Reactions - rated K

Rating: K
Pairing: B&B
Genre: ???
Summary: Brennan does something unexpected and she can't exactly hide it forever. Warning: Spoilers for Season 4 episodes still to come.

AN: Here's a little bit of fluff for you all to enjoy. Thanks to redrider6612 for editing; I couldn't do this without her feedback and encouragement.

WARNING: This story is based on spoilers for Season 4, so if you want to be surprised, turn back now.

Chapter 1: Max
Max Keenan walked into the living room, took one look at his daughter, and knew. "Who did this to you, sweetheart? Who should I be talking to? Was it Booth?"

"Dad, what are you talking about?"

"You're pregnant."

"How can you tell?"

"You look just like your mother did when she was pregnant, and you're eating cherry ice cream. You hate fake cherry flavoring."

She looked at her bowl of ice cream and then shrugged. "So? From everything I've read, cravings are a normal part of pregnancy."

"Who's the father?"

"I'm not going to tell you. The nicest thing you'd do would be rough him up and you might kill him. I don't want that happening to the father of my baby."

Max looked unhappy.

"Besides, if it's anybody's fault, it's mine. I decided I was ready to reproduce. So I was artificially inseminated."

He stared at her in complete bewilderment for a moment. She'd been doing things her own way her whole life, including this apparently. She never ceased to surprise him.

"So you don't know who the father is."

"I didn't say that, Dad. I don't want some random man's baby. No, I selected a donor whom I know and approached him about it."

"So Booth is the father."

"How did you get from my approaching a donor to Booth? There are a wide variety of acceptable men amongst my acquaintance."

"I know you. You asked Booth. He's a good father to Parker and you'd want a good father for your child. He would never leave one of his children, and by extension you. You should tell him you love him, sweetheart."

She was not talking about this with her father. "How about a game of cards?"

Great start sara... I can see Bren doing this as she respects Booth and sees him as a good parent.

I wonder if he's been told yet?

Glad you like it. More details to come in later chapters. I promise this question does get answered -- in chapter 3.

this is great so far Sara!! I want more!!

Thanks, Zeddie. I'll probably have the next chapter up in couple of days. :-)

Your sig made me laugh.

AN: Hope you enjoy the second chapter of this story. The usual thanks redrider6612 for being a fabulous beta and for helping to write better.

Chapter 2: Angela
Angela Montenegro followed Temperance Brennan, her coworker and best friend, into her office.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

"Tell you what?" Brennan asked in genuine confusion.

Even socially-awkward Brennan noticed the sarcasm in her voice. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe that you're pregnant?"

"Oh, that."

"And then all you can say is 'oh that'? It's not like you can hide it. At first, I just thought you were gaining a little weight. I'm your best friend, you're supposed to tell me these kind of things. "

"It's not that big of deal, Angela. What do you want to know?"

"How far along are you?"

"Almost five months."

"But you haven't been dating anybody."

"A romantic relationship isn't necessary for reproduction."

"So this baby is the result of a one-night stand?"

"No. With modern science, intercourse is not necessary for reproduction."

Angela's jaw dropped in disbelief. "You're telling me that this wasn't an accident?"

"Anthropologically speaking, it's natural for a woman of my age to feel the desire to propagate the species."

"And you didn't think that you should have talked about it with somebody first?"

"You would have just told me that I should jump Booth and that we'd make super-beautiful babies together."

"Bren, I wouldn't have said that."

"You've been trying to push us together since the day we became partners. I was sure you'd just use it as an opportunity to try and get us together. You can be very persistent."

Angela laughed. "Okay, maybe I would have. So you were artificially inseminated?"

"Yes."

"I can't believe you went to a sperm bank and just got some random man's sperm."

Scandalized, Brennan objected, "I would never do that. I asked someone I know."

"You asked Booth!"

"You're jumping to conclusions, Angela. There are a wide range of men whom I consider appropriate donors."

Special Agent Seeley Booth barged into the office. "Bones, come on. We've got a case. From what they said, it's a messy scene."

"Give me a minute to grab my jumpsuit and kit."

"Don't forget your mask."

Brennan rolled her eyes at her partner.

Angela's eyes widened in comprehension. "That's why you've been wearing the mask. Booth knows. That's why you've been letting him drag you away from work early."

Brennan pulled a clean jumpsuit off the shelf and tucked into the small bag containing her mask.

"Of course he does. I talked to him about it before I made the decision."

"You talked to him, but not me?"

Attempting to diffuse the tension between the friends, Booth interjected, "She had some questions about parenting and the issues Rebecca and I have had."

"What Rebecca is doing to Booth isn't fair, and I wanted to make sure that wouldn't happen to my child, in case the donor was interested in taking a more active roll in the child's life. Can we finish this later, Ange? I really have to work."

"Okay, sweetie, but this isn't over yet."

"I didn't think it was. Please just don't anybody. Once people know they'll start treating me different, and I'm not ready for that yet."

that was great!! I can't wait for more!!

Thanks, Zeddie. I'll update again in a few days.

I love how both Max & Angela knew Brennan was pregnant. =) I'm enjoying this. Good job

AN: As always thanks to redrider6612 for being my beta. Thanks ro Zeddi and missdebra87 for their reviews. This chapter is a bit longer than the last two. Enjoy.

Chapter 3: Booth's Parents
Booth and Brennan stood on the doorstep of his parents' house, waiting for them to answer the door. Booth fiddled nervously with a ball of lint in his pocket.

"Calm down, Booth. I'm sure it will be fine."

"The last time I stood here next to a pregnant woman, it didn't go so well. My parents were not happy about Rebecca's pregnancy."

She started to reassure him, but the door opened. Booth plastered a smile on his face.

"Hi Mom. Hi Dad."

His mother beamed. "Seeley, welcome ho… you didn't tell me your partner was pregnant."

"Dr. Brennan, I'm so excited to finally meet you. I've been begging Seeley to bring you for a visit for years. Congratulations, by the way. When are you due?"

"Bones, these are my parents, Joanna and Christopher Booth."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Booth."

"Call us Joanna and Chris, please. Won't you come in?" Joanna asked.

"I should probably bring the bags in from the car," Booth said tentatively. He didn't want to leave her alone, even for a minute, not until they'd told him the news. His dad slapped him on the shoulder and led the way to the car.

"Put Dr. Brennan's bags in the guest room," Joanna called.

"Please, Joanna, call me Temperance."

"Alright, Temperance, can I take your jacket? And when did you say you were due?"

She shrugged out of her jacket. "In late June."

The Booth men returned with their luggage. "Seeley, why don't you show Temperance the guest room while I get dinner on the table?"

A few minutes later they were seated around the table, enjoying vegetarian lasagna. It was one of the better vegetarian meals Booth had eaten, but he could tell his father didn't like it.

Joanna asked Brennan a lot of questions about her family, her work, her writing, and, of course, her pregnancy.

For the most part, Chris listened, but during a lull in the conversation he asked, "Your husband doesn't mind you coming to visit us?"

Brennan glanced at Booth for help, but she could see he didn't know what to say either.

"I'm not married, sir."

A sharp looked passed between Joanna and Chris. "Your boyfriend, then?" Joanna asked kindly.

She had had this conversation with several people. She didn't understand why people complicated what was simple. Brennan sighed. "I'm not in a relationship with anyone, nor have I been in the past year."

"Maybe we could talk about this after dinner?" Booth suggested. They had come specifically to have this conversation with his parents, but it would be nice if they could get through dinner in peace.

Joanna took the hint. She stood and began collecting the plates. "Who wants dessert? I made apple pie."

"You make the best apple pie, Mom."

When Brennan opened her mouth to say that she didn't like her fruit baked, Booth bumped her foot with his. "Just a small piece, please. The baby doesn't like sweets too much."

A minute later, Joanna returned with dessert.

"When I was pregnant with Seeley, I had the worst cravings for caramel and chocolate ice cream. I suppose that explains why he liked sweets so much as a kid. The Thanksgiving he was three, he stuck his fork right into the pie dish, and I was always finding candy wrappers in his pockets. I have no idea where he got it all. I never had that much candy around the house."

Booth swallowed a big bite of pie. "Mom, enough with the childhood stories! You're going to embarrass me."

"I want to hear them. Besides, I'm sure my dad has told you a few embarrassing stories about me."

"You arrested her father and not only does she still talk to you, her dad does, too?" Chris interjected.

Brennan shrugged. "I don't get it either. But they seem to get along."

"Why don't you all go to the living room? I'll bring coffee in a few minutes."

Booth and his father began a debate about which NHL team was going to win the Stanley Cup. Brennan listened for a few minutes, but was soon hopelessly lost.

Joanna's arrival from the kitchen brought her out of her worry about the upcoming conversation.

She hand cups of coffee to her husband and son.

"Temperance, I have hot water for tea, if you like."

"Could I just have water, please?"

"Sit, Mom. You worked hard on dinner. I can get Bones her water."

He returned a moment later with a glass of water and a folder. He offered the glass to Brennan and the folder to his parents.

Chris opened the folder and looked at it for a few moments. "This appears to be some kind of a contract."

"It's a legally binding contract between Booth and me."

"About what?" Joanna asked.

Brennan glanced at her partner before answering. "Our child."

"Again? Wasn't one child out of wedlock enough, son? You hardly get to see Parker as it is. I can’t believe this." Chris hard tone of voice made Brennan instantly defensive. Booth didn't deserve to be talked to that way.

She spoke loudly. "Anthropologically speaking, when a woman…"

Booth interrupted her. "What she's trying to say is that she felt her biological clock was ticking and she wanted a child."

"Scientifically speaking, intercourse is unnecessary for reproduction."

"Which means she approached me to be a sperm donor and was artificially inseminated." He sighed at those last words. He was pleased to be having a child with her, but he wanted more. He loved her. However, he would take what he could get.

His stunned parents said nothing.

"I offered him as much or as little involvement as he wanted in the child's life. You'll be seeing her regularly." Brennan suppressed a yawn and stood. "Now if you'll excuse me, after work and the long drive and Gracie, I'm very tired."

"I'll walk you up, Bones."

His hand naturally slipped to the small of her back and he steered her toward the stairs.

"That went better than I hoped," she said quietly.

"They're too surprised to say much right now. We'll see what they say tomorrow."

A line appeared on Brennan's forehead.

"Don't worry about it, Bones. I just need you to get a good night's rest, for your sake and Gracie's."

He rested his hand for a moment on her protruding belly. "Good night, Grace. I love you."

Brennan smiled wistfully. She loved hearing him tell their daughter he loved her, but sometimes she wished he was saying those three words to her.

When he went back downstairs, instead of joining his dad who was watching the news, he went into the kitchen where his mom was washing dishes.

He grabbed a towel. "I'll dry."

"Seeley, what were you thinking? You know your Dad is not going to be happy."

"You should have seen her face when she asked me. I just couldn't say no."

"You love her. Why didn't you just tell her and then ask her to marry you?"

"Bones doesn't believe in love and she thinks that marriage is an archaic ritual which propagates the male domination of society."

"So you're afraid."

"Once bitten, twice shy, Mom. And I'm not afraid; it's complicated. We're work partners and she loves being in the field. In all likelihood, we'd be split up if we started a romantic relationship."

"Life is more than work."

"I know that, but she hasn't quite figured that out yet. I've been trying to show her since the beginning of our partnership. She's come a long way though."

Joanna shook her head. She didn't quite understand why her son was so attracted to independent commitment-phobic women. Temperance was nice enough, but her son needed someone who would settle down and make a home for him.

That was great Sara!! I loved that chapter!!

Parents shouldn't interfere in a private life of their adult children (at least when the boy/gitlfirend is not criminal or so). Joanna Booth may think what she wants but hopefully she won't say it aloud.

Sara, this is intriguing! Visiting the folks, a contract, Booth talking to the baby, Bones wishing he was saying those words to her!

And I really like that Booth's folks are just regular parents. I know the complexity that they've developed on the show is supposed to be more interesting, but sometimes I get overrun with complexity and just want something regular.

I'll be waiting for you updates!!

AN: Thanks to everyone for your wonderful reviews. Thanks also to my beta, redrider6612. Enjoy.

Chapter 4: Angela Again
Booth sat at the long table and tried to pay attention to what his fellow agent was saying. Staff meetings were so boring. He didn't really care about the cases the other agents were working, about who had been chosen to replace Deputy Director Jameson after his retirement, or that the form for mileage reimbursement had changed. He fiddled with the poker chip inside his pocket, running his finger along the smooth edge.

His phone vibrated. He glanced at the number, didn't recognize it, and pushed the ignore button. Bobby was droning on about his latest case. His phone vibrated again. He had a text message. He punched the buttons from memory, keeping his eyes on Bobby.

Then he glanced at the screen. "Grace has a cold. Please come pick her up."

He pushed his seat back and stood. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but I need to pick up my daughter from daycare. She has a cold and her mother's away at the moment."

"You have a daughter?" Cullen asked in surprise, barely audible over similar exclamations from the other agents.

"Yes."

He left the room without a backward glance. Fifteen minutes later, he walked into the reception room of the Jeffersonian Institute's child care program.

"I'm here to pick up Grace. She has a cold?"

The receptionist nodded. "I'll let her teacher know."

Two minutes later, Angela walked out carrying Grace, a teacher close on her heels. Six-month-old Grace immediately reached toward him. He pulled her into his arms and cuddled her close.

"Mr. Booth, your daughter started feeling poorly after lunch. I think she has a cold," his teacher said, offering him a clip board to sign Grace out.

Angela looked at him. "Daughter?"

He signed his name and the time on the paper. "Yes."

"Bren said that you were going to be involved in Grace's life because she needed a male role model. Did you adopt her?"

"No. I'm her biological father."

He held his hand over Grace's ear as Angela squealed.

"I knew it was just a cover up! You two have been playing happy family behind our backs. Oh, I'm so happy for you both," Angela gushed.

"Angela, it wasn't a cover up. I was the sperm donor in the least intimate sense of the term."

She stopped mid-laugh at the serious expression on his face. "Oh, sweetie. I'm so sorry."

He looked surprised. "Why? Bones and I have a beautiful daughter." He smiled down at Grace and discovered that she'd fallen asleep in his arms.

"Because you love her."

He shrugged, neither acknowledging nor denying the truth of her statement.

"Why'd you say yes?"

"To being the donor? You know how she is. She really wanted it and I couldn't turn her down."

"You didn't like the idea of her pregnant with some other man's baby."

He shrugged again. She was right, but he'd never admit it. Nobody would ever know how hard it had been to watch the love of his life carrying his child and not to have the freedom to touch her whenever he wanted. She hadn't left him out of her pregnancy. He and Angela had shared turns going to the doctor's visits. Once Grace had started kicking, Brennan had let him feel it. She'd certainly been demanding about her food cravings and he'd borne the brunt of her emotions when they were alone together. He'd even been in the room when she delivered Grace.

Grace tied them together now, both legally and in their love for her. He would take what he could get. Brennan had changed her mind about children, so there was hope for him.

"Booth!"

"Huh?"

"Didn't you hear what I said?"

"Sorry, I checked out for a minute there."

"When Bren said that she had everything arranged for Grace while she was at the anthropology conference, I thought she'd probably left Grace with her dad."

"She did. Grace has been with me."

"Sorry, I meant Max."

"Ah." According to their contract, neither Max nor his parents were allowed to have Grace for more than half a day at a time without either Booth or Brennan being present. She didn't trust her father not to run off and leave Grace, and he wasn't about to take a chance that his dad would hit her like he'd hit his own sons.

"I need to pick up some cough medicine for Grace. I should get going before she wakes up."

"See you later, Booth."

The next morning Booth walked into his office carrying several bags and Grace in her baby seat.

He had just finished assembling a collapsible playpen in the corner when Cullen walked into his office.

"Why didn't you tell me that you and Dr. Brennan had a child together?"

"Sshh. She's sleeping."

Cullen handed him a folder. "Grace Brenna Booth. Six months old."

Booth flipped it open and found a copy of Grace's birth certificate and several pictures.

"Romantic attachment is forbidden between partners," Cullen reminded him.

"My arrangement with Dr. Brennan about Grace is strictly one of co-parenting." Booth pulled a fat folder from his briefcase and offered it to his boss. "You're welcome to review the details of our agreement."

"You never do things the normal way, do you Booth?"

"I suppose not, but this was more Bones' doing than mine, sir."

"Given the unusual nature of the situation, the review board will want to look over everything and determine whether or not this constitutes some kind of conflict of interest."

"I understand sir. Bones and I were aware that this might happen. I believe they'll find those documents thoroughly cover all the issues."

Cullen looked again at Grace and a smile softened his face. "She's a cutie. But she'd better not disrupt the work environment."

"She goes to work with Bones sometimes and isn't usually a problem. She has a cold right now, so I'm giving her cough medicine. She was up most of the night, so I think she'll sleep most of the day. Unless a case comes up, I'll be spending the day catching up on paperwork."

He called Brennan after Cullen left and explained what had happened the day before and his conversation with Cullen. She was not happy, but recognized that the situation was inevitable.

"We'll just have to wait and see what they do," she said. "I really have to go now. I'm presenting my finding in five minutes and I need to use the bathroom."

"Good luck, Bones. See you tonight."

Oh, I feel so bad for Booth. Everything he wants is in sight, but it's not his for the taking...

AN: Thank to everyone who's reviewed this story. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and this is the last chapter. I hope you're not disappointed. Once again, thanks to redrider6612 for being a wonderful beta.

Chapter 5: The Powers That Be
The partners waited on tenterhooks for a week and a half for the decision of the review board. Now they were sitting in Cullen's office and wishing they were anywhere but here.

"The review board has handed down their decision. I'll give you a copy of it at the end of this meeting."

"In short, while they commend you for your ability to remain professional while being parents, they feel that your 'extra-professional' relationship is closer than advisable for partners. Although they don't believe this affects your ability to work together, they feel that it's more important to look after the reputation of the FBI and its ability to prosecute cases. As such, your co-parenting relationship, now that it's known, could bring into question your objectivity and make it more difficult to achieve successful prosecutions."

"That's bullshit!" Booth burst out.

"Booth!" Brennan hissed.

"It's true. And we all know it."

Cullen shrugged. "I did what I could to preserve your partnership, but my hands are tied in this situation."

"Deputy Director Cullen?" Brennan spoke a bit hesitantly, not sure how Booth would take what she was about to say. "In the future, I'd prefer to work with a female partner."

Cullen looked amused and Booth was flabbergasted. "That's all you're going to say?"

"I calculated that there was a greater than fifty percent chance that this would happen," she replied calmly. "You know I enjoy working with the FBI, especially going into the field. I prefer to have you as a partner, but if that's not possible then I'd rather work with a woman."

"Whether or not you continue to work in the field will be up to the new Jeffersonian liaison. I will take your preference into account as I consider the candidates, Dr. Brennan," Cullen said. "I have a meeting in five minutes, and I need to review my notes."

As they walked out of his office, Booth said, "So, how about some coffee, Bones?"

Instead of just grabbing a cup and heading back to his office, Booth insisted on real coffee and pie.

"It's much too early for pie, Booth."

"I need something to help me feel better."

"Fine, the diner it is."

On the way, she called Angela and broke the news. Angela had a few choice words about the decision and spoke loudly enough that she had to hold the phone away from her ear.

"I'm going to call up Cullen and give him a piece of my mind," Angela bellowed.

"Don't you dare. It's not his fault and he can't do anything to change it. It was inevitable that we would no longer be partners sometime. Honestly, I thought it would be because Booth got a promotion."

"I don't like this, Bren."

"None of us do, but we'll adjust eventually. I'll talk to you when I get back to the lab."

Booth took a bite of his pie. "Remember the conversation we had at the merry-go-round after Epps?"

"The line? I remember. People who work in high risk situations can't have personal relationships."

He took a deep breath, hoping that she wouldn't laugh at him. "We're not partners anymore and we won't be working together."

She nodded thoughtfully. "There's no more line."

He decided to take a small risk. "So, what if I pick you up at seven and we go on a date?"

She nodded. "We'd need someone to watch Grace, but I'm sure Angela wouldn't mind."

Her easy acceptance made him feel reckless. "You know what? Forget I said that."

Now she was confused. "Booth, what are you talking about? Now you don't want to go out with me? Did you change your mind in the space of three seconds?"

He pulled a jewelry box out of his pocket and pushed it across the table. She hesitantly opened it.

"No, I decided to say what I really wanted to say. Temperance Brennan, we already have a beautiful daughter together, and I love you. Will you marry me?"

She traced a finger around the stone of the engagement ring, then looked at him, smiling softly.

"I'd like to go on that date tonight. But it's too soon for this." She closed the box and pushed it back across the table to him. "Let's see how things are in six months."

She could see the disappointment in his eyes.

"Booth, I didn't say no."

She leaned across the table and kissed him softly. "I love you, too, Booth."

When his scrambled wits finally allowed him some semblance of thought, he spoke. "Six months, huh? I guess I can handle that. Now that we're dating, don't think you should call me by first name?"

He moved around to her side of the table and kissed her longer and deeper, the years of longing seemed to flow intensely into the kiss. When they came back to their senses, the other patrons of the diner were cheering and Brennan heard their waitress say to someone, "It's about time."

A silver lining in every dark cloud! Now they're on the right track. Thanks Sara

I'm glad that you enjoyed the story. I find that there's nothing like a little fluff to brighten my day.

I love this story Sara!!! can't wait for more!!!

Great story so far, I think you have the characters down really well! Can't wait to read more

Opps. I guess I wasn't clear. That was the end of the story.