Thanks for all the fab reviews guys, the delay in posting is totally my fault. I get caught up reading and forget I'm supposed to post!! -Hart

He had imagined it.

He had imagined it, hadn't he?

Booth couldn't take the chance and practically leapt back over to her bedside. Taking her small, pale hand in his as he leaned down.

"Bones?" He asked tentatively.

After a moment, an agonizing unbearable moment when he couldn't decide whether or not he was insane, she moved. She frowned actually, and Booth felt a little guilty for feeling happy about that. A frown was something, and something was more than what he'd had a moment ago.

He let out the breath he'd been holding and kissed her knuckles softly.

"Temperance." He breathed. "You're back."

Brennan opened her eyes and met his gaze, smiling softly. Of all the things to see when one awoke, she couldn't think of too many things better than Booth's face.

"Hi." Her voice was soft and he had to strain to hear it, but to him, it was the most beautiful sound in the world.

Booth grinned and leaned down quickly to kiss her. A long, slow kiss filled with all the anxiety, love and relief he felt just looking into the wide blue oceans of her eyes.

He pulled back so she could breathe, his eyes closed as he allowed his heart beat to return to normal. He had been so worried, worried to the point of being physically sick, and now she was okay. Everything would be okay.

Or at least that was what he liked to believe.

Licking her parched lips, Brennan attempted to sit up.

"No Babe, lay still." Booth watched her wince in pain and gently pushed her back into the bed. "You shouldn't be moving." He hit the call button on the wall, letting the doctor know she was awake.

Brennan's throat burned, it felt as if she hadn't had anything to drink in days. Her eyes roamed the small, sterile room while her hand remained firmly placed between Booth's.

Chair along the far wall. Nope. Door, most likely to the bathroom. Not yet. Another chair…Booth….AHA! Water. She spotted the half full glass of water on the table beside her and moved slowly to retrieve it. Booth stood up to help her.

"Here let me…"

"No." She frowned at him, her voice not strong enough to allow her to make an explanation. But then, she didn't see the reason for one. She could get a stupid glass for herself!

Or so she thought. But as her slender fingers closed around the glass and she attempted to lift what was no more than 10oz of liquid, a sharp, searing pain ripped through her body and she gasped. Booth reached out, but it was too late, she dropped the glass, and ended up soaking half the bed and the floor.

Booth didn't fuss over it, didn't even have a chance to react because of the bright shade of red Brennan was turning as she held both her hands over her stomach where the pain was throbbing, blinding.

Throwing her head back, she screwed her eyes shut, vaguely aware of Booth calling for 'a nurse, a doctor, somebody!'.

It doesn't make sense. She thought just before she passed out, A gunshot wound shouldn't hurt this much.

---

Booth sat on a chair next to the bed, his shoulders slumped, one hand laced with Brennan's as she slept peacefully. The doctors said she was fine, upped her morphine and went on their merry way.

Booth could have killed them.

Now he was alone in the room with her, waiting. Rebecca came to get Parker not too long ago. She was very shook up and in true-to-form Rebecca manner, blamed him and his job for Parker being in danger. Booth had wanted to argue, but without something else to go on, he couldn't exactly disagree. He certainly had his fair share of enemies.

Travis was gone, getting some rest before returning to the investigation, and he told Booth he should do the same.

'Get rest!' Booth had scoffed, 'How am I supposed to get some rest with Bones lying on that bed in pain, a terrified son and a killer somewhere out there loose?' He'd exploded at his friend and Travis just took it. He nodded, clapped him on the back and left, nothing but sadness where Booth expected to find resentment in his eyes.

And now here he was. Sitting alone in this room, on his 26th hour awake and, while completely beyond exhausted, nowhere near able to sleep.

He stood again to stretch his legs and looked at all the monitors connected to Brennan's body. They were all beeping evenly and seemed okay, so he took a deep, calming breath. Glancing at Brennan, Booth gently let go of her hand and attempted to massage his own neck muscles, which were like rocks from tense hours spent in the waiting room or here with her. He could feel the pounding behind his eyes and temples where a soft twinge used to be and he cursed the migraine he knew was coming.

The silence was deep and he closed his eyes, attempting to pray and failing. He couldn't even think clear enough to do that. He just hoped God knew what he needed.

Yeah, I think that's pretty obvious. Booth glanced down at the bed and gently brushed a lock of hair from Brennan's forehead. This time he was relieved to see her face change ever so slightly, and he wondered if it was just wishful thinking to believe she knew he was there.

---

"Booth?" Angela walked into the room and Booth looked up. Her hair was up in a messy bun, indicative of the rush she'd been in to get home after Booth told her the news.

"How is she?"

Booth sighed and looked at his hand, once again laced with hers.

"She's…okay." He winced, wishing he could say something better than 'okay'. Angela nodded, tear tracks plain on her face as she crossed the room to the other side of the bed. She took Brennan's hand and managed a weak smile for her unconscious friend.

"Parker? How's he?" She didn't lift her eyes and Booth was grateful. Angela's piercing stare would have been too much to handle right then.

"He's…he'll be okay too. He's scared but…well he's with Rebecca so…" Both noticed that he was having trouble completing sentences, but didn't comment. It was obvious that fatigue was wearing heavily on him.

Angela glanced up and saw Booth run a hand across his face, rubbing his eyes roughly.

"And you? How are you?"

Booth's shoulders slumped just a bit more under the question. He remained silent for a moment before taking a deep breath and sitting straighter in his chair.

"I'm taking care of them." He said, a note of finality in his voice.

Angela studied him a moment longer before turning back to Brennan, nodding.

Yeah, Booth I know you are. But who will take care of you?