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31- Bonus Chapter

Seeley Booth carefully lowered himself into his recliner; four days after getting shot the pain had lessened considerably, but if he moved to fast or wrong his ribs protested.

"Booth are you okay?"

"Yep, I just never noticed how low down the recliner is until now!"

Brennan frowned, "Maybe you should've stayed in the hospital another day."

"Bones I'm fine, the doctor said I could have come home yesterday, but somehow you convinced him to keep me another day." Booth smiled.

"I was worried about the amount of pain you're in…I still am."

"Bones, I have bone bruises, they take a while to heal. You should know that."

"I do, but I'm still worried."

"Aww Bones I'm fine you don't have to worry about me."

"I know but I can't help it." Booth pulled Brennan to him, hugging her the best he could.

"Where's Daniel?"

"At the zoo with dad, he's mad that I wouldn't let him come with me to pick you up."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I thought you'd like some quiet for a while."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome; they should be back by four."

"Two and a half hours of quiet. I think I'll take a nap"

"I thought as much, have a good one." Brennan dropped a blanket over Booth, kissing his cheek.

Booth had been up for a half hour when the front door opened and Max and Daniel came through it with Max following.

"Hi Daniel, did you have fun at the zoo with Grandpa?"

"Yeah, I got to feed the elephants! It was fun!"

"That sounds fun. Were you good for grandpa?"

"Yeah. Is daddy here?"

"Yes, he's in the living room. If he's asleep don't wake him up, he still doesn't feel good."

"K." Brennan and Max watched as Daniel went into the living room. "Tempe, Daniel was well behaved, but he didn't enjoy the zoo as much as he usually does."

"Why?"

Max smiled, "Because all he wanted to do was see his dad. You were the same way. When you were about 7 I had to go away for a teacher's workshop weekend and you didn't handle it well. You skipped your afterschool activities to come home and see me."

Brennan blushed a little, "I did not!"

Max smiled, "you did. Tell Booth I hope he feels better and if he needs any help with Daniel this week to call me. I'm home all week now that our bowling league is over for a few months."

"Okay thanks, dad."

"You're welcome, Tempe. Relax Booth's fine, he's sitting in the living room talking to Daniel."

"I know he's fine!" Max walked over to Brennan giving her a hug, "bye Tempe."

"Bye dad." Brennan smiled as she heard Daniel tell Booth about feeding the elephants. She resisted going in the living room and sitting Daniel on Booth's lap when she heard Booth tell him to carefully climb up onto his lap. The next thing Brennan heard was Booth gasp in pain; Brennan entered the room in time to see Daniel flee to his room. "Booth, are you okay?"

"I will be as soon as you get me a pain pill." Brennan nodded and a minute later she came back with the medication and a glass of water. Booth quickly took both, giving Brennan the empty glass.

"What Happened?"

"Daniel's knee hit one of the bruises after he climbed up here, he was careful. Before I could tell him I was okay he ran off."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna go talk to him."

Booth nodded and watched as Brennan headed to Daniel's room. Brennan found the five year old on his bed hugging his well loved and wore stuffed bear.

"Daniel?"

"I didn't mean to hurt Daddy."

"Oh Daniel, I know."

"I didn't bump his arm, I was careful."

"I know, daddy told me." Brennan picked Daniel up, bear and all "Daddy has bruises on his side, your knee hit one on accident."

"I didn't mean to."

"Daddy and I know we're not upset with you. You're going to have to be extra careful for a little while, okay."

"Okay."

"I bet daddy isn't hurting anymore, but do you want to help me make sure?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay."

Brennan pulled the bear out of Daniel's grasp and headed to the kitchen. She put Daniel down next to the refrigerator and grabbed a towel from the drawer. Brennan then pulled an icepack from the freezer, wrapping it in the towel. Then she pulled a juice box from the refrigerator, mixed berry flavor, Booth didn't particularly like that flavor, but Brennan knew he'd drink it anyway for Daniel's sake.

"Daniel, take these to daddy, they'll make him feel better. Be careful, it's cold." Daniel took the ice and juice heading to the living room. Brennan watches as Daniel walks to the couch and carefully leaning close but not too close to Booth. "Daddy, mommy said this would make you feel better."

Booth grinned, "An icepack and a juice box. Mommy's right; I'll feel better in no time now. Daniel I want to show you something, it might be a little scary though, okay?" Booth put the ice pack next to him and popped the straw in the juice box taking a drink.

Daniel nodded and Booth lifted up his shirt, revealing the bruises. "Daniel when you sat down on my lap your knee hit the bruises, I know you didn't mean to. It hurt a little, but it doesn't now."

"Why is it like that?"

"You know that I catch bad guys' right?"

"Uh-huh."

"And you know that sometimes the bad guys have guns right?"

"Uh-huh. Guns are bad."

"Yes, they are. Every time I go to catch a bad guy I wear a vest that prevents me from getting hurt very bad if one of the bad guys has a gun. If the bad guy tries to hurt me with their gun and they hit the vest I'll end up with bruises like this."

"Oh what happens if they don't hit the vest?"

Booth didn't bother looking towards Brennan before answering; he knew Daniel's question unnerved her a little. He reached up and removed the bandage that covered the wound in his arm. "If they don't hit the vest, I'll end up with something that looks like this."

"Does it hurt?"

"A little sometimes, but not right now."

"Oh."

Brennan waited a few minutes and called into the living room, "Daniel, wash your hands; dinner is ready."

"Okay." Booth put the ice to his ribs.

As Daniel disappeared down the hall Brennan walked over to Booth and began to put a new bandage over the wound." I know the ice probably isn't helping, but Daniel needed to do something."

Booth nodded," actually the ice makes them feel a little better."

Brennan smiled as she placed the last piece of tape over the gauze bandage on Booth's arm."I'm glad, there all done."

"Thanks Bones."

After a dinner of vegetable rice casserole that Daniel didn't want but ate when Brennan told him he could pick out one vegetable that he didn't like as long as he ate the rest of it. Booth read Daniel a few bedtime stories and Brennan carried him up to bed and Booth followed, it had been a long day and early bedtime sounded good to him.

The next morning Brennan got Daniel up and ready for the day, finding Booth at the table eating Captain Crunch."Booth you know that's pure sugar?"

Booth looked up with a mouthful of cereal, "So?"

Brennan rolled her eyes and got Daniel a bowl; it wasn't worth trying to get him to eat anything else. "Are you sure you're going to be okay with Daniel by yourself? I have back-to-back meetings at the lab plus I need to go to the university to go over teaching for next semester."

"Bones, we'll be fine."

"Mommy, I thought you were gonna stay home, you promised."Daniel pouted.

"Daniel, I have to work today, but after that I am staying home until you go back to school, okay?"

"Okay." Brennan kissed the top of his head.

"You know what else?"

"What?"

"I talked to Parker's mommy and she said that we could pick him up after his sleepover tomorrow and he can stay until Sunday."

"Cool!"

"Yeah, cool thanks, Bones."

"You're welcome "

A half hour later Brennan left both her boys on the couch in their pajamas on the couch watching cartoons.

"Bye you two, have fun.

"Bye mommy, we will."

"There's leftover casserole for lunch." Booth clamped his hand over Daniel's mouth and said, "Sounds good. Good bye Bones."

"Bye Booth."

Many hours later Brennan found Booth and Daniel in the backyard on the swing set. She went up behind Booth and rested her head on his shoulder. whispering,"you over did it didn't you?"

"Maybe a little."

Brennan shook her head, 'how about pizza and a movie on the couch?"

"Sounds good to me. Hey bub, go wash your hands and pick out a movie then put on your pajamas. We're having pizza and a movie on the couch."

"Yea. Hi mommy."

"Hi Daniel. Go get changed while I order."

"Okay, can we have ice cream?"

"Yes, if you hurry up."

"Okay. "Once Daniel was in the house, Brennan turned to Booth, "let's get you in the house and get you a pain pill and an icepack."

"Can I have a juice box too?"

"Yes."

Forty minutes later Booth and Brennan were on the couch with Daniel between them eating pizza and watching cars for the hundredth time.

The End!

A/N: This is the end of the thirty day challenge; the bonus chapter was fun to write. I didn't use any of the remaining words.