Toot-toot!
Another update…. Well, I am BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, don't you agree ;)
Thank you all so much for your reviews,... I can't believe it... more than 160 ... wow!!! you rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 16:
Temperance Brennan stepped aside, when Booth's family went towards the door to leave the room... she looked a bit astonished. She had thought his parents and Parker would stay longer. Instead she now had the impression, they were hurrying out. She frowned a bit, trying to understand why they would leave now. It could not be of her, could it? And the zoo surely was not going to "go anywhere" as Booth's Dad had said... so why hurry?
She saw how Booth's mother winked at her son, while she was directing her husband and grandson out of the room and barely had time to could give back a lame "Nice to meet you too." before they had already closed the door behind them. Booth had only waved at them, knowing he would see them later.
Now the room was suddenly silent, with only the two of them left... She stared at him and he looked back. Neither of them broke the silence...
When she did not move ,and it was clear to him that she would not say a single word anytime soon, he finally cleared his throat and explained: "Well... those were my parents, as you may have guessed." He smiled a bit, almost looking shy.
She nodded courtly. "I gathered that. You called them Mom and Dad. And you and your father look very much alike. Same height and structure, similar facial bones." Her response was made in that dissociated voice of hers she always used for commenting on anthropological observations.
Booth frowned. Was she building walls again? He hoped not...
"Right" he said lightly, but then his voice became more serious. "Bones... I am sorry. Sorry that you had to go through all that."
She looked aside. "I feared you were dead." She murmured, and her voice was still not back to normal. He gasped at her words, but remained silent, waiting for her to continue. And after some time she did...
"Dr. Chen had told me your prospects were pretty good, but ... sometimes bad things happen and... I just did not know. But then I thought, if something bad had happened, Cullen surely would have called me. He would have to officially inform me, if something happened to my partner, right? But... I was scared, Booth. I hoped that somebody would call me, and then on the other hand I was scared if the phone rang, it would be Cullen with bad news... Waiting...not knowing... is ... It's cruel..."
He briefly closed his eyes. It had been even harder for her, than he had thought. God, he should have known.
She had spent half her life not knowing what had happened to her parents. What a miserable way to grow up... and now she had been given a reminder of how it had been... His heart ached, when he could only imagine how it had been for her, to wonder if he was alive... Yes, indeed... not knowing had to be cruel.
"Bones... Temperance... If I could change what happened, I would. But I can't...I am sorry,... just come here, won't you? Sit down and stay with me for a while..." His voice was hoarse, but not only because of the after-effects of the intubation that caused his throat still to feel sore... His voice was hoarse and thick with emotion.
She smiled wryly, when she heard his words and the undertone. "It's not your fault." She softly whispered, then she quickly closed the remaining distance to the chair beside his bed and sat down.
"I know. But you got hurt ... because of me." He softly replied, looking at her.
"Ehm...Booth...You are the one who's lying in the hospital bed. I did not get hurt." Bones reminded him, still avoiding his eyes.
"You thought you were left out, ... that nobody thought you should get informed. And I know it must have hurt like hell. But that's not what I wanted, right? I wanted my parents to call you, Bones. Because you are important to me. And because I know I would have gone mad if it had been me in your place." Booth softly explained.
She let out a short, humourless laughter. "You are FBI. They would have told you, if it had been the other way round... But I have no badge to shove into people's faces to get the information I want." She closed her eyes, trying to fight down the memories of how miserable she had felt. She was here now, with him... and he was alright. Shouldn't that be enough for her? Should she not be happy now?
When she suddenly felt something touching her hand, her eyes snapped open. She looked down at her hands, which were resting in her lap. A piece of paper? She had not even heard a movement...
She glanced at Booth, but now he had closed his eyes, a painful expression on his face. He must have leant too far forward to be able to drop the paper in her lap... he had stretched too far and his wound hurt
Worried about him, she asked: "Are you okay, Booth? Should I get a nurse?" Hesitantly, she moved a bit closer.
"I am fine... Look at it." Booth answered, his voice a bit breathless, but it seemed the pain had faded, or at least simmered down enough for him to regain control.
Her gaze went back to the crumpled piece of paper in her lap and she smoothed it a bit to be able to read the scribbled words.
"Call Bones, tell her that I get moved." She read them out aloud, her voice a little bit shaky.
"I wrote that, when my parents visited me and I was still intubated. Because I did not want you to worry about me... And I had to write it down, Bones, because not even my own parents know me well enough to just read what I want from the expression on my face... Only you know me well enough to do that. Only you."
He cleared his throat, and lifted his hand to stop her, when she opened her mouth to say something.
"Sh... I am not finished. I kept that note, because ... looking at your name made me feel better, you know."
Her heartbeat was fast now and once more her eyes were brimming with tears. She managed a smile and teasingly she whispered. "That's not my name. It's a nickname."
He shook his head. "No. Not just a nickname... it's a term of affection."
His voice was husky...and a tear slid down her cheek. When he saw this he lifted his hand to her face and softly wiped the tear away with his thumb. His palm was warm on her cheek and both remembered the last time she had been next to his bed, his thumb caressing the soft skin on her cheek... and how he had dropped his hand when she had told him she had been praying for him.
"Thank you for praying for me, Temperance. Thank you for being part of my life." He whispered, his voice barely audible.
She took in a deep breath and, if of it's own accord, her head moved until her lips rested against his palm and she placed a soft kiss on the warm inside of his strong hand.
He felt warmth spreading through his body and his breath caught at the suddenness of the sensation.
"Temperance" he whispered, his voice a very low, husky murmur. She closed her eyes at the sound of him speaking her given name, she let it wash over her like a sweet, soft caress.
And that's how he had meant it... because he had tried to lay all the love he felt for her in his voice, when he had spoken her name.
"Oh, Booth." She whispered. "I was so scared. I... just ...I could not bear to lose you." The admission surprised even herself... but somehow it was okay to be honest now. It was Booth and he would understand her. Somehow he always did.
"Don't be scared anymore, Temperance." He gave back and his thumb slowly caressed the smooth skin over her cheek bone.
"I am not... not anymore." She answered and smiled at him. They stared in each others eyes and somehow time seemed to stop again.
What do you say???? Do you like it? Fluff enough for the moment?
I did not think I would be able to write it today, but it just ... BEGGED to be written asap... Next update really may take longer this time, lol
and yes, there is going to be a kiss soonish... ;)