Note: Thanks to everyone who took the time to reassure me that they're still reading.

Disclaimer: Still don't own them.

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He woke to a throbbing pain in his shoulder. It was still dark, the only light the glow of the alarm clock that read 3:27.

The other side of the bed was cold, the blankets bunched up as if someone had left in an hurry. The painkillers he'd been given must have been pretty good if he'd slept through the cries of a hungry baby.

It was quiet now, though. He rolled to the side of the bed, groaning as his cracked ribs protested and his torn muscles screamed.

He made his way to the nursery, stopping to lean against the wall more than once. When he finally got there, he saw his partner in the rocking chair, the sleeping baby in her arms. He limped into the room and sank gratefully down on the floor, his back resting against one of the legs of the crib. "Hey, Bones."

When she looked up, he could see the redness of her eyes. "Hi, Booth."

He gestured at the sleeping child in her arms. "She giving you problems?"

She shook her head, looking wistfully at the sleeping child in her arms. "No." She took a shuddering breath. "She finished eating a while ago. I just … I don't want to put her down."

"Yeah", he agreed. They sat in silence for a while until he said, "You know Bones, I was pretty scared today."

Blue eyes met brown. "I thought we were going to die." She looked down at her daughter. "I thought she was going to be all alone. I mean, I know Angela and Hodgins would take care of her and love her, but ..." She stopped talking and wiped away a tear that had fallen onto the baby's face.

"We didn't die", he said inadequately.

"We should have", she answered. "If backup had been a minute later, she would be an orphan."

"I know.", he quietly replied.

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the baby breathe, watching her stretch and kick in her sleep. Finally, Booth struggled to his feet. "Come on, Bones, she's going to be awake in a couple of hours and we need to get some sleep."

Brennan nodded and rose. She looked at the crib, then at him. "She can sleep with us. Just for tonight."

He wrapped his arm around her. "OK, Bones."

The three of them walked slowly back to the master bedroom and Booth climbed gingerly into bed. When he was settled, he grinned at Brennan and waggled his eyebrows. "Come to bed, Bones."

She laughed and placed the baby on the bed, climbing in after her. When they were comfortable and warm, she propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him. "I don't think I should go into the field anymore, Booth."

His breath hissed through his teeth and his head flopped back onto the pillow. "I don't think you should, either." He turned his head and met her eyes. "You know I have to."

She nodded solemnly. "I know. I feel like … like I want you to promise that you'll come home." She laughed hollowly. "I know you can't promise, but I … I'll worry about you."

She rolled over and picked up the bottle of painkillers on her nightstand. She shook two of them out into her hand and passed them to him along with a bottle of water.

"It might not be my choice, Bones.", he agreed as he popped the pills into his mouth, "but I can promise that if I have a choice, I'll always come home to you."

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Thoughts?