Since the site was messed up yesterday, you get to read two chapters in one day. :)
Brennan walks through the double automatic doors of the Jeffersonian. She stops in front of the entrance and looks around, taking in the familiar silence and scent of the lab. It feels strange to be back here after all this time, but at the same time, she can't wait to come back to work full-time. She's ready to get back to her normal routine. She stands there for a few minutes before continuing to her office.
She unlocks the door and steps inside. She hangs up her jacket and sets her purse down on the couch. She settles down behind her desk and powers on her computer. Just as she gets comfortable, she grunts, rising to her feet again and leaving her office.
Angela comes out of her office, nearly running into Brennan. "Sweetie!"
Brennan doesn't stop, picking up her pace a little.
"Sweetie?" Angela follows her into the bathroom and watches as Brennan disappears behind a stall and slams the door. "Bren?"
Brennan walks out of the stall a few minutes later and stands at the counter. She runs her hands under the running water and rubs in the soap. She turns her head, finally noticing Angela there. "Oh, hi, Angela." She washes away the soap and then dries her hands.
"I didn't know you were coming to work today."
"I'm not. I'm just here to get a head-start on the paperwork that's been piling up for the past two months." Brennan tosses the paper towel in the trash and opens the bathroom door, taking a step forward.
"Are you okay?"
Brennan nods. "Yes, I'm fine." She leaves the bathroom, heading back to her office. She hears the clacking of heels on the floor directly behind her and realizes that Angela's still following her. "I'm fine, Ange."
"I freaked you out yesterday, didn't I?"
Brennan stops short just before entering her office, her hand on the door handle. She swallows and shakes her head. "What? No," she says, turning around to face her best friend.
Angela nods slowly. "Sweetie, I was only kidding, but how awesome would it be if we were pregnant together?"
Brennan looks away and nibbles on the inside of her bottom lip. "Ange—."
"Dr. Brennan, I wasn't expecting you back until next week," Cam says, walking towards the two other women. "How's Parker?"
Brennan blinks, turning her focus to Cam. "Parker's doing better. He only woke up once last night."
"And Seeley?"
"Booth's worried, but he's doing better, as well."
"I should get back to work. One of the security guards said he saw you and I had to see for myself. I put all your mail and paperwork on your desk."
"Thanks, Dr. Saroyan. I'll tell Booth you say hello. I'll have him call you." Brennan pauses. "Are you coming to the party on Saturday?"
"I'm coming."
"Great. It starts at one, so come by whenever you have a chance."
"Alright." Cam smiles and heads to her office.
Brennan turns around and opens the door to her office. She slips inside, walking over to her desk and settling down in the chair.
Angela follows her, shutting the door.
"I'm working, Ange."
"Sweetie, what's going on? I'm sorry I brought up the whole pregnancy thing. I was only joking. It was just wishful thinking, that's all. Sweetie?"
Brennan lifts her head and looks at her best friend, her stare hollow, her lips pursed into a line. She sighs, and after a brief hesitation, she spits out, "I think I might be pregnant."
Angela's eyes widen. "Oh my God! I was only kidding, but oh my God! Really?"
Brennan blinks and nods. "Angela," she says, her voice shaking, "I can't—not now."
Angela can't help but smile, can't hide her excitement, even though Brennan is clearly distressed about this. "It's gonna be okay, Honey."
Brennan swats her cheeks, wiping away the tears that are finding their way down her face, and coughs. "This is not good, Ange."
"Oh, come on. You can't tell me you're not just a tiny bit excited about this, Bren."
Brennan bites back a smile and looks at Angela. "It's not about whether I'm excited or not. It's about the timing of it all. We just got home from the hospital two days ago. I can—I cannot be pregnant right now. I cannot have another baby right now, Angela. There's too much going on at the moment." She leans forward, resting her head in her hand. "Damn it," she mutters under her breath. "This cannot be happening."
"Sweetie, hey, Bren, it's gonna be okay." Angela walks around the side of Brennan's desk and rests her hand on her best friend's shoulder. "It's gonna be okay. This could be a good thing, you know."
"How?" Brennan lifts her head and sighs. "How could this be a good thing, Angela?"
"I don't know specifically, but babies bring good luck and happiness. They bring people together. You should know that better than anyone."
"Booth and I aren't together because of Christine, Angela."
"I know, Sweetie. I'm just saying." Angela pauses. "You should find out for sure. I might have an extra pregnancy test in my office."
"I—."
Angela's already out of the office, heading to hers. She comes back and smiles. "We're in luck." She shakes the box and drops it down on the desk in front of Brennan.
Brennan stares down at the box and sighs. She stands up and grabs it. She walks towards the door and leaves her office. She needs to know for sure, though she's pretty much sure already. She's been so preoccupied with Parker's and Booth's wellbeing lately that she failed to see what was right in front of her—the fatigue, the nausea, the headaches, the moodiness, the missed period. The signs were all there. She just subconsciously dismissed their significance. That is, until Angela nonchalantly brought it up yesterday afternoon.
Brennan has her eyes closed as she leans against the bathroom counter, the pesky plastic stick held between her trembling fingers. She inhales and lets out her breath slowly several times, as she waits for the timer on her phone to beep. She can feel fresh tears push at the back of her eyes, coat her eyelashes, and pool into the corners on her eyes, some managing to drip down her cheeks. She swallows, her throat closing up.
There's a knock on the door and then it opens. Angela steps into the bathroom and sighs. "Sweetie, whatever that test says, it's gonna be okay. You and Booth are solid. If anyone can handle another baby right now, it's you two."
Brennan nods. "I know that, but it's not Booth or me I'm worried about, Angela. Parker's been through so much in the last two months. He's lost his mom, had to overcome traumatic injuries, most of which he's still dealing with, and he's now living with us full-time. That's a lot of change." She pauses. "It's not like I haven't thought about having another baby, but this is really not the right time and nothing you say or anyone says will make me believe otherwise."
"Let's face it, Sweetie. You and Booth aren't exactly known for your timing," Angela points out.
Brennan sucks in air and lets it out when her phone goes off. She blinks back tears and lifts her hand. She doesn't look at the display right away. She just stands there, her eyes now closed again, breathing in and out.
Angela peers over her best friend's shoulder and fights the urge to squeal. "It's positive."
Brennan opens her eyes and focuses on the display window. She needs to see the results for herself before she can believe it. Her hand goes numb, the stick dropping to the floor by her feet.
Angela grabs Brennan's hand and sandwiches it between both of hers. "Hey, Bren, it's gonna be okay."
"I was really hoping I was wrong. I was really hoping it'd be negative," she croaks out, her voice somewhat trapped behind her teeth. "Damn it."
Angela smiles. She can't help it. "This is gonna be great. It's not every day you get to experience pregnancy with your best friend, with your sister."
Brennan lifts her chin and turns her head towards Angela, her lips curving upwards into a faint, confused smile.
Angela picks up the box and tips it, the second pregnancy test sliding into her palm. She holds it up and motions with her head towards the stall.
Brennan takes the stick from her best friend and stares at it for a second, then she heads back into the stall she had just come out of minutes before. She'll check, double check, and then ultimately triple check with her doctor before she truly believes she's pregnant, before she even broaches the subject with Booth.