Chapter 6

4 hours later in California

Following the directions on the GPS he drove up a long drive way and parked in front of the house. Getting out he looked around and noticed that they house was sitting on about 2 acres of property. Ringing the doorbell he held his duffle bag in his hand as he waited for her to answer the door.

She opened the door wearing a red bikini and her hair was wet. Her and Cece had just come in from the beach when he rang the doorbell. "Booth what are you doing here?"

He couldn't talk. He looked at her from head to toe. She was absolutely breath taking. She didn't have on any makeup and her cures were endless. He stared at her so long she started shifting up his intense gaze. Hearing his daughters voice brought him out of his thoughts and he turned to look at her coming to stand beside her mom with a towel wrapped around her body. " Hi I remember you."

""Hi Cece, did you just come from a swim?"

" Yes mommy and me just come from the beach. Are you coming to stay with us to?"

"Actually I will be staying for a couple of days if it's ok with you. I need to talk with your mom if you don't mind."

"No I don't mind. You can stay." Turning to her mother she said, " Can't he stay mommy?"

"Come in Booth and lets get this over with. I'm sure there is a flight going back out tomorrow. Have a seat or you can get yourself a drink from the kitchen. I have to get her out of these wet cloths and I have to put some cloths on myself."

"Sure Bren, take your time. I'll be here when you come back." He watched her walk away and got lost in the sway of her hips in that bikini that fit in all of the right places. Instantly his mind went back to all those times when he stripped her of all of her cloths and made love to her over and over again. He felt his pants get tighter as he remembered being buried inside of her body and how no one has made him feel complete like her. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even hear her come back out.

"How did you find me and what are you doing here?"

"I'm a special agent. I have my ways and you know what I'm doing here."

"No I don't know what your doing here. We talked and that conversation is over. I made my decision and its final." She glared at him for challenging her decision.

"Don't I get a say in this? She is my daughter to. One that I just found out about. How can you deny me a chance to be in her life?" He sounded and looked hurt that she would deny him now

"Look Booth I understand your need to make things right. But in this instance there is nothing to right. She and I are in a good place. You have Parker and I have Cece. We're good can't you leave it at that?"

"Are you shitting me?" He walked closer to her and she took a step back. He kept advancing on her and she kept retreating until her back hit the wall. He finally stopped when their noses were only millimeters apart. "You wrote me telling me about her and you gave me the option to be her father, to be in your life. Because of some jealous woman who couldn't take she took that opportunity from me, now I'm asking you again, are you going to deny me the chance to be my daughters father?"

At what felt like forever she finally said, "I can't do this." It came out as a whisper and she looked to his lips and then looked down.

He put his hands on her hips to keep her in place. "So many people have been taking it upon themselves to make decisions for me. Now I'm making my own decisions and one of those is to meet my daughter properly and get to know her. Can we start there?"

"What exactly are your concerns Bren? I'm not=going to do anything to hurt her."

"Mommy I'm hungry!" Cece announced before she even entered the room, which gave her parents a chance to put some distance between them.

"Come on Ce, I'll warm up some of the macaroni and cheese from last night. Sit at the table baby."

"So Cece, what is Cece short for?" asked Booth

"My name is Cecelia Brennan. What is your name?"

"Um my name is…is Seeley Booth." He looked at Bren who purposely kept her back to them

Laughing Cece said, "your name sounds like mine silly. Doesn't it mommy?"

"It sure does baby."

Booth knew that her name was the female version to his and he knew from Angela that she was born on his birthday.

Bren walked over to the table carrying 2 plates of mac and cheese for Booth and Cece. She then went back to get her plate and sat down at the table where they all ate and kept the conversation light. After dinner Cece was sent to put on her pajamas and pick out a movie to watch with her mother and Booth. During the movie Cece laid her head on her mothers lap and her feet on Booth. Bren was running her fingers through her daughters' long curly brown hair until she fell asleep. She excused herself so that she could put her into her bed. When she came back out Booth had turned the lights back on and turned the movie off. He had 2 beers sitting on the table. When he noticed her standing there he asked, " I brought us some beers, do you think you'll need something stronger?"

"No that's fine." She thought about sitting back on the couch but decided against it and she sat in the chair across from him. She reached for her beer and said, "Why are you here? I said all I needed to say when we spoke."

"Do you think its fair to me to have a daughter and not know her, spend time with her, raise her?" He drank some of his beer and waited for her to answer when she didn't he said, "your asking me no you're telling me to walk away and I can't do that. Whether you like it or not I'm not going to do that."

"Booth it is to complicated now. She has a carefree life. She doesn't need to be worried about if or when she is going to see her father. She doesn't need to be disappointed when you have to be with your son and not her."

"Does she ask about her father?"

"Of course she does!"

"And" He wants to know what she told her about her father.

"And I told her she has a father just like all little kids then I change the subject and she forgets about it until she asks again."

"I want her to know I am her father. I want to be apart of her life Bren. Damn it why are you fighting me on this? You wrote me a letter that I didn't get giving me the option. I'm trying to do what I would have done then. I want to be her father." He pleaded

"Absolutely not! Your life is completed now. Ours is not. You have your son, his mother and Tessa. Its just Cece and I and we are happy." She stood up and went out back and sat on the deck. 'Why he is doing this? What does he wish to accomplish. Things are different now. We are in a different place. " She thought to herself

Sitting down next to her he reached out for her hand and she pulled away. Letting out a sign he said, "Bren, I'm no longer with Tessa. I can't be with any woman that wants me to choose between her and my children. As far as Parker and his mother go, there is nothing I can do to change that. But that doesn't mean I don't want to be Cece's father. Don't take that away from me."

"Why is this so important to you Booth?"

"Truth Bren?" He asked her

"Always"

"Because this little girl was created out of love and passion. I fell in love with her mother and I think her mother fell in love with me. Even though we both fought hard not to say those words to each other, we felt it just the same."

She snorted at his comment about being in love with her. "Come on we agreed we would tell the truth. There is no way in hell you can sit here and tell me that you were in love with me when it took you no time at all to find someone else and get her pregnant, whether you knew about my letter or not. Love for one person does not make you sleep with someone else. That is a bunch of crap and you know it." By this time she realized she was yelling and lowered her voice so she wouldn't wake up her daughter.

"Let's get the facts straight shall way. One, I met Rebecca when I went back to school and she tried hard and I told her I was seeing someone. No matter how many times she came at me I never once waivered. Two, by the time I did sleep with her it was long after I kept getting my letters returned to me with no forwarding address. Three I was so drunk the first time I didn't even know what happened until I woke up and we were both on the couch naked. Four when she came to me and told me she was pregnant I requested a DNA test. I went to all of her doctors' appointments and we didn't enter into a relationship until after Parker was born. We lasted less than 6 months. She wanted to get married and I didn't. I can't believe your going to hold it against me because I slept with other women after you. It's been almost 4 years Bren, you can't tell me you haven't been with anyone else since me." When she didn't respond he said, "Bren?"

She jumped up off of her seat and put distance between them when she turned around towards him with cool icy eyes and said, "No I haven't been with another man since you Seeley. I have been busy raising our daughter, alone while you were off racking them up. I believe is the phrase I have heard Angela use before." She was mad at him and even madder at herself for her admission. No one knew she hasn't been with anyone since him. Its not like she hasn't thought about it because she has but this is the first man she fell in love with. The only man that has captured her heart and the only link to him are her memories of their time together and their daughter. She was crushed when she didn't hear from him after she informed him of the pregnancy. She vowed no one would ever get that close to her again. Including him.

"I'm going to bed. " Before she could walk away he was in front of her and asking "Why not Bren?" His heart was racing, was she still in love with him?

She looked him in the eyes, "Because I learned you can't trust anyone but yourself. You can't disappoint yourself." With his mouth hanging open she used the fact that he was in a daze by her revelation and slipped back into the house and went to bed.

Booth sat stunned and couldn't wrap his mind around what is going on. He called the one person he thought could help him.

"This better be good!" mumbled a sleeping Angela into the phone.

"Ange, I'm sorry for waking you up but I need your help." Said Booth

"Booth? Where are you? What's wrong?" Hearing the sadness in his voice woke her up immediately

"I found Bren and I'm with her in California. I've been trying to get her to let me be a father to Cece. She refuses. Some things were said and now I don't know what to do. I need help here Ange. I know she is your best friend, but I can't let take my daughter away from me." He was almost in tears

"I don't know how to help you Booth. Ever since I learned you were her father I have been trying to get Bren to talk to you but she refused. "

"How long have you known? That I was her father."

"The first day I met you, I thought you looked familiar but I couldn't place it and then you smiled and I saw Cece. Bren never spoke of her father like ever. That night after she met you about the case I met her at her apartment and she told me the story of how you guys met and what happened when she found out she was pregnant. By the time she finished she had tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall. She was sad all of a sudden and didn't want to talk about it anymore. The day before she left for vacation I tried to get her to tell you then also but she said that Ce was of no concern to you. Ohhh"

"Oh what Ange? What do you know? Come on tell me something that will help me here!"

"I don't know if it will help you Booth. It may have been what sealed your fate. Rebecca already knew who Bren was but Bren only knew her as your son's mother. That day at lunch we met so she could tell me she was leaving, well Rebecca came in with 2 other women and they sat at the counter near us. They were talking about you Booth."

"What about me?"

"Rebecca was going on and on how you couldn't keep your hands off of her, the sex was amazing, how she didn't think you and Tessa were going to last long because you guys were in love. The only reason you broke up is because you wanted to get married before Parker was born and she wasn't ready so you fought all the time. That your feelings for each other were so strong. I could see Bren's walls getting higher Booth. Rebecca knew we could hear her and she was laying it on thick for Bren."

"None of that is true and she only came clean because she realized you also knew I was Cece's father. I told Bren tonight that I didn't enter a relationship with Rebecca until after Parker was born and we had a DNA test. I only had sex with her once and I wasn't even sure if we went all the way. She wanted to get married not me. I couldn't marry her when I didn't love her. So because of what she heard Rebecca saying and then when I told her what really happened, she thinks I'm lying to her." He put his head back on the chair and shut his eyes tight. I don't know how to fix this."

"The only thing I can tell you is you're the only man who was able to penetrate her heart. She opened up to you and she fell in love with you. I don't know if she will ever let you back in again Booth. But don't stop fighting for your daughter just try not to expect to get her mother back too. Good luck and remember this may be a process. Don't expect her to change overnight."

"Night Ange"

"Good night Booth"

*** FLASHBACK***

"Bren, Bren, what happened… between us I mean?" He asked her as he sat next to her on the platform.

She looked up at him and went back to her work. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"At the airport I thought we agreed to keep in touch. Then one day your letters just stopped coming and my letters were sent back marked "return to sender. Moved away no forwarding address."

"I sent you a letter Booth with my new phone number asking you to call me. When I didn't hear from you I figured you moved on. I was offered another job and I moved 2 months later and I've been here ever since."

Reaching out and touching her arm he said, "I would have called if I had received that letter Bren. I really wanted to talk to you. I don't know what happened, I didn't move on."

"It doesn't matter Booth things happen right?"

"Um aren't you going to call your boyfriend?" He asked

Not bothering to look up she replied, "Don't have time for one."

"What still just satisfying those biological urges there Bren."

Turning to look at him she stood up and said, "No I learned my lesson the last time I did that and as I said I don't have the time for distractions." And then she walked away.

We started talking about the holidays and kids came up. I wasn't hiding it from you. I just didn't think you would care." He said

"You're right I don't."

"It was after communication between us stopped Bren."

His words were cut off when she said, " I don't really care nor do I need to know. We both moved on. You don't owe me anything." With that she walked away to go and meet her daughter.

***FLASHBACK ENDED***

"Seeley? Why are you crying?" Asked Cece

"Cece what are you doing out of bed? Your mom's not going to like it if you don't get the proper amount of rest." He tried to discreetly wipe his eyes and cheeks.

"I was sleeping but I could hear my mommy crying from my room. That's why I came to look for you. Do you know what's wrong with mommy?" She tilted her head to the side like her mother when she's trying to figure something out. Booth has seen that look many times during the dig. IT brought a slight smile to his face.

"Tell you what, how about you head back to bed and I'll go and check on your mom. Ok? How does that sound?"

Biting on her bottom lip thinking for a moment she then said, "Ok Seeley but if I still hear her crying then I'm coming in there mister." He couldn't help it; he let out a loud deep laugh. " Deal little Bren, now come on. I'll walk you to your room and then check on your mom."

"My name is Cece not little Bren." She didn't under how he would get her name confused with her mothers'.

Booth did as he promised he walked her back to her room and tucked her in. He kissed her on the forehead and left to go to Bren. Knocking on Bren's door a couple of times and not getting a response he checked her doorknob, finding it unlocked when he turned it he let himself in.

"Bren?"

She was sitting in the window seat in her room when he went in. He saw her body tense up when she heard his voice.

"Booth please get out of my room. I can't handle another one of your discussions tonight."

Closing the door behind him he walked over towards her. Deciding it was best to give her space he sat on the corner of the bed closet to the window. "I would leave but I made a promise to a cute little girl a few minutes ago to see why her mother was crying."

That got her attention and she turned to look at him for the first time since he walked into her room. "Cece was up? When? Where is she now?" she got up to go check on her daughter when Booth grabbed her hand and pulled her back into a sitting position.

"She's ok. I put her back to bed and tucked her in. When she heard you crying she came to look for me to see if I could help you and I promised her I would. So tell me how can I help you so I won't be breaking the first promise I made my daughter." He signed at the defiant look on her face

"Bren, I'm not trying to hurt you and I'm not trying to take her away from you. I just want to be there to raise my daughter. Baby, I didn't take that out. I didn't choose Rebecca, Parker or anyone else over you and our daughter. I didn't know. If I had read that letter, we, you and I would be married and probably working on our second kid. I love my son. Not the way he got here but he's here and I can't deny him anymore than I can deny Cece…. Bren do you remember when we first met? Do you remember telling me about your past and how you felt your life would have been different if your parents were still around? Don't you want for your daughter to have both of her parents in her life?"

"The difference there Booth is I started out with both of my parents and they left me, she started out with me and I'm still here. I'll always be there for my daughter. I just don't think you can be there for her now. Look Booth you just found out and jumped on a plane and came here trying to lay calm on my daughter, why don't you go home and think about this some more. You may find that it's really not what you want."

"What in the hell are you afraid of? Are you afraid I'm going to hurt her or you? What the fuck do you want from me? You are going to punish me for receiving a letter you sent me years ago. How in the hell was I supposed to know if she destroyed the letter? Tell me this Bren, why did you only try to connect me one time? Something that big, that important don't you think I should have received a phone call, make another letter?"

After he said it he regretted it, she looked like she has just been slapped. "I'm sorry Bren. I…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it. I am just so damn frustrated here. I find out that the woman I fell in love with had my baby and she wants me to walk away. I just can't do that. I'll never walk away from her."

"Look it's late why don't you go to bed and get some rest. I took emergency family leave so we can work on this. If its okay with you I'll crash here tonight and tomorrow I'll look for a room close by. I don't want to make you uncomfortable on your vacation. We'll just see how things go from here ok. Just don't take this away from me I'm begging you. Try to meet me half way." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. His lips stayed on her skin a little longer than necessary. When he leaned back he noticed that she had closed her eyes. He took her hands in his and pulled her up to in front in him, he put his forehead against hers and spoke softly, "No matter what you may believe I have never stopped loving you. I have compared every woman I have come in contact with to you and you have always been my standard." He placed a gentle kiss on her lips as he pulled her closer. When he went to pull back he felt her respond to his kiss. His hands went up into her hair and he held her head in place as their kiss turned passionate. He didn't' want to push her to far to fast, so he gently ended the kiss and wished her a good night and walked towards the door. Just before he walked out he turned and said, "Hey no more crying in here or I'll be in big trouble in the morning." He smiled at her as he left.

She sat back in the window seat and watched the waves crashing against the shore. It was around 2am when she finally climbed in bed.

Booth made up the couch and turned on the TV and settled into a restless night.