Chapter Fourteen:

Booth remained sitting on the couch, pondering the decision that lay before him. Or them. He wasn't sure how deep she was into this, he hoped she was in as deep as he was... but he had to admit, she could turn and run at any time. She had done it before. Whenever anyone got to close to her, she bolted. He had tried to be there for her always, but no one could predict what she would compartmentalize and what she wouldn't. She was an enigma. And that's why he loved her.

Now... she was having his child. That gave her some say in the situation. In his opinion, it gave her a lot of say in the situation. He had no idea how she would react to the news. Though she had deeply expressed her true feelings to him, he still wondered what would go on in her head when she found out he could no longer be the man she had fallen in love with.

While he waited for her to arrive home, he made the decision not to tell her about the surgery option. The risks of something going wrong were too great for him. He wasn't the gambling man he once was. He had too much to lose at this point. He would rather be there for her and their child in his present form, than risk the chance of being debilitated for the rest of his life. More so. A little numbness in his hand and leg were a small price to pay to ensure that his brain was mostly functional. His career was a small price to pay for her and the baby. He could find some other way to make himself useful to society. Another way to make himself useful to her if he could no longer be her protector.

He heard the key turn in the front door and he braced himself to lie to her. His heart was breaking to have to do it, but he could see no other option. He was determined to spare her the decision of whether or not to risk his life.

She walked in, dropped her bag by the door and immediately went to him. She sat beside him on the couch and he reached over to take her hand.

"What did the Doctor say Seeley? What's wrong?" Her blue eyes bore into him and his heart skipped a beat.

"Well, they did another CAT scan, and it turns out that there is some scar tissue pressing on some nerve receptors in my brain. It's causing the numbness in my leg and likely my hand too. There's nothing they can do..." As strong as he tried to be, his voice broke when he said it.

She stared at him, trying to read the expression on his face. He was hiding something, she was sure of it. She wasn't good at reading the subtle facial expressions of most people, but she could read him. After four years of being partners, friends, and now, lovers, she knew this man, and something was not right. She assumed that he was protecting her in some way. She tested the waters,

"Can't they operate?" She watched a slight flicker in his eyes when she asked him that. That's what he was failing to mention to her.

He stared at her now. He wanted to lie, and in his head, before she had arrived home, before she was sitting only feet away from him, it had seemed like such an easy decision to make. Now, he was lost in the depth of her concern for him and he could not deceive her. He could not manipulate her into thinking that he was forced to remain in his current state for the rest of his life. He sighed.

"There is a surgery option Temperance, but Doctor Callaway warned me that the risk of complication is high. Well, the risk of complications isn't high, but if anything does go wrong, it could go very wrong... I could have a stroke, or bleed out. I could die." The words spilled out before he could have another chance to question whether or not to tell her.

She squeezed his hand as she tried to rationalize what he had just told her. He went on to explain the eighty percent chance of success, and her eyes lit up at those numbers.

"Eighty percent? Booth, those are good odds. If you have the surgery, one could make a reasonable judgement that everything will be just fine. Statistically, the outcome would be in your favour."

"Yeah, but is it worth the risk? There's a twenty percent chance of something going very, very wrong. It's not worth it. I want to be there for you and the baby. I want to see Parker and this baby grow up." He placed his hand gently on her still-flat abdomen for just a second. "If I don't have the surgery, the only thing I am risking is my career."

She leaned back on the couch, trying to grasp everything he was telling her. His job with the FBI meant so much to him; he was willing to give it up to make sure he could around to be a father to their child. She was just a little touched. She squeezed his hand again, and he squeezed back, but she noticed the weakness in the grip. She did not envy his decision. She looked him in the eye again.

"What do you think?" His brown eyes stayed locked on her blues.

"It's ultimately your decision Booth, but if my opinion means anything..." He cut her off there,

"Your opinion means everything to me Tempe. You mean everything to me." He had tears in his eyes; he still had to convince her that his words were true.

"Well, Booth, I think you should go ahead with the surgery. You are a strong, vibrant, physically fortunate human being and I think that you are overlooking how important your life with the FBI is to you. Eighty percent chance is a very high success rate. I think that those odds are worth the risks. I mean, it's not like this baby and I can't live without you."

She stopped speaking when she saw the shocked look on his face at her choice of words. He pulled his hand away from hers and broke their eye contact. She suddenly caught on to what she had said, and turned on the couch so that she was facing him. She held his knee, stopping him from getting up, as he was trying to do just that.

"Booth, I'm so sorry. That's not what I meant... what I meant was, there is no reason to worry about the baby and I. We would survive if something happened to you. My words came out wrong, we may not need you, but I really, really want you in my life. For as long as I can have you. I also want you to be the best man that you can be. The man I know you are. You are Agent Booth, what else could you be?"

He smiled then at her. Not her best apology, but by no means her worst. He could see in her eyes that she was sincere, even though her words had been slightly misconstrued. He was glad to hear her explanation. She wanted him. It was nice to hear her say it.

"I could join Doctor Wyatt at culinary school. You know, be a chef!" His teasing lightened the mood considerably, and she shook her head at him, but smiled back.

"I don't think that is an appropriate outlet for your talents Booth. But speaking of culinary, what's for dinner? I'm starving." She took hold of his hand again, and massaged his fingers in her own. "We can discuss this more later. After."

He looked confused.

"After what?"

"After I finish saying I'm sorry for what I said...I really didn't mean it the way it came out."

With that she pushed his shoulder back gently, until he was lying down on the couch as she kissed him with as much apology as she could muster. She was very sorry, and eventually he forgave her with every fibre of his existence.

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A week passed and Booth had decided that for now, he would not go ahead with the surgery. Temperance respected his decision, but thought to herself that he would benefit greatly from the operation. She had watched him slip a little further into depression every day and she wondered how the next months would play out. He missed his job. She had told him that there was no hurry for any decisions regarding the rest of his working life.

Every night when she came home, he asked for every little detail of the case that she and the squints were working on. He was bored. His recovery from the initial surgery seemed to be levelling off and he was mobile and feeling better. The only exception was the burn on his leg that seemed to be healing perfectly, but he still had no sensation of it. It creeped him out just a little bit. The antibiotics had prevented any infection and the open wound was almost healed enough to go on with the surgery. If he chose to do so.

He sat on the couch one morning. The day before his appointment with Doctor Callaway. He had just sent her off to work and was reading the newspaper to kill time. He seemed to have enough of that on his hands lately. It had only been a week, how was he supposed to live the rest of his life like that? He had just gotten the courage to start reading the classified ads when his phone rang from the coffee table in front of him. He answered with his usual, "Booth."

It was Doctor Wyatt calling to ask him if he would be interested in a cup of coffee. Perhaps at that delightful little diner that he and Temperance had introduced him to? Booth immediately agreed. He asked if Gordon, Gordon would mind picking him up. He did not.

An hour after the phone call, the two men sat at the counter at the diner, each with a cup of coffee in their hands. The conversation centred on his recovery, and Booth felt obligated to fill the former psychiatrist in on the happenings with his head. The older man seemed interested in Booth's decision not to have the slightly risky surgery.

"You know Agent Booth, the chance of one of the complications being severe enough to actually cause your death are quite miniscule. It would seem to me, that you are afraid. Of what exactly, I haven't actually figured out yet. But I think I am close."

"You know what Gordon, why don't you call me Seeley from now on. I'm not going to be Agent Booth for very much longer." He sipped his coffee. Doctor Wyatt watched the man after he said those words. He seemed sad.

"I'm honoured Seeley, I know you don't let many people call you that. You can still call me Doctor Wyatt though." The men's eyes met. Booth had a little smile. "Do you know why?"

Booth shook his head, unsure of where this was going.

"Because even though I am no longer practicing psychiatry, that doesn't change who I am. I am still a Doctor. I have just chosen another path to follow. You are Special Agent Booth. It's not what you do, it's who you are. You cannot change your conscience, or your empathy towards those who need help. Those traits are what make up your being." He paused while both men took a sip of their hot drinks.

His words seemed to be sinking in.

"And do you know something else Agent Booth?"

"What's that Gordon-Gordon?" Booth had a cocky smile now.

"I think that you are focusing entirely too much on the negative. There is a sporting chance that the surgery could be completely successful and you could be your old self again."

The two sat in silence for a while. Booth finally broke it.

"It's about more than just me now. I have to think of the future." He didn't mention the baby yet. He wasn't sure if Bones would want their secret out. Even to their mutual friend who sat beside him.

"You mean Doctor Brennan?" The waitress stopped by and filled their cups again.

"Yeah."

"What's this about Doctor Brennan?" A third voice joined their conversation from behind, and both of them turned to look at the lady herself, and Angela, who had walked in behind her friend. Bones kissed him on the cheek. He smiled warmly at her.

"Bones! What are you doing here?"

"Angela and I just came for some lunch." She leaned close to his ear to whisper her next words. "I was starving!"

"Hey Ange." Booth acknowledged the artist as she sat on a stool beside them.

Doctor Wyatt said hello to the ladies. They both responded politely. The tall British man nodded at Brennan in a secret sign that her plan was working. She had called him the day before to see if he could talk some sense into her partner. She knew Booth would listen to Doctor Wyatt. He had always made note of his respect for the man. So had she.

Temperance went to hang her coat on the coat rack near the door and as she did, a masked man came in through the door with the intention of robbing the small diner. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Before any of the group had caught on to what was going on, the masked man pushed Temperance out of the way and she tumbled to the floor.

Booth was at her side in two leaps, helping her up, asking her if she was okay. He asked her out loud,

"Is the baby okay? Do you feel anything?"

Angela and Doctor Wyatt were definitely in earshot and they both stood there, open-mouthed, while Booth helped his partner fully to her feet.

The man in the mask had gotten spooked when Booth flew towards him, and was trying to get back out the same door he had just entered. Booth looked at Bones and she held his arm briefly.

"I'm fine Booth. I think I'm fine...are you going to get that guy?" He made sure she really did seem fine, and he turned and ran out the door after the would-be robber.

Bones turned back to the other two standing behind her. Both were still in shock over what they had over-heard. Angela finally found her voice.

"Sweetie, was that robber part of the plan?" Brennan shook her head. That was not at all part of the plan, just a very strange coincidence.

Angela then pointed to her best friend's stomach with a questioning smile.

"Was that part of the plan?" Brennan just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She brushed some of the dust off of her pants from where she had hit the floor.

"I knew there was something more to Seeley's decision than he was letting on. That explains his hesitation to go ahead with the operation." Doctor Wyatt was happy that he finally had the missing piece of information about the couple. And he was very happy for them. He told her so.

She very politely accepted his thanks and accepted a hug from Angela. She looked back to the tall man.

"Do you think he is going to have the surgery?" Her eyes showed three different emotions.

"What do you think?" He pointed out the window to where Agent Booth was passing off the detained criminal to a local cop. When the bandit was safely in the back of the car, Booth turned back towards the diner and all three of them saw the smile on his face. It lit the whole diner. Even from outside. His eyes were only for her though.

Doctor Wyatt rubbed her back, with the confidence that their secret mission to convince Booth had worked.

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TBC.