So sorry it's been so long since I last updated this but I've had other stories plus I start working at Johnny Rocket's tomorrow (=D) and I've had training, so I haven't done too much updating on my later stories. Anyways, I'm planning on updating all my stories in one sitting. Enjoy!

Chapter Eleven: Pets

"Daddy?" six-year-old Temperance Brennan asked her father.

Max's eyes widened. He knew that tone of voice. His daughter had another question. That couldn't be good. "Yes, Sweetheart?" he asked, tentatively.

"Can we get a pig?" Temperance asked, bluntly.

"A pig?" Max asked, perplexed. "Now, why would you want one of those?"

"Because they're clean, good natured, and obedient. And I want a pet." Temperance replied, instilling everything she'd learned about pigs from the books she read.

"Why not a fish? Or a hamster?" Max asked.

"Because fish are not very exciting and hamsters smell funny. Pigs are fun to play with and they smell okay." Temperance explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But pigs can get big, Sweetheart. Why don't we get you a kitten? Or a small dog?" Max suggested.

"I'd rather have a pig. Besides, Russ is allergic to cats." Temperance pointed out.

"Well, I can't guarantee your mother will be happy with a real live pig. Can't I just get you a stuffed one?" Max suggested, hopefully.

"That would be more boring than a fish." Temperance pouted.

Max sighed and pulled his young daughter into his arms. "I know, Tempe, but we can't get a real pig right now. We don't have much space for it and with your brother, well we have enough enough wildlife, don't you think?"

"I heard that!" Russ called from the other room, making Temperance giggle.

Max laughed, too. "I promise I'll talk to your mother about maybe getting a pet for you kids one day. Just not anytime soon, okay?"

Temperance nodded in understanding. "Okay." she accepted.

Max smiled, kissing her forehead. "You really are something, you know that? You're so smart."

Temperance smiled. "I'm aware."

Max laughed. "And that vocabulary! You take after me, you know." He said, carrying her into the other room, raving about her intelligence, like any proud father would.

Brennan sat at her desk, at work, staring at the small figurine pig currently sitting on her computer, when her husband walked in, dragging two little bodies on his legs, another on his back, and a fourth in his arms. "Hey, Bones." he grunted, coming to a stop in front of her. "Okay, kids, this is where you get off." Booth announced and three of the four bodies jumped off of him and ran to their mother who came out of her thoughts long enough to hug and kiss them all hello.

"Mommy!" could be heard throughout the entire lab. Brennan laughed as she was attacked by three sets of arms and as many sets of lips.

"Hello, Roxy. Hello, Tony. Hello, Samantha." She greeted, kissing each of her children in turn.

Booth came over with Tommy, who reached out towards his mother, in his arms. "Ma! Ma!" Tommy shouted, with his arms out in front of him.

"Hi, Baby." she said, taking her youngest out of Booth's arms and kissing him hello, before kissing her husband, sweetly, on the lips.

The kiss was cut short by a rude, "Ew!" coming from both Tony and Roxy, who were covering their eyes.

Brennan smiled at them. "You know, all the Hodgins family are here. Why don't you take Tommy and Samantha and go play? We'll be out shortly to take you all to dinner." Brennan suggested.

Tony smiled, grabbing Samantha's hand while Roxy took Tommy and lead them all out of Brennan's office, towards Angela's to see their friends.

Closing the door behind them, Booth turned to his wife, smiling blindingly before grabbing her around the waist and kissing her, passionately. When they pulled back, it was only to catch their breath. "What was that for?" Brennan asked, though she wasn't really complaining.

"Are you kidding? I've been waiting to do that since we left the house this morning, but with work...you know."

Brennan nodded. She did know. They'd had case after case with no breaks for the last three weeks, therefore there was no time for quality time. It seemed to be some sort of killing spree keeping them apart these days. "Well, that's all over with, so now what do you suppose we do to celebrate?"

Booth grinned. "I have a few ideas." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Brennan chuckled, kissing him again. "Do any of these plans involve a pig?"

Booth furrowed his brow. He was definitely not expecting that response. "A pig?"

Brennan nodded. "It seems Samantha is more like me than we thought. She's been asking nonstop for the last two weeks if we could get a pig. I haven't given it much thought until now, but I admit, I like the idea."

Booth chuckled. "God, help me." He said, burying his head into her shoulder. "This is why I call her Mini-Bones. She's like your clone. Before you know it she's gonna be confusing her teachers with her strange vocabulary and perplexing scientists with her theories."

"That's absurd, Booth...my theories aren't perplexing. Anybody could understand them. Even you." she teased.

"Oh ho ho! Bones is so funny!" Booth teased right back, kissing her nose.

Brennan pouted. "I hate it when you kiss my nose."

Booth chuckled. "Sorry, couldn't resist." He kissed her lips this time. "So, a pig, huh?"

Brennan nodded. "Yes. A pig. They're very clean, and we can get a miniature one."

"There's miniature pigs?" Booth asked, in surprise.

Brennan nodded. "Mmhmm. They can be sold as pets. They're very cute. I think Samantha would like one."

"What would we name it? Jasper?" Booth said, eying the little pig on her desk.

Brennan laughed. "Possibly...though I suspect Samantha might want to name it."

Booth nodded. "Probably. She'll probably name it Pygmalion or something scholarly like that."

"Pygmalion is a book. One which I doubt our six-year-old has ever even heard of before."

"Always gotta contradict me, don't you?"

"Yes." Brennan laughed as Booth attacked her neck with tickling kisses.

A week later found them at a farm they frequented when the kids had no school and wanted to see the animals at the petting zoo on the farm.

Brennan had called ahead to make sure that they had the type of pig they wanted and after confirming that they did, they packed up all the kids into the SUV, a tight fit for a family of six, and drove the thirty minutes it took to get there.

When they finally arrived the owner took them to a small sty in the back, where a litter(?) of piglets were rolling around in mud and running around, almost joyously. "Here they are." the farmer said, "take your pick, little lady!"

Samantha smiled at all the piglets playing and running around, trying to decide which to choose. Finally she settled on a female piglet that was rolling around in the mud, to her father's dismay. "I want that one!" she announced.

The farmer chuckled. "Well, that's a fine choice. We call this one Stella, but you can give her any name you want of course." he said walking over to the piglet and picking her up out of the puddle. "Let me just go get her all nice and clean so she don't ruin your Daddy's nice car."

Booth smiled. "That would be much appreciated." he said, sighing with relief.

The farmer chuckled, taking the piglet away for a moment to clean up.

When he returned, the piglet was wrapped in a small blue cotton blanket. He placed her in Samantha's arms. "Now, take care of her, ya hear? She's just like a baby. You gotta treat her nicely." Samantha nodded, solemnly. "Thatta' girl. Now, what do you suppose you're gonna call her?"

"I think Stella sounds like a good name." Samantha said, smiling.

The farmer nodded. "That, it is." he said.

Samantha smiled. "Thank you, sir." she said, before walking over her mother to show her the new pet.

Booth shook the farmer's hand. "Thanks, Stan. How much do we owe you?"

"An even $200. It's usually more, but the look on little Sammie's face is enough to lower the price. You got yerself a nice family there, Seeley." Stan replied.

"Thanks, Stan. It was nice doing business with you." Booth said handing over the money.

"Trust me, Seeley. It was much nicer on this end." Stan looked over to where Samantha was cradling Stella like a baby, while her mother knelt next to her, admiring the small creature.

Hope that was a sufficient chapter for such a long break. Please REVIEW!