"God Bones…"
"Booth it's nothing really…" she snatched her arm back. He knew she was lying and she knew, he knew she was lying. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she talked.
"But it's not nothing, you're hurt and have a flippin word carved into you flesh!" he said throwing his arms in the air as he began pacing. When he managed to calm himself down to the point of silent crying, he slowly turned to face her again. "Who the hell would do this to you…. to anyone…?" his voice was braking with pure emotional turmoil.
He slowly approached her and all he could do was pull her into a 'guy hug' because he was scared. Scared by the implied accusation, scared for Bones' life and basically scared of the whole situation. Someone was after her again and had already hurt her; and this may only be the beginning. "Bones you gotta talk to me" he said, his voice muffled as his head was buried in her hair. "It'll be alright, I will keep you safe."
To his surprise she hugged him back in a tight embrace, showing how much this was actually affecting her. "I can't Booth, I'm scared of something bad happening…they said they were always watching and I know that is factual. They know everything about everyone Angela, Hodgins, Cam…you…." she said in utter disbelief.
Moving from the hug so he could see her face, he said forcefully, "Who Bones!"
"I can't…. please." she moved away from him and slowly slid down the wall once again as sobs wracked her battered frame. He dropped down next to her dragging her into a one-arm hug. He let out a deep breath, calming himself. "Ok Bones, I'm not gunna force you. But you can trust me, you can always count on me." He announced, tears of his own making there way down his cheeks, falling into her auburn hair.
"How about that hospital, huh?"
"No, Booth please I don't want to go." Her eyes showed him all he needed to know.
"Fine" he exclaimed defeated. "But, I have to dress your wounds then or else they'll get infected." With that said, he stood up opening cabinets and pulling out various supplies, setting them on the counter and motioning for her to sit on the counter as well. He left her no chance to argue.
Reluctantly she complied; she'd do anything to avoid the hospital, they just held too many bad memories. She walked up to the counter and pulled herself awkwardly on it, wincing slightly.
Booth caught the wincing, the sign that she was truly in pain. He felt himself panicking inside again, his mind wondering to all the possible injuries that may lie beneath her clothing.
Calming himself, he grabbed a washcloth and dipped it in the sink, which he'd filled with warm water. Wringing it out he moved to her side, gently dabbing it over the bloody gash on her forehead. She let out a hiss, followed by a loud "Ow, Booth" at his activities and pulled back out of his reach. "Come on, quit being such a baby" he said chasing her with a washcloth.
"Booth, no, it hurts"
"Bones!"
"Fine" she said with a sigh. Allowing him to reach her again without her pulling away.
He carried on cleaning her face, wiping away the blood and the tear tracks. The intensity of the situation was getting to the both of them. He dabbed her face with a towel and then reached for a sticky bandage and smoothed it over her wound. He then carried out the same actions on her bloody arm. Taking his time to slowly clean each painful letter of the statement carved into her flesh.
He started to wonder as he cleaned her arm, what could she have done that would cause someone to take drastic measures? They must have a personal connection if she won't tell me anything. Internally he was arguing with himself. She'll tell me in her own time.
He seemed to get lost in his thoughts. Noticing this Brennan was quick to snap him out of it. "Booth, Booth, BOOTH!"
"Huh? What?"
"Nothing you just seemed to be lost in thought"
"Oh, sorry just thinking bout the situation." He replied in a solemn tone.
He hastily finished wrapping the bandage around her arm securing it in place with a generous amount of tape.
"Walla" he said enthusiastically.
"Thanks, Booth." She said with a half smile on her face. She proceeded to jump off the counter but as soon as she hit the floor she let out a cry of agony.
Booth quickly moved to support her as she doubled over in pain. "Bones! Are you ok…..where does it hurt?" with no answer, still winded from jumping off the counter, she pointed to her ribs.
He slowly pulls up her shirt to find sickly bruises engulfing her sides. "Ouch! I definitely need to wraps these, why didn't you say anything before?"
"I…. I didn't actually realise the extent of my injuries." She replied breathlessly.
"Ok, you need to sit down before you fall over"
Booth carried on and wrapped her ribs with precision, despite the awkward circumstances.
Once he was finished he helped her to the couch so they could actually talk about the direness of the present situation.
He settled on the couch next to her, handing her a glass of water and some aspirin hoping to relieve the pain her injuries were causing her. She accepted his offer gracefully, gulping down the pills. She handed the glass back to him and he set it on the coffee table.
With a sigh she sinks back into the sofa, automatically closing her eyes due to sheer exhaustion.
Noticing this Booth is quick to react. "Hey, you're going to stay here until everything is ok again." He states.
She just nods, which causes Booth great concern. "What your not even going to fight with me, I mean you 'I can take care of myself, Brennan'?" he questions quizzically.
At this her eyes pop open with confusion. "I would argue but I know that you wont let me go home by myself and I'm just so tired."
"O, well…Let me get something for you to change into so you can go to sleep" with that he stand making his way towards the bedroom, as he rounds the corner he sees her eyes close again. When he reaches his destination, he pulls out a simple FBI tee and a pair of sweat pants.
He then returns to the living room to find her eyes clamped shut, her breathing seemed quite even.
"Come on Bonesy, its bedtime." He says gently, going around the couch to try and get her attention. When she doesn't respond, he figured she must really be asleep and not pretending. So he lays her down and drapes a blanket over her battered body. He then checks his watch, wow it's 11pm already he thinks as he sits down in the chair next to the couch, he reaches for the remote and watches a hockey game that is currently playing. He is surprised when he doesn't automatically get sucked into the action; all his thoughts seem to wonder to the mystery that is his partner. He just feels so helpless.
Sometime between the sound of the cheers in hockey and his thoughts he manages to drift into a light sleep.
Hours later he suddenly jolts awake by a series of sounds. Automatically he searches for a weapon, he had a bad feeling: something is not right.
Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing it means a hell of a lot to me...stay tuned