Cam walked into the hospital room. The beeping seemed to be the only thing calming her nowadays. It had been three days since the shooting and she and Brennan had talked. There was an individual who had wanted Booth dead, he had made threats against Brennan's life that Booth had taken very seriously. The perpetrator had mentioned that when Brennan died, he would go to her funeral, just to see the pain on Booth's face. The FBI saw an opportunity to smoke the guy out, but Cam wondered if it was worth the pain.

Her entire staff had been in mourning. Brennan's 'funeral' was set for today. Brennan had asked that certain people know she was okay, especially Booth and Angela, but Dr. Sweets, who was informed after the initial shock of Brennan's death, said that it would be detrimental to the mission.

"Dr. Brennan, Angela Montenegro does not have a good poker face." Sweets told the headstrong anthropologist.
"Again, what does Angela's poker skills have to do with my fake death?" She all but shouted at the psychiatrist. She hated being stuck in a hospital room knowing that her best friend believed she was dead. Even though she knew that death was a normal part of life, she also knew that Angela was a highly emotional being who would be mourning her death heavily.

"It's not her poker skills, ugh. Okay, Angela would not play the role of the mourning best friend if she knew you were okay. Same with Agent Booth, he would be angry at the perpetrator who was causing you to be under cover, but he would not be grief stricken. The FBI needs him to play the part of the grieving partner." Sweets spoke slowly, as if his speed was what was causing the issue with Brennan's comprehension.
"Dr. Sweets, I believe Dr. Brennan is just worried that her involuntary involvement in this stint will cause more pain than necessary, which I have to agree." Cam replied. She had been the only one at the Jeffersonian allowed to see Brennan. The only people who knew of the operation outside of the handful of agents who would be guarding the funeral, were Sweets, Cam, Max Keenan and Russ Brennan. Russ had called Temperance to make sure she was truly alive, but Max had visited daily, spending hours playing cards with his daughter.

"Well, the FBI wants this guy behind bars and they felt this was the perfect opportunity, so unless you two would like to ruin the mission by letting your issues be known, I say we continue on with the status quo and I will work with Ms. Montenegro and Agent Booth later."

"That's a lovely dress." Brennan's raspy voice filled the quiet hospital room. Her wounds were still being monitored and she couldn't go home until the mission was complete. Cam looked down at her black dress and matching black pumps.

"Thank you, I found it on sale at Neiman Marcus." Cam murmured. It was strange seeing Brennan alive and well while the others were preparing for what they believed was her funeral.

"Have you spoken with Booth?" Brennan asked, like she did every time Cam came to visit.

"Yes, he is having a hard time coming to terms with your loss." Cam mentioned.

"I feel like he will hate me after he finds out I lied." Brennan responded causing Cam to stiffen, shock laced through her face.
"You didn't lie, you were put into this mess while still unconscious. I will make sure Seeley knows that. I will make sure everyone knows that. If he ever directs his anger towards you, I will personally beat him to a pulp." Cam had become increasingly protective of Brennan. It was strange being placed in this position, but she saw their friendship becoming so much more than what it was before.

"I just feel like he'll be angry with me for not telling him." She whispered. Her eyes welled with tears. It's not like she was given the chance. Her room was guarded 24/7, her phone and personal effects were taken away, she was given a single book to read and even when she bribed her father, he said that it wouldn't be wise to tell Booth. She was still recovering from her injuries, so sneaking out of the second story window wasn't a viable option, and when she tried to dial Booth's number after speaking with Russ, Sweets had snatched the phone out of her hand and scolded her.

She spoke with Cam for a half hour before Cam left for her 'funeral.' She sat alone with her thoughts for a while. In the three days since she woke up from surgery, all she wanted was to hear Booth's voice. She could hear his screams replaying in her mind as she continued to have nightmares of the shooting. His voice seemed so far as she slipped further into unconsciousness. Now all she wanted was to hold him, tell him she was alright. He's surely feeling guilty. He always played the role of alpha-male. She thought to herself. There was this prickling feeling in the back of her mind as she continued to think about Booth. Her heart would race when she thought about him late at night when Cam and Sweets had left. She tried to tell herself it was just that she was nervous about him finding out she was alive, but it didn't feel so innocent.

The first night she had been alone and out of surgery, her dream was anything but innocent. Booth had pulled her away from the bullet just in time, and then he kissed her, like he had in front of the pool hall. Except this time, she didn't say no to his proposition to go home. She woke up the next morning, extremely aroused and incredibly annoyed when Sweets walked through the door and not Booth.

The next night, the sex was different, slow, but passionate. She felt her heart metaphorically swelling, as if getting larger in her chest. In her dream, he murmured sweet nothings in her ear as they climaxed. But again, she woke up to a sterile hospital bed and Sweets walking through the door. He believed she needed to speak about the trauma she endured, but she reminded him that he practiced a soft science and she had survived many difficulties in her life without his help. All she really yearned for was to get back to that dream state, where Booth held her close and his body seemed to perfectly melt into her.

Brennan laid her head back, knowing that as she sat there, her friends were walking toward her fake grave. She wanted to get out of this bed and scream at Director Cullen. She had never felt this irrationally angry, but he was killing her. The only real family she had ever known was thinking she was dead.

-BB-

Booth stood in his black suit, his Cocky belt buckle would seem inappropriate for a funeral, but Brennan had gifted it to him. For the past three days, he couldn't breathe. He looked over at the squint squad. Angela held onto Hodgins as if her life depended on it, while Zack and Cam walked behind them.

"Seeley, she didn't want an open casket wake, she didn't want services. The current services are against her wishes." Cam sat at her desk while Booth seethed. He wanted to say his last goodbyes to his partner, but when told the burial plans wouldn't include a wake, only a graveside memorial, Booth nearly lost it.

"I want to see her, Cam! Why won't you let me see my Bones?" Booth didn't even try to backtrack his possessive verbiage.

"Her last will and testament is very clear, plus seeing her in that state won't do anyone any good, especially not you." Cam responded.

"Why don't you let me decide that for MYSELF?" Booth yelled, his voice echoing in the Jeffersonian. The lab had been quiet, almost silent, as if abiding by their own version of lying in state for Temperance Brennan. Booth hated it. He hated this entire thing. "Cam, that bullet was meant for me. I was supposed to protect her. I brought her into the field, I pushed her to work with me. I should've been hit that day. That psycho was obsessed with ME for fuck's sake." He ranted. Cam just looked down at her empty desk.

"Seeley, her will states that she wishes to be burned in a ritual similar to that of a tribe that she studied in college. Just be happy we aren't performing that, okay?" Cam looked up at Booth, his eyes wide. Of course she would want to partake in some ritualistic burial she had seen during her many studies. Of course she wouldn't want to do the normal western tradition. Did she not think that maybe her loved ones would want to pay their respects to her? It hit Booth like a ton of bricks. I'm not meant to have a family. Her words rang in his ears. She didn't think she would have a family or loved ones who would mourn her, so she chose a ritual that would benefit the earth.

"Seeley, I just ask that you work with me here. I know you want to see her, and I promise I am working to let that happen, but you need to take the next couple days off and prepare for the funeral. This won't be easy for anyone, but our entire group will be looking to you. You were her rock, now you're their rock." Cam spoke quietly. It was almost as if she had practiced this speech. But how could she? Booth thought to himself, before nodding and turning on his heels.

He stood in the sun. He hadn't told Parker, how could he? He hadn't even told Rebecca. The past couple days, he just sat numbly trying to convince himself he was stuck in a nightmare. She'll walk through my front door at any moment with some Thai food and complain that the traffic was bad. She'll tell me that watching sports is yet another characteristic of the alpha-male tendencies I exhibit. She just needs a little more time to get here. His blood alcohol level was probably twice the legal limit at all times. His head hurt from the constant hangover. His body was trying to overcome the pain.
Angela walked up next to him and laced her fingers through his. She was the only one of the squint squad that seemed to understand his pain. Sure, all of the squints were sad, but Angela actually loved Brennan the same way I do. He thought. Hodgins had been protective of Brennan, but more as a brotherly figure. Zack had looked up to Brennan as a mentor. Cam was her boss. But Angela was her best friend. She had watched Brennan survive against the odds. Booth felt a brotherly need to protect Angela in this moment, not let her see the sadness in his own gaze. But watching as the casket was carried up the hill, his breathing hitched.

"It's so strange that such a small piece of metal could take her away." Angela whispered. Booth could only hold her hand tighter.

"Just tell me it isn't true." Angela stood in front of Cam, Booth stood in the corner of the office and watched Angela wipe the stray tear from her eye. "Tell me this is some stupid conspiracy, one of those dumb conspiracies Hodgins is always going on about." Booth saw the tensing of Cam's shoulders. She's probably hurting too, but can't show it. He thought to himself, but it was strange how Cam let out a strangled giggle.

"Angela, I'm sorry. This is a loss none of us expected." Cam had her poker face back on, but Booth couldn't shake the feeling that something was being hidden. This couldn't be one of Hodgins' stupid theories, could it? Maybe Pam was brainwashed by one of our previous perpetrators. He thought to himself, before shaking the thought from his head. Grief does strange things to all of us. It makes us think that our loved ones are still alive, sitting in a room, waiting for us to find them. But he trusted Cam, Bones was gone.

"I can't work today. I can barely get out of bed. I tried to finish the reconstruction you assigned, but then I walked past Bren's office and lost it." Angela responded, her eyes gazing at the ground.

"Angela, I placed that on your desk for after the services. I don't suspect anyone can work until we have had a proper memorial for Dr. Brennan." At those words, Angela broke down. Booth rushed over to the broken artist and wrapped his arms around her, she just sobbed into his chest. He looked over at Cam, a look that conveyed what the fuck on his features, but Cam just shrugged and looked down. He noticed a tenseness in her eyes, a level of fear and panic.

They watched as Dr. Goodman walked up the grassy hill. His eyes transfixed on the hole in the ground. He looked around and saw his employees, a small smile graced his sad features. Russ and his wife, Amy, walked hand in hand. Booth could see a nervousness that surrounded Russ and his wife, although downtrodden, didn't seem to be grieving. It's like they're playing a part. He thought to himself. Maybe Russ didn't know how to grieve the loss of his sister, who he had only rekindled with, and Amy didn't spend a ton of time with Bones. Maybe they just aren't that sad. He thought.

His eyes flickered to Max Keenan. The man had recently been acquitted of murder, but walked with his head held high into a throng of government agents. Booth could only shake his head. But Max looked calm, collected, not a single tear in his eye. Maybe he's already cried. Booth tried to give Max the benefit of the doubt, but he couldn't comprehend. If they were standing at Parker's grave, Booth would be inconsolable. Booth's sniper senses tingled, his gut felt like it was full of lead. He scanned the perimeter.

His eyes were drawn to a man, slowly walking up the hill. He knew that man. That man was not welcome, not today, not ever.

"Agent Booth, I hope you know that I want nothing more than for you to suffer." Philip Zarakowski hissed as he was being cuffed.

"Well too bad, my death will have to be saved for another day." Booth quipped, causing a maniacal laugh from the criminal.

"Ah, ah, I don't wish for you to die. No, no. I want you to suffer." He responded and Booth looked at him. "That cute little scientist friend, what was her name, Temperance?" Booth looked at him wide eyed. "Ah, you have no poker face, Agent Booth. Let's just say, when she's gone and you stand at her grave, I will be there, smiling."

It had taken everything in Booth not to punch Zarakowski that day. Booth was used to the threats. Booth had a lot of enemies. But Bones. No one goes after my girl. He thought. As the days had gone by, his possessive nature over Bones had grown. He had always felt a need to protect her, but now she was his, even if she was gone.

Seeing Philip walking toward her grave, that terrifying smile written on his face. He had been brought in on suspected murder charges, but back then they didn't have enough to convict. Once they had gotten enough, Zarakowski had gone into hiding. Of course the weasel comes out of his lair after she's gone, just as he promised. He wants to see me suffer. Booth thought, his mind turning to vitriol. Zarakowski knew that he would be apprehended, he was walking into a lions' den. FBI agents were everywhere. But to him, it was worth it to see the pain and grief on Booth's face.

Before he made it up the hill, three FBI agents called out to him. They tackled him and arrested him. His face battered against the concrete. It was at that moment that Director Cullen walked to the gravesite.

"Thank you all for coming. I am happy to inform you that the mission was a success. We have apprehended the suspect." His voice carried. "Dr. Saroyen, would you like to speak?" Everyone looked at Cam as she wrung her hands, there was a sense of confusion.

"Uhm, well everyone, this was all a ploy to apprehend Philip Zarakowski. I worked with the FBI to help complete this mission. Dr. Brennan is being treated at GW, she is doing well in her recovery of the bullet wound." An audible gasp could be heard and Booth felt Angela shake.

"She's okay?" Angela whispered. "She's alive?"

"She was not made aware of the mission until after she had woken up from surgery. She had no part in deciding whether to partake. I know she feels guilty for allowing any of you to suffer." Cam continued, but Booth seethed. His jaw clicked, his eyes turned to his boss, Director Cullen, who tried to look anywhere but at Seeley.

"You let us believe she was dead." Booth bellowed. It wasn't a question, but rather a statement, a very angry statement.

"Seeley, they wanted to make sure they apprehended Zarakowski and this seemed to be the best option." Cam responded, but Booth now looked at Sweets.

"You knew, didn't you?" Sweets could only nod. "So did Russ and Max." Booth gritted and again, a single nod was his only response. "I want to see her. Now." He growled and turned on his heels, leaving the squint squad confused and alone.