Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews. They are yummy.
Nope, Bones still isn't mine. Believe me, I'll let you know when it is.
"Where is she?"
The receptionist took a few extra minutes to finish what she was typing, and then looked up at him, face set like stone.
"Where is who?"
Booth tightened his jaw, embarrassed that he had failed to identify the root of his search. In his mind, everyone should know who Brennan was. Without him having to say anything, people should automatically know that Brennan was, in some way, involved. He wasn't sure why. That's just the way it should be. He allowed himself a quiet sigh before continuing.
"Excuse me. I was upset. Could you tell me where Dr. Temperance Brennan is, please? I heard she came in with some kind of leg…snap or break or I don't know."
The woman's face softened significantly as she registered the genuine concern seeping from the man's every pore. She met his gaze quickly, nodded once and ran the name through the hospital's computer system.
"Ms…ah…Dr. Brennan was examined by Dr. Martin. There are no indicators that she had to be admitted. There's a good chance she's still in Examination Room 1."
Booth began to jog down the hall at her words, following the large signs pointing to Examination Rooms 1 through 5.
"Wait, are you a relative or a husband…?"
Booth turned back to her, his face set.
"I'm her partner."
The receptionist took a split second to process this then nodded firmly.
Lucky Dr. Brennan
Booth skidded to a halt outside the door marked Examination Room 1. He knocked sharply twice and, without waiting for a response, pushed open the door.
Brennan was sitting lengthways on an examination bed wearing a hospital gown and a mutinous expression. Her right leg was in a cast. A middle-aged man, showing signs of premature balding, was holding a hand in front of his eyes in sheer exasperation. The tension in the room was palpable.
Brennan caught sight of her partner and her face underwent a miraculous transformation.
"Booth!"
The man, the aforementioned Dr. Martin, if his nametag was anything to go by, turned to face the door, his expression inscrutable. He wasn't sure if this Booth character would force his patient to listen to reason or would simply encourage her folly.
"Ah, so you're the famous Booth. Nice to finally see you in the flesh." His tone was dry.
Booth blinked a number of times, then moved further into the room.
"Famous? Bones, what have you been saying about me?"
She grinned impishly.
"So, doc, what's the damage?"
"Ms…"
Brennan cleared her throat loudly then looked around her innocently when both men stared at her.
"DR. Brennan has fractured her fibula."
"…fibula." Brennan repeated. She was glaring at the doctor, determined not to be upstaged by him.
Dr. Martin let out a long-suffering sigh. He gave Brennan a look, which she shrugged at. He returned his attention to Booth.
"She was lucky in that her fibula alone was all that was affected. Such injuries are congruent with a direct blow to the side of the leg."
"…direct blow to the side of the leg." Echoed Brennan, looking triumphant.
Dr. Martin ignored her. "Your partner was hit by a car in the downtown D.C. area…"
Booth glared at Brennan, forehead wrinkling. Brennan, in turn, glared at Dr. Martin. Dr. Martin decided it was safest to glare at the floor.
"What? I was out getting lunch. I thought you'd be pleased I was taking the time to eat."
Booth closed his eyes. "I would also be pleased it you didn't run out in front of cars. Have you any idea how serious…"
"Don't just assume I ran out! You didn't see it. You couldn't possibly know. How can you be sure the car didn't swerve onto the pavement where I was innocently walking?"
"Well, did it?"
"Not exactly…"
Booth growled in frustration.
"Ok, fractured tibia…"
"FIBULA." Both doctors shouted at him.
Booth looked slightly crushed. He was rather proud at having remembered the name of a leg bone. Too bad it wasn't the correct leg bone.
"Wow. Ok, fibula."
"The fibula runs parallel to the tibia, but it's the smaller of the two." Brennan gave him a know-it-all smug smile, which she then directed at the doctor, just to prove how knowledgeable she was.
"Thanks for the biology lesson, Bones. Anyway, this fractured fibula, what does that mean?"
Dr. Martin began rocking slightly on the balls of his feet.
"It's not all that serious. If she'd fractured her tibia as well or had fractured her femur, her condition would be much worse."
"Much worse." Brennan reiterated, nodding energetically.
Booth gave her a quick grin. "That's my Bones. If you're going to fracture a bone, at least you know which one to do it to."
Dr. Martin shook his head incredulously.
"Yes, well, kudos to Dr. Brennan. Anyway, all that is really required is some rest, ice to the injured area and some NSAIDs."
"Some what now?"
"Nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs." Brennan blurted. She then smiled very satisfactorily, pleased that she had gotten there before Dr. Martin.
Dr. Martin ignored her once again. At Booth's blank face, he supplied, "Pain relieving drugs that also reduce swelling. Like ibuprofen or Advil."
Booth nodded. "Why can't you talk more like him?" He gestured at Dr. Martin, eyes fixed on Brennan. He got a stony glare for his troubles.
Dr. Martin looked rather pleased with himself. He decided he quite liked this Booth fellow.
"Anyway, I'm having trouble convincing…eh…Dr. Brennan that she has to rest to allow the bone time to heal."
Booth turned sharply towards his partner, a hand raised to buffer any indignant retaliations.
"You're resting, Bones. No buts. No maybes. No going to the lab. Just some quiet relaxing."
Brennan's expression was murderous.
"When the fracture has healed sufficiently, Dr. Brennan will return to us for physical therapy."
Booth nodded once in acknowledgment, paying no heed to Brennan's darkening face.
"Will do, doc. No arguing." He added in Brennan's general direction.
Brennan folded her arms in front of her chest and sulked.
Dr. Martin piped up, "She'll be needing someone to check in, keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't do anything she shouldn't."
Brennan decided to take offence at this and turned her head away from the good doctor. "Too bad. Angela's away on vacation. I'll just look after myself."
"I could do it."
Brennan nearly slipped off the bed in her hurry to swing around and face him.
"No you could not. I'm not having you coming in and taking over my life."
"Who said anything about taking over? I'll just be keeping an eye on you…your legs in particular. Sounds great to me!"
Dr. Martin cleared his throat before clarifying, "You won't have to watch her 24/7. Just make sure she keeps the weight off her leg. Help her to do some of the things she'll have trouble with. Check the leg for any localized swelling or tenderness."
Brennan spluttered.
"You are not touching my leg."
"Watch me, Bones."
Before she had time to react, he had crossed the short distance that separated them and ran a hand up her uninjured leg to her knee. Brennan blushed furiously and shivered slightly at the intimate contact.
"Silky smooth, Bones. Very nice."
"Yeah, well…" Annoyed that he had flustered her to the point where fragmented words were her only retort, Brennan directed her gaze at her hands.
"Great. Then it's settled. Looks like you've got a new house guest, Bones."
"An unwelcome house guest."
Dr. Martin interjected, "That really isn't necessary. You could just drop in at regular intervals…"
Booth's pleading look cut him off.
"I want to. I want to take care of her properly."
He forced Brennan to meet his gaze.
"Please?"
Brennan sighed impatiently, making it clear she wasn't happy.
"Fine."
Smirking to himself, Booth looked at Dr. Martin.
"So, is she good to go?"
The male doctor glanced briefly at his patient before nodding.
"Fractured fibulas rarely require hospitalisation. I'll give Dr. Brennan a set of crutches to help her to move around…and then she's all yours."
Brennan interjected from behind them.
"Excuse you, I am not property. Ownership does not pass…"
"She's all mine. Got it."