Chapter 19

"Time is the wave upon the shore. It takes some things away, but it brings other things."

― Amy Neftzger, War of Words

"Ange." Lifting her glass to her lips to avoid answering the question, Brennan took another sip of her wine. She couldn't hide that same satisfied grin Angela had seen the day after Vincent Nigel- Murray's death when she had confessed to crawling into bed with her partner. "Booth...Booth is a very private man, you know that." She added by way of explanation.

"Seriously." Angela slumped back on the couch letting out a huff of a sigh. "I'm married and almost nine months pregnant here, Bren. Not that sex isn't still, you know, great and all -"

"Hey, I heard that." Hodgins called out from the kitchen, where he was cleaning up from their shared dinner.

"Because it is, you know, Hodgins is…great...and we...we are still...great." She spoke loud enough for her husband to overhear, then lowered her voice and leaned in to make sure the conversation stayed between her and her friend. "Look, I just want some steamy details here, okay? Some hot, sex-is-new-and-exciting-and-out-of-control details and I know you have 'em, Sweetie. I know you're just holding out on me."

"Angela, we work together." Closing her eyes momentarily, she wished Booth would hurry and get there. She needed him for backup. "All of us...and Booth, he would...he wouldn't...if he ever found out that I told you he'd…"

It was still so new between them, still dreamy and exciting and exhilarating. Precarious too, if she thought about it too long, like walking a tightrope. She didn't want it to end, it couldn't. Still, the possibility of her own failings affecting their relationship felt inevitable, giving her a very real sense that she could slip and fall if she weren't especially careful.

"He won't find out." Angela could see the slight crack in Brennan's otherwise iron will and was determined to weasel her way in. "Think about it, Sweetie, how would he? I'm certainly not gonna tell him." Brennan rolled her eyes and shook her head trying to brush off the persistent attempts of her best friend. "If I did you'd never tell me anything ever again and..." Angela stopped mid-sentence, "oooh, this little guy is so active." Completely distracted, her hand fell to her belly and rubbed slowly over her baby bump as her friend watched in amazement, her tummy rolling with kicks and movements.

"Guy? As in male?"

"No. No, just as in general, male or female, we're sticking to our decision to wait to find out until the baby is born."

"It's not surprising, the increased movements I mean. In fact, it's not uncommon for expectant mothers to experience more activity shortly after a meal due to a rise in blood glucose levels. Some people attribute that to particular foods, although there is no hard science to support that."

Angela was about to answer but caught her friend's distant look. Something that seemed to be happening more and more lately. It concerned her. Clearing her throat, she was about to speak when Bren continued. "More likely, the fetus within you is feeling the effects of the large dinner we just shared, high in carbohydrates from the pasta."

She was still rambling on about the chemical makeup of their meal when Angela interrupted, grabbing her hand and pressing it right over the kicks of baby Hodgins. The baby's foot pressed firmly up into her hand. Angela watched as a look of amazement and joy washed over her friend. Turning in her seat, Brennan settled next to Angela, letting her head fall to her friend's shoulder while keeping her hand in place.

Of late, it seemed Angela's pregnancy had been at the forefront of Brennan's mind. She found herself returning to it repeatedly, dwelling on the topic as if it were a particularly complex equation with an elusive solution. While she'd always been a very proactive friend in researching and providing Angela with plenty of information regarding many aspects of gestation, like diet, she now found her mind drifting to the less concrete implications of child bearing, such as the way it would affect Angela and Hodgins, their daily lives, and work, their friendships. It would be life altering, it already had been.

"So, how is it between you two, really?" Angela broke through the reverie of her thoughts. "You haven't really talked about it since that first day, after, you know, Vincent-."

"It hasn't even been two weeks, Ange." Brennan let out a long heavy sigh, which did nothing but add to Angela's worries. "Ten days, or eleven, depending on how you count it."

Silence fell between them, pushing the soft music playing and the faint clatter of Hodgins' work in the kitchen into the foreground as Brennan's thoughts turned inward once again. Maybe the pregnancy had been at the forefront of her mind because, inevitably, if her relationship with Booth were to continue, questions of marriage and children would come up. It was a logical explanation, she reminded herself, considering the possibility of her actually being pregnant from those first couple days with Booth was, in fact, statistically improbable.

Turning her head toward her best friend, she found her sitting there, waiting patiently. Years of experience had taught Angela that if she pushed Brennan in just the right ways, then gave her a little space, she would eventually answer on her own. Brennan didn't disappoint. After a flash of resignation she spoke.

"Amazing. Things with Booth that is, although, not enough time has passed to really determine how it will be over time. Still, I find it different than I expected, better." A satisfied smile spread across her expression.

"You two are very good at hiding it. If I didn't know better I'd never guess you were a couple."

Truth was, they were hiding it so well that Angela worried about how they were making the transition from partners and friends to lovers. The last thing she wanted was for her friend to panic and backtrack, pulling away from Booth, hiding behind work or some other nonsense. After all these years and the heartache these two had suffered over each other, she wasn't about to let this relationship fail before it really got a chance to succeed. Which is why she planned this pseudo double-date in the first place.

When Brennan called to tell her that Booth wouldn't be joining them and used paperwork as an excuse, it sent a wave of panic through her. She knew then she needed to dig a little for some relationship details so she could figure out just how much help the two of them needed to make this work.

"Well, thank you." Taking in a sharp breath, Brennan pulled her head up off her friend's shoulder to the back of the couch and rolled to the side so she could see her better. "We're trying. Booth says it's our greatest undercover operation yet." She smiled sweetly, a sparkle in her eye. She loved undercover work. "My acting has been quite superb hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has. But, you don't have to act here. You know that, right? Not with me. We can just talk, right? So, how is it, really, it must be hard to keep your hands off him after waiting so long to be together?" She cautioned a glance, trying to catch a reaction. "When Hodgins and I were first together I swear we had every nook and cranny of the Jeffersonian mapped out for easy access." She laughed, fond memories rushing back. "I can draw you up a map if you want?"

"No, not at work, no thank you."

"Yeah, well you say that now, but you're always at work so I'm sure that'll change. The two of you are going to have to make time to squeeze it in somewhere, or it's going to take a toll on your relationship. Trust me. Besides, some night when you're working late and you haven't seen him all day because you've both been busy that bone room is going to look better and better. When it happens just text me, I'll hook ya up."

"Angela."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, the sanctity of the lab and all that keep-things-sterile bullshit."

It was the flash of pink across her cheeks, the quick little breath she sucked in, like she had to remind herself to breathe, the sated look that filled her eyes momentarily, that gave her away.

"Oh my god, it's already happened. You've already done it at work!"

"Ange, seriously."

"Oh, no you don't, that whole acting thing might work with other people but not with me, Sweetie. Come on...fess up...time to tell all."

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh...you didn't have to, I can see it in your eyes, and damn it must have been good judging by what I see."

It was, that was undeniable, although she would certainly try and deny it.

Temperance Brennan had been sexually active for most of her adult life, and she wasn't new to the kind of passion and response to physical stimuli that could override rational thought, but she'd never completely lost control, not with any of her previous sexual partners, not like she had that night with Booth. It was still so fresh in her memory, only two days past, that she couldn't help but relive it as the sensations came rushing back.

It was by far her most satisfying sexual experience to date, if she were to rank them. It was more, so much more, it was everything, physical, emotional. Every time with them was, but this experience out ranked them all in a way she couldn't quite articulate.

"I want some of whatever you're having right there." Angela's voice cut through her dreamy memory. Smiling, she let out a low chuckle and shook her head slightly.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Seriously, don't even. You know exactly what I mean, Bren. Please, just a little something, just a couple crumbs." Eying her friend with a deeply skeptical look, Brennan took a long deep breath.

"It was late, like you intimated." Angela squealed and Bren reacted as she watched her jump a little in her seat from excitement. "And while it is true there are places where it would be inappropriate to engage in…sexual antics, places I never would under any circumstances…," she took a long deep breath eyeing her friend carefully, knowing if she let this slip it she'd never get away without being more specific, "my office is not one of them."

"Oh my god, all those windows." She chuckled, to which Brennan shot her a most exasperated look. "Seriously, that is so hot, Sweetie, like really, really hot." Opening her mouth as if to speak, Brennan stopped, closing it tight in protest. Angela waited for her friend to continue her story and when she didn't, she begged. "Bren. Come on, you have to tell me more. Desk sex? Was it desk sex? I'll never look at your desk the same way."

"No. No. Not my desk -" She was interrupted by the doorbell. Booth, that would be Booth. He said he'd come by when he was done with his paperwork. Craning her head, she watched as Hodgins rushed from the kitchen through the living room to the front door.

"I got it, babe." He called out as he went. Angela relaxed back into the couch, giving up her struggle to stand. "Booth. Hey, man, glad you could make it,"

"Sorry, I'm late." Booth wiped his feet on the front mat before stepping into the Hodgins' home, shrugging out of his overcoat. "I...I had to finish up some paperwork before I could leave." Letting out a heavy sigh, his eyes darted around the room looking for Bones. "I have Parker this weekend or I would just go in tomorrow, you know, to finish it up."

"No worries, man, seriously."

The decision to keep their relationship secret had been a tough, but necessary one. He wanted to give Bones some time to adjust and feel comfortable before the world swept in with their opinions. This would give them some space to do that. At the time he thought it wouldn't be that big of a deal, he wasn't a big public displays of affection kind of guy to begin with and Bones, well, she wasn't either, more than him, but now that they were together, it was different. At least it felt that way to him.

More than anything he wanted to hold her hand across the table at the diner and greet her with a simple kiss, even if it was only a peck on the cheek. Little things really, little things that seemed big now that they were finally a couple and he still had to restrain himself.

Having dinner with Angela and Hodgins, at their home, away from the public, was a great compromise. He could sit close, sling his arm around her shoulder, give her a kiss, all the stuff that couples get to do, without fear of someone seeing and rumors flying. He knew Bones was looking forward to this double date thing, she'd been talking about it for the last three days almost non-stop, and as much as Angela could be a pain in the ass, he'd been looking forward to it too.

It was a relief to see her smiling broadly when their eyes met, for a split second, but then, almost as quickly, his entire stance changed. Hands on his hips, his shoulders fell, head tilted back in exasperation, and he let out a heavy sigh. "Really?"

"What?" Hodgins and Angela both asked at once.

He didn't respond. Not a word was spoken as Hodgins and Angela looked back and forth between the couple, waiting for one of them to speak.

"I told you he'd know." Smug and confident, Brennan responded as she folded her arms across her chest and glared at Angela before turning her attention back to Booth. "I didn't say anything, not really, no details."

"She didn't have the chance." Angela looked more than a little frustrated, which pleased Booth, and then she giggled. "And, she didn't have to. I gotta say, Booth, in all the years I've known Bren and our many conversations about sex I -""

"Stop, okay, just stop...right...there." Booth put his hands up and let his eyes close momentarily. He really, really didn't want to think about Bones with another man. "That's enough, really."

But Angela couldn't help herself. "I've never seen her blush like-"

"Angela." Hodgins interrupted, trying to stop the torture by offering Booth some dinner and a drink, but Angela kept at it, sneaking in one last tidbit.

"Not even with Sully." She added quickly.

Sully was a sore spot for Booth, even after all these years, but he took what Angela said as a compliment. He couldn't help the way his chest puffed just a little broader and the confident expression that took over his face as a cocky smile spread all the way up to his eyes.

"That's right," he offered up before changing the subject abruptly because he really didn't want to discuss details of his sex life with Angela or Hodgins. "I think I'll take you up on that drink now, Hodgins."

Booth followed him through the room into the kitchen, grabbing a beer from his friend as he helped serve up some dessert for the ladies. When they settled back down in the living room, it was as couples.

Parker was their first topic of conversation, their plans for the weekend being a logical place to start after Booth's late arrival. The news that Rebecca was considering a position in England which would take his son out of the country and severely limit their visits made every opportunity to spend time with his son a priority.

"That's not right, man." Hodgins responded to the news, his hand falling instinctually to Angela's baby bump, protectively circling his growing child. "I can't imagine what you're feeling. Just thinking about it makes me a little crazy and I haven't even held my child yet. You gonna fight it?"

"Maybe. No. I don't know...still thinking about it." Booth shrugged, his fork scraping at the last bite of pie on his plate. "She just told me a week ago when I asked if we could have Parker for the weekend. I mean...I don't want to take him away from his mom. I was young pretty young when my mom…she just…" He popped the last bite in his mouth avoiding a revelation he wasn't prepared to get into about his childhood. Looking down at the empty pie plate, he paused before setting it down on the coffee table in front of him. "I don't want that for him. If the court sided with me then she'd either have to give up the job and stay here or leave him with me. That...that just doesn't seem right either, you know, and I don't want to force her to make that decision. She'd hate me, and who could blame her."

Mothers, sons, England, it was only natural that Brennan's mind drifted to Mr. Nigel-Murray as Booth continued to talk. The funeral was coming up soon, Sweets had been continually pressuring her to attend, something about respect and closure, the importance of her presence as his mentor and advisor, and the need for her to properly mourn the loss of her brilliant, young intern. She drew in a sharp breath and held it.

Angela didn't seem to notice, but Booth did, stretching his arm out around her shoulder and pulling her in.

"Rebecca says we can Skype everyday if we want and offered to pay for him to come back and spend time with me for all major holidays and all of summer break. I'd pay for that, I don't care how much she's making, he's my son. My son, my responsibility." There was a bite to what he'd just said. It always bothered Brennan how Rebecca didn't seem to understand the importance of Booth's role in Parker's life. Reaching out, she laid her hand on Booth's knee. He turned, their eyes catching, and smiled at her, placing his hand over hers. "The flight's not that expensive, especially if you plan ahead. It's not bad."

As the conversation continued, Brennan returned to her musings. Cam was going, to the funeral, representing the Jeffersonian. Angela could deliver any day. Who would man the lab if Hodgins and Angela were having their baby and Cam was in England? Besides, Cam was better at those things. Letting out a long sigh, she found herself scooting in a little closer to Booth.

Hodgins shook his head in relative admiration of Booth, who gave him a nod. "What about Parker, what does he want?"

Booth let out a billowing huff of a breath. "He hasn't really said. I'm just trying to be supportive, you know, remind him I will love him just as much if he's in England as here. I tell him he's a good kid and he'll make new friends wherever he goes. It'll be an adventure. I mean, who gets to do that, you know, live in a different country, just wake up on a Saturday and jump on a train and go to Germany or France or wherever? That's pretty cool. And what kind of dad would I be if I kept him from that?"

Brennan sighed quietly. Mr. Nigel-Murray had been in the United States for school for well over three years, mostly pursuing his doctorate. He had a life in D.C., friends, mates, as he so often referred to them. She hadn't considered the people the young man left behind here, in D.C., his American home. Her mind had been mostly focused on the loss his family must be feeling, his mother specifically after talking with Cam, who'd spoken with the grieving woman directly, and Angela, who was preparing herself to be a mother and had spoken quite openly about how heartbroken she would be in similar circumstances. Those conversations had originally focused her attention on his grieving family, but now her thoughts seemed consumed by those who'd been close to him at the Jeffersonian, his classmates, and friends.

"You're a bigger man that I am, man." Hodgins just shook his head, the whole situation seemed crazy to him and he found himself angry for Booth.

"Thanks man, but I'm not really, trust me. I'm just trying to be a good dad, you know, think of him, not me, because if it were up to me," he shook his head, "a lot of things would be different."

Brennan was happy when the conversation moved on to other topics, but she remained unsettled and distracted. Her mind couldn't seem to let go, thoughts of her most brilliant intern since Zack, another terrible and personal loss, kept creeping in to every subject they discussed.

Talking about Max and his latest adventures reminded her of the life he led away from her, one she only had scarce details of, the ones Max wanted her to have. She never met his friends or the women he dated, and rarely went over to his apartment. When she saw her father it was usually him coming to see her, and almost always at a restaurant or the lab. She wondered how much Mr. Nigel-Murray's family knew, if anything, of his life in America. It was her understanding, from conversations with the young man, that his family had never been to see him in D.C. They couldn't afford the trip.

Booth asking about how Angela and Hodgins were holding up so close to delivery brought up the funeral. Their lamentations troubled Brennan. The soon to be parents wouldn't be able to attend the funeral either, something they had both expressed regret over to her on multiple occasions, nearly every time the subject was broached, and now Angela was crying.

Angela asked about Russ, Amy and the girls as a distraction to her grief. But to Brennan, it was just another piece in the long string of thoughts forming an strong undercurrent to their topical conversations. Her frustration over Russ' refusal to accept her financial assistance for his family to travel up to D.C. for a visit led her quickly to the thought that there might be friends and colleagues of the young scientist, at the lab, or spread out across the East Coast, many who might want to attend the services in England, but would not be able to because of financial considerations.

No matter what they discussed, her mind inevitably connected the conversation to Mr. Nigel-Murray's funeral. As the night progressed, she became increasingly agitated by the thoughts which seemed inescapable, and her mind sought endlessly for a solution. Attending herself wouldn't solve the problemas she saw it, it certainly wouldn't give his family the opportunity to see what his life in America was like or his friends the chance to attend his services to honor him.

When the evening was over and they finally settled in the truck to head home, Booth hesitated before pulling onto the road. Looking over at her, he spoke softly. "You okay, Bones?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Something's bothering you. I can tell."

"No. Nothing." She insisted, and Booth nodded, even though he was sure that wasn't true.

The subject was dropped, Booth pulled out onto the street, and she turned the conversation to more immediate needs. Which apartment they were going to be staying at for the night, plans for breakfast, errands to run before they picked up Parker, whether or not to tell him about their relationship or wait. Conversation flowed easily as her mind continued to churn, until she abruptly interrupted him mid-sentence.

"I'm going to host a memorial for Mister….," letting her eyes close momentarily, she continued, "Mr. Vincent Nigel-Murray."

Booth smiled. "What?" There was a look of pride in his eyes. "That's good, Bones, a good idea, very thoughtful, but I thought you didn't believe in funerals."

"I don't."

"Okay," He drew the word out long and slow, "then why...why would you host one?"

"The funeral isn't for me, Booth." Booth opened his mouth as if to argue that point, maybe she thought it wasn't for her, but it was, it had to be, but he closed it again without speaking as she continued. "It's for his friends, his colleagues, his family. There are many people in his life that won't have the opportunity to mourn him in England, and his family in England never got to see or experience what his life was like here. I want to give them that opportunity."

She'd already planned out where she would do it, at the Jeffersonian, and how she would manage the event. Booth could help her with the social requirements; he was religious and good at that sort of thing. Financially, she had plenty of money to fund the event and she would insist on paying for his family to come. It was the least she could do.

"I think that's a great idea, Bones." He wanted to reassure her, knowing full well how anxious this sort of thing made her. Grabbing her hand in his, Booth squeezed before bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. "You have a beautiful heart, Baby."

"Thank you," she whispered nearly under her breath, "and I'm not a baby," she added much louder, a smirk of smile and a twinkle in her eye lighting up her expression. Despite her token protest, she'd found herself growing fond his possessive nomenclature.

Settling back in the seat, she let out a long peaceful sigh and then another as she turned and watched Booth drive. She felt her whole body relax, releasing the tension she'd felt escalating since talk of her young intern's funeral started shortly after his death. Both her mind and body happy with the decision to honor Mr. Vincent Nigel-Murray in this way. A quick glance from Booth, his warm eyes and reassuring smile, brought her back to their new shared reality. Life was different, full of things she'd never expected, and even though some of those things were bad, hard even, it was still good, better in ways she had never anticipated it could be.

A/N: Thank you all for not giving up on me during my long absence. I am so grateful your support and encouragement, it keeps me going. I deeply appreciate each review, follow, favorite, and private message I receive, especially because it has been so long.

Special thanks to chosenname for her patience with my rusty writing and honesty, which has helped (is helping) me find my footing again. And snowybones for always being there for me.