Disclaimer: Not mine, I wish they were.

A/N: I'm so excited for the series return. I've been counting down since the break started and we're almost down to single digits, AHHHHH I'm positively trembling with excitement.

Booth and Parker ate their dinner in front of the TV, although Parker seemed more interested in the giant book on his lap and was diligently reading it between taking bites of food.

"Dad?"

Booth looked to his son with a smile.

"Yep."

Parker rested his fork in his bowl, getting a very serious look on his face, he turned to his dad. Booth noticed his son's change in posture, but gasped as he, for the first time got a look at his son's face. He put his bowl down on the coffee table and reached out, he gently tilted Parker's face up in the light.

"What happened to your eye and your lip, did you get into a fight?"

Parker looked away, trying desperately to think of a way to side track his FBI Dad.

"No, I didn't get into a fight Dad, can... can we talk about it later, when Bones comes back?"

Booth frowned, kicking himself for not noticing his son's injuries sooner.

"Parker, tell me what happened."

Parker looked up with pleading eyes, begging his father to understand, silently telling him, he wasn't trying to procrastinate.

"Please Dad, I wanna wait for Bones."

Booth could tell his son was being truthful, and wasn't intentionally hiding anything from him. Against his natural instincts he nodded.

"K, but I will be asking you later and I expect an answer. What did you wanna ask me?"

The young boy smiled at his father's show of faith in him, and nodded, grateful for the trust his Dad was showing.

"Are we going camping this month?"

Booth smiled, he had only been arranging things for their annual trip today. Hacker preferred all holiday requests to be in, at least six weeks ahead of the time off desired. So Booth, being the organized good boy he was, handed his in four weeks prior. He knew there wouldn't be any problems; allowances were made for the man with highest solve rate in the bureau.

"Yeah Pal, why? You still wanna go don't you?"

Parker looked to his dad wide eyed a simple 'duh' expression in place.

"Yeah... I... I was just wondering..."

Booth picked up his bowl again, while his son thought too hard about something that was probably very simple.

"Spit it out Buddy."

Parker looked up, getting the same expression as Brennan did when her partner rushed her.

"Do you think we could invite Bones? I mean she likes camping right, not like Mom, wanting to sit on beaches all day."

Booth inhaled deeply and smiled.

"You really like her huh?"

Parker smiled.

"Yeah Dad, Bones is great. She's always teaching me stuff and she helps me out heaps, she feels like a Mom but better, coz she's my friend too and... I dunno... she makes me feel happy..."

He looked to his Dad, his eyebrows raised.

"She makes you happy too doesn't she Dad?"

Booth grinned, thinking about exactly how happy his best friend made him. I mean sure she knew how to push his buttons like no one before her and she loved to mock him and tease him, but when push came to shove, she was there, behind him one hundred percent, she was his beacon. When everything else seemed to be falling apart, she knew how to piece him back together. Yeah she made him happy.

"Yeah Pal... she makes me real happy."

Booth honestly didn't know if she would go camping. He knew his partner loved his son, she was always happy to spend time with them, but hours here and there, was very different to an entire week, with no escape. He knew Parker could be a little hyperactive at times, he was kept on a tight leash with his mom and so had a lot of energy to use when it was time to go to dads. On the other hand, Brennan and Parker together, often hyped each other up and they always had fun, often leaving Booth himself in hysterics at their antics.

"You know, Little Man, I think it's an awesome idea, why don't you ask her tonight when she comes back huh?"

Parker nodded, his brain running a hundred different scenarios at once. He smiled.

"K."

Tempe walked up the steps onto the front porch and knocked loudly. The door opened and she was greeted with a smile, a smile that made her want to scream. Within seconds Tempe had pushed him back inside the house and had pinned him against a wall, her arm across his throat and her weight behind it.

"Tem... perance."

She narrowed her eyes, his voice making her blood boil.

"It's Doctor. Brennan."

Her voice was tight. Shaun's hands wrapped around her wrists and squeezed in an effort to push her back, Tempe leaned in close and whispered.

"I want to kill you, you know... I've never had that feeling before, wanting to take someone's life with my bare hands..."

Shaun's face fell at her tone, his body involuntarily shivered.

"But I feel it and you know I could do it and never leave a trace... just a little too much potassium or insulin introduced to your system, or perhaps I could take advantage of the many pressure points on your body, at least two of them cause instant death without bruising... I know I would get away with it."

Shaun swallowed with difficulty.

"I... I..."

She squinted at him, wondering if he was going to deny what he had done.

"You son of a bitch... you dare lay a hand on him, mark him."

She released a little pressure from his windpipe.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Brennan released him completely, no longer able to stomach touching him.

"You bastard, don't you pretend to be innocent, I know what you did, I saw Parker. I saw the haematomas over his body... If you EVER, lay a on hand on my child again, EVER, I will break every bone in your pathetic, worthless body, do you understand?"

He started to laugh mockingly.

"He's not your child Temperance, not even close... he's more mine than yours."

Tempe seethed, spitting her words like daggers.

"He'll never be your child, a marriage license doesn't give you claim to him and I will, be telling his father tonight what you did... so if I were you... I'd run."

He raised his brows.

"You can't prove anything Temperance, it's his word against mine... and let's face it, I'm a well respected science teacher and he's a child looking for his mommy's attention."

Tempe stepped up close.

"It's Doctor. Brennan and you make me sick, he's an innocent child..."

"He's a little upstart who thinks he knows it all, constantly correcting me in class and answering back, he needs to be brought down, a good belting here and there is what he needs."

Brennan lashed out, her palm connecting with the side of his face, leaving a sizable welt and sending him sprawling across the floor. She watched him get up, and try to catch his breath.

"Parker has evidence on his side... photos of his injuries and actually, it's my word against yours and let's face it, I'm a world renowned forensic anthropologist the partner of a decorated FBI agent and soldier (spoken with pride), an accomplished author and a well respected international consultant and you..."

She looked him up and down pointedly.

"You're a science teacher, with a complaint of spousal abuse against you."

She raised her brows with a satisfied smirk.

"Yeah, I looked you up."

Shaun looked like deer caught in headlights. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and whispered as she stepped up to him.

"You stay away from my family, you hear, you stay away..."

She placed her mouth next to his ear.

"Or I'll kill you..."

Shaun took a hurried step back. He knew if anyone could kill and not leave a single clue it would be her and the thought had him terrified, he felt a warm sensation down the inside of his leg, and cursed his own weakness.

Tempe noted the growing wet patch on his grey shorts and smiled. She gave him a look of disbelief and walked to the door.

"Obviously Parker is much brighter than you. You're a foolish man for attacking the child of an ex ranger, a sniper and an FBI agent, Seeley will know of this within the hour, the question is, are you stupid enough to stick around town..."

She left, slamming the door for emphasis. In the car, Brennan took a deep breath to steady herself, she removed her voice recorder from her pocket and touched her fingertips to her stinging cheek. She looked in the rear view mirror, shit somehow she had gotten a scratch down her face that Booth was sure to notice before anything and would demand to know what happened. She sighed, started the engine and made her way back to her family.

Brennan knocked quietly on her partner's door and waited. She could hear his footsteps getting closer and then she assumed he was looking through the peep hole and then the door opened. He frowned at her ducked head.

"Bones, did you lose your key."

It was rhetorical, she recognized the tone in his voice and looked up slowly. His grin dropped as his hands took her face gently.

"What happened to you face?"

She raised her hand to touch the reddened line, inadvertently showing him her bruising wrist.

"Temperance..."

He captured her arm just below the bruising and inspected the damage. Definite finger marks could be seen. She saw his eyes cloud.

"Who did this to you, who touched you..."

He was mad, but she saw his expression change as the pieces started falling into place and Booth took a small step closer to her.

"Parker?"

She looked up at him, it wasn't really a question, he was confirming that the same person who had grabbed her, had also hit Parker, her tears were evident to him but he needed answers.

"Temperance."

She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. Booth pulled her gently into the apartment and closed the door. He ran his thumb over her cheek again and searched her eyes.

"I'm scared Booth."

His eyes widened, he couldn't recall her ever saying those words to him. He reached out and wrapped her in his arms.

"I'll protect you Bones, you're safe with me."

She smiled and reveled in his warmth for a moment before pulling back.

"No, you misunderstand me, I'm not scared for me..."

She stepped around him into the living room, Parker kneeled up from his position on the couch and smiled.

"Bones, you came back."

She smiled.

"Of course I came back."

She leaned over him, brushing the hair from his forehead and kissing his cheek. Booth stood in the hall and watched the interaction with a smile, momentarily forgetting the bruises and scrapes on his loved ones. His heart ached as said loved ones looked up, matching sad eyes silently beckoning him over to them. He complied and sat on the couch. Brennan sat next to him, her body turned toward his, one leg tucked under the other. Parker on the other hand sat in his Dad's lap, something he had stopped doing a while ago, Booth's arm instinctively wrapped around his son's waist holding him securely. He inhaled deeply getting a sense of the enormity of what he was going to be told. Parker started.

"Dad... you have to promise... I don't want you to go to jail."

Booth's head swam with reasons for such a heavy statement. He looked to his best friend, his eyes pleading with her for an explanation.

"Bones?"

She let her eyes drop for a second, her partner looked scared; they were scaring him, she never wanted to be responsible for scaring him. She felt her chest ache and a single tear slip down her face. She looked up to Parker and smiled sadly the guilt on his little face made her heart twist further. At twelve years old he knew, what he was asking of his father. He wanted a promise of tomorrow at a cost of laying down every belief about protecting your family he knew his Dad had, he wanted his father to ignore his natural instincts to protect his tribe and to sit idle instead of fight for those you love. Parker knew the sacrifice he was asking of his Dad and he felt his Dad's pain. She patted his knee.

"Baby... go play in your room ok."

Parker's eyes widened in surprise and affection; she was going to do it herself, he wouldn't have to see that look his Dad gets, when he thinks he's failed someone he loves. Parker slid from his Dad's lap, he leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"I love you Dad, please don't be mad, and... and don't yell at Tempe."

Parker kissed Brennan's cheek as well.

"I... I love you Tempe."

She smiled and watched him walk away. Both adults listened to Parker's door close quietly the room was charged with nervous energy, silence descended. Tempe took a deep breath and looked up at her friend.

"Parker came to me today, I wasn't expecting him, he skipped school..."

Booth frowned, it was very unlike his son to voluntarily miss school.

"He was upset, he told me about Rebecca and Shaun..."

She hissed the latter name between gritted teeth.

"He doesn't want them to marry, he's never made a secret of how he feels about Shaun and I... I understood his reluctance to allow a male figure into his domain, his home but..."

She grabbed for Booth's hand and held it tightly. Booth felt sick, he threw his head back onto the headrest of the couch and then hurriedly leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and breaking contact with his partner, Booth's hands raked through his hair roughly as he breathed out slowly. Temperance dropped to her knees on the floor and scooted between his open legs. Booth dragged his eyes to hers.

"God... please Bones tell me my son hasn't been abused please... oh God..."

Tempe saw his pale face completely drained of color, his eyes rolling up to the ceiling, she reached up and cupped his cheeks.

"No Seeley, not how you're thinking."

He looked down into her eyes, asking a thousand questions. Her hands dropped from his face and rested on his hips.

"Parker told Shaun, he didn't want him to marry Rebecca, he reacted when Shaun told him he was going to have a new father. Parker lashed out verbally and Shaun hit him."

Booth sat up straight.

"He hit my son?"

She nodded. Tempe held him firmly when she felt his desire to get up kick in.

"It's not the first time, Parker has been too afraid that if he told you, you would end up in jail for attacking Shaun."

Booth's jaw was pulsing with tension, it was taking everything he had to sit there and not carry out his sons exact fears. He wondered about his child's injuries and looked into the blue eyes watching him so intently.

"How bad?"

She understood and smiled sadly.

"It's not... it could be a lot worse, but I've got photographic evidence and I... I recorded what was said tonight, he admitted it, so..."

Booth searched her face.

"You went there, you saw him?"

She nodded.

"I had to do something..."

"And he attacked you?"

She smiled.

"Actually..."

She looked at her wrists.

"These are from him trying to defend himself."

Booth's chest swelled with pride.

"I... I already told him, I'd be telling you what happened, if he's smart he would have left town already, please don't do anything stupid, Parker doesn't want his Mom to know, I already..."

Booth smiled, suddenly tuning into her voice again.

"You attacked him..."

He didn't need conformation; he could see it in her eyes.

"You attacked the man who hurt my son..."

Booth caressed the side of her face tenderly.

"You were protecting him..."

She looked up her brow wrinkled cutely.

"I'll always protect him, he's family Booth... You and he... You're my family."

Booth felt his emotions building. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and then her cheek and then the corner of her mouth.

"You're our family too Temperance."

Finally his lips pressed against hers, softly and slowly. Booth pulled her up carefully, his hands under her arms applying gentle pressure, until she was in his lap. He kissed her again and smiled.

"I love you Bones and... and I thank you for being someone my son could turn to, and for defending him."

Brennan tilted her head to the side.

"I would lay down my life for you both, why would I not stand up and defend him."

Booth nodded not able to think of the words to pass on his gratitude. He noted a shadow on the wall and turned his head slightly with a smile. Parker stood grinning ear to ear. He walked around standing in front of them, he looked to Tempe.

"Are you guys... together now?"

Booth and Brennan looked to each other with a smile, before giving the boy a nod. Parker fist pumped the air with and excited 'yesss' before jumping onto the couch next to them and hugging them both. Tempe giggled as the boys both wrapped their arms around her squeezing her tightly.

They were all cuddled up together on the couch watching a children's documentary about bears, it was easy watching for late at night and wasn't full of gruesome 'circle of life scenes' as Bones called them. Intellectually she understood the feeding process of wild animals, but that didn't mean she liked watching some poor creature being stripped of its flesh. Brennan still sat in Booth's lap her head resting against his shoulder, her back to his chest, Parker lay with his head on Brennan's thigh, her fingers softly combing his hair.

"Bones."

She looked down and smiled as Parker tilted his head back to look at her.

"Will you come camping with me and Dad in the school holidays?"

Brennan looked to Booth who was smiling hugely. She saw in his eyes, that he wanted her there.

"Sure Parker, I'd love to accompany you both."

Parker smiled.

"Cool, we sleep in a tent and build a fire and everything."

She smiled at his excitement.

"Sounds like a lot of fun Parker."

He nodded.

"It is and now it'll be even better."

Brennan leaned down and kissed the boy's forehead, his arms reached up behind himself as he wrapped them around her neck and kissed her cheek hard and wet.

"And why's that?"

"Coz we'll all be together Tempe, you and me and Dad, a real family."

Booth chuckled, thinking his son couldn't have said it better. He had seen his son's injuries and listened to the recording of Bones visit to see Shaun, he had hardly recognized her voice, she was so angry and her voice was laced with venom and the malice of her words could be felt. He was proud, that she had gotten so emotional over the protection of his son and he had fallen in love with her a little deeper because of it. The narrator on the TV was heard again.

"The intruder will soon understand that when it comes to her cub, you shouldn't mess with the momma bear."

That's all folks, hope you liked, please, please, please review.

Ok so I'm working on this other little fic that's Booth, Bone's and Parker on their camping trip, do you want it or have you had enough?