Disclaimer: eeeeg.

Author's Notes: Guh. I'm sorry. XD I know I'm not supposed to continue my oneshots. So that's why this can be seen as either a continuation of "Soulless" or just as something in itself. I really shouldn't be doing this, but I couldn't control myself from making everything all better. XD

So you can either read this by itself and just take everything in context, or you can go and read Soulless and read this as a follow-up to it. I'm pretty sure it works either way. XD


FORGIVING

Booth stared at his cell phone. It seemed to stare back, daring him to dial the number. He had been sitting there for over ten minutes, debating whether to call or not. He knew that calling might only make things worse. But he needed to talk to her. He needed to tell her…He needed her. Now, more than ever. He knew it was his fault, and he hated himself for getting them into a fight at the time that he needed her the most. But he didn't know what else to do.

Booth wasn't quite sure how, but all of a sudden the line was ringing. He had called her. He had done it. His heart pounded in his chest as the sharp ringing sound echoed in his ears. But there was nothing.

"Hello, you've reached Dr. Temperance Brennan. I'm not in right now, but if you'll leave a message I'll get back to you. Thanks." Beep.

"Bones, it's me. Listen, I'm—I'm just…" Booth faltered. He hadn't even thought about what he was going to say. "I know you're there. Please pick up. Please."

He was right, obviously. Brennan was still sitting on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees. She had cried for hours, and it had taken everything out of her. She was still shaking. The sound of Booth's voice on her answering machine only made her want to cry more, but her eyes stayed dry. She heard a click as the message ended, and she sighed with relief.

But the phone rang again. Brennan shut her eyes, trying to block the noise out. She didn't want to hear the piercing ring that begged her to pick it up.

Beep.

"Bones, please. Please. I don't—I don't want to leave things like this, and I know you don't either. Please. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm just asking you to pick up the phone." The message ended, but a few seconds later the phone rang again. Brennan stood up, knowing that Booth wouldn't stop calling, and left her apartment. The ring still echoed in her ears as she walked down the hallway.

---

"Booth did what?" Angela stared at Brennan, her tone laced with disbelief.

"He—he hit me," said Brennan. "Well, I hit him first, but…he hit me."

"Sweetie, there must have been something wrong with him. The Seeley Booth we all know and love would never, ever lay a hand on you like that." Brennan shook her head.

"He was angry. About Parker," she said. "He was sad, and I—I don't know why I hit him." She bit her lip. "He was scaring me," she added quietly. "I don't know what to do! Usually I turn to him at times like this, but…he's never—he's never been the reason." Angela nodded.

"So you hit him, he hit you, you kicked him out and told him never to come back, and…that was that?" Brennan shook her head again.

"He called me. He kept leaving messages. He—he sounded sad, and I couldn't stand to listen. I left my apartment the third time he called."

"He wants forgiveness, Bren! You have to at least talk to him." Brennan sighed.

"I don't know if I can," she said. But at that moment, the piercing ring of Brennan's cell phone interrupted their conversation. It was Booth.

"Answer it," said Angela firmly. Brennan drew a deep breath and picked it up.

"Brennan," she said in a clipped tone.

"Are you at the lab?" came Booth's voice. Brennan paused.

"Yes," she said, after a beat.

"I'm coming." He hung up with a click, and Brennan sighed, flipping her phone shut.

"He's coming," she said.

---

"Bones." Brennan looked up from her desk to see Booth standing in the doorway of her office. "I'm—" he began, but he stopped. "I don't know what to say."

"You hit me," said Brennan quietly.

"Not to go all schoolyard on you, but you hit me first," said Booth. Brennan stared at him in disbelief.

"So this is how you ask for me to forgive you?" Booth sighed.

"No. I'm—I'm sorry, I didn't…" He trailed off. "Bones, there are no words I can say to try to apologize for what I did. By the expression on your face, I'm guessing 'sorry' isn't gonna cut it." Brennan swallowed. She wanted to forgive him more than anything, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Booth continued. "So that's why I didn't come here for forgiveness." Brennan frowned. "Temperance…" said Booth, and she knew by the way he said her first name that something was wrong—something way more important than the fight they had. "I wasn't calling you because I wanted to apologize. I mean, I do. But…" He swallowed, and Brennan saw the tears in his eyes even from where she was sitting. "Parker died," Booth finished. "An hour ago." Brennan stood up, shocked.

"Booth…"

"And I didn't mean to call you and bother you like that, I knew you were upset because of the fight, but…I didn't know who else to turn to."

"Booth." Brennan had walked over to him, and she stood in front of him. He was shaking, and tears that he had failed to restrain streaked his face. She wasn't quite sure what to do. Doing something she rarely did—letting impulse take over—she reached up to his face and touched his cheek gently.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm—so sorry. For everything." Booth shook his head.

"It's not your fault, Bones."

"Were you there?" she asked quietly. Booth nodded.

"I went to the hospital after I left your apartment, and…I was just in time." He bit his lip. "And I realized that I needed you, but I couldn't go back to you because of…because of what I did. I had lost my son and my best friend." He sank down on her leather couch, truly crying now. Brennan shook her head, sitting down next to him.

"You didn't lose me, Booth." She kept a hand on his arm to try and steady him, but he was still shaking . She leaned her forehead against his. "You will never lose me," she said. Seeing him like this made her want to cry with him, to wrap her arms around him and bury her face in his chest. But she knew she couldn't. He was the one who needed comfort now. Their foreheads still pressed together, she took his hand and entwined her fingers with his.

"We'll get through this, right?" Booth asked. Tears almost sprang to Brennan's eyes upon hearing the pain in his voice. She gently pulled away and tilted his head down, pressing her lips to his forehead.

"We will," she reassured him. He leaned his head on her shoulder and in response she put her hand on top of it, stroking his hair. "We will. Together. We're gonna be okay, all right? We're gonna be okay."


Do I have to ask? ;)