Here is the next chapter. I will try to a chapter each day. Hope you like it.!!
Chapter 12: The Moment of truth
Bones was sitting at her desk staring at her computer screen. She was trying to arrange her schedule so she could be with Booth during his surgery and recovery time, but things just weren't falling into place like she had hoped they would. She was waiting for the confirmation of Booth's surgery date, as well as the details and tests that Booth would need to have done before the surgery. She was deep in thought when her phone rang and brought her back to the present.
"Brennan" She said.
"Hello, Temperance. This is James Gunman. How are you?"
"Fine. And you?" She replied.
"Fine. I was calling regarding Seeley's surgery." Dr. Gunman went on.
"Is there anything we need to do? We are waiting for the confirmation of the surgery date; so, we can make the needed travel arrangements." Brennan said.
"Before we can schedule the surgery, there are several tests that Seeley will need to have done." Dr. Gunman informed her.
"That's fine." Brennan replied.
"I need for Seeley to stop taking his medication immediately, and start a treatment of steroids and vitamins. We need his immune system to be as strong as possible before the surgery. Also, I'm requesting that his neurosurgeon drain the cyst while Seeley is in the hospital. This will require him to be in the hospital for two days. They will perform the tests on the first day and the drain on the second. This hospitalization is only temporary and he can return home after the drain procedure is complete." Dr. Gunman said.
"Okay, I'll make sure that Booth gets to the hospital." Brennan said.
"Well Temperance, I will see you soon. As soon as the hospital has the results of the tests, they will send them to me, and we can schedule the surgery from there." Dr. Gunman went on.
"I'll be waiting for your call, and thank you." Brennan said.
Brennan hung the phone and looked at the calendar. It was the last week of April. She knew that Parker would be out for the summer the second week of May. She was wondering if the test and preparations were going to take enough time to complete, that she would be able to go with Booth.
By the time Parker was in bed, Brennan found herself sitting with Booth on the terrace of her house. Booth enjoyed the peaceful feeling of the place. When he was allowed to be outside this was the first place he would go.
"Booth, Dr. Gunman called me today." Brennan began.
Brennan could see the mixture of emotions that Booth was feeling at that moment. He was calm and relaxed a few second ago, and now had a somewhat nervous and sad look on his face.
"When is the surgery?" Booth asked, without looking at her.
"Not yet. They want you to undergo some additional test before the surgery." She said.
"Nice." Booth said, sarcastically.
"Also, he wants you to stop your medications and start a new program of steroids and vitamins. We need for your immune system to be as strong as possible before the surgery." Brennan continued.
"Okay, when do the tests need to be done?" Booth asked.
"The tests need to be done as soon as possible. You'll have to stay in the hospital for two days. They will do the tests on the first day, and then Dr. Gunman wants the neurosurgeon to drain the cyst on the second day." Brennan said.
"Cyst drain?" Booth said looking directly at her for the first time with a mixture of sorrow and incredibility.
"It will help with the pain. They will extract some liquid from the cyst to help relieve some of the pressure." Brennan told him in a calm voice trying to sound optimistic.
Booth took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He didn't want to do any of this, but he knew he really didn't have much choice if he wanted to have any kind of life. Booth finally lifted his eyes to look at Bones.
"Bones, thanks for everything you've done." He said.
The words sounded like a farewell. She looked directly into his eyes and saw the fear. It was the same fear she had seen in his eyes when Pam had shot him. She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. She had lots of things she wanted to tell him, but right now the silence between them was more eloquent than words.
Booth was lying on a hospital bed. Booth had hoped to return home after having the tests done, but with the way he felt now he was grateful that he had been required to stay in the hospital. Brennan was by his side whenever possible, which was most of the time. Angela and Jack had agreed to take Parker for a few days; so, Brennan could stay the night at the hospital with Booth. He was sleeping right now. He had been admitted the previous morning, and they had started the tests almost immediately upon his arrival.
The first set of tests was all blood work. Booth complained that it seemed like they weren't going to leave any blood in his body. The next two tests were an MRI and a Myelogram. This required him to be injected with a water base solution of iodine. The solution helped to show the details of the nerves in his spinal cord. The doctors then took X-rays and did a CT scan. The iodine solution unfortunately made him feel nauseous, but thankfully there was no vomiting.
The second day was the worst for Booth. He knew there was only one test left and then they would do the drain, and he could go home. He had thought the Myelogram was bad, but the lumbar puncture they were doing brought a whole new level of pain.
Booth was laying on his side with his knees drawn up to his chest; so, he was curled into a fetal position. He was squeezing Brennan's hand, and the pain he was in showed on his face. The doctor injected a local anesthetic into Booth's back, but it really didn't seem to help any with the pain. He could feel the needle being stuck into his lower back. They explained everything to him as the procedure continued, but Booth wasn't listening. He just wanted them to end the torture. Brennan could see the tears streaming down his face, and she knew he had to be in a great deal of pain. She hated not being able to do anything to take the agony away. After about 15 minutes, Booth felt the needle being removed and he started breathing normally again. The doctor ordered him to remain as still as possible.
The doctor now began to touch Booth's back with his fingers searching for the cyst. When he had found it, Booth saw someone injecting something into his IV. He almost immediately began to feel the pain ease. Brennan watched as Booth slipped into a peaceful drug induced sleep. She smiled and kissed his cheek.
"I gave him a sedative." The doctor informed her. "He needed to be awake for the lumbar puncture, but for the drain that isn't necessary."
"Thank you." Brennan said.
"Your welcome. You've got a really brave man there." The doctor said. "Usually people want to be unconscious when we perform the lumbar test. I know he was in allot of pain. The pain was a combination of the procedure itself and the position he had to lay in. Right now, I'll cover the incisions and let him rest for a few hours. After he wakes up you can take him home. Be sure that he stays in bed as much as possible. He will feel better because the pressure on his nerves will be minimal, but if he tries to do too much his condition will get worse again." The doctor explained.
"I'll make sure he stays in bed." Brennan said.
"I'll send the results to Dr. Gunman by the end of the week. I will call you at that time so you can pick up the originals here." The doctor said.
When the doctor had finished cleaning and bandaging Booth's back, he was taken back to his room. Brennan sat there just watching him sleep. He seemed so peaceful.
They arrived back at Brennan's home late that night. Angela, Jack and Cullen were there waiting for them. Jack and Cullen helped Booth out of the SUV. His movements were slow.
"He's still under the effects of the anesthetic." Brennan told them when they saw how sleepy Booth was.
Booth didn't want to tell anyone about the surgery, but he felt that the people who cared about him so much had a right to know what was coming. Brennan told Jack and Angela while Booth explained things to Cullen. The worst part was telling Parker. He wanted to go with his dad, and be by his side, but Booth was very firm that he had to go to school. From the day they told Parker, he had moved into his dad's room, and now slept with him every night.
Once Booth was in his room, and he and Parker were both asleep, Brennan went into the living room with the others.
"How did the tests go?" Culled asked, with a worried expression on his face.
"Horrible. I don't know how he managed to be strong through it all." Brennan said.
"He his strong standard issue FBI sweetie." Angela said.
"He can be whatever you want Ange, but his isn't standard issue." Jack said as he looked toward the room where Booth and Parker were sleeping.
"He's right. Booth has suffered so much, but he's seemed to handle it all. I sometimes envy him his strength." Cullen said.
Everyone promised to come back during the weekend to visit. After everyone had left Brennan went back to Booth's room. He had his eyes only semi opened, but he still saw her entering his room.
"Beautiful." Booth said in a drugged voice.
"Hi. How are you feeling?" Brennan asked.
"My legs feel better, but my back is killing me." Booth replied.
"Did you want any of the pain medication the doctor…" Brennan began.
"No…I'll deal with it." Booth said cutting Bones off.
Brennan smiled at him and gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek.
"I'm going to stay in here tonight." Brennan told him.
"No." Booth said.
"What? Why not?" Asked Brennan. "You know you can't be left alone."
"Hey, don't yell at me. I'm not going to let you sleep in the chair. You can sleep here." Booth said as he moved over a little to make room for her on the bed.
"Booth I could hurt you." Brennan said.
"You would never hurt me Bones, you will never hurt me." Booth replied.
Brennan smiled. Maybe I can stay for a little while, and move to the chair after he's asleep. She thought to herself, trying to sound convincing. Then she took off her shoes and lay down beside Booth. He put his arm under her neck, pulling her close, and her arm went over his chest. Booth smiled as he felt her body heat. And I was going to tell her I was cold. He thought to himself as he felt her heat slowly compensate for his coldness. In less than five minutes both of them found their way into the land of peaceful sleep.