Again, sorry it's taken so long to update guys, it's been hectic with the last week of school and all. Okay, thanks SO much for the reviews and here's the next chap!!

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There's a voice, and I suppose I can see her…but it's like I'm looking out from underwater. All the sounds are blurring together, static from radios, talking…I can still smell the gunpowder and my heart hurts from pounding on my ribs…I'm aware of her being there. Seeley too. But I can't seem to bring myself out from under this water.

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April met her gaze slowly and tried to speak, but there was still so much movement in the house, so many people looking at her…it was too much.

Brennan watched her struggle to come to grips with what had happened in the past few minutes, sympathy overwhelmed her.

Looking back at Booth, she spoke loudly over the commotion.

"Booth you need to get these people out of here."

Booth looked past her at April, whose head lay back against the wall, staring blankly into space, her hands shaking

"Hey!" Booth let out a shrill whistle and everyone stopped, "I need the space guys."

"But Sir they're collecting evidence…"

"And they can continue, after we're gone. The body isn't going anywhere. They can finish once we get April out of here."

"But Agent Booth…"

"I said now." Booth gave a young agent kneeling near Rodger's body a glare that set his skin on fire and the rookie nodded.

"Yes sir."

Within minutes the house was empty except for Booth, Brennan and April. Booth crept closer and knelt alongside Brennan.

"We're gonna go to the couch okay April?"

April nodded mutely, allowed them to help her to her feet, and sat on the couch between them. Booth had laid his arm cautiously across her back, and shoulders and she hadn't flinched away.

Brennan sat next to her on the right, eyeing her left cheek.

"We should get that looked at, it might be fractured."

Booth glanced at Brennan and then down at April's cheek. It was growing red and purple, swelling to a painful size. Booth's fist clenched in his lap and his face hardened as he glanced back over at Rodger's body, now covered with a white sheet.

He almost wished he wasn't such a good shot. If Rodger had had the chance to run, Booth would have had an excuse to catch him and beat him senseless.

"Agent Booth, the Bomb Squad is here."

Booth lifted his walkie talkie off his belt and looked at April, who's eyes glanced over at him and then away quickly, never losing their blank expression.

"Send them in."

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Sometimes being numb isn't enough. Sometimes you just need a distraction because the world inside your head isn't big enough or strong enough to keep you there. Times like when someone is disarming a bomb that's strapped to your ankle. Times like this.

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Booth felt a squeeze on his hand and looked down. He was surprised to see that April's hand had somehow worked it's way inside his, his large one enveloping her tight fist and he felt every small tremble that rattled her body.

"I didn't mean it."

Her whisper fell in time with the deafening ticking of the clock and only the look in her dark eyes told him she'd actually spoken. They'd lost the dull vacant look, back to the green vibrancy he knew so well.

"I didn't mean to pull away." April flinched when the tech disarming the bomb cursed under his breath, but was relived when the world remained in tact before her. She closed her eyes briefly and felt a warm hand gently touch her cheek. She fought not to recoil from it.

"You don't owe me an explanation April."

She nodded and smiled.

"Thank you. But…I really do." She sighed and glanced at Brennan on the other side of her, who studied the pair intently.

Turning back to Booth, she continued quietly.

"It was just…instinct. I knew, I know, you would never hurt me. But it was like…I could still feel his hands on my skin…his voice in my head," April's voice started to break with tears and she felt hands, though she was no longer sure whose, begin to pull her back, closer, to a warmth and security she was sure she'd never feel again. "It was like he was still there. Even though I knew you'd shot him…I could still feel him everywhere. And it…made it hard to breathe….I couldn't think."

Booth's heart ached in his chest as he watched April struggle to find words for the pain. He wanted so badly to take that burden from her, and was frustrated to no end that he couldn't.

"I just needed a minute to get past it. That's all. That's why I pulled away. I…it's not easy to go from fear to safe, it's not like flipping a switch. It takes a minute." April moved her eyes back to Booth's, "I'm safe now."

Booth nodded, glancing at Brennan, who smiled softly at him in reassurance and he turned that reassuring smile on April.

"You're safe now." He recognized that the last part of her statement had really been more of a question; he wanted her to know that it was true. "I won't let anything else happen to you."

April nodded looked down, doubt still crawling across her eyes.

Slowly, Booth leaned over and turned her chin toward him. Leaning in, he placed a gentle, loving kiss on her forehead.

April smiled up at him. "Thanks Uncle Seeley. For everything."

Booth returned her smile. "You're welcome Bug."

The Bomb Squad technician stat back on his haunches, letting out a sigh of relief.

"All set." He looked up and was surprised to see all three of the people on the couch, teary eyes and smiling.

What'd I miss?

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"What about Parker and Tommy?"

April, Booth and Brennan were halfway through their forty-five minute drive back to DC where April would be getting a full check up in the Emergency Room.

Booth and Brennan exchanged a quick glance April didn't see before he answered her.

"Parker's fine, a little shook up, but okay. He went back to Rebecca's earlier today."

April's expression grew pained. She knew things hadn't gotten off well with Booth and his ex after Parker was born and assumed by the state of his apartment that he didn't see the boy very much.

"Oh, Seeley, I'm sorr…"

"No." Booth lifted a hand from the steering wheel and stopped her, "This is not. Your. Fault. None of this."

"I know but if I hadn't come…"

"No." Booth said again, and April knew there was no use arguing.

"Okay. What about Tommy?"

Again Booth and Brennan exchanged glances, only this time April noticed.

"What? What is it?"

"April maybe we should wait…" Brennan hoped her voice was bargaining, but from the way April reacted, she thought she was probably doing it wrong.

"No! Where is Tommy?" April demanded, fighting down the panic rising in her chest, but failing miserably.

Booth sighed. "He's in the hospital. Rodger hit him on the head and put him in the closet." He glanced in the rear view, but April seemed to be taking it okay. "He's got some swelling in his brain, he's in surgery trying to relieve the pressure."

April paused for a moment to take this in.

"I want to see him."

"April…" Booth was interrupted by the chirping of his cell phone and he pulled it out, apologizing to the others in the car.

Brennan watched scenery fly the window with a blank expression that showed she was thinking about something far removed from the trees passing outside.

What she didn't know was that April had the exact same expression on her face from where she sat in the back of the SUV.

"Yes sir…will do." Booth shut his phone and glanced at April and then at Brennan.

"They've got Chris, they're waiting for us to question him down at the Hoover building."

April immediately perked up.

"Is that Courtney's case?" Seeing the look on their faces, she continued.

"I want to come with you."

"April you can't…"

"I'll wait out in the hallway. Please Seeley! Tommy's in surgery right, so I wouldn't be able to see him right away? Please. I want to know what asshole did this to her."

Finally Booth sighed. "Fine, but straight to the hospital after this"

April nodded and sat back against the seat once more, waiting patiently for the Hoover Building to come into view.

Okay, so there's still quite a bit left, if you're still enjoying this, feel free to poke that cute little buttong down there. Promise he won't bite...