Brennan was the first to move towards the doctor. She felt numb. She tried to read the doctors face, but that was Booth's area of expertise. She felt the presence of her father at her side. She could hear her friends behind her.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her father saw her distress and told the doctor that they were there for Booth.

"Mr Booth has suffered a Cerebral Hemorrhage. We have drilled holes into his skull to reduce the pressure. His Primary Neurosurgeon is running tests to determine whether or not surgery is necessary. Due to his previous brain injury, we have put him into a medically induced coma until further treatment is determined. They are admitting him into ICU now. Visitors will be limited in the next 24 hours. You can check in up there to arrange a schedule."

No one in the group spoke and the doctor went on to her duties. The group went to ICU and checked in at the nurses' station. They were informed that it would be a couple hours before Booth could have visitors, after that only one visitor at a time.

The group discussed options for lunch and then returning to the hospital. Brennan decided she would rather stay, but insisted everyone else go on with their plans.

At the diner they sat quietly awaiting their meals, each of them considering the outcome of Booth's current condition. How much could he actually take? Angela wondered. Hodgins couldn't help but feel Booth was the strongest man he knew and that he would have to be ok. Sweets thought of the psychological toll this would take on Brennan and his friends as well as Booth himself if he made it. Caroline sat blaming herself. Max didn't know how much more his daughter could take, especially after what he had witnessed earlier that day. Vincent rattled around the facts that he knew of trauma to the brain and recovery statistics. Wendell didn't think Booth would ever be the man he was. Cam doubted his survival and thought the best case scenario would be Booth in a vegetative state.

Back at the hospital Brennan sat rigid in a chair in the waiting room. It memories drifted to the previous night. She had considered being with Booth since the day that they had met, But she never imagined it could ever been as good as it was. So much time they had wasted. They could have been together long ago, and now that they had given into one another at long last, it could all be too late. She couldn't decide if she regretted the moment or not. All the years Booth had spoken of love, she had argued with him. Now she witnessed all he had said to be true.

She considered all the possible outcomes to Booth's current condition. Other than a full recovery (which the chances of were almost nil), none of the other prognosis appeared to be promising. She felt herself crumbling on the inside, no matter what she molded her outward appearance to be. She considered her options. Knowing Booth had weakened her. No one could ever affect her like this in the past.

He could certainly recover without her and there was much work she could do abroad. She didn't know if she had the strength to live without him, nor did she know if she had the strength to live through the consequences of his recovery. She would wait until she could see his eyes open before she decided on her future.

They sat in a large church together. She sat silently praying before the alter. Once she was finished she turned to him.

"My dear son, you find yourself here with me again. Your strength dwindles. After all even a cat only has nine lives. How many of your own have you already used?" His mother spoke.

"Apparently not my last or I would be somewhere other than here." Booth answered.

"What keeps you so anchored to the Earth, when you could be at peace?" she asked.

He saw her face in his mind's eye. "I am just not finished yet. I have more I need to do."

"You love her I know and you feel you must make penance for all the people whose lives you had taken. You don't you know." She spoke again.

"What will happen when I wake up?" He asked with hesitation.

"That, I can't tell you my son. The future is not written in stone. Choices have yet to have been made. Your body is weak but your will is strong." She answered.

A nurse came to bring Brennan to Booth's room. He looked so peaceful lying there, like he was sleeping and would wake at any moment. Tears filled her eyes. She sat beside him and grasped his hand. She would do anything to feel him tighten his grip.

"You stupid man." She whispered. "Everything was fine, we were perfect and look where we are, right back where we started. I told you it was too risky. We could have moved on with our lives, we could have started a future together."

A nurse walked into the room with a bag. "Your father brought this for you. He said you need to keep up your strength. He also said that he and the others would come back before visiting hours were over and to take your time."

"Thank you."

"He is strong you know, your friend there. I have heard the doctors talking. They are amazed that he is still alive." With that the nurse left the room.

"I don't enjoy seeing you in pain Booth. I have seen it to so many times now, too many times. I don't know if I can stand seeing it anymore. I am thinking about going away. I need time; time without seeing the horror that men can create. We are supposed to study history and cultures to learn from our mistakes, but history always repeats itself."

She felt his hand twitch in hers.

He could hear her words, if only he could see her face. She was considering leaving him. he wanted to wake up. He wanted to take her in his arms. No matter how he tried he was stuck in the visions of his mind. He saw all the times he had ended up in the hospital. All the times she had been by his side. History repeats itself. His mother had said that to him before. Was that his destiny? Was he going to continue in circles through the rest of his life?

He didn't know what he was doing wrong. He didn't know any other way to live his life. He lived by his heart, by his instincts. What more could he do?

If she would stay by his side he knew he could make it through anything. Without her… he didn't want to think of that.