AN: Okay this is so the death nell of a chapter. Not only am I posting on a weekend, but I'm posting on a holiday, so to all you Americans out there, Happy Independence Day. To everyone else, I hope you enjoy this update, and while I don't beg for reviews, I would like to know what you think, so please tell me. Anyway, enough of that. It's time we get on with the show.

November 2000

Booth held Rebecca in his arms as she slept. He pressed a kiss into her hair and ran his fingers through the blonde locks as she snuggled closer to him. The past months had been incredible and he felt his heart swell at the emotions swirling through him. He loved Rebecca, and couldn't believe how close they'd gotten in the past months. She stirred in his arms and blinked sleepily at him.

"What are you still doing up?"

"I was just thinking, that's all."

"Oh? And what are you thinking about?" Rebecca sat up and looked at her boyfriend. Booth leaned over and kissed her on the lips, his fingers buried deeper into her hair.

"What do you think," he murmured against her lips. She let out a small giggle and maneuvered so that she was sitting on his lap. "Rebecca, I was wondering," he said and paused until he was sure he had her full attention.

"You were wondering what?"

"It's just, these last months have been great and I was kind of hoping that maybe we could move in together." She stared at him a moment as he ran his hands gently up and down her sides. It wasn't a sexual move, but one of comfort.

"Why do you think we should live together?" His hands stilled as he looked into her eyes. She didn't look angry, so he didn't think she was going to reject him, but there was uncertainty there.

"We spend almost every night together as it is, and I don't see why we need to pay two different rents when one would be okay. I'm not saying that we have to spend every waking moment together or anything, but you know…"

"I don't know. I mean I want to go back to school and get my master's degree…"

"But see, it would help." Booth was desperate now. He loved Rebecca and wanted to be with her much more than he was. "I mean it would save us money, you could go to school, and we could spend our nights together…"

"Seeley," Rebecca sighed and looked into his eyes. There was a desperation there that she'd never seen before as if rejection would drive him over an edge. He was just getting over his gambling addiction, had started going to meetings, but maybe he was closer to that razor's edge than she thought. "Okay, fine. I guess we can do that."

Booth's face lit up and he pulled her to him for a kiss. He thought for sure that she was going to turn him down and didn't want to think about what that would mean about their relationship. He thought they were good together, and she made him feel more balanced than anyone ever had. Booth held onto her as he deepened the kiss and rolled so that she was underneath him. Now that they were moving to a new phase in their relationship, he wanted to show her exactly how much she meant to him.

February 2001

"Seeley, I'm home," Rebecca called out as she came in the front door. It was seven o'clock and she'd meant to be home hours earlier, but work had been a bitch and she'd had to stay later than intended. All she wanted to do was get into a hot bath and maybe relax with a trashy romance novel.

That wasn't going to happen however. She felt terrible about her current lack of enthusiasm, but it was their one year anniversary and she knew Seeley well enough to know that he had something up his sleeve for the evening. Honestly, she did want to celebrate the night with him, but wished that they could put it off until tomorrow. She was just so tired.

"Baby, where are you," she called out with a frown. Was he home? He should be. His car was in the garage after all.

"Back here," she heard him call from the bedroom. Rebecca took off her coat and set her briefcase down by the front door to make her way back. When she got to the room however, he wasn't in there. With a frown, she looked around the room until she noticed the bathroom door was cracked open.

"Seeley, are you in here," she asked as she pushed open the bathroom door. What she saw made her gasp. There were small tea lights everywhere, and the claw foot tub was filled with a steaming bubble bath while flower petals strewn the floor. "Oh my god."

"Happy Anniversary Becca," he murmured as he stepped up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder as she looked over the room. Turning in his arms, she opened her mouth to ask a question but couldn't get the words out. "I knew you would be tired, so I thought you might like to take a bath and relax."

"You are wonderful," she said when she finally found her voice. She wrapped her own arms around his neck and kissed him. "Did anyone ever tell you what a perfect boyfriend you are?"

"Hmm, I don't recall hearing that much, but maybe you can show me just how perfect I am once you've had a chance to relax."

"Why don't you join me in the tub and I can do both at the same time?" A wicked gleam came to her eyes as she reached up to unbutton his shirt.

"I think I could handle that." They undressed each other, kissing what they exposed until both were naked. Rebecca took his hand and led him over to the tub, waiting for him to sit before she joined him, leaning back into his chest as the warm water relaxed her tired muscles. Oh yeah, this was the way to spend an anniversary, she thought as he placed gentle kisses on her neck and shoulders before his hands wandered south. After all, who wouldn't want to spend the evening with a good looking man in a bubble bath while he made love to you?

March 2001

"Becs? Hey, where are you," Seeley called when he came into the apartment. She'd been hysterical when she'd called him earlier and he'd rushed home from work to find out what was wrong. A quick look around told him that she wasn't in the living room or kitchen, so he headed toward the back of the apartment and their bedroom. When he reached his destination, his heart ached at what he saw. Rebecca sat on the edge of the bed with her hands wrapped around her middle, a look of confusion and a little fear on her face. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"I'm late Seeley. I think I might be…" She trailed off and looked away from him, her arms tightening around her middle. He immediately approached the bed and drew her into his arms. Booth kissed the side of her head as he drew comforting circles on her back.

"You're scared?" She nodded against him as she relaxed a bit into his arms.

"I don't know if I'm scared because I might be pregnant, or might not."

"Did you get a test?" He felt her nod again against his shoulder and he pulled back to look at her face. She seemed so scared and innocent in that moment and he wanted to do nothing more than take her fears away. "Why don't you go and do what you have to do and I'll be here when you're done. We can find out together."

Rebecca moved from his arms, wiping at the escaped tears and headed for the bathroom. Booth watched as the door shut behind her, his heart pounding. Ever since he'd asked her to move in with him, the thought of them having a family together was foremost on his mind. He loved her and it didn't surprise him at all that the thought of marriage seemed so natural.

He looked up from his musings as she came back out of the bathroom, stick in hand. She looked incredibly ill at ease, so Booth held out his hand and pulled her into his side as they waited silently for the results of the test. This moment, regardless of the fact that they were both nervous as hell, felt so right to him. Who wouldn't be nervous as they waited to see whether or not they were going to be parents? Wow, in just a couple of minutes, he'd find out if he was going to be a father or not. One thing for sure didn't matter. He wanted Rebecca to have and to hold, for better or for worse.

"Becca…" He began to speak, but stopped as her breath hitched. He looked down at the test where a small blue plus sign was visible in the little indicator window.

"It's positive," she murmured before looking up into his eyes. Booth leaned in and kissed her. They were going to be parents. They, the two of them, were going to have a child together, and there was only one thing that could possibly make things better.

"Marry me Becca." She looked at him, eyes wide in shock.

"What?"

"I love you so much and I think we should get married." For a moment, she stared at him, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to think of something, anything to say. Seeley held his breath as he waited for her answer, though the longer the silence went on, the more worried he became.

"I can't." Now it was his turn to stare in shock. What did she mean she couldn't? They loved each other. Hell, they even lived together and now were going to have a child together. Why wouldn't they get married?

"I don't…what?" He searched her face, trying to get some kind of read on what she was feeling.

"I can't just jump into marriage because you want to do the right thing."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I need you to support me. I'm not some barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen type and you know it. I have plans for my future like getting my master's degree."

"I wasn't asking you because I feel obligated…"

"Oh please," she interrupted, standing abruptly and moving away from him. Booth watched her, completely stunned at the amount of distance she insisted on putting between them. "Why else would you ask me right now? You feel obligated to ask because I'm pregnant and it's the noble thing to do. Well you know what? I can do just fine on my own. I don't need you in my life."

"You don't… are you breaking up with me?" His mind reeled at the unexpected turn in conversation. He thought things were great between them, especially after their anniversary celebration last month.

"I don't need you Seeley; I'm not your obligation."

"I never said you were." Booth stood and strode to where Rebecca was standing. He looked at her, unsettled by the closed off expression she wore. "What's going on here Becs? I've never seen you overreact like this before."

"Just get away from me Seeley. I can't be near you right now." It hurt him, but he nodded and left the room quietly. He'd give her the time she needed to calm down and then they could talk because he just couldn't imagine that this would be how they would end things. This couldn't be it, not when everything was going in the right direction.

November 2001

"G-Man, you need to quit coming in here with that mopey look on your face. You're scaring off the ladies." Sid wiped down the bar as he watched one of his favorite patrons brood over a beer. Seeley looked up at the bartender, the frown deepening on his face.

"I thought you guys were supposed to give advice, not insult your customers."

"Who said anything about insults? I'm stating the truth man. Look, it's been months since your split and I get that you're still upset, but you need to move on. Your thing with Rebecca just wasn't meant to be."

"Eh, it's not like anyone's even interested, so who cares? I still think I can make things work." Booth took a drink of his beer and set the glass back on the table before popping a couple of peanuts into his mouth.

"Little miss sexy over there seems pretty interested," Sid commented as he indicated a blonde sitting at a booth not far from the bar. Booth turned to look at her, making eye contact for a moment and watching her smile at him before she turned away. It actually felt…nice to have someone interested in him, even if he wasn't quite ready to jump in saddle again.

He opened his mouth to retort, but stopped as his phone rang. He really didn't want to talk to anyone, but if it was work, then he'd need to get his ass over there as soon as possible.

"Booth."

"Seeley, it's Becca." Well, he thought. That was unexpected. He instantly sat up straighter on the barstool. "I need you to get me to the hospital."

"Okay… Oh! Oh, sure, I'll be right over. Are you… will you be okay until I get there?"

"Yes, but I need to get there so could you please hurry?"

"I'll, yeah absolutely, I'll be right over." With that, he ended the call and threw down a few bills onto the counter. Sid just raised an eyebrow as Booth hurried from the restaurant. Must be show time, he thought and quickly gathered the cash.

XxXxX

"Okay Rebecca, I need you to push when you feel the contraction. Make sure you push with your abdomen, bear down just like that. You're doing great." Seeley sat at Rebecca's side as she groaned. Her labor went remarkably fast, and by the time they'd got to the hospital, she was already eight centimeters. They were rushed into a room and within the next hour, were ready to go.

"Once more Rebecca, the head's right there. Dad, do you want to see?" The doctor looked over at Booth, who for a moment wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to see their child though, and rounded the bed at Rebecca's small nod before she began to push again. He watched in awe as the tiny baby emerged out of something that by rights should not be able to pass anything that big out of it, tears gathering in his eyes.

"Congratulations," the doctor said, quickly laying the tiny baby onto Rebecca's chest. "It's a boy!" Seeley was ecstatic. He had a son. He was a father, and had a little baby boy. As his gaze met Rebecca's, they held for a long moment and she smiled.

"What do you want to call him," she asked him as the nurses took the little boy away to get weighed, measured and cleaned up. Booth was thunderstruck. She wanted him to pick out the name? He glanced over at the baby, knowing that it was his duty to protect him from harm, just like all the times he'd had to protect others, and only one name seemed to fit. There was someone he'd failed, and maybe this would make it just a little more…right.

"Parker. Let's call him Parker."