A/N: Ok, so a really BIG shout out to Goldy. She really helped me through b bit of writer's block. Thanks Girl! So, anyhow...hope you all like this chapter.
Seeley Booth stood on the doorsteps of the Ryan household with Piper in his arms and a make shift diaper bag slung over one shoulder. He baby talked the child and smiled when he was answered with coos and giggles. He turned his attention to the door as it began to open. "Seeley Booth," Sarah said. "What have you been up too?" Seeley smiled at the woman.
"I told you on the phone," Booth answered, walking in the house past her, "that I'm not hiding anything." He took in the scene in the living room. A playpen stood in the far corner, the youngest of Sarah's children, Patrick, was in it, standing on tiptoes, and drooling on the padded rim as he chewed on it. Ashley and Matthew, the 3 and 5 year olds, sat on the couch watching Barney. Booth turned back to Sarah. "This little one is Piper." Sarah smiled and reached out for her.
"Oh, isn't she just the cutest," Sarah said. "Who does she belong too?"
"We're not sure," he answered, dropping the diaper bag on the end of the couch.
"Not sure?"
"She was left outside the Jeffersonian with a note for my partner. We're running down every lead, but so far nothing. When we called CSS we were told that it would be Monday before they could send someone out. So Bones and I are kinda taking care of her ourselves."
"Bones?" Sarah asked looking up at him. "As in the very pretty, very single Dr. Brennan?" Booth tugged at his collar as he felt heat creeping up his neck. He had known Sarah for a long time, and her teasing always made him blush, it was something that he had yet to figure out.
"Listen, Sarah," he started. "Thanks for watching Piper today. I'll be by as soon as I get out of court."
"No problem, Seeley," she answered with a smile. "Piper will be just fine."
"Be good, Sweet Pea," he said to the baby then gave her a kiss on the temple and left.
XxXxX
"Booth," he said into the phone as he glanced down the court hallway he stood in.
"Hi." Booth smiled as the voice of his partner reached his ear. "You have your turn yet?"
"Not yet," he answered. "Still waiting to be called in. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing much," Brennan lied. "I just called to um…" She trailed off.
"Is something wrong, Bones?"
"Oh, no, I just, will, are you sure Piper will be okay?" Booth gave a short chuckle and shook his head.
"She'll be fine," he said. "Sarah knows what she's doing."
"I'm just, well, you know…" Again she trailed off.
"It's okay to be worried," Booth told her.
"I'm not worried. I'm just, well…"
"Worried," Booth filled in.
"Maybe a little."
"Piper will be fine." A guard caught his attention and Booth nodded. "Listen, I'm up. Talk to you later."
"Bye." Booth ended the call, shut his phone off, and the followed the guard.
XxXxX
"So, what's this about a baby?" Brennan looked up from the pile of papers that she was reading. Her meeting was in ten minutes and she was reviewing some facts. Dr. Camille Saroyan stood at the open door of her office with a smug smile.
"Piper was left outside the main doors," Brennan said, dropping her eyes back to the paper.
"So I've heard," Cam said stepping just inside Brennan's office.
"Then why did you ask?" Brennan asked. She gathered up her files and stood.
"I also hear that you and Booth ran out yesterday and came back with a bag of baby items."
"We had to process her clothes," Brennan said, reaching for her jacket. "Couldn't leave Piper in the nude, now could we?"
"Did you call CSS to come and get her?"
"Of course, but they won't be able to pick her up until Monday." Brennan made her way passed Cam. "So we're taking care of her until then."
"We?" Cam asked with a raised eyebrow, as she followed Brennan.
"Yeah, Booth and I," Brennan said, turning around quickly to face her.
"Booth?"
"He's sleeping on my couch. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to go to that you won't let me out of." Cam nodded and Brennan hurried away.
"Isn't it sweet?" Angela asked, coming to stand next to Cam.
"Sweet?"
"Yeah, Booth and Brenn playing house." Cam pinched her lips together and left the artist standing alone.
Later that day…
Booth had to blink several times as he walked out the courthouse. The sun was bright and it took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust. Booth pushed his shoulders back to loosen his back, and then pulled out his cell phone. As he stood on the steps waiting for it to turn on, his mind drifted back to his conversation with Brennan. He smiled at the fact that she was worried. Booth drew his brows together when his screen came up and his phone suddenly beeped at him. He quickly dialed into his voice messages. "Message one…Hey Booth, just me again. Guess you're still in court. Just wanted to see if you had checked on Piper." Booth smiled into the phone. "Message two…Just me. Message three…Me again, I should have remembered to get Sarah's number from you so I could check on Piper." The rest of the messages were the same. Who knew Bones would be such a worry wart, he thought to himself as he deleted the messages.
XxXxX
Booth sat Piper's infant seat on the floor next to Brennan's apartment door. He pulled his keys from his pocket, quickly found the right one, and opened the door. He picked Piper back up and strolled into the empty apartment. He dropped the diaper bag and flipped on the lights. He felt odd being in Brennan's home without her there, but quickly shook off the feeling. He placed Piper on the floor next to the couch, and knelt to unstrap the child from the infant seat. "There we go, Sweet Pea," he said standing with Piper cuddled to his chest. The baby cooed with happiness. "Oh, don't you worry. Bones will be home soon." Coo and giggles. "I know, I'm looking forward to that too." With one hand, Booth put the blanket on the floor and laid the baby down. "So, what do you think we should have for supper?" he asked, as he took off his suit jacket, tie and holster, placing all the items on the dining room table. More coos. "You don't know either, huh? Well, lets see what she has in the kitchen." Piper answered with a giggle. With one eye on the child, Booth quickly moved through the kitchen and opened cabinets. "Don't have a whole lot, do you, Bones? Oh, you think that's funny?" he playfully asked as Piper cooed from the blanket. "Umm, well, that should work," Booth said as he pulled a box of pasta out. He quickly found all the ingredients he needed and soon had the pasta cooked and homemade pasta sauce simmering on the stovetop.
Brennan opened the door to her apartment and was immediately hit with the smell of food. "What smells so good?" she asked, coming into the living room. Booth looked up from where he laid on the blanket with Piper.
"Welcome home," Booth said. "And it's supper." Brennan smiled and dropped her bag. She lowered herself to the blanket on the other side of Piper. "She was wondering when you would get home." Brennan gave a small laugh.
"I doubt that, Booth."
"Think what you want, Bones, but Piper and I have been talking all afternoon. She told me, 'Booth, I miss Bones'." Brennan laughed at the high-pitched voice Booth began to talk in.
"And what else did Piper say?"
"Oh, well, she's getting pretty demanding. I gave her a bath, but she wants you to feed her."
"She does, huh?" Booth nodded, a wide smile plastered on his face.
"After that, our supper is waiting."
"Oh, ok."
"Good, I'll get the bottle." Booth jumped up from the blanket and went into the kitchen. Brennan watched her partner for a moment and the reached out and picked up the baby. She carefully stood and walked to the same chair she sat in last night.
"Hey there," she said to the baby. Coos and giggle. "She's in a happy mood today," she called out to Booth.
"Sarah said she's been happy all day," Booth answered, walking in with a freshly made bottle. He handed it to Brennan and then sat down on the coffee table opposite of her. "Sarah also told me to tell you hello."
"But I don't even know her," Brennan said, looking up at him. Booth gave a half shrug.
"Just giving you the message. Anyhow, when you meet Sarah, you'll understand. She's never met a stranger." Booth watch as Brennan fed Piper. Thoughts that he could get use to the picture in front of him ran through his mind. "You're getting good at that," he said.
"I had a good teacher." Brennan smiled up at him. "Dr. Saroyan was asking about Piper today."
"What was she asking?"
"Just wondering about her, and if I had called CSS. Although she did look a little worried when she found out you were staying here."
"You told her that?" Brennan nodded.
"What's so funny?" Booth rubbed a hand over his mouth.
"It's just…I bet that really shocked her."
"You two were…close?" Booth stood and paced over to the window. He really didn't want to talk about his past with Cam.
"I guess you could say that," he finally answered. "But that was a long time ago, Bones."
"Do you…want to get back with her?"
"What?" he asked, spinning around to face her. "No, of course not. Why would you ask that?" Brennan dropped her gaze back to Piper who had finished her bottle. Brennan took the bottle away and proceeded to burp the child. Booth took Piper from Brennan to take her to bed.
"I asked because you two seem…cozy," Brennan said as Booth walked back into the living room.
"You hungry?" Brennan nodded and stood. She watched Booth fix two plates of pasta and soon they were sitting around the table eating.
"Do you always leave your gun laying around on the kitchen table?" Brennan asked.
"Course not," he answered. "It normally stays on my nightstand."
"What about when you have Parker?"
"Then it's locked away with the other guns. Parker knows not to touch a gun unless I'm there. He's not even allowed to have a BB gun like his friends."
"Why not?"
"A gun's a gun, Bones. I knew a couple when I was younger who had a son killed by a BB gun."
"So, Parker is allowed to shoot guns?"
"He's been shooting for about a year now. He's pretty good at it." They fell into a silence. They finished their supper and then went on to wash the dishes.
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Brennan said as they settled onto the couch.
"Don't worry about it." Brennan dropped her eyes to the floor, feeling she should say something but knowing what.
"So, um," she began, "how was court?" Booth gave a short snort. "What?"
"I just never expected such a domestic question from you." Brennan gave a shrug.
"Sounded like a good thing to ask."
"Guess it was as good as court could be. Glad it's over." Booth took a drink of the wine he had brought into the living room with him. "So what do you think we should do tomorrow?"
"I normally go into work," Brennan informed him. "You'll be here with the baby so…"
"Oh, no," Booth said. "You're not skipping out on me. She's your responsibility, not mine. Which means you might as well shut off your alarm, cause your butt is staying home." Brennan opened her mouth to argue but quickly shut it when he glared at her. A slight nod showed her approval.
Next Chapter will be up next week!
