Discovery

Chapter 48

Parker looked curiously from Willow to their dad and back again as Willow gently took his hand and led him to the back of the house, through the back door and out into the backyard, with Booth following close behind them. Parker didn't notice the anxious looks he and Willow were receiving from Dr. Brennan, Dr. Sweets, Dr. Saroyan and Angela. He was too busy trying to read Willow's expression.

Willow looked serious... as if something was worrying her. Parker was pretty sure it had something to do with what happened the previous evening during Willow's graduation ceremony. How could it not, really, given what had happened? Parker wasn't entirely sure what had happened but he knew enough to know that it had been a big deal. He'd almost been killed by some crazed guy, the graduating class had become an army, and the school had blown up.

Nothing like that ever happened at Parker's school and he hadn't heard of it happening at any of the other schools near his house.

Willow sat down on the steps at the back of her house and patted the step beside her. Parker sat down beside her and their father sat down on his other side. Willow looked up, watching the white, fluffy clouds drift by in the sky far above them. Parker looked up too. He could see a cloud that looked like a rabbit and another that looked like a chicken.

"I used to do this all the time," Willow said in a soft voice. "Xander and I would lay in the grass and look at the clouds. In the summer, we used to look up at the stars too. I used to teach him about astrology and all the constellations and all that."

"Why did you stop?" Parker asked. Willow shrugged, still looking up at the clouds.

"We were too busy with school and other things... and it got too dangerous."

"Because of the monsters?" Parker asked softly. Willow glanced down at him and their eyes met.

"Exactly, Parker... The monsters were part of the reason we stopped. What you need to understand, Parker, is that monsters are real. You've seen them and you've seen what they can do... what they will do if they get the chance. Most people will say that there is no such thing as monsters. They belong to either three groups. The first group, and this is most people, have no reason to believe in monsters. They haven't seen them and they have no evidence of monsters existing. The second group are the people that are in denial about what is going on and the third group are lying and they actually do believe in the supernatural and are trying to hide it. Your mom and my adoptive parents, for example, are in the first group."

"They don't know about the monsters, so they doesn't believe in them," Parker stated. Willow nodded encouragingly.

"Right, that's why we can't tell her. On the news it is saying there was gang attack the school and a gas explosion... Do you think you can tell your mom that?"

Parker nodded. "So then she won't get scared?"

"I know you mom and I have always encouraged you to tell the truth, Parker, and the truth is important, but your mom... she's better off not knowing about this. Knowing about this could get her into trouble."

"Like knowing about secret things you do at your work, like what Dr. Hodgins talks about?" Parker replied. Booth stiffened, unable to believe Hodgins had told Parker about his conspiracy theories about the FBI.

"Yeah, something like that," Booth answered.

"Can you do it, Parker? I know I shouldn't be asking this of you, but it is important," Willow continued. Parker nodded, a hint of resolve in his eye. Willow smiled, recognizing the beginning of Parker's Resolve Face, one that was modeled on her own Resolve Face from during her speech.

"Good. As you saw, the supernatural is real. All of the things in scary stories, or well, most of them, are real but they aren't impossible to fight. We fought many of the last night and every monster has a weakness – you just need to find it. You don't need to worry about this for now, though, Parker. There aren't many monsters in D.C. and the ones that do only come out at night. Most monsters can't get into your house without an invitation either, so maybe you and your mom could make it a rule that you don't actually invite people into the house after dark... even if you know them. It's okay if they come over but you can't say 'come in' or something like that."