We're getting close to the end. At least I think we are, we'll see what happens. Thanks for all the great reviews, I'm really glad you guys like this story. I really enjoyed writing it. Hopefully I can find more time this week to write some more, I haven't had a whole lot of time or motivation to write anything lately, but as you can probably tell, I find writing cathartic.
Enjoy and more to come soon!!!!
Booth awoke in the morning to the sounds of running water and the comforting aroma of coffee and bacon. He sat up quickly, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings before running a hand through his tousled hair and slipping out of bed. Trudging slowly into the kitchen he came face to face with a fresh faced, and as always, completely put together Temperance Brennan.
"Good morning," she smiled shyly, admiring his rugged appearance briefly before turning her attention back to the griddle before her, where she removed a completed batch of pancakes. "Did you sleep well?"
"I slept great," Booth smiled back, his voice husky with sleep. "How about you?"
"I slept well," she responded, focusing on the task in front of her. "Better than I have in a while. It's becoming fairly difficult to find a comfortable position to sleep in."
"Glad I could help," Booth winked at her, moving to sit at the stool on the other side of the island at which she cooked. "You didn't have to make me breakfast."
"I know," she scoffed at him. "And what makes you think I'm making this for you? I do have to eat too."
"Please," Booth teased. "When is the last time you ate something other than three cups of coffee for breakfast?"
"I have reduced my coffee intake to one cup a day, I'll have you know," she poked back. "And I have breakfast every morning. Just because it isn't dripping with grease and loaded with fat doesn't mean it isn't breakfast."
"So it is for me," he exclaimed triumphantly.
Brennan couldn't help the smile that took over her face as she rolled her eyes. "You are impossible."
Booth waggled his eyebrows at her. "Just part of my devastating charm I guess. Women falling all over themselves to cater to me."
"Shut up and eat your breakfast," Brennan poked him across the island.
"You really didn't have to do this Bones," his tone became serious once again. "I appreciate it, but it isn't necessary."
"I know it's not Booth," she retorted. "I just wanted to do something nice for you. You're always taking care of me and I guess I wanted to return the favour."
"Thanks Bones," he smiled genuinely. "You take pretty good care of me too you know."
"Well somebody has to do it," she exaggerated playfully. "I can't imagine what would happen to you otherwise."
Booth grinned and took a heaping bite of the pancakes. "Have I told you you're an amazing cook?" he asked through the food in his mouth. "These are incredible."
"They're just pancakes."
"No they're delicious pancakes."
Brennan shook her head in amusement and turned to pour him a cup of coffee. "We've got just over an hour before the doctor's appointment. If you don't mind dropping me off at the Jeffersonian afterwards I can pick up my car. Maybe I'll have an opportunity to work on a few more limbo cases."
"Bones," Booth groaned. "It's Saturday. No-one wants to go to work on a Saturday. It's unnatural. Besides, you work too hard. Take a break once in a while."
"I take breaks," Brennan frowned, picking up her own mug and taking a sip. "I left early last night didn't I?"
"Six thirty isn't early Bones," he responded, standing up and bringing his plate around the counter to the sink. "Besides, you never would have left if I hadn't dragged you out and made you eat. You need me around." He winked at her and rinsed his plate.
"I don't need anyone to take care of me Booth," she sighed, somewhat exasperated. Watching him move around her kitchen as though it was his own she felt comforted. "I don't need you." She saw him freeze beside her and realized how he might have misconstrued her meaning. "Anthropologically speaking, no species depends on anything other than each individual member. If a male dies, the female doesn't run weeping in the other direction, she survives on her own, adapting. The human race is no different."
Booth sighed and shifted slightly to face her, waiting for her tirade to continue. "I don't need you in my life Booth," she repeated, "But I can't imagine my life without you."
He turned to face her, watching as she shyly dropped her face to the floor. "What are we doing here Bones?" he asked her gently, reaching out for her hand. "I need you to tell me what you want now. I can't imagine my life without you either, and I think that means something. I think it means something amazing."
"It is Booth," she said softly, her voice full of emotion. "I've been alone for so long, I don't know what it feels like to have that."
"But you do Bones," he slid a finger under her chin and drew her face up to meet his eyes. "You may live alone, and you may sleep alone but you are not alone. You are never alone, and I think maybe it's time we stopped dancing around it and face up to it." A tear slid down her cheek and he continued. "It's not just you either. It's both of us. We're either too stupid or too scared to admit that something is happening, something has been happening between us. I'm tired of pretending it doesn't exist Bones. Because at the end of the day the only thing I want to be doing is anything that involves you."
"Booth," his name escaped her lips as a gentle sigh, but he silenced her with a kiss.
"I am in love with you Temperance Brennan, and I am sick to death of pretending that I'm not. You can lie to me and tell me that you don't feel the same way, but I know you better than you do and I think you know that too." She nodded silently, closing her eyes against the onslaught of his words. "I want to do this every day. I want to wake up beside you, I want to do the dishes with you, I want to help you fold laundry, I want to wake up in the middle of the night with our baby, but mostly I want you. I want you so much it hurts."
She couldn't respond. She had no words that could convey the depth of emotion he had just shown. Instead she leaned forward and captured his lips with her own. Wrapping her arms around his neck she kissed him with a passion she had never felt before. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks but she couldn't bring herself to end the kiss. Booth drew his hands to her face and kissed her deeply before pulling away and resting his forehead against hers. "Tell me what you want Bones. Tell me you love me."
"I do Booth," the words spilled from her mouth, a ragged sob as she wrapped her arms around his neck, falling into his arms. "I do love you."
He smiled faintly and held her body close. "What do you want Bones?"
"I want everything," she whispered.
"I want to spend the rest of my life trying to give you everything Bones. Are you okay with that?"
"Yes," she whispered, a brilliant smile shining through her tears. Booth squeezed her tighter, kissing her head softly.
"God I love you," he spoke, his voice filled with emotion. "It feels so incredible just to be able to say that to you."
Brennan nodded into his shirt. "I love you too," the words sounded foreign on her lips, but somehow incredibly familiar. They held each other in silence for a while before Brennan spoke again. "So what do we do now?"
"Well, I could think of something," Booth pulled away, winking at her.
She slapped his chest playfully. "Doctor, remember? She's doing us a favor now, we can't be late. And besides," she began, smiling. "You stink."
His jaw dropped as he grinned, holding a hand over his heart. "Ouch Bones. You really know how to make the moment perfect don't you?"
She grinned seductively and turned to rinse the dirty dishes in the sink. "If you go have a shower like a good boy, I promise I'll make it worth your while this afternoon."
He felt an erotic shudder surge through his body and he closed his eyes at the sultry smoothness of her voice. It was definitely going to be a cold shower this morning. "You better remember that Bones," his voice was thick with desire. "Because I am definitely going to be taking you up on that offer when we get back."
"Then you better get moving," she pushed him toward the bathroom and feeling a comfortable boldness, she swatted his behind. He knew he was grinning like a fool, but he no longer cared. He showered quickly, emerging from the bathroom to find that Brennan had retrieved the duffel bag he kept in his SUV. His smile never wavered as he dressed in jeans and a dark t-shirt and he returned to the kitchen where she quietly washed dishes. He could feel her smile from across the room. Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.
"Time to go?" he asked.
"Mmhmm," she murmered, lifting her hand to caress his face. "Much better."
Wordlessly he handed her a towel and walked her to the front door. He picked up their jackets and guided her out the door, pausing outside as she locked the apartment and turned to face him. Her hand slid into his, as though she had done it every day, and they walked to the parking garage together. The ride was silent, though their actions spoke volumes. Their connection never broke, their smiles never faded. Once he brought her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her fingers, once she ran her fingers through the hair on his neck.
When they arrived at the doctors, he didn't try to open her door, instead he waited beside it, for her to emerge on her own. She smiled gratefully and felt his hand slide into the familiar place on her lower back. The office was quiet and empty, Dr. Collins perusing a file on the other side of the reception desk. The happiness the partners exuded was contagious and the doctor found herself smiling with them. "How are you today?"
"I feel wonderful," Brennan exclaimed. "I think the worst is finally over."
"Excellent," Dr. Collins said, gesturing towards the open door of the nearest exam room. "This is just a routine check so you two should be in and out in no time."
"Perfect," Booth said, keeping his eyes on Brennan, loving the flush that swept across her cheeks at his words. Dr. Collins attempted to act oblivious to the passionate interaction between the partners. She guided Brennan back on the table and pulled the rolling cart closer to the bed. "We're just going to take a quick peek at the little one now." She never really expected a reply. Placing the wand on Brennan's exposed abdomen an image came into focus on the screen. "And there we have it," she exclaimed. "You certainly have a feisty one here Temperance."
Booth's focus shifted to the screen. "Oh my God," he whispered breathlessly, leaning closer for a better look. Brennan smiled lovingly at the fuzzy image of the wriggling child on the screen, and the effect it was having on her partner. "Look at that. That's incredible."
"Here's the profile, and let me say this one definitely has daddy's bone structure."
Booth leaned even closer, his grin spreading wider across his face. "She looks like me?" he asked incredulously.
"Here's the spine, the hands and feet," she gestured to the various body parts on the scan, "and the heartbeat. This baby looks great."
"Can you tell the sex?" Brennan asked, squeezing Booth's hand.
The doctor grinned and turned back to the image. "Daddy's right on this one, you've got yourself a little girl." Booth felt his heart expand in his chest. He had a daughter. He had a daughter with Bones. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before resuming his focus on the image of their baby girl. "I've got a tape running for you and I'll print you off some copies so you can show off this gorgeous one."
Brennan had no words. All she could do was stare. She had spent her whole life believing love didn't exist, that love couldn't be quantified. But lying on the exam table, she was witnessing love. She had never seen that look before, but she knew what it was. Booth's eyes were shining with it as he gazed at the image of the tiny child on the screen. It poured from him in waves, his love for her and their baby girl. At that moment she didn't care about anything else.