A/N: Okay sorry again but tissue box will be needed for the second part (and perhaps the first and maybe the ending) of this chapter. You have been warned!

She felt numb. She felt like the only thing she was able to feel was emotional pain. She just sat on her couch, staring at the wall in front of her. She didn't need a mirror to figure out how she look. She knew that her eyes were bloodshot and she was pretty sure her tears had left trails on her cheeks on their way down. She had spent the past hours crying, unable to find the sleep she desperately needed. The house felt too quiet without her family around and a part of her kept reminding her that, from now on, things would always be this quiet.

She still couldn't believe that her husband was in a coma. He had joined his daughter in this mysterious state that not even doctors can explain properly. A bit more than twelve hours had gone by since she had left the hospital. Twelve hours she knew she should have spent sleeping. But how could someone sleep when their loved ones were on the verge of passing away?

She had only laid in her bed, her empty bed, and stared at the ceiling, waiting for that fateful call from the hospital telling her that her husband and her child had died. The call hadn't come but Temperance didn't know whether to feel relieved or scared.

She didn't know what she would do if she were to find herself being a widow. She was pretty sure that she would never let anywhere close to her again, emotionally that is. She would live the rest of her life taking care of Lukas until he was old enough to take care of himself on his own. After that, she wasn't sure what she would do. Her work seemed to be her only option.

She was lost in the dramatic scenarios of what her life would be after Booth and Riley's death when the doorbell brought her back to reality. Getting up, she rearranger the robe she was wearing and walked to the door.

She was surprised to find her best friend on the front porch, two cups of coffee on a small, cartboard tray.

"I thought you might have liked some company." Angela said, a sympathetic smile plastered on her face.

The smile simply irritated Temperance.

"Not really." She replied truthfully as she stepped nevertheless to the side to let her best friend step inside the house.

The two women walked to the living room and sat down on the same couch Temperance had vacated only seconds ago. Angela handed her her coffee.

"How are you feeling?" She asked after Temperance had taken her first sip.

Temperance shrugged.

"How are Booth and Riley doing?"

"The doctors said that their conditions are stable. That's why they sent me home."

"Did you get some sleep at least?"

Temperance shook her head.

"Sweetie, you have to sleep. You've been up for the past forty-eight hours worrying. You need to rest."

"I can't, Ange." Temperance replied, choking up. "Every time I fall asleep, I dream about them dying."

A few tears rolled down her face.

"I don't... I don't want them to die. I'm not ready for that."

Angela nodded.

"Have you ever thought that maybe they were ready to go?"

Temperance looked up at her best friend, obvious confusion in her eyes.

"Bren, nobody is ever ready to see someone they care about die but sometimes it's just the best thing that could happen to them. Booth and Riley are suffering right now. They are so tired that their brain just decided to shut down for a while.

You want them to stay sick because you're not ready to see them go. Nothing in the situation you all are in is about you. It's about them and what's best for them. And if death is the best thing that can happen to them, then maybe letting them go is the only thing you can do."

Temperance swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

"So you're saying I'm being selfish?" She asked in a small voice.

Angela sighed.

"I'm saying that you've done everything you could possibly do and that now their future is up to them."

Temperance looked down, ashamed of what she had been feeling the entire time. Her best friend was right. Nothing was about her in this. She wasn't the one who had caught the illness, she wasn't the one laying in a hospital bed in a coma. She was just Temperance, the woman who had two of her relatives in a coma.

She looked down at her wedding ring. She couldn't believe what that metal band represented. It represented the life she had led for the past six or seven years. She had promised Booth to love him until death seperated them but she knew that she'd continue to love him even after that. But did Booth know that? Was he only hanging on because of her? She knew he'd do anything for her. Did that include fighting a disease he had no chance of overcoming? How about Riley? Was she doing the same thing? Children often did stuff because they think it's what their parents would want.

She needed to talk to them. Coma or not, she had to see them.

Temperance found herself bolting from the couch.

"I have to go to the hospital." She announced as she walked out of the living room.

"Whoa, why?" Angela replied as she quickly got to her feet.

Temperance was already gathering her things to leave when Angela joined her at the front door.

"I need to go see them."

"Sweetie, they won't even know if you're there. Just stay here, get some sleep and you can go see them later today. Besides, visiting hours have not even started yet."

"For the relatives they have." Temperance replied as she opened the door.

Angela opened her mouth to reply. Temperance cut her off.

"The doctors think people in a coma can still hear everything going on around them. It's a long shot, I know, but it's just something I need to do."

Angela could only nod. Seconds later, Temperance was closing the door behind her.

She was really beginning to hate the quietness of the hospital room and she found herself wishing that this would soon be all over so she wouldn't have to set foot here one more time. Her eyes immediately went to her daughter and she knew that she would have to start with Riley.

Grabbing a chair on the way, she settled herself beside her daughter's bed and took the petite hand in hers.

"Hey Riley, it's Mommy. I feel doing this but there are some things I didn't have the chance to tell you because you fell asleep before I could say them."

With her free hand, Temperance wiped the first tear gutsy enough to trail down her cheek.

"I just wanted to say that I'm very proud of you. You knew from the beginning that you were different from the others but you never gave up. You taught your dad and I to believe in you. You taught us that it wasn't because you were different than the other kids your age that you couldn't do the same thing as them. I remember the first time you rode your bike. It took you less time than Lukas to figure out how to find your balance point. I was so proud that day of you that day, Rye.

I miss hearing you laugh."

Two and three more tears fell.

"I miss hearing you scream when your daddy is chasing you around the house. I miss hearing you call me mommy. I miss holding you in my arms when you're sad and kissing your injuries better when you're hurt. I'll miss all of that about you, Riley, amongst other things. But you don't have to hold on just for me. In your little life, you taught me more about the world and myself than anybody else had done. I'll be okay, Riley. We'll all be okay eventually. It'll take some time but we'll get there. I just wanted you to know that. Mommy won't be mad if you let go, Sweetie. She won't be less proud of you because you gave up for the first time in your life. There's nothing you can do that will make me stop loving you. Just... just remember that."

Temperance let a few more tears trail down her face before sniffling and wiping them. Getting up, she took one last look at her daughter. Through her blurry vision, she was almost sure that she had seen tears in her daughter's eyes. But as she blinked, she found that the vision had gone away. Squeezing the young child's hand gently, she then turned around to her husband.

Taking his hand in hers, she spent a few seconds remembering how his skin felt against her fingers. She looked up at his sleeping form. He almost looked peaceful and, if it weren't for the tube under his nose and the IVs in his left arm, Temperance could have sworn that he was only taking a nap.

"Seeley, it's me."

She used his first name because using his last one just didn't seem appropriate.

"The doctors said you can hear me. I'm not sure what to believe because past experiences taught me that it's possible, yet there's no proof that you can really hear. Coma is such a complicated thing."

Temperance almost swore she heard her husband sigh.

"Sorry." She said, knowing that she was beating around the bush and that he hated that. "I know we already said our goodbyes but I feel like we haven't talked long enough. There are still so many things I would like to say to you but I can't anymore."

Temperance chuckled as the waterfall turned on once more.

"I can't believe how much I have been crying over the last few days. I don't even think I've ever cried this much in my entire life. But I guess that's what happens when you let yourself care about someone."

Then, looking at him tenderly, she added:

"I love you so much, Seeley. You're the first person to have always been there for me. You've never given up on me even when I was being unreasonably analytical or when I hid behind my work to avoid my feelings. You opened up a whole new world for me and I know that you were proud of that. I was proud of me too, even though I never told anyone.

I just want to say that I've forgiven you and that you don't have anything else to prove to me. Not that you ever did but you seemed to think the opposite.

I know I've been selfish, telling you to hold on because I didn't want you to go. I talked to Angela and she gave me a new perspective on our situation.

What I mean to say is that if you want to let go, I will never hold it against you. I know you're tired. I understand that and I respect it. Angela said that it's up to you to decide whether you survive or not. Whatever you decide to do, I'll be backing you 100. Isn't that what our relationship has always been about? I had your back and you had mine. All the way.

I don't want you to worry about me. I'll be fine. Lukas will be fine. Parker will be fine. I promise not to seperate them. I'll let Parker visit any time he feels like seeing his little brother. I know that's what you'd want."

She looked up at the clock. The hand was slowly gliding to eleven. She had officially gone forty-eight hours straight without sleep. She felt her eyelids grew heavier. Maybe she ought to go home and sleep for a while.

"I have to go." She told her husband, almost reluctantly.

Bringing his hand to her mouth, she kissed it softly.

"I love you."

She got up and walked to the door. Just before she set foot in the hallway, she turned to take a one last look at what had been her life for the past seven years.

"I meant every word." She whispered before walking out for good.

The light was shinning brightly as Riley stepped in her father's embrace.

"You can let go, Rye. I'll be there to catch you."

His voice seemed to be coming from far away. Riley looked up and both brown eyes locked.

"I'm not going anywhere." Booth added.

He pulled his daughter closer to him and clung to her like a lifeline. The light was growing brighter and he found himself squinting. He could feel Riley's little arms holding his legs tightly, just like the time she had gotten lost at the grocery store and had found him, minutes later. She had clung to him for a full minute, crying uncontrallably.

The light was now burning his eyes and he could tell the end was near. He felt himself being pulled away. By and away from what he couldn't say. All he knew is that whatever was going on would soon be over.

"Daddy?!" Riley screamed.

Booth could tell his daughter was scared.

"Sssh. It's okay, Riley. I'm still here."

The light was so bright that Booth was forced to close his eyes. He was surprised when a warm feeling spread throught his body. He felt himself relax for the first time in weeks. He felt surrounded by peacefulness, something he hadn't felt in a while. He smiled at the fuzzy feeling. He wasn't scared anymore.

He slowly opened his eyes. In front of him yet far away, a little girl with long brown hair was staring back at him. All dressed in white, the only thing missing from her attire was a large pair of wings. He smiled at her. She smiled back. Then, total darkness.

The ringing of her phone pulled Temperance from her much needed slumber. One look at the caller ID woke her up completely.

"Hello?" She said, hoping to sound calm despite her heart racing in her chest.

"Mrs Booth? This is Dr. Symmes, your daughter's doctor. I need you to come down here."

If enough of you beg me, I might just post the final chapter tomorrow morning. It's written and all. See "What She Thought She Didn't Want" for the minimum begging I need to post quickly (just kidding!).