The Snapshot In The Expecting.
A/N: This story just keeps going! Thanks for all the nice reviews. If you have any suggestions for future chapters, just email me on crm820 uowmail. Just take away the spaces. =D
Chapter Seven:
Booth and Brennan are sitting at home reading a pregnancy book and a "graphic novel" and Brennan seizes up all of a sudden.
"Bones? Are you okay?"
"Yeah…"
"Bones. Seriously. Is it anything with the baby?"
"Just feel here." Brennan says as she grabs Booth's hand and places it on her belly. Booth keeps his hand on her belly for about a minute when he feels a kick against his hand.
"Whoa! What was that?"
"That was your daughter."
"She kicked?"
"Yep. I felt it before and that's why I stopped moving. I wanted it to feel you with me."
"Aww, Bones." Booth says as kisses her and the baby kicks again.
"She's kicking a lot now."
"Maybe she can hear me. I still can't believe that kick. It's… it feels amazing."
"Didn't you feel it with Parker?"
"Uh… no. Rebecca and I were split by then. I didn't really see much of him when Rebecca was pregnant. Well, either with his first year." Brennan takes his hand as he continues. "God, I just wish sometimes if I'd been a better man I mightn't have missed so much of his life. For god sake, I missed his first steps because Rebecca and I had a fight a few days before and she wouldn't let me see him. I really hate that, Bones. I really hate to think just how much of my son's life I've missed. It's time that I'll never get back." Booth looks up, tears in his eyes and smiles at Brennan. "Which is why I'm so grateful that you're letting me be a part of all this. Of all your pregnancy. It means so much to me, Bones. More than I could ever convey with words."
"I know how important your cosmic balance sheet is to you. And it's not just with catching bad guys for the people you killed. I know you've been keeping a cosmic balance sheet with Parker and the baby. I know you want to make up for all you missed with Parker. But Booth… I'll never keep you from your daughter. You are a wonderful father to Parker, Booth. And I know you'll be an even better father to your daughter."
"I love you, Bones. I just… I love you. So much."
Booth leans across and kisses Brennan deeply as he feels his baby kick again.
"Yes I love you too." Booth says as he kisses Brennan's belly and as he pulls back he sees a small foot impression and then a hand.
+++++++++++++++++++BONES+++++++++++++++++++++++
Brennan is sitting in her office one day looking at the most recent ultrasound pictures with a hand resting gingerly on her stomach and Angela comes in.
"Hey, sweetie. Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Just looking at some pictures."
"Are they the most recent ultrasounds?"
"Yeah."
"Can I see?"
Brennan passes Angela the pictures as she looks down at her belly.
"These are adorable, Bren. I can't believe you and Booth are having a baby. That kid is going to be so adorable."
Brennan doesn't answer and she looks down at her belly and a photo of her and her mother.
"Bren? Are you okay?"
"Huh? What?"
"I asked if you were okay."
"Oh. Yeah. The baby kicked last night and it just feels so real all of a sudden."
"Yeah, that happened with Michael. The moment he kicked, it felt real. Like I knew and everything, but when I felt that little hand or foot press into me, it made me really aware there was someone else inside of me."
"Yeah."
"But I can tell that's not what's wrong. Spill."
"I've been thinking about my mum recently."
"Yeah?"
"I've been thinking about her and what she'd think of me. What she'd think about… about being a grandmother. I just… I can't imagine what she'd think. And it's killing me. I really wonder if she'd be excited about me turning out the way I have and Booth and her granddaughter."
"Wait. The baby's a girl?"
"Yes. Booth and I found out at the ultrasound."
"You're having a daughter? Oh Bren. I'm so happy. And for the record, I've never met your mum but I can say she would be excited to be getting a granddaughter and you being the person you are and you being with a man like Booth. Why don't you talk to your dad about this?"
"Yeah. I think I should."
+++++++++++++++BONES+++++++++++++++++
"Hey, Tempe. How are you? And how's my little grandkid?"
"I'm good. We're both good. I needed to talk to you, Dad."
"About?"
"Mum."
"I see. What about her?"
"Do you… do you think she'd be excited about becoming a grandma?"
"Oh, honey. Your mother was always a loving person. Didn't meet a person she didn't instantly have some kind of rapport with. I think she'd be more excited about being a grandma than she was when she was becoming a mother. What brought this all on?"
"Booth and I found out the sex of the baby."
"And?"
"It's a girl."
"A girl?"
"Yeah."
"And this made you think of your mum?"
"Yeah. Booth and I were talking about names before we found out and I wanted to name her after mum if she ended up being a girl. I know she was technically called Ruth, but I knew her as Christine. I was thinking about one of her names being Christine. And then this started this rush of emotions."
"Oh honey. I'm sure your mother would be so proud of you."
"You think? Do you think she'd be happy I'm with Booth?"
"Honey, all a parent can hope for is that their child ends up with a wonderful and honourable person. Booth is all of those things. He's a caring, honourable, wonderful man who treats you with the respect and honour you deserve. I think your mother would welcome him like another son. And I am more than positive that she would be so proud of you."
Brennan looks at her dad with watery eyes and smiles.
"Thanks, Dad. I've just… I've been thinking about Mum a lot and I just needed some help processing it."
"Honey, I'm sure if your mother were able to see you know, she'd be delighted at how you turned out and how far you've come."
"Thanks. I've got to get back to the lab."
"Okay, honey. Say hi to Booth for me."
Brennan nods as she walks out of the diner and when she rounds the corner, she pulls out her phone to call Booth.
"Hey, Bones. How are you?"
"Booth, could you come pick me up? I'm around the corner from the diner."
"Sure, Bones. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just need to do something."
"Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes. I love you."
"I love you too."
In the ten minutes it takes for Booth to get to the diner, Brennan gets some flowers and returns to her spot on the sidewalk.
"Hey, Bones. What're the flowers for?"
"Could you take me to the cemetery?"
Booth nods, knowing why she wants to go to the cemetery. When they get there, Booth silently asks Brennan if she wants him to come with her, but be in the background or to stay in the car. She answers by taking his hand. They've become better at silent communication recently and Booth knows she wants him there. They make the short walk to Brennan's mum's grave and Booth steps back with a kiss to her cheek. Brennan takes a deep breath as she looks up to see her mother's headstone.
"Mum? It's me Temperance. I know I should come out here more often, but sometimes life gets in the way. Especially recently. I'm pregnant. I never thought I'd be able to have children, but now I'm having one, I can't help but think about you. I talked to Dad today to ask about you. I asked him if you'd be proud of me. Of all I've achieved. Of who the father of my baby is. Just so you know, it's Booth. I've… I've talked to you about Booth before. Dad said you'd be proud of me and happy I'm with Booth. But I can't help but feel sad when I think of the new life that's growing inside me and knowing that you're missing out."
Brennan starts to tear up a little at this and the pregnancy hormones aren't helping at all either.
"I really wish you could have seen what I've become, Mum. I really wish sometimes, however irrational it is, that you were still here to meet your grandchild; to share in the experiences that I'm experiencing and to talk to me about it all. But most of all, I just wish you were here sometimes so you could show me how to… how to be a mother. I really miss you sometimes, Mum. I know Russ and Dad do as well. I promise I'll try and come out here more often. Especially with your granddaughter."
Brennan places the flowers on her mother's grave and as she turns around, Booth is standing just far enough behind her so she is able to fall into his strong arms as she lets the rest of her tears go as Booth gently rubs her back.
A/N: Phew! That was a long one. So? I know this is a little out of character for Brennan, but I'm going along the line of the hormones messing around with Brennan and making her a bit more emotional, as they do. :) Hope you like. Review away! I always enjoy reading your comments. :)