Chapter 12

Eight days, twelve hours and forty-three minutes later

Booth sat next to the hospital bed unable to comprehend just how close he had come to losing her. He was haggard with a week worth of growth on his face and a week of sleep deprivation evident in his eyes, but he had Bones back. As he sat there looking at his unconscious partner he could feel nothing but an unbelievable sense of relief at having her back. The last week had been pure torture of chasing leads that always turned out to be a dead end. Then on Thursday Cullen had done the unthinkable, he had taken Booth off the case. Cullen had said that Booth was to close to this one and he wanted fresh eyes to look at the evidence.

Booth had been furious. He had tried reasoning with his captain and when that didn't work he had tried yelling, but nothing seemed to convince Cullen that Booth was the right person for the job. Cullen had decided that if he got a new agent on the case then Dr. Brennan would be found. While Cullen was relieved that Brennan was back there was one fact that had not gone unnoticed, they never had found her. She had been left for dead on the side of the highway less than twenty-four hours after Booth had been taken off the case. Her captors had literally tossed her out of a moving vehicle. Luckily she had been found quickly and life flighted to the hospital where she had been for the last two days.

Booth was pulled away from his thoughts by the door opening. Angela walked in carrying two cups of coffee. She didn't look any better than Booth; in fact all the squints looked every bit as bad as Booth. They had been working around the clock desperate for the tiniest clue. It had never come.

"Any change?" Angela asked hopefully.

"Not since you left five minutes ago." He couldn't help smiling ever so slightly at her.

Angela smiled back. "At least she's alright physically. Right?"

"Yea, that's right. If she would just wake up we could find out how she has been effected emotionally."

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Two hours later they got their wish. There was no dramatic eye fluttering, no slowly lifting hand, there was just a sleeping person and then she was awake.

When she woke Booth was flipping channels on the TV and Angela was sleeping on the empty bed in the room. Hodgins and Zack would be showing later to take the mid-afternoon shift. They made sure she was never alone. The nurses had learned the first day not to expect this particular group to abide by the visiting hours.

"Hey, Booth."

Booth nearly dropped the remote. The look on his face was one of pure joy.

"You're awake." Booth said, stating the obvious before calling Angela awake.

"Where am I?" Brennan's voice sounded scratching from lack of use.

"Howard University Hospital." By this time Angela was standing on the opposite side of the bed with the biggest smile on her face.

"Hi, Ang. You don't look so good." Brennan smiled as she greeted her friend.

Angela laughed as she hugged her friend a little to hard. "Well, you look wonderful. I'm so glad you're awake."

"Angela, can you get the doctor?" Booth asked.

"Oh, right. Yea, I'll go do that." Angela just could not wipe the grin off her face.

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One hour later Booth and all the squints (even Cam) were waiting for the doctor to leave so they could go back in and see Brennan. The doctor exited the room and walked up to Booth.

"How is she, doc?"

"She's going to be fine." He smiled at the collective sigh this news brought. "She shouldn't even need much rehab. Those broken ribs are healing nicely. It's lucky they weren't going faster when they tossed her out of that car."

"Yea…lucky." Booth had a tough time thinking of any of the events of the last week as lucky. "Can we see her?"

"Yes, but maybe just two at a time." They all looked at each other. It was quickly decided that since Angela and Booth had already seen her Hodgins and Zack could go visit real quick. However, Booth made it very clear they better be very quick of he would come toss them out himself.

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Less than twenty minutes after his threat had been delivered Booth and Angela found themselves once again in the room they had come to know so well.

"Hi." Brennan greeted her friends. "It seems Zack has been doing alright on his own."

"Yea, right." Angela smiled slightly. "He is a wreck. He has been working a lot, but he is not you. The lab just doesn't feel the same."

Brennan smiled at this. "He is good though."

"Yes, he is." Angela smiled at the pride in Brennan's voice.

Booth had already reached her side and took her hand.

"Where's Parker?" Brennan asked looking at Booth.

"Rebecca is bringing him by later." Booth assured her. "How are you feeling?" There was concern all over his face.

"Like I was thrown from a car." She smiled at him.

"The doctor told you that?"

"No, I sort of remember."

"How much do you remember?" This was the moment Booth had feared. Hearing what she had been through over the last week. Maybe it was good that he didn't have the guy at such easy access as behind bars at the local jail.

"Everything." Brennan stated mater-of-factly. "The doctor says I have been unconscious for two days. I remember everything except that."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Booth and Angela exchanged a look. Neither of them was sure they wanted to hear what she would have to tell them.

" I'll have to talk about it eventually, right?"

"Yes, eventually." Booth answered.

"I guess I can at least tell you part of it. I will stop when I can't take it anymore. Alight?"

Angela and Booth both nodded each holding a hand. "Just one thing. No interruptions. If you have any questions you can save them for the end. I want this over as fast as possible. Alright?"

"Okay" Angela

"Alright" Booth

And Brennan began her story.