This is an entry to the challenge over at Bonesology to write a one-shot exploring a relationship that has changed in some way because of the season six finale.
This one-shot is meant to stand alone and isn't connected to Different This Time, Dances With Daddy, or any of my other post-finale fics. Enjoy!
"Are you glad to be back at work, Brennan?" Angela asked. She smiled at Michael, who was babbling happily in his high chair next to their table at the diner.
"Yes," Brennan answered honestly. "I was starting to feel… I believe the term is 'stir crazy.' Although I must admit that I missed Alora quite a bit this morning." She snuck a peek at the sleeping newborn who sat in her carrier on the table. Angela smiled at the new mother knowingly.
"Yeah, it's always tough right at first. It's nice that we can take these lunches to see them, though."
"It is nice, but I worry that it will be difficult to take her back home to the nanny in an hour." Angela smiled at the motherly tone in her best friend's voice. It was new and took some getting used to.
"Well, you remember when I came off my maternity leave."
"Yes. It was only seven months ago."
"Right, well, you remember how I brought Michael along for two full weeks and just hung out with him in my office." Brennan nodded and took a sip of her drink.
"Yes, I found it rather ridiculous. After all you took a longer than necessary maternity leave to begin with. Not to mention the fact that he was a major distraction in the lab for those two weeks. Not only were you and Hodgins distracted but everyone else kept taking breaks to see the baby although it had rarely been more than a day since they last saw him." Angela bit her lip to keep from saying something she might regret. Giving birth had changed Brennan in many ways, but some things never change.
"I'm sure you'll be showing Alora off at the lab before you know it," she said instead. Brennan shook her head.
"No, I won't be bringing her to the lab unless absolutely necessary. I have important work to do, Angela. I wouldn't be able to give her the proper attention if she came to the lab. There would be no one to watch her." There was a hint of superiority in her tone and Angela's agitation grew by the second. It was this moment that Michael chose to start banging his spoon on the edge of the high chair.
"Don't you think you should stop him?" Brennan asked after a moment's pause.
"The kid has a set of lungs you wouldn't believe," Angela explained. "It's either ride it out or take it away and listen to him scream for five minutes. Believe me, this is better."
"Angela, he's ten months old. You need to begin disciplining him when he behaves inappropriately or he will be an extremely petulant child." Angela sighed and counted backwards from ten in her head. "Here, I'll show you." Brennan grabbed the top of the spoon and Michael immediately began to wail. "Now, Michael, that's enough," she warned. Angela stifled a laugh as Brennan was rewarded with a spoon to the forehead.
"Come on, Michael, eat your banana," Angela said, setting a plate in front of her son. Brennan eyed the sliced pieces with disapproval and Angela prepared herself for the next lecture.
"Those slices are much too large and should probably be mashed, Ange. He doesn't yet have molars and it isn't uncommon for babies his age to swallow before the food is completely chewed."
"Okay, enough, Brennan!" Angela snapped. "Don't act like just because you have a baby now you're suddenly God's gift to mothering, okay? I've had a baby a lot longer than you have and I think I know how to take care of my own son. Just because I'm not raising him the way you're going to raise Alora doesn't mean I'm a terrible mother." Brennan tried to assure her friend that she didn't think she was a terrible mother, but without another word Angela scooped up Michael and her things and stomped out of the diner.
-BONES-
"…And she just left," Brennan finished recounting her story to Booth later that night. He didn't answer right away, as he was focused on bathing Alora in the kitchen sink. "You shouldn't hold her like that, Booth." Booth chuckled and changed his hold on his daughter.
"Is that the way you were talking to Angela?" he asked and lifted Alora out of the water, wrapping her in a towel.
"What way?"
"You know, telling her what to do with Michael." Booth patted Alora's back and smiled when she gurgled in his ear.
"I wasn't telling her what to do," Brennan defended. "I was simply suggesting ways in which she could amend her behavior with him."
"Uh huh," Booth said knowingly before walking toward the nursery to dress Alora. Brennan followed; her next point already on the tip of her tongue.
"I tell you ways you can improve your care for Alora and you don't mind," she pointed out.
"I mind," Booth admitted. "I just don't let you know most of the time."
"Why?" Brennan couldn't help but ask.
"Because I know why you do it." Brennan tilted her head and waited for him to go on. "You tell me what to do because you're scared."
"Scared?" Brennan repeated incredulously. Booth nodded, not looking up from his task of diapering and dressing his daughter.
"Yeah. Scared of messing up with Alora. You want to do everything perfectly and you hope doing everything by the book will make it easy. You want to prove to everybody, especially yourself, that it's possible to be a perfect parent if you just follow the rules." Brennan looked at the floor, not able to deny the truth of his words. Booth picked up the baby and cradled her close to his chest. "That's not the way it works, Bones," he told her softly.
"I want to be a good mother," Brennan said in a tearful whisper. Her eyes locked with Booth's, his gaze full of understanding.
"You are," he promised. He handed Alora over to Brennan and she took her gingerly, smiling down at her wide brown eyes. "But not because of any books. It's not a class, Bones. It's just something you learn as you go, and you're doing a beautiful job of it." Brennan smiled gratefully and leaned in to kiss him softly.
"I suppose I owe Angela an apology."
"Maybe," Booth teased.
"I owe you an apology as well." Booth's brow wrinkled. "I'm sorry. I do think you're an excellent father." He grinned and kissed her again.
"I know you do, Bones. Now maybe you should tell Angela that she's a good mom?" Brennan nodded in agreement and handed Alora back to Booth before going in search of her phone.
"You've got quite a mama, Sweetheart," Booth whispered to the baby when she was out of earshot. "And she's crazy about us."
As always, tell me what you thought!