A/N: The number of followers and likes and reviews are greatly appreciated and very stressful as I'm terrified of disappointing you with each new chapter. This one is a little longer than the rest, but I liked the flow and didn't want to break it up.

I hope you continue to enjoy.

The way was treacherous. There was no path and the rescue party was forced to make their own, tripping over fallen branches and slipping on wet leaves. There was no talking amongst the group; all of their concentration went toward finding a secure place to put one foot in front of the other.

Hodgins led the way, somehow determining the correct path. Brennan wanted to lead, to be the one to find Booth, but she logically knew she couldn't be in charge of that and the gun. The only other member of the group with any weapons training was Cam and it had been some time since she'd been on the shooting range. For the moment, it was up to Brennan to save their lives if it came to that.

"We need to stop," Hodgins said, pulling a waterproof map from his pocket. That was followed by what looked like a compass. He and Angela studied the map as Brennan watched Cam study the darkness around them.

"Do you feel that?" Cam asked, looking around her.

"The rain?" Brennan responded literally. "It's all I've noticed since we exited the vehicle."

But Cam shook her head. "I hate nature."

Brennan tilted her head. "Is that what you feel?" she asked, having difficulty following the conversation.

Ahead of them, Hodgins and Angela had apparently come to some sort of consensus as he refolded the map and put it back in his pocket. "We've got about a mile to go," he called back to them.

Cam looked at him, her dark eyes concerned. "We need to get going."

"I'm sure Booth is as fine as he can be," Angela said reassuringly. "He has all that training, after all."

Brennan nodded, but the concern was still in her eyes. "He's cold and wet. No dry wood to start a fire, not that he'd dare. Under any other circumstances, I would agree…" her voice trailing off, she shrugged.

"Are you okay, Cam?" Angela asked, noticing how quiet she'd become.

Looking behind her before answering, Cam finally responded. "I have a horrible feeling that Booth isn't who we should be worried about right now."

BbBbBb

He saw the lights first. Four pinpoints of brightness in the unrelenting darkness. He wanted to shout to them, but his constant shivering and an overwhelming sense of caution kept him quiet.

So he waited, and watched as they slipped and climbed their way to him.

Angela spotted him first, her flashlight moving past him then back, as his white skin reflected in the light. Her joyous cry had all four lights focused on him and he closed his eyes to protect them.

"Put your lights down," he said, holding his hands up now. "I can't see a thing."

All four lights immediately dropped to his feet and Booth cautiously opened his eyes again.

"Booth," Brennan said and despite the crowd and her own reticence, she moved forward and hugged him.

"Hey, Bones," he said. "I'm okay." And despite the interested glances he could see over her shoulder, he pulled her a little tighter. He could convince himself it was because he was so cold, but knew it was more than that.

She was solid and whole and real. Booth had feared she was lying when she'd said she was okay. Bones didn't typically lied, but he had a feeling she would if her goal was to protect him.

"You're warm," he said with a little laugh, relishing the feel of her in his arms. Even through her damp coat, Booth could feel the heat radiating from her.

The rain had slowed almost to the point of stopping and Booth ducked his head a little closer to Bones' neck, relieved to no longer have the cold water pelting him on the head. "Are you okay, Bones?" he asked softly.

She nodded and pulled back so he could see her face as she said the words. "I'm fine. Woke up not long after you disappeared. Just a little headache now. That's all."

He finally let go and met the eyes staring at the two of them. Angela's face was smug and knowing. What she thought, Booth didn't want to imagine. "Thanks for coming. Even though you shouldn't have."

"We have warm clothes for you," Brennan said, motioning to Hodgins. Concerned, she had taken her gloves off to run her hands over his bare skin. "Your body temperature is low and we need to get it closer to normal."

Under any other circumstances that skin against his would have been enough to raise his temperature, but at that moment, he could barely feel it. "Warm clothes would be great," he chattered, reaching toward Hodgins to grab the offered sweatshirt.

Quick movements had his wet t-shirt off and Booth hissed a sigh as the warm, dry cloth touched his skin. Brennan teased him for his Puritan modesty when he refused to pull the wet shorts off, choosing instead to pull the sweats on over the top.

"We brought you dry shoes, too," Hodgins said, handing over a pair of hiking boots. "And socks as well."

"You knew my size?" Booth asked, surprised.

But Brennan rolled her eyes. "Of course, I did," she said, offended that he'd thought anything less.

Booth was deciding whether to leave his wet stuff where he'd thrown in on the ground when a popping noise in the distance drew his attention. Despite his tired brain, he recognized what it was.

"Down!" he yelled, grabbing Bones and pulling her down with him.

The other four dropped at his yell, listening without recognizing the command. The tone of his voice was enough.

Only to realize exactly why he was yelling when the bullet hit a tree to their left with a thunk.

Looking around, Booth could see from the flashlights that his friends were okay. Unfortunately, that meant whatever else was out there could see them as well.

"Turn off the lights," he hissed and they were plunged into darkness.

"Here," Bones said next to him, pushing something into his hand.

He recognized it immediately and was glad she couldn't see the annoyed look on his face. "You brought a gun?"

"Of course, I brought a gun," she snapped. "Armed men kidnapped you. You need a weapon."

"Where did you get this from? This isn't my gun, is it?" Booth had no idea how she'd figured out the combination to his gun safe, but if she wanted to, he had no doubt she would.

"It's my gun. I told you I had one." It wasn't her fault he'd been distracted at the time she'd mentioned it.

"Fine," he grunted, knowing arguing was useless. "Is it loaded?"

She huffed an annoyed sigh. "Yes, and the safety's on."

Booth ran his hands over it, getting a feel for the weapon. He was already pissed that his clean, dry clothes were getting wet again.

The only sound was water dripping from the trees. After minutes of silence from their pursuers, Booth knew he was going to have to do something, before they were surrounded. "Hey, Rocky?" he called out. "You still coming after me?"

"Who's Rocky?" Cam demanded from the hiding spot she'd taken behind a tree. "We didn't find a Rocky."

"He's the leader, I think," Booth said.

"His name is probably Kevin," Brennan corrected.

"Oh yeah?" Booth asked, clearly interested. "Or is your name actually Kevin?" Booth raised his voice to taunt.

The swearing was clear from where the five of them hid behind the trees and Hodgins couldn't hold back a snort of laughter. "Who exactly are these guys?" he whispered.

"Not the most impressive gang you'll ever meet," Booth replied. "But they are better armed." Considering his options, Booth clicked the safety off the gun and aimed toward the voices. After a moment, he fired.

"There's five of us and four of you," Booth called, after the echo had died away. "I'd say things have changed. You're outnumbered, Kevin."

Brennan tilted her head toward him. "They have more weapons," she pointed out.

She felt him shrug. "They don't know that. Maybe we can persuade them to take off so we can get out of here."

More arguing came from above them and Booth used the noise to aim a second shot.

This time, the shot was followed by return fire. "We'll just wait 'til morning," Kevin yelled. "Then we'll pick you off like fish in a barrel."

"Was I really worth that much money, Kevin?" Booth asked. Next to him, Brennan whispered the answer to that question based on Kevin's bank account information. Booth gave a low whistle.

The next shot came from just a little closer and with hushed whispers, Booth forced his crew backwards.

Hodgins, crawling on his belly, appeared on Booth's left. "Angela and I looked at the map when we stopped about a mile back. We can get over the next hill, but it's going to force us toward Kevin's cabin."

"Probably their plan," Booth surmised, running options through his head. "If they force us to the cabin, their part of the bargain is met and they can take off."

"May we should do it," Brennan suggested.

"Why?" Angela hissed. "What purpose would it serve? Someone is waiting there to kill Booth."

"Exactly," Cam said, considering Brennan's idea. "A person. One. Probably. He would have expected the other four guys to be reinforcements. We beat them to the cabin, we have an advantage."

"It's going to be damn hard to hike in the dark," Booth pointed out. "We won't be able to turn on the lights. We'll be able to see our feet in front of us, not much more."

Hodgins shifted in what Booth thought was embarrassment. "Well, see, that's the thing," he stuttered. "When we stopped at that store, I picked up a few extra things."

"This isn't the time to worry about what I think," Booth snapped. "What did you pick up?" There was a small part of him that hoped Hodgins would pull hand grenades out of his pack.

Reaching into the bag, Hodgins pulled out two sets of goggles. "Night vision," he said, handing one set over to Booth. "This was all the store had in stock."

Having also crawled over, Angela smacked Hodgins on the arm. "We hiked up here with flashlights and you had those the whole time?"

"The flashlights worked fine until we got shot at," Hodgins grumbled.

Tuning out the argument, Booth pulled a set on and realized they weren't the best thing ever made, more like a toy for kids. However, considering their situation, he couldn't afford to be picky. "They'll do," he said, pushing the second set back toward Hodgins.

"Can't you just shoot them?" Brennan asked. "Now that you can see them?"

"I can't see them well," Booth explained shortly. "And they've taken cover, just like we have. Unless you want to stay here all night, we're hiking."

Sketching out a quick plan, Booth sent the rest of his team on the path Hodgins had suggested. Toward the cabin. Every thing he'd done that day felt like a choice between two evils. Pick the one that was less likely to get him, or anyone else, killed. The rain had picked up slightly again, and Booth used the noise as cover for their movement.

Despite his angry protests, Bones remained at his side, refusing to move until he did.

When they could no longer see the others, Booth looked to her. "Ready?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied.

Taking one shot back up the hill, the two of them followed the rest of the team, quickly disappearing over the next hill. The goggles provided just enough vision to allow them to avoid fallen trees and stay on the path Hodgins led. They stayed single file, looking like a bedraggled set of kindergarten students on the way to class. Despite his and their exhaustion, Booth pushed them to the limit of the terrain and their endurance, trying to stay one step ahead of the crew behind them.

Light was beginning to streak over the hills when a cabin appeared on the horizon. There was open land between the trees and the house, leaving no way for them to approach without exposing themselves.

"What do you think?" Hodgins asked. Angela leaned heavily against him, but exhaustion had forced any of them to quit complaining some time ago.

Booth tucked the gun into the waistband of his pants, pulling his shirt over it. The goggles were tossed on the ground at his feet. "I think we're going to walk in the front door."

"Are you kidding?" Brennan asked. "Is your gut telling you it's safe?"

Choosing to ignore the second comment, Booth explained his reasoning. "No. I'm tired and cold and hungry. And I'm not eating your protein bar," he added when he saw Brennan open her mouth. "Our guy is going to expect four men with me at gunpoint to walk in that door. Not me with four people from the lab and no guns. At least not one he can see."

To tired to argue, Cam just agreed. "Then let's get on with it. But if I get shot walking across this lawn, I'm going to be unhappy, Seeley."

Taking a deep breath, Booth stepped out of the trees, in clear view of the house. When he made it to the steps without being shot, the rest of them quickly followed. Climbing toward the entrance, he pulled the gun and motioned the rest of them against the wall as he carefully opened the door.

Still, nothing happened and Booth crept into the house, gun leading the way.

On a couch facing the door was a lone figure, a glass of alcohol in hand, despite the early hour.

The group behind him were peering around the door when he started muttering. "You have got to be kidding me."