He holds the carseat and the diaper bag as she unlocks her door. She pushes the door open and he follows her in. The rest of the session had been pointless. Neither of them cared to discuss what he said in Sweets presence. The was no talking during the car ride home either. She had been busy trying to get Liam to sleep. She takes the diaper bag and the carseat from him.
"I'm going to get a drink do you want something?" he asks her.
"Uh a water. I'm going to go put him down," she tells him.
He nods and she takes off in the other direction. She drops the diaper bag in the corner of the nursery. She sits the carseat on the chair next to the crib. She pulls the blanket off the exhausted baby. She carefully unlatches the safety restraint. She cautiously moves the sleeping infant to the changing table and as quickly as possible changes his diaper.
Meanwhile Booth has just sat down in the living room. He has two bottles of water in front of him. He cracks one open and takes a sip. As he swallows he hears a knock at the door. He jumps up from the couch. He makes his best effort to prevent the baby waking up. He pulls open the door and allows the party in.
She's just laid Liam in his crib when she hears the knock at the door. She carefully tucks a blanket around the sleeping baby, and leaves the room. As she approaches the living room she calls out to Booth.
"Is there someone at the door?"
"Uh huh," he answers her as she draws nearer.
"Who?" she asks before she can reach the living room.
"Tempe," a voice mutters her name.
She steps into the living room to find her father standing in front of her.
"What are you doing here?" she questions suspiciously.
"Can't you just be happy to see me?" he wonders as he embraces her.
"You should have called first," she scolds.
"I did you didn't answer. I left a message on your voice mail."
"Oh."
"So have you two been working on any exciting cases?"
"No."
"I thought that you found all of your cases exciting," he points out.
"I do... but I've been off work."
"Why? Is something wrong?"
"No."
"Hey Bones I think I'm going to get going."
"Stay," she orders him with a death glare. Seeley takes a seat. Temperance stands and stares at her father.
"Russ said that you've been really busy."
"Is that what he said?"
"Uh huh."
"How are you feeling?"
"I feel better. I was a little bit upset that you didn't come see me."
"I was...I had something really important that I was doing."
"Work? You're such a hard worker."
"No it wasn't work."
"Oh. Writing another book?"
"No I don't have time to do that right now."
Temperance and Seeley both hear the noise. Her eyes quickly fall on his face. Seeley stands up. He says nothing as he leaves the room.
"Where is he going?"
"Uh dad what exactly has Russ told you?"
"Nothing. He just said that you've been really busy. I thought that you would come visit for Christmas."
"I just couldn't."
"Are you mad at me Tempe?"
"Why would you think that?"
"Because you've been avoiding me like the plague."
"I've just had some stuff going on in my personal life."
"With that partner of yours?"
"What?"
"Do you think that I'm blind? I see the way the two of you look at each other."
"Dad we're not together."
"Oh you're not?"
"No."
"You should be."
"What? Why would you say that?"
"He's a good guy. He takes good care of you."
"I guess, but he's my partner."
"So why haven't you been working?"
"Uh... I... why don't you sit down," she suggests.
"Ok," he agrees.
"Do you want something to drink?"
"No. Tempe what's going on?"
Before she can answers she hears Booth's voice. "Hey Temperance can you come here for a minute?"
"I'll be right back," she tells her father as she excuses herself. She finds Seeley in the nursery.
"What?" she questions.
"Where would I find a pacifier?"
"There are some in that drawer right there," she tells him as she points.
"Ok."
"Is that all you need?"
"Uh huh," he answers.
"Ok."
"Temperance you're going to tell him right?"
"Do I have a choice?" she retorts as she leaves the room.
She returns to the living room and finds Max sitting there waiting on her. "So what was it that you were going to tell me?"
"I..."
Max shifts in his seat. He rolls over and pulls a pacifier out from under him. He stares at her intensely. "Something you want to tell me Tempe?"
"About the pacifier?"
"Uh huh. Am I missing something?"
"I couldn't come to the hospital when you had a heart-attack because I was in the hospital."
He says nothing. He nods and she continues, "I had a baby," she answers.
"You didn't think that I should know?"
"Russ knew."
"He didn't say anything."
"I think that... he... it's a complicated situation."
"How? Is your partner the father?"
"What?"
"Booth is he the father?"
"No. Why would you think that?"
"It's nothing... never mind."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. So where is the father?"
"It's complicated."
"Tempe what's going on?"
"This isn't a conversation I ever envisioned having... especially not with you."
"What conversation?"
"I... Booth," she calls out.
He appears empty handed.
"Yeah?"
"I can't... I don't know how to..." she searches his eyes for help.
"Did you tell him?"
"Part of it."
"Which part?"
She stares at him with a look of pain, and confusion.
"Booth I don't understand what she meant. She said that it was complicated."
"It is. Temperance why don't you go get Liam?" he suggests.
She nods and hastily leaves the room.
"Why did you send her out?"
"It isn't something that she's very comfortable talking about."
"Why? Because I'm her father?"
"No because she still hasn't really gotten over it completely."
"Gotten over what?"
"She was raped."
"What? When?"
"The baby is..." a lump forms in Seeley's throat and he finds that the words don't seem to form.
"Oh. I get it."
"Are you sure?"
"Uh huh. Why wouldn't Russ just tell me that?"
"I don't think that she agreed with her decision."
"He decision to do what?"
"To keep the baby."
"The baby is here now?"
"Yes."
"Girl or boy?"
"Boy. His name is Liam he's three weeks old."
"So she decided to keep the baby?"
"Yes."
Max studies Seeley. He thinks carefully before beginning his next statement. "Why are you so stupid?"
"Excuse me?"
"Why don't you just tell her?"
"Tell her what?"
"The truth."
"Max I don't know what you're talking about."
"Why don't you tell her that you love her. When I told you not to hurt my daughter I meant it."
"Where did you come up with that?"
"Any fool could see that you're in love with her."
"I..."
"Booth you're a straight shooter that's why I like you. You should tell me the truth because you know if you hurt her I'll have to kill you."
"Yes sir I know that."
"So tell me the truth. Do you love my daughter?"
"I... I wish that the situation wasn't so complicated..."
"Right. But you love her, so why don't you just tell her?"
"Have you met her?"
"Yes."
"She isn't the easiest person to pour your heart out to."
"Then write her a letter."
"Max..."
"Booth don't screw this up," he warns.
Seeley grabs his keys off the coffee table. "Can you tell her that I left?"
"Sure where are you going?"
"I'm going for a drive," he answers unsure of what else to do given the circumstances.
