A/N: First off, sorry about the delay but I swear I have a good reason. Well, two actually. First one was I had to do an interview with the BBC which was ace so fingers crossed from that. And the second is that the Top 5 Bones Moments (Season 1) is now complete and you can watch the full video at youtube. Just put in the usual address then /user/lcwales and you'll get it. (Sorry, this site doesn't allow web addresses!) Thank you to every single one of you that voted, it was a very tight race. There was literally two votes between the top two places. So, if you don't like the results and didn't vote, you only have yourself to blame so there! Anyway, it's not exactly my most professional work but I hope you guys like it. Anyway, back to the story... Thanks for reading.

Booth stood in the middle of his office, a feeling of dread weighing heavy on his stomach as his boss's words rung in his ears.

"Sir, bad news? What's going on? It's Bones, isn't it? Something's happened to Bones…"

Cullen blinked rapidly from the doorway.

"Do you mean Doctor Brennan?"

Booth just nodded as he marched across the office, pushing past the Deputy Director with no thought to politeness or manners. Understanding his urgency, Cullen grabbed the agent's elbow and was unsurprised when his hand was angrily shaken free, though it was immediately followed by a sheepish glance of apology.

"Booth, I know he was your mentor but…"

Seeley shook his head with a frown.

"What are you talking about? I need to find Bones, she's been missing for almost an hour."

Cullen sighed heavily, well aware the look in his eye gave away his concern for the anthropologist.

"Look, there were reports of a disturbance at a school playing field in East D.C. One of the agents was given a pretty accurate description so he pulled the CCTV footage and suffice to say, you were right. Nate really is back. And he's even more dangerous than ever."

Cullen couldn't help but see the flash of fear in his agent's eyes.

He really does care about his partner, any fool can see that. I just wish the pair of them would stop being fools themselves and admit what's really going on before it's too late.

"Go get her, Booth."

Seeley was not a man who needed telling twice.

oo00oo

Nathaniel Rouse couldn't quite believe it when Brennan made a run for it, even though he was the only one with a weapon.

That woman's got guts… Some might say it'll get her killed…

Frustrated at her lack of understanding for his intentions, he couldn't help but yell at her.

"I told you not to run, bitch! Don't try and get away from me!"

Clenching a fist by his side, he chastised himself as he took off after her.

That was rude, Nathaniel. You shouldn't call her a bitch. Even if she did basically ruin your life along with that idiot, Booth, she's still a lady…

Sprinting through the parking lot, he ducked and weaved between the cars, always trying to keep a bead on the bobbing head in front of him. Realising he'd lost her somewhere in the maze of SUVs and government number plates, he froze and closed his eyes.

Standing stock still, his ears strained for the slightest indication of where she might have gone. He quickly got it.

There was a slight shuffling and the scraping of a heeled shoe across the concrete floor. With a wry smile, he rounded the car beside him and aimed his gun right at the anthropologist's back.

I could shoot her right now. I could end all of this madness right here and now… No, that wouldn't be right. Shooting her in the back would be like calling her a coward. Temperance Brennan is many things as far as I'm concerned, none of them particularly good, but nor are any of them coward.

Knowing how well sound would carry in the confines of the parking structure, he knew the perfect way to get her attention.

I'm such a drama queen…

He cocked the gun as he pointed it at her, smiling as she visibly tensed up and turned to face him. The smile quickly faded as he caught her eye.

Explain yourself, Nate. Explain why you're doing all this. She deserves to know why you have to do this.

He blinked rapidly, the force of the emotions surging through him causing the gun to shake in front of him as he spoke.

"I was trying to protect you, Doctor Brennan. I was trying to save you. I hope one day you can forgive me."

Shaking her head frantically, she tried to scuttle backwards but the parked car behind her blocked her way.

Nate took a step back as he trained the gun on the anthropologist.

She brought this on herself. She shouldn't have run, I told her not to run…

As she screwed her eyes closed and turned her head away, the whisper escaping from her lips was barely audible to his ears.

"Booth…"

But it was too late.

oo00oo

Booth was speeding through the corridors, the blood pumping through his veins as he raced toward the parking structure.

I've got to find her. She's in trouble, I just know it. She wouldn't just disappear.

Darting past the agents milling around the building and giving him curious looks as he flew by, Booth jumped in to the lift. The supposedly cheery elevator music immediately grated on his nerves, his foot tapping impatiently as he waited for the doors to reopen in the underground parking structure.

This is taking too long… But where do I even start? Where the hell would she be?

Digging the keys out of his jacket pocket, he squeezed through the doors the second they started to open, his feet pounding across the concrete and echoing around him. Seeing the mass of black SUVs in front of him, he skidded to a stop.

Shit, where did I park? These damn cars all look the same…

In the silence of that moment, he heard the familiar voice booming off the concrete columns.

"I told you not to run, bitch! Don't try and get away from me!"

Nate…

Trying to identify where the echoing footfalls were coming from, Booth pulled his gun from the holster and stalked through the parking structure. Hunkering down to stay low behind the cars, he followed the sound of feet and shuffling.

Movement in the corner of his eye caused Booth to spin around and duck behind the SUV. Keeping as low as he could, he manoeuvred round the vehicle, keeping his gun trained on his former mentor.

But where's Bones?

Nate raised his gun, pointing it down between two cars that blocked Booth's line of sight.

That must be where she is… Oh God, he's gonna shoot her. He's gonna kill her.

Silently approaching, he kept his gun trained on Nate as he attempted to get a better look between the parked cars and see if his partner was okay.

Oh God, I would do anything for her to be alright. I swear to you, please, just protect her, keep her safe…

The unmistakable sound of the gun being cocked caused Booth to freeze, his fear for Brennan's safety causing him to be cautious in his approach. Swallowing hard, he listened to Nate yell at her as he edged forward, practically on tip-toe.

"I was trying to protect you, Doctor Brennan. I was trying to save you. I hope one day you can forgive me."

He heard his partner gasp and that was all the impetus he needed.

About to pounce, he was shocked to realise the man's real plan. As he raised the gun to his own temple, Booth found himself frozen to the spot.

Would it really be so bad if he took his own life? Surely that would just protect Bones. One less maniac on the streets trying to take her down. I have to protect her. I have to keep her safe, even if she doesn't want me to half the time.

The gun pressed firmly against his head, Nathaniel Rouse closed his eyes and turned his face skyward, a tight smile spreading across his thin lips.

I took an oath to protect everyone and as much as I hate to admit it, that includes Nate.

Charging forward, he barrelled in to Rouse, knocking him hard to the floor. But it was too late, Nate had fired. Rolling off of his mentor and climbing to his knees, Booth was glad to see the gun far beyond the man's grasp and not a scratch on him.

Relieved, he turned to face Brennan, his smile wide. But then his eyes fell on his partner's body, her agile limbs twisted unnaturally as the floor turned to red.

Oh God…

Shuffling forwards, he stared down at her with his eyes wide.

I did this, I made him shoot her. He was only going to take himself out but now… Oh God, what have I done?

His voice harsh in his throat, he uttered her name.

"Temperance…?"

He wasn't expecting the blow that Nate delivered, knocking Booth back against the side of the car to his left. Momentarily dazed, he could only watch as the former agent scrambled across the floor to retrieve his gun. Clambering to his feet, he stared down at the anthropologist as he raised his gun slowly.

Shaking the cobwebs away, Booth grabbed at the side of the car, using the door handle and wing mirror to pull himself to his feet. Following Nate's gaze, he felt his heart break at the sight in front of him.

Temperance…

His eyes flicking back to the man he used to respect and hold in the highest regard, Booth now only saw a shell of a man. A man that had just shot the only woman in the world Booth could imagine spending the rest of his life with. Without her, it all just seemed so pointless.

But really I did it, it's my fault she's lying there now. Oh God, what have I done? What have I done?

Nate seemed to be having the same thought. His gaze still fixed on Brennan's ragged attempts to breathe, he raised the gun to his own temple as his eyes filled with tears.

"I tried to save them, I tried to make things right. I failed, I failed, I couldn't do it. I'm nothing. I'm sorry Temperance, I really am, but it was the only way. I had to stop you. I had to protect them. I'm so sorry."

His finger tightening on the trigger, Booth rushed toward him, determined that he wasn't going to let Nate take the easy way out. But as he crossed the few feet between them, Rouse spun around with eyes wide from fear. As the seconds seemed to slow, Booth found himself unable to stop charging forward. It took him too long to notice the gun was no longer pointed at Nate's temple, it was pointed at him.

As he stared down the barrel of the gun, all Booth could do was keep going, well aware that one way or another, he was about to be with his Bones.

A/N: I feel I should apologise for the lack of answers in this chapter... Trust me, you'll get a flood of them beginning with the next one, which should be up sunday evening (fingers crossed, I don't seem to be all that punctual with this stuff at the moment!) so I hope you can bear with me a little while longer. Poor little Booth... And Brennan for that matter. Hard to believe I actually like these characters considering what I put them through... Thanks again for reading!