Brennan woke early the next morning. He dreams had been filled with Booth. Nothing inappropriate but more like how she had envisioned their new future. Her realizations the night before had given her a new vitality. She would compartmentalize the past and start anew.
She looked around the apartment and smiled. Booth loved Christmas, he would love this. She double checked everything to make sure nothing was forgotten while she waited for the delivery.
Max had made copies of his and Booth's agreement and prepared to call Brennan to arrange a meeting before Booth's discharge. He didn't look forward to it, but Booth had made this request and he would follow it through. He didn't know much about Booth's childhood, but as far as he could see he didn't have a father in his life and he would gladly step in as a surrogate. He had always kind of thought of him as a son after he realized how close he and Brennan had become. He thought he would be his son-in-law one day.
The group had been at the lab finalizing their findings. They had finally found enough evidence thanks to Hodgins to tie Broadsky to the graveyards and the cave though dirt particulates. The FBI had been able to impound Broadsky's car and they found enough to put the man away for more than one lifetime. They all felt that they could truly celebrate now. Their friend would be returning home and the man who had done all the damage was as sure as convicted.
It was almost time for everyone to meet at Booth's, Brennan had called and said her father had some things to discuss on Booth's behalf form a visit he had the night before. The doctors said the paperwork would be finished in about two hours so they all rushed around to complete their tasks.
Max sat on the couch stiff as a board. He only hoped all the scientists knew the phrase don't kill the messenger. One by one they all began to arrive, Sweets being the last.
"Ok everyone, I made copies of this." He said handing each one a copy of the agreement. "I went to visit Booth last night and he wanted my help. He appreciates everything everyone has been doing for him, but he wants his recovery to go on his terms."
Each read the paper and he could see the protests starting to surface.
"Look guys, I am going to say this like he told me and you will see that it is Booth making a decision how only he could. He told me to look at it like a crime scene. When you question people who have seen a crime committed everyone's stories don't always match. He said it is a matter of perception. He doesn't want to learn his life from you because all of you already have preconceived thoughts. He said if you guys were working an old case you would look at the hard evidence on not at the reports from other people." He explained. "He wants to be him from his perspective. If he doesn't get his memory back he wants to be him, not who all of thought he was. If his memory does come back he wants it to be his memories not yours."
The room remained quiet as each person allowed his words to sink in. Brennan was the first to speak.
"Your right, he is right. We all want our Booth back, but if he can't get to that point on his own, we will have to learn to accept the man that he becomes." She agreed.
"I think name tags for everyone is important. We can have permanent ones made for all of us and have paper ones for temporary visitors. I thought if each of us write a short biography about us and how we met and interacted with Booth would be appropriate. All factual based nothing with opinions in it. If he has questions, we can answer them, but don't volunteer information that could be viewed as corrupted by our perception. Dr Sweets, maybe you could get your hands on some old case files that he has worked on. Then he can read his own reports. Maybe we could see if he has kept any sort of journal that he can read if not maybe get one that he can start recording his days in. Maybe even a recording device." Max suggested.
Each of them agreed, though Max could see the hesitation on some of their faces.
Booth's eyes fluttered open. He searched the room and knew he was in the hospital, how he got there a mystery. He saw a board near his bed. It stated he was injured and had brain injury. Loss of memory was starred. He thought for a moment and recalled his childhood. He remembered being in the Army. As far as he knew he was still in the Army. He couldn't help but wonder what or if he had forgotten. There was nothing to give him a date. No mirror to show him his age. He just sat in confusion.
He could remember his dream from the night before. His mother was in the dream. She was leading him through a maze. Every time they reached a new turn it was a new scene. Possibly times of his life forgotten. People he didn't know but looked so familiar. He was lost in thought as the nurse entered the room.
"Good morning Mr Booth." She greeted.
"Good morning."
"Do you remember anything today?" She asked?
"No ma'am I don't. How long have I been here?"
"Two weeks, but you will be going home today. Your friends will be here shortly to come get you." She answered.
Friends? What friends he wondered. Maybe the people in his dreams. Home? He wondered where his home was. If there was anyone he shared it with.
"What year is it and where exactly are we?" He asked.
"It is 2011. Christmas is in a few days. You're in Washington DC, you were life flighted in from somewhere in Virginia after your accident."
"Accident?"
"You were caught in a landslide and had severe hypothermia." She answered.
DC? Landslide? Last he could remember he was overseas on a mission. But if this was 2011, that was almost 15 years ago.
"Thank you." He didn't want to talk anymore. He let the information sink in. Fifteen years of his life gone.
"Your doctor will be in shortly to discuss your release instructions. He has everything in writing for both you and your friends."
She finished her nursely duties as he lay there slightly embarrassed at what he couldn't do himself as well as lost in thought.
"After the doctor is done I will help you get dressed." She said as she left the room.
He hated needing help. He had been taking care of himself for as long as he could remember. Even when he was with Pops he did most everything for himself.
Who would be at home to help him? Was he married, did he have a girlfriend, kids? Not knowing killed him inside. He had been here for two weeks. Anyone in his life must have had time to prepare. He could feel the frustrations, building inside him.
"It's ok Seeley everything will work out in time." Said the soft voice.
He looked around, knowing he wouldn't see who had spoken. He recognized the voice as his mother's. She had died when he was young, that much he could remember. God must have given her to him as a guide, to guide him through these difficult times. He found comfort in that.
"Good Morning Agent Booth, I am Dr Schmidt. How are you feeling today?" The doctor spoke as he entered the room.
"Agent… uh… oh fine I suppose under the circumstances." He stumbled through the answer.
"Oh yes, you are an FBI agent. Your latest case is what brought you to us. I am sure your colleagues will explain in more detail when they arrive. These are your instructions for care of your injuries when you are released. Here is a list of your medications and your prescriptions. I am sending you home with crutches but I do not want you using them until after your follow-up appointment with your orthopedist, the date is written here. You also have follow up appointments with your neurosurgeon and a neurologist for further testing of your brain. I have printed copies of all the instructions for your caregivers here in this folder. I wish you well in your recovery Agent Booth."
Booth processed all the information. He looked through the prescriptions as the doctor left the room. He flipped through as best he could to look at all the paperwork. Looking at his body it looked like he had broken about everything. The aches and pains confirmed. He read a portion on seizures and cringed. A depression washed over him as he realized how difficult his life had become. He read how over time all the symptoms should dissipate. Should was the operative word.
The nurse who had been in earlier returned. "Looks like you're ready to leave us Mr Booth." She removed the catheter and began helping him dress in a pair of FBI sweat pants and sweat shirt. He looked at the multicolored socks she was putting on his feet and he couldn't help but wonder who on Earth had picked them out. She tied his tennis shoes and then pushed the call button to request assistance. A male orderly entered the room and they helped him into a wheelchair.
"Your friends are on their way Mr Booth. They called and said they would be here in a few minutes." The nurse said as she left the room.
Brennan and Max drove in his SUV. Max volunteered his vehicle as Booth's transportation as it has the extra room he would need and the space to carry the wheelchair.
"Thank you for everything Dad" Brennan said to her father.
"Thank me for what?" He asked.
"For everything. For showing me where my thought process was irrational. For forcing me to accept this whole situation and mostly for being Booth's voice when he couldn't be his own. I am uncertain why, but it seems he has forged the closest bond with you." She answered.
"Only because you wouldn't allow yourself to be present." He returned.
"No I think it is more than that. We are all clinical people, scientific. You are more… well human then the rest of us. We kept seeing his conditions, you saw him. He needs that." Brennan declared.
"Well I just try to look at it if it were me in his shoes. I know me and Booth have had our differences as we should have. I also see what kind of man he is. He is a man deserving of respect. He has looked past my shortcomings and accepts me. The least I can do is listen and be there. Without him, I never would have made it back into your life. I owe him." Max explained.
The two road the rest of the way in silence.
They arrived at the hospital and went straight to Booth's room. Brennan stopped at the door and took a deep breath.
"You can do this Honey. He is your friend. He has been there for you, even when you put him through hell. He needs you now. You are strong." Max whispered into his daughters ear.
They entered the room to see Booth in his wheelchair looking out the window. Brennan swallowed back the knot that rose to her throat.
Booth heard the door open and struggled to turn the chair around. He felt the chair begin to move and saw the male of the two assisting him. He looked to the woman and smiled. She was beautiful. He felt like he had known her forever, though he didn't know how.
"Good morning Booth." She said returning his smile.
"Good Morning." He returned.
Max could see the question in his eyes. "I am Max and this is my daughter and your partner Temperance. You usually call her bones."
"So you are in the FBI?" He asked.
"No, I am a forensic anthropologist. We work together solving murders." She answered "I specialize in skeletal remains, hence why you have given me the nickname of Bones."
"Oh. I'm sorry for the confusion." He apologized.
"No apologies necessary at all. You have nothing to be sorry about." She answered while thinking she should be the one groveling on her knees before this man.
"So are you the ones assigned to take me home?" He asked changing the subject. He had seen emotions swimming through her eyes while she spoke. His words had affected her in ways he wasn't sure.
"No we weren't assigned, but we are here to bring you back to your apartment. Our friends are waiting for us to arrive. We have all worked out a schedule so you will never have to be alone until you are able to tend to yourself." She answered.
"I really don't want to be a bother to anyone." He said with sadness taking over his features.
"No son, it is no bother, we are all glad to help with whatever we can." Max added.
Booth liked this man. He seemed sincere. He wasn't sure what to think of the woman though. Her speech pattern was awkward.
Brennan grabbed all of the paperwork and Max wheeled the chair, towards the elevator.
"How long have we worked together?" Booth asked
"Well we worked one case 7 years ago, but have been working steadily for 6 years now."
Booth could hear the sadness in her voice. They had been partners for 6 years and he remembered nothing. This had to hurt the woman by the sounds of her voice. He knew partners formed a bond. Six years was a long time for two people to work together.
They made their way to an SUV and the pair helped Booth into the Passenger side. Brennan sat in the back and Max began to drive. Booth watched the scenery go by. He had remembered many things from photographs he had seen, but nothing looked like what he would consider to be home. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he dreaded making this woman feel any worse.
He wasn't sure why he wanted to ask, according to the paperwork he had seen, he wouldn't remember anything once he had slept. He just felt like he needed to know.
They pulled up to a building he assumed was his home. Max retrieved the wheelchair from the back and they helped him in. Brennan pulled the crutches and paperwork from the vehicle and they entered the building. They rode the elevator to the 2nd floor and then continued to his door.
They entered the apartment and Booth's jaw dropped. He could only describe the decorated room as something straight out of the movies. Inside were what he assumed to be his friends all smiling and welcoming him home. A small boy ran to him. A name tag said his name was Parker.
"Daddy!" He yelled and hugged his father.
"Hey Parker." He said trying to hug the boy the best he could with the splints.
"I missed you Daddy. Mommy and the squints said I can stay for a while and help you get better." The boy said excitedly.
Booth could feel tears trying to form and blinked them back. He had a son. A son he only knew the name of because he saw a name tag on his shirt.
"They told me you don't remember stuff, but it is ok. You will get better soon. Nothing beats my dad. You always win." The boy announced proudly.
"Seeley I am so glad to see your ok." Rebecca declared. "If Parker gets to be too much I'll come get him. I know you have a lot of healing left to do."
That must be the boy's mother. He wondered to himself why they weren't together.
"I'm sure he won't be a problem. We will have tons to talk about." Booth returned
"I need to get going. If you need anything and I mean anything please call." Rebecca stated while heading to the door.
"It was nice seeing you." He told her.
Booth's mind was racing. He looked around 'his' apartment. He saw a few things he recognized but so much more that he didn't. Everyone was engaging him in conversation but the most he could do was try and keep track of name tags.
Everyone's words began to blur. He could feel his head begin to ache, his muscles tightening.
Max could see the man was in distress and moved quickly towards him. He saw his eyes begin to roll back and changed directions to Parker. He grabbed the boys hand and pulled him back to his room asking him to show him his favorite things.
Brennan saw her father's hasty actions and shot her eyes towards Booth, just in time to see his body go rigid and fall to the floor in convulsions. The conversations froze as the friends rushed to his side. Brennan could hear the radio in Parker's room playing some current song she didn't recognize. She could never thank her father enough for sparing the child this scene.
Hodgins managed to place a pillow under Booth's head as sweets moved the chair a safe distance away. She stroked Booth's face trying to offer some sort of comfort as his body trembled. She felt so helpless. They all did.