Six weeks and some days into my kidnapping.
I could hear shouting, scuffing, there was something going on, but my mind was having trouble determining if it was a dream or reality. Then I heard the gunshots, five of them clustered together, and then two shots farther away. I scurried to the corner almost hidden behind the sofa, I wondered if this was it, if he was coming to kill me finally. Watching the door I saw a flit of black rush past, then another, running past it. It couldn't be, no, FBI wouldn't be here, they thought me dead even as I cowered in the corner, everyone thought I had already died, who else was here that they were coming for. A brief flash of insanity filled my head thinking maybe he had taken Parker, and they would be here for him in a heartbeat, until I saw him behind the door. His clothes were dirty, he was unshaven, his eyes brimmed with red, and as he pushed towards me his wheels made a slight whirring noise. It looked like Booth, everything in my body was telling me it was him, but my mind was trying to tell me otherwise. How could he have gotten here, how could he have made it through the tunnels, how was he allowed to be here, surely the FBI would't send him. I could feel my body shaking, as he got closer to me, another agent behind him, tall and very young, this man was helping Booth get closer. I couldn't go any further into the wall and the shaking got worse, the closer he came. I remember trying to push this out of my head, it had to be a hallucination, it couldn't be real, and then he spoke. Everything inside me wanted to lunge at him, let his arms surround me and keep me safe, but I was still unsure, I'd been so alone for so long I wasn't positive that I was thinking clearly, or even seeing clearly. I watched with wide eyes as he slowly undid the strap across his waist, and lowered himself down, scooting closer to me, inch by inch. When I felt his hand on me I jumped, it was warm, there was dirt under his fingernails, and I could feel the callouses on his palm and fingers, those were new I registered. His chocolate eyes were filled with a mix of pain and love and joy and I couldn't help but stare into them, like I had in so many of my dreams. He was trying to calm me down as I struggled to believe this was reality, then my father joined them with more agents, all in black, there was blood on my dad's face, just as there was on Booth's. It was them who had shot, who had fought with my captors I rationalized. I don't remember much other than not wanting Booth to let go, nothing in the world was worth ever separating from him again, I thought to myself as I watched him climb back into his chair, pain spreading across his face with every movement. Next thing I knew I was in his arms, his strong arms were wrapped around me as they took us out of the tunnels, slowly wheeling past other agents, everyone with a look of disbelief on their faces. Booth was the hero again I thought quietly to myself, even hurt and paralyzed, he was my hero, he always would be.
I clung to him tightly the whole ride in the car, it still seemed unreal that after so long someone had finally found me, and he was there to carry me out. It was so different from my dreams of him, busting through the doors, Booth style, to rescue me, but it didn't matter, I was where I was supposed to be. In his life.
I can remember telling the doctor I was of sound mind and body, but not really feeling that way, it seemed that everyone wanted something from me when we got to the hospital, Booth was in high protective gear, his new partner Cole was looking for my statement, Max wanted me to not speak to anyone but him or Booth. The doctor wanted to admit me, the nurses to prick me with needles. All I wanted was to be alone with Booth. I had so much to say to him, after all that time thinking about everything in my life that was worth thinking about. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, again and again, I wanted to hear him say it back to me, I wanted to ask about Parker, and Angela and Jack, I wanted to know about his progress. It seemed though that no one understood that if I could just go home I could accomplish all of those things, not even Booth would let up on me staying, even when I insisted he be in the room with me. It wasn't until later that morning when I heard Parker's little voice on the phone that I understood just how much I'd been missing the last six weeks. Then when Booth finally fell asleep, and I had been waiting, I carefully climbed into bed with him, resting my head on his arm, trying not to disturb his bruised mid section. He was so warm, all the time, I could barely stand the close proximity as I lay there I thought about all the times I'd wanted to do that, but was too proud or shy or uncomfortable too. I knew what living without the person you care most about was like, and I wasn't making the same mistake's twice. I just watched as his chest rose and fell, his breathing steady and calming to me. When he did realize I was there it didn't surprise him. He just tightened his arm around me as best he could. I could feel his chin on my head, the little whiskers of a few days stubble entwining in my hair, until finally I was out.
The next two days went by so fast, it felt as though I hadn't blinked and we were finally back in DC. At the airport I was surprised to see Parker running towards me as we got through security. His little face full of happiness, not like I had gotten used to seeing on those tapes, he threw his arms around me, unwilling to let go for sometime, but then again, neither was I.