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Chapter 12:

Booth stifled a yawn. A few hours ago he had found out that things like yawning, breathing deeply, laughing, coughing and sighing hurt... hurt like hell. But at least the news that had caused him to sigh, had been worth the pain...

When Agent Saunders had come in a few hours ago to tell him that Henderson was arrested and they had been able to prove he had built the bomb, Booth had sighed in relief. The hours he had been awake and his head clear enough to form coherent thoughts, he had spent in constant fear for Bones. Although he knew there was an agent with her all the time to protect her, it did not really help pushing the fear aside.

Worrying about her had become a part of him.

And the memory of his last time in a hospital bed, talking to Hodgins and realising that he had handed his partner, his Bones, over to a murderer, haunted him.

The picture of finding her in that warehouse on that awful hook, fettered and gagged, the sound of the dog's frantic barks... These impressions would never leave him. There were other pictures of her in danger or hurt that made him always clench his fists when he recalled them.

New Orleans...She had called him to inform him that she got attacked and did not recall a thing, but told him not to worry, not to come. She INFORMED him... more like scared him to death. He remembered when he had stormed in that room, ignoring the nurse's protests and found her bruised and without memory and she had been worrying about losing an earring.

Oh, and the moment he had found said earring... when he had spotted it in the house in which they had just found a man Bones had known slaughtered like a pig surrounded by spooky Voodoo-signs drawn in blood. He had picked up the earring without thinking twice... sure, technically he had done something immoral, he - a FBI agent - taking away a piece of evidence. But he had known with all he was – his brain, his heart, his gut – that Temperance Brennan was not a murderer. And he had wanted to protect her, had risked his career for her. And had risked his life more than once afterwards for her, too. He had threatened to kill somebody ... because of her. Thank God she did not know about it. He did not regret it; she was worth risking his career, his life. Because he loved her.

He had found that out some time ago, but pushed it aside as good as he could.

He had no intention to force her into something she was not ready for... or, his worst fear: into something she did not want. The uncertainty had gnawed on him for some time.

But then something changed... the moment after the explosion. The kiss... the kiss had told him that she wanted him too. And how she had been there for him when he had woken up from the narcosis. How she had known what he was thinking. He had wondered, when she had become that good at reading people, but then he had realised she still was not extraordinarily good at reading people... she was good at reading HIM.

So, if he was right, she felt it too.

He stifled another sigh. But was she ready? Was she ready to let him past these last walls she still was hiding behind? Ready to cross that line he once had drawn? He did not know and not knowing was driving him crazy.

He would have called her, but there were no phones in the ICU and no cell phones allowed... And she would not come to visit him today, because as his partner she simply had no rights, his family came first. And she knew it, adjusted to it, even if she did not want to. Practical and logical. And maybe still blaming herself. He hoped not.

Oh, he was glad to be able to see Parker and he loved his parents, but he longed for Bones. Her mere presence made him feel better, better than any medication ever could. But he could not call her and he did not want somebody else to deliver the message either. It would give away too much of his feelings... and everybody would think they secretly were a couple. She would feel cornered and would run... or at least he feared she would. And the fear held him back. After all, he would be able to see her the next day... it was not that far away. He could manage these few hours without her, couldn't he?

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts and his face lit up when he saw, who opened it.

As always, Temperance Brennan lost track of time while working. With the help of her team she identified two bodies from limbo and would have started to work on a third one, if Angela had not pointed out, that it was already 7 pm and she had no intention to work all night. Shocked, Brennan glanced at her watch. It was true, she had been working for hours without break, had managed to push all other thoughts away. Zach had – typically – not complained about working longer, just as engrossed in his work as she had been. Hodgins had left them to identify a bug he had mysteriously called "my little beauty".

She nodded towards Angela, and said: "You're right, Ange. I got carried away."

Angela shrugged. "You would work three days in a row without break – you need somebody to take you to the diner to eat. Ehhhm ...how about eating now? I am hungry."

Brennan felt a little twinge when she heard Angela's words. Usually the somebody to take her to the diner was Booth. She somehow felt guilty that she had managed to work for hours without thinking of him, although distraction had been what she had aimed for.

She gave Angela a wry smile and answered: "Okay. Ten minutes." On the way to her office she dialled Rebecca's number on her mobile. She closed the door behind her and waited, but nobody answered. She sighed and called the number of the ICU and asked about Booth. A nurse courtly told her that she was not allowed to talk about the patients' condition to people who were not family members. Brennan explained that she was Booth's partner and just wanted to know about his progress, but the nurse remained adamant.

Brennan hung up on the nurse somewhere mid-sentence during her lecture about hospital policy. She called Cullen, but his secretary told her, he was still stuck in an important meeting – and that she would have gone home already if it wasn't for that meeting. But at least the secretary told Brennan that Booth's parents had called Cullen today and that she had not heard his condition had worsened. And – she told Brennan– she was pretty sure Cullen would have told her.

Brennan calmed a bit, but she was also hurt. Booth's parents had called Cullen, but nobody thought about informing her. She bit her bottom lip and tried to convince herself that Booth surely had thought about her, but that he could hardly call her himself right now and had enough on his mind with his parents and Parker to visit him... And that his parents maybe would not even know about her.

And just what was there to know, exactly? Officially she was just his work partner.

She took in a deep breath and told herself, that if something bad had happened, Cullen would have told her... that it was a good sign he had not called her. But still, the bad feeling – a mixture of hurt and worry - did not go away completely. She called Rebecca's mobile phone again. It was turned off. 'They will be at the hospital to visit him... No phones at the ICU.' She told herself and left Rebecca a message to call her back.

"Sweetie!" Angela's voice came from the outside. "You said ten minutes... I am staaarving."

"I am coming Angela..." Brennan called back and gathered her things. She inhaled deeply, calming herself and headed out of her office, where Angela, Zach, Hodgins and even Cam were already waiting for her. "And you won't die of hunger that quickly, Ange. In fact, you have to be more concerned about fluids than nutrition."

Angela shook her head impatiently and ushered her friend towards the exit. "My stomach does not care what science says, Bren. It needs food... now!"

Later when they were seated a the diner, Hodgins finally asked. "Any news about Booth?"

Angela glanced at Brennan nervously. She had deliberately avoided the topic, since Brennan had looked a bit upset when she had come out of her office. Not dramatically upset, but still...

Brennan smiled wryly. "I heard that there were no changes, he seems stable. I'll try to visit him tomorrow."

They all were relieved to hear that, but Angela's eyes narrowed a bit. There was something about Brennan's answer that felt... somehow off. But she could not quite point it out... and during a heated argument about the last beetle race between Hodgins and Zach she finally forgot about it altogether.

Booth smiled at his son, who opened the door, followed by Rebecca. "Daddy!" The blond boy exclaimed.

"Hey, buddy" Booth answered, frowning at the odd sound of his voice... it sounded rusty and his words were hardly more than a croak.

"Hey Seeley" Rebecca greeted him.

Parker quickly ran to Booth's bed, but stopped only a step away. "Mommy said not to hurt you. Can I ..." He stopped and looked at him questioningly.

"It's alright. Come here...just be gentle." Booth said hoarsely. Parker smiled and embraced his father gently. It still hurt Booth's ribs, but he ignored the pain and savoured the feeling of his son in his arms.

He looked at his ex-girlfriend who stood near his bed. "Thank you, Rebecca. For letting me see him." He croaked out.

She smiled a bit and answered. "You are his father, Seeley. He wanted to see you, too." Booth nodded and released his son from his embrace.

"Come sit, buddy." He patted on the bed. "Daddy can't talk much. Tell me about your day."

Rebecca seated herself in the chair near his bed and Booth and his ex-girlfriend listened to Parker's merry voice telling them about his day at school.

After twenty minutes, Booth tried to stifle a yawn, but he did not really succeed. "Are you tired, Daddy?" Parker asked, his voice so full of concern it made Booth's chest tighten. What a strange feeling, to know, that your child worries about you... For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Rebecca placed a hand on Parker's shoulder. "Daddy needs to rest, Parker. The medicine he has to take makes him sleepy."

Booth smiled at his son and said: "Sorry, buddy. Mommy's right, it's the medicine."

"Can I not stay here with him?" Parker asked, clutching his father's hand tightly.

Rebecca shook her head. "No Parker... Daddy really needs to rest. But your Grandpa Bob called earlier today... you can visit Daddy tomorrow morning with him and Grandma Mary. Okay?"

Parker nodded, smiling a bit at the prospect of spending time with his grandparents... Grandpa Bob was funny and Grandma Mary always bought him sweets or ice cream...

Booth looked at Rebecca, surprised about her words.

She saw the astonished look on his face and shrugged. "It would have been your Saturday with him anyway... and he hardly ever sees your parents."

He mouthed a "Thank you" and ruffled his son's hair – very much alike how his mother had ruffled his hair earlier that day. He had to smile at that thought. He whispered. "Sleep tight, Buddy. Until tomorrow."

Parker kissed his cheek. "You too, Daddy. Bye." He jumped off Booth's bed.

Rebecca rose and quickly squeezed Booth's hand. "Bye, Seeley. Get well soon."

"Bye, Rebecca... and thank you." Booth said. Parker waved good-bye before closing the door and Booth mirrored the gesture. Then they shut the door and Booth fell asleep only moments afterwards.

He had not seen that Rebecca lost something on her way to the door and that Parker accidentally kicked the subject, which caused it to sled under his nightstand. It was a black, small subject. Rebecca's mobile phone.

Soooooo ... how did you like it?

We will soon find out why nobody called poor Bones... Next update hopefully until Wednesday or Thursday...