Bren's dream world

The only thing she was aware of as she woke was the pain she felt in her upper chest, but pain was quickly replaced by distress and heart-stopping fear. She went to move her hand down her abdomen, in a feeble attempt to check if her baby was still inside of her, but when she did, she became aware of a warm, large hand tightly holding hers, followed by the touch of soft, moist lips on her knuckles. She started battling the darkness that had seemed so alluring before, for the promise of more warmth and tenderness in the real world.

The bright lights of her hospital room hurt her eyes, and she started squinting them so she could get used to it without threatening any more pain. She felt a hand brushing her forehead gently, tenderly, and she instinctively inched to find that touch again, following the contact.

"Bones? Baby? Wake up please!", his tender, loving voice called to her, and for his sake, hearing the fear lacing it, she started opening her eyes. A pained groan left her throat, and immediately she felt his hand squeezing hers tighter, the other brushing the strands of hair plastered to her neck, "I'm here, I'm here", he told her, and to please him, she focused on blinking to clear her blurred vision, and when she finally succeeded, the first thing her eyes registered was his warm brown gaze, his eyes red and puffy, tired but filled with love.

"You had no idea how scared you made me", her chest felt tight at the pain in his voice, and even more so at the love shining so clearly in his eyes, "Why, Bones, why did you have to do that?", there was no anger, just raw despair in his pleading, and she felt even more guilty as she realized that, yet again, she was the source of his distress.

"Couldn't…", she croaked out, "Let him… get to you", he shook his head, and desperately brought her hand to his face, rubbing his cheek against it. His afternoon stubble, the slight coarseness of his skin felt oddly comforting, even if rationally, she knew that she would lose him the moment he found out the truth. There was a fuzzy memory of her lying on the sidewalk, of him begging her to hold on, and of her promising she would fight for the sake of their unborn son's life.

She gasped, realizing that she hadn't still asked if her baby was still inside of her, and as if reading her thoughts, he rubbed her cheek with one hand, and nodded, "Hey, hey, calm down. Everything is ok", she tried to croak out her question, but he tenderly pressed his fingers to her lips, and her throat got even more closed when his eyes brimmed with tears and he said, "It wasn't your chest, but your shoulder which got hurt. Ironic, huh? That we now have the same wound", he said softly, and she turned her head to see that indeed, the bandage was in her left upper chest. Her eyes widened, thinking that indeed, she had the matching injury to his. His smile was indulgent as he continued, "He or she, by some miracle, is doing fine. The doctor checked, and thought initially it was in a bit of distress, they are confident that with proper rest and care and food, everything should be fine", her eyes also shone with tears, and with a softness she didn't expect from him, assuming how upset he must be at finding out he was about to become a father again without being informed of the fact, he asked, "Why, Bones, why? Why wouldn't you tell me?", a long silence followed. She could read no anger, just tenderness and a clear need to know the reasons why she had hidden the fact that she was about to give him another child.

She was trying to find the words that would make him see she already loved this baby with all her heart, but that she didn't want to screw up his life and happiness again with this news. "I wanted to", her voice was low and breathy, her pace slow so she could get everything out, "So much. But I was afraid. I know how much Hannah means to you", she licked her dry lips, and swallowed to clear her raspy throat, "I didn't… want to ruin things for you, again", his eyes gave nothing away as he kept them fixed on hers, never wavering, "But Booth, you have to know, despite how he or she came to be, I love this baby, Booth. More than I ever thought possible", his eyes softened at her words, and he turned his head to kiss the hand that he had been holding against his face, closing his eyes.

Her words were like a soothing balm to his soul. A million thoughts had run through his mind when she whispered her confession to him as he held her, and later on as the doctor confirmed his ears hadn't misinterpreted the information. For once second, her reckless behavior had made him think she didn't want the baby, but remembering the look in her eyes as she fainted in his arms, how she had vowed to fight for it, in his heart he knew it couldn't be like that. In his heart and in his mind, there was no doubt the baby was his. He remembered how tight her body had been as he thrust into her and how she had begged him to go slow, as it had been a while, a long while, for her, a fact that had awoken every alpha instinct he had, knowing she had been waiting for him, that she had saved her body for him and only him.

When Hannah had come by earlier, there hadn't been a need for words. One glance at him, broken and desperate sitting by her bed and refusing to leave told her everything she needed to know. Now she knew her desperate confession in his SUV had truly wrecked the sense of normalcy they had created. He could see the betrayal and the anger in her emerald gaze, but he could also see the understanding dawning in her eyes, how all the pieces of the puzzle he had never allowed her to see were finally coming together. In that moment, he knew she knew. She knew that while he had always been truthful in saying he loved her, his love for Temperance Brennan would always surpass all other feelings. Her only words had been a broken, "I'll get my stuff out of your place by the time you return. Good luck, Seeley", and with that, she had left his life, just as she had come, like the wind that soothed your senses in a hot afternoon.

He tried to find some guilt inside of him, feeling that he had deceived her somehow, but he knew the real lie would be if he now tried to deny his love for the woman lying in the hospital bed before him. He knew Hannah had sensed something different in him for quite some time, changes that had begun after he had left her warm, soft arms to try and repair what shouldn't have been repaired in the first place, his pitiful attempt to move on.

Now that he knew their love had been so great it had created the tiny miracle bravely fighting for his or her life inside of her, he knew there was no other choice but to wait for her, forever if that is what was needed, until she realized their only chance at happiness was each other.

He swallowed hard, and willed his voice to remain steady while he bent over her, a look of tender adoration on his face, "And I love you", he wasn't holding back anymore, "I'm so sorry you felt you couldn't come to me, and I know it's my fault. I know my sorry attempts to mend things with Hannah made you feel like what we shared that night was not important to me", her teary eyes told him that indeed she had even considered their night together wasn't as life-changing for him as it had been for her, "Because it was. It was the most beautiful moment I've ever lived. Being in your arms… was paradise", he bent over and rained tiny kisses over her face, a tearful, but content sigh leaving her lips at his display of protective tenderness, instead of the anger and rightful indignation she would have expected of him for not being told, "I've been unable to make love to Hannah since I touched you, because you ruined me, Temperance. You ruined me for other women, you made me unable to love anyone else. You've been my world for so long, and in my wounded pride and pain I tried to forget the truth: that I did know, right from the beginning, that my only road to happiness was you. And this baby", his hand moved to her still toned stomach, rubbing soft circles over the taut muscles, "This baby is like a gift for all the pain we've both been through. You hurt me, but I hurt you too. Forgive me", she shook her head, a sad smile on her face as she feebly moved her fingers against his face, inhaling deeply.

"Booth, I understand. I truly do, and I never held it against you. I know you felt you owed it to Hannah to make your relationship work, particularly after… well… after we made love", his heart swelled as she referred to their night together as lovemaking and not simply sex or biological urges, "Despite what you might have thought, it wasn't just sex to me. I never believed I could feel so much, and you proved to me I indeed was able to experience it, feel it all. I wish this baby could have come in different circumstances, peaceful ones at least, but I can't… I can't make myself regret that it's here", she moved her free hand to cover his on her lower stomach, "I only wish… I could give it the family she or he deserves", he pressed his forehead against hers, both sharing the same air, until he kissed her temple, and met her eyes again.

"We will. And this is not my guilt talking, or my Catholic upbringing, or that I don't want to have another child out of wedlock. That night, we finally found the courage to express our feelings. And I know these past few weeks I've been hiding from it, but no more. Doesn't matter how long it takes you to trust me again, I'll be with you, all the way, and when you do, we'll build that family together. We'll wake up together every single day, we'll take our children to school, we'll continue to be partners, and I'll make love to you every single day until I forget how to, and then I'll spend the rest of my days relearning your perfect body. We'll grow old, together, we'll become one of those old couples that walk through the parks in the afternoon, holding hands, watching out for the grandkids, sharing the sunset. I'll continue to get lost in your beautiful eyes, wrinkles and all, because not even summer skies are as perfect", her eyes were leaking a steady current of tears at his declaration and at the confidence he showed in the life he was portraying for them both, "And one day, when we're both 90, we go to bed, and simply don't wake up, because that is how we are. One being. Unable to breathe without the other", he stared into her bright eyes, and lowered his head until it was right next to hers on the bed, angling his body so he could get as close to her as possible.

She gave him a teary smile, and letting her head fall against his shoulder, she replied, "I like the sound of that".

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Feeling his strong arms around her, as she absentmindedly rubbed her wedding band, she knew that with every single day, he was proving to her that indeed his picture of their life together was more than an idea or wishful thinking. It was a fact. He gave her the hard evidence she needed to believe, and with their child's impending arrival, his protective, tender streak had gone overboard. From refusing to let her into the field anymore, to being there every day, showing up at the lab several times during the day with little treats and snacks, making sure she ate and relaxed even while working, to walking her to every doctor's appointment, from holding her against him every single night, his strong arms wrapped around her middle, sharing in the awe of feeling their child move, their beautiful baby boy growing happily inside her, to refusing to go into the field himself so he could give her the time and attention she deserved.

Their wedding had been private, but beautiful. Only their family and closest friends: Hank, Parker, Max, Russ, Amy and the girls, Cam, Paul and Michelle, Angela, Hodgins and their newborn baby, Caroline, Wendell, Arastoo and Vincent Nigel-Murray. It was certainly a small affair, but filled with true emotion. There wasn't a dry eye in the room when they vowed to love, keep, care and stand by each other for the rest of their lives, and all the women, even Caroline, who had always been the best hotshot, harder-than-steel prosecutor, was teary-eyed when, after the priest pronounced them husband and wife, he gave her a long, sultry kiss, and then bent to kiss her still invisible baby bump over the fabric of her champagne-colored gown. They had headed to Sid's, who was more than happy to keep the restaurant closed for them, and who had generously offered to give them the best wedding meal they would ever find.

After that, they had spent a month trying to find a home for their family until they found a beautiful one-story house that was large enough to accommodate an army, but filled with warmth and that sense of home they had missed for so many years, and craved so badly. Their first fight had occurred when the subject of money and shared accounts came up, but as usual, with her logical mind and down-to-Earth arguments, she won the war and made him cave, though she knew it would take time for him to be really comfortable with the differences in their income. Indeed, he thought he would feel uncomfortable as he knew it was her money making everything possible, but seeing the joy in her bright blue eyes as they signed the papers that made the house theirs, how she immediately began "nesting" and filling their home with small trinkets that made it completely theirs, the awkwardness eventually faded and they finally settled into the life they always dreamed, but never thought they could have. It had surprised them when a bouquet of yellow roses had come from a certain young journalist with a very succinct, but heartfelt card, "Hope this is the start to the bright future you are meant to have, one family, one hearty. Best wishes. Hannah". It was the closure they both needed to finally turn the page on that painful chapter of their lives, and put an end to any guilt they still might have felt regarding her.

"You are so beautiful, you know?", he whispered against her ear, "Every day, you make me fall in love with you even more, if it's possible", she chuckled lightly, her heart warming at his tender words of adoration, which he always muttered every single day, "So you tell me, every day, Seeley", she said, and he kissed her earlobe, making her moan, knowing how sensitive she was, her body taut with need. Ever since she had reached the 8-month mark, her gynecologist had advised against any type of sexual engagement, since it could trigger early labor. At first, she had convinced him to engage in heated make-out sessions that turned to other inventive delights, but after they realized they were getting more and more frustrated by what Angela said was, "Tasting the frosting, but not getting the whole bite", they decided upon it, as her growing midsection made her uncomfortable enough to keep her mind of the rampant desire he always ignited. He knew her hormones had gone haywire, and that her sexual appetite had increased, but that she was trying to be obedient and comply with the doctor's orders.

So they had settled for these quiet moments where their love filled every space, their bond growing stronger, hugs and caresses being their replacement for the desire to melt their bodies against each other.

"It bears repeating, every single day", she placed her hand atop his, moving it to the spot where their baby was moving. "I can't believe we only have to wait a week for him to be here", she nodded.

"I can't either. I'm just glad everything is ready and waiting for him", he kissed her neck softly, "Yeah, I know what you mean. But who could stop Hurricane Angela?", she giggled and surrendered to his loving touches. Ever since news of her pregnancy came out, Angela had appointed herself, "The ever astounding fairy godmother", meaning, she was in charge of decorating the room and following every desire of the mom-to-be. Luckily, Angela had listened to what they both wanted, and with her sense of art and fashion, the end result was idyllic. The room was painted in different shades of green and blue, as they didn't want to follow stereotypes, with animals playing on the walls, dolphins swimming through the clouds and guarding the crib that stood proud in the middle of the room, the antique wooden chair Cam had gifted them with a family relic she gladly passed to them, saying she would be glad to see her godchild be rocked to sleep in that chair.

"Want some pancakes?", he suggested, knowing how bad her heartburn was, and how pancakes were one of the few meals that didn't seem to bother her stomach these days. She nodded eagerly, and turning her onto her back, he dipped his head to sultrily kiss her pink lips until he stole her breath. He followed his ritual, bending to kiss the swell of her belly, and whispering a soft "I love you, baby", he wrapped her in a light throw that would keep her warm while he was gone and leaped from the bed, intent on feeding the woman he loved and their unborn child.

She snuggled against the covers, and let out a contented sigh. She would have never imagined she was capable of so much happiness, that she could have this life. To think she was fighting for her life a few months ago and he wasn't hers still made her all the more appreciative of what she now had. She watched the dancing patterns of the fading sky in the ceiling of their room, her hands moving across the moving bulge, smiling softly. "Only a few days, my love. Only a few", she whispered to her belly, and after a few minutes, the scent of vanilla and syrup reached her nostrils. "Are you hungry, baby?", she got a soft kick that made her chuckle, "Daddy is coming, my sweet", her words seemed to soothe him, and true to her words, a few moments later, Booth entered with a tray, carrying her favorite pancakes, some fruit and orange juice, along with some sausages and eggs for him.

"Breakfast for dinner. This is the life", he said happily, and settled right next to her, both sharing the glow of the miracle that had become every single day together.

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ICU room

After he had dropped Parker off outside the ICU with his mother, Booth had returned to sit next to her bed, in silent vigil, just hoping he could somehow lend her part of his strength. He didn't think it was possible, but to him it seemed she now was peacefully sleeping. He could have sworn there was a hint of a smile against her pale lips, like she was having a beautiful dream. He and Max had shared some small talk, but they were both focused on her every reaction while they softly spoke, before they really let themselves get carried away.

"She looks so peaceful, doesn't she?", Max said, as he stretched in the chair a nurse had kindly brought for him.

"She does. It's such a contrast to how she looked earlier. I can only hope she's dreaming of something beautiful", he remembered how perfect his dream world had been during his coma, and even if he had to deal with the heartache of knowing his dream was nothing like the reality he had to live through when he woke, for a few blissful moments, he had felt the happiness of a life filled with the love of his Bones.

"Booth? I know it's not my place to ask, but did you..?", Max felt uncomfortable, but he needed to know where the agent stood in regards to his daughter. As a father, he needed to know she would have the man she loved to back her up, because he knew that without him, her road to recovery would be much, much longer and painful.

"Yeah, Max", Booth replied, his eyes never leaving her prone form, "I fixed things. She was… angry and hurt. She… I don't think she truly understands what it means to me that it was up to Bones to save Parker, Max. I don't think she gets what it did to me to see how she slowly let go of my son's hand while Bones made her way to him, to save him", he sighed tiredly, and Max nodded, feeling sad for the man before him. As a man, he understood Booth and his attempt to move on, but what he couldn't understand is how that woman hadn't realized the value little Parker Booth had to his father, to everyone at the lab.

"I know what you must be feeling. It must be painful to realize the woman you love is not on the same page, regarding… some things", he replied, and Booth nodded, thankful for Max's discretion.

"I… When I decided to introduce them, I did it because I thought Hannah would become part of my future, Max. But… she was just looking for a good time. I know she loves me, in her own way, but what Bones did? That IS real love. To give her life for my son, even if I've been a total jackass to her lately", Booth didn't fear Max's reaction, as they had made amends during the long hours of their vigil, their devotion towards her bonding them and leading them to forgiveness.

"You're right. In her way, she just loves you, and knowing you, I'm sure you never lied to her, you never hid the fact that Parker would always come first", Max rubbed his hands over her feet, warming them, massaging the soles, and he swore a smile wanted to burst forth on her face, "My little girl has always said she's not good with kids, but she was perfect with your son. That's why he adores her. Booth", the men shared a look, and Max gave him a pained smile, "You know her, even better than I do. She's had no one to look out for her, the way you have, after we left. She's afraid to trust, to put her happiness in someone else's hands. She relates love to pain, not to joy, but despite that, she learned to trust you. She just needs you to hang in there, and be patient", Booth nodded.

"Don't need to tell me that. I'm willing to wait my entire life for her. I already made the mistake of… getting desperate and rushing things, but I know she loves me. I know that I'm not alone in this emotion, and that will give me the strength to wait for her. All I want is to take care of her, and make certain she knows she'll never be alone", Max nodded, while he continued with his massage, pleased that at least, the man before him had realized his mistake and was willing to mend both their broken hearts.

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Bren's dream world

She had her head against the cushion, moaning delightedly at the motion on her feet.

"Your mother also loved her foot rubs, baby", she chuckled. She had been complaining of swollen feet during the past weeks, and Max had decided to pamper his little girl while Booth prepared their Sunday lunch. It felt divine how her father's hands traced every sinew and muscle, how he made certain she was relaxed before moving to a different location, "Particularly with you. Doctors wanted to take you out when a week before your due date passed and you weren't showing signs of wanting to come out", he smiled at her, and rubbed his thumbs over her swollen ankles. Henry Seeley was 10 days overdue, and making his parents desperate, "She was desperate, but she didn't let them get you out. She said you would come out when you felt it was time. 11 days after her due date, you decided to grace us with your presence in the middle of the night. Kept your mother awake during the whole night, and were born at dawn", she smiled softly at him. She loved how her father told her stories about the time when her mother was pregnant with her. He had started about 3 months ago, right after Booth found her crying in her bed, holding a picture of her mother against her chest. He didn't need to be a genius to figure out his wife was missing the guidance that could only come from her mother in these moments, and he had called Max so he could try and fill in those blanks that still remained in her wounded heart. Those stories had served to let her see it was ok to doubt herself, to be fearful, but that the most important thing would be the love she would share with her husband and child. "That's why we called you Joy, since after 11 days and 7 hours of waiting, she was only glad to have you in her arms", they laughed softly together, enjoying the peace of these moments, but above all, reminiscing about the past without feeling the pain that would come with the longing.

Booth smiled, perched against the doorframe, seeing his wife being pampered by her father. He knew how badly she had needed to truly forgive her father, and let him be there for her, to love her the way she deserved. Her pleased smile told him how glad she truly was to have the reformed crook there, being close to her, fulfilling his role.

"Are you two ready for lunch, or are you in need of more pampering?", he teased as he leaned to kiss her bent forehead.

"I'm hungry", she pouted, and he laughed, kissing her lips from his upturned position.

"No wonder you are. What was the last time you ate? 1 hour ago?", she huffed, but another kiss erased her indignation. He was happy she was indulging in her cravings. She ate so little normally it was a delight to see her give in to the urges of all pregnant women like she was supposed to, though true to herself, she always chose healthy snacks, her only indulgence the cherry pie she was surprisingly taken with and the chocolate cake and ice-cream she loved.

"As the alpha-male of this house, it is your duty to keep your mate, namely me, well-fed and happy so your offspring is born strong and alpha-male as well. So, Food!", she said playfully, and he leaned to kiss her again, sharing in the love and peace of the Sunday afternoon.

"No need to bellow, dearest. Everything is ready", Max placed her sandals back on, gently doing the straps, and Booth gave her his hand for support so she could stand.

When they started to make their way to the kitchen, a pained gasp and the sound of rushing liquid made them stop in their tracks. They both turned to find her with a hand on her lower belly, scared but elated, "I think Henry Seeley is finally ready", they smiled and rushed to drive her to the hospital.

Instead of the frantic rushing and scared driving they thought would accompany them, everything had gone surprisingly calm. They knew they were ready, so they didn't have any reason to fear. The squints were outside, arriving after Booth texted Angela to tell her her godson had finally decided to grace them with his presence, and ask her to let everyone know. She had braved every contraction, and accepted the process of labor with calm. It hurt Booth to see her in pain, knowing there was nothing for him to do except letting her know he would be there for her.

After a particularly long and painful contraction ended, she tiredly fell on the pillows. He fed her ice chips, and caressed her sweaty bangs away from her forehead, staring into tired blue eyes.

"Thank you, Seeley", she panted, and he bent to kiss her forehead lovingly, "I'm so glad you're here, with me", he squeezed her hand, and nodded, eyes moist.

"It is I who have to thank you, Temperance. You're gifting me with a new son, to love and cherish. You married me, and have made me the happiest man alive", he kissed her lips tenderly.

The doctor came in, and after a brief physical, they were ready to take her to the delivery room.

After everything was sorted out, and everyone was ready, the doctor instructed her to push.

"1…2…3…4…5… Come on, Temperance, 6…7…8…9…10", she fell against his chest, and he wiped her forehead with a cool cloth, rubbing it down her overheated skin. He was perched behind her, making sure she was positioned correctly.

"I'm so sorry, Seeley", he frowned as she turned pained eyes to face him, "I don't know how I ever thought I could do this without you", he gave her a tender smile, and shook his head.

"You could have. I know. You are the strongest woman I know", she whimpered pathetically, "I can't… Please… I can't…So tired", he kissed her temple and replied, "Come on, baby. Just a few pushes, and it'll be ok".

She inhaled deeply, and squeezing his hand, she nodded to the doctor, and followed the count, but she felt a sharp pain ripping through her halfway through it, different from the contractions, and felt something warm coming out of her.

"Shit!", the doctor said, and from her position, she could see his hands covered in blood. Her eyes welled with tears, and grasped Booth's hand tighter.

"Placental… abruption?", the doctor nodded, and the tears leaked from her eyes, "Do it. Do it now!", she commanded, and the doctor nodded again, a somber look on his face that told Booth how serious things could get.

"We´re doing an emergency c-section. Move!", he instructed to the rest of the team, "Seeley", he said, looking at Booth seriously, "You better step outside", but she snapped at the doctor with blue fire in her eyes, and looked at her husband with despair in her eyes.

"No! He stays. I'm not going to submit him to wait outside, not knowing what's happening to me or to our son. Do it. But he has to be here. I need him here", the doctor let out a resigned sigh. He had gotten to know her, and by this point he had learned it was pointless to argue with her. Besides, he had noticed her husband had kept her calm during the whole process, and with a slight nod, he replied.

"Ok. He stays. Seeley, you need to stand right next to her head after you scrub your hands from the elbow down", Booth instantly moved from the gurney to the sinks outside the delivery room, doing as instructed, and when he returned, he found a chair the nurse had brought him so he could sit, and the doctor had swiftly lowered the gurney until she was flat on her back. They were setting everything at lightning speed, a rush of doctors running around. He held her hand while the anesthesiologist stuck a needle in her spine, and before he knew it, a curtain was blocking his view of her swollen stomach.

"Temperance. Feel anything?", he could see the doctor poking her stomach with a sharp scalpel. She shook her head, "I feel you're touching me, but it doesn't hurt", she replied, and after that, they all set to work.

"Are you ok, babe?", she nodded weakly, and stared at him, "Does it hurt?", he asked, and she shook her head.

"I feel them working on me, but it's not painful. I'm just scared. I want… I want to hear him cry, Booth", she said, tears pooling in her blue gaze, and he kissed her forehead softly, trying his best to hide the fact that he was as scared as she was.

"He'll be fine, baby. He's our son, and he's a fighter, just like us", he turned his eyes to the clock. Only 4 minutes had passed since everything started going south, and he was surprised when her hand made contact with his Saint Christopher's medal.

"I guess", she said tearfully, "This is a good time to start believing. Pray, Seeley. I need you to", he was shocked to the core by her request, knowing that for her to be asking him to pray she had to be really scared, but he nodded, and bent his head to press his forehead against hers, his mouth moving in silent prayer, their grip on each other's hand painfully tight.

2 minutes later, the doctor said, "Lori? I'm about to take him out", he had been briefly introduced to the pediatrician that would be in charge of the baby once he was born, and his wife nodded, "Go, look. Tell me", Booth stood, but didn't relinquish his grip on her hand as he stood and peeked over the curtain they had over her belly, and smiled, "Bones, his little arm", he said, clearly in awe, and not at all phased by the blood and sight of her open body, "He's so big", he squeezed her hand, his eyes telling her what she needed to know.

"And he's out", the doctor said, passing him to the nurse, who enfolded him in a blue blanket and instantly rushed him to the side, the doctor and 2 residents next to her as she massaged his chest and cleared his airway, "Come on, Henry. Give us a big cry", Booth was torn between wanting to go see and not wanting to release his wife's hand.

"Go, Seeley. Go to him", she begged him, and he gave her a furious, passionate kiss before he released her hand, and saw the doctors working on his boy. Like magic, when he stood next to them and said, "Come on, my sweet boy. Cry for us. Mommy needs to hear you", he let out a screech, followed by a long cry, clearly upset at being cold and out of his mother's womb.

His eyes welled with tears, and through them he saw the doctor shared triumphant smiles with her residents, as they continued working on him for a few more minutes, "Apgar is 10, 5 minutes after birth", they continued to clean him, and after that, the nurse took a new clean blanket, and made sure he was warm, turning to Booth with the blue bundle in her arms.

"Would you like to hold him, Daddy?", Booth's smile was enough answer, and she carefully transferred the wriggling baby to his father, who was looking at him in awe.

"Hey, Henry. I'm dad", he said, his lump thick with emotion, "You're so beautiful!", he whispered, caressing his tiny fist, "So perfect. Gave us quite the scare, uh?", his heart was swelling with love, and he turned to his wife, scared for her, as he heard the doctors speak among themselves, "Blood pressure is steady. Clamping", he tuned them out as he saw her try to peek out, and he instantly made his way to her side. Her eyes leaked a steady current of tears as he sat next to her, her hand shaking when she moved it to caress their baby boy's head.

"This beautiful, amazing lady here is your mommy", he whispered, "Say hi, Henry", he instructed, and the baby cooed as he felt Brennan's hands on his fist, as Booth partially placed him on her chest so he could feel her warmth.

"He's so beautiful", she whispered, a watery smile on her lips as she watched their son, caressing his tiny body as best as she could, kissing the crown of his head repeatedly, and like if on cue, he opened to show them big, brown eyes, the same shade of his father.

"Seeley, look! He has your eyes", they were so dark they were almost black, and they both smiled through tears, awed at the miracle they had made.

They were so lost they didn't notice the doctors moving until her doctor came to her, a tired smile on his lips, "Temperance, Seeley", they turned their eyes to them, "Luckily, we were able to catch the abruption right after it started. We stopped the bleeding quite fast, thankfully, and the baby wasn't deprived of oxygen. We cleaned everything, and stemmed the bleeding. Your uterus wasn't regaining its tone initially, but after a few moments, it recovered. We're moving you to the recovery room to keep an eye on you, and if nothing happens after 2 hours, we'll move you to a private room, ok?", they nodded, "This little guy has to go take his first bath and take him to the nursery. Perhaps daddy wants to come and help?", Booth was torn, but as always, his wife made the choice for him.

"I can't be there, but I'll feel much better if you're with him. After you're done, you can come and tell me all about it", Booth nodded, and gave her another bruising, tender kiss to which she replied wholeheartedly.

"I love you, Bones. So much. Thank you for giving me this", she smiled tiredly, and nodded, "I do love you too, Seeley", they joined hands until it was time to let go, but this time the goodbye was filled with the promise of the future awaiting.

As promised, 2 hours after her stay in recovery, she was brought to a private room. With all the press following her due to her celebrity status, she didn't want her son's birth to become a circus, so she had decided to arrange for a private room in advance so they could have the space they needed to enjoy this moment.

She was looking out the window, when a smiling Booth came in followed by a nurse moving a small basin. She gasped, and extended her arms, wanting to hold her baby against her. Booth leaned over their baby, and carefully took him in his arms. He transferred the small bundle into her arms, and her eyes instantly pooled with tears, her hands gently tracing every inch of him.

"He's perfect, Booth", he smiled, sitting right next to her, their hips touching as he placed his arm around them, "How can I love him this much already?", she said, chuckling between her tears, "He's so big", she said, realizing perhaps it was his size that had made it so difficult for her to deliver him.

"Yep. 10 pounds of joy, Bones", she smiled, watching his strong body.

"He'll be as tall as you", she judged, "His bones are particularly large for a newborn. He certainly exceeds the average", she smiled, staring into his eyes, a rush of warmth filling her as she traced his soft lips and he instantly started sucking at the pad of her finger.

"It seems he's already hungry", she had decided she would breastfeed him, knowing it would benefit them both, both physically and emotionally, as they bonded. The nurse had helped her change into a nightgown with a front opening so the process would be more comfortable, along with a nursing bra. Her lower stomach was in pain, but nothing was more important than caring for her baby.

"Hold him for a second, please?", Booth took the baby in his arms with expert ease, and saw as she undid the tiny buttons of her white cotton nightgown. She looked so beautiful to him, with a glow that wouldn't go away, even if she still looked exhausted. She unclipped her nursing bra, and after arranging the pillows behind her slowly, she received the baby back into her arms, who was already whimpering in hunger.

She struggled a bit, but after a bit of teasing his lips, and following the instructions she had received during her prenatal classes, the baby latched on, clearly hungry for his mother's milk.

"Seeley, look! He's eating", she said, her voice filled with emotion. He beamed, and caressed the baby's tiny forehead, seeing him greedily suck from his mother's breast.

"Hungry little lion", he teased, and he chuckled. Their eyes met, and he couldn't help but lean in and kiss her like his life depended on it, as he continued to hold the baby's head protectively.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you, Booth", she smiled, her eyes moist and wide, "But I love you. I love you", she vowed, and they shared another passionate kiss.

"And I you, Temperance. I love you", they settled to watch little Henry, and wait until their little family came to share in the new addition to their squad.

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She blinked her eyes against the brightness of the light, her cheek damp, and she moving a shaky hand to wipe them away as she kneeled before the pathway.

"Did you see everything you needed to see?", she turned to find her mother's intense blue stare.

"I can't… I can't believe that degree of happiness is possible", Christine kneeled next to her, and caressed her bangs away from her face, smiling softly.

"Temperance", she began, "That degree of happiness is possible, if you open your heart to it, if you don't let your fear overrule your desire to have the family you were deprived of", her voice was soft and soothing, "I told you, at the beginning, this is the way your mind chose to show you how different your life will be depending on the choices you make. You've seen what can happen, you're living it, what happens when pride and fear rule us. Your walls have been your safety net for most of your life, you've hidden behind them so no one can hurt you. The thing is, no one can reach you either. Your mind knows this, and it rules you so strongly you can't let go. Those chemicals coursing through your body is your heart reacting to the truth you've seen here. In this limbo, you've felt him, felt his love and his presence. Your heart has hoped that deep inside, his love for you remains untouched. But you won't ever know it. It's time to stop hiding, my sweet Tempe, and let someone else heal your wounds. He failed you, he made mistakes but he's right there next to you. If you find it in yourself to let go of the anger and disappointment, as you did with us, you can have the life you deserve. ", her eyes were pooling with tears, hearing her mother speak.

"Rationally, I know you're not real, you can't be", Christine smiled.

"As I told you before, your mind chose me because, even if I left, the thought of me always comforted you and made you feel safe. You idealized me somehow, and inside yourself, I was the only one to lead you through this journey", Christine caressed her cheeks softly, "You want to wake, and you know he's there. Whether one of these paths becomes a reality is up to you. You've said it yourself, Temperance. We are not victims of our fate. We make our own destiny. Then, let go, so you can have the destiny you deserve my love".

She leaned in, and kissed her forehead, and tenderly brought her to her chest, "This certainty will always follow you, that you are loved, that you can and deserve to be loved, but you have to fight now. Open your eyes, my sweet baby girl", she whispered, and again, everything became white.

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ICU room

Booth was softly caressing her cheeks, entranced by the peaceful glow that seemed to radiate from her. Even the nurse had commented how calm she was looking, and that her color seemed better. He felt validated as he confirmed it wasn't just his wishful thinking, and he hadn't stopped caressing her face nor kissing her hand. They had removed her breathing tube 4 hours ago, when they were certain she was breathing on her own, not wanting to subject her to the trauma of doing it while she was awake.

"I love you, baby. I love you so much", he said for the millionth time, but instead of being met with silence, a pained groaned made his head snap.

"Bones, Bones?", he stood up and squeezed her hand, "Bones, baby, wake up. I'm here. I'm here", he vowed, and he saw her eyelids flutter, as if she was trying to come up for air.

"Temperance. Please, wake up", he pleaded, and with a heavy inhalation, blue eyes met his, making him gasp at the raw emotion he could see in them. Pain, hope, despair, confusion, but above all, love was shining in those blue depths.

He saw her instantly trying to speak and he squeezed her hand harder, "Booth?", tears fell from her eyes like heavy diamonds tracing her porcelain skin, "Booth", she said his name like she couldn't believe he was there, next to her, her voice raspy and thick. He waited long moments, seeing her eyes clear from the confusion, but never leaving his. She seemed like she had been drowning and was again rejoicing in the ability to breath, making him shudder as he remembered how it felt when he pulled her from the grave Taffet had intended for her. He didn't know how much time had passed, but her only words to him were a whispered, pleading "Don't… go. Don't ever go… please", she croaked out painfully, and he shook his head, kissing her knuckles repeatedly.

"Never again. Never again, Bones. I won't leave you… Don't speak, I'm here", he pressed his forehead against hers, and that's how Max found them, his eyes also pooling as he saw his daughter strongly gripping Booth's hand, like he was her last resource, foreheads touching, sharing the same air.

With a relieved heart, he made his way to the nurse's desk, knowing the time for answers would be coming soon, but wanting to prolong this moment of silent union for them as long as he could.