"Bones." Booth whispered, crouching down so he could see her eyes. He didn't know if she could see him well or not, but he needed to see her. "I am sorry." He said softly. "I'm sorry that I hurt you." He whispered. "Can you see me?" He asked, watching her blink again and again.

"Yes." She replied. "Blurry." She whispered.

"That's okay." He replied. "I'm actually feeling a little blurry right now." He whispered. "So maybe there isn't anything wrong with your vision." He let out a forced chuckle. He could feel a lump in his throat as he watched the pale face of his partner. Her skin was a ghostly white, her eyes hollow and empty, but she was alive, and looking at him. That was the answer to one of his prayers. "I am glad that you're awake. You need to stop scaring me like that, Bones." He whispered.

Her brow furrowed, and a slight pout adorned her expression. "Not my intention." She muttered. Her head was still pounding, and her lungs still burned, but his expression of peaceful happiness in something as simple as her being awake, was enough to calm her nerves.

"I know, Bones." He whispered. "Russ is here. He wants to see you."

She closed her eyes in pain, moving her head slightly, she groaned. "No." She whimpered.

"Bones, he needs to see you. He's your brother. He loves you."

"Just you." She whispered. "For now, please?" She reached for his hand, and he gave it to her with no questions. "Where is…my dad?"

"We're still trying to locate him." Booth replied, watching a flash of anger appear and quickly disappear. She had no energy to waste, not for her father or anyone. She turned her head from him again, staring into space for a long several moments. Her hand was still holding his, but he could sense that there was something she was holding back. He didn't want to rush her, didn't want to push her too hard, especially since she just woke, but couldn't help but wonder. "Are you angry with me?" he asked.

"Don't… know." She whispered.

"Can I tell you something?" He asked softly, waiting for her to look at him, there was a long pause, and slowly her head turned. Her eyes were on him curiously, and when she reached out to touch his face, he leaned into it carefully. "Before you went into surgery… you told me that you didn't want to die without telling me that you love me." He said, watching her brow furrow. "You believe me, right?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"Do you love me, Bones?" He asked. "Do you love me right now, as I sit here beside you… do you still love me even though you can't place the past nine days of your life in a solid timeline? Do you love me?" He asked. He wasn't begging for her to say one thing or another, and it was clear that all he wanted from her was the truth. He searched her eyes, and she searched his.

"I could never stop, Booth." She said slowly. "Not even if I wanted to."

He smiled a gentle smile and let his finger slide across her cheek lovingly. She still had a glimmer of fear in her eyes. He knew what her fears were, and still he hadn't spoken the words, even since before the scare with her eyesight. He wanted to make things as clear as he could. "Before your surgery, Angela was here." He whispered. "Do you remember that?"

"No." She swallowed hard. She could hear the intensity in his voice, and it made her want to be closer to him. She could feel the tension in his body, hear the strength in his voice as he spoke.

"Angela told you some things that I hadn't told you yet. Things, that at the time, I wish I had." He watched the questioning look on her face, and smiled. "I am very sorry that I was selfish, Bones. I'm sorry that I stepped back from what we could have had. I don't know why all of this happened. I don't know… who did this to you, to those people in that club… but I will find them."

He stopped speaking for a moment, and her eyes flicked to the side, and back to him. "What did Angela tell me?" She whispered slowly, trying so hard to pull her memories back, and coming up with nothing. Her belly was churning with the unknown, and her head, though throbbing ever so painfully seemed lulled into submission by his voice.

"I love you, Bones." He said, watching her chest rise with a surprised and slow gasp. "Please don't die. Please stay strong. I love you." He said, watching her face for a reaction she seemed to go a little paler, and he felt a rush of panic course through his body.

"Did you tell me what happened with…" She paused, and thought for a moment. The name she was trying to think of had slipped from her memory. She could see the woman's blonde hair in her mind, hear her irritating voice in her ear, but still, her name had completely escaped her memory. "I can't…" Her face scrunched.

"It doesn't matter, Bones." He interrupted. "I could never love someone the way that I love you. Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"And you still love me, even after everything we've put one another through?"

"Because… of it." She whispered, pausing for a moment, her eyelids were becoming heavier. "So tired."

"Sleep." He said softly. "We have a long road ahead of us, Bones." He said, leaning down to kiss her lips softly, watching her eyes close reluctantly. "Maybe when you wake up… things will be a little clearer." He said, letting her rest peacefully in her bed, as he stood watch over her.