AN: There's a little Bill Engvall humor in this chapter for those of you who have seen his comedy. Just a note. Enjoy.
"We'll get you set up in a room, then take some stats, see how far you've dilated," Dr. Jacobs smiled as Angela wheeled Temperance down a hallway. Tempe gripped the arms of the wheelchair as another contraction hit. She began to pant as the pain intensified. "How far apart are they?"
"Five minutes." Angela answered. The doctor nodded her head, and opened a door for the pair.
"And where is Seeley? I'd think he'd be here."
"He's stuck in transit right now. His plane should be landing about noon." Temperance answered as her breathing calmed.
"Well, then he should have plenty of time to get here," the doctor smiled at Temperance. "Being that this is your first, things shouldn't progress too quickly."
"Too quickly? I've already been in labor for over twenty-four hours!"
"Some women have gone as long as seventy-two. You're well within the norm Temperance. I'll leave you to change, then we'll check you over, okay?" Dr. Jacobs left Angela and Temperance alone.
"Sweetie, are you planning on an epidural?"
"Angela, women have been having children without the benefit of drugs for tens of thousands of years. I'm sure I can handle this without the aid of drugs."
"If you say so, Bren."
XxXxX
"Uncle Russ, why is Dr. Bones in the hospital?" Parker looked at Russ Brennan as they played with cars in the waiting room.
"Because she has to get the baby out of her tummy."
"Well how did it get there in the first place?"
"Um, why don't we let your dad answer that question, Parker."
"But why? I asked my friend Jimmy if he knew where babies came from, and he said the hospital. If they come from the hospital, how did it get into Dr. Bones's tummy?"
"You aren't going to let this go, are you?" Russ looked at the curious little boy, whose big, brown eyes looked so much like Booth's.
"What does that mean, Uncle Russ?"
"You've been around Tempe a little too much I think," Russ laughed. He looked fondly at the little boy, and then sighed. How can I handle this in a way that won't have Booth killing me? "Well see, when um two adults hug in a certain way, it creates a baby in the lady's tummy." Parker looked at Russ as he mulled over the words.
"So if I give Dr. Bones a hug it could give her a baby?" Parker looked at Russ with big eyes. Russ gave a nervous laugh and ran a hand through his hair. This is a lot harder than I thought. Russ looked around and saw a spare piece of paper. He smiled as he grabbed it and pulled a pen from his pocket.
"Okay, let's see if this helps. Here's a flower…" Parker watched with interest as Russ began to draw. Just don't let Booth shoot me for this, Russ thought as he began the explanation.
XxXxX
Booth sat in his seat on the airliner. Finally, his separation from Temperance was almost over, and he only hoped that there would be nothing else to slow his progress. He glanced quickly at the man next to him that was playing a handheld video game. The stewardess stepped up to the man and smiled.
"Sir, I need you to put the game away. All electronics must be off before we can take off."
"But if I turn off the game, I'll have to go back to level one!" The grown man began to pout. Booth rolled his eyes and looked straight ahead. Please God, don't let anything else delay me.
"Sir, do you know where the on/off switch is on that thing?" The stewardess crossed her arms and looked at the passenger with a stern expression. The man went from goofy and pouting to annoyed in a split second.
"Ma'am, I didn't board this plane with the intention of becoming a jerk, but apparently you've managed to push my button."
"Sir, why don't you just calm down," Booth said to the man. The man turned to the FBI agent and frowned.
"You know what, this is none of your business sir, so why don't you just keep your nose out of it."
"It's my business if you cause a disturbance and have to be arrested for violent behavior. I'm trying to get back to DC to be there when my fiancée gives birth, and if you can't keep yourself under control, have to be arrested, and delay my trip any further, I'm going to be a little cranky. So, if I were you, I would apologize to the stewardess and put that game system away so we can get out of here. Do I make myself clear?" Booth looked at the man with an intensity that was almost scary. The FBI agent moved in such a way as to reveal his badge to the man. The man nodded sheepishly, then put the game system away. The stewardess offered a smile to Booth, and then continued on to finish her pre-flight checks.
Booth settled back into his seat again, but was off-put by the blatant stare he was receiving from the man.
"What?"
"So, is this your first?"
"With her, yes." Booth glanced briefly at the man, and then returned his stare forward.
"So you already have a kid? Got two myself. My daughter's sixteen and my son's twelve. Your son ask you where babies come from yet? My daughter did that when we told her she was gonna have a little brother or sister."
"Parker only asked for a puppy."
"Well believe you me, he'll ask eventually, then it's awkward city. I mean, how do you explain to a child in a way that doesn't tell them too much but explains it. Tough, tough, tough."
"I'll bet."
"And don't even get me started on if the baby is a different sex. That opens a whole other can of worms. They just don't get why they 'look different'. It's a toughie to deal with." The man laughed. Seeley sighed.
"Look, it's not that I don't want to talk, but I've had a long couple of days, and would really like to get some sleep."
"Understandable, totally understandable. Well, I'll leave you be. Get some sleep, you won't be able to do that for quite some time."
XxXxX
"Never again Angela, never again!" Temperance yelled as her best friend held her hand. The contractions were very close together now, and a nurse was checking her progress.
"Oh, Sweetie, it'll be over soon," Angela soothed, though her hand felt like it was going to break. She glanced at the clock. Thank you God, it's almost noon. "Booth will be here soon, and that baby will come, and it will all be over."
"Not over soon enough!"
"Hey, I told you to get an epidural, you're the one that said no."
"No reason to get one. AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!"
"No reason, huh?"
"Well Dr. Brennan, only one centimeter to go and you can start pushing." The nurse said. Brennan's breath evened out again as the contraction subsided.
"How long will that take?" Tempe asked, taking deep breaths.
"For a first child the average is an hour and a half, but it can go as long as three hours."
"Three? Dear God, how do they deal?" Angela queried. Brennan shot her friend a dirty look and grimaced as another contraction hit.
XxXxX
Booth grabbed his carry-on bag and rushed off of the airliner. He made his way through the terminal at a near run, dodging around the rest of the exiting and entering passengers. He glanced at his watch, twelve fifteen. He sent up a silent prayer that he wasn't going to be too late for the baby's birth.
Rushing from the large terminal doors, Seeley looked around quickly and spotted his SUV. Russ was at the wheel and Parker was in the back seat. He ran up to the vehicle, flung his bag into the back, then climbed into the passenger seat.
"Hasn't happened yet, has it?" Booth looked at his future brother-in-law.
"Nope, at least not before I left to come get you."
"Daddy, did you put your stinger in Dr. Bones to make the baby in her tummy?" Parker asked from the back seat. Booth's head shot up and he looked back at Parker.
"Why would you ask me that?"
"Because that's what Uncle Russ said makes a baby." Seeley turned an appalled gaze to Russ.
"What the hell have you been telling him?"