Thank you for the response to the first chapter of this one. It was a fun scenario to write, and this chapter deals with the aftermath. I almost didn't write this chapter, but I couldn't resist doing something with Caroline after I teased the idea in the first chapter about her wanting to have a chat with Booth over the fact that Billy would be cancelling concert appearances. In addition, I wanted to have fun with the idea of someone losing their sanity somewhat in the course of coming face to face with their famous idol. I forgot to mention this in the intro notes to the first chapter, but this story takes place in 2019 about six months before all the COVID-19 changes came about. I hope you all enjoy this one. Gregg
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
"Do we seriously have to come here and see how Billy is doing?" Booth asked as he and Bones were walking down a hospital corridor. He added just a slightly whiney tone to his voice to show he was not too thrilled with this whole idea. He knew damn well that Caroline Julien was here watching over Billy like a hawk, and she had made it very clear that she wanted to have a little "chat" with one Seeley Booth about her favorite Rock star being in the hospital unable to speak, let along tour and have concerts for the time being. "I mean he's a grown man who is perfectly capable of dealing with not having any extra visitors."
"I'm with you, G Man," Hodgins said as he wheeled up next to them, Angela walking alongside his wheelchair glaring at his impertinence. He couldn't care less about what Angie thought about his attitude. Billy was a psychopath in his opinion and could suck a lemon for all he cared. It didn't help that the nutbar had caused this whole nightmare by asking Dr. B to really ramp up the heat on the chili. Hodgins entire digestive system from his mouth to the end of his colon and beyond was fried. He even had to use a catheter for a couple of days until the capsicum oils had dissipated. As it was his urinary tract was a shell of its former glorious self and would be recovering for a long time.
"We are here to see Angela's father and make sure that he has all that he needs, especially as it is our fault that this has happened," Bones told him in her best no nonsense tone of voice.
"Exactly," Angela said, agreeing fully with Brennan, though she was still wondering what had caused her best friend to use such hot peppers in the first place. To be fair, though, her father had indeed asked for some "very hot chili" according to Hodgie, but she was certain that her Hodgie and Booth had not stepped in with any concerns.
"Our fault?" Booth said, almost bellowing. "Hodgins and I sure didn't ask for you to use Reapers and Dragons along with Ghost Pepper extract!" He guessed he should be happy that she was acknowledging that she did have something to do with the horrific nightmare that he and the guys had gone through, but he wasn't too thrilled about her still including him in the blame mix.
Hodgins cringed at the reminder of just what peppers that Dr. B had decided to use. He'd almost thrown up when he had heard the horrifying list for the first time.
"Again, I have to agree with the G Man," he said simply, and ignored the glare that Angie once more gave him. He was certain that if Billy got even a whiff of an idea that he was responsible for this because Dr. B was being pretty liberal with sharing the blame, then he would wind up with some more unwanted body art. Plus, he figured if he sided with Booth, then the G Man would finally see some sense and deal with that Psychotic Nut, better known as Billy. With some seriously extreme prejudice, of course. Hodgins would be in the front row cheering section as the G Man went to town on Billy!
"Seeley Booth! I want a word with you!" came a subdued bellow from a few feet away.
Both Hodgins and Booth cringed when they heard those definitely angry tones coming from a frightening federal prosecutor named Caroline Julian. Hodgins because she had warned him that anymore attempts to have Billy arrested and she would throw Hodgins in jail instead, and Booth because Bones had literally thrown him under the bus on this one and he was damn sure that she hadn't corrected such a monumental misrepresentation. Before he could say a word Caroline began giving orders.
"Get your scrawny behind in this room and see what you've done!" she ordered firmly, making it clear with her stare that all of them were included in the order, even if she was focusing her ire on Booth.
They all went in and Booth and Hodgins cringed at the sight of Billy. The man looked like death warmed over, and the poor guy was sporting a catheter! Mentally Hodgins and Booth were crossing their legs in sympathy. Hodgins was also sending up a few silent prayers of thanks that his urinary tract was apparently in far better shape than Billy's!
The scary countenance of Caroline was glaring at all of them, but in particular at Booth and Hodgins. She didn't give a damn that Brennan had been the one to choose those insanely hot peppers and make the chili. Booth and Hodgins were right there and did nothing to prevent this entire calamity from happening. It didn't matter that Booth and Hodgins had been hit with the lava infused chili, too. They should have known better and prevented this incredible Rock God from having to suffer, and by extension his fans.
"Just look at him!" Caroline proceeded to lay into them. "This absolute Adonis is now a pathetic shell of what he was just a few days ago! He can't even talk! How in the world is he going to get out on stage and do what only he can do? Look at this! He had to have a catheter inserted!"
Billy, who couldn't talk if his life depended on it at that moment, was cringing as this crazy nut of a woman was verbally tearing him to shreds in front of his Baby Girl and The Thing! For some reason, the woman had planted herself in his room the moment he had woken up from the endoscopy and colonoscopy procedures and wasn't leaving. She'd even taken to holding his hand and talking in hushed loving phrases as if they were about to hit the sheets! The very thought made him rather nauseous! When he was well and fully recovered someone would be suffering some punishment for all of this! Frankly, The Thing was in need of some more tattoos in his opinion, so he was already mentally designing the next round of artwork to adorn him with. And that was another thing. Where the Hell was his agent and the regiment of lawyers he spent all that damn money on annually? They should be front and center getting this crazed fan from Hell out of here! They were going to be hearing from him the second his voice returned! Just like his bodyguards were going to be getting an earful and some serious punishment for not being here to actually do their damn jobs and protect him from this female octopus!
"Uh, where is my Dad's Agent and the lawyers that would usually be swarming when something like this happens?" Angela asked, looking around and having noticed that.
Billy mentally cheered. He knew his Sweet Girl wouldn't leave him hanging out to dry! Now he could get down to some serious business, like getting this freaky piranha out of here! Then he could get back to some planning on what to do to The Thing for this outrage! Someone had to be punished for all the procedures he suffered through and the fact that he had to be catheterized! The Thing was the best one to focus on for that! Maybe a little Celebratory Tequila and then some new tattoos!
"I got rid of those idiots," Caroline declared, reaching down, and grabbing Billy's hand. "They were getting in the way of this Saintly man getting the tender loving care he needs!"
Billy's eyes almost popped out when he heard that. The iron grip of this nightmare lady didn't help things, either. Come on, Sweet Girl, he mentally urged. Show this piranha who's Boss in this outfit! He also made a mental note to dish out some serious punishment to those pansies who were about to no longer have the cushy jobs he had been providing them with over the years! Who the Hell was this woman who had sent his minions packing?
"Uh, Caroline?" Hodgins chimed in. "Those guys work for Billy."
It was sickening to do so, but Billy had to give credit where it was due. The Thing was sticking up for him. A little on the pathetic side, but The Thing was making some noise about all this BS. Maybe he would simply get the guy blitzed and forego the tattoos on The Thing this time. Plus, the obligatory leaving him alone in the middle of nowhere, of course. The Thing's defense of him was pretty weak, after all. He'd just make sure that a guy in a wheelchair would be able to be found and survive.
"Right now, they're worried I'll have their worthless behinds in jail for interfering with the work of a federal prosecutor," Caroline huffed.
"Well, there is that," Hodgins agreed as he slinked back into his quiet mode. He'd been on the receiving end of Caroline's ire, and it wasn't pretty.
Well, The Thing was back in the land of unwanted body art, Billy fumed. He continued to try and remove his hand from the grip of the anaconda holding on to him, but to no avail. This woman was seriously unhinged! She was now stroking his inner wrist with her thumb! He also noticed that she had mentioned that she was a Federal Prosecutor. Now he was in serious trouble! Those pathetic wienies he'd had on retainer, as well as his agent, obviously were too scared of this one to do their damn jobs!
"Mr. Gibbons?" a voice came from the door.
"He's in here, but he can't speak," Caroline quickly said, much to Billy's distaste.
"I'm from patient services, and the treating physician has informed my office that you should be ready to be discharged into a rehab facility within the next three days," the RN said. "I'm here to go over possible options for outpatient care."
Billy was beginning to think that perhaps he should be doing some serious praying to God that this go well, since it would get him out of the clutches of this walking nightmare who was currently holding onto his hand with a death grip, along with gently stroking his wrist. He was waiting for his Sweet Girl to get on the stick and take charge!
"A rehab facility will not be necessary," Caroline said abruptly, causing everyone to look her way, especially Billy who had a sickening dread go through him. "I have already discussed with his physicians about what he needs by way of care and let them know that I will be taking some time off and taking care of him myself at my home."
His guests were somewhat speechless, which pissed Billy off no end. This couldn't be happening!
"You do understand what will be required to maintain his care and treatment, don't you?" the nurse questioned.
"I went over it carefully with the doctor and assured him that it would not be any problem," Caroline replied.
Billy decided to add his doctor to the list of those to receive some punishment. The list was getting extensive. The Thing, his lawyers and agent, his bodyguards, and now the doctor. Yep! Some people were not going to be happy sometime in the future when he was able to deal with all this BS! He should be heading to a five star hotel, the penthouse suite no less, when he got out of this place! Now he was going to be taken to this maniac's home? What the Hell was his Sweet Girl doing just standing there without so much as a squeak of protest? And The Thing was totally useless!
"Then all seems in order," the RN said. She had noticed the notation from the Doctor that this was the basic arrangement that had been developed, so she had just dropped in to make sure. "I will bring the paperwork to be filled out the day of discharge."
"We'll be waiting," Caroline said, ignoring the somewhat stunned look on everyone's faces. She turned her attention back to Billy and smiled. "Now don't you worry, Cher. I have everything well in hand. I've even got a sexy nurse's uniform to make things interesting, though that's just for us when the kids aren't around."
Billy had to struggle to keep from tossing his cookies at that one. And still not a peep from The Thing! His Sweet Girl was his precious pride and joy, so he couldn't dish out the punishment to her, but everyone else? They, except for the Bone Doctor, were fair game! At least The Thing and Booth were looking a little nauseous at the idea of this man eating piranha wearing a sexy nurse's outfit. He was miffed, though, at his Sweet Girl. She should be stepping up and slapping this woman silly! He would be having a serious talk about the need to protect family as soon as his voice was back!
Hodgins and Booth mentally promised the Man Upstairs that they would be pure as the driven snow if the mental images currently infesting their minds would simply disappear. Billy was going to be living a genuine nightmare. They wanted nothing to do with it. They simply wanted out of here! For his part, Hodgins knew he was screwed no matter what. If he spoke up and defended Billy, then Caroline would rip his balls off, or worse. If he kept quiet, then he knew damn well that he was going to get some new tattoos. Either way he knew he was fucked. His only hope was that Booth would finally see the light and step up to defend him putting that psycho Billy behind bars, preferably in a Super Max for life!
"I think we've done our duty, Bones," Booth said, wanting to get the Hell out of there. "We have kids to check on and make sure that they haven't burned the house down along with the babysitter."
Hodgins decided to make some tracks, too. Anymore of this and he was going to be losing his lunch with all the images that Caroline was putting in everyone's heads.
"I'm still with you, G-Man," he said as he turned his wheelchair and began to roll out of the room. "I'll be in the car, Angie. Hope you get better soon, Dad."
Bones and Angela looked at one another and shrugged. Angela went over and kissed her Dad's forehead and then began moving to the door.
"We'll be by before you get discharged, Dad," Angela told him.
"And so will we," Bones added, trying to figure out why Booth and Hodgins were so impatient to leave.
"You tell those husbands of yours that I'm not finished talking to them," Caroline glowered.
"I'm sure they will be eager to continue the conversation," Bones replied as she walked out the door.
Billy was seriously pissed. Those four could just up and leave, but he was stuck with this totally unhinged man eating anaconda! His nightmare wasn't even close to over! He still had to endure recovering in her home! He was going to definitely be dishing out the punishment when all this was over! His skin began to crawl when he felt the anaconda's hand once more latch on to his and begin stroking his inner wrist.
"Now it's just you and me, you Music stud," Caroline crooned.
The Thing was a dead man. No doubt about it. Billy began working on what he was going to be doing to all those on the list of future punishment recipients. The Thing was at the top of the list.
A/N: Definitely out there in terms of reality, but at the same time it allowed me to have fun with Caroline and Billy, as well as exploring the crazy emotional and mental reaction die hard fans of famous people when they get to meet and spend time with them. Caroline, we see, has an extreme reaction indeed! LOL. I hope you enjoyed this one. There will be one more chapter, likely after the final chapter of Booth's Sin which I am almost done with. The final chapter of this will be when we see what Billy does to The Thing and everyone else when he has finally recovered. Gregg