"Don't worry sweetheart, here we go" I coo at my baby girl in my arms while handling a bottle of milk to her. "There we go!" I grin at the one and half year old and gently wipe the tears away from her delicate face. I put her on my lap and hold her, planting a kiss on the top of her head.
Looking down I still see her sobbing a bit. Although, I know Temperance's motivations for giving her a drill when Amy brought all her paper work down to the floor, My Dad's heart is in pieces. She warned her twice and when Amy challenged her – as usual - she stopped typing and firmly told her not to touch those things, her anthropologic documents, whatever she said and then the "Booth, could you please do something?" followed with the same tone of voice and I just felt like my daughter, but I didn't cry. My heart just can't stand my little princess like this, but Amy needs to know what she can and cannot do starting from a young age.
Since we started to work on a horrible case involving a missing child's decomposed body, apparently the same age Amy is now, Tempe looks like crap. Looking at her from the couch while I hold my daughter safely, I know what's been going through her mind lately and I don't want to think about it right now because I just can't handle it yet. I just can't. I told my boss I didn't want this case, for obvious reasons, but Tempe was the first one to step in and remind me why we do this job and hell yeah, we're good at this. After all, I understand; she's worried and she's starting to see and feel that working in this field is really dangerous. We're a family now and since Amy was born, everything changed and every single detail had a new meaning.
God I just can't wait for this case to be over.
Amy shifts on my lap, her little arm going around me, and the other hand holding the bottle on my chest. I look down, her thin chocolate hair and those shiny blue eyes looking at her mother typing frantically on the computer, maybe wondering where her old and good mommy has been. I wish I could explain to her the reason why her mother is so upset, although I had to stop Temperance from explaining her job to a one year old once.
"Mommy loves you, little bee. You know that, right?" I say softly so only her can hear me.
She nods and sighs, and stops drinking her milk for a moment. "That's my baby" I whisper caressing her slightly pink cheeks and arranging a bit of her head behind her ears as she leans her head on my chest. Nothing feels better than this. Feeling her close to me is like heaven, her little heart beating and her soft breathing sounds like music to my ears.
"I'm almost finished," Temperance says without looking away from the computer screen.
"Okay" I reply, waiting for her.
It's incredible how the motherhood changed her. She's become a softer person, her instincts are very pointed out now. I loved the old one, but the mother version of Temperance just brought out the best of her.
"Doh!"
I look down to see Amy holding up an empty bottle. I smile so does she. Amy knows it means she'll have dessert tonight. She just leans closer and rests her head again on my chest. Amy, always energetic and contagious is now almost apathetic.
I hear steps as Temp nears us. She's tired, not just physically, I can tell. The dark shades under her eyes and her yawns make me worry. She hasn't slept, and I believe she's lost weight.
"Looks who's done with the damn paperwork, little bee,"
She sent me a look and I couldn't help but giggle. "Watch your language around her" She sat beside us on the couch and took a long and deep breath.
Amy looks behind to see her mother rubbing her own eyes.
"You were almost in trouble, little girl" She says, watching her daughter shaking her head. "Oh, yes, you were. How many times do I need to tell you that those," she pointed to her table and Amy followed. " are not your toys?"
"Your mommy is right," I whisper to her. "but she also understands that normal kids act like that, right?" I say suggestively and she rolls her eyes.
"Yes!" She fakes a smile and I smile. Tempe reaches out for her, but Amy hesitates. Temperance looks at me and I shrug. "Hey, don't look at me, the stubborn factor is not from my genetic material!" I smile as she cocks her head to a side.
She slides closer to us and puts her arms around both of us, kissing Amy on the cheek. She keeps her lips pressed to our child and gives her more kisses, tickling her until Amy is laughing.
"Now, can I have a hug?" She asks Amy nose-to-nose, who's still smiling. My little baby girl shifts – okay, not too little - and reaches for her mother, who returns her hug in a loving way I've seen a lot these past few months. She caresses her light brown hair, and holds her tightly to her. It warms my heart. Watching the two most important women in my life makes my heartbeats faster than normal.
Temperance sighs. "Mommy has been very tired and upset, but this is not your fault, okay? I love you so much, that's why I do what I do, little bee." She says while holding Amy. "I know you don't understand everything, but I'd like to apologize because I've been a bad mommy…" I can see she's tearing up. "But things like that reminds me why I do my job. Mommy loves you so much…" She says, but her voice starts to crack and I see a single tear rolling down her face.
She looks at Amy's face and kisses her on the forehead, holding her little cheeks in her hands. Amy reaches her mom's face and shakes her head vehemently.
"No ky!" She demands.
She smiles and holds her in her arms once again. She looks at me, an apologetic look and I nod. "It's okay" I whisper and this is my time to approach both of them. I embrace both and we stay like that for a moment.
"Let's get out of here" She says standing up, holding Amy in her arms.
"That's my girl!" I say, standing up almost at the same time she does.
I grab her purse for her as I lead her out of her office. My hand on her lower back, making small circles there trying to comfort her; she turns the lights off and locks the door.
Before we take another step, I lean in to kiss her lips, softly.
"Let's go home."