Dear all, first thing my apology for such a delay. It was not planned, but the actual final episodes of Bones have eaten up all my free time in the last weeks, and the rest.. well, it was eaten up by my hectic life. I have 2 jobs and small children, so I'm appealing to your kind understanding. ;-)

Here we go with chapter twelve. Hope you like it and as usual I'm waiting for you to let me know.

We left Brennan safe in the hospital in DC after a successful surgery.

I don't own anything, of course, otherwise B&B would be in a committed relationship already! ;-)

Chapter 9

December 6th Washington D.C.

When Brennan opened her eyes, she did not recognize the ceiling above her and it took her a few seconds before she could connect the dots and realize she was in a hospital room. She did not turn her head, just followed her surroundings with her eyes. A banner was hanging on top of her, with many cards attached to it. She saw some children drawings and a few "welcome back" and "get well" colored with crayons.

When she turned her head she saw the bedside table covered with objects, a dolphin, Jasper and Russ' marble.

They were all there to tell her she was loved. And she felt warm inside like when she was a little girl and her mom was hugging her.

"Hey sweetie, you are awake" Angela's sweet voice helped Brennan to focus on her friend's face. "How are feeling?"

"Better, less tired. Still in pain though" She offered a weak smile.

"Booth is home resting, your dad just left, he has spent the night by your side. They will be back later".

"I'm happy to see you Angela" She stretched her hand and Angela immediately grabbed it, yet surprised by the affectionate gesture. "I'm happy you are back too, sweetie. I really missed you".

They remained silent for a little while until Angela offered her friend help to get up and clean her up a little.

Brennan could not remember the last time she could wash her body with running water and her hair with a perfumed shampoo and felt finally strong and positive. All set up, combed hair and a new night gown on, she gave a look at her image in the mirror.

She was horrible. Half of her face was blue and yellow, her lips were dried and bruised, her eyes red and swollen. How could Booth possibly look at her with that loving and adoring look? She really felt the urge to recover and get better, look good again. For him.

Later in the morning she talked to the doctor and finally ate a soup, which tasted like the best thing she has ever eaten. And tired for all these small efforts, she fell asleep while Angela was still chatting with her.

When Booth woke up the sunshine was already high and for a December day it meant it was already late. Booth stretched in his bed, enjoying the warmth created under the blankets and thinking of her the moment his brain registered reality. With a gulp he realised it was already mid day. The lack of sleep and the tension of the last few days had really exhausted him and his body had claimed the long rest previously denied.

Feeling fresh, energetic and happy, he jumped out of bed and ran in the shower. He was not going to lose any more time, he was just looking forward to running to her and just stay there. With her.

When he got to the hospital he found her sleeping. Her hair was finally clean and already dried. But the curls were betraying the fact that it had dried in the air. Her face was less swollen and the side of her cheek and jaw that had been hit were less red but turning to a deep purple and yellowish color.

Angela had left for a little while when Brennan started to moan and be agitated, her breath fast and sweat wetting her forehead. Booth knew she was having a nightmare, and kind of expected it. Whatever Brennan had lived during those days of captivity, it must have been rough and was all still kept inside. Booth knew the pattern, he had come back from war himself and knew that it took time to elaborate certain experiences and be able to talk about them. Heck, it had taken him almost ten years to talk about Bosnia and he had had the courage only to confide in her, and nobody else. And despite being a super rational human being, Brennan was not different from any other and he did expect some sign of PTSD to come to the surface pretty soon.

She was still prisoner, she smelled the sand of the desert. Turning her head she saw Hina, watching her. Her clothes stained with blood. Brennan looked at her hand and she realized she was still gripping the bone, which was also dirty with red and she heard the crack of a skull breaking. The last thing she felt were Hina's dead eyes fixed on her and a wave of nausea brought her abruptly to the reality of the hospital.

Booth was at her bedside when he heard her intake air sharply and open terrorized eyes while her mouth was open wide in a silent cry.

"Hey.. shhh.. it's ok" Booth jumped to reassure her with his hand caressing her hair, a gesture that had quickly become a habit. "You had a bad dream. You are safe".

Brennan swallowed: in the dream she was already safe, that was not what had scared her. It was her own rage, her being a murderer that had shocked her.

She closed her eyes, trying to recompose herself, in the end it was only a dream, probably her subconscious re-elaborating the last traumatizing events so that she could put them aside and continue her life. It had been an unfortunate situation, she has killed to save her own life, totally rational and an absolutely normal instinct. She didn't have a choice and she had to fight to live. Nothing that could not be compartmentalized or understood.

She reopened her eyes deciding to shake away the nausea and sense of uneasiness.

"Yes, I dreamt I was still in Afghanistan. Guess I will dream about it for a while".

Booth was looking at her suspiciously. He was not sure about the real nature of her nightmare and the exact reason. And Brennan did not seem ready at all to start to share the content of her ordeal and apparently of her nightmares as well.

But he knew that there was for certain more to come and he was ready to be there for her and help her through it. As soon as she was ready.

Pretty soon after, the room got filled with people, Russ arriving with Amy and the girls, Max having a chat with Hodgins, Cam and Angela talking to Brennan about diet to follow to rebuild strength and body mass and make up to conceal the marks on her face.

Booth never took his eyes away from her. She seemed relaxed now and truly happy. She had gotten presents and hugs, and she seemed to be enjoying all the affection and attention she was receiving.

Pretty regularly Brennan would slightly turn and look at him, flashing him a smile full of gratitude and many unsaid words. Words he was looking forward to hearing as soon as the others left.

But she stopped fighting sleep even before they could be alone.

The guests left to let Brennan rest. Booth had insisted to stay for the night, he knew she was going to have another rough round of unpleasant dreams. And he wanted to be there for her.

And just before midnight, precise and on time, the nightmare arrived again.

"Bones" Booth whispered in her ear caressing her head and trying to calm her down while she was still sleeping "I hope that smart brain of yours will be able to process those nightmares faster than I did, and I promise you I'll be there when you are ready and need me".

He let Brennan continue her nightmare until she woke up with terror in her eyes the usual silent cry in her throat.

Booth simply hugged her and tried to sooth her with his words "It was a nightmare Bones, I'm here with you. Focus on the details of this place and time, focus on me". She looked at him, terror gone in her eyes but with a deep sorrow that reached Booth to the core. He knew that sorrow, he knew that feeling.

"It will not go away Bones, but I promise it will fade with time and it'll be replaced by better memories. I promise".

She cried silently, thankful that Booth was not pushing her to know more, and gently leaving her to choose the time and place she was going to open that box and confess to the world she was actually a monster who ad killed a young girl with bare hands.

Days passed by and Brennan was feeling better every day. She had finally found her appetite again with great relief of Angela and Max, who were visiting her every day. Booth had taken plenty of time off work, spending all his free time with her, organising and planning with Angela how to help Brennan once she got home.

A few days before her release Booth went to visit her with Parker, who squeezed her in a tight hug and whispered in her ears how happy he was that she was back because "daddy was so sad without you and I think he loves you very much".

It was sweet and Brennan realized all of a sudden that Parker had become important in her life and in her heart. She loved Booth. She knew it. Whether she knew what to do and how to handle a relationship with him was another matter. But how se felt was clear.

And Parker was his son. A part of him. Back in Afghanistan, when she had helped that woman delivering her baby, she had longed to live, and be a mother herself, never doubting for a second that that desire was strictly connected with what she felt for Booth.

In Parker she saw the man that she loved, and the child that maybe, one day, she may have with him. And she also thought that if she and Booth could work out their relationship, Parker was going to be her step son. A son to her, and it was an overwhelmingly sweet sensation.

She held Parker tight and kissed him. And while she told him "I'so happy to see you too Parker, and I'm glad you took good care of your father while I was away" she kept hugging him but looking straight in Booth's eyes.

And she left him wondering how it was possible that he was loving her more very day.

December 17th Washington D.C.

After ten day since the surgery, Brennan finally went home. She was extremely happy to be home again, and was anxious to get back to the lab and her office. Cam and Cullen had made it clear that she could resume her job at the beginning of the new year and not before. But her boss also agreed that she could pass by the lab for a few hours every day and catch up with her mail and paperwork. They all knew Brennan would have benefitted from the distraction and the possibility to resume a life as close as possible to normal.

They agreed Booth was going to stay with her for a few nights, just in case she needed anything, and to his surprise she not only didn't fight the proposal, but seemed quite happy about it.

"I'm going to the Jeffersonian today" Was Brennan's first thing she said once she got up from bed the first morning at home. "You can drop me on your way to work". It surprised him to hear her professional and logic tone once again. When was the last time he heard it from her? It had been so long.

Before she left she had been wonderfully emotional. At least it had been wonderful for him. He loved it when she was not hiding behind rationality and let her heart speak.

But he was now equally happy to have his old Bones back, after so many troubles and finding a broken woman in a hospital in Kabul.

They were going to be ok, he thought within himself. They would get over the current stress she was under and he was going to help her recover, physically and emotionally. They had each other.

"Bones, I am taking you to the lab ONLY if you agree that someone is bringing you back after a few hours. You aren't in condition to stay the whole day at work. And I have an afternoon full of meetings, so I can't get you back before tonight".

She flashed him her victory smile, the same smile that was melting any will power he might still have to discuss with her.

"Of course Booth. I'll ask Angela if she can take me back, after lunch. How does that sound to your over-protective alpha male attitude?" Her smile broke into a laugh this time. She was going to be ok, she thought within herself. She survived, she came back home almost in one piece. She would manage whatever hurdle was still in her way. Rationally there was no reason to doubt that.

The drive was quiet. Brennan seemed like a little girl at her first school day. She chewed her bottom lip and twisted her fingers nervously. But she didn't say anything.

Booth had enjoyed watching her getting ready. Nicely dressed, she was navigating in her old clothes, testimony of how much weight she had lost. She had her hair nicely done, embellished her beautiful face with make up, concealing completely the last signs of the fight on her face. Only her eyes were betraying a hurt and lack of confidence that were new.

Their entrance in the lab was cheered by tens of staff. There were banners and balloons, so many people just wanting to shook her hand while Booth and Cam tried to make her the space to proceed and get to the peace of her office.

While passing, Brennan gave a quick look up the platform. A timidly smiling Clark waved his hand in her direction and Fisher, behind him, just made a slight but friendly nod.

She didn't smile nor waved, but turned immediately her head towards her office speeding her pace.

Brennan realised she had been rude but she felt the panic mounting and just rushed to her office as if she was escaping from something dreadful.

There was no time to rationalise the fact, to question why she had feared the platform as if it was inhabited by ghosts.

Booth noticed the change in her but before he could ask her if it was all right, he saw her rushing to her office, stopping surprised at the sight of the young man who was waiting for her inside, and then throwing herself in his arms in an embracing hug.

Even before Booth could register what was going on, his heart had already gotten tight in pain.

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So, thank you again for reading and don't forget to review the story.

Happy coming summer to all!!!

Greveling