Message Received Chapter 7

"Why did you make me do that? What do you want from me...? I shouldn't have done that..." He said while pacing around the cramped bedsit.

"But she was so scared, he was hurting her. Now I've hurt her, I shouldn't have hurt the girl...I didn't want to you son of a bitch!"

"No...No...I didn't want to..."

"She was so terrified. I shouldn't have done it!"

"But..."

"Why? I can't do it, not again."

"No, don't hurt me. I'll do it, just stop."

"Please, please forgive me…."

Brennan had just gotten off the phone with Cam. She had told her that she had to take a week off in order to go visit Hailey at the hospital. She felt bad lying and using the child's health issues to her advantage but it was a desperate situation.

She hung up, after thanking her boss. "I hate lying."

"But you're so good at it." She sent a glare in his direction, as she sat down across from him on the couch.

"So Bones how are we gunna fix this without you getting in trouble?"

"I don't know. But I need to find him, Booth."

"Well, I may have an idea that will help you remember the details."

"What do you propose?"

"I don't use this method often but I know how to work it. I think maybe we could try a cognitive interview. It will delve into your subconscious and reveal the events of last night."

"I don't know..."

"Come on, it's perfectly safe and it could help us find him."

"What do I do?"

"Okay, I need you to sit over here and relax." He said turning sideways on the couch and motioning to the seat beside him. She came over sat down, looking at him with a worried expression as he grasped both her hands in his. "Close your eyes Bones." Reluctantly she complied. "Now you need to focus on your breathing, in and out..." he could visibly see her relaxing, sinking back into the couch. "Good. Now as we go through this you need to tell me if there is anything that stands out such as: emotions, smells, sound etc."

"You need to think back to the other night. You were at the Jeffersionian, bones laid out on the platform. We finished the case; Benjamin Reynolds had killed his wife. Do you remember that?"

"Yes."

"At the end of the case I came and got you to sign off on the reports, and then I left. Do you remember what happened afterwards?"

"It's a little fuzzy."

"Can you describe where you are?"

"I'm still at the Jeffersionian."

"Describe what you're doing."

"Paper work, I look at the clock and decide it's time to go home."

"What time?"

"9."

"9? We have to talk about that later." He says in a stern voice, a sigh escaping his lips. "Okay, what do you do after you tidy up?"

"I'm walking out to the parking garage. There's a weird noise but I can't see anything. I call out to see if anyone's around but there isn't a reply. ...Booth I don't want to be here anymore."

"You're doing good Bones, I'm right here next to you, you're safe."

"I feel surrounded; I don't know where the noise is coming from. There's a loud bang behind me and I spin around, but something hits me in the head and I fall. It hurts..."

"Do you see anyone?" he said while squeezing her hands trying to reassure her.

"No just a shadow, then everything goes black...but I'm still conscious. I think I'm blindfolded. He's dragging me... I think he throws me into the back of a van. He tied my arm and legs together. Booth..."

"You need to focus on the details."

"I think I'm there for about 10 minutes, not that long. Then I'm taken out. I can hear Ryan talking to someone." She put her head in her hands as pain surged through her skull as she tried to rekindle her memories.

"You're doing good Bones."

"I don't really understand it; It was like I was only hearing half of the conversation..." she pauses suddenly, lost in thought.

"Bones..."

"I think he was scared Booth."

"Scared?"

"Yeah, like someone was ordering him around... he kept saying 'I don't want to'. I remember sitting there for a while, until I felt something cold on my arm. Then I feel my flesh ripping..." she started crying. "They leave me there after a while and then drag me back out to the van. I heard them arguing, one said that they should send the message, that people need to know. They talked about my family needing to know what I was capable of. They mention the Jeffersionian and you. After that I don't remember anything until I'm here."

"Okay, open your eyes, Bones." As soon as her eyes opened he through his arm around her, stroking her hair. "You did brilliant Bones."

"I-It was like being locked in that trunk all over again." She sniffled as she buried her head into his shoulder.

"I won't let them get you again." He said pulling away.

"Okay... We need a game plan." At the look of confusion that crossed her face, he quickly put it into her terms. "We need a strategy. I think we need to swing by the security office at the Jeffersionian.

"I can't Booth, what if the team sees me?"

"Oh come on Bones, I can't just leave you here with two psychos on the loose." Understanding flickered across her face, but was quickly hidden by the fear of anyone seeing her this way. "Plus, it will just be in and out. No team, just straight to the security office."

"Why didn't anyone see?"

"What?"

"Why didn't anyone see me being attacked? I mean they would have seen on the footage, right?"

"Um...yeah..."

"You don't think someone, tampered with it do you?"

"Well there's only one way to find out. So get ready Bones, cos we have a mystery to solve."

Hey, sorry this took me some time. I had trouble getting it exactly the way I wanted. Let me know what you think.

Thanks Elly x