We all know that if I did own Bones, Booth and Brennan would have gotten together ages ago.

Enjoy, and please review.

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Temperance Brennan had felt pain. Many would say she's felt a lot of pain, but no physical pain she's ever experienced was equal to waking up in a hospital bed, having a killer headache, not being able to move any of the limbs on her right side, and having pain shoot through her body every time she inhaled.

'Great.' She thought. Staring at the ceiling.

'I can't move without some part of my body protesting'

Then suddenly she remembered.

Epps. Or who she thought was Epps.

She felt a gentle pressure on her left hand and looked over, the first thing she saw was little Parker Booth in his hospital bed. The second thing she saw was Booth slumped in a very uncomfortable looking chair his head resting again the back of it, his left hand on Parker's right hand, his head pointed towards the ceiling, his mouth slightly open and making slight snoring noises, which made her smile, and then immediately regret the action when she realized she had stitches somewhere on her forehead, and then she saw where his right hand was, on her left hand.

If anyone had walked into the room at that moment they probably would have fallen over laughing at Booth's spread-eagle, open-mouthed position. But our favorite forensic anthropologist thought it was sweet of Booth. And then the anthropologist side of her kicked in.

'Typical alpha male, asserting his dominance over his 'pack'' She thought, but she couldn't ignore the Tempe side of her 'You know it's precious, and you know that he's just trying to show that he's there for both of you'

She hated to wake him, knowing that he must be exhausted, but she gently called out his name, knowing that there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Booth…..BOOTH" She said, and repeated with a bit more force behind it. Gently shaking his hand.

Booth sat up quickly, pulling his gun out in reflex.

"What? What's happening" He said, trying to get his bearings. His senses coming back to him, he holstered his gun, and looked over at the duller than usual blue eyes of his partner.

"Hey Bones! Finally decided to wake up huh?" He said jokingly as he scooted checked on Parker, seeing that he was asleep, he scooted his chair next to Bones' bed.

"You were the one sleeping Booth" She said back with a small smile.

"Yeah yeah….how are you feeling? If it hurts too much I can get the nurse to up your pain meds" He said as he placed his hand gently back on hers in a comforting gesture.

"No I'm fine, I hate being groggy" She said, and then remembered the phone conversation again.

"Booth, the phone call,….I think……it sounded like…..I mean it's impossible...but…."

"Spit it out Bones"

"I think its Epps." She said her brow furrowed in confusions, and then winced in pain.

"Epps? But…he's dead...he….no it can't be" He reasoned.

"I know but, he knew about the last time we had a phone conversation. He said that it's still all my fault, but now it……yours too." She said gingerly.

"I'm calling Cullen" He said and immediately dialed his boss, asking for Epps' body to be exhumed to make sure that it was Epps' body in Epps' grave, but Cullen informed him that Epps had been cremated.

Booth explained the situation to Cullen, who told him that he had 2 agents assigned to this case, but if Booth wanted to take over he could, seeing as he knew a lot more about Epps than the other 2 agents.

Booth told Cullen that he would once he got everything at the hospital sorted out. Cullen had talked to the head of the Jeffersonian, and they've said that they can lock down the Medico-Legal area so that only the staff that work specifically in that lab will have access to it. Booth thought that was a good idea and said that he would transport the squints personally so that they can get started analyzing the pieces of the phone booth, and whatever else might turn up later on. Booth thanked Cullen and hung up, explaining to Bones the situation.

"Booth…….how badly is my condyloi….my wrist. How bad is it?" Brennan asked, knowing that the news couldn't be good.

Booth was silent. He squeezed her hand and looked up at her through his eyebrows.

"The doc said that you'll need physical therapy……"

"And?"

"You might not recover full motion…..ever"

"I see."

Brennan knew the implications. She lay there, staring at the ceiling. Trying to analyze and keep her temper in check.

"I…….don't worry Bones, we'll get through this, and we'll make this bastard sorry the he was ever born" Booth promised.

"Yeah …..ca….can I be alone for a minute Booth…….I just need to clear my thoughts." She said shakily, as she squeezed his hand.

"….Sure Bones. I'll go talk to the squints and update them on…everything" He said as he stood up and gently pushed some of her hair behind her ear and gave her half of a charm smile which was all he could muster in that moment.

He walked out and shut the door, leaning against the door frame.

Inside the room Temperance Brennan was gently weeping, and cursing herself for weeping, and weeping some more for the extra pain she felt due to her ribs.

Seeley cursed and punched the wall.

'This ….monster…..he shot Parker, he hurt Bones, he HURTS Bones and I have no idea how to catch him….'

He shook his hand in pain and walked down the room, knowing that Bones needed a few more minutes alone.

He walked slowly to the waiting room, dreading the fact that he would have to tell the squints that the perp could possibly be Epps, he still didn't believe it…

'I saw him fall, I saw the coroner, bag and tag him,……' He pondered about this more when he heard talking coming from down the hall, he noticed the squints walking companionably down the hall, Angela with her arm around Jack's waist, Jack eating pudding.

Booth chuckled, remembering how much Jack loved hospital pudding, Cam had her arm placed friendlily around Zach's shoulder, everyone laughing at something Zach said….they looked…..peaceful….he hated having to rain on their parade.

"Hey! We need to talk" He said as he walked up to them and ushered them towards the waiting room.

When everyone was settled he explained the whole thing, the possible return of Epps, and the whole transferring them to the Jeffersonian thing.

You could've heard a pin drop.

Zach spoke up.

"We'll do everything we can do Booth. None of us are experts on bombs, but I'm sure Hodgins and I can determine what sediments were used to make the bomb and maybe Angela can reconstruct the phone booth using the Angelator so we can figure out how the bomb got there, and Cam can be support." He said firmly, trying to keep his chin up, even though flashbacks from the exploding body of Mrs. Epps were going through his mind.

"I have some favors that I can call into quickly determine the type of bomb once we have the sediments" Cam said, trying to be helpful, but she was having her own flashbacks, coming within an inch of death was not something you just forget.

"We're ready when you are Booth" Hodgins said firmly, already compiling a list of possible sediments in his mind.

Angela just nodded, and tried to give Booth a smile.

"I want to speak to Brennan before we leave though" She said as she stood up.

Booth nodded and walked out with her, telling the rest of the squints that he'd be back in a minute.

"I..I didn't know what to say to her Ange, maybe you can comfort her better, I told her about her wrist and she……she told me to give her a minute, and when I left I heard her crying. I've seen her scared and I've seen her cry, but…..she's never sounded so……broken." Booth said as they began to walk towards Brennan and Parker's room.

"I'll do my best, but she does need you Booth, don't think for a second that she doesn't, you're THE most important man in her life, I know that I joke around a lot about you and Brennan's 'connection', but I'm not kidding. You guys…..you're made for each other."

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