The Fear in the Fight

Chapter 1 – Protection

"… may be Preeclampsia," Brennan shook her head slightly and re-focused on what Dr. Edwards was saying. She'd come in for her routine monthly visit, and expected her usual 45 minute exam. The doctor was explaining that she'd seen something in her blood work that caused some concern and was now talking about further tests.

"Wait," Brennan interrupted. "Are you saying I could have… preeclampsia?"

"It's a possibility, Dr. Brennan. That's why I want to do more tests. It's important that you don't imagine the worst here. As you know, it's a dangerous condition but it can be treated."

Brennan tried not to panic and breathed in deeply. She wished she hadn't insisted that Booth go in to the office to get a head start on researching their most recent case. She wanted him here with her.

"Ok… so preeclampsia would mean a risk of seizures, hospitalization, pre-term birth…"

Dr. Edwards interrupted, "Only in some cases. We just need to learn more before we start jumping the gun. I've scheduled you to come in next week for more tests. That's as fast as I could get you in." She handed Brennan a small slip of paper with the details. "Meanwhile, try not to worry about this until we have clear results."

Brennan watched the doctor leave and realized the irony. She was usually the expert in the room that told others not to draw conclusions until they had evidence, but no matter how hard she tried to suppress it she was panicking. She slowly slid off the examination table and began to get dressed.

Booth breezed into the lab, waved his hand at the team, and quickly walked toward Brennan's office. Before coming in, he paused to observe her through the glass door. She was sitting still on the couch cradling her stomach. Booth smiled. From the moment she told him she was pregnant, she'd been approaching life apprehensively. Sometimes, he could visibly see her questioning herself. He knew it was new ground for her. She'd done many things in her life but being a mother was a challenge that she felt she really didn't have the background tools to master. She'd told him once that she didn't intellectually understand the maternal instinct because she hadn't had a complete relationship with her mother. He'd explained to her that the instinct she was describing was less about intellect. The bond was more about the protective pull a person feels when they see themselves in a child that needs their love and support. He hadn't pointed it out to her yet but he was witnessing her maternal instinct coming out more and more these last five months.

"Hey Bones…" He said as he pushed through the door and slid on to the couch next to her.

She jumped slightly. "Haven't I told you about scaring me while I'm pregnant? Are you trying to make me deliver early?" She looked at him sternly. For a moment, he thought he was really in trouble. Then, her face softened and she leaned over to kiss his cheek. When she pulled back, he took the opportunity and lightly grabbed her face to kiss her lips. She smiled.

"So…I found some interesting info on the landlord case. He's got a history of moving every two to three years and leaving a string of heartbreaks and violence behind." Booth pulled his small tablet out of his jacket pocket and continued. "The thing is I'm not quite sure we can nail him on just those details. We've got to find someone who can put him in that house on February 20." He turned to look at Bones. She seemed to be listening but something about her face told him she wasn't.

"Bones?"

"Yes, I heard you."

"You've got nothing to say?" He'd never been able to get that many words out collectively when talking to her about a case. She always had a tendency to dispute at least one thing he'd said.

"Nope, I'm good. Let's just interview Jane Dougherty and see if she can give us what we need." Her delivery was lackluster, very un-bones like he noted. He wondered if it was about her just being sick of this case or hormones. Either way, he had a meeting with his team at three so he had to get back.

"Sounds like a plan. I've got a meeting I've got to get back to, but we'll talk more at home. Ok?"

"Alright," she said as she lifted herself from the couch slowly and walked toward her desk. "Will you bring something for dinner?"

"Sure, what are we feeling today?" He gestured to the baby in her stomach.

"Nothing really. Surprise me. "

"Will do," he pushed the door open with his back and blew her a kiss.

As she watched him hurry out past the lab area, she wondered how she was going to tell him what she'd learned today. He wouldn't take it well, especially when she broke down the statistics. Preeclampsia didn't just put the baby she was carrying in danger. It meant that she was in danger too. One small change in her condition during delivery and she could die. He would internalize that. On a subconscious illogical level, he would blame himself for putting them in this situation. She was strong enough to deal with it based on the facts. She was sure she would be able to disconnect from the emotional side of it once she had time to digest the information. She'd done it before in other situations. But if this was true, Booth wouldn't be the same and until she had to change him she wanted to protect him.