Title: A Time to Grow

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

Parker and Joseph slept in the car the whole way to the lab. Booth picked the sleeping baby up from the car seat and Parker leaned on him sleepily, but with a happy little smile that Brennan hadn't seen in a very long time.

"What do we have here?" Brennan asked. No one looked up when Brennan and Parker stepped up to the body.

"I dunno, Bones, but maybe we could do something about that smell!" Booth said, grinning. "Seriously, that is the worst one yet!" Angela screamed, and threw her arms around Booth and the baby. Cam stared in disbelief. Hodgins laughed. Sweets felt tears in his eyes, watching the scene unfold. Brennan and Parker were still pretending to study the body, passing grins and winks to each other. "Okay, Angela, don't squish the baby."

"We want the details, Booth," Hodgins said, shaking his hand. "It is really good to have you back."

Before anyone could say another word, Cam fainted.

3 months later

"Good afternoon," Dr. Sweets said to his favorite patients. "Congrats on being cleared for duty, Agent Booth."

"Its good to be back. I miss my stuff, though," he said. "She donated all of my stuff to Goodwill. Everything. My golf clubs, skates, hockey gear, everything."

"I said I was sorry. I thought you were dead. You weren't going to use it any more."

"It was healthy for her to be able to let go of the stuff, and still hold on to you."

"My stuff, Sweets. Things I can not possibly replace."

"Anything that was not easily replaced is in your brother's garage," she offered. Booth rolled his eyes.

"My favorite socks are gone, Bones. I love you, but really? The socks and belt buckle?" She shrugged and leaned in and kissed him.

"I'll order you new socks and belt buckles." Sweets shook his head.

"You guys went from 0 to 60 in-"

"In one year where she thought I was dead. In the meantime, she gave birth to my son, adopted my other son, and finally decided to trust her heart. Either that, or she missed my pancakes." Brennan swatted his arm.

"So," Sweets said, leaning forward. "Are the two of you ready to go back in the field together?"

"As long as she leaves the gun at home."

"I am currently a better shot than you, Seeley."

"You are also currently nursing an infant 8 times a day, and preg- I mean- crap."

"Pregnant? Dr. Brennan is pregnant?"

"Apparently, he has very strong swimmers, and birth control can fail. But you should be aware that we're quite excited. I couldn't be happier, personally. Booth?" she asked, as she faced her partner.

"Couldn't be happier if I tried. Anyway, we have a case. Apparently, a 4-year-old found a foot in her sand box when she dug in deep enough." The two stood to leave. "Thanks, Sweets," Booth called as they left. Brennan stopped, went back, and hugged the young doctor.

"Thank you, Dr. Sweets. You helped me a lot over the last year. I respect what you do, but it is somewhat amusing to tease." She released the young man, who smiled. "See you tomorrow for our usual appointment."

"It feels wrong, Jack," Angela said softly. "Leaving just doesn't seem right."

"We'll spend a few days there, maybe a week, and come back as soon as you want to. Maybe when we get there, you'll paint Carcassone and be ready to go home, or you'll want to stay and paint the Eiffel Tower. Whatever you want, Ange." She nodded and rested her head on her husband's shoulder as the plane took off.

"Brennan is pregnant."

"How do you figure?"

"She told me."

"Oh."

"Do you still want kids?" Jack nodded.

"I want four, at least. I'm starting to love the chaos when Parker and his friends are running around the lab with the interns. He had the entire science class over last week while you were out," Hodgins laughed. "Max had them running small experiments, blowing things up. Cam nearly fired me for helping." Angela laughed. "I want kids with you, Angela," he said. "I see you with Joe, and parkerm and all the friends that hang out with him. We'd have so much fun as parents."

"I want that, too."

"So, do you want to start trying?" She nodded and closed her eyes, letting the sleep aid take effect. Hodgins kissed her head and pulled the blanket up a little higher. "Awesome," he whispered.

BONES BONES BONES

"You really see a shrink?"

"Sweets offers insight and advice that I fail to come up with on my own, that helps when raising an emotionally fragile child," she argued, dusting off the skeletal remains in the sand box. "Male, caucasion, late 30's," she said. "Sweets helped Parker through his mother's death, and everything with you."

"Car accident. I didn't see that coming, you know?"

"She ran a red light, killed three people, and herself. I doubt anyone saw it coming, least of all, the two in the other car. It looks like this guy has been here for a while."

"Baby, you look a little queasy."

"Its the smell. Someone is cooking chicken a few houses down. The smell of chicken made me violently ill when I was pregnant with Joseph. I'm assuming that it may be the case this time around, as well."

"Can we get this all sent back to the Jeffersonian. All the sand, the whole body, and contents of the box." Techs nodded and started the grunt work. "Come on, Bones," he said, wrapping an arm around her. "Its good to have a semi-normal day, isn't it?"

"Nothing about our lives is normal."

"Sure it is. We eat, we sleep, we raise the kids, we clean up dead bodies...normal day."

"If you say so."

"Hey, if you have doubts about us and a normal life, we can call off the wedding, and return the gifts," he joked.

"I didn't say that."

"Good. Because I love you too much to give it up," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Parker has a concert this Sunday."

"Joseph starts the Mommy and Me swim class on Saturday. You and Parker are on you own for two glorious hours of some sporting event on TV."

"See? Normal life." Brennan laughed.

"Normal enough."

The end...for now.