Chapter 7 – Therapy
Temperance Brennan-Booth sat in the now familiar waiting room, thinking about just how much she hated being there. Doctor Delaney was nice enough, and she seemed competent. She had nothing against the woman personally, she just thoroughly resented the need for therapy in the first place. If it hadn't happened on a remote island when she was so far away from Booth, her family and friends, she wouldn't have need to see anyone in the first place. Now that she was home, she had planned to discontinue therapy. When Doctor Grayson suggested that she see Doctor Delaney only once a week, she found that to be an acceptable compromise.
"Temperance?" the receptionist called. "The doctor will see you now."
Thanking the young woman, Brennan got up and made her way in to the doctor's inner sanctum.
"Good afternoon, Temperance," the doctor said. "You're looking well. How are you feeling?"
"Fine," Brennan answered, sitting down.
"What's been happening since I last saw you?"
"I really want to get back to work," she answered, frustrated.
"And we agreed that you'd go back on Monday," the doctor answered, keeping her tone soft and even. "Are you settling back in to your personal routine?"
Brennan let out a long sigh.
"It appears that I no longer have a routine," she said.
"Tell me about that."
"My life now is not the same as the life I left behind a year ago… I now have a husband, and a stepson…"
"And how are Seeley and his son changing your life?"
"Parker wants us to buy a house, for one thing."
"Parker wants to buy a house?"
"Booth gave up his apartment when he left for Afghanistan," Brennan answered. "When he left, he told his son that when he got back they could get a house."
"And now the boy is expecting a house, but…"
"But Booth moved into my apartment, instead."
"And has Seeley asked you to buy a house?"
"He asked what I thought about it."
"And what do you think about it?"
Again, Brennan sighed, letting the doctor know that she was more frustrated by the situation than maybe she even knew.
"I think that it is something that I'd like to do… someday. But the idea of purchasing a house leads me to think about…"
The doctor watched as her patient struggled with her words. In the three weeks she'd been seeing her, Temperance had never actually verbalized what had happened to her. She always referred to the incident as "it." She'd say, things like "When it happened," or "I still think about it." She knew that until she was actually able to voice what she'd been through, she would never truly get passed it. According to her patient records, and her discussions with Temperance's former therapist, she knew that the anthropologist had told Doctor Grayson what had happened. She'd gone through it once, in excruciating detail, and she'd never referred to it directly again.
"… it makes me think about filling a house, with a family. I'm not ready to think about that just yet."
"But aren't you, and Seeley and Parker already a family?" the doctor asked.
"Yes, but…"
"And this is something that you want…someday?"
"It is," Brennan answered. "And because it's important to Parker, I'm willing to move forward with the idea."
"Only because it's important to Parker?"
"Booth seemed very excited by the prospect, as well. We went driving around yesterday looking at suitable neighborhoods. I think this is something that I would like to do, very much. But I admit to being apprehensive."
"What is making you apprehensive, Temperance?"
"My life is turning out very differently than I had previously planned," she answered. "I love Booth, and I don't regret our decision to marry. I don't regret anything, but now that we're married…if we purchase a house, then… "
"People are going to start asking you when you're going to have a baby," the doctor said bluntly, noticing how her words made her patient wince. "And that is uncomfortable for you."
"Yes," Brennan answered quietly.
"Do you think it would help to tell your friends and family what happened?"
"Perhaps," she answered. "But I don't know how to do that. I just made up with Angela for what happened when I tried to tell her that Booth and I were married. I don't know if she'll forgive me for keeping this from her."
"From what you and Seeley have told me, I think she will," the therapist answered. "But you have to be ready." She paused, to give Brennan a moment before switching gears on her. "What about your feelings of control? Or more precisely, not being in control of the things in your life… how are you feeling about that?"
"Better," she answered. "Booth and I went to my attorney and accountant yesterday. I had his name added to my accounts and set up a trust for Parker."
"And you feel that gave you some control?"
"Yes, but what I really need is to have something else to focus on. I need to get back to work."
"I agree," Doctor Delaney said. "I think it would be good for you to go to the museum. Why don't you go over there this afternoon for a visit? Perhaps get your office in order before you actually go back to work next week?"
BnBnBnBnB
Late February:
"Doctor Brennan, once you're released by Doctor Henry, I think it might be best for you to return to the States."
Doctor Amelia Grayson was a psychiatrist from Seattle, and part of the medical team assigned to the Maluku project. She, along with a general practitioner, Doctor Simon Henry, and three registered nurses were there to supply treatment for the members of the Maluku dig team. Brennan had been surprised to learn that the project had hired a dedicated mental health professional, but was willing to allow that being that far away from home for that long could be taxing on some members of the team. Dr. Grayson was also married to one of the archeologists assigned to the project.
"No," she answered bluntly. "I made a commitment to this project. I have two months remaining on that commitment, and I fully intend to see It through."
"You've been through a seriously traumatic event, Doctor Brennan. No one would hold it against you if you chose to return home,"
"With all due respect, Doctor Grayson," Brennan stated emphatically from her bed in the infirmary. "I know very well what I've been through. I also know that what I need to do at the moment is to get back to work."
"When we experience something like what you have been through," Dr. Grayson pressed on, "it is often best to be in our normal surroundings, among our loved ones and doing what we normally would be doing."
"Getting back to work on the project will create the same effect."
"Temperance," Amelia tried for the personal approach on the stubborn doctor.
"Amelia," Brennan replied. "My husband is in Afghanistan, my best friend is in Paris, and my position at the Jeffersonian is currently being filled by another anthropologist. What normality and comfort is it exactly that you'd like me to return to? Trust me. Staying here and working on the project is the best thing for me. I'll be fine."
"All right," the psychiatrist relented. "But I want you to touch base with me every day."
"That is not necessary," Brennan said. "I don't believe in psychology. It's a soft science," she went on. "No offense."
"None taken, Doctor Brennan," the other woman answered. "I'm married to a scientist, remember? It's nothing I haven't heard before. But I do maintain that you need someone to talk to. I'd like to set up regular sessions, but aside from those I want to see you every day. Even if it's just to say 'hi.'" Seeing that Brennan was once again about to object, she added firmly, "It's the only way I'll agree to having you stay. I can have you removed from the project medically, Temperance."
"Blackmail doesn't become you, Doctor Grayson," Brennan said, pouting.
"Maybe not," Amelia said with a smile. "But I like you, and I just want to see you through this. I know you're a tough cookie, Temperance. But this is going to be harder than you think."
BnBnBnBnB
The first thing Booth noticed when he walked into the apartment was the warm, enticing aroma. It was an earthy, spicy scent and it made his mouth water. He'd learned long ago that his partner was a great cook though she didn't cook often. Now that she was his wife he was learning that there was no limit to her talents. He followed his nose into the kitchen.
"Is that curry?" he asked, walking over to where she stood in front of the stove.
"Sabzi khurma," she said, turning to him as he leaned in to greet her with a kiss.
"Gesundheit," Booth said, laughing.
"Very funny," she responded. "Sabzi is mixed vegetables, and khurma is an Indian spicy gravy," she told him, offering up her wooden spoon. "Taste."
He opened his mouth to accept the spoon.
"Wow," he told her. "That's good. Mixed vegetables in spicy gravy, huh? Guess that means no meat in tonight's meal?"
"That's exactly what it means," she answered, smiling.
As part of their give-and-take for learning to cohabitate, Booth agreed to vegetarian meals twice a week. He wouldn't admit it to anyone else, and especially not to his wife, but he didn't mind it a bit.
"It will be served with bisi bele huli anna," she said, smiling.
"What the hell is that?" he asked, worry lines forming across his forehead.
"Coconut rice," she said. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you."
"So, how was your day?" he asked, moving to the refrigerator to take out a beer. Laughing to himself that he sounded like Ward Cleaver.
"Good," she answered. "I went to see Doctor Delaney and then I went to the lab."
"How did that go?" he asked.
"It was good," she answered. "It was nice to see everyone and I had the chance to put my office in order so that I don't have to worry about doing that next week. What about you? Is everything prepared for your return to duty?"
"Yep," he answered with a smile, setting his badge down on the table. "Passed my recertification with flying colors. I still qualify as a sharp shooter- master marksman. We're back, baby!"
"So it would appear," she replied, smiling. She was more than ready to get back to what she considered her real life.
"We should celebrate," he said. "What do you want to do this weekend?"
"What would you say to house hunting?"
"I'd love that, but are you sure? 'Cause if you're not ready, we can wait. Parker understands, and I'm perfectly happy here. I don't care where we live as long as we're together," he said.
"I know that," she said. "But I really want this, too. I love the idea of moving in to a house with you and Parker, making a home together."
"I just don't want you to feel pressured," he told her.
"Booth," she said. "How long have you known me?"
"Seven years."
"Seven years," she repeated. "And in those seven years, how many times have you known me to do anything that I did not want to do?"
"Well, now that you mention it…" he said with a smile.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, and dropped his lips to hers.
"As long as you're sure," he said. "I think it's a fantastic idea."
"I talked to Doctor Delaney about it today," she told him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "And I realized that it is what I want. I think I was just nervous…"
"About?"
"Everyone. Well, Angela mostly. We satisfied her curiosity about our relationship when we told her and Hodgins about the wedding," she said. "But if we tell her we're buying a house, she's going to immediately start talking babies…"
"Bones, I told you, we can wait. It's okay."
"No, it isn't. I'm tired of waiting. I'm taking my life back," she said. "and giving our life back. I think it has to start by telling Angela about what happened."
AN- Thanks for reading! Hope this moves the plot forward a bit… looking forward to your thoughts. You know what to do, review!. *please* :-)
