(The Baby in the Bough)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Lou Taylor signed away the rights to his son and gave him to Jimmy and Carol Grant to adopt. The custody handover was complete when Brennan and Booth handed little Andy Taylor over to his new parents. Brennan had been reluctant to hand the child over to the Grants, but in the end she knew it was for the best. The Grants loved Andy and Brennan knew that they would take good care of him.

Booth had tried to support Brennan through the case because he felt that she had taken the case a little more personally than most. Usually she was able to disassociate herself from the victims in their cases, but little Andy had worked his way into her heart and Booth was worried that she would be upset when the child was no longer in their care.

Before they had given the child to the Grants Booth had seriously thought about asking the court for custody of the baby, but he knew he was just being selfish and in the end did what he thought was the right thing by giving the boy to the Grants.

They had talked about having children once, but Brennan had made it clear she had no intention of ever becoming a mother. The more he thought about it, the more Booth was starting to think it would be nice to have a little Bones in their lives. As they drove back home, Booth broached the subject trying to be careful not to appear to be too vested in the idea. "So Bones, did you change your mind about having kids? You seemed to like being with Little Andy."

Her thoughts on the child she had left behind in West Virginia, Brennan realized the Booth was asking her a question that she probably needed to answer carefully. "No, not really. I don't think I would be a very good mother. I'm not empathic enough."

"Bull, you are too." Booth hated it when she talked about herself like that. "You do have empathy, I see it all the time."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "Still, I don't wish to have a baby, Booth . . . Do you?" She was starting to worry that this was Booth's way of saying he wanted a child with her.

"No, not if you don't want one." He glanced at Brennan and saw the look of her worry on her face and he knew it was time to wrap up the conversation. "I was just curious that's all. I'm not asking you to have a baby if you don't want one. Don't worry about it."

Relieved, Brennan smiled at her boyfriend. "It was nice taking care of Andy, but our lives are too busy and very dangerous. It would be best if we didn't have children together."

A little sad about her answer, Booth nodded his head. "Andy was a little fighter that's for sure. He'll be fine with the Grants. They already love him and he won't have to go into Foster Care. He's a very lucky little boy."

"Yes, he is."

Ooooooooooooooooo

The trial was getting closer and Brennan was starting to act a little distant with Booth. It wasn't anything he could put his finger on at the moment, but it seemed like Brennan was building a wall between them and it was starting to worry him. "Bones, do we need to talk?"

Not sure what he was talking about, Brennan stared at Booth with a puzzled look on her face. "About what?"

"Your Dad's trial is coming up soon. Caroline is trying to get a trial date set up and it won't be long before Max has to appear in court." Booth sat on the couch and stared at Brennan who was sitting at the dining room table tapping away on her laptop. "I have to testify during the trial. I can't get out of it. I was the arresting officer and I was involved in that mess with Deputy Director Kirby. We aren't married, so they won't excuse me from the trial."

Feeling tense about the situation, Brennan didn't want to talk about the trial or her father with Booth or anyone else. "You aren't telling me anything I don't already know Booth."

"Alright, Bones." Booth heard the snappishness in her answer and chose to ignore it. "Just remember I'm here for you."

"Yes, I know." Brennan closed her laptop, stood up and turned to face her boyfriend. "I have some work I need to do at the Lab. I'll be back late."

Booth watched her go and he let her. He knew that Brennan was unhappy and he hoped that doing her job might help her find some peace. She loved working at the Lab and Booth wanted her to have at least a little peace. Once the trial started, there would be no peace for either of them, he was certain of that.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Sweets was reading over some notes he had jotted down during the last session with Agent Bernard and since his next session was scheduled in forty minutes he wanted to be sure he remembered what was said. The door opening and closing was a surprise since he wasn't expecting anyone, so he turned to see who had entered his office. The sight of Booth standing in front of the closed door was a minor shock, but Sweets could see the man was worried. "I have about thirty minutes, Agent Booth. Would you like to talk to me?"

Certain he was making a mistake, Booth moved over to the couch and sat down. "You've read my personnel file." It was a statement not a question.

"Yes." Sweets noticed the nervousness in the agent and knew he'd have to be very careful how he handled the Agent. This was the first time the Agent had chosen to talk to him willingly and Sweets didn't want to make a mistake.

He hated that he felt so nervous, but Booth needed to talk to someone and he knew whatever he said to the kid would be confidential. "My old man . . . he uh . . . he was mean to his family."

As far as Sweets was concerned 'mean' was a terrible understatement, but he allowed the word to stand. "Yes, he was. It wasn't your fault though."

"Yeah, I know that." Booth leaned over and picked up the slinky sitting on the coffee table. Running the slinky from one hand to the other, he let the familiar sound soothe him for a few seconds. "My father was terrible and I hate his guts, but Bones loves her father even though he abandoned her when she was fifteen and that's fine. Max is alright. He . . . uh, he's done some really bad things, but he's not a bad man, if you understand what I'm trying to say. He . . . He loves his kids. He loves Bones and he wants to be her father again and now . . . now he's going on trial for murder. It's happening soon." Booth stopped talking and placed the slinky back down on the coffee table. He didn't know what he really wanted to say to the boy sitting on the chair across from him and he was starting to regret coming to see him.

He thought he'd known before he'd stepped into the room what he wanted to say, but now he was just a little lost. "I have to testify and if he's found guilty . . ." He knew he could lose his Bones and he didn't know how to prevent it. "If he's found guilty, maybe she'll blame me because she loves her father and . . . "

"Have you talked to Dr. Brennan about this?" This was exactly why he was Booth and Brennan's therapist and Sweets wished she was in the room at that moment. "She's told me numerous times that she doesn't blame you for arresting Max Keenan."

"I know, she's told me that too, but she loves her father." Booth stood up. "I guess we'll see if she really means it."

Worried for Booth, Sweets stood up. "Agent Booth, she loves you and you love her. Be patient with her. As the trial approaches she may push you away, but don't let her. Talk to her. Let her know you're standing beside her no matter what happens. Don't take it personally if she grows angry and try to get her to see me. I'd like to help if I can."

He heard the younger man out and nodded his head. "She's already pushed me aside. I haven't really seen her for the last three days. She works late and when she comes home she sleeps in the guest bedroom. I don't know when she goes to work because she's gone before I wake up . . . I've talked to her a few times on the phone, but they've been short conversations. I've brought her lunch every day, but she locks herself up in one of the examination rooms with a bunch of old bones and won't come out even for lunch. I'm worried that she isn't eating."

Sweets didn't like the sound of what was going on and thought he might go over to the Lab to talk to Brennan or least try to. "I'll see if she'll talk to me. Maybe I can help."

"Don't do that." Booth knew that would be a mistake. "She hates psychology she really does and she's not going to listen to you . . . Hey never mind. Just forget about it. I'll find a way to talk to her." Booth moved over to the door and paused facing the door. "You're a good kid. Thanks for talking to me. I just needed to talk to someone. It's fine."

After he left the room, Sweets exhaled deeply. He wanted to help Booth and Brennan, but her hatred of psychology guaranteed that she wouldn't listen to him. He was grateful that Booth had felt comfortable enough to talk to him and he hoped that he would come back when he needed help and Sweets was certain he would need it.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was late and Brennan was tired. She had solved the identity of two of the lost ones in Bones Storage and she was proud of that, but she was exhausted and craved sleep. As quietly as possible, Brennan entered the apartment, took off her shoes and made her way to the guest bedroom. Once she was in the room, she closed the door and turned on the overhead light.

Suddenly awake, Booth rolled over and sat up. "Bones we need to talk."

Not really surprised to see her boyfriend in the guest bedroom, Brennan sighed. "I don't really have anything to say, Booth. I'm tired and I'd like to go to bed."

Moving so that his back was against the headboard, Booth clasped his hands on his lap and spoke calmly. "Would you like me to move out?" He dreaded to think what her answer would be, but Booth was tired of being treated like the enemy by someone he loved. "Not permanently, but while this is going on. I don't like you working so late just to avoid seeing me. I'm worried about you."

Tears sprang to her eyes and Brennan knew she had pushed things too far. "No of course not." Wiping the tears away, Brennan moved over to the bed and sat down on the end of the mattress, near Booth's blanket covered feet. "I talked to Max a few days ago with his lawyer and they didn't sound positive about the trial . . . I've tried to prepare myself, but I think I've failed because that meeting drove home the fact that Max may really die for what he did. I hate him and I love him and I don't want him to die, Booth. I don't want him to die."

Unable to stay where he was, Booth extracted his legs from the blanket and scooted down the bed until he could pull Brennan into his embrace. "Bones, I'm so sorry that this is happening. I really am. If I could stop it I would."

His arms around her made her feel safe and she realized that she had made a mistake by distancing herself from her lover for the last few days. He loved her and he wanted to help her even though there was nothing he could do. "I'm sorry I've been working so late . . . working with the lost ones, helping to discover who they were helped me to feel in control of what was going on, but I know I was just kidding myself. I'm not in control and neither are you. I shouldn't have pushed you away."

Lowering his head, Booth rested his chin on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. Whatever happens you will still have me in your life and you always will. You're not alone and well, if Max is convicted it will be a while before the state does anything. I just want you to know that I'll be by your side if you'll let me. Don't push me away Bones. I love you."

"I love you too, Booth." Brennan hugged her boyfriend and her tears stopped. "Would you like to make love? I'm not tired if you aren't."

Her voice was weak and she looked so exhausted that Booth didn't think that sex was something she really wanted or needed. "I am kind of tired, but if you want to make love we can."

"Would you hold me?" She was so tired, but she needed to be connected to her lover. "At least for a while?"

Letting her go, Booth moved back up the bed, lay down and held his arms open. "Come here Bones."

Grateful for the kindnesses he was showing her, Brennan stood up and then lay down next to Booth, holding him closely. "I'm so tired."

"Sh." Booth ran his hand through her hair and hoped that he was doing the right thing. "Go to sleep. You need the rest and so do I. We'll talk in the morning."

Her quiet breathing told him she was asleep and he knew that he had guessed right. She had thought he wanted sex even though she was exhausted. It made him feel sad that she was willing to push herself when she was so tired, but he vowed to make sure she got more rest as the trial approached. At the moment he really hated Max for what he was doing to Brennan, but he prayed that the old man was found innocent. If he wasn't then Booth was going to have to work extra hard to take care of Brennan whether she thought she needed it or not.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

Guest: In response to your complaint that Brennan gives in too much about celebrating Christmas, successful relationships are about compromise. In the previous chapter, Booth compromised and decided not to push Brennan to stay with him during Christmas. He wanted her to be happy and if she wanted to go on a dig during the holiday then he wouldn't push her to stay. In the end she chose to stay because she didn't want Booth to be alone. They both did what they did because of love.