A/N: This is my very first attempt at writing fanfiction. After several weeks of nudging from lizook, I finally succumbed to the peer pressure. This is the result. The idea is loosely based off of the song "Life is Beautiful" by Vega 4.

Disclaimer: Sadly, Booth and Brennan do not belong to me. For entertainment purposes only.

-------------------

Brennan wiped her brow furiously. The temperatures in DC had skyrocketed into the mid- nineties over the course of the past week and left its residents scrambling for shade and air conditioning. Brennan, however, had neither available to her at the moment.

The sun beat down on her back and shoulders as she crouched next to the remains haphazardly embedded in the dehydrated dirt and dead grass around her. The nearby creek trickled softly, barely audible above the constant chatter from techs surrounding her and the crime scene tape. Having abandoned her jacket long ago, Brennan was left in her dark maternity trousers and a pink sleeveless button-down that was barely able to contain her burgeoning belly. She still had seven weeks before her due date and was finding it more and more difficult to keep her wardrobe stocked with clothing that would stretch over her stomach. Her coveralls were completely out of the question now – even the largest size wouldn't zip up anymore. Surely, she had to be three times the size of any other pregnant woman she had met in passing; or maybe she just felt that way.

Regardless, her ever-expanding midsection was making days like these harder to tolerate. Brennan had been kneeling next to the body for the better part of two hours, meticulously excavating what she could from the soil without disturbing the bones in the process. Her lower back was starting to protest, as well as her knees for that matter, and the prospect of a long, hot bath that evening was becoming more and more likely as the day dragged on.

Not that she could get in and out of the tub without assistance now; that's where her partner and the father of her child came into play. Booth was, in fact, also her boyfriend but Brennan detested that word almost as much as she disliked 'lover'. Against his incessant complaining, Booth was reduced to 'partner'. Partner in the field and partner in the bedroom.

Brennan stood slowly, allowing her body time to adjust to her new positioning. "I've done all I can here, Booth. If you want to get the FBI team down here to complete the rest of the excavation I can accompany the remains back to the lab and do a more cursory examination there." She dusted off her knees as Booth circled around to help her wipe the offending dirt and dead grass from her trousers.

"You've been out here for hours, Bones." Booth stood straight again as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You heard what Dr. Inguanzo said – light work or she would not hesitate to put you on bed rest. Since you and I will both suffer miserably if you are locked in the apartment all day, I think it would be best to call it a day." Brennan smiled as she swatted away Booth's hands. As much as she secretly liked it, she tried to discourage him from being overly touchy while in the field or at the FBI building. It was hard enough getting people to take her seriously with her huge belly staring them in the face, but when Booth doted on her it was even worse. If one more person told her how 'cute' they were she was liable to strike them without warning.

"As in I call it a day or we call it a day?" she asked as she slung her kit over her shoulders and bent to pick up her jacket. Booth took the opportunity of her angle to slide her bag from her arm and shift it onto his own. She glared at him affectionately as he rested his hand on her lower back and proceeded to lead her towards the SUV. His charm smile plastered itself across his face.

"We, of course. What say we go home, I draw you a famous Seeley Booth milk bath and then I'll heat up some of that lasagna my Mom dropped off this morning." Booth opened the passenger door for her and braced her arm as she hoisted herself into the seat. Buckling her seatbelt, she turned to him as he placed her kit on the floor in front of her and shut the door gently.

"Well, when you suggest it like that…" Her words were cut off by a sharp intake of breath and her hand finding its way to the side of her belly.

Startled, Booth opened her door and stepped closer. "What is it, Bones? What's wrong?" His hand covered her own on the spot that seemed to be the source of her pain. She rubbed circles carefully atop her shirt for a moment until she smiled and looked up at Booth again.

"Nothing's wrong," she said as she removed her hand and he followed her lead, "just a sharp kick. I think someone else is either against that plan or was exuberantly excited by it. I'm hoping it was the latter because it sounds wonderful to me." Booth grinned and leaned it to place a gentle kiss against her lips.

Pulling back, he shut her door for a second time and circled the car to climb into the driver's seat. "Good," he said as he started the engine and pulled onto the pavement, "because Seeley Jr. doesn't have much of a say at this point." He shot a quick glance in her direction in time to see Brennan roll her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.

"You're not going to drop this name argument, are you?" she asked even as she took his hand in her own. Booth pulled their entwined fingers to his lips and softly kissed each of her knuckles before placing them in her lap once again.

He smiled mischievously in her direction before returning his attention to the road in front of him. "Not a chance."