(After the Hole in the Heart)

I don't own Bones.

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As he left his office, Hodgins noticed Brennan standing just outside of her office talking to Angela. He had a side view of her and it made him pause. Studying Brennan's profile, the entomologist tried to figure out what was bothering him and as she shifted her feet, it hit him. Oh my God, she's pregnant . . . isn't she?

His first inclination was to rush down the hallway and confront her about it, but he'd no sooner took a step, when he stopped. Wait a minute . . . you can't assume anything like that . . . she might not be pregnant, she may have just put on some weight and she will not appreciate it if I bring that to anyone's attention.

Wavering, Hodgins frowned at the sight of his friend and decided that he didn't have any proof of her pregnancy. He was not going to do anything to embarrass her or him . . . especially him.

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She'd felt odd for days and when she missed her period, she suspected she knew why. To say that she was shocked was an understatement. She used birth control and she never missed her dose. She knew that it wasn't one hundred percent effective and she knew that Booth was very fertile, but it hadn't occurred to either one of them that they needed to use protection when they had sex. They had relied on her birth control and that had failed spectacularly.

She and Booth had been in a physical relationship for five weeks and they were still learning what that meant. Both knew their friendship was as strong as ever, but this monogamous thing that they were doing was new and they were both worried that if it failed they would lose the thing they valued the most, their friendship with each other.

The morning she missed her period she went to the pharmacy and she bought a pregnancy test. To her consternation, it had come back positive. Unwilling to rely upon a home test like that she made an appointment with her gynecologist and once she did a test in the doctor's office, her doctor had confirmed that Brennan was pregnant.

Unable to evade the issue, Brennan considered her options and in the end she knew that there was only one option. She would have her baby . . . their baby.

What gave her restless nights for the next week was the fact that she was uncertain how Booth would take the news. He was a father already and she really didn't know if he wanted another child or not. Certainly he had agreed to help her have a baby before he had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, but since then he hadn't mentioned it at all. Brennan hadn't used his sperm to have a baby because it wouldn't have been fair to Booth. He had changed after his surgery and she wasn't sure just how much.

She knew that she was going to have the baby, there was no question about that, but whether or not Booth would be involved would be up to him. She would not insist that he be part of the baby's life if he didn't want to be.

And yet, it was Booth and Booth loved his son. He loved children and he felt real horror when their cases involved children. He was also Catholic and strongly believed in his faith. She knew he would want her to have her . . . their baby. He would want her to be happy, but would he be happy. Over and over these thoughts floated through her mind and with it the idea that their friendship was about to be tested.

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Hodgins worried about Brennan. She seemed quiet and subdued. As the week wore on, he tried to keep an eye on her, but Angela's pregnancy was nearing its end and he was more than a little distracted. He hadn't mentioned his suspicions to Angela or anyone else. The more he studied Brennan the more he was convinced that she was pregnant and her demeanor worried him. If she was pregnant then he was one hundred percent sure that she and Booth were finally in a relationship, but since they hadn't mentioned it yet, then they were keeping it a secret for some reason. He just wished he could talk about it to her openly.

Using Angela's pregnancy as an excuse to talk to his friend, Hodgins made sure his wife was busy elsewhere before confronting Brennan in her office. "Hey Dr. B . . . I was wondering if I could talk to you."

Grateful for the interruption of her dark thoughts, Brennan turned and waved Hodgins into the room. "Yes of course. How may I help you?"

Once he was settled on the chair across from her desk, Hodgins placed his hands on his lap. "I . . . you know this is the best time of my life . . . Angela is going to have our baby anytime now and I couldn't be more happy if I tried."

"Really?" Brennan wasn't so sure. His life seemed chaotic and once the baby arrived their lives would be even more chaotic. "Everything is changing for you. Nothing between you and Angela will be the same."

Slowly he nodded his head while keeping a pleasant smile on his face. "I know isn't it great? We're going to be parents and I'm just so excited."

Puzzled about his behavior, Brennan frowned. "But up until now you've been a couple. Once the baby is here your relationship with each other might change."

"Never!" Hodgins shook his head. "I love Angela to pieces, Dr. B and I have a lot of love to share . . . maybe someday when you have a baby you'll see what I mean. A baby is a lot of responsibility, but that baby represents our love too. We created that baby and we're going to love that baby no matter what happens. Our baby will love us and we're going to love him. It's nothing to be afraid of. It's a new experience and Angela and I are going to embrace it like everything else we've done in the past because we're together."

Hodgins noticed her shift in her seat and he knew she was afraid. "Hey . . . Okay, yeah things might change for us, but . . . look, you remember how I used to be . . . angry with the world . . . but I fell in love with Angela and that love changed me. I love how I've changed to . . . change can be a good thing . . . you fall in love with someone and that changes you and then you create a baby and there is more change and it's a wonderful change . . . you . . . I'm not alone anymore. I have a family . . . it's the best thing that ever happened to me."

She shifted forward and leaned on her desk. "Yes, you do seem happier than when I first met you."

Hopeful that he'd helped his friend, Hodgins stood up. "When you find someone to share your love with anything seems possible Dr. B . . . If you ever need someone to talk to about . . . anything, you know where to find me. I'm your friend now and always."

Her throat tight from emotion, Brennan cleared her throat. "Thank you."

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All she'd ever wanted was a family and now that Booth was in a relationship with her, she felt like she had the family she needed. A baby would enlarge their family and Brennan was prepared for it. She just hoped Booth was.

Once their case was over and after Angela had her baby, Brennan felt that she couldn't hide the truth from Booth any more. He had a right to know that he was going to be a father again. She hoped he would take the news well, but that really didn't matter. Facts were facts and they couldn't be denied.

"I'm pregnant . . . you're the father."

At first stunned, Booth was overwhelmed with emotion. The woman he loved was pregnant. They were having a baby. With a goofy smile on his face, Booth stepped closer to her, picked her up and twirled her around.

"Booth . . . Booth put me down."

Elated, Booth slowed and set her on her feet. "A baby . . . we're having a baby . . . I can't believe it . . . I . . ." Booth pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "We're a family Bones . . . we're a family."

Relieved, Brennan laughed. "Yes we are."

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