"You look awful."
It was true, he did. Maybe it was the fact that he hadn't left the hospital in three days or the fact that his partner, in more ways than one, was fighting a loosing battle with death. Or maybe it was the fact that it was his fault that Bones was dying. Maybe, it was the fact he wanted to fix it but knew he couldn't, he could only sit and watch as she struggled to survive.
"Booth, do you hear me?"
Angela.
"Huh?" he asked hastily trying to guess what she had said
"You didn't hear a word I said did you." It was a statement not a question "You need to go home, get a good night sleep and-"
"Get a good nights sleep, really?" Booth scoffed "Bones is here dying and you want me to get a good nights sleep."
He watched as Angela fought to remain in control of her emotions "You're not the only one that cares" she finally exploded
Regret filled his heart instantly and as he swallowed down a second cruel remark he apologized "I'm sorry. Angela, I really am. I'm just tired and my back hurts."
"I know." She replied "It's not your fault, you know that right?"
Booth sighed and ran a hand through his hair "I'm not so sure. I keep telling myself this would have happened anyway but some part of me keeps telling me it's my fault."
Angela reached out and put a hand on his shoulder "Booth." She looked into his eyes "You did everything you could. What were you going to do, force her to not go on that date? You know that you would not have because it would have made her unhappy."
"I should have followed them, stopped the shooting."
"And miss time with Parker? No, Booth you have to accept that you did everything you could."
There was a long silence broken only by the steady beeping of the machines surrounding Brennan, the machines keeping her alive. Angela turned and started to walk out of the room "I'll be back, I'm going to grab some dinner form the caf, you want anything?"
Booth shook his head.
"I'll get you a salad, I bet you haven't eaten in a while." She said before walking out of the room
Booth turned to Brennan and sat down staring at her unconscious form "Please, Bones. I need you. I need you to be alive. I can't loose you."
Seeley Booth, big, proud FBI agent and marine sniper, was begging. He never begged, not to anybody and not for anything except maybe to Rebecca for a weekend with Parker.
He took a deep breath and began "Bones, when we started working together I didn't understand you. I thought you were some heartless squint but I was wrong. You have a heart, you just guard it. I don't want you to have to guard it anymore, not form me at least. I won't abandon you, not now, not ever and I want you to know that. I want you to know that now matter how you describe it, my 'alpha-male'-ness and all, I know how I would say it. I know now what it really is."
He took a breath and tried to keep his voice calm and steady as, even though he was sure she couldn't hear him someone was hearing his confession "I love you. I, Seeley Booth, love you. Any time someone wants to hurt you it pains me. When you're upset I would, will, do anything to know what is wrong and" another calming breath "I will never hurt you, I promise, because when you're hurt, I'm hurt. Angela has been saying it for years but I tried to ignore it but here, now, I don't want you to-to die without me telling you."
"She loves you, you know."
Booth jumped a mile at the sound of Angela's voice "What? Did you?" he panicked, had Angela heard his confession?
"No, well I heard the very end but she does love you. She's just scared to give her heart to anyone, she is really truly afraid that whom ever she gives it to will abandon her and she will be left, broken."
"I would never leave her."
Angela laughed "I know that. Every time she's in danger you save her, every time she's in the hospital you stay with her. Honey, I know you wont leave her but she needs to know that."
"How?" he choked out
"Be there when she wakes up this time. It's going to take time because of what happened but she'll come around. It won't be easy."
"He's a bastard. He took advantage of her weakness. He used it to hurt it." Booth clenched his fist in rage "If I find him…" he trailed off
"Be there for her. Allow her to take the time she needs to trust people again, to give little parts of herself to you."
"Booth."
Both Angela and Booth turned their heads towards the bed and saw Brennan's eyes flutter open slightly and her lips moved trying to speak more. Booth turned towards her and grabbed her hand lightly "Yeah, Bones, I'm here."
Her eyes fluttered shut but before they did the two locked eyes and a shadow of a smile crossed Brennan's lips before she floated backwards back into the abyss.
Two Days Later
"You really should go home you know." Brennan said
Booth shook his head "I'm staying right here until you leave. Plus I do go home."
"You shower, put new clothes on and call Parker." Brennan responded
"You're not at work so what else am I going to do? Plus if I'm not here you might walk out of your own accord. You took two bullets, one to the arm and one to the abdomen, if I need remind you."
"You don't." Brennan replied snappily
"Sorry." Booth replied quickly
Brennan sighed and lay there for a moment in silence before speaking "I heard you, you know."
"Heard me when?"
"Two nights ago, before I first woke up. I could here everything but I could not get my eyes to open or anything. I heard every word you said."
"I meant it." He replied simply "I wont do anything to hurt you."
She nodded "I know. I-" she seemed unable to figure out how to say what she wanted to
Booth nodded "I understand."
"Wait. I want to say it, out loud."
He nodded, holding his breath.
"I love you."
He exhaled and broad grin spread across his face.
"I love you too Bones."
Okay, there we are folks. Just a little something partially inspired by the song "Already Gone" by Kelly Clarkson but it evolved into what you have just read. Reviews make me happy!