It's hard to believe, but yeah we're still alive and haven't forgotten about this fic. I'm elbow deep in assignments that are awaiting completion and I'm working 40 hours a week:/ October was a killer month for me; had five back to back exams and this month isn't any better. This is why none of my stories have been updated in the past months, but the semester is almost done!
Okay, so in the previous chapter Booth finds Brennan seated on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and she reveals she's remembered everything (I strongly suggest you re-read the previous chapter just because it's got some B&B lovin'XD Intially everything that lead to their accident and Brennan losing her memory was going to be in this chapter, but because of time constraints (free time is nonexistent for me) we decided to do a two parter. This is part one and part two should be up (fingers crossed) by Thanksgiving week.
Disclaimer: Bones belongs to Fox.
Angela gasped, instantly placing a hand over her rounded belly.
"Sweetie, feel it." Angela gushed, informing her friend that the baby had just kicked. In response Angela felt her friend grab her shoulders and pull her back. The sound of screeching tires was immediately followed by a honk and a nasty 'watch it, lady!'. Angela blinked, realizing she'd been too caught up in her excitement to pay attention to the road. "T-t-thanks, Sweetie, you saved my life." Angela took in a deep breath, trying to scratch out the horrible scenarios running through her mind. Had it not been for Brennan's quick reflex...Angela didn't even want to think about it.
Once they were inside the diner with their orders placed, Angela silently chastised herself for her carelessness. She'd invited Brennan out for lunch, well pretty much dragged her out to lunch, because she knew something was the matter with her friend. The anthropologist had been real quiet, more than usual, over the course of the current week. At first Angela thought her friend's isolation had to do with the high demand their latest case was putting on all of them, but now Angela sensed it was something entirely different.
Their meal was uneventful, neither touching much of their food and Angela felt the failure of not being able to crack the shell Brennan was currently hiding in.
B&B
When one lone tear rolled down Brennan's cheek Booth found himself following its path.
"Hey, Bones, I know you're not drunk enough to be crying." He tried to joke. They'd just gotten to Founding Fathers and they were both on their first celebratory beer.
Brennan took a long swing from the bottle. She sighed as she toyed with the label. Booth's worry grew. She seemed tuned out of reality, far far away with her thoughts.
"Bones?" He gave her arm a light poke. Her blue eyes, shinning with unshed tears, bored into his. "Hey, what's the matter?" Brennan's fingers uncurled from around the bottle. Her hand traveled up his jacket-clad left arm, squeezing as she went until she reached his shoulder. The way she clutched at his jacket felt as if she was trying to hold on to something, to hold on to him.
"These years...a lot has happened..." She blew out a whoosh of air, telling him how much their partnership meant to her.
"Bones, why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?" Her words were scaring him. Was she leaving?...where?
Brennan stared at him, knowing regrets were ugly and allowed instinct to take over.
Her lips on his were a surprise, an unexpected but welcomed surprise. She led the kiss, hot and desperate, loving and everything in between. Booth's tongue followed hers. He didn't want the kiss to end; it was so emotionally filled on both ends. When they broke their kiss, breathing heavy, she was practically sitting on his lap. It took her eyes a few seconds to focus and when they did she pulled back.
"Bones..." She was up and moving through the crowd towards the door before her nickname left his lips. His gut told him he couldn't let her walk away now. Not after that incredibly amazing kiss. He slapped a few bills next to his drink and took chase after her.
By the time he made his way past the crowd of people and reached the sidewalk, she was nowhere in sight. He figured she couldn't be too far off even if she'd gotten into a cab. He fished his keys from his pocket and sprinted to his parked SUV at the end of the block.
The drive to her place felt eternal and annoying since every single traffic light he encountered conspired against him by being on red.
He pounded on her door, feeling a rush of adrenaline curse through him. He felt like this was it. This was the moment when they either caught fire or parted their separate ways...
"Bones!" He growled when there was no response to his calling. He doubted she was home, but he just couldn't give up.
"Sir." Booth saw the building's doorman by his side. Apparently the neighbors complained about his ruckus.
Next, he went to the Jeffersonian. Siren on.
Her office was dark and locked, so he didn't break stride and headed directly to bone storage. She wasn't there and his worry became fear.
The whole situation was bizarre. He'd noted a shift in her over the past week and he couldn't put a finger on what it was. Her change correlated with the beginning of the case they'd just closed; but knowing her he had the feeling her internal struggle, whatever it was, wasn't professional.
And if that conclusion wasn't enough for him to pinpoint the source, the kiss she initiated at Founding Fathers announced loud and clear it was definitely PERSONAL.
Over half an hour later he finally found her seated on the bottom step of the Lincoln Memorial.
"There you are." He whispered to himself, taking a few long strides to reach her side.
"You can't just kiss me and then expect me to let you run away." His voice cut through her thoughts. Of course she knew he'd find her. "Bones, talk to me."
When Brennan finally looked at him he recognized the fear in her eyes. The only times he's seen that look he's been close to death.
"Hey, what is it?" He questioned. "You can trust me." His plea made her open up.
The fact that she gave him the layman's version only served to show how distressed she was. She told him about a routine checkup and how her test results came back 'inconclusive'. In a previous time he might have asked her to 'dumb it down' another notch, but he knew what she was getting at.
"No." He spoke firmly, trying to reassure them both. "You can't be sick." He shook his head adamantly, refusing to believe that she was seriously ill. "You're the healthiest person I know." It was true. "You eat all that green stuff and exercise…" He trailed off, linking an arm with hers as he dropped next to her on the step. "Why don't you just have them redo the test? You'll see…" She cut him off.
"Because I'm scared." With her confession she rested her head on his shoulder, crying softly. Automatically, he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to his side. His mind was racing with unanswered questions and the possibility of losing her.
They sat in silence until the chilly night breeze became unbearable.
"Come on." Booth stood, bringing her up with him. "I'll drive you home."
"No." Brennan wiped her eyes, shaking her head. Booth nodded, taking her hand and leading the way.
B&B
As Brennan showered after an assurance from Booth that it was what she needed to settle down and sleep, he scrambled to change the sheets. He was really backed up on laundry so he dropped the dirty sheets next to the already overflowing hamper. The door connecting the bathroom and bedroom slid open and Brennan joined him.
"Hey." He gave her a sheepish grin, blocking his mountain of dirty clothes from her view. She nodded in his direction and flopped on the bed. Booth felt a knot form in his throat when he heard her sigh. "Aww, Bones." He whispered, sitting next to her on the bed. "We're gonna figure this out." He promised. It was his turn to be her rock. "Everything's gonna be alright." He soothed.
"Yeah?" Brennan asked even as she initiated an embrace. The force of the moment drained some of his optimism. He fell back on the bed, holding her. There wasn't much else they could say, so they held each other in silence.
He'd been an idiot. It wasn't that he was just realizing she was the WOMAN who was going to love him for the next thirty or forty or fifty years. No, her actions of the past months and over the years spoke for themselves. Perhaps his biggest mistake was thinking they had time. Time...he of all people should know how fast it passed by.
With her head resting on his chest and listening to his heartbeat she fell asleep. Probably for the first time in days, he thought. Careful not to wake her he slipped from the bed, placing her in a more comfortable position and draping a blanket over her. He rejoined her, throwing an arm over her hip to keep her close. He landed a soft kiss on her scalp, silently promising that he wasn't about to let her go.
The next morning she awoke to a soft tap on her shoulder. Booth motioned for her to get up.
He drove in silence and she didn't have to ask where they were headed.
The clinic was deserted when they arrived. They went directly to the front desk to sign in.
"What time is your appointment?" The heavily make-upped receptionist asked distractedly.
"We don't have an appointment." Booth answered.
"Okay. Name, please?"
"Temperance Brennan." Brennan stated. The woman's head snapped up so fast she almost fell from her chair. Booth didn't miss the woman's astonishment. Booth noticed the surprise on the woman's face wasn't because Brennan was wearing an oversized sweatshirt and track pants.
"Dr. Garber is with a patient at the moment." The receptionist eagerly told them to have a seat, hurrying off to notify the doctor of Brennan's presence.
They spent a good fifteen minutes waiting before a short man with graying hair ushered them to his office.
The doctor had tried to get a hold of Brennan numerous times after she walked out of his office a week before. The man seated by her side had to be the reason as to why she stopped her avoidance and came to see him. Taking advantage of her sudden change in willingness, the doctor got down to business.
B&B
"Come on, Bones. You have to eat." Despite her insistence on not being hungry Booth served her a bowl of tomato soup and a grill cheese sandwich. He resorted to serving something quick to eat in hopes of convincing her.
"I'm not a child, Booth." She glared at him to make her point. He waved the spoon in front of her, nudging her arm playfully.
"Come on. You know you wanna." He turned up the wattage on his smile. Brennan gave her head a small shake, obviously amused, and took the spoon from him.
When she was done eating he suggested they take a walk.
"What about your laundry?" Brennan wondered how long he was going to put that off.
Booth made a face. "It's a lot of clothes."
"I'll help." Booth accepted because he needed the help and it would help her take her mind off things.
She teased him endlessly and they bickered the almost two hours they spent at the Laundromat. He was entranced by her laughter and that little snort that escaped her when she laughed real hard.
When they were finally done putting away the clean clothes they were both exhausted. He didn't even ask her if she was planning to spend the night. He simply handed her some clothes to change into and snuggled with her under the covers.
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