Seeing Temperance in a such a painful outburst, Angela questioned herself what steps in their relationship had her friend and Booth crossed on the invisible boundary line they had kept intact between them.

Rebecca and Parker ran down the hallway. There were several people gathered outside Booth's room. Pushing their way through, they joined Temperance and Angela at the doorway.

"We were called out of the cafeteria," Rebecca spoke out of breath. "Has something happened? Has he turned for the worse?"

"Doctor Bones," Parker fluttered his eye lashes. Tears ran down the little boy's face. "Did my daddy die?" There was sadness in his eyes as if there was a lost for a loved one.

"No, sweetheart." Tempe held back her tears. "He's...the doctor's...," she cleared her throat and bent down to his level.

"You hear that beeping sound?"

"Uh-huh." He wiped his tears on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Well, that's his heartbeat. He's very much alive."

"Oh." He stood watching his father. "Mommy, what are they doing to him?"

"They're making him comfortable right now, baby. Making him all better."

"Doctor Bones?"

"Yes, Parker?"

"When my daddy gets out, are you going to take care of him? I mean, my mommy takes care of me. So, will you take care of my daddy for me? Maybe he can live at your house. So, you're both not lonely anymore."

"What? Parker, I..."

"That's what Angela said. Right, Angela?" He innocently turned to the artist, tear-stained on his face.

"Hey, sweetie. Let me wipe your cheeks." Embarrassed, Angela pulled him aside and grabbed a tissue out of her handbag.

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Each night Temperance appeared at Booth's bedside. Some nights she stared at nothing in particular and listened to his heartbeat, on other nights, she told him of her days events. The white sheets matched the pale color of his face. Although, there was the beeping sound of the monitor reading his heart rate, he laid too peacefully, that at one point, she shook him. He stirred just a bit and frowned. Relieved, she rubbed the lines which appeared on his forehead.

Having no self control, she cried. He wasn't the cocky, arrogant, FBI agent he once was. She lightly touched his chest. She wished she could take his pain away, not the pain due to his gunshot wound, but, the pain in his heart which she caused. What he had meant to her, she never knew until that unforgettable morning a week ago when Angela had given her the dreadful news. It was a somber night. She walked to the window, rain had begun to fall rapidly. Her fingers tapped softly on the cold glass to the rhythm of the rain. Thoughts entered her head. He was no longer just her partner-in-crime, he was someone she definitely would want to spend her life with.

After several minutes, she took her seat next to his bed and leaned down her head on the rail. She was tired, so very tired. Tempe muffled her sobs.

She leaned over to him, a tear dropped on his cheek. "Don't ever die."

"I'll try not to," he whispered.

Startled, she moved away from him, but, looked into his deep brown eyes. He studied her beautiful blue eyes. For awhile they locked gazes.

"Hey." She hid her smile behind her tears. "Weren't sure if you were ever going to wake up. Seems like you've been gone forever." Her voice cracked.

He breathed heavily at first, then steadily. Temperance reached for the nurse's call button. "No," he whispered and weakly took her hand. Those chocolate eyes of his sparkled at her.

"I died and came back." He tried to explain.

"Shh, you need to rest. I'll call for the nurse."

"No, wait. I saw my life flashed before me. I saw you and Parker," he spoke in a hoarsely toned-voice.

"What? I really should get the doctor." She panicked seeing him in a disoriented state of mind.

"No." He closed his eyes and was silent, swallowed hard, then spoke again. "Light, I saw the light. I had a wake up call."

"You're scaring me, Booth. I..."

"Listen," he persisted. "At first, I-I didn't want to return. But, I did for reasons."

"Booth..."

"Bones, let me talk. Please. There is life after death. I saw the light." He closed his eye, then opened them again. "Near death experience."

Like a true skeptic, Temperance shook her head and tried to make sense of what he had just said. She caressed his hair.

The scientist believed nothing existed beyond the physical.

"Oh, Booth, you were just hallucinating. It's centered on brain chemistry. Brain activity produces thoughts, visions and hallucinations. That's all. You had a lack of oxygen causing you to see light. There's no such thing as a near death experience. It's alright. You're fine." Worried that he was delirious, Tempe rang for the nurse.

"Why is that I saw you there," he pointed to the door, then to the heart monitor. "This gadget...it flatline. I could see the doctors around me, at the same time I saw you in the doorway. I asked myself what was going on behind those blue eyes of yours. You were crying. You hung on to Angela as the doctors worked on me. I saw you crying painfully. And I came back".

Temperance rose from her chair. "How...how did you know that? There was no way you could have known what happened that night. You just woke up. How did you know?"

"I saw you," he said.

TBC - Chapter 5