Booth was pulled from sleep roughly. He sighed, rubbing his face. He had only just gotten off into a sleep, the couch being rather uncomfortable. Bones had argued with him that she could take the couch, but he had refused, pointing out that she needed a good night's sleep. Wondering what had woken him up, Booth lay for a moment in confusion, until he heard the wail that he obviously woken him come again.
Dashing through to his bedroom, he saw his partner thrashing around in the bed, a sweat over her face. His heart broke when she called for him, still deep in sleep. Afraid that she might pull her stitches and unable to take it anymore, he dashed forwards, holding her arms, and patting her face gently.
"Bones," he said, seeing her eyes clench tighter. "Bones! Come on, wake up for me, it's just a dream. Temperance!"
Her eyes shot open, his grip on her wrists loosening as she blinked in the half light. Sensing someone near her, she put her hands over her head, huddling into a ball. Choking back the tears at her fear, Booth rested his hand softly on her shoulder, feeling her wince.
"Bones, it's me, you're safe, it's OK, it was just a dream. No-one can hurt you now," he promised, seeing her uncurl slowly to see his kind face watching her.
"Booth?" she asked quietly, blushing a fierce red when she realised what he must have seen.
Tutting at her embarrassment, he pulled her gently to him, holding her against his chest as she sobbed, her hands once again wrapping into his shirt. Kissing the top of her head, he soothed her quietly, glad when her sobs finally quietened and he didn't have to feel his heart breaking for her.
"Are you OK?" he asked, seeing her sniff and nod, looking away from him.
"Thanks, Booth. I'll be fine."
Tilting her eyes towards him with a gently finger under her chin, he saw the fear in her eyes. He sighed, leaning forwards so that their foreheads were touching, and she still had the contact with him.
"You're not fine, Bones, you're terrified. You don't have to lie to me, I won't think any less of you if you tell me what you're really feeling."
"But it's so irrational!" she burst out, seeing Booth smile, kissing her cheek gently as he moved away.
"Well, feelings tend to be irrational, that's just how it works. Nothing you can do about that."
She nodded, quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry I woke you. I didn't...you shouldn't have seen that."
He sighed. "Bones, I want to know what's going on, what you're scared of, how you're feeling. It might take some time for us to get to the bottom of it, but I want to know, OK? Don't worry about waking me, ever."
She nodded. "He...he got angry when I woke him...when I called for you when I dreamed of him hurting..." she broke off, gulping the tears back. Looking up she saw that Booth was looking at her in surprise, amazed that she had just let him in on her feelings.
"Well, you don't need to worry about that anymore, he can't hurt you, Bones, I won't let him. You're safe here, you know I would never hurt you, right?"
She nodded, nestling back into his chest. "I know that, Booth. You're my best friend, I feel safer here than anywhere."
He grinned to himself, glad he could still make her feel happy and secure. Looking down, he saw that she was half asleep, his hand running gently through her hair.
"Do you want me to stay?" he asked, feeling her hesitate as if to decide whether to follow her heart or head. She sighed, before nodding, a blush creeping up her neck as he watched.
Shuffling down under the covers, Booth held out his arm to her, secretly quite glad when she shuffled across, resting her head against his shoulder as her arm when across his chest. He held her securely to him, kissing her forehead and mumbling encouragement until he knew she was asleep. He smiled. This felt so wonderful to have her in his arms like this, if only it were under happier circumstances.
Sighing, he knew that probably wouldn't happen now, she could never want that from him anymore. Still, at least he had her in his life, and for that he was truly grateful. Closing his eyes, he slipped into a peaceful sleep, Bones by his side in sleep as in normal life.
When Brennan woke in the morning, she felt relaxed and much better than she had recently. Looking up, she realised that Booth was still asleep, his arm wrapped protectively around her. She risked a glance at him, seeing his face so peaceful in sleep. Her heart beat just a little faster, both from physical attraction to him that had always been there, and the way he cared for her so deeply.
Stirring slightly, his eyes cracked open, and he grinned when he saw the pretty blue eyes looking up at him. Lifting his other arm with some effort, he touched her cheek gently, leaning down to press a kiss against her hair.
"Good morning Bones. Did you sleep OK?" he asked, yawning widely. She laughed, Booth looking at her suspiciously.
"I did, Booth, thanks. Better with you here," she admitted before blushing slightly. "Looks like you didn't thought."
"No, I did! I slept so well I want to do it all over again," he told her with a bark of laughter, seeing the first real smile hit her face since he found her. "You want some breakfast?"
Her smile slipped slightly as she moved away from him. "I can do that, Booth."
He grinned. "Maybe I want to do it. Maybe, I want to thank you for keeping me comfortable. It can get pretty lonely around here when Parker is with Bec."
She looked at him with narrowed eyes, seeing only truth in his statement. Pushing himself out of bed with great effort, he wandered into the kitchen, flicking on the coffee.
"I figured I could go rent us some movies today, Bones, what do you think?" he yelled, laughing when she appeared in the kitchen. "Nice bed hair."
"Shut up, Booth," she told him, flushing slightly as she tried to smooth it back down. "Sounds good, can I come?"
He looked at her critically, seeing that she looked at least slightly more steady on his feet, and they would be driving down, so she wouldn't have to walk far. And the fresh air might do her some good. He nodded, smiling at her.
"So long as you don't pick any films with that sciency mumbo-jumbo," he told her, seeing her smile back at him.
"There's nothing mumbo-jumbo about science, Booth, it's all perfectly reasoned out."
"To you maybe, not to the rest of us non-geniouses," he joked, placing a plate of perfectly cooked pancakes in front of her with syrup and sugar. "Breakfast of kings!"
She rolled her eyes, taking a bite gingerly before tucking in. She sure hadn't realised what a good cook he'd been before now! Please to see her eating properly again, Booth started his own, pushing the coffee towards her with an understanding wink.
Booth was surprised when Brennan moved closer to him on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder as they watched. He smiled, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze.
"Are you OK?" he asked, seeing her nod and look up at him with trusting eyes, before turning her head back to the TV.
As the film ended, she sighed wearily. She enjoyed living in this bubble with Booth, and she wasn't sure she wanted it to end. He smiled, kissing her head in a way that had become so easy between them recently. She sighed, looking up at him curiously.
"Can I ask you something?"
He smiled down at her, those soft eyes so friendly. "Sure, Bones, shoot."
There was a pause as she thought. "Do you think...will it get easier? With time, I'm not good with these emotional things, and I just...I wanted to know what to do."
He sighed, pushing some hair behind her ears. "Sure it will, but it takes a long time, for these kind of things to heal properly. There's nothing you can do about it, you just to let it run its course. And talk, Bones, talking helps."
"How?"
"Well, it lets you get some of the bad feelings out, so you have room for the good feelings that used to be there. I don't know scientifically why it makes you feel better, it just kinda does."
She nodded, a small frown on her face. "I wanted so much to keep you safe, Booth. I knew you'd hate me for leaving, and be disappointed when you found out what I'd...let him do, but as long as I knew you were safe, none of that seemed to matter so much."
He felt choked as he reached for her hand. "But can't you see, Bones, I feel the same? I'd have done anything to keep you safe too. All those things you feel, the wanting to make sure the ones you lo...I mean your friends are safe, that's what I feel too."
She nodded. "I know you're angry with me, but I honestly thought I'd never see you again, so I find myself unprepared for how to deal with this situation."
Booth sighed. "I'm not mad at you, Temperance, why would you think that?"
She gulped, the tears forming again. "Because you're quiet around me, like when you're mad, and you have a good reason to be, and it feels...awkward between us, so logically that would lead me to the conclusion that you're mad."
"This isn't a situation you can rationale out, Bones. But I'm not mad, and if I'm quiet and making you feel awkward, it's only because I don't know how to deal with a situation like this either. I've never had someone I care about be put in this sort of situation, so I'm just playing it by ear. This is why you have to let me know how you're feeling and what you're thinking. I want to make it up to you, that I wasn't there the first time."
"You don't have to make anything up to me, Booth." She paused for a moment, biting her lip as this topic was obviously important to her. "Do you think...maybe one day if we're still like this...maybe we'd be able to...you know..."
He grinned, rubbing her cheek affectionately. "Bones, nothing would give me more pleasure than to be a couple with you. But it has to be on your terms, and when we're both ready. There's no rush, OK?"
She nodded, a small frown still on her face. "I thought you wouldn't want that, not after you knew..."
"Knew what?" he asked, genuinely surprised by her question.
"That I'm...I'm...damaged, and I'm not like I was before," she said, letting the tears of frustration run down her cheeks.
She jumped slightly as the pads of his thumbs gently wiped the tears away, pulling her to him so he could hold her while she cried. Brennan sighed, the feeling of Booth's arms around her so strong always easing some of the pain she felt in her soul.
"You're hurt now, Bones, but wounds heal with time and care. You're not damaged, OK?"
She gulped. "But I let him...I couldn't stop him from...and the baby..." she broke off, not able to carry on anymore.
"Temperance that wasn't your fault, OK, that was his fault! And OK, if we are a couple some day it might take us a long time to get to, you know, that part, but as long as I get to have you around, I don't care if we never get there, if that's what you're worried about. And as far as what happened is concerned, Bones, you have nothing to feel bad about, OK? And you should feel free to talk about it whenever you want, I'm here for you baby, OK?"
Brennan nodded, looking up into his eyes and seeing only love there. Reaching up, she kissed his cheek, her lips lingering as she wanted to show him how grateful she was.
"Thank you, Booth." Her eyes bored into his as she told him, making him understand how deeply she meant that.
"Any time, Bones, any time," he told her, his hand rubbing her cheek softly. "It's late, you must be tired."
She nodded, stifling a yawn badly. He laughed, holding out his hand to her as he led her to his bedroom, pulling some drawers open to find her something to sleep in seeing as she had thrown her pyjamas into the wash that morning. When he turned, she was standing shyly in the doorway again.
"So, are you gonna be OK from here?" he asked, watching her closely. She nodded, keeping her eyes on the floor as her face paled slightly. Closing the distance, he tilted her chin up so he could see her eyes properly. "Do you want me to stay?"
"I...would you mind?" she asked timidly, seeing his smile soften as he leant his forehead against hers.
"Spend the night with my best friend? How could any guy mind that?" he quipped, seeing her smile back at him at the joke. "Get yourself sorted and I'll join you once I'm ready," he told her, passing her a towel to use as she headed into his bathroom.
Booth watched until the door had clicked shut, his heart pounding against his chest as he recognised the goofy grin on his face that seemed to be permanently there when his partner was around. Man, you got it bad his brain reminded him, Booth rubbing his neck as he wandered around the bedroom grabbing his things, trying to ignore the fact that his life felt complete now she was around.