Take Me.
He stared into her eyes. They showed more then just fear, they showed terror. Distress. A haunting sadness.
"Don't.. you, you don't have to do this." His voice was weak as he dragged his focus towards the side of her face, up to her temple, and followed the shaft of the gun that rested there to the rough calloused fingers that rested on the trigger.
His eyes finally met those of the man with the weapon, and when he looked into them he saw nothing. This terrified him.
"Someone has to pay, Agent Booth. She has to pay. Without her, I never would have been caught."
Booth shook his head slowly, tears stinging the back of his eyes threatening to crash down his face. His hands quaked briefly, before he cleared his throat quietly and mentally stabled them. He held his own gun outward, aiming for the assailant's forehead.
"Someone has to pay," the man said again, stroking the gun down the doctors face and over her mouth briefly before bringing it back to her temple. She whimpered, and Booth was sure his heart was breaking at the sound and sight of her.
Booth knew the man was dangerous. He knew Edwards had killed many before and that it meant nothing to him. He was right, without Bones he never would have been caught. He was deranged, sick, and after years of homicide, they had him. The evidence they had collected against him the past couple months was overwhelming, but it seemed like he wasn't going down without a fight. He briefly questioned what drove him to come over to her apartment so late. He thanked God that he had gotten here when he did, and that he just so happened to walk in on this scene. He prayed for the strength to solve this. He prayed for the protection of his best friend.
"I'm not going down alone." Edwards whispered, as if he was reading Booth's mind. His eyes pierced the FBI agent and Booth thought for sure he was going to be physically sick.
"Look, this is nothing right now." Booth responded, trying to fight his emotions and regain his FBI composure. He couldn't get a clear shot without risking Bones' life. A situation without 100% certainty was unacceptable.
"Right now.. " he continued, "lower the weapon, and leave, Edwards. We all get to walk away, no one saw anything."
The man laughed a disgusting diluted laugh, "we both know I am not walking out of here, Agent."
Booth stole a glimpse at his partner, then back to the man with the gun. "Yes. Yes you are. Put down the gun, and we all leave. No one gets hurt."
"If I lower this weapon," he pushed it more firmly against the doctors skin, "you will shoot me."
The gesture that made Booths stomach knot and jump into his chest.
"No. You drop it, and you leave. Thats a promise."
"You first." Was the only response he got.
He looked at his partner, her eyes said 'no.' But they darted back to Edwards when he tightened his grip on the gun.
"Agent Booth.. " he said, near whisper. "I am not a patient man, Agent Booth."
He couldn't think. He didn't have a clear shot. She was going to die here tonight, in front of him. Everything was blurry and slow and loud at the same time. He couldn't focus. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't risk it. Not with her. He couldn't bare to witness this, to be a driving factor, to live without her.
"Okay. Okay." He finally said, lowering the gun with one shaky hand, the other hand extended in the air, palm forward.
"Booth no!" Brennan almost yelled, startling Edwards to put his free hand around the front of her neck.
"Bones! Shut up! Shut up!" Booth yelled, staring into her eyes. He didn't want those to be the last words to her, but he was terrified for her safety. If she died here tonight, he was certain they would both stop living.
"...There. There.." he pushed the gun slowly over to Edwards with his foot, both hands in the air now. "Now.. Let her go."
Edwards smiled, placing a foot over the retrieved weapon. "Agent Booth, you are not as smart as I was led to believe. I suppose what they say is true. Love does make you stupid." He responded, tightening his grasp around her neck and causing her tears to fall harder while barely audible sounds escaped her throat. "Isn't that true, Agent Booth? That love makes you stupid?"
Booth fought himself in his mind. He was an idiot. He had been had, and his partner's life was coming to an end because of it.
"Tell me, agent Booth. Tell me it makes you stupid."
"It-it makes you stupid. It makes you stupid!" He was panicking, his heart was beating faster than he would have thought possible. He stared into her eyes. Hers seemed to say it was okay. His said he was sorry. He couldn't fight him, he would pull the trigger. He couldn't fight him for the gun, he would shoot her. He would killer her. She would die. Panic struck him again, harder this time.
"Tell me you love her." Edwards said again, a cynical smile playing accross his face.
"I love her! I love her! Edwards come on! We had a deal!" He yelled.
"Someone still has to pay, agent Booth. Love or not. Stupidity or not. Someone will pay." Edwards voice sounded bitter as it filled the air.
"No! This doesn't have to happen!" Booth yelled, his body language pleeding with the man.
"For every action, there is an equal.."
"No! Don't do this Edwards, you can leave! Take this chance! You are a free man! Let her go! Please!" He yelled again, he was certain he was going to throw up or have a heart attack or just cease existing any second now. Edwards was escalating and he had no way to stop him.
"Someone has to pay.. someone has to pay.." Edwards murmured over and over again, biting his lower lip slightly.
Booth watched as his finger began to tighten on the trigger.
"ME!" Booth screamed, tears now running down his face, he even risked taking a step closer to the man, palms still outstretched.
Edwards released his grip slightly on the gun, turning his attention to the Agent.
"Take me! Make me pay!" He yelled again, and during his surprise at this outburst Edwards released Brennan's neck slightly.
"Booth! NO!" She cried once she had the air.
"DAMMIT BONES SHUT UP! Shoot me Edwards. SHOOT ME!" He yelled again, slamming his fist into his chest for emphasis.
"BOOTH! NO!" Brennan yelled again, struggling against Edwards grasp,
"FUCK BONES BE QUIET! Come on Edwards. It's me! Shoot me and walk out of here. Leave her alone!"
"Oh agent Booth, we both know I was never walking out of here.." he smiled slightly, firing two quick shots into the Agents chest before turning the gun on his own temple and firing again, falling lifeless to the floor.
xxxx
Review with your feedback and I will post again tonight!
~EHE
