A/N: I wish I could express how much you guys and your amazing reviews mean to me. I appreciate it more than you know.
Brennan and Booth sat together on the bed in Brennan's hospital room, Katie snuggled in Booth's arms as she drank hungrily from the bottle he held.
"She's pretty amazing, huh?" Booth questioned.
Brennan nodded, absentmindedly stroking the downy fuzz on the baby's head.
"No second thoughts?" Booth asked quietly.
"A million," Brennan replied so quietly he could barely hear her. "But…" she paused. "The teaching job in Colorado is a great opportunity. And… we decided. We have to stick to the plan, Booth."
"The plan? When have we stuck to a plan before? I didn't planto cheat on Jen with you. I didn't plan to get you pregnant," he started to say something else but she stopped him.
"Look where not having a plan got us."
"It got us here, Bones. To this hospital. Parents to the most beautiful little girl in the entire world."
"She's wonderful, I can't deny that. But this is how it has to work, Booth. We have to make it work."
"I could put in for a transfer to Denver," he offered.
"What about Parker?" she countered. "He hated flying back and forth all the time when you and Jen were in Kansas City. These last few months since you moved back have made him the happiest kid in the world."
Booth seemed to pull out of the mesmerized haze his new daughter had him in long enough to consider his son. "Right. But what if--" she cut him off again.
"I really think it will be better this way," she whispered. "Please believe me, Seeley," she never used his first name, but she wanted to make sure she had his attention. "If I thought there was any other way…"
"You would do it."
She nodded solemnly as she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Booth pressed his forehead to hers, his own tears flowing with Brennan's, Katie still sandwiched between them. "I never planned to fall in love with you, Bones," he whispered, kissing her gently.
She took another deep breath before replying. "Me neither."
"Hi," she responded tentatively.
"Do you know who this is?"
"Of course I do."
"Who is it?" the caller quizzed.
"Knock it off, Booth."
He laughed. "What are you doing?"
"Trying not to kill myself getting in the elevator."
He paused. "I see." He paused again. "Bones. That's where you're supposed to say "what are you doing, Booth?"
She humored him, as she'd grown accustomed to doing, "What are you doing, Booth?"
"Talking to you," she could hear the smile in his voice.
"Okay, then. It's been nice talking to you. I'm going to--"
"Wait, wait, wait, Bones. I was kidding. I was calling to tell you I'm going to be in town this weekend. I'm going to San Diego for Jared's wedding and I have a layover in Denver. I was thinking we could grab a cup of coffee."
"Wow. Uh, you know, any other weekend, Booth, but this weekend I'm really busy. I'm sorry."
He read right through her excuse, just like he always did, the bastard. "Bones. It's just a cup of coffee."
"You don't have a wife that's going to burst through the door, elated to see you?" she muttered.
"Ouch. You're right. That wasn't a very good coffee experience."
She felt immediately guilty. "I'm sorry. That was a pretty cheap shot."
"You know, if every time I talk to you, I have to re-convince you I'm a good guy, I might be tempted to stop calling."
"I always pick up the phone, don't I?"
"Yes. You're nothing if not true to your word, Bones. So. How about that coffee?"
"All ready?"
"Yep, that's the last of it."
"I'm gonna miss you," he smiled gently, stroking the back of the hand he held in his larger one.
"I always miss you," she admitted quietly. "I'll miss you both."
He pulled her against him and hugged her tightly, breathing in the fresh scent of her shampoo. Their small daughter squawked from her position next to them in her carrier on the porch.
"Oh, poor Miss Katie. Are you feeling all sorts of neglected?" Booth turned from Brennan and scooped the baby out of her seat. She was almost instantly soothed and remained quiet.
"See? You're an amazing father."
He nodded glumly. "I still…"
"I know. The plan, remember?"
He nodded decisively. "The plan," he paused. "Are you going to pick up the phone when I call?"
She started to say probably not, but thought better of it. "Of course."
"This isn't one of those polite lie things, is it?" he regarded her warily with a small smile.
She opened her mouth to speak again, and thought better of it again. "No. I can't promise it will be easy for me, but I will pick up the phone if you call."
He smiled, shifting Katie to his other arm and reaching into the front pocket of his jeans. "I have something for you."
She sighed and answered before she could stop herself. "Sure."
"Okay. I have a three hour layover tomorrow – I'm supposed to get in at about ten."
"Okay. I'll pick you up."
"Great. I'm excited to see you, Bones."
"Me too," she paused, not sure how to pose the question she suddenly wanted to ask, so she just threw it out. "How're the kids?"
She could hear the smile in Booth's voice. "They're great. Park's lovin' school, and Katie's good. Jabbers a mile a minute. I don't know what she's talking about half the time, but her brother seems to pick up on her every whim."
"Older siblings have a tendency to… never mind."
Booth chuckled. "It didn't used to be that you could stop yourself once you got on a science tangent."
"I hang out with 18 year olds all day. Trust me, I hear 'Dr. B, I didn't really want to know' on a fairly regular basis," she smiled.
"I always want to hear your scientific tangents."
"You didn't used to," she teased, relaxing slightly. It felt like talking to an old friend. Which, she supposed, he was. One that happened to be the father of her child.