A/N - Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed so far. And thank you to mickeyboggs as usual for giving this the once-over. Even in the face of adversity! :-)
Disclaimer - After a hundred episodes I think Hart Hanson has the right to call Bones his own.
Enjoy.
Booth watched on as Temperance pushed the food around her plate, finally discarding the uneaten meal into the trash.
"Still not hungry?" he asked anxiously. She had barely eaten in days.
She shook her head. "What if… what if that was our baby, Booth?"
He'd been waiting for this moment, knowing all the while that inside she was comparing the health of their own unborn child to that of Russ and Amy. "Don't even think that, Bones!" he soothed. "This is just an unfortunate tragedy."
"It was a statistical inevitability, Booth. The rate of infant mortality in the US is approximately 6.86 deaths per 1000 births. That figure lends itself to a substantial number of affected women…" Temperance swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "…mothers."
Booth pulled her close, resting her head on his chest. "I feel so sad for Amy and Russ, Bones. And I would hate to be in their position right now. But we need to think about our baby. And you not eating can't be doing him any good."
"There was nothing to indicate a problem," she protested pushing Booth away, the disturbing images dominating her thoughts. "How can I know that our baby is okay?"
"You just have to trust your instincts, Bones. I know it's going to be fine."
"How?" she demanded. "How do you know?"
Booth was startled by her abruptness. "Because… because I have faith, Bones! Faith."
"Faith?" She snorted her distaste. "In what? Your God?"
"Yes!" he yelled back angrily.
Temperance shook her head furiously. "This same God that took my nephew before his life had barely begun? This same God that allowed your own father to beat you as a child? This same God…"
"I GET IT!!!"
Booth grabbed his keys and jacket, turning abruptly and slamming the door behind him.
Her angry panting breaths gave way to solitary sobs as she collapsed onto the sofa.
BBBBBBBB
He'd taken his time getting here. Booth stepped into the church quietly, making his way to the fifth pew on the right. There was something humbling about this particular place. He was always careful not to sit so close to the altar as to draw unnecessary attention to himself, but conscious that the rear was for the heretics and disbelievers. Booth knelt and bowed his head. "Almighty and everlasting God," he whispered. "Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you prepared the body of the Virgin Mary to be a worthy dwelling place of your divine son. You sanctified St. John the Baptist, while still in his mother's womb. Listen now to my prayer." Booth squeezed his eyes tight, holding their moisture back. "Through the intercession of St. Gerard, watch over my child and his mother; protect us at the time of delivery. May my child receive the saving graces of Baptism, lead a Christian life, and, together with all the members of our family, attain everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen."
BBBBBBBB
She slid into the pew and knelt beside him, tangling her fingers in his own. He didn't need to look. Her scent was all the greeting he needed. But still he opened his eyes to gaze upon her pale skin and bloodshot eyes. His earlier thought of heretics and disbelievers was lost as Booth welcomed her presence by his side.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "The things I said are unforgivable."
Booth pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. "You're grieving. It's understandable. I should have been more supportive."
"I can't be." "I can't grieve for someone that never truly existed."
"Your grief is for Russ. And for Amy. Being pregnant has allowed you to have this… connection with them. Don't reject that."
"Russ called."
"Oh?" Booth squeezed her hand comfortingly.
"They want me to do a reading because supposedly I'm 'good with words'. I don't know, Booth, what I'm supposed to say, what they want me to say? I need your help.
"You just need to speak from the heart Bones."
"My heart can't speak, but the words my brain is telling me are not comforting in any way. They want words of comfort, to be told that their child has gone to somewhere better. I can't stand up and tell them that is so."
"You don't know that Bones. You cannot verify 100% whether or not heaven exists."
"Neither can you."
Booth sighed. "This isn't the place to talk, Bones. C'mon." He stood up and held his hand out to her. "Let's go home."
BBBBBBBB
It had felt like the longest day.
Booth crept out of the bedroom quietly. At least she looked peaceful when she was sleeping. He knew he should be here when she woke, but there was somewhere else he needed to be tonight. Hopefully, this wouldn't take long and he'd be back before she noticed.
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"Rebecca?" Booth was aghast at the sight that met him.
"What's your problem!" she hissed.
"I... Becs..." Seeley shook his head in disbelief. "Look at you. You're a mess!"
"Oh." Her eyes flashed wild. "Look who's talking." Rebecca looked him up and down with a smirk. "Does she know what you did yet?"
Walking erratically towards Booth she brought the bottle to her mouth. "And besides," she slurred, "I'm in my own home. I've had a really shitty day. I can do what I like."
"No Becs you can't. You have responsibilities to Parker. Our son!"
"I'm quite capable of looking after my son. Are you saying I'm a bad mother? Because I'm not legally obliged to allow you access you know. I can stop you seeing him at any time. Any time I want!"
"Oh you don't need to remind me. I'm well aware of how big a bitch you can be."
"What do you want anyway?" she snapped. "Parker's on a sleepover."
"I know. I wanted to tell you I wouldn't be able to take him Friday," Booth explained.
"You'd better have a damned good reason, Seeley. I made plans already."
His expression remained somber. "We have a funeral."
"How original." She shook her head and wandered inside, leaving Booth to close the door behind him. "Who is it this time? Some ranger you knew once upon a time? A murder victim you never even met? You know Seeley, you put all this energy into complete strangers and your family always comes second. I am so glad I didn't marry you because it really would have been the biggest mistake of my life."
Booth held back his frustration. "Actually Becca, Bones' nephew died. When he was less than a day old. So I don't think Parker needs to be around that right now. Do you?"
"Oh." She looked at him sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Look… um… I will keep Parker this weekend. Don't worry about it. And please give Dr. Brennan my condolences."
"Thanks." Booth turned and opened the door to leave then paused. "Becca? This isn't you. Drinking alone. Has something happened?"
She nodded her head sullenly.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"I… I got laid off today."
BBBBBBB
"Where'd you go?"
Booth's attempts to slide in beside his partner unnoticed were pointless. It was obvious that she had been awake for some time. "Rebecca needed to see me about having Parker this weekend. Turns out she wants to keep him," he lied. In his own mind he was protecting both Bones and Parker.
"But that is unfair. It was your weekend. Rebecca can be very selfish."
"It's okay Bones. We can make it up." He ran his finger across her thigh. "And talking of making up…" One finger turned into an entire palm as he set about massaging her ass cheek.
"I'd like to sleep Booth."
"You sure?" he quizzed, planting delicate kisses along her collarbone.
"I'm sure," she concluded, shrugging him away.
"And I can't change your mind?" he whispered suggestively as his hand slipped between her legs, stroking softly.
"Just… back off!" she yelped, kicking back with force.
Booth hissed in pain. There would be one hell of a bruise tomorrow.
Temperance pulled the sheets up around her.
Booth rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.
There was little more than a foot between them, but right at this moment it might as well been a mile.
