Wow, i got that done quicker than i thought! It must have been all those great reviews motivating me...nahhh! So i went to a concert last night and i kind of passed out, something about dehydration...positive side: i spent all day today in bed, just to be safe; so i had nothing else to do but write!! I should pass out more often!

Chapter 11

Rehabilitation

Brennan woke up to the sound of beeping. Slightly confused, she tried to sit up and look around, but her head rushed and she fell back into her bed.

Before she fell back to sleep she felt someone holding her hand and whispering to her and then she was out.

A few hours later she began to stir again, but this time she knew better than to try and sit up. So she sat and listened. If she strained, she could make out two people talking outside.

"As I said before we couldn't tell until we got the x-rays back, but we know that her face is just going to be badly bruised. We luckily got the bleeding under control from her leg wound. Now how did you say she got that?"

"There was a knife in her leg when I got there, but other than that I don't exactly know."

"Right well, the wound was substantially deep and required five stitches, but it should be fine now. Now with the x-rays we were able to see that her ribs are not broken but she has terrible internal bruising in her stomach."

The voice was laced with concern. "Anything else?"

"No, but I should tell you that if she hadn't been brought in when she was, she wouldn't have been able to stand much more. You did a good thing for your wife."

"She's not…yea thanks."

At the sound of the door fully opening and closing, Temperance shut her eyes, pretending to still be asleep. She felt, more than heard, someone sit in the chair next to her bed and take hold of her hand.

After a few moments he spoke up, "Bones, I know you're awake."

Her mind raced trying to understand how he knew her so well, but she didn't move.

"Okay, I know you're mad at me and you have every reason to. I was a total incompetent jerk and I don't deserve your forgiveness. But I'm still sorry." He sighed before continuing.

"You mean too much to me and I don't want to lose you, which does lead my overprotective alpha-male tendencies to show. I just can't help it. And I know that I over-reacted and that I shouldn't have punched Boyd, even if it really deserved it."

Temperance had to fight hard not to react to what he was saying to her. She knew that he had been acting like a jerk, but she also knew that it wasn't entirely his fault.

"I know that I tend to jump to conclusions, following my gut, whatever you prefer to call it, and I know that sometimes it can be wrong. Like when I saw the pregnancy test, I automatically jumped to the idea that it was yours, when it wasn't. Angela told me. She also told me that I was wrong in thinking that Boyd had proposed to you…."

She nearly wanted to scream at that. Her, marriage! He knew that she was completely apposed to the idea.

"…Yea, I know, you're completely apposed to the idea of marriage, but it just kind of went along with the whole idea of you being pregnant and all. I just jumped to conclusions. And then I saw you out at dinner with him. It felt like you were pushing me out of your life and replacing me with him." He laced his fingers through hers before continuing. "And I don't think I could stand not having you in my life."

"Temperance, I just want you to know how much I—"

The door to her room opened quickly and was followed by a low growl. She felt Booth quickly let go of her hand and she suddenly felt much more alone than before.

"Booth. What are you doing here?" She could tell from the voice that it was Boyd who had entered the room.

"Well, my best friend happens to be in the hospital. You see she was kidnapped and beaten. You may have heard, and seeing as how I was the one who found her…"

"Well, I am here now so—"

"Daddy!" A blob of little blonde hair ran into the room and jumped into Booth, who now stood by the door, interrupting the heated 'discussion'.

"Parker, I told you to wait outside." Angela suddenly appeared in the doorway along with Cam right next to her. "Sorry Booth, but as soon as he heard that you and Bren were in here, I just couldn't stop him."

"It's alright Ange, thanks for watching him."

"Hey Sam! Are you here to see Dr. Bones too?" Parker turned in Booth's arms to face Boyd.

"Yea, kiddo. I was just waiting for your dad to finish up."

Booth just snorted at his comment and only bit back his response because of Angela's elbow in his side.

"Can I see her?" Parker looked questioningly at Booth.

"Sure, buddy." Booth looked towards everyone. "Do guys mind?"

"Of course not!" Angela responded as everyone shuffled towards the door. Booth stayed with Parker while Cam, on the other hand, walked towards Booth.

"Hey, do you want me to stay with you?"

Parker quickly jumped down from Booth hands and replied for him. "No! I want to see Dr. Bones alone." And he attempted to push both Cam and Booth out of the door.

"Okay buddy, but are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Booth looked down at his son, but received no reply as Parker had already turned his back on them to go see Temperance. So Cam retreated out the door followed by a reluctant Booth.

Parker climbed on the chair and looked at Brennan. "Dr. Bones, you can wake up now!"

He climbed from the chair onto the bed and sat next to her. "Would you wake up if I made you breakfast in bed again?"

Temperance turned on her side and opened her eyes to Parker. "You don't have to do anything to get me up. Just you being here and talking to me." She smiled at him and he quickly reciprocated it.

He slowly lifted up his hand and softly brought it to her face. "Are you okay?"

"I am now buddy."

"Because I saw that mean man beat you up and then you protected me. It was the bravest thing ever!" A smile spread across his face as he said the last part, but she saw fear cross his eyes and realized how traumatic that must have been for him, seeing her being attacked.

"I'm just glad that you're alright Parker." She opened her arms to him and he quickly laid down, snuggling in next to her.

"I love you Dr. Bones. Thank you."

"I love you too Parker."

And with that they both fell asleep in each others arms. Finally feeling safe.

Outside of the room, Angela paced nervously back and forth, Hodings stood leaning against the wall, trying to comfort a frazzled Zach, Cam sat in a chair next to Boyd, both seemingly unaffected, and Booth stood by the door watching his son interact with his Bones inside the room.

Once he saw them fall asleep, Booth turned to the squints and sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"I think you all might as well go home now. She just needs rest at this point and the doctor said she could be released within the next few hours."

Angela stopped pacing and looked at Booth. "Are you going to talk to her about what happened?"

"Yea and see if there's anything else she can tell us about what happened."

"Alright, come on Jack, Zach lets go. You'll call us if anything happens or if she needs anything right." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Of course."

"In that case, I am having extreme cravings for some strawberry ice cream…god this is going to be hard to get used to." As she, Hodgins, and Zach left he just laughed at himself for even thinking that Bones had been the one to be pregnant.

"I'll stay with you Seeley. It's the least I can do." Cam tried to hold Booth's hand, but he only pulled away.

"That's alright Cam. I think it would be better if you didn't stay."

"Booth, there's really no reason for you to stay. Go home." This time it was Boyd that had spoken up.

"Actually I have every reason to stay. You on the other hand might as well go too. If there's any change I'm sure you'll be the first person I call." He said this sarcastically, but knew that Bones would probably want Booth to call him, that was the reason he was here in the first place.

"I do need to deal with the whole Madhoil situation…fine, but I want to be called the moment anything changes." Boyd turned and left towards the elevators.

"Seeley, if anyone should be staying, it should be Agent Boyd. You don't really have to be here. Come home with me."

"Look in that room and tell me again that I have no reason to stay. Bones could have died protecting my son. My son, Cam! And he has been scared to death about her. Look in there and tell me what you see." He paused as Cam looked into the room. "Parker is attached to Bones whether you like it or not and there's no way he is going to willingly leave her side."

"Is there no way he would willingly leave her side? Or is it you that wouldn't willingly leave her side?" Cam just shook her head and turned and left Booth standing alone in the hallway.

Brennan woke to find her one hand wrapped around a sleeping Parker and her other hand laced with a sleeping Booth's hand. She tried her hardest not to wake either, but when she sifted ever-so slightly, Booth began to stir.

"Hey Bones." He mumbled as he sat up. "How you feeling?"

"Like I got the crap beaten out of me." Booth cringed at her response and she suddenly felt guilty. "Sorry."

"No reason for you to be sorry. I should have been there for you. Instead I was stupid and got banned from the case and had to go to New York, where I couldn't keep you safe."

"You know I can take care of myself." She said half-heartedly.

"I know Bones, I just feel safer knowing that you're safe." He looked down at his feet and pulled his hand away, embarrassed. But Brennan reached her hand out and grabbed his retreating hand.

"Booth, you did the best you could in the situation. And you heard the doctor; if you hadn't saved me when you did, who knows what would've happened."

"So you were awake! I knew I was right." He gave her a long awaited charm smile and she just laughed. "And you tried to make me believe I was just talking to myself the whole time."

She smiled up at him and her eyes glistened for the first time in weeks. "I have no idea what you're talking about…"

"Right. Anyway, before you start planning your master escape plan, you should know that the doctor said you can leave within the next few hours."

"That's good." There was a quiet pause after she had said that. Brennan knew that Booth wanted to say something, but was having a hard time. So she remained quiet, encouraging him to continue.

"Umm Bones, we're going to have to talk about what happened…"

"What is there to talk about?" Brenna was confused. I was kidnapped by Mr. Madhoil. Clearly he's the killer. Booth comes to save me. And captures Mr. Madhoil. What am I missing?

"Well, when I got there…well, you were alone in the house with no signs of anyone else having been there. Actually there were no signs that anyone had been there within the past few weeks. If you hadn't made that noise, I never would have even found you."

"But that makes no sense. Mr. Madhoil beat me, kidnapped me and locked me up. I saw him. And he never moved me from that one room." She paused and started to think. "So you're saying that he's still out there?"

"Yea, Bones. He is." Booth's head fell at the feeling of letting her down.

"Parker…" She looked down at the small boy sleeping in her arms and a look of fear and worry spread across her face.

"I asked my mom to watch him for the next week or so, just to be safe. She's picking him up tonight. And I would love you to go with them…" She opened her mouth to protest, but Booth put his hand up to stop her. "…but I know that's not going to happen. So I'm going to being staying with you until this guy is behind bars."

He cringed, waiting for her harsh reply about how she could take care of herself, but it never came.

"Okay."

so was passing out worth it?