A/N: Brennan goes back to work and we see how hard it really was for her (the case never happened in my version)

It was a quiet Sunday night in the Booth/ Brennan household, Booth was watching the news while Brennan got Christine ready for bed. Booth sank down into the couch and looked up when Brennan sat down next to him. "Christine go down okay?"

"Yeah, I believe the correct term is she 'crashed'."

Booth chuckled, "That's good; she didn't really nap today."

"Yeah, the neighbors mowing their lawn at 6 am then the panic alarm on their car going off for twenty minutes just as I got her down at lunchtime didn't help matters." Brennan sighed and leaned into Booth. "You okay Bones?"

"Yes, I just find that for the first time in my life I don't want to go to work tomorrow. It just seems wrong to leave Christine with strangers when she's so dependent on us, me tore than you.'

"So don't go in tomorrow, take another six weeks off. Cam gave you twelve weeks off you're the one that said you'd be back in six."

"Another six weeks won't make it any easier, it might make it harder."

"Bones, you know you've got enough vacation and sick days saved to take a whole year off and get paid for most of it."

"Taking a year off will only postpone the immutable. I just need to do this, I'll adapt and as time goes on I won't find it so hard to leave her… at least I hope that's what happens…"

Booth put his arm around Brennan, pulling her to him more."Bones, it'll get easier and it won't be so bad. Christine will only be three floors away and you can take a 'baby break' and see her whenever you want. I can even bring lunch to the lab for a while so you can spend most of your lunch with her if you want "

"Will you do it for tomorrow at least?"

"Yes."

"Thanks Booth."

"You're welcome Bones. We should go to bed, we've got an early day tomorrow. "Brennan nodded and followed Booth to their room.

The next morning Booth kept an eye on the time as Brennan packed every little thing that Christine might need into her diaper bag. "Bones. We gotta go if you want to have time to get Christine settled at daycare and be in the lab by 8."

"All right, but what if I forgot something?"

"I don't think you did, but if that's the case we'll go get it." Booth took the bag out of Brennan's hand."I got the diaper bag, you get Christine."

"Okay." Brennan cuddled Christine to her and headed to the SUV.

Forty minutes later Booth was walking with Brennan to the daycare center, he had his card out ready to swipe it to gain access to the room when Brennan put her hand on his arm. "I can't do it Booth, I can't leave Christine." Booth pulled Brennan to the side.

"You can, but you don't have to-"

"Yes I do."

"No, you don't remember what we talked about last night."

"I know but I need to do this, I'm just finding that it's harder than I envisioned."

Booth chuckled a little, 'That's okay Bones, and it's hard for me too."

"It is?"

"Yep I wish we could keep her with one of us at all times, but our jobs aren't conducive to that."

"Mine could be I could write books all the time that way I'd be home all the time with Christine."

"Would you be happy doing that?"

"Yes."

"Truly?"

Yes…at least for a while…" Brennan looked at Christine.

"Bones it's okay to feel that way…let's put her in daycare for this week at least then if we need to we can reevaluate."

"Okay."

"Ready?"

"No, but let's do this." Booth swiped his ID and opened the door for Brennan and Christine. They got Christine signed in and went over her usual routine, Brennan stood off to the side when it was all done and took in the environment. All of the other kids; babies and toddlers alike were seemingly not paying attention to their parents leaving because the staff was getting them interested in toys as their parent left. Brennan stroked Christine's cheek, "Bye sweetheart, I'll see you in a few hours. If you need anything I'll be here as soon as I can." Brennan kissed the baby's forehead and handed her to Booth so he could say his goodbyes."Bye baby girl, mommy and I will see you in a few hours. Be good. Love you. "Booth kissed her forehead and handed her back to Brennan, who held her until Booth touched her arm."Bones it's five to eight, you need to go to the lab. I let you wait as long as I could."

Brennan nodded and kissed Christine again. Booth looked at Brennan, "Do you want me to?"

Brennan nodded and handed Christine to Booth who passed her to the staff member who had been trying to discreetly hover for the last ten minutes. As soon as Christine was out of Booth's hands Brennan bolted from the room and power walked to the lab, bypassing the elevator. Booth followed Brennan into the lab, passing Cam

"Seeley?"

"Bones is having a hard time with leaving Christine; cut her some slack for a while if she disappears to daycare a lot especially today.

"I will. As far as I'm concerned she can spend all day down there as long as we don't have a case. "

"Thanks Cam."

Cam nodded and watched Booth head to Brennan's office.

"Bones?"

"I'm fine; I just need a minute…." Booth walked to her and pulled her into a hug."What if Christine wakes up and gets scared or something when she realizes we're not there?"

Booth grinned,"Call down there in a half hour or so and see how she's doing, if you feel like you need to go down there go."

"Okay."

"Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, I've got a lot of paperwork to catch up on."

"Have fun with that. I'll bring lunch here."

"I will. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Forty five minutes later Booth got a text that read, 'I called she's still asleep like she would be at home. He replied 'that's great. See you in a few hours. Love you.'

Brennan smiled at the reply and texted back see you. Love you too."

Brennan kept herself busy with paperwork and checking on Christine, going to feed her every few hours. A little before noon Booth appeared with lunch. Brennan looked up, "Finally I'm starving!"Booth smiled and walked over to Brennan's desk handing her the bag that contained her salad and her new diner favorite, lemon bars.

"Hey Bones how is Christine ."

"She seems to be handling being in daycare well, her mother however isn't."

"Aw Bones how come?"

"I went down there a few hours ago and she was crying, apparently something fell and it made a loud noise and startled her. The staff was trying to calm her down but it wasn't working."

"She stopped crying though right?"

"Yes, a few minutes after I took he she stopped and then I changed her diaper then she ate a little and fell asleep."

"So it all turned out okay?"

"Yes, it just broke my heart to see her upset and know that she had been for a while before I got there."

"Aw Bones that's normal. No parent likes to see their kid upset, sick or hurt, but sometimes it happens."

"I don't like it."

"No parent does." They finished lunch quickly and spent the rest of their lunch break in daycare with Christine. The afternoon passed slowly for Brennan while doing paper work and checking on Christine. Booth was due to get Brennan at 4:30 and together they were going to get Christine, but at 4:15 she couldn't wait anymore and headed to daycare herself.

Booth steeped through the lab doors as Angela was stepping into the hallway."Booth Bren all ready left to get Christine, I've never seen her look at the clock so much in all the years I've known her."

Booth smiled,"Thanks Ange Bones is having a hard time with leaving her."

"I know I did with Michael also, but it'll get better. Just be patient with her."

"I will be." Booth turned and headed to daycare. Half way there he saw Brennan. "Look Christine, it's daddy, do you want to go see him?" Brennan handed Booth the baby.

They headed to Brennan's office," Bones I think she's hungry, she just crammed her hand in her mouth."

"I'll feed her before we leave and maybe if she's full when we put her in the SUV that combined with the movement will lull her into a deep sleep that will allow us to eat a full meal in peace and spend a few minutes together."

"What do you want?"

"Anything but the diner or takeout."

"I can make stir fry."

"Sounds good to me."

Brennan entered her office and took Christine to the couch."I missed this."

"What?"

"Holding her and being able to take our time and relax without having to hurry back here." Booth nodded and waited patiently. An hour later Brenna put Christine in her basinet and whispered, "Sweetheart please sleep for at least another hour so daddy can have dinner and spend time together… I missed him too…"