Title: Leave Out All The Rest
Summary: In the wake of the gravedigger's last attack, one crutial member of the group is left in the hospital, with only regrets to keep him warm.
Beta: None
Characters: Jack Hodgins, Angela Montenegero
A/N: This idea came to me when I was doing some scene rewatching, and found myself intruiged by the scene where the evidence get blown up, with Brennan and Hodgins there. My first thoughts were, what if that scene hadn't gone so smoothly. This is what became of that thought. Title comes from a Linkin Park song. I do not own the song...or the characters.
Pain. Intense in nature, coursed through Jack Hodgins body. The memories from two days earlier were still fresh in his mind. The third degree burns on portions of his body, along with the serious concussion that he had received from the explosion was enough of a reminder. Not to mention the fact that the bed next to him was occupied by someone he considered to be a friend. A good friend. No, scratch that. A best friend. He had worked with Seely Booth for years now. The man that had started out being a outsider. Someone that was trying to shove himself into their tiny group dyanmic. It didn't take long before Jack trusted him, despite the fact that Booth was an agent with the FBI.
Now, Booth was laid up in a hospital bed next to him, and it was all his fault. He just didn't understand. He did what the gravedigger had asked. He gave up the evidence he had, even if he hated every minute of it. So why had she gone back on her word?
He shook his head, and grimaced in pain. At least they had captured her. Put her behind bars, where hopefully she'll never hurt another person, or family.
Waking up only a few hours before, he had been unconcious for two days. Cam had been unwilling to tell him exactly how badly he was injuried. Just that he had a serious head concussion and several burns on his body. It was only then that she told him about Booth. He wasn't injured too severely, luckily. Brennan got to him just as the boat he was on exploded. The force of the explosion blew Booth toward the heliocopter. He fell several feet short of actually reaching the heliocopter, and ended up in the water below. Divers were able to rescue him rather quickly. His main injury was a head contusion that had caused slight swelling, which was the main cause of him remaining unconcious.
Cam had left about a hour ago, promising him that she'd send someone over to stay with him. Even though they had caught the woman behind the gravedigger, she didn't want to take any chances. The members of the Jeffersonian lab had became a family of sorts. They'd do anything to protect each other. Which, from what Angela had told Cam, was the main reason that he had been injured at all. He had taken the blunt force of the explosion to save Brennan's life.
"You are awake."
The velvet smooth voice pierced his ears drums and brought him back to reality. Hearing her voice was amazing in itself, but seeing her. The carmel color of her skin, her long dark flowing hair, those chocolate colored eyes that held nothing but pain inside of them. It hurt him to see her look so sad. The pain the look on her face caused was worse than any of the other pain he felt. His heart ached at the sight of her, and all he really wanted to do was reach out to her. To hold her close and tell her that everything was fine.
"Yeah."
It was the only thing he could force out that wouldn't cause him to break down to tears. It wouldn't be the first time Angela had seen him cry. That first time, after him and Brennan had been found. He had told her how scared he was. Tears were in his eyes, and she comforted him. However, right now, she was the one that needed the comforting, and he needed...he wanted to give that to her, if nothing else.
"Jack...I was so scared. Do you remember what happened?"
He sighed, as she took his bandage-free hand. It was one of the only visible things that wasn't bandaged, and he wondered just how badly his body had been burnt.
"Vaguely. Bits and pieces. I remember walking up to the gravestone, setting down the evidence. I remember you telling us to run. After that, everything is a bit hazy."
"Brennan couldn't get to her feet fast enough. She was a sitting duck. I watched, unable to do anything. It was the worst feeling in the world, to stand there helpless, knowing your best friend is going to die. Everything was moving in slow motion, and yet it happened so fast Jack! You had already been on your feet, you grabbed her wrist and wrenched her up. She was behind you, and you knew that she'd obsorb the blast. You dragged her ahead of you, then shoved her to the ground. Before you dive it went off..."
Hodgins squeezed her hand softly to let her know that he was there. That he was alive.
"I'm alive Angela. That's all that matters. Besides..."
Her head jerked up, and her eyes held an almost certainty in them, like she knew where his thoughts had gone.
"Don't."
"I deserved it Ange. That is the truth. If it wasn't for me, then Booth wouldn't be stuck in here with me. He wouldn't be laying there unconcious..."
"Don't do that Hodgins. You're a hero. If it wasn't for you, Brennan would be dead. My best friend would be dead. You risked your own life to save hers. Believe me, when Booth wakes up he will be thanking you for that."
Hodgins shook his head, and grimaced in pain. "Don't say that. It's not true. Ange, if I hadn't taken that evidence then Brennan or Booth's lives would have been in danger. It's karma Ange."
Tears filled her eyes, but she didn't fight him this time. It hurt him, even if what he said was true. He was secretly hoping that she'd fight him on it again. That'd she make him see that it wasn't his fault, and yet he knew the truth. It was his fault. He was stupid and careless, and almost got two of his best friends killed.
"I just...I need to tell you something Ange, and please let me finish before you say anything."
"Okay..."
"I just...I love you Ange. I always have, and nothing will change that. You mean the world to me. It's just that...there is one more thing that I remember. I just...I didn't want to say it. I didn't want to hurt you anymore. It kills me to see the pain I've put you through..."
"Jack.."
"The last thing I remember seeing...was you."
He couldn't look at her, face her. See the hurt, or the confusion that he knew had to be written on her face. He couldn't take it. He had hurt her enough, caused her enough pain.
"I shouldn't have said anything..."
"Hodgins..."
The velvet smooth voice calling his name was now close to his ear. The vibrations sent chills through his body.
"I love you too. What hurts me is that it took almost losing you to realize it. You're it for me. You stole my heart long ago Jack Hodgins, and you never gave it back. It's always been yours, and I've just been stupid, and haven't realized it..."
The small, sad smile that crossed her lips let him know that her words were true. He wanted nothing more than to lean forward and capture her lips with his. Almost as if reading his mind, she leaned forward and placed her lips to his. It was like bliss, his eyes closed and moaned out the utter joy he was feeling.