Discovery

Chapter 29

Booth was busily cooking when he heard the buzzer at the door. Willow was at his side in a moment.

"Do you want me to look after this?' she asked, gesturing at the cooking. Booth nodded and hurried to answer the door, Parker bouncing along at his heels. Willow stirred the spaghetti Bolognaise sauce with the spoon Booth had handed to her, making sure it wasn't sticking to the bottom. It looked like a lot, since there were only four of them but then, she considered, there was going to be two full grown men at the table and little boys liked their food as well, if her memories of Xander growing up were anything to go by.

At the door, Booth had buzzed Jared in and left Parker in charge of opening the door for his uncle. Booth thought about Jared's reaction, how his younger brother had snorted and dissolved into laughter, commenting, as Booth predicted, on how many times Seeley had lectured him on the importance of engaging in safe sex and using contraception or abstaining entirely until after marriage, and yet Seeley was the one of the brothers with two illegitimate children to two different mothers, of whom Seeley had married neither. Still, Jared had been pleased for Seeley and has expressed his enthusiasm towards meeting his niece.

Booth sighed when he heard the apartment door being opened by Parker and his joyful yell.

"Hi, Uncle Jared, guess what. I've got a big sister. We spent this morning playing at the playground together and then Daddy made us hot chocolate and it was really yummy and warm," Parker babbled as Jared crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him. He took off his jacket and scarf and folded them before putting them on the hall table. Then he scooped down and picked up Parker, who laughed as Jared gave him a bear hug.

"That's awesome, buddy, do you want to show me your sister?"

"Yeah." Parker smiled and Jared put him down. Parker led Jared through the apartment. Booth had relieved Willow of the mixing spoon, so she was setting the table.

"Willow, this is Uncle Jared. Uncle Jared, this is my big sister, Willow."

"Hi." Willow smiled. Jared grinned. When Seeley had told him that Willow looked like Carmen, he'd never expected the resemblance to be so uncanny. He remembered Carmen from when she and Seeley had been dating and had been sad when he'd learned of her death. He had accompanied Seeley to her funeral, as had Rebecca.

"Hey, just call me Jared, if you want," Jared said, offering Willow his hand to shake. Willow took it.

"Um, okay. Sorry, I'm still getting around this whole other family thing," Willow apologized. Jared nodded understandingly.

"It's okay. I can imagine it would be a little weird. So, you're from California? Which part?" he asked, changing the topic a little.

"Sunnydale, it's about two hours north of L.A.," she replied. Jared nodded.

"That's nice. I'll bet it doesn't get this cold there though."

"Nowhere near this cold," Willow admitted, tugging the sleeves of her jumper down a little so they could cover her hands, even through Booth had turned the heater on the moment that they got back from the park.

"Oh, that reminds me. Speaking of the weather, there's going to be a huge storm tonight, Seeley, I heard them talking about it on the radio on the way over," Jared told his brother, who nodded.

"Okay, Jared, thanks for the heads up. You'll be okay to get home?"

"Yes, Seeley." Jared rolled his eyes meaningfully at Willow and Parker, who both giggled.

"Why don't you two go and wash your hands? I'm just about done here." Seeley said, as he strained the water from the pasta he had coked. Willow hurried off and Parker followed at her heels. Booth glanced at his brother.