Not a long wait this time (: love you all, thanks for the 23 emails I got (and am still getting :D)! I was like :O but in a good way of course.

'I still can't believe you don't know… we all just assumed…'

'Cam. Please, I need to know.'

'We all just thought you'd know. That you'd be the first to know… I didn't realize that I'd have to tell you.' Cam placed her pen on her desk and linked her fingers, drawing in a breath and regarding him warily over the top of them.

'Tell me what! Cam, please!' Booth realized he was close to crying and didn't know why, but he irrationally felt a sense of foreboding.

'Sit down Booth.'

'Oh no… no…' He sank into the chair in front of her desk and bit his lip. Cam stared at the polished surface for a second before drawing in a breath and beginning talking.

'Your partner, Doctor Brennan… was in a car accident on the freeway.'

'What? What happened to her? Is she okay?'

'She got crushed under the car, had massive internal bleeding, although minor head injuries. She had surgery to repair the damage done, but after the surgery she lapsed into a coma… I'm sorry Booth.'

'So she's dead…?' Booth felt his throat closing up.

'No, no she's in hospital, in a coma… like…'

'Yes, I know what like, and I'd never wish that on anyone.' Booth closed down the part of his mind that wanted to scream, shout and cry and stood up. 'Are the others at the hospital?' Cam nodded. 'Then I'm going to the hospital. Do you want a ride?'

'No, we're awaiting the a forensic anthropologist from Montreal and someone needs to be here.'

'So what? You're just replacing her?'

'No, Booth. There's something else you should know.'

'What?'

'There was a femur found in her car. It was planted.'

oOo

Booth drove carefully, unaware of the tears that were streaming in torrents down his face, impairing his vision. He drove to the hospital, parked and got out of his care extremely measuredly. He was holding everything in because he knew that when he saw her he would break down. He walked slowly to the desk, biting down hard on his lip until he could taste blood.

'Hello? Um Miss Brennan.' He asked the woman at the desk, who snapped on a grim face and told him the room number.

'222.'

'Thank you.' Booth strode the corridors, perfectly aware of where room 222 was. The ICU. Taking a deep breath in, he pushed open the door with a quiet click, the smell of hospital disinfectant turning his stomach. Angela was the only member of the team in the room, sitting in the chair close to the bed and whispering to her best friend. She turned when she heard the door and jumped slightly.

'Booth, Cam just called. I'm sorry, we all just thought you'd know.' Booth noted that her face was tear stained and nodded.

'It's okay.'

'I'll just go… I have work at the institute to do…' She gathered up her bag and swept from the room, casting one last look at Brennan over her shoulder. Booth sank down beside her bed in the chair that Angela had recently vacated.

'Bones… I'm sorry.' He closed his eyes and took her hand, squeezing it in the vain hope of getting a response. He could see the bulky bandages beneath her hospital gown, even under the thin hospital blanket. 'I should have made more of an effort with you. I love you.' He knew coma patients could hear, which was why they encouraged people to talk to them, make them wake up. 'I love you.' He kissed her hand and held it tightly between his own, tears falling in a constant stream. He just wished she would wake up, wake up and open the grey eyes that he loved so. He had memorized every part of her, her eyes, her hair, even the way she walked and talked. 'I'm sorry… I have to go now Bones. But I'll be back I promise. I love you.' He stood and kissed her forehead gently before leaving the room with many glances behind him.

'Are you her husband?' A young nurse asked him as he stepped out.

'I wish.'

'Boyfriend then?'

'Colleague.'

'Oh… you seem pretty close for colleagues.'

'We are, she's like my sister.' Suddenly, an image reared its head, unbidden in his mind. Caroline, Christmas two years ago.

'You must sure love your brother.' She said, eyebrows raised so far that they were in danger of vanishing off of her face.

'I do.'

'She does.' They had answered quickly, flushed and embarrassed slightly.

'Oh right then, but you seem incredibly close.'

'We are.' I love her.

'Well it's always good when colleagues are close. But unless you are family or romantically involved, you have to visit during visiting hours only.'

'I… would it make a difference if I told you I was in love with her?'

'Only if you could prove it, you'll be amazed how many people just want to stalk somebody by saying they're in love with them.'

'I can prove it. Ask anyone at the Jeffersonian Institute. They all know I love her, and they also know that she's in love with me, but too stubborn to take that chance.'

'I'll mark you down as boyfriend on this file. That means you have unlimited visiting time, including during the night.' Booth smiled at her.

'Thank you.' Booth left the hospital, leaving behind a part of his world, no, his entire world in that clinical building.

oOo

Jackson Summerland arrived in D.C. in the pouring rain, dragging a heavy suitcase to the front of the airport. A man with a sign bearing his name didn't even glance behind to see if his passenger was following, he just threaded his way through the thronging mass of people. Jackson took a tighter hold on his suitcase and followed again, holding his arm up against the rain when they reached outside.

'Where to?' The driver grunted.

'The Jeffersonian Institute. Know where it is?'

'Course I do.' Jackson shivered in his coat, running a hand through his soaking wet, collar length blond hair and sweeping his damp fringe out of his eyes. The taxi driver was silent until they reached the Jeffersonian. He stopped and checked the meter as Jackson struggled with his case.

'Twenty five bucks.' Jackson struggled with his wallet and pulled out three tens.

'Thanks for the ride.' The driver grunted again and drove off, leaving Jackson to drag his case up to the Jeffersonian by himself. He got inside, left his case and reached for his cell, but a hand clapped his shoulder and he jumped.

'Jackson right?' Cam smiled at him and introduced herself.

'Camille Saroyan. But everyone calls me Cam.'

'Hello Cam.' She nodded and took his hand, a weak handshake. He won't last five minutes she thought.

Whassssup (: Quick update right? Enjoy.