1Title: Ella
Author: SplishySplash, Ihave207Bones
Spoiler: Boneless Bride in the River
Rating: k
Pairing: Booth/Brennan
Summary: Sully runs into Booth and Brennan in a bookstore a little more than a year later from when he left. Sully
's POV-first attempt at first person POV

The air port was unusually quiet for the week after Thanksgiving and the longer I sat there, the more I regretted giving up my seat on the 6:45 flight to Washington, but a distraught man in front of me at the checkout counter told the attendant that his brother had just died in Iraq and he needed that flight to claim the body. He needed it more than I.

The next available flight was at 8:21 leaving me to get acquainted with the Philadelphia airport. I wandered from gift shops to gift shops looking at the overpriced souvenirs with Eagles, US history and other random Philadelphia memorabilia trying to keep my boredom in check. A poster on the wall in one of the overpriced bookstore caught my attention or the author of the book that it was promoting. Temperance Brennan's 'Remains Unnoticed' had released and was on sale.

Stepping closer, I examined the picture of her in the corner and a flutter surged through my veins. Yep, I was still attracted to her, but then again she wasn't the kind of woman that someone forgot easily. The picture did her justice, though. Her hair was curled slightly and more in place, her makeup was natural and her blue eyes sparkled as her smile was softer than normally seen in the back of her other books.

It had been awhile since I had heard from her, but then again I hadn't told her that I was back from the Caribbean either. I picked up the book and read the description on the back 'Another great novel from the sexy Anthropologist, Temperance Brennan' - Houston Chronicle or 'The science is intense and fascinating, keeping you in your seat from the moment you open the cover'-The New York Times said, not that I doubted it. Opening the cover, I searched for her dedication page which had always been heartfelt and I frowned when I saw a reoccurring name Again I dedicated this to my partner, my friend, my hero Seeley Booth.

I guess I can figure why she stopped responding to my letters. I turned to pay for the book and bumped into the man in line. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you . . ." I apologized to the man only to realize that I knew him. "Booth?"

"Sully!" He said with a smile on his face, extending his free hand to shake mine. In his other hand was a small infant cradled into the crook of his arm wrapped tightly in a blanket, its arms extended reaching for his shirt. "What are you doing in Philadelphia?"

"I was doing a bit of traveling before I go back to school in January." I answered slowly, not taking my eyes off the beautiful baby in his arms. Did he have another one?

Booth smiled and held his finger for the infant to hold. "Let me guess, med school?"He asked, he always did tease me about my ambitions to do more. I just like having my options open I highly doubt there is a problem with that.

I nodded. "Yes, I'm going to American University." I answered proudly. "What are you doing in Philadelphia?" If I remember correctly, he was from here.

He smiled tenderly looking at the baby who gurgled happily from his arms. "We were just visiting family for the holiday." He shrugged. "They hadn't met my daughter yet."

The infant was his, but who was the mother? "I didn't know you had a daughter." I said, I had been keeping in touch with a few agents from the Bureau, but nobody let me in on this little information. Stepping closer to look closer at her, her jet black hair was fastened with small rubber bands and two poked out at the top of her head, her eyes were a bright blue and her nose was a thin version on his.

Booth adjusted the little girl for me to see with her back against his chest, sitting on one arm as the other one pinned her to his chest and the blanket dangling towards from it. "Her name is Ella." He said proudly. Her head wiggled awkwardly against his chest as she was getting used to the muscles that kept it up herself.

"She's beautiful, Booth." I said placing a finger in her clenched fingers and she kicked her legs excitedly, she wore a dark blue plaid cover skirt over a white long sleeved shirt with white leggings adding to the appeal. "How old is she?"

"She is two months old." He answered, moving the blanket to prevent it from falling and tossing it over his shoulder. I did the math she had to have been born the first week of October, I got back from the Caribbean right around that time. I couldn't help but be a little envious of him. I watched in awe as she smiled brightly and cooed loudly.

"Quiet the spirit she has." I commented lamely.

Booth chuckled and bounced her in his arms. "She is a splitting image of her mother in that." He said, glowing with fatherly pride. It was almost disgusting if it were so damn beautiful, damn when did I go soft? Probably a year of sunsets in paradise makes you soft. "Fiery and passionate, but for the most part she is very lively."

It wasn't until a woman came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist that it caught up to me. "Do you seriously know everybody who lives in Philadelphia?" She asked and she peeked her head from his side. Temperance Brennan stood bright eyed with a backpack on her shoulders. "Sully?"

"Hi Tempe." I said coyly, she moved from behind him and stood next to him with a smile on his face. She looked different since the last time I saw her, her body was curvier and healthier from having a baby and her hair had gotten longer, but definitely still beautiful. I looked at the baby and looked back at her, the infant was an exact replica of her.

"How have you been?" She asked me happily. Booth shot her one of those 'parenting' looks that asked her if she wanted to hold the baby. She nodded and held out her hands and the transfer went off without hitch. I was surprised that no hostility rang through her voice, considering that she had abandonment issues.

Stop it. Before I left I endured a mental beating from the man about abandoning her, almost made me drop my plans. "I've been great I'm just getting ready to go to med school." I said.

"That's great, Sully." Brennan said, her smile usually would've been superficial but it didn't seem to be. I smiled as her eyes wandered to her daughter.

"How did this sly dog talk you into having children?" I asked with a chuckle, gaining a laugh from Booth who wrapped his arms around her. She glared at him playfully.

"I don't think there was much talking involved." She said her sly smile could kill. Maybe she shouldn't have been allowed passed security.

I nodded in understanding. "I see." I was going to make a comment about Booth jumping her the moment I left, but kept my mouth shut. I had heard stories about people touching his partner and not getting away with broken bones, I was always told I was wise. "How are things at the Jeffersonian?"

She nodded. "Things are going well except Angela and Hodgins didn't get married. Cam is doing alright and Zack . . . well. . ." She looked to Booth for guidance, he nodded and she spoke again. "Zack ran into the wrong crowd."

My eyes widened, the robot kid was in trouble? It looked like a painful subject for them so I let it go. "Oh." They nodded and the awkward silence was almost overwhelming.

Ella made her presence known and diffused the situation squeaking loudly from her arms. "She's got to be hungry." She said and Booth nodded encouragingly.

"She's beautiful, Tempe." I said.

"Thanks Sully." Brennan responded. "I was good seeing you and if you're around, you should look us up and we can have dinner."

I nodded with a smile as I found it unusual that she was inviting me to dinner as if our entire relationship hadn't existed, but I guess in the outcome things turned out alright for her. Not that I'm complaining Booth is a good, strong man with a decent job. I can only be happy for her, I guess. "I'd like that."

I said my goodbye and watched them walk out of the store to the terminal that my flight was leaving out of. She sat down on the hard chairs and he followed, placing an arm across her shoulders as she pulled out a bottle from the bag and placed it into the infant's mouth. The person behind me poked me in the back to prompt me to move up to pay for the book, even though I hadn't been standing in line I placed the book on the counter and handed the cashier the money. The young woman looked star struck in the direction that Tempe had gone in. "You know Temperance Brennan?" She asked.

I chuckled slightly as she handed me the change. "I used to date her." I said and taking the bag, walking out of the store and taking a seat in the bistro next door to wait for my flight. I watched the family with a smile as Brennan held the baby confidently with the bottle in its mouth and she was practically glowing. As I watched them stare at their infant the waitress placed a glass of water in front of me as a thought crossed my mind.

I did the math and the baby was conceived in February and I left at the end of September, so when exactly did they get together? Seeley seemed to waste no time in sweeping her off her already swept feet, but who am I kidding-he had swept her off her feet from the moment she met him. Seeley Booth was all she ever talked about when we weren't in bed, what he did to annoy her that day or how well he did solving the case.

I ordered a turkey sandwich and a waited shrugged my shoulders. Tempe was happy and I guess that's all I could ask for, but the operative question was did the ole' dog talk her into marrying him? The hand that had the finger in question supported the baby whereas Booth's was tucked into his pocket leaving it a mystery. Doubt it, I mean pregnancy happens all the time.

The sandwich came quickly and I took a bite as Brennan put the bottle down, placing the infant on her lap and holding her hands, waving them back and forth bringing a smile on both parents faces. I frowned, wondering why I was so obsessed with her.

The woman at the desk called for families with small children to board the plane and the parents got to their feet, the baby's face in to her shoulder as she fell asleep with the smooth motion of her steps to the skywalk and Booth handed the woman their tickets, before making their way through the door and disappearing from sight.

I guess it's because she chose Booth and not me and looks what she has, a family and a loving boyfriend/husband thing and it's not something that I'm going to dwell on. I can accept that.