Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray the Lord my soul to keep

If I shall die before I wake

I pray the lord my soul to take

If I shall live another day

I pray the lord to guide my way

Amen…

She wondered as she spoke this prayer how she had gone from anti everything good and wonderful, to having everything good and wonderful. She had a husband and twin girls, who were kneeling between her and her husband as they helped them with their bed time prayer; and now for the crossing, symbolizing the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, by far her favorite tradition of the Catholic Religion. She did it almost mechanically now, having learned it only a couple years back when she decided to see what all the hype was about when it came to her husband and step son about mass. The two girls looked up at their parents who looked back at them as they did the motions and spoke the words, "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Amen."

The girls stood up quickly and scrambled to their own sides of the bed, Magdalene always hugged the wall while her sister Meredith would sink into the middle of the bed, each snuggling a teddy bear they had received at birth from an overly excited aunt.

When they turned four, their next birthday, they were both promised their own single bed and a brand new sibling too, along with a new house. The apartment would soon be too small and no child should have to share a bed with their sister, so a move to a new house and two new beds seemed like a good enough present. Her husband leaned down and tucked them in, kissing them each on the forehead.

"Dada," Magdalene asked as she kissed her father on the cheek, "When is Parker coming back?"

"This weekend, Sweet Pea, until then get some rest."

"Yes Dada."

"Night Mama," both girls spoke at the same time, "Happy Mother's day."

"Good night, little Baby," Meredith told her mother's stomach, patting it with her hand.

Their mother smiled at them, their thoughtfulness and innocence warmed her heart. "Night, My Chickadees, I'll see you in the morning."

With that, the girls each turned on a side, cuddling in, and closed their eyes as their parents left the room, their father's big hand placed lightly on the small of their mother's back in a time old tradition, leading her from the room.

She remembered how this all started, with his brain surgery; would he or wouldn't he make it? He had, what a relief, and yet she still hadn't asked the question she had wanted to ask since he offered up 'his stuff' if he didn't make it, and that question was 'Why?' Why was he so heart set on her having 'his stuff' at that moment, when he hadn't been before? Why even after all these years did she still wonder, wasn't it because he loved her after all? I need to ask, she told herself, you need to ask.

"Booth," she spoke softly almost dreamily, in a questioning voice, as she sat down on the bed, "I have to ask you this." She was quiet as if gathering her thoughts, and if he knew her, which he did, interrupting the train of her thought was not an option. Finally she asked, "I need to know why you said I could still have your sperm, even after you already said you couldn't go through with the insemination unless you were completely involved?"

He had to swallow a smile that was creeping upon his lips; his wife was still as blunt as ever, no matter how many of her views had changed. He looked over at her to see her eyes looking at him, sad, docile and unsure. He took a breath and got serious thinking his answer out slowly. "My Bones, my dear sweet Bones," he started pulling her to him, resting his hand on her swollen stomach. "If I were to have died that day, you would've had nothing but memories of you and me. I knew you wanted a kid, and I didn't want anyone else to have that privilege. I told you, you could have my swimmers so that you would always have a little bit of me, not only in your heart, that would probably fade away after the pain died down, but in your life, to see my smile, to get the Booth charm, to get someone else to get you to eat Apple Pie, so that your love for me would live on."

Tears were gently falling down her cheeks, and a smile warmed her face. She truly had it all, a family, a husband and kids, a religion, faith in something that could never be proved by science, and love, she had love and happiness, the two things went hand in hand, just like her and Booth, hand in hand through all life's trials.

"Thank you," she said, moving to her side of the bed to lie down.

Booth leaned over her once she was settled, hovering, a smile on his lips, he need not ask was she was thanking him for, he knew, he had given her something no one else had had the patience for, giving her a second chance. "You're welcome," he whispered closing in, "you're welcome."