A/N: Hey guys! This chapter took foreverrr, and not just because it's the biggest either... I had to decide what the hell I was going to do to design Brennan's room! I'm going to leave the visuals to your imaginations! :) Welcome to rehab, by the way. Enjoy! x
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Bones characters in this novel. They are the property of Fox and the Bones crew. :)
The next day, after a restful sleep, Booth and Brennan woke for an early morning breakfast followed by Brennan's first rehabilitation session.
"Are you excited Bones?" Booth asked, swallowing a mouthful of toast.
"I'm not sure excited would be the right word…" Brennan trailed off. "But I will be glad to move closer to a full recovery."
Booth nodded. "Remember I'm here for you, okay?" He said. "If you need to scream in someone's ear, let it be mine. If you need to squeeze someone's hands, let it be mine. If you need to cry on somebody's shoulder, let it be mine."
Brennan rolled her eyes. "You're such a corn Seeley Booth!" She exclaimed.
Booth laughed. "How do you even know what that expression means?" He asked.
"Parker." Brennan stated simply.
"Ah, speaking of which!" Booth remembered. "Parker's coming to visit today. He's been bugging Rebecca since the accident, but we thought it'd be too traumatising for him until you'd had the braces removed."
"I understand." Brennan said. "I'll be glad to see him."
Booth smiled. "He'll be glad to see you too Bones." He replied.
After breakfast, Brennan's physiotherapist arrived. Introducing himself as Simon, they began relatively quickly.
"Today we're going to focus on regaining basic strength in the neck and spine." Simon explained. "Basically, over the next week we'll focus on these exercises before stepping it up a level for week two, and then another level for week three. After that, we'll get you off the bed."
"So what am I going to be doing today?" Brennan pressed.
"Well since you're yet to leave the bed, I firstly want to focus on getting you holding your neck up." Simon replied. "That'll simply involving raising your head off the bed and holding it in position for a period of time. Are you ready?"
"Sure." Brennan agreed.
"Okay, Seeley, this is where you come in…" Simon said. "I'd like you to lift Doctor Brennan's head up so it's at roughly a forty-five degree angle and hold it steady until I tell you to let go."
Booth nodded and cupped his partner's head similarly to the way he had the previous day, lifting it slightly off the bed.
"Now Doctor Brennan, Seeley's going to let go." Simon warned. "I want you to focus. Focus on holding your neck as steady as you possibly can. It will be heavy and it will probably hurt a good deal at first, so Seeley, remember to offer support."
Booth nodded, gently slipping his hands away, wincing when Brennan's head automatically fell to the pillow and she screamed in pain and frustration.
"That's okay!" Simon enthused. "It was your first try. Let's try again, okay?"
Brennan agreed, and they repeated the process, this time successful. When Booth let go of Brennan's head, while shaky, she managed to keep it there. Reaching for her partner's hands, she moaned in pain.
"Now Booth, take her head." Simon instructed, smiling when Booth did as he was told and Brennan sighed in relief as the pressure was immediately released. "Well done Doctor Brennan!"
"Do I need to do it again?" She asked, wiping her tear stained face.
Simon shook his head. "Not right now." He said. "But I'd like you to reach fifty seconds by the end of the third week of rehabilitation. That was five seconds. Right now we're going to try something that will be a little more painful. I'm going to get you to lift your legs and hold them. It will put a lot of pressure on your lower back and will most likely be very painful. Again Seeley, support."
Booth nodded and moved to the foot of Brennan's bed when Simon asked him to repeat the same process he had engaged in with his partner's head, but this time with one foot at a time. Slowly lifting her left foot first, he moved to the side of the bed as he released it, allowing her to squeeze his hands in an attempt to mask the pain.
"Oh my god Booth!" Brennan exclaimed with a moan. "My back…oh my god…it hurts!"
"Good job Doctor Brennan!" Simon praised as he took his patient's left foot and slowly lowered it to the bed. "That was also five seconds, and by the end of the three weeks I'd like you to be a fifty seconds on both feet. Let's try the other foot, shall we?"
An hour later, Brennan's first rehabilitation session was done and dusted. Simon had left to report to Doctor Riley, and recommend a massage for his patient as pain relief.
"How do you feel Bones?" Booth asked.
"Sore." Brennan moaned. "And exhausted."
Booth nodded. "After your massage, before lunch, you should try and sleep for a while." He suggested.
"I will." Brennan agreed with a sigh, too tired to argue, and just wanting sleep.
"Hey Bones!" Another voice greeted.
"Parker!" Brennan exclaimed as her partner's son raced into the room.
"Hey buddy!" Booth greeted.
"Hey Dad!" Parker replied. "How are you and Bones going?"
"We're good buddy!" Booth replied. "Notice Bones has her braces off now?"
"Wicked!" Parker exclaimed. "Does it feel better Bones?"
Brennan smiled at the young boy's enthusiasm. "It feels a bit strange." She replied honestly. "But it does feel better."
"You look exhausted Temperance." Rebecca noted. "Have you started rehab yet?"
"Just now actually." Brennan replied. "I'm about to go off for a massage. You and Parker are welcome to stay if you like."
"Can we Mom?" Parker pleaded. "I really want to spend some time with Bones!"
Rebecca smiled. "Sure Parker." She said. "Seeley, are you going with Temperance?"
"Stay with Parker, Booth." Brennan instructed. "I'm only going for a massage. I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" Booth asked. "I…"
"I'm sure." Brennan clarified. "Please stay with Parker. Your weekends are being cut with him as it is."
"Thanks Bones." Booth replied as the nurses arrived to take Brennan for her massage. "I love you baby."
"I love you too Booth." She replied.
"So it's official huh Seeley?" Rebecca said. "You and Temperance?"
Booth smiled and nodded. "What do you think of that Parks?"
"It's awesome Dad!" Parker replied. "I've always wanted you and Bones to get together, you know that."
Booth nodded. "It's just a shame it's happened under these circumstances." He said.
"Is Bones going to be able to walk again?" Parker asked quietly. "She'll be really sad if she can't."
Booth looked over to his ex-girlfriend who nodded, signalling that it was okay for him to explain everything to their son.
"I think it's about time someone explained to you what's going on buddy, and what's going to happen in the future." Booth told his son. "So did you see the news report on the accident?"
Parker nodded. "It said that Bones' car flipped when she ran off the road into a ditch." He relayed. "Is that true?"
Booth nodded. "And when it flipped and landed on its roof, the roof came down on Bones' head and broke a bone in her neck and kinked her spine." He added.
Parker winced. "So she won't be able to walk again?" He said. "We learnt in physical education that if you break any of the bones in your neck or spine or injure your spinal cord, you can't walk again."
"Not necessarily the case Parks." Booth said. "Bones can feel everything again…she has been able to feel everything since the swelling went down. That's a really good sign, and she's probably going to make a full recovery. It's just going to take time, so we have to be really patient, okay?"
Parker nodded. "So she's going to be in hospital for a really long time?" He said.
Booth sighed. "Most likely buddy." He said. "Until she can walk again."
Parker smiled sadly. "Mom, can we go out and buy some things to make Bones' hospital room all pretty?" He asked. "If she's going to be here for a long time, we should make this place seem more like home for her."
"Hey that's a great idea buddy!" Booth agreed. "Rebecca, you don't mind do you? I'll give you some money. You could take Parker out for lunch too."
Rebecca nodded. "Let's go Parker." She announced.
"So where are we going to start Parker?" Rebecca asked as they climbed out of the car and stepped onto the curb.
"There's a home decor place there." Parker pointed out. "We could buy some sheets and blankets and pillows for Bones so that she doesn't have to sleep on those boring hospital ones the whole time. We could also buy some curtains…"
"And I'm sure we can find some other things too." Rebecca interrupted, knowing that if she didn't her son would stand outside the store planning the entire spree before they even got inside.
Once inside, they saw that the shop was divided into living and dining, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and outdoor living. Deciding on a place to start, they headed for bedroom.
"What kind of colours do you think Temperance would like Parker?" Rebecca asked, embarrassed that she felt her son would know more than she would.
Parker shrugged. "I don't know Mom, but we should pink something with flowers!" He suggested. "Dad always says that flowers make girls feel special. Hey, maybe we could get Bones some flowers before we go home? I didn't see any in her room."
Rebecca smiled. She was so proud of her son. He was growing up so quickly, and was already so mature. "Of course Parker." She replied. "Let's focus on this first though, huh?"
Parker nodded and turned back to the wide range of bed linen on the shelves. Rebecca forced herself not to laugh when after a few moments, she saw that her son was completely stumped.
"Would you like some help Parker?" She asked.
Parker nodded furiously. "What coloured sheets should we get?" He asked. "And should we get plain ones, or patterned ones?"
"Plain." Rebecca told him. "You can get a floral duvet to go over them."
Parker nodded and finally selected pale yellow sheets with a duvet that was bright yellow with pale pink and white flowers. Along with the duvet came two pillows with matching pillowcases.
"It's lovely Parker!" Rebecca praised as they placed their selection in their trolley. "It's very bright and happy!"
Parker grinned, happy that he had chosen well before following his mother towards where a range of curtains were hanging. There, after being told he needed to select curtains that were similar to the duvet set he'd chosen, he selected floor length curtains that were white with yellow flowers.
"Parker…" Rebecca began, before being cut off with an irritated sigh.
"You said they had to match Mom!" Parker protested. "They do match!"
"I know sweetheart, it's just maybe we should see if these come in a shorter length." Rebecca explained. "Floor length curtains won't be good if Temperance is nearby trying to learn to walk again. She could trip and fall if the leg of a walker or something else gets caught on the curtains."
"I hadn't thought of that." Parker admitted, agreeing to see if there was a shorter version of the curtains.
An hour later, Parker and Rebecca had finished at the home decor store. After selecting the bed linen and curtains, they purchases cushions for the chairs in Brennan's hospital room, a place mat for her table, a vase which they intended to buy a bouquet of flowers for, new towels and wash cloths for Brennan's private bathroom off her hospital room and a new lamp for her nightstand.
"Are we going back to the hospital now Mom?" Parker asked, eager to see Brennan again and show her all the things they'd bought her.
"We'll get some lunch first, and then I thought we could go to the arts and crafts store and buy some things to make Temperance a card with at the park." Rebecca said. "Temperance is probably going to be pretty tired after her massage, and she's probably going to sleep for a little while. There's no rush to get back."
Parker sighed but nodded, excited at the idea of making Bones a card.
After lunch at a local diner, Rebecca and Parker drove over to the arts and crafts store where Parker selected some plain white cardboard and coloured crayons before returning to the park to make the card. Once at the park again, Rebecca found a table where they could sit while Parker made the card.
"What are you going to do Parker?" Rebecca asked.
"I'm going to draw a sunflower on the front." Parker told her. "Then I'm going to write something inside and draw lots of little flowers and butterflies. Do you think she'll like that?"
Rebecca smiled. "I think she'll love it Parker!" She enthused. "Would you like me to help you with the message?"
Parker nodded. "Thanks Mom." He replied, before getting to work on the card.
Later that afternoon, Rebecca and Parker returned to the hospital where Booth was sitting by Brennan's bedside watching her sleep.
"How long has Doctor Bones been asleep Dad?" Parker asked. "I wanted to see her before I had to go home!"
"She's been asleep since she returned from her massage buddy." Booth told his son. "That was over an hour ago, so she should be awake soon."
Parker nodded and began showing his father all of the things they bought.
"That's great buddy!" Booth exclaimed when he was finished. "You know what…I think we should start putting this stuff up while we wait for Bones to wake up. The only thing we can't do is change her bed clothes."
Parker nodded enthusiastically and turned to his mother who nodded her approval of the idea, and they set to work.
For the next hour, Booth, Parker and Rebecca moved quietly about Brennan's hospital room hanging the curtains up on the single window, and the towels and wash cloths in the bathroom, and situating the cushions on various chairs around the room, placing the place mat on the table and the lamp and vase on the nightstand.
"We thought we'd let you choose the flowers Dad." Parker told his father, pointing to the empty vase.
Booth smiled. "Thanks buddy!" He said. "Bones is going to love all of this. And thanks Becs, for you know…"
Rebecca smiled. "It's not a problem Seeley." She told him. "Why don't you go and choose the flowers now? Parker and I will wait here incase Temperance wakes up."
"Are you sure?" Booth said. "You guys will have to be getting back soon. I know Parker doesn't have school tomorrow, but it'll be pretty late when you guys arrive home as it is."
"If I have to I'll book a room at a motel." Rebecca told her ex-boyfriend. "This is your weekend with Parker, and I want him to enjoy it."
Booth smiled and nodded, before leaving to quickly choose a bouquet of flowers from the gift store at the hospital.
Fifteen minutes later, Booth returned to Rebecca and Parker chatting quietly to Brennan, who was awake, but still looking very sleepy.
"Hey Bones!" Booth greeted with a grin, placing the bouquet of flowers in the vase. "I'll just get some water for these."
"We also bought new bed covers Bones…" Parker continued. "We asked the nurses to put them on when they change you're out of bed for rehab tomorrow."
Brennan smiled. "Thanks Parker." She said. "They're lovely. And thank-you for the flowers Booth, they're beautiful."
Booth smiled at his partner, knowingly purchasing the bouquet because they were his girlfriend's favourites. "You're welcome Bones." He replied. "I also bought you a teddy. I thought he might keep you company when I can't."
Brennan laughed, momentarily hovering over the possibility of her boyfriend not being able to be with her the entire duration of her hospital.
"But hey, that's not going to be very often…" Booth continued, taking Brennan's hand in his own and rubbing his fingers over her knuckles. "Just in case."
Brennan smiled as Booth leant over and kissed her softly.
"Yuck, Dad!" Parker exclaimed. "You're as bad as Mom and Brent!"
Booth chuckled. "I thought you were happy about this?" He teased.
"I am!" Parker assured. "Just…no kissing in front of me."
Booth stood and leant over Brennan, placing a gentle kiss on her lips once again. Parker groaned at his father's teasing, making everyone in the room laugh. After all, laughter is the best medicine
A/N: Another chapter gone! I hope you liked it. The tenth chapter is written and ready to go, and hopefully chapter eleven will be soon too, and twelve. Thirteen is currently being planned. Bottom line, if you guys review and tell me you want more, there's lots more of healing + fluff to come! :) xx
