AN: Happy anniversary to me. I don't know if it's pathetic that I've been writing Bones fan fiction for three years or not, but there you have it. If you look, you'll see that this story was first published three years ago today. Amazing right? There aren't many people out there that have been posting as consistently as I have for the past three years, and here I still am, plugging away. Anyway, I will most likely continue this story at some point. I'm leaving it open for inspiration. I hope you enjoy this and please let me know what you think.

There are certain things about childbearing that no one ever tells you before hand. And those things that no one warns you about are important to know, like how sore you are after the delivery is over with, or how even in the hospital you'll get absolutely no sleep whatsoever. It didn't matter if there was someone in the room with you to help take care of the new bundle of joy or not. When someone else was in the room, you couldn't sleep anyway because they're here to see you and the baby, and it would be rude to fall asleep. All of these thoughts ran through Brennan's head as she sobbed at two in the morning.

Booth wasn't able to stay in the hospital with her despite her private room because he still had Parker to take care of, and Joy was hungry about every two hours, so she had to be fed, and that meant no sleep. The newborn was currently wailing, and despite the fact that she'd just eaten, Brennan had no idea why she was upset. Her diaper was fine, and she seemed otherwise healthy, but still she screamed.

After a few minutes, a nurse poked her head in the room to check on the new mother. She took in Temperance's weary appearance and tear-streaked face and smiled sympathetically.

"Anything I can help with hon'?"

"I can't get her to stop crying. I don't know what's wrong, but she just keeps crying. I've tried everything I can think of to get her to stop."

"Well, why don't we take her to the nursery for a little while and see if that helps. After all, if you're tired or anxious they can feel it and it upsets them. Why don't you try to get some sleep and we'll go ahead and bring her back in a couple of hours, okay?" Temperance nodded tearfully and watched as the nurse took the crying baby into her arms. Joy stopped crying almost immediately, which only upset the anthropologist even more. Obviously she wasn't cut out for this whole motherhood thing if she couldn't even get her own child to stop crying.

She lay back on her bed and closed her eyes, sniffling away the last of the tears. The nurse was probably right. She wouldn't be any good if she couldn't get to sleep. Everything was just so tiring. She'd been exhausted after labor, but it'd still been over an hour before she was out of the labor/delivery/recovery room and into her private space. Booth had stayed with her until visiting hours ended at nine in the evening, when he had to take Parker home, but in all that time, she'd still been unable to sleep between the pediatrician coming in to check the baby and perform a few tests to make sure everything was okay to her own obstetrician checking on her to make sure that she was resting properly.

Add to that the fact that she'd also showered, had a lactation consultant in to show her the proper way to breast feed and her other guests like Angela and Russ… She wiped away her tears and huffed quietly as she closed her eyes. She had to get some sleep soon or she was going to crack completely. She yawned and laid back, taking deep, even breaths to calm herself until at last she drifted off.

Temperance awoke abruptly about two hours later to the sound of crying in her room. She sat up, startled by the sound and realized that the nurses had brought her daughter back into the room. Her own tears were back in full force as she picked up the tiny infant, checked her diaper and tucked her into her side to feed again.

XxXxX

"Hey Bones, how are you doing," Booth asked when he showed up for the day. He had a bouquet of flowers for her, and a huge smile of greeting. The smile faded when he noticed the tear tracks on her weary face. "What's the matter baby?"

"I can't sleep and she hasn't stopped crying! I don't know what to do." He was immediately at her side, taking the small bundle from her and bouncing the baby on his shoulder.

"Are you sure she's not hungry?" Brennan gave him a dirty look and crossed her arms as she huffed a little more.

"I've been feeding her. She shouldn't be hungry at all."

"But doesn't it you know, take a while for the milk to come in? I think Rebecca said it took a couple of days." The baby still whimpered, but her desperate cries had ceased.

"So I can't provide enough to feed my own child?"

"Well, why don't we just give her a little formula and see if that helps, okay?" Booth dug through the cabinet underneath the bassinet top to find a small bottle of formula. Brennan just watched, exhausted and upset that he seemed to have the magic touch with the baby and she didn't. Booth glanced at her and smiled, understanding how she had to feel. "Hey, remember, I've been through this before, okay?"

"I don't understand why I can't do this."

"You just had her yesterday and you haven't exactly been around babies. It's understandable you're a little frustrated. You'll get the hang of everything, okay?" Brennan rubbed at her eyes and yawned as she watched Joy suck hungrily at the tiny bottle of formula. "Try to get some sleep Temperance. You'll do nobody any good if you're tired."

"I've tried to sleep, but there are too many interruptions."

"Well I'm here now, okay? If anyone comes in, I'll handle the questions." He adjusted the baby in his arms and leaned over to kiss Temperance. "We're in this together, okay? Just rest now." She nodded and closed her eyes. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to get some sleep.

XxXxX

"I'm a little worried about her. She doesn't seem to be handling this very well," Booth whispered to the nurse in the room. He glanced over at Brennan as she stirred. She'd managed to sleep for about three hours, as had Joy, which apparently was a first according to the nurse he was speaking with.

"I'm just tired Booth, I'll be fine," Temperance yawned as she rubbed her eyes. It wasn't an ideal amount of sleep, but she certainly did feel a lot better.

"Well hon' if you keep feeling this way, you let us know and we can have you speak with a therapist. Post-partum depression is very common and not something to be ashamed of. We can give you some medication to help with the problem."

"I'm not depressed, I'm just tired."

"Okay, that's fine. Just let us know if you feel like you need the help, okay?" Brennan nodded and looked over at Booth as the nurse left. He glanced back and smiled at her.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just… men seem to be more attractive when they hold children. I mean I know it's a biological imperative to breed and thus a male that shows he's good with his progeny is a desirable trait…" Booth began to laugh and shook his head.

"You know, you could have just said you find me sexy, Bones." She smiled at him and shook her head.

"Fine. I find you incredibly sexy right now." He leaned in and kissed her.

"I know you don't feel all that pretty right now, but I think motherhood suits you. You're beautiful, and don't worry, you'll get the hang of everything. It just takes a little time, that's all." That was one thing that they would have plenty of together. Time.