A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and added this story to your favorites. You all are amazing, I appreciate the support. This story is going to focus more on the B/B side, but there will be slight scenes with Hodgela sprinkled throughout.
Chapter 2
While the scene is unfolding downstairs between Booth and Brennan, we now find ourselves upstairs in the conference room. Hodgins hasn't moved from his seat. Angela has quietly walked up the stairs to join him. She pulls out a chair and sits next to him. She finds his hands on the desk, still clamped together. She gently puts her hand on top of his.
ANGELA
It's going to be ok, Hodgins. Whatever it is, we'll get through it together.
Hodgins turns to look at Angela. We can see that he's at the end of his rope. He feels so helpless. All the memories of being trapped in that car, of being unable to sleep after his rescue have come flooding back into focus. When he was working to save Booth from the Gravedigger, he'd been able to sideline his fears for the sake of finding his friend, but now that there would be a trial, he felt trapped all over again.
HODGINS
I don't know if I can go through this again.
Angela stays focused on Hodgins and patiently waits for him to continue. As Hodgins continues speaking, his voice gets faster and faster, evidence of his fears.
HODGINS
Angie, there is something I've never told you. I thought Dr. Brennan and I were goners. I was sitting there in the back seat of the car, in so much pain, and so upset that I had never told you I loved you. Things had been weird between us and I realized that I might die without you ever knowing how I felt about you. So I tore some paper out of Dr. Brennan's book and wrote a goodbye letter to you. In all the chaos that ensued during our rescue, the letter was turned over as evidence and now Caroline thinks the defense is going to use them against us during the trial.
Just like Booth had been, Angela is rocked by this information. Hodgins had told her he loved her after he was pulled out, but she couldn't help but wonder what he had written to her in that note. But putting her curiosity aside, she knew that Hodgins was going to need all the support from her she could give. She turns her chair to face him and turns his to face her. With a compassion-filled smile on her face she interlocks their hands.
ANGELA
Honey, here's what we are going to do. We are going to take the rest of tonight and forget all about the Gravedigger and this letter. We are going to go back to your place and dim the lights and turn on some music. Then I am going to make love to you all night. Then tomorrow, we can face this thing together.
This appears to settle Hodgins some. He looks up at Angela and nods in agreement of her plan. Angela takes his hand and leads him out of the conference room. They head down the stairs. Angela stops by her office to grab her purse, and then they leave the lab.
Booth and Brennan break from their hug to see them depart. Both Booth and Brennan are now a little self conscious. They separate a little and then we see Brennan walk over to her desk to get a Kleenex. We think she is getting it to wipe her slighty wet cheeks, but without wiping them dry, she comes back to Booth. She is attempting to dry his shirt a little bit.
BRENNAN
I'm really sorry about getting your shirt wet like that. I don't normally have that kind of response. I'm usually very good at looking at a situation purely scientifically.
Booth smiles at this and lets out a small laugh, partly to ease the tension, but partly to show that he's not surprised she is trying to rationalize her way through this. He takes the Kleenex from her hand and tosses it into the nearby trashcan.
BOOTH
Don't worry about it, Bones. It's a very human thing to get emotional some times. Especially after all you've gone through.
BRENNAN
I know that's true, but I expect more from myself. I mean look at you. You were kidnapped by the Gravedigger too. You even conjured up a ghost to help you escape. Yet here you stand, only concerned about me. I don't understand you. If anything, I would expect the opposite reactions between the two of us. You should be acting more like Hodgins while I remain unaffected.
Booth pauses for a moment and considers her argument. He does wonder why this doesn't bother him as much. He decides it's due to a combination of his Ranger experience and the need to protect her.
BOOTH
Bones, I've seen a lot of crazy things in my time. You know from seeing my scars that I've been tortured before. I've just learned how to deal with bad situations, that's all. Just because I don't act like Hodgins doesn't mean this isn't still hard for me. The ghost that helped me made me realize some things that would be left undone if I didn't make it.
Bones wonders what he could mean by this, but quickly tells herself that it must have something to do with his son.
BRENNAN
I'm sure Parker would have been fine. I see you tell him all the time how much you love him, and Rebecca would make sure that you were always remembered.
Booth sees that his earlier comment was too subtle for Brennan to grasp. Rather than trying to clarify for her now , that it was really about his feelings for her, he decides to wait. His thoughts are then side-tracked by the sound of Brennan's stomach growling. It was getting late and he knew she hadn't eaten anything since lunch. He aimed to fix that.
BOOTH
Hey, you must be hungry. How about closing up shop and we'll go grab a bite to eat at the diner. I could really go for a burger about now.
BRENNAN
You know, you shouldn't eat so much red meat. You should try getting grilled chicken sometimes.
Booth rolls his eyes at her. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he ushers her over to her chair. While they continue to bicker about what he eats, he takes her coat and helps her put it on. He then leads her to her door and shuts off the lights. As they leave the Jeffersonian and walk to his vehicle, we hear Brennan telling him about death rates of other cultures that thrive on the consumption of red meat. Booth lets her talk because he knows this helps get her mind off the events of the day. They reach his SUV, and he opens the door for her. After closing it, he smiles to himself as he rounds the corner to his side. He's grateful that the Gravedigger was unsuccessful at both attempts and that he gets to have dinner once again with his Bones.
The ride to the diner is quiet as Brennan has finally stopped hounding Booth about what he eats. It is not an uncomfortable silence though because both Booth and Brennan are satisfied to just be in the other's company. Thoughts of the Gravedigger are pushed aside as they look forward to getting something to eat.
We next find Brennan and Booth sitting at their regular table at the diner. Booth has already ordered a burger, fries, and a cold soda. Brennan is still looking over the menu.
BOOTH
Having trouble deciding tonight?
BRENNAN
I always get a salad, and I was contemplating whether I wanted to do that again, or try something new.
BOOTH
Someone recently told me that grilled chicken is a good choice.
Booth has a silly grin on his face as he says this. Brennan looks up at him and lets out a soft chuckle. She then returns her gaze to her menu. Off-handedly she speaks.
BRENNAN
You know you are right! Must be a pretty smart person to have told you that.
BOOTH
Well, I won't deny that she's smart, but I find her to be very pretty too.
We see Brennan stop short for a moment. She keeps her focus on the menu, but Booth has noticed the change in her demeanor. This pleases him because he was hoping to catch her off guard. Finally, she lifts her head to meet his eyes. He sees a sparkle in them.
BRENNAN
When the waitress comes back, please order me a cheeseburger and a chocolate milk shake.
Before giving Booth a chance to respond, she gets up and walks to the restroom. She knows she has now caught him off guard and she smiles as she continues walking. Meanwhile, we see Booth sitting at the table with a look of shock on his face. Slowly that look changes to a smirk and he hopes she hurries back because he's missing her already.
After dinner is over, they split the tab like always and head out to Booth's car. We see that it has started raining. It's a heavy rain. Booth motions for Brennan to wait under the awning while he goes and pulls the car around to pick her up. Brennan doesn't go for this and decides to run to the car too. He sees her and they start to race, both with big grins on their face. Brennan reaches the car first, but Booth doesn't push the unlock button for her. She starts to whine, but he just smiles and finally opens the door himself once he gets there. Now shivering, both are inside the vehicle trying to adjust the heat to warm up. Their hands touch as they both reach for the same button. It's a momentary touch, but they both turn and look at each other. Finally after a long stare, Booth breaks and looks away.
BOOTH
I can't believe how much rain we are getting. Good thing this thing warms up fast.
BRENNAN
Yes, it does seem to be getting warmer in here.
They both know she's not talking about the vehicle's heater.
BOOTH
Listen, I'm sorry for making you wait in the rain.
BRENNAN
Yeah, you made me look like a dead feline.
BOOTH
Drowned cat, Bones. You looked like a drowned cat.
They arrive outside Brennan's apartment. Before she can stop him, we see Booth jump out of the vehicle to walk her to her door.
BRENNAN
You didn't have to do that. It's raining, and I'm perfectly capable of walking myself to my door.
Booth smiles as he knows how important it is for her to feel independent. They arrive at her door. There is a small overhang that they move to stand under. For the most part, it keeps them out of the rain.
BRENNAN
Well thank you, even though you didn't need to do that.
BOOTH
You're welcome.
Brennan turns around to unlock her door. As she does so, Booth leans in to her. With his face next to hers, he whispers good night and kisses her cheek. Lost in the moment, she stands there unable to move. Booth breathes deeply and walks back to his car. Finally, regaining her composure, Brennan glances at Booth as he walks away and then lets herself into her apartment.
A short time later, we see Booth sitting on the couch in his apartment. He feels satisfied that he distracted Brennan from the upcoming trial, but he knows it was only momentary. His mind returns to thoughts of the letter she wrote. He didn't want her to have to relive those memories, but he couldn't help but wonder what she wrote and if she could have possibly written it to him.
At the same time, we find Brennan sitting at her kitchen table. In front of her is a box. We discover that this is a box of meaningful items because as she opens it we see her mother's belt buckle and the dolphin that her father left at her mother's grave. She pushes those items aside and we see her take out a folded piece of paper. As she opens it, we realize that sometime after she was rescued, she had gotten a copy of her letter and had packed it away with all the things she held most dear. She reads it silently to herself. As she comes to the end, a single tear streaks down her face.
BRENNAN
Maybe it's finally time to share this with Booth, before he has to hear it in front of everyone. He deserves to hear it from me, so that I can explain that these feelings I had for him, these feelings that I wrote about, were just a reaction to my impending death.
Even as she says this, she knows deep down that even if the feelings weren't real then, they are certainly real now. But she doesn't want to ruin what they already have, so she's determined to help Booth see that this was just a chemical reaction as a result of diminished oxygen supply. She's sure she can make him see the technicality of it.
A/N: Please review!
