Booth leaned back, fidgeting a bit in the uncomfortable chair he'd fought so hard to get. For the hundredth time, he told himself he was going to accept the next time Brennan offered to buy him a new chair. Christmas, birthday, Father's Day, whatever, he would just let her buy him a new damn chair. Wincing a bit as his back protested the lack of support, he checked his watch and picked up a case file lying on his desk.
"Knock knock?" The voice was as tentative as the slight rap on the glass of his office door but it was enough to get his attention. Hannah stood in the doorway, the hesitant smile on her face slowly fading when Booth did nothing but stare at her, blinking. "Seeley? Is this a bad time? I can . . ." Embarrassed at the lack of welcome, she moved away from the doorway.
"Hannah, no, wait, it's okay." Booth finally jumped up from his chair, walking quickly to her side to pull her into a hug. "How are you? When did you get in town? What have you been up to?" He led her to a seat in front of his desk and sat down again in his own uncomfortable chair with the width of his desk separating them. Her eyes locked on him, cataloging several small changes in his appearance - the hair that needed a trim, faint shadows under his eyes and, surprisingly for such a fastidious dresser, the shadow of a stain on the shoulder of his suit coat.
"I've been back for about two weeks. I . . . it took me a while to work up my courage to come here." She looked down at her hands lying in her lap, fingers laced together, then peeped up at him through her lashes. "I probably should have called, not barged in on you like this."
"Agent Booth, I think . . . . " Dr. Sweets came to an abrupt halt just across the threshold of Booth's office. Hannah's eyes widened at the fussy baby girl in his arms, her ruffled bonnet sliding to the side as she gnawed on one chubby fist. Sweets' entire head moved as he looked first at Hannah, then at Booth and finally back to Hannah. "Ah . . . Hannah." For once, Dr. Sweets was speechless.
"Dr. Sweets! Wow!" Hannah laughed as she rose to get a closer look at the pretty, pink-cheeked baby. "What a beautiful little girl! Is she yours?" The beautiful little girl, however, had just noticed Booth standing behind Hannah and was squirming in Sweets' arms, one soggy hand reaching out as she wailed her displeasure.
Murmuring nonsense words as he took the baby from Dr. Sweets, Booth settled her against his shoulder. "No, this little princess is mine." Booth kissed the tip of her nose, and two identical pairs of brown eyes looked at the stunned woman. "Ruthie, say hello to Hannah. Hannah, my daughter, Ruth."
"Your . . . she's . . . " Hannah sat down heavily, staring at the two of them.
Dr. Sweets, a forgotten observer, edged toward the door to make his escape. "I have an appointment so . . . "
"Dad! Dad!" Parker barreled past him, racing into the room. "Guess what Temperance did? She took the whole class into this room where she keeps all these bones in boxes! The whole class! She made us all put on these rubber gloves and we got to hold one! Hey, Ruthie!" Parker tickled a tiny foot, earning a wet smile and a dribble of saliva on his hand. "Ewwww, Ruthie! Baby spit, gross!"
A chuckle announced Brennan's entrance into Booth's now crowded office. "She's teething, Parker. My infant development book suggests that some babies manufacture excess saliva when their teeth begin to erupt." At Booth's side, Brennan reached up for a quick kiss and pulled the baby into her arms.
"I guess the field trip was a success then, huh buddy?" Booth wiped off Parker's hand with a napkin from his desk.
"It was cool, Dad. Temperance even told Mr. Dulieth he was wrong about what bone he was holding. He didn't like it."
"I'm sure he appreciated the correction and won't make the same mistake again," Brennan responded. "And what about you?" she asked the baby, nuzzling into the sweet smelling neck. "Did you enjoy your afternoon with Daddy? Did you catch any bad guys?" Punctuating her words with kisses, Brennan finally looked up and noticed Booth's expression. "Is something wrong?"
With his own, Booth led Brennan's gaze to where Hannah sat, staring in amazement at the family tableau before her. Brennan blinked. "Hannah!" Hannah looked from Brennan to Ruthie, to Booth and then again at Brennan.
"Temperance." Her smile felt frozen. "I just dropped in to say hello to Booth, I had to come to DC for an interview and thought . . . " her voice faded away.
Brennan's smile was genuine, although her quick look at Booth was uncertain. "I'm glad you did. How have you been? I heard you had been nominated for an award for your series on the changes in Egypt. Congratulations!" Ruthie's fingers closed around a lock of Brennan's hair. Brennan laughed and tugged her hair free before it made it to Ruthie's mouth.
Hannah's eyes flickered from Brennan's tug of war to Booth's enamored smile at the two of them. She stood up and reached out slowly to the baby. "May I?" she asked hesitantly.
"Of course," Brennan said immediately, loosening her hold on Ruthie so Hannah could take her. "She's a very good baby. Her pediatrician says that she has reached all of her current developmental milestones early."
"Dad, can I have a dollar for the snack machine?" Parker dashed from the office after getting the money from Booth, leaving the three adults with the baby.
Hannah stared into a smaller, feminine version of Booth's warm brown eyes, set in a face that shared the same strong jawline as Brennan, dark curls peeping out from her bonnet. Ruthie blinked up at the pretty blonde woman, yawned widely, then tucked one hand back in her mouth and lay her head quietly against the crook of Hannah's neck. Hannah looked up from the baby to see Booth reaching for Brennan's hand, his smile echoed on her face.
"She's beautiful," Hannah said softly over the lump in her throat, the baby's breath warm against her neck.
"Thank you," said Brennan. "However, her saliva is getting on your blouse. Would you like a napkin?"
Hannah pressed a kiss to Ruthie's forehead as Booth stepped forward to take his daughter. The drowsy baby girl nuzzled into his broad chest, mouth pursed, cheeks flushed with sleep. Hannah turned away abruptly, reaching down where her bag sat next to her chair. When she straightened and turned, Brennan and Booth were standing close together, the baby lying against Booth's chest.
"Hannah," Booth began.
"You look happy, Seeley," she interrupted. "And so do you, Temperance."
"We are, Hannah," Booth responded. His gaze was warm and friendly on hers. "And I hope you are, too."
Hannah nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Taking a deep breath, she hooked her bag over her shoulder and stepped toward the door.
"Hannah!" At Brennan's voice, she stopped and turned back. Brennan came forward, clasping Hannah in a brief, hard hug before pulling back. The two women looked at each other for a moment, then both nodded before Hannah stepped out of the office.
Unable to stop herself, Hannah paused to look back through the glass wall of Booth's office. Brennan covered Booth's hand with her own, where it lay against their daughter's back, raising her face to meet his gentle kiss. Their lips separating, their brows touching, they smiled down at the baby girl sleeping against her father's heartbeat.
Hannah turned away, the reason for her visit lost in this last vision of the new family. As she turned the corner to the elevator, she saw Parker tossing M&Ms into the air. Judging by the number on the floor around him, his attempts to catch them with his open mouth were only partly successful. He waved goodbye as she got on the elevator. As the doors closed, he tossed one more in the air, his shout of success sounding faintly through the descending elevator.