Disclaimer- Nothing related to the TV show Bones belongs to me

Disclaimer- Nothing related to the TV show Bones belongs to me. But seriously, I’d hope you’d figure that out by now.

A/N- I think this chapter is going to make my new readers happy. It is the last- but it’s very long, and of course, there is a happy ending. Enjoy, and please review!

A Future in the Past

Chapter 7

“Just one more push Temperance! Come on, that’s it!”

Temperance screamed, “The damn baby can just stay up there!”

The patient nurse encouraged, “I know it’s hard, honey, just one more though. You can do it!” A high pitched screech of pain escaped from Temperance followed by the powerful wails of a newborn.

“It’s a girl!” The doctor announced, before placing the newly delivered baby upon Temperance’s chest. Temperance cried, grasped her baby, but before she could say anything, the child was taken from her to be cleaned and weighed.

“Six pounds, eleven ounces.” Despite coming from a teenage mother, the baby was healthy, and after being wrapped in a pink blanket and having a pink and white striped cap placed on her head, she was returned to Temperance’s waiting arms. Not two minutes after mother and daughter had begun getting acquainted was a loud knock heard coming from the door of the hospital room.

“Somebody! Please, let me in! Please!” Came the voice of a young male. Only one nurse remained in the room; she walked over to the door, and opened it slightly.

“Can I help you, sir? This is a delivery room; there is a mother and child trying to rest in here.”

“I know, I think…I think that may be my baby.” Seeley Booth explained.

“You think?” The nurse asked, “How is it that you don’t know?”

“I just…I know, okay? Please, just let me in. If I’m wrong, I’ll leave, I swear.”

“I can’t just let you into this room; you have to be immediate family.” Temperance heard faint snippets of the conversation from her place on the bed, and she called to the nurse, “It’s fine, he can come in.” She still wasn’t entirely sure who was outside and why they wanted to be inside the room, but whatever the conflict was, she wanted it resolved so she could get some sleep. She should have been cautious about whom she let in to her delivery room, but after twelve hours of labor, she was far from thinking clearly.

“Miss, it’s against hospital policy, I-”

Temperance sighed and said, “Please, this is going to be easier for both of us if you just let him in.” Deciding that the young patient was right, the nurse opened the door wide enough for Seeley to enter, and then proceeded to go guard the door, to prevent anybody from seeing a random man in a delivery room. It never once crossed her mind that she was being paranoid.

“Temperance?” Seeley stated, wide-eyed.

“Seeley! It is you! I heard, but I didn’t want to think, and now you’re…you’re…” Temperance stumbled over her words, failing miserably at communicating that even though she had thought she recognized the voice outside her door, she didn’t allow herself to believe it was him.

“Is it…she? He? Mine?” Seeley in return did not provide a clear response. Temperance’s eyes filled with tears, and she could do nothing but nod. Seeley was next to the bed in two seconds, looking down at the mother of his child, and said child.

“I’m sorry,” Temperance said, “I…I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how to contact you, and…and, I just…I-”

“Shhh…Temperance, it’s okay. I understand, alright? It’s okay. Everything’s going to be fine now; I’m here now, Temperance.” He tried to reassure her as his mind was reeling. He was a father? Temperance was a mother? What would he do? What should he say? How did he feel?

“Seeley, what are you doing here?” Temperance finally asked, still holding the baby tightly to her chest.

“Oh, right, that, yeah. My grandfather, he’s getting surgery, he lives near here so, we came down to see him and…I just got bored, so I started walking around, somehow got to the maternity floor, and I heard your name. I waited until it seemed like things had quieted down, and, well, you know what happened from there.” Seeley hastily recalled. Temperance smiled, delighted at seeing him again, but unsure of what to say to him. Eventually she settled on, “It’s a girl.”

A wide grin settled itself upon Seeley’s face and he said, “I can’t believe I have a daughter.”

Calmed by Seeley’s optimism and positive attitude, Temperance answered, “I know. I’m a mom; it’s the strangest feeling in the world. When I first found out I was pregnant, I thought I’d have to give her up, or have an abortion…I just never thought I’d get to see her, now she’s here and…and, I’m excited and terrified and…well, mostly terrified I guess.”

“Don’t be. We’ll figure this out together, okay? There’s nothing to be worried about.” Seeley told her, his steady voice defying the unrest he felt inside. Of course there was something to be worried about! There was a lot to be worried about! Where would they live? How would they make money? How could they find the time to go to college and raise a child?

As if she was reading his mind, Temperance responded, “Don’t lie to me Seeley. There’s so much to figure out- you have to be nervous too.”

“You’re right.” Seeley said, because she was, and because there was nothing else he could say.

“Ma’am! You can’t go in there!” Temperance and Seeley heard the ‘guard nurse’ yell one second before a middle-aged woman bounded into the room

“Seeley James Booth! Where the hell have you been?” She shouted.

“Mom, calm down, it’s alright. Why don’t we go into the hall and talk?” Seeley soothed.

“Calm down? Calm down?! I’ve been looking all over this hospital for you for over an hour!”

“I can explain everything, mom. Let’s just go talk, okay? Please.” Seeley pleaded. Temperance watched confusedly as Seeley fought with his mother. She had never met Mrs. Booth, and while she could understand the older woman’s anger, she wished that she would display it elsewhere. The baby was sleeping, and Temperance did not want her new daughter to wake. Mrs. Booth sighed and followed her son out into the hallway.

“So, you want to explain why you were with that girl and her baby?” His mother asked.

“‘That girl’s’ name is Temperance. She was a foster child of the Jorgensen’s about a year ago. We dated for a couple of months, and then she had to leave when Susan got pregnant. The night before she left, she came over when you and dad were out for the night. It’s really embarrassing to have to tell you this, but…we had sex, and Temperance apparently got pregnant.”

“Seeley, are you trying to say…to say that…that child is yours?”

“Yes, mom.” He knew that was all he needed to say for an answer.

“How did you not know before? Why didn’t she tell you?” His mother’s eyes were filling with tears, and Seeley felt horrible. He was very close to his mother- the only reason she had gotten so angry because she couldn’t find him was that she had been worried- and it killed him to make her cry.

“She wanted to tell me, but she couldn’t reach me. She didn’t have our phone number, or address…”

“So how’d you know she was at this hospital, in labor no less?” His mother was a patient, and kind woman, but despite that, she had to use all of her restraint to keep from lashing out at her son.

“I just started wandering around, I passed by her room, and I heard somebody say Temperance; they were telling her to push. I don’t know why, but I was sure it was her, so I waited. I knocked on the door when things calmed down, she told the nurse to let me in, and we’ve just been talking since then.”

“Oh, Seeley, do you have any idea how serious this is? You’re a father; you have a responsibility toward your child, and that child’s mother. How do you think you’re going to manage? You’re eighteen! You were going to go to college- you had such a bright future! That’s ruined now!”

“No, mom, it isn’t. Now I get to share that future with Temperance and our child. It’ll be hard, I’m not saying it won’t be, but I love her, mom, I really do, and somehow we’ll figure things out.”

“Somehow, huh? You’ll figure things out, somehow? Babies are expensive Seeley- clothes, diapers, food. You’re going to need a job, and I’m not letting you abandon your scholarship, so you’ll have to figure out some way to get your schoolwork done too. There are only twenty-four hours in a day; soon you’re going to see how few that is.”

“Mom, I’ll get a job, and I’ll keep up with school, but please, just give me some support. You don’t have to help with anything, but just a little confidence would be nice.”

“I’ve always believed in you Seeley. If you think you can manage everything, and if you really love this girl, I’ll be the last person to stand in your way.”

“Thanks, mom, and I do love her. I’m not sure of a whole lot right now, but at least I’m sure of that.”

“Good, then you go tell her that, she needs to hear it more than I do.”

“I will, thanks, and could you…um, could you maybe tell dad for me?” Seeley asked hopefully.

“I’ll tell him, alright, but you’re going to have to talk to him about it eventually.”

“I know, I will.” Mrs. Booth started to turn away but as she did Seeley called to her, “Mom?” She turned around. “Thank you, for everything.” He said.

“You’re welcome, Seeley. Just stay true to what you said to me.”

“I will.” He said, and nodded slightly. His mother gave him a faint smile, nodded back, and continued to walk away. Seeley re-entered the room, to find that Temperance’s baby, no, their baby, had been taken away to be measured and put in the nursery.

“What did she say?” Temperance immediately asked.

Seeley took a seat and said, “She was upset, confused, but we talked it out. She wants me to know how hard it’s going to be to raise a baby and go to college at the same time, but she told me so long as I love you, and I work hard, she’s not going to try and keep us apart.” Seeley took a deep breath, and looked at Temperance, whose eyes were glossy with unshed, but happy, tears.

“So you still love me? After everything, you still do?” She asked, disbelievingly.

“Of course I do. I never stopped loving you, Temperance. Having a baby with you changes a lot, but not the way I feel about you.”

“I’m so relieved.” Temperance said, giving him a smile. “I thought that you would leave me.”

Seeley took her hands, locked eyes with her and said seriously, “I will never leave you. Temperance, understand? Never.” Instead of being upset at her lack of confidence in his commitment to her, he knew that he needed to assure her he wouldn’t abandon her as so many others had before him.

“Thank you, Seeley. I know you won’t.” She confirmed.

“Temperance! Oh, dear, I’m so sorry I couldn’t get here sooner! I was at work, and only now did I get called!” Pamela rushed in talking a mile a minute.

“Pam! It’s okay, I called an ambulance, I got here just fine. It’s a girl! They’re measuring her and everything right now.” She explained at rapid-fire speed.

Pam rushed over, hugged Temperance, and after congratulating her, she asked in a whisper, “Is this the father? I thought you hadn’t talked to him since you left him.”

“Oh! Yes, this is Seeley!” Temperance introduced him enthusiastically. Seeley had patiently been waiting for introductions to be made, so upon hearing his name he smiled and offered his hand. Pamela took it, sat in another seat next to the bed and listened with interest as the day’s happenings were re-told. When the exciting tale was over, she went to the cafeteria to get food for everyone, leaving the new parents alone once again.

“What should we name her?” Temperance finally had the opportunity to ask.

“I don’t know. Did you have anything in mind?”
“Elisabeth. Elisabeth Christine.” She told him, knowing that he would at least recognize the first name as Temperance’s former foster sister’s.

“Sounds good to me.” Seeley agreed, happy to accept the name Temperance had chosen for their daughter.

“Really?”

“Yeah, it sounds nice. It’s a good name.”

“You didn’t have any ideas?”

“I didn’t know I was going to need any.”

Temperance laughed. “Oh, sorry, forgot.” Getting tired, Seeley decided to climb onto the bed with Temperance. “So, we’re really going to do this?” She asked.

Knowing exactly what she meant without further explanation, Seeley answered, “Yeah, we are.”

“Where are we going to live?” She asked.

“Don’t know.”

“What are we going to do for money?”

“Don’t know that either.”

“But we’re still going to make this work out.” She stated unsurely.

“Yep.” Was his simple reply, and for now, it was enough. For now, Temperance Brennan was happy to simply have the love of her life, the father of her child, laying next to her on a hospital bed, promising her a future- a happy one, with him.

THE END

A/N- See, I told it was long and happy! I’m considering a sequel, but only if enough people ask for one, and promise to read it. I hope my new readers enjoyed this fic, and anybody who has read both the original and 2.0 version of this fic, I hope you liked it too. Thanks for reading, and, as always, please review!