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Chapter 6:

The sound of someone opening the door caused Brennan to avert her gaze from Booth's eyes.
Dr. Chen was standing in the doorway, smiling gently. "May I interrupt you? I would like to check his vital functions and his reactions."

"Sure" Brennan nodded and stepped aside. Booth's eyes followed her, then fixed on the approaching doctor. "Agent Booth, my name is Dr. Chen. My team performed the surgery you had to undergo.
I will explain everything, but right now I would like to test your pupil reflexes... follow the light please." He produced a small flash light and moved it horizontally in front of Booth's eyes.

"Very well... no please squeeze my hands." The doctor said, taking Booth's hands. Again the doctor nodded satisfied. "Good, good. I assume Miss Brennan already told you what happened?"

"Yes, I informed him on how he ended up in hospital, but I did not describe the surgery..." Brennan spoke up from behind the doctor. She had been watching the scene nervously, but now, that Dr. Chen had nodded his approval to Booth's condition, she relaxed a bit.

"Very well. Agent Booth, I have to tell you, that you had severe internal bleedings when you were brought in. My colleague Dr. Reeves, who first examined your injuries suspected that the spleen was ruptured.
This suspicion was confirmed during the surgery. We had to remove it. It is possible to survive without milt, but you will be less resistant to bacterial infections... you may have to take medication regularly. The piece of wood also grazed your liver, but we were able to repair the damage. We removed the blood and were able to confirm the described injuries as the sources of the internal bleeding. We did not find any other injury. Except of course your cracked ribs and some lacerations and bruisings on your back.
I have to say that despite your injuries you still were lucky... It's not a long way from the spleen to the heart." He sighed. "Now, that was quite a bit of information... If you understood everything, please squeeze my hand." Booth squeezed his hand.

"Good, good." The doctor said and stepped back from Booth's bed. "Then I am going to leave you alone for now... Miss Brennan you may stay here for another ten minutes or so, but then Agent Booth should get some sleep."

"I can't stay?" Brennan asked, devastated.

"No, Miss Brennan, I am sorry. I let you stay here until he woke up, but for the next few hours he should really sleep... and I can not have people wander around in the ICU all the time. You may come tomorrow if you want, although I don't want too many people visiting him. You said his family should be here tomorrow?"

Brennan nodded and looked at Booth. Her heart ached, she did not want to leave him, but she could see herself, that he was tired and needed to rest. And it was logical, that the ICU could not be crowded by people all the time. She understood the reasons, but that made the prospect of leaving him not the least bit easier. She stepped towards the bed and covered his now warm hand with her own, but he moved his on top of hers, squeezing it lightly. She had to smile at that.

'His family' she told herself 'is important to him... He has a family that cares about him and has more right to visit him than I do.'

She sighed. "Alright. I will talk to his family, I assume his parents will be in DC soon. They should come and see him tomorrow."

"Good. Now, ten minutes, Miss Brennan." Dr. Chen smiled and turned towards the door.

She felt how Booth squeezed her hand tightly and his gaze snapped to Brennan's blue eyes. She looked at him for a moment, trying to read the message in the pleading brown eyes.

"Wait, Dr. Chen... please. How long until he can be moved to a normal room?" She said, hoping she had asked the right question.

"That's not yet predictable, I am sorry. We will have to see how he is recovering." The doctor gave back, giving her an apologetical look.

She thought about it for a moment, then nodded, but added another question:
"And when can you remove the tube?"

"I really can't .." Dr. Chen started, but Brennan interrupted him. "Please, Dr. Chen. He has a 5-year old son and he will want to see him... but not like this, you know. He will want to be able talk to him."

When she felt Booth's hand relax against hers, she knew she had interpreted his plea right. The fact that she knew him so well surprised even herself.

Dr. Chen looked at her thoughtfully, then he focussed on Booth for a short time, and inclining his head thoughtfully he finally said. "Well...If - and I say IF - his condition stays stable and he recovers satisfactorily, we can remove the tube in 24 hours. But he needs his sleep to recover. Therefore, only five minutes left, Miss Brennan."

"Thank you." She said to the doctor, but smiled down at Booth. Again he squeezed her hand lightly and she could read his gratefulness in his eyes.

Dr. Chen slowly retreated from the room, shooting them a last glance over his shoulder. The look of love in her eyes was clearly mirrored by his and the doctor shook his head lightly. "Partners, my ass." He muttered under his breath and closed the door behind him.

Inside the room, Brennan bit her lip, trying to be strong enough to tell him goodbye. After all, it was not a good-bye forever. She could come and visit him... maybe not tomorrow, but the day after tomorrow. But the mere thought of going home, leaving him, made her chest tighten again and tears stung to her eyes... and after a moment a single tear escaped her burning eyes.

Embarrassed she tried to turn away, to not let him see her weakness, but he lifted his hand. Although she could see, that the movement caused him pain, he did not stop, until his palm rested against her cheek. Gently his thumb brushed away her tear and she pressed her cheek against his hand, enjoying the feeling of his warm skin against hers.

"I prayed for you." She whispered, barely audible. His hand dropped and he gave her an incredulous, almost shocked look.

She chuckled. "Don't worry. I did not insult God. I just thought since you were not able to pray yourself... Well, I just thought it might help... You would do it for me, too." Her gaze wandered to the chain he had worn earlier that day and now lay on the nightstand... A little golden cross glittered faintly in the dim light.

She felt his hand gripping hers tightly again and when she looked back at him, she saw that his eyes glistened with tears. Obviously it meant a lot to him, that she had suppressed all her doubts and had given 'his way' a try.

Brennan sighed. "I think I have to go now. I don't want to, but you heard what Dr. Chen said.
I will try to come tomorrow, but your family comes first. I'll call your parents and Rebecca...
They will be glad to hear you woke up. Oh, and I'll tell Cullen too. He said you are 'a fine agent and not replaceable'"

She saw his eyes first turn to a warm brown when she mentioned his family, and then widen a bit, when she repeated Cullen's comment.

Brennan slowly freed her hand from his and swallowed hard... all of a sudden her throat felt too dry to speak. "I better get going now." She stepped back from his bed, but then she hesitated.

Quickly she bent down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, whispering "Rest well, Booth."
She saw that his eyes had widened at her unexpected sign of affection and part of her wanted to snuggle up to him and stay.
But she knew she had to go and so she turned around, forcing herself not to look back at him, as she left the room.

I know, not real fluff, but the fluff level will increase slowly ;)

please let me know what you think!!!!