--------------------------------

Chapter 6

"Bones--" he started to say, and even she could detect the high level of surprise and incredulity in his voice. "You are talking about becoming a parent—I thought this was one of those things you're so adamant against, you know? Like marriage, and plastic surgery, and animal testing…" he trailed off.

She maintained her resolve, even though she was starting to break apart within; there were several reasons why Booth had been her logical choice when she needed help. But the one she was still refusing to admit was that she knew if she was out of her mind, he would be the one to shake her back into reality.

"I supposed this is the part that could get us fired and arrested, right?" He still sounded surprised and even terrified.

She nodded, feeling extremely guilty about asking him for help in the first place.

"Temperance…"

Brennan winced, knowing the use of her first name could not be a good sign.

"…are you sure? I hope you don't take this the wrong way because if you are sure, I stand by you one-hundred percent... But you and children don't exactly mesh. I mean, that doesn't mean you would make a bad parent, but it means you'd have a long way to go ahead of you."

His tone was careful, even caring, but it was definitely not helping her own internal doubts.

She looked up when she felt his hand on her elbow, leading her to the couch. She took her seat and then he surprised her by kneeling in front of her. "If you have thought this through, and you want to do it, I won't question your choice."

It was an offer and a threat, though she was sure Booth only thought of it as friendly advice.

"Bones? Say something," he begged.

"I—I'm sorry. I thought I was sure, but I don't know Booth. I didn't really have time to think this through, you know? I came here, I found the truth, and I saw this little person who needed me. I reacted, that's it. I've been in charge of her for five days and I'm already acting irrationally." She tasted her own tears.

"You might not be able to act rationally at the moment, but it doesn't make you an unqualified parent, Bones. On the contrary, you answered to an anthropological imperative." He was stealing her own words. "You reacted by taking into consideration the best for this child."

"Am I?" She asked, wiping tears away with her hand. "Am I the best for her?"

"Think about it, Bones. Whether she stays here or goes home with you, no one can know who she is; which means if she stays, she'll likely go to an orphanage and spend years, maybe her whole life without a family."

"Don't do that," she whined. A minute ago he was questioning her withering decision to adopt this child, now he was pushing her buttons towards doing it. "But you are right, if I walk away, I won't forgive myself. I'll be doing the same as my parents, but worse."

She hugged him, with the same desperation of their hug the night before. When the hug finally broke, she turned to see a pair of sharp blue eyes staring at Booth from the floor. Then a toothless smile broke, followed by a giggle. "Ok, now you need to keep her, Bones," he joked, and she knew his infallible sense of perception had recognized her newfound resolution.

"Shut up, Booth," she joked back, wiping her face and nose with her hand. "I do think she likes you," she added, seeing how Hannah kept staring at him.

"I'm a likeable guy." He stood and moved towards their table of evidence, reaching for the sample vials. "I am going out, Bones. I can mail these to the Jeffersonian and I need to make some calls."

She started to object but he held his hand up.

"Relax. I was a sniper, remember? I am very good at being somewhere without being detected. So relax and sit back. Oh, and give me your wallet, I need some money. Hodgins took my credit cards."