TITLE: Undoing
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Fatherly Ways


"Agent Booth, come in." Dr. Goodman waved the federal agent inside his office and gestured toward the plush leather chairs opposite his desk. "Please, have a seat."

Booth nodded and did as he bade, sitting down a bit apprehensively in the armchair and leaning forward, propping his elbows on each of the arms and clasping his hands between him.

Goodman, noting the agent's posture, chuckled a bit. "Relax, Agent Booth."

"I have to admit sir, I'm a little nervous."

"Nervous?" Goodman tilted his head and propped his own elbows up on the arms of the chair, templing his hands in front of him. "Whatever for?"

"Well, you know, because you... you know."

Goodman's brows quirked before he shook his head. "I'm sorry, I fail to see how that could make you nervous."

Booth sighed, and decided to cut to the chase. "Sir, are you planning on splitting Dr. Brennan and I up?"

"No."

Booth breathed a sigh of relief and finally allowed himself to relax against the chair. He turned grateful eyes toward his partner's boss. "Thank you."

"However... there are some things I would like to discuss with you, pertaining to this new situation you and Dr. Brennan have found yourselves in."

Booth furrowed his brow. "Okay..."

"Firstly: while I am not splitting the two of you up, I will be on the lookout for any possible complications arising from your romantic entanglement."

"I can assure you, sir, that Dr. Brennan and myself have always and will always conduct ourselves in a professional manner while on the job."

"Thank you, Agent Booth. That's what an administrator likes to hear."

Booth smiled at this.

"Secondly, though your romantic ties to each other should not complicate your cases, Dr. Brennan's pregnancy will."

"Yes sir, I know."

"Good. And I'm sure you know just how fragile and conditional a pregnancy can sometimes be."

Again, Booth nodded. "Yes."

"So Agent Booth, I am going to be straight with you." Dr. Goodman leaned forward, resting his arms on his desk blotter as he regarded Booth seriously. "Under no circumstances will you be taking Dr. Brennan out into the field with you once she reaches her third trimester. No matter how much she is bound to protest, I will not allow it. And there will be no room for argument, either. From you or her."

Booth shook his head. "You won't hear any arguments from me, sir. I think that's a great idea." He tilted his head. "I can tell you that Bones is going to put up a hell of a fight, but I've got no problem with it."

Goodman nodded. "Yes. And, we can cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, she needs to be careful while she's out in the field. Though she's passed the riskiest trimester, that doesn't mean she still can't lose the baby."

Booth swallowed hard at this, the mere thought of her losing the baby spearing his heart. "I know. I'm keeping an eye on her."

"Good."

A pause ensued in which Goodman and Booth nodded at each other, before Booth raised his eyebrows. "So, was that all?"

"Not quite, Agent Booth."

"Okay..."

Goodman paused to clear his throat and lean back in his chair. "I'm not quite sure how to broach this next subject, Agent Booth, so please forgive me. While we're on the subject of you and Dr. Brennan..."

"Yeah...?"

Goodman leaned forward again. "You should know that I often look at her as I would a daughter. I care for her, I admire her strength, I am awed by her intelligence, and I always want what is best for her. So I mean this in the most fatherly of ways when I ask you... what exactly are your intentions toward Temperance?"

Booth's eyebrows shot toward his hairline at the unexpected query. "Uhhh... I beg your pardon, sir?"

"Your intentions, Seeley."

"I, uh..." Booth continued to stutter, baffled by the line of questioning. "I intend to look out for her... to help her through her pregnancy as best I can, and to do everything in my power to always keep her and our child safe and healthy."

"Do you love her?"

Booth stared straight into Goodman's eyes, unblinking, as he nodded. "Yes. I do."

"Do you intend to marry her?"

Booth's brows scooted up another inch on his forehead. "I, uh... I guess I hadn't given that much thought. The pregnancy in itself has been taking up most of my thoughts, but..."

"Because I don't mean to preach to you, Seeley, but I am deacon at my church."

"No, I understand. I honestly hadn't given it thought until now, but... I think I would like to marry her. I don't know that she'd allow it, though."

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "Because... she's Bones." He chuckled to himself. "I can practically hear what she would say now, about how I shouldn't feel obligated to marry her just because she's carrying my child... and that many people nowadays raise children out of wedlock."

"Yes, I see what you mean. But perhaps if you explained to her your desire to marry her not just for the sake of your child..."

"She wouldn't buy that."

Goodman's eyebrows quirked upward, and a small smile twitched at the corners of his lips. "Well, I guess that would depend on how you choose to sell it to her."

Booth mirrored the slight smile. "Are you giving me advice on how to best propose? Because if you are, this conversation may just be getting a little too weird."

Goodman chuckled. "My point, Agent Booth, was merely to ask your intentions. I apologize if I've made you uncomfortable."

Booth shook his head. "You didn't. It's..." He grinned again. "Just a little odd." After a pause in which he sighed, he gave a facial shrug. "And I think I would like to ask her to marry me, but..." He chuckled mirthlessly. "I just... I don't think I'll be able to stand it if I get a proposal rejected for the second time in my life. Once hurt badly enough."

"I can imagine. But keep in mind that this is not just any pregnant woman you're dealing with here, Agent Booth. Keep in mind that Temperance is not like the mother of your first child. You and she have a bond that goes beyond the sharing of a child. Truth be told, the two of you have a bond that many people envy."

"We do?"

"Mm-hmm. But I see where you're coming from about getting a proposal rejected." Goodman nodded slowly, then tilted his head. "So, if you were to ask my advice, I would tell you to at least test the waters before jumping in."

Booth nodded. "I understand." After another pause, he raised his eyebrows. "Was, uh... was that it now, sir?"

"Yes. And again, I apologize if at any time I made you uncomfortable."

"Not uncomfortable," Booth chuckled, "Just surprised."

Goodman chuckled. "I'll have to make a note of surprising you more often then, Agent Booth. I find it quite amusing."

Booth grinned.


TBC
MORE Author's Notes: I COMPLETELY forgot to mention in the last chapter that Hodgins' "way to go" line came from SleepDeprived07 -- that was her brain-child, so she deserves all the credit for that.