A little while later Booth wheeled Brennan back to her room. "I don't want to leave him, Booth…"
"I know. I don't either, but we both need dinner and to call Christine before she goes to bed. You need to rest and I need to go to the hotel and check out then go to my meeting."
"I don't know how I'm going to leave him here tomorrow and go home…"
"It's gonna be hard, but we'll get through it…together…"
"Yes…" Booth helped Brennan to her feet, she held onto him a little tighter.
"You okay, Bones?"
"Yes. I don't want you to leave. I don't know why I'm being so irrational…"
Booth kissed Brennan's forehead, "It's okay to be irrational sometimes. It's been a stressful night and day for both of us. I don't want to leave either, but I have to go to my meeting and check out of the hotel."
"I know."
"I'll be back in a few hours. Let's call Christine." Brennan sat on her bed and called Max, putting
it on speaker. After talking to Christine for a few minutes and reassuring her that Brennan would be home when she got home from school and Booth would pick her up. they hung up when Brennan's dinner tray was brought in.
"Let's see what's for dinner. I'll get you something if this isn't something you can eat." Booth uncovered the tray. "Tomato soup, grilled cheese, salad, half of an apple, vanilla pudding and milk. Plus, a packet of peanut butter and a few packets of crackers."
"You can have the grilled cheese, pudding and milk if you want it. I'll eat the rest."
Booth grinned, "Okay." They ate their dinner in silence. Once Booth was done he stood up and got Brennan more ice and water. "I'm going to go check out of the hotel…"
"Okay…"
"Do you need me to bring you anything?"
"No."
"Bones, I'll be back as soon as I can. Try to rest."
"I'm tired of sitting here, thinking and worrying about Hank…."
"I know." Booth reached into Brennan's hospital bag and pulled out two forensic science journals. "I saw last month's on your nightstand. This month's was in the mail today. I thought maybe you'd want to read them…"
Brennan smiled and reached for the journals. "Thanks Booth, it'll give me something to do until you return."
Booth chuckled and kissed Brennan, "I'll be back as soon as I can. If you need me call, I'll leave my phone on."
"Okay. I think things will be okay."
"I love you, Bones."
"I love you too, Booth."
B&B
It was after nine when Booth let himself into Brennan's room. "Booth…"
"Hey Bones."
"You're later than I expected, did your meeting run long?"
"No, I stopped by the N.I.C.U. to see Hank before I came back. He's about the same, his night nurse, Shannon let me hold him. He was awake when she handed him to me. I held him while his feeding tube was running. He fell asleep almost as soon as he was in my arms."
Brennan smiled, "that's good."
"Yeah. Everything was fine then out of nowhere the alarm went off. He was fine as soon as he was back in the incubator. I held him for about 13 minutes…"
"He's making progress. I don't know how I'm going to go home tomorrow without him."
"I know. It will be hard, but it will be okay."
"It doesn't feel like it's going to be okay…"
"Oh Bones, I wish I could make this easier for you…. For us, but I can't. Hank will be home with us before you know it. Then our lives will be at a whole new level of insanity with a five-year-old and a newborn and our jobs. Plus ]Parker when he gets here at the end of June."
"I hope Hank is home by then…Parker is old enough to go in the N.I.C.U to see Hank. Christine will be extremely upset if Parker gets to see him and she can't."
"If Parks gets to see Hank in the N.I.C.U. we'll swear him to secrecy until Christine's 21…."
Brennan laughed, "Okay."
"Did you read your journals?"
"Yes, they were informative. Doctor Edison's article is overly wordy…"
"What else is new?"
Brennan smiled slightly "Did your meeting go… well?"
"Yeah. I'm okay. I'm going to try to get their earlier tomorrow to make some good coffee. Gavin cannot make coffee to save his life…". Brennan smiled and reached for Booth's hand.
B&B
The next morning after another Booth provided breakfast he and Brennan headed for the N.I.C.U. Kristen smiled at them as they made their way to Hank's incubator. "Good morning, Hank had a good night, he was stable the whole night. He tolerated being moved for diaper changes well. He might still be awake; he was when I checked on him a few minutes ago." Brennan sat in the glider and Kristen placed Hank who was awake in her arms. "Good morning, sweetheart. I'm glad you had a good night. I love you so much."
"Good morning, tiger."
"You can come down here at 8 tomorrow morning and stay until 8 at night. You can hold Hank multiple times throughout the day. Once he's strong enough to eat by mouth you can feed him as often as you're here. You can start changing his diapers today as long as he's tolerant. I'll give you the direct number here so you can call and check on him when you're not here. If Hank were to have a setback you will be called as soon as we get him stable. If we can't get him stable someone will call you. I know it's going to be very hard to leave him and go home today, but he's doing well. You need to go home today and rest and spend time with your daughter."
Brennan nodded, "Thank you."
Kristen nodded and checked on Hank once more and left the three alone.
B&B
A few hours later Brennan's doctor discharged her and she and Booth were in the N.I.C.U. saying goodbye to Hank. "Goodbye sweetheart. I have to go home today. Daddy and I will spend all day here with you tomorrow. I love you so much…"
"Goodbye tiger, mommy's right we'll be here to spend all day with you tomorrow. I love you. Behave yourself, no making your alarms go off." Booth put his arm around Brennan and started to lead her away. 'Booth, I don't want to leave him. I can't…"
"I know I don't want to leave him either, but you need to get some good sleep in our bed. We need to hang out with Christine, tuck her in and read her more Ralph S. Mouse."
"I wish I could do all those things plus be here with Hank…"
"I know. I'll tell Hodgins to get working on how to be in two places at once." Brennan smiled a little.
"Booth that's imposable…"
"Maybe not someday, it could happen …."
"Maybe someday…."
They silently rode the elevator to the ground floor and Brennan waited with the nurse for Booth to bring the SUV around to pick her up. Once they were both in the SUV Brennan grabbed
Booth's hand. "Bones, Hank is okay , you can call and check on him as soon as we get home."
"That's only at most 30 minutes from now I can't call that soon."
"Youcan. I'm sure parents have called to check on their babiesfrom the parking lot."
"That's irrational, but I can see why someone would do it." Booth chuckled and squeezed Brennan's hand as he headed out of the parking lot.
"If you would like lunch we need to stop at the diner before we get home. I had planned to go to the store yesterday after work, but Hank changed that…"
"Okay. I'll get our usuals to go and when I pick up Christine we'll go to the store before we come home…"
"That's fine."
After they got home and ate Brennan found she could hardly keep her eyes open.
"Bones, call and check on Hank then go take a nap, you're exhausted."
"You are too, you woke up every time the nurse came in…"
"I am tired, but I'm not the one who gave birth less than two days ago."
"I'm really okay, Booth."
"I know. You'll be even better after you call and check on Hank and take a nap …"
Brennan smiled a little as she pulled out the paper with the N.I.C.U. number on it and dialed. She identified herself and listened, after a minute she hung up and turned to Booth.
"Kristen said Hank is fine, she just changed him and started another feeding a few minutes ago. He's sleeping…"
Booth got up and walked over to Brennan and pulled her close. "I know you want to be there, Bones to hold him while he gets fed and change him, but for today you need you rest and hang out with Christine. Tomorrow as soon as soon as we drop Christine off at school we'll go straight to the hospital and stay until it's time to pick her up. Then we can have Max stay with her while I go to my meeting and on the way I can drop you off to spend a little time with Hank. "Sound good?"
"Yes. Will you lay down with me for a while? I need…you…"
"Of course, Bones…" Booth smiled and led Brennan to their bedroom. Once she was there Brennan went to Booth's dresser and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a faded Phillies t-shirt. "I'm going to go change…"
"You okay, Bones?"
"Yes, the clothes I'm wearing aren't as comfortable as I'd like right now. Your clothes are bigger and will be more comfortable…"
"Plus, you're tired, worried, and don't feel well…"
"All that too…"
Booth grinned and kissed Brennan's forehead, "I love you, Bones."
"I love you too, Booth."
"Everything is going to be okay, Bones. It might take a while, but it will be okay."
"I know…"
Twenty minutes later Booth sighed as he laid down in their bed. "Are you okay, Booth?"
"Yeah, I just forgot how comfortable our bed is. The hotel bed wasn't bad, but our bed is better."
Brennan snuggled next to Booth, "I'm sorry I kicked you out, Booth…"
"You had to do it, Bones, it was the only way I would have went to GA…"
"I know, but still…"
"Bones, I'm fine…I will be in time…"
"I know. I love you, Booth."
"I love you too, Bones. Get some sleep…" Booth kissed Brennan's hair as she fell asleep. A few hours later Booth tried to get out of bed without waking Brennan. He was almost out of bed when she grabbed for him.
"Bones go back to sleep; I'm just getting up to shave before I pick up Christine. You know she doesn't like it when my face is 'scratchy'."
"Hm I don't like it when your face is 'scratchy' either. The grocery list is on the refrigerator. Christine can choose something from the bakery if she would like…"
"Okay. Don't worry about dinner, I'll get something."
"Okay…"
A clean-shaven Booth left the house ten minutes later and pulled into the school pick up line minutes before the bell rang. Christine spotted Booth standing beside the SUV almost as soon as she was outside and ran to him. "Daddy!"
Booth smiled as he scooped Christine up, "Hi angel. Did you have a good day at school?"
"Yep. Is mommy home?"
"Yes, mommy is home. We're stopping at the grocery store before we go home though. She said you can get something at the bakery if you want."
"Do they have chocolate chip cookies?"
"They should, we'll see."
"Okay." Booth helped Christine into her booster seat. An hour and a half later Christine burst through the front door. "MOMMY!"
"Shh, Christine mommy's probably still sleeping."
Brennan walked into the kitchen, "I'm awake, Booth. Hello sweetheart. Did you have a good day at school?."
"Yeah, we played with play-doh."
'Your favorite."
"Uh-huh. Is Hank home too?"
"No, sweetheart, Hank won't be home for a while. He's still really sick, but he's better than he was yesterday."
"Oh. I wanna see him!"
Brennan sat on a stool and pulled Christine to her, Booth walked around the counter and picked Christine up sitting her in Brennan's lap . "Thanks Booth." Booth nodded and went back to unpacking and putting away the groceries.
"I know you want to see him. He's still in the special part of the hospital that you can't go into, but hopefully in a few weeks you'll be able to see him. Daddy and I will take pictures for you to look at when we go see him tomorrow while you're at school."
"Okay." Christine started playing with Brennan's ring.
Booth leaned over the counter, "why don't you go put your backpack away and wash your hands? Dinner will be ready soon."
"Okay." Christine hopped down from Brennan's lap and picked up her backpack.
Once Christine was headed to her room Brennan turned to Booth, "what are we having for dinner?"
"I got a rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and mac and cheese for me and noodle to share. I also got chopped salad, that cranberry fluff thing you like and pasta salad. Kind of a mixed-up dinner, but the last few days have been mixed up…" Booth shrugged and started cutting up the chicken.
"It's fine, Booth. Christine has a protein and a vegetable. Plus, she likes chopped salad so she'll get fresh vegetables that way. What did she choose from the bakery?"
"Chocolate chip cookies."
" Do you need help?"
"No, I cut the chicken up and we're eating out of the containers for the rest of it."
Booth grabbed plates and silverware and began to set the table. Dinner was spent with Christine filling Booth and Brennan in on spending the night with Max and going to preschool. While Booth was putting the leftovers away Christine got ready for bed, she came into the living room with her copy of Ralph S. Mouse and tried to sit on Brennan's lap again. "Sweetheart, why don't you sit on daddy's lap and I'll sit next to him and read to you?"
"Okay!"
A few minutes later Christine was snuggled into Booth's lap listening to Brennan read. Twenty minutes later she was sound asleep. "She's out…"
Brennan smiled, "I'm not surprised, she hasn't slept well since you've been gone…"
"Aww, I'm sorry baby girl." Booth kissed Christine's forehead. "I'd love to hold her all night , but I need to get going…" Brennan nodded. "I'll put her in bed…." Booth carefully stood up and headed for Christine's bedroom. He returned a few minutes later. "She didn't even stir…"
"That's good. can you…?"
"Yes, I'll stop by the hospital on my way home."
"Thank you."
"Bones, Hank will be fine…"
"I know. Today was harder than yesterday…"
"I know. We can spend all day with him tomorrow…" Booth kissed Brennan and pulled her tight. "I gotta go…" Brennan nodded as Booth kissed her again.
Almost two hours later Brennan's phone sounded, she picked it up and smiled at the picture of Booth holding Hank, under the picture Booth wrote, "Hi mommy, I'm fine. Love you see you
tomorrow. "Brennan smiled and replied back, "hi sweetheart, I'm glad you're fine. I love you too and I'll see you in the morning."
Forty minutes later Booth let himself into a quiet house, he smiled when he noticed Brennan had left a light on for him. He headed to their bedroom Booth stopped in the doorway when he noticed Christine next to Brennan sleeping. Booth walked into the room and over to Brennan. "What happened?"
"She woke up for water and asked where you were and when I said you that you went out and you'd be back later, she refused to go back to sleep until you got home. I told her she could lay down with me. She was asleep in five minutes…"
Booth smiled, "I'll go but her back in bed. I'll talk to her about where I have to go every night in the morning. I won't tell her I go to GA; I'll just tell her I have a work meeting every night…"
"Booth, she'll want to know why you suddenly have a meeting every night."
"I'll think of something. Let me get her back in bed…"
"She can stay here, Booth…"
"If she was upset or it wasn't your first night home I'd agree…"
"Booth I'm fine…"
"You need to rest."
"I can rest with Christine next to us…."
"She's too restless, you might end up with her foot in your spleen or something."
Brennan smiled, "it'll be fine…"
"Even so she's going back to bed." Booth scooped up Christine and rubbed her back to keep her asleep.
A few minutes later Booth walked back in the bedroom. "She didn't wake up."
"That's good."
"Yeah, I'll just grab some clothes and go sleep in Parker's room."
"You can sleep in here, Booth…I need you to.."
"Okay I'll be back in a few minutes…"
When Booth climbed in bed, Brennan got as close to him as she could. "Thank you for stopping at the hospital."
"Of course. Shannon said Hank had a good day, he was stable the whole day. He gained a quarter of an ounce. It doesn't sound like much, but every little but helps."
"He's so tiny. I'm glad he can't wear clothes right now, nothing I have would fit. I doubt we could find clothes small enough."
"We could find them, well, it'd probably take Angela's computer skills. And she'd more than likely go shopping for us."
"She would. I need to ask her to cancel my baby lunch with Cam and Daisy now that Hank is here."
"Don't. You can take a few hours away from Hank to have lunch with your friends. It's almost a month from now, Hank could be home by then."
"I hope he is."
"Me too. let's get some sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow. I love you, Bones."
"I love you too, Booth." they kissed.
B&B
The next morning as Christine was finishing her Mickey Mouse pancakes Booth leaned against the counter. "Christine, I need to talk to you about something."
"What Daddy?"
"Every night after you go to sleep I have to go to a meeting…"
"For work?"
"Kind of. They help me do my job better…."
"Oh. Do you have to go forever?"
"No. I have to go to one every night for a while. Then I can go once a week or so. While I'm at my meetings mommy will be at the hospital with Hank. Grandpa will stay here with you while we're gone."
"Okay. Will you and mommy read to me and tuck me in before you leave?"
"Of course."
"Are you sure you're gonna come back?"
"Yes."
"Will you give me a kiss while I'm sleeping so I know you're back? Mommy doesn't have too…"
"Of course."
"Good. can I have more pancakes?"
"Yeah." Booth slid another Mickey Mouse -pancake on Christine's plate.
B&B
An hour later Booth and Brennan dropped Christine off at school and were headed to the hospital.
"Are you okay, Booth?"
"Yeah, Christine asked that I give her a kiss while she's sleeping so she knows I came home. You don't have to…"
"Booth, she didn't mean anything by it. She's asked that I give her a kiss when I came home and she's sleeping since she could talk."
"I know. It was hard to hear this morning."
"Booth…"
"I'll be okay, Bones. I just need to call Gavin before I go in and see Hank. You can go on."
"I don't know if I can…"
"You can, Bones. Hank is fine. I'll be up there soon. If I had better control of my urge to gamble right now I wouldn't call Gavin. I'm about 5 minutes away from finding a poker game…"
"Booth…"
"I'll be okay, Bones. I promise."
"I love you Booth."
"I love you too, Bones.."
