Author's Note: Oh, how much I love you, my darling readers. Thanks so much for all the amazing reviews. I am incredibly excited for this chapter, which is probably my reason for getting it posted so quickly. I can't wait to hear what you think. The song is 'Against All Odds' by Phil Collins. Enjoy!


'Cause we've shared the laugher

And the pain

And even shared the tears

Before him, being here with the circumstances that loomed would have been too much. Suffocating, even. She couldn't have done it. But just like with everything else, Booth seemed to make her see that being in this place was important. Essential. So here she was. When she had first arrived, accompanied by her faithful squints and her partner's niece, she was sure she was going to bolt. The smell of coffee, grease and apple pie had enveloped her immediately, and with it came the memories.

Her and Booth singing - laughing at the strange, but somehow comforting situation that seemed to arise by their shared knowledge of Poco. Him assuring her that she wasn't a bad anything as she struggled with her father's place in her life. Just outside the doors, when his eyes had begged her to believe that she did have a family. That she did belong.

This diner was their place. In the first year of their partnership, they had drifted from one restaurant to another, though they tended to end up at Sid's. The Royal Diner, however, had seemed to stick from the first time they'd entered it. Although, they still occasionally enjoyed their Asian takeout.

Emotional memories such as these, whether concerning her partner or not, came at Brennan from all directions. They came at her with an immeasurable amount of force, encompassing her with feelings, possibilities and pain and no possible escape route. This is the way it had always been, that is, until now. The rough and frightening feeling of being trapped wasn't present this time. In fact, the feeling she held was quite the opposite. His hand reassuringly placed on her shoulder, his mediocre singing ability, his finger curled under her chin, his smile, his soothing words - they didn't make her want to run. They made her feel warm and fuzzy. Words she had never expected to describe herself with. Sitting at their usual table, with another one pulled alongside it, Brennan felt content. And somehow she knew that this place would never make her feel any different.

A happy sigh escaped her lips, attracting her friend's attention. "Brennan?"

Brennan redirected her gaze from the window to across the table at a concerned looking Angela.

"You okay?" She asked.

"You know what, Ange?" Brennan began, smiling. "I really am."

Angela looked at her curiously for a moment, before directing an angry look at a bickering Zack and Hodgins on her right. "I cannot believe you two are arguing about this! Why does it matter whether you put ketchup or mustard on first? The hot dog will taste just the same!"

"Oh, I beg to differ." Hodgins narrowed eyes never left Zack as he addressed his girlfriend.

Angela threw her hands up in the air and growled with frustration. She pointed her finger at Brennan. "You will never, ever, ever, leave me alone with the boys, ever again!"

Brennan laughed, marvelling at just how much she had missed her friends while she had been gone. Just as she was about to comment, Shelby plopped down on the seat next to her, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Pointing to the plate she brought with her she said, "You didn't tell me they had pie!" Her smile was wide and her voice full of enthusiasm. "And to think, I was going to get a cookie for dessert." Her voice conveyed what a travesty it would have been had she opted for the cookie.

Hodgins, having momentarily forgotten his argument with Zack, smiled warmly at the girl. "Looks like she more like our favourite G-man than you let on, Brennan."

"I'd say so," Angela chimed in. "There is three different kinds on that plate."

Shelby looked over at Brennan uncertainly, shrugging her shoulders. "I couldn't decide, there was so many!"

Brennan laughed, "Yes. They do share their love for pie. But, Shelby's true love is science." She turned towards her team, smiling excitedly. "I thought we could help her with that."

"Definitely. As long as you're okay with a little bugs and slime, then we could be the best of friends." Hodgins quipped. "But first, I need you're genius mind to help us solve a problem."

Shelby blushed, but nodded. Brennan had an idea as to what was coming.

"Okay, so you have a hot dog. What do you put on first? The mustard or the ketchup?"

Angela groaned.

"Mustard." Shelby answered without hesitation. "Has a stronger taste. Covering the mustard with the ketchup simultaneously lowers the strength of the mustard and allows for the taste of the ketchup to not be overpowered." She took another bite of her pie giving off the impression that there was nothing odd about the question she had just answered.

"I agree." Zack stated, triumphantly smacking his palm down on the table before him.

"Whoa, man. You don't just get to win because she agreed with you. That's not how it works." Hodgins pointing sternly at Zack, before whipping his head back in Shelby's direction. "Are you really only twelve?" After receiving affirmation, he turned to Brennan. "Dude."

"She's a squint!" Angela squealed, leaning forward. "Booth is gonna freak!"

"I know." Brennan smiled, her warm and fuzzy feeling still present. She looked over to a pleased looking Shelby and she felt a rush of affection for the girl. Reaching over, she used her thumb to brush away a few crumbs that the pie had left on Shelby's cheek and before retreating, she gently tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear.

Brennan's gesture and the fact that Shelby didn't seem to think it was anything out of the ordinary, was most definitely not lost on Angela.

"So," Shelby said with a broader confidence, her Booth smile fully intact. "When can we blow something up?"

I wish I could just make you turn around

Turn around and see me cry

There's so much I need to say to you

So many reasons why

You're the only one who really knew me at all

She had told them that she didn't feel like getting her clothes burnt off of her with the chemicals they were using, and that she'd pass the next experiment. Truthfully, however, Angela had just wanted an excuse to step away - her hands itching for her sketchbook. The couch in her office, which served as the perfect vantage point, was where she had been sitting for the last half hour, recreating the scene before her. She looked up to find that Brennan was no longer on the platform, leaving Hodgins and Zack enthusiastically teaching Shelby, who donned her very own Jeffersonian lab coat. It was no matter though. Angela had captured Brennan first.

Something was different about her friend. She had noticed it the moment she saw her getting off the plane. Though she couldn't quite pinpoint what exactly had changed to trigger these uncharacteristic bursts of laughter or the ease in which she spoke about her feelings, Angela knew it was something significant. This drawing, she decided, would be the first thing she would show to Booth when he awoke, for he would be the only other person who would truly understand the significance of these changes and the impact they would have on Brennan's life.

Just as she sat back to admire her finished drawing, the subject in question entered breezily, a large smile plastered on her face. Plopping herself beside Angela on the couch, she leaned her head back, obviously exhausted, but not yet willing to give in to it. Smiling over at her friend, Angela said, "She's having a blast isn't she?" Knowing her happiness was caused by the happiness radiating off the young girl out in the lab.

"She really is." Brennan agreed. They remained silent for a few moments, simply watching the occupants of the platform. It was nearly midnight, but no one was ready to head home just yet - their joy at being back together was not yet ready to be broken by having to part for the night. "Where's Cam?"

"New York." Angela answered. "She told me to pass on that, although she is glad to be missing the gazillions of broken protocols and unauthorized experiments that would surely be occurring with this week, she was sorry that she was going to miss seeing you."

Angela watched her friend smile softly, and marvelled at the love-hate relationship that seemed to exist between her friend and their boss. Cam truly was upset about not getting to see Brennan, and now it seemed as if Brennan felt the same way.

"Well," Brennan sighed again, "You can tell her that I should only be gone for another couple of weeks."

Angela looked up, her eyebrows raised. "Why's that?"

"Jared, Kayla and Vanessa have a surprise party planned for their parent's fortieth anniversary, which will be about two weeks from Saturday. I want to stay for that." Brennan answered knowing, Angela was sure, that she had left something out.

Despite this Angela remained quiet. It was only when her friend turned to her with sad eyes, did she understand. "Sweetie…" She whispered.

"We've decided to take him off the life support." Brennan told her, a lone tear making its way down her cheek. "Shelby doesn't know yet. Neither does anyone else, actually. Just Joe and I."

Angela's chest ached for her friend. She reached over and grasped Brennan's hand, surprised when she gave it willingly. Eyes brimming with tears she asked, "Why?"

Brennan took a moment before answering. "He wants to go to heaven, Ange."

"But Bren," Angela hesitated, for Brennan had sounded so sure of her answer. "You don't believe in heaven." She spoke the words gently.

"But Booth does. And," She took a shaky breath. "I want to help him get there."

They were quiet again and it was a long time before either of them spoke. Brennan broke the silence. "Ange?" Her voice was quiet and uncertain.

"Yeah?"

"Do you believe in heaven?" Angela took in her friend's wide-eyes which, she was certain, never before contained so much desperation.

"I do."

Closing her eyes, Brennan let out an unsteady breath, and large tears still managed to squeeze their way passed her shut eyelids. When they opened again, there was a dreamy look to them, as if she was seeing something that Angela could not. "God, I hope it's real. I hope I'm wrong, Ange." Her voice cracked as she spoke, and she gritted her teeth against the sobs that threatened to engulf her. "Because I really hope he can go there."

Angela reached out, pulling Brennan tightly against her. She didn't speak any soothing words as she stroked her friend's hair and gently rocked her as she cried. There was nothing she could say. The one person who ever truly understood her - the one that she had so much to say to - was gone forever. And for that, Angela had no words.

……

Brennan towel dried her hair as she exited her bedroom. "Shower's all yours, Shell." She called, draping her towel across one of the bar stools in the kitchen, intent on finding something to snack on within her kitchen cabinets. Upon receiving no answer, Brennan looked curiously over her shoulder. "Shelby?" Slowly, she walked towards the guest bedroom, an irrational fear suddenly plaguing her.

Relief flooded through her and a smile made its way across her face when she found her. Lying on her stomach, obviously having been reading one of Brennan's many books, Shelby's exhaustion seemed to have taken over and she now snored softly against the fine-print text.

Brennan lifted her head and removed the book, setting it on the nightstand beside her. As gently as she could, she pulled the blankets down, careful not to disturb the girl who lay atop them. When she had finally freed them of Shelby's body, a slow and near impossible task, she draped them over top of her. Brennan clicked off the beside lamp, before situating herself on the edge of the bed. Tenderly, she pushed the hair off Shelby's forehead, stroking it back for a few moments. This was something she had become accustomed to doing nightly as she put Parker to bed. No matter how tired she was, she could never resist his pouting face. Briefly wondering how Shelby, or Parker for that matter, would take the news they would soon learn, Brennan leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead. Smiling sadly, she walked out of the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

Robotically, she turned off all the lights and made her way into her room. Shutting her door, she let a painfully sigh escape her as she backed into it, allowing the door to support her weight. She wished there was something she could do. She wished there was more than waiting. Because that's all that was left now. Waiting for it to be over.

It was then that an idea struck her. An idea so incredibly bizarre, that she actually laughed out loud. Thinking for a moment, she realized that it was only absurd because it was her who had thought it. It was not an absurd thought in general. A smile filtered across her face at what Booth might have said had he's known was she was considering. Though she wasn't really considering it. But, if she was honest with herself, he was the only person that she would consider doing it for.

She was surprised when she found that she was no longer leaning against her door, but actually standing at the side of her bed. Her body seemed to have decided what she would do before her mind could agree. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest. Her legs, they gave, sending her slowing drifting towards the floor. She missed her rug by a quarter of an inch so the cold of the hardwood attacked her bare knees. Breathing heavily, the tears began to come, but she didn't make a sound. She squeezed her eyes shut, allowing a picture of her smiling partner to form in her mind. "For him." She whispered. Taking a deep breath, she tightly clasped her hands together and bowed her head.

And then she prayed.

So take a look at me now

Oh, there's just an empty space

And there's nothing left here to remind me

Just the memory of you face

Oh, take a look at me now

Well, there's just an empty space

And you coming back to me, is against the odds

And that's what I have to face


A/N: Can you believe she actually did it? AHHH! Please, please review. I'm dying to know what you think!