The entire Jeffersonian crew was sitting at the diner having a great time watching Brennan. She jumped and danced around the stage while singing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. It was perfect. Booth was clapping and dancing along, watching in awe as his closed-off partner blossomed like a flower in front of him. Her smile was infectious, her eyes bright, and she looked undeniably happy, something he hadn't seen in a while.

Booth's heart swelled at the sight. He knew that there were feelings between them, not that Bones would ever admit it. But their stolen glances, the way they smiled only for each other, it was a special connection. A once in a lifetime connection. Booth thought to himself. He knew that he had romantic feelings for Bones and in a way, he knew she felt the same. They had shared a kiss 4 years ago while working their first case, but that wasn't what this was, that was lust and passion. This was friendship that seemed to be turning a new leaf. Booth just needed to figure out the right time to plant the seed.

"Seeley!" His name drew me out of his trance. Brennan didn't seem to notice, she was singing at her squint friends. "Look at me, not at her." Booth's eyebrows furrowed, he knew that voice. "I'm doing this for us!" That's when Booth finally turned. The first thing that came into view was the barrel of a gun, he drew his from its holster on his side. Aiming it at Pam, he waited a split second too long, he hoped she would see him pull the gun and stop, but everything was moving in slow motion.

The blast of the gunfire, the popping sound Booth was all too familiar with, the sound of the crowd screaming.

"Brennan!" Angela's voice shrill with panic and fear told Booth everything he needed to know. He pulled the trigger, a single bullet struck Pam in the chest. Her eyes glazed.

"I did it for us, you are supposed to be with me." She murmured as she fell to the ground. Booth didn't have time, he watched as others rushed to the perpetrator's aid. Turning around, he saw a sight he never wanted.

Brennan was crumpled on the stage. Her eyes seemed frantic, she was trying to speak. Angela was hovering, Sweets was on his phone, Cam was holding Zack, and Hodgins knelt in front of Bones, using his jacket as pressure to the wound. Ever since the gravedigger kidnapping, Hodgins had grown protective of Brennan, the fact that he was tending to her wounds bothered Booth. She's my partner. He thought to himself.

What felt like an eternity was likely only a matter of seconds. Booth rushed over. Hodgins moved out of the way and consoled Angela, pulling her into his embrace.

"Come on, Bones, stay with me, baby." Booth yelled, he could see Bones looking around as if trying to find her lifeline. She made eye contact with Booth and tried to relax. He's here, he'll save me. She thought.

"I'm so cold." She stuttered. "Everything is fading away."

"No, don't you dare!" Booth screamed. "Bones, you have to stay with me. You have to stay with the squints, with Sweets, you have to stay with me." He continued to beg as he looked over his shoulder. "Where the fuck are the paramedics?!" He looked at Sweets, who checked over his own shoulder.

"They're on their way." Sweets murmured. This is my fault. He thought. He had pushed Brennan to go out and to sing. He had wanted Brennan to get out of her comfort zone. Now she was lying in a pool of her own blood.

"They save her first, they come here first." Booth said, turning his attention back to Bones.

"Booth? Booth! Where are you going?" She whispered. "Don't leave me." She cried, her eyes were losing their vibrancy. Booth knew what was happening, he was losing her. Her body was shutting down.

"I'm right here, baby, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." Booth replied. He was trying to remain calm, but his voice was unrecognizable. Soon the sound of sirens filled the diner. Cam's hand pressed into Booth's shoulder.

"Seeley, we have to let them work on her." Cam whispered, pulling lightly at Booth's coat, but he didn't budge.

"She's lost a lot of blood so far, she's AB positive. Do you hear me? AB POSITIVE!" Booth was telling the paramedics. Booth knew from his time in the army that she needed blood, she was losing it too fast, she had stopped responding. He usually sent up a prayer, requesting God provide safe passage for the fallen, but this time his prayer was much different. Now you listen to me, you good for nothing son of a bitch, she's everything I have, you save her or so help me, when I make my way to the pearly gates, I will be worse than Lucifer and his army. She's not done here. She's not done with me. Amen.

Cam pulled Booth away and he felt his world spinning. They had placed her on the gurney and wheeled her away. The diner floor was covered in Brennan's blood, Booth was covered in her blood, his eyes glazed over.

"Seeley, come on, I'll drive you to GW Hospital." Cam murmured. She watched as her friend and former lover fell to pieces. She knew from the moment she came back into his life that Brennan was his priority. He stood up for Brennan when Cam first started at the lab. He showed her time and time again that he would drop anything for Brennan. When the gravedigger took Brennan and Hodgins, Booth was a madman. They all wanted to find them, but Cam saw him sprinting toward Brennan in the sand and she knew that they were never going to last.

The car ride was silent. Cam and Booth sat in front, while Sweets and Zack sat in the backseat. Sweets seemed deep in thought when Booth turned his steely gaze to the young psychiatrist.

"Are you going to shrink us due to the traumatic event?" Booth questioned, jolting Sweets out of his daze.

"Usually, we wait until after the traumatic event has completed before 'shrinking' anyone." Sweets replied, he knew that Booth was baiting him, wanting to fight. Booth was like a caged animal at this point. He felt helpless, so he would do anything to obtain the upper hand. It was a classic trait of his that Sweets had annotated in his notes.

"Well the shooting is complete, wouldn't you say? I shot the perpetrator." Booth responded, his tone clipped.

"We are nowhere near finished. Before we can be done with the traumatic event, we must know the extent of Dr. Brennan's injuries and her survival." Sweets knew what he was prompting with this response. Booth's nostrils flared.

"She. Will. Survive." He gritted his teeth. Sweets made a mental note to talk to Booth about his savior complex.

Angela and Hodgins had already arrived at the hospital by the time Cam got there. Angela looked up as they walked in, her tear stained face told them that the news they received wasn't good.

"Any news?" Booth asked, he was getting antsy. Angela's eyes welled up with tears and she nodded her head.

"They want to talk to Cam, they are trying everything, but they wanted to speak with a coroner in case things continue to progress in the current trajectory." Hodgins could only whisper. When the doctor had come out, he seemed downtrodden, relaying the information from the surgeon. Cam became rigid.

"Okay, I'm sure everything will be okay. Let me go speak with them." Cam murmured. Her heart was breaking. Although she and Temperance had a difficult start to their relationship, she had learned to love the quirks of her world-renowned anthropologist. She spent nights speaking with Dr. Brennan about work, but slowly Brennan opened up. She would relay little stories about her childhood, about her time in foster care, about her relationship to her parents, her brother, with Booth. Little by little, the duo had revealed a lot about their lives and Cam knew that if anything happened to Brennan, the entire team would fall apart, not because she was an amazing scientist, which she was, but because she was the glue that held their family together.

Booth felt his world collapse. A coroner? He thought.

"I need to go to the chapel." He mumbled. Angela held out her hand and Booth took it. She squeezed it three times, a way of saying I love you, I understand, she's my best friend too. Booth paused and felt the tears prick at the corners of his eyes. "I need to find a priest." He said more to himself than to anyone else.

Cam had scrubbed up and entered the OR. The beeping brought her some ease. She's alive. She's still alive. She thought to herself, but her heart rate was low, her blood pressure was dropping, her eyes were taped shut and the breathing tube was firmly down her throat. Her strong, independent friend was completely vulnerable. Cam looked away from Brennan's face and toward the surgeon.

"Dr. Saroyen, thank you for coming in. I believe we will be able to retrieve the bullet. We have stopped the internal bleeding and will be moving to reconstructing the fractured ribs." The surgeon rattled off, and Cam stiffened.

"That all sounds like good news." She murmured. Why would they want a coroner? She thought. As if reading her mind, the surgeon continued.

"I received a call from a government agency, they wish to speak to you about a possible sting operation. They believe that Brennan's work with Booth will be able to draw out certain enemies of Booth's at Dr. Brennan's funeral." Cam felt her breathing hitch. They want to pretend she's dead? "Obviously, we need people she is close to do believe she has died and since you are the resident coroner, it was likely that if she had passed, you would have wished to perform her autopsy, is that correct?" Cam could only nod. It was true, if Brennan had died, she would have requested to perform the autopsy so she could answer all of the questions. She knew Seeley would need her to perform the autopsy.

"Well, good. My assistant will show you to my office where you can speak with Director Cullen at the FBI. He will inform you of other facts regarding this matter." Cam tried to maintain her breathing. When Seeley finds out, he's going to kill me.

-BB-

Booth made his way into the chapel and sat in the pew at the back. It was empty, some candles were lit, and the chapel was dark. He heard footsteps, without looking up, he felt the presence next to him.

"Mind if I join you?" Sweets' voice rang through the empty room.
"I'm here to pray, not talk." Booth murmured. His head against his folded hands. Sweets nodded.
"I understand, I won't disrupt your conversations with your superior being." He replied.

"God, Sweets, I'm speaking with God." Booth was getting agitated. Sweets was interjecting in his alone time.

"I apologize, but like Dr. Brennan, I don't necessarily believe in God or a higher being at work."

"Then why are you here in this chapel? To mock me?" Booth gritted.

"The contrary, I just want to be with you in case you need to speak with someone in this realm." Sweets sat down next to the surly FBI agent. They sat in silence for a half hour before they heard a scream followed by a sob. They both sprung up. Running toward the waiting area, they were met with Angela, who collapsed on the ground.

"She can't be gone, tell me she's not gone." Angela sobbed as Hodgins knelt down to pick up the distraught artist. Booth looked at Cam, whose face was pale, her eyes devout of any emotion, she just watched as Angela continued to sob. Booth's world dimmed, his eyes now filling with tears.

"Cam, tell me." Booth whispered.

"Seeley." She looked pained as Booth felt his stomach drop. "She … I … Dr. Temperance Brennan didn't make it."

Booth heard Sweets' breathing hitch. Zack was sitting in the corner of the room looking off into the distance. Hodgins continued to rock Angela as more sobs escaped.

"I want to see her." Booth mumbled, but Cam shook her head.

"Seeley, I've already begun my autopsy, you shouldn't see her like that." She whispered. Booth looked up and saw a single tear make its way down Cam's cheek. Booth couldn't catch his breath, he placed a hand on his heart.
"Agent Booth, you're having a panic attack, you need to listen to my voice." Sweets began, but it was no use, the world was ending. My Bones is gone.