Title: Amongst the Gravestones

Disclaimer: Language, violence; angst possible.

Chapter Twenty: Bones and Joints

He rode with her in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. The paramedic only had good things to say to him about her condition. As far as the man could tell the bruising was the worst of it. Whoever had attacked her had not meant to kill her. They had not applied enough pressure to do any permanent damage to her throat. The bruising would go away in a few days. So why, Booth has asked, was she still unconscious? The paramedic went on to explain that it was the brain's way of dealing with the lack of oxygen. People always blacked out when they were having trouble breathing. If after blacking out the pressure went away they resumed breathing and the brain got the much needed oxygen. He explained that that was why no one could ever choke themselves to death. Booth wasn't really paying attention even though he had asked the question. He was too busy watching Bones. The way she looked lying on the stretch, it brought back flashbacks of the case where he nearly lost her for good. He hadn't really thought much about it, fearful that he wouldn't be able to control his emotions if he did.

Now here they were once again on their way to the hospital. He had his cell phone in his hands. Somehow he had to call the others and break the news to them, let them know that the stakes had been upped. The only problem was, he didn't know why it happened. He wasn't sure if the person who attacked her was part of her case or was in some way tied to the death of Cami. Either way, they all needed to be on alert until both cases were solved. It was a good thing that Angela had already moved in with Hodgins and that Zack lived on the property too. At least they could keep an eye on each other. Dr Goodman had his wife and children. He and Bones were the only ones who went home to empty houses at night. Maybe he would discuss that with her when she woke up.

At the hospital he lagged behind while they wheeled her body toward the exam room. The paramedic told him that the doctor's were just going to double check and makes sure that everything was indeed okay. He paced. He couldn't help it. He didn't want to lose her. Just the mere thought of it made him want to break down and cry. They had been getting somewhere in their relationship and now this. He felt like punching the wall or kicking one of the plastic chairs that had been set along the walls. Instead he leaned up against one of the walls, closing his eyes and breathing deep, measured breaths. A few minutes later a doctor tapped him on the shoulder, making him jump. He turned to face the older man.

The doctor offered him a smile. "It appears as though Ms. Brennan will be alright. Her throat is in very good form and I imagine that there will be little bruising to the tissue."

"It's Dr Brennan," Booth caught himself muttering the correction.

"Oh, sorry," the doctor smiled again in a more apologetic way. "If you wish to see Dr Brennan she is in room two-oh-eight. Visitors are welcome for another hour but then you must go." Booth flashed his badge at the doctor. The older man looked at it a moment before sighing in defeat. "Alright, stay as long as you like. But don't let any of the other visitors see you."

Booth uttered a thank you before he took off in the direction of Brennan's room. He toyed with his cell phone knowing that it was his right, his duty, to inform Dr Goodman of what happened. But how was he going to break the news to the man? He couldn't do it the same way he had told parents that their child had died. That wasn't the right way to go about. Why was it that when it came to Bones he never knew what was right and what was wrong? He stopped outside the door to her room and finally punched in the number of Dr Goodman's home number. The doctor answered on the third ring. His voice was thick and foggy with sleep and he wasn't at all happy to have been woken up. But when Booth explained why he was calling all traces of sleep left Dr Goodman's voice. He was talking about coming down to the hospital and having the office gone over by a crime scene unit. Booth convinced him to stay home and go back to bed. After all, he was with Bones and the office could wait until the morning hours. Whoever had been in there was long gone and had taken what they wanted.

Feeling better he hung up the phone and pushed open the door to Brennan's room. She was lying in the bed. There weren't any wires hooked to her and she could have just been sleeping. Aside from those damned ugly bruises on her neck. He took a seat in the chair that was present in the room and began his silent vigil. Eventually he drifted off.

He awoke some time later to the sound of Brennan's voice. As he looked around the room it took him less than a second to recall what happened last night. He was up and on his feet standing beside the bed before he was even fully awake.

Brennan looked up at him. "What the hell happened?" Her voice was scratchy and he poured her a glass of water. She drank it down in one gulp. "I remember going back to my office and finding my computer off…"

"Someone attacked you," he told her. He found that being blunt with Bones was usually the best way to go about things. She didn't like to play mind games or have things hidden from her. "I found you lying on the floor passed out. Someone tried to suffocate you. Did by any chance get a look at them?"

She shook her head. "No, I remember thinking it was weird that my computer was off. And the case file was missing from my desk. I tried to get to the door. That must have been when I was jumped." She gave the room a good hard look. "How long do I have to stay here? I hate hospitals. I need to get back to the lab and see if anything else is missing from my office."

Booth smiled. That was the Bones he knew. "Look, I'll go track down a doctor and see if they are willing to release you. They said that aside from some bruising that you should be okay. I don't see why they would abject to releasing you." He turned to leave.

"Booth," she called out as he reached the door.

He turned to look at her. "Yes, Bones?"

She offers him a smile. "You own me a dinner date."

He checked his watch. "How about we make it breakfast instead"