New post...sorry it took so long, but this should fufill your fluff quota for quite sometime...I hope :))

Brennan woke up leisurely. She hadn't done that in years. Usually there was no time to sleep. She woke up every morning on the dot at 7:30. Or at least that's when Chloe and Sam woke up. It was an obvious given that they would wake her up only moments after they sprung from their beds.

She didn't blame them. They were 3. They didn't have any idea that maybe adults needed to sleep. So no matter what crazy hour of the night Brennan poured herself into bed, she would get up almost at the crack of dawn.

Sometimes as they ran screaming into her room, she would mock cover her ears with the pillow, and wish for the future when they would become teenagers and she'd be the one dragging them out of bed. If only.

She had woken up at 7; Booth's arm's still wrapped firmly around her, pulling her close to him in his sleep. She had listened half-heartedly if the twins had woken up. It was silent in the apartment, and she had decided that was good enough and fallen asleep again quickly.

When she had woken up again two hours later, without Booth next to her, she had been so tired and comfortable that her eyes had fought to stay open, and she had fallen back asleep.

Now, as she turned over, the sheets still entwined around her body, which was bare except for Booth's large t-shirt, she was surprised to see 10:34 flashing quietly on the alarm clock next to her bed.

She quickly jumped out of bed, running a hand through her hair which was still messy from last night with Booth. She smiled subconsciously as she thought about it.

It was amazing. Being with Booth, I forgot what it was like.

Quickly the smile disappeared from her face as the idea set in that Booth was in fact, missing. He shouldn't have left that quickly, without even saying goodbye. Maybe he decided that this wasn't a good idea. That he doesn't want me.

He promised. He promised he wouldn't leave me again.

She grabbed a pair of jeans, pulling them on quickly, and throwing Booth's t-shirt off, grabbing a sweatshirt, as she hurried out of her bedroom to find where exactly Chloe and Sam were.

Pulling her messy hair into a ponytail, she stopped short when she entered the rest of the apartment, taken aback by what she was seeing.

It wasn't bad, but she intentionally leaned back behind the door frame and watched where she knew they couldn't see her.

He didn't leave.

She felt a wave of relief wash over her, as she watched Booth and Parker teach Chloe and Sam how to make pancakes.

Brennan wasn't emotional. She could be faraway, cold, and distant with the best of them. She was a pro at hiding what she was feeling, but in that moment she almost felt like crying. Good tears, but crying none the less.

It was like nothing had changed. She watched as Booth helped Sam spoon the thick creamy batter onto the hot griddle, and Sam's elation as the pancake sizzled and turned a perfect golden brown when Booth flipped it with ease.

Chloe eagerly tapped Parker on the shoulder, who looked like he was having a great time. He graciously helped Chloe throw chocolate chips onto her pancakes, while she clapped her hands together hugging Parker tightly.

Brennan wondered whether or not Parker had caught on that he and Chloe and Sam might possibly be related. Parker was a smart kid, and Brennan wouldn't be surprised if he didn't suspect something.

She watched for a couple more minutes, and flinched when a thick wave of guilt flowed over her and settled itself on her shoulders. They should have had this before. It was her fault that they didn't have there father. She felt almost as bad as her own parents.

Chloe and Sam deserved to have Booth. She was sad that he had missed the beginning of their lives. She tried to reassure herself. It wasn't really her fault. It wasn't anybodies.

I can't change the past. But I can change the future. I want Booth in it.

Deciding that she had acted like a stalker for long enough, Brennan emerged from behind the door, making herself visible as she walked into the kitchen.

Booth noticed her first and grinned broadly. "Morning Bones. Did you sleep well?"

She could see the mischievous glint in his eyes, and she smiled back at him. "Very well thanks."

Chloe and Sam looked up, smiling widely when they saw their mom, the quickly jumped off the stools that they were standing on, almost shoving Booth over in the process, and abandoning their pancake-making endeavors to run and catapult themselves into Brennan's arms.

"Mommy! Good morning!"

Brennan hugged them tightly, before letting them down as they pulled her across the kitchen back to Booth.

"Mommy, mommy guess what? Boof helped us make pwancakes, see!"

Sam interjected his sister, not wanting to be left out of the story telling. "First we goes to pick up Pawker, and the Boof is teaching us how!"

Brennan nodded in approval, smiling at how excited by this prospect they were. They clearly already adored Booth, so she didn't have to worry about that.

"Do you want to show me what you made?"

They nodded in heavy enthusiasm as they pulled her around the counter to show off their handiwork. As they were having difficulties climbing up the stool which Booth helped them with, Brennan ruffled Parker's hair, smiling widely at him.

"Hey Park."

Parker grinned at her as he simultaneously flipped the pancakes on the griddle. The little boy was already so much like his father. It was something to be proud of.

"Hi Dr. Bones."

"Mommy! Look at my pwancakes!"

Chloe glared at her brother, trying to elbow him out of the way. "No mommy look at mine first!"

Brennan threw a smile at Parker, before she found her way to their pancakes, which happened to be right next to Booth.

"I'll look at both, alright. At the exact same time." Brennan emphasized the word exact so that they would know she wasn't choosing one over the other. She could and would never choose.

They both sighed in relief, and she saw out of the corner of her eyes Sam shoot Chloe a smile of satisfaction.

As she was studying the slightly lopsided, but perfectly golden brown pancakes, she felt Booth wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. She looked up at him, and smiled, and she smiled back at her, placing a soft kiss on her temple.

She had missed this. Just "being" with him. She sort of forgot how to do it. And how easy it was. Just being.

"Mommy how do the look?"

Brennan leaned into Booth, smiling at the one Mickey Mouse shaped pancake that she assumed was Sam's and the giant one almost taking up half the griddle that was Chloe's. They might not be the most attractive things in the world, but she was sure as he11 that they tasted good.

Booth had always been amazing at making pancakes, and as her stomach clued her into the fact that she was starving, she could think of nothing more than devouring one of those pancakes.

"Great. They look great." She pointed to the Mickey Mouse-ish one, "That's Mickey right?"

Sam nodded happily at his mother's recognition. She pointed to the giant one. "And that's yours Chlo?"

She nodded, "Yes, it's the worwld mommy."

Brennan smoothed the little girl's hair, as she stared up at her mother in expectation with her huge brown eyes.

"Of course it is babe."

Chloe grinned, and then tugged at Booth's shirt in anxiety. "Boof! I think they're ready!"

Booth avoided laughing at the little girl's apparent sincerity about the pancakes as he flipped them off the hot griddle and onto the waiting plates.

"Thanks Boof!"

Booth smiled as they scampered off to the table, plates in hand, and Parker followed quickly behind with the forks, syrup, and most importantly the napkins.

"Don't forget to cut the pancakes before you eat them!"

They nodded with as much sincerity as they could muster before digging into the pancakes.

"We will mommy!"

Brennan laughed, and turned back to Booth, who was pouring more batter onto the griddle. She crossed her arms over her chest in mock irritation.

"I'm disappointed. Where are my pancakes?"

He grinned, pulling her close to him, and tracing light kisses on her neck before he tilted her chin, catching her lips in his.

He pulled away to make sure the pancakes didn't burn, leaving her lips tingling with the sensation of his kiss. "I'm making a special batch for you."

"Good."

Grinning, she hoisted herself onto the counter, knocking her bare heels against the wood. She reminded herself of Chloe. Some traits are inherited.

"Booth."

He looked up at her, flipping the pancakes with effortlessness that she wished she possessed in the kitchen.

"Yes Bones?"

"Last night was great," She blushed, and bit her lip. "I missed you."

He grinned at her embarrassment, flipping off the fire on the grill so the pancakes wouldn't burn as he moved in front of her, placing a hand on either side of the counter where she was sitting.

"I'm not finished. I thought that you had left. That you decided that you didn't want this." She looked down, concentrating on the hard wood floor.

Booth frowned, sliding a hand behind her head, tracing the back of her neck with his fingers so she wouldn't be able to look away from him like she always did when she was unsure.

"Hey look at me Bones. I know that this is hard, but I need you to trust me ok? That's not going to happen again. I'm not going anywhere."

She looked up, instantly comforted by his eyes that were drinking her in with curiosity.

"I know. I want to trust you Booth, but it's going to take a little while. I just need time."

He caressed her cheek with his thumb, smiling reassuringly at her. "You can have as much time as you need Babe. However long it takes."

She smiled widely at the pet name he had addressed her with. She hadn't heard that out of Booth's mouth for years, and as much as she had begun to object it, she had missed it.

Leaning up, she kissed him softly, finding solace from being in his arms. From his touch. He had always been able to give that to her, and she couldn't imagine ever wanting to give it up.

She pulled back smiling, and tilted her head to where Chloe, Sam, and Parker were eagerly wolfing down their pancakes.

"I don't know how to tell them Booth. About us. About you being their father."

Booth smiled. "Bones, they're 3. I don't think you're going to have much trouble."

She smiled widely, her eyebrows raised. "Oh now I get to tell them by myself? Don't you think they're gonna want an explanation from you."

He reached over, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Bones, you're over thinking this. They're 3 year olds, not rocket scientists. They'll be happy to have someone new in their life."

Brennan shrugged, trying to follow Booth's logic. "They already love you."

She was happy when Booth's face brightened. "Really?"

She laughed at his obvious obliviousness. "Of course. All they can talk about it Booth this and Booth that. They were never this enthusiastic about any of my boyfriends," She frowned, "In fact I think they booby trapped them."

Booth laughed, and then studied her with curiosity. "How many boyfriend did you have Bones?"

She glared at him playfully. "Don't say it like that. One, you probably don't want to know, and two, none of them lasted long. I'm not going to lie to you about what happened while you were gone," She smiled at him, "You're just going to have to trust me."

He groaned as she used his words against him. He hated it when she did that; it drove him crazy to no end.

He kissed her gently, cupping her face in his hands. "How about we just don't talk about what happened when I was gone? Ok?"

She nodded. She wanted to put the past behind them. She wanted to start over.

"Ok."

He kissed her again, and he could feel her smiling into the kiss. Something only Bones did. He loved it.

"I will tell you one thing though."

"Shoot." Booth wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to hear about her exploits with the opposite sex, but he wanted her to trust him.

"For the first time since you've been gone, I'm happy again."

He smiled, knowing it took a lot for her to say something like that. Leaning in and kissing her gently, he whispered softly in her ear.

"That's all I want."

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him, for the first time, feeling as if there was someone who cared about her.

He always cared about her.

I'm happy too Bones.

They're happy...B+BHAPPINESS...now make me happy and press the little blue button ;)