Disclaimer: OIBIBA doesn't own the show or any of the charachters.

CHAPTER 4

Booth leapt at the chance to help Brennan, he didn't need to be told twice. His hands fumbled with the cuff keys and managed to unlock one of her wrists. He then grabbed one of her arms and pulled her up towards him. Unable to separate his hands due to the fact that his cuffs were still in place, he pulled her up enough to slide his arms down above her and pull her tightly into his embrace.

Booth looked down at her as her eyes fluttered open and met his. Despair and hope both filling them as she melted into his embrace. He placed a gentle kiss on her temple before whispering softly to her. "Temperance, if I can find a way to get you out, please take it!"

Even though it was barely a whisper, she heard the desperation in his voice and saw it as he pulled away from her face and their eyes met. She simply clung to him, her eyes telling him she couldn't leave him here alone with them.

He gently pulled her the rest of the way out of the tub, her skin ice cold. She tried to stand, but she was so cold and weak she couldn't support her own weight. She shivered as he pulled her as close to him as he could, cursing the damn cuffs. "Please Temperance, if you can get out then you can get help!" He whispered again, supporting most of her weight.

She looked at him. With tears in her eyes, she began to falter, to give in to his request. Her head slipped down to find his shoulder.

He looked down at her, placing another kiss on her forehead as he began to move out of the bathroom. He knew he had to comply with what Epps had told him to do or Epps would kill her, and he couldn't have that.

When Booth was about to open the door, he changed his mind. "Bones?"

She lifted her head off his shoulder and finally mustered the courage to speak aloud, her voice coming out soft and scratchy. "Yes?" She cleared her throat as she looked into his eyes.

"Stay behind me okay? Just don't... don't leave my sight... You know how I always tell you not to fight?" His gaze pierced into her eyes, making sure she saw how sincere he was about this. "This time would be a good time for you to not listen to me okay? I don't know if someone will ever find us if they can get us to another location..." He pressed a kiss on her forehead and whispered: "Remember your promise... Don't try to save me... Try to save yourself first..."

Fresh tears now glistened in her eyes as she whispered his name. "Booth" Her voice cracked as she spoke his name, desperately clinging to him, her arms around his neck. "I..."

But her voice faded as she looked into his eyes, only for a moment before letting her head fall back onto his shoulder. She took in a deep breath and released him from her grasp, finally feeling strong enough to walk on her own. She made her way behind him but kept a firm hold on his arm.

Epps, having changed into dry clothes, emerged from her bedroom with a short black satin nightgown in his hands.

As Booth opened the bathroom door, he peeked around trying to find out where everyone was standing.

Kenton interrupted him. "That won't be helpful Booth. It's the three of us against the two of you. You lost your weapon and you are handcuffed. She nearly drowned and you took quite a beating yourself. So don't even bother."

Booth sighed, asked God for help and protection and stepped out of the bathroom. His broad form hiding her.

"Come, come..." Epps smirked. "No need to be shy, Dr. Brennan... We all know you're there."

"Leave her the hell alone, Epps. You don't want her..."

Epps quickly interrupted Booth. "Off course I do..." Without taking his eyes of Brennan he said: "Booth get out of the way."

Booth shook his head and moved himself once again in between Brennan and Epps.

Epps took a step closer to Booth: "When are you going to get it through your thick skull, huh Booth? What is it going to take? Do I really have to KILL her to make you realize that YOU DO AS I SAY?" Epps stood just two feet away from him. "GET. OUT. OF. MY. WAY."

Booth was ready to invade Epps' space and do some intimidating of his own as he felt Brennan's wet hand on his arm.

God Bones... I told you to protect yourself... What are you doing?

Brennan released her grip on Booth's arm and stepped to the side, still partially behind him, but far away to be seen clearly by the other men. At least I'm not totally out from behind him, that should make him feel a little better. She just glared incredulously at Epps, waiting for whatever it was he was planning to lay on them next.

"At least someone has some common sense left." He quickly reached behind Booth and pulled her away from him.

Booth stepped forward, but was forced to his knees as Kenton kicked him from the side, sending him crashing to the floor.

Epps pulled her close to his body as Kenton and Booth struggled for dominance. Brennan visibly stiffened as he pulled her close.

Epps sighed loudly. He looked at Booth who was fighting Kenton and then turned his attention back to the woman in his arms. He raised his gun at her and yelled: "Booth!"

Booth immediately looked up. He stopped fighting when he saw her in the same position as an hour ago...

A gun to her head.

"I just don't seem to get through to you, huh, Booth? Well fine... But know that THIS is YOUR fault..."

As Dane and Kenton tightened their grip on Booth, Epps spun Brennan around.

"Are you going to fight me too or are you smarter than that?"

She glanced back at Booth, knowing he told her to fight, but also knowing he would certainly die if she did.

She couldn't.

In that brief glance she shot him, he saw the pained apology, he knew from looking at her eyes, that this time she would not fight, no matter how much she wanted to. Until they were in a position where they could both fight, she couldn't risk his life.

She simply looked at Epps, not willing to verbalize her answer. She would not allow him the satisfaction. She simply stood still looking at him, right where he had maneuvered her to.

"Answer the damn question!"

Brennan looked him squarely in the eyes, firmly standing her ground. "Well as I've already told you, I'm smarter than you. Will that suffice as your answer?"

Epps looked at her and said: "I was going to let you take off these wet clothes and put this on in the bathroom. But apparently BOTH of you seem to forget who is in charge here." He threw the nightgown at her. "You can change RIGHT HERE."

Brennan looked at him, appalled. "If you honestly believe that I am going to put my body on display for your sick pleasure, you are mistaken." She huffed and glared at him, her icy blue eyes seeming to pierce right through him. "I would rather remain wet." She then spared a glance at Booth who now looked horror struck.

Booth was still reeling from the blow of Brennan being forced to degrade herself like that, when she already spoke up. He felt pride at her words. 'I knew she'd fight... I just wish I was just as sure she'd win...'

He fought the grip Kenton and Dane had on him as Epps slowly started to circle Brennan.

She firmly held her ground. She would not strip for Epps' sick pleasure. She absolutely refused.

Especially in front of four men, one of which was her partner. She could not… would not do it. She would rather remain in the soaked clothes she had on and freeze. Her gaze followed Epps as he circled her. Never removing her glare from him, not even to chance a reassuring look from Booth.

"You two are so full of it. You think just because you manage to deal with some low profile criminals that you can take us on. Objectively speaking, I have to say you're right. Dr. Brennan." He looked at her. "We both know you can take me on. We both know Booth can easily kill Kenton. And to be honest... If you would cut Dane a deal, he would probably help you. But the question is... Are you willing to risk your partner?"

"So what are you saying Howard?" She tried to hide the shiver that passed through her, originating from the cold she was experiencing. "That if I don't do what you ask, you will harm Booth?" At this she finally chanced a glance in his direction, her eyes lingering on him.

Booth looked pleadingly into her eyes, imploring her to stand her ground.

Brennan saw the flash in his eyes telling her that he could handle whatever they did, but she looked back at him reluctant to accept what his eyes were telling her. Their eyes stayed locked on each other for several moments, seemingly battling it out.

Epps looked at them and intercepted the meaningful glances between them. He locked his eyes on Booth and spat out: "You really think you can take it, don't you?"

Epps then gave Kenton a furtive glance and Kenton proceeded to plunge a syringe into Booths neck, injecting him with an unknown substance. With an evil grin on his face Epps turned back towards a horrified Brennan, her mouth wide with shock.

Brennan stood horrified at the sight before her, her mind racing. 'What...what was that?!? Oh god...what was that?' She couldn't control her voice even though she tried to speak. To ask what it was he had just given her partner, but she couldn't. Her voice simply would not work. She was now fighting off tears again and cursing herself for seeming so weak.

"Are you finally ready to acknowledge the fact that I am smarter than you?"

She took in a shuddering breath, no longer having the energy to hide the fact that she was freezing, she was openly shivering now.

She was on the defensive again at his question, when her voice came rushing back. She fought not to yell that she did in fact know she was smarter, and instead asked in a cold clinical manner. "What did you just inject him with?"

He walked up to her and slapped her across the face. "I have had it with you! Your stubbornness and pride will get your partner in trouble." He pointed at him. "It already has. That injection was poison."

A gasp escaped her lips, her eyes softening as tears began to gather in them once more. A lone tear made its way down her cheek as she looked to Epps for more information. "Poison? Is there an antidote?" Trying hard to stay calm and not allowing any more tears to fall. She had an almost pleading look in her eyes as she looked at Epps, her resolve obviously crumbling.

Epps stepped closer to her. "Yes there is... It depends on you whether he gets it or not." He pointed to her nightgown. "Do as you are told or watch him die..."

Brennan looked at him coldly once more, gathering the gown in her arms, she glanced at Booth before turning her back on them and raising her shirt above her head.

"Bones... don't..."

Once she had peeled off her shirt she placed the nightgown over her exposed skin. She pulled it down, before she struggled to remove her jeans from under the gown. Once she had managed to peel them off, she tossed them onto the floor. She watched it land beside her shirt before turning back towards them.

"Bones! Look out!" He tried to warn her as he saw the syringe coming closer to her neck.

But she reacted too late.

"Bones..." He muttered as he saw her sliding to the floor, clutching her head. 'God, please... Help us...'

She felt a sharp pain in her neck as the syringe broke her skin.

She reached up to the place, where she had felt the prick, covering it with her hand. She looked up at Epps, anger rising up in her again. "What now? We both get to die? You just wanted to be sure I would do it in a nightgown?"

"Just making sure you know I make the decisions and that nothing you can do changes the outcome..."

Booth closed his eyes to try and force his mind into thinking clearly. "Then what is it you want Epps? You have been making us do stupid things. You don't have a plan. You are just acting out on your whims. Let us go. You don't even know what you want out of this."

Epps sighed. "I have been trying to be nice about this... But if you two want to do this the hard way... By all means... Kenton?" Epps walked towards Booth and gripped him tightly as Kenton let go.

Epps leaned forward, so he could whisper into Booth's ear "I hope you'll like the show, Agent Booth. I wonder what he is going to do to her... So many possibilities... If it were me... I would just smack her around a bit you know? Just to show you that I can... But Kenton... Well Agent Booth, let me put it this way: He had a hard time as a cop in jail... The things they made him do... They even shame me... But then again... I'm sure he'll put it to good use now... After all he did pick up a thing or two..."

"No!" Booth shouted at Epps and lunged forward in an attempt to get to Brennan. "Don't touch her!"

Epps and Dane forcefully pulled Booth back and away from Brennan as Epps continued speaking. "Well I suppose if I would ask Kenton nicely he would stop. But tell me Agent Booth... Why would I do such a thing?"

A/N:

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