authors note: This is my first dapple with Bones' fan-fiction, I hope you all enjoy it!
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Gravity
here I am and I stand so tall
I'm just the way I'm supposed to be
but you're onto me and all over me
You loved me 'cause I'm fragile
When I thought I was strong
'Booth' Bones opened the front door abruptly. Dressed in yoga pants and a ribbed white camisole she eyed her partner carefully.
'Why the personal day, huh?' her appearance eluded to fragility, she wasn't turned out and her eyes were puffy.
'I...I stayed up last night, Russ needed me.' It wasn't that she wasn't going to let him in, it was a matter of when. Things were still to raw and irrational for her to comprehend. Her phone had gone off a little shy of eleven o'clock, with her brothers distraught voice asking to her to high-tail to the hospital. Naturally she had gone, pushing the speed limit on the way.
'What's happened Bones? You look like crap, Russ isn't one to panic call and....' things suddenly slotted into place. 'Is Hayley OK?'
'She died Booth, that's where I was last night.' Brennan felt another bout of emotion choke her. It was unnerving to be this upset. She was Doctor Temperance Brennan, ever rational and in complete control of her emotions.
'Oh God' his first instinct was to hug her, she was in turmoil, a state he'd only witnessed once before.
'Yeah,' her smile was pinched, her puffy eyes shed another tear, 'I appear to be rather emotional about it.'
'You just lost a niece Bones, it's ok to cry.'
'Russ lost his daughter.' she retorted, 'I need to be strong for him, not this gibbering sobbing wreck.'
'Can I come in, I could use a cup of coffee' she stepped out of his way, following him to the open plan kitchen.
'Black, two sugars right?' he nodded.
'Listen bones, I know you don't do psychology but-' she stared at him, to weary for protests. 'You loved those little girls, Hayley and Emma are your family and when someone looses a family member- well it's like loosing a piece of yourself'
'But I shouldn't be this irrational, it was so sudden'
'What happened?' he probed, gently stirring the coffee
'She took very ill, fast. Her kidney's shut down and she contracted a massive blood infection-' Brennan swiped at her tears, hoping Booth wouldn't notice her fragility.
'You were there, and I'm guessing that's what matters.'
'We all were' they'd filled up the tiny side room, 'dad even made it, I think he's taken it harder than Russ.'
'Where are they?' he could see her turmoil, she was agitated and fidgeting with a tissue, shredding it to a damp pulp.
'They've all gone home to Amy's house, I told them I had work, honestly I was going to come in, but- I got home and, well I lost it. She only stayed over with her sister a couple of times, but I can see her sitting at the table, reading her latest homework to me. I remember showing her my collections, she was so advanced Booth.' He scooted closer, letting her into his embrace.
'Children who has life limiting illnesses like CF are advanced readers, they're very bright.'
'You found that a comfort,' he surmised 'She shared a love of intellect and learning.'
'She did, but she loved playing with her sister.' Brennan took her phone out, 'this was at Christmas, the first one we had as a free family' the picture made his heart heave, dressed in matching woolly jumpers the girls were holding up the lab-coats and googles, smiling. 'I had the Jeffersonian make them mini lab-coats like mine, they were personalized with their names and everything.'
'I was gonna let Hayley and Emma visit the lab once a week for some cool experiments, let Angela show Emma all the creative things she could do-'
'You still could, for Emma, I mean' Booth hadn't grasped how involved Temperance had become with her nieces. Sure he knew they hung out occasionally, Brennan offering to have the girls stay overnight to give Russ a break. He'd helped her to shop for the kid essentials like DVD's and books, showing her the places he took Parker.
'Yeah, I just... she was good child, Booth'