"Temperance come sit" Christine sat on the couch in Brennan's office holding her hand out to her daughter.
Brennan did not hesitate to sit with her mother. As she looked into the warm deep brown eyes of her mother she could not have been happier. She felt none of the sadness or loneliness she had been experiencing before today. While she didn't completely understand what was going on, she knew she had her mother back, something she had been longing for and having her mother beside her had taken away all the pain of the last year and a half.
She had pushed Booth away and then when she realized her mistake he had moved on. He had fallen in love with Hannah Burley, she was everything Brennan wasn't, blonde, bubbly, bright, out going, able to give love and receive it. Everything Booth wanted, he was happy for a while and then she broke his heart. When Brennan had gotten the call from Hannah she went to him, ever faithful with a small glimmer of hope that maybe they had a second chance only to have that hope crushed by his harsh words.
She deserved the words, the ultimatum, be only his partner or leave. Having Seeley Booth in her life in any form was better than not having him at all, she chose to be his partner. Through the pain that was tearing through her body at break neck speeds she was reminding herself this was the life she expected to have, she was not a person that was lucky enough to have a family, and none of this should surprise her. She had returned to burying herself in her work, which had made the day slip by much easier, held the pain at bay as long as she had something to occupy her mind. It was those rare moments when she wasn't engaged that the pain slipped in and sometimes would consume her.
But now here with her mother, there was no pain, there was no sadness; there was only happiness and warmth, a sense of belonging. "Mom" She didn't really have anything to say just wanted to say the title she had been unable to apply to anyone for so many years.
"I have missed you my precious girl" her mother smiled as she spoke the words.
"I have missed you too, why didn't you come back sooner?"
"I couldn't, the opportunity was not there and the time was not right."
"But I thought you were dead. I needed … need you. Dad tries, but he isn't you and I …"
"Oh baby girl" Christine wrapped her arms around her daughter, who moved into the embrace like she was that scared 15 year old girl again. "I never wanted to leave you, but you know we do the best we can and your father and I did what we thought was right to save your life." Christine's hands moved in circles on her daughters back, much like Brennan had done to Parker.
"You are here now and you never have to leave."
"Temperance, I have always been with you and will always be with you." She tapped Brennan's head "right here" and then tapped her chest "and right here"
"Okay folks let close her up." Dr. Scranton took in air through his nose and breathed out through his mouth, although you couldn't really notice with the mask over his face. "Let's get her up to CCU and then hope she makes it through the next 24 hours."
Dr. Scranton took a chair outside of the O.R. he was just in after they wheeled his patient down the hall. He leaned his head back against the wall and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. All he could do now was pray he found all the bleeders, she was young and strong, but being impaled can scramble most anything in it's path, she was lucky it only nicked her stomach and didn't hit anything else vital. Her injuries were complicated by a broken arm, a broken leg, some cracked ribs from the seat belt he assumed, and bruising to her face. He was hoping for the best but knew she was holding on by a thread. Sighing loudly he got up and headed down to check on the man that had been with her, he assumed her husband, who was still in surgery.
Dr. Scranton donned his mask and pushed open the door to the O.R. his colleague was in. "How's it going Joe?"
Joe looked up over his glasses. "He has some internal injuries, broken ribs and a bruised kidney, but all in all I think he will be okay. Amazed he came out of it with the little injuries he has. He is in good shape, which is in his favor. How about her?"
"She made it through surgery, now we see if she makes it through the next 24 hours. Do we know who they are yet?"
"Temperance come with me" She held out her hand to her daughter and they walked out of Brennan's office and into her apartment. Brennan didn't seem to notice the unusual change.
"Would you like some tea mother?" She moved towards the kitchen as her mother nodded.
"Temperance we need to talk, there is so much to say and never enough time."
"We have all the time in the world now mother."
"No sweetheart, soon you have to go back to your Agent Booth."
"He will understand."
"No sweetheart not this time. You promised him, you can't break that promise. I am here to help you, help you understand some things."
"What things? I am highly intelligent; in fact I have not met anyone smart then myself yet."
Christine chuckled at her daughters bluntness "That is just like your father." Brennan grinned. There was a warm silence between the two women as Brennan continued to heat water for tea and Christine relished in this time with her daughter.
"He loves you, you know."
"My father, yes I know."
"No honey, Seeley. He loves you."
Brennan was pouring the tea into the cups she had just removed from the cabinet. "I believe he did, but we missed our chance, or I missed our chance."
"Are you so sure about that?"
She thought for a moment and then leveled her gaze on her mother "Yes, I am quite sure" his words replaying over and over in her mind. "You and me, we are partners."
"Mom, I would prefer to not talk about Booth or my work. There is plenty of time for that, I just got you back. I want to get to know you." Christine smiled as Brennan sat the warm liquid in front of her.