Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. I wish they did, but sadly they do not.
Spoiler: The Verdict in the Story
A/N: My first post! It's just a little oneshot, Booth's POV during the final scene in "The Verdict in the Story." Please R&R!
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The Verdict
The verdict doesn't matter to me anymore. All that matters is that she's okay. I watch the jury file back into the room, but she's not here. I'm struggling to keep from becoming frantic. Even though she carefully guards her emotions, I know this trial has been extremely hard on her. If I wasn't so worried about her, I'd be angry at her for incriminating herself to spare her father.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?"
I am unable to sit here any longer. I have to find her, be with her. I hurry out of the courtroom, down the hall. I can't explain how I know where to find her, but I'm drawn to her like a magnet. As I step outside, I can see her standing alone on the courthouse stairs. She radiates sadness and I want so badly to take her away from it all. As if she senses my presence, she turns to face me.
Our eyes lock and I step wordlessly toward her. She looks so helpless that I want to protect her. I'm not sure which one of us initiates it, but we fall into a familiar embrace. I wish we could stay like this, absorbed in each other, shutting out the world. As I open my eyes, I see Angela descending the stairs toward us. Reluctantly, I release her and take a step back.
I watch as Caroline and Sweets exit the courthouse. I'm nervous, not for Max's fate but for Bones's. To my amazement, Max steps outside, followed by Russ and the Squints. I stand back to let Bones have her moment with her father. Her face is raw with emotion, a pure love for her father that she hasn't allowed herself to feel before now. In this moment, she has released all the anger, distrust, and resentment she's felt for him all these years.
She opens her eyes and fixes me with an emotional gaze. Even though I know she's focused on her father, her eyes are so filled with love that I feel my heart skip a beat. She smiles at me and I return the smile. I am overwhelmed by the intensity of my feelings for her. I say a little prayer to God, thanking Him for giving Bones her family back and for giving her to me.