Brennan stood at the kitchen window watching Booth run around playing chasey with Christine in the back yard. She smiled widely at them. He caught their daughter and swung her high above his head, her little legs kicking as she squealed. He tossed her high above him, catching her in his strong hands, pulling her down and smothering her face with big sloppy kisses, making her squeal even louder. Her heart felt like it could burst at any moment, even though it was physically impossible for a human heart to just explode from emotion she automatically thought.

Booth and Christine burst through the back door laughing. "Hi Mommy. Can we have a drink please?" Booth asked on behalf of them both. "Dink Mommy" Christine chimed. Booth deposited his daughter into her highchair and sat opposite her. He watched Brennan filling Christine's sippy cup with juice, adding a little water to cut it's sweetness, and then fill a glass for him. He had his face cupped in his hands. He glanced at Christine to see she was mimicking him. He smiled, she smiled. He reached up and scratched the top of his head. Christine copied him. Brennan sat down and watched the pair of them. Booth winked, and Christine tried her best to wink back, both her eyes squinting.

Brennan burst out laughing She is definitely turning out to be her father's daughter For a while, she had been desperate for Christine to be like her in every way. She thought it would be natural for a child of hers to inherit her intelligence, her clarity of thought, her ability to absorb facts easily. But it was becoming increasingly clear that Christine was going to be like her father. Average. She cringed a little internally. She had been so frightened of that word. But now. Now she could see that being average was not a bad thing. It made Christine a happy child. One who liked to explore and play, and get dirty, and be excited by things she saw and did. And she was learning things. Not as quickly as Brennan thought she should have, but in her own time. Just as Booth had told her she would. She knew Christine was lucky to have Booth. He was a wonderful father. So calm and confident with Christine. And patient, when she had no patience. She smiled at them, drinking at the same time. Christine still copying her father. He encouraging her in the game.

"Booth, she'll spill her drink if she does that" Brennan said as Christine tried to pull the lid off her drink. Booth shrugged, "She won't be able " just as the lid came free and juice sprayed across the table straight onto his face. "What were you saying?" Brennan smirked at him, as he licked at the juice running down around his mouth. He squinted at her trying to not get it in his eyes "Yes, yes. I know. I'll clean it up" he said standing up.

Christine sat waving her lidless cup at her mother "Dink Mommy" she said, indicating her cup was empty. Brennan smiled "Yes. It's all gone. You mustn't take the lid off Christine" she said taking the cup from Christine and retrieving the lid from the floor. She walked back to the fridge and refilled the cup for her daughter, making sure the lid was on as tight as she could get it. "Perhaps that wasn't such a great game Booth" she said. He finished cleaning the table. "Pretty sure that was just an accident Bones. I doubt she could do it again" But he sat down and kept a close eye on Christine as she drank her juice.

The phone started to ring. Brennan stood up and answered "Hello? Dr Temperance Brennan speaking" she answered formally. Booth glanced up smirking. "Yes. OK. I'll just get him" she turned and walked over to him, holding the phone out "It's your orthopaedic surgeon" she said, her eyebrows raised. Booth felt his face redden as he grabbed the phone. He turned his back on her as he replied, walking past her into the living room. "Booth" he said shortly. Brennan sat with Christine, trying not to listen, but her natural curiosity causing her to strain to hear him.

Booth walked back into the kitchen, replacing the phone as he came towards her. He sat down at the table and picked up his glass and drank its contents. She continued staring at him, waiting. Finally he looked up at her "Fine! OK. I made an appointment at the surgeon about my knee. You were right. It was getting worse. I need to go in for surgery." Brennan's mouth turned down at the corners. "So why didn't you tell me. I mean, it's been clear that your knee has been worrying you, but every time I tried to bring up the subject you literally shut me down." she said, disappointment showing in both her face and voice.

Booth felt his face burn. She was right. Hell, she's always right he thought. He hated being pushed into things. And right now, his body was pushing him towards surgery at an alarming rate. He knew he couldn't put it off any longer. The pain in his knee was becoming almost unbearable at times. He tried hard not to limp, but the mental effort of remembering was just exhausting.

"When?" she asked simply. Booth placed is glass on the table, spinning it slowly. "Next week". Brennan looked surprised "That's quick! What are they going to do?" He shrugged "I don't know. The usual stuff I guess. Remove some bone fragments that are floating around. Trim the cartilage that is torn. You know. Clean it up. Hopefully it will help." he said. Brennan nodded. He continued "But you know, nothing is for sure. I'm just hoping there's nothing else wrong. They did say that this won't help the arthritis in the knee. It will just help with the immediate pain I've been having. I'll just have to wait and see how I pull up"

Brennan sucked her bottom lip. "That's usually day surgery, isn't it?" she asked. Booth nodded "Yeah, although they said maybe an extra day." He was hoping it would only be the day surgery. He hated being in hospital. She stood up and took Christine's empty cup from her and walked to the sink. "And how long off work?" She knew that this would be the hard bit. Booth would think that he was able to go back the next day. And then he'd be hobbling around on it, hindering the healing process, all because of his stupid macho bravado.

"Oh, I should be back at work a day or two later" he said. She smiled to herself. She casually walked back and sat on his lap, pushing him back in his seat. She kissed him lightly, playing with his hair. "So who's going to do it?" she asked absently leaning across the table and wiping Christine's chin. "Doctor Roberts. He operated on it about six years ago." he said absently, completely unaware that he had just delivered the information she was looking for. "So he knows you then, that's nice" she said sweetly, kissing his cheek and thinking he's so easy

"Doctor King, yes hello." Brennan spoke into the phone. "This is Dr Temperance Brennan. Yes! I'm very well. And you and your family? Wonderful. The reason for my call is, my partner Seeley Booth is seeing one of your colleagues, Doctor Roberts. Yes. Well I was wondering if you would be available to give a second opinon as a favour to me. You would? That's wonderful. Thank you so much!" Brennan smiled to herself as she gave Booth's details to the surgeon, making an appointment with him for the afternoon. "Yes, we'll see you then. And thanks again Michael, I really appreciate you fitting him in." She hung up the phone satisfied. Now, I just need to get him there

Booth was waiting on the kerb when Brennan pulled up. He got into the car. "So, what's the emergency?" he asked putting on his seatbelt. She smiled and pulled away from the kerb. "Well. If you must know. We're on our way to see a friend of mine." Booth frowned "What friend?" She glanced at him, "Oh, he's just a doctor friend of mine."

"Yes, but why are we seeing him?" he asked again. Brennan took a breath "He's one of the top orthopaedic surgeons in town and I wanted him to meet you and perhaps give you a second opinion." Booth's mouth dropped open "You what? Bones! I don't need you to find me a doctor. I have a surgeon, and he's doing my surgery next week!" his voice raised slightly.

"I know, but Booth, he's top in his field, and I would feel much happier knowing that the person slicing you open was the best" she said, frowning at him. "Bones, for God's sake, watch the road!" he shouted as she started to cross the centre of the road. She pulled the car back quickly "Well, you shouldn't yell at me while I'm driving!" she shouted back. "Just pull over. Bones, pull over will you?" he said loudly, but not shouting. She was the worst driver when she was under stress.

"Look, Booth. I don't want you to just be operated on by anybody!" she tried to explain. He covered his face with his hand, rubbing at his skin roughly. "Bones." he said, dropping his hand and looking at her. He started to soften as he saw the concern in her face. She really loved him and just wanted the best for him. He got that. "Bones, I really really appreciate you trying to help. But you can't just go and make appointments behind my back. If you wanted to me see this other guy, you should have asked me." he explained, mindful that she was close to tears.

Brennan looked at him, her eyes glistening "I know. But you are usually such a, a." she was hunting for the right word "Such a bulldog about things" she said eventually. "Booths eyebrows raised, he struggled to keep from laughing "A bulldog? Really. A bulldog." he repeated. She tilted her head "Yes! You just get a hold of things and you won't let go" she said, desperate for him to understand.

Booth sat for a moment staring at her. He knew exactly what she meant. He swallowed down the laughter tripping around his lips. "Bones. Come here." He pulled her to him, which ended up being awkward due to them both still wearing seatbelts. "Look. I'll see this surgeon, for you. But. Unless he tells me something that I don't already know, I'm going to have the surgery next Tuesday as planned. By my own surgeon. OK?" He stared at her, holding her chin in his fingers.

She sucked on her bottom lip watching his mouth say the words. "OK?" he repeated. She looked up into his eyes. She knew he was right of course. She just got a bee in her bonnet and thought that she knew better. She knew he was right, to a point. And at least he was agreeing to see her friend. "OK" she agreed, nodding.

Booth leaned in and kissed her lips "OK. Let's go see this genius" he said, smiling, knowing full well that he would be in surgery on Tuesday with his own doctor.

Brennan smiled, and pulled the car back into the traffic and headed towards the specialists rooms, knowing full well that he would change his mind once he spoke to Dr King.