Note: A sequel to "Keep on Trying" … which was ages ago, so the quick recap is that Booth & Brennan tried a relationship after Parts in the Sum of the Whole, but broke up before they left for Afghanistan/Maluku Islands.

What if: Brennan found out she was pregnant while she was in the Maluku Islands?

AU? Yes

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"Aarg." Daisy flopped onto the narrow camp cot, dramatically throwing her hand over her eyes. "I miss civilization."

"Hmm", Brennan grunted noncommittally from the next cot, having learned from experience that it was better not to engage when Daisy was feeling melodramatic.

It didn't work this time. Daisy sat up and demanded, "Doesn't it bother you?"

"I suppose I have more experience in primitive conditions", Brennan answered.

Daisy leaned forward to emphasize her point. "But isn't it a pain? Especially during … you know, that time of the month?" She whispered the last phrase, as if she were an embarrassed ten year old girl.

Brennan rolled over. "I'm very adaptable. Go to sleep, Miss Wick." Her face towards the outer wall of the tent, she mentally counted. This was the sixth week since she'd arrived, which meant ….

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"Bren!" Angela waved madly from her vantage point just outside the exit from customs. Brennan smiled and waved back, dodging the other travelers until she reached her friend. Angela threw her arms around her friend and hugged her tight. "It's so good to see you. You're going to love our place – it's so sweet and tiny, and the light is amazing. Let's go, you can explain why you're here on the way."

Angela kept up a running commentary on the way to the car, and it wasn't until Brennan's small suitcase was safely stowed in the trunk and they were pulling out of the airport parking lot that she asked, "So? When are you going to tell me why you suddenly decided to come to Paris for a few days? Did they run out of old bones for you to look at?"

"No", Brennan answered. "I'm here to see a doctor. I'm fairly certain that I'm pregnant."

When she left Paris four days later, Brennan took with her a supply of pre-natal vitamins, the printout of an ultrasound, and the certainty that this was not the kind of news she should share with Booth while he was in a war zone.

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"Bones!"

The football hit the ground with a thud as Parker took off, sprinting across the park to throw his arms around Brennan. Booth followed more slowly, wondering if his brain tumor was back and he was still in that army tent, a world away from a crisp fall morning in the park with his boy.

It's not like he hadn't dreamed about her – even after he'd met Hannah.

Except in his dreams, she hadn't looked so … well, he wasn't sure exactly what had changed, but she looked different somehow. Maybe she'd done something different with her hair?

He caught up to his son as he was peppering Brennan with questions - "Aren't you supposed to be in the jungle? What are you doing here?", "Did Dad tell you we were going to be here?", "Did you bring me anything? I hope it's a bone."

He met her eyes over his son's tousled head, and nodded. "Hi, Bones."

Her smile was a little shaky. "Hi", she answered.

He reached into his pocket and fished out some bills. "Here, Parks, go get some ice cream. Can you carry three cones?"

"'Course", Parker scoffed, and took off for the ice cream stand.

Brennan watched him run, a look on her face he couldn't read. Maybe the last 5 months had made him forget more than he'd thought he had.

"What happened to the caveman in the Macadamia Islands, Bones?", he asked quietly.

"I left early", she answered. "Can we sit down?"

She looked tired, and as they walked towards a nearby bench, he noticed she was moving more slowly than she had 5 months before.

They settled onto the bench, and he braced himself for the worst. "What's wrong, Bones? Are you sick? Is that why you left?"

"Not exactly", she answered, her attention focused on Parker, who was balancing three cones on his way back to them. "But I did come back so that I would be closer to medical care. I'm pregnant."

He stared, speechless, and before he could figure out what to say, Parker returned. The next few minutes were filled with Parker telling Brennan everything that had happened since she left – the narrow defeat of his little league team in the last game of the season, his week at sleep-away camp, the dead crab he found on his trip to Maine with Rebecca.

While his son talked, Booth's mind raced. When was she due? Was the baby his, or had she found someone else? It had to be his, right? Did she want him to be involved, or was she planning to raise the baby herself?

What was Hannah going to say?

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The narrow army cot in his quarters on the base was the last place on earth he wanted to be.

His leave had gone by all to quickly. When he'd left for DC, he'd known he wouldn't want to come back, to leave Parker again, but it had been harder than he'd expected.

Of course, he hadn't expected to see Bones, let alone learn that she was carrying his child.

He'd told Hannah – he'd had to, if he wanted any sort of a future with her – and he'd see the uncertainty in her eyes. She didn't want kids – he knew that – and he'd half expected her to dump him on the spot, but she hadn't.

At least not yet. She'd laughed and joked with him, just like always, but something about her was a little distant, as if she were already one step farther away from him.

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Brennan gave birth in the comfort of her own home, Angela at her side.

Her daughter was perfect – 10 fingers, 10 toes, well within normal size and weight ranges, with a head covered in downy dark hair.

Booth was still in Afghanistan – it's not like he could just change his mind and come home – but she knew he'd be just as thrilled. He loved kids, and after the initial shock, he'd been openly happy about the baby.

Since he'd been gone, she'd faithfully sent him an e-mail once a week. She'd told him how big the baby was getting, talked about the nights when she wanted to sleep but the baby didn't, even sent him a picture of herself when he insisted.

She held the baby close as Angela used her laptop to send Booth a picture of their child.

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The knock on her door came just as she was about to call it a night. She peered through the peephole, and then flung the door open.

"Booth!"

Despite everything that had happened between them, it was good to see him. Spontaneously, she threw her arms around him and hugged him close.

"Sorry to show up so late, Bones", he said. "I just couldn't wait until tomorrow."

She stepped back so he could enter he apartment, then closed the door behind him. "She's asleep", she answered, leading him down the hall. "So we'll have to be quiet."

They walked into her former guest room, which now sported a fanciful mural filled with frolicking animals. "Angela?" he asked, nodding at the mural.

"She insisted", Brennan replied. "It doesn't represent realistic animal behavior, but she insisted it had to be whimsical."

They reached the crib, and Booth got his first glimpse of his daughter. "Oh", he said, "She's beautiful."

"I agree", Brennan replied.

Booth ran one finger down the child's soft cheek. "I know she's probably got a strict schedule, but … can I hold her? Please, Bones?"

Over the past few months, Brennan had learned how important sleep was to Christine, and how miserable a day could be if she didn't sleep well, but she couldn't say no. She nodded, watching as Booth picked up the sleeping child and settled her against his chest. The baby yawned and stretched as Booth sat down in the rocking chair, then settled back to sleep.

Brennan stood watching them for a moment, then said, "I'm going to go to bed. I'll leave some blankets on the couch in case you want to stay."

Booth nodded, his gaze still on his daughter's sleeping face, and Brennan walked out of the room.

When the baby woke her at 6 AM, he was asleep on the couch. And even though it meant working through the challenges of raising a child together, with two homes and vastly different parenting styles, she was glad he was there.

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I'd love to hear what you think.