Brennan was pacing her bedroom trying to calm Aaron. She had discovered early on that he liked singing, but she only knew a few songs, most of which were not very soothing. She had meant to buy a CD of lullabies, but she simply had the time. Though the social worker had insisted that she take a week off of work to bond with the baby. Brennan found that taking care of Aaron was a full-time job. He woke at odd hours of the night, so Brennan usually only slept in two or three hour stretches. Booth had offered to spend the night at her apartment to help her out, but she had refused, claiming that he needed his rest since he was still working. Of course, her refusal to allow him to spend the night did not stop him from coming over every night. Although she would never admit it, she liked having him with her.
At that moment, she heard the front door open. "How's it going, Bones?" Booth called. Before she could answer, she heard a loud crash followed by a stream of curses.
"Are you okay?" Brennan walked out of the bedroom and found him beside the playpen she had set up, staring down at his right foot.
"I'm fine," he assured her, weaving through the maze of furniture and toys in her living room. "You need a bigger apartment though." He reached her side and kissed her.
"I know. I didn't think a baby would require so much stuff."
"I understand. You want me to help look?"
"I've been looking, but I can't really find much." Brennan shifted Aaron to her other shoulder. He had stopped crying, but he was still whimpering pitifully.
"I'll take him," Booth said, holding out his arms.
"It's okay. I've got him."
"Give him to me, Bones." Gratefully, Brennan handed the baby to Booth. He held Aaron in front of him and asked, "How's my favorite four-month-old?" Aaron grinned happily, his tears forgotten, and Booth leaned forward to blow a raspberry on his stomach, making the baby squirm with delight.
"How do you do that?" Brennan inquired.
"Do what?" Booth settled the baby against his shoulder, and the baby immediately reached for the collar of his shirt.
"Get him to stop crying so quickly."
Booth shrugged. "I'm talented. Now, let's get some dinner and take a look at those apartments you've picked out."
Brennan made a pasta dish that Booth did not recognize but which tasted wonderful. As they ate, Booth bounced Aaron on his knee and scanned the apartments Brennan had circled. "These all have three bedrooms," he noticed as he looked at the five descriptions.
"I know," Brennan said. He looked at her, waiting for her explanation, and she let her eyes fall to her plate. "I just thought that if you came over and you had Parker. . . well, I would need three bedrooms. It seemed logical."
Booth stared at her, unable to speak. She had thought of him and his son when picking out her apartment. She considered them a large enough part of her life to include them in her plans. Booth had known Brennan long enough to realize that this inclusion was a rare occurrence. Her life was her life. She did not let others into it.
Brennan was still staring at her plate, wishing she had thought of some other reason to have the third bedroom. They had only been dating three weeks; there was no reason to consider Booth in her plans. In all of her previous relationships, she had never considered her lover when making an important life decisions. It was her life. She should make decisions based on how they would affect her and not someone else. But it nevertheless felt completely natural to include Booth in her plans. He was different than her previous lovers. She had let her guard down, allowed herself to fall in love with him, and he had become an important part of her life.
Brennan suddenly felt his fingers beneath her chin. He pushed her head up, forcing her to look at him. He now stood beside her chair, still holding Aaron in one arm. He saw the fear and uncertainty in her eyes, and he knelt beside her, still cupping her chin in his hand. "Thank you, Temperance," he said. Leaning forward, he kissed her, promising with his lips that he would never leave her. When he pulled away, he said, "I love you, Temperance. Forever."
"I love you, too, Seeley. Forever." Brennan had never considered forever before. Her longest relationship had lasted for seven months, and she did not expect any other one to last longer. After all, few animals mated for life. But she could not help but imagine growing old with Booth. It was simultaneously frightening and comforting.
After another heated kiss which only ended when Aaron began to cry, Brennan began to clean up the dishes as Booth fixed Aaron's bottle. Booth had visited Brennan's apartment enough to grow comfortable in her kitchen. He found the formula and bottles quickly and placed the milk in the microwave. As it heated, he was suddenly struck by the domesticity of the scene. He could certainly grow used to it.
They settled down on the couch together after the dishes had all been put away. Booth had transferred Aaron to Brennan who held him in her lap, feeding him. Booth pulled out the newspaper that Brennan had been searching through earlier and flipped past the apartments. "We've both looked through there, Booth," Brennan told him. "There's nothing else."
"I'm not looking at apartments."
Brennan glanced over his shoulder. "Houses? I don't think so. I'm definitely an apartment person. I don't want to worry about keeping up a whole house."
"Hire a maid."
"What about fixing things?"
"I can do that."
"Booth, a house is just too. . . permanent."
"Bones, you have Aaron now. It's time to find something a bit more permanent." He scanned the page before pointing to a mid-sized, four bedroom house. "This one looks nice. It's in a good school district and has a yard."
"I don't need four bedrooms."
"What if you have guests?"
"Who?"
"I don't know. Maybe Angela."
"It's a waste of space."
"But it has a better price than a lot of the three bedroom homes. I'm circling it. We should look at it tomorrow."
"When did I agree to look at houses tomorrow?"
"Do you have something else to do?"
"I have another chapter to finish."
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
"Who's Jack?"
"Never mind. Look, I get Parker tomorrow, and you promised him you'd spend the day with him. I think we should at least look at a couple houses with him. Get his opinion."
"You have Parker again? Don't you usually get him every other weekend?"
"Most of the time. But when Rebecca starts dating someone new, she likes to leave her weekends free. I'm not complaining though. I take whatever time I can get with Parker."
Booth slept over at Brennan's house that night. When Aaron woke up at 2:00 in the morning, he switched off the monitor before it could wake her and padded softly to the living room where Brennan had set up the crib. "Let's not wake Mommy," Booth said, too tired to correct his slip of the tongue. Aaron seemed to understand, however; he quieted immediately. "Good boy."
Brennan found Booth asleep on the recliner the next morning with Aaron snoozing on his chest. Unable to resist, she reentered her bedroom and emerged with the digital camera, snapping a picture of the scene. Though not usually prone to sentimentality, Brennan had found herself allowing her actions to be guided by her emotions more and more often since she had met Booth.
Deciding to make some breakfast, she went into the kitchen and pulled a carton of eggs from the fridge. As she reached for a bowl, she felt two strong arms grab her waist. "Good morning, beautiful," Booth whispered, kissing her neck. Brennan turned so she could kiss him properly.
"Where's Aaron?" she questioned when they pulled apart.
"He's still asleep. I put him in his crib."
"I didn't hear him wake up last night."
"I turned the monitor off. There was no point in both of us getting up. Whatcha cooking?"
"Scrambled eggs and toast."
"That sounds good. I'll be back in a bit. I'm just going to grab a change of clothes out of my car." Brennan nodded and turned back to her cooking as he left.
All three left together to pick up Parker. When Booth stopped outside Rebecca's house, Brennan and Aaron stayed in the car while he walked up to pick up Parker. Before Booth had made it halfway up the driveway, the front door opened and a small, blond figure raced out. Parker threw himself into his father's arms, and Booth lifted him off the ground, hugging him tightly. "I missed you, Daddy," Parker said.
"I missed you, too, Bub," Booth told his son.
"Are we going to see Dr. Bones?"
"She's waiting in the car. There's also someone else we'd like you to meet." Booth carried Parker to the car and set him down beside Brennan who was leaning against the passenger side door.
"Dr. Bones!" Parker gave Brennan a hug as she knelt beside him. "I've missed you," he told her.
"Me, too, Parker."
"Are you ready to meet the person I told you about?" Booth asked. Parker nodded, and Booth opened the door of the car, revealing Aaron who stared at the three curiously from his car seat. "This is Aaron," Booth introduced, picking Parker up and standing him next to the seat so he would have a clear view of the baby.
"Are you and Dr. Bones his Mommy and Daddy?" Parker inquired.
Booth bit back his laughter. "No, bub."
"Oh. Then where are his Mommy and Daddy?"
"They couldn't take care of him anymore, so Bones and I are going to look after him for a little while."
"How long is that?"
"Until they find a family who wants him."
"Can I touch him?"
"Sure. Just be careful." Parker reached out to touch the baby's small fist, and Aaron yawned. Giggling, Parker started to extract his hand, and Booth noticed something purple just below his wrist that had previously been covered by his sleeve. "What's that?" Booth questioned.
Parker looked down at the arm. "I was. . . playing soccer and I fell," Parker said without meeting Booth's eyes.
"Are you lying to me, Bub?"
"No, Daddy." Booth could tell he was, but he decided not to press the issue. He would have time to properly question Parker later.
"So, what do you think of looking at houses today?" Booth questioned.
"Why are we lookin' at houses?"
"Bones is thinking of buying a house. I thought we'd help her find a good one."
Parker considered for a moment. "Okay."
"Let's get you buckled in so we can go, Bub."
They stopped first at the house that Brennan had picked out. It was a small, three-bedroom structure with a tiny front yard. The top half of the façade was made of wood which looked as if it had been painted recently, but he bottom was covered with stones that had weathered with age. Booth parked in the street and opened the back door to help Parker out of his booster seat. As soon as the small boy was free, Parker walked around so he could take Brennan's hand. Brennan's eyes met Booth's, and he shrugged, taking Aaron's car seat so she could focus on Parker. As they walked up the short driveway, Parker babbled on excitedly about the new class pet at his preschool, a brown rabbit the kids had christened "Hopper."
Brennan rang the doorbell, still nodding as Parker continued his story. A short, bony woman with shoulder-length blond hair answered after a few seconds. She smiled when she saw Brennan, flashing a set of perfectly straight, blindingly white teeth. "You must be Dr. Brennan," she said, extending a soft, manicured hand. "I'm Laura Weatherby." Brennan shook her hand firmly, and Laura looked at the other three, obviously waiting for introductions. Knowing that Brennan was woefully ignorant of social etiquette, Booth spoke up.
"I'm Seeley Booth, and this is Aaron and Parker," he introduced, nodding to the two boys. The woman's smile widened.
"Come on in. Let me show you around."
As the woman gave them a tour of the house, Booth only half-listened to what she was saying. He watched Brennan closely, noticing how she studied her surroundings just as she would study a set of remains. She had the cool, calculating look in her eyes that he had come to recognize. It usually indicated that she was absorbing every detail and making connections that only she could make. Booth had learned to simply let her be once her eyes took on that look. She would usually come to him a few minutes later with a brilliant deduction that would solve the case.
"So, what did you think, Bones?" Booth asked as they walked back to the car.
"I think it's okay, but it had a really small backyard," Parker piped up before Brennan could answer.
"It was smaller than I expected," Brennan said. "The rooms all seemed somewhat cluttered. I think that I would prefer something more open."
"I agree with you there, Bones. On to option B."
Brennan liked the second house less than the first, and they only stayed for a few minutes before making a polite exit. As they pulled up in front of the third house, Booth immediately felt that they had found what they were searching for. It was a good deal larger than the first two houses they had seen with a large, well-maintained front lawn. This time, Booth took Parker and Brennan carried Aaron as they walked up the cobblestone pathway that led to the intricately patterned glass front door. Booth could tell Parker was starting to grow bored, and he was glad that this house was their last stop for the day.
A real estate agent opened the door before Booth could reach for the bell. "Mr. and Mrs. Booth," she said, smiling broadly as she held out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"We're not-" Brennan began, but Booth interrupted.
"The pleasure's all mine, Mrs. Jacobi," he said, taking the offered hand.
"And who are these beautiful boys?"
"Boys aren't beautiful. That's girly," Parker objected.
Booth laughed. "This is Parker and Aaron."
"It's nice to meet you guys." Mrs. Jacobi knelt in front of Parker. "There are some cookies in the kitchen if your parents will let you have one." Parker looked up at Booth eagerly.
"Can I, Daddy, please?"
"Only one," Booth told him. "We'll have lunch soon."
"They're right that way." Mrs. Jacobi pointed, and Parker eagerly ran off. Standing up, Mrs. Jacobi said, "You two are welcome to them, too, if you want."
"I'm fine," Brennan said shortly.
"I'll have one," Booth said.
"Right this way." They followed her into the spacious foyer and through a wide archway into the kitchen. The cabinets were made of a dark wood and lined two walls, both above and below. A platter of chocolate cookies sat at the end of one of the granite countertops. Parker had already retrieved one and was munching happily. Walking over, Booth ruffled his hair and grabbed a cookie for himself.
"This place is huge, Daddy!" Parker exclaimed.
"It sure is, buddy," Booth agreed.
"As you can see, the kitchen has been completely redone," Mrs. Jacobi said. "There are brand new, state-of-the-art appliances, and all the countertops and cabinets are new."
"It's very nice," Brennan agreed, studying the area around her.
"The dining room is through these doors," Mrs. Jacobi said, pointing to an empty room with two large windows to one side that admitted enough light to make the overhead light unnecessary. "And there is a breakfast area that way. All of the rooms on the bottom floor are hardwood which I believe is ideal for children since you don't have to worry about stains. The previous owners varnished them recently, so they are in excellent condition. If you'll follow me, I'll show you the rest of the house." Mrs. Jacobi led them to a door at the back of the breakfast area. Opening it, she led them onto a small back porch with a set of steps to one side leading to a large backyard surrounded by a short, chainlink fence. "Again, the large backyard makes this house perfect for children. There's plenty of room for a swingset and for kids to have enough space to run around."
"I like this house, Daddy," Parker said, gazing at the backyard.
"Let's see the rest of it before deciding," Booth said, laughing. They followed Mrs. Jacobi through the remaining portion of the first story, listening as she explained the features of each room. A door set into one wall of the foyer opened to reveal a set of stairs which led to a large, finished basement, complete with a bathroom. "This is one of my favorite parts of this house," Mrs. Jacobi said, flipping on the lights to reveal a huge room with dark brown carpet. "It would make an excellent playroom or, with a few modifications, a small space that you could rent out. There's a door in the back, so the renter would have his or her own entrance."
"Make it a playroom, please, Dr. Bones!" Parker begged, gazing at the space around him.
"I'm not even sure if I'm buying the house," Brennan told him.
"But it's so cool."
"Why don't I show you the upstairs?" Mrs. Jacobi suggested.
After exploring all four bedrooms, Booth was grinning widely and Parker was bouncing around with excitement. Brennan, as usual, showed little emotion. The scientist had taken over and Booth could see the wheels turning in her head, likely churning out a pro-con list so she could make a rational decision. "Well, that's it except for the attic," Mrs. Jacobi announced. "Now, we already have one offer on the house, but you still have a couple days to think it over."
"Actually, could you give us a minute?" Booth asked.
"Of course. If you need me, I'll be downstairs in the kitchen." When she left, Booth turned to Brennan, his eyebrows raised.
"Well?"
"It's very nice," Brennan said, still gazing at the room which Parker had already decided would be his.
"Come on, Bones, it's perfect."
"Nothing can be perfect, Booth."
"Well, it's pretty close. What's wrong, Bones?"
With great deliberation, she turned to face him, a distant look in her eyes. "I haven't lived in a house since I was fifteen."
"Oh God, Bones, I'm an idiot. I'm sorry." Booth moved closer and gathered her in his arms.
"It's fine, Booth. I need to move past that anyway. You're right, this is a nice house, and it'll be good for me to buy it."
"You sure, Bones? Because we can look some more."
"No. I want to make an offer."
Booth smiled. Once Brennan made a decision, she wanted to carry it through as soon as possible. "Just one more thing, Bones." Booth took a deep breath, unsure of how Brennan would react to his suggestion. "I want to put my name on the mortgage and ownership agreements," he said quickly. "I mean, we don't have to move in together or anything; I'll still keep my apartment and stuff. But I can help a little with payments and that way in the future. . ." He trailed off.
"You don't need to help with payments. I have plenty of money."
"But part of the reason why you're getting this is for Parker and I. I feel like I should help."
"I'll pay for it." Booth saw the firm set of her jaw and knew there was no point in arguing. He would work on convincing her to let him help later. Booth turned to tell the real estate agent what they had decided. "Wait!" Brennan called. He turned to see her still in the center of the room with her bottom lip captured between her teeth. "We could," she finally said.
"Could what?" Booth questioned.
"Move in together. I mean, it makes sense. There's no point in you keeping an apartment when there'll be plenty of space here. Besides, we already sleep at the same apartment many nights anyway. It's a logical step."
"You know if we move in together, that means we can't escape from each other if we argue. We'll be stuck with each other."
"You don't have to move in with me if you don't want to."
"Of course I want to. I want to make sure you do."
"It's logical," Brennan repeated. She did not know what had possessed her to ask Booth to move in, but she was not going to change her decision. Although she had claimed that she asked only because it was logical, something else had caused the words to come out of her mouth. She supposed Booth would tell her it was her emotions, and she was beginning to believe that he would be correct. Normally, this realization would have frightened her, and she would be out the door in a flash. But she could not be scared around Booth. He had been her friend and partner first; they had formed a solid relationship before romance entered the picture. She was not afraid of commitment because she had already been committed for a year and a half.
"In that case, I would love to move in with you, Bones."
When they informed the realtor of their decision, she clapped her hands excitedly. "Wonderful!" she told them. As they began to go over the details, Booth kept an eye on Parker and saw the small boy growing restless. He tapped Brennan's shoulder to attract her attention.
"Mrs. Jacobi, I'm afraid we're going to need to get going," Booth said, standing. "Four-year-olds have relatively short attention spans."
"Of course. I'll give your offer to the owners and call you with an update sometime next week. You have my card; feel free to call with any questions or concerns or if anything changes."
"We'll do that. Thank you," Brennan said.
"It was my pleasure." She led them to the door and waved as they walked back to the car.
"What are we doing now, Daddy?" Parker questioned as Booth strapped him into the booster seat.
"I thought we could go to the Jeffersonian," Brennan said.
Booth glared at her. "No work."
"I wasn't going to work. But they have a new Egyptian exhibit which Parker might like. And of course, there's the dinosaurs."
At the mention of dinosaurs, Parker's eyes lit up, and he turned to his father eagerly. "Dinosaurs, Daddy! Let's go!"
"I guess we're going," Booth said, tightening the straps of Parker's booster seat before reaching out to make sure that Aaron was also secure.
