Chapter Ten:
"Hodgins, anything at all?" Angela hovered impatiently. Hodgins choked back his words, too busy on the lookout for any woman.
"Hodgins!" Angela yelled so loud, even Sweets had heard it.
"Ange…we're looking. Please, I'll call you as soon as we have any news. Okay? I love you…but we have to focus here, and I'm driving."
Angela sighed. "Fine. Take care, and find Bren. I love…"
There was a shattering of glass. They docked, as Hodgins put the car into an abrupt halt, and tried to avoid the flying glass debris. Booth cursed.
"Honey, what was that?"—Angela asked worriedly.
Hodgins looked at the damage, then to Booth. Someone's face will be hit. "Uhm…someone hit the car with a rock, Ange…"
"Those dudes will pay!" He opened the door, and jumped off his seat. Sweets tagged along, just in case Booth needed someone to remind him not to kill whoever it was.
Hodgins stayed inside.
"Oh my, Hodgins...it could be Bren! Go, go…check it out!" Angela hurried over the phone.
Hodgins agreed without a second doubt. Brennan had effective ways of thinking. She might have seen the car, and recognized it as Booth's…and when they didn't stop, she hit the car…
"Booth!" Hodgins called out. "Booth, it has to be Dr. Brennan!"
Booth was far enough from Hodgins, he couldn't hear him anymore. He was raging with fury…but as he was close to the only person near them, he felt his heartbeat accelerate. Sweets could have sworn he felt the same.
"Agent Booth…" He gaped. "That could be…"
Booth was already running before Sweets could finish his sentence.
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Violet shook in the floor. Last thing she could remember was Brennan struggling as she strangled her with her very own hands. And then…the memory stopped there.
"Hmmh." She growled. The burning skin she smelt was her own. That's when the other details came to pieces. Clay hit her with a stun gun!
She got up, and looked around. Brennan was gone.
Violet oozed with anger and fury…her plan was completely messed up! "Should've killed her when I got the chance, damn it!" She cursed.
She strolled the house, and Clay was gone. "Great!"
"I'm sorry Temperance. You pushed it a little too hard this time."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Booth ran closer, and the image came more and more familiar.
"Bones!" He felt himself shout to the world.
There she lay, lifeless in figure. Her arms sprawled on the sand…her wrists and ankles proved that she indeed struggled. Her hair was longer, but badly groomed, and frizzy. She was pale…almost white. She was barely breathing…
"Bones...!"
Booth knelt beside her, and elevated her shoulders with his hands. "Bones!" He shook her lightly. Nothing happened. He listened to her chest, at least she was breathing…critically slow. Sweets hurried to Hodgins.
"Bones…please…please…" He begged. Booth couldn't help it. He leaned over, and kissed her forehead. He would have wanted to go lower; to her lips; but he could do it when she's better. Booth hoped she would wake up like in fairytales…
Nothing happened.
The loud siren of the ambulance came louder and louder. Booth grew frustrated. Why wasn't she waking up?
"BONES!" He shouted the clear blue sky. "Come back!"
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Brennan never felt so eased. Finally the car stopped. But weakness won her over. She laid still on the sand. If a person were to see her from afar, they'd think she was dead.
Somewhere along the back of her mind…she could hear Booth.
She smiled from inside…at last.
But one, very loud shout brought her back to her senses. Her body jerked at the sound of Booth's voice. Like a roaring lion, it was.
"Bones?" He whimpered. "Bones…wake up."
Suddenly, several pairs of hands assisted her to a stretcher. She was being lifted. Booth stood up. She was too tired to open her eyes. What's the point? They found her. There was nothing to be worried about.
"Bones…please, open your eyes."
"Really, Booth?" She replied with her mind. "I'm alive."
"Bones…" Among the many hands that worked on her, she felt his hand. It was warm, and comforting…very Booth-like.
"Booth…" She mouthed his name. Very little voice managed to come out, but…it shall be taken care of later. Slowly…she flickered her eyes open, and adjusted to the light. She hadn't seen natural light since that day…and it felt so unfamiliar to her now.
"Insert fluids. She's dehydrated." One man said. She felt a prick on her arm, and jerked up at the pinch. Booth held her hand immediately, and she squeezed back in recognition.
Her eyes were open now. And Brennan was fully aware of her environment, finally. They were on a truck…with paramedics and doctors.
"Booth…" She asked for him.
"Bones!" He came to picture. He was grinning…from ear to ear. He looked…beautiful. "Hey Bones…" He repeated, and his hand came in contact with her cheek, being careful not to poke on the bruises. His eyes were glassy…and teary. She had never seen him that emotional before.
"Took you so long to come back, Bones…" He mumbled, and fought against the tears. "I'm gonna take care of you. You're safe. I'm here, Bones…"
Brennan used up the tiniest bit of energy she had left in a smile.
"I missed you Booth…"
And she went blank again. But this time, Booth let her be.
You're back, baby.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The doctors said Brennan was going to be just fine. She just needed lots and lots of rest, and nutrients to restore her strength. The tests suggested that she had not been eating since the night she called Angela. And that was…almost three days now. And within that, she hadn't drunk water, so she was dehydrated to the extreme.
Now she was just sleeping. Though not peacefully. Times like that, he'd wanted to remind her that she was safe now…and nothing she could do to get rid of him. Hours…and hours…she just lay still on the hospital bed. Several fluids were connected to her IV line, but other than the ghostly pale look, she was alright physically. In fact, she had never looked so beautiful to Booth.
They wouldn't know her emotional being until she wakes up.
Two years and eight months of isolation, plus certain harsh ways and suffering, they at least expected for the worst attribute of the abduction to Brennan's way of living.
Angela was already soaked in tears of joy when she saw her best friend being carried down from the ambulance. She never thought of this to happen. Brennan was so alive. Rest assured that Booth was not going to leave her side; she and Hodgins went back to the Jeffersonian and delivered the joyous news.
The squints were very happy, that they've already decided that they will make February sixteen the 'Temperance Brennan' day. Cam thought is sounded more like remembering Brennan's death, but sure it wasn't what the employees meant. And Cam joined hands with the event.
Two more hours…and Booth himself fell into a deep slumber while watching over his Bones. Julia returned his call eventually. It turned out she'd been working all day in Limbo and left her phone in her office; which was so unlikely of her.
The bigger picture was…of course, Brennan's alive.
"Hmmh…" she croaked. At least now, her voice was back. Her doctors gave her treatment for the pressure from the strangling. Booth felt her movement, and was wide awake the next minute. Her eyes were opened, and she studied her environment cautiously. "Where am…"
"Hey Bones, you're in the hospital." Booth said to her, as he reached his hand out to hers, squeezing it gently. Those little gestures made Brennan feel secured.
She looked to her side, and a glimmer of joy adorned her crystal clear green eyes. "Booth...?" She asked, more like to herself than to Booth. His heart broke…
Brennan had been abducted for so long now…that she didn't seem to believe this part of the story.
"It's me, Bones. It's okay, you're safe now." Booth reassured her, and settled himself on her bed, sitting right beside her shoulder. "I'm here Bones."
Silently, she sobbed. He felt the weight of her head on his lap, and scratched the itch that urged him to stroke his finger through her hair. "Ssshh, I'll never leave you."
"Booth…" she sobbed harder.
Booth felt his jaw clench in fury. Whoever did this to his Bones better watch his back. With badge or without…he has to pay.
"It's alright Bones, no one will ever hurt you again. I'll make sure of that." Booth let her be, and waited until she was composed enough to speak.
She nodded slightly, and when she was at ease again, she sat up carefully with Booth's help.
"We'll talk when you're ready." Booth said.
Brennan nodded. She didn't say anything besides his name. And deep inside, she loved doing that. Only made her feel alive and safe again. With her knight in shining FBI standards man.
"You have no idea how happy you made me, and I promise you that you'll never be touched by those morons that took you from me, because..."
Brennan's heart swelled as he trailed off. She missed her chance with Booth long time ago, and she would never do that mistake again. Booth trailed his finger along her delicate skin on her face, his eyes locked on hers forever.
"Because I…"
"Seeley!" A loud, piercing voice filled their ears, and broke the bond between Booth and Brennan. They turned to the door…Julia Bernard. "Oh my, Seeley. Thank God you're alright."
Booth smiled at the sight of his fiancé, and leaned over for a kiss as soon as Julia was close enough. "I'm happy you're alright, Jul."
For a moment, Brennan felt like she didn't belong. All her plans were put to nothing, because she forgot to include the part that Booth...was indeed engaged. Brief seconds passed, when Julia's attention drew to Brennan.
"Dr. Brennan, hello." She greeted sternly. If Angela were there, she'd know Julia was being sarcastic.
"Hello." Brennan replied in her cold, stoic tone. Not a smile, she showed to Julia. She felt it being rude, but…sure Booth wouldn't notice that. She had him wrapped around her little manicured fingers.
"Hmmh, must've felt great you're alive. And of course, with my fiancé's help."
Fiancé. Brennan knew she could use a little time to get used to that.
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Thank you for the reviews and story alerts! :) They truly lit up my mood. I hope you're still with me. And yes, we hate Julia. lol :)