Chapter 5. "What could be."

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"Where are we?" He asked, looking around. Realization clicked as he saw his standard issue SUV and a small silver sports car in the driveway.

"This is your home Seeley." She gestured to the house. "Or at least, it could be."

"What do you mean, it could be?" Booth asked, looking at the woman beside him.

She smiled kindly. "You may still have a life to lead Seeley Booth. Pending on if you make the right decisions, you could have this." She said, gesturing again. "But before you go; I want you to know that I won't be waiting here when you return this time."

"Why not?" He asked, turning to face her.

She reached forward and touched her hand to his cheek. "Because I'm done here. You're about to get the information you need, I have nothing else to give."

Booth looked at her for a moment before looking down at his feet. "How about some motherly advice?"

She smiled, warm-heartedly at him. "If you find somebody you can trust, you hang on to them."

"Is that it?" He asked curiously.

"You take care of her, alright?" Christine Brennan ordered, tears brimming her eyes. She pulled the agent into her arms and hugged him tightly. "Now go see, Booth. And don't forget what you've seen."

He smiled at her one last time as she released her hold on him. Booth headed towards the front door, and opened it hesitantly. As he walked in, he was overwhelmed with the smell of coffee and tea and perhaps some cherry pie. He slowly took in his surroundings. The main foyer was a deep red spice color, with white tile floors and a white railing staircase that led to the second floor. To his right was a large room that held a kitchen with a counter that faced into an elegant dining area. To his left was a large open living room. As he walked in the sight before him made him smile lightly. A large Christmas tree sat towards the front of the house with many presents scattered below. There was a couch and several chairs, a large plasma TV above the fireplace and several bookcases. He approached the first bookcase slowly. He first recognized her books. Cross Bones. Red Tape, White Bones. Death du Jour. The last of which Booth did not remember Bones publishing. As he inspected the inside cover, he noticed the publication date. 2012. Booth flipped a few more pages ahead to the inscription. To My Real-Life Andy. He smiled. So it's true, he thought, I'm so going to have to tease her for that one. Booth turned suddenly at the sound of a door opening above him.

With the book still within his grasp, Booth made his way to the staircase, his breathe held captive in his lungs. As he reached the foyer he saw her. And suddenly, he was scared to move. Scared that he'd wake up from this dream and never get to see what it was like to be with her. As he took another step forward, she noticed him.

"Hey, you're home." She said with a smile, jogging down the last few steps and resting at the bottom. She looked at him expectantly. "Well? Aren't you going to kiss me already?"

Booth smiled. He walked towards her quickly, wrapping an arm around her waist and an hand through her hair; he brought his lips to hers softly without a seconds hesitation. She responded almost instantly to his touch. After a few seconds she pulled away, a shocked expression on her face.

"I always wondered what it would be like to kiss you for real." He said, his eyes opening slowly.

She laughed then, that same old laugh he always knew and yet, it was different. It was filled with a joy he hadn't heard from her before. "Well, I'd hope you knew what it was like to kiss me by now." She placed a small kiss on his lips. "But I have to say, I think it's been weeks since you've kissed me that well."

Booth smiled at her mockery. She was changed. Not only the easiness of her voice and actions but her appearance. Her hair was longer, her makeup was more polished than it had been, and her body was fuller. Not in a bad way, he thought, she seemed only to become more beautiful with age.

"Are you in there?" She asked, waving her hand in front of his face. Temperance shook her head at him. "You must've had a long day. Go upstairs and get in bed, I'll be up in a moment." She kissed him one last time on the cheek before moving around his body and towards the kitchen.

He watched her leave before making his way up the stairs. On his way he looked at the pictures. There were pictures of his parents, and old ones of her parents, Russ and Amy with her two girls and a little boy, and as he reached the top of the stairs the last one made his breath catch. It was a picture of them. Booth stood behind Bones, with his arms encircling her waist. Her wore a tan suit and she wore a light, short skirt white dress. They were on a beach somewhere, their wedding bands shining in the summer light. Booth looked down at his hand to see the same ring on his finger now. Running his hand through his hair as he thought about what it all mean, Booth continued down the hallway to the room at the end.

The door was cracked and a light shown around its edges. He pushed open the door. The room was a warm golden color. A four-post bed rested against one wall, there was a rocking chair by the window and a dresser on another wall. To his right were two doors, both open, showing a bathroom and walk-in closet.

He began searching through the dresser drawers for something to wear to bed. Finally he pulled out a pair of long, Philadelphia Eagles pajama pants. Throwing his dirty clothes in a nearby hamper Booth climbed into the bed.

"Hey, that's my side." She scolded as she entered. "If you wanted to switch again you should have just asked."

"Sorry, uh- I just forgot." He explained weakly. "What's that?"

Temperance placed the tray in the middle of their bed. "Cherry pie and coffee. Like you have almost every night, silly." She looked at him quizzically. "Are you sure you're alright?" She asked, climbing up next to him, placing a kiss to his forehead. "You're not warm."

He laughed. "Since when did you become motherly, Bones?"

She returned his laughter with a slight frown. "Since I had to Booth." Temperance watched as he took a bite of the pie. "Mmm, that looks good. Oh, speaking of motherly: you're son was so hyped up on sugar from his friend's birthday party that it took him over an hour to fall asleep."

Booth smiled. "Well, what do you expect? You know how much Parker loves birthday cake."

Looking critically at him again, Temperance knit her brow together. "Booth, what are you talking about? You know Parker comes over next weekend. I meant your other son. You know: Noah? Noah Russell Booth? Your second born son, remember him?"

Booth tried to wipe the evident shock off of his face. "Right, right. I know, sorry."

She shook her head with a smile. "Geez, honey. What's gotten into you tonight? You weren't out drinking with Jack again were you?"

Booth laughed. "No. No, I wasn't."

"Good." She smiled. "Cause you know how Angela hates when he leaves her alone with all of those kids."

He couldn't help but smile again. Go figure. Angela and Jack with a barrel of kids. "Yeah, I can imagine that wouldn't please her too much." When she didn't respond right away, Booth looked over at her. She was leaning in with her mouth open. "What?"

Temperance's face fell into a small pout. "Please, can I have some pie?" She asked.

"Bones, you hate pie." He stated, bringing the fork to his mouth again with teasing delight.

She pouted again. "You know I can't help it."

"Well, alright. But just this once." He said, spooning the last piece of cake into her mouth. Booth watched as she smiled with satisfaction. Same old Bones, reveling in her victories. He placed the empty plate on the bedside table as she climbed under the blankets. He soon followed suit.

They lay side by side in silence for a few moments, before she turned on her side suddenly and looked at him. "Don't you want to see it?" She asked. "Or did you forget about that too." She quipped, leaning over him to pull a picture out of the nightstand.

Booth covered quickly. "Of course I didn't forget."

She held it out of his grasp. "Hmm. I don't know. Are you sure?"

Booth laughed as he reached over her, attempting to grab the image. But as she pulled away he moved in closer, until he was hovering right above her. She looked angelic; a halo of hair was spread across her pillow and the flush of her cheeks made her look radiant. Without a second thought, he brought his lips to hers, for the second time that night. His tongue danced across her lips, beckoning for them to open to his will. As the kiss deepened, she clearly forgot about the captive image in her hand. And as her legs wound around his lower body he seized it from her and rolled back to his side of the bed.

"Hey," she pouted again, something that she had grown to be quite good at. "That wasn't nice Booth. You know how the female body reacts when-"

"Wait." He said suddenly, angling himself on the bed to face her, with the picture between them. "Is this?"

She sighed, somewhat frustrated. "The ultrasound I had today? Why yes it is, mister. Thanks for remembering."

Noticing the slight disappointment in her voice, he tilted her chin up with his forefinger and thumb. "Hey, babe. I'm sorry, I've just been under a lot of stress at work."

She smiled back at him coyly. "You know I can't resist the 'chin-tilt'." She laughed. "And I know, being Deputy Director of the FBI can't be easy."

He smiled at that. He honestly didn't think Cullen liked him that much.

"Anyway," she interrupted his thoughts, snuggling closer into his side, holding the picture out before them. "That's it."

"That's it, huh?" He smiled down at her. "So which is it?"

She looked up at him puzzled. "I thought you didn't want to know with this one."

He thought for a cover. "Well, I did. But I thought about what you said about being rational and being able to pick out the right things and I changed my mind." He held his breath, hoping his argument would be valid.

She nodded. "Ok, then. If you're sure?"

He nodded, looking up at her expectantly.

"It's… a girl."

He kissed her then. The thought of children warming his heart along with the warmth of her body against his was too much for his senses. "I love you." He said quietly, as he pulled away slightly.

"I love you too, Seeley." She answered, sliding down beneath the covers, wrapping his arm around her waist as she turned away.

With their bodies spooned together; Booth rested his hand on her slightly bulging abdomen, the picture in his other hand. Pressing his face into her hair, he smelled the perfume of her shampoo, the same smell he always associated with her.

And there, in his arms, as they drifted off to sleep; she was his. His wife. His love. His Bones.

As his eyes closed slowly, heavy with exhaustion, he heard her voice. It was her voice, but not beside him. Somehow it seemed far away.

"Booth…" She called. "Booth can you hear me?"

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Oh, snap…. What next. New chapter up tomorrow night probably.

Reviews please.