JBCFlyers19 prompt: What if Bones wasn't around when Hannah got shot during the episode of 'The Bones that Weren't'?

I don't own Bones.

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Sitting in the waiting room, Booth stared at a small stain on the floor in front of him. Hannah had been released from the hospital the day before and had seemed fine until two hours ago when she'd passed out on the bathroom floor. Booth had heard the heavy thud come from the bathroom and had rushed in to the room to find his girlfriend on the floor unconscious. After calling 911, he'd opened the door to his apartment and ran back to the bathroom where he'd held her in his arms until the paramedics had arrived. Reluctantly, he released her as the paramedics entered the room, stood back and told them that she'd been shot a few days earlier and that she'd been released from the hospital the day before. Anxiously he'd watched the emergency medical technicians as they worked on his lover.

Alarmed when he noticed one of the men shake his head, Booth demanded to know what was going on. The paramedic, wise in the ways of well meaning loved ones, shook his head and helped his co-worker place Hannah on a gurney. "Sir, we have to go. Meet us at George Washington University Hospital."

As they wheeled Hannah away from him, Booth hurried through the apartment behind them. Grabbing his truck keys and phone on the way out of the door, he slammed the door shut, ran down the hallway and then down the stairwell to the lobby. Racing through the very small lobby, he'd fled out of the doors and across the street to his truck. Once he was in his truck, he'd made a phone call. "Cam, I'm on the way to George Washington University Hospital. Hannah collapsed. I don't know what's wrong. I've got to go."

Ending the call, Booth pulled out into traffic narrowly missing a moving van. Leaving behind the sounds of furious honking, Booth hit the accelerator and rushed to the hospital.

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As soon as she could Cam arrived at the hospital and rushed to the waiting room. Entering the room, she noticed Booth slumped in a chair against the back wall. Hurrying to his side, she sat down and placed her hand over his. "Have you heard anything?"

His feelings numb, Booth slowly shook his head. "Not a damn thing. They won't tell me what's going on."

Cam looked around the room and then back towards Booth. "Have you called Dr. Brennan? Does she know?"

A feeling of hopelessness taking over, Booth shook his head. "No . . . no, she's still in North Carolina. Haley took a turn for the worse a few days ago and Russ begged her to stay . . . I don't know, I guess he wanted her to make sure that the doctors were doing everything they could for his daughter. I talked to Bones yesterday morning and she said that Haley is in bad shape. She thinks Haley may not make it this time."

The pain in Booth's voice making her throat feel tight, Cam sighed. "God . . . when it rains it pours."

Swallowing, Booth pulled his hand from Cam's grasp and clasped his hands on his lap. "Yeah . . . Yeah, it does . . . Poor Bones."

Noticing a man in scrubs enter the room, Cam grabbed Booth's arm and pointed. Relived that someone might be able to answer some questions, Booth sat up straight.

Dr. Ritter, glancing around the room, walked over to where Booth was sitting. "Are you here for Hannah Burley?"

The solemn tone coming from the doctor making him pause, Booth stood up and nodded his head. "Yeah . . . yes, how is she? Is she okay?"

Shaking his head, Dr. Ritter knew there was no good way to say what had to be said. "I'm sorry . . . we did all we could, but she was flatlined when she arrived here. We did everything we could. We rushed her into surgery and found that she had a hairline fracture which severed her femoral artery. She bled out."

Suddenly feeling weak, Booth sat down hard on the chair behind him. Shaking his head, Booth tried to understand what was going on. "Why'd they let her leave the hospital if she . . . I don't understand, they should have never let her leave the hospital . . ."

Sitting down next to him, Cam placed her arms around his shoulders and held him while he cried.

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In a haze, Booth called Hannah's parents and informed them about the death of their daughter. After hearing Hannah's mother cry for quite awhile, he'd heard a new voice on the phone. "I'm Jane Porter . . . Molly's cousin, can you tell me what you told her?"

Swallowing his grief, Booth repeated what he'd told Molly. "I'm sorry to call you like this, but Hannah is dead. I'm Seeley Booth, she and I have been living together for a few weeks. She was shot while investigating some corrupt police officers in the Metro area and the damage to her leg was worse than the doctors knew . . . She . . . she died two hours ago."

With the sound of Molly crying in the background, he heard Jane sniffle and then clear her throat. "Okay . . . Thank you. Could you leave me your phone number and your address. I'll call Hannah's father and then we'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Giving her the information, Booth cleared his throat. "I . . . uh . . . I would like to attend the funeral, if that's okay with the family."

Her throat tight from emotion, Jane cleared her throat once more. "Yes, of course, Seeley . . . Yes. I'll have Dave call you and we'll make arrangements to have her shipped back home. I . . . Dave or I will call you back very soon. I think . . . Someone will call you back. Thank you."

Hearing the call end, Booth walked over to his liquor cabinet and poured a glass of Scotch. Staring at the amber liquid for a few minutes, Booth finally swallowed the drink, placed the glass down and then walked over to the couch. Lying down, he placed his arm over his eyes and tried to rest. He knew sleep would probably be hard to find.

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Making sure that Cam and the FBI knew what was happening, Booth called Cam after he talked to Charlie. "I'm flying up to Dearborn tomorrow afternoon. The coroner . . . the coroner has released her body and I'm going to escort her home. Dave, Hannah's father wants to hold the funeral on Thursday. All of their family is there so no one has to travel to get to the funeral. Just Hannah . . . Yeah, uh . . . make sure that if Bones calls don't tell her what's going on. Make sure you pass the word to Angela, Hodgins and Sweets too. She has too much to deal with right now. I'll tell her about Hannah after we know more about Haley . . . I hope that little girl comes through this alright. I really do. Bones doesn't need this . . . she . . ."

Swallowing, Cam nodded her head. "Booth would you like me to come with you? I don't want you to be alone right now."

Booth ran his hand though his hair and tried to keep from crying. "No, thanks, no. I . . . I'll be fine. Thanks for offering but . . . no."

Feeling terrible, Cam offered again. "Booth, you don't have to do this by yourself."

His eyes closed, Booth felt a tear escape from his lashes. "Yes, I do." Ending the call, Booth stared at the darkened TV.

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Booth had escorted Hannah home and had been met at the airport by her father. Dave Burley had tried to make Booth feel welcome and during the funeral, Booth had been treated like a family member and not a stranger. The day after the funeral, Booth grabbed a flight back home and arrived to find a message on his answering machine.

Playing it, Booth heard Brennan's voice. "I've been trying to call you since yesterday, but all my calls go to voicemail . . . I hope you are alright. I called Cam and she said you're fine, but I know you. You don't normally reject my calls . . . Anyway, Haley passed away three hours ago."

Tears pooling in his eyes, Booth shook his head and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Staring at it, he cleared his throat and made the call. "Hey, Bones. I am so sorry I didn't take your calls, but I've been . . . I'm sorry about Haley. When is the funeral?"

Relieved to hear Booth's voice, Brennan answered, "Amy's parents are in London. They're trying to get a flight back as soon as possible, so we have to wait until they get back. Russ would like to have the funeral on Monday if possible."

Bracing himself, Booth wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Okay, I'll let them know at work that I'm going to Haley's funeral . . . I'll be there tomorrow."

Her gaze locked on the swing in the back yard, Brennan thought she heard a very tired Booth on the phone and that worried her. "Booth, no . . . You don't have to come. I know you must be tired if you've been working so hard . . ."

Interrupting his partner, Booth assured her. "No . . . no, I want to be there. I want to be there for you and Russ, Bones. I'll be there tomorrow."

Feeling a sense of relief that she wouldn't have to face the funeral alone, Brennan smiled. "Thank you, Booth. I can always count on you to be there for me."

His eyes on the picture of Hannah sitting on the bookshelf, Booth sighed. "Always Bones . . . always."

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So, what do you think of my story? Any good?