Back by popular demand! Enjoy!
*****
First trimester:
Waiting had become synonymous with agony. Booth, a former sniper, used to be able to sit for hours, his focus never wavering. Eyes glued to a target that would be pierced by a single shot. This? This was different. No amount of perfect aim or perfect patience could help what only nature could control.
Booth knew that his 'swimmers' were up to the task, and he had what the fertility clinic referred to as 'proven paternity', meaning that he had already fathered a child. Brennan, for her part, had sailed through the clinic's testing with flying colors. All was apparently right with their fertile little world. So why was it taking so long?? Brennan had been through two unsuccessful rounds of treatment. The clinic offered no explanation for the failures, other than to offer the platitude that it didn't always work on the first try. Remaining stoic, Brennan quoted success rate statistics and launched into long scientific and physiological illustrations of the process of fertilization and conception. Booth knew that this was how Brennan dealt with the world - boil it all down to a scientific principle because science offered an explanation. Although she knew it was not logical, Brennan was starting to feel like scientific principle was failing her, and Booth knew her well enough to see the signs of disappointment she tried valiantly to suppress. He hoped he wouldn't have to see that disappointment again, today.
Standing outside her apartment door, Booth offered up a quick prayer before knocking. Brennan would chastise him for that, if she knew. She'd say that religion played no part in this and only very specific physiological conditions could result in a successful implantation. Just as Brennan had her science to make sense of the mysteries of the world, he had his faith. Booth knocked on her door and steeled himself for the possibility of yet another diappointment.
"I haven't done the test, yet."
Brennan said, by way of greeting. She looked as anxious as he felt. Booth nodded. In an un-Brennan like moment, she pleaded with him,
"Will you check the result?"
Booth pulled her into a hug.
"Go pee on the stick, Bones."
Brennan smiled gratefully and retreated to the bathroom. She emerged a minute or so later, and handed Booth the white pregnancy test, result side facing down. Brennan flitted nervously around her apartment, keeping herself busy during the seemingly interminable 3 minute wait. She checked her watch and bit her bottom lip.
"OK, it's time."
Brennan leaned on the dining table, unable to watch Booth's reaction. Booth spoke, his tone even,
"Well, Bones. Looks like you're going to have to skip our traditional post-case drink."
Brennan raised her eyes and met his. Booth held up the pregnancy test displaying its two bold pink lines, and beamed a megawatt smile at her. Brennan's eyes widened and then filled with tears.
"Congratulations, Bones!"
Brennan threw herself into his arms and clung to him as the emotional moment consumed them both. Booth held her tight, and then gently pulled away.
"So, what do we do now??"
Brennan laughed and replied,
"Now, we go to work. But, listen, Booth. I want this to just be ours until a little further along."
Booth agreed. He loved that they'd have this secret between them, while it remained secret, anyway. Booth was reasonably sure Brennan could keep the secret, and he really had no one to tell. They had previously agreed that, provided she felt well enough, Brennan would continue to do field work until the second trimester. At that time, they would tell Cam, and his supervisor at the FBI, so that another partner could be assigned to him. Booth hated the idea of having to work with someone else, but knew it was necessary to ensure Brennan's safety, and the safety of the baby. Furthermore, the undeniable physical changes would make field work difficult for her.
The next 10 weeks passed mercifully uneventfully. Brennan experienced very little in the way of pregnancy symptoms, which made it fairly easy to keep the secret quiet at work. Booth reflected that the only way he knew she was pregnant was when she abruptly decided she had to have a slice of pie everyday at lunch. It was this sudden need for pie that resulted in Angela learning of the pregnancy. She'd walked into the diner as Brennan dove into her slice of pie.
"Brennan? What is that? Are you eating pie? You hate pie."
Brennan looked up, sheepishly, and then met Booth's amused gaze. Booth raised one eyebrow, as if to ask if they should tell her best friend. Observing this little exchange, Angela gasped, and squealed,
"Oh. My. God. ARE YOU PREGNANT???"
Booth laughed, as Brennan shoveled another forkful of pie into her mouth. Angela threw her arms around her best friend, and then Booth.
"Congratulations, you two!"
Booth sat back and watched happily as Brennan patiently answered all of Angela's questions. Angela squealed with happiness and excitement.
"I'm gonna throw you two the BEST baby shower ever!! It's going to be EPIC!"
Brennan smiled at Booth and held his soft gaze for a long moment, as Angela rattled on about baby shower plans. Booth leaned over and whispered in Brennan's ear,
"It's gonna be a busy 6 months, Bones. Better clear your schedule."
Brennan laughed and turned her attention back to her friend, more relieved than she would have imagined, to be able to finally share their secret with the world. Brennan and Booth knew that when Angela found out a secret, the rest of the world wasn't far behind.