BETA READ by The Imperfectionist

WARNING: Character Death

Her eyes were fixed upon the white gloved hands, looking intently at every single move. And then she saw it. Blood suddenly started to puddle up into Booth's head. "Do something!" Brennan yelled. The doctors reacted on it quickly, trying everything they could to stop it, while she stood there watching, helpless. She was a world famous, and most genial and capable anthropologist. She had a fairly good idea what could have caused the bleeding. She had seen the scalpel touch the wrong tissue, causing it to bleed just by that. That was not normal; maybe more of his brain had been damaged than estimated? She desperately wanted to step in, but these people with her dealt with it every day. They were the best. Maybe he had a better chance if she let them continue them work. Her breathing quickened and her heart started pounding in her throat as suddenly, he flat-lined... "Do something!" Brennan yelled again, tears now streaming from her eyes. Pads were laid upon his chest in a rush, and they tried to shock him back into life, while other doctors still tried to get the bleeding under control. The flat line remained. And for what seemed like hours, they tried to resuscitate him, but life had already left his body.

When the flat line remained, they concluded time of death on 4.02pm, and shut down the machine. One nurse looked up at Temperance worriedly, as the anthropologist ran forwards and started giving him manual heart massage. "Come on, Booth!" She yelled. "Don't you dare do this! Don't you dare leave me!" The all time rational scientist lost it. She pounded hard upon his chest, but he would take no more breath. He'd gone. "Come on, Booth..." Brennan begged, crying. "For Parker... F-For me... F-For our child..."

And then the same nurse lead her away from him, and Temperance felt herself being pulled away of him. She seemed to have already forgotten how his voice sounded; how his smile looked like… He'd been alive mere minutes before. This time it was no stunt... He was gone.

9 hours later

"Are you sure you're alright?" Hodgins's voice sounded awkwardly into the thin air.

Angela quietly looked up at him, nodding serenely. "I am. Thank you," she whispered, before turning back to Brennan, who was looking out into the darkness. "I really think I shouldn't be leaving Bren alone now. Gosh, she's seen him die..." Ange continued, even much softer than before, wiping at her own tears before getting up and giving Hodgins a tight hug. "Thank you for driving. I don't think..."

"Hey. It's alright. I'll come check on you tomorrow."

Ange nodded, and then he disappeared.

The artist carefully sat down on the edge of the bed again, stroking some hair out of her best friend's face, but she did not even blink her eyes. Last time, she'd been- she'd been so serene, and that after she'd seen him 'die', too... However, Ange knew that the partners's bond had only strengthened through time, after the UK... Basically after everything they had gone through together. This time, however, Bren seemed to have completely lost it. Life seemed to have been drained out of her, together with Booth's. She hadn't even protested to go home, nor when Ange had said she was staying over to take care of her. A Temperance Brennan in normal state would have stood up stating that she was a grown-up, and capable to take care of herself.

She'd said nothing since she'd been taken away from Booth's lifeless body. She felt like a failure. She'd promised him everything would be fine. And this was anything but. She had failed him. And it had caused his death. Different with last time, she now felt a constant lump in her throat, prohibiting her of speaking or even uttering the smallest sound. Unlike last time, she now felt completely unconnected with him; she'd lost everything about him: his voice, his laugh, and his smile. It seemed to have been taken away from her, together with him. As if he'd never existed.

9 days later

Brennan's solution to everything, was work. Barely three days had passed since the cremation, and she'd already gotten back to work a day after his death. Never before had she identified so many skeletons in so short of a time. Maybe it wasn't healthy; she hadn't gone home ever since she'd arrived there, making her office into her make shift bedroom, and eating barely enough to stay alive. It seemed completely rational to her to eat to stay alive. You have to eat to live, not live to eat.

She was getting tired of Ange, and Cam, and even Sweets and Hodgins trying to convince her to take it slower, and give herself the time to mourn. She had said so many times that dying was something completely normal about life, and that it didn't need be pondered about too long. She'd not gone to the cremation. Booth had died. She was sure he had now and also that it would not affect him anymore if she was present or not. She didn't regret it.

Brennan's blue eyes scanned the next skeleton. Female. Between twenty and twenty-five, estimated. Had only recently given birth. Brennan sank down on a stool next to her table, eyes widened at what she suddenly remembered.

'Listen, Bones... If I don't make it...'

'Booth... You're going to be fine.'

'But if I'm not... I want you to have my stuff, you know, for a kid.'

'Booth..'

'I want you to. You're gonna be a really good mom.'

'You're going to be fine, Booth. I'll be right here.'

'I'm ready.'

Tears filled her eyes all over again. Ange, and Cam, and all the rest, had been more than right. Due to all her working, she'd forgotten about Booth's... she hated to think of it as what it was: his very last wish. She started undoing her lab coat immediately and threw it somewhere, not even thinking about where it would end up, then hurried into her office. Hopefully, it was still not too late... It couldn't be... He'd wanted her to...

9 weeks later

"It appears, Dr. Brennan, that according to your hormone levels, that you are about seven weeks along with your first child," Dr. Stratton said, smiling over at her from his position opposite her.

Brennan did not know how to react, though. Of course, she'd hoped that the insemination would work, but now she was really pregnant there. She hadn't said anything to her co-workers. It had all been so hectic at work, too. Another FBI agent had been promoted to do Booth's job and FBI had requested Brennan and she would simply continue what Booth and she used to do, as if nothing had ever changed. Brennan had declined. Catherine Higgings might have looked a nice young and very hardworking woman, but the two of them would never have what she and Booth had had. Without Booth... They could understand each other without words. She didn't want to start all over again; build a new connection. She didn't need any more friends.

"I am?" Brennan asked, a bit oblivious to what she heard.

"I believe you are, yes."

Brennan sighed. She was going to have to admit it sooner or later, preferably before she started to show. Maybe first to Angela. She was a... feelings person. She'd understand, wouldn't she? She was having Booth's child. His last wish would be fulfilled. She smiled faintly.

9 months later

"Just one more push for the shoulders, Dr. Brennan!"

Brennan leaned back into the pillows, sweat matting her brown strands to her forehead. She wished that Booth was there. He would have helped her through it. She'd expected to feel a lot of pain, but not this much. She'd underestimated it all. She clenched her teeth together, after taking a few deep breaths to prepare herself for another and hopefully the last wave of pain. When the pain came over her body again, she leaned her chin on her chest and gave all she had, managing to push the shoulders through, and the baby out of her body.

9 years later

"Seeley, watch out!" Brennan said, as the nine-year-old slid down the jungle gym and ended up on his behind in the sand. Brennan got up from her spot on the bench next to Angela and walked over to her son, picking the crying boy up and carrying him to the bench, where she tenderly rubbed his back to calm him as he sat on her lap. After just a little while, his tears had stopped and he whispered, "I'm okay now, Mommy. Can I go play again now?"

"Only if you're careful, sweetie."

"I will, Mommy!" Little Seeley said happily, sliding off his mother's lap and running back towards the jungle gym, starting to climb onto it almost immediately again.

Both women on the bench smiled, and Angela whispered sadly, "He truly resembles him, doesn't he?"

Brennan nodded. "Yes, he does." That little feller resembled his father in all the right ways. He'd changed her, just like his father had. Both Booths had improved her life style; had made her see what life was really all about. She didn't think she'd ever get a sister or brother for little Seeley, but she would never experience life without him anymore. He seemed to resemble his father more each day. She slowly regained the memories through his son. How he used to smile. How his eyes used to shine with mischievousness. It was all in his son. Every time Seeley Jr. would smile, he'd smile the smile of his father. He'd give his mother a smile on the face, and auntie Angela.

"Seeley, do you want an ice cream?" Brennan said, turning back around at the sound of the ice man.

"Oh yeah! Ice cream!"

Oh Seeley, Brennan smiled. I love you, so much.