A/N: Yet another Thursday has arrived! I hope you enjoy this latest installment.
Chapter 15
August 12th, 2011
"Honestly, I love this color. Did you pick it out yourself?" Shaw asked, her head tilted up as her eyes followed the walls around the room.
Everything else was covered in plastic, but Brennan had to agree that the walls did look nice. A dark, rich green for the dining room really brought out the gold in the accent lights that Angela had insisted she buy despite the price tag.
"I had a lot of help, but yes, I did get to make the final call on it," she explained
"Well, it's lovely. I'm so glad Lance and I were able to help."
"And I'm so grateful that you offered. I can't stay in here too long; the fumes and all… and I know Angela and Hodgins are getting tired of working here so much. Angela mentioned to me that she might as well move in, with how much time she's been spending here lately."
"A new house is a lot of work," Shaw intoned honestly, shaking her head. "I don't think I could handle it… I can barely keep track of the apartment, and it's not even really mine."
"It is rather overwhelming. I have never lived in my own house before; ever since I went to college I've been living in either dorm rooms or apartment buildings. But… it's a pleasant change. I enjoy having a yard, and all of this space is really… very nice. Even though it's going to be challenging, trying to maintain it."
"Hey, if our parents could do it, who's to say we can't? And if you ask me, you already have this place under wraps. Everything is coming along nicely. And the yard is gorgeous."
Brennan grimaced. "That wasn't cheap. But I couldn't have Booth out there trying to fix it up himself, and I wanted to make sure it was perfect before the winter. That way there will be less to do when spring comes around."
Hammering started up again outside, and both women turned reflexively towards the front side of the house. They could hear the two men calling to each other, but not what was being said.
"Lance isn't very good with power tools. I'm not sure he mentioned that to your… to Agent Booth before he offered to work on the porch."
"I'm sure it's fine."
"I just don't want him to break anything," she said with a wince. "He's brilliant and all, but this stuff is really out of his range of expertise. Unless, of course, your lumber needs some psychoanalysis."
Brennan chuckled, catching the joke. "I don't think that will be necessary."
"Yeah, I didn't really think so."
They migrated out of the recently painted room and back towards the kitchen, which was in much more of a 'finished' stage. The walls had been painted the previous week, and the new countertops were installed now as well. The cabinets gleamed with their shiny new handles, and the stainless steel in the sinks and on the fridge was shiny and new. She loved the feeling of it, even if it hadn't quite sunk in that all of this was hers. She was still getting used to the layout, but she knew eventually it would be second nature. She was looking forward to that day, along with the day when all the plastic would be gone, the rooms upstairs would no longer echo, and the lingering smell of paint would fade and be replaced by whatever it was they were cooking together in the kitchen.
"So, do you have any big plans for tonight?" Brennan asked, reaching into the cabinet to extract two tea cups.
"We're going to the movies; the next Bourne one came out last week and we're going to see if it's any good."
"I don't think I've heard of that series."
Shaw chuckled. "That doesn't surprise me, Dr. Brennan."
"Just Brennan," she assured, setting the temperature for the kettle. "Tea?"
"Yes, please."
"Normally I wouldn't ask this kind of question… but I find myself curious. You and Sweets..?"
"We are together, yes. I know we never really announced it or anything, so I can understand your confusion. I'm not even really sure how it happened, but it did, and I… can't see it being any other way." She shook her head. "I really wish this case was over, so I could get back to my normal schedule and start figuring more of it out… but it doesn't look like that will be happening any time soon."
"I heard there was a break, though."
Shaw shook her head. "No, nothing major. Culver was hopeful, but the lead didn't pan out. Turns out the guy that we were chasing in connection, who we thought might be working as a middle man to front the supplier, was an independent guy working his own angle. No connection to the system running in the night clubs. And they don't want to pick him up, either, because it might spook who we're really after; let them know we're in the neighborhood."
Brennan nodded her understanding.
"You don't think you'll be getting out of there anytime soon, then."
Now Shaw sighed, seating herself on one of the bar stools and resting her elbow on the counter. "I have no idea, honestly. With these things… it depends a lot on luck. I could be working in the club for another week, or another three months. It could go any which way, and there's no real way to predict it. But Culver is working on a new tactical plan that he says will speed up the process, and I have faith in him. He knows what he's doing."
Brennan stirred the tea cups and offered Shaw hers.
"But enough of that," she said, blowing the steam off the surface of the drink. "We're not here to talk about work. What are your plans for tonight?"
"Oh, you know. We're staying in. Booth wants to introduce me to some old television show he used to watch."
"Sounds fun," she said, grinning knowingly. Brennan just laughed. Shaw's expression changed into a thoughtful one. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but… when are you due?"
Brennan laughed. "Is it obvious? Or did Sweets tell you?"
"Both," Shaw said bashfully.
Brennan nodded. "Makes sense. To answer your question, I'm due in early February."
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"
"Not yet. We plan to check next week, though, when the doctor is able to determine for sure either way."
"That's really exciting," Shaw said. "Is there one that you're hoping for more than the other? I mean… not that I'm saying it matters. Because it doesn't."
"I'm not so much hoping… as I am leaning towards the belief that my child will be a girl."
"Wow, really? A girl?" Shaw's smile was widening, her eyes sparkling. "I always thought, you know, if I ever had kids… I'd really like to have a daughter. Even if they are supposed to be much more difficult than boys. Got any names figured out?"
"Not yet," Brennan answered, shrugging away the frown that had begun to form on her face. She hadn't thought of that—of parenting being more challenging with a girl versus a boy. She was already concerned about how well she would fair; she didn't like the idea of more complications. She comforted herself with the uncertainties and the reminder that Booth would help her figure it all out, and then pushed any remaining concerns away.
"Yeah, you've still got plenty of time," Shaw agreed easily. She sipped at her tea, her face twisting suddenly as she set the mug back down. She bowed her head, and then asked, tentatively, "Brennan… you asked me, so I'm just… going to go ahead and ask you. I hope you don't mind. But… are you and Booth… actually together?"
She smiled, unable to contain the relief that there was finally, miraculously, an easy answer to that question. "Yes, we are. I still find it… strange, though. And we don't really have a name for it. Girlfriend, boyfriend… it all sounds so juvenile."
Shaw nodded knowingly. "That… does make sense. And I'm glad to hear it. Honestly, I have been wondering for a while now. I was pretty sure, but even Lance didn't seem to know positively."
"Yes, we haven't ever officially… announced anything."
"Too juvenile as well?"
Brennan laughed. "Yes. And… unnecessary. As you said, most people imply it. Well… they've been implying it long before we were together. Now that we're getting a house together and having a child, though, I believe it will become much more obvious to outsiders that we are in a relationship."
Shaw laughed. "Yes, of course."
~BxBxBxBxBxB~
"You promise to call me, right? As soon as you're out of your appointment?" Angela demanded, poking a finger at her and narrowing her eyes.
"Of course. I promise."
"Good. Jack took the day off, so he's staying home with Michael. I'm getting out early. I will be all yours, and I am meeting you at three o'clock sharp, with my credit card at the ready."
Brennan groaned softly. "No. That was part of the deal, Ange: you don't pay for anything. In case you've forgotten, you and Hodgins aren't the only ones that are rich."
"As Jack would say, though… he's rich, and you are 'well-off.'"
Brennan glared pointedly.
"Alright, alright, fine. I won't go too crazy. But you have to at least let me buy some toys."
Her scowl stayed in place, but she nodded her acquiescence. "Fine. I did buy some things for Michael, after all."
"More than 'some' things," Angela said with a chuckle. "You have to admit, you got carried away."
"Well, in my defense, I did know I was expecting at that point. It changed things. And… shopping was fun."
"Of course it was fun. So indulge me today, alright? And call."
"I will, Ange. The second I'm out of the office, I will be on the phone."
"Good. Oh, there's Booth now."
Brennan turned, her face lighting up at once as her eyes landed on him. He grinned right back, joining the two of them and greeting Angela lightly. He slid an arm around Brennan's shoulder, the other looping around so he could gently cradle her small baby bump with his other hand.
She curled into the touch, but then twisted away and out from under his arm, linking her fingers through his and tugging him towards the door. "We're going to be late," she insisted.
"Relax, Bones, we've got plenty of time. Bye, Angela."
"Bye, hot stuff. See you very soon, Brennan! Don't forget!"
"What aren't you supposed to be forgetting?" he asked, his hand on her lower back as they exited the lab together. Booth was the only one of the team that was actually working the full day. This was his 'extended lunch break.' Brennan, while still working regularly, was taking today off as the first of what would probably be many. She had to say, she was rather amused with how the others, Cam in particular, were handling that. If she wasn't so certain of how much they all cared for her, she might think they were eager to be rid of her with how pleased they were over her accepting time off.
"To call her when we get out. We're going shopping since we will officially know the baby's gender after this appointment. She wants to be the first to know, outside of the two of us."
He laughed. "Of course she does. I'm surprised she hasn't already bought a room full of girl's things. Your intuition is good enough for me."
"It is for her as well," Brennan said, "But she said something about this being an… occasion. Or something like that. I try not to argue."
"Good plan."
They exited the elevator and moved through the parking garage towards his SUV. She had stopped getting twinges of discontent when coming down here a long time ago, but today she felt the spark of one. The reminder that today only existed because she had managed to survive that single day, with the barrel of a gun pressed to the back of her skull. She pushed the thought away quickly, though, reaching down to nudge at Booth's hand with her own, winding her fingers through his. He turned his head down to smile at her, and she tilted her head up to catch his lips quickly just before they stepped away and went around to their respective sides of the vehicle.
"You ready for this?" he questioned as he pulled out of the garage.
"Of course. There's no reason I wouldn't be. And, as I said before, I will be perfectly fine even if my intuition is incorrect. After all, we haven't purchased anything yet that required our child be one gender over the other."
He chuckled. "I remember. But… I meant are you ready? I mean… you have to admit this changes things, Bones."
"We are a lot closer to my due date," she admitted knowingly.
"We'll work on names tonight?"
"That sounds reasonable. Although it is likely that I will be tired after spending the afternoon entertaining Angela at any number of different stores. Are you sure you don't want to come along?"
"Hey, as much as I want to be involved.. this feels a lot more like a you-and-Angela type of deal. I'll help you when we start picking out, y'know, new toys and stuff."
"And you won't be upset if we buy toys today?"
"Kids need a lot more than a few toys, Bones. Trust me. We'll have plenty more shopping to do, no matter how much you think you're doing today."
She nodded thoughtfully. She was aware that they still had a lot to do, but the way Booth spoke… it sounded like he thought she was underestimating. She wondered if she needed to recalculate her original assessment. Maybe there were other things she should be more concerned about.
"So, Shaw is making some progress with the case."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I was just on the phone with Hacker. He tells me they've got her zooming on the manager at that club she works at. He's probably not big in the organization, but they think he's the link that they've been looking for. She's going to get closer to him; see if she can clone his phone so we can get a look at his activity. See who he interacts with."
"Makes sense." She shook her head, though. "She's been working undercover for a long time, now."
"Yeah, well, some operations take more time than others. Those times that you and I worked undercover, it was for murder investigations. This goes way beyond that. We're not trying to find motives or get people to open up to us here. We're trying to infiltrate a large circle of criminals and destroy an entire drug smuggling operation."
"Still, it seems risky."
He nodded, his lip twisting into a frown. "Yeah, it is. Hopefully not much longer…"
"Do you worry about her?"
He hesitated, and then nodded. "She's a member of my team, Bones. And she's young. Green agents… they shouldn't be in situations like this. Try telling Hacker that, though. He thinks she's ready for this, but he's not out in the field with her. He hasn't seen her at work."
"I thought she was a very competent agent. Smart, although a bit distracted."
"And distractions are what can get you killed," he murmured heavily.
They were silent for a long moment.
"I can't wait for this case to be over," she said softly.
"You know what, Bones? Me too."
~BxBxBxBxBxB~
Booth was sitting with Brennan on the couch when the call came in. She had been home from shopping for only an hour, and he had been relieved that she was happy with his job of cooking dinner upon her arrival. Nothing fancy, just spaghetti and some stir-fried vegetables with a sauce recipe Pops had given him with the insistence that he make it 'specially for Temperance.'
She had gotten a little more than he'd been expecting when she had gone out with Angela. Knowing Angela, he had expected her to be accompanied through the door by a number of bags and boxes, but the massive load took the two of them two trips, refusing his help all the way, despite his concerns. Brennan must have been spewing something about female independence and her ability to handle herself at some point that evening, because Angela was just as fiercely backing her in her conviction that she could handle it with no trouble.
He was secretly grateful that she had handled the big stuff without him. Rebecca had asked him to tag along while she had gone on her first shopping excursion for Parker, and he had been out of his depth. Everything he pointed out had been shot down in favor of something else, and he had not been asked to accompany her on future trips. This time, he had planned to go along and simply make sure Brennan picked out what she wanted. Clearly, she had succeeded at that with Angela's help.
There was a crib and a fancy changing table that he was sure would take some time for him to figure out. On top of that came strollers and carriers and car seats, and finally a small assortment of onesies with smiling cartoon animals on the chests.
Angela pointed out, as Brennan was in the other room, that she had protested strongly against bears until she had been shown the collection of teddy bear themed items and had been forcibly handed a brown-eyed and fuzzy-pawed stuffed animal. Her view was still that of a skeptic, but Angela had apparently promised her that her child wouldn't likely encounter any bears, and was unlikely to compare them to their fuzzy toy counterparts anyways.
Still, her apparent favorite appeared to be the elephant-themed items, and as such Angela had taken it upon herself to buy a toy elephant that she said quite confidently would be "the baby's favorite." She had also named him Teddy, an irony that Booth was sure would be lost on Brennan.
Once Angela had departed, though, Booth had dragged his partner away from her new purchases, assuring her that there would be plenty of time to assemble and arrange later.
"Tomorrow," he told her when he got off of the phone, however. "We'll get it all figured out then, okay? And besides, we shouldn't rush it; the room isn't even painted yet."
She shook her head, a frown set firmly on her brow. "Booth, what was that about?" she gestured at his phone, standing up as he moved to the closet.
"Shaw got ahold of Shadwick's phone," he said, gathering up his coat and shoving his arms into the sleeves.
"…I thought that would be a good thing?" she asked, following him towards the front door, her frown still firmly set in place.
"Yeah, it would have been. Except there are indicators that they know Taylor was an informant for us, and that they're going to do something about it."
~BxBxBxBxBxB~
"Thank you so much," Taylor emphasized for probably the tenth time that evening. She sat on the end cushion of one of the couches in the den of the small home, staring up at him with watery eyes.
"Hey, when the FBI promises that we aren't going to let anything happen to someone, we like to keep that promise. You know, reputation and all."
She smiled at that, and brushed at her eyes. "I still can't believe this is happening," she whispered, gazing around in continuing disbelief. They were in a safe house, outside the city. The place was small, but cozy, meant to house only one or two people. It would serve as her temporary home until either the men with an interest in killing her were captured or it was determined necessary to move her fully into the Witness Protection program. In all likelihood, the second would occur regardless. She was not in a good position, what with a large scale drug operation's founders out for her blood.
Sweets had called her over to his car when she was leaving work, and had filled her in on the situation and where she was going. Booth had met them in a nearby parking lot, as she had begun to panic, and with his reassurances that the FBI was indeed handling the situation and she was in no danger at the moment, she relaxed enough for them to explain the rest of the situation and get her to her new home.
Shaw was still planted and her identity, as far as anyone knew, was uncompromised. The messages saved on the phone showed no indication that there were any concerns about her, although it was clear that the traffickers, and Shadwick, were aware that there was someone gunning for them. Maybe they had noticed more blocks on their operation, maybe they were starting to feel the eyes that were watching them, but whatever it was, they knew. And it really wasn't a shock, either. This far into the operation, working with these types of people who were bound to be suspicious all the time regardless… oh yes, they would know.
At the moment, police cruisers and yellow tape covered the entrance to an alleyway in downtown Washington. Reporters on the scene announced that a woman had been found murdered, but that police had no details and were currently not releasing the identity, or discussing if they had any suspects. Sometime later in the evening, it would be announced at a press conference that the woman's name was Taylor Madison. In a few days, when the media had nearly forgotten and moved on, they would proclaim that her murder was a product of wayward gang violence. A random incident that would, most unfortunately, never be solved. There would be a closed casket at the funeral.
No one would ever be seeing that body.
The television set in the corner of the den remained firmly in the off position, the screen dark. It would be better if Taylor didn't watch the news of her own death as it broke across the city and eventually the county. She didn't have much family left alive, and they would be carefully notified. Watching her, though, he was reminded of his own false death, and the wondering that had come along with that. Thinking about how much he just wanted to see everyone's faces, how much he needed to reassure himself that Bones really was okay after everything that had happened.
And then the waiting.
He couldn't imagine what it would have been like if he'd been separated from everyone for more than two weeks. Those days had been the longest in his life, and the thought that for some people it was a permanent deal… it was simply beyond fathoming. No, if he was ever required to go under that deep, to be dead and stay that way… he would disappear alright. Straight off the grid. And Bones would be coming with him, along with their child.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he raised an apologetic hand in Taylor's direction, taking a step back to answer.
"Booth, where are you?" Brennan of course.
He winced. "Bones, I can't tell you that. But it's all okay. I promise. And I will be home… as soon as I can."
There was a long silence on the line. "Alright. You… you'll be back before two, though?"
He cut his eyes towards the clock on the wall, grimacing as he took stock of the time. It was already past midnight; there had been some stalling involved when it came to details and waiting to inconspicuously scoop up Taylor as she left her shift at the club.
"I'll try. Don't wait up; get some sleep."
"I'm awake anyways," she said easily, as though any other option was foolish. His lips quirked up in an unrestrained smile. Of course.
"I love you."
She laughed warmly, having not expected the abrupt line. "I love you, too, Booth. Bye."
"Bye, Bones."
He turned back towards Taylor, but found her conversing with another agent. The rest of the team was starting to pack up, save for the two who would spend the night to keep an eye on things. He joined the others, suddenly relieved that he would be back at home well before Brennan's hopeful prediction. With the reminders of that dark time between them fresh in his head, he had the strong, nearly overwhelming urge to wrap her in his arms and never let go.
~BxBxBxBxBxB~
August 28th, 2011
"Exactly how many of these do I need?" Brennan asked, frowning at the growing load of diaper packages in the carriage she was pushing. Angela tossed in a few more, eyeing the amount with a narrowed expression and pursed lips.
"They go quickly," she promised. "So having plenty on hand will be key. I promise you, you won't regret this."
Brennan frowned. "Alright. Does it really matter which one of these diaper bags I get, though?"
"Sweetie, believe me when I say that the one you've got right there is the one you're going to love in only a few months."
She nodded thoughtfully, eyeing the colorful bag sitting on top of the pile of diapers.
They turned a corner and headed up another aisle.
"Oh, this is adorable!" Angela gushed, picking up a plush butterfly shaped object, and a second later scooping up a flower one as well. "They're wall ornaments," she explained, holding them out for Brennan to take.
"They're… cute."
Angela beamed. "Yes, they are. I think you should get them."
"But they're decorations, Ange. And I already told you that Booth and I haven't decided on a final design for the nursery. Because he insists that there be a theme. I still don't understand why we can't just paint it purple and decorate with pastel colors as is traditional with a baby girl."
"Oh, indulge him, Bren. And me, while you're at it. Tell you what, I've got a few sketches left over from my original plans in case Michael had been a girl instead. I'll drop them by for you and Booth to look through, see if anything pops."
"I don't know…"
"You'll love them, really. I've got a garden themed one, a flowery meadow, a sunny park…"
"Fine, we'll take a look."
Angela grinned widely. "Excellent. Hey, you know what? We should go get dinner tonight. You and Booth, me and Hodgins. It'll be fun. We haven't done something together in ages."
"That could be fun. But I get the idea you're thinking something other than the Diner or the Founding Fathers."
"You read my mind."
"I'm not sure how Booth would feel about that," Brennan murmured, putting the wall decorations back where Angela had found them.
"Oh come on; it will be good to get away from the job for a while."
"He's at the safe house now. I don't know when he'll be back—he doesn't give me solid hours anymore."
Angela eyed her worriedly. "Brennan, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. This case just…" she shook her head. "It worries me, Ange. We've faced serial killers, we've been shot at and nearly killed so many times… but this is just… not the same."
"I know what you mean. We don't normally deal with stuff like this. And it all feels like… like we're out of our depth."
Normally Angela would try to be reassuring in a time like this. The fact that she wasn't concerned Brennan more than anything else.
"I'll talk to Booth about dinner when he calls. If he's going to be home by then… I'll try to convince him that we should go."
Angela's smile returned. "I'll look through the options. There are a few places I've been dying to try…"
"I'm sure there are. In fact, there's one place I've been looking at as well."
"That settles it, then. We'll collaborate later, when we're putting all of this stuff away." She brushed against the edge of a display as they rounded another corner, and a stuffed animal tumbled to the ground. Brennan bent over to pick it up, and as she did a twinge of pain shot down her spine. She grimaced, straightening back up without it as her hand automatically reached around to land on her lower back.
"Hey, what happened?" Angela demanded, stepping away from the cart, her eyebrows drawn together.
"Nothing. Just… my back."
Angela's frown didn't go away. "Back pain is normal," she started hesitantly, "But you're only just starting to show… Did it go away, or is it still there?"
"Still there. But I'm fine. Really." She stepped forward, and then nodded to herself, her face muscles relaxing. "No worries," she assured. "And… it has happened a few times before now."
Angela nodded thoughtfully, her concerns not completely removed, and they turned down another aisle.
It was as they were leaving the store, both of them pushing a full carriage towards Angela's vehicle, that Brennan reluctantly mentioned, at Angela's renewed questioning, that she was experiencing some stomach cramping, and had felt dizzy earlier, but it had gone away when they had gotten lunch and she has assumed it was related to hunger.
Now Angela's radar was up. "Should we get you to the doctor?"
Brennan opened her mouth to say that she didn't think that was necessary. But then she felt a change, and her face went white. "Yes. Yes, Angela… we should go now."
"What?" Angela demanded, fiercely opening the trunk of her Escalade and starting to toss bags in as fast as she could. The car beeped loudly as she unlocked it and pointed at the passenger door to indicate that Brennan should get in and sit down right away. Moments later, she was whipping out of the parking lot and onto the busy streets of DC. "Brennan, what's going on? Are you… are you okay?"
Brennan's face was still papery white, and she was biting into her lower lip, her eyes shut. But at Angela's questions, they fluttered open and she took in a shaky breath. "Angela, I think I'm bleeding."
Angela's eyes went wide, and all her attention went to the road in front of them. "Call your doctor," she said firmly. "Get yourself an emergency appointment, okay Bren? And… and don't worry, okay? I'm sure everything is… fine."
Brennan nodded, feeling dizzy now for other reasons entirely. Her hands trembling, she pulled out her cell phone and made the call.
~BxBxBxBxBxB~
They waited for around an hour before Dr. Lee could see them, but a nurse was assigned to examine her in a free room, and was able to tell her that she was not going into premature labor or entering an immediate miscarriage.
The word 'immediate' in that sentence seemed to take on a grave other meaning during the rest of the wait. Angela flipped aimlessly through health magazines, but Brennan couldn't keep herself occupied. She stared at the opposite wall or watched the people that bustled in and out every few minutes, her hand stroking gently across her abdomen as she tried to think of reassurances that simply did not exist.
This wasn't happening. It couldn't be.
When she was finally welcomed into the familiar room, Angela tagging along behind her, Dr. Lee listened intently as Brennan explained the symptoms.
Threatened Miscarriage. That was what the doctor told her it was called. The words immediately struck a chord with her, and she stiffened, fear coursing through her as she demanded further explanation. Treatment. Medication. What was happening, and how could it be stopped?
The most common symptom, Dr. Lee relayed to her, was vaginal bleeding. Dizzy spells and back pain weren't unheard of, but she suggested that these could also be attributed to normal pregnancy symptoms. As for treatment, there wasn't any.
Nothing could be done, if the miscarriage went through.
"We'll run an hCG levels test, and we can do another ultrasound right now, but I can't make any promised either way. You have to understand that, while the odds are good that this pregnancy will carry through… there's also a chance that it won't. I will be able to give you more definitive information in a few days, and you'll need to return on Tuesday for another hCG test. Try to abstain from any rigorous activities, including sex, and other than that… try to get your mind off of this. Your partner can help you with that." She glanced towards Angela. "And your friends as well."
Brennan nodded, feeling sick. The words kept reverberating around in her skull. Threatened Miscarriage.
They found the heartbeat on the ultrasound, but the doctor told her that, while it was a good sign, it didn't mean they shouldn't still be concerned. If her hCG levels continued to rise as they were supposed to between the two tests, then they would begin moving forward; keeping a watchful eye out for any other warning signs as the pregnancy continued. She would also need to keep an eye out for any more bleeding, which she said was likely, but so long as it didn't increase then there was no reason to make another emergency trip to see her.
She left the appointment feeling far less reassured than she had been hoping. Numbness seemed to ripple through her, and she felt like she had just gotten out of surgery rather than an appointment.
"Sweetie?" Angela asked gently as they walked from the hospital entryway to where she had parked the car.
"I'm fine," she whispered. It was a lie, and an obvious one. Angela didn't ask again, though.
Her phone began to ring as they headed back through the city, and she felt a near-panic start to overwhelm her as she saw Booth's name on the screen. She looked to Angela helplessly, and her friend silently took the phone from her. Brennan slumped into her seat, relieved and tired and feeling completely helpless.
She tried not to listen as Angela carefully explained the evening to Booth.
He would have a lot of questions for her tonight. Questions she wasn't sure she could answer.
When Angela hung up, she held the phone back out to her, and Brennan accepted it, staying silent for a long moment before she murmured, "Thank you."
"No problem, sweetie."
She cleared her throat as they came closer to their destination. "I don't think we'll be getting dinner tonight," she said softly.
"I know, Bren. I know."
~BxBxBxBxBxB~
Booth stepped into the house at about five o'clock that night, shedding his coat and looking around in the foyer before peering around the corner into the darkened kitchen. In fact, the whole house seemed dark tonight. He felt a heavy weight tugging at his heart, pulling it deeper into his chest. He could still hear the beat of it, though, and tonight it was a loud, desperate thrum.
"Bones?" he called tentatively, shedding his jacket and carefully placing the keys on the table by the door before he headed up the hallway towards the den. A dim light emanated from the doorway.
She didn't respond, but she did look up when he stepped into the room. Her eyebrows fell in a solid, creased line across her brow, and her eyes were soft, the light reflecting too much off of them from the screen of the laptop opened on the coffee table in front of where she had positioned herself on the couch. Teddy the Elephant sat next to her, somehow managing to look somber.
"Bones…"
The fears he had been working through on the drive home all hit him with double the strength now that he was here with her staring back at him. Everything they had been building, all of their dreams for the future, every last bit of their lives… seemed to hang in the balance. There was life within her. A daughter whose name they hadn't even decided upon.
And before they got the chance to meet her, before she was made to understand just how much these two people loved her already… she might be taken from them. He had no idea how to handle that.
Shakily, Brennan pushed herself to her feet and came towards him. There were no words, but a moment later she collapsed into his arms, and he sank under the weight of everything until the both of them were on the ground, her shoulders shaking and his eyes irrepressibly beginning to water. His back hit the front edge of the couch, and he clutched her closer to him, tucking her into his chest and pressing his face into the warmth of her hair, taking comfort from what was real and in front of him.
Because it was this he could hold and believe in. And the intangibles, the things that were drifting away, were just too difficult to grasp, to explain, to reason with.
A/N: Please don't kill me for that. But please do drop me a line to let me know what you think. I could use some motivation to get myself focused on finishing both this and Hidden versus sitting around watching NCIS, Castle, and Firefly on DVD every day, all day long, for the next (and final) week of my vacation. Save me from myself and my horrible laziness, and reassure me that I didn't lose all of you with that terrible hiatus I took from this story.
