I own none of the characters of Bones
Bones' POV
I pressed my call button and looked anxiously at the clock. Booth should be here in an hour. My contractions had stopped three days ago but my obstetrician made me stay in the hospital, on bed rest because my blood pressure was still high and there was a chance that I could go into labor again. At my last check I was seven centimeters dilated which I have been for three days. Booth had brought me my laptop so I wouldn't go stir crazy. I have been able to consult on the current case at the lab and I have made a lot of progress on my latest book. I also forced Booth go back to work the following day which was hard to do because he didn't want to leave my side.
"Booth you just became a field agent yesterday."
"I know that."
"So you need to go and be a field agent." I told him.
"I'll be a field agent when I know that you and our twins are fine."
"I understand that you want to be here and I love you for that but there really is no point. All you will do is sit next to me, driving me crazy by flipping the channels on the television. You have a siren on your truck and you can be here in a matter of minutes if anything changes."
"I'm your husband and their father. I need to be here." I sighed irritably.
"Why are you being so stubborn?"
"Why are you?"
"You know how I feel about hovering and if you stay here all you'll do is hover and drive me crazy."
"Dammit Bones.
"Dammit Booth." I mocked. We both sat there and stared at each other. Our stubbornness can be a good thing in our relationship just as much as it can be a bad thing. Some of our biggest knock down drag out fights, as Booth refers to them, have gone on for hours because we are both so damn stubborn and neither of us wants to back down.
"Fine." He finally relented and I smiled triumphantly.
"Temperance how are you feeling?" My nurse Emily asked me when she walked into the room.
"I'm experiencing a lot of pressure in my vaginal area."
"How about if I do an exam?" I nodded. "Okay lie back." I did as she asked. "I need you to spread your legs apart for me." Again, I followed her directions. "Now just relax for me and I'll be done in a minute." I closed my eyes as I felt my nurse insert her gloved fingers into my vagina. "Okay, I'm all done. Go ahead and sit up. How long have you been having this pressure?"
"Probably for about an hour. At first it wasn't so bad but the pressure has continued to increase."
"Are you experiencing pain?"
"No. Is something wrong?"
"I'm going to page your doctor Temperance."
"Why?"
"You're nine centimeters dilated. You're going to have these babies tonight. I'll be right back and we'll get you moved into a delivery room." Emily said disappearing out of my room. As soon as I was alone I reached for the phone to call my husband.
"Booth." He answered.
"Hey it's me."
"Hey Bones. Miss me? I'm on my way to the hospital."
"I…uh…"
"What's wrong?"
"I've dilated some more. I'm nine centimeters now. My nurse said that I'm going to have the babies tonight."
"God dammit Bones. I told you that I shouldn't have left. I should be there with you now. I swear to God if anything…" He yelled
"Stop yelling at me." I interrupted tearfully.
"I'm on my way. I'll be there in a few."
"They're moving me to a delivery room."
"I'll find you."
"You need to call Parker. I promised him that we would call with any news."
"I will and I'm sorry for yelling Bones."
"Don't do it again."
"I love you. I'll see you in shortly." I suddenly felt a contraction.
"Please hurry." I begged.
"I am." Just as I hung up the phone Emily and Dr. Wilson walked in. "I just had a contraction." I told them tearfully. Dr. Wilson walked over and checked the fetal monitor printout.
"Let's get you moved to the delivery room."
"Is it safe for them to be delivered now? What about their lungs? Are they going to survive?"
"We don't have a choice. You are nine centimeters dilated and in active labor again. Your twins are going to be delivered today. We gave you steroids so hopefully that helped with their lung development but I won't know for sure until they are born. As for the question of survival, babies born at 28 weeks have a very good survival rate."
"I guess that will have to do." I mumbled as my tears began to fall. I was mentally kicking myself for making Booth leave. I was really scared and I wanted him here with me.
"Bones." I lifted my head and cried harder when I saw Booth standing in my doorway. I opened my arms and in two giant steps he was sitting on the edge of my bed, pulling me to his chest. .
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you go to work." I cried into his chest.
"Shhh. Don't cry. It's all going to be all right." Suddenly I felt a gush of water rush out from between my legs. "What the hell?" Booth mumbled getting off the bed.
"My water just broke." Before Booth could go and get my nurse Emily returned to my room with a couple of orderlies and a wheelchair.
"Her water just broke." I could hear the fear in his voice which scared me and caused my tears to increase.
"Temperance you need to relax." Emily told me. "It's not good for your babies or your blood pressure to get yourself worked up. At this stage of your labor your water breaking is normal." I nodded and took some deep breaths so I could get my crying under control. "Now we're going to move you to the delivery room. Can you get to the wheelchair on your own or would you like some help?"
"Booth." I held out my hand and he easily helped me out of bed and into the wheelchair. Booth grabbed the handles and began to push me. I reached up behind me and clutched his hand.
As soon as I arrived in the delivery room and was put into the bed the room became a flurry of activity. Booth was ushered out of the room to change into scrubs. Emily and another nurse helped situate my legs in the stirrups. My doctor was on a stool in front of me, between my legs, checking my progress. Two incubators were brought in along with numerous other doctors and nurses.
"What is going on? Why are there so many doctors and nurses here? Is something wrong with my babies?" I asked Emily, my voice full of panic.
"Nothing is wrong with the babies Temperance. This is all normal for premature babies. We have 2 neonatal doctors and nurses here, one for each baby, a respiratory therapist and nurse in case the babies have trouble breathing. We're going to be ready in case your babies need anything."
"Bones, I'm back." Booth said rushing back into the room. "Are you okay?"
"I'm…arghhh." I groaned as another contraction forcefully hit me.
"Temperance you are fully dilated. On your next contraction I need you to push."
"Mr. Booth come around to Temperance's right side and hold her leg back." Emily instructed.
"Whoa. Wait a second." I blurted out and everyone froze. "I'm not ready to push yet."
"Temperance."
"Bones."
"I want some pain medication. I want an epidural."
"It's too late Temperance. One of your twins is staring to crown. By the time an epidural takes effect the twins will already be born." Dr. Wilson said from between my legs.
"Booth, I don't think that I can do this without anything for the pain."
"Yes you can Bones. You are…"
"Ohhhhh…my…God…" I shrieked as another contraction hit me.
"Temperance push." Dr. Wilson instructed. I felt myself being lifted up, both of my legs being pushed back and I was pushing.
"Great job Temperance." Emily encouraged and I felt Bones kiss my forehead. I leaned back into Booth's arm while I waited for my next contraction.
"Oh no." I groaned when I felt my belly tightening.
"Come on Bones. You can do it." I bore down and pushed as hard as I could, screaming as I did. I felt like my vagina was ripping into shreds.
"Head's out. Don't push Temperance." I was still in the middle of a contraction so it was really hard not to push.
"Booth…" I whimpered.
"You're doing great sweetheart." I moaned as I felt Dr. Wilson pulling my baby's shoulders out and then the rest of the body within seconds after its head was out.
"It's a girl." He announced. I pushed myself up on my elbows and saw Dr. Wilson handing one of my baby's over to a nurse and all I could see was blue.
"Booth something is wrong." I looked at him and saw he was staring at our daughter. "Go." I demanded. He looked back and forth between me and Christine and I could tell he was struggling with the decision of staying with me or being with Christine. "I'm fine. Go check on Christine." He didn't argue with me. He gently placed my leg down and went over to where the doctors and nurses were given my daughter CPR.
"Is she okay?" I whispered to Emily.
"They're working on her."
"Temperance I know that you're worried about you're daughter but you're son needs you right now." I heard Dr. Wilson talking but I couldn't take my eyes off of my baby girl. "Temperance." I turned my head to my doctor. "It's time to push your son out." Another nurse and Emily helped me sit up. "Okay now push." I grunted and pushed.
"Good job Temperance."
"She's breathing." Booth shouted and tears of relief fell from my eyes.
"Another push Temperance." I sat up and pushed again and when I was done Booth was by my side.
"She's breathing Bones. She's breathing."
"Please, go back to her. Stay with her." I begged my husband.
"Okay. I love you Bones."
"I love you too."
"Temperance it's time to push again." Even though I was exhausted I pulled myself up and pushed with everything I had. I cried out in agony when I felt my son's head push through my vagina. "Great job. Here come his shoulders." I closed my eyes because I knew it was going to hurt and it did. I couldn't help myself. I cried out again when Dr. Wilson pulled his shoulders out. "It's a boy." He announced handing my son over to another nurse.
"Is he okay?" I asked. He wasn't crying but he didn't look blue like Christine was.
"They're working on his Temperance." Emily told me softly.
"Booth?"
"I don't know Bones." He sounded terrified. I watched him moving back and forth between our two children.
"We need to remove the placenta so I'm going to need another push from you. Are you up to it?"
"I can do it." With my head turned towards my children I did as the doctor asked and I pushed. I just wanted to be done so I could be with the twins. I was feeling so helpless and it was driving me crazy that I didn't know what was going on and no one was telling me anything.
"Where are you taking her?" I shouted when they began to push Christine out of my room.
"We're taking her to the NICU." One of the doctors told me.
"Her name is Christine." I told him tearfully. "Her name is Christine."
"We'll take good care of her." He told me.
Booth's POV
"How are they?" Bones asked me when I walked into her room. As soon as the doctor took Michael away to the NICU Bones made me go with them. They wouldn't let me in the nursery so I had to stand outside the window and watch helplessly while they worked on my tiny children. Finally, one of the nurses came out and told me to go to Bones' room and the doctors would come in with an update.
"I don't know." I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand.
"How the hell could you not know? You've been with them for an hour." She snapped.
"Outside of the nursery. They wouldn't let me in." I snapped back.
"This is ridiculous. I want to see them." She threw the blankets off of her and I threw them back on her.
"Stay put." She glared at me. "Their doctors are coming in here to update us." She visibly relaxed.
"What did you see from the window? Did they seem okay?"
"I didn't see much Bones." I said softly. "The only thing I know for sure is they are so damn small." I saw tears fill her eyes and I squeezed her hand.
"I hate not knowing anything." She mumbled tearfully. "I feel so helpless."
"Mr. and Mrs. Booth. I'm Dr. Hazelett and I've been taking care of your daughter."
"And I'm Dr. Hunt. I've been taking care of your son."
"Christine and Michael." I told them.
"Of course. I apologize." Dr. Hazelett said. "Let me update you on Christine and Michael since their conditions are pretty much the same. When Christine was born she wasn't breathing on her own and we had a lot of trouble getting her to breathe on her own. Michael as well wasn't breathing but it was easier for us to get him to breathe on his own then it was for your daughter. Right now neither of their lungs of functioning on their own and they need help to breathe so right now they are both breathing with the help of ventilators." I heard Bones sob beside me and I quickly wrapped an arm around her.
"Our plan." Dr. Hunt continued. "Is to take them off the ventilator for a few minutes at a time, increasing the time everyday until they can breathe on their own without their oxygen level dropping."
"How long will that take?" I asked softly.
"I can't give you a definite answer Mr. Booth. It will probably take a couple of months."
"A couple of months?" I gasped and both doctors nodded.
"We've ran brain scans on the twins and both scans are normal. We've put them on IV antibiotics to ward off any possible infections and we have taken blood cultures to verify that they are infection free but we don't have those results yet. We are also giving them steroids to help with the development of their lungs but considering their age they are doing remarkably well." Dr. Hazelett explained. "We're slightly concerned about their weight though."
"How much do they weigh?" Bones whispered. We both anxiously as the doctors flipped through the charts.
"Christine weighs in at 1lb 4oz." Dr. Hazelett answered.
"Michael?" I asked nervously.
"1lb 6.5oz." Dr. Hunt told me and Bones began to cry again. "We've inserted a feeding tube so they are getting what they need."
"What are their chances?" She asked the question that was weighing on both of our minds.
"Right now I'd give them a fifty percent chance but everyday that they survive their chances increase. The first couple of weeks are the most critical." Dr. Hunt answered solemnly.
"When can we see them?" I asked.
"You can come down now if you like."
"We want to." I said.
"I'll send a nurse in with a wheelchair and we'll meet you down there."
Fifteen minutes later Bones and I were dressed in sterile gowns and gloves being led into the NICU where our children were. This was so different then when Parker was born. I remember holding him minutes after his birth but this time I had no idea when I would be able to hold my children. I couldn't hold back my tears when I saw my children in their incubators hooked up to so many tubes.
"You can touch them." Dr. Hunt told us. A nurse brought me a chair and I sat next to Michael and Bones was next to Christine. "Just put your hands through the holes and avoid the tubes." I nodded and I put a shaking hand through the hole and placed my pinky finger into his tiny hand.
"Hello son." I whispered tearfully to the tiny creature before me. "You're strong like me, so I know that you are going to be fine. I love you so very much." I had no idea what else to say to my son so I just sat there, held his hand and stared at him. It broke my heart when I heard Bones whispering softly to our daughter, apologizing for being a bad mother, for being unable to take care of her and her brother like she should have been able to. I reached out across me with my free hand and took her free hand in mine.
"Booth can we switch?" Bones whispered softly about twenty minutes later.
"Yeah, sure thing." I stood from my chair, moved it out of the way and then pushed Bones wheelchair over to where I was sitting in front of Michael and then I placed my chair in front of my tiny daughter. As I did with Michael, I reached my hand into the incubator and placed my pinky into her hand. "Hey there, my precious girl. It's daddy and I'm here now and I love you."
Bones and I sat in the NICU with our newborn children, watching and talking to them for as long as we were allowed to. I was finding it very hard to look at them hooked up to all of those tubes and wires but at the same time I couldn't take my eyes off of them. I was desperate to hold them, to touch them without the gloves but I knew that I had to be patient and eventually, lord willing I would be able to do that.
--
"Booth?" I opened my eyes and turned my head towards Bones. We had been back in Bones' room for a few hours sleeping. She was on her bed and I was stretched out on the chair next to her bed.
"Hey sweetheart." I said with a yawn. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." She mumbled. I looked at her and saw that she had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Oh Bones." I quickly got out of the chair and climbed on the bed next to her.
"I'm…so…scared…" She cried. She laid her head on my chest and I wrapped my arms around her. "I should be brave for Michael and Christine but I can't. I'm just so damn scared."
"It's okay to be scared Bones. Hell baby, I'm terrified."
"They're so tiny and helpless and there isn't a damn thing that I can do for them."
"There is something you can do Bones."
"What?"
"Just love them and be there for Christine and Michael. Can you do that?"
"I can do that but can I still be scared?"
"Yeah Bones. You can still be scared."
She wrapped her arms around my neck and began to sob. I tried to hold it together and but I couldn't. I held her tightly and cried right along with my wife.
Physically and mentally exhausted after crying we both drifted off to sleep holding each other tightly and I didn't wake up until I heard someone bustling around the room. I opened one eye and saw Bones' best friend standing next to the bed with a worried expression on her face. I placed my finger over my mouth so she would stay quiet. I carefully untangled myself from Bones' arms and laid her back on the bed. She mumbled something that I couldn't understand but she never woke up. Once I was confident that she wasn't going to wake up I ushered Angela out into the hall.
"How is she?" Angela asked as soon as the door was shut.
"She's hanging in there."
"The twins? How are they?"
"They're hanging in there too."
"How bad is it Booth?"
"I don't know Ange." I answered her honestly. "They can't breathe on their own. They're on a ventilator. The doctors are giving them a fifty-fifty chance at survival and the next few weeks are critical." Angela clamped her hand over her mouth. "They're so damn small." I told her, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "They are barely a pound." I saw some chairs against a wall and I went and sat in one. I didn't know how much longer my legs would hold me. "You know what the worst thing about this whole situation is?" Angela shook her head. "It's not the fact that they can't breathe on their own or that they weigh next to nothing. It's the fact that there is nothing that Bones and I can do for them." My resolve broke and my tears fell. "We can't hold them. We can only touch them if we are wearing gloves. My babies are almost a day old and I haven't even held them yet." Angela knelt down in front of me and took one of my hands in hers.
"You're always preaching to Bren about having faith, well it's time that you practice what you preach buster. These amazing babies are half of you and half Bren, two of the strongest people that I know so your children obviously have inherited that trait. Have faith that they will fight to live." I nodded, wiping my eyes and she stood and kissed my cheek. "Can I go see her?"
"Yeah. I'll wait out here and give you guys some time alone."
"Thanks." Angela quickly disappeared into the room and I was left alone with my thoughts. The one thought that I didn't share with Angela or anyone for that matter was my fear that one or both of my newborn children wouldn't live. Since learning of Bones' pregnancy all thoughts of our future have included our children. When I found out that the twins were one boy and one girl my mind went crazy with plans; seeing their first steps smile, hearing their first words laugh, things I missed with Parker. I was going to teach my boy how to play football, baseball and basketball. My girl was going to be a daddy's girl. I was going to spoil her, give her whatever she wanted, and scare the hell out of any boy who thought that he was good enough for my little girl but now I was scared to death that I wouldn't be able to do those things with them.
"Dad?" I lifted my head and saw Parker and Rebecca standing next to me. Parker was holding some balloons and two teddy bears, one blue and one pink one.
"Hey bub." I gave him a weak smile.
"When he didn't hear from you he insisted that I bring him here." Rebecca explained.
"I brought presents for Michael and Christine. I saved up my allowance and bought them these bears. Do you think that they will like them?"
"Yeah Parks. I think that they will love them."
"Why didn't you call? You promised that you would call."
"I'm sorry." I offered no explanation. I had none.
"Are they okay?"
"They are right now. Would you like to see them?" His eyes lit up and he nodded.
"Can I give them their bears now?"
"Not yet. Bones and I will take them home until they can have them. Give the stuff to your mom and we'll go down to the nursery." Parker did as asked. "Go on in Bec. She is visiting with Angela but she would love to see you. We'll be back in a few minutes. They'll only let Parker visit for a few minutes."
On the way to the NICU I explained to Parker the condition that his brother and sister was in the best that I could in terms that he would understand. Once we arrived at the nursery I explained Parker's relationship to the twins because only immediate family is allowed visits and then I helped my oldest boy into a sterile gown.
"Why am I wearing this dress?"
"It's not a dress. It's a hospital gown and it's to help keep your germs away from the twins."
"I don't have any germs. I'm not sick."
"Gimme your hand." He held is hand out and I put a glove on it. "Just because you're not sick doesn't mean that you don't have germs. Other hand." Parker switched hands. "We always have germs on our bodies and if the twins catch the germs they aren't strong enough to fight them like we can and they could get really sick." I began to put my gown on.
"Could they die?" My son has always gotten straight to the point.
"Yes son, they could." He nodded and turned away from me, towards the window. "Ready to go meet your brother and sister?"
"I've changed my mind."
"Why?"
"I don't want to make them sick." He whispered.
"You won't because you have scrubbed your hands real good, you're wearing the gloves and you've got the dress on." He laughed at my last comment. "Come on. I know they want to meet their big brother." He placed his hand in mine and let me lead him into the nursery. Since Bones and I were last in they moved them across the room and placed them so an end of Christine's incubator touched an end of Michael's. I knew it would be easier for Bones and I when we came back together because we could each be on one side but able to focus on both children at once.
"Parker this is Christine." I pointed to her and then I pointed to Michael. "And this is your brother Michael. Hey guys, this is your big brother Parker."
"Daddy, what's wrong with them?" He whispered as he stared at his siblings.
"They can't breathe on their own so these machines are helping them."
"Does it hurt them?"
"I don't think so." Parker whipped his head around and glared at me.
"You don't think so? It might be hurting them? How could you let something hurt them?" I placed my hands on his shoulders. I felt a surge of pride shoot through my body at his need to protect his brother and sister.
"I never asked the doctor if it hurt them Parker but I don't think that they would purposely hurt them. Do you?" He shook his head. "I know this is scary but all this is so they can get better. Why don't you talk to them?" He slowly turned back to the incubators.
"Hi guys. I'm Parker Booth, your big brother. My friend Kyle has a younger brother and he is always mean to him but I promise that I'm not going to be mean to you. I'm going to be the best brother in the world. I bought you both a teddy bear so when you get better you can have it but you have to get better okay?" I smiled through my tears as my oldest son shared his plans of brotherhood with my youngest children.
--
Bones was released from the hospital two days later and thus began the longest stretch of days of our lives. Every morning we got up and went to the hospital and spent the day in the NICU next to our children, leaving their sides only long enough to go down to the cafeteria to grab a quick bite to eat a couple times a day. We stayed until late at night, went home slept for shit then returned to the hospital the following day to do it all over again.
The first time they took Michael and Christine off the ventilator I had never been so scared before. As they both took their first unassisted breath I was holding mine. Christine made it three minutes and twelve seconds before her oxygen level dropped too low and Michael made it two minutes and seventeen seconds before his level dropped. The doctor said that was really good and they both were very impressed by their results but neither Bones nor I would relax until they were breathing all the time without the assistance of a ventilator.
Michael and Christine were eleven days old when we got the phone call. Bones and I were sound asleep when the shrill ringing of the telephone woke us up. Since neither of us was working we both knew the call had to do with the twins.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Booth?"
"Yeah."
"This is Miranda, Michael's nurse from Washington General. I think that you and your wife should come down here."
"We're on our way."
"What is it?" Bones asked getting out of bed.
"It's Michael. All she said is that we need to get down there." Bones and I quickly dressed and then drove to the hospital in silence with my siren blaring. When we got to the hospital we rushed in to the NICU and found Dr. Hazelett waiting outside.
"What's wrong with Michael?" Bones asked.
"About an hour ago Michael's heart rate began to fall. I've given him medication to increase it but it's not working and it's continuing to fall. I don't think Michael will make it through the night."
"No." Bones cried out. I reached out and grabbed her as she fell against me. "Not my baby."
"Is there anything else you can do for him?" I asked.
"I'm doing everything I can but I'm not sure that it's going to be enough so I thought that you both should be here."
"Booth" Bones sobbed against my chest. "He can't die. We can't lose him."
"We won't sweetheart. Michael is not going to die. Come on. Michael needs us."
As soon as we were sterile we rushed to our son's side. We pulled up chairs, sat next to the incubator and stuck our hands into the holes to touch our baby boy. "Please Michael, please baby keep fighting." Bones whispered through her tears. "I love you so much. Your dad loves you so much. Your life is just beginning so you can't leave us. Please Michael don't give up. Stay with us. Please baby fight."