Chapter 23. the critic in the cabernet.

6 weeks later. Booth walked into Cam's office.

"Cam I need Brennan to work with me on this one."

"what do you want me to do Seeley? She just got back from Guatemala this morning, she hasn't even checked in yet. And as I remember it she wasn't very happy with you when she left."

"I know. But I need your ok on this one Cam."

"Alright I'm behind you one hundred percent."

"thanks Cam. You're the best." He said kissing her on the cheek and walking out, nearly running into Angela as he did so. "hey Ange." He said smiling.

"hey Booth. If you're looking for Brennan she's in her office."

"thanks Angie." He said heading in that direction.

"hey Booth." Brennan said not looking up from her desk.

"Dr. Brennan, I have a case that you're not going to want to pass up."

"wanna bet?" Brennan scoffed.

"haha." Booth laughed derisively tossing her the file. "this has you written all over it Brennan."

"…they're purple." She said trying her best to hide her interest. "paint?"

"nope."

"then what?"

"one way to find out." Booth said smiling.

Brennan sighed. "fine. Have them brought in."

"great they'll be here within the hour. …and by the way… I'm, uh, I'm real glad you're home Tempe."

"don't push it Seeley." She said with a small smile.

He nodded smile spreading on his face. "great. So, uh, meet me at Sweets's office in 20 minutes."

"what seriously?"

"what they'll be here when you get back."

"no why do we need to talk to Sweets today?"

Booth shrugged. "I don't know. He needs to see us before we get back to work. Something about making sure we're not fighting or something." Booth said backing out. "I'm driving."

Brennan sighed rolling her eyes and following him out.

"why do you get to drive?"

"because it's my car."

"well why don't we take my car?"

"because yours has your bags and stuff in it. …besides aren't you tired from the flight. What is it like 12 hours?"

"4" she corrected.

"wow really?" he asked surprised. She nodded giving him a look. "huh…. Well anyways mine is FBI issue its easier to get through security."

"what that's-" she was interrupted by the evidence being moved into the lab by techs.

"come on the sooner we leave the sooner you can solve the mystery of the purple bones."

"..fine." she sighed following him.

"ok. I'd like to start by saying welcome back Dr. Brennan." She nodded indifferent to the greeting. "how was Guatemala?" he asked trying to lighten the tension in the room.

"hot. Gruesome. Dirty. Same as always. Now can we move on I have some remains to examine." She said with a sigh.

"Of course." He nodded. "now I'm feeling some tension between the two of you right now. And, knowing the both of you, neither of you are going to tell me why. So I'm going to try and lighten things up a bit with a simple exercise."

"great. An exercise." Booth said sarcastically.

Sweets ignored him and continued. "Whatever Agent Booth says, you respond with whatever word or phrase pops into your head first. And vice versa."

"that sounds ridiculous. I can't properly respond without careful thought."

"exactly." Sweets said smiling. "it makes you open up and respond more honestly."

"Can't we just make it a drinking game?" Booth suggested massaging his temples.

"No. This is a valuable, psychological tool, Agent Booth. When you respond viscerally we can get to the root of your emotional issues and figure out what binds you two together as partners."

"is this really necessary? I've just gotten back from Guatemala I want to examine these remains and then go home and take a shower."

"…Donuts." Booth said smiling.

"Beg your pardon?" Sweets asked confused.

"Donuts. Glazed donuts. That's what binds us."

"You're hungry?" Brennan asked annoyed.

"I'm starving."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "you're always starving because you never eat breakfast."

"No, that's not the proper response." Sweets said shaking his head.

"why not? I'm explaining why he said 'donuts'" Brennan pointed out.

"The point of the exercise is not to explain, but to respond. Okay? Children can do this." He said growing frustrated.

"Because it's childish." Brennan said with a nod.

"Can we just try it, please?"

"All right, okay, fine, here we go." Booth said with a sigh and looking to Brennan, a smile creeping across his face as he leaned back against the arm. "Are you ready? …Hunger."

"Sex."

"Whoa." Booth said surprised by that response.

"Horse."

"Cowboy." He said rolling with it.

"Child."

"Baby."

"Booth."

"what? What… do you think I'm a baby?" Booth asked confused.

"You're a father." She pointed out, suppressing her smartass answer.

"Oh. …Mother."

"Birth."

"Happy."

"Sperm."

"…Sperm? Isn't this getting a little weird?" Booth asked looking to Sweets.

"No, keep going." Sweets shook his head, leaning in towards them.

"Okay. Egg." He said looking back to Brennan

"I want a baby." Brennan said smiling.

"Whoa!" Booth shot up stunned.

"Horse." Brennan continued like she never said anything.

"Wait. Whoa, whoa, wait a minute." Booth said flustered.

"Yeah, we can stop here." Sweets said putting down his pen.

"I actually found that quite interesting." Brennan admitted.

"You want to have a… baby?" Booth asked confused. "…you?"

"Yes, I do. I just—I realized it. I should have a progeny. It's selfish of me not to."

"Selfish?" again confused.

"Yes." Brennan nodded.

"Don't you need a, you know, guy to… y'know, have a baby." Booth asked giving her a look.

Brennan shook her head. "Just sperm. You'd actually be a very good donor, potentially."

"Me?" Booth asked even more surprised after recent events.

"well you'd need to be tested, of course….What, is something wrong?" she asked seeing the look on his face.

"You don't just go around asking for people's sperm." He said answering his ringing phone. "right. Yeah, okay. On our way." He hung up turning to Brennan. "We gotta go the evidence is all at the lab and Cam needs Bones's help."

"Okay." She nodded standing and they head for the door.

"wait. Perhaps we should discuss this." Sweets said stopping them.

"I'm not conflicted if that's what you're concerned about. I've made a reasonable choice." Brennan said as she walked out.

Booth paused then turned to Sweets. "…This is all your fault." He said and walked out slamming the door behind him.

As Booth and Brennan enter the lab.

"what you're the one who's always touting parenthood, implying that my life is incomplete because I don't have a child."

"I know, but this is kind of sudden Temperance."

"hmm, perhaps you don't want to help me."

"Of course I do."

"So you'll do it?" she asked turning to him.

Booth sighed. "I'll think about it."

"What? I don't understand. It's a simple request. I'm sure you engage in masturba…"

"Whoa." He said stopping her before she could finish. "Enough. Okay, we'll talk about it later."

"I'm not asking for you to be involved Seeley. All I want is your sperm." She said as they reached the platform and Cam walked out of her office.

Booth bursts out laughing, in his worst fake laugh. "That's a good one, Bones. 'All I want is your sperm.' I've never heard that joke before."

"I don't understand." Brennan said confused.

"…glad to see the two of you getting along." Cam said awkwardly as she walked up the steps to the platform and Fisher and Hodgins walked into the lab.

Brennan pulled on gloves and lifted the lid off of the cask that now rested on the examination table. "The seal must have been broken when the body was thrown in here. Exposure to air turned the wine to vinegar."

"yeah I can smell that." Booth nodded. "why does the guy look like a purple smurf?"

Brennan ignored the question for the moment and pulled out a piece of the pelvis from the wine barrel. "Pelvic bone indicates a male." She said bending it back and forth.

"whoa. It's more like a rubber purple smurf."

"Bones in vinegar leech calcium and will become gelatinous within three days." She explained.

"That is actually cool." Booth said watching her bend the bone.

"This cask is filled with debris, decomposed tissue and organs. We'll need to sift through it."

"Alright that's my cue to get to work." Booth said walking away and shooting Brennan a look.

About an hour later. Everyone was working on sorting out the contents of the cask.

"Liquefactions suggests he's been there at least eight months." Cam said examining the liquid.

"Scapula… clavicle." Brennan said placing bones on a tray.

"Fat globule." Cam said picking chunks out.

"We are all just one step away from dissolving into the primordial ooze." Fisher said staring at the bones, not even acknowledging their questioning looks. "Manubrium and ilium."

"…Okay, I got a grommet, three nickels, and I am guessing a chocolate kiss." Hodgins said moving on.

"Bingo! A chunk of liver, enough for a tox screen." Cam said taking it with forceps.

"My guess… you'll find a high alcohol content." Fisher said sarcastically.

"Tibia. …I've decided to have a baby." Brennan said without even looking up from the bone she was examining and everyone turned to stare at her, shocked by the confession. " and a … Capitulum."

"Wait…. A baby? …like a small human?" Cam asked surprised.

"Yes." She nodded. "I know I've had no interest in the past. But neither did you and you seem to find parenthood very fulfilling." Brennan pointed out.

"Uh, yes. …I do. And you brought this up now… why?" she asked surprise being overpowered by curiosity.

"Well, I wanted to give you notice. I'll be needing some time off when the baby comes. About six weeks I imagine." Brennan explained rationally. "…The staining makes it very difficult to see any anomalies on the bone."

"Is there a father?" Hodgins asked curious.

"Well, I'd like to use Booth's sperm."

"Booth? …huh, Whadda ya know?" Cam said not surprised.

"If Booth doesn't work out, I donate my sperm monthly. I have a high IQ, excellent genetics, and motility. No emotional baggage. I'm kind of a catch." Fisher offered.

"Okay. Down boy." Hodgins said smiling.

"Weren't we investigating a death?" Cam asked having them refocus.

Angela approaches the exam table. "Oh, my God." She commented grossed out.

"Dr. Brennan wants to have a baby." Hodgins informed Angela giving her a look.

"I offered my sperm, but she's leaning more toward Agent Booth." Fisher filled her in.

"You're joking, right?" Angela laughed.

"Booth and I discussed it in Sweets' office. He's thinking it over now. …Although, I don't understand why he'd be protective of his semen." Brennan confirmed. Angela, Cam and Hodgins look at each other in disbelief. "There are six evenly-spaced cavities along the sides of the frontal and parietal bones. Hand me that grommet you found." Brennan asked looking to Hodgins.

"huh?" He said being dragged back to reality. " oh…The grommet. Right." He hands the Petri dish to Cam who hands it to Brennan.

"I could get you my little swimmers at a substantial savings." Fisher offered again.

"Fisher, just scoop please." Angela said giving him a sharp look.

Brennan sets the grommet in a divot in the skull. "He had a craniofacial implant." She said surprised.

"The way they're spaced, they're positioned to secure a prosthetic hairpiece. Those are not very common." Cam observed.

"I'll strain for the rug." Fisher nodded.

"If there's a missing persons report on the victim, it would definitely mention a surgical hairpiece. You can also replace the teeth in the mandible and confirm with dentals." Brennan said pulling off her gloves.

"Bren…" Angela started as she walked away then turned to the others. "We heard right, didn't we?"

"A baby. Yeah." Hodgins nodded.

"With Booth." Cam pointed out.

"Son of a bitch." Angela sighed walking away. "Brennan?" she said crossing her arms as she walked into her office.

"There's a fracture on the zygomatic. Probably from a blow to the face." Brennan said not about to talk it over with her.

"The guy is pickled, Sweetie. He can wait." Angela said sitting across from her. "You can't just announce you're having a baby and walk away."

Brennan looked up being met with a serious look. "15,000 babies are born every hour. It's not all that exceptional, Angela." She said avoiding eye contact.

"Brennan…" Angela sighed "this is crazy."

"Why? I'm intellectually gifted, financially secure. Statistically I could expect to have an exceptional child." Brennan rationalized coldly.

"Fine. Yes. Absolutely. But you do know how this is supposed to work, right? You get naked together. You devour each other in a passionate frenzy."

"Booth would say… that would create an emotional bond between us."

"And of course that's ridiculous." Angela said sarcastically rolling her eyes. "Then why use Booth at all? Why don't you use Fisher and his discount sperm?"

Brennan shook her head. "No, Booth has a larger mandible and a more prominent zygomatic than Fisher. As well as a more …pronounced ratio between the width of his clavicles and his ilia." Brennan said imagining her hands running down his bare chest, his face smiling as she kissed his lips.

"So, it's because Booth is hot. Now we're getting somewhere."Angela laughed smiling.

"Statistically, attractive people are more successful. I'm only thinking of the child, Angela." Brennan lied.

"Then do this right, sweetie." Angela said taking Brennan's hand.

"I am. …Emotional ties are ephemeral and undependable. …Look at you and Hodgins. You and Roxy. Booth and Rebecca. Booth and Cam." 'Booth and me' she couldn't help but think it, but of course she didn't say it/

"Brennan, I…"

"I appreciate your concern, Angela. …but I have thought this through rationally." Brennan said crossing her arms and looking at Angela.

Angela nodded. "ok. …I'm just saying….maybe it's worth the risk. …maybe you should consider if this is really the best way to have a baby."

"This fracture hasn't fully remodeled." Brennan said changing the subject. "It occurred within a month of death. Possibly from an attack."

Angela nodded again standing, knowing that was the end of the conversation, and walking out.

FBI Building. Booth's Office. Cam walked into the office.

"The victim is Spencer Holt. Missing almost a year." Cam said handing Booth the file. "He was a wine critic. Apparently he could destroy a vineyard with one review."

"Everyone likes a dead critic." Booth said with a sigh. "…I mean there's—we're going to have a lot of suspects. … Why are you really here Camille? … you coulda just sent me an e-mail" he questioned her motives, putting the file on his desk.

"You and Brennan… you're going to have a baby?"

"She told you." Booth guessed surprised.

"She told everyone. It's probably on the news by now." Cam said sarcastically.

"I'm just donating." He said defensively.

"So you decided?" Cam asked her eyes widened in surprise.

"No, no. I am deciding. I-N-G, ing." Booth clarified shaking his head.

"I know you, Seeley. You're going to do it. You want to do it without really doing it. But it's still doing it even if you're not doing it the way it should be done."

"She wants a kid, okay? It'll make her more personable with people."

"And what will it do for you?"

"She'll get what she wanted."

"A piece of you?" Cam asked certain. "Seeley I know. ok. I know."

He looked up at her concerned as to what she knows. "you know?"

"I know that you have feelings for her." She said covering. "and I know that you don't want her to have your baby. …not this way."

"Oh, look at this. Okay, Holt's wife filed for a missing persons report." He said changing the subject. "Now, I have to go tell her the bad news."

"Sure." Cam nodded knowing he got her point.

"You done?" he asked standing.

"Yes."

"Thank you." He said walking out past her.

An hour later. Booth and Brennan are on their way back from talking to Holt's wife.

"So, Holt's wife was pregnant when he disappeared."

"she's raising the child alone and no one thinks twice about that. There are millions of single women raising healthy, productive children. I don't know what the big deal is."

"Uh, you know, if we go through with this, an-and I'm around if-if you ever need any help or…"

"Well, I'll have a nanny." She pointed out.

"I-I figured …but, you know, if it's her day off."

"You don't have faith that I can do it?" Brennan asked looking at him surprised.

"What?"

"…You think I'd be a good mother, don't you?" Brennan asked uncertain.

"Yeah, of course." He said looking at her. "you'll be a fantastic mom Bones."

"I know sometimes you don't think I'm empathetic. And it can be difficult for me sometimes. But I would love my child, Booth, I would."

"I know. I—I know that, Bones."

"I know people disapprove. …If you're uncomfortable, Fisher sells his sperm monthly, he's very intelligent and…"

"Oh, Fisher? Fi—Oh, no, you are not having Fisher's kids." He cringed at the thought of it. "You'd be giving birth to the spawn of Satan, okay? I'll do it."

"No obligations, ok. I don't want you to feel any obligation." Brennan clarified.

"I'll do it. Don't worry about it, okay? It's your kid, it's totally yours."

"I'm not worried about that."

"I'm just saying I'll do it." He said with a sigh.

"ok." Brennan nodded.

Meanwhile at the Jeffersonian. Cam's office.

"I tried to talk to Brennan about that whole baby thing. She won't listen to me." Angela sighed dropping into a chair.

"Neither will Booth. Guess all we can do is board up the windows and hope the levees hold."

"It's none of our business." Angela agreed.

"Exactly right."

"But oh my god, that kid is gonna be so cute, though." Angela gushed.

"Please, we're gonna go nuts." Cam laughed.

"I bought it a little onesy today." Angela confessed smiling.

"…are we crazy for trying to stop this? I mean if it's what they really want."

"oh puh-lease. They need to just get naked and enjoy each other." Angela said rolling her eyes. "do it enough times and something is bound to stick." She said laughing.

Cam laughed again. "if only."

The next morning. 9 am. The nurse closes the door to the room and Booth looks around. He turns to lock the door when the television suddenly comes on and Stewie (from the Family Guy) fills the screen.

"Why are you here at the bank, Booth?"

"whoa." Booth whirls around to face the screen, surprised.

"You've got a hot doctor friend. Go to her and make a direct deposit like a man."

Booth goes to the television and pushes the power button, heaving a sigh of relief as the screen goes black. "That's impossible." He said turning.

The television magically comes back on. "And yet we converse." Stewie says smiling.

"What how did you-"

"Oooh, look. A pile of porn. Delicious. Give me a peek, Booth. Mmm? Just a little peek at a booby? Please?" Booth unplugs the television and the screen goes black again. "What's the problem? You're threatened by a cute, harmless baby? Grow a set! You do want her to have your baby, don't you?"

"…Of course I do, it's just, I want her to have a baby because it's what she wants." Booth admitted flustered.

"And you could just walk away like a heartless cad while she changes poo all by her lonesome?"

"It's what she wants!"

"you love her Booth how can you do that?"

"Listen, just go away, okay? I don't need your help. So go back to cartoon world" Booth said turning the TV off with the remote. "That wasn't possible." Booth sighed shaking it off.

2 pm. FBI Building. Sweet's Office. Brennan and Booth are stuck at a meeting with Sweets.

"I have an appointment with a fertility specialist next week. I could be inseminated within a month."

"Really?" Booth asked surprised moving from the window towards her.

"Mmhmm." She nodded.

"You didn't tell Agent Booth?" Sweets sounded surprised.

"I promised him he wouldn't have to be involved." Brennan rationalized looking from Booth to Sweets and then back.

"Right, exactly. You see, 'cause we have a…an arrangement" Booth nodded sitting on the arm of the couch.

"I thought that these sessions were meant for you to see how we interact as partners. How does this relate?" Brennan asked confused.

"You're using Agent Booth to have a child. You don't see how that might relate to your partnership?" Sweets asked disbelievingly.

Brennan shook her head. "It has nothing to do with our work. …It's not like I'm going to be bringing the child along when we interrogate someone."

"Ah, but you might decide to breastfeed. It is healthier." Booth pointed out.

"Oh, that's true. So, yes, there might be some crossover. I can see that now. I'm sorry, go on."

"I think you need to acknowledge that there are some emotional considerations that you might be denying." Sweets continued.

"Like what?" Brennan asked growing edgy.

"There are sperm banks that guarantee high IQs and exceptional physical prowess, yet you specifically chose Agent Booth. Why?"

"He has traits like courage and compassion and empathy that would be tremendous assets to my child. Sperm banks don't catalog those traits." Brennan explained.

"Did you just say something nice?" Booth asked smiling.

"No, I gave an objective evaluation." She lied mentally scolding herself.

"Oh, because it sounded like you said something nice." He said cockily.

"No." she denied.

"How can you two not see what is going on here?" sweets asked amazed.

"Sweets, what is the big deal? She was gonna have a baby anyway, I mean, with Fisher. Fisher, okay? What would you have done?"

"Again, what I would have done is not important, but you, you admitted to feelings of anxiety." Sweets said pushing the line of conversation.

"You know what, Sweets? You are crossing a line right there." Booth said angrily.

"I agree." Brennan nodded.

"No, I'm not actually. In my position, I could make an evaluation that states that you two are not suited to work together because of interpersonal issues that are not being dealt with." Sweets said coldly. "…So perhaps until our next session, maybe you should think about some of the things that I brought up today." He closed his notebook and looked at them seriously.

Booth walked out followed by Brennan a moment later.

"Seeley why didn't you tell me you were anxious about this?" Brennan asked as they stepped into the elevator.

"I worked through it. I'm fine."

"you're sure?" Brennan asked looking him in the eyes.

"oh yeah." He nodded.

"good." She smiled.

"And besides …I think you'll be adorable when you're pregnant."

"…thanks Booth."

"and the mood swings. Now those will be an entertaining change for you."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "shut up."

20 minutes later. Brennan walked into the lab and Angela caught up to her.

"…Did you ever think, 'what if Booth is the perfect father for my child'? Not just his stuff, but him. What if you're throwing away the chance to have a family, a real family, because you're scared?" Angela asked trying to convince her one last time.

"Scared? Why would I be scared? I've been to Rwanda, to Iraq…" Brennan said just not getting the point.

Angela stops and turns to face Brennan. "Listen, you just said you wanted to do this alone because feelings are ephemeral. So is life, Brennan. We're here one minute, and then we're gone the next. You should know that better than anybody. If you keep living trying to protect yourself, nothing is ever gonna touch you."

"…Sweets said that it's not his job to tell somebody what they're feeling or how they should live their life." Brennan said walking away from her.

"Lucky thing I'm not a shrink then." Angela sighed turning and walking back to her office.

4 pm. FBI interrogation room. Charles Dunwood is sitting at the table when Booth and Brennan walk in and sit down.

"We know you were counterfeiting Bedford Creek wine, you charging a hundred dollars a bottle for a three dollar wine." Brennan informed him.

"The stupid wine snobs, they don't even know the difference." Booth added.

"But Holt did. He found out, didn't he? He was going to tell Mortenson."

"It was none of Holt's business. I told him to stay out of it. I need the money to fight Mortenson's bogus lawsuits. I wasn't gonna let that bastard take my place. My family's been there for over 80 years." Dunwood confessed.

"Is this man a complete dunce?" Stewie laughed appearing infront of Booth with a wave.

"Oh, God." Booth sighed looking where Stewie sat.

"Booth, what is it?" Brennan asked concerned that he was staring at nothing.

"Why doesn't he just clam up and ask for a lawyer?" Stewie turned to Dunwood. "You sir, are a boob!"

"Some people, they just feel remorse, and they want to set the record straight." Booth explained to Stewie.

"Oh please! He makes wine a homeless person wouldn't cook with. He never felt remorse about that."

"Nobody asked you." Booth said frustrated.

"Booth, who are you talking to?" Brennan asked scared.

"What's going on?" Dunwood asked confused.

"…Nothing, just, um, go on." Booth said determined to ignore him now.

"I followed him to Mortenson's. He had one of the bottles. And it was late and…"

"And you cornered him in the wine cellar and beat him to death to shut him up. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. We knooooow." Stewie mimicked.

"Will you shut up? Shut up!" Booth said standing and pounding the table.

"Booth, who are you talking to?"

"So, are you going to let her have this baby alone?" he questioned cocking his head to the side.

"I didn't say that." Booth shook his head.

"You are! You're going to abandon your child!" he said surprised. "Oh, night's deepest gloom washes over my tiny frame."

"No, no, I—I can't walk away. I never said that, okay? Do you understand? I can't walk away. If I can't be involved, I don't want it to happen!" he shook his head accepting the truth.

"And the sun shines again! Good man, Boothie!" the baby praised.

"What the hell's going on here?" Dunwood questioned confused.

Brennan turned to Dunwood "You shut up and don't move." Then back to Booth. "Booth, you're coming with me." She grabbed him by the arm and hauls him to his feet and out the door.

"Hey, hey, wait! Stop! You're leaving a helpless child alone with a killer! Stop!" Stewie called after them.

"Seeley, what is going on?" Brennan asked worried.

"I can't do it. I have to be involved."

"Seeley I-"

"no I have to finish please let me finish." She nodded. "If I'm the father, then… I have to be a father. I can't just be your sperm donor."

"can I ask why?" Brennan asked dejected.

"because you don't get to make all of the choices anymore Temperance! I love you and I don't care if you're ready to say it back or even to accept it but I'm not going to pretend I don't. I can't pretend that it was never put out there and I'm sick of trying. You and I are more than this. More than just sperm and egg. If you want a baby that's great, and if you want it to be mine that's even better and I would love to give that to you, but I can't do it like this, Temperance, I need more if we're going to bring another life into this world. If I'm going to be your baby's father, I'm going to be the father it deserves not just a sperm donor."

"…ok." Brennan nodded. "then I won't have a baby. …because I don't want a baby if you're not the father. …and if that's what it takes, I can wait until I can give that to you."

"thank you." He said hugging her.

"now what happened in there?" she demanded worried.

"… I saw the baby from the family guy… he was talking to me. Telling me what I had to do….like my conscience."

"and you saw him?"

Booth nodded. "yeah he was right infront of me."

"…ok …we're taking you to a doctor."

"A doctor? Why?"

"First Luc Robatille, and now a cartoon baby. …there's something wrong Seeley."

"…ok. …ok. I'll go."

10:30 pm.

"They should have the CAT scan results by now." Sweets said pacing.

"They're getting a second opinion." Cam reassured him.

"Well then the other doctor should have been standing by."

"Are you alright, Sweets?" Angela said watching him wear a groove in the floor.

"No, no, I'm not. I'm not the—the level-headed shrink at the moment… I'm just the guy whose friend is in trouble, and I'm having a hard time dealing with it. Okay? I'm sorry. I just need a moment." Sweets said walking out of the waiting area.

Hodgins moves to sit on the couch next to Angela. "Man, just when you think you know what's what. …we can't take anything for granted, can we?"

"Why is it so easy to forget that?"Angela said shaking her head.

"Ange, when we split, either one of us could've stopped it. It would've been…soo easy."

"I know."

"It would be just as easy… to begin again." He said simply and Brennan approached the waiting room before she had a chance to respond.

Everyone stands to hear the news including Sweets. "They think it's a cerabellar pilocytic astrocytoma"

"Oh, God. That's bad right? That sounds bad." Sweets said worried.

"it's a… brain tumor. …It's usually benign."

"Usually." Cam nodded.

"They're prepping him for surgery now …They didn't want to take any chances." Brennan said fighting tears.

"Go. He shouldn't be alone before he goes in there, Brennan." Angela said softly.

"I just wanted all of you to know… statistically, he should be fine." Everyone nods and Angela goes in to hug her and Brennan steps back, unable to hold it together. "This isn't about me." She said turning and walking away.

There are nurses and techs taking his vitals and prepping him for surgery when Brennan walks in. Slowly, unsure of where she fit in. Brennan smiled lightly trying not to worry him. The nurse smiles at her and signals to the others to give them a minute.

"hi" he smiles at her.

"The surgery should take about two hours." Brennan said not meeting his eyes.

Booth reaches out and took her hand leading her closer to him. "I was getting used to hallucinating. It's gonna get lonely." Brennan laughed softly looking into his eyes.

"You're gonna be fine, Seeley. Dr. Jurzik is one of the best. …and if you ever get lonely you know where to find me."

"so you don't hate me anymore?" he said smiling.

"Seeley… I never hated you… that was the problem."

"Love you too Bones." Booth joked.

Brennan laughed smacking his arm. "hey that's cheating!"

"Owch that hurt." He laughed as the doctor walked in.

"…I'll see you in Recovery." Brennan said squeezing his hand before stepping back.

"…yeah." He nodded.

Brennan nodded back, tears returning and she stepped back up to him, kissing him strongly. "I'll see you in a few hours." She promised and walked out.