Sorry for the delay and that this is a short one! I have some major writer's block on this chapter. There will be two to three more chapters before the end. Please read and review! Thanks

"'Bones?" Booth asked, worried he'd only imagined her voice.

"Booth," she replied, her voice weak and hoarse.

"Oh thank God!" Booth said, kissing her forehead then cheeks and chin, "how do you feel?"

"My abdomen hurts."

Booth nodded, thinking back to the large bruise that had covered her stomach when he'd found her.

"I will call the nurse, maybe she can give you some more pain medicine."

"Okay," she replied, as Booth pressed the call bell.

"I love you, baby. You're going to be okay."

"Booth, what happened?"

Booth stood agape at her question. He stood in silence for a minute, her blue eyes eagerly awaiting an answer.

"Ross, he, he – he attacked you."

Bones eyes widened in recognition. The few hours she spent with Ross played like a movie in her mind. It seemed as if it were happening to someone else. Someone else was pulled down the stairs and kicked repeatedly in the stomach. Ross's hands closed around someone else's neck. But the gun was most certainly pressed against her body, and it was her that pulled the trigger.

"Is he dead?" she asked, her voice a little stronger than before.

"Yes," Booth said resolutely, "he was dead when we found you."

Bones nodded, she had just opened her mouth to speak when a frantic nurse ran into the room.

"Oh my God, she's awake!" shouted the nurse excitedly.

"Yes," Booth said beaming, "do you think she could get some more pain meds?"

"Of course, I will page the doctor. I am sure that he will want to see her right away."

Booth nodded, "Thank you."

"Can I get you anything else, Dr. Brennan? Maybe some ice chips? I can't give you much else by mouth until the doctor puts in an order with dietary."

Bones merely nodded and the nurse left the room as quickly as she'd entered.

"That's Tracy. She has been taking care of you for the last couple of days," Booth said, lovingly caressing his wife's uninjured arm.

"How long was I," Brennan began, when another memory flashed through her mind.

She sat up suddenly and, ignoring the pain coursing through her body, shouted in alarm, "Natalie!"

Booth, a bit panic stricken himself that she might hurt herself further, rose to his feet, "Shh, she's fine, baby. He didn't hurt her. She is at Jack and Angela's place. She has been asking for you, but I didn't want her to see you like you were."

"I want to see her," Bones said through tears, "and Parker too."

"Of course," Booth said softly.

He tucked a hair behind her ear then lightly kissed her there before whispering, "I love you so much, baby."

"I love you too, Booth."

With those five words – five words he never thought he'd hear again from her lips – the flood gate of unshed tears began streaming down his face. Booth pulled away from Bones at that moment, not wanting to upset her further.

"Booth," she said softly.

At some point in their marriage, Bones had developed an ability to discern her husband's emotions, at times even before he was aware of what he was feeling.

Booth looked back at her, his chocolate brown eyes obscured by tears.

"I was so afraid that I was going to lose you," he whispered.

Bones nodded, remembering the multiple occasions on which his own death seemed imminent.

"You didn't – you won't. You saved my life."

Booth shook his head vigorously, "No, you saved your own life. I let you walk right into trap."

"Booth, I am fairly certain we already discussed this."

"You're right. All that matters is that you are here – awake, alive. We get another chance as a family."

Just then, Booth's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and said, "Oh shit, I am in big trouble."

Bones looked at him quizzically.

"Hi, Angela," Booth said then paused, swallowing the lump in his throat, "She's awake, Ang. She's awake."

Bones could hear Angela's joyous squeal from her bed.

"Of course, you can come in right away. Can you bring the kids?"

"Thanks, Ang."

Booth hung up the phone, and informed Bones, "Angela is coming with the kids."

Bones nodded, her eyes glimmering with happiness. She heard a tap at the door before hearing an unfamiliar voice.

"Ah, so it is true. You are awake, Dr. Brennan. How are you feeling?" Dr. Horvitz asked.

"My abdomen hurts."

"Can she get some more medication?" Booth interjected.

"Sure. Are you experiencing pharyngitis as well?"

Booth looked confused, but Bones nodded an affirmative reply.

"Some strangulation victims can experience pharyngitis and hoarseness for weeks after the attack."

Bones nodded in recognition.

"Any idea when I will be able to take her home?" Booth asked.

"She needs to stay for observation for at least another seven days."

Booth frowned. He wanted her to be able to recover at home, where he could care for her in the comfort of her own bed in their home.

"I know that you are eager to have your wife at home after the terrible, um, ordeal your family has been through, but less than three days ago, we weren't sure if she would survive the surgery."

Bones looked blankly at the doctor and then glanced at Booth. It occurred to her that she had no idea what had occurred before she slipped into the coma.

"What surgery?" Bones asked.

The doctor looked at Booth, clearly hoping he'd already handled this discussion.

"You had a splenectomy due to a ruptured spleen, Dr. Brennan."

"Oh," she replied.

The doctor proceeded to discuss the necessary follow-up and management for living without a spleen and then left.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I was going to tell you."

"It's okay, Booth."

"Mommy!" a tiny voice shouted from outside the room.

Bones' eyes lit up the sight of her little girl, followed by her stepson and best friend.

Natalie ran towards her mother's bed.

"Be careful, sweetie pie. Mommy still has some boo-boo's."

"Okay, daddy. Can I give her a kiss?"

Tears welled up in Bones' eyes

"Of course, let me pick you up, Nat."

Booth walked over to the other side of bed and lifted his little girl, so she could kiss her mother's cheek.

Natalie reached out to wrap her small arms around her mother's bruised neck. This time, Booth did not caution his daughter seeing the tears of joy beginning to trickle down Bones' cheek.

"I miss you, mommy."

"I missed you too, Natalie."