Disclaimer: I don't own them, wish I did. The doctor is mine though.
'Who are you?'
The words echoed in her ears as her brain processed the magnitude of what he just asked.
'Booth, this is a really bad time for one of your jokes.' She half laughed, half choked on the words as the tears threatened to spill. It took a moment for her to look at him when she suddenly realised he was serious. She quickly composed herself.
'I'm Dr Temperance Brennan. We work together, and we're friends…good friends.' She was stumbling over her words as panic started to set in. She didn't know what else to say. She hadn't prepared herself for the possibility that he might have temporary amnesia from the brain surgery. Her logical side was chiding her for reacting in such an irrational manner to the situation which would obviously right itself as his brain began to recover.
Her heart however was in overdrive. 'What am I going to do? Booth doesn't remember me. How am I going to deal with this?'
She looked straight at Booth and realised that he was looking at her, half with confusion and half with total concentration, almost as if he were willing his brain to remember who she was.
'Umm, Booth I'm going to get the doctor and we'll find out a bit more about your condition. Don't try to push your brain; it's been through a severe trauma.' He was obviously frustrated but he stopped and looked her dead in the eye.
'But you said you were a doctor.' His face was a picture of innocent perplexity. She had to smile at that.
'I am, but not that kind. I'm a forensic anthropologist; I only deal with the dead.' She paused at that. The thought that he could quite so easily have been dead made her shudder internally. Booth brought her out of her reverie.
'Should I be worried?' he asked playfully. She laughed out loud at that.
'No Booth, you're going to be just fine. I'll be back in a moment with the doctor.' She got as far as turning the doorknob and pulling the door ajar.
'Doc?' She froze and her face fell, he never called her that, not even in the infancy of their partnership when he called her 'Bones' to wind her up.
'Yes Booth?' She was emotionally drained and needed to get out of here before she broke down completely.
'You couldn't smuggle me in some pudding could ya?' He used his Charm Smile and winked at her. Damn him! Even with post operative amnesia he still wanted food and was able to use his Charm Smile to full effect. Tears sprung to her eyes as she tried to look at him. She nodded and half smiled.
'I'll see what I can do.' With that she walked out of his hospital room to go and find his consultant. She was so exhausted she knew she had to go home soon and try to unscramble the mess that was her brain. 'I've got to compartmentalise. This isn't about me it's about Booth.' She'd been telling herself that for the past four days like a mantra while he'd been unconscious. Oh but she was so tired and she just wanted one of Booth's 'guy hugs' and to fall asleep listening to the sound of his heart just to know he was with her and alive. She stopped her though process right there - 'I'm over-tired and irrational. That's all! It has nothing to do with any feelings people seem to think I have for Booth' she was firm with herself but the little nagging voice wasn't finished. 'Careful Tempe. You've been given second chances to tell him how you feel before, and you haven't taken them. Next time might be too late.' She groaned inwardly. Somehow her conscience had become in tune with Angela! She shook herself as she walked towards Dr Sangara, Booth's consultant. 'It's not about me, it's about Booth…It's not about me it's about Booth.' She recited her mantra before informing Dr Sangara that Booth was awake.