AN: I don't own Bones.
Thanks so much for the reviews, follows, and faves.
We take a small time jump in this one. And I think there's something that many of you have been waiting for. We also have a wee bit of drama in this, too. This might be a bit shorter than usual, but I thought you all would like an update. :)
Alright. It's been a long day, so I'm not going to ramble on like usual. Enjoy!
"And I was thinking, Bones, after you get out of here, I'll even go to one of those lectures with you." Booth said lowly. "You know, the ones you're always trying to drag me to because they'll 'widen my scope of interests', as you say?" he added, squeezing her hand as he chuckled.
For the last five days, he had sat at Brennan's bedside, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. For the last five days, he'd gotten zero response from her. For five days, he'd watched as nurses came and went, taking care of her while he could do nothing but talk to her, not knowing if she could hear him or not. Five days of eating meals mostly consisting of cafeteria food, which, if he was honest, wasn't really all that bad.
"Booth, why don't you take my hotel key and get some sleep, maybe take a long shower." Cam suggested from the chair by the window.
Shaking his head, Booth lifted his eyes from Brennan to glance at Cam. "No, thanks, Camille."
"Seeley, you..."
"What if she wakes up while I'm gone? Hmmm?" he asked, stroking the back of her hand.
"Seeley, it's been five days. This isn't healthy." she said. "You need to take care of yourself, or you know Dr. Brennan will give you hell for it when she's able." she added, getting a small laugh from her friend.
"Yeah. She would, too, wouldn't she?" he replied. Sighing, he stood, his back cracking as he did, and walked over to Cam, holding his hand out. "Alright, alright. You win."
Smiling, Cam handed her the hotel key out of her purse. "Take your time, Seeley. Shower. Sleep. Maybe get something other than those roast beef sandwiches you've been living on to eat." she said.
"Right." he said, turning to leave. Looking one more time at Brennan, he sighed as he reluctantly left.
"You'll thank me later, big man." she whispered to herself, reopening her book of crosswords.
"Hey, Cam." Angela said as she and Hodgins walked back in. "Where's Booth?" she asked, not seeing the man who was usually found sitting at Brennan's side for the last five days.
"I sent him to my hotel room to get some sleep and shower." she replied, putting her crossword book down. "How was lunch?" she asked.
Angela groaned as she sat down in the seat by her friend. "It was delicious. We went to this seafood café, and oh...you'd love it, trust me." she said.
"Yeah, I plan on going back for lunch tomorrow. I had this shrimp platter that was..." Hodgins agreed, trailing off when Russ walked in. "Uh, hey, Russ." he greeted awkwardly.
"Hodgins." Russ nodded, walking over to his sister. "Any change today?" he asked without greeting Angela.
"Oh...Uh, afraid not." Cam chimed when she saw Angela's lips purse. She knew Angela was getting ready to bring up the same argument she and Russ had been having for the last five days. "The doctor did say, however, that they'll be taking her for some x-rays later to check how her ribs are healing."
"Good, good." he said, nodding. "Alright, look. I know you three...and Booth," he said, Booth's name rolling off his tongue as if it were a bad taste, "want to move Tempe back to DC. And you know I can't sign off on that. But, I think..."
"You're damn right we do!" Angela burst out, unable to hold her tongue any longer. "Bren would be better off there. Not only would she get the absolute best care, but more importantly, we'd be there. The 'we' being the whole team. Our family. I know you don't want that, but you're just being selfish, Russ." she said sternly.
"Now hold on a minute, Angela!" Russ exclaimed. "I don't see this as being selfish. I see this as me and dad, Tempe's family, being involved in her care. You might not like it, and you don't have to, but we are her family. Her real family! I know you don't like it, but you aren't blood."
"No, we're not. We're just the people that helped her gain trust in being in a family again after her so-called family abandoned her!" Angela yelled, standing and putting her hands on her hips. "You may not like it, but we are family to her, Russ, and that's all that matters!"
"Is there a problem in here?" a nurse asked as she entered the room, hearing the yelling from the nurse's station. "Do I need to call security?"
"No, that's alright." Cam said, standing. "It's just...tensions are running a bit high, is all." she said, silently imploring the nurse not to call security anyway.
Nodding, the nurse gave a stern glance around the room. "Alright. Just keep it down or I will call for them." she said before exiting.
"Okay, you two, just calm down." Hodgins said. "Especially you, babe. You don't need to be getting all worked up." he added, putting his hand on his wife's shoulder as she sat back down.
The room was silent except for the machines beeping. Everyone was trying not to start yelling again, not wanting to be ejected from the room. After about ten minutes, Russ cleared his throat.
"If you would've let me finish," he started, glancing at Angela, "I was going to make you a deal." he said.
"What kind of deal?" Hodgins asked.
"I talked to dad last night, and we both agreed on this, just so you know." Russ said. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "If Tempe is still unconscious at the one week mark, two days from now, we will agree to her being transferred to DC." he said.
"Re...really?" Cam asked, shocked. "You two have been fighting us tooth and nail for five days, and if she's still in this state in two days, you'll let us take her home?" she blinked.
"And if she's awake? Then what?" Angela asked.
"Then she gets to decide where she wants to be." Russ answered. "Look, dad and I agreed. He's not comfortable seeing her like this, Amy can't be here much because of the girls, and I have work. It makes sense that she be back with...back home. Plus, I'm sure you guys want to go home and not be here around the clock, and I'm also sure Booth's girlfriend must want him home, so...It just makes sense." he said.
Hodgins and Cam exchanged a look of surprise. Neither could believe they were giving in on this finally.
"Well, I guess it does. There'd be more of us to sit with Dr. B back home." Hodgins said.
"I know." Russ said, reaching out for his sister's hand. "It would be best for Tempe."
Five days. It had been five days, and Hannah Burley had had enough. Her boyfriend had been sitting with his partner for five days, and rarely answered her calls, or returned her texts. And when he did, the messages were short, and the conversations were terse. It seemed as if she were an annoyance to him. And she was done with it. With all of it.
When she suggested he come home in a conversation they had yesterday, he flat out refused, giving her the excuse that 'Bones needs me right now, Hannah', which just pushed her over the edge. Ever since she moved in with Seeley, it had been Bones this and Bones that. He talked more about her than he did his own son, which convinced Hannah further that Temperance was more than just his partner.
Sighing, she finished folding her clothes, adding a bag filled with her shampoo and things from the bathroom, as well as her various knick knacks she'd acquired during her time here, and zipped her suitcase shut. She carried it into the living room, setting it down by the other one before sitting on the sofa. She didn't want to do what she was about to do, but she saw no other way.
Dear Seeley,
You have no idea how hard it is to do this, but there's no other choice for me. This isn't going to work if I'm not part of your life, and let's face it, I'm not. I'm only apart of a slice of it, but not the whole thing. And that won't work for me. So, let's call this what it really was - a lot of fun that wasn't meant to last. I wish you all the best, Seeley.
Love,
Hannah xoxo
Just as she signed her name, she heard the horn from the taxi honking for her. Sighing once again, she set her key on top of the letter before standing. As she stepped into the hallway with her bags, the door clicked shut, signaling the end of another chapter of her life, and she walked toward the stairs with tears in her eyes.
Review please.
Til next time!
XOXO - Onyx Obsidian