Author’s Note: So many thanks for the positive reviews for the story so far! You’ve definitely made my day - again and again. So here’s some food for thought for you: it is practically a law in the Bones universe that fluff is directly proportional to the angst that precedes it. Let’s see if you agree. :)

Setting: The spring and summer of late season 4.

Disclaimer: Wish they were mine.

3. Love and Other Demons

“Ange, why do women want to have children?”

Brennan is somewhat surprised to find herself asking her friend for an opinion – what could Angela tell her that has not been covered in a variety of anthropological studies that she is already familiar with?

Angela does not seem taken aback, though, as if it were an obvious question for Brennan to ask.

“Well, I don’t know about all women, but... bottom line? If they’re really really lucky, they meet the man that they want to have children with.”

“And you think that’s gender-specific?”

“No, it applies to men as well. Not all men and women though - not everyone wants children, after all.”

Brennan considers, biting her lower lip.

“Assuming that a person belongs to the category of people who do want children, how do they know if they met the man or woman they want to have children with?”

“They just... know.”

Brennan scoffs. “How can you just know?”

“You do. It’s simple, Bren, trust me. Haven’t you ever looked at something or maybe someone and realised that you just knew?”

“Well, I knew that I wanted to study anthropology as soon as I came across my first book on the subject. Is it like that?”

The artist sighs.

“Yes, sweetie, just like that.”

Brennan is about to leave Angela’s office when she is stopped by the artist’s hand on her lab coat.

“Listen, what’s going on? Are you thinking about having children? This would be a good time for you, Bren. You’d make a great mother.”

The artist’s full-wattage grin is far from matched by the expression on Brennan’s face.

“Parent-child relationships are predicated on hierarchy, discipline and control. I’m not comfortable with that.”

Her friend’s next question echoes faintly in the distance as Brennan turns and strides towards her office.

“Hey, how did the date go?”

A couple of days later, Brennan is relieved to come to the conclusion that she does not appear to have turned into a different person after all. She does not start to notice cute little children in the street. She does not pay attention to young families in the park. She does not look at her belongings with an eye to identifying those that are potentially dangerous for children.

She picks a huge, no-holds-barred fight with her partner instead.

She knows that the adrenaline still coursing through her body is at least partly responsible for her anger, but for once she doesn’t care about biology, chemistry or even anthropology.

“You left me behind, Booth!”

“There was no time, Bones,” he replies, his voice tired, his arm curled protectively around his ribs.

She has arrived just in time to see Booth emerge from the warehouse, hurt but still standing on wobbly legs. The FBI emergency team swarms around them. A couple of ambulances flash blue. Somebody is shouting something indistinct to the SWAT team. She does not take any of it in.

She is so angry she can barely breathe.

“We’re partners!”

“I called you, didn’t I? I told you where I was going. He was about to take off, so I had to go in.”

“I can’t even begin to describe how monumentally stupid that is! You don’t go in without back-up! You taught me that!”

His temper flares up as well.

“I called the intervention team, I knew they’d arrive!”

“I’m your partner, Booth! I’m your back-up! You don’t go in without me!”

“Bones...”

“Do you really think I don’t know what this is all about? You thought it would be easier if you didn’t have to protect me in there. Since when do I belong to the category 'helpless women and children', Booth? What makes you think you get to use your protective alpha male instincts around me? What makes you think that you can decide what I should or shouldn’t do?”

She is shouting now, her hair snaking around her head like a fury.

If he weren’t so bruised and sore, he would stop and think. He does not.

“You know what, Bones? For once in your life, could you just pretend that you’re somebody else and give me a smile instead of the third degree? Maybe even a hug? You're the genius scientist - would it be that difficult to do something as simple as that?”

His words knock the anger and the breath out of her. She looks at her shoes for a moment, absently registering the reddish tint of the earth. It must be clay. Hodgins would probably know.

She takes his arm and guides him gently towards the nearest ambulance. She does not say a word all the way to the hospital.

It is strange that one thought only ricochets relentlessly around her brain until she finally falls asleep that night.

I didn’t want you to get hurt.

No worries, we’ll get to the fluff. You have to give me credit for the oh-so-sweet ending, though.

Reviews provide better life support than food and water. :)