Hey everyone! Finally the final chapter (for now...). Sorry for the delay...usual excuses...work, life etc... ;)

Hope this chapter is easy to follow...it's told from both Booth and Bren's povs and skips around in time. If you look at it this way...Brennan's pov is in present time....Booth's is a few hours earlier. I naturally started writing it this way, so hope everyone else can follow it, if not let me know.

Big thanks to my awesome beta reader Slovesemmet! Thanks for everything. :)

Thanks for reading. :)

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NINE

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BRENNAN

My eyelids are heavy. I open them briefly and everything around me appears blurry. It's not just my eyelids that feel heavy. Everything does. I roll my head to the side and try to stretch. "Uhh.." I groan as a tightness pulls across my abdomen. It hurts. Everything comes flooding back to me and I force my eyes open again.

And there he is.

"Booth?"

"You did it, Bones." He tells me coming to my side.

"Where's...?" It feels like there is cotton wool in my mouth.

Booth seems to sense this because he offers me a sip of cool water from a flexible straw.

The slight movement forces me to grimace as the pain in my abdomen increases.

"Easy," Booth tells me, setting the cup of water aside. "You need your rest after the operation."

I carefully place my hand over my belly. "What did I...is the baby...?" I try to ask him...something. I feel confused.

"A boy." He smiles kissing my forehead. "We had a boy, Bones."

*

*

twelve hours earlier...

BOOTH

"Ughhh...."

My eyes drift open at the sound of a soft moan beside me.

"Bones?" She's snuggled against me, her back warm against my chest. Her favorite way of sleeping since she has gotten bigger, she likes to feel the pressure of my chest against her back as she sleeps. It helps with the aches and pains she says. She shifts beside me and moans again. Not a happy moan either.

"Bones? You dreaming?" I tease. She has had some pretty intense nightmares in the past few months. It's a pregnancy thing, I've learned.

"No," She gasps, she reaches one hand behind her to push at me, I move away slightly giving her room to turn onto her back. "I believe I'm in labor."

I shoot up into a sitting position, wide awake now. "Whoa, you sure?" I turn on the lamp beside the bed.

"Yeah." She grimaces, shifting uncomfortably. "My waters broken."

*

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BRENNAN

"Man, Bones, I was so scared when they took you away..." Booth is sitting beside me now, holding my hand.

"When can I see him?" I ask urgently. "Is he okay...after what happened?" I feel tears prick my eyes.

"Ten fingers and ten toes." Booth grins looking proud.

I look at him with confusion and he senses I need more than that to put my fears to rest because he lets out a low laugh and squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"Bones, he's perfect. Everything is perfect, I promise."

"I want to see him." I'm suddenly irrationally jealous that Booth got to see our son before me.

"I'll let the nurse know you're awake." He stand up, then drops a kiss to my forehead. "I'll be right back, okay?"

I nod drowsily and watch him leave the room.

*

*

BOOTH

eleven hours earlier....

"I don't need a wheelchair." She snaps and glares at the orderly who has wheeled the chair up alongside her.

"Bones, it's hospital policy, and you can barely walk." I try to convince her to see reason.

"I can walk, I just...." She breaks off in a painful moan, and I take advantage of her doubling over in pain to guide her into the chair and apply gentle pressure to get her to sit in it.

"Isn't that better?" I ask in a soothing tone.

"It still hurts." She holds her stomach.

"Just breathe, you're doing great," I tell her calmly, I feel my blood pressure begin to rise as the orderly leads us towards the elevators.

"Booth, you have to call Angela, she's my back up coach, in case you fall over and are rendered unconscious."

"I'm not gonna fall over." I promise.

"And call my Dad. He wanted to know when I-"

"Bones, I'll take care of everything, you just sit there and...dilate or something..." I reach into my coat pocket and pull out my cell phone.

"Sir, cell phones, aren't allowed-"

"Well, I'm a federal agent," I tell the orderly smugly.

"Sir..." The guy looks at me like he can't believe I pulled the 'I'm a Federal Agent' bit.

"Fine, fine!" My voice raises and I snap my phone shut and shove it back into my pocket.

"You can make your calls from the pay phone upstairs," he tells me helpfully.

"Okay, alright..." I sigh. I suddenly feel like ripping the guys head off.

"Booth, you're getting all agitated," Bones says as we move into the elevator car, "you need to relax."

"First time parents?" The orderly smiles knowingly.

"I am," Bones tells him, "he's not."

"Don't talk to him," I say to her while glaring at 'orderly man'. My stomach lurches as the elevator moves up several floors.

"Were you like this when Parker was born?"

"I wasn't at the hospital when Parker was born, Becca didn't want me there." I look down at my feet. If I could go back and do it over, I would have been at that hospital regardless of her wishes.

"Oh, I'm sorry," She says in a small voice, "you should call Parker too, he will be excited..."

"I'll call everyone, as soon as we get out of this damn elevator...Is it hot in here?" I pull my coat off and take a deep breath.

Finally the elevator doors open and we have reached level six. Maternity.

*

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BRENNAN

"Sweetie..."

I had almost drifted back to sleep when I heard Angela's voice.

"Ange," I say trying to sit up in my bed, grimacing slightly.

"Sweetie, he is beautiful!" Angela hugs me gently, then sits in the chair beside my bed, previously occupied by Booth.

"Has everybody seen him except me?" I ask frowning slightly.

"Yeah, sorry, sweetie, you have been conked out for a while. If it makes you feel better he has had more visitors than any other kid in the nursery."

"Booth went to get him."

"Yeah, I passed him in the hall, one of the nurses is taking him down to get him now."

"And he is really okay?"

"Ten fingers and ten toes."

"That's what Booth said."

"It means he is perfect," Angela explains, "I better go, anyway, I'm not sure I am supposed to be back here." She stands up. "You did great, Bren. Love you lots." She leans down and hugs me again.

"Thanks, Ange."

"I'll see you soon, sweetie, okay?"

I nod.

*

*

eight hours earlier...

BOOTH

"Just don't touch me!"

I quickly remove my offending hands from my partners back and she moves away from me, glaring at me like I had just violated evidence at a crime scene.

"Sorry," I mumble, backing away from her, holding my hands in the air.

She paces the floor in front of me. She's changed into a hospital gown now and tied her hair back. It's only been a few hours but she looks exhausted, although she would never admit to it.

"I just need to keep moving," she tells me.

"You know you can have-" She cuts me off before I can even finish my sentence.

"I don't want drugs! Women have been giving birth for centuries, our bodies are built for this, Booth, I don't-"

"Okay, alright." I hold up my hands in defeat. "I don't like seeing you in pain is all," I add quietly.

She leans against the bed and moans. "Please...my back." She looks at me pleadingly.

"Of course." Even though she had pushed me away only a moment ago, I rush to her side and begin applying firm pressure. "Better?"

"A little."

"You want some ice?"

She shakes her head, then lets out a sob.

"What? Did I hurt you?"

She shakes her head. "Oh god, I'm not ready?" She says breathlessly. "What if I'm a horrible mother? What if my child hates me? What if...."

"Hey." I turn her gently to face me, and wipe the tears from her eyes with my hand. "Hey, what's this...? You're doing great, Bones, just relax....like you told me to in the elevator, remember?" I smile. "One of us has to remain calm here."

"I'm scared," she says in a small voice I hardly recognize.

"I'm scared too." I admit.

"Really?" She looks at me hopefully.

"Bones, I'm terrified."

"Thank god!" She starts to laugh and clings to me. "This will sound strange but..." She pauses, growing serious. "I really wish my mother was here." She looks up at me sadly.

"I wish she was too." I tell her, I'm not sure what more I can say....except..

"Hey, you want me to get Angela?" Maybe having another woman present would comfort her.

"No." She shakes her head. "You promise you won't leave me?"

"I'm not going anywhere." I hug her tightly to me.

*

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BRENNAN

"You ready to meet our little squint, Bones?"

I watch Booth as he enters my hospital room, he is holding our baby, a nurse following him closely.

The nurse smiles at me as she adjusts my bed and helps me sit up.

I take a breath. "I'm ready." I tell Booth with a nod.

"Okay, here he is." Booth is grinning madly, as he approaches my bed, I hold out my arms and he places him against my chest. "Look at that..." He lets out a breath. "Look at him, Bones."

I do look at him. The first thing I notice is the crop of dark hair on his head. He's tiny and pink, wrapped tightly in white.

A surge of emotion comes over me. He's mine. Mine and Booth's. I know instantly that I would do anything for him.

And he is perfect, like Booth and Angela had said.

"He is beautiful." I continue to scrutinize the tiny being in my arms. "I know all mothers think their children are perfect, but I think he is the best one." I say seriously.

Booth laughs. "Yes." He nods in agreement. "He is the best one."

The baby yawns and stretches in my arms. His tiny hands form fists and he lets out a soft wail.

"What did I do?" I ask anxiously.

Booth and the nurse laugh gently which annoys me.

"He's probably hungry," The nurse explains, "He had a little to eat in the nursery, but now that you are awake do you want to try breastfeeding?"

"Yes." I nod. I had decided I would breastfeed months ago. Or at least attempt it.

Booth sits back in the chair beside me, while the nurse assists me in rearranging my gown and helping the baby latch onto me.

"Ow..ow!" I grimace as he starts suckling rather aggressively.

"Looks like he is going to be a good eater," the nurse comments.

"Takes after his old man." Booth grins proudly.

"Have you got a name for this little guy?"

"I was waiting for you to wake up," Booth tells me.

"Yes, he has a name." I smile.

*

*

4 hours earlier..

BOOTH

"What's going on?" I had stepped out of Bones room for no more than five minutes just to make a quick trip to the waiting room to inform the squints and Max how she was progressing and I had returned to chaos. One nurse was taking Bones blood pressure, another injecting her with something. Her doctor stood to one side of the bed looking at the computer screen that monitored the baby.

"Booth!" She was on the bed where I had left her, her face flushed and sweaty.

"What's happening?" I rush to her side ignoring the bustle of activity around her.

"The baby is going into distress." She tells me, I can tell she is trying to be calm and controlled, but I can see the panic in her eyes.

"Distressed? What does that mean?"

"The baby's heart rate is dropping," Doctor Meyer explains to me, "Seeley, we need to get Temperance to the OR, we're going to do an emergency C-section."

"Oh, okay...that's..." I can't even formulate a coherent sentence.

I watch helplessly as they strap Bones to the bed, pulling the sides up, making sure she is secure.

"Booth..." She holds a hand out for me to take.

"Bones, it's going to be fine, I'm going to be right with you..." I tell her, grasping her hand.

"I'm sorry, Seeley, you can't come into the operating room," Meyer turns to me apologetically.

"What? Why? I'm the father." I protest. "The coach." I add.

"I know, but because this is an emergency, you will have to wait in the waiting room," She tells me, placing a gloved hand on my arm, "we will have your baby out in just just a few minutes, so I need you to relax and get yourself ready to meet your son or daughter." She smiles warmly.

"Okay...good...I'm relaxed," I say numbly, my heart racing. They start to wheel Bones bed from the room and I walk alongside still holding her hand.

"They have to put me out," She tells me, her eyes wide, "you will look after the baby till I wake up, right?"

"Of course, don't worry about a thing, you'll do great," I lean down and kiss her sweaty forehead as we stop in front of a set of double doors and I know I can go no further.

"See you soon, okay?" I squeeze her hand one final time.

She nods.

And then they take her away.

*

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BRENNAN

"I want to call him William," I tell Booth, my eyes still on the newborn my arms, "after your grandfather." I don't need to explain why.

He nods, his eyes shining. "Thanks Bones." He says softly.

"William Keenan Booth."

*

*

three and a half hours earlier...

BOOTH

"Here, he is Seeley."

Finally. Finally. Bones doctor emerges a tiny bundle in her arms.

"He? He? A boy?" I jump from my seat directly outside the OR doors, I had refused to wait in the waiting room with the rest of the squints and Max.

"Yes." Doctor Meyers laughs gently. "Here, take him, he won't bite." She holds the baby out for me to take.

I hesitate briefly. It's been so long since I've held a newborn. "Okay..." She gently transfers the baby into my arms. "He's so...tiny!" I can't help exclaiming. "I have a boy...another boy! I really have...Bones did it..." I look back up at the doctor. "Bones? She's okay?" I ask anxiously.

"She's doing great, she should wake up shortly. She will be in pain for a few days and shouldn't do any heavy lifting for six weeks or so, but other than she will be fine." Meyer assures me.

"Thank god...and....he..." I glance down at my new son. "He's okay too, right?"

"Your son is doing great." She smiles reassuringly.

"Yeah, you hear that little one, you're doing great...." I croon. "I'm your dad, kiddo, I'm going to take real good care of you and your Mommy." I promise.

*

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BRENNAN

The nurse has finally left Booth and I and newly named William alone. Booth has pulled his chair up close to the bed and we are both watching our new baby.

It is strange, but I feel like I could stare at him forever. I wonder what was I so afraid of all these years?

"He's amazing." Booth says suddenly, breaking our content silence.

"I know," I agree. I exhale slowly, a sudden wave of emotion overwhelming me, "how did we get here, Booth?"

"I believe you asked me for my sperm." He smiles gently at me, reaching over to brush a tear from my cheek.

"Then this is all Sweet's fault." I conclude.

"I should buy the man a car or something," Booth says, "you know, to thank him?" He explains after I look at him blankly.

"I could give him one of my royalty checks." I offer.

We are silent again, gazing down at our son I hold.

"We really did it." I say in amazement.

"Yeah, we did."

"What happens next?" I look up at him.

He can only smile.

*

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The end...for now.