309So here it is: the last chapter. We finally made it. Lots of thanks to my betas dgschneider and 554laura for their constant support. I cannot do without them.
And thanks again to you readers for your patience and staying with me on this long ride. It wasn't planned like that.
Week 39-40
Booth and Brennan were standing in their bathroom, getting ready for the night. Brennan had finally gotten the "all clear" from Dr. Meyers to end her bed rest, enabling her to finally get up and move around again. That had been 5 days ago and nothing interesting had happened since. Recently, however, she'd felt the urge to make up for all that lost time, and she'd been doing as much as she could to make the house ready for the arrival of their daughter.
Moaning softly, Brennan slowly moved her hand to her lower back, pushing out her now huge belly in the same move. She glanced at Booth, who was brushing his teeth next to her. "I think I may have overdone it a bit today. I still had some boxes of books and other stuff to unpack in my office, so I decided to finally put everything where it belonged, but now my back is hurting a bit."
After rinsing his mouth, Booth spit out the water and gave her grin. "I can give you a nice massage when we're in bed, if you want." He put his hands on her back, rubbing lightly. "That might help a bit."
Suddenly a short "Oh!" left Brennan's lips and she started looking down at her feet. "Oh…"
Booth followed the direction of her eyes and chuckled. "Bones, what's that?" He looked at her with wonder. "Looks like you have peed yourself. Did our baby kick you that hard?"
Brennan just bent forward, pressing her hand onto the sink for support while she let out a short puff of breath. Her strained voice gave away her pain. "Booth, I didn't urinate…my water just broke!" She then let out a long groan as suddenly a wave of pain rushed over her, leaving her breathless.
"Water? What water….Oh….OOOH!" Finally realizing what she meant, Booth started to panic. They'd planned for this moment, talking about every detail, but suddenly Booth's mind went blank. "Bones, are you saying you are in labor?" He frantically looked around, trying to decide on his next step. "Oh my God…what to do…Bones, what should I do now?"
"Seriously, Booth?" This was absolutely not the tough FBI Agent she knew. She shook her head, grinning at him. The pain was over for the moment, so she started to undress herself, shedding the soaked leggings she was wearing. "Booth, there's no need to panic. We still have some time, so I'm going to get cleaned up and change clothes." After a quick once over with her washcloth, she went into the bedroom to get dressed.
Shaking off his surprise, he was soon hot on her heels, looking for his jeans and socks. "Okay, okay.. but I have a question…these back pains you mentioned…uhm…how often have you had them?"
Brennan's eyes widened as she realized what he meant. Suddenly, it dawned on her that they might not have simple back pains at all. "Oh….I don't know…maybe every 6 to 7 minutes or so. They feel like cramps, actually. It's been off and on all day."
"Bones!," Booth shouted at her. "You didn't think that meant anything? Really?"
"Booth, trust me…we still have enough time." She was now completely dressed, so she grabbed her bag, which had been ready for days. Seeing his exasperation, she rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine…we can go now!"
Booth instantly pulled the bag out of her hand and had just turned to the door when another contraction hit her, making her grab his arm tightly. She tried to remember how to breathe, thinking of the one birth class they'd attended. When the pain lessened, they managed to go down the stairs and got into the car.
Booth started the car and turned on the siren and lights when leaving their driveway.
"Booth!" Scowling slightly, she turned to him. "That is completely unnecessary. You're waking up our entire neighborhood!" She looked around as they were hurrying down their street and onto the main road. "It's already late at night! Nobody is in the way!"
He shifted nervously in his seat. "I don't care, okay?" He shot her a quick glance. "I want to get you to the hospital as soon as possible, that's all." He tapped on the steering wheel before pointing at the siren button on the dashboard. "And when this baby can get us there faster… then I absolutely don't mind!" He winked at her. "Sometimes it's convenient to have the law enforcement equipment at your service."
She couldn't answer because the next contraction took her breath away, making him round the next corner with squealing tires.
§§§
They quickly made it to the hospital and because it was already close to midnight, they easily found a parking space. Shortly afterward, they were in the ER, and then they were referred to the maternity ward. A friendly looking midwife, who looked to be in her fifties, introduced herself as Margret. She greeted them warmly, immediately offering Brennan a hospital gown and then asking her to lay down. Booth helped her as much as he could while another contraction was on the way. Brennan bent over the hospital bed, trying to catch her breath as the wave of pain passed. They were now coming every 4 to 5 minutes and getting stronger.
She settled on the bed, trying the best she could to find the right position to get through the contractions, and listening as the midwife instructed her what to do next. Booth never left Brennan's side, supporting her, and holding her between the contractions, hoping that she could relax, but it was obvious that the stress was getting to him.
Brennan could see the desperate look on his pale face. This was Booth…he was always her protector, trying to shield her from any harm possible, but now he was helpless, seeing her in such pain and he couldn't do anything to make it better. It was frustrating for him, knowing that he could only stand there and listen to her scream when the contraction was too strong to breathe through, but he also knew that sometimes screaming was needed to do the job.
"God, Bones!" He pressed a kiss to her head when she had felt backwards, exhausted, after another strong contraction. "You are so strong.. so brave!" He locked eyes with her. "You're amazing! I don't know how you manage all the pain and everything." He looked at her with compassion.
She managed a small smile, letting her head fall to the side to look at him."It's not like I can go anywhere else, right?" She let out a deep sigh. "I can't just leave in the middle of it!"
He smiled at her, letting his hand run along the side of her face. "Right, right!"
Another hour passed before midwife Margret came for another check on Brennan. After timing the contractions, she decided it was time to call for a doctor to be present during the birth.
A young Asian doctor arrived shortly thereafter. Booth eyed him suspiciously, going into protective mode right away. There was no way this kid could possibly be the doctor that the midwife had called. The guy barely looked old enough to shave!
Dr. Ryan Batista introduced himself to his patient, shaking hands with Brennan and Booth before quickly starting his examination. His hands tested Brennan's belly to feel if the baby was in the right position and then he checked to make sure the cervix was open enough so that Brennan could start pushing. Booth didn't like any of that. He wondered why Dr. Meyers wasn't attending the birth, but then he remembered that she'd told them she'd be on vacation in the Bahamas this week, and her associate would be available if needed.
Another contraction came and Brennan tried her best to follow the orders of the doctor. She started pushing, but she wasn't really successful. Sighing softly, Dr. Batista looked at Booth. "Seeley, maybe you could sit behind your wife to support her when she had to bend forward to press. That might help her."
Booth nodded. There was no time to tell the doctor that Brennan was not his wife, and it didn't matter. He was going to do the best he could for his Bones.
He quickly slipped off his shoes while Brennan scooted a bit forward to let him sit behind her. He'd just got comfortable, with both hands now resting on her stomach, when the next contraction came. So when Brennan moved forward to press, he went along and supported her.
"That's much better.," Dr. Batista cheered from his position between Brennan's legs. "We need two or three more just like that." The contractions came quickly now. Both Dr. Batista and Booth asked Brennan to push when suddenly they heard the soft cries of a baby, being pushed into this bright, cold world.
"And here she is, your little daughter.," Margret happily announced.
Brennan gasped in surprise. Things had happened so quickly that Brennan hadn't even noticed exactly when the birth had happened.
The doctor and the midwife quickly made a short examination of the baby after they had cut the umbilical cord. They cleaned her up and wrapped her in a warm, cozy blanket. Brennan had fallen back against Booth's chest, exhaustion taking over. Booth wrapped her in his arms, his voice thick with emotion as he whispered into her ear. "We're a family, Bones. We're a family now."
Margret placed their little daughter in Brennan's arms while Booth looked over her shoulder in adoration. "She's perfect, Bones. She's beautiful." He pressed a kiss to Brennan's temple. "Just like her mom!" He let his finger slide over the soft skin of the baby's cheek and couldn't get enough as he admired her tiny hands. He'd forgotten just how small a baby actually is.
Margret beamed at them. "So, what is your daughter's name?"
Brennan and Booth looked at each other, then Brennan turned to the midwife. "Christine…her name is Christine Angela." They had agreed months ago to name her after Brennan's mother and her best friend.
"That's a beautiful name!" She looked at Booth. "Should I take a photo of you three?"
"Oh! Oh, of course, that would be great!" Booth reached for his phone, which he had placed on the table next to the bed. and flipped it to life so that Margret could take some photos.
He'd send them to their family and friends later. It was now shortly after 3 am in the morning, and nobody would notice them now.
Booth got up from the bed to give Brennan more space to rest and took some more photos of their daughter. Meanwhile, Dr. Batista cleared his throat. They'd totally forgotten that he was still with them in the room. The placenta had been pushed out shortly after the baby but in all their bliss neither Brennan nor Booth hadn't even noticed this. "Uhm, Temperance, because at the end the baby was really quick to be born, you've torn a bit. I think I'll give you a couple stitches."
He motioned to Margret. "Maybe Seeley can take care of the baby while you can assist me here." He glanced at Brennan. "Please lay down as comfortably as you can, okay? I'll give you a quick local anesthetic and we'll be done in no time."
Booth sat down in a nearby armchair while Margret carefully took their daughter from Brennan's arms. She smiled as Christine fussed a bit. "Seeley, maybe you can take off your shirt. It's very soothing for newborns to have skin contact."
"Oh, of course!" Without hesitation he slipped off his shirt and Margret placed the baby on his chest, right over his heartbeat. Booth held her with both of his hands, hugging her tight to himself and felt the baby settle immediately. Her legs still pressed up and tight to her body, the way she had been in the uterus the whole last months. Her tiny fingers flexed on Booth's skin.
He was enthralled as he studied his child. Everything was perfect. He inhaled the scent of her, so typical for new babies. He'd totally forgotten how good little babies smell. His thumb slowly slid over one cheek and his nose nuzzled into the soft, dark hair.
Brennan looked at them, not taking any notice of what Dr. Batista was doing at the moment. The two people who meant the world to her were just there, next to her bed and she wanted to imprint this picture in her mind…or, as a much better solution, she took the phone Booth had placed on the table and took some photos Then their eyes met.
They hadn't lost their ability to communicate without saying one word.
Booth: "Thank you.. thank you so much!"
Brennan: "My pleasure… you made this possible!"
Booth: I am the luckiest and happiest man in the world."
Brennen: "You are exaggerating… but I understand you".
Booth: "I love you!"
Brennan: "I love you, too."
"I think we're ready.," Dr. Batista said, interrupting the silent talk. Booth slowly lifted himself from the chair to sit next to Brennan on the bed. He carefully placed their daughter back in Brennan's arms, his hand protectively placed over Brennan's when she held their daughter close.
Margret showed Brennan how to nurse her daughter for the first time. Brennan gently slid her finger over Christine's cheek, looking down at her with wonder. Booth sat next to Brennan, overwhelmed by the situation, some tears escaping his eyes. These last hours had been so intense, and all the feelings were coming back, but it was joy, tremendous joy, that was now overflowing from his heart. He couldn't help but take a photo of the beautiful scene in front of him.
"Booth," Brennan's eyes shot up at him. "I hope you are not showing this around to all your friends and fellow agents!" She shook her head. "I'm warning you…"
"Of course not!" He beamed at her. "It's just for me, so I'll never forget." He couldn't help but bend down to give her a sweet, lingering kiss.
When Christine was finished nursing, Margret took her and gave Christine back to Booth. "Maybe you can make her burp and hold her for a while, while I help Temperance take a quick shower and settle her in a hospital bed to get her to her room." Booth gently took the baby and placed her flat to his chest like he had done before.
"Seeley, I must say, you're a natural…I mean, with how you handle your baby daughter." Margret smiled at him. "Most new dads are afraid to even touch the newborns, but you've managed it just fine."
Brennan lifted her eyes to Margret. "Oh, that's because he's a dad already. His son is 8 years old."
"Oh, I didn't know that." Margret was a bit flushed, wondering if maybe she had overstepped a little. It was none of her business to evaluate her patient's family situation. Booth noticed it and wanted to reassure her immediately that she had done nothing wrong. "I have a son from a former relationship, but we're good."
He turned to Brennan and looked at her to get her approval before smiling happily. "Parker will be thrilled to get to know his little sister. He's been asking for days about when she'd finally arrive. I bet when I tell him in the morning that Christine has arrived Becca will have a hard time keeping him at home."
He locked eyes with Brennan. "Is it ok for you if they come by this morning? I mean…I can hardly tell him no…and it's a Saturday, so no school…"
She quickly nodded in agreement. "Of course, Booth! You don't even have to ask. Of course, Parker is welcomed here… and Rebecca, too."
§§§
Booth stood at the window in the hospital room, looking over the city. It was already evening; all the city lights were shimmering brightly, and far away he could see the Washington Monument in all its beauty. His daughter was sleeping soundly in his arms, and Brennan napping in the hospital bed next to him. As he looked out of the window, Booth's thoughts seemed to be constantly running through the events of the day.
After the birth of their daughter in the middle of the night, exhaustion took over when they finally had brought Brennan to her room and he could only crash on the couch in her room for a few hours. He didn't want to leave them alone, so he tried to at least get some sleep until their baby needed their attention again, at around 6:30 in the morning.
At seven Booth had sent a photo of their new family to all their relatives and friends. It took Angela only enough time to get up, take a shower and drive to the hospital to burst into their room 45 minutes later. At least she was polite enough not to start screaming when she first laid eyes on Christine Angela. She was touched because of the name and actually shed some tears about that.
Rebecca had called and asked if it was okay for them to come around 10 AM. A few hours later, an excited Parker peeked around the door of their hospital room. Bones had just nursed Christine again and Booth had taken over to change the baby's diaper on the small changing table in the room. Rebecca had planned to leave Parker with them for 30 minutes with the idea that she'd come back later to get him, but Brennan asked her to stay.
Brennan had no friends with brand new babies. The only one in her family who was already a mother was Amy, her sister in law, but it felt strange to call her.
So Brennan asked Rebecca to stay so they could exchange some experiences and Brennan could ask some questions from one woman to another, and actually, they had a connection, they both were a mother of Booth's children. Rebecca was surprised about Brennan's request, but happily agreed to stay.
The two women talked quietly while Booth changed the baby's diaper, and Parker was watching every move with interest, asking one question after another. His hands were trying to catch hold the tiny fingers of his sister now and then. When Booth was ready and Christine dressed again, he asked Parker to sit down on the couch and then he placed his little sister in his arms. Parker was beaming with pride. He was a big brother now.
Shortly after Rebecca and Parker left, Cam came for a short visit, warning them that some squints were also planning to make an appearance. There wasn't going to be much 'family time only' in sight.
Booth was watching Brennan with concern, hoping that all these visitors were not too much for her, but he also understood the need for their friends to come to visit them.
Later in the afternoon, Max showed up, having taken an extra tour to get Hank from his nursing home to come with him. It was a very emotional moment for both men and they were not shy in shedding some tears.
Even Booth got a little teary eyed. How different it all would have been, if he and Bones hadn't been together…if instead, this all had been just a deal between two friends. His heart ached thinking of that possibility.
It was nearly one year on the day that Brennan had asked him to father her child. One year that had changed his…their lives completely. One year he'd never forget…one year that had made him the happiest man alive.
Finally, he had it all. The woman, the child, the house and a wedding that would take place sometime later in the summer when their life was back to normal again.
Brennan stirred in the bed and he turned to her. Their eyes met, and again there was this spark that connected them. She could read in his eyes what he was thinking about and he could read that her thoughts might have been the same as his, but he definitely saw the same happiness that had rushed through him all day.
"I love you." He sat down on the bed, bending his head to press a kiss to her lips. "I love you so much."
She pressed one palm of her hand against his head, her eyes never leaving his. "I love you, too!" She reached for their baby and Booth placed their daughter in her mother's arms.
He had to leave at some point in the evening, but not now…not yet.
And tomorrow he will bring his family home. That thought filled him with deep contentment.
The End
AN: This was the longest story I have ever written and it took me longer than planned to publish it. So thanks again for staying with me.
I am writing another story but it will be months for it to be finished. You have to stick with my old stories till then. I wish you all a merry, happy, blessed Christmas and a happy New Year.