(The Graft in the Girl / The Soldier on the Grave)

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I don't own Bones.

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The next few cases were fascinating, but in two of the cases, Brennan was forced to witness the pain and suffering of people that she respected and admired and in Booth's case, loved. She still wasn't sure that love really existed, but since she was now in a relationship with Booth she felt that she could call it love at least to herself.

The first case involved Deputy Director Cullen's daughter who had been the victim of an unethical couple of people who had sold diseased body parts to unsuspecting hospitals. Because of a snowboarding accident Amy had broken her leg the previous year and that had required a bone graft. That graft had been taken from the body of a man who had died from mesothelioma. That graft in turn gave Amy Cullen the same disease.

Booth and Brennan had worked the evidence to find out who had been responsible for the sale of the diseased body parts and they had been successful, but they could do nothing to save Amy. Her disease had progressed too far and no treatment was going to save her.

She sat in her office and stared at the top of her desk with unseeing eyes. She felt bad for the Deputy Director and for his daughter and Brennan was having a hard time accepting the fact that she had been unable to save the child's life. Amy was going to die and no one could stop it.

Booth entered his partner's office and noticed the sad look on her face. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was within sight, he moved over to the desk and placed his hand on her upper arm. "Bones . . . Bones are you alright?"

Her dark thoughts shattered, Brennan looked up and gave her boyfriend a wan smile. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about Amy. For all of our accomplishments, what we did doesn't really matter in the end. Yes we saved some of the lives of the people who had diseased grafts, but we were unable to save Amy. She is going to die."

Aware that he was in an office with glass walls, Booth bit back his frustration with the situation and patted her arm when what he really wanted to do was to hold her in his arms. "What we did does matter in the end. We stopped those people from killing any more people. We've prevented them from ruining other lives and that is big in my book." Booth walked around to the front of the desk and sat down on the chair located there.

He paused and finally shook his head. "I know you're upset because of Amy, but we were never going to be able to save her life no matter what we did. Alexandra Combs and Nick Martin are going to be tried for murder because of the deaths they've already caused. They're going to pay for what they've done."

Brennan found it interesting that she was the one who was emotional about Amy and not Booth. Normally he was the one that seemed to feel the pain of the victim. "I feel sad that Cullen and his wife have to watch their daughter die knowing that there is nothing that can be done."

"I've known Amy longer than you have and that kid does deserve a longer life, Bones." Booth had been fighting with his emotions ever since he'd found out about Amy, but he had seen friends and comrades die before and he knew that the only way to get through it was to accept it and be there for Cullen when he needed it. "She's a real fighter and she's fought a good fight. Her mother and father are there with her and she's not alone. That's the important part. Amy is not alone."

Brennan heard the catch in Booth's voice and she realized that she had misjudged her boyfriend's emotional reaction about what was going on. He's in pain and I couldn't tell. How can I help him when he needs it, when I can't tell he needs help? "Yes, she's not alone Booth. She does have family that loves her. That is more than we had when we were children." She wasn't sure why she had said that, but she had and thought it might be a good thing. "We do have each other now though."

His smile was sad, but it was a smile. "Yeah, we do." He wanted to kiss her, but not at the Lab. He couldn't take the risk. "Angela told me she's working on something to show Amy, she said she's going to show her the Louvre. She said it was your idea. You're amazing, Bones. Amy is too sick to ever travel again, but because of you and Angela, Amy just may get to see the greatest art museum in the world. You make me so proud. It's a sweet thing to do and well, like I said I am so proud of you for thinking of it."

The blush on her cheeks caused her porcelain skin to appear rosy and she felt warm. "Angela is doing all of the work, Booth. I merely made a suggestion." She didn't want to take away from what Angela hoped to accomplish.

"Bones, you and Angela are going to give Amy a precious gift." He knew she didn't think she had really done anything significant, but Booth knew differently. "If no one else says it then I will. Thank you."

Their day had been long and Brennan was ready to go home. After closing a file on her PC, she logged off and stood up. "I'd like to go home now. Is your day done or do you need to go back to the Hoover?"

Booth stood up and walked over to the doorway. "I'm ready to go home. I'd come over here to see if you wanted to go out to dinner, but I think I'd just like to go home. Maybe we could have some grilled cheese sandwiches and some tomato soup."

She knew that was his comfort meal and she was willing to forgo eating out for him. "I think that would be a wonderful idea, Booth. Perhaps later we can watch a movie together."

While she passed in front of him, Booth reached out and placed his hand on her lower back. As they walked slowly towards the entrance, Booth made small talk. Once they arrived at his SUV, Booth slid in the driver's seat while Brennan sat down beside him on the passenger's side. There were cameras in the parking garage, but not where he was parked, so he leaned over and kissed her. "I love you, Bones."

Brennan returned his kiss and smiled. "I know."

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Their case involving a soldier who was murdered and his body left at Arlington National Cemetery left Booth an emotional mess. He had been so angry during most of the case for various reasons and that worried Brennan. At first he had thought that someone had committed suicide while sitting on the grave of a war hero. After the body had been examined and it was proved that Devon Marshall had been murdered that just seemed to make Booth angrier and that worried Brennan even more.

Brennan thought Booth's ties to the military was the problem and she was determined to investigate the crime as dispassionately as possible. She didn't want Booth's military background to affect the investigation in any way, so she made sure she was with him as much as possible when interviews were done.

Booth knew he had to investigate the crime as he would any other, but he couldn't separate his history from the present. It also didn't help that those he was working with had an opinion about the war in Iraq and most of it seemed to be one sided and ill informed. This added to his frustration and his quick temper. He also knew that Brennan was leery of his involvement in the case. Booth was sure that she thought he was prejudiced and maybe he was, but he knew he had a job to do and he was going to do it to the best of his ability.

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While they were investigating the case, Booth found himself alone for the next two nights. Brennan was putting in some late hours at the Lab and she was staying at her apartment when she went home. He knew he was in a foul mood because of the case and agreed that it would be better for both of them if he slept alone. Neither of them liked the arrangement, but they were both being careful and they didn't want to do anything to destroy their relationship. If that meant that they would sleep apart for a few days then that was what they would do.

Sitting in his living room, drinking a Scotch, Booth heard his phone ring. Grabbing it from the coffee table, he accepted the call. "Booth."

It's late, so I wasn't sure if you were asleep or not. Are you alright?

"Yeah, I'm okay." Booth placed his glass down on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch. "Look Bones, I'm sorry that I've been a pain in the ass with this case. It's just that . . . it's hit a little too close to home."

I know this case has been hard for you, Booth and I'm sorry that I haven't been as empathic as I should be.

"Don't do that Bones." He rubbed his forehead, a headache threatening to get worse. "Me being in a bad mood is not your fault. It's just . . . it's a lot of things snowballing right towards me and I'm having a tough time being unbiased about what's going on. These men and women, they're my brothers and sisters in arms and they deserve respect and honor. Devon Marshall was murdered and his body was dumped on the grave of a war hero. This is all very hard for me to take."

I understand, Booth . . . Would you like me to come over there. We haven't slept together for two days. Perhaps you'd like some company?

He knew she was trying to be there for him and he appreciated it so much. "Yeah, that would be nice, Bones. Thanks."

I'm leaving the Lab right now. I should be there in a few minutes.

"I don't have anything ready to eat Bones." Booth stood up and walked over to the kitchen. "I just ate a sandwich when I got home. Do you want me to cook you something or order you some food?"

No that won't be necessary. Angela brought me dinner a few hours ago. I just want to be with you right now, Booth.

"Alright." Booth stopped and stared at the fridge. "I do have beer . . . Thanks Bones."

You're welcome.

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In the end, they had found out that Devon Marshall had been murdered because he was going to reveal what had really happened to Charlie Kent in Iraq. Devon had been filled with remorse that a cover-up had occurred over a mistake that had caused Charlie to be killed by a fellow soldier. Charlie Kent had just killed an innocent Iraqi family and in the confusion that followed he himself was also killed. The guilt was too much for Devon and in the end he confided in the wrong person. Private Jody Campbell was living in her own personal hell and she didn't want to relive what happened in Iraq, so she had silenced Devon before he could tell anyone else.

Booth wanted to support the Marshall family, so he had attended Devon's funeral along with Brennan. He had observed Charlie Kent's family commiserate with Devon Marshall's mother and sister and he knew that they would eventually heal. He wasn't so sure about himself.

He had tried to tell Brennan before they became more intimate about his past and she hadn't thought it was necessary, but after this case, Booth needed to tell her. She needed to listen.

He found a chair and sat down pointing at the chair next to him, so Brennan sat down and waited for him to say whatever was on his mind.

Booth was afraid to tell her about his past, certain that she would be filled with disgust, but he didn't want to keep that part of him a secret from her. She needed to know who she was involved with and he hoped that she would forgive him.

His voice low, Brennan had to lean towards him to hear what he had to say and what he had to say was emotionally hard to hear. While in the Army, Booth had been ordered to take out a Serbian General who was in the midst of an ethnic cleansing campaign in his country. The man had been hard to isolate, but Booth had found him at his son's birthday party and had used that moment to kill a man responsible for many deaths.

Though Booth had done his duty, the one thing he remembered and would never forget was the sight of the General's small son sprayed with the blood of his father. That image was burned in Booth's memory and he found it hard to speak about and yet he did, for her.

"That little boy, all covered with his daddy's blood . . . just changed forever. It's never just . . . it's never just the one person who dies, Bones, never . . . never. We all die a little bit, Bones. With each shot, we all die a little bit." His head bowed, Booth held his clasped hands together, afraid to look at her. Afraid that she was so disgusted with him that he was about to lose her.

She knew he was in emotional pain and at first floundered around trying to think of the right thing to say, but suddenly realized that words weren't really what he needed. Slowly, she reached out and placed her hand over his hand. His hand warm in her hand, she gripped it firmly, so that he knew that she was there and that she wasn't leaving.

Grateful that she was still there by his side, Booth placed his free hand over her hand and felt a tear escape from his damp lashes. "I've never told anyone about this outside of the Army. It's something that's been with me for a long time."

"You aren't alone anymore Booth." Brennan's throat felt tight and she worried that she might say the wrong thing. "We're family. You can tell me anything."

He rubbed the tear from his cheek and raised his head to look at his girlfriend and partner. "Thanks, Bones . . . Thank you."

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A long chapter, but I wanted to explore the emotions of both episodes and felt they should be written together. Let me know what you think of my story. Thanks