Cam wasn't stupid, and she wasn't blind, and despite the way Angela, Hodgins, Booth, and Brennan kept dodging her these days like they had a secret they couldn't let her in on, she knew she was trustworthy enough to hear the truth. It had been like this since Angela left. Booth stopped by more often. Brennan spent more time in her office and no longer worked late nights. There had been that odd request from Booth that Cam spend more time making sure Brennan didn't get herself into toxic chemicals, which proved to be a completely ridiculous request because every time Cam asked Brennan about chemicals, Brennan had already safeguarded herself against them. When Hodgins or Booth visited Brennan's office, they shut the door behind them. It was only Angela's third day back, and Cam could already tell that she was in on the secret, too, by the hushed conversations that ended when Cam entered a room and began again when she left.

But those were just behavioral changes. Cam was highly observant. Brennan had gained weight and she was trying to hide it. Was she sick? Did she have some kind of medical condition? Was she feeling overworked?

The only conclusion Cam could come to was that Brennan was suffering from some kind of ailment that was reducing her ability or desire to work, was now contemplating leaving the Jeffersonian, and didn't want Cam to know. Perhaps Brennan believed Cam would be upset with her. She'd let all the others know for support, but not her boss. As time went on, Cam was becoming more and more impatient.

It was time to get a handle on the situation.

She found Brennan leaning over the backlit examination table in the bone room, analyzing the bones with Clark's help. She wore her standard blue labcoat, and from Cam's current angle, she could discern nothing out of the ordinary.

"Dr. Edison, may I have a few minutes alone with Dr. Brennan?"

Clark set the ulna he was holding back on the table and looked to Brennan for an answer. She nodded, so Clark began taking his gloves off as he said, "I'll be revising the catalogue of the injuries with what we've discussed here, Dr. Brennan." He walked from the room, leaving the lab's alpha females alone.

"Dr. Brennan."

"Yes?" She did not look at Cam, but continued her examination of the metacarpal she was holding.

Cam took a deep breath and made her way across the room until she came to the position Clark had recently vacated. She took a quick glance at the doorway to make sure Clark had fully departed before beginning. "Is there something going on that I don't know about?"

Brennan did not look up from the examination table as she began her answer, "There are many things going here that you may not know about." Here her face rose to meet Cam's gaze. "Despite your constant reminders to keep you in the loop, each of us is primarily self-initiating when it comes to our work and we require little maintenance to complete assigned tasks. As far as specifics go, I believe Hodgins may be conducting an unauthorized experiment involving pancake batter—"

Cam held her hands up to stop Brennan's explanation. "Not exactly what I meant, Dr. Brennan." She placed her hands on the table, unconsciously running her fingertips along its edge. "I don't mean to pry into your personal life, but I'm not blind. I can see that something is going on here. Everyone tiptoeing around me, making sure not to give away some secret, and I know the secret is about you. I don't know if there is a medical condition you're trying to hide, but I can assure you, whatever it is, it is okay to tell me. I may be your boss, but I'm also your friend."

Brennan gulped, braced her hands against the table, and looked Cam straight in the eyes. "I'm pregnant."

Cam blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I am currently gestating. With child. I will be requiring approximately six weeks off around the end of this year, beginning of the next, when the baby comes."

Cam's gestures became unusually pronounced as she struggled to find words to communicate what she was thinking. "Wait, wait, no, back up. You're pregnant… right now? Right, you're currently…"

"You appear to be experiencing difficulty accepting this as fact. I am still of child bearing age; there are no medical issues that would prevent me from conceiving."

"Yes, I know that, Dr. Brennan. It's just, the last time you announced you were having a baby, you weren't actually pregnant."

"I can show you the ultrasound." Brennan made a motion to begin taking her gloves off.

"No, no, that won't be necessary, I believe you. Does Booth know?" She asked, stressing his name.

"Yes, of course." Brennan said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Naturally, Cam had been initially inclined to believe this would be Booth's child, but something in Brennan's tone of voice set off a lightbulb in Cam's head, confirming without a shadow of doubt in her mind that such was the case. She voiced this revelation aloud, no uncertainty in her tone, "Booth's the father."

Brennan's voice cracked, "Yes…"

Cam's eyes lit up as she pounded her fists onto the examination table. "It's about damn time!" Cam hardly noticed Brennan's confused expression in her excitement. "That's why Booth told me to keep close watch on you! Duh! Why didn't I see this? Here, do you need me to get a stool for you?" Cam retrieved a stool from the corner of the room as she spoke, bringing it with her as she approached Brennan. "You shouldn't be standing up so much."

"Thank you, Cam." Brennan stated as she awkwardly pulled herself up onto the stool.

Cam's gaze dropped to Brennan's midsection, but the labcoat covered up any signs of a bump. "How far along are you?"

"Fourteen weeks."

Brennan was nearing on four months pregnant and was just now telling her? "Wow. You two have been… and… for fourteen weeks? And no one knew?" If Brennan was fourteen weeks pregnant, then surely the two had been together longer than that. Cam found it almost impossible to fathom that Booth had been able to control his natural inclinations toward public displays of affection for that length of time, and the tone of her voice betrayed it.

Brennan spoke softly, "Cam, I—"

The grin simply would not fade from Cam's face. She gestured, hands and forearms toward Brennan. "I am just so happy for you two, Dr. Brennan. I know you've wanted this for a long time, and so has Seeley."

Brennan spoke much more loudly this time, in an exasperated tone. "Cam, I'm trying to tell you something!"

"What?" Her smile faded. "Oh, my God, is there something wrong? Something else is going on?"

"Cam! I'm fine, but, Booth… did not want you to know about our relationship status."

"What?" Cam's brow furrowed and she shifted backward a few inches. "Why not?"

"The plan is to tell the FBI the fetus was conceived via artificial insemination. Booth seems inclined to believe such a ruse will decrease the likelihood of the FBI severing our partnership. He was worried the more people who knew the truth, the greater the chance of discovery."

"So he doesn't trust me all of a sudden?"

"No, Cam, I do not believe he is behaving entirely rationally regarding this subject."

Cam smiled. "Of course not, Dr. Brennan. Booth is hardly ever rational." She shook her head, "Especially not when it involves you."

Brennan sighed and relaxed into a more comfortably slouched position on the stool. "I find I am relieved that you know the truth."

"Me, too." Cam reached out a hand and placed it on Brennan's shoulder, squeezing lightly. She knew Brennan would likely appreciate a hug, but the emotion of the moment overtook Cam. She began the physical contact by placing a hand on Brennan's shoulder, squeezing lightly, which she soon snaked around Brennan's back in a warm gesture. Much to her relief, Brennan hugged her neck in response. "Congratulations, Dr. Brennan. If you need anything at all, let me know. I mean it." As she began out the doorway, "Should I send Clark back in?"

"Yes, that would be beneficial."

"Seeley."

Booth looked up to see Cam in his office doorway, hands on her hips. He mimicked her tone, "Camille."

"Don't call me Camille." Cam said with a smirk.

"Don't call me Seeley," Booth answered customarily, matching Cam's inflection and facial expression. "To what do I owe this visit?"

A warm smile spread across Cam's face as she shut the door and approached Booth's desk.

"Why do you look so happy? Did I do something wrong?"

She stopped a few feet from his desk, but did not take a seat. "Seeley, I'm a woman, and I just found out two of my closest friends are having a baby together. I'm on cloud nine. I can't help it." Her smile widened.

Booth stood. "She told you?"

"She told me that she's pregnant. I figured out you two were together on my own." She paused and her tone turned more serious. "Seeley, are you really telling the FBI she got pregnant by artificial insemination?"

"I just want to play it safe, Cam."

"Sure. Fine. Whatever. But you and I both know you can't keep up this ploy forever. They will find out, and when they do, it's going to all come crashing down around your ears. I know you. You're going to want to live with her, if you aren't doing so already. If past relationships are any indication, you're going to want to propose."

"I'm not doing that this time." Booth growled immediately, volume low and voice emanating from deep within his chest.

Cam scoffed, "I'll believe that when I see it." She softened, "The point is, someone is going to notice. Who knows," she shrugged her arms, "maybe you can keep your relationship a secret until she has the baby. Then what? You're not going to leave her alone. How will you explain to the FBI why you're living with her, with the baby?"

"Cam, I know this isn't a permanent fix. I know I will eventually have to tell the truth here, but right now, I think this is the best decision. Bones' life is already changing so much, so fast, and if our partnership ends, too, I don't know that she can handle it."

"You know what I can't handle, Seeley?" She took two steps closer to his desk, pointing a finger at his chest as she continued, "If you do this wrong, if you push her too far, if you leave her, if you do anything that makes her believe you've betrayed her, whether or not you actually have, she will run. She will run so far, so fast. And you know what? I'm selfish. I'll have to find a new forensic anthropologist, and there aren't any even remotely near Dr. Brennan's abilities. But it's more than that. I will lose a friend. Probably two, because I…"Cam's voice caught in her throat. She swallowed and looked down, away from Booth's gaze.

Booth made his way around the desk. He assured her, "Cam, I'm not gonna leave her. Or betray her. Or any of those things. I promise."

Cam looked up again. "Good. You sound sincere." She paused and chanced a smile before her expression once again reverted to a serious state. "Have you talked to her about why you wanted this kept a secret? Why you want to tell the FBI this bogus artificial insemination story? Because, knowing Dr. Brennan, she may view you wanting to hide your actual relationship as a betrayal in and of itself."

"Of course we've talked about it. She knows I would never do that."

"I think you should make sure of that. I might be inclined to think so, if I was her."

Nothing was said between the friends for a handful of moments as each appeared to think about the conversation that had just taken place. Slowly, a dreamy smile crept back onto Cam's face.

"You're smiling again," Booth observed, smirking.

Cam's smile only widened. "You two are going to have the cutest babies."

All emotion drained from Booth's face in an instant. His eyes widened and jaw dropped. "Babies? Plural? Do you know something I don't know?"

Cam merely sustained her all-knowing smile. "Congratulations, Seeley." She gave him a quick hug, which he, in his perplexity, did not return, and then left his office, leaving behind a bewildered Seeley Booth.

"Sweets." Booth guided Brennan into Sweets' office by the forearm. Before Sweets had even had opportunity to turn around, the duo was already making themselves comfortable on the couch. Booth propped his feet up on the coffee table while Brennan slouched somewhat uncharacteristically into the armrest nearest her.

"By all means, make yourselves at home." Sweets gestured to Booth's feet as he made his way from his desk to his customary armchair. "I have a session scheduled to begin in five minutes, but you two are welcome to stay until then."

"Your session is cancelled."

"No it isn't. I just spoke to the patient fifteen minutes ago; he said he was on his way."

"We'll leave, then. C'mon, Bones." Booth jerked his feet from the coffee table and began the motion of standing.

Brennan grabbed Booth's cuff and tugged downward. She whispered, "Booth, no, we have to tell him."

He leaned forward, bracing his hands against the back of the couch. "Play along, Bones."

Brennan's eyes lit up with recognition of Booth's ploy. "Oh…" She smiled and allowed Booth to help her off the couch. They made their way to the door. Booth had opened it and was ushering Brennan out before Sweets finally snapped to his senses.

Booth and Brennan heard a loud exhalation behind them, followed by Sweets calling to them, "Fine! My next session is cancelled! What do you two need from me?"

Booth could not help but grin victoriously as they turned to discover Sweets now standing, shins resting against the coffee table, arm outstretched toward the door as if it could pull them back in. His hand dropped slowly under their gaze, and he tucked both hands into his pockets.

"We just need a few minutes of your shrinky, undivided attention," Booth explained as he and Brennan settled themselves back into their previous positions on the couch.

Sweets' eyes shifted quickly between the pair sitting on his couch, searching for further clues in their countenances. He settled into his chair and crossed his legs before asking, "Well?"

"I'm pregnant."

Booth's head jerked to Brennan, mouth slightly agape and brow knotted. He thought he was going to tell Sweets. "What?"

"What?" Brennan asked incredulously.

Booth leaned close to her and whispered through tight lips, "I thought I was gonna tell him."

Following Booth's lead, Brennan also whispered. "I'm the one that's pregnant. I should be the one to tell him."

Booth was unsure as to whether or not Brennan was acting, but their hushed conversation was interrupted by Sweets' uncharacteristically high pitched voice.

"Stop! What?"

"I'm pregnant."

Sweets' mouth was agape and his brown eyes wide. "How… how did this happen?"

"Traditionally, pregnancy is the result of sexual intercourse—"

"Bones!" Booth extended an arm to grab her knee, effectively halting her explanation. "What happened to me doing the talking here?"

"You weren't saying anything!"

"You didn't give me a chance!"

"Stop! Stop doing that! Stop shutting me out! Talk to me! What is going on here?"

Brennan stared at Booth pointedly, waiting for him to respond. He did, calmly repeating a previous statement. "Bones is pregnant."

Sweets looked like he wanted to say something, mouth opening and closing pointlessly while his brow knitted and unknitted at random intervals. Finally, his gaze settled on Brennan's belly. His dark brows relaxed as his eyes opened even wider and his mouth dropped open in shock. There were a few moments of silence in the room before Sweets finally licked his lips, swallowed, and continued, gaze not wavering from Brennan as he spoke, "Are you… a couple?"

"No," Brennan answered succinctly, without pausing to think.

Booth found himself inadvertently asking, "No?" As soon as he realized what he had said, he covered with a resounded, "No!" directed at Sweets.

Sweets raised one of his already raised eyebrows even higher. "Who is the father?"

Booth looked at Brennan before speaking up. She seemed rather content to let him do the talking this time, leaning back into the couch, arms crossed over her chest and lips firmly pressed together.

"She used… my… stuff."

Sweets leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, cradling his head in his hands.

"Are you okay?" Booth asked.

Sweets shook his head, slowly at first but with accelerating velocity. In culmination, he lifted his head from his hands and exclaimed, "No! No, I am not okay! I should never have allowed you two to quit couples counseling! Do you two not see everything that has gone wrong between you since we quit? You split up – each of you travelled halfway across the world to get away from the other, for God's sake! You come back, Agent Booth, with a girlfriend you parade around like she's a showpiece, and you, Dr. Brennan, act like everything's just fine. Then, you propose to her, and… and you act like nothing at all happened! You won't talk to each other, you won't talk to me so I can help you get through this, and now… Can't you two see that you have used each other? In a time of emotional stress, you have each sought to give the other what they want, without actually giving them what they want. Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth, still recovering from the stress of a previous relationship, could not deny your request because he didn't want to lose you as a friend or… whatever you two call yourselves. And Agent Booth, you should never have agreed anyway because, because…"

Sweets paused, collecting himself and, it seemed by the way he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, preparing himself for his upcoming assertion. "Because I still believe that you are in love." He paused and his brow crinkled, as if he expected one of them to counter his comment. As neither of them did, he said nothing for a good few seconds, staring them down, daring them to respond. Booth and Brennan glanced at each other, but said nothing. "Don't you two have anything to say to that?" he finally asked, growing impatient.

Booth tried to think of what he should say in this situation. Should he deny his love for Brennan? Hardly. Even if their ploy had been the actual situation, he would never have denied what he felt for her. So, in response to Sweets' accusation, Booth merely raised his eyebrows and casted a hesitant glance upon Brennan. "Well…"

Much to Booth's appreciation, Brennan interrupted him before he could say anything incriminating. "In the contextual extent of your words, you are correct. Of course we love each other."

Booth instinctually asked, in almost a whisper, "Bones?"

"There is more than one meaning to the word love, Booth. You and I share what the Greek called philia," when Booth gave her a confused look, she explained, "the brotherly love, or friendship love."

"Oh." Booth felt his heart fall into his stomach. He had momentarily believed Brennan had just professed her love to him, which was not a line they had even begun to cross. Booth was hesitant to rush her into anything like that, recalling the last time he'd offered her an ultimatum for which she had not been prepared.

"I disagree, Dr. Brennan. To continue with your reference to the four Greek words for love, I would argue that you two obviously share eros love."

Both Sweets and Brennan looked at Booth, who lowered his eyebrows and crinkled his upper lip in a quizzical expression. "I don't know Greek, you two."

"Passionate, romantic love." Brennan explained. "Sweets, while I acknowledge that you are inclined to your own professional opinion on this matter, I assure you, Booth and I do not view each other in that manner. Booth was not by any means forced into this situation. I would never do that to him, and your suggesting otherwise, that I took advantage, was uncalled for. While we may not fit your definition of a healthy friendship and partnership, I assure you, that is just what we have."

Sweets raised his hands defensively. "Okay, okay, I believe you. You think you're fine. But now you're adding a baby to that relationship? Friendship? Whatever? Are you going to raise the child together? Live together?" When Brennan was silent, Sweets added, "Dr. Brennan?"

Booth intervened. "Sweets, too far."

"No, I disagree, Agent Booth. These are important variables in your partnership and it is vital that I assess–"

"Sweets, the only thing that matters here is how we work together! Nothing else! Bones having a baby is not going to change our work quality, aside from her needing to be more careful in the field!"

"But how you two work together will be affected by your—"

Booth, becoming increasingly agitated by Sweets' probing, exclaimed, "We're not perfect! We don't have everything figured out yet, Sweets!"

"Maybe you should start figuring it out, then. Since you have so kindly dropped this information upon me, I am now in the position to gauge whether or not your relationship changes have made you unfit for duty. If you cannot answer them, I must assume the worst."

"Sweets, you can't break us apart for this! We're not disobeying any rules here!"

"Booth." Brennan placed a hand on Booth's lower thigh, much like he had to her earlier during their conversation. Booth looked up into her tranquil blue eyes and felt himself immediately calming down. "He's not saying he's going to split us up, Booth. He simply desires information regarding how we are handling this situation. It's okay." She then addressed Sweets, "We don't know everything just yet, but we do not anticipate any relationship changes that would adversely affect our work, aside from my obvious decline of fieldwork. If you require it, I would be open to resuming therapy so that you can assess the changes in our work. I would assume Booth would also be open to the possibility."

Well, no, Booth really wasn't open to that possibility, but he didn't have a choice. "I'd be fine with that." He lied, but not for the first time today by any means.

Sweets acquiesced hesitantly. "I… suppose we can pick this up later." He pulled a planner from the nearby corner table and flipped a few pages. "Next Wednesday afternoon at three? Would that work for both of you?"

There was mutual nodding, although Booth did grumble something about twelve year olds under his breath.

"Excellent. My scheduled patient is waiting outside the door, so if you…" Both Booth and Brennan stood up and began to the door before Sweets even finished. "Wait! I… I don't believe I said… Congratulations, Dr. Brennan."

"Thank you, Sweets." She glanced to Booth, a eyes twinkling with the knowledge the two of them shared but Sweets did not. He responded with a little smile, opened the door for her, and with his hand gently pressed against one shoulder blade, ushered her out.