Hi! This is my first Bones fanfiction, though I've been reading for quite some time and I've written for other fandoms. Yes, I'm aware this plot is way overused, but it's only thing I could seem to get down. I'm looking forward to trying out some Bones stuff, as it's my newest obsession. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated; I'd love to improve. Hope you like! Rating may be upped due to language in later chapters. Also, don't expect any smut. It's not that I don't like it or disapprove or anything, it's just that I really can't write it at all. Sorry!
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Bones. Unfortunately. Or Booth. :(
Oh, and this is the only disclaimer I'm going to post. It's kind of redundant to post it every chapter. And depressing. On that note, I am going to go cry.
Just kidding.
Happy reading!
An irritating, rhythmic beeping was the first thing she heard. She was content to listen to it for a moment before something new interrupted her tranquility. What was it? It was certainly unpleasant, stabbing at her psyche with a force that nearly stunned her back into unconsciousness.
Oh, right. Pain.
She felt her brow furrow as she internally winced, a thousand questions going through her mind. Where am I? What am I doing here? Where's B-
"Bones? You awake?"
Oh. Right next to me.
Her cobalt eyes fluttered open briefly before instinctually shutting out the bright, oppressive light that had flooded her senses.
"Bones…?"
His slightly panicked, impatient voice made her open her eyes fully, though she winced for a few seconds at the pain before they adjusted. Booth's face loomed very close to hers, and she could see that he was as close to her bed as the fluorescent orange chair he was sitting on allowed. His hair was somewhat disheveled, as though he too had just woken up, and his suit had a small, barely noticeable brown stain over his heart, and the usual outrageous tie was missing. His eyes were haunted and filled with immense pain, as though he was on fire, even though he was smiling tightly. She noticed slightly puffy red rims around his eyes.
"Booth…? What happened? Why am I in the hospital? And why, for the love of God, is it so damn bright in here?" she rasped, surprised to hear that her voice was barely more than a whisper. Her eyes took a quick sweep of the room, which was rather small and very brightly lit. She noticed what she assumed was Booth's blue-and-black striped tie lying crumpled on the floor near where she also assumed the chair was placed before he scooted it forward territorially. Three machines cataloguing her vitals were to her right, though only one of them chirped aggravatingly. She looked up slightly to see an IV filled with a clear liquid and noticed that it was attached to the inside of her arm.
Booth broke out into a true grin and chuckled with an air of hysterical relief.
"What?" Brennan asked, annoyed.
"Bones, you got blown up again," he explained, the grin slipping off his face. She blinked, waiting for him to continue.
"We were leaving the diner after dinner, after we closed the Miller case, and we started arguing-"
"Imagine that," she interrupted dryly.
Booth rolled his eyes and quickly continued, "And might I just point out that if you hadn't insisted on driving, this wouldn't have happened? Anyway, you got to the car before me and as soon as you turn the key, well…"
He gestured to the machines to her right and sighed deeply.
"…How long was I out?" she asked after a very pregnant pause.
"About a week. You broke two ribs, fractured your skull, and bled internally. The doctors had to perform emergency surgery after I brought you in, and then you slipped into a coma. They didn't think you were going to last long. In fact, I'm surprised someone hasn't-"
The door opened, interrupting him, and a very surprised-looking seeming to be in her early 40's walked in, carrying a thick manila folder. Her curly brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she looked as though she had just been slapped.
"Dr. Brennan, I'm Dr. Hadley. How do you feel?" she asked slowly, pulling a miniature flashlight out of her pocket and checking Brennan's eyes.
"Besides this headache, I'm actually quite comfortable," Brennan replied. Dr. Hadley frowned.
"Have you tried moving yet?"
Brennan shook her head and immediately regretted it. The pain she had felt when she awoke was nothing compared to the poisonous lancet jabbing at her brain now. She cautiously attempted to move her left leg and was rewarded with a dull, throbbing pain.
"Ow," she replied, surprised.
Dr. Hadley smiled, and Brennan saw Booth's eyes narrow.
"Well, I am surprised, to say the least. I didn't think you were going to be back with us in a very, very long time, if ever. Your… partner," Dr. Hadley grinned at the word, "told me that you were 'made of stronger stuff,' but we get that all the time. People think that their loved ones are invincible, and delude themselves into believing that nothing can happen to them. I am glad to say that your partner was one of the few that were right," she said, speaking quicker as she checked the various monitors attached to Brennan.
"I was in a coma?" Brennan asked, looking from Booth to the doctor. She nodded grimly.
"Yes, quite a serious one."
Booth's only response was to look to the floor and then return his searching, haunted eyes to her face.
"But she's okay now, right Doc?" Booth asked after a moment. The doctor placed a few pages' worth of readouts from the machines into the folder she had brought with her before turning back to answer him.
"Well, we'll have to keep you overnight to make sure you don't slip back into the coma, but you should be allowed to leave tomorrow if all goes well. After that, it's bed rest for two weeks and then a very light lifestyle, that means no heavy lifting or overexertion of any kind, for another two weeks after that before you can go back to your normal routine," Dr. Hadley responded, looking between Brennan and Booth as she spoke.
Brennan groaned, causing Booth to lean even closer, his eyes roaming over her frantically.
"What is it, Bones?" he asked, helplessness leaking into his voice.
"No work for two weeks. Three, if you count the week I was in the coma! What am I going to do? What's going to happen to the lab?" she groaned.
Booth sighed and rolled his eyes.
"What you're going to do, Bones, is concentrate on getting better. You are not going to go into work. You are not going to worry about work, and you are not going to overexert yourself in any way! Need I remind you that you just woke up from a coma?" Booth answered angrily.
Brennan shot the nurse a very un-Brennan-like do I have to? look.
"I'm afraid he's right, Dr. Brennan. In fact, given what he has told me about you, I think it would be best if you stayed with someone during your two weeks of bed rest or had someone stay with you so I can ensure that you don't overwork yourself."
"Ha! See that, Bones? I was right! Guess I'm crashing at your place for a while," he goaded, charm smile in place.
"That is completely unfair! I'm not a child; I don't need supervision!" Brennan retorted angrily, glaring at the doctor.
"Yeah you do, Bones, because you and I both know that unless someone stops you, you'll be sneaking back to your lab the first chance you get!" Booth replied, his own temper flaring.
"Why can't I stay with Angela?" Brennan asked sulkily. A ghost of some stronger emotion passed over Booth's face before he started to look incredibly uncomfortable, reminding Brennan of the look on his face every time one of their conversations turned to sex or religion.
"I don't think that would be the best idea," he finally said. When Brennan just continued to stare at him, he said, "She's kinda… busy lately."
Brennan just shook her head, giving up.
"Well, this whole conversation is irrelevant, because I do NOT need supervision," she said imperiously.
"Bones, someone tried to kill us. I'm not letting you out of my sight. End of story."
"Booth, you don't know-"
"Dr. Brennan? Agent Booth? Arguing is really not conducive to a quick recovery," Dr. Hadley interrupted, obviously amused.
Brennan resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest.
"I'm going to go make a few calls – visiting hours are almost over, and there are a couple of people that warned me that if I didn't tell them they could see you the second you woke up, they would sue. I'll be right back…" Hadley said before closing the door quietly.
"Angela," Brennan muttered under her breath, smiling.
"And Hodgins, Cam, Russ, and your dad," Booth continued.
Brennan groaned and shut her eyes.
See the little purple button? The little purple button sees you. And it has wicked guilt-tripping skills. :D Muahaha. Chapter 2 is coming soon!