Disclaimer: I don't own Bones. I wonder who does now actually.
I'm not sure if another writer has done this before, but this idea came to me. At the series finale, Brennan lost some of her memories. Her ability to be a forensic anthropologist mainly. What if the memories she lost were different?
The first sign that something was wrong with his wife was when he realized she could not remember what had happened that resulted in her being unconscious. When he found her motionless on the floor of the lab, he had thought the worst and his heart had stopped beating for a moment. He had forgot then to breathe as he hurried to her side. He could breathe again when she opened her eyes, her azure orbs staring back at him blankly. He had gently helped her sit up, allowing her to lean back against him.
"W-What happened?" She croaked, her voice weak.
"There was an explosion. Kovac planted a bomb here."
"Kovac... Do we know him? Was he a suspect in a case?"
She couldn't remember?
"Yeah. He um…" Booth wasn't sure if he could afford the lengthy explanation then. "He's the suspect in the case we've been working on."
"We had a case?"
"Yeah." Booth's suspicion that something wasn't right with her seemed to be confirmed. "Bones, you sure you're feeling okay?"
"You've told me an explosion had gone off in the lab. The impact of the blast must have caused me to hit my head, giving me a concussion, since my head hurts and I don't seem to remember the explosion." She moved her body experimentally. "I don't think anything's broken. Although I am experiencing some pain, a result I assume from being thrown to the ground."
As if suddenly realizing that Booth too had been a victim of the blast, she looked at him with concern. She winced as a lancing pain stabbed her head as he turned to him. "Are you injured?"
"Me? Nah. I'm okay."
She pointed to his head. "You appear to be bleeding from a gash to your forehead."
It was only then did Booth realize he was bleeding. He touched his fingers to his head, noting the blood on his fingertips. He couldn't worry about that now, getting Brennan to safety and medical attention was his first priority.
"It's nothing Bones. Just a scratch. You've got cuts all over your face too."
"They're superficial."
The second sign that something was very wrong with his wife was when Hodgins wheeled himself towards them, Angela limping behind him.
"There you are!" Angela exclaimed. "Are you both okay?"
"I think so." Booth replied. "You?"
"I'm- I'm fine. Hodgins is too."
"Dr Hodgins!' Brennan stared at her friend as if he had grown a second head. "You're in a wheelchair!"
"Yeah?" Hodgins had a confused look on his face. He glanced at Booth.
"What happened? Was it the result of the explosion? That doesn't make any sense."
"Dr B, You don't remember that I'm paralyzed from the waist down? That was almost a year ago."
"A year ago? I – " Brennan held a hand to her head, a look of distress on her face. "I don't… I don't remember."
"Hey Bones, it's okay. You were blown up. Maybe some of your memories got scrambled or something." Booth rubbed her back soothingly. "I've seen this in some army buddies when I was in the Gulf. Memories will come back."
"Yeah. What's important is that we're all alive." Angela made her way to Brennan's side. The best friends embraced.
"You two stay here all right? Hodgins and I are gonna find a way outta here."
Booth gestured to Hodgins to follow him and they made their way towards the main entrance of the destroyed lab, away from where they had left the two women.
"We need to find a way out of here now." Booth's voice barely masked his panic. "There's obviously something wrong with Bones. She can't remember stuff. She couldn't remember why you're in a wheelchair. She could be bleeding inside her head."
"I know. I need to make sure Angie and the baby are okay too."
They approached the entrance to the lab. It was completely blocked off by debris.
"No!" Booth threw his hands up in frustration.
Hodgins accessed the damage. "This isn't good Booth. The whole structure could come down on us."
"What you think I don't know that?"
"Cam and Arastoo got out. We have to assume help is on the way."
"But will they get to us in time?" The pain from his own injuries and the worry for Brennan suddenly overwhelmed him and he collapsed onto the ground, sitting next to Hodgins.
"You okay Booth?"
"I just – This is all my fault. If anything happens to Bones, to you or Angela…"
"Hey nobody blames you man."
Booth shook his head, the action causing a wave of dizziness to wash over him. "I've got to find a way outta here."
"Then let's get to it. I know a couple of back passage ways. Maybe one of them isn't blocked."
Booth got to his feet, ignoring the pain in his chest. "Lead the way."
Half an hour later, both men came to the conclusion that there was no way out. Every possible exit route was blocked by rubble. They made their way back to the two women.
"Did you find a way out of here?" Angela asked as they approached.
"No." Hodgins replied. "But I'm sure help is on the way."
"You two are okay right?" Booth asked.
"Yes." Brennan replied. "I still can't recall many things, like the fact that Hodgins and Angela already have a child. And she's pregnant with their second."
"Right." Booth wondered why she had not asked about their children. He cast a glance at Angela, who shook her head slightly. He swallowed thickly. "We really can't stay here any longer."
As if the answer to a prayer, the sound of drilling could be heard in the distance.
"You hear that?' Hodgins asked, perking up.
"Yeah." Booth replied, hopeful. "Help is coming."
…
Two hours after the bomb had gone off, rescuers finally got the foursome out of the wreckage of the Jeffersonian Medico-legal lab.
Booth hovered protectively over Brennan as the doctor examined her in the temporary triage tent.
"There doesn't seem to be any serious damage to your head Dr Brennan."
"What?" Booth barked. "That can't be right. She can't remember stuff."
"What can't you remember Dr Brennan?" The doctor asked.
"I didn't know the extent of my amnesia. I can't remember that my friend had been paralyzed in a separate explosion and is now confined to a wheelchair. I couldn't remember that my best friend is pregnant with her second child. I can't remember the current case that my partner Agent Booth and I were working on. He seems to think it's the reason for the bomb in the lab."
My partner, Agent Booth? Booth took a step back, suddenly unsteady on his feet. Did she forget that they were married?
The doctor noticed Booth's step backwards.
"Agent Booth, you should get yourself checked by the paramedics as well. You were closet to the blast."
"He's right Booth you need to have someone look at your injuries." She seemed genuinely concerned for him. Concern for a friend or husband, he couldn't tell.
"I'm fine Bones. It's you I'm worried about."
"From my preliminary examination, Dr Brennan's life is in no immediate danger. A concussion sometimes brings on temporary amnesia. But she would need to go to the hospital where they can do a CT scan. You will get more answers then."
"Hospital. Great. I'll take her."
"Agent Booth, you could be having an unknown head injury yourself. You're in no shape to drive." The doctor admonished him.
"I'm not leaving her."
"The doctor's right. You need to have someone look at your injuries." Brennan insisted. "The wound on your forehead looks like it definitely requires stitches to close it up."
"I will Bones."
The doctor sighed. "You can ride along with her in the ambulance. You can have your injuries accessed at the ER."
"Okay." Booth conceded.
He followed protectively behind as the paramedics loaded the gurney Brennan was on into the waiting ambulance. He climbed in, sitting on the bench beside her. The sirens came on and the ambulance sped off.
Booth wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms. A short while ago, he had thought that he had lost the love of his life, but she was still here. It was her memories he wasn't sure off. He would worry about that later. She was alive and that in itself was reason to be thankful. He settled for taking her hand in his, squeezing gently.
"Everything's gonna be all right Bones."
"I admire your optimism Booth."
"Hey, nothing's gonna happen to you okay? I won't let it."
She let out a small chuckle. "You're stating the impossible."
He smiled back at her. His thoughts suddenly travelled to their two children. He needed to know they were safe. His cellphone had been destroyed in the blast. He turned to the paramedic monitoring Brennan's vital signs.
"Hey, do you have a phone I could borrow?"
The paramedic handed Booth his cellphone.
"I'm just gonna call Aubrey, make sure Hank and Christine are okay." He mentioned their names reflexively without much thought as to her current state of amnesia.
"Who's Aubrey? And who are Hank and Christine?"
Her words felt like a blow to his gut. He was suddenly out of breath. She didn't remember their children?!
"They ah – " Booth was at a loss for words. He was bordering on full blown panic. "I'll explain later."
He glanced at the paramedic, worried that Brennan's life was in danger. "How long more till we get to the hospital?"
"ETA is approximately ten minutes."
"And you're sure she's okay?"
"Her vital signs are stable."
"I'm fine Booth." She squeezed his hand.
"I'm ah… I'm just gonna make a call Bones."
It was a short phone call to Aubrey who had made his way back to the Hoover after Booth and Brennan had been rescued. Aubrey confirmed that the children were safe. That was all Booth needed to hear at that moment.
"Bones and I are on our way to the hospital." He glanced at Brennan who seemed to be listening intently to his conversation. "Listen Aubrey, I think you're gonna have to keep Hank and Christine with you, at least until we're cleared to go home… I appreciate that."
Hanging up he returned the cellphone to the paramedic. He focused his attention back on Brennan.
"Everything okay?" She asked.
"Yeah. We'll be at the hospital soon. They'll figure out what's wrong with you."
"You should let the doctors have a look at you too."
"I'm fine… Bones um, what year do you think we're in?"
Brennan stared at him with concern. "Are you experiencing amnesia too?"
"No, no. I just wanted to check cause, you know, you can't remember stuff."
"It's the year 2017 Booth. That I'm sure of."
"Not wrong there Bones." He offered her a small smile. "Let's just get you checked out first okay?"
He felt the ambulance slow and pull up to the hospital. The ambulance doors were flung open and Booth climbed out, watching as the ER trauma team wheeled his wife away. He had more questions than he had answers. He hoped the doctors would be able to answer them.
He heard a voice next to him. "Sir, you look like you need some help yourself."
Booth turned, suddenly feeling a little lost. A nurse in scrubs was addressing him. She placed a hand on his elbow, attempting to lead him into the ER.
"I just – I just need my wife to be okay."
"She's in good hands."
"Look, no offense, I know you mean well but… just let me make sure she's okay first. Please?"
The nurse nodded. "I'll take you to the waiting area. We'll have some paperwork for you to fill out."