Brennan was walking around the corridors of the hospital, stopping every ten minutes to catch her breath as another contraction gripped her body. I suppose I could have just gone home and waited for things to speed up she thought randomly. But of course, her doctor had advised her to come to hospital at the first sign of labour due to the twins. First baby may take hours. Second baby will be only minutes. She reminded herself as she returned to her birthing suite.
It was a large room. A comfortable queen sized bed on one side, with a variety of pillows and cushions. A book case full of novels and magazines. A large bath in the corner of the room, for those that opted for a water birth, or just a warm bath. There was also a door that led into a private bathroom with toilet and shower. Three large recliners, in case she had anyone who wanted to stay with her and needed to grab a few hours sleep, and a flat screen tv mounted on the wall. Except, she didn't have anyone with her. She was alone. And as much as she didn't want to admit it. She was a little scared and lonely.
She settled herself into one of the recliners and picked up the remote and turned on the TV, flicking through stations until she settled on a scientific documentary. She had almost dropped off to sleep when she was abruptly brought out of her comfortable state.
"Bones! Bones! Mom!" a young man's voice echoed in the corridor. Brennan looked up from the magazine she was reading to see Parker coming through the door of her room.
"Bones! God, I found you! I thought I'd never find your room!" he announced walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her. "How's things then?" he said, a faint tinge of an English burr in his voice.
"Well, things are coming along nicely, all things considered. I mean, I'm in labour two weeks earlier than anticipated, I'm in hospital instead of at my surprise going away party, and my husband is on another continent rather than here to see his babies being born." Brennan said.
Parker's eyebrows popped up . Brennan smiled "Oh yes. I know about the party. I overheard a conversation in the ladies room the other day. Poor Angela. She clearly wanted it to be a surprise. Well, I've turned the surprise around on all of them now, haven't I?"
"Parker!" Christine yelled happily as she entered the room with a nurse who had volunteered to take her to the bathroom to save Brennan the bother. She bounded across the room and threw her arms around Parker's waist. "You look bigger!" she exclaimed looking up at his face which seemed to be miles above hers.
Parker hooked his large hands under her armpits and hoisted her up to his eye level. "Hey! You got bigger too! Just look at you!" he said lowering her to the floor. "So. Am I still taking her to the lab?" he asked Brennan, who was blowing out a hard breath as she leaned forwards curling over her belly. Parker shuffled, trying not to look at her.
"Yes. Yes. Do that. And tell Angela that I'm hours away yet. I'll call her in the morning." Brennan said, "And tell her not to call Booth. I'll call him after the babies are delivered. He can't get here in time anyway. No point in worrying him." she said, a slight tinge of sadness in her voice. "I'll be fine Parker" she said, noticing his face. "I've done this before. And I wasn't even in a hospital with doctors and nurses last time. It's all going to be fine. Do you need money for the cab?"she asked.
Parker walked over to her and leaned down, kissing her on the top of the head and patting her arm "No. I've got money, thanks. We'll go now, if that's alright?" he said standing up straight and holding his hand out to Christine. "Come on short stuff. Do you have a bag or something?"
"Angela will go to our house on the way home and pick up some things for Christine. Oh! That reminds me. Grab my house keys from my purse. You'll need them to get in." she said smiling "Parker? "
Parker turned and looked at Brennan.
"Thank you. You're a good boy. Well, a young man now, really. Just like your father" she said nodding. "You be good for Parker and Aunty Angela, Christine. Just think! When I see you tomorrow, you'll be a big sister!" she added smiling brightly at her daughter who was pulling on Parker's hand to get him to the door.
"Bye Mommy!" she said, barely looking back. The excitement of spending time with her big brother, Aunty Angela, Uncle Jack and Michael was way more important than two siblings who were yet to be born.
"Bye Mom. Good luck with." Parker vaguely waved a hand around in her general direction "all of that. Stuff."
Brennan waved as they disappeared through the door, leaving her to deal with another, stronger contraction. "Oh. Oh God!" she exclaimed grabbing at her lower belly. Booth. Oh Booth. I wish you were here! Why aren't you here?
"Parker! Come here, let me look at you!" Angela screamed as Parker walked through the doors of the lab at the Jeffersonian Institute. She ran towards him, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him on the cheek. "Oh my god, you're so big! Tall. I mean tall, of course!" she corrected herself, watching him blush bright red. "You've changed so much! You know, I think you look more like your mother now. I'm surprised. I always thought you were going to be the image of your dad. Disappointing" she said randomly.
"Uh. Thanks?" Parker said. Not quite sure if he was just complimented or insulted.
"Parker? Hi! I'm your Dad's partner. Aubrey. James Aubrey" Aubrey said holding out a hand to Parker who grabbed it and found his arm pumped up and down quickly multiple times. "Good to meet you" he added, then squatted down and held out his arms "And here's my best girl" he said as Christine ran into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek "How's my mini B?" he asked her.
"I'm good Uncle James!" she cried out as he stood up, lifting her and settling her on his hip. "Glad you made it safely. How was the flight?" he asked Parker, as Christine absently traced her fingers around his ears, not seeming to mind at all.
"Long. I'm a bit tired. And of course the drama when I landed and got Brennan's message" he looked around seeing all the party decorations and people mingling with drinks in their hands. "So. Do they all know she's not coming now?" he asked.
Angela blew out a deep breath and shook her head "No. I haven't had the nerve to announce it yet. But now you're here?" she looked around.
"Where's Michael and Uncle Jack?" Christine asked suddenly.
Angela frowned, looking around "I don't know! I thought Uncle Jack would be here by now and Michael is home with his Grandpa." She said, a slight tone of irritation in her voice. "Aubrey? Have you seen Hodgins?"
James nervously looked around, his brain working overtime to come up with a cover story. "Uh. I. Err. He said. He. Was." His mind was drawing a blank. He was no good at lying on the fly.
He was saved by a loud voice.
"SURPRISE!"
Everybody in the room turned at looked at the doorway as Hodgins, followed by Booth, walked in and stood, his arms held out wide, an enormous grin on his face. His eyes were sparkling so brightly. "Look who I found wandering around downstairs!" he said loudly, looking around for Brennan. He scanned the room, not finding her. He walked over to Angela, his excitement turning to confusion.
"So. Where's Doctor B?" he asked, once again looking around the room.
"What is happening? Booth? Booth is here? How? When? What?" Angela was stammering. Her brain was having trouble processing what she was seeing.
"Angie, concentrate. Where's the woman of the hour?" he asked again.
Booth walked up and pushed past Hodgins, giving Angela a hug "Ang. How are you? And where's my wife?"
Angela was still lost for words. Her brain was spinning.
"Daddy!" Christine screamed, wriggling in James' arms. Aubrey put her down and she ran into her father's outstretched arms "Daddy! Daddy!"
Booth's eyes filled with tears as he stood up, his daughter clasped firmly to his body, his lips pressing hot kisses to her cheeks and forehead "Oh my baby. My baby girl! Daddy's home sweetie, Daddy's here!" he sobbed into her hair. He pulled back and looked into her face "So, pumpkin. Where's"
"Dad? Dad!" Parker interrupted him.
Booth's mouth dropped open. He put Christine down and took a step forwards then faultered. "Parker? Oh my God. Parker! Parker!" he ran over and almost knocked his son off his feet as he wrapped him in a bear hug. "Parker! What the hell are you doing here? I thought your mother. Ah hell, I don't even care what she said. Look at you! You're as tall as me! I can't believe it!" He pushed Parker out to arms length, looking him up and down, then pulled him close to him again, kissing him on the cheek "Oh my son. I'm so happy to see you."
"Daddy!" Christine was tugging on the bottom of his shirt. He stepped back from Parker and picked her up then pulled Parker back into a hug and stood with both his children held in his arms, tears coursing down his face. He coughed and wiped his tears on Parkers shoulder before standing up straight and looking around the room.
"Now where's my wife?" he asked.
Nobody answered. "Angela? Aubrey?" he asked "Come on! Where's Bones?"
The silence was deafening.
"Mommy's in the hospital and she said I'm going to have two new babies tomorrow" Christine's voice broke through the silence.
"What? WHAT?" Booth yelled. He turned to Hodgins "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, shaking his head.
"Man, It's totally news to me! I had no idea! I was at the airport picking you up." Hodgins said, his hands splayed.
Angela stepped forwards, laying her hand on his arm "She went into labour about three hours ago. I've talked to her on the phone. She didn't want anyone to call you because she knew you would worry that you couldn't get here in time. But you're here now! Booth, you're going to be able to be at their birth!" she said excitedly. Then slapped his arm "Why are you standing here? Get to the hospital!"
Booth started looking around the room "Keys! Somebody, give me car keys!"
Aubrey grabbed Booth's arm "I'll drive. You're in shock and probably jetlagged. I don't want you arriving at the hospital in an ambulance. Come on" he pulled Booth along.
Booth stopped long enough to grab Parker and hug him tightly "I can't believe you're here!" he said.
"I'll be here in the morning Dad. Go be with Mom" Parker said, grinning widely.
"I take back saying that you look like your mother. That smile is all Booth" Angela said, wrapping an arm around Parkers shoulders smiling as Booth and Aubrey ran out of the lab. "Bren is not going to believe this!" she murmured, then turned to Hodgins, and punched him in the arm "How could you keep this a secret from me?" she yelled.
"Owww" Hodgins yelled, grabbing at his arm "What did you do that for?" he yelled back.
"You kept this a secret from me!" she said, pointing at the door where Booth had just left.
"Yes. And you kept the fact that you're pregnant a secret from me!" he yelled, then his eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open.
"What?" Angela stepped back staring at him. "How did you find out. I wanted to surprise you." She said, her eyes welling up.
"Oh Angie, baby. I'm sorry. I sort of, found out by accident" he said, feeling terrible, seeing her cry.
Angela took a deep breath and closed her eyes, a wry smile creeping over her lips "Aubrey" she said.
Hodgins looked incredibly guilty "yes. But don't blame him. We had a misunderstanding and we sort of got our secrets muddled up and, well, he thought I knew about the baby and I thought he knew about Booth and we sort of blurted to each other." He said, then a wide grin broke over his face, making his eyes bright and sparkling "We're really having a baby?" he asked.
Angela's disappointment dissipated quickly as she saw the joy in his eyes. She nodded, unable to speak as he wrapped her up in a hug and spun her around, lifting her off her feet .
"We're having another baby!" Hodgins sang into her cheek, then stopped and looked around the room "Hey everyone! We're having a baby!" he yelled.
"Hodgins!" Angela shook her head, resigning herself to sharing the news with everyone.
"Are you having a baby tonight too Aunty Angela?" Christine asked, her little hand pulling on Angela's hand.
Angela and Jack burst out laughing "No Christine. Not tonight." Angela said.
"When are you due?" Hodgins asked quietly.
Angela smiled "not tonight."
Hodgins nodded and wiped his forehead dramatically "Phew! What a day! Three secrets in one night is definitely enough!" he said.
"Sweetie, I think you better let people know what's happening with Brennan" Angela said, noticing the crowd, milling around in groups staring at them.
Hodgins grabbed a chair, placed it in front of the bar, and stepped up onto it, his hands outstretched "People? Everyone? Uh, So you probably have noticed that Doctor B hasn't arrived. Truth is, she's not coming." He looked around as the crowd started murmuring "Well, she's in hospital having her babies, a couple of weeks earlier than expected. So, our surprise party was still a surprise, to everyone except her" he laughed at his own joke, not noticing that nobody else understood "So. Um, Thanks for coming. Thanks for your gifts. Angie and I will make sure that the Doc gets them all. I guess the only thing left to say is, uh. Raise your glasses and congratulations to Doctor B and Booth!" he cried out, holding up an imaginary glass in a toast. "Let's party!" he added brightly.
He stepped off the chair and shrugged "We might as well enjoy the night. It's all paid for. And we can't do anything to help Booth and Doctor B. Come on Parker, I think you and I deserve a drink"
"Hodgins! He's only fifteen!" Angela said, shocked that her husband would suggest that a teenager should have a drink.
Hodgins laughed and held up a bottle of cola. "I know! Come on Angie. I'm a dad. Plus, this is Booth's kid. I value my life"
Parker laughed and clinked his bottle against Hodgins. "You guys are funny. You know, Mom and Dad. Err, my stepdad. They let me have wine with dinner on special occasions. Plus I'll be legal drinking age in England next year. Well, legal in that I can drink if I'm out to dinner with my parents. I just can't buy alcohol until I'm eighteen."
"I wouldn't tell any of that to your Dad, Parker." Angela said shaking her head.
"Yeah. I know he's." Parker wobbled his head from side to side as her pondered his words "sensitive. About Mom and my stepdad, and the fact that they have pretty much all the say about my upbringing now."
"It's just because he loves you and misses you Sweetie. That's all." Angela said, patting Parker on the shoulder. But she really knew that Booth resented the fact that his son was literally hijacked and taken overseas, and away from him by Rebecca. He'd never forgive her for it, Brennan had told her.
"I know." Parker said. "Well. Let's toast! To two new siblings. I hope all goes well for Bones tonight and that we have healthy babies to visit in the morning"
"Here! Here!" Hodgins agreed holding up his drink. "And here's to my beautiful girl and our new baby too!" he said, hugging Angela to him!
They laughed and clinked their drinks and watched Christine dancing solo in the middle of the dance floor, until Hodgins decided that she needed a dance partner and joined her.
Angela shook her head, watching the two of them, her mind drifting as she imagined Jack with their own little girl.