Thanks for all of the reviews thus far...I really was unsure if anyone would like this story. Chapter : Angels On The Moon aka 'Sink or Swim'

"Angels On The Moon"

This is to one last day in the shadows
And to know a brother's love
This is to New York City angels
And the rivers of our blood
This is to all of us
To all of us

Don't tell me if I'm dying
'Cause I don't wanna know
If I can't see the sun
Maybe I should go
Don't wake me 'cause I'm dreaming
Of angels on the moon
Where everyone you know never leaves too soon

You can tell me all your thoughts
About the stars that fill polluted skies
And show me where you run to
When no one's left to take your side
But don't tell me where the road ends
'Cause I just don't wanna know
No I don't wanna know

Don't tell me if I'm dying

Don't tell me if I'm dying

by Thriving Ivory

Booth was glad today was the Monday, because he was able to return to work. Not only did it mean Ashley was feeling well enough to attend the Jeffersonian daycare, but work gave him more to do and less to think about. Especially because today Bones wasn't going out into the field with him, she didn't give him a straight answer as to why she didn't want to and so he didn't push. They were still working on Friday's case and Cam was more familiar with it anyway. He would take Cam or maybe Clark.

"Daddy? Are we going to Angie and your work now?" asked the two and a half year old sitting in her car seat. Her voice pulled Booth from his thoughts as he glanced in his rearview mirror. He smiled as he looked at the bright blue eyed little girl with bleach blond ringlets. From the passenger's seat Brennan watched the world pass by quietly, the silent hum of the car tires was almost peaceful.

"Yeah, princess." Booth said and Brennan turned her head in his direction, but said nothing. She found it a bit disheartening that Ashley didn't even realize she worked there as well. Though, why would she? She had never seen Brennan there.

"Dat's good. Is Cammie and Pipah going to be der?" Ashley asked curious of what was going on.

"Yep." Booth reassured her.

"Hodgie too?"

"Hodgins too."

"Auntie Bwen, is you coming to wook with us too?" Ashley asked Brennan. Though, Brennan was quiet a moment thinking of what to say.

"Yes." Was her simple reply and Booth glanced in her direction. She noticed his glance, but dismissed it. This week had proved harder than she thought on both her and Booth.

"You will like Daddy's wook Angie is there and Pipah too!" Ash informed Brennan and she noticed Booth glance at her again. She kept quiet. Booth tried unsuccessfully to hide a frown and the trio drove on. The emotion that ran so strongly between them, the emotion she had come to know as love. The emotion she thought he no longer felt for her. She was wrong and the worst part was he practically told her that, to her face. So the emotion was out in the open taunting them. A reminder of what was and confirmation of what could be.

Her hand lay on his knee comforting him from what she thought was Hannah's loss. She told him it was okay to cry, that he had lost his fiancé. Though she pulled it away after he said, "No Bones it's not okay to be distraught over certain things."

"I'm sure I will Ash." Brennan tried to sound happy, her mind elsewhere.

They had parked in the parking garage and were walking toward the daycare. "Are you gonna come see Pipah Auntie Bwen?"Ashley's small voice asked from Booth's arms, "I will show you wheya it is."

Brennan wasn't planning on it. She was planning on going straight to her office and trying to bypass Angela, and the rest of the team. No one had seen her in a long time and no matter how much she didn't want to see people right now. They would want to see her. Scratch the bypass plan.

Instead she turned around facing Booth and Ashley. "Sure Ash."

"Yay! Pipah will be happy to see you!" Ashley said and Brennan felt Booth's eyes on her and she turned to look into his. She didn't know what to say, and sometimes nothing at all was the best thing to say. She inhaled and exhaled looking away. A corridor later and, "We aw here!" Ashley said excited.

"We are." Brennan said a bit correcting Ashley, a bit agreeing, but more because she didn't really have any other words for the moment.

"Agent Booth and Miss Ashley, it's good to see you. Angela said you two would be stopping by today." A woman who appeared to be in her fifties smiled at Booth and Ashley.

"Good to see you too Eve." Said Booth.

"I heard you had surgery Miss Ashley. How are you feeling?" asked Eve.

"I'm feeling better. My Auntie Bwen helps change my band aids." Ashley informed her.

"Oh, well isn't that perfect for you." Eve said tapping Ashley's nose in an affectionate joking manner. Ashley giggled and leaned into Booth. "Well, I just need you to fill out these forms." Eve said to Booth whose hands were full with Ashley. He started to bend down to set her down, when little arms clasped tighter into shoulders and around his neck. She attached herself and wasn't letting go.

"I don't want you to go to work Daddy! Stay with me!" It was so sudden; tears were welling in her eyes. What happened to the excited little girl that was ready to see her friend Piper? Booth knew it was the psychological trauma of losing Hannah. She was scared to let Booth go too, but she had too.

Brennan suddenly took a step toward the two. She didn't speak, but locked eyes with Booth. A silent language passed through agent and anthropologist. 'I can take her if you want?'

'Okay'

Brennan held her hands out and Ashley crawled into Brennan's arms. "You are getting a bit big to be carried Ashley." Brennan said smiling.

"Ashley!" Piper said upon hearing her friends cries, she had come running up to the door. Now she stood next to Eve both hands in the air like a mini Angela, "What is going on?"

Ash looked to Piper and Brennan brushed the tears from her eyes and smoothed her soft blond ringlets back. "Hi Piper, how are you doing?" asked Brennan.

"I'm fine." Piper exhaled sounding exasperated, "But Ash is not. What is going on Ash? Tell me. It's best this way." Piper said nodding her head in a yes fashion as she explained this to Brennan and Ashley. Eve and Booth glanced at each other at Piper's words. The kid was definitely Angela's.

"I think Ash is just a little upset right because-" Brennan started and

"I can't visit my mommy." Ashley said her head buried in the crook of Brennan's neck as she stared at Piper.

Piper tilted her head and grew silent, thinking of what to say-for once. "Cause she's an angel?"

Ashley nodded yes into Brennan's shoulder. "You want to still play?" Piper asked hopeful. She held out her hand toward Brennan and Ashley. "We can play angels if you want too?" Ashley picked up her head intrigued with Pipers invite. She nodded yes and Eve smiled sadly letting Brennan and Ashley into the daycare. Brennan glanced at Booth he had finished the paperwork and was turned away from Eve his hand rubbing his distraught face. It was too much.

Booth started to follow them in when Eve stopped Booth. "It may be best if you stay here and she waves good bye. She may get distracted from her play and want to go with you again." Booth inhaled and nodded yes. Eve shut the bottom half of the door as Booth watched Brennan set Ashley down and kneel down next to her and Piper. He closed his eyes and wondered what they were saying.

"Ash, have fun with Piper, okay?" Brennan said a smile on her face as she brushed the little girl's bangs which needed a trim out of her face.

"Are you leaving?" Ashley asked and while Brennan wasn't into psychology she knew this was a loaded question.

"Not the building. Only this room, I will return to you in a few hours."

"Is Daddy leaving?" Ashley glanced toward Booth then quickly back into Brennan's eyes awaiting an answer. Booth was going out in the field.

"Yes, but he will be back in a few hours to check on you too. Brennan said then turned to Piper. "Angela will as well. I will tell her too." Brennan assured Piper knowing the little girl would make a big deal out of it and her excitement would distract Ash's thoughts.

"Yay! Can you have my daddy come too Auntie Bren? He likes to play with bugs way too much." Piper said her hands going out to her sides for exaggerated effect. "Mommy says so." Piper said and Brennan smiled.

"Yes Piper."

"Thanks Auntie Bren."

"Can we see the bugs later?" Ash asked Brennan.

"I will check, okay."

"My daddy has lots of bugs."

The statement sounded funny if one didn't know what Jack Hodgins did for a living. "I remembered Pipah." Ash said.

"Okay, sweetie just checkin. I think he got even more." Piper said and Brennan looked behind her to Booth and gave him a reassuring smile. It was going to be okay.

Ash turned to Piper, "Rewy? Buttaflies too?"

Piper shrugged her shoulders and and rolled her eyes, "Who knows, his crazy." Piper said and Ashley giggled.

"See you two later." Brennan said as she stood up and walked away. Only they were too deep in a conversation of bugs to really care she left at all. She received a simple bye and the girls walked off together, Piper holding her hand leading the way. She had to admit it was cute.

Brennan got to the door and told Eve all was fine then slipped out as the door became one, the top now locking with the bottom half she slipped out. She looked at Booth, "She okay?" he asked in a hitched breath.

"She is fine." Brennan assured him and he exhaled. "I told her you would check on her later as well as Angela, Hodgins and I." Brennan said and Booth nodded.

The two walked down the corridor toward the anthropology department in silence. "Hey Bones?" Brennan looked at him. "Thanks."

"Of course Booth, I told you I will always be here just like I always have been." Brennan said and silence lingered once more as they made their way down another corridor. "Though, personally I would thank Hodgins for becoming an entomologist."

They rounded the corner toward the automatic doors and walked through them. Booth gave her an odd look. While the familiar swoosh sound the doors made was inviting to Brennan's ears. The smell of the lab, the noises, she was home. She waited for it and then, "Dr. Brennan!" Daisy's shrill voice cut through the air as she was the first to spot her. Why did she have to be the first? She hadn't made it up the steps yet when she was surrounded in embraces she didn't really want by the team.

Booth watched at Brennan made uncomfortable faces as people hugged her. Though, he only glanced a moment then he turned and walked into Cam's office and picked up the Peterson file reviewing it. He didn't want to be here long; the field was calling his name.

He didn't want to be at this place, now that Bones was back it was only reopening old wounds. Wounds he thought had healed, they never had. He knew the moment he had walked out of her door he was scared for life. They both were.

The Peterson case looked to be a predetermined murder. He leaned back in Cam's chair and exhaled, and rubbing his face. There was nothing predetermined about the night he left. He never looked back that night because he knew the pools his blurry eyes had become would have turned into a flood. He had heard her slide down her door, he had heard her cry. He didn't want to remember, though he had no choice, neither did she. Tears had fallen, scars were made, scars that reminded them both of yesterdays of that day- everyday.

So, why did they fight the current? Most people that fight rip tides drown. Though, neither had grown up near the ocean. They had been stuck floating down rivers for too long. Now they were here, together, in this vast body of water. Though, once upon a time they had taken the plunge and jumped in, hand in hand. Treading water makes no difference; they were unknowingly sinking to swim from the start. And now more than ever these waters were uncharted.