Perdition and Paradise, rated M, B/B angst-by Jremme

I never heard of a more stupid plan.....never in my life....
How could she think that that was the right way to deal with it?
I really don't get it....Booth loves children....and he would never want anybody to have an abortion and then she tells him she killed their child.....how could she be so stupid?

I really hope that you're making it all better soon.
For Bones and Booth and for Parker too.

A/N: Ok, so things look bad now, but I assure those reading it will be all right in the end. No worries. Enjoy!




Chapter 10: aftermath


Brennan sobbed in Angela’s arms for a few minutes, then pulled away, desperately wiping away her tears, angry at herself for breaking down as she had. Once she was sure she was able to speak without her voice catching in her throat, she turned back to Angela.

“You were right.”

“I don’t mean to sound insensitive sweetie, but I told you so.”

“I know, I know. What do I do now?” She looked at Angela pleadingly.

“What do you mean, what do you do now? You go back in there, and tell him the truth! Make him listen to you!”

“I can’t, Ange; not right now. You weren’t there, you didn’t see him. The look in his eyes…I’ve never seen it directed at me before. Usually it’s there when we’re arresting or interrogating suspects.” She looked as though she was about to cry again as his reaction replayed itself unmercifully in her mind.

Angela reached over and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You have to. You need to make it right.”

“Well, he’ll most likely still be angry at me for lying to him.”

“True, but I think he’ll get over that. This…not so much.”

Brennan thought for a moment. She wasn’t ready to face him again; not this soon.

“I’ll come back tomorrow. That’ll give him some time to calm down.”

Angela nodded. “That sounds like a good idea. Do you want me to stay with you or will you be ok tonight?”

Suddenly, she didn’t want to be alone. “Could you stay?”

“Of course. It’ll be a sleepover.” She smiled, trying to cheer Brennan up.

They drove back to the Jeffersonian to pick up Brennan’s car, and Angela promised to be over as soon as she stopped by her place to pick up some essentials.

Brennan sat behind the wheel, staring at the building in front of her but not really seeing it. She didn’t trust herself to drive yet. She had ruined everything. From what she knew, an impending birth was supposed to be a jovial affair. She should have known she wouldn’t have that. She usually didn’t have what normal people had.

She sighed, and took out her keys, staring at them for a moment. Her car key, apartment key, a spare office key, and…a key to Booth’s apartment. She eyed it for a moment. If he hadn’t been so emotional earlier, he probably would have asked for it back. She broke out of her thoughts. She had to get back home before Angela arrived.


She didn’t make it and found Angela waiting in front of her door. Her friend looked concerned.

“I knew I should’ve driven you! Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just needed a minute or two before I drove, that’s all.”

She unlocked her door, and led the way into her apartment, checking the answering machine as she passed it. She wasn’t sure why she had done it. There was no way he’d call her, especially this soon.

Angela noticed the action. “Wishful thinking?” she asked sympathetically.

“Something like that.”

“Well, don’t you worry; we’re going to have a good time tonight, and not think about the bad stuff; only the good, ok?”

Brennan nodded, and Angela tossed her bag on the couch, marching into the kitchen.

“Where do you keep your alcohol? I need to drink,” she called, rummaging through cabinets.

“There’s a bottle of wine in the fridge,” Brennan called back. “Just water for me please.”

“Well, of course,” came the reply.

Brennan crashed on the couch near Angela’s bag. She pulled it to her, hugging it to her chest, and resting her head on it. Her mind couldn’t seem to get rid of earlier events. She felt Angela’s bag dampen and looked down. She was crying again. She needed to get a grip.

Angela returned from the kitchen with her glass of wine and another filled with water for Brennan and spotted her hugging the bag with watery eyes. “Oh, no you don’t!” She grabbed her bag from Brennan’s grasp and thrust the water glass into her hand.

“Drink and be merry!” She followed her own order and downed the wine in her glass.

Brennan stared at her a moment, but obeyed, sipping at the water.

“Ok, now, I was digging through my old books, and came across this. I bought it when my cousin was pregnant.” She dug through her bag and pulled out a book of baby names.

“Ange, I’m not sure I want to do this so soon. At any rate, I should wait until…well, until this gets straightened out. I mean, it shouldn’t just be my decision.”

“Oh, come on, there’s no harm in looking. We’re just browsing. Besides, it always makes for a good time.” She sat on the couch by her friend, and flipped the book to a random page.

“How about Madison for a girl?

Brennan made a face. “I don’t like it.”

“I do, it’s pretty.”

“It’s a city in Wisconsin.”

Angela sighed, then smiled. “Ok. I guess Seattle or Dallas is out of the question then. How about,” she flipped to another random page. “Jacqueline? Jackie for short.”

Brennan shook her head. “No, it sounds too much like Jack. I don’t want to inflate Hodgins’ ego.”

Angela chuckled. “You’re right about that; it’s big enough already. Now you’re getting into the spirit! Here, you pick one you like.” She passed the book to Brennan.

“Hmm, how about Augustus for a boy?”

It was Angela’s turn to make a face. “Augustus? They actually have that name in there?”

“Well, yes, it’s Roman in origin and means ‘great or venerable’.”

“If you name that child Augustus…well, just don’t. Keep looking.”

Brennan skimmed through a few pages.

“Zoya for a girl?”

“That’s a name?”

“Yes, it’s the Russian form of Zoe. It means ‘life’ in Greek.”

“Then why not just say ‘Zoe’? Why does it have to be Zoe in Russian?”

“Because I want him or her to have a different name, something you don’t see all the time.”

“Zoe’s not very common,” Angela pointed out, returning to the kitchen to get herself some more wine.

“True, but Zoya is even less common; at least it is here in America. I don’t know about Russia…” she trailed off as Angela came back, closing the book and placing it on the coffee table.

“All done with names for now?”

“I think so.”

“Don’t worry, you have plenty of time. I just wanted us to have a little fun.”

Brennan gave her a little smile. “It was fun Ange. Thanks for bringing it.”

“Don’t mention it. What should we do now?”

“Normally, you’d be dragging me to a dance club.”

“I know, but I feel like a nice quiet night in.”

“We could do a puzzle,” Brennan suggested.

“Not that quiet.” Angela thought for a moment. “How about a makeover?”

Brennan’s shoulders slumped. “Ange…”

“It’ll be fun. And I just happened to bring supplies.” She dug around in her bag again, pulling out makeup, nail polish, a curling iron, and a cucumber.

Brennan raised an eyebrow at the cucumber. “What’s that for?”

“It’s for your eyes.” She retreated to the kitchen and came back with two cucumber slices.

“Lean back,” she ordered. Brennan did as she was told, and Angela slapped two of the slices over her eyes.

“I’m going to do your nails first, so give me your hand.”

When Angela was finished with her nails, makeup, and hair, she removed the slices from Brennan’s eyes, pulled her up and led her to a mirror.

“Well?” she asked excitedly.

Brennan eyed her new makeup, hair, and nails.

“I look like you,” she said, giving her friend a grin.

Angela laughed. “Yea, well, I thought it would be a new look for you.”

“It is. It isn’t me at all, but I kinda like it.”

“I’m with you there; it isn’t you, but I think you look great!” She gave her friend a little hug, and glanced at the clock.

“It’s getting late. Are you hungry?”

“Not really, but I suppose I should eat something.”

“Yes, you should. You’re eating for two now,” Angela beamed and went into the kitchen to find them both a snack.

They sat on the couch eating crackers and talking. Angela tried and was quite successful at keeping the conversation away from work or anything else that Brennan could connect to Booth. She brought up Brennan’s brother and his family, and Brennan began talking at length about the two girls she had come to call her nieces.

“Bren, can I ask you something? I’m just curious.”

“Sure.”

“What do you want, a boy or a girl? And don’t say you just want it to be healthy either. You gotta have a preference.”

“I think I’d like a girl. I’m interested to see if I can blur the lines between the accepted traditional gender roles. Although, I suppose I could do that with a boy as well. I could start around the age of 2, introducing things that wouldn’t be considered the norm and then…”

Angela gave her a Look and cut in. “You mean like boys playing with dolls and girls playing with trucks?”

“Exactly.”

“Sweetie, this baby isn’t an experiment. It’s a baby, your baby.”

“Our baby,” she whispered, recalling Booth’s words.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. Maybe you’re right. But still, it would be interesting.”

“If you say so. I’m going to turn in. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired.”

Brennan yawned. “Me too. Will you be all right on the couch?”

Angela nodded. They changed clothes and went to bed, sleep overtaking the two of them quickly.

In the morning, Brennan awoke to find it was almost noon. She never slept in that late. She got out of bed and got ready as quickly as she could. She was eager to get over to Booth’s and explain everything. Angela woke up to see her off, telling her to make sure to call her and let her know how everything had gone.

She arrived at his door and knocked, hoping he’d let her in so she wouldn’t have to talk through the door. There was no reply, so she tried again, with no result. She was about to just start talking when she remembered the key. She pulled it out and put it in the lock.

The door swung open and she stepped in. The lights were off, and the place looked deserted. She wandered around, checking all the rooms. There was no sign of him whatsoever. She experienced a moment of panic, before looking at her watch. Of course. He was most likely at work. She shook her head at herself and, locking the door back up behind her, left for the FBI building.

She arrived at his office to find it empty and dark. Swallowing the renewed panicky feeling, she went to Cullen’s office to find out what was going on. She knocked on his office door, and he looked up and motioned her in.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I was wondering where Booth was. I’ve checked his apartment and office and can’t seem to find him.”

Cullen looked surprised. “You don’t know? I figured you’d be the first he’d tell.”

Dread was hanging over Brennan like a storm cloud. “What?”

“He came in early this morning, saying he wanted to use his two weeks of vacation time. Said he needed to get away for awhile. He looked a little off; depressed maybe, I’m not sure, so I granted it. He also put in for a transfer…,” He consulted a paper on his desk. “to Anchorage.” He took in the shock on Brennan’s face. “You really didn’t know, did you?”

Brennan slowly shook her head, and backed out of the office, suddenly not trusting her legs to hold her up. She collapsed in a chair next to the door, and tried not to cry. Her nightmare had come true. And it was all because of her.

noooooooooooooooooooooo! COME BACK BOOTHY!!!

*okay I will not yell.....I will not yell.....I will not yell....*

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
YOU CAN'T JUST LET HIM DISAPPEAR LIKE THAT!!!!
GET HIM BACK NOW!

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE DOING THIS......

maybe I yelled a little....but I really tried not to....

This is a very good story! Keep up the good work! And please write more soon....

ohh i need to update myself with this one....

Thank you so so much to everyone reading!!! I appreciate it a lot. Enjoy!! =)




Chapter 11: complications




Once Brennan had collected herself sufficiently, she stood up, and walked calmly out of the building to her car. Once there, she made several phone calls. The first was to Cam, to tell her that she was taking a personal day.

Even if she did go in, she’d never get anything done. The second call was to Angela, to explain what had happened. Her friend hadn’t said much, just ‘I’ll meet you at your place’ and ‘when does your flight leave?’

After hanging up with her, Brennan thought about flying out there. But, the problem was, she didn’t have an address. He wouldn’t stay with Rebecca and her fiancé. He’d go to a hotel. There was no way she’d find him. Unless, of course he told her. She dialed his cell, hoping he’d pick up. He didn’t, and she left a voicemail, begging him to call her so they could talk.

She didn’t like resorting to begging, but desperate times called for desperate measures. His stubborn streak was shining through, that was for sure. She’d just have to keep trying and hope she could get something out of him.

Then it hit her. She could call Rebecca. They had parted on good terms, unlike she and Tessa, so there was a possibility of getting some information out of her. She knew she had Rebecca’s number at home, so she pulled out and drove home.

Angela was again waiting for her when she arrived, and hugged her the moment she saw her. “Don’t worry, everything will work out. It’s always darkest before the dawn.”

“I hope you’re right. I finally had him. I was so stupid to let him go.” Brennan unlocked the door and let them in. The first thing she noticed upon entering was the blinking light on her answering machine. She practically dove for it, punching the play button much harder than she’d had to.

“Temperance, it’s me. I just wanted to let you know I’m in Anchorage and I got here ok. Don’t call me cause I won’t answer. I just can’t talk to you yet. Bye.”

Angela blinked at the hollow voice on the machine. “Wow, he is way pissed.”

“Don’t remind me.” Brennan sat on the couch. “I deserve it though.” She was relieved that he had gotten there all right, but his voice had been so cold. And he’d used her first name; a sure indication that he was still angry with her. She got up again, and dug through a basket on a table by the door until she found the paper that had Rebecca’s number on it.

“I’ll make you something to eat, ok?” Angela offered.

“Thanks Ange.” She wasn’t really hungry. In fact, the complete opposite. She didn’t feel well, and she had no idea if it was the stress, or the pregnancy. Probably both.

She picked up the phone and dialed.

It rang twice, and a little boy’s voice reached her ear.

“Hello?”

“Parker?”

“Who is it?”

“It’s Dr. Bones. Listen, can I talk to your mom please?”

The phone clunked as Parker put it down and a moment later Rebecca picked up.

“Hello?”

“Rebecca, hi, it’s Dr. Brennan.”

“Oh, hi! I take it Seeley gave you our number.”

“Yes, just in case.”

“What can I do for you?” she asked in a friendly tone.

“Has he talked to you yet? I know he’s there.”

“Yea, he stopped by to see Parker. He said he’s here for two weeks. He’s waiting for a transfer to come through apparently.”

“Yes, look, I need to know where he’s staying. It’s important.”

Rebecca sensed the urgency in Brennan’s voice and gave her the address to the hotel Booth was staying at.

Brennan wrote it down, closing her eyes in relief. “Rebecca, thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“No problem Dr. Brennan. Maybe we’ll see you soon?”

“Yea. Good-bye Rebecca.”

“Good-bye.” They hung up and Brennan immediately set about making flight arrangements.

“I can’t get out for three days, Ange!” She sat down at the table, frustrated.

“I’m sorry sweetie. It’ll be ok; all of it. In the meantime, eat!” She set some pasta in front of Brennan.

“Ange, I don’t know. Even looking and thinking about food makes me feel sick.”

“Just try some, please. You need to eat. If you don’t, it’s bad for you and the baby.”

“I know. I just…” She lifted the fork and took a small bite. Angela beamed. “There that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“No, it’s pretty good. Thank you.” She managed to eat a half plateful, which resulted in her being sick for half the night. This continued for the next two days, until the morning of her flight. She had just woken up, and Angela brought her some plain crackers, which she didn’t keep down either.

“How about some ice cubes?” Angela asked, growing worried.

“No, I can’t even keep water down, remember?”

“Ok, a little morning sickness, fine. But this is not normal. It can’t be. You’re going to the doctor. I’m making an appointment now.” She went into the living room to make the call.

“It needs to be early. My flight leaves at six,” Brennan called after her weakly. She had never felt so bad in her life, at least that she could remember. She only hoped it was nothing. A flu bug that had stuck around a little too long.

When they arrived at the doctor’s office later that morning, Brennan discovered she was feeling very apprehensive about the whole thing. She turned to Angela.

“Are you positive this is necessary? It’s most likely just the flu.”

“For three days? I just wanna get you checked out. Please, do it for me.”

Brennan nodded her head and when her name was called she and Angela followed the nurse to a small exam room, where her vitals were taken.

“Your blood pressure’s higher than we’d normally like expectant moms to have,” the nurse said. “Have you been experiencing any stress lately?”

“Yes,” Brennan replied.

The nurse jotted down some notes in the file. “The doctor will be a couple of minutes. Just wait here.” She left.

“Ange…” Brennan held out her hand, and at once felt Angela squeezing it tight.

The doctor arrived and performed the exam. “Well, the high blood pressure is high, so we’re going to have to monitor that very closely. There’s a chance it could develop into preeclampsia later on if we don’t get it under control.” He glanced at the file. “Stress related. Well, between that and the vomiting, you need bed rest. And lots of it. Starting now. I want you in every week to get that blood pressure checked. Until it’s down you stay in bed and rest.”

“What? No, I have a flight to Alaska tonight. I can’t miss it!”

“I’m sorry, but absolutely no flying.”

“But, you don’t understand. It’s imperative that I get there!”

She felt Angela’s hand on her arm. “I’m sorry Bren.” She looked at the doctor. “I’ll watch over her.” She then pulled her friend to her feet and led her out of the room and the clinic.

Once they were back at Brennan’s Angela put her in bed and gave her some ice chips to suck on.

“Try and keep them down, sweetie. I’ll be right back ok? I need to get some more stuff from my place.”

Brennan nodded, and rolled over to try and sleep. She felt defeated and just wanted to forget for a moment that all this was happening.

Angela went to her apartment to pack another bag, but afterwards headed to the Jeffersonian. The boys and Cam had been left out of the loop for long enough. She gathered them all in her office, and spilled the whole story.

“Wow,” was all Hodgins could say.

“How is she doing?” Zach asked.

“She’s devastated, of course. I just had to tell you guys.”

“I’m glad you did. She doesn’t have to worry about coming in. We can handle everything for awhile. And you just take care of her,” Cam said.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I will. I better get back to her. I’ll keep in touch with you guys, ok?”

She left and went back, thinking about her earlier words to Brennan.

“It’s always darkest before the dawn,” she repeated aloud. If that was the truth, then it had to be about midnight right now.

maybe Angela should call Booth.....tell him what happened and make him come back to Brennan and the baby.....but there still is the problem with Parker in Alaska.....how will you make all this right again?
PPS

aagghh, there has to be a way to reach him...make him listen to how stupid she was acting......

great writting...enjoying the story

holy crap..this is a brilliant story..please come back and finish..i need to know what happens next.....

Hey everyone! Another huge thank you for the comments! They're always appreciated. I promise everything will be ok in the end. Enjoy!! =)




Chapter 12: a glimpse of the son

The weeks went by. Brennan tried calling Booth’s cell phone every day at first, but gradually allowed a couple of days in between each attempt. Being in bed all day, there wasn’t a whole lot she could do. Angela had bought her some sort of gaming device called a DS, along with some games that were meant to be mentally stimulating. They helped, and she did get quite a bit of work done on her latest novel.

Although she tried to cover it up, Angela could tell she was still hurting inside over what had happened. She tried her best to cheer her friend up, but even her strongest attempts didn’t stick.

At the two week mark, the day Booth was due back, she’d called his home number, and left a message asking him to come over and see her. She had hung up asking herself why she hadn’t told him what was going on over the phone, but then again, she figured he wouldn’t listen to her message anyway; he’d probably delete it the second he heard her voice. Since he never showed, she figured she had been right.

Angela had talked to Cullen, gleaning information from him that the transfer had gone through, and that Booth would leave again in another three days, after making arrangements for his belongings. When she’d told Brennan, her face had remained blank, only her eyes giving away the pain she felt inside.

Angela, had, of course, offered to go over to Booth’s and throttle him into listening to her, but Brennan had declined. Although Angela was taking care of her, and listening to her when she needed to talk, the situation was ultimately her own, and she alone was responsible for taking care of it.

That had been weeks ago, and Brennan diligently kept up her phone calls, still hopeful because, at least, he hadn’t had his number changed. She went in every week with Angela to get her blood pressure checked and every week was sentenced to more time in bed. At least she was keeping food down now. She felt better and stronger with every day that passed.

The days began to melt together for her, and finally one afternoon, Angela breezed into the bedroom with Brennan’s shoes and jacket.

“Let’s go to the clinic.”

“Is it time for a blood pressure check already?”

“Yep, and something else. An ultrasound!”

“So soon?”

“Sweetie, you’re beginning your second trimester. It’s high time. Now come on!” She helped Brennan off the bed and looked at her with a smile.

“What?”

“I know it sounds so clichéd, but you’re glowing.”

Brennan looked in the mirror. “No, I’m not. I look the same, except I’m starting to show.”

Angela’s smile grew as she rubbed Brennan’s bump. “My little niece or nephew is in there!” she said happily. “Now, come on, let’s go see him or her.” She helped Brennan into her coat and shoes and they left.

After her name had been called and her blood pressure checked (still high) the sonogram tech got her prepped.

“Oh, this is so exciting!” Angela said, squeezing Brennan’s hand.

“Thanks for coming with me Ange, and staying with me.”

“Well of course! I couldn’t do anything else.”

“I am glad you’re here, but…” she trailed off. She was glad Angela was there, it was just that someone else should have been there instead.

“And there’s your baby!” the tech said cheerfully. Both women peered at the monitor.

“Oh, my god, it looks just like you Bren!” Angela said.

Brennan’s brow furrowed. She failed to see any resemblance. “No, it doesn’t. It looks like a baby.” She reached out and touched the picture of the baby’s head on the monitor.

“Everything looks good so far. I heard your B.P.’s a little high.”

“I’m following the doctor’s orders,” Brennan assured her.

“That’s good. If you don’t mind my asking, how was your in vitro experience? Most couples are quite satisfied with it.”

“Oh, we’re not together…we didn’t…” Brennan tried to answer.

“She conceived the old fashioned way…with a man,” Angela said with a grin.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I need to quit jumping to conclusions. Well, we got five fingers, five toes. Do you want to know the sex?”

“Yes,” Brennan said at the same time Angela said “No.” They glanced at each other.

“If you wanna know, it’s perfectly fine. It’s your choice. Actually, I think I’d like to know too. That way I know whether to buy pink stuff or blue stuff.”

“It doesn’t matter either way Ange.”

“It matters to me. If it’s a boy, I don’t want to be responsible for putting him in pink clothes.”

“Tell us,” Brennan said.

“You’re having a boy!” Brennan couldn’t stop the smile that came to her face at those words. She was having a boy.

“Oooo, I’m gonna have a nephew!” Angela gave Brennan’s hand another tight squeeze.

“Do you want a picture and DVD of the sonogram?” the tech asked.

Brennan nodded. She wanted to show everyone her little boy.

They left the hospital, and Angela called the Jeffersonian, inviting the guys and Cam over after they were finished working for the day.

“They’ll be over at seven,” she announced, watching Brennan play Brain Age. “I knew that DS was a good idea.” She headed into the kitchen to make some snacks.

The sonogram viewing was doubling as a baby shower of sorts. Angela had decided to take advantage of Brennan’s good mood after the trip to the clinic, and had told everyone that they were getting a nephew and to bring presents. When they arrived, she helped Brennan move to the couch. She looked at the brightly wrapped packages and gave them all a Look.

“You didn’t have to do this.”

“Of course we did; it’s a baby shower!” Hodgins said. “Now, let’s have a look at that nephew of mine.” They all joined her on the couch and Angela popped in the DVD, glad that Brennan had invested in a player.

There was a loud chorus of ‘awwwws’ as the baby appeared.

“I can’t see him,” Zach complained. Cam stood up and pointed out the baby’s head. “There’s his head, hands, and his…you know.”

“Wow, he’s gonna be a lady pleaser when he gets older,” Hodgins stated.

“Hey, that’s my son you’re talking about!” Brennan said, unable to help the smile that appeared as she said the words ‘my son’.

“Yea, Jack,” Angela said, swatting him on the arm as Cam elbowed him in the ribs.

“What? I mean, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

“I don’t understand,” Zach said, confused about the whole thing.

After the DVD, Angela got up. “Present time!” She trotted over to the pile and picked one up.
“This one’s from Cam.”

Brennan opened the package and found three blue sleepers, as well as a blue cap and a rattle.

“Thank you Cam, it’s all very cute. And so small.” Brennan stared at the sleepers. They were just so tiny.

“You’re welcome. And I thought it would be best to get something small, so it would fit him.” She smiled at Brennan’s amazement.

Brennan turned to Angela. “Is he really going to be this small? I mean, I know babies are small. I’ve seen a lot of them. But this small?”

“Yep, sweetie, he’ll be that small. But he’ll grow.” She grabbed the next present. “This one’s from Zach. He brought two.”

Brennan peeled off the paper and pulled out a teddy bear. It was worn and looked quite old. She looked at Zach, curious for an explanation.

“It used to be mine when I was a child. It helped me get through a lot of hard times, like when I was afraid of storms. I thought he could use it too.”

“Oh, Zach.” Brennan could feel her eyes get glassy. Damn hormones. “You didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to. He’s my nephew after all, right?”

“Always.” She leaned over, pulling him into a hug. “Thank you.” Angela handed her the second gift from Zach. This box contained several bibs and some bottles.

“Thank you. I’ll certainly be needing these.” She gave him a smile, which he returned.

“This one’s from me.” Angela handed her another package, which was promptly unwrapped to reveal more baby clothes, a baby blanket, a CD of classical music, a gift card, and a breast pump. She held up the pump and raised an eyebrow at her friend. Angela shrugged.

“You might need it.”

“What’s the gift card for?”

“Maternity clothes. I thought as soon as you get this blood pressure thing under control we could go shopping.”

Brennan enveloped her friend in a hug. “Thank you Ange.”

“Hey, you know me; any excuse to go shopping.”

Angela glanced over at Hodgins. “Where’s your gift Jack? I told you to bring it here.”

He ignored her, instead reaching into his pocket and pulling out two pieces of paper. He handed the smaller piece to her first.

She unfolded it and gasped, looking at him wide eyed. “This is a blank check.”

“Yea. I figured, you know, you’re gonna need baby furniture. I couldn’t think of anything else to get you. I’m no good at picking out baby clothes and that kind of stuff.”

The tears threatened to fall again and this time they did. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tightly. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem. Go crazy.” He paused looking at her, and gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead. “You deserve it.” He handed her the other paper.

“What’s this?” She unfolded it, and looked at him quizzically. “It’s a flight confirmation. I can’t go anywhere. Doctor’s orders.”

“Actually, it’s me who’s going somewhere. Look.”

She did, her tears continued to fall, staining the paper. “You’re going to Anchorage.”

“Yep, and I’m not coming back alone either. I don’t care what it takes.”

“It’s not your problem Hodgins.”

“Yes, it is. Your problems are our problems. We’re a family. All of us. We share good times and bad. This is bad, and it’s gone on long enough. We’re missing a family member, and I intend to bring him back.”

She hugged him then, and Angela, Zach, and even Cam joined in. When they pulled apart, Angela turned to Hodgins.

“I’m going with you. Cam, can you keep an eye on Bren while we’re gone please.”

Cam nodded. “Of course.”

“When’s the flight?” Angela asked.

“Two days. It leaves at eight p.m. I’ll get you a ticket and pick you up.”

Angela nodded. They all stayed a little while longer, and then everyone dispersed. When their guests were gone, Brennan sighed.

“I didn’t mean to cry so much. My hormones are all over the place.”

“It happens,” Angela said.

“I just wish he were here now. He missed the sonogram, the party…”

“Maybe, but if Jack and I have anything to say about it, he won’t miss anything else. I don’t care if I have to shoot with a tranquilizer gun, tie him up and strap him to the roof of the plane; he’s coming home to you.”

“Do you think he still cares about me?”

“Yes, I do. He’s just having a hard time with this. We’ll set him straight, don’t worry. Everything will be all right.” She felt confident as she said this. Everything would be all right. It had to be.

jremme wrote:Everything would be all right. It had to be.

that's what I say the whole time.....noone is listening to me.....
I really hope that Hodgins and Angela can bring him back.....but we need Parker too.....it's not the same without Parker.....

Hello all who are reading!! Hope you all are still liking this. I know it's a bit hard to read at times, but all will be good in the end. If you haven't figured it out by now, as far as I'm concerned, the finale never happened. I'm too much of a Zach fan to face reality just yet, particularly when it comes to my fics. Please, enjoy!! =)




Chapter 13: confessions


The evening of their flight, Angela sat in Brennan’s living room with her suitcase, awaiting a call from Hodgins so she could call Cam.

“Did you remember to pack the DVD of the sonogram?” Brennan’s voice asked beside her.

“Oh, no, thanks for reminding me.” Angela got up and grabbed the DVD from the shelf and placed it carefully in her suitcase. They waited.

“I should be going instead of you,” Brennan said with a frustrated sigh.

“You would if you could; we all understand that.”

“Did you pack my letter?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Silence prevailed again, and both women started when Angela’s phone rang. She quickly flipped it open. “I’m ready. Get over here; let’s get this show on the road.” She disconnected the call, and punched in Cam’s number.

When she got off the phone with Cam, she turned back to Brennan. “I’ll call as soon as the plane lands, ok?”

“All right.”

“Cam will take you to your appointment tomorrow. And Zach said he’d take a cab over to visit. He wasn’t clear when, so expect him to drop by.”

Brennan nodded, and the sound of a fist on the door greeted her ears. Angela answered it and let Hodgins in. “Cam here yet?”

“No, I just called her. She’ll be here soon.”

Hodgins stepped inside. “I wish I had a gun.”

“You’d never get past airport security. Besides, Booth’s a much better shot than you are. I think he could take you down before you could blink,” Brennan pointed out.

“Probably, but I could still threaten.” Hodgins folded his arms.

“We can do that without a gun,” Angela told him evenly. “Besides, I’m pretty sure Bren doesn’t want him damaged.” She glanced at her friend.

“I’d prefer him undamaged, yes.”

“I’m not making any promises. The guy’s my friend and a part of our odd little family, but you take precedence.” Hodgins stepped over to her and wrapped her in a hug.

The door was knocked upon a second time, and Hodgins opened it to reveal Cam and Zach. They stepped in and Brennan greeted both.

“I wasn’t expecting you so soon Zach.”

“I called Cam and asked if she could pick me up. I don’t want to be left out of the proverbial loop.” Like Cam, he was carrying a suitcase, which he placed next to the sofa. Cam followed suit.

“Ok, we’re off!” Hodgins and Angela gave Brennan goodbye hugs, and left.

Cam seated herself next to Brennan, Zach sitting on the other side. “So,” she said. “Have you picked out a name yet?”

“Well, now that I know it’s a boy, I still like Augustus. Angela didn’t like it much though.”

“Ugh, me either. No offense.”

“None taken. Knowing Booth, I doubt he’d like it, and I would like his opinion before I make a final decision.” Her voice held a note of hope that made Cam and Zach smile.

“I like Augustus. It’s a nice strong name,” Zach commented.

Brennan gestured to him. “That’s exactly what I thought.”

“What about Mark?” Cam asked.

Brennan shook her head.

“Benjamin?” Zach suggested.

“Now, that one I like.” She grabbed the baby name book off the coffee table and flipped to the name. “It means ‘son of my right hand’ or ‘favorite son’.”

“Wouldn’t work,” Cam said.

“Why not?” Brennan and Zach asked together.

“Because it’s too many B’s. Doesn’t sound right.”

Brennan tried the name out loud. “Benjamin Brennan. It doesn’t sound that bad.”

Cam winced inwardly at the fact that Brennan had clearly decided that the baby was taking her name. She was sure Booth would have something to say about that.

“Ben Brennan kind of does though,” she pointed out. “Like a mini tongue twister. And depending on what middle name you pick, it could be even worse. I’m not gonna tell you what to name him. I’m just making suggestions.”

“Well, it’s on my short list. Thank you Zach for thinking of it.” She gave his hand a squeeze.

Zach smiled. “You’re welcome Dr. Brennan. Do you by any chance have a sleeping bag?”


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Hodgins and Angela were sitting in their seats as the plane flew high in the sky. Angela had a lot of nervous energy and she was attempting to get rid of it by bouncing her leg and by periodically digging her nails into Hodgins’ arm.

“Calm down! Everything’s gonna be fine. Although, it just occurred to me that we don’t know where in Anchorage Booth is.” His brow knit in sudden frustration.

“I took care of it.” Angela reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the piece of paper Brennan had that contained Rebecca’s phone number and address. “We’ll just ask Rebecca first. Then we’ll go from there.”

“Sounds like a plan. An open ended plan, but a plan.” He settled further into his seat, groaning when the artist’s nails once again dug unmercifully into his forearm. “Cut that out!”

“Sorry. I’m still nervous. I mean, I want to do it, and I know it needs to be done, but I don’t wanna be too mad at him, you know?”

“No, I don’t know.”

“Look, Jack. What he did was going a bit far; I’ll be the first to admit that. But, look at things from Booth’s point of view. What he must have felt, must still be feeling. He made a bad choice, but so did Bren.”

“Still, a man is supposed to take care of those he loves, no matter what stupid choices they make. He had a responsibility to her.”

Angela gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t let her know you said that. She’d think it was all alpha-maleish, or something like that.”

Hodgins exhaled loudly. “Not a word.”

“She’s due in five months,” Angela said, changing topics.

“Think she’ll bring him to the lab?”

“I bet she will; all the time. We’ll have to take turns babysitting him.” Angela grinned at the prospect. Her nephew was going to be spoiled! “I can take him shopping, show him how to fingerpaint when he gets older.”

“I’ll buy him his first ant farm,” Hodgins said, a faraway look in his eyes as he pictured it.



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Brennan was still on the couch, Cam beside her. Zach had moved to the floor in Brennan’s sleeping bag. All three were getting tired, but had vowed to stay awake until receiving a call from their friends.

“Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea,” Cam said yawning. “It’s going to be hours.”

“We can do it,” Zach said, his drooping eyes betraying the confidence in his words.

Brennan nodded in agreement and looked down at her stomach. “I wonder what he’ll look like. Angela still insists the fetus looks like me, but that’s impossible.”

“I imagine he’ll have your hair and Booth’s eyes,” Cam said. “Personality wise, heaven help us either way.”

Brennan gave her a half-hearted glare. “I want him to be strong, to be able to withstand the bad things life can bring, but still be able to fully enjoy and embrace the good.”

“He will if we all have anything to say about it,” Cam said with a comforting smile.

Brennan nodded and stared at the phone. Couldn’t the plane fly any faster? She knew the thought was irrational, but all the same, she was anxious to hear from them.



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When Angela and Hodgins arrived at the airport, Hodgins glanced at the huge digital numbers on the wall. “Wow. Eight o’clock! It’s like we never left!”

“That would be the time difference, Jack.” Angela rolled her eyes with a smirk. Jack Hodgins was extremely intelligent, but sometimes, he could be so dense.

“Yea. I know.” He looked a little sheepish, but followed her to baggage claim. “I was just making a joke was all.”

As soon as they had their bags, Angela whipped out her phone and called Brennan.

“Hey there sweetie! We’re here…still at the airport. I wanted to call you right away…It’s eight here. We’re gonna get rooms and get settled. I think it’s a bit late to do anything tonight…I know, but I just don’t think that by the time we get situated that…ok, I promise we’ll do something tonight…Get some sleep now, all right?” She closed her phone and they rented a car and found a hotel.

After putting his suitcase on the small table in his room, Hodgins crashed on the bed. He was getting tired. He was just starting to doze off when there was an insistent pounding on his door. He opened it to find a wide awake Angela.

“I promised Bren we’d do something tonight, so let’s go to Rebecca’s and get Booth’s address.”

Hodgins let out a yawn, beginning to feel the four hour time difference. “Ok.” He followed her sluggishly out the door.

They arrived at Rebecca’s and observed the lights on the windows. They were home and awake. They walked purposefully up the walk and Angela knocked. A man answered.

Jack appeared confused, thrown off guard, but Angela knew about the fiancé and opened her mouth to speak, but the man in the doorway beat her to it.

“I’m sorry, but we’re not the market for a new vacuum cleaner or religion. Thank you all the same though.” He moved to shut the door, but Angela shoved a foot between them and the door.

“We need to see Rebecca. It’s important.” She accompanied her bright smile with a commanding tone of voice and eyes that dared him to deny her.

He swallowed under her intense gaze. “Come on in.” They followed him into a cozy living room, nothing too spacious, and he gestured to a couch. When they were seated, he went into the kitchen and came out with Rebecca, who looked from one to the other, not recognizing them.

“How can I help you both?” she asked.

Jack started to talk, but Angela silenced him with a Look. “We’re friends of Dr. Brennan’s, and we really need Booth’s address.”

“Why?”

“Because we need to bring him back!” Hodgins exclaimed. Maybe a little too loudly, because a door opened in the hallway, and small feet padded out to the living room at the sound of his voice.

Angela shot Hodgins a glare. “Hey Parker!” she said with a smile. She’d met him once when Booth had needed to stop by the lab after picking him up. Parker, however, had been more interested in the bug man, and it was to Hodgins that his eyes were immediately drawn.

“Dr. Jack!” He ran over to him. “Did you bring some beetles with you?” He looked around as though looking for said beetles.

“Not this time pal. Sorry.”

Parker looked slightly disappointed but turned to Angela giving her a shy smile and a wave. “Is Dr. Bones here?” he asked.

“She couldn’t come this time, but I’m sure she’ll come and visit as soon as she can.” Angela returned Parker’s smile. The kid was just adorable.

Rebecca looked at her fiancé. “Can you…” she nodded toward Parker, and the man got up and took the child back to his room. Then she turned to Hodgins and Angela.

“What’s all this about? Really? Because I’m not getting anything out of Seeley, and I know him well enough to know something’s up. So, tell me, and I’ll tell you what you need to know.”

Angela and Hodgins exchanged a look, each silently asking the other what they should do. Concluding that they really didn’t have a choice, they told Rebecca the whole story. She didn’t interrupt them, not even once, and when they finished, they searched her face for a reaction.

“My god. What a mess,” she breathed.

“Understatement of the century,” Hodgins muttered. “Now make with the address cause I’m tired.”

“Never mind him. You’re doing us all a huge favor,” Angela said, smiling at the other woman.

“Just make sure this gets straightened out. And just between us, we might be moving back.”

Angela’s eyes bugged out of her head. Beside her, Hodgins had much the same reaction. She took in their faces and clarified.

“Nothing’s final yet. We’ve just been talking very intermittently about it. We’re going to give it another few months first, then go from there.”

Angela nodded, understanding. She couldn’t tell Booth or Brennan. It would get their hopes up. She took the paper Rebecca had scrawled the address on and gave her thanks. Hodgins nodded politely to her and they said their goodbyes, heading back to their hotel rooms for some much needed sleep.

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After Angela had called, the three in Brennan’s apartment turned in for the night. Cam had insisted on helping Brennan into bed, but she had declined. She was already comfortable and wanted to stay on the couch. She gave Cam permission to take the bed, and lay there in the dark, tired but not falling asleep.

A voice cut into her inner thoughts. “Dr. Brennan?”

“Yes Zach?”

“Are you scared?”

“About the baby?”

“Yes.”

Brennan thought for a moment, considering how much to divulge. In the end, she went for it, needing someone to talk to with Angela gone. “Honestly, I’m terrified. There are so many things to consider even now. A name, the nursery, a hospital, the birth. And after all that’s over, the concerns grow tenfold. I can’t understand how Booth and Rebecca got through it all with Parker; how they deal with it all now.”

She paused, then said quietly, “I’m not sure I’ll be a good mother.”

Silence. Then, “You will be. Every female has an inherent instinct to protect their offspring and keep them alive in order to carry on the species.”

“I know I can do that aspect of it. I was referring more to the emotional part. The outward expressions of love and affection, the little things.”

“I believe some of those things will come naturally for you. The rest, you’ll have to practice. But, you’ll get better at them and more comfortable with them the more you do them. The same, I think, can be said for a lot of things you’ve done in your life. Speaking for myself, my skills as a forensic anthropologist greatly improved the longer I practiced. And what I didn’t learn from books, I learned from you. The same principal can most likely be applied to motherhood.”

She could just picture his eyes searching the ceiling as he talked, a finger going to his chin as he thought about what he was telling her. “I think you may be correct Zach. It takes time to be really good at something, but you learned from me. I don’t have anyone to learn from.”

She thought of her mother. Mothers were supposed to help their daughters when they became mothers themselves. She felt a pang in her heart that, although always there, manifested itself more strongly at times. This was one of those times.

“We’ll help you. I’ll study books, and Booth will be here to help you out.”

She sniffed. “That’s right, he will be. I’m still frightened though. A nurse told me at the clinic it’s natural for all mothers to be afraid, especially first time mothers. But, it seems so irrational to be afraid. The baby’s going to come and no amount of fear is going to change that.”

She heard movement, and then saw the outline of his hand as he placed something soft near her arm. “Here. Maybe this will help. Logically, I know it makes no sense, but even so.”

She put her hand around the teddy bear and gave it a squeeze, pulling it close to her. Oddly, she felt a sense of peace engulf her. “Thank you Zach.”

“You’re welcome. Good night Dr. Brennan.”

She yawned, suddenly feeling ready to sleep. “Good night Zach.”

Woow.... Please post soon another chapter.... I can't wait until they meet!!!!

It finally looks like it is getting better again.....
I only hope that he will listen to what they have to say....and come back with them to help Brennan during pregnancy.....and even Parker will maybe be back in DC in a few months.....
can't wait for more!
PPS

oh man....no more story.....jusst catching up and it stops right at an cliffie....you are mean....write more

Thanks as always for the awesome comments! I'm so glad people are reading this. Enjoy! =)





Chapter 14: mission

Hodgins awoke from a pleasant dream by a pounding on his room door. He got out of bed and shuffled to it, looking in the peephole although he already knew who it was.

He glanced back at the clock on the bedside table before opening it to reveal Angela, fist raised to knock again.

“It’s not even six a.m. Angela. I doubt Booth’s even awake yet.”

“I know, but it’s almost ten in DC and Bren called me, which woke me up, and I wanted to share my fatigue with you.”

“How thoughtful. Come on in.” He moved aside so she could enter, and crashed back into bed. “You can watch me sleep for a few more hours.”

Angela sat but kept her eyes on him.

“I can’t sleep with you staring at me.”

“Then maybe you should get up.”

“No. How’s Brennan doing?”

“She’s doing all right. She’s incredibly impatient, but that’s understandable.”

“Do you think he’ll come back?”

“Yes. We’re not taking ‘no’ for an answer, of course, but he’ll want to come back. He’s not going to miss this baby being born, no matter what.”

“He’ll still be mad at her for lying to him though,” Hodgins pointed out.

“Well, he’ll have to get over it. And he will.” She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. “You want to grab some breakfast?”

Hodgins sighed and sat up. “Yea. Give me a half hour. I’ll meet you out front.” He headed to the bathroom to shower and Angela went back to her own room.

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When Brennan woke up she immediately called Angela to get an update. She was told they hadn’t seen Booth yet, but had gotten his address from Rebecca. Brennan still had mixed feelings about Rebecca, feeling that she had set the whole string of events in motion, but was comforted by the fact that she was on her side.

She remained on the couch, Zach still asleep on the floor, still holding the teddy bear close to her. She had nothing to do that day except another trip to the doctor’s for a blood pressure check. She really didn’t see the point. It would still be high. She had a feeling in the back of her mind that only one thing would bring it down.

Thinking about him made her, for the first time, worry about his return. She was sure he’d come back, for the baby, but he’d most likely be angry with her for lying to him. And did he even still want to be with her? He might still care for her, as Angela thought, but he’d cared about her before all this. She got a sudden awful vision about things being awkward between them. That was the last thing she wanted.

“You’re thinking too much,” said a voice from the floor.

“Good morning Zach. How do you know?”



“I could tell by observing your facial expression and the way your fingers are digging into the bear.”

“Perhaps I am thinking too much about this whole thing.”

“Just calm yourself and ‘go with the flow’. Thinking and worrying isn’t going to accomplish anything.”

“You’re right. I was being senseless.”

“When my mother was pregnant with my youngest sister she went to a massage therapist. She said it really helped her relax.”

“I could use some relaxation. I’ll have to clear it with my obstetrician first, since I’m supposed to just stay in bed.”

Cam came out from Brennan’s room, hearing the voices. “Anyone up for breakfast? I’ll cook.”

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After an early breakfast, Angela and Hodgins got in their rental car and went to stake out Booth’s apartment building. Angela had wanted to go in right then, but Hodgins had convinced her that it would be a bad idea to wake Booth up, if he was still asleep, so they agreed to just sit it out and wait.

For awhile they stared at the main entrance.

“What exactly are we waiting for?” Angela asked.

“I don’t know. If he comes out, I guess we’ll chase him down. Otherwise, we’re just waiting for a more appropriate hour.”



As time passed, Hodgins dozed off and Angela skimmed through the paperback novel she’d brought along. When she became bored with that, she started people watching. It was now after eight, and people were starting to leave for work.

She took note of a few good looking men leaving and then her eye caught a woman entering the building, the only one to do so. She was tall with blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. She also looked professional, dressed in a skirt suit and heels, just high enough to still be in good taste. She walked confidently to the door, nearly colliding with another woman who was on her way out. Angela had to laugh.

The noise woke Hodgins. “What’s going on?”

“I think we’re good to go. It’s past eight.”

Hodgins yawned and stretched. “All right, let’s do this thing. You got Brennan’s note and the DVD?”

“In my purse.” Angela patted her bag. “Let’s go.”



They entered the building, and Angela consulted the paper Rebecca had given them the previous night. “Upstairs, third floor.” They trooped up the stairs and stood in front of the door.

“Guess we should knock,” Hodgins said.

“What happened to going in there, guns- a- blazing?”

Hodgins shrugged, his earlier confidence clearly out the window. “Booth can be kinda scary when he wants to be.”

“Ok, Zach.” Angela knocked on the door.

Nothing.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Angela muttered, and knocked louder.

This time the door opened, and there he was. “Angela? Hodgins? What are you guys doing here?” His face flickered with concern for a brief moment. “Temperance, is she ok?”

“No, she’s not ok!” Hodgins broke in. Seeing Booth’s face, he amended. “She’s alive, but she’s not ok.”

He looked from one to the other, debating on whether to let them in or not. “I’m kinda busy here. Any way we could chat later?”

“Let us in,” Angela said point blank. She wasn’t messing around here.

He looked like he was going to refuse, but then relented, throwing the door open so they could come in. He wasn’t alone.

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After breakfast, Cam and Zach accompanied Brennan to the clinic for her checkup. They took her blood pressure and set up a fetal heart monitor.

“Everything sounds good,” Dr. Mary McEnroe said. “A good strong heartbeat on the little guy. Thought of any names yet?”

“Right now I’m considering Benjamin or Augustus, but that could change.”

“Augustus, huh? That’s…different. Unfortunately, though, your blood pressure’s still high. You need to try and cut down on the stress. Are you resting?”

“Yes I am.” The doctor looked to Cam and Zach for confirmation.

“She is,” Cam reassured. “We’ve got people working on the stress thing as we speak.”

“All right, but we have to get this down soon. It’s making a little progress, but not as much as I’d like. Keep up the bed rest and we’ll see where we’re at next week.”

“Doctor?” Brennan halted her as she turned to leave. Dr. McEnroe turned around. “I was wondering if it would be all right if I were to get a massage.”

“That would be perfectly all right. It might help things too. Here, if you wait a minute, I can get you the name of a good masseuse. A lot of the expectant mothers around here go to her.”

She left and came back with a business card, which she handed to Brennan. “I’ll see you next week, Temperance.”

“Well, let’s go and get you some relaxation,” Cam said, and she and Zach helped Brennan out to the car.

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“You! I saw you in the parking lot! Who the hell are you?” Angela directed a narrow-eyed gaze to the woman sitting on the couch, a cup of coffee on the table in front of her. At Angela’s statement, she got up and held a hand out, which Angela didn’t take. Hodgins did, however, and earned himself an elbow in his ribs.



“I’m Olivia Hansen. Seeley and I are working on a case. And you are?”

Angela turned to Booth before Hodgins could reply. “You have a new partner?! It’s only been a few months, and you just pack it up and forget about us, forget about Brennan?!”

He didn’t say anything, so she rounded on Olivia. “You. Out. Now.”

“I don’t have to go anywhere. Who do you think you are, just showing up and bossing me around?”

“Out!”

Olivia looked from Booth to Hodgins. Booth was looking at his shoes, but Hodgins said,

“I’d listen to her. She’s an artist. They’re pretty unpredictable. No telling what she’ll do.”



Olivia glanced at Booth again, throwing him a small smile. “I’ll call you.” Then she left, closing the door behind her. Angela followed her, opening the door and calling down the hallway after her.

“You’d better not!”

Once she had shut the door, Booth turned to her. “You had no right to do that. Either of you. You just come storming in here, bossing Olivia around in my home, and you bring up the past right in front of her too! What the hell is the matter with you?”

Angela stared at him with wide eyes. “Me? What the hell’s the matter with me? What the hell’s the matter with you? How could you even think about taking off like you did? And with only one phone call? Why wouldn’t you even talk to her? She is an absolute wreck without you!”

Hodgins, listening to her tirade, only backed up behind her and let her talk. Angela had things under control.

“Look, she’s a strong person. I’m sure she’s fine without me. She’s lived most of her life without me. Besides, if she can do what she did without even informing me, then that just further proves she doesn’t need me. She can handle herself.”

Hodgins took Angela’s moment of silence to speak. “Yes, she is a strong person, but there’s only so much any one person can take. You were one of the most important people in her life, if not the most important, and you left her when she needed you most.”

“She killed our baby and didn’t even let me know she was going to do it. How do you look someone in the eye after that?”

Angela and Hodgins exchanged a look. Time for the truth.

“She didn’t kill him,” Angela said, meeting his eyes. She could see the hurt in them before her statement sunk in, and once it did, they took on a look of pure shock, the pain still there, but taking a back seat to the new emotion.

“What?” he asked quietly. “She didn’t…why would she lie like that?” The shock subsided a bit and the hurt came back, along with irritation at the lie.



In answer, Angela pulled out the note and the DVD. She handed them to him. She wondered if she and Hodgins shouldn’t leave him alone, but decided that they should stay. He read the note first. Angela had resisted the temptation to read it, and Brennan had summarized it for her before they’d left.

Seeley,

If you’re reading this, it means Angela and Hodgins found you. If they haven’t already informed you, I am still pregnant. I know you’re probably wondering why I lied. All I can say to answer that is that I was scared. It was stupid, but I was. I thought you might not want this baby, and by extension, me. I figured with all the trouble you were going through with Parker, this would be the last thing you would want or need. I had to find out for sure, and that’s why I did what I did. This doesn’t make it forgivable; it merely provides justification. I was going to come to you myself, but my blood pressure has been high, so I have been ordered to remain in bed until it goes down. Although I’ll readily admit that I made the wrong choice, it is my firm belief that you did as well. A better scenario would have been waiting to calm down and then talking it out. I could have told you I lied, and we could have worked through it, if that was what we both wanted to do. It is my hope that you will still care about me as I care for you, and that we can still be 

what we were, or what we could have been. I thought I could handle anything life could hand me, but I can’t do this alone, without you. Please come back.

Temperance, aka Bones

He gave a little smirk at her closing, and folded the note back up, placing it in his pocket. Then, without a word, he put the DVD in the player and sat on the couch. Angela and Hodgins sat down as well, and the sonogram came on the screen.

They watched in silence for a moment.

“A boy?” Booth asked.

“Yes. A healthy one,” Angela replied. She looked over at him and noticed the glassy look in his eyes as he saw his son.

“He’s beautiful.”

When the DVD was over, Angela returned it to her purse, and both she and Hodgins looked expectantly at Booth. “So?” Hodgins asked.

Angela was on pins and needles waiting for his answer. He had to come back. If he didn’t, she’d use force.

“Give me a few days to make arrangements,” he said, not meeting their eyes.

“Thank you!!” Angela exclaimed. She dove for him, enveloping him in a hug. “You’re doing the right thing.”

“I know I am,” he said, then paused. “Do I bring her back anything?”

Angela pulled away. “Nothing. Just you.”

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After the massage, Brennan felt much better. She floated into her apartment, supported by Cam and Zach, and settled on the sofa. She turned her phone back on and found she had a text message from Angela.

Mission successful. Details later.

She felt a smile come to her face. He was coming back to her. Finally. Everything was going to be all right. She leaned her head back into the softness of her couch, and closed her eyes. She could almost feel him again. She only hoped they could get past this mess and focus on each other and the baby. Then, once that had settled down, they could concentrate on getting Parker back.



She opened her eyes to find Cam and Zach looking at her. “He’s coming home,” she said, the smile growing as she said the words aloud. Two more smiles echoed her own, and then her phone rang. She answered it and listened as Angela relayed the morning’s events, minus Olivia Hansen.

He's finally coming home to her and his baby.
And maybe they can even try to be together again.....although he most be hurt pretty bad....

PPS

More please

Please post more soon! I Can hardly wait

Evil to stop now!!!!!!!
Spoon wants more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh come on we need another chapter......please

Hey all! Thanks as always for the great comments! As requested, here's another chap!! Enjoy! =)




Chapter 15: reunion




As the days went by, Angela called Brennan regularly, keeping her posted on preparations for the journey home. Booth had made arrangements, once again, for his belongings, as well as explaining the situation to the office and putting in for another transfer. He managed to get the point across to his superiors in Anchorage without divulging too many details.

Hodgins and Angela hung out at his place whenever he was home, more for assurance that he wouldn’t change his mind than anything else, even though Angela insisted she would get him on that plane one way or another. Olivia dropped by every so often so they could get some work done, and Angela hovered around like a chaperone at a high school dance until she left. After several times of observing her behavior, Hodgins pulled her aside and asked, “Why do you do that, stand over them? Don’t you trust Booth?”

“I do,” she replied. “It’s that cheap harlot I don’t trust.”

“I don’t know. She doesn’t seem so bad.”

“Exactly why I’m keeping an eye on her.”


The day they were due to leave, they packed up and headed to Rebecca’s so Booth could say goodbye to Parker. She invited them all in for coffee, explaining that her fiancé was at work and wished them a safe flight. The four adults made small talk for awhile, and then Rebecca asked if they had a picture or DVD of the ultrasound, and if so, could she see it? Angela went out to the car and retrieved the disc, popping it in the player.

Booth had fought an inner struggle over when to tell Parker he was going to be a big brother, and had finally decided he wanted to tell him in person, since he didn’t know when he’d see him again. So, the boy was called out from the kitchen where he was eating lunch, and watched the screen with the others. When told that was his little brother he’d gotten excited at the prospect, deciding that he would be the one to tell the baby all about dinosaurs and the joys of mud and tee ball.

Rebecca then brought out his baby book, and time was spent with the two parents sitting on the couch, Parker between them with the book. Rebecca gestured to a picture of Parker’s ultrasound. “That’s you when you were in my tummy.”

“Really? That’s me?”

“Yep.”

Parker’s eyes grew big to think he’d been that small. They went through the book, pointing out entries detailing his first words, when he took his first step, all the way up through pre-school. Angela and Hodgins stood by on chairs and watched, not wanting to intrude.

Time passed, and Angela looked at the clock on the mantel. “It’s time to go.” She and Hodgins said their goodbyes and thank yous and headed out the door to give Booth a minute with Parker. When he emerged from the house, Angela took in his sad expression, and gave him a comforting smile. He nodded in acknowledgement and they took off for the airport.




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That evening, Brennan found herself sitting on the couch between Zach and Cam talking about when she would return to work. It relaxed her just to think about being back in her element. Staying at home for so long and not being able to do much of anything was proving difficult, and it wasn’t getting any easier as time went by either.

They hit a break in the conversation, and Cam excused herself to get them all some tea, Zach trailing into the kitchen after her to help. Brennan stayed on the couch and absently rubbed circles on her stomach, trying not to think too much about things, as Zach had suggested. Her phone ringing startled her, and she snatched it up from its place on the coffee table. She knew it was Angela before she answered it. It was almost always Angela.

“Hey sweetie! I hope you’re resting.”

“I am. It’s just about the only thing I can do.”

“Well, hopefully, that won’t last too much longer. We’re waiting to board the plane now.”

Brennan let out a breath. Not much longer then; although she wasn’t quite sure what sort of a reunion to expect. “Thanks for calling Ange.” She let out another breath. “Can I talk to him?”

There was a pause, and she could almost see Angela biting her lip in thought. “Are you sure?”

That statement made Brennan pause. What would she say? All of a sudden, her mind was drawing a blank. “On second thought, I’ll just wait until you get back.”

“Ok, we’ll see you soon. Do you want us to come by right away, or wait until tomorrow?” Angela was grinning; she just knew it. “You don’t have to answer that.”

They said their goodbyes, and Brennan closed her phone and accepted the cup of tea Cam held out to her. “They’re at the airport,” she informed her companions.

“Good. I’ve enjoyed being here with you, but the department needs to get back to normal,” Cam said.

Brennan nodded in agreement. “Hopefully I’ll be able to come back soon as well.”

“At least until you need to take maternity leave. The further along you get, the more uncomfortable you’re going to be.”

“I was planning on staying at work until the birth.”

Cam laughed. “I doubt you’ll be wanting that in a couple of months. When my cousin had her baby, she got enormous. She couldn’t stand to be on her feet very long.”

Brennan shifted on the couch and sipped her tea. In time, Zach retired to the floor, leaving the two women on the couch. Brennan was determined to stay awake until they got back, but her fatigue got the better of her, and she ended up falling asleep with her head on Cam’s shoulder.

Later, when there was a knock on the door, all three were fast asleep. No move was made to open the door. The knock came again, and then the knob was turned and found to be locked. Finally, Brennan’s phone rang and she was jolted out her dreams. She glanced at the digital clock in the kitchen, and her eyes widened. She grabbed her phone, and opened it.

“Let us in!” Hodgins’ voice came from the other end.

“Sorry, I feel asleep,” she closed her phone abruptly, and moved to get up; awakening Cam who told her she’d do it. Brennan, however, wasn’t hearing it, and insisted on doing it herself. Cam gave in relatively quickly, not wanting to fight with the pregnant woman and understanding the significance. She helped Brennan up and woke up Zach.

She paused in front of the door, her hand on the knob. She took a breath in, and opened it, revealing Hodgins. He wrapped her in a hug. “God, it’s good to be home.” Brennan moved aside so he could come in, Angela behind him. She looked meaningfully at Brennan as she slipped past her, laying a hand on her friend’s stomach as she did so.

Brennan leaned out into the hallway, sticking her head around the corner. He was standing there next to her door, leaning against the wall. He didn’t notice her at first and she found that she couldn’t read his facial expression or the look in his eyes.

“Booth?” she ventured.

His head whipped toward her, but he didn’t reply.

“Are you gonna come in?” she straightened up in the doorway, disappearing from his view. He came across the threshold and saw her entire body for the first time. He remained unreadable, however, and it was quickly getting on her nerves. His eyes scanned her, fixating on her bump, and not meeting her gaze.

Angela sighed inwardly. This was not the reunion she’d been envisioning. Where was the big hug, the loving kiss, the ‘I missed yous’? The tension was thick, and the squints shot each other looks. Angela cast one Brennan’s way, communicating to her to do something. After this, she ushered the others into the kitchen.

Taking the initiative, Brennan crossed to him and put her arms around him a tight hug. For a split second, he froze, tensing in her embrace. She felt it and began to panic. Then, to her relief, he returned the hug, relaxing a bit, though not as much as she had hoped. She closed her eyes and enjoyed their contact. It wasn’t perfect, but he was here, and he was staying. That was all that mattered. He leaned close to her ear, and whispered, “You didn’t have to lie to me.”

Those words made the taped up pieces of her heart begin to break apart again. She had been anticipating a reaction like that, but all the same felt unprepared. He was angry with her for her lie. His tone more than gave that fact away. It had the same coldness and detachment to it that his phone message months ago had held. She pulled away from him, and retreated back to the couch.

“Where are you staying?” she asked, not looking at him.

“Hotel. Until I get my old place back or find a new one.”

“You can stay with me…I mean if you want to.” She wanted to put the suggestion out there, although she wasn’t expecting any kind of acceptance to her offer.

“I really don’t think…” he stopped mid sentence. They had a lot to talk about, he knew that much. And the way they were now, well, it just wasn’t right. He ran a hand through his hair. “Yea, ok, I’ll stay here until I can get something else.”

Brennan nodded, still not looking at him. She didn’t think she could after what he’d whispered to her. It was true, of course. She hadn’t needed to lie. In retrospect, there were other options that could have been pursued, with more desirable outcomes. But what was done was done.

Angela, who had been eavesdropping from the kitchen, decided that this was their cue to leave. “We should go. It’s late.” They took turns giving Brennan goodbye hugs, and left one by one.

Once they’d left, the tension multiplied by ten. It was almost overbearing. Brennan stayed on the couch; Booth stayed standing near the hallway. Finally, he broke the silence, noting her teacup on the coffee table.

“You got anything else to drink?”

“You could make more tea if you wanted, or make coffee. I also have orange juice. Or water; there’s always plenty of water. Help yourself. You know where the glasses are, right?”


He nodded, which she didn’t notice because she was staring intently at her feet. She heard him start a pot of coffee, and when he returned to the living room while waiting for it to brew, he looked at her, meeting her eyes for the first time since he’d arrived. “Decaf?” The look on his face was almost comical; a shred of the pre-fiasco Booth coming to the surface. It caused a grin to break across her face.

“Caffeine should be limited during pregnancy. I thought it easier to eliminate it entirely.”

“That’s good; at least you’re taking care of yourself.”

A look of irritation crossed her face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means what it means.” He shrugged.

“What? You didn’t think I’d take care of myself?” She rose to her feet, and took a step forward.

“I know you! You work yourself into the ground, you do too much, you drink caffeinated coffee; I didn’t expect anything different. When I read you were under doctor’s orders to rest, I was surprised you were following them. I wouldn’t have expected you to last a week away from your lab!”

Anger was evident in her eyes as she snapped back. “I made the decision to keep this baby and I told myself I would do everything in my power to give him a healthy start. How dare you even consider that I could be so irresponsible with another life, an innocent life, a life we created together! How could you possibly think I would put our baby’s life in danger?!”

Her use of the words ‘our’ and ‘we’ seemed to stoke the burnt out fire within him, and he moved to her, pressing her carefully back into the couch, and sitting beside her.

“Look, we have quite a bit to work through, and I’m sorry if I seemed closed off. I wanna make this work; I really do, but it might take time.” Here, he met her eyes. “I don’t appreciate being lied to, and I know you’re sorry, but it’s gonna take some time. I’ll get over it.”

She heard everything he said, but her mind picked up on one particular part. “What exactly do you wanna make work?” She was tensing up, had been since he’d sat down by her.

“Us, Bones, I wanna make us work. Just like you.” At the vocalization of the nickname, she felt some of the tension leave her body.

“We will work it out Booth.” She changed the subject. “Angela said you watched the ultrasound. What did you think?”

“It was beautiful. Just beautiful. He looked perfect.” His eyes took on a faraway look, picturing the image of the tiny life growing inside her. As he did so, he laid his hand on her bump, then in the next instant moved to retract it. Brennan put hers over his to keep it on her.

“It’s ok Booth,” she said softly.

She caught his eyes and held his gaze, her breath catching in her throat as he brushed the hair away from her face. “I never should have left. It just made a bad situation worse. I did miss you Bones.”

She’d been wanting to hear those words; wanting to hear him admit that he’d made a mistake too, just as she had. More than that, though, she had wanted to hear that he had missed her. She closed her eyes. Despite the logical impossibility of it, she could have sworn her heart skipped a beat when she felt his lips cover hers. He broke the kiss just as she was returning it.

“Sorry,” he said quietly, not sure if they were at that point yet.

“No, never be sorry.” She yawned then, and in a second he was up, and helping her off the couch. He followed her down the hall to her bedroom, walking behind her, a hand on her back in case she happened to fall. They stopped at her door. She turned around to face him.

“I’m not helpless Booth. I don’t need you to follow me everywhere.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“I know. I just…I’m sor…” She cut him off with a finger to his lips.

“Shh. I told you. Don’t say you’re sorry.” She gave him a small smile, and disappeared into her bedroom to sleep, feeling more than a little sad when he didn’t follow her.






A/N: I'm soooo sorry if that seemed anticlimactic; it just seemed a bit more real to me this way. Thanks for reading!

Now that he is back they can slowly get back to normal again.
But it was right not to let them behave as if nothing happend.....it would never happen that way in RL.....
But he is staying with her....he will love his little son....and he still loves her.....they will be alright in the end.

Chapter 16: forgotten



Brennan awoke the next morning, and looked through half shut eyes at her clock. She’d had a late night last night and had wanted to sleep in a bit more, but once she was awake, she had a difficult time getting to sleep again. She picked out some clothes and took a shower. Today was her blood pressure check. She wasn’t expecting it to be normal yet, but hopefully it would be enough of an improvement that she could go shopping with Angela. She needed to pick out furniture and get started converting her office into a nursery.

Coming out of her bedroom fully dressed, she noticed Booth on the couch, still asleep, and the previous night came rushing back to her. She leaned against the doorframe of the hallway and simply looked at him. They had to get past this. It was ridiculous really. It was done. Mistakes were made on both sides, and they both needed to get over it and move on. They had more important things to focus on now.

That thought brought her hand to the bump protruding from her abdomen and she drifted away thinking of her son. Zach had provided a much needed confidence boost that she’d make a good mother, but would she be good enough? She felt the sudden need to observe maternal behavior and wished that Rebecca and Parker weren’t so far away. They’d be ideal candidates for study. She shook her head. Not study; advice.

She thought about making breakfast for them both, but figured that he’d most likely pitch a fit if he saw her doing work of any kind, even something as simple and non-stressful as cooking eggs and toast. Instead, she settled for starting the coffee machine and plopping down in the chair near the couch, waiting for the coffee smell to rouse him from his sleep.

It didn’t take long, and he opened his eyes, yawned, and turned his gaze to her.

“You shouldn’t be out of bed.”

“Good morning to you too. I’m still resting. Besides, my appointment’s today. I would’ve had to get up anyway.”

He conceded her point, and sat up, stretching and then standing and trotting to the kitchen. He returned with a mug of decaf for her, which he placed in her hands before going down the hallway to shower. He came back seconds later, snatching up the suitcase that had been placed near the door the night before. As he passed her again, he paused and placed a quick kiss on the top of her head before continuing on his way.

After she heard the door close, she frowned into her mug. Things had to change. Despite the affectionate gesture, the tension was still present, weighing them down, and she didn’t like it one bit. She was ready to forget about the whole situation, and hoped that if she brought up that possibility, that he’d want to as well.

She was startled by a sudden ringing. His phone had been placed on the coffee table and he’d forgotten it when he’d headed off to get ready for the day. Hoping that it was Rebecca and she could speak to her about motherhood, Brennan leaned over and picked up the phone, checking the caller ID. Not Rebecca.

Olivia. Olivia? Who the hell was that? She considered answering the call and finding out but decided against it. She shouldn’t jump to conclusions. He hadn’t been gone long enough to get a girlfriend, and besides, he had said he never cheated. Of course, it all boiled down to whether or not he had considered them to be together or not, as well as whether or not this whole situation had ended whatever they’d started.

Her curiosity was brimming over though. She didn’t want to ask him outright, since they weren’t exactly back to normal yet, and she wasn’t even sure if it was any of her business or not. Then she had an idea. Angela. She grabbed her own phone and dialed her friend.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Ange, it’s me.”

“Hey! Did you get things straightened out with Booth yet?”

“Yes and no. But I’m willing to just forget the whole thing ever happened. Hopefully he will be open to that.”

“No kidding. It was almost painful watching you two last night.”

Brennan decided not to mince words. “Do you know who Olivia is?”

The uncomfortable silence on the other line gave her the answer.

Angela chose her words carefully. “She was assigned to be partners with Booth in Alaska. She was over at his place quite a bit.”

“In a professional capacity?”

“Yes, definitely. I made sure of that.” Oops, she probably shouldn’t have put it like that.

“You made sure? So, it would’ve been different if you hadn’t been there?”

“Sweetie, look. Booth would never do that to you. He wasn’t interested at all, trust me.”

Brennan couldn’t stop the sigh of relief that came out of her mouth. Then her eyes narrowed. “What about Olivia?”

“What about her?”

“You know what I mean Ange. And tell me the truth.”

“She’s into him. But, like I said, don’t worry. She might as well be coming on to a brick wall. And besides, she’s in Anchorage. What brought all this on anyway?”

“She called him this morning. He wasn’t near his phone, but still…”

Angela gave a little growl of disapproval. “Thousands of miles away and she still manages to annoy me. Maybe she’s just tying up a loose end on the case they were working on.”

“That could be. Sorry Ange, I just…I don’t know.”

“It’s called outright jealousy sweetie. Just admit it to yourself, and dealing with it gets easier. You’re being possessive, and that’s ok. He’s the father of your child after all. Plus, with the way you feel about him, it’s only natural.”

“And what way is that?”

“I know you said you didn’t love him before, but I really think you need to do some soul searching, and see if that isn’t a possibility.”

“I’ll take that under consideration. Will you be free to go with me to my appointment?”

Angela paused again. “I figured Booth would take you.”

“I suppose I could ask him.”

His voice interrupted her. “Ask me what?”

“I gotta go. I’ll call you later, ok?”

“Ok Bren. Talk to you later.” They hung up and she tilted her head so she could see him. He was standing against the doorframe in the hallway, as she had earlier. He was drying his hair with a towel and when he removed it his hair stuck up in all directions. She indulged in a quick smile. It was a nice look for him, however unruly it was.

“I know you probably need to get to the office to straighten things out, but I was wondering if you’d perhaps have time to take me to my appointment this afternoon.”

He looked almost surprised, as though he’d never expected her to ask him such things, to be involved. “Of course Bones.”

“Thank you.”

He moved to sit down on the couch, and his eye caught his phone, with its message of a voicemail. “I’m going to go down there and talk with Cullen about my office. I’ll come right back here though. I’m not due to officially start until the day after tomorrow.”

His eyes found the teddy bear in her arms. She’d removed it from its place on the coffee table after hanging up with Angela. “Where’d that come from?”

“Zach gave it to me at my baby shower.”

“Oh.” His eyes looked down at the mention of her baby shower, and he looked sad that he’d missed it.

She changed topics. “If my blood pressure is low enough for activity I’m going to go shopping with Angela today. I need to pick out baby furniture. Hodgins wrote me...” She trailed off, noticing that she was about to bring attention to her baby shower again. Apparently, it was a bit of a sore spot.

Silence pervaded throughout her living room, and she saw him reach for his phone.

“Booth?”

His hand stopped just short of the phone and he pulled it back slowly, focusing on her. “Yea?”

“I’m just tired of all of this. I want a fresh start between us, like before I found out I was pregnant. I want to forget any of this mess ever happened. I was wrong, you were wrong; let’s just please forget it.” She hadn’t meant to sound so pleading, she really hadn’t.

“All right.”

That was it? “Just ‘all right’?”

“Uh, huh. I want to leave this behind too. We need to be thinking ahead now, of our future, not our past.”

That was better. “I agree.” She got up from the chair and sank into the couch next to him, taking his hand as she did. “It would be better for all of us.” She placed his hand on her stomach and they sat there like that for a moment before he pulled his hand out from under hers, cupping her cheek and gently pushing her to face him.

“So we’re back to normal now?” he whispered.

“Yes,” she whispered back, having no idea why they were whispering. Then she felt his lips on hers and she stopped thinking entirely, focused only on the feelings coursing through her as they connected. Unlike the quick kiss the previous night, this one lasted.

Wanting more of him, she opened her mouth, her tongue venturing out and connecting with his lower lip, licking across it to ask for entry. He granted it without hesitation. She was lost in their kiss when all of a sudden she felt her lungs begin to burn for air. She pulled away slowly, removing her mouth from his, only to go back for a short little kiss that ended quickly with her softly pulling at his lip with her teeth as she withdrew.

He smiled at her, then glanced at his watch. “I gotta take off. When’s your appointment?”

“It’s at two.”

“I’ll be back to pick you up at one-thirty.” He bent to place another kiss on her eager mouth, pulling away quickly, figuring that if he didn’t he wouldn’t get out the door. “I’ll see you soon.” He grabbed his phone, and headed out the door, opening it and putting it to his ear to check the voicemail as he went.


She hoped Angela was right; that Olivia was just tying up some loose end. She didn’t want to deal with any other possibilities; especially now that things were starting to go right.