Thank you for your reviews. midid thank you for commending me for my frequent updates. I do try not to keep you all waiting for too long.

I haven't watched the new episode yet, was about to but I decided I'd post an update first.

Anyway here goes, this chapter takes place some time after Brennan's hospital stay.

Booth

I step into the Jeffersonian lab. From afar I can see Bones at work on the forensic platform. There isn't a case, well not till now, so Bones must be working on ID-ing some long dead person from limbo.

I reflect on the two months since Bones was admitted to hospital. We were lucky and I thank God that the baby and Bones are ok now. In fact, more than ok. By the time Bones was discharged from the hospital, she had passed her first trimester and gradually got her appetite back. She took an extra month off work, recuperating at home and working on her latest book before coming adamantly insisting she needed to come back to work.

Our last visit with Br Cowan gave Bones and our baby a clean bill of health. We have nothing to worry about she had assured us, and much to Bones' relief and my dismay was told she could go back to work. We'd know the sex of the baby by our next visit. It's something Bones and I still can't quite agree on, should we or shouldn't we find out, but we have a couple more weeks to make up our minds.

So there she is my beautiful pregnant wife, back at work on her beloved bones. I'm thankful that the murderers seemed to be giving us a break and she could work at the lab for the past almost two weeks now. That is until now.

Bones is now into her fourth month of pregnancy and her stomach is now showing. Not a whole lot, unobservant people might say she's put on some weight. In the past weeks, she could still hide her baby bump under baggy clothing but now, everyone can see she is undeniably pregnant. Her now protruding tummy is sticking ever so slightly out from her blouse and I get that swell of pride I always get when I see her, knowing for a fact that that's our baby growing inside her. I can't imagine loving another human being more than I love my Temperance now.

I watch as Bones accidentally drops her pen onto the ground, and she bends to pick it up.

Alarmed I jog to the platform, my knee protesting in pain from the exertions of the morning. I hurriedly swipe my card and run up the stairs. I'm a little too late and Bones has already picked up her fallen pen and is getting back to work on the skull on the table.

"Booth? What are you doing here?"

I ignore her question, instead glaring at everyone around her.

"What's the matter with you guys? Can't help a pregnant woman out? She dropped her pen, Didn't you all see? Help her pick it up next time!"

"Well good morning sunshine," Cam rolls her eyes.

"I'm not an invalid Booth. I can pick things up from the ground on my own."

"But – "

"I'm healthy and the pregnancy is progressing as it should. The fetus is of good size for its gestational age and – "

"Yeah, yeah, I got that from Dr Cowan at our last doctor's appointment."

"Then whey are you acting like I can't take care of myself?"

"Cos Bones, no matter what, you shouldn't be exerting yourself."

"Didn't know picking something off the ground was considered an exertion." Angela sniggers.

I scowl.

"You haven't answered my question Booth, what are you doing here?"

"I, we've got a case Bones."

"We? What happened to Hank?"

One minor detail I hadn't told Bones. I've got my wish and have been cleared to be assigned back to fieldwork. No more pencil-pushing at my desk.

"He's not your partner anymore. I am."

"What?"

"You heard me," I grin. "We're partners again, like we were before Iraq."

"But your knee…. as I recall your therapist – "

"Said it was ok for me to get back to field work."

"I distinctly remember him saying another month at least."

"I'm fine Bones. I can work the field. Do you have any idea how boring it was sitting in the Hoover Building all day staring at the computer?"

"Cullen couldn't have authorized this."

"As a matter of fact, he did."

"Why?"

"There's no why Bones. I passed all my proficiency tests, and I've been certified fit to be in the field again. They decided to assign me back to the Jeffersonian where our partnership has been very fruitful in the past, and they expect now to be no different."

"Fruitful in more ways than one." Angela grins and Hodgins bites back a laugh.

"I thought the FBI didn't allow partners to be in a relationship – "

"We're married Bones. It's not like they were expecting us to go through a divorce just so we could work together again."

"And you knee?"

"I was certified fit to be in the field Bones."

Bones puts the skull back no the table and walks towards me, her hands on her hips. I take a step towards her meeting her halfway, not wanting to back down. I need to tell her how important this case is. We've got to prove that we can still be married and maintain our professional relationship at work.

"About the relationship part though, we're still under probation, so this case is important."

She's standing face-to-face with me now. Her hand reaches to straighten my tie.

"I'm worried about your knee Booth."

"And I'm worried about you being pregnant and going in the field."

"So this is what it's all about!"

The gentleness in her voice disappears and she's brimming with fury.

"Bones, no other FBI agent would be willing to take you out into the field now that you're pregnant anyway. No one but me!"

"Why?"

"Cos… " Damn how am I to put this without angering her more?

Cam steps in, attempting to help.

"What Seeley is trying to say is that given the current level of hormones that are being produced in your body, due to your pregnancy, you tend to be more irritable and some guys try to avoid being in your line of fire."

"I won't shoot anybody."

"That's not what Cam meant."

Bones looks a little hurt.

"It's not that Bones. It's not you. The other agents, they know that if they took you into the field and anything happened, I'd kill them with my bare hands. Nobody wants to take that risk."

Bones ponders on my words, and seems temporarily placated. "You sure your knee is up to this?"

"Yes Bones. I'm sure."

"You passed all your proficiency tests?"

"Yes Bones, this morning." It had taken longer than I had intended for all the paperwork to go through and for all the tests but I'm glad for the extra time I had to prepare myself physically.

"This morning?"

"What's important is, I got the all clear."

"We have a case?"

"Yeah, right now. You know, I could always take Mr Happy over there, we'd ship everything back here, you won't even have to leave the lab."

"No. I'm coming with you. Just give me a minute to get my things from the office."

Bones walks to her office and I stroll over to Fischer, Bones' intern of the month. "Let's get out of here before she comes back."

"I don't want to be fired Agent Booth."

"You won't be fired, she'll just be mad at us for a couple of days and – "

"Booth what are you two whispering about?"

"Nothing Bones, nothing." Damn if this was Wendell I could say we were talking about hockey.

"Come on, we have a case." Bones has her sling bag in hand.

"Good luck!" Angela calls after us as Bones starts for the door.

"We don't need luck!" Bones yells back.

I hurry after her, grabbing the bad from her shoulder. My hand instinctively moves to the small of her back. It fits, as it always did, the feeling of me guiding her gently with my hand, providing the support and protection she doesn't always admit she needs. It surprises me how much I've missed this. Working with Bones. Maybe this isn't such a bad idea after all.

We step out of the lab, partners again, Brennan and Booth, Cullen would have no reason to sever our partnership.

Ok I'm off to watch the new episode of Bones. In the meantime you all click the review button and let me know what you think!