Chapter 20
Tuesday Morning at 8 a.m.
Light slowly filtered in as her eyes flickered open. The light was brighter than the one at the warehouse and it took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust. When she was finally able to look around she realized that she was in the hospital and that there were two familiar looking people sleeping in their chairs on either side of her bed.
Temperance opened her mouth to say something but no words came. Her throat was dry and her lips felt a little chapped. Licking them, she tried it again, but to no avail. Instead she reached out for Booth with her right hand.
He felt something touching his hand and he opened his eyes. It was then that he realized it wasn't Angela but Temperance. There were words that he wanted to say but they never made it to his lips. Instead a big smile crossed his face. She smiled in return and he stood up. Leaning over her, Booth kissed her forehead.
Brennan desperately wanted to ask questions but that dryness in her throat and lips refused to let her. She motioned that she wanted to speak but couldn't. Booth nodded and moved over to Angela.
"Ange, wake up." The forensic artist mumbled something and opened her eyes.
"I'm going to get a nurse. Keep her company." Booth told her. Angela looked over to Brennan and saw that her friend was awake.
"Oh sweetie." The forensic artist stood up so she could lean over and give her friend a hug. Booth left to find a nurse, leaving the two friends alone.
"You had a worried for quite some time hon. Booth refuses to tell me what happened." Angela said. Brennan nodded and gave a tight smile. She hoped that Booth would return soon.
In five minutes, she got her wish. The FBI Agent walked back into the room with a nurse and a glass of water. He handed the glass to her while the nurse checked all of Brennan's vitals. Booth watched her down the water and lick her lips.
"Thank you." She croaked.
"I'll be right back with a pitcher of water for you. The anesthesia has left you a little dry. That's perfectly normal. All your vitals seem good and I'll have the doctor check in soon." The nurse smiled. She left the room, leaving Booth, Angela, and Brennan alone.
"How are you feeling?" Booth asked.
"Fine, I guess. Logically, I'm not in good health though." Brennan said.
"Tempe, you gave us quite a scare. What happened after you two left the Jeffersonian?" Angela asked. Her friend didn't see the look on Booth's face before she spilled what she remembered.
"I volunteered to be the bait, as Cullen had put it, but I still don't understand what he meant." Brennan said. Angela's eyes went wide.
"Anyway the guy broke into my apartment, we fought, and then the next thing I remember is waking up tied to a chair. He told me that he'd used those other women as practice, so he could get to me. He said we were meant to be together. When the police arrived, he began to shoot at them. I watched him fumble with the Glock. He reloaded it until he ran out of clips. At that point, he turned to me and told me he was sorry. The next thing I remember was thinking…" she stopped. The last thing she remembered was thinking about Booth. It was now that she looked at the FBI Agent. He had a painful look on his face, like he couldn't stand reliving the moment he saw what the bastard down the hall had done to her.
"His name is Bernard Mantelli." Booth said his voice emotionless. Suddenly, he left the room. Before Brennan could say anything, Angela left her, closing the door as she went. However, the forensic artist didn't realize that the door hadn't latched.
"Booth, you have to get back in there. She needs you. What is going on that you don't want to talk about?" Angela confronted him.
"It's my fault, she's like this. I told Cullen that this was a bad idea. I didn't want her to get involved. I knew it was too dangerous. But they wouldn't listen. Then when I had the chance to catch this guy, he slipped through my fingers and had her in that warehouse. He shot her, Angela. I had Bones' blood all over my hands. And the worst part was she could have died in my arms Ange! I didn't see the exit wound in her back! I was too busy thinking about what I'd do if she died. I think the best thing for her is if I stay away. I can't handle having her death on my hands, on my conscience. I love her too much. When this case is over, I'm putting in for an immediate transfer!" Booth told the shocked forensic artist. Without anther word the FBI Agent, turned and walked away. Angela stood there for a few minutes before turning to walk back into the room. That's when she saw that the door wasn't closed all the way. She sighed and walked into the room. It was obvious from the tears on Brennan's cheeks, that she had heard everything.
WWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Booth sat in his apartment on his sofa. He hadn't meant to tell Angela all that but he felt responsible for the whole mess. Grabbing the beer bottle off the coffee table, he swigged some. He knew it was early to drink but he didn't care.
He'd already gotten a statement from the officers at the scene and Mantelli was chained to his hospital bed, he wasn't going anywhere. Tomorrow, he'd finish his report and wait for his reassignment.
The phone in his kitchen rang. It rang and rang until the answering machine picked up. The message he'd put on there played.
"Hey this is Booth, leave a message."
"Booth, pick up, damn it!" It was Angela. "I know you're there. I hope you're happy. Tempe needs you and she heard your little tirade. You can't leave! You have to..." That's when he picked up the phone.
"She heard it?" He said it in a tone Angela had never heard before.
"Yes and she's crushed. You can't leave like this. She doesn't blame you for any of this. Despite what you think, you saved her in more ways than one. Now get down here!" Angela told him. She ended the call with that last shout. Booth stood there in the kitchen, unsure if he could really face her.
To Be Continued…