Quicker than they could keep track of, the weeks were flying by, and Booth found himself in the second week of February wondering where the time had gone. He sat back in his chair and glanced at his watch, cringing when he noticed the date.

Valentines day.

He glanced around the diner at the other patrons, and tried to convince himself that it was very possible that they too had forgotten the date as well, but was sadly mistaken when a loud squeal came from across the room. A younger man was on one knee, the woman at the table had her hands to her mouth in shock as she hugged him tightly and failed to accept his offer, until after she had calmed and he asked again with a nervous laugh. Booth rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

Hannah was out of town again, on assignment with the press corps, she wouldn't be returning for another two or three days, and he knew he had time, he just wished he had someone to spend it with. It wasn't like he really celebrated Valentine's day, and he laughed when he thought about how many years it had actually been since had someone to share it with in the first place. He then thought about what he typically did on Valentine's day. There was either a case, or it was a day off a case, obviously, but he always had managed to be with Bones on that day. It was either paperwork or interrogating, and when there was no case, it was just a quiet dinner of Thai at his apartment or hers and a companionable bickering fest.

He glanced out the window, wondering where his partner was anyway. He had called her to have lunch, but was told that she had made other plans and wasn't in the office. With his relationship with Hannah, it was very often that he and Brennan would not see one another during the times when they didn't have a case, and he'd spend time with his girlfriend instead. His eyes scanned the people outside, and he caught sight of a familiar figure walking in the direction of the diner. He sat up as he watched her head bow forward as she looked down at the ground a bit, the thoughtful look on her face was one that he had often seen. She looked up just as she was about to cross the street, her eyes automatically finding his, and there was a bit of a smile on her lips as his hand lifted in a half hearted wave. She pulled her hand from her pocket, a black glove gracing the soft skin of her hand, and she sent him back a half hearted wave.

Her pace quickened a bit as she crossed the street, and he watched her shove her hand back in her pocket. He watched her walk, her eyes still thoughtful as she stepped toward the diner, the bell ringing as it introduced her presence in the warm confines of the room, she smiled politely at the waitress as she walked toward the back of the diner.

"I thought you couldn't meet for lunch." He said, watching her pull her hands from her pocket as she sat.

"I can't." She said. "I just… how is your day today?"

"It's fine." He said, furrowing his brow confusedly. "You okay, Bones?"

"My birthday is today." She blurted out, her eyes focusing on his.

"What?" He asked, unsure if he had heard her correctly or not.

"My birthday." She replied. "My birthday is today."

"I didn't… Happy Birthday, Bones." He said, sitting forward. "You should have some pie… celebrate with me, take off the coat… stay a while."

"No." She replied curtly. "I don't think that would be appropriate. I have… I have an appointment that I have to keep."

"You don't think that would be appropriate?" He asked.

"Booth, today is my birthday." She cleared her throat. "And… I have come to the conclusion that… there are things in my life that I cannot change. I have made mistakes, and… very often caused people that I care about pain… but I'm… I'm not getting any younger."

"Bones, are you…"

"I'm going to be inseminated." She stated curtly.

"What?" He asked.

"I have reached a point in my life where I feel that it would be detrimental to my self preservation if I remain alone for much longer. I… have seen the love that you give Parker, the love he returns to you, and… and the emotional benefits of experiencing child rearing would be rewarding. Not to mention that the introduction of a progeny with my genetic …"

"Wait, wait… wait…" Booth shook his head, closing his eyes. "What?"

"I am going to be inseminated. I am going to have a child." She said, tipping her head, she smiled. She expected him to be happy for her, to at least show some semblance of excitement for this big step in her life, but all she saw in his eyes was stunned silence.

"No you're not." He said abruptly.

"Excuse me?"

"No you're not." He replied. "You're not."

"I didn't realize I was coming here for your opinion." She said, pulling her chair out, she watched as his face turned red in anger, she was becoming increasingly upset. "Stop looking at me like that." She said, feeling the hot tears in her eyes. "You're supposed to be happy for me."

"Happy for you? Happy for…" He scoffed. "You can't have a baby, Bones… you can't even… you…"

"I don't understand."

"You don't understand?" He spat. "You can't even have a conversation with a child without… speaking in a language that they can't understand… You don't have the social skills to… teach a child to be a contributing member of society, and where are you going to get the… the…"

"Sperm?"

"Bones, we're in a public place!" He whispered angrily. "You can't… just… walk around saying that... we've had this discussion! You can't have a baby, Bones."

She straightened in her chair, the hurt look on her face was not disappearing, and she could feel the stubbornness in her face, the heavy hearted feeling, and the betrayal from the man who was sitting across from her. "So you're saying that its fine if you go around flaunting your happiness, but when I make a decision that I know will make me happy, you have the right to tell me that I cannot do it? I don't know who you think you are, Booth."

"You can't use my stuff." He said stubbornly, watching her stand up.

"I wasn't even going to ask you." She spat angrily. "I was just looking for some support, some support for my happiness. It doesn't appear that I will be getting it here. You are a selfish, selfish man." She shook her head. "You give up your friends, your family… for this stranger that you have injected into all of our lives. You slap on that silly grin, and you talk about how incredibly happy you are. I have news for you, Agent Booth… people who are happy, they don't go around telling everyone that they're happy. They show it by their actions. You're a miserable, miserable man, and I hope that Hannah is very happy with you, because you are only alienating your friends… and if you continue on this path Booth, you are going to be the one to end up alone, because I am done with being alone. I am doing something about it, and there isn't a damn thing in this world that you could say to stop me." She said, inching closer to him. "I am done with being alone." She said, her voice resolute and clear, as she turned and stormed from the diner.

Booth sat absolutely beside himself, watching her form make its way from the doorway, and in a steady, angry walk, stomp down the sidewalk toward the street. He watched as she started to disappear down the street. With a quick drop of several dollars on the table, he was up, and with six long strides, and a bit of a 'giddy up' in his step, he was out of the door and quickly on the heels of his partner before she got too far from him.