Brennan started to feel more like herself quickly. After a week, the doctors were sure she would be able to manage at home, and she was thrilled. The hospital had been boring very quickly, despite a steady stream of visitors, and none of her friends would allow her to work or even look through scientific papers.
A knock at the door caused her to spin around, her legs still a little shaky from the prolonged bed rest. Booth grinned at her, seeing the bag already packed sitting on her bed. Starting forwards, he pulled her to him for a hug, kissing her cheek gently. She smiled up at him some of the twinkle back in her eyes now she was feeling better and Booth was there.
"Ready to get out of here?" he asked cheerfully, putting her bag on the floor so he could sit on the bed. Brennan sat next to him, wincing slightly as the change in position pulled on her sore stomach.
"Always," she told him, smiling as he took her hand, patting it affectionately.
"Dr Brennan? I see you're packed and ready to go!" came the cheerful voice of her doctor, the young man standing in front of the pair who smiled at him.
"That assumption would be correct," she informed him, the doctor smiling as he was used to her way of speaking by now.
"OK! Well I have you discharge papers here. Now you need to be careful, no heavy lifting or over-doing it, OK? You're still going to need to rest for a good few weeks before you'll be able to start to get back to normal."
Brennan nodded. "Don't worry, I have no wish to be back here again!"
Booth laughed, seeing the doctor roll his eyes. "Don't worry, I get that a lot," he assured him, before turning his attention back to Brennan. "So, we made you an appointment in our clinic in two weeks time to check up on you, here's an appointment card," he said, passing one over to Brennan. "Also, I know we talked about therapy, but you've been through a lot, Dr Brennan, and I really would urge you to change your mind. Here's an information leaflet."
Brennan took it, but sighed. "I'm OK, Dr Richards, I'll be fine. Besides, me and Booth know a therapist very well should I need one, even if he is a psychologist which is guess work, not real insights."
Dr Richards nodded. "OK then! Well let me know if you change your mind and I'll put you in touch with a therapist. OK, so meds. You still need to take the antibiotics for another week. We put plenty of painkillers in there, please don't try to be brave because we don't want you back in here with a chest infection! Also, some sleeping tablets in there in case you struggle. Anything else, just get back to us and we can sort for you."
Brennan nodded, taking the bag. "Thanks."
"Right, so I just need your autograph," he said, holding out the clipboard with the papers on. Brennan frowned, looking up at Booth.
"I don't think this is really an appropriate time for an autograph, and there's no book!" she told him perplexed, her frown deepening when he chuckled, pointing back to the board.
"He means sign the discharge papers, Bones. Come on, I wanna get back in time for the game!"
Rolling her eyes at her partner, she grabbed the pen and signed, standing from the bed. Booth grabbed her bag, earning another roll of the eyes from Brennan and some muttering under her breath.
"OK, take care Dr Brennan," the doctor said, smiling at the couple.
"Thanks, Doc!" Booth said sincerely, shaking the guys hand before wrapping is arm supportively around Brennan. She smiled at the doctor, letting Booth lead her out of the door.
"Do you need a chair?" Dr Richards asked, watching her in concern. It had just been Brennan's complaining about wanting to go home that had got them to discharge her, none of the doctors were really certain that she was ready to leave yet. At least the bigger man seemed willing and able to control and take care of her.
"I'm perfectly capable of walking!" she called back, frowning at Booth as if to tell him that he should listen to. He smiled, knowing that she was grateful for his arm, as support, if the level of her leaning on him was anything to go by.
Stepping out of the lift into the parking lot, Booth realised that Bones was flagging. She was leaning on him even more, her face a picture of strain and paler than it was before.
"Bones, why do you have to be so stubborn? You've got plenty of time to get back on your feet, would it really have killed you to take the wheelchair?" he asked, seeing her look resolutely back at him.
"I'm fine Booth," she told him, already annoyed that he had to see her so weak as it was.
A few steps later and her legs nearly gave out under her. Booth dropped her bag instantly, both arms going around her waist.
"Right, that's it! I can't watch this anymore," he told her, swinging her legs easily up into his arms before bending for her bag again.
"Booth! Put me down!" she protested, her heart not really in it now that she didn't have to walk. Booth smiled, noticing her slight twinkle in her eyes, the colour starting to come back into her face again now she wasn't walking.
"A few days away from hospital food, Bones, and you'll have the strength to walk miles!" he told her cheerfully, continuing the length of the parking lot towards the car. He didn't miss the fact that she still felt so thin and fail in his arms.
Reaching the car, he looked down and realised that his beautiful partner had fallen asleep in his arms. Sighing, he took a moment to drink in her face, the bruises finally starting to fade a little so that her natural beauty was beginning to shine back through. Opening the car door easily, he sat her down, reclining the seat slightly so that she wouldn't wake before strapping her in.
Heading back to the drivers seat, he smiled happily to have her back with him. The healing process might be long and difficult for both of them from here, but they were together, and getting there, and that was all that mattered.
Bones opened her eyes sleepily and blinked as she took in her surroundings. A tantalising smell was coming from somewhere nearby, and she suddenly heard her stomach rumble painfully. Thinking, she tried to understand where she was and when she'd been there before, because it was familiar. She tried to fight down the panic, swinging her legs painfully over the side of the bed.
As soon as she saw the familiar socks on the side of the wardrobe, she realised. She was at Booth's apartment. A smile crossed her features as she pushed herself up, following the smell to the kitchen. Booth turned instantly on hearing her, pulling out a chair for her to sit at in the kitchen without trying to wrap her in cotton wool too much.
"Hey, Bones, you sleep well?" he asked, watching with concern as she slid painfully onto a chair. She nodded.
"Smells good," she told him, seeing his grin.
"It's spaghetti alla Booth," he told her, seeing a small smile cross her face. "Should be about ready as well, you have great timing!"
He busied himself with dishing out their meal, trying to avoid thinking about the awkwardness that for some reason was lying between them. He knew that there were things they needed to talk about, but Brennan didn't seem willing to discuss them with him, and he was loathe to bring them up, especially when she was still feeling lousy.
Booth wolfed down his dinner, pleased that he was able to make Bones laugh a little with his chatter as they ate. She didn't manage to stomach much, but at least he knew she'd had some good quality food that day, it would take time before she was able to eat properly again. Risking a glance across at her, he noticed that she seemed almost a shadow of her former self, almost completely wrapped up in herself in the baggy jumper she had on to keep her warm. Then he realised: the Brennan confidence had gone. He sighed sadly. He had to give that back to her, somehow, but he knew that would take a long time.
"I think I probably should head off now, Booth," she told him, seeing him frown at her in confusion as he sipped at his drink after eating.
"Head off where?"
"Back home. I can't really...I can't really stay here."
"Bones! You seriously think I'm gonna let you go home? You're not well enough to be on your own, some of the things you'd have to do would be too much right now. And besides, I wouldn't feel right leaving you alone after what you've been through recently. And your apartment...well it's not really the nicest of places right now, Temperance."
She sighed, knowing this would be hard. "I can get a hotel, Booth."
"No, Bones, you're staying here. Why the sudden urge to leave?"
She sighed. "This is your life, Booth, not mine. I don't want to be a burden, or be in the way. And I'm not an invalid, I can take care of myself."
He sighed. "Temperance. You could never be a burden, or in the way. I like having you around, it makes me cook," he quipped, seeing a small smile. "And you are a huge part of my life, so you belong here perfectly. And besides which, if you leave I'll just sit up all night and worry about you, which won't do either of us any good!"
She smiled sadly. "I just...I don't know, Booth, I just..."
"Feel uncomfortable around me?"
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "It's not like that. It's not that I don't trust you..."
He smiled, reaching for her hand. "Bones, there's a lot of stuff that's happened that is sitting like an elephant in this room, that we need to talk about when the time's right. But for now, we just need to push that aside and get you better, and we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, OK? So no need to feel awkward."
"I don't understand, what elephant?"
He grinned, seeing the confused frown on her face. "Never mind, Bones. What I'm saying is that I still feel...a little odd as well, I'm still wrestling with my guilt over what happened, so it's not just you. But like we said in the hospital, we'll do it together, OK?"
She nodded slowly, thinking over the choice. "OK...but as soon as I'm well I'll leave you in peace, Booth. And if you want me to go before then, I will, you only have to say."
He grinned. "I know, but I won't. I like you being here. It'll be fun, we'll have an adventure into the world of the 21st century that you seem to have missed out on!"
She smiled, standing to help him with the dishes. He took them off her, shooing her out of the kitchen much to her dislike. Sitting herself on his couch, she saw a picture of them together taken from a newspaper photo. She smiled, running her fingers over their smiling faces. It felt good to be with him, she felt better with him around. So why did she feel so sad and guilty? Shaking those thoughts from her head she decided to do what Booth had suggested and just give up for now, letting him help her over this rut for now.