Note – after reading this chapter pls read the note at the bottom in regard to where this story is going.

From the end of Chapter One: "Good, now just lay still and rest while I go have him paged – I will be right back." With that she disappeared through the door making her way to the Nurse's station, still keeping a tight seal on her own emotions and fear since this was not about her. This, was about her Booth.

DEJA VU

Chapter 2

Inside Booth's Room – George Washington University Hospital ICU . . .

Brennan was back in Booth's room awaiting the arrival of the Doctor. Luckily he was in the hospital making his rounds somewhere and not off for the day playing golf somewhere, causing them to wait even longer for his arrival. "Booth, I know you want answers but I just think we should wait until Doctor Jurisik assesses you. Your body has been through a lot in the past few days and I don't want to do anything that might jeopardize your health." Booth looked up at her, his eyes still had a haunting quality about them as they darted back and forth between Brennan's face and the rest of the room, as if he were searching the nether regions of his own mind for answers. "You're not telling me something," he finally said, "I can tell." Brennan looked away, unsure of what to say. "What is it? What's wrong?" his eyes begging her to tell him.

"Booth, no, nothing . . . look please just wait a few more minutes, that's all I ask and then I will be able to explain." with this she moved her hand up to his shoulder squeezing it gently so as not to jolt his still sensitive skull, but also hoping that her touch still had a calming affect on him as it always seemed to in the past. Her memory soaring back to the time spent listening to him in the Arlington Cemetery as he told her of his Sniper past. Angela had been right as always, that there is power in the single touch of a caring hand – even when no words are verbally spoken.

He closed his eyes, he was exhausted already from their short conversation and found it soothing to rest and allowing the warmth of her hand to sooth his groggy and confused mind. "I thought they said he had awakened." came a whispering voice of the talented Surgeon as he witnessed the still closed eyes of the healing Agent. But the sound of the Doctor's voice was enough to startle Booth causing him to rapidly open them, slightly jerking from alarm.

"Welcome Back Agent Booth, how are you feeling? I am told th-" he was quickly interrupted by Brennan.

"Doctor, wait - I need to speak with you for a moment in the hallway if you don't mind." Until she heard the Doctor address him as 'Agent Booth' - Brennan hadn't thought of the how Booth might react if they told him how extensive his memory loss was, without assessing his physical condition from the surgery and coma first. She couldn't bare the thought of him going through any more life threatening emergencies. Turning back to Booth she told him, "Booth, you just take it easy for a couple of minutes, alright? I promise we will be back in no time." Meeting the Surgeon outside the room, Brennan filled him on Booth's condition and just how bad his memory loss appeared to be. "I apologize for interrupting you back there Dr. Jurisik, but I had hoped to tell you what he has expressed to me that had caused me significant concern, and I have to tell you before you speak to him."

"Yes, of course Dr, Brennan. You know I respect your judgment and your opinion. Please, go on."

"There is something you need to know before we go back in there, something I haven't told him yet. Booth not only did not know who I was, but when I asked what his last memory was, he -" she stopped speaking, caught off guard by the shaking that even she could detect in her own voice. A shaking that signified vulnerability that she thought she had buried long ago after the last negative foster child experience she had suffered through. A vulnerability that she thought she could still push back at her own willing, this time however, she was unsuccessful in her attempt. "Dr. Brennan, are you okay?" the concerned Physician inquired, "Take your time, I know can see this has been hard on you – not many people could stand through two hours and 45 minutes of brain surgery – many of our own staff sometimes excuse themselves during the sawing of the skull. Do you need to sit down?"

Brennan swallowed hard trying to pull additional strength from deep within herself, finally able to continue, "No, no I'm fine, thank you. I was just caught off guard when he told me this. Dr. Jurisik, Booth thinks the time is approx 6-7 years ago when he had been held captive as a Prisoner Of War in the Middle East. He . . . he thinks he is here in the hospital due to the torture and beatings that he endured."

She waited to see the reaction of the Surgeon, hoping he would calm her worried mind, tell her this was normal , that it was temporary. That Booth's mind was merely confused from the trauma of the surgery and delirium from the drugs. But sadly this was not to be, she could instantly see the change in the Doctor's facial features, worry lines deepening on his forehead as he looked back through the glass partition to the patient within. Booth's eyes were again closed as he still fought the drugs that threatened to take him back into yet another teasing dream that would confuse him even further.

"Dr. Brennan, I don't want you to be alarmed, on one hand it's a good sign that he remembers some time frame. It is quite possible that this surgery triggered symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that he may very well have ignored for years. This could cause his mind to immediately revert back to the incident that caused his initial PSTD."

I am sure as his brain and surrounding tissues and bone heals, and with perhaps some therapy, he can regain all of his memories. I have seen similar cases where the patient regains all memories within a week. But, I do want to set realistic expectations that it could take longer and he may not get all of his memories back. But that is the worst case scenario. Now, let's get back in there, the sooner I can evaluate Agent Booth's condition, the sooner we can take steps to accelerate his recovery."

"Oh, wait – Doctor, there is one more thing," Brennan grabbed his arm to stop him from heading into the room, "You cannot address him like that for now, it will only confuse him. Right now Booth doesn't seem to remember any of his time as an FBI Special Agent. He thinks he is still a Sniper for the Army Rangers, so trust me, he will respond more favorably to being addressed as, Sergeant Booth."

To Be Continued . . .

NOTE: The Dr. addressing Booth as Sergeant does NOT mean they are not going to tell him of his memory loss. You have to allow the story to unfold and it will all work out fine. Right now they are only INITIALLY addressing him like this because he is still too fresh from surgery to have them just BLURT out that he seems to have misplaced 7 years of his life! So stay tuned and don't fret.