A/N: I am so sorry it's been so long, it was completely unintentional. Thanks for the feedback on everything so far.

Melissa and Lori thanks for all you do. I can't seem to say that enough.

Disclaimer: I still don't have any ownership. This is purely for my entertainment. And hopefully some of yours.

ooo

The remaining time with Parker passed too quickly for both Booth and Brennan and before they knew it they had loaded Parker's belongings into the back of Booth's SUV and were headed down the highway to Rebecca's suburban neighborhood.

"I don't wanna go back to school," Parker pouted from the backseat. "Can't I spend more time with you dad?"

"Parker," Booth sighed in response to the question Parker had posed several times already that day, "you know that I would love for you to spend more time with me. But you have to go back to school. I'll see you next weekend, promise."

"Fine." Parker huffed and crossed his arms angrily over his chest.

"Parker!" Brennan scolded unhappy at the tone he had taken with his father and squeezed Booth's fingers that were locked with hers.

"Sorry," Parker said quietly and rested his head in his hands. "Can we go to the aquarium next time I see you dad? You promised you would take me when you got back from the war and we didn't go this week."

"Sure buddy," Booth promised, "we'll spend the whole day at the aquarium next Saturday. Maybe we can even talk Bones into going with us…"

"Please Dr. Bones!" Parker immediately begged, "Please, you have to come!"

"Of course," Brennan responded with a chuckle, "I would love to spend that time with you and your dad, Parker."

"Awesome!"

The car fell into a comfortable silence while Parker turned his attention towards the video game in his hand and Booth focused on the road ahead of him. Her brain was attempting to process the normalcy that this time with Parker had presented.

"You're thinking awfully hard there Bones," Booth commented lowly with a quick kiss to the back of her hand. "Everything okay?"

"Everything is good Booth," she assured him with a wide smile. She had long since pushed out the memories of the dreams that had plagued her. It had been two nights since the last one and she was now sure it was nothing. "More than good."

"I'm glad to hear that," Booth replied with a matching smile. He turned his attention back towards the road, Brennan closed her eyes and rested her head back against the headrest. The smooth rhythm of the car quickly put her to sleep.

The sun was bright and Brennan squinted her eyes in order to let her eyes adjust to the sudden change in light. The park wasn't crowded and much to her surprise the ground was not covered in snow but in the green grass of spring. Children's laughter floated by from a playground about fifty yards in front of her and she started slowly walking that way. Multi-colored balloons were tied to the fence posts surrounding the play area and children in birthday hats were running around gleefully.

The bone structures of several of the children were oddly familiar and Brennan studied them carefully.

"Jackie!" an adult voice called from a picnic area on the other side of the playground. "It's almost time for presents."

"Okay mommy!" the little girl called back, her brown curls blowing in the breeze. She turned and looked towards Brennan and the little girls' blue eyes pierced hers. "Aunt Bren!"

"Brennan?" the adult voice questioned after Jackie's outburst.

"Sweetie!" Angela came jogging across the open space, a smile bright on her face. "I didn't think you were going to make it! I'm so glad you're here."

Brennan heard herself speaking before she realized what was happening. "Of course I'm here. I wouldn't miss my goddaughter's birthday party."

Angela only smiled wider and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she lead her over to the picnic area. "Look who's here everyone!"

"It's good to see you Brennan," Cam said happily her arms wrapped around Paul's waist a baby carriage nearby. "How was Nicaragua?"

"Humid," her voice answered. "How is Lucy?"

"Growing like a weed," Cam answered with a smile motioning to the carriage, "and sleeping right now. Thankfully."

Brennan turned around when she heard a set of car doors slamming and Angela took a shaky breath in. "Don't freak out sweetie," she begged, "but since I didn't think you would be here…"

"What is it Angela?"

"I invited Booth," Angela replied and an unfamiliar panging hit Brennan hard in the chest. "If I had known…"

Brennan nodded, her eyes now glued to the familiar black truck. Her heartbeat increased as the frame of her best friend approached his arm securely around an obviously pregnant blonde. Breathing heavily she attempted to smile, but when her eyes focused on the diamond ring set on the blonde's hand, everything went black.

"Bones," Booth whispered in her ear as he gently shook her awake, "Temperance, wake up. It's just a dream. Come on Bones…"

"Booth?" Her voice was raspy and sleep laden as she finally started to wake up. "What?"

"You were mumbling in your sleep," Booth answered and Brennan could read the concern in his eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Brennan replied quickly and sat up. When she saw they were parked in front of Rebecca's home and Parker was noticeably absent from the car she looked up and questioned, "Did you drop Parker off? I wanted to say goodbye."

"He's waiting for you inside," Booth assured her, "that's part of the reason I'm waking you up."

Brennan nodded and pushed against his chest to clear the path so she could exit the car. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her body flush against his. Holding her close he could feel the rapid beat of her heart and her chest moving in shaky breaths. He knew that he couldn't rush her or force her to tell him what the dream had encompassed so instead he pressed a kiss against the top of her hair and whispered, "I'm here for you Bones, don't forget that."

"I know," she whispered against his chest almost so softly that he couldn't hear. She stepped out of his embrace and headed up the walkway, rubbing her hands up and down her arms to ward off the chill that wasn't coming from the temperature outside.

The vividness of her dream haunted her, as did the feeling that came when she had seen the wedding ring on the hand of the unnamed blonde haired wife of her partner. It didn't make sense and although she held no credence in dream interpretation she knew it had to mean something.

"Dr. Bones!" Parker exclaimed as he flung the door open before she could knock, "thanks for waking up so I could say bye. Dad made me be quiet until we got home. Are you sick?"

"I'm feeling quite well Parker," Brennan assured him; "I suppose I'm just tired. And I'm grateful to your father for waking me up. I wouldn't have wanted to miss saying goodbye or your hug."

Parker hugged her tightly and Brennan leaned over to place a kiss against his blonde curls. He pulled back slightly, leaving his arms around her waist, "Dr. Bones?"

"Yes Parker?"

"I'm glad you and dad are finally together."

"I am as well Parker," Brennan assured the young boy with a smile. "Your father makes me very happy."

"You make him happy too," Parker answered, "he smiles a lot more now."

Brennan placed another kiss on top of his head before separating herself from him. She bid Rebecca a quick farewell and then made her way back to Booth in his car. She climbed in to the passenger seat and remained silent as Booth maneuvered the car through the quiet neighborhood streets.

"You're going to have to talk to me about it," Booth's voice said and startled her out of her thoughts. "You keep having…"

"I'm fine Booth," Brennan interrupted with a clipped voice. "It's just a couple of disturbing dreams. They don't mean anything."

"Bones…"

"Don't Booth," Brennan interrupted again, "I'm not talking about it. And I'd like for you to not push me."

"Okay Bones," Booth replied with a shrug, "I just want to make sure you remember I'm here for you."

Brennan nodded and threaded her fingers through his. Booth lifted their joint hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. She shot him a smile and was thankful that he dropped the subject.

"I'm thinking about taking some time today to go to the shooting range," Booth said a few minutes later. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Actually," Brennan replied with a sigh, "I think I'm going to go home and then stop by the lab today."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Brennan replied with a curt nod, "There is a lot of work I need to do there and I've been putting it off."

"But…"

"It'll only be a couple hours," Brennan answered, "while you're at the shooting range. We could meet up for dinner."

"That is a nice idea," Booth agreed hesitantly with a nod. "Did you want to sleep over at your place tonight, or mine?"

"Yours," Brennan answered, "It'll be easier, and most of our stuff is already there."

"Okay," Booth answered, "meet at the diner at seven for dinner?"

"Sounds perfect," Brennan replied with a smile as Booth pulled up to her apartment complex. "I'll see you then."

"Love you Bones."

"Love you too Booth."

ooo

"Sweetie," Angela's voice called through the otherwise empty lab and Brennan looked up from her place on the platform. "What are you doing here?"

"Working," Brennan answered her and then turned her attention to the set of bones on the table. "What does it look like?"

"Dr. Temperance Brennan are you getting snarky with me?"

"I don't know what that means."

"Never mind," Angela said with a wave of her hand. "But you need to tell me what's up. You should be enjoying your last evening of freedom before your boyfriend goes back to work and takes you along with him."

"It would be very unprofessional for me to accompany Booth to his first day back at the bureau Angela…"

"That wasn't exactly what I meant," Angela tried to explain. "I just meant that he will be angling to take the first case he can and with that you'll be back to full time work. You should be relaxing with him first…"

"I need to focus."

"Okay sweetie," Angela stated firmly forcing herself between the anthropologist and the workstation, "talk to me. You're re-enforcing your walls so high I'd think you built the Wall of China around your heart."

"I don't know…"

"Just talk to me sweetie." Angela interrupted

"Have you…" Brennan started hesitantly, "do you put any credence in dreams that you have. I realize how absurd this must sound, but I've been having a set of dreams that are confusing me."

"Do you want to tell me about them?"

"I would like your perspective without the content of the dreams if possible."

"I can try sweetie," Angela said with a sigh and motioned for her best friend to follow her towards her office. Once they had settled themselves on the couch in Angela's office she turned towards Brennan. "Okay, you've been having dreams…"

"Yes," Brennan confirmed, "which is normal. I often dream when I'm asleep, but usually it is something far less significant than what has inhabited my brain lately. Though I find the act of oneirology almost as ludicrous as psychology, I have to agree that there must be something underlying the reason for my current dreams."

"Whoa, sweetie, you've got to slow down and you're going to have to tell me what your dreams are about."

"Do you give the contents of your dreams credence?"

"Sometimes," Angela answered honestly with a shrug. "I guess it depends on what the dream is about. I mean, I can dream Kurt Cobain all day long and I know that it doesn't mean anything. But, sometimes I dream about my mom and know it's because she wants me to know she's proud of me, or happy for me."

"You dream about your mom?" Brennan asked, unable to stop the personal question from spilling out of her mouth and blushed when she saw Angela look down.

"It doesn't happen very often," Angela added, "only a few major moments, but yeah."

"Wow."

"I've dreamed about the baby," Angela told Brennan, directing the conversation away from the sensitive subject. "It's going to be a girl."

"I thought you said that you couldn't tell with the ultrasound yet. Wasn't the baby in a bad position?"

"Yes, I know, stubborn little thing," Angela gushed, "but, I just know. Hodgins isn't convinced, he really wants a boy."

"Perhaps you are having twins," Brennan teased with a smirk and Angela scoffed.

"I'm pretty sure the doctor would have noticed that already," she replied, "I am almost six months along."

"I suppose your logic is sound," Brennan answered and her grin faded fast. "So you believe that dreams can tell you things."

"Of course," Angela told her, "but that doesn't mean that yours are. Dreams can also depict fears or insecurities or just be random thoughts while we sleep."

"I see."

"What have you been dreaming about Bren?"

"It's not important."

"It obviously is," Angela countered, "or you wouldn't be so worked up over it."

"I don't want to believe that they mean anything."

"Then they don't have to mean anything Bren," Angela assured her. "The only way they'll mean something is if you let them."

"That makes no sense Angela. I can't control…"

"You can't control what you dream about, but you can control your life."

"I can't control all of it," Brennan argued, "and I think that is what worries me."

"Okay Brennan, please tell me what is going on."

Brennan nodded slowly, "it started a couple days ago. The first dream started off with the day my parents left me…"

"Oh sweetie…"

"But then it morphed," Brennan continued, "and I was standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and Booth came to me and told me that he couldn't be with me anymore. That we didn't want the same things…"

"You know that is crazy."

"And then I kept dreaming a continuation of that one," Brennan finished. "The last one I had was today and it…it was the worst."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

Brennan nodded, "I was coming home, here. For your child's birthday, but I was surprising everyone. I'd been gone, at a dig I guess, for a while I suppose. You had invited Booth, since you didn't think I was coming…and he showed up. With a pregnant wife. Then I woke up."

"Oh sweetie."

"I'm not sure where my emotions are coming from," Brennan explained, "because it doesn't make sense."

"Yes it does."

"Then please explain it to me Angela," Brennan begged, "because I don't know what to think."

"You want to start a family with Booth," Angela stated, "correct?"

"Of course," Brennan replied, "he would make an excellent father, he already is one. But we're not ready to talk about that yet."

"I know," Angela assured her, "but I think in your subconscious that you are worried he won't be open to having a child with you unless you marry him. And you still question that."

"But I've told him that I might be changing my mind about that."

"Really?" Angela questioned, "Can I ask why?"

"Of course," Brennan replied with a nod and took a drink from the coffee cup that Angela had handed to her. "I've just seen several examples of marriage in a positive form. You and Hodgins are one example."

"Thank you," Angela replied with a smile. "But I need more than that. You're going to have to example more."

"I just…" Brennan started, "I see that marriage isn't something that means you have to be constricted. With the right person marriage can be freeing."

Angela grinned, "I never thought I would hear something come out of your mouth about marriage that was so beautiful. I'm proud of you."

"But it still doesn't explain my dreams."

"I think you need to talk to Booth sweetie," Angela offered. "I think that so much has changed for you so quickly your brain is having a hard time keeping up. But remember, these dreams are coming from your subconscious. Besides, Booth would never leave you. No matter what."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Because he waited so long for you," Angela assured her. "I don't see him doing anything to let you go. He loves you Bren, more than I think even you know."

Brennan smiled despite herself and nodded. "I believe you could be correct Angela. He is very devoted to me."

"Don't take advantage of that Bren," Angela warned, "he loves you. That is evident to anyone who sees you two together. But you have to be open to him. He can't read your mind."

"Of course he can't," Brennan replied with confused look, "no one in truth can read minds…oh, you didn't mean that literally."

"No," Angela said with a laugh. "But I bet that he has asked you about the dreams you've been having and you haven't said anything to him." The silence confirmed Angela's assumption and she sighed, "You have to be open to talking to him Bren. I know this isn't something you are used to but don't be afraid to talk to him. You can't be."

"I know."

"Do you really?" Angela asked, "Because you don't seem to be so certain."

"Our communication has always been a little off in regards to our personal ties," Brennan replied, "It has been difficult to shift that so quickly."

"Just make an effort," Angela prompted her, "It'll be fine if you do that."

"Thanks for being such a great friend Angela," Brennan said quietly. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"It would just take you a little longer to come to terms with things," Angela answered with a laugh, "besides, I have to make sure the godparents of my future child stay together."

Brennan smiled and then gasped as the words of her best friend sunk in, "Angela?"

"That is, if you want the job."

"But," Brennan stammered, "I'm not religious and…"

"Sweetie," Angela interrupted, "neither is Hodgins nor I really. We just want to make sure that our children have someone in their lives they can count on. You and Booth were the only people for the job."

"I'm honored," Brennan replied around tears in her eyes and threw her arms around Angela in a tight hug. "Thank you. For everything."

"Just go meet up with the studly boy toy of yours."

"Boy toy has very negative connotations for a younger man and Booth is not younger than me…"

"Just go sweetie," Angela replied with a laugh. "I'll call you tomorrow after my doctor's appointment. We're supposed to find out the sex of the baby."

"Will you be disappointed if it isn't a girl?"

"No," Angela told her. "I really don't care. This won't be the last little Hodgins we make."

Brennan laughed and hugged her friend again. "I'm so happy for you Angela. I'm happy you found everything you were looking for."

Angela squeezed Brennan tightly, "thanks sweetie. That really means a lot. I want you to be happy too."

"I am," Brennan assured her. "I really am. It might just take me a little longer than most to come to terms with it all."

"Just remember," Angela said quietly, "he loves you. Talk to him."

"I will…"

"BONES!" His voice cut through the empty lab to Angela's office and both women chuckled. "Bones! Where are you?"

"In here," she called back and poked her head out of Angela's office. "I thought we were meeting at the diner?"

"We were," Booth admitted with a nod as he closed the distance between them quickly, "but I got done early and figured I would meet you here. Hi Angela."

"Hello studly," Angela greeted with a smirk, "well I'm just going to grab what I came here for and be on my way. Call you tomorrow Bren."

"Sounds good Angela," Brennan assured her friend with another smile. "Thanks again."

"My pleasure," Angela replied, "just don't forget what I said. Bye studly."

"Bye Angela," Booth answered with a shake of his head. "Tell that husband of yours that we still need to get together."

"I will," she told him. "Bye."

They waited until Angela had exited the lab before Booth leaned down and captured Brennan's lips with his.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." He said as he pulled away. "I just couldn't wait to see you…"

"It's fine," Brennan told him with a smile and leaned up for another kiss. "She happened to pop in and we had a nice conversation, that's all. I'm famished now, diner?"

"Are you sure you don't want to go somewhere nicer? Since we've had Parker it's been takeout, fast food, and the diner. I should take you out on a proper date."

"I don't need anything like that," Brennan answered and then took a deep breath. "I just want to stay in tonight.

"Sure," Booth replied automatically. "Did you want to grab something and head back to my place?"

"I think we could get a to-go order from the diner," Brennan suggested, "and then head home."

Booth couldn't keep the grin off of his face as she took his hand in hers, "I think that sound fine Bones. Let's go home."

"Home," Brennan reiterated. "Because we need to talk Booth."

ooo

A/N: And talking they will do. Thanks for reading! There is a button down there in the middle, if you could hit it, type something, and then hit submit, I would appreciate it a bunch!