JAG'ed Bones in the Casckett, Phyllis, RobinAngelena, 554Laura, topaz270 (that's a good but potentially very angsty prompt that I will bear in mind), LoveShipper, GalaxieGurl, MstgSzy, Vmf447 (those were sad but very good episodes allowing both DB and ED to show their superb acting skills), Brandy, adorkablesalad, kareneb, FaithinBones, mphs95, mendenbar, Annarita, regbride12.

Thanks for reviewing, and providing your opinions to whether this series would be better continued or with a volume II. Most of you were okay either way. I've honestly not decided yet, maybe when I reach Chapter 50!

Anyway, I'm not sure why but my muse just got me to writing about this time periods in B&B's lives. This can be seen as a stand alone or a continuation to the previous chapter.

Denial

The feeling though not entirely foreign had been buried in the deep recesses of his mind long enough for it to feel new. The thrill and exhilaration of a win, the rush of adrenaline and the incessant itch that needed to be scratched by what he perceived was a well-paced bet. The emotions of a gambler. He especially loved that with each win, he beat the odds. Just like how he did in life. He hadn't been dealt a good hand as a kid but he rose above it, and now, he had proved everyone, especially his old man wrong. He was Head of the Major Crimes Division at the FBI and best of all married to the love of his life. He had two beautiful children and a third on the way. He had also just made himself richer with the bet he had placed the night before. The text from Jimmy his bookie was just icing on the cake. Booth smiled to himself.

"I'm ready. We can drop Christine off at daycare first." The sound of Brennan's voice made him quickly slip his phone back into his shirt pocket. He was always extra careful with his phone now. He couldn't risk being found out.

He smiled warmly at his wife who was now showing enough that everyone knew they were expecting their second child together. The thought filled him with pride. They were going to have a boy this time, that he was sure of. Just like he was sure he would win when he placed the bet the night before. He beamed at her.

"What?" She asked at his staring.

He loved the perplexed look on her face, one she seldom had. "Nothing. Just happy. Happy that we're together and happy that we've got a little guy on the way."

"We don't know that for sure yet."

"Oh I'm sure." Booth said as he pressed a kiss to her lips. "I'll get Christine."

On the drive to the crime scene after dropping Christine off at daycare, Booth was still in a good mood. When he had placed that first bet, the $300 on the Capitals, he had been filled with a rush of adrenaline but also guilt. He had told himself one bet was enough. While undercover he had been dealt an incredible hand, a hand that he had been forced to give up. The pressure of everyone at the Jeffersonian watching had been sufficient to stop him from finishing the game but it had created an itch that needed to be scratched. That one bet on the Capitals was just to scratch that itch. He would stop after. At least, that's what he told himself.

But luck, as he had suspected, was on his side and he had won. Convinced he was experiencing a lucky streak, what with the hand he had been dealt in the poker game and the win from that one bet on the Capitals, not to mention an unplanned baby on the way, he decided he would ride out that streak. He was going to have another mouth to feed and the extra cash wouldn't hurt. After a couple more wins, he was convinced he was hurting no one.

Then the losses started coming and being the seasoned gambler that he was, Booth knew it was all part of the game. You win some and lose some, but overall he was still making money on the side. He kept going, managing to sublimate the guilt he felt, just like how he had managed to sublimate the feelings he had for Brennan for so many years. And so there he was now, having successfully kept his gambling a secret from her for the past few months. He could stop whenever he wanted. Just not now.

"You're in an exceptionally good mood this morning. I thought we should never look this happy at a crime scene."

"We're not at the crime scene yet. And what's wrong with me being happy? Like I said, everything's going great and I'm just happy we're adding to our family." He flashed her his charm smile as they pulled up to the crime scene.

The badly decomposed body had been found at the bottom of a hill and the ground was still wet and slippery from the rain that had fallen the night before. He held out his hand for Brennan, relieved she took it and allowed him to guide her down the steep incline. He didn't want to risk his pregnant wife falling.

"Easy there Bones." He said as he pointed out a fallen branch. He tightened his hand round hers as she stepped over the branch.

They arrived at their destination at the foot of the hill without mishap. Hodgins and Cam were already there. The unmistakable stench of death and decay filled the air. Brennan immediately got to work, opening her tool box and crouching down over the remains.

"So who found the body?" Booth crinkled his nose as he asked the Sheriff.

"Guy jogging on the trail above saw something hinky below and decided to check it out."

Booth nodded as he wrote on his index cards. He would question said jogger later.

The Sheriff frowned towards Brennan. "You sure you should be here Ma'am? This isn't the best terrain and exposing the baby to death like this can't be good."

Booth shook his head slightly. "Oh boy, here we go." He muttered under his breath.

"I am the best in my field. If you want this case to be solved, I need to be here. The fetus is cocooned inside me in amniotic fluid, any harmful substances released in the process of decomposition would not reach it, unless I consume any of this," she gestured at the remains, "which I have no intention of doing."

"Still, this isn't the best place to be. Wasn't there someone else you could call to be here? The child's father can't be happy about you being here." The Sheriff continued, much to Brennan's chagrin.

"On the contrary, my child's father was in a happy mood this morning until we arrived here where he knows it would not be inappropriate to be joyous at a crime scene."

The Sheriff didn't quite understand what Brennan was saying and turned to look at Booth who offered him a weak smile.

"See um… I'm the child's father. My partner is also my wife. If I had it my way, she would have been stuck in the lab the moment we found out we're having another baby but…" Booth shrugged.

The Sheriff looked appalled.

"If I were her husband, I definitely wouldn't let her be here, crouching over a dead person. What kind of man are you? Can't you make your wife do what you say?"

Incensed, Brennan rose to her feet surprisingly quickly. "My husband is a great man and a good husband. You should not question his manhood. Our marriage is not a dictatorship, rather a partnership. Every decision we make is based on mutual respect and if he disagrees I'm always open to discussion. Right Booth?"

"Uh yeah, of course."

"Just because a woman is pregnant, doesn't mean she becomes instantly incapable of doing her job, or more fragile than she normally is. That kind of thinking is antiquated and unfounded on scientific fact. I'm not an irresponsible mother and I'm certainly not harming the fetus in any way by being here."

She turned to Booth. " I'm done with my examination now. I'll update you on my findings in the car."

Speechless for a moment, the Sheriff shook his head at Brennan's outburst. Hodgins grinned to himself and Cam tried to continue on with her work without appearing to smile. Booth stood rooted in place for a moment as she stormed off. The Sheriff's words had affected him more than he expected. What kind of man was he? He had worked hard all his life to make sure he was not his father. But he had for months now, gambled behind Brennan's back. She had said he was a good husband and in that moment, he had doubts if he was.

His gambling hurt no one, not even Brennan. That was what set him apart from his father. He never laid a hand on her or Christine. He provided them with a safe and loving home to live in. Nonetheless, he knew he should probably stop gambling. He stared at Brennan as she started back up the hill. He hurried after her wanting to help her back up the incline.

He would stop, just not now. He was after all on a winning streak and it would have been foolish to waste that streak. He took her hand firmly in his grasp, guiding her up the slope. He could tell she was still angry at what the Sheriff had said. He would address that on the drive back to the lab.

Before he willed his thoughts back to the case, he concluded that he could stop any time he wanted, just not right then.