"I swear to God Booth, all I told him was that bees pollinating a flower makes other flowers. That's it!" Russ was panicked. He wasn't so much worried he would die, but didn't think the agent would hesitate to cause him bodily harm.
"What did you say, that Temperance was the flower, and I was the bee? Is that why he equated…"
"Actually, Booth, I think you're making that jump. He is five after all."
"Daddy, did I say something wrong?"
"No Bub, you didn't. I just wasn't expecting that question that's all, okay Sport?"
"Okay Daddy." Parker seemed satisfied with the answer and looked out the window. Seeley scrubbed a hand over his face and turned back to Russ. Russ looked a little sheepish.
"I tried to get him off the subject, honestly, but the kid's as persistent as Tempe."
"No, I know. Sorry, it's just been a long couple of days, that's all."
"Couldn't be any worse than Tempe's. I'll be glad when she finally has the kid."
"Hey, Russ, do you remember your dad having a brother?"
"Yeah, we didn't spend much time with him. Lived out of state, South Dakota I think. Why?"
"Because the airline employee that got me out of Fargo was named Joy Keenan. Said she was named after a cousin that died in 1978. I'm thinking she's your cousin." Russ's knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. Whether Russ realized it or not, he and Temperance were alike when it came to certain subjects. Neither enjoyed speaking about their family, and would do whatever they could to avoid the subject. Booth decided to drop it for the moment. "So, Bones has been a handful, huh?"
"She's said nothing for hours except how she's never going to have another child," Russ said, laughing.
"Yeah, well, we'll see about that. She also said that she wouldn't have kids at all and we can see how she stuck to that."
XxXxX
"AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!" Brennan yelled as she tensed through another contraction. Angela's hand had gone numb about half an hour before as her friend gripped it tightly.
"Not long now, Sweetie, not much longer," Angela soothed. She looked to the nurse that was checking Temperance's stats.
"Ten Centimeters! It's time to push. I'll get the doctor in here." The nurse ducked out quickly as Brennan panted through another contraction. The door to the room flew open as Booth rushed in. Temperance burst into tears when she saw him.
"You're here!" She reached her arms out to him and pulled him into a hug.
"You didn't think I'd miss this did you?" He kissed her on the lips and brushed hair off her sweaty forehead.
"Why don't I just go," Angela said as she moved to the door. Temperance looked at her friend through the tears.
"Don't you dare Angela, you're staying here." Dr. Jacobs came in the room with the nurse and smiled.
"Well, Seeley, so nice to see you. Didn't think you'd make it." She offered a wink to the agent, and turned her attention onto Temperance. "Okay, whenever you feel a contraction you're going to push. The nurse will help you identify when to start." The doctor and nurse got situated, and Booth took hold of her hand. Angela paced a little in the room, watching, and somewhat glad it was not her hand that was being gripped.
"Alright Temperance, you'll want to start pushing now." The nurse watched the equipment monitoring both Temperance and the fetal heart rate. Brennan began to push, gripping onto Booth's hand. She panted from exertion, and stopped breathing as she concentrated on pushing. She panted a little as the contraction subsided.
"That's good, Sweetheart, you're doing good," Booth murmured to her. She looked at him, his warm brown eyes showing his love and concern. Another contraction hit and she began to push again.
"Aaagghh." She groaned again, gripping tightly to his hand. The FBI agent looked over to the nurse.
"Why is she in so much pain?" he asked. The nurse smiled at him.
"Well, it's called labor for a reason, and since she didn't want an epidural, she feels all of the contractions." Booth looked at Tempe.
"Why didn't you want it?" Temperance glared at him and pushed again, panting heavily. When the contraction subsided, she answered him.
"This is a biological process that women have been going through for…Aagghh…tens of thousands of years. Anthropologically speaking it's a rite of passage for…Aagghh…women. They aren't always considered to be full participants in a community without bearing a children."
"You didn't get an epidural because of your anthropological beliefs? Bones…" He was amazed at how much strength she had available to her as she pulled him close to her into a headlock.
"Don't you 'Bones' me, Seeley Booth!" She snarled at him and gripped harder as another contraction hit and she pushed. Seeley gasped for air when her arms tightened around his neck.
"Bones, sweetheart let go of my head."
"You're too close!" She yelled and finally released him. He looked at Angela, his eyes wide. She stifled a laugh and tried desperately to look sympathetic.
"I did try Seeley, I swear."
XxXxX
Russ paced in the waiting room as he watched the clock. Parker was curled up in a chair taking a nap. They had gotten back to the hospital an hour before, and he still hadn't heard anything about his sister. He sighed and sat down, only to spring back up and begin pacing again. Russ knew that if there was something wrong, he would have heard by now, but not hearing any news also worried him.
"Come on Tempe. You can do this," he sighed to himself and looked at the clock one more time.
XxXxX
"The head's beginning to crown. One more push and the baby will be out. One more, that's all you need," the doctor said.
"I can't, I can't." She sobbed, weakly. Seeley had his arms wrapped around her, holding her up a little. He kissed her temple.
"Just one more Sweetheart. You can do it," He soothed. She looked at him, tears streaming down her face. She shook her head tiredly and began to push again. She held onto his arms, crying. Moments later, the doctor helped ease the baby into the world.
"It's a girl! Congratulations," Dr. Jacobs said. She handed the baby to the nurse, who suctioned mucous from the baby's mouth. A moment later, the room was filled with the sound of a baby crying.
"We have a girl! We have our little Joy!" Booth said before kissing Temperance on the lips. In the corner, tears streamed down Angela's face before she slipped from the room to tell Russ and Parker.
"Seeley, would you like to cut the cord?" Dr. Jacobs asked. He looked at her a bit in awe.
"I can do that?"
"Of course." The FBI agent looked at Temperance for a moment. She was sweaty, her face was red, and her hair disheveled, but to him, at that moment, she couldn't have looked more beautiful. Dr. Jacobs walked him through the process, and Brennan watched him. His look of awe was so endearing to her. He looked up at her and smiled as the umbilical cord was snipped.
The nurse walked over with Joy and handed the baby to Temperance. She began to cry again as she took her daughter into her arms and began to count her fingers and toes. Seeley came back over and sat next to her, his eyes shining.
"Oh, Seeley, she's perfect."