Well, hello everyone. It's been quite some time since I updated, hasn't it? Some of it was laziness, some of it was because I was busy, and most of it was because of writer's block. And, uh... this things called *cough*neopets*cough*

*clears throat* Right. I know, I have no life. But hey, there's a good chance most of my non-life will be back in gear writing this story pretty soon, so that's a good thing, I suppose.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I still don't own Bones.

"Bones?" his voice echoed through the lab, and she looked up, her eyes full of helpless need as he rounded the corner and stepped into her office, his strides slowing down as he took in her expression, as well as the chaos of her office, and came to a stop a few feet from her desk.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Uh...hi. Bones, what's going on?"

"Clearly, we sorted through the 'fan' mail."

"I... see that. I meant what's going on with... you? Don't try to pretend you're fine or something, because... well, you aren't."

He cleared the last few feet to the desk, and stepped around it to drop down to crouch level with her, a hand resting on the edge of her desk as he stared into her eyes.

"Talk to me," he murmured.

Instead, she turned away and picked up a thin stack of papers, which she proceeded to hand to him. She gave a silent nod towards them, an indication that he should read.

Giving her a frown of confusion, his eyes drifted down and began to read the first email. She watched his expression as calmly as she could, taking in every flicker of reaction that came over his features as he scanned through and moved on to the next one, his eyes becoming darker with every passing word.

When he finished, he let them fall limply back onto the desk, his eyes finding hers. They were dark with unbridled protectiveness, and after only a moment of hesitation he took her by her hands and pulled her upright with him, wrapping his arms securely around her. Her frame shuddered in the embrace, and then relaxed fully into the warmth and comfort he offered.

"I'm scared," she whispered, so softly that she knew he barely caught the words. But catch them he did, because she felt him tense and then soften immediately, his arms tightening around her and his breath coming tenderly against the strands of hair that hung loosely across her face.

"I am too," he answered honestly, giving her a careful squeeze before he loosened his hold on her and pulled her back to look her in the eyes. "I swear that we're going to get through this, though, Bones. I won't let anyone hurt you... I'm going to be with you twenty-four-seven, and if I can't be here, the security is tight enough that no one could possibly get close. I had Cam double it again this morning."

"Booth, he's been... he's been following me. He... he agreed with what... what happened to me! What if he... he..."

"Shh..." he pulled her back into his arms and encompassed her once more in his strong arms. At once she relaxed again, breathing out a slow sigh as she tried to regain her composure. Already, she felt ridiculous for the way she was acting. She was stressed, and tired, and her emotions were out of balance. That wasn't going to get her anywhere good, and she knew it.

"I'm okay," she said after a moment. "I'm fine. I just... I don't think I've been getting enough sleep, and those... pictures..."

"We're going to get him, Bones."

She pulled away on her own this time, and brushed at her eyes, laughing slightly at herself as she wiped away the moisture that had gathered in them.

"What did Sweets have to say?" she managed to ask him, her throat feeling tight; not yet fully recovered from her little episode.

Booth winced and at once looked guarded, and that put her on alert.

"Booth?" she demanded, her tone gaining a hint of fear that she didn't approve of at all. She seriously needed to start getting back into control. She was losing herself, and that scared her almost as much as this case.

"You aren't going to... like it."

"Tell me," she demanded, her eyes hardening in determination. Whatever it was, she needed to be able to handle it objectively. It was time to pour herself into solving this, and getting her life back on the right track. For one thing, she still had no idea what being pregnant, and the aftermath which would follow, were going to have on their lifestyle.

"Alright," he said with a sigh. "From what Sweets could gather in that attic... our dead guy wasn't alone."

"Wait, you think that... the victim was the stalker, but there is someone... else?"

"Apparently, Sampson, it being his house and all, had been... following you for a while. He was a reporter; you already knew that, though. Sweets thinks that you have some sort of... delusional admirer, who perceived Sampson as a threat. Probably whoever it was who wrote those emails. He killed him, and then for some reason, hung onto the body and waited until now to reveal it."

"Sweets would probably say there is something more behind the fact that he dumped the body on the anniversary of the day I filed the restraining order."

Booth sighed. "Yeah. Probably. Hey, listen, Bones... why don't you and I go away for the weekend. Just... get away from this case."

She opened her mouth, ready to answer him with a yes, but then snapped it shut and closed her eyes. "We can't."

She could almost see his scowl, even with her eyes closed. "Why?" he asked, and she felt him move to stand closer to her.

Her eyes opened and met his. "My dad is coming to visit."

"Max? This weekend?" she could tell he was displeased, and at first she was worried that maybe he just didn't like the idea of their getaway being disrupted, but he surprised her with what he said next. "Right. And where exactly has he been? Because I don't think I'm quite ready to forgive him for disappearing on you like that. Again."

Despite her similar feelings towards her father, she found herself defending him. "I don't think he's really known what to say around me, since..."

"More like he's probably feeling guilty as hell. Did he leave a number, or is he still switching phones every day?"

"I... didn't get a number, no. But I told him to call back Saturday. I'm sorry, Booth."

For the first time, he seemed to realize that she was upset by his outburst, and he froze where he was, taking in the expression on her face. She tried to hide it, but he saw straight through her façade.

"Hey, no, alright? You don't... Bones, you've gotten nothing to be sorry for. I'm not blaming you. I'm just... frustrated. About this case, about your dad being... who he is... I just want you to be safe. Safe and happy."

She sighed. "I guess I can understand that, Booth. But... I just want to give him a chance. Even if he hasn't really... been around."

Booth offered a soft smile, and reached out to gently take her hand and give it a light squeeze. "Hey, he's still your dad. And even if I give him a hard time, and I will, I do know that he loves you."

She gave a hesitant smile in response, and brushed once, quickly, at the corner of her eye, where a bit of moisture she hadn't even noticed had begun to slip down the side of her face. "It felt like he walked out again," she murmured softly, her voice quivering in a way that she really didn't approve of. She cleared her throat, but the damage was done. The pity surfaced quickly in his eyes, and he pulled her into his arms again, whispering comfort into her hair.

"Bones, you have to speak up sometimes," he murmured at last, after his words had died into a gentle silence. "If you just... tell me how you're feeling, I can help. I would have hunted down your father ages ago if I had... known."

She shook her head rapidly, pulling out of the embrace. "That... that would not be the same," she argued, "He... I want him to come to me. Not because... he felt obligated. This is better. This is just... better. I don't want to be lied to." She gave a hesitant little laugh that lacked any humor. "It would be like... like if you were only with me because you felt bad for me."

He stiffened. "Bones..."

She brushed her eyes again, shaking her head. "I know, I know. Booth, I know you love me. But... that's what it would be like. I wouldn't want that. It wouldn't mean anything. And this... what we have? This means something, because we both... we both made the choice."

It took him a moment, but finally he smiled back at her, and brushed a hand up her arm finally resting the back of it against her cheek before using his fingers to brush a strand of hair out of the way. His other hand reached up to rest on her other arm, and his first hand slid around behind her head as he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

She melted under him, relaxing for the first time since she'd read the emails earlier. This was what it was supposed to be like... just the two of them, together, facing the world and winning. Complications were always going to be there, though, no matter how much she wished some of them would melt away. But she couldn't pick and choose... she wanted her father to care about her, and be there in her life, but she didn't want any of this attention from people she didn't know. She wanted to be left alone.

And from the moment she'd found out about the pictures up until the moment his lips touched hers, she had been feeling like the world was watching her from every angle. Like she was under Hodgins' microscope, everything she did being analyzed closely. Every emotion she showed being catalogued to later be put on display. It was bad enough that the pictures had already been taken... it was downright terrifying to imagine that it was still happening.

"I want the apartment searched," she murmured after they had broken apart.

He frowned, but quickly agreed. Anything for her, she thought wryly as she read the look in his eyes. At the same time, she saw the hint of fear that slipped into his eyes at the implications of her request.

He didn't try to reassure her that they wouldn't find anything, which surprised her and worried her. Clearly, he thought that there was a good chance that there might be something wrong in their home.

She thought helplessly of Angela and Hodgins mansion, and how nice it would be to just hide out there like she had done a few times with her best friend, back when some things had gotten to be too much. Mostly, she had gone to Angela's apartment, but when the artist had been spending most of her time with the entomologist, he had been only too welcoming of her company there. Now, though, she had Booth. He would keep her safe, she reminded herself. And then, simultaneously, she cursed herself for ever having the thought. She didn't need protection. She could take care of herself.

But... it was nice, and she couldn't deny that fact, that Booth was there. No matter what, he would be by her side, ready to comfort her fears whether they were founded or completely unrealistic. And the difference between the two wouldn't have any meaning to him, because all that would matter was that he was with her.

She kissed him again, and smiled against his lips at the surprise, but eagerness, with which he responded.

"Can we... get some food?" she asked.

"Of course, Bones," he agreed easily, grinning. "I think we need to just... get away from this for a while, right? I mean... God, we just searched Sampson's house this morning... it feels like we've been working on this case for a week or something. Why don't you... get your stuff together, and I'll call and have a team sweep the apartment real quick. Then we'll go home for the night, and tomorrow... tomorrow we'll get back to work on catching this sick bastard."

"That... that sounds great," she said, letting loose an unintentional sigh of relief, her eyes brightening just a bit.

The smile she got in response to her sincere answer was rewarding enough to give him an equally wide one back, but then he was turning away, pulling out his phone as he exited her office to make the call, and she was focused on collecting her belongings and finding her coat under the disaster of boxes and letters that surrounded her.

When she finally located it and made her way out of the office, locking it behind her with no intent of returning that day, she found Booth just snapping his cell shut. He grinned at her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they made their way past the platform to the doors.

"Leaving so soon, are we?" Angela commented from where she sat beside Hodgins' at his station. She raised her eyebrows up and down suggestively, and Brennan rolled her eyes.

"See you tomorrow, Ange," Booth called, winking at the artist and getting a laugh in response just before the glass doors slid shut behind the couple.

"When do you think would be a good time to tell everyone?" Booth asked hesitantly as she sipped her glass of water. "I mean... I know that you're only thirteen weeks along, but soon we're going to have to tell everyone, I mean... you don't look pregnant right now, but..."

"I will soon," she said with a nod and a soft smile. It was still a strange concept to grasp... this whole idea that she was pregnant. She'd been so busy and unfocused towards herself in the past few months that somehow she'd missed all the signs of it, but now it was really starting to hit her. Somehow, she'd skipped out on most of the morning sickness that Angela had been plagued with in the start of her pregnancy, and even now she could tell it wasn't going to be much of a problem. Her doctor had informed her that it would begin to go away soon anyways. She was going to start gaining weight, too. Lots of weight. The thought was still somewhat... alarming, but she knew she could adjust. And besides, she was a very active person. She would lose whatever fat she put on from the pregnancy not long after it was over, she was sure.

"We'll tell people when we're... ready," she said firmly. "I would prefer to... wait, though. And... keep this to ourselves." She cleared her throat. "I have... we know there is somewhere out there who is very... interested... in me... and I don't want him to know. I mean... Booth, what if he's already seen us going to see Dr. Crow? What if he... what if something happens because I'm pregnant?"

"Bones, nothing is going to happen to you, or the baby. Alright? I'm not going to let anything get close to you."

"I know," she sighed. It was nice to hear him say it, but no matter how much he might try, it wasn't reassuring enough. Especially not when she considered the fact that Booth wouldn't hesitate to put himself in danger to protect her and their unborn child. She couldn't handle that, but she chose not to bring it up at the moment. It would only lead to a fight, because that was the only direction that topic ever went in, and right now she didn't want that. She needed to be able to talk to him and relax with him. Tension was the very last thing she needed right then.

"Have you decided whether or not we want to find out the sex yet?" he prodded when the silence grew between them. It was a point that he regularly asked, because she had never firmly decided either way. Angela hadn't wanted to find out, and she had found herself leaning similarly in that direction. The surprise would be nice, but at the same time it was totally irrational. It wouldn't change the outcome to know ahead of time. It would also enable them to figure out a name and properly decorate a room. Not to mention, she hadn't even seen the baby on an ultrasound yet because that would give her well-tuned eyes the impossible-to-avoid chance to notice what sex the baby was.

"You know what?" she said, making up her mind. "Let's find out at my next appointment. Thursday."

His face broke into a huge grin. "That sounds great, Bones. So, before we do... what do you think it is?"

He gave a light chuckle. "Booth, I'm not like Angela. I'm not the... motherly intuition type. I have no idea at all."

"Don't worry," he consoled lightly, "That will develop. Before you know it, you'll be growing eyes in the back of your head, and fussing over the littlest things, and having panic attacks every time she wants to do anything that could possibly be dangerous."

"She?"

He grinned hugely, eyes flashing with happiness. "My fatherly intuition," he joked. "That doesn't mean I'm right, but... you know what, I can see you with a little girl in your arms. And I bet she'd be just like you."

"Well, you know what?" she leaned forward, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Just for that, I'm going to say that I think it's a boy."

"Uh huh, Bones, whatever you say."

"Really. That's what I think."

He chuckled in response. "You aren't countering me, Bones. You're using that intuition that you claim you don't possess... and by the way, by claiming you don't have it, you're claiming it exists. I'm proud of you."

She stared at him speechlessly, at a loss for words, but before she could even form a coherent sentence his phone was ringing, and she watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled it out, flipping it open and pressing it to his ear.

"Booth."

A long silence.

"Where?"

His face had hardened to stone, his eyes darkening with fury and his frame stiffening.

"Stay there. Get everything. I'll be over in a minute."

More silence as there was a response on the other end.

"No. I'm dropping her off at her friend's place."

"Booth?" she questioned in concern, but he ignored her, listening to whatever the person on the other side of the conversation was saying.

"Right," he said firmly, and then snapped the phone shut, staring hard at the table for a long moment before his eyes raised and met hers, burning dangerously.

The light-hearted mood of their conversation had vanished in the instant that he'd taken the call, and she could feel her heart pounding frantically now. What was going on?

"They found a camera," Booth hissed. His next words left no room for argument. "You're staying with Angela until I say otherwise."

I don't deserve the reviews, I know, but I'm going to say that they will most definitely get me back in front of this computer and writing sooner than if I don't get any at all. So, that said... forgive me for being a terrible updater? Please?