In the 2 weeks since Amanda had turned two, the terrible two's had hit hard and Amanda's answer to everything was 'no'. Brennan wished Booth was there to help so that she could keep under control easier. It wasn't the fact that Amanda was acting up that had her on the verge of breaking; it was the fact that Booth was still comatose and no one could tell her why or if and when he'd wake up. All the doctors were taking the' wait and see' approach to Booth, his brain was normal and functioning according to every test they'd ran.
Brennan had just sat down at her desk with a sigh, it was only 8 in the morning and she was all ready tired. Amanda hadn't slept much the night before and she was cantankerous when Brennan was getting them both ready and out the door, when the phone rang.
"Brennan."
"Dr. Brennan you need to get down here as soon as you can. Seeley is fine, but you need to get down here ASAP."
"Thanks Katie, I'll be there in 45 minutes." Brennan grabbed her coat and told Cam that she was leaving for the day. The drive felt like it took hours, the last time they told her to get there ASAP Booth had pneumonia and she'd almost lost him. This time though Katie didn't sound worried. Brennan hurried to Booth's room only to be stopped by his doctor at the nurses' station.
"Doctor Brennan, Seeley is okay, he woke up about an hour ago. We don't know how he's affected; he's too agitated for us to do the tests. He keeps asking for bones."
Brennan grinned like a fool, "Bones is his nickname for me."
"Oh. That's a good sign. You can go see him, he needs to calm down or we're going to have to sedate him." Brennan nodded and went to Booth's room; Katie was trying to calm him down. Brennan walked to Booth's bed and took his hand.'' Booth?"
"Bones?
"Yeah, I'm here. You're fine, but you need to relax, okay? Getting worked up isn't good for you. Take a deep breath." Booth took a few breaths and Brennan could see him relax a little. Brennan kissed him.
"Bones?"
"I'm right here Booth." Brennan squeezed his hand harder.
"What?"
Brennan looked at the door, the doctor was standing there, and he nodded telling Brennan she could tell Booth what happened.
"Booth do you want to know what happened? He nodded.
"Do you know where you are?"
"The Hospital…"
"Yes, what's the last thing you remember?"
"I was holding…I was holding…."
"Amanda."
"Yeah, I was holding Amanda and my head starting hurting really bad and I couldn't see that good, there were three of everything and it was blurry. Then I don't remember. I didn't drop her did I?"
"No, you yelled for me and I put her on the floor and got you sitting down in the rocker while I put Amanda in her crib. Then I called Angela, by the time she got to our house your vision started clear a little so I got you in the car and we went to the Emergency room. After tests the doctors discovered your brain tumor had returned it was the same type as the first time. They removed it, everything went great, but you reacted to the anesthetic and have been in a coma for 7 ½ months." Brennan felt
Booth tense, "Booth you're going to be fine, but you need to stay calm and let the doctors do the tests they need to, okay? I'll stay if I can, but I might not be able to."
"Okay." Brennan kissed Booth again and went to talk to the doctor. She came back a few minutes later. "Booth, I can't stay in the room, but I'll be right outside the door." Booth nodded.
An hour and a half later Brennan learned Booth was confused, he was having problems with his short and long term memory, and his speech was slurring some words. he also had months of physical and occupational therapy ahead to get back what he'd lost lying in a bed for 7 ½ months. The doctors were hopeful all of his symptoms would improve with time. No one knew if he'd be able to return to the FBI; it all depended on how his brain recovered. None of that mattered to Brennan though all that mattered to her was that Booth was awake and with her, Parker, and Amanda. Brennan didn't ask Booth any questions and he didn't ask her much they were both content just being together. A little bit later Brennan noticed Booth looking at the water pitcher on the table. "Booth, do you want some water?"
"Yeah, I couldn't remember…"
"It's all right you'll get better you've only been awake for a few hours." Brennan kissed his cheek, "I'll be right back."
Booth nodded and Brennan returned with a cup of ice chips. "They wouldn't give me anything but ice chips, it's better than nothing." Brennan walked to the bed and started to give Booth a spoonful of ice chips, he put a hand on her arm. "N-No."
Brennan smiled, "Booth it's okay I don't mind, it's going to be a while before you get your strength back and are able to do this yourself. Just relax." Booth relented and let Brennan give him the ice chips. After a few spoonfuls Booth turned his head, focusing on the picture of the four of them at an amusement park with Russ, Amy and the girls just a month Booth got sick. Brennan picked it up and handed it to him.
"I remember that we had to leave right after this was taken."
"Right."
"Because Parker found out the hard way that tilt-a- whirls and corn dogs, a sno cone, nacho cheese, and a gallon of soda don't mix."
"Yeah, that was not a fun night, but at least we had a condo to stay in and not a hotel."
"Amanda wouldn't sleep in the pack n play, I had to hold her most of the night."
"While I cleaned up puke all night."
"Sorry I offered, but Parker wanted you."
"It's okay, it's something moms do."
"Yeah…"
"Booth, do you want to see the kids?"
"Yeah."
"Parker left yesterday for science camp, he'll be gone for two weeks. I'll see if the doctors will let Amanda visit. I brought her here every night after dinner and she sat on your lap while I read to her, most of the time she fell asleep on you."
"I think I could feel you put her on me, I could feel things a little sometimes."
"Really?"
"Yeah I just felt the w-weight or something I-I think."
"That's good. I'll be right back." Booth nodded. Brennan came back a few minutes later. "Amanda can come visit and Parker if he was in town, but the doctors only want immediate family for a few days. I can call Jarred. "
"No j-just you."
"And Amanda?"
"Yeah forgot…."
"Booth it's okay, some memories are gone. The doctors think that names of people, places and things are going to the area of memory you struggle with the most. You can rebuild your memories some, but it's going to take time. I will help you as much as I can and so will everyone else. Why don't you try and get some rest? I'll be gone for almost two hours."
"W-Why?"
"Because it takes about 45 minutes to get to the lab from here. You're not at Washington General hospital, you had the surgery there, but when we determined you weren't going to wake up anytime soon I had you moved to Georgetown University hospital's long term care facility and rehabilitation center."
"Oh. "
Brennan kissed Booth's cheek, "I'll be back soon. I love you."
"L-l-love you." Brennan nodded and quickly left the room before Booth could see the tears in her eyes. She only got a few feet from his room before Katie noticed them. "Doctor Brennan are you okay?"
"Yeah Booth just told me he loves me and it's been awhile…."
"I understand."
"I'm going to get Amanda, he wants to see her."
"She'll like that, they both will."
"Yeah me too." Brennan hurried to her car and returned in under two hours with Amanda in tow. The little girl got excited when she saw where they were.
"Daddy?"
Brennan smiled sat down in the lobby and pulled Amanda into her lap. "Amanda, I need to tell you something; it's really important, you need to listen to mommy okay?"
"K."
"Daddy is awake, he might be asleep but you can wake him up when you go in there. You can't run, or yell when we go in there, daddy doesn't feel good. You can't jump on him. I'll sit you on the bed like always all right?"
"K."
"When you go in Daddy's room can you run?"
"No."
"Right. Can you yell?"
"No."
"Right. Can you jump on Daddy?"
"No."
"Let's go see him."
"K."
Brennan headed to Booth's room; Katie came out of it and smiled at Brennan."I just checked on him, he's doing well. He asked if you were here yet. The doc said to try him on Jell-O; I did as soon as you left so far so good. I don't think Seeley liked it though."
Brennan smiled and adjusted Amanda on her hip, "he probably didn't, and pudding is his favorite hospital food."
"What flavor?"
"Vanilla."
"I'll make a note."
"Thanks."
"No problem, stay as long as you want; I can have dinner sent in for the three of you."
"Thanks, when Booth gets his can you send in a salad and macaroni and cheese?"
"Sure, Italian dressing?"
"Yes thanks."
"You're welcome, now get in there and see him!"
Brennan chuckled and went in the room. Booth was awake and lit up like a Christmas tree when he saw Amanda. "Hi baby girl." Brennan smiled when Booth used his nickname for her.
"Daddy!" Amanda started straining in Brenan's arm to get to Booth. "Hold still I need to take your shoes off then I'll sit you on Daddy's lap like always." Brennan kissed the top of her head and started slipping off her shoes.
Brennan sat Amanda so that she was sitting sideways in Booth's lap, but Amanda twisted herself around so that her face was in Booth's chest."Amanda-"
"B-B-Bones l-leave h-h-her."
Brennan smiled, "okay tell ne if it's too much."
Booth nodded and used what little strength he had to try and put his arm on Amanda's back, Brennan let him do as much as he could on his own and helped him a little. Amanda shifted and pressed herself in to Booth's chest more. "I think someone is going to go to sleep, she didn't sleep much last night." Brennan smiled and ran her hand through Amanda's hair."
"W-why?"
"I'm not sure she hasn't slept well since you've been here." Booth tried to shift his grip on Amanda.
"Are you getting tired?"
"No."
"I can put you bed back a little. It might make it easier for you to hold her if you're leaning back a little more." Booth nodded and Brennan reclined the head of Booth's bed a little and then she moved Amanda so she lay higher on Booth's chest. The little girl started to wake up, "Go to sleep sweetheart, I just moved you so you and daddy would be more comfortable." Brennan placed one of Booth's hands on Amanda's back and the other under her bottom. Booth smiled a little when Amanda sighed and snuggled deeper in to Booth chest. Brennan stood watching and then she smiled "And she's out, I haven't seen her that relaxed in a long time." Brennan snapped a picture with her phone then moved to the closet in the corner and retrieved one of Amanda's larger baby blankets and placed it over her, taking Booth's hand out from underneath, replacing them on top.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome Booth."
They sat in silence while Amanda slept after a two hour nap Brennan woke her up and helped her turn over so she could still be on Booth lap and watch a movie. Just as the movie ended the family's dinner was brought in and Brennan got Amanda settled with 'her macaroni and cheese at the small table in the corner. Once Amanda was eating and not paying attention to what Brennan was doing she moved to Booth and took the lid off his tray to reveal soup and Jell-O, she picked up the spoon and got a spoonful and turned to feed it to Booth, his eyes went to Amanda. "Booth, she's got a plateful of macaroni and carrots she won't notice that I'm feeding you and if she does it won't be a big deal. Careful it's hot." Booth accepted and ate a little less than half of the soup and none of the jell-o.
"Hey Amanda, do you want daddy's jell-o?"
The little girl looked at Brennan with a spoonful of macaroni in her hand."Yucky, mommy!" Booth started laughing, Brennan joined him. "Angela had jell-o snakes made for JJ's birthday and Amanda tried the head of one and spit it out, she's not a fan."
"Neither am I "
"I know I told them you're a pudding fan."
"Thanks."
After Brennan ate and cleaned up Amanda she sat her on Booth's bed. "Say goodnight to daddy, we need to go home so you can have a bath and go to sleep."
"No!" Amanda grabbed Booth's arm and laid down on him. Brennan knelt down and brushed Amanda's hair back. "I know you don't want to go home, that you want to stay here, but daddy needs to go to bed too. If you let me take you home and give you a bath and put your pjs on I'll read you two stories and you can have a cookie when we get home."
Amanda sat up let Brennan pick her up. "Tell daddy you love him."
"Love daddy."
"L-l-love you too, baby girl." Brennan held Amanda over Booth, close enough to his face so he could kiss her cheek. Brennan put Amanda on her hip and leaned over and kissed Booth, "I love you, Booth. "L-l-love you too, Bones." Brennan smiled and started to walk out of the room. When they got to the lobby Amanda started to cry, "Sweetheart you can come see daddy after lunch okay? I'll pick you up and we'll go get daddy a surprise before we come see him, okay?"
"K."
"Now let's go home and have a cookie." Brennan rubbed Amanda's back.
"K." Brennan kissed the top of Amanda's head and headed to her car.
