Chapter 13

Trista had checked one last time to make sure that Dr. Brennan was asleep. She seemed to be deeply asleep. It was just after 10pm, and the lake was dark, the crickets were chirping. The moon was reflecting off the lake. It was a beautiful night.

Opening the closet to the right of the oven, she dug way deep in the back and found the phone she'd hidden. Carrying it into the living room, she pulled out the couch, and plugged the phone into the jack. Quickly, she dialed Doug at work on his private line.

"This is Doug, how can I help you?" he greeted sounding ever the professional

"Hi sweetie, its me, Trista, how have you been?" she said softly into the phone, careful not to raise her voice too much and awaken the doctor. She couldn't know there was a phone.

"Tris! I've been so worried, you haven't called to let me know how you are, when you're coming home…" he trailed off, letting the air between them go silent

"Sweetie, its going to be another month or so before I come home, but guess what? Dr. Brennan wants me to stay with her until the birth, and get this; she wants ME to deliver our baby, how great is that? Can you believe how lucky I am? What an honor this is?" she said with enthusiasm, bouncing on the couch cushions as she said it, gripping the phone so tightly, her fingers were numb.

"Why can't you bring her home to do that hon? Are you in DC?" Doug asked, confusion in his voice

"No, I am in Minnesota honey, we are in a small secluded cabin in Brainerd, a private lake really, Hartley Lake, very scenic, its what the doctor herself wanted babe" Trista pointed out, as she twirled a red curl around her fingers, spinning the tale she'd practiced in her mind, so he'd understand, so he'd believe.

"Why would she want to be secluded?" Doug wondered aloud

Impatience crept into her voice "I SAID I don't know. Look, we are getting the baby we always wanted, so why ask why, right?" she said, her voice raising an octave

"Of course honey of course…its just…." He trailed off, hesitant to voice his doubts

"What? What is it?" she demanded, anger in her voice evident now

"I miss you sweetie. I like having you with me all the time, and its so long…" he managed, not wanting to voice his suspicions of his wife.

Trista relaxed, and replied, "I know, but just think when I come home, we will be parents of the brilliant Dr. Temperance Brennan, author and forensic anthropologist baby!"

Doug sighed. He was beginning to tire of that phrase. "Okay hon, call me when you can, okay?" he paused a moment "I love you Trista…." But the line was dead. She'd already hung up.

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Seeley Booth's flight arrived in Minneapolis Minnesota at 11pm Central Standard Time.

There had been a delay at the DC airport – some engine problem on the flight he was to take – of course.

He'd called Jack and told him he'd check into a motel and see him the following day. He'd called and brought both Angela and Russ up to date. Russ was growing angry and impatient for answers no one was giving him. They were both looking to him to provide them.

. He quickly exited the airport and made arrangements via phone for transportation,

He knew he could have taken a cab to the motel, however he wanted to have his own vehicle, should the need arise, and rented a black SUV identical to his own.

It what he was comfortable in, and he was familiar with the handling. The airport was not very busy, so he was able to disembark quickly with little problem. He caught a glimpse of himself in the rearview mirror. He looked haggard and tired. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he reached for the coffee he purchased as he left the airport.

Booth pulled into an economy motel just outside of downtown Minneapolis, and strode up to the entrance. He checked his watch, it was after 1am, and he was exhausted from lack of sleep and his stomach churned from lack of food. The amenities were sparse here, but that was of little consequence. He regretted the need to slow down and stop.

Grabbing some junk food from the hallway vending machine, he quickly located his room, and flicked the lights on. Very drab, but clean room. He didn't care how it looked. He didn't care about anything other than getting Bones back. He hadn't allowed himself to think about what had happened to her, or what could be happening to her. He just kept on driving himself to find answers. Now his mind started to focus on what he didn't want it to.

What if she and the baby were already dead? His throat tightened at the thought and he swallowed painfully. God he needed a drink. What if this was something to do with her parents like the media was saying? What if she DID run away from him, and wasn't coming back? She had enough money to do it, but he thought they were okay, he told her he was falling in love with her, and it didn't seem too overwhelming for her. She wasn't one to hide her feelings, so if she didn't feel the same, she would have told him so, he decided.

He collapsed on the bed, fully clothed. He stared up at the ceiling, too tired to sleep. His mind was racing with possibilities. Where was she? Was she okay? Why hadn't she contacted him? What if she wasn't able to? Who was doing this? Finally, he drifted off to a deep troubled sleep.

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Temperance awoke with a start, disoriented. The baby had been keeping her from sleeping fitfully, the somersaults and kicks it was doing made relaxing impossible.

She sat up slowly. Her baby had been growing quickly and moving gracefully and easily was becoming more and more difficult. Her mind was recalling all she knew of pregnancy and development of the fetus.

She gauged she was close to seven months along now, as it was mid July, and her due date was early September. She knew she needed to be taking vitamins, and eating more, but there was little she could do about it. She had no desire to engage the other woman in a dialogue. Trista seemed so imbalanced; she didn't know what to say to reason with her, to make her understand.

She was still trying to think of a way to subdue her and escape, however in this heat and humidity, it seemed fruitless. Besides the fact, Trista pointed out that she had a gun, and threatened to shoot her should she try to escape, she also knew she would be able to hurt Trista, however she had no way of gauging how she would react, one wrong kick, or hit to her baby, and it could do internal damage that would trigger early labor.

The nearest neighbor was over 4 miles away. She couldn't walk that distance in her condition, Trista had rigged some sort of lock on the front door, and the windows were painted shut. Thankfully, the small cabin did feature air conditioning, in the sweltering humidity; it was a necessity, not to mention the thick mosquitoes. Off in a distance she heard a rumble of thunder, and lightning flashed between the heavy green draperies covering her window.

It was too early for the baby to come, if it did, it would need immediate and ongoing medical treatment until it could develop further, and she had no desire to endanger her child. She knew Booth was out there, looking for her. She just hoped he found her before it was too late.

Lying back down, she considered her options. Stay and hope, or run and risk everything. If only there were a phone, she could call and let him know where she was. Maybe she'd wait until Trista was asleep tomorrow sometime and try to find a way out.

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End chapter 13 – I hope to try and finish this story up pretty quick here, hope you are still enjoying it – thank you so much for the reviews – they are addicting!