Booth stared at one person on the list. He'd spent hours on it, and it all came down to this. He dreaded the conversation that needed to happen. He didn't even want to do it. There was no way this person could have done this. No one else from the list was a suspect, though. They also all had very good alibis. This person would have a really good one too.

Booth?

"Yea?"

I had a flashback.

"A what?"

Mental images of what happened to me.

"When you died?" he asked, getting excited.

Yes.

"What did you see?"

A pillow come over my face, but I did see someone standing in the doorway of the room. It was a nurse. She looked scared.

"Can you describe her?"

Yes.

"I'll go get Angela."

...

Angela smoothed the paper in front of her and got her pencil ready. She looked at Booth.

"Hi, sweetie," she said.

Hi, Ange.

"She says hi. I say hi. Are you ready?" Booth asked, impatient.

"I'm ready," she nodded.

"Okay," Booth said. He proceeded to describe the woman Brennan had seen. He watched impressed as Angela constructed the woman's face and features as he talked. When she was done, she held it up.

That's her.

"It's her," Booth said.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go to the hospital and find her," Angela said eagerly. She collected her things quickly and followed Booth out to his SUV. She was quiet on the way to the hospital for a bit.

"This is weird for me," Booth finally said. "Having her in my mind."

"Is she there all the time?"

"She goes to sleep or something sometimes. She won't be there. I found out she can make me walk around when I'm sleeping."

"Haha! She totally would too."

"It's not funny," he growled.

It is a little.

"Fine. What do we do when we find this lady?"

"I ask her questions and get a statement," Booth answered. His phone rang then. It was Max.

"I can't talk right now," Booth said, answering.

"I know who it is," Max said.

What?

"What?"

"I'm on my way there."

"No, hold on! I..."

Max hung up.

"Damn it!" Booth said, throwing his phone down.

"Who was that?"

"Nevermind," Booth dismissed.

We need to hurry, Booth. He's going to hurt someone.

"No kidding," Booth said out loud. Angela looked at him, puzzled. Then she remembered.

"This is so strange," she said. "I wish I could hear her."

"No you don't," Booth shook his head.

That's being mean again, Booth.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"I'm glad she said it," Angela said. "That was tactless of you."

"I have to focus right now. Can you both just stop talking?" Booth asked. They obeyed, and soon they had arrived at the hospital. He parked and got out. Angela followed. He went to the nurse's station and showed the picture to them.

"I need to talk to her," Booth said. "Do you know who she is?"

"Yes, I'll call her down," the woman replied. They waited anxiously when the woman appeared.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I'm special agent Seeley Booth, and this is my associate Angela Montenegro. I want to ask you a few questions," Booth finished.

"About what?"

"Let's go somewhere private shall we?"

"Okay."

They walked to the quiet room and closed the door.

It's definitely her. Ask her name.

"What's your name again?" Booth asked.

"Sam."

"Okay, Sam. It has come to my attention that you saw something the night my partner died."

"Who?"

"Dr. Temperance Brennan."

Sam paled visibly.

"You did see something," Angela said, shocked.

"N-no."

"Don't lie. It wastes time," Booth snapped.

"I can't tell you," Sam told him.

"Why not?"

"He threatened to hurt my family."

"I can prevent that. I just need you to tell me who it was."

"I can't."

"Look, I think he's about to be murdered right now, so I need you to tell me if it was or wasn't who I think it is so I can go save a man's life," Booth snapped. Sam stared for a moment before giving in.

"I was told he was Director Kirby of the FBI," she whispered. "He asked for access to ask her questions about the Gravedigger. I didn't think anything of it. When I went back to check on her, he was suffocating her. He paid the doctor off to lie and threatened both of our families if we told."

"Thank you, Sam," Booth said. "Angela? Can you stay here with her? I gotta go save a murderer."

...

Hurry, Booth!

"I am hurrying," he said. He jumped into his SUV and peeled off. He had to stop Max. As much as he wanted the bastard to die, he also wanted justice. He reached the abandoned building where Max had been hanging out. He saw two shapes up on the roof.

Up there!

"Not blind, Bones," he said, getting out and rushing to the door. By the time he got to the top of the building, his legs were screaming at him.

"Stop!" he shouted at Max, who had his gun pointed right at Director Kirby's forehead. The man was unconscious already.

"He killed my daughter, Booth," Max said. "He also ordered a hit out on my son. That's what caught my attention. That and he is dirty. He was in on the whole Marvin Beckett thing. When I saw his name on that insulin list, I knew he did it."

"I know he killed her. Wait, what? He put a hit out on Russ?" Booth's mind was racing. Kirby was dirty? This wasn't good at all.

What? Is he okay?!

"Yea. Luckily the guy missed. He has to be stopped."

"Look, this isn't the way to do it."

"So what if it isn't? You arrest him, and he will get off on a technicality."

"It's a solid case," Booth said. "A witness came forward. Saw the whole thing. I have two witnesses actually."

"I don't trust the system. I'm sorry," Max said.

"I am the system, Max, and I say stand down," Booth ordered, pulling out his gun now.

Please don't shoot my Dad.

Max stared at Booth and back at Kirby.

"All right," he finally said, lowering his gun. "You can have him. If he gets off..."

"I'll call you," Booth agreed.

"What now?" Max asked as Booth put handcuffs on Kirby.

"Get out of here," Booth said.

"What?"

What?

"Go. Disappear. Vanish," Booth ordered. "Right now. I don't ever want to see you again."

"You're a good man, Booth," Max grinned. "Too bad you'll never be my son in law."

How would he know that would even happen?

"Goodbye, Max," Booth said, making his point clear. Max nodded and quickly left the roof. Booth called it in. He explained what had happened and that the perpetrator hadn't come back to the roof and was presumed on the run. He waited for back up to come before hauling Kirby down the flights of stairs.

Thank you, Booth.

"My pleasure. You're still here, so that's a good thing," Booth grinned.

Is it? Or does it mean you didn't get my murderer?

"Maybe it has nothing to do with that," Booth noted.

It has to. Why else would I be here?

"To keep me company?"

I need to think for a while.

"Okay. I'll be right here."

...

"Okay, you've had long enough to think. Let's go celebrate!" Booth said as Director Kirby was led away and he was back in his office.

No response.

"Bones?"

Still nothing.

"Oh my God. Bones!" he shouted. He grabbed his head. She was gone. "NO!"

He hadn't gotten to say goodbye. He hadn't gotten to tell her again how much he loved her.

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked, coming up to him.

"I...I'm fine," Booth lied. "I gotta go."

"Booth..."

Booth tore out of the building as fast as he could. He had to talk to Avalon. He had to know. Was she just asleep? Or was she gone?

"Avalon!" he gasped, out of breath. She looked up at him standing there in front of her at her office.

"Agent Booth. How can I help you?"

"You...you gotta tell me. Is she gone?" he asked.

"Sit," she ordered. He obeyed. She flipped her cards.

"What?" he asked when she squinted at them.

"She's moved on," she replied. "She is happy and content."

"That's it?"

"I'm afraid so."

"So, I never get to talk to her again?"

"I'm sorry. No," she replied, looking at him sadly. He deflated then.

"I don't believe this."

"Something tells me that you will be seeing her again before you know it."

"That's impossible. She's dead," Booth said, getting up. "Thanks anyway."

Avalon twisted her lips as he walked away. He had misunderstood what she had said, but there was no point in calling him back to tell him. He would figure it out on his own.

...

"She's gone?" Angela asked, horrified.

"Yea. Just gone. I didn't even get to say goodbye," Booth said, choking up. Angela pulled him into a hug, starting to cry herself. She hadn't said goodbye either.

"I'm so sorry."

"What am I gonna do? I need her..."

"I have complete faith that you will see her again," Angela told him. "I do."

"I really hope so," Booth said sadly. He kept clenching and unclenching his hands. It was like his heart was breaking all over again. He didn't know how he was going to carry on.

Over a Year and a Half Later

He was singing with Angela, trying to get Brennan out of his head for the millionth time that day. Ever since she disappeared over a year and a half ago, he couldn't focus on anything. He wanted her back so much, but he was disappointed every single day when it didn't happen. Because Angela was the only one who knew, she did her best to comfort him and let him talk about it as much as he wanted. It was her idea to come out tonight with the hopes of him feeling better. He'd been working a difficult case anyhow. Sweets, Zack, Hodgins, and Cam were cheering them on.

"SEELEY!"

He turned to see Pam facing him with a gun raised in her hand. What was she doing here?

"I'm doing this for us," she said. She took aim at Angela, and Booth didn't even think before diving in front of her. The bullet struck his chest, and he collapsed. He heard another gunshot go off and saw Pam fall face first onto the floor. He didn't know who shot her. The voices grew muffled around him then.

"Booth!" the others cried.

"BOOTH!" Angela screamed, bending down to prop him up. He felt her press on his wound.

"NO! Booth!"

It all went dark.

...

The Jeffersonian was silent. Angela, Hodgins, Zack, and Cam were all sitting together in the lounge area not knowing how they were going to recover from Booth's death. It was too soon after Brennan's death. Way too soon.

"I think they're together again," Angela finally said. "It's the only way I can make myself feel better about any of this."

"Yea, I think they are too," Hodgins agreed. "They can squabble and bicker up there like before."

"I wish I could see their reunion," Angela sighed.

"I don't," Cam admitted. "That's too personal. And weird."

"I don't believe in an afterlife, so I can't join in on this conversation," Zack said matter of factly.

"Say what you want, but I firmly believe there is one, and Booth is kissing her right now," Angela said. The others, except Zack, nodded in agreement. If they could imagine that, then it made everything a little less painful.

...

Booth opened his eyes, and he found himself in a very bright place that resembled a park. There was a waterfall tinkling somewhere, and no one was in sight except for one person.

"Bones?" he asked, incredulous. He struggled to his feet.

"Easy," she said, helping him. "You did just get shot."

"Right," Booth replied, putting his hand over his heart. There was no wound there. "Where are we?"

"I believe it's Limbo," Brennan said. "I don't know what else to call it."

"You've been here all this time?"

"Just since you solved my murder. I think people stay here until their other half comes," Brennan said. "I have watched a few couples reunite then disappear."

"Oh. So, I'm your other half then," Booth grinned. She couldn't help but smile.

"I suppose you are."

"Bones, do you still...?"

"Love you? Of course! It's a little awkward seeing you and saying it, but I still love you," she reassured him. He took a step closer to her.

"You're beautiful," he whispered.

"I've heard that a lot on Earth, but coming from you, it has a whole different meaning," she replied. He touched her face with his hand and reveled in the fact that he could touch her again.

"I really missed you," he whispered.

"I really missed you too," she confessed. She rested her hands on his chest, looking up at him.

"I'll do my best to make eternity paradise for you," he promised.

"It's only paradise because you're here," she said.

"I love you," he told her.

"I love you too."

He pulled her in then, finally resting his lips against hers and feeling as though nothing would ever be bad again. As they kissed, the sky brightened even more until it all faded away around them. They were together forever at last.

The End


Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following. I'm sorry if you found it sad. I'm sorry it's not longer, but I didn't feel I had to drag out the whole investigation. I hope it was a satisfactory ending at least. Anyway, thank you again. Cheers!