Love in its essence is spiritual fire.

- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Brennan stepped back from Booth, her arms returning to hang at her sides. "That's probably Ange," Booth stated, saddened that he didn't get to hear what she was going to say. Brennan nodded, wiping a finger beneath her eye just in case any tears had escaped.

"Can you answer it, just in case?" Brennan asked. She didn't want anyone seeing her in her current condition if avoidable. Booth rearranged the cushions on the couch before walking towards the door to open it.

He paused just before undoing the lock. "If you want, we can still watch the movie tonight," Booth proposed, offering her his best charm smile. She grinned in return.

"I'd like that." Once she had replied, Booth answered the door, greeted by Angela. She quirked her eyebrow at him, arms folded.

"Took you long enough," Angela grumbled, pushing passed him to greet her best friend. "Hello, sweetie, how are you feeling?" She walked over to the sofa and made herself at home, as usual.

Booth closed the door and Brennan followed Angela. "I'm not sick, Angela. I feel the same as I always do," Brennan said bitterly. Booth shot an apologetic look at Angela and unfortunately Brennan didn't miss it.

"Booth, don't you dare look at Angela like that. I don't need you to apologise on my behalf," Brennan spat stubbornly. Booth raised his hands up defensively.

"You're right, I'm sorry, Bones." Booth didn't want to condone Brennan's attitude but he couldn't make her feel like she was facing opposition. "Angela was just asking how you were feeling about the situation as a whole."

Angela frowned. "Booth, I can speak for myself," Angela shot bluntly. Brennan's hands moved to rest on her hips.

"Don't be rude to him, Ange. He's just looking out for me," Brennan mumbled. Booth had to hide his beam of pride; it felt good to have Brennan stick up for him.

"It's fine, Bones," he whispered, placing his hand at the small of her back. She shivered involuntarily and nodded, tilting her head to smile at Angela.

"Sorry," Brennan spoke, looking between both of her friends. Angela grinned and winked at her.

"We are too. Good job we love you so much, eh?" Angela laughed, causing Booth to turn crimson. Brennan didn't seem to notice thankfully and Booth took the opportunity to make an exit.

"I just need to go and pick some things up. Fancy anything special for dessert, Bones? I'm thinking a nice, big chocolate cake." Brennan chuckled, turning around to face him.

"I think I'll stick with frozen yoghurt, please," she replied, feigning revulsion. "Though, I have no reservations with helping you out if you can't eat it all." Angela beamed as she watched the pair interacting. He was exactly what Brennan needed, especially now.

"Okay. Call me if you girls need anything. Anything at all, I mean it. I'll be here in five minutes with the sirens blazing," he promised firmly. "Otherwise, I'll be back in an hour or two."

Angela saluted him, tucking her feet underneath herself. "Thanks," both women replied in tandem.

Brennan ached a little when Booth left and she cursed herself for being so reliant on him. That was not how things were supposed to have turned out.

"Right, shall we get it over with?" Angela suggested gently, running her hand through her hair. Brennan nodded.

"You don't have to do this, Ange. I'm sure I can manage," Brennan complained, sighing in frustration.

"Nonsense. You and I both know that would be a bad idea. Now go get your cute little butt changed into a bathing suit quickly before I eat all of this popcorn," Angela stated, gesturing towards the bowls on the table.

"Fine," Brennan muttered, sauntering off towards her bedroom. She returned a few minutes later wearing a dark purple bikini, her hair fastened back with bobby pins into a high ponytail.

Angela had started filling the bath up while she waited, deciding against using any kind of products in the water. Brennan found her in the bathroom, arranging the things she needed in order to change Brennan's dressing. Angela wolf whistled when Brennan walked in and Brennan rolled her eyes.

"You should wear that more often. Booth will jump your bones good and proper," Angela teased, howling with laughter at her own joke. Brennan shook her head in despair at her friend's amusement.

"You are incorrigible," Brennan groaned, stepping into the bathtub. She found a suitable position but was finding it almost impossible to relax.

"You love it though." Angela moved to sit on the steps of the bath.

Brennan sighed. "I most certainly do not." Angela laughed but after a few minutes she sensed her friend's discomfort.

"What do you normally do to relax in the bath?" Angela asked. "Music? Wine? I'll do what I can to make it happen." Brennan smiled gratefully at her best friend.

"Well, normally I light some candles and read a good book, maybe drink a hot chocolate. I think the candles would suffice for now, if it isn't too much trouble." Angela got up and rubbed her hands together.

"I think that can be arranged. I'll fetch some candles from the lounge. Where do you keep the matches?" Angela rested against the doorway, waiting for a response.

"In the Guatemalan pot on the mantelpiece." Angela came back with the required objects, dotting the candles around the edges of the bathtub. She began lighting the candles and Brennan closed her eyes, trying to breathe calmly to help her relax.

As soon as Angela blew out the match however, Brennan's eyes flew open. Her face contorted in horror and her expression glazed over. "Bren? Bren, are you okay?" Angela shook her shoulders gently when Brennan didn't reply.

Brennan was breathing heavily now, her head filled with swirling images that the scent of smoke had awoken in her mind. It all hit her at once, a volcanic force that erupted as the memories resurfaced inside her; the feeling of her flesh licked by the fire, choking on the cloudy substance that flooded her airways. The struggle for oxygen, the taste of sulphur and charred wood.

Brennan was in a trance like state. Water splashed onto the bathroom floor as she began thrashing fiercely, water streaming from her eyes and furthering her shrieking as the exposed skin met with the liquid. Angela tried to restrain her friend, holding her steady to discourage her erratic movements. She was terrified that Brennan was going to allow her face to connect with the water.

Soon Brennan's violent fit subsided, leaving her curled up at one end of the bathtub, knees drawn to her chest in a foetal position. She whimpered, her cries growing louder as she rocked back and forth rhythmically. "Booth," she wept hysterically, "Booth." Angela seemed to understand what she needed to do and pulled her phone out of her pocket, dialling the agent's number.

Angela was crying too by this point, feeling utterly helpless as her friend seemed to retreat further into herself. Booth answered almost immediately. After hearing Angela stuttering for a few moments, he told her that he was on his way and hung up. The next thing she remembered was Booth hurtling into the bathroom, his eyes growing darker when he saw Brennan cowering in the bath.

"What happened?" He directed the question at Angela, though not in an accusing manner. He crouched down next to where Brennan was hunched over, taking both of her hands in his.

He looked back at Angela expectantly. "I was trying to get her to relax so that it would be easier. She said that she normally has candles and I… I just didn't think," she mumbled, chewing the end of her sleeve. "She started panicking right after I blew out the match. This is all my fault."

Booth shook his head. "This isn't anyone's fault. It was a mistake, okay? You couldn't have known how she'd react. Why don't you go and put the kettle on? I'll finish up in here," Booth suggested. Angela nodded and rubbed her arms, trying to comfort herself as she walked towards the kitchen. Booth turned his attention back to the trembling anthropologist.

"Bones," he whispered, trying to tilt her chin towards him. She seemed to ease a little as he spoke her name but continued to whimper. "It's okay, Bones. I promise you. You're safe now. I'm right here, and I won't let anything happen to you." She turned her head to face him, her eyes filled with torment and pain.

"Let's get you out of there," he said softly. He grabbed a towel from its railing and scooped her up out of the bath, wrapping her in it. He sat her down in front of him on the floor, drying her off.

"Everything is going to be okay." He repeated phrases that he hoped would comfort her and he meant every word that he spoke. "Look at me, Bones. You're at home and you have Angela and me here with you. No one is going to hurt you." Brennan slowed her movements and looked up at him.

"Booth," she whispered, her voice sounding like a plea. He shuffled forward, wrapping his arms around her and rubbing circles onto the smooth skin of her back to soothe her.

"That's right, Bones. I'm here. I'll always be here to protect you and make sure that you're safe," he vowed. Brennan started crying harder but she returned his embrace, her ivory limbs circling his body as he guided her into his lap. "I'll do everything in my power to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again."

Brennan nodded against him, her hands clutching at his sweater as if grasping for something to stabilise herself. When her breathing had returned to normal and her cries trailed off, Booth eased her face backwards so that he could look at her. The side of her face that was unaffected was now red and puffy from her tears and her lip bled from what he presumed was the result of her repeatedly biting it. Still she looked beautiful.

He smiled at her as one of his hands tenderly stroked the back of her neck. After a few more minutes, she was lucid enough for him to change her dressing. He pressed a kiss against the right side of her forehead when the task was complete. She didn't hurt him when he did so and he decided to prove to her that her current appearance meant nothing to him.

He moved forward, helping her to her feet, and then he planted another, barely there kiss against the right side of her forehead. It was the softest of touches, hardly grazing the skin as he didn't want to cause her any pain, but this simple gesture made Brennan beam from head to toe.

"I think we are all done," he grinned, pulling out the plug in the bathtub. "Angela's waiting in the kitchen with some drinks for us. Why don't you go and get changed and then we can decide what movie we want to watch in a little while?" Brennan nodded, slipping her hand into his as she followed him out of the bathroom.

Hmm, I did have other plans for this chapter but this is what stumbled out. Next chapter is going to be a little angsty in places I think, but I'll fluff it up, don't you worry.
I wonder if you are getting sick from all the fluff yet. Oh well, can't be helped I'm afraid. It consumes my little soul. :)

Where are you all from?
I am always interested to find out how many different people from different places are all connected. I'm from Stratford-upon-Avon, England. I'm not sure if many will have heard of it. It's where Shakespeare was born, and his birthplace and everything is just down the road from me which is pretty cool. Tell me a little something about your town if you like!


As well as whether or not you liked the story of course. I'm always open to storyline suggestions because, believe it or not, my muse is a little unruly sometimes.

Hope you enjoyed it!