One Year Later...

"Booth, where's Tempe, I thought you said she was here," Max said as he took of his coat and hat. Outside, snow was coming down in fat flakes, muting the noise of the city. It was a white Christmas indeed with the six inches of snow that had fallen the previous day.

"She's still in the bathroom getting ready. Here, watch Christine while I check on the turkey." Booth handed over the one year old to Max as he headed for the kitchen. The little girl cooed and giggled as Max gave her little raspberry kisses all over her chubby cheeks.

"So we're having a real turkey and not some fake tofu thing?" Booth glanced around the corner at Max and smirked.

"No. I talked Bones out of that thank God. There's plenty of other stuff for her to eat that she doesn't need to make the rest of us carnivores forgo a holiday must."

"Good, cause Peanut here needs to have her holiday meal." Booth snorted as he basted the turkey and put it back in the oven.

"Don't let her hear you say that. She's determined to make Chris a vegetarian." Booth wrinkled his nose and took his daughter from Max. "But we don't want that do we? No, we don't." Chris began to giggle and clapped her hands. Booth pressed a kiss to her cheek and set her down, watching as she ran over to the Christmas tree and pulled a decoration from one of the low branches.

"She's been pretty distracted this week. Is everything okay with the two of you?"

"Yeah Max, everything's fine. I'll admit I noticed the distraction, but I'm assuming she's just has something on her mind."

"If you say so Booth." Booth raised an eyebrow at Max as he stopped Christine from running into the kitchen.

"You think I wouldn't notice if there was something wrong with Bones?"

"No it's just Ruthy acted that way when she… I'm probably wrong."

"Wrong about what?"

"Nothing. Forget I said anything," Max said as he waved his hand in dismissal before changing the subject. "So, were you able to get the ring?"

"Yeah. I called my Aunt Ruth and she sent it to me. Are you sure she'll say yes? I mean you know how she feels about the whole marriage thing."

"Booth, trust me. You're talking to Santa Claus here. I got you what you wanted last year. Why do you think this year will be any different?"

"I don't know…"

"You should check on Tempe, see what's holding her up." Booth looked at Max, but as always found the man to be incredibly hard to read.

"Fine, I'll go see what's taking her so long. Watch Chris for me and if anyone shows up, get the door."

"Of course Booth."

"And don't touch the turkey!" Max took the toddler back from Booth and the FBI agent headed back to their bedroom. He knocked on the door before he peeked in, but didn't see her.

"Bones, you in here?" He headed over to the bathroom and noticed the door ajar. Temperance sat on the edge of the bathtub, looking at something in her grasp. When Booth poked his head inside, she looked up at him. "Baby, are you okay?"

Temperance sighed and showed him what she had in her hand. It took a moment to realize what he was looking at, but when he did a grin broke out on his face.

"You're pregnant?" She shrugged and twiddled the test in her fingers as Booth sat down next to her and pulled her to his side. He took the test stick from her when her fiddling threatened to break the thing.

"My cycle is late, and this is the most likely reason." She wrapped her arms around her middle and sighed. Booth looked at the test strip and shook his head. So this is what Max thought was up with her. He turned his attention back to her, noticing how tense she seemed.

"Would it be such a bad thing for us to have a baby?" She looked at him, her eyes wide in surprise as they met his.

"What? No, it wouldn't be a bad thing. It's just that societally there is an optimal age gap of at least two years between siblings, although in hunter-gatherer societies it's normal for there to be five years between them." Booth looked at her and shook his head, fighting off a smile.

"Bones, things happen when they're meant to, okay? And not everything can be boiled down to anthropology. You've said that yourself. Look, I know you're nervous, okay? I am too, but this is a good thing." He pulled her tighter into his side and kissed the side of her temple. "I'm gonna wait outside while you pee on this…" Booth handed the stick back to her and snorted. "Of course you'd get the one with the digital readout."

"I wanted to make absolutely sure."

"What's there not to be sure of? You either have a little blue line, or you don't."

"I'm not comfortable making a subjective observation about a color that isn't even recognized in all societies."

"What?"

"Blue isn't recognized in all societies. There's a progression of color recognition starting with dark and then light. Next would be red, and then 'grue'." At the look of utter bewilderment on Booth's face, Brennan sighed and continued with her lesson in color recognition. "Grue encompasses the entire blue/green spectrum, so you would say, 'grue like the sky' or 'grue like the trees'."

"What the hell does this have to do with whether or not you can see a blue line or not? The line is either there or not. It's not like it would show up pink or something. Look Bones, I'm with you all the way on this, you know that. Whatever happens, I'm here for you, okay? Now I'm gonna stand outside the door while you pee on the stick, and then I'll be here when the result comes in." He set the pregnancy test in her hand and stepped outside to wait until she was ready.

When she was ready, he stepped back into the bathroom and took her free hand as they both stared at the little test.

"How long did it say we have to wait?"

"It said it would just take a minute. Booth, how do you know this isn't going to be a problem?"

"Why would it be a problem? We have Christine, and you know how helpful Parker is with her. One more child would be fine."

"I don't know. It just seems like Christine is too young to subject her to an additional sibling yet." Booth bumped her shoulder with his own.

"Everything will be fine, I promise you." Temperance sighed and looked back at the stick. Her eyes teared up a bit as she looked at the readout. "It's positive."

"Marry me." Brennan turned to Booth in shock.

"What?"

"Marry me. Temperance, I want us to be more than what we are. I love you and I want to marry you."

"Do you ask all the women you've procreated with to marry you?" It was Booth's turn to look shocked.

"What?"

"I'm not some damsel in distress that needs a man to take care of me just because he impregnated me."

"That is so not what I said or implied. I asked because I want to marry you, not because I think you need someone to take care of you."

"I'm sorry Booth." He looked at her for a long moment and stood, moving away from her in the bathroom. Booth ran a hand down his face and pointed to the door.

"Right, well I'll um…your dad's here." He turned to leave the bathroom, pausing for a moment when Temperance called his name. "Temperance, please just…not now." With that, he left the room. He cursed himself as he headed down the hallway and away from the love of his life. There was just too much to process right now, and obviously giving her the family ring would be a bad idea.

He rounded into the living room and approached the Christmas tree, digging underneath for the small box containing the family heirloom. Max watched from his corner of the room as he bounced Christine on his knee.

"What are you doing Booth?" Seeley looked up, startled that Max was in the room with him.

"I uh, I have to get Bones something else. Could you keep an eye on Christine until Temperance comes out of the bathroom? I need to go." Booth found the small box and shoved it into the pocket of his coat before he hurriedly left the house. Max watched and felt his stomach drop. If Booth wasn't going to give her that ring… Oh no. Just as the agent was out the front door, Temperance came running down the hall.

"Dad, where's Booth?" Max looked at his daughter, debating his answer. She looked upset so it might not be advisable to tell the truth, but then again, hedging the answer never really worked with her.

"He went out to get you a different Christmas present. Apparently you've turned down his marriage proposal." She looked at her father as she sat calmly, still bouncing Christine on his knee.

"How did you know he proposed?"

"Because he asked his aunt to send him his grandmother's wedding ring for the occasion." Temperance sat down on the couch and blew out a breath.

"I thought he only asked me because…" She shook her head and leaned back on the couch. Christine climbed off of Max's lap and toddled over to Temperance. The anthropologist leaned down to pick her up.

"This is my fault really. I convinced him that even though you've always said you didn't want to be married, he was the guy who could change your mind. I guess he does know you better than I do."

"And he wrapped the ring as a gift?"

"Yes, but given the circumstances he feels the need to find something that you'd be more likely to accept. I'm surprised he asked you now. He was going to wait until later this evening."

"Dad, I'm pregnant. That's why he didn't wait. God, I'm as bad as Rebecca." Temperance sighed and pulled Christine to her for a cuddle. When the doorbell rang, Max jumped up to grab it.

"Well congratulations on the new addition baby, I'm happy for the two of you. You make sure when Booth shows up again to have a talk with him. He looked pretty hurt. Oh, and mind the turkey. I've been forbidden from touching it." Temperance nodded miserably and set her daughter down to head for the kitchen. Max answered the door, allowing Russ and his family inside.

XxXxX

"Sir, can I help you find something," the sales girl in the jewelry store asked when Booth stepped inside. She smiled at him as he brushed snow from his jacket and stepped up to the counter.

"Yeah I'm looking for something…not a ring…for my partner."

"Oh? And is this partner male or female?" Booth sighed and ran a hand down his face before settling it onto the display case before him.

"Female; Let's get that straight right now."

"Okay sir. What exactly are you looking for? Does your partner like gold or platinum?"

"She likes kind of big, chunky things, and dolphins." The sales girl smiled and cocked her head to the side as she looked at him.

"Well, I have a few things I can show you. Are you okay sir, you look kind of sad." Booth waved off the concern and shook his head.

"I'm fine. I'd just like to see what you have please."

"Of course. I have some nice vintage necklaces over here that might interest you. A lot of the designs from the twenties were plenty chunky. This one for example made of black onyx and turquoise…" Booth looked and listened politely as the sales girl pointed out several different necklaces, explaining what was unique about each one. His mind however was on a completely different track. His proposal was spontaneous and he'd intended on giving a proper one that evening, although considering the circumstances, she still would have thought that he was trying to do right by her. How could she think that at all? Didn't she realize how much he loved her, how much he was in love with her?

God, it was like Rebecca all over again. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he looked over the jewelry before him. What was it about him and women not wanting to marry him? This time it was more understandable. Temperance had always said she found marriage to be an archaic institution, but he'd hoped so much that she'd change her mind. They had Christine together for crying out loud. He was in it for the long haul.

"Sir, which one do you like?" The sales girl looked at him expectantly, waiting for his response. Booth glanced at the necklaces in front of him, but none of them particularly struck him as perfect for his Bones. With a sigh, he glanced over some of the pieces still in the display case. There was one tucked in a corner that was an unusual design. It was relatively simple, but seemed perfect for Temperance. The top half of the necklace was a bit oval shaped, with ornate swirls pulling the rounded edges out to points. There were small amethysts set into the piece, and from it hung a small gold cross, also set with the purple stones. Booth pointed to the necklace and the sales girl nodded.

"That's a great piece, but much more delicate than I thought you'd be interested in." She pulled the necklace and placed it carefully in a jewelry case. "You want me to wrap this up for you?"

"Sure," he said as he took care of the cost. Hopefully the necklace would be an acceptable gift. He didn't want to lose Brennan the way he'd lost Rebecca. When his ex had turned him down, they weren't living together, so avoiding her was much easier. He didn't want to avoid Temperance; he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Christine needed her daddy around, and now they had a baby on the way. As much as her rejection hurt, he intended to tough it out this time.

When the sales clerk handed him the wrapped box, he smiled and left the store, intent on getting on with his life and back to the woman he loved.

XxXxX

"Tempe, where's Booth? He didn't have to work, did he," Russ asked as he sat down next to his sister. His girls were playing with Parker and Christine while Max entertained Jared and Amy with a story.

"No, he stepped out for a bit. I'm sure he'll be back soon." She smiled at her brother and turned back to swirling the tea in her cup. Russ watched her curiously, but didn't say anything. He could tell something was wrong, but knew that his sister would get around to telling him on her own time. He had a feeling though that whatever it was had to do with Booth.

"Russ, why did you get married to Amy?"

"That's kind of a strange question. I married her because I loved her and wanted to take care of those little girls. Why?"

"You didn't need any more reason than that?"

"No, why would I? You love someone, you marry them. I want to be with Amy for the rest of my life, and I want to make sure that everyone is taken care of, so we got married."

"Booth proposed." Russ's eyebrows shot up.

"Please tell me you said yes?" At her look he shook his head. "You turned him down didn't you?"

"I don't see a reason to get married. We're happy together, and everything has been working out. Why is it so important that we get married? Can't we just live together?"

"The way I see it is this. If you love him, and can't see your life without him in it, then you should get married. Think of it as the two of you letting the world know what you mean to each other." Brennan opened her mouth to respond, but the front door swung open and Booth stepped inside. He gave a sheepish smile and waved at everyone when he came inside.

"Sorry I'm late, but I had a couple errands to run." He made eye contact with Brennan as he took off his coat and hung it by the front door. They would talk later when everyone was gone and the kids were tucked in bed. For now, it was family time.