a while, but she was reluctant to leave Anna and Parker.

"Yes. But you don't try, you do." She gave him a pointed look. "Understand?"

"Yes dear." Booth replied with a hint of humour. He leaned forward and gave her a sound kiss on the lips. "Love you babe."

"Love you too. Now lets go make sure Anna hasn't completely ruined the kitchen." Tugging on his hand they walked towards the kitchen.

As Brennan looked towards the door, she wiped a tear from her cheek. "I can't believe it." She whispered to the man stood behind her. "You two look beautiful." She said to Jess and Parker. Prom was finally here and they had spent months getting everything ready. Jess and Parker were a couple and were going strong even after a few months. Jess went towards Brennan and gave her a hug. The two became close and Jess had even came to Brennan to ask for advice on Parker every now and then. Their first kiss, hug, date everything, Brennan knew about. She liked having Jess come to her for advice. Booth knew nothing of this and if he knew what his son got up to, he would have serious words with him. Parker knew he could go to Booth or Brennan, but it depended on the subject as to who he went to.

"Thanks Bren." Jess said gratefully as Parker hugged Brennan. Jess went up to Booth and hugged him.

"You really do." Booth said as he accepted Jess' hug. Brennan wiped another tear away as she saw Anna walk in and hug Parker and Jess.

"Love you Parker. Love you Jess." Anna said as she wrapped her tiny arms around them.

"Love you too Anna." They replied in unison.

"Photos!" Brennan shouted as she went to fetch the camera. There were four groans at this, but each groan was accompanied with a smile. "You want me to make copies for your mum?" Brennan asked Jess.

"Please. That would be great." Jess replied with a hint of sadness.

"I'm sorry she couldn't be here today." Jess' mum had had to go out of town for a week with Jess' younger siblings. Jess was staying with her friend, but had been invited to stay over with Parker for tonight. On the condition that they stayed in separate rooms.

"It's ok. It's gonna be great anyway." Jess smiled.

"OK. One of Parker and Jess first." Brennan said. As Parker and Jess got into position Booth grabbed Anna and looked at his son. He realised that Parker was good. He was turning into a brilliant young man. Sure he had moods and played loud music and did things that Booth wasn't sure he wanted to know about, but he knew right from wrong and never severely overstepped the line. As Anna laughed at the poses Parker was doing, Booth realised that his family was pretty close to perfect.

It was 1am when Parker rang to ask for a lift home. They had been expecting him later as he had been allowed to go to an after-party, on the condition he didn't drink too much and stayed away from trouble. Booth knew his son sometimes drank and giving him permission for one or two was a lot better than insisting he didn't drink and have Parker come home comatose. Booth and Brennan were snuggled up on the sofa watching a documentary about the end of the world.

"I've gotta go pick up Parks and Jess. I'll be back in 20 babe. Love you."

"Love you too." Brennan snuggled deeper into the sofa as she heard Booth leave. She watched the documentary until she heard the door open.

"Hey Bones." Parker whispered, knowing Anna was a very light sleeper.

"Hey Parks. How was it?"

"Awesome. Right Jess?"

"It was immense Bren."

"I'm glad. See you in the morning."

"Night Bones."

"Night Bren." As Parker and Jess made their way to their rooms, Jess in the guest room, Booth took his place back on the sofa and pulled Brennan into his arms.

"I never thought I'd have this." She whispered into his chest.

"Have what?"

"A family. One that I know will never leave me purposefully."

"You deserve it babe."

"Thanks Booth." She kissed his chest before whispering, "I've learnt so much with you. I hope to keep learning with you for a long time." Booth kissed her hair and she pulled herself impossibly closer.

"Forever babe. Forever."