Final chapter, and just in time for Bones finally being back on the air! Who's excited?

A quick thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, given me suggestions, favorited the story, and answered my questions. Y'all are wonderful.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.


Brennan rolled over to find the space next to her empty, and she felt the beginning twinges of a headache from last night's split bottle of wine. Reaching for the glass of water on Booth's nightstand, she gulped it down quickly. She glanced in the direction of the master bathroom, expecting to see the light on or hear Booth moving around, but it was dark and silent.

She touched his pillow and ran her fingers over the sheets — cool. Booth had obviously been absent for some time.

She checked her phone and found no evidence that they had been summoned to work. She squinted at the alarm clock and realized it was far too early for Booth to willingly be up on his own.

With a sigh, she pulled herself out of bed, grabbing a blanket to wrap around her shoulders. She padded down the hallway to check on Christine, who was blissfully still asleep.

A quick search around the house yielded a hot, full pot of coffee, but no Booth. Brennan poured two mugs and continued her investigation, heading to the back porch after she saw the door slightly ajar.

She set one mug down on the patio table, breaking Booth's focused reverie.

"Hey."

"Hi." She planted a kiss on his waiting lips. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep."

"Nightmare?"

He shook his head, reaching for the cup of coffee. "Couldn't shut my brain off."

"I understand."

He gave her a knowing smile. "Join me?"

As she moved to sit, he protested, patting his leg. "No, here."

She didn't argue, giving him a satisfied and sleepy smile as she laid her head against his chest. He adjusted the blanket around both of them, rubbing her shoulder as he sipped the coffee.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the stillness and tranquility of their backyard.

She finally broke the silence, clearing her throat. "While I was away, I watched the sun rise most mornings."

He brushed her hair away from her face. "You did?"

"Yes. Christine went through a period where she wanted to be fed very early. We had a patio or a porch at several of our spots, so I'd bundle us up and nurse her outside. She'd fall back asleep as the sun rose."

"Sounds nice."

"I hate you missed it." Brennan pressed a soft kiss to Booth's neck. "Dad kept trying to assure me that you weren't missing it. He said sunrises and sunsets were two things that didn't change."

Booth gave her a quizzical look.

"Everything changed — except sunrises and sunsets. Some things in nature don't change." She paused, taking a sip of her coffee. "Dad said he and Mom used to watch sunrises and sunsets knowing that Russ and I were seeing the same thing, just in a different location. Everything else might have been different, but those two things were the same."

"Oh. Makes sense."

"I know it's silly, but it made me feel better." Brennan hesitated, and then continued. "Did you watch any sunrises while I was away?"

A slow smile spread across Booth's face. "Yeah."

"You did?"

He nodded.

"But you hate getting up early."

"The only thing that kept me from punching guys all day was if I got in a good run every morning."

She looked at him suspiciously. "That's the only reason you were up early?"

"And … I had trouble sleeping. Figured I might as well get up and try to run out some of my frustration."

"Did it work?"

"Not really."

"So you don't miss sunrise runs?"

"Absolutely not. I'd rather be in bed with you any morning."

She laced one hand with his and turned towards the patio table, noticing the baby monitor and a mess of papers. "Are you working?"

"Not on case stuff."

Curious, her hands grazed the pages, studying the words and numbers until a look of realization dawned on her. "Oh Booth…"

"I'm sorry I didn't get it finished before the two of you got home. I tried, Bones. God, I tried. You can ask Wendell. Poor guy came over every Saturday for five weeks in a row until I admitted I just couldn't do it without you here."

"But these are blueprints."

"Yeah. You're back now. I can work on it."

She gazed up at him, fingers still on the sheets of paper. "Why didn't you do it while we were away? Surely it would have helped distract you?"

"I couldn't. It felt all wrong to be planning something like this without your approval … or disapproval."

She laughed quietly.

"What do you think? I was looking over them one last time and was going to bring them to you in bed this morning."

"It looks wonderful." Her eyes shone with happy tears. "How did you manage all this in a week?"

"Wendell helped me. He's got an architecture buddy, and I had him come take the measurements and figure out the structural soundness and all that stuff."

"When?"

"A couple days ago — the day you got home really late from work."

"Sneaky."

"I know." He reached for another smaller stack of papers. "Have you seen these?"

Her eyes roamed the sheets, and he watched as a delighted smile spread across her face.

"You like it."

Setting the sheets in her lap and placing the coffee cup on the table, she nodded, wrapping both arms around his neck to kiss him. "You're a wonderful man." She paused, biting her lip. "I don't know how Christine and I got so lucky."

He shook his head. "I'm the lucky one. I don't know how I got you and Christine."

She sighed deeply, and glanced back down at the sheets. "Angela, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm surprised she didn't make everything pink and purple."

"I think she intends on Michael spending time here, too. Plus, I didn't want to risk having to redo the interior if we ever have …" He dropped off, his eyes widening slightly as he realized what he had almost said out loud.

"If we ever have?" She prompted, gently nudging him.

"If, uh …"

"Oh." She sat up straight in his lap. "Booth, do you …"

"I …"

The two were awkwardly silent for a few moments.

"I wasn't trying to pressure you." He swallowed. "Maybe we can talk about it?"

"I'm open to the idea." She watched his eyes light up as he unsuccessfully tried to hold back an eager smile.

"You are?"

"Uh huh." She leaned back against Booth's chest, examining the papers again. "Christine will be far better rounded if she's not an only child."

"I agree." Booth watched as Brennan leafed through the documents. "Anything you want to change?"

"Not particularly. Perhaps …"

The baby monitor crackled to life, startling both of them.

"It's early — she may settle back down." Brennan made a face as Christine's cries switched to full-fledged screams. "Or not."

Booth lifted Brennan as he stood, and placed her back in the chair, tucking the blanket around her. "Sit tight. I'll get her."

He returned a few moments later with a sniffling Christine, draped in a soft baby blanket over her footie pajamas.

"Hi sweetheart." Brennan stood, smiling as Christine's tiny arms reached for her mother. "Want to come sit with us?" She let Booth sit back in the chair, and then took Christine, settling both of them in Booth's lap. "Daddy and I were just talking about your treehouse. Remember? I told you he was building you one."

Booth smiled, loving to listen to Brennan interact with their daughter.

"He's done such a good job planning it. And your Aunt Angela has designed everything for the inside. I know you're going to like it."

Christine hiccupped and let out a pitiful whine as she moved her head against Brennan's chest, her tiny hands pawing at the blanket wrapped around her mother.

"She hasn't done this in nearly a month," Brennan remarked, trying to untuck the blanket.

"She's smart. She knew what we were talking about and didn't want to miss anything." Booth smiled as Brennan shook her head with a grin. "She's just showing her dad what she's been up to."

"I think she's just hungry and fussy," Brennan said, wiggling one arm out of her tank top as Christine continued to protest. "Shhh. Just a minute."

Booth grasped one of Christine's flailing hands. "Move your hand, baby girl — it's in the way." He watched as Brennan adjusted Christine. "Can she see?"

"Trust me, she has no problem finding me in the dark." A satisfied smack and the cease of Christine's cries confirmed Brennan's statement.

"Sunset's starting, Bones."

She glanced up, seeing faint glimpses of light through the trees. "It is." She pulled the baby blanket up under Christine's chin. "Tell her about the treehouse."

"Huh?"

"She's quite attentive while nursing, and she likes someone talking to her. Tell her about the treehouse," Brennan repeated, relaxing as she leaned back into Booth.

As if on cue, Christine glanced up at Booth, wide eyed.

"I told her stories about you all the time, you know." Brennan laid her head on Booth's shoulder. "But especially during all those early feedings. It became our morning ritual."

"What'd you tell her?"

"A little bit of everything. I started telling her about our work and how we met, how we took time apart, how we ended up working together again. I've told her some of our cases — edited, of course."

"Good. I don't want my precious baby girl dreaming of serial killers and skeletons."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "She's not."

"What else did you tell her?"

"I've told her lots of stories about her father is a good man. How he doesn't take life lightly, and how he works tirelessly. How he's gracious and kind, yet tough and willing to fight for what's right. How's he's patient and doesn't give up on what he wants."

Booth cut her off by pressing a deep kiss to her lips, which she returned.

"Sounds like I need to start telling her stories about her mom." He smiled mischievously. "Have you told her about slapping me yet?"

"Yes."

"Wow. Really?"

"I told her in hindsight, it probably wasn't the best decision. I've advised her not to be rash or hotheaded. Knowing the two of us, she might have that occasional tendency."

"Nah." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Have you told her about how we fell in love?"

She grinned. "I was leaving that one for you. But that's a long story."

"Well, we've got all morning."

Uttering that sentence brought a simple thrill to Booth — his girls weren't going anywhere. He gave Brennan a tight squeeze, then leaned to place a kiss on Christine's forehead.

"Yes." Brennan sighed contentedly, giving him a peaceful smile. "We do."


Thanks again for reading. And happy eve-before-Bones returns!