Chapter 20—Suffocate
"Jack," she wheezed softly, her eyes closed as her head rested against the back of the seat.
"Hmmm?" he hummed, fighting to stay conscious.
"I'm…" she wheezed again, trying to take in enough oxygen to finish her sentence, "sorry."
As the blackness overtook her friend he touched her hand, his labored gesture telling her she was forgiven.
She was fighting to stay awake, knowing that if she gave in they would be dead. Booth, she thought, darkness hovering on the edges of her mind. Hurry… I don't know how much long I can last.
Please, she pleaded with a deity she didn't believe in, just give me one more chance. I won't waste this. I need... the darkness loomed closer, threatening to take her from the only thing she wanted.
She drew another ragged breath, her lungs constricting tightly when all they received was carbon dioxide. She was losing the fight, she knew it, but still she pleaded with any deity who might be there. I'll tell him everything, she swore, I just need one more chance. Booth, please find us, she prayed, hoping he wouldn't be too late as she gave into the darkness and drifted off to sleep. Please…
She woke up suddenly, her breath caught in her lungs. Wheezing, she tried desperately to get more oxygen, which only made her breathe harder. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to calm herself, but with every passing minute she was just becoming more panicked.
Knowing the only way to calm herself, she reached for her phone, still gasping for breath as she hit her speed dial.
It felt as if her throat was constricting, keeping all the oxygen from entering her lungs, and even her scientific mind had abandoned her as she continued to breathe rapidly. Her heart was pounding furiously in her chest, the blood pumping through her ears as she listened to the phone ringing. Please answer the phone, she prayed, willing her sleeping partner to wake up. Please…
"Bones?" his groggy voice came over the line, filling her ears and mind. "Do you know what time it is?"
Still unable to breathe or calm her elevated pulse, she hoped he would know what was happening. "He…" she wheezed heavily, sucking air through her teeth as she hoped she would be able to get some oxygen into her body.
"Bones?" he asked again, his voiced edged with panic he was trying to contain. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"Ho…" she tried to tell him, her vocal cords tightening as her throat constricted around the breath she had tried to take.
"I'm on my way, Bones," he said, trying to calm her, as well as himself, as he ran to the car. "Temperance," he said softly, "I need you to breathe for me, okay?"
"Uhnn," was all she was able to reply as she tried to follow his voice.
"In. Out. In. Out," he said, breathing audibly into the phone and praying she would be able to follow his leading.
She listened to him, trying to follow his breathing pattern, succeeding only slightly as her heart rate decreased, but still unable to get sufficient amounts of oxygen into her body.
"Temperance, I'm here," he said a few minutes later as he continued to try to lead her breathing.
Seconds later she heard the front door open and close, and then he was in her doorway, walking quickly over to her bed.
Dropping his phone on the floor, he knelt next to her bed, his face only inches from hers. "Okay Temperance, I need you to breath with me. In," he took a deep breath, his gaze firmly attached to her panicked eyes. "Out," he exhaled, moving one hand to her face to brush a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
"In," he breathed again, feeling more than seeing her trying to match his breathing, "Out. In. Out." For the next five minutes or so he coached her through her breathing until it finally evened out, oxygen once again filling her lungs and spreading through her body.
"Temperance," he said softly, standing and moving so he could sit on the bed next to her, "I need you to tell me what triggered the attack." He had seen a lot of panic attacks during his years in the army, but very few as bad as hers had been. Gently pushing her hair behind her ear, he looked down at her, his eyes pleading with her to tell him the truth.
She closed her eyes to hide from his emotion-filled eyes. She knew she had scared him, but he was the only one who was able to bring her back from a panic attack. Moving an arm across her eyes, she whispered so softly that he had to strain to hear her, "It was the Gravedigger."
"A nightmare?" he asked, his fingers tracing soothing circles on the back of her hand.
"Yes," she replied, even softer than before. "I dreamt you didn't find us in time."
"Temperance," he whispered, gently moving her arm from across her eyes and bringing her hand to his chest. Covering her hand with his own, he held it against his heart, letting her feel the steady beating as his chest rose and fell with each breath.
He took her other hand and held it against her own heart, feeling her heart rate back at normal as her breathing held steady. Thank God I found her in time, both that day and tonight. I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost her…
Her body relaxed further as she felt their beating hearts, knowing they were both alive. "I'll always find you, Temperance," he whispered, his voice low and filled with sincerity.
"I know you will," she whispered back, slowly giving her body over to sleep.
"Do you want me to stay?" he asked, praying she would say yes. He didn't want to leave her tonight, just in case she had another dream.
"Please," she said, her voice filled with sleep as she shifted slightly, making more space for him.
"Good night, Bones," he whispered softly, kissing her temple as he climbed into the bed.
"G'Night, Seeley," she muttered, curling up against his warm body, his steady heartbeat lulling her into a comfortable and pleasant sleep.
