Six months flew by, faster than any one of them could have imagined.

During the time that Booth was still here, they all refused to be sad, refused to dwell on the fact that in such a short time, Booth would be gone.

Alyssa had grown by leaps and bounds. She was thirteen months old now, just over a year. Brennan was glad that Booth had been able to be there for her milestones. Her first steps, her first word, which actually was "mama" or at least something like that, and even her first birthday.

Booth and Brennan were quite the parenting team, though no one expected it, least of all Brennan herself. But she was settling in quite nicely to domestic life and now it was just going to be turned upside down.

It was two days before Booth was scheduled to leave.

Booth was sitting on the floor, playing with Alyssa who was giggling. Brennan was watching, leaning against the doorway. Booth had just had some time with Parker to himself and when he came back, Brennan could sense a solemn demeanor descend upon him. It was the same feeling she had been trying to fight since she found out that Booth was being called back into the army.

She remembered the day he told her. He had come right out and said it, holding her hand. His eyes were full of apology and anger. Her heart had frozen and she kept thinking it couldn't be true. There were lots of tears and after Alyssa went to bed, quiet but passionate love making. Booth had held her in his arms all night.

Brennan sighed and returned back into the kitchen to finish fixing dinner. It was a desolate day; dark and rainy. She stared out the window absentmindedly, thinking about what it would be like without Booth here. She felt more confident about taking care of Alyssa, and now that Alyssa was older and she had more experience, it wouldn't be as difficult. But still, she wanted Booth to be there so they could be parents together.

Not only that, but she had to get a new partner from the FBI who she was supposed to be meeting the week after Booth left. If she decided she couldn't handle it, she would give up the field work if- when, she corrected herself- Booth came back. Working in the field wouldn't be the same without him, she knew.

And when she would come home later in the day, it would be to an empty house; only Alyssa and herself. No warm arms to be surrounded by when watching TV. No one to have dinner conversation with that didn't involve baby words. No one to keep her warm when she crawled into bed, late at night.

Would it be difficult without Booth here? Yes. Could she do it? Certainly. But did she want to? Absolutely not.

She had never felt the same about anyone the way she felt about Booth. He was the one for her. It took forever for them both to realize it, but once they did, her life became complete, until little Alyssa came along.

A family. It was the last thing she had wanted. But it all changed when she found out she was pregnant with Booth's child.

One of the worst parts about Booth leaving was the fact that neither of them knew when he would be coming home. It could very well be a long time, and that is what it was looking like, or else they would have given him a set time.

Booth had tried to tell her that he wouldn't be in as much danger, but they both knew that it was a load of bullshit. There were no guarantees in war and they both knew it.

Booth also felt guilty that he was missing out on Alyssa's childhood, much as he had missed out on Parker. Alyssa was supposed to be his second chance to get it right, but it wasn't going to turn out that way. He had tried to find a way out of going, but he could see no other way.

He felt a little guilty. At one point, he would be thrilled to go out and serve his country. He still would, which is how he ended up becoming a part of the FBI; he felt he was doing his part, locking up the criminals to make the world safer. But now he wanted to stay home, not go fight, so he could be home to protect and provide for his family. Did that make him weak? He hoped not.

"Dinner!" Brennan called out, keeping her voice from cracking. It drove both herself and Booth out of their respective reveries.

Booth hoisted Alyssa into his arms, squeezing her tight. He brought her into the kitchen and deposited her into her highchair, where her food was already waiting.

Booth sat down at his place at the table, Brennan across from him. They were both within arms reach of the highchair.

Booth bent his head to pray, a concept that Brennan didn't understand but had grown accustomed to. She politely waited until he was done and they dug in, though it appeared neither one of them was very hungry. Alyssa got more food all over her chair and the floor than in her mouth.

Booth pushed his food around his plate. Brennan, noticing, reached across the table for his hand. Grateful, he took it and they ate that way.

Since Brennan had cooked, Booth helped clean up and even agreed to give Alyssa a bath; she definitely needed one after dinner.

Brennan was washing the pots and pans while Booth drew a bath for Alyssa. She could hear Alyssa giggling and splashing in the bathroom. Brennan was wiping down the table when an idea came to her.

She hurried down the hall and she found Booth slipping Alyssa into her pajamas. She waited with him as he read Alyssa a story and before long she slipped into sleep. They both kissed her on the forehead and quietly exited the room.

No sooner than they were in the living room then Brennan pushed Booth down on the couch, herself on top of him.

"Bones, what is this about?" he asked, eyebrows raised in amusement.

Brennan was almost just as surprised. She didn't know what had come over her; she never did things like this. But given the time and circumstances, she deemed it acceptable.

She hovered over him, her hair fanning around his face. She smiled and said simply, "Marry me. Now."

Booth struggled to sit up. "What?" he questioned, amazed. They had so far put off the wedding, just because of everything else that was going on. At first, they weren't in a rush and then when Booth had gotten the call, it had just slipped their minds as life continued to go on around them.

"Do you want me to repeat myself because you didn't hear me or because you can't believe it?" Brennan asked, eyebrows knitting together.

Booth chuckled and then let out a breath. He looked Brennan deep in the eyes and replied, "Nothing could make me happier."