Don't own them!!
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Two months, 13 days earlier.
He'd been falling farther and farther away from them since he was transferred to the rehab facility. Jack and Angela had been in for the last four days, and were at their wits end. He'd yelled at Angela so bad the day before, screaming really, that as soon as she was in the hallway the tears came. Brennan had been gone for four days, and no one knew what had happened between them before she left. They only knew that it had been enough to make her go. Jack had been in earlier in the morning, and they had fought about the way Booth had treated Angela.
"Why can't you see that we come here because we miss you, we care about you Booth. Instead you are nothing but cruel to us. Angie left here yesterday balling her eyes out at what you said to her. You have no right to do that to us. None." he said angrily to Booth.
Booth stayed quiet for a minute trying to find a way to argue, but hodgins could see that he had nothing.
"Dr. B. might not say anything to you when you treat her like this, but I'm putting my foot down. I don't want to fight with you, and neither does Angela. Think about that man, would you rather be here alone? I know I wouldn't. Think about what your losing Booth. You haven't seen your son in over a week, Brennan's gone, Angela is hurt..." Jack tried.
"Where is Bones?" Booth asked him, realizing that maybe she wasn't just avoiding him.
"She went to mexico. I thought you knew." Jack said unaware.
"When did she leave?" He asked eyes closed.
"Two days ago. She's been avoiding going away because she didn't want to leave you... whatever you said to her finally worked Booth." Jack answered.
"Good. She can't live her life sitting here with me all the time Hodgins. It's not good for her..." Booth tried, his eyes still closed.
"Did you ever think that you are her life Booth. Until she met you it was all work, all the time. She's different now. I can't believe you don't see it." Jack said.
"We are, were just partners Jack. That's all there was. Nothing more." Booth said finally opening his eyes.
"It's funny that you both say that, when we see it differently. I see the way you look at her, your unending need to protect her, the little things you do for her. It doesn't matter what you say, you love her. And that's okay Booth. It's okay to love her, but did you ever tell her?" He asked.
If he could shift uncomfortably he would have, instead he just sighed. "Hodgins. you may think you know, but you don't. Drop it." He snarled.
Both of them turned at the knock on the door, to see her father standing there. "Is this a bad time?" he asked.
"Hey Max, I was just leaving. It's fine." Jack said standing to leave.
"Booth, do you mind another visitor." Max asked.
"Come on, it's like a parade in here all day long. What's one more." Booth said blankly.
"I don't know why she left Seeley." Max said after Hodgins was gone.
Booth stayed quiet. He didn't want to be having this conversation with her father.
"Are you alright?" Max asked.
"As alright as I can be I guess. I'm tired. Tired of not being able to do anything Max. I'm tired of fighting." Booth finally spoke.
"But you're a fighter. It's what we do. We don't let things stop us, we find ways to push past it and keep our heads up." Max offered.
"Didn't you ever get tired of it though. Didn't you ever just want to give up the fight, stop running, stop hiding?" Booth asked him.
"I did, but I had to think about what would happen if I did. My kids were at stake Booth, their safety, their lives. My choices didn't just affect me, they affected everything I ever cared about. Sure I was tired of running, not seeing them, but the alternative was worse, and not just for me. It would have killed Russ if something happened to me, but it would have been worse if something happened to Tempe. I did what I did to keep them safe, no matter what the cost to me Seeley." Max said.
"Do you know how long she's gone for?" He asked the older man.
"I don't Seeley. I'm sorry. I know she'll be back though. She's strong, and resilient, but her heart won't let her stay gone for too long." Max said. "She cares about you so much. I couldn't picture her giving up on you that easily."
"I told her to go Max. I said things, that I wish I could take back. And for the first time she listened to me. In all this time, all these years I've waited for her to hear me, and she picked that day." Booth said. "I need her here Max. I don't let on that I do, but I need her. I love her."
Max sat quietly, already aware of the younger mans feelings for his daughter, and he nodded. "I know Seeley. I know." He said, placing his hand on Booth's shoulder.
"I can't do this without her Max. As much as it kills me to see her here everyday, watching me suffer, I do need her. I knew I was pushing her away, I didn't want her to see me like this, I'm not this person. How can I take care of her, protect her when I can't do anything." Booth said nearly sobbing.
"Did you ever think that maybe this is her time to take care of you, protect you? She's more capable than you think Booth." Max said softly.
Max stayed for the rest of the afternoon, quietly waiting for Booth to calm down. When he finally did they were coming to take him to therapy. "Max, I'm sorry." Booth said
"For what?" Max said turning around.
"For hurting her. I just didn't know any other way." Booth said.
"Just don't do it again Booth. Fight, but not with the people you love, okay." Max said before he disappeared.
Through his therapy Booth remained quiet, wondering how he'd gotten to this moment, where the people he loved the most were missing from his life. He'd hurt Rebecca, his son, and now Bones. He didn't know if she would ever come back, or why she would want to, with what he'd said. He lie there, wishing he could take it all back, everything he'd said to all of them, start again, almost two months ago. But would he have been able to watch them, watching him again, he thought. This was by far the hardest thing he'd ever gone through, even his childhood had been easier. At least back then, he could run, or break something, or pound his fist into someone's face. Now though all he could do was lie here, or sit in his wheelchair, his only weapon of defense his mind and his mouth. He'd been using them too, and look where it got him, he thought watching his leg go up and down in the therapist's hands.
"Seeley, are you with me today?" She asked.
"Yeah. I'm just having a rough day." he said feeling like a child.
"You'll have those. But stay focused on this, or else we'll call it quits for the day." She said.
He just nodded, letting her know he wanted to keep going, but his issues were still there in the back of his mind.