Wow. Had it been a good day, or what? A good, good day. Great in fact, and it was only getting better. Not even the hospital atmosphere could change that. An undercover assignment, a solved crime and now little Michael Stacatto Vincent Hodgins showing himself to be a perfectly healthy baby boy.

And by the way, Bones had been his girl all day. The whole day, in front of everyone, including her ever-watchful dad. It shouldn't make him this deliriously happy-it really shouldn't. But it did. He'd oh so casually suggested that she pose as his girlfriend for the case and instead of arguing she had jumped, practically leapt at the idea with the zeal that only Bones could show when she really liked something. At the time he could barely contain his surprise at her unrestrained enthusiasm for the plan but found himself having to, seeing as Max was sitting right there at the diner. And Max was no fool. That old fox would know that something was up from the first if he even got a whiff that things were a little off. Bones maintained that if he already thought something was up it was because Booth had been a tad too into character in the bowling alley and not, as he always argued, because she was a bad actress.

And maybe she was right. But it wouldn't be just the kiss that gave it away. He was sure that the fact that he was in love and that Bones was loving him right back, or some semblance of that, was written all over his face. Maybe a little on hers too. It was bound to become public knowledge shortly, he reasoned, so what did it matter if he went a bit overboard with his performance? Besides, she knew he'd do anything not to blow his cover.

Sooner or later Max, along with everyone else, was going to find out about them-and there was most definitely a them now. Not, he thought, that her dad would probably mind. Wasn't Max always pushing him to date his kid? What was wrong with him that he didn't want to? Was he gay? Was she not pretty enough for him? Well, he was sure dating her now, and then some. He only prayed that the old man wouldn't find out about it in the worst possible way. Like catching them in a compromising position after breaking and entering into his daughter's apartment. And he was pretty fond of doing that, Max was. Well, if such a thing happened, he would have only himself and his criminal habits to blame. That just might, just might, teach him a lesson.

So a good day then, even with the possibility of Max catching them in the act. And the highlight? Picking her up and watching her proudly wiggle her ring finger, engagement sparkler firmly in place. "It adds to the verisimilitude of our cover, don't you agree?" He tried speculating as to where she'd dug that one up and whether the Jeffersonian was in the habit of lending out that sort of thing. Maybe they didn't quite know about the loan or maybe it was something she had found along the way. But he wasn't going to ask, wasn't going to even joke about it, in case she got irritated and took it off. The truth was that it made him kind of light-headed to see it there in the first place and he let himself wonder, for a very brief moment, if she would ever be willing to wear one for real.

Too soon. Too soon to think about long-term. She didn't like that, and he wasn't about to scare her off with his enthusiasm. Sweets would probably call it neediness or some other psycho-babble whatever term but he wasn't on a self-bashing kick at the moment so he let it go. Back to the fun part then. If anything had even remotely spoiled his mood today it was having to arrest that poor sap of a manager for murder. He hated it when reasonably good people got themselves into stupid, terrible situations that could have been avoided with even a little bit of self-control. He figured the guy had reacted in anger and most likely without malice, frustration building up day after day until it was finally released in the form of a motorcycle helmet connecting with an unprotected nose at full speed. A hit that would have at most left a person with a really ugly face and the need for plastic surgery but for the fact that, due to a pre-existing medical condition, it had resulted in almost instant death instead.

He sympathized. For one, it didn't seem that the victim was all that likeable, although he tried hard never to let that type of information cloud his view of a crime. Mainly though, he could relate because he had his own anger management issues. God knows-things could have turned out very differently for him plenty of times but for good luck and what he liked to think of as his guardian angel watching over him. Still, the guy should have tried getting some help or at least done something to make things right after the fact. Should have thought about the victim's family and what it would do to them to wonder what had happened to him. Instead, the manager had quadrupled the magnitude of his mistake by hiding the body in the pin-setting machine. Stupid. Stupid and so very frustrating because the whole thing was a mistake and shouldn't have happened. It was his definition of tragedy, even when he knew that Bones would say it was too broad: good people doing bad things. Maybe he could get Caroline to be a little lenient with the charges because he felt sorry for the sap. That, and he was in an extra generous mood right now.

Looking at the baby sleeping soundly in the arms of his exhausted father made him smile; he immediately felt his heart go wider. He loved kids, and this one in particular was going to a good home. The best of homes in fact; you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know that Hodgins and Angela would make exceptional parents. Yes siree, one lucky baby, that little Michael. Two parents that loved him already, that loved and respected each other. That were kind and patient and giving. A child who would never know the meaning of fear, not in his own home at least and hopefully not ever.

He thought of Parker, of how proud he was of the way his own son had turned out in spite of everything. He and Rebecca had done good after all, at least so far. Still, thinking about Parker's situation inevitably made him sad because he hadn't been able to give his boy the one thing that had been denied to him: a normal family, with a mom and dad that stood together through thick and thin without tearing each other up in the process. He consoled himself with the probability that Parker wouldn't even know what he was missing, but it still rankled. What he'd wanted for Parker was what he had seen his grandparents and a lot of his friends have. He wasn't exactly sure what it was or how to get it, although he recognized it instantly when he saw it, like he did when he watched Angela and Hodgins together. But Rebecca had Captain Fantastic now and they seemed to be pretty solid. Maybe witnessing that would be enough for Parker. And maybe…

He found his own thoughts wandering dangerously into the future, a future where he and Bones and Parker were doing things together, him and Bones providing their own example of what a happy family could be like. Parker was already fond of Bones; it would probably be the most natural thing in the world for him to accept them as a couple. And she had a pool.

Images of what might be came to a screeching halt. He wouldn't do that to himself or to her. Wouldn't visualize something for them that was guaranteed not to align with whatever came next. Too many expectations, he had learned, robbed the future of its own particular magic. This was definitely the time, he decided, to live in the now without getting so far ahead of himself that he ended up leaving those he cared about far behind. It happened before; with Rebecca, with Cam, with Hannah. He pushed, tried to mold what they had into what he thought was perfect. The result? They had all balked and turned away, overwhelmed by the oppressive weight of his dreams. He wouldn't do that to Bones. Besides Parker, she was the most important person in his life and he wasn't going to blow it. Not again. And absolutely not with her. He just needed to keep reminding himself not to build a box around those he loved and things would be okay.

She gave him a lingering glance and a little smile before heading down the hall to see Angela. God, she was so beautiful, and he loved her. He couldn't help himself. He'd been holding back for so long, hoping that one day she would catch up…and thinking it might never happen. Once he got the green light to open his heart it had been the beginning of an emotional tidal wave that couldn't be sent rolling back. Just be careful, Seeley, not to crush her with the force of all those feelings. Earlier today he'd already sensed that she might just be starting to get annoyed with him. Maybe it was the kiss in the bowling alley, after all. Once they got back to her apartment to clean up she'd become very quiet, and frankly, it was starting to make him nervous. But maybe it had nothing to do with him; it could just be concern over the upcoming birth and the baby's eyesight. He was going with that for now, because it had been a good day and he wasn't going to ruin it by obsessing.

Visiting hours were over and Angela and Hodgins were left to manage sleep as best they could. He had missed that part with Rebecca, being unceremoniously hauled off from the hospital to the brig after going AWOL in order to see the birth of his son. Not that Rebecca had even wanted him around long-term anyway. Outside, the night was cool and pleasant as he and Bones strolled side by side in silence. Cam was walking a bit ahead of them so they were cautious not to seem too cozy, in case she saw. He was very fond of Cam; she was one of his best friends. But sometimes she also had kind of a big mouth and he wasn't about to test just how much she could be trusted with this sort of information. They would tell when they were good and ready. Although right about now he was really starting to worry about his partner's unusually quiet state and would've gladly welcomed the reassurance of her fingers closing around his, even at the risk of being caught. "Just let me know we're okay, Bones." His brain was screaming at him to check things out, but he opted for giving her some room instead, hearing as he often did his grandfather's voice in the background. Patience, Shrimp, patience.

The dread wouldn't go away. Something was bothering her, and he truly hoped it had nothing to do with them. All his fears reignited into a raging wildfire when she came to a sudden stop in the middle of the sidewalk and faced him with anxious eyes. This was it. Steeling himself against the hundreds of possibilities rearing their ugly heads in his mind, against the pain that was surely coming, he found himself praying for some extra time. But what she revealed was what he could have least expected.

Honestly, at first he couldn't even process the information; he thought she'd been worrying about something else entirely. He was utterly wrong. He heard her words, but wasn't quite able to wrap his mind around them. Pregnant. She was pregnant. He was the father. And then it finally clicked, and he started grinning like a fool. He was the father. Hell yeah; if there was anything he was sure about in this whole wide world it was that he absolutely would be the father of any kid she was carrying. It made him laugh to hear her even feel the need to spell it out for him. So like Bones; always clarifying, specifying, sometimes right into absurdity.

His Bones. His baby.

She had delivered the news with visible fear; doubt clearly written on her face as to his possible response. But he was overjoyed, ecstatic. How could he not be? They had made a life together, a life that promised to reaffirm what they already had. He was sure that his reaction to the news could not possibly be misinterpreted and was glad to see that she seemed instantly relieved by it. Wow.

"You're pregnant? We're having a baby?" No longer bothering to check for witnesses, he stepped closer and impulsively swallowed her up in his arms. To hell if anyone saw-it really wasn't a consideration at the moment. He was kissing the top of her head, cradling her against his chest, and she quietly accepted his embrace. But with her next question, it became apparent that she wasn't entirely comfortable with this new twist to their relationship.

"You're not upset?" She stepped back a little, her eyes fighting to find some truth in his. He struggled to decipher what she was feeling at that moment, but he just couldn't read her, so he ended up resorting to reassurance.

"Upset, why would I be upset Bones? I love you; we're together now and we're having a baby. It's the best kind of news. I could never be upset over that." He found out that this wasn't enough.

"But we didn't plan for this. It's…unexpected."

"So what? Unexpected can be good, right? Bones, are you upset about this?"

It wasn't a question he wanted to ask because her answer might be too painful to hear, but avoidance was not an option. Looking away, she pressed on. "I'm not sure. I guess it's just the element of surprise involved, that's all." There was a small pause.

"Booth, we only had unprotected sex one time. The odds seemed very small then. That morning…you didn't know I wasn't on birth control; I did. And now we have to deal with the consequences of that omission."

No way in hell was he going to let her go there. "Well, I didn't exactly ask at the time, did I? Look Bones, that night-it was the end of a very long day; we had other stuff on our minds. We were exhausted, on edge. I think we can both be forgiven for the oversight."

She shook her head, blindly going on with her argument.

"I should have known the odds were higher than what I initially calculated; I should have at least done something about it afterwards while I still had the chance."

No. No way. "Don't say that, ok? We talked about it right after Vincent's memorial and we both agreed, together, that we weren't too worried about the chances. So, we miscalculated. It happens. And for the record, I'm glad you didn't do something about it. This baby isn't the result of a mistake. It's a miracle."

The specifics of that conversation from weeks ago came vividly to mind. She had brought up the possibility of purchasing Plan B pills as back-up, a discussion prompted by their failure to use any birth control that morning. He remembered both of them ultimately dismissing the odds of a pregnancy as slim before happily proceeding on to things that had much more certain and immediate results. Maybe the truth for him was that he hadn't really minded that particular outcome for them; maybe deep down, he hoped, she hadn't either.

"Still, I'm sorry Booth. Not for what happened. It's just that maybe I should have gone ahead and… "

"Hey, don't. Don't. You didn't make this baby alone-it was 50/50. And there's nothing to be sorry about. A baby's a great thing, I already told you that. And you wanted one before, right? With me?" He gently brushed her hair out of her face with his fingers. "So we just went ahead and did it the old-fashioned way."

An errant tear began to slide down her cheek, and she quickly swept it away with the back of her hand, trying to avoid his eyes.

"I'm just not sure. Events are moving so fast and I find myself fearing what's next. All the changes. There's so much to process; since Vincent died I can't seem to make sense of things anymore and it scares me, Booth. It's as if I have very little control left over my life; a baby doesn't help."

Holding her at arm's length now, he stopped to really look at the woman in front of him, the woman who suddenly seemed so uncharacteristically fragile and lost. He wanted, needed her to be happy with this but knowing that she operated on reason and not faith, he tried going about it in a different way.

"Bones, we're together in this, like we always are. Always. It's going to be okay, I promise. And I'm going to be here for you the whole time. We can do this. It's just going to require" he was searching for the right word "a little adapting. We can adapt right? We've done it before-we're practically pros now. Just think of it as evolution. Good evolution. Things have to change-remember? You're always telling me that. And this kind of change-it's the best kind."

She was smiling a little now at his shaky attempt to find terms that she would recognize, and he finally let out the breath that had been stuck deep in his lungs when she had seemed so uncertain.

"There's no such thing as good evolution Booth. Evolution has no inherent value. Although I guess you're right; we have gotten quite good at both adapting and evolving. I suppose we've had a lot of practice lately." She looked up at him. "So what do we do next?"

What do we do next-his mind went to a very similar question, asked at a different time and place, and under radically different circumstances. Thank God that he had a better answer to give her this time.

"What's next is that I take you home, I make you dinner, I rub your feet and then we go to sleep right after so you can get your rest. You had a long day."

And here it came, the exasperation that told him things were back to semi-normal.

"Booth, being pregnant doesn't make me an invalid. I don't want you to start hovering over me, like Hodgins did with Angela. It can be very annoying. I've seen how overly-solicitous you can be when you put your mind to it and frankly I don't think I can take too much of that. Not over seven months of it. I've always been perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and I don't intend to stop now."

Yup, back in perfect form.

"Just let me do this for you tonight, alright Bones? It's a guy thing. An anthropological alpha-male thing."

He was giving her the most shameless of his smiles now, the one she always objected to because it was supposedly so underhanded and sneaky. But he was taking no prisoners and as a result found that victory was short and sweet. She gave up. It only took her a second to think about and dismiss possible alternatives to the evening before coming easily to his side. He pulled her close as they walked together towards his car, deciding against getting too cocky with this temporary success. He knew from experience that the winner of this round would very likely be flat on his back tomorrow.

Later, much later, after he had made her dinner and they had discussed who they were going to tell what and when, after feeling reasonably certain that she would be okay, he heard her voice drifting to him across what seemed like miles.

"Booth?" She touched his chest lightly. "Booth?"

Every reflex went into an immediate state of alert.

"Huh? Is anything wrong Bones? Are you ok?" He shook his head in a futile attempt to clear his mind.

"Nothing's wrong Booth. I just wanted to ask you something."

"At three-thirty in the morning?" His body fell back into bed.

"It's just… you said you were happy about the baby."

That got his attention, and he tried focusing once again. "Yeah, of course I'm happy. I meant that."

"But it's, it's too soon Booth. Doesn't it seem too soon to you too? We just started a relationship. We've barely had any time together, not without all of these added responsibilities."

He relaxed, feeling pretty certain he could tackle this one too.

"Bones;" he was smiling in the darkness as he pulled her to his chest. "Hey, you're an anthropologist-you tell me. What's dating for?"

After a brief silence, he heard her voice.

"The purpose of dating" she answered clinically, "is to allow couples to find common ground by providing access to shared experiences. I suppose it encourages them to get to know each other and to find elements that can solidify their union."

"So, don't you think we've already kind of gotten most of that out of the way? I mean, after seven years we know each other pretty well, and we have lots of things in common. More than we give ourselves credit for. What we're doing now is extra, just for fun, and it doesn't have to stop just because you're pregnant. Although maybe we should slow down our pace a little," he added as an afterthought.

When there was no answer he tried using a different strategy.

"Look, I've loved you forever. I can't even remember when it started. It's not too soon for me. Not for me. I love you."

"You said that earlier today."

"I've said that a lot to you before Bones, not just today."

"Yes, but usually you've used those words while we're in the process of making love-honestly, how had he ever convinced her to use that phrase-or now…when you're referring to the pregnancy. I'm unsure as to what exactly they signify."

The meaning of what she was saying hit him right in the middle of the chest with the force of a 100 mile-per-hour baseball, and he was shocked into temporary silence. Did she honestly think his expressions of affection had so little value? That they were cheap pick-up lines, or words said out of obligation? It made a surge of anger, hot and bitter, rise up into his throat. How could she possibly think such a thing? If he hadn't used those damned words more often it was only because he didn't want to drown her with them or worse; didn't want to paint her into a corner where she might feel forced to voice a similar sentiment that she might not share. It wasn't what he wanted from her. Ever.

His reaction was immediate. After turning the bedside lamp on in a flash, he propped himself up on his elbow and glared at her. He was furious.

"Let me get this straight. You really believe that when I tell you I love you I'm doing it just to get laid, or because I knocked you up? Is that what you think of me?"

The intentional crudeness of his phrasing was meant to sting and he was happy with its effect until he stopped to see that this really wasn't about him at all, but about her own insecurities. Wide blue eyes, glassy with unshed tears, were looking at him with absolute apprehension and it instantly made his heart ache for her. Taking a slow, deep breath he forced his voice to soften.

"Ok, I want you to look at me and to listen to what I'm going to say. Really listen. Did I wake you up just now?"

Uncertainty was replaced by a hint of puzzlement. "No. I think it's fairly apparent that I woke you up."

"And am I currently trying to get you to have sex with me?"

She was thinking about it. "I don't believe so."

"Alright then; I love you." He purposely drew each word out. "No expectation of sex; no ulterior motive here. None. And the baby, it makes no difference to me. I love you with it, just like I loved you without it. Like I'm always going to love you."

She was about to about to interrupt but he stopped her by placing a finger on her lips.

"And don't argue with me that I can't know that, because I do. Am I making myself clear, or do I need to put it in a different way that makes more sense to you?"

She didn't answer.

"Bones, do you trust me?"

His voice had become a whisper as his thumb began stroking her cheekbone lightly. She continued her study of his face, trying to get something else from his expression, something she must have found because after a short while she smiled and nodded.

"I trust you Booth." Her voice was calm and sure now and he exhaled, relieved that this particular crisis appeared to be over, at least for now.

"Good, because it's still three thirty" he glanced at the clock "-make that three forty-five in the morning-and I still have to get up at six, and I don't want to keep talking."

He seriously hoped this would be it for now; he was running out of the ability to reassure. Twisting around to address the issue of the shining lamp, he felt her hand grasp his hip provocatively and yank his body closer to hers.

"Bones…? Wait a minute; now who's starting stuff? Just for the record I'm not responsible for this one. I don't need you misinterpreting my words again."

She wasn't listening.

"So you love me?" Any real concern was now replaced by what he perceived to be blatant flirtation.

"Bones, I told you…"

But she was definitely teasing this time and he knew she had him when her hand slid under the elastic of his shorts to oh so softly caress his behind. He gave up reasoning with her; he could never win on that front.

"Yeah, I do." Struggling to find his voice as her fingers kneaded expertly into the flesh of his backside, he asked in a low voice "do you want me to prove it to you?"

"If you're not too sleepy…"

Sleep be damned; instead, he took an exquisitely long time trying to demonstrate the exact nature of his feelings for her-that they weren't just about instant gratification and flesh, but about heart and spirit and long-haul as well. While they were still joined, her body pressed firmly into the mattress under his, he heard her whisper a simple "I love you Booth" against his shoulder. Holding himself still, he absorbed the extraordinary fact that she had finally uttered those three little words that always seemed to come so easily to him. She didn't need to use them; he'd grown resigned to the fact that she never might because in her world they could be mistaken for a sign of weakness. And he was okay with that, because really, he understood that she cared for him even if she wasn't able to express it in the standard way. But in hearing them, he couldn't believe the power they had precisely because they'd been hard to say; because she possessed a crystal-clear honesty that made her incapable of using them lightly. What Bones had just said really meant something. It meant that she was in the process of accepting the seeming permanence of what they had, that she was allowing herself to be completely vulnerable to him. Those words were the absolute proof, if he needed anything more, of her unwavering trust in him and he swore once again that he would never let her down, not as long as he lived.

He didn't say anything right away, knowing she would feel self-conscious with any direct reply. Don't make a huge deal out of it. Don't make her uncomfortable. So he kissed her forehead, slowly making his way down the side of her face to her earlobe. When he was done, he buried his face into the crook of her neck and after one more gentle bump of his hips into her yielding body, he tilted his head and chuckled huskily into her ear. "I bet you do…" She must have liked his answer, because she laughed too and held onto him tighter. Definitely the best twenty-four hours of his life.