Here you go, the chapter you've all been waiting for! I hope you like it, the end scene is what I had a vision of when I started this fic, I hope you think it's not too ooc.
Once again, I'd like to thank all my wonderful reviewers! I want to thank all my readers, even if you're not reviewing, I hope you're enjoying the story!
Booth pulled out his cell phone. He prayed that she wouldn't do anything stupid, but he knew her too well to think that she would just let Epps go without a fight. He was running on adreneline and caffeine, and his heart was pounding as he flipped open his phone. One last time, he told himself. He dialed the number.
BBB
The ringing of the phone in the nearly silent room startled Brennan. This was it. She got to her feet slowly, ignoring the pain in her wrist. Epps voice floated across the room.
"Agent Booth. I trust you have everything ready for me?"
"It's here. Now, you bring Dr. Brennan out, and we switch."
Epps laughed. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? No, we do this my way. You drive us, and when I'm sure we're not being followed, I'll let you both go."
"No way, Epps. Dr. Brennan stays here."
"I think you're forgetting something. My game, my rules. She comes along." He hung up before Booth could answer. He turned, and she was staring at him, and there was something in her eyes he couldn't identify.
"Time to go, Temperance." He walked over to her, carrying the gun loosely in his hand. "I'm going to take off the handcuffs now, but you'd better be good. I wouldn't want to have to break that pretty wrist of yours." He noticed the bruises and small cuts on her arm. "That must hurt. I warned you about struggling."
He took out the key, and unlocked the cuffs, immediately grabbing her right arm and twisting it up behind her back. Pain shot up her arm, and she cried out. He got behind her, grabbed her, and pushed her forward, keeping the gun pointed at her head with his right hand, while twisting her right arm with his left. "Don't get any ideas, Temperance. You know I won't have any problems killing you. Or your partner."
Guns were aimed at the door from every direction. Booth watched as the door slowly opened. Temperance was pushed out, followed by Epps. Booth felt the adreneline rush through him. He tried to look at her face, to read her thoughts, but all he could see was the gun at her temple.
The sunlight was blinding after the darkness of the bakery. Brennan blinked against the glare, trying to adjust her eyes to the change. When she did, the first thing she saw was Booth. His gun was trained on Epps, but she saw the fear in his eyes.
"Let her go, Epps, and I'll take you anywhere you want to go."
Epps looked around at all the agents. "That wasn't the arrangement, Agent Booth."
Brennan could hear the confidence in Epps' voice start to waver. The gun in his hand shook slightly. This was it. It was now or never. Look at me, Booth. Her eyes caught his, and she willed him to understand what she was trying to tell him. She took a deep breath.
"Epps, you're not leaving with her! It's just going to be..."
Epps' gun had moved away from her as Booth talked to him. With her left hand, she reached up and grabbed his wrist, twisting it, forcing him to drop the gun. At the same time, she used all her strength to flip him over her shoulder and slammed to the ground. When he looked up, four agents were standing over him, guns pointed at his head.
Brennan stood there, cradling her arm, staring at Booth. He stood over Epps, and the look on his face terrified her. "Booth!" He didn't flinch, didn't even seem to hear her.
"You son of a bitch!" Booth's gun didn't waver, his finger on the trigger.
Cullen pushed his way toward them. "Agent Booth! Stand down!"
"You think that you can take my son, my partner, threaten them and me, and I'm going to let you just walk away?!"
Brennan shook her head at Cullen, who was closing the distance to Booth. "Booth, listen to me."
Booth went on. It was as if he didn't even know she was there. "There is no justice for you, Epps. But there is vengence." His voice was hard.
"Go ahead, Agent Booth. I know you feel it. Give in to the feeling, and pull the trigger!"
"Booth, don't!" She thought she saw something in his eyes. "This is what he wants! Don't let him win!" She took a step closer. "Give me the gun."
"He deserves to die!"
Brennan was desperate. She couldn't let him do this. "Seeley."
The sound of his name on her lips seemed to startle him. "Please, Seeley. Give me the gun." She reached out to him. "Please." she whispered.
"Temperance?" His body slowly relaxed and his arms fell to his sides. He turned to her.
One of the other agents had started to pull Epps up off the ground. "You coward! You think you won?! I'll find a way out! You'll never be done with me!"
Booth started to turn back to him.
"Don't listen to him." Brennan reached out and touched his face, turning it back to her. She reached for his gun.
Booth saw the concern in her eyes. "It's allright. I'm..." Booth saw the concern turn to fear as she looked over his shoulder.
Brennan looked at Epps. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Epps attacked the agent who was trying to cuff him. He wrenched the gun out of his hand. He started toward Booth and Brennan, aiming the gun. "Say goodbye, Agent Booth!"
With no hesitation, Booth turned, raised his gun, and fired. Epps was dead before he hit the ground. He stood over him, staring. Brennan reached out, and gently took the gun from his hand. "It's over" she whispered.