Note: Two stories in 48 hours! I deserve a cookie.

Thanks to Adelled for the idea for this one.

What if? Brennan got pregnant when she was with Sully

AU? Yes

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"Sully bought that boat."

The backhoe deposited another load of dirt on the ground as he searched for an answer.

Finally, he managed, "Yeah? Next thing you know he'll be shipwrecked on some island, talking to a volleyball."

"He's leaving for the Caribbean."

There was something in her voice, a hint of pain or stress, that made him do whatever it took to make her feel better - even if that meant he had to stop mocking her boyfriend. Sully might be a good guy, but that didn't make him a good guy for Bones.

"I'm sorry, Bones. I know the two of you were kind of hitting it off."

He didn't have to force the sympathetic tone - he knew she'd be hurt by Sully leaving - but a small, traitorous part of his brain was turning cartwheels at the news.

"He wants me to go with him."

He could have sworn he felt his heart stop. Bones, on a boat? With Sully? That wasn't supposed to happen.

But ... he couldn't ask her to stay, to give up a relationship that was actually going well. She deserved a year in the sun with someone who loved her.

He gritted his teeth and told her to go.

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When he picked her up at her apartment two days later, she looked tired.

Maybe she did need a vacation.

Of course, even Bones would have to get some rest on a sailboat, miles from civilization.

He made a mental note to tell Sully to nix any talk of a satellite internet connection.

She leaned against the window as they drove. Was she wondering if she should go? Had she already decided and the was using the silence to try to find a way to tell him?

Hell, maybe she was just tired. He turned the radio to the station that played the weird-ass music she liked and concentrated on the road.

It took ten minutes of rush-hour traffic before she spoke. To his surprise, her question was "How's Parker?"

He snuck a quick glance at her impassive face and answered, "Good, Bones. His Little League team is doing well. They've won a little more than half their games, so he's learning how to lose. That's important."

"I don't know how you do it", she replied.

His jaw tensed. "He's my son. I love him."

"Yeah", she replied distractedly.

"Look, Bones, I know you don't want kids, but Parker is very important to me. You know that."

"I know", she replied. "You're a good father, Booth. I just ... I don't know how you can balance a demanding career with raising a child. It seems impossible."

"You make time for what's important to you, Bones. Of course, I'm not one of the best forensic anthropologists in the world, as well as a best-selling author. I'm just an average FBI guy."

"I'm the best forensic anthropologist in the world", Brennan replied. "And I wouldn't work with someone who was only average."

"Thanks, Bones", he said, smiling. "It's lucky you aren't going to have kids, you might end up falling down to second place."

There was silence for a moment too long.

"Bones?", he asked.

"Right", she said. "No kids."

He risked another glance at her face and hit the turn signal. Two minutes later, they were parked by the side of a residential street. Booth turned, examining her impassive face with the kind of thoroughness she usually devoted to her bones.

"We need to get to the crime scene", Brennan pointed out.

"Uh uh", Booth said. "Bones, are you pregnant?" He whispered the last word, as if they would be overheard.

"Don't be ridiculous Booth", Brennan answered. "You know I don't plan to have kids."

"Yeah", Booth replied. "I also know that sometimes the big guy has other plans. Does Sully know?"

"I don't even know", Brennan answered. "I plan to pick up a test tonight."

Booth covered her clenched hand with his. "It'll be OK", he said. "Sully's a good guy."

"He's leaving", Brennan answered. "And if I am pregnant, I can't go with him. Even if I terminate the pregnancy, it will take time to schedule the procedure and recover, and he's leaving soon."

"He'll stay", Booth said.

"No", answered his partner. "This is his dream. He has a lot of money tied up in that boat, and he needs to go. Besides, the one thing that has become evident is that I don't have a future with Sully."

"You don't", Booth said flatly.

"No." Brennan shook her head, her eyes glistening. "Kind of late to figure that out, right?"

Booth wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. "Not too late at all. It'll be OK, Bones."

"I don't know how it can be", she answered, her voice choked with tears."

"It will be", he repeated.

They sat for a moment, until Brennan pushed herself away and said, "We need to get to the crime scene. Dr. Hodgins will be wondering where we are."

Booth put the car in gear and pulled into traffic again. "We can stop on the way home to get that test."

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Thoughts? Are you still enjoying these? Any suggestions? (I'm still working on a suggestion about Judas on a Pole – I haven't forgotten it, but I haven't figured it out either.)