A/N: Once again, you all have blown me away with your response to my little story. I just can't stay enough thank you enough for enjoying my story. It really has been amazing and I hope this is another chapter that you can love.

Lori and Melissa, you are the best. There is no other way to say that. Thanks for everything you do for me!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, which by now I'm sure you know that. But again, I would still love to find myself working for Hart Hanson. That would be...awesome.

ooo

"If you noticed," Colonel Hanson started calmly, "things look a bit, different, around here. There is a reason for that."

"I figured that," Grigley said flippantly and Booth kicked the younger solider in the shin. "Sorry."

Colonel Hanson ignored Grigley's statement and apology and continued speaking. "On November twenty ninth, insurgent air raids attacked the base…"

"What?" Booth and Grigley said in unison and Booth leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. Colonel Hanson nodded slowly. Booth rubbed the back of his neck before asking, "How bad?"

"You saw the state of the base when you landed," Colonel Hanson stated simply, "that is after weeks of recovery efforts, survivor searches, and rebuilding."

"So bad," Grigley confirmed and Colonel Hanson nodded slowly again. "Wow."

"There were eight confirmed missile hits," Colonel Hanson continued, "in the span of about thirty minutes and three grenades. It was a massacre."

"How many survivors?" Booth asked after a brief pause and Colonel Hanson looked down for a minute.

"One hundred and seventy three survivors out of the three hundred and forty-two soldiers stationed here. Seventy eight of which were off base when the attacks occurred, you two included."

"I don't know what to say," Booth mumbled quietly. "This is a lot to handle. How can we find out who…survived?"

"I completely understand Sergeant Major and you can be provided copies of both lists if you would like." Colonel Hanson responded gently. "Your friends, Dr. Saroyan and Dr. Brennan were both instrumental in the aid and identification of the remains."

Booth's head snapped up at the mention of Cam and Brennan. "Wait, Bones was here?"

"Bones?"

"Bones is Booth's nickname for Dr. Brennan," Grigley supplied quietly.

"Oh," Colonel Hanson acknowledged, "then yes. And at the time…"

"No one knew we were off base," Booth finished knowing where the Colonel's thought process was headed. Booth slammed his fist down on the table and cursed, "Damn it."

Colonel Hanson shifted some papers around on his desk, "Corporal Grigley, could you excuse us for a few moments? I would like to speak to Sergeant Major alone."

Grigley nodded and rose to leave without another word leaving Colonel Hanson and Booth alone in the tent. The two men sat in silence for several minutes before Colonel Hanson began to speak again.

"I can't and won't lie to you Booth," the man stated, "Dr. Brennan was affected quite a bit by her time here. Especially since for the first several days of her time here she thought you were dead."

"I can't believe this happened," Booth stammered, "Wait, she knows I'm alive. Thank God. What, how? I don't understand. She is in Indonesia."

"She was," Colonel Hanson corrected softly, "however, she agreed to end her time there to come and assist us."

"She left Indonesia and came here?"

"Yes. Dr. Brennan was here for just over two weeks and about four or five days into her time here they found the letter you wrote to her before you left on the mission. It was what confirmed that you had not been on base when the attacks happened."

"She saw that," Booth confirmed to himself, "great. But…my letter, to Sweets, that is how you found us, right?"

"Right," Colonel Hanson told him. "We searched before that, but only came up empty. Had it not been for your letter to Dr. Sweets I don't know how long it would have been until we would have found you, if we even would have."

"And now you are sending me home?"

"Yes," Colonel Hanson stated and handed Booth a folder. "Honorable discharge and permanent retirement. You've served your country Booth and you've done a great job but you were never supposed to be put into direct combat. The Sectary of Defense was not happy with Colonel Andrews' decision."

"I wasn't aware that it was that under the table of a mission," Booth answered and rubbed his head. "I agreed to serve for a year and I'm months short of that."

"I understand your loyalty to the military Booth and we are honored by that," Colonel Hanson assured him, "but we aren't holding you to the agreement you made."

"But…"

"It's not something you can negotiate Booth," Colonel Hanson stated firmly. "This base is working on the bare necessities right now and the training you were doing is not being completed. You are going home."

"Okay," Booth finally answered and hung his head in defeat. "When will I be transported back to the states?"

"A plane will depart in approximately six hours," Colonel Hanson told him, "and there will be a layover in Paris. You'll be landing back in DC in time to celebrate Christmas Eve night with your family."

"Fantastic," Booth answered dryly, "If I'm dismissed I'm going to rest until we depart."

"Sure," Colonel Hanson answered, "you might want to make some phone calls though. I know that Dr. Brennan will be anxious to hear from you."

"If my personal items were destroyed I have no way of contacting her," Booth replied, "her contact information for Indonesia was in there."

"Booth," Colonel Hanson said and Booth stopped in mid-step. "Dr. Brennan didn't return to Indonesia. She's in DC."

"What?"

"I spoke to her just this morning when I confirmed to her that we had discovered your location." Colonel Hanson explained, "She and the rest of your team helped to decipher your letter."

"Bones is in the states?"

"Yes," Colonel Hanson confirmed hiding a smile, "Now, would you send Corporal Grigley in. I need to discuss with him the future of his army career."

"Yes sir," Booth responded with a salute. "Thank you sir."

"I'm just glad to have you home safe," Colonel responded. "I'd like to meet with you and Grigley together before you leave to give statements for your mission and…"

"And the soldiers who didn't make it back."

"Yes," Colonel Hanson confirmed slowly and Booth reached deep into his pocket and pulled out a chain. "Adams?"

"Yes sir."

"I'm sorry Booth."

"Me too," Booth said slowly. "Excuse me."

ooo

Angela guided Brennan back down into her chair and Julie grabbed her phone to check to see if anyone was still there. She sighed when the line was silent.

"Brennan I need you to breath," Angela coaxed gently, "and I need you to tell me who you talked to and what they said."

"It was Colonel Hanson," Brennan whispered breathlessly, "and he wanted to let me know that they had confirmed my a member of their rescue team has located Booth and his team and…they're in route to being picked up."

"Temperance that is great!" Julie exclaimed with a grin. "It's great, right?"

"Yes," Angela agreed with a nod, "it is great. Bren, sweetie, why are you crying."

"I don't know," Brennan answered with a shrug, "they are happy tears. I want to talk to him…"

"He'll call," Angela promised, "once he's back on base and has access to a phone, he'll call."

"I want to see him too," Brennan said, "it's completely illogical to be this emotional..."

"No it isn't."

"He still has several months left on his tour," Brennan reminded them, "which means I won't be able to see him still for almost five months. I don't want to wait that long."

"I know you don't," Angela told her, "but unfortunately right now you don't have a choice. But at least you'll know he's okay and you'll be able to talk to him soon."

"Yes," Brennan agreed taking a deep breath to calm herself down. "That is true. Can we complete your shopping Angela so that I can get home."

"Of course," Angela assured her and pulled her purse over her shoulder. "You are more than welcome to tag along with us Julie if you like…"

"Thanks but Lance is on his way home," Julie reminded them, "So I'm just going to go. He's picking me up for a date tonight."

"You're coming to our Christmas party right?"

"Yes," Julie confirmed with a smile and nod, "Lance is quite excited. "

"Good," Angela said with a chuckle, "just remind him that we are not doing karaoke. We'll see you on Christmas Eve."

"Can't wait," Julie said and waved as Angela and Brennan walked away.

"I can't believe this Angela," Brennan whispered as she allowed Angela to lead her into a store, "he's safe and alive. I'm so relived."

"I know you are sweetie," Angela answered as she pulled blouses off the rack and held them up to herself, "and you should be. You'll feel even better once he calls."

"I believe you are correct with this assumption."

"It's because I know you," Angela replied with a shrug. "Okay, let's get the shopping over and we'll head back to the house."

ooo

Sweets pulled his car into the garage at his apartment complex and ran a hand through his hair. He wondered how Dr. Brennan was going to react when she finally was able to talk to Booth. He hoped that she would be able to admit her feelings to Booth when he was in immediate danger and they actually have a chance to build a relationship.

When his phone buzzed he picked it up without looking at the display.

"Hey Julie," he said quickly into the phone. "I just pulled into my apartment, I'll pick you up in about an hour."

"Julie?" a male voice answered, "who in the hell is Julie?"

"Who is this?"

"I can't believe you don't recognize my voice Sweets," the voice answered and Sweets pulled the phone away from his ear for a second only to see a number and not a name on the screen of his phone. "I know I've been gone for awhile, but I didn't think you'd forget about me that quickly."

"Booth?"

"Good job kid," Booth answered with a laugh and Sweets just shook his head. "So, are you going to answer my question?"

"What questions?"

"Uh, who the hell this Julie person is? Did you move on and get yourself a new girl Sweets?"

"Julie is my girlfriend," Sweets answered and he didn't try to stop the smile that spread over his face. "She's….great."

"How long have you been seeing her?"

"About six weeks," Sweets answered quickly and then turned the conversation back around to him. "Booth, why did you call me?"

"I'm being sent home."

"You are?"

"And you knew already," Booth surmised with a groan, "figures."

Sweets nodded against the phone, "they might have called me."

"What did you tell them?"

"Nothing," Sweets answered quickly, "they called and wanted to know what I thought about how to send you home."

"How?"

"Whether or not to give you a choice."

"And what did you tell them?"

"I told them I wasn't sure," Sweets told him honestly. "I said it depended on what happened to you in China and how you responded to the aftermath of the attacks on the base."

Booth paused and Sweets waited for his reaction. The question that came out of his mouth though took Sweets by surprise.

"Bones really thought I was dead again?"

"Yes. She was quite adamant about it."

"What happened when she found out I wasn't?"

"It was like something clicked inside of her," Sweets responded. "She wanted to find you and was pretty upset when the army sent her home from base there without letting her help find you."

"I can't believe she didn't go back to Maluku."

"I think she thought about it," Sweets told him, "but she wanted to stay behind with everything happening."

"I'm glad she did."

"When will you be home?"

"Christmas Eve," Booth answered with a sigh. "Which I guess is tomorrow huh?"

"Not for us yet," Sweets answered with a laugh. "But that is soon, good. You'll be back in time for Hodgins and Angela's big Christmas Eve party."

"They're having a party."

"Yes Booth."

"Perfect! I'll come and surprise Bones! Don't tell her that you talked to me."

"Booth…"

"It'll be perfect," Booth cut him off ignoring his protest with a newly founded enthusiasm. "Okay pick me up from the airport at six and we'll go there. You'll have to run to my apartment and pick up my suit. I'll call you with those details but I have to go now. Remember Sweets, don't say anything."

"Booth…" Sweets started to protest but the line went dead. Sweets sighed and put the phone down. "I'm not so sure that surprising her the best way to do it, but why listen to me. I'm only the psychologist."

His phone started ringing again and this time he remembered to look that the caller id before he picked it up.

"Hey Jules," he greeted as a smile spread over his face, to replace the frown that had found it's place on his face. "I'm going to change and then I'll leave. See you soon."

ooo

A/N: Surprises are great, aren't they? I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this surprise goes over...