AN: I'm going to apologise profusely now... both for how long it's been since i updated and also for the quality of this chapter... very, very sorry, but i was sick and i will make it up to you eventually. . Also, would really appreciate if you would go over and vote for your fave and least fave Bones eps from each season (just follow the links from the first one) .

Chapter 19

“What would anybody need eight bedrooms for? That’s just ridiculous” Booth asked incredulously to his new wife the next weekend after inspecting their third house of the day.

“If you had six kids, which I agree is ridiculous, then you would need at least seven bedrooms in order for each to have their own room, and you would ideally also want a guest bedroom. Or you could turn one into a study or something. I’m sure we could find uses for them all”

“You’re not actually considering buying that place?” he asked, still incredulous.

“Sure, you heard the agent, it’s a steal” He laughed, how could she still be so naive after everything that had happened to her.

“Bones, you never listen to real estate agents, or car salesmen, they always lie”

“Oh” she sounded disheartened by her lack of improvement in the social area and he pulled her into a hug, glad that he was finally allowed to do it whenever he wanted to.

“It’s okay Bones, just pick the place you like, regardless of what the agent says”

“But you have to like it too... and Parker” she added looking down to the boy who was currently playing with the neighbour’s dog on the grass.

“He’ll be happy so long as he has a room and a yard” Booth told her smiling “Kids aren’t too fussed about this kind of stuff”

“Okay, so you’re telling me, our only criteria is a yard, at least four bedrooms, and all the other stuff that usually comes with a house?” Booth nodded at Brennan’s unusually vague assessment.

“We have to like it too” All the houses they planned to look at were already in areas where Brennan had assessed the educational institutions, so they didn’t need to worry about that.

“Not this place” Booth declared, almost immediately upon seeing the next house.

“But Booth, we haven’t even been inside yet” Brennan protested.

At the next house though it was her who decided before they’d even gone inside that it wasn’t for them. The sixth house was okay, they both agreed the seventh was awful, Parker didn’t like the eighth. But they all agreed easily that the ninth was pretty good and after seeing the last two houses they’d decided the ninth would be perfect. It was a big place with a porch that wrapped all the way around, the backyard had a tiny pond and ancient oak tree with plenty of space for the dog Booth had always wanted. There were five bedrooms which Booth reasoned would leave them with an extra in case they decided to have a baby of their own one day. But there was also a study, a den and a spa. They could have easily afforded something much larger but Brennan argued that it would simply be wasteful and pointless when they had everything they needed.

They wouldn’t know for at least a few days whether or not their offer was successful but the agent indicated that given Brennan’s high standing in the literary community they could probably start packing immediately.

“I don’t see what that has to do with anything” Brennan had whispered loudly to Booth. He’d shrugged apologetically to the agent who’d nodded understandingly her eyes falling to the obvious bulge of the anthropologist’s stomach.

BB-BB-BB-BB-BB

“I am not having a baby shower” Brennan argued with her best friend two Saturday’s later. They’d hear from the real estate agent a week earlier telling them they had the house and could move in as soon as they were ready.

“Of course you are sweetie, everybody has a baby shower, besides we’ve got it all set up.” Angela explained in her no nonsense way.

“Ange!” Brennan protested again.

“Look Bren, it’s not going to be a big deal, just a few people, some food and some talking. I won’t even make you play any of those weird games”

“There’s games at a baby shower?” Brennan asked disgusted.

“Usually” Angela agreed “Stuff with balloons, and dummies, diapers, you get the idea” the look of disgust that Brennan wore seemed to grow with each thing added to the list “We’re not going to do that, but there will be presents” Brennan groaned. Angela had appeared at her door far earlier than she would have liked that morning insisting she drag herself out of bed and make herself look presentable. The protests had started when the pregnant anthropologist realised it was only seven thirty in the morning.

“Hodgins is going to be out for the day and he said we could use his place. Everything is set up on the deck, he even dragged one of the armchairs outside for you” she told Brennan, smiling at her once again fiancé’s thoughtfulness.

“But Angela, I don’t see the point of it”

“Then do it for me” Angela pleaded.

“Fine” She’d known Angela long enough to realise when stubbornness wouldn’t get her anywhere.

“You knew about this?” she added, suddenly turning on Booth who was sitting at her dining room table reading the paper, a coffee in his hand.

“Of course” he agreed.

“Good call on getting here early, you were right about the resistance” Angela called happily to Booth turning to the clock that told her it was almost eleven “C’mon Bren, we gotta go, everyone will be there soon” Booth laughed as his wife was dragged away from him by the enthusiastic artist.

Angela had been truthful, it was a small group, just the four of them. Angela, Cam, Brennan and Amy. Brennan had to approve grudgingly of the get together, though Amy remained the only mother of the group and therefore the only one who could give her any advice. Amy did have plenty of advice to hand down, though whether Brennan accepted any of it was yet to be determined.

The gifts were traditional; Amy’s gift consisting of a pile of very tiny clothes, Cam gave both a memory box for Brennan and a silver money box for the baby and Angela presented her with yet another Montenegro original painting. Many years later the artist would explain to the child that the colourful abstract painting did not symbolise any one thing but everything, because life and art was full of endless possibilities. Many years after that she would explain how to achieve the mixed affect on the canvas along with so many other techniques, before saying that none of those things really mattered, because the real trick was just to paint what you feel.

“Have you decided on any names?” Amy asked later that afternoon while they lazed happily on the deck a cool afternoon breeze blowing around them.

“A few” Brennan agreed, they’d been talking about it a lot in the recent weeks and there were a few things they liked “Maybe Angus or Lachlan if it’s a boy, which is what the doctor’s say, but Angela seems to think it’s a girl, in which case we’ll probably go with Amelia or Siobhan” None of the names had particularly special meaning, but each seemed somehow appropriate.

“I really like Lachlan” Amy decided after a moment, Brennan wondered why it was important that other people agree with her name choices, but culturally speaking it seemed quite common to seek acceptance in such areas.

“You know, I think I’m actually going to miss having you around the lab” Cam joked “I’ve gotten used to the constant challenge you pose”

“Well, it’s good that you won’t have to deal with that for a while then isn’t it” Brennan retorted.

“Actually Sweetie...” Angela trailed off.

“He hasn’t told her?” Cam asked surprised.

“Who hasn’t told me what?”

“As of yesterday you are officially on maternity leave for the next three and a half months.” Cam told her shortly, switching to boss mode with little difficulty. Brennan turned to Angela.

“Is that true” The artist nodded.

“He knew you wouldn’t agree, but it’s the best thing, you need to relax. Besides, I’ve got the next two weeks off as well, so we’ll keep you busy. And after that they’re letting Zack out of the hospital, so you two can do your meeting of the minds thing for a while and Booth is taking time off around your due date.” Rationally speaking she knew that maternity leave was necessary, particularly in her line of work, it was becoming more difficult to examine the bones on the autopsy table as she could no longer lean over them as well. She was forced to do most of her work from x-rays and leave everything else to the interns. Yet the thought of not working for three months left a gaping hole in her life.

“I suppose that at least we’ll have Zack back, so the lab will continue to run smoothly. Maybe if I just stay on until he’s released from the hospital.” Brennan posed.

“Excuse me?” Cam asked confused.

“I think Bren’s under the impression that you’re going to rehire Zack” Angela explained.

“Oh... I’m sorry Doctor Brennan, that can’t happen, he was arrested and sent to a psychiatric hospital, he can’t work in the lab anymore”

“But he didn’t do what they accused him of” Brennan argued, not understanding.

“But he did aid a serial killing cannibal which makes him as responsible as that scum, and since he’s dead they only have Zack’s word.” As far as Cam was concerned the case was closed, Zack Addy would never work at the Jeffersonian again, Brennan had other ideas.

“But you hired my dad, I don’t see how this is any different, except that Zack has an exceptionally high IQ and is the only person as qualified for the job as myself”

Cam sighed, she wanted Brennan off her back “Fine, I’ll consider it” she doubted she would change her mind though.

“Good. Now, I think I’d like to go home, I have a pick to bone with Booth”

“A bone to pick” Angela corrected laughing. Cam grimaced, Booth was in trouble; a pregnant, feisty, workaholic anthropologist who’d just found out he’d taken her work away without telling her... she wished she could be there to see the man’s face.