Chapter 25

Monday

10:02 PM

When Booth reappeared in Brennan's room, he saw Angela flipping through the science magazine he had brought Brennan earlier. Her head was resting on her arm, which was resting on the arm of the chair. Considering how fast she was flipping through the pages of the magazine, she obviously wasn't reading it. Booth looked at her, knowing the look in her eyes very well. She was bored.

Booth averted his eyes to Brennan. Her eyes were closed and her bed had been repositioned so she was lying down. By the slow rising and falling of her chest, Booth knew she was asleep. He made his way into the room quietly so as not to wake her. He knew she needed all the rest she could get.

"Thank God," Angela whispered.

Booth began to panic. "What happened? Is she ok?"

"What?"

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened except that I was getting bored stiff sitting here by myself."

Booth rolled his eyes. "You scared me to death, Angela," he hissed.

"What's scary is that people actually read this…stuff." She closed the magazine, stood up, and put the magazine back on the table next to Brennan. "I don't know how anyone can understand a word that's written in here. Give me Cosmo any day."

"I don't know how anyone can understand Cosmo," Booth joked. Angela did not smile. "How long has she been asleep?"

"Only twenty minutes."

"You're bored after only twenty minutes?"

"I like to be stimulated." Booth raised his eyebrows. "That was probably too much information. Anyway, the doctors came in and gave her something to help her sleep so she'll probably be out for the night."

"That's good. She needs to sleep."

"She's still in a lot of pain, huh?"

Booth nodded. "She tries to hide it, but it's not easy. I think it's her wrist that's the worst."

"That bastard sure did a number on her."

"Yeah, he did."

Booth hung his head. He did not like talking about Collin Brown.

"How many times do we have to tell you? This wasn't your fault," Angela said quietly as she put her hand on his arm.

"Thanks."

Angela chose to change the subject. "What do her doctors say? Can we take her home any time soon?"

He shrugged. "If Bones has anything to say about it, she'll be home tomorrow, but they're still keeping their eye on her. Dr. London mentioned to me today that they might need to go in and operate again on her wrist."

"Why?"

"Something about improving the function in her wrist. Bones told him all about this research she read about a new procedure that can be used in place of bones. I didn't understand a word of what they were saying to each other."

"I don't understand half of what Brennan says. But, if she thinks that's what's best, then I'd bet my life that she's right."

"Me too."

Angela picked her purse up off the floor.

"Are you going to stay with her tonight?"

"I…" He was going to deny that he had spent the night before in her room, but he didn't. He knew Angela would somehow see right through him. "How did you know I slept here last night?"

"I saw the folded up blanket and pillow underneath the sleeper chair." She pointed to where he had tried to conceal the items. He didn't want Brennan to know that he had spent the night. "You're not the only one who can find evidence."

"You're a smart woman, Angela."

"Tell me something I don't know. So, are you going to stay?"

"Yeah, I'm going to stay. I can't leave her. Not yet. But please, don't tell her. If she finds out I'm staying overnight, she'll only yell at me to go home and she'll tell me to stop worrying about her."

"Your secret is safe with me. But, Cam did want me to tell you that, in her professional opinion, it would be better for your back if you slept on the floor rather than in that sleeper chair for another night."

"Cam? Does the whole lab know that I'm spending nights here?"

"Just Cam, Hodgins, Sweets, and me," she said, smiling.

"So, the whole lab knows," Booth said, sighing. "Wait a minute, who told Sweets?"

"He was on the speed dial," Angela answered, smiling.

"That's not funny," Booth said.

"Sweets sort of guessed. As matter of fact, he was the one who suggested I look for evidence of you having stayed over."

"Oh, he did, did he?"

"He really knows what he's talking about."

"Yeah, great. It'll just be another thing for him to use as ammunition when we go to therapy."

"Well, maybe if you play your cards right, you won't have to go to therapy anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"That means I'm leaving and putting her in your hands." She walked over to Brennan's bed and kissed her on the cheek. She headed for the exit. "Have a good night, Booth." She walked out the door, but reappeared a second later. "Oh, and Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"Give her a chance."

"A chance for what?"

"I think you know. You're afraid, but don't be. She might not run."

Angela disappeared again.

"Angela!" He called out softly. He still didn't want to wake Brennan. When she didn't reappear, Booth shook his head. He didn't quite know what Angela's cryptic message meant. He guessed it was a woman thing. Angela had probably spent the time with Brennan discussing their relationship might have just opened up some very good possibilities for him.

Booth took the few steps over to Brennan's bed. Just as he had done in his office days earlier, before the nightmare of Collin Brown had consumed them both, he watched her sleep. Her breathing was slightly more labored and her beautiful features were covered in black and blue bruises, but he looked at her with the same love and affection that he had in his office.

"Goodnight Bones," he whispered as he leaned and kissed her on the forehead.

Booth walked quietly over to the sleeper chair and picked up his pillow and blanket. He pushed the back of the chair and pulled on the foot rest so that the chair extended out as far as it would go. He looked at it with resentment. He knew it would be another uncomfortable night, but it was all worth it. He was going to be there for her, even if it meant waking up with a backache. Booth kicked off his shoes and plopped himself in the chair. He adjusted the flat pillow under his head and threw the blanket over himself. From the knees down, his legs dangled over the edge of the chair. He tried to curl up so his legs were actually on the chair, but that wasn't helping. Instead, he turned onto his side. From that position, he had the perfect view of her.

"I love you," he whispered as he closed his eyes and eventually fell asleep.

Tuesday

2:37 AM

He could hear noise, but he did not want to get up. His back felt like it had been twisted in two different directions and his neck felt like it had a thousand needles poking into it, but he did not want to get up. He wanted to stay asleep as long as possible. He grumbled and rolled onto his back. Then he heard the noise again. It wasn't his alarm clock or his cell phone. It was a voice. He tried to recognize it. The only person who ever woke him up was Parker when he wanted pancakes for breakfast or wanted to go to the park at some obnoxiously early time. The voice definitely wasn't Parker's.

Booth's subconscious battled his brain. Under no circumstances did he want to wake up. But then he heard it. His name. Booth's eyes shot open. He frantically looked around, trying to remember where he was. He knew immediately when he saw her through the darkness. Her body was shaking. He could see the beads of sweat on her forehead. He knew instantly that the sounds he had heard were coming from her. She was mumbling under her breath in her sleep. Her cheeks were stained with tears.

Booth scrambled off the sleeper chair. He nearly fell as he got tangled in the thin blanket he had on. He rushed to her side. He knew immediately she was having a nightmare.

"Bones," he said quietly.

He didn't want to jar her awake. He had read an article about how dangerous it could be to wake someone up too suddenly from a nightmare. He could barely make out what she was saying. He thought he heard his name again and the world 'please' in a pleading tone. He knew instantly what she was dreaming about.

"Bones," he said louder. He put his hand on her cheek. Her skin was burning up. "Come on, Bones, wake up." He started to rub her arm, up and down from shoulder to just above her wrist, hoping the physical contact would wake her. "Open your eyes, Bones. Come on."

"Please," she whispered.

Booth put his hands on her shoulders and lightly shook her as he repeated her name over and over again. He looked at the call button next to her bed that would immediately call someone for assistance. Booth wondered if he should call someone to help him. He wondered if the doctors could give her something to wake her up from her nightmare. He decided against it.

"Bones, it's me. It's Booth. Please wake up for me. Please."

He shook her harder, hoping he wasn't hurting her. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. As he shook her body, her mumbling began to lessen and Booth could feel her body relaxing. He put his hand in hers as he stroked her hair with his other hand. He could see her brow furrow as she struggled to open her eyes.

"Booth?" She called out with her eyes still closed.

"I'm here, Bones, I'm right here. Just open your eyes."

She opened them slowly. It took her a few seconds to actually focus on his face.

"You're here."

"I'm here."

She squeezed his hand.

"Why? Why are you here? It's the middle of the night. You should be at home."

He should have known that she would have been logical about the whole thing. She didn't ask what had happened or what she had said. She asked why he was there.

"I'm right where I should be. I told you I'd never leave you. I intend on keeping that promise."

She took a deep breath, trying to keep it together, but she couldn't. He saw her lip tremble and her face break.

"Oh Booth," she sobbed.

Fresh tears fell from her eyes, soaking into the pillow she was resting on.

"It's ok," he said, running his thumb across her cheek, drying her tears. "It's going to be ok."

"He was there," she said.

"In your dream?"

She nodded. "I remember everything. I remember waking up and tasting blood and feeling pain...so much pain. And I couldn't see...I thought...I thought I was blind. I was so afraid."

"You're safe now."

"He...he hurt me, Booth. He hurt me."

"I know, Bones. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He felt his heart breaking. Just as it did when he found out she was missing, it broke all over again. He had been powerless to stop her from getting hurt. If they had never met, if he had never agreed to let her work with him, she would be safe in her lab. He couldn't stop thinking about that. The only thing he knew to do was to be there for her. Booth quickly made a decision. He sat down on the edge of her bed and swung his legs up so he was lying down next to her.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Keeping you safe," he answered.

He settled down next to her, lying down on his side so he could face her. He never took his hand away from hers. She scooted over as much as she could to allow him more room. The bed definitely wasn't designed for two, but they made it work. He wrapped his arm around her waist, being careful to avoid her injuries. Even though she couldn't lie on her side, she turned her head towards him. She tucked her head in the crook of his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. He gently pulled her closer until their bodies were pressed together. He kissed his spot on her forehead as she cried. He whispered soothing remarks against her hair. He wanted to stop her tears. He wanted to make sure she never cried, but he knew she had to. She hadn't really cried about what had happened. Sure, she had let a few tears escape when she was in excruciating pain, but she hadn't cried over what happened to her. Booth knew she had to cry, so he let her.

Author's Note: Well, I just had to write a "Booth holds her while she's sleeping" scene. I just couldn't resist. As for the whole sleeper chair thing, the idea came from my brother-in-law complaining when he had to stay in the hospital with my sister after my nephew was born. He just kept complaining about the sleeper chair and I just had to add it in! Thank you for reading and please review!