Brennan parked her car behind the large building looming over the city. It belonged to one of the richest in America. Brennan got out of the SUV and made her way inside. She flashed her FBI badge at the receptionist like she had seen Booth do many times and she let her pass while giving her directions to the office where she needed to get to.
Mr. Eric O'Hara was a billionaire. He made his living from his humongous software company and indeed it showed. As Brennan made her was to his office she saw many expensive portraits of famous artists and vases she knew had to be antique. She got to the man in question's secretary and stated her business.
"Hello, my name Special Agent Temperance Brennan from the FBI and I need to speak to Mr. O'Hara. It's important and I know I don't have an appointment, but could you please tell him I need to see him," Brennan asked politely.
The middle aged woman smiled kindly and said, "I'll see what I can do hon, take a seat while I call him to let you know you're here."
Brennan didn't have to wait long before the secretary got off her phone and told Brennan to go ahead in.
Brennan had never seen such an enormous office. It looked like it was the whole first floor of a house or maybe even as big as a house. The man sitting behind his desk looked kind enough. His blue eyes showed a lifetime of work and a sense of mischief. Brennan was surprised by her observations and rationalized that she was just getting better at reading people and that Booth's influence was ever present in her being.
"Ah, Special Agent Brennan, Leena tells me you needed to see me regarding something important," the blue eyed man greeted her. He stood up and offered Brennan her hand which she took graciously. This man did not look like in the slightest a killer and gave off no signs of it. The guy seemed to like his antiques, but in no way gave off a feeling of him being a murderer. However, she knew how misleading appearances could be, Booth had taught her that and she had witnessed it herself.
"Yes, Mr. O'Hara I'm here on business more like on investigation. I have recently closed a case involving a poison with no cure. It involved girls used as lab rats for it. The ones responsible are now in jail, but it seems that they worked for someone much bigger and I'm here to find out whom," Brennan stated. She only hoped she hadn't said too much and have given the man a silent heads-up for him to sneak his way out.
"And you think I have something to do with this, yes?" the middle aged man asked.
"I see you catch on quickly and yes you are listed as a possible suspect," Brennan responded.
The man sat quiet for few minutes. Brennan decided that he was thinking of what to say and she hoped it was the truth. She really had not time for games and Booth's life still hanged on the balance. Then, she saw something that she had not seen in any suspects life before; sadness. A deep, sadness that she could swear never saw on anyone's face. If Booth were here he'd probably say the same thing. She knew she had worked countless cases with Booth and that each person she had gone to interview must have had some kind of the same expression; at least the innocent ones, but she hadn't really paid much attention as she was now, she thought that it was all because she was doing the questioning and not Booth this time.
"There are many people out there that could be responsible for the crime that was committed to those poor girls. What makes you think I had anything to do with it?" the man finally spoke. Brennan knew that the same man asking the question knew the answer. She decided to play along because she knew that Booth would do the same.
"My team secluded you out of many other billionaires in this area and you came up as one of them. I have complete confidence that their decisions are justified. I need you to tell me anything you might know on this matter; a man as rich as yourself must have some kind of enemies. Either because they want your billions or just for pure jealousy and they want to see you ruined. You can not deny you haven't encountered people like that in your life before," Brennan told the man.
Mr. O'Hara looked at her straight in the eye. This time the person wasn't trying to dissolve her, but to try and coax her to tell him more or just because he wasn't willing to be seized up like that. Brennan did not care on any of those accounts and stared right back at him just like she did with Cullen. She had come too far to let someone like Eric O'Hara get the best of her.
"I assure you that I have nothing to do whatsoever in the case you just closed. Yes, it's true that I have had enemies, but they no longer are a problem because now they belong to me. They work for me now under my watchful eye. This company has been in service for some time now and nothing here happens without my knowing so. I feel terrible towards the girls you mentioned because they had to pay for someone else's problems and possible greed. I am a man of honor and morals and it has never crossed my mind to get rid of adversaries that way," Eric reasoned.
"And yet you say you own your enemies now?" Brennan retaliated.
"I guess those were a poor choice of words, but from what I see is that you know exactly what I mean. You aren't stupid Agent Brennan and I know you're trying to get to the bottom of this, but you are wasting your time. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a ton of work to do," Eric said with finality. He started to shuffle about some papers, but Brennan still had one more thing to say. She stood up and put her hands on the papers being shuffled and bent very low in front of Eric's startled face.
"The son of a bitch who did this to these girls shot my partner with a bullet made of the same poison. Right now he is dying in some hospital room and if you think that I'm going to let you off the hook that easily you are very seriously mistaken. I know you know something and make it a priority in your busy schedule to think of anybody you know that may be using this poison or to think over what you'll say in FBI headquarters once I tell them you did it. I will come back tomorrow and when I do I expect you to be a good citizen and tell me anything you know. As you said I'm not stupid and I know when people are hiding things from me. My partner means a lot to me and I am willing to do anything in power to put in jail whoever did this to him and for your own sake I'd do why I ask. I tend to be a very understanding and rational person, but you Mr. O'Hara don't get the luxury of dealing with her. Now, here are the numbers where you can reach me if you decide to tell me what you know sooner," Brennan said to the man with a dangerously low voice. She needed to get the message through and this was the only way she could think of to do it. She surprised herself at how easily she could do it too. How much of Booth she reminded herself when she did that.
Eric O'Hara was clearly surprised that this woman, even if she was an FBI agent she was still and woman, could speak to him like this. If anyone else would have done that he would have fired them before they even had the chance of feeling good that they did so.
Brennan backed away when she put the business card down. She gave him one last icy stare and then let herself out, leaving a dumbfounded billionaire in her wake.
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Angela sat in the now familiar place beside Booth in the uncomfortable hospital chair. Hodgins and Zack went to get something to eat while Angela stayed behind. It seemed like this was a routine now; Hodgins and Zack in charge of the food while Angela took care of Booth when Brennan was away. It had only been a couple of days, but it seemed that all their time and energy was put towards Booth's well being and indeed it was. Angela wondered how Brennan was doing. She had left a few hours ago to question suspects and do whatever else an FBI agent does. Angela knew she was okay; thinking otherwise would make Angela lose her mind. She couldn't afford that and neither could the rest of them.
Booth was doing the same with no change. The doctors would check up on him every once in a while, but they always said the same thing: that it was only a matter of time before the poison does what it was meant to. Angel wished and prayed with all her might that Booth would somehow get through this. There was very little chance for a full recovery, but Angela awaited a miracle. Anything to bring Booth back.
Hodgins and Zack were taking a long time getting coffee and snacks and Angela wondered what was taking them so long. She was holding on to Booth's hand when she felt his hand tighten on her own.
Angela startled said, "Booth? Booth it's me Angela, can you hear me?"
Angela waited two long agonizing minutes and was shocked when Booth bolted awake and shouted,
"BONES!"
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Booth and Brennan were making their way outside to the parking lot. They had both taken a lunch break from the case they have been working on. Booth was happy because they had been finally making progress that had been scarce since they started.
"Finally we're getting somewhere. I was starting to lose hope that we were never going to catch the killer," Booth stated.
"You lose hope? I've never heard you talk like that before," Brennan observed.
"Well, you can't deny that this whole seemed hopeless from the beginning. Don't lie and say that you had confidence this would all turn out alright," booth replied.
Brennan stayed quiet until they were in front of the SUV. Booth noticed this and said, "Wait a minute, you actually thought everything was going to be okay? Whoa, when did you become "Dr. I-always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-everything?"
Brennan looked at him and said, "There is a perfect explanation for that. Since we have started working together even the most puzzling cases we have solved. Together. So the probability of this case getting solved is high. So, stop the teasing and let's get back to the lab and solve it. We didn't get anywhere with your smart-ass comments in a diner parking lot so let's get going."
Booth chuckled and gave her his charm smile that he knew would stop any anger towards him. She smacked him on his arm and told him again to get going.
"Okay we're leaving, but not before you give me a guy hug," Booth told her.
"What for?" Brennan asked looking puzzled.
"Come one Bones, you know you like them and plus there doesn't necessarily need to be a reason for a guy hug," Booth replied.
"Well, in my book, there is a reason for everything," Brennan defended.
"Alright Ms. Science, if this is the treatment I get for being nice and a friend, you can just forget it," Booth said while taking out his keys to open her door.
"What? Oh alright, I'll give you your hug," Brennan told him.
Inside Booth was making leaps of joy. He enjoyed hugging her.
Booth held out his arms and Brennan enveloped herself in them. As Booth was enjoying her hug, he saw someone on a rooftop; with a gun and he was aiming it at Brennan.
He could have sworn he heard when the bullet clicked into place. Everything went in slow motion and he heard a scream. Brennan's scream.
The sniper had shot her. She fell in his arms and all he could see was blood. Blood was all over his clothes and hers. She was bleeding to death.
"No, Bones, stay with me, you're going to be okay, stay with me," Booth begged while he took out his cell phone and dialed 911.
"Booth it's too late, I'm going to die," Brennan said with a croaky voice.
"NO NO NO! Don't you dare give up one me. Stay with me please. You're a fighter come one don't give up on me," Booth cried to her. His tears were wetting her and mingling with her own.
Brennan brushed his tears away with her hand and gave him a smile, then her arm fell limply by her side and her eyes closed. Never to open again.
"No, Bones don't leave me," Booth tried rousing her, but to no avail. He could hear the ambulance silence, but they were too late. She was gone. He felt anger and sadness boil in him all at once and he couldn't hold onto them any longer.
"BONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He felt himself wake up and scream her name. He felt Angela give a shout of surprise to his side and then everything became a blur.
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Angela shouted in surprise as she heard Booth yell for Brennan, but what happened afterward scared her the most.
He started seizing in the bed. She saw sweat running down his face that was scrunched up with fear and pain. She got out her chair and ran out to find a doctor.
"Somebody please help me!! He's seizing!!" she shouted. A nurse flew out of her station and made her way towards her.
"What's wrong?"
"He's started seizing. Booth is dying!" Angela chocked between muffled sobs.
"Don't say that dear, I'll call the doctor," the nurse went back to her station and called the doctor.
Angela between her worry with Booth thought that the doctor must have set a record for getting to a patient that fast; a minute barely past when Angela saw him running towards her. He passed her and headed straight for Booth's room.
She followed, but she could barely stay long when the doctor told her she had to wait outside. She sat in the waiting room for Zack and Hodgins to come back. A few agonizing minutes passed when she saw them, but they weren't alone. Brennan was with them. Angela felt her stomach fall and knew that she would have to tell her what happened too. What she would tell her would surely break her down more. They spotted her before they veered off to Booth's room.
"Sorry we took long Ange, but we found . . ." Hodgins stopped midsentence when he saw his girlfriends crying her eyes out.
When Brennan saw the tears she knew something had happened and asked instead, "What happened?" with a serious voice.
Hodgins looked at her and feared the worst.
"He's, he's started seizing. The doctor is in with him right. They haven't come out yet," Angela was a mess of tears and sobs. She was scared out of her mind.
Before Brennan could collapse, both Hodgins and Zack got a hold of both her arms and sat her down.
No one dared say anything for fear that something bad my indeed happen. Angela was in Hodgins' arms crying softly while Brennan stared blankly at the opposite wall. The doctor didn't come out for a long time. Months could have passed by for all they knew. When they saw him coming towards them they stood up.
"What happened?" Brennan asked again this time with a weary voice.
"He's started to seize. I don't know how much more we can do now that he has. If he suffers another major one like this one it will provoke a heart attack. This seizure has allowed the poison access to the rest of his body. The poison hasn't reached his heart, but another seizure and it will. He is now completely paralyzed. He will not be able to move again. We have stabilized him for the time being, but I will be honest: it doesn't seem like it will be much longer. His body can not fight the poison anymore. Not after this seizure attack," the doctor told them
Angela cried harder if it was possible. Hodgins kept his cool for Angela, but he could not deny the few tears in his eyes from flowing. Zack stayed quiet and sat with his head in his hands. Only Brennan seemed to still pay attention to the doctor.
"I'm really sorry, but there is nothing else we can do. You can go in and see him if you want," the doctor told Brennan and only her. He looked at her for another moment and then excused himself. Brennan stared after him and found herself hating him and the rest of the hospital. She hated everyone because they could not help save Booth. She felt that they were ungrateful for the service he has done. He has kept them safe from all the wackos running loose and it comes to saving him in return they couldn't do anything?
Brennan did not know what possessed her, but she ran to catch up to him, "Hey Doctor I still have a question," Brennan ran and shouted to him.
The doctor turned around and waited for her to catch up.
"Yes, what is on your mind?" the doctor asked politely.
"This," and then Brennan could not help herself any longer and punched him. She pummeled him to the ground without letting him have a chance to defend himself. She heard a nurse calling security from a station nearby, but did not care. She didn't know how long she punched and kicked when two pairs of strong arms pulled her off of the doctor.
"Let me go! You bastard how dare you say there is nothing else you can do!? You get your other friends and help him you hear me? You save HIM! Let me go!" she shouted.
She kept struggling until she was taken outside and put inside a car.
"It's okay I can take it from here," a voice said. Brennan hadn't even paid attention to where she was being taken because she was still angry. When she finally looked at her surroundings she found herself in a car. An SUV. When she turned to look at the driver she saw who it was that had spoken a few second before.
"Cullen?" she asked.
"Yes, Cullen. You and I need to talk so sit tight while we go back to my office," he replied in a surprisingly calm voice. Brennan wanted to pummel him too, but this time resisted and kept her cool while they made their way to FBI headquarters.