Brennan's cell rang, looking at the caller id she hit end and sent it to voicemail. She knew Sweets would want in her head and she wasn't ready for that, she doubted she ever would.
Everything that happened in the cave was one thing the aftermath was completely different. Her Booth was gone. The man in the hospital, he was a stranger. It took almost 7 years for them to get to a point where they had confessed their feelings. Feelings she regretted sharing. She couldn't trust herself.
She knew him and what he needed out of life. She wasn't like him. He lived by emotion, her logic. Very incompatible in her mind. He had spiritual connection, she had facts and science. Again not compatible. It didn't matter how well they could get along. They would ruin everything if they tried for more then what they already had.
They could never sustain a romantic relationship. She didn't even believe in romance, not like he did. She didn't form emotional bonds like her friends did. She always kept everyone at arm's length. She knew it transpired because of the issues of abandonment from her family. She didn't need Sweets to tell her that.
She didn't have to worry about that any longer. Booth didn't even know who she was. She had denied her feelings for so long now, she could continue. She was able to compartmentalize. She would tuck her feelings away and pretend that nothing ever happened.
Tears began to well up in her eyes. Part of them both had died in that cave. She took this time to mourn.
Brennan didn't know how long she had cried. A knock on her door brought her back to reality. She wiped her face and walked to the door and peered out the peephole. She took a moment to compose herself, masked her face and opened the door.
Angela and Sweets could tell she had been crying. They slowly walked into her apartment. Sweets had already informed Angela of parts of his and Booth's conversation. He thought the bond between the two women could help in the conversation that he needed to have with Brennan.
Booth remembered nothing of his current life; accept what seems to be dreams of Brennan. He imagined that the rest of what Booth was experiencing was due to his spiritual beliefs. He had died and his subconscious was deriving comfort from those who he would imagine be waiting for him on the other side. The only thing he found puzzling was the fact that Booth could remember he had died. He would have to work on that segment later. For now, he believed Brennan would be the key to Booth's recovery.
He had edited the tape he had made when he went back to the office. He only kept the information of Booth speaking of hearing someone say she loves him. This could be the breakthrough they neded if only Brennan will cooperate.
"Is everything ok, Sweety" Angela asked.
"Yes I was sleeping when I heard your knock." Brennan answered coldly.
"Dr Brennan, I asked Angela to come with me, I am hoping that we could talk for a moment." Sweets informed her.
She glared at the younger man with disdain in her eyes.
"Dr Sweets, if I had wished to speak with you I would have answered your phone calls. I wish for time alone to recuperate from recent events."
"I know that you need time, but Agent Booth needs our help and I believe you are the key."
At the sound of his name her eyes darted to the floor.
"Agent Booth has had a dream, which we believe may be a memory from when you were both trapped inside the cave." He informed her.
"I do not wish to talk about any of that!" She shouted at him
"Sweety, I have to agree with Sweets here. If something happened in there that can help bring Booth back to us we have to try." Angela interrupted. "I know you are hurting. We all are. But he needs us."
"I would like for both of you to leave now." Brennan said and walked to her door and opened it.
"If you won't talk, will you at least listen to this?" Sweets asked setting a small recorder on the table near her door.
With that they left. They heard the door slam behind them. Tears came to Angela's eyes. That was not her friend.
Inside the apartment Brennan stared at the recorder. Her curiosity told her to listen, but her rational side told her it was better if she didn't know.
She began thinking she should leave. Maybe take a vacation to gt away from all this. She couldn't deal with all her friends, their friends.
She heard another knock on her door. She walked over and swung it open in anger.
"I thought I told…." She started.
Her father stood in the hallway a little shocked at his daughter's actions.
"Sorry dad, I thought you were someone else." She apologized.
"I saw some friends of yours in the parking lot. Are you angry with them, Honey? Max asked.
"Yes… No… I don't know what I am, Dad. I have never felt so lost before. They want me to talk, but I can't. I can't deal with all this right now." She said, letting the tears fall free.
"Oh Honey, I'm sorry." He said pulling his daughter into his arms. "Everything will be ok. You just need time. You and Booth were very close. It is understandable that you are in pain. All of you are hurting."
"They want me to listen to a recording of Booth. They said he might be remembering something and need me to let them know." She cried into her father's shoulder.
"Well if it's something important then I think you should." He said.
"I just don't know if I can. It's my fault he was injured. He wouldn't be in this condition if it weren't for me. I want to help, but every time I think about it…"
"I know. I know. But I know Booth, he has no regrets. He would do it all again even knowing the outcome. I think you owe it to him to listen to what was said. I think you owe it to both of you. You need to heal too. Keeping everything inside and hiding won't help anyone. From the sound of the greeting I received it seems it is just going to drive everyone away." He soothed.
"I know, you're right. I am being selfish." She said drying her tears.
"What if I listen with you?" He asked
Brennan debated this. What could it hurt? She knew her father's loyalties lied with her. He wasn't linked to any of the others.
"I… I suppose we could do that." She answered
Max grabbed the recorder and pushed play. Booth's distorted voice was heard asking questions and Sweets giving him semi vague answers. Brennan's tears began again. Max laid the recorder down and held his daughter.
"I know you love him. I know he loves you too. All this time I have been waiting for you two to get together. So when you were trapped… did you finally tell him?"
"He thought h was going to die, he already had. He wanted me to know how he felt, because he thought we would never see me again. I… I told him I loved him too. It was the last thing we said to each other." She explained.
"And you don't want to tell the others why?" He asked.
"I am not the right person for him. He needs love; he needs a person with an open heart. Someone who can love as deeply as he does. I am not capable of such emotions." She cried.
"Sweetheart, don't you see. Everything you are feeling now are those emotions." He explained.
"I need him in my life dad. Not want… need. If we try and fail, which we almost definitely will, I will lose what we have. I can't risk that." She argued.
"I see what you have. I see what you could have. Love like that won't go away. It won't fail, it can't fail. Tempe, I have no doubt in my mind that the two of you are meant to be together."
"What does it matter, Dad. He doesn't even know who I am. He associates my face to a labeled photograph on a board in his room."
"He might be able to get it all back. Don't you think you owe it to him to at least try?"
"I will consider it. I just don't know if I can handle it. I feel like he has left me. I feel like he died in that damn hole in the ground. That man in that hospital is not Seeley Booth. He may look like him but it isn't him. That recording itself shows it. Booth never discusses his personal life with anyone."
"He does with you. He trusts you. He confides in you because he loves you and you confide in him for the same reason. Please Tempe, please take a leap. We will all be here for you if it doesn't work. Besides, it will give you a chance to reconnect. He may never get his memory back, but I read that the other symptoms, specifically the short term memory loss should fade over time."
Max could see he was getting through. He didn't want to push much harder for fear she may retreat from him.
"Why don't we go get some dinner, my treat?" He said to break the tension.
"I would like that." She answered.