A/N: Merry Christmas, nerds! I hope Santa brought you everything you wanted, and that you are enjoying the day with the people you love. Today starts an Advent writing challenge brought to you by the nerds over at Bonesology. Basically, for the next 12 days, you are going to get a little gift in the form of this story. Everyday had to connect in some way, and I think you guys are going to love it!
This story takes place immediately following 'The End in the End' Enjoy!
"On the first day of 'Bonesmas, my writer friend gave to me a brand new Hodgela baby!"
They were two days past the explosion and still trying to wrap their heads around what had happened. A psycho serial killer had gotten into a place they knew to be one of the most secure in the country. He had gone into their home, placed bombs all over, and blown it to pieces. He had nearly ended everything; turned kids into orphans, separated families, left FBI agents partnerless. Sure, the smoke had cleared, but the memory of the rubble, of the smell, of the flashing lights and the sirens and the tears, will probably be with them forever.
With Hodgins now 'King of the Lab', it was his job to make sure the crew doing the repairs on the lab didn't mess it up. It would take anywhere between three and six weeks to finish, and until then they were shut down. They couldn't do much without access to their equipment and computers, and despite the very kind offers from colleges and county coroner's offices to make use of their facilities, it wasn't the same.
So here they sat: Angela and Jack, in her OB/GYN's office for a check-up. The EMT at the scene, after finding a strong fetal heartbeat, had medically cleared her aside from cuts and bruises (and a firm warning that if she felt anything, bleeding, cramps, anything, Angela was to go to the ER immediately),they just wanted to be sure; they wanted someone they trusted to reassure them that their baby was fine and that Angela was fine. They needed it.
A nurse brings them back, checks Angela's weight and blood pressure and leaves them in a room with an ultrasound machine inside. Funnily enough, it was the same room where they both found out Angela was indeed pregnant with the baby that would become Michael Vincent, and where they found out said baby was going to be a boy. They sit and wait, making small talk, getting lost in their minds.
The tech comes in, a tiny, preppy thing with a swinging ponytail and pink scrubs with little hearts all over, introducing herself as Paige. She squirts the goo over Angela's belly and flips the machine on. The baby is sitting pretty low, so it takes Paige a minute to find the heartbeat, but when she does, it fills the room strong and loud. And instantly their worries are relieved; despite everything that had happened, their baby was absolutely fine. And when Paige turns on the TV so they can see as well, they are both so overcome, they start to cry.
"Look, there he is," Angela manages to whisper. He's grown since the last time they saw him at Angela's first appointment three weeks ago: tiny arms and legs, his alien head, and the early formation of his facial features; it's beautiful. He's moving around, kicking his little legs and wiggling his fingers.
Jack is gripping his wife's hand, looking between her and their child on the screen. "There he is," he agrees.