Chapter 37

Eight Months Later

Friday

7:17 AM

After sliding his belt buckle through the loops of his dress pants and fastening it with his cocky belt buckle, Booth walked into the bathroom. Brennan was standing at the sink, splashing her face with warm water. She was still wearing her pajamas and a light pink robe. Her hair was in a pony tail so that it wouldn't get in the way of her morning routine. That was what they did in the morning. Booth would get dressed in the bedroom while Brennan would get ready in the bathroom. Then, they would switch so Booth could brush his teeth and shave and Brennan could get dressed. It was a routine they had both grown accustomed to over the years and it suited them as they both got ready for work.

Booth walked over to the sink where Brennan was standing and pulled his toothbrush out of the grey, ceramic holder they both shared. He squirted a glob of toothpaste onto his toothbrush and began brushing his teeth. Just inches beside him, Brennan squeezed a dime-shaped size of face wash onto her hands. She began to rub the lather onto her face.

"Running late today, Bones?" Booth asked, with his mouth full of toothpaste, even though he knew perfectly well that the answer was yes. It took them both nearly a half hour after their alarms went off to get up and it wasn't because they were sleeping.

"I believe you already know the answer to that question, Booth," Brennan replied.

"You don't need that, you know," Booth said.

"Need what?"

Brennan looked at him with goops of white face wash all over her face. Booth stifled a laugh. She looked like one of the skeletons they would find covered in unidentifiable goop.

"That," Booth said, pointing to the tube of anti-aging face wash. "You're beautiful without it."

"Considering we live in a society that praises its youth, I do believe it's necessary."

Booth shrugged. "You're beautiful without it," he repeated.

Brennan smiled before cupping her hands under the faucet and splashing her face with the water. She began to wipe the face wash from her skin. Once she had managed to get most of it off, Brennan grabbed a face cloth and wiped the remaining white liquid and water off her face. Booth finished brushing his teeth and spit the watery toothpaste mix that was in his mouth into the sink. He rinsed out his mouth. Brennan pulled her hair out of the ponytail it was in. She put the elastic next to her face wash so it was ready for the next day. Brennan walked past Booth towards the door. Before she could quite make it out of the room, Booth grabbed her by the waist. He crushed her against him.

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his forehead against hers.

"You missed a spot," he said.

Booth took the facecloth Brennan had been using and gently wiped the remaining face wash that was hiding behind her ear away. Even when he was done, he didn't let go over her. Instead his hands roamed over her back.

"How did I get so lucky?" Booth asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"You. How did I get so lucky that I ended up married to you?"

"There is no such thing as luck, Booth. We just happened to be in two professional careers that work together so we were able to meet. Although we are very different in many ways, we are compatible sexually and physically. You are equally as handsome as I am beautiful."

Booth smiled. Sometimes he loved how analytical she could be. "You are so incredible."

"By definition, the term incredible means that something is so extraordinary that it seems impossible or that something is hard to believe. I do not think I am either of those things."

"Trust me, you are so extraordinary that you seem impossible."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Fine, how about I say you are extraordinary, sexy, and amazing."

"Those terms do make more sense. In that case, I find that you are also all of those things," she replied.

Brennan ran her hand over his stubble. He kissed her, letting his lips linger on hers.

"Shave," Brennan commanded, breaking their kiss.

"What?"

"I don't like the stubble. It scratches my face."

"So you're saying if I don't shave, we don't kiss anymore?"

"That is a logical conclusion."

"Then I will get right on that."

Ignoring his own statement, Booth locked lips with her again. He made sure he rubbed his chin and cheeks over her face. Brennan laughed.

"Stop."

"Why?"

"Because if you start that again, we will both be late for work," she warned.

"I don't see a problem with that," Booth said.

"I have work that Cam needs me to do," Brennan insisted. "I need to finish it this morning since we're leaving early to spend the afternoon with Parker."

"I guess you have a point."

He kissed her one last time before letting her go. Booth swatted her on the behind as she walked into the bedroom. As she started to get dressed, Booth began splashing water onto his own face.

"Why is it that Parker is getting out of school early?" Brennan asked from the other room.

"Teacher conference day. The kids only have to go to school for half the day. Rebecca was going to pick him up, but she got called into work."

"It will be nice spending the afternoon with him."

"Yeah, it will be."

When his face was sufficiently wet, Booth grabbed a can of shaving cream. He shook it and went to spray it onto his hand, but barely anything came out. Grumbling under his breath, Booth threw the can away in the trash.

"Did you have any plans with Parker for the afternoon?" Brennan asked.

"I was thinking maybe the park. You know, it's supposed to be a gorgeous day outside."

"That sounds logical."

Booth smiled as he opened the medicine cabinet above the sink to get another can of shaving cream. As he reached for the one remaining can, a box fell from the medicine cabinet into the sink. Booth picked it up. He was about to put it back when he took a closer look at it.

"I should be done with my work by twelve if you want to pick me up before you get Parker," Brennan said. "Then the three of us can grab some lunch and go to the park."

Booth heard her words, but he wasn't really listening. He was staring at the box, not sure what to make of it. "Is that ok?" Brennan called out. He didn't respond. "Booth?"

She walked into the bathroom, fastening a deep blue beaded necklace around her neck. The necklace perfectly matched the sleeveless blouse she had changed into. She was wearing a black pencil skirt, which greatly accented her legs.

"Booth, did you hear me?"

Booth turned to her, holding the box out to show her.

"What's this?" He asked.

Brennan looked at the box. She could sense the anger in his voice.

"It's a pregnancy test," she answered as if he had asked the simplest question in the world. She began to walk back into the bedroom.

"Don't walk away from me," Booth said. With water dripping from his face, Booth walked after her. "There's one missing."

"I'm sorry?"

"In the package. It's supposed to have two pregnancy tests, but one is missing. Did you take a pregnancy test, Bones?"

"Yes."

"Yes?" He hissed.

"Is there something wrong?" Brennan asked as she chose a pair of earrings from her jewelry box and put them on.

"Is there something wrong? You took a pregnancy, Bones, and didn't tell me!"

"By your tone of voice, I can tell that you are angry."

"Yes, I am angry, Bones."

"The test was negative, Booth."

Booth felt his heart drop. He was angry, but it didn't stop him from being hopeful that she really was pregnant. In less than a minute, he had redesigned the nursery in his head and was starting to think about holding a baby in his arms.

"You should have told me you had taken a pregnancy test."

"I don't see why."

Booth said nothing in response. He sat down on the side of the bed and hung his head. Rationally, he knew he was overreacting, but it didn't make the hurt go away. He felt like he had somehow been betrayed. Brennan took a last look at him, but, after deciding their argument was finished, she slid her feet into her black pumps. She was about to walk out the bedroom door when Booth spoke.

"When? When did you take the test?" Booth asked quietly.

"Several weeks ago," Brennan answered from the doorway. Somehow she knew Booth needed more of an explanation. "I was feeling nauseous for several days. I…ever since the surgery, my menstrual cycle has been very irregular so it had been a while since I had menstruated. I was sure I wasn't pregnant, but I…I took the test because I just needed to know for sure."

"You should have told me, Bones. I would have…"

"What? What could you have done, Booth? I am sure you realize that a pregnancy test requires you to urinate on it, Booth so you couldn't have been very helpful."

"Of course I know that," he snapped.

"It was just a test."

"A test that had the possibility to change our lives."

"Well it was negative."

"Everything is so simple for you."

"I am sorry that you think I should have more emotions about this, Booth."

"I just wish you had told me that you thought you might be pregnant."

"But I didn't think I was pregnant, Booth. I already explain to you that…"

"Yeah, I heard you."

"Then why do you still sound so angry?"

"You're my wife, Bones. We're supposed talk about things like this. We're supposed to be there for each other. That's how marriages work, Bones."

"It was just a test, Booth. A test that I knew would be negative before I even took it. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to get your hopes up. I am able to compartmentalize my emotions, but you…I knew this news would be devastating to you. That's why I didn't tell you."

For the first time since he sat on the bed, Booth looked up at her.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I got so angry. I know you just did what you thought was best."

"Many women take pregnancy tests without telling their partners."

"I know. I overreacted. And you're right, I would have gotten my hopes up."

Brennan slowly made her way to the bed where Booth was sitting. Leaving more than a foot of space between them, she sat down next to him.

"I can't get pregnant, Booth."

"That's not what the doctors say."

"I've looked at the tests, Booth, and although the reproductive system is not my specialty, I know what the tests say. The odds that I will get pregnant are very slim. We've tried, Booth."

"We still have another invetro appointment in two months."

Brennan shook her head. "It's not going to work. The last two didn't work, Booth. This one won't work either."

Booth thought back over the last eight months. Brennan had been implanted two different times with multiple eggs. Both times the results were the same. She wasn't pregnant. They had talked to all of the best specialists. They all said the same thing; it wasn't impossible for Brennan to get pregnant, but it was highly improbable. The damage suffered during her surgery was just too great.

"You don't know that," Booth said.

"Yes I do."

"So what? We're just supposed to give up?"

"The biology speaks for itself, Booth. My body is not capable of carrying a child. I am sorry if that upsets you." Brennan looked at her watch. "I'm going to be late. Are you still angry with me?"

"No."

"Then I will see you at lunch." Booth nodded. Brennan stood up. "I love you, Booth." She walked out of the room, leaving Booth completely alone.

Author's Note: Sorry for not updating sooner. I went on vacation and just haven't had much time for writing. Thank you as always for reading!