Wow, guys 14 reviews! You have no idea how overwhelmed I feel. Thanks a billion. You know I have to say I'm a little nervous about the next few chapters, I just dont feel that they'll live up to the prolouge. They're probably OOC so dont say you havent been warned!! Sorry if this chapter fails your expectations after the prologue - I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: News

A few months later.

If Passion drives, let Reason hold the Reins.

-Benjamin Franklin

There was a lull in the fighting. Booth groaned, wiping a dirty sleeve across his sweat streaked face with his free hand. His other hand was curled around his P-90 as he leaned against the dirt embankment that was providing the shelter for him and the men surrounding him.

Carefully, he reached into his breast pocket, pulling out a tattered photo, and his lips curled into a smile. It was of Temperance – taken before he had left. He had waltzed into the lab with a camera as she was working on the newest skeleton. He had said something, what it was, he couldnt remember, that had made her laugh and look up at him. The result had turned out perfectly, a picture of her, smiling, happy, in her environment. She was the only thing keeping him going, he thought, besides Parker, his smile fading as he returned the picture to his pocket. He took a swig of water from a canteen at his waist and wondered if she was thinking of him now as the sounds of gunfire in the distance began once again.

XxX

True love is the joy of life.

-John Clarke

"Singer, down!" Temperance commanded, watching as her young puppy danced around Angela's feet, barely leaving room for her friend to get in the door. She smiled at her friend apologetically. "Sorry, Ange."

"It's okay sweetie," Angela replied, grinning at her friend as she knelt down beside the dog, rubbing it behind the ears. "You're such a cutie, aren't you?" she said, her voice changing pitch as she addressed the puppy. As if he knew he was being praised, Singer stood up taller, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth with his ears perked up, an affect that was all too adorable. "I still can't believe Booth gave you a dog," Angela said, scratching Singer once more before standing up to face her friend.

"I don't know what he was thinking," she responded with a shrug, gazing down to the dog, with a smile twitching onto her lips. Sometimes Singer was all together too much like Booth. Booth. With that thought, her mind switched gears. She looked down to the grocery store bag that her friend was carrying. "Is that it?"

"Yeah," Angela said, holding out the plastic bag. Temperance dove in immediately and pulled out a box. She eyed it warily for a moment before ripping the flaps open, listening to Angela as she kept talking. "I can't believe you didn't tell me about this before, Bren."

"We went back to being partners, Ange, I told you," Temperance replied as she headed towards the bathroom, box in hand. Angela followed her until the door, and then proceeded to talk through it, standing with her back against the wall just outside.

"Sure you were, sweetie," she said, rolling her eyes. "That's why he gave you a dog." Singer, brilliant as he was, looked up from where he was on his bed, as if he knew he was being talked about. Angela sighed, "You still could have told me."

"I told you now, didn't I?" Temperance said from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Well, yeah, but I would have found out anyway, if you're right," Angela said, staring up at the ceiling and shaking her head.

There was the sound of running water on the other side of the door, and then it opened, and Temperance walked out. She pointed a finger at Angela, her eyebrows quirked, "We don't even know yet."

"No," Angela said, grinning at her friend's face, which, although she was doing her best to hide it, had anxiety painted all over it. "I guess we'll just have to wait a few minutes."

XxX

Neither praise , not dispraise theyself; they Actions will do it enough.

-Thomas Fuller

Minutes later, they were crowded into the bathroom, with Angela staring at an object on the side of the sink. "Well?" Temperance asked, forcing herself to remain calm as she stared at a point on the wall, focusing her attention away from the object, "What's it say?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie, it's negative," Angela said, looking up just in time to see her friends crestfallen face as she gave a small "oh". Angela's lips twitched up into a smile, "Or is it?" she asked, her eyes dancing.

"Angela!" Temperance exclaimed, reaching around to grab both the box and the stick from her friend. She compared the results herself, her eyebrows knitting together. "It's positive," she said, her face unreadable, passive.

"Aren't you even the least bit excited, sweetie?" Angela asked, reaching out to rub her friend's arm, a hopeful smile perched on her lips.

"You know I never wanted kids, Ange," Temperance said, tossing the object in the trash and walking out of the bathroom into more open space. Angela followed her, frowning contemplatively.

"But if it's Booth's baby…" Angela prompted, letting the thought trail off there. With no immediate reaction, she continued, "Not even a little bit excited?"

Temperance turned around to face her, a nervous smile beginning to form around her lips. "Maybe a little," she admitted, her cheeks tinging pink.

Angela grinned excitedly and embraced her friend. If there was ever a time when Temperance would change her mind about children... "I'm so happy for you, Bren," she said, just as Singer, wanting to be in the action, danced over to them, nudging at their legs.

Temperance knelt down beside the puppy to stroke his ears lovingly. "How do you think he'll take it?" she asked.

"Who?" Angela asked, looking down at the pair. "Booth or the dog?"

"Both of them," she admitted as Singer rolled onto his back, lapping up the attention as she stroked his stomach.

"Booth will be overjoyed," Angela said, kneeling down beside her friend. "And if that dog is as much like Booth as you say he is…" she paused, looking down at the young puppy. "I think he'll be insanely protective."

"I read somewhere that dogs can get insanely jealous…" Temperance began, but Angela cut her off.

"You read too much," she stated, then stood up, pulling on her friends arm. "Come on, we have to start looking at Baby Magazines…"

Before she could protest, Temperance was pulled off of her feet and drug back to the couch, where Angela had a stack of magazines prepared. Later that night, when she was all alone with Singer curled up beside her, his head on her knees, she found her hand tracing her stomach curiously. It was hard for her to believe that there was a baby…Booth's baby…growing in there. I hope I can do this without you, Booth, she thought, chewing on the inside of her lip. I need you to come home in one piece…

Wow, the ending was kind of disgustingly sappy

Anywho, what did you guys think? I dont think it was as good as the prologue...but I dont know, I'm the author. Oh and, what do you guys think about the quotes at the beginning of each section? I kind of went crazy - I got a quotationary the other day and just had to put it to use. I tried to make sure each one fitted in some way shape or form. Two or three of them later on are absolutley adorable... :P


Thanks for reading!