Author Note: Thank You to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, & followed this story! Here is the next chapter, with a much shorter wait than the last... as promised. I hope ya'll enjoy it!


Agent Wilcox & Agent Kingsly entered the room. Immediately, Brennan's hands began to tremble, as she tried very hard to pull herself together. Booth watched silently, as the heartbreaking scene began to unfold. Then, he walked back towards Brennan.

"Bones, this is Agent Wilcox & Agent Kingsly from the FBI here in Vegas... they just need to ask you some questions about what happened." Booth said.

Brennan swallowed hard & nodded slightly. Both Agents extended their hands to Brennan for a hand shake, which she nervously returned.

"Dr. Temperance, first I want to extend my greatest apologies for what you have endured. I understand this will be difficult for you, but as Forensic Anthropologist who works with the FBI... I am sure you understand the importance of this interview." Agent Wilcox said.

Brennan just nodded again, but refused to look the Agents in the eye when they spoke... which was highly unlike her.

"If you are comfortable... let's get started." Agent Wilcox began.

"Where... where should I begin?" Brennan asked, her voice shaky. Booth walked closer to the bed, sitting down slowly next to his partner.

"Let's start with the night of your abduction." Agent Wilcox said. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Brennan's eyes brimmed with tears, she looked down at her lap as she started to speak. "We... that is... Agent Booth & I... we had just finished with a very hard case. Booth gave me a ride home... to my apartment. I couldn't sleep so... I went back to the Jeffersonian. I worked for a while... then I returned to my apartment."

Booth couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt wash over him, as he remembered that night. Brennan, soaking wet. Pushing her out of the way of that vehicle just in time. Then, the drive back to Brennan's apartment. Her admitting that she wanted to give their relationship a try... him, breaking her heart. He remembered her tears & asking if she wanted someone to stay with her. He remembered her saying she would be fine... alone. He remembered the awkward silence for the remainder of the ride to her apartment. Her remembered her, quietly saying "Goodnight Booth" & watching her walk away. That would be the last time he would see her for over 3 months. Had he stayed with her, instead of leaving her alone that night, things could have turned out so much differently. He would never, ever forgive himself for that.

Brennan had stopped talking.

"Can you tell me what happened next?" Agent Kingsly asked.

"When I returned to my apartment... I unlocked the door." Brennan said.

"The door was locked when you returned to your apartment?" Agent Wilcox asked.

Brennan nodded. "I went inside & reached for the light... it wouldn't come on. I... thought the bulb must have burned out, so I walked inside to the next light switch. That's when I heard his voice..."

"Who's voice?" Agent Kingsly asked.

"Jacob... Jacob Lawrence... but I... I didn't know that at the time." Brennan explained.

"Okay, what did he say to you?" Agent Wilcox asked.

"He asked... he asked if I was looking for something." Brennan said, trying hard to hold back the tears that were stinging her eyes. "He said... he told me the power had been cut. I asked who he was & what he wanted."

"And what did he say?" Agent Kingsly coaxed.

"He said... he said... he wanted me." Brennan managed to get out, before burying her face in her hands & breaking into sobs.

Booth gently placed his hand protectively over her should. "It's okay Bones..." he whispered softly.

"What happened next Dr. Brennan?"" Agent Wilcox pressed.

"Before I could move... he had his arm around my neck... he had a knife to my neck & I... I tried to get away. I kneed him in the testicles. I tried to run but he knocked me down somehow... he punched me... in the face. Multiple times. I tried... I tried to get away but I just couldn't. He strangled me & I passed out. I tried to get away... I tried..." Brennan said, through her tears.

Booth pulled her into a hug. Brennan clung to him. She buried her face into his chest as she sobbed. "It's okay Bones... you're okay. I got you, I got you." he soothed.

"I tried to get away Booth... I tried." Brennan cried.

"I know Bones. I know you tried." Booth said, as he held her tightly & placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "I know you tried."

Booth was trying calm Brennan but with every word, she cried harder & harder. This was killing Booth. He couldn't bare to watch this, to hear this.

"Alright, that's enough... she needs a break!" Booth said sternly to the FBI Agents.

"Agent Booth, you know we can't do that." Agent Wilcox said. "You know how this works, we NEED to interview Dr. Brennan."

Brennan pulled herself out of Booth's embrace. "It's okay Booth... I'll... I'll be okay." she managed to get out.

"Go on, Dr. Brennan, what happened next?" Agent Wilcox asked.

"The next thing I remember... I was in my bed. He was... he was on top of me & he was..." Brennan tried hard to keep her composure, but it failed her. All she could do was place her hand over her face & cry.

"Did he sexually assault you?" Agent Kingsly asked, gently.

Brennan looked up for a moment & nodded, then looked at Booth for a brief moment. "At some point during the attack... I was able to get my phone from the night stand. I tried to call Booth but Jacob knocked it out of my hands before it could complete the call." she said.

The last statement made Booth feel sick. Bones was trying to call him when she was being raped... she was looking for him to be there, to save her, as he had in the past. As he had promised & he wasn't there for her.

"I passed out at some point... during the attack. I... I had lost a lot of blood from my injuries." Brennan said.

"What do you remember next?" Agent Kingsly asked.

"I woke up bound to a bed with zip ties, in what looked like a basement. Jacob Lawrence told me he had been watching me... for a long time." Brennan said, swallowing hard. "He showed me pictures he had of me in the Lab, in my apartment. He said he had been listening to me. He... he said he has been following. He angry that I didn't remember him."

"You didn't remember him?" Agent Wilcox asked. "Does that mean you knew him previously?"

Brennan nodded. "Yes, but I didn't realize that yet at the time. It had been many years."

So, how did you know Mr. Lawrence previously?"

"When I was in Foster Care, I lived with Jacob & his family for about 8 months." Brennan said. "They were not nice to me... they were abusive. Eventually, I was removed to a different home. I guess Jacob was infatuated with me. I didn't know..."

"How old were you when you lived with Mr. Lawrence?" Agent Kingsly asked.

"I was 16 years old." Brennan answered. "I guess Jacob had been following me for years. He said I was... ungrateful for what his family had done for me."

"What happened next?" Agent Wilcox asked.

"Everything during my time in captivity is a blur. I remember specific things but nothing pertinent to your case. I was kept bound with zip ties most of the time... until Jacob wanted to... to assault me. I tried to get away multiple times but Jacob always caught me. We moved... a lot... but I never knew where we were going. He would blind fold me & put me... in the trunk... while we traveled. He told me if I tried to escape he would kill me. At first, I was scared... but after time passed... I decided... I would be... better off dead than living the way I was. I lost the will to live. I thought I was going to die there..." Brennan explained, before the tears & sobs stopped her.

"Do you know what Mr. Lawrence's motives were for keeping you hostage?" Agent Wilcox asked.

"He... he said that I was his. He sexually assaulted me... because I was his." Brennan cried.

"How often did these assaults take place?" Agent Kingsly asked.

"Often..." Brennan started. "At least once a day."

Booth felt as though a bullet had went straight through his heart. How could this happen to her? How could he possibly have let this happen to her? How was she ever going to get over this? Brennan was never good with her emotions. His blood was boiling. He wanted to find the son of a bitch who did this to his partner & make him pay!

"Dr. Brennan, you said that you lived with the Lawrence's when you were in Foster Care?" Agent Wilcox asked.

Brennan nodded.

"Do you know where they live now?" Agent Wilcox asked.

"I do not." Brennan replied.

"Is there anything else you can think of that would help us apprehend Mr. Lawrence?" Agent Wilcox asked. "Do you have any idea where he was headed?"

Brennan shook her head. Then, it hit her... it hit her hard. "Wait... Jacob Lawrence wasn't arrested?" she asked.

"No, unfortunately he took off on foot. The Officer was going to make chase when he heard you in the trunk. He called for backup but they were unable to find him." Agent Wilcox explained.

"He is going to come back for me..." Brennan said so softly, it was almost a whisper.

"No, Bones! He will NEVER get near you again. Do you hear me? I won't let that happen!" Booth stated.

Agent Wilcox & Agent Kingsly looked at each other, somewhat disappointed that they didn't have more to go on. They both knew, however, that Brennan had told them everything she thought would help their case.

"If you can think of anything else, Dr. Brennan, please give me a call." Agent Wilcox said, handing Brennan his business card. "We will head out & let you get some rest. I will keep you in the loop if there are any advancements in the case."

"Thank You." Booth said.

With that, the FBI Agents left Brennan's hospital room... leaving Booth & Brennan alone.

Brennan noticed, for the first time, just how heavily her partner's breathing had become. She could feel his heart beating fast beneath her. She felt a wave of guilt rush over her, as she sat there wrapped in Booth's arms. Brennan knew that listening to what had happened to her, must have been hard on Booth. She knew that, even though it was not his fault, he would blame himself for what she had gone through.

"Booth?" Brennan said, quietly as she shifted herself in his arms so that she could look at him.

"Yeah Bones?" Booth responded.

"I just want you to know... what happened... it wasn't your fault, Booth." Brennan said, her voice not shaking for the first time since he had seen her.

"It sure feels that way to me, Bones." Booth responded. "I'm your partner. I am supposed to protect you."

"You didn't know Booth..." Brennan said.

"I shouldn't have left you like that to begin with, Bones." Booth said. "You needed me & I just left you there. I am so sorry."

Brennan looked at Booth, her eyes red & brimming with tears. "If it is anyone's fault, it's mine, Booth." she said. "I pushed you away when you told me how you felt. That night, I knew you were with Hannah. I knew it was serious & I was just being very selfish. I didn't want to have any regrets. I put you in a position you never should have been put in. It was all my fault. And I... I'm sorry you had to hear that, Booth."

"Listen Bones, you have NOTHING to be sorry for! Okay?" Booth said, hoping she would believe it.

"I'm sorry... I tried to get away. I tried Booth. I did..." Brennan broke into sobs.

"Hey, I know you tried Bones." Booth soothed. "It's alright, you are gonna' be alright, now."

"I never wanted you to see me like this Booth." Brennan cried.

"I know." Booth said. "I know."

"I promised myself many years ago that I would never... never let myself feel like this again." Brennan said, through her tears. "I was so stupid! How could I have been so stupid? He was following me for so long... how did I never notice?"

Those words "never let myself feel like this again" really bothered Booth. What did she mean by again? Had this happened to her before? Booth really wanted to ask her about that, but he knew that now was not the time & he wasn't sure he could stand to hear about anymore of her hurt, right now. Knowing that she had been hurt in that way killed him.

"This is not your fault, Bones." Booth pleaded. "You need to believe me. We are gonna' get you through this, okay?"

Brennan looked up at Booth & simply nodded.

Booth placed his hand gently on the side of her head & pulled her into his embrace. "Okay." he confirmed.

As soon as Brennan felt Booth tighten his comforting embrace, she immediately fell apart again. The tears, she was trying so hard to hold back, were falling freely. She couldn't help but cry. There were so many raw emotions going through her, she didn't know what to do. She had no idea how she was going to get through this. The only thing she did know, was right now, Booth was there with her. She felt safe when she was in his arms.


TBC.