Survival Instinct

A/N This is by no means the final version. This is basically the bare bones of the first chapter. Just thought I'd post it to see what you thought then I'll develop it in further detail and expression. It's another take of the beginning of season 6...I know it's been done to death but I feel I take to do a version of my own. PLEASE BEWARE-RECENT MAJOR SPOILERS...READ AT YOUR OWN RISK, IF YOU DONT WANT TO KNOW, DONT READ...YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Booth and Bones meet at the memorial fountain like they agreed 365 days ago.

Booth: Bones!

Brennan: Booth!

She runs to him and throws her arms around him. She grasps him tightly and he senses something is wrong. He pulls away from her to find her crying.

Booth: What's wrong?

Brennan: I'm...I'm just so happy to see you! I missed you! I had a lot of time to think!

Booth: I missed you too! I'm so excited to be home!

Brennan: I'm so, so glad to be home.

She clutches him again letting the tears fall freely.

Booth: This isn't like you!

Brennan: I know, I've changed. Maluku wasn't all it was cracked up to be...

Booth: It wasn't?

Brennan: No...I...

She is interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. It is a feminine sound and Brennan's heart sinks even lower than it was before. Booth untangles himself from Brennan and turns towards the pretty women stood behind him. As Brennan wipes the tears from her eyes, her vision becomes more clear and she sees this women take Booth's hand.

Brennan: Oh, hello...I didn't realise you had company Booth?

Booth: erm, yeah...this is Alison Daily. She's a journalist. She was sent over to Afgan to write a paper on our work training snipers.

Brennan: It's nice to meet you.

Alison: Seeley's told me so much about you! I couldn't believe it when he told me you used to work together.

Used to? That alone send alarm bells ringing in Brennan's head.

Brennan: We're partners...I...I thought we were still going to be partners.

Booth: This is my other news...I've been offered a job in intelligence...better pay...better hours...I'll be able to spend more time with Parker...

Brennan: Better than working with me?

Booth stared sympathetically at Brennan. He thought this was what she wanted.

Booth: Of course not, we'll always be partners.

He took a step towards her.

Brennan: How can that be so? You're working a different department...my expertise is not relevant to intelligence dispite the fact that I myself am very intelligent.

Alison: You weren't kidding Seeley.

Brennan: My hearing is also perfectly adequate, Miss Daily...I trust Booth told you all about my incapability as a social human being.

Booth: Whoa, hold on a second...what the hell!

Brennan: I'm sure you're very lovely Miss Daily, you're facial features are very appealing and your petite athletic bone structure I'm sure proves more than capable to keep up with Booth's stamina and sex drive.

Alison: Excuse me.

Booth: Bones...what the hell is with you?

Brennan: Me? Oh nothing...my trip wasn't obviously as worthwhile as yours. When you made me promise me to meet you by the coffee cart I wasn't aware we had to bring guests.

Booth: Bones, please.

Brennan: Please...don't call me that. We've both changed but a long time ago you said that happened between us should just be ours, right?

Tears burned the back of her eye lids as she pulled away from Booth's grip, fleeing the scene before her.

Booth wanted nothing more than to chase after her but thought it best to leave her to come to terms with the changes that had fallen on them.

Alison: hey, baby you ok?

Booth sighed

Booth: Yeah...that could have gone better.

Alison: You heart breaker eh?

Booth shuddered at Alison's sarcasm.

Booth: You have no idea.

Brennan ran into the lab and through to her office slamming the door behind her.

Cam: what the hell is going on with her?

Angela: My guess...Booth is back. It's been a year to the day remember? The promise they made?

Cam: Of course...but I thought she'd be happy...before she was itching to see him...she hasn't told anyone why she came back early or what happened on the dig.

Angela: If you ask me if it had been good we would have heard no end to it. She's been back 3 weeks before she was due to come home and she's in a rough state, she's lost weight and did you see the cuts and stuff.

Cam: I know...I don't know what we should do, something bad happened on that dig...I tried to look it up but there's no record of it...its like it never existed.

Hodgins: She'll come to us when she's ready.

Angela: Part of me thinks she was prepared to tell Booth what happened.

Cam: Was? What changed.

Angela: I'm gonna kill him when I find out what he's done.

Hodgins: You can't be mad at him for moving on.

Cam/Angela: What?

Angela: What did you just say?

Hodgins: A while back he emailed me saying he'd met this journalise girl...

Cam: Oh please no...

Angela: She turned him down, Cam.

Cam: Why did she do that?

Angela: Because she's Brennan that's why.

Cam: This is all wrong.

The phone rang, Cam answered it.

Cam: Dr Saroyan? Erm, no this is the place...can I pass on a message? Oh, ok...I'll just get her.

She put the phone to one side.

Angela: Who is it?

Cam: It's the hospital...Dr Brennan? Its the hospital for you...

Brennan: Thanks Cam.

Angela: Sweetie, are you ok?

Brennan: I'm fine. Hello? Yes, it is...right, thank you very much I shall be there shortly.

She hung up abruptly.

Brennan: I'm sorry Cam but I've got to go.

Angela: That was the hospital is everything ok?

Brennan: Will people stop asking me that? I'm sick of it!

Hodgins: We're worried Dr B.

Brennan: Well there's no need to be...I'm fine...I'm very lucky considering.

Cam: Considering what?

Brennan stormed out the office without another word.

She raced into the hospital entrance.

Brennan: I got a call to say a Lucy Falconnio had been flown in from Darwin.

Nurse: I'll just get her doctor.

Brennan: Thank you!

Doctor: Dr Brennan! How are you coping? It can't be easy.

Brennan: I'm coping just fine. Where's Lucy? How's she doing?

Doctor: She's being assessed at the moment; the Doctors in Darwin did a good job.

Brennan: her legs?

Doctor: couldn't be saved I'm afraid...but she's doing a lot better now they're gone.

Brennan: She'll never walk again?

Doctor: We'll be able to fit her with prosthetic limbs here once her wounds have healed up.

Brennan: Can I see her?

Doctor: Of course...this way.

She peaks quietly into Lucy's room. Lucy is a 19 year old bright prospective anthropology student who was working with Brennan in Maluku. The sheets on her bed fall flat below her knees.

Brennan takes a seat next to her bed. Lucy stirs and Brennan bends over Lucy. Lucy opens her eyes in confusion.

Lucy: Dr Brennan?

Brennan: Shush...don't talk.

Lucy: What happened? Where am I?

Brennan: We're home...the damage to your legs was extensive, surgeons at the hospital in Darwin had to amputate both legs but you're gonna be fine.

Lucy: Is that right?

Brennan: Consider yourself very very lucky. The hospital here can fit you with new legs, you will be able to walk again...we'll get through this together.

Lucy: Are you ok?

Brennan: I'm fine...I'm healing nicely. No one knows what happened. The Maluku government have made it look like it never existed.

Lucy: But it did...we were there!

Brennan: I know...but we survived.

Lucy: What about the others?

Brennan: Its just us now.

Lucy: what! But...Daisy! There were 300 workers on the site! She said desperate and frantic.

Brennan: We were the only survivors.

A/N So, what do you think? Worth developing or scrapping? I'd like to hear what you think!

Many thanks for reading!

Amy x