Part of this chapter was missing. That's what I get for copying and pasting. LOL! Sorry about that.

There will be one more chapter. Pulling everything together. If all of my faithful readers would like it, I would be willing to write a follow up. I just feel that this is a good place to start wrapping up everything.

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic. ~Author Unknown

Booth spent every night of the next three weeks with her. Booth did everything and everything that he could think of to keep her mind off of the bed rest that she was on. He knew that she wasn't the best of patients and he wanted to do whatever it took to make her comfortable.

Even though they'd told each other that they loved each other earlier, he'd noticed that she'd backed off a bit in the past week or so. It was almost as if she were afraid to admit her feelings or to get too close to him.

In truth, she was afraid that if she got closer to him, he would leave. She was able to admit that she loved him. She did love him. She was just afraid of loving him and what it could possibly end up costing her. She hadn't truly loved anyone. At least not since her family had left. It had nearly destroyed her. She didn't doubt that Booth loved her. He'd told her as much over the past few weeks, but she was afraid that their love would be their downfall. So, she started pulling back more and more. Afraid that his love would come at too great of a cost to her and her emotions.

Booth had even brought Parker over to the apartment and they'd had a family game night. Although at the time, he was the only one that knew about what he was calling it. He was afraid that if he told Bones about it, she would insist on putting an end to all of the fun. So, he simply told her that it was his weekend with Parker and she insisted on him coming over. Booth had brought all of his favorite board games with them. When they were ready to play each game, Booth gave Parker to job of setting up each game. A job that he took very seriously. She smiled and told Booth, "I guess this is what I have to look forward to."

Booth smiled, but the smile faltered a bit when he noticed that she used the word I, instead of we. He knew that she was having a hard time letting him into the picture. That was something that he looked to change. He decided that he would change it as soon as possible.

What he didn't realize was that Brennan was falling in love with him just as much as he was with her. He just had to make sure that she realized that he was worth taking a chance on.

He thought that he was making headway on it, but he realized that she was more stubborn that he ever realized. They were sitting in bed the day before her bed rest was over. They were talking about the day. Talking about everything and anything. He leaned over and before he knew it, he leaned over a kissed her softly on the lips. He couldn't say why he did it. It just felt like the right thing to do. He thought that it was the right thing to do, but somehow, the mood in the room seemed to change. She pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and she turned to look at him.

She whispered softly, "What... What was that for Booth?"

"I..."

What could he say? That it seemed like the natural thing to do? That he'd misjudged her feelings for him? That he'd been impulsive? That he'd thought that she wanted this just as much as he did? No matter what he said, it all sounded hollow and somewhat trite. He finally managed to whisper softly to her, "I love you Bones. I..."

She shook her head and whispered, "I can't love you. I'm not made like that Booth. I don't believe in love. I..."

Booth shook his head softly. He wasn't willing to have this conversation with her again. It was the same conversation that they'd had when he decided to see other people. He didn't want to go down that road again. At least not with her. He whispered to her, "I can't do this again. I thought I was reading you correctly. I..."

Brennan looked at him and said softly, "I... can't..."

Booth looked at her and whispered, "I love you Brennan. I love everything and anything about you. I love the way that you look at me like I'm crazy when I'm talking about how I feel about you. I'm crazy about you Bones. I love you because you are the one woman that can drive me crazy simply by looking and being around me. I thought you loved me. You said that you did. That you wanted me to be there to help with the twins. Was that all a lie?"

She looked at him and knew that he could offer her everything that she wanted and needed. He could offer her the one thing that she'd never had before. A family. It was also the one thing that scared her the most. Afraid that she would lose everything again.

Brennan looked at him and whispered, "I want to take a chance on you. On us... I know that I told you that I love you, but things are so confusing right now. I want to wait until after the babies are born. If you still feel the same... Then I will take a chance then. As for being there for us.. I will always want your help. I... I'm confused Booth and I do feel like I could love you. Sometime..."

"But you can't now? Is that what you are saying Bones?"

Booth looked at him and whispered, "I'm afraid. I don't want to lose you. I..."

Booth shook his head and walked out into the kitchen to make dinner for her. He left Brennan laying in bed alone.

Brennan was laying one her side in bed late that night looking at the latest Ultrasound pictures. Her doctor wanted to take a new set just to be safe and make sure that the twins were still safe and growing healthy. It was then that her life changed forever. She hadn't wanted to know the sex of the babies, but Booth did. She refused to take the slip of paper. So, the doctor had put it into an envelope and given it to her to open later if she wanted to. She had no intention of doing any such thing.

That day was her last day of bed rest. It was also supposed to be the last day that Booth would be staying with her. She hadn't had any more cramps and her doctor had even let her out of bed for short periods of time. It all led up to today. Brennan honestly didn't want this day to come. She'd come to look forward to sitting in bed with Booth every night talking. She never thought that she would come to cherish those moments.

She didn't turn to look at him when he came into her bedroom that night. She was afraid that she would see something in his eyes that she couldn't bare to see. She didn't want to see the love that she was sure was there.

He decided that he would talk about something else. Anything else. So, trying to change the he put his hand on her back and whispered, "Are you sure that we can't peek at the note that the doctor gave you?"

She simply shook her head. She couldn't talk. She was afraid that she would start crying if she uttered even one simple word. However, Booth was good at pushing her buttons and said, "Come on Bones! Just a little peak. Please?"

She shook her head and said, "No Booth. I meant it when I said that I don't want to know the sex of the babies. I'm not going to change my mind."

"Why?"

"Because it's nice to have something be a surprise."

"Since when do you like surprises Bones?"

She sighed and said, "I've always like surprises Booth. You've just never realized it. That's all."

Booth was more than a little irritated at her. He finally whispered, "Fine."

He let the door to her bedroom slam shut. This upset her a bit more than it should have. Under any other circumstances, it wouldn't have, but she was already emotional from the pregnancy and from the fact that Booth would be leaving that night. She stood up and got out of the bed carefully. She saw him throwing things into his suitcase and asked, "Where are you going?"

He looked at her and said, "I'm going back to my apartment. It's time."

She was rendered speechless and said, "You don't have to go Booth."

He shook his head and said, "I do. This was never meant to be a permanent thing Bones."

Booth opened the door to her apartment and he had made it to the front door. He opened it and that was when he realized that she was standing there with him. He looked at her and said, "What do you want from me Temperance?"

Brennan noticed that it was raining and she whispered, "I want a little bit of honesty from you Booth!"

"What's there to be honest about Bones? This was never meant to be a long term arrangement. You only needed a sperm donor! You never needed or wanted me for anything else."

She looked at him and shook her head, "That's not true Booth. That's not how I thought about you. I..."

Shaking his head Booth sighed and said, "It is true! I don't get to know if..." His voice cracked and he continued, "I don't get to know if the twins are boys or girls. All because you've decided that you don't want to know. In a normal relationship, we would at least talk about it."

"We did..."

Booth shook his head and said loudly, "No Temperance! WE didn't talk about anything! You decided that you didn't want to know. So, even though you have the power to, you're refusing to give in. Even a tiny little bit!"

Brennan shook her head and said, "This isn't some little thing Booth! It's not like we are deciding what to have for dinner! I don't want to ruin the surprise!"

"Oh heaven forbid the great Temperance Brennan do something that she doesn't want! We wouldn't want that now! Would we? It might actually mean doing something for someone else!"

Brennan could feel her hands balling into tight fists at her side and she felt and heard the words coming out of her mouth before she could stop them. She turned and yelled, "I never asked you to be a part of our lives! I'm perfectly capable of raising them on my own! I don't need you Seeley Booth! I don't want you! You were planning on leaving tomorrow anyway!"

Booth looked at her and his mouth dropped open. After four weeks of doing anything and everything for her, she was telling him that she didn't need him. She didn't want him. He shook his head and whispered, "I was only leaving because you're going back to work! You're better now! Did you ever think to ask me to stay? To give me any indication that you wanted me! For something other than a glorified butler!"

Brennan's mouth opened and closed and she turned and looked at him and whispered loudly, "Get out of sight!"

Booth laughed at her and said, "I'm out of here sweetheart! Trust me! I won't ever stay where I'm not wanted!"

Booth knew that if there had been a door for him to slam, then he would have. So, he settled for slamming his car door. He backed up and peeled out of the parking lot. Brennan stood there watching him and whispered, "I didn't want you to go. I wanted you to stay more than you could ever know. I love you Seeley Booth. More than you could ever possibly know."

Those were words that she wouldn't utter to him. At least not until it was almost too late. It would make their fight that night seem ridiculously crazy. It would cause her to reveal the true feelings that were deep inside her heart.

It all happened innocently enough. Booth had sent her a text saying that he had a case, but that Cam was coming to help him. She sighed and wondered if this was how it was going to be between them from now on. She sent him a text in return. Okay. Was all that it said.

However, nothing about that night would be normal. Nothing would be normal again for a very, very long time.

It started when Angela came into her office and her face looked pale. Almost white. Brennan looked up at her and asked, "What's wrong?"

She saw Angela swallow hard and then heard her whisper, "I got a call from Cam..."

Brennan didn't see any reason for concern. She knew that Booth and Cam were on a case together. She shrugged and said, "She's on a case with Booth. I know that."

Angela shook her head and said, "I don't know whether I should tell you this or not Sweetie."

Still not understanding where her friend was coming from, she gave Angela a look and said, "I'm rather busy with paperwork Ange. Is there a reason for your visit?"

Angela nodded and finally told her, "You have to promise me that you won't get upset. I don't want to endanger the babies and..."

Brennan sighed and started to push up from her desk. However, Angela's next words stopped her in her tracks and she fell back down into her chair when she heard Angela say, "Booth's been shot. He's in the hospital."

Brennan fell back down into her chair and stared straight ahead and finally said, "You're wrong. I'd know if something happened to Booth. I..."

She saw the look on her best friends face and heard her whisper, "The suspect returned to the scene. He tried to shoot at Cam and Booth saw it. He was shot close to the heart and... He managed to kill the suspect before he passed out. Cam called the ambulance and..."

Brennan shook her head and whispered, "No... It can't be..."

Angela knew that she'd been taking a risk in telling Brennan about the shooting. She hadn't wanted to. She knew that it could cause her problems with the babies. However, she also knew that she couldn't hide it from her. She was really in a no win situation. So, as her best friend, she did what any best friend would do. She told Brennan the terrible news.

Brennan felt like deja vu. Like it had all happened before. She stood up, grabbed her purse and hurried out to her car.

Angela followed her out to her car and took her keys. Brennan looked at her and started to say, "I need to go to my apartment. I..."

Angela nodded and said, "I understand that sweetie, but I'm driving. You're not in any shape to drive. I don't want you getting into an accident and losing those precious babies. Booth would never forgive either one of us."

Brennan finally nodded and looked out the window. She didn't see anything, she simply wanted her apartment building to come into view. Once it did, she opened the door and was in her apartment building before Angela could stop her. She rummaged around in her underwear drawer and pulled out the envelope that had her doctor's name on it. The envelope that had caused them both so much grief. So much heartache. All because she'd been to stubborn to see what was there in front of her all along. She loved Seeley Booth and knew that she would be lost without him. She needed him like she needed her next breath. Their babies needed him. She wanted him beside her every day. Not only as partners at work, but as partners in life. She still wasn't sure if she believed in marriage and everything that it meant to him, but she did know that she loved him enough to at least explore the possibility. She wanted him there for her and for their children. Whether it led to marriage or something else. It all started with her doing something that he wanted, but she didn't. It was in that moment that she realized that relationships were all about give and take. Push and pull.

She put the envelope into her purse and walked carefully down the stairs. She opened the car door and got inside. She nodded to Angela and said, "Take me to the hospital. I need to see Booth."

Angela nodded and she hoped that they would let Bren see him. What she hadn't counted on was that Brennan wasn't going to be deterred. She was determined to see Booth. No matter what the cost.

She hurried out of the car and waited for Angela to get out. She took her best friend's hand and they walked into the hospital together. Brennan walked over to the nurses station and said, "My husband was brought in. He was shot."

The nurse looked at her and asked, "His name?"

Brennan closed her eyes tightly and said, "Seeley Booth. He was shot."

The nurse looked at Brennan and for a moment she thought that the woman was going to tell her that she knew she was lying. Brennan wasn't very skilled at lying, but the woman must have seen something in her eyes. Something that was begging to be allowed in to see him. She smiled at her and said, "He's still in surgery. The doctor will be out to speak to you shortly."

She put her hand on her stomach and whispered softly, "How is he..."

The nurse smiled and said, "I'm not sure. The surgery is almost over."

Brennan felt herself growing impatient and said, "I need to see him. I need..."

Angela interrupted and said, "Bren... It's not good for the babies. The doctor will be out just as soon as he can."

Angela knew that she was thinking about the last time they were in this situation. The last time that he'd been shot and "killed". That day had nearly destroyed her best friend. Angela smiled at the nurse and said, "Just don't tell us that he's dead. If you do, we want to see the body. She's not going to believe you otherwise."

The nurse smiled and nodded, "He's in critical condition, but he's stable. I'm really sorry, but that is all that I can tell you right now."

Brennan nodded and walked over to sit in the waiting room chairs. She soon realized that she couldn't sit. So, she paced the floor impatiently. She heard footsteps approaching her from behind. She turned and saw Cam approaching her. It was apparent to Brennan that she was very upset. She asked, "What happened?"

Cam took a deep breath and said, "It all happened so fast. Before I knew what happened, Booth was yelling at me to duck and he pushed me out of the way. I barely had time to turn around before I heard a gun shot. I thought that Booth had shot the suspect. It wasn't until I heard another gunshot that I realized that Booth was the one that had been shot. He shot the suspect and I called for an ambulance. I'm sorry Doctor Brennan... I..."

Brennan shook her head and said, "It wasn't your fault Cam. I wouldn't have expected anything less from Booth. That's the kind of man that he is. Always thinking of and putting others first."

She wanted to add that, that was one of the reasons that she loved him so much. She didn't utter those words however. She simply allowed herself to pace back and forth. To worry about her injured partner.

Brennan wasn't sure how long it was before she heard someone clearing their throat. She turned around and saw a doctor standing there with blood staining his clothes. She felt faint for a moment and was finally able to ask, "How is he doctor?"

The doctor looked at her and said, "He's still waking up from the anesthesia I can let you back to see him if you'd like."

Brennan nodded and whispered, "I would like that. Very much."

The doctor nodded and led her back behind the swinging doors. It felt like she was in a bad dream. Like this had all happened before. Except this time, she was expecting two babies. Babies that they had both been extremely excited about. At least until she ruined it all with her stubborn refusal to give him one little thing. She knew that it hadn't been because she didn't want to know about the babies sexes, but because she wanted to withhold the information from him. She knew now that it was childish and she wished that she had done things differently.

She was going to start now. She had so much to tell him. She sat beside his bedside and took his hand in hers. She lifted it to her lips and kissed it softly and then she whispered, "I love you Booth. We love you. We need you."

She put his hand back down on the bed and took the envelope out of her purse. She opened it and looked at the words printed on the paper. She closed her eyes and held the paper close to her heart. Seeing the words printed there in black and white made their existence all the more real. She needed to tell Booth. She needed to tell him that their babies needed him in their lives. That she needed him in her life. In whatever aspect he wanted. She was willing to give it to him. She wanted to build their forever and she didn't want to wait another day.

She stood, grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. It was at that point that the babies decided to give her stomach a good swift kick. She held his hand there until the kicks faded away. She leaned down and kissed him softly and whispered, "We need you to wake up Booth. I want to see your eyes when I tell you about the sex of the babies."

She bent down and placed a kiss to his forehead. She stayed there for a bit longer than necessary and she let her lips caress the skin on his forehead. Then she whispered again, "Come back to us Booth."

She felt him stirring and knew that he was waking up. He turned his head and saw her sitting there. She saw a smile form on his lips and she whispered, "I love you Booth. I shouldn't have waited this long to tell you. I was stubborn and afraid that you didn't feel the same anymore. I'm getting fat and..."

She smiled when he shook his head and whispered, "You're not fat. You're beautiful. You're carrying our babies."

She smiled and tried to say, "You're sweet and..."

Booth shook his head and whispered, "It's true. I'm sorry for getting so upset. I'm just so excited about the babies. I just wanted to share the news with everyone. We can wait to find out until they are born."

Brennan laughed and said, "Well, that would be a bit hard to do. At least for me. I already looked and wanted to share it with you. You're their father. You deserve to know about your son and daughter."

He looked at her and whispered, "A boy and a girl?"

Brennan nodded and whispered, "Yes. I wanted you to know. I love you."

Booth looked at her and whispered, "I heard you say that before and I still don't believe it. You love me? Really love me?"

She nodded her head and whispered, "I do. I know that I've never believed in love before, but something tells me that I can believe in it with you. You've never let me down before Booth. I want to take a chance. I want to gamble on our forever."

He smiled at her and whispered, "You're not the gambler Bones. I am."

Brennan smiled at him and whispered, "What can I say? Your babies are doing crazy things to me. Both inside and out. Making me think and feel things that I never thought possible before. Things that I've never dreamed of before. I love you Seeley Booth. I want to explore these new found feelings that I have for you."

Booth looked at her and smiled. He whispered softly, "I'd love nothing more than having the chance to love you Temperance Brennan. Forever and always."

Booth tried to sit up, but was stopped by a pain in his shoulder. Brennan smiled and leaned down to kiss her softly.

A/N I know that this chapter might have confused a few people. I just don't see Brennan as being 100% confident in her feelings for each other. They did say that they loved each other, but she's having doubts. It all worked out in the end.