~Finger~
Early morning light filtered softly into the bedroom. With regret, Booth knew it would soon awaken his heavily pregnant wife, and apart from her need for sleep, he was enjoying these quiet moments of just watching her. He'd missed this during those weeks they'd been apart.
She was facing him, on her side, her right hand tucked beneath her cheek, the left resting in front of her belly. His eyes were drawn to that hand, to the ring on her third finger.
She'd never taken it off. During those days when he'd been lying to her, to himself, hell, to everyone they'd ever known...she'd not taken it off. More than once, he'd looked, privately terrified that he'd see she'd removed it. And he'd deserved that, had deserved to lose what mattered most, because the most valuable thing he'd gambled with hadn't been money. It had been her, and what they had together. He reached out and lightly touched the ring.
And yet...she'd loved him anyway, and had never given up on him. On them. "I have faith in you."
"Booth?" Her voice sleepy, she shifted a little, and her hand brushed his. She linked their fingers, then opened her eyes, and gave him a drowsy smile. "I thought we were sleeping in."
"We are." There was no rush to get up, as Christine had spent the night with Max. He touched the ring again, remembering the day he'd placed it on her finger. "Thanks for not taking it off, Bones."
She yawned. "That would have been equivalent to admitting defeat." With that, she burrowed back into her pillow, her eyes drifting closed again.
Thank God he'd fallen in love with a stubborn woman.