I don't own Gray's Anatomy, ABC, or any affiliated entity.

-Chapter 11-

"Mr. Booth, I'm Dr. O'Malley, the resident orthopedic surgeon. I'm going to be repairing the muscles in your shoulder that were damaged by the bullet." Booth nodded a reply.

"This procedure has some risk involved with it. The muscles and tendons that were affected, along with the ones surrounding them are vital in arm movement and control." Booth nodded. He noticed the doctor seemed to be hiding something.

"Anything else?" He asked, speaking for the first time since she entered the room. Brennan was back in her room, she was supposed to talk with the resident plastic surgeon for ways to treat some of her injuries without bad scarring or any other effects.

"No. Why do you ask?" Replied the doctor.

"I'm a cop, and I'm pretty good at reading people. It seems your concealing something or something is troubling you." Before she could respond, a shaggy haired doctor stuck is head in the door.

"Callie, what did Izzie say?" He said anger in his voice.

"Not now George; later." She replied turning to look at the man behind her.

"Sir, do you mind?" He asked Booth. Booth shrugged.

"No, now Callie. I'm sick and tired of my 'friends'," He put air-quotes around the 'friends'. "Being self-righteous pricks because they don't approve of us. I'm stopping it."

"George, meet me in the cafeteria in half an hour, okay?" She said annoyance obvious by her tone.

"Fine."

Booth watched the two of them arguing. He tried to smother the grin that wanted to spread across his face; he wasn't exactly successful though. He faked reading an article in a 'Newsweek'. It worked, kind of.

"All right then. I have an OR for you from one-thirty on, so I'll see you then." She said, clearly irritated.

"Sure thing doc." Booth said, feeling like a complete goof.

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Brennan was wheeled in by a nurse a half-hour later. She rolled her chair next to his bed, resting her head on the bed, the top of her head up against his chest. He moved his arm down to stroke her hair.

"I want to make this work." Brennan said out-of-the-blue. If there had been any drink or food in his mouth at the time he would have choked on it.

"Wha… That's great. What's 'this'?" Booth said shocked, buying time for him to get over it.

"This… Us. I mean, as a relationship." Booth couldn't believe her words.

He leaned forward, which hurt horribly, and wrapped his arm around Brennan, pulling her entirely out of her chair and onto the bed next to him. He scooted over to make more room for her. With that done he pulled her as close as he physically could, ignoring the pain.

Brennan understood the meaning in Booth's actions. She smiled contently, for the first time in years, and lent back against Booth's muscular frame. He leaned forward, wincing from the pain, he leant back, instead pulling Brennan farther up the bed towards him. One she was closer, he rested his forward on her head; savoring the smell of her shampoo, which unfortunately was hidden by the smell of commercial disinfectant and cheap laundry detergent.

He kissed the top of her head lightly. She turned to face him; a relaxed, happy look on her face. He leant forward and kissed her; feeling a shiver pulse through her as he did so.

"I do to Tempe. I do to…"