Brennan didn't realize she hadn't taken a breath. She just stood and stared at the empty room. Booths things were still in the room but he was nowhere to be seen. She started feeling dizzy and had to take a step back to steady herself.
A nurse saw her standing there and walked over. "Are you looking for Mr Booth?"
"Uh… Yes." Brennan answered, her voice trembling.
"He is down in Physical Therapy." The nurse stated.
Brennan felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She asked the nurse where the Physical therapy was located and went to go see Booth.
We could see him through the glass doors. He appeared to be doing very well. She noticed a slight shakiness in his legs when he bore his full wait, but to an untrained eye could go completely unnoticed.
She couldn't help but smile at his strength. Nothing would keep that man down for long. She walked in and sat down in a chair to watch him. He was laughing and joking with the therapist. It seemed like such a long time since she had seen him do such things. Old Booth was back, she just wished he had the other Booth's memories as well.
She rested her hand on her abdomen. She thought of the little life growing inside her. She had always known her and Booth would make a beautiful child. Maybe she shouldn't inform him of the child's parentage. He didn't look very happy over the news. Again she argued with herself. She wanted to be with Booth and raise their child together; but maybe he would be happier in his current existence.
Booth could feel his weakness but refused to let it hold him back. The sooner he could stabilize himself the sooner he could return to life and get his life back. His mind drifted to Bones. His dream stuck firmly in his mind. He had pieced many things together after he woke up, but telling what was real and what was his active imagination was next to impossible. He needed to ask questions and hopefully get someone to answer.
He turned to walk in the opposite direction and saw her there smiling at him. God, he loved her smile. He loved everything about her. He smiled back and gave her a little wave. He couldn't help but feel sad. He had missed his chance. She was going t have someone's baby. She might be starting a life with whoever he was. Would she continue working out in the field? Was he going to lose his partner?
He lost his concentration with his thoughts and stumbled. He managed to catch himself on the bars before he hit the floor.
Brennan saw Booth start to fall and her heart skipped a beat. Her mind flashed to the courtroom. When he caught himself she finally managed to take a breath.
"Ok I think that's enough for today Mr Booth." The therapist said.
The therapist gave him a pair of crutches to help support his weight and he walked over to Brennan.
"Good Morning, Bones." He said with a smile.
"Good Morning. Would you like to go to the cafeteria for some coffee" She asked.
"I'd love to." He answered.
They made their way to the cafeteria. They each ordered their beverage and found a table in the corner.
"Can we talk?" Booth asked.
"We are talking." She answered simply.
"That's not what I meant. I just… I have some questions, but everyone seems to want to avoid the subject." He explained.
"Well what would you like to know?" She asked skeptically.
"I'm trying to piece some stuff together, and I don't know what is real and what isn't." He explained.
"I will try and assist with what I can." She declared.
"The case we were working on, was it in a cave?"
"Yes."
"So I was caught in a landslide?"
"Yes."
"You didn't get hurt."
"No, thanks to you. You saved me. You got hurt because of me."
He saw the sadness in her features as she spoke.
"Don't think like that, Bones. Don't ever think that way. I told you before there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for you. When I said I would die with you I meant it. I would do it all over again no matter the consequences. I… nevermind."
"What?" She asked.
"Nothing, really. It wasn't important." He said looking at the floor. He looked back up. "Anyway, I think I remember some other stuff, but I'm not sure what is actually happened and what is a dream. Was I with your Dad a lot?"
"Yes, you and he had grown rather close. He is who took care of you while we worked. You confided in him quite frequently. When you thought you needed representation, you requested him to be your spokesperson."
"Really? Wow." Booth had never imagined he and Max could have any sort of relationship. "Can I ask you a personal question?"
Brennan felt a bit of excitement rise inside her. Was he going to ask about their relationship? It would be wonderful if he remembered them together.
Booth tried to choose how to ask what he wanted. He wanted desperately to find out if what he had dreamed between them was real. He couldn't bring himself to believe it and didn't want to face the embarrassment. So he settled.
"Who is the father of your baby?" He asked with trepidation.
Brennan felt her excitement die. How should she answer? Should she blurt out that it was his?
"You don't remember him." She said.
"Will I get to meet him?"
"I don't think that is possible at the moment." She answered. It wasn't exactly a lie. She had considered Old Booth and New Booth as two different people with the memory lapses. She regretted her words after she spoke. He deserved the truth.
"So you're planning on raising the baby alone?" He would help her if she let him. He didn't care if the baby wasn't his, it was part of her. That's all that mattered.
"I had thought about it, I have no definite plans at the moment." She answered.
"You know, if he doesn't stay around, I… I would help you if you wanted me to that is." Booth offered.
She could hear the sincerity in his voice. She had thought he wouldn't want to disrupt his life and here he was offering to help her not even knowing who the baby belonged to.
"I… I don't know what to say, Booth."
"Say you'll think about it."
She looked into his eyes and they were so warm and loving, just as they had been their night together. She hated herself for her half truth. But it felt almost humiliating to have to tell someone that they love you.
"I will." She leaned across the table and kissed him on his cheek.
When he saw her leaning towards him his heart ached. He wanted to feel her lips on his, like he had when he first woke up. He had been too disoriented at the time to even attempt to respond.
"Will you tell me about what all happened?" He asked.
"Before, you told my dad you didn't want other people's perspectives on your past, that you would rather base your future on your own experiences" She stated trying to get away without having to explain things.
"Bones, I am asking. Please. I don't want to wait to see if it all comes back to me. I need to know. Everyone seems to act so awkward around me. Even you."
She could see the pain in his eyes. Maybe she was wrong to be keeping things from him.
"Booth you lost close to 15 years of your memory. In the beginning you would forget every day. Eventually with the help of your medication and time you healed and you could remember current activities. You were also having seizures, and the seizures made you forget again. Too much outside stimulation seemed to be the trigger. At the trial you had your worst seizure; you fell and hit your head. That's what brought you here. We are all afraid." She explained.
"But I was building a new life?"
"Yes. You started to. We were trying to help as much as we could."
"What life was I building?"
This was her chance her chance to come clean, but she couldn't bring herself to confess.
"That isn't important now. You have your original life back. That's what matters."
"I want to remember. I feel like there is something important I am missing."
"If you're meant to remember you will. You still have a lot of healing to do. I need to get back to the lab. Let me walk you to your room."
"Fine." He conceded.
They walked to his room. Brennan gave him a hug before leaving. Booth paced his room. His legs were tired and aching, but the thought of being in bed annoyed him. He walked to his phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Brennan residence." he heard over the line.
"Max, this is Booth. Do you have time to talk?"