"Hey, Angela. Glad to have you back."
She could hear his voice. He sounded concerned. She looked at him.
He started to smile. He felt so relieved that she'd regained conscioussness, she'd been out of it for 10 minutes now.
"Hodgins, I think it's sweet that you're here, but I think that maybe you should go. Bren doesn't want anyone else in her room. I think we should respect..."
"It's okay Angela. Really, Hodgins can stay. That's the only reason he's still here."
Angela looked confused.
"Ange, when I realized you were with Dr. B, I apologized and wanted to leave. But she said that she didn't mind me staying. So I stayed here, with you."
Alarmbells were going off in Angela's head.
Why is she allowing Hodgins to stay in this room with her?
Why isn't she allowing to stay Booth with her?
It can't be about trust, I know that she trusts Booth more than anyone?
Hodgins is here so it's not like she can't stand to be around men.
The only man she apparently can stand is Booth.
But why???
"Hodgins, it was really sweet of you to stay. And I feel so much better."
"But... I have to talk to Bren."
"In private." She looked serious.
Hodgins nodded. He got up and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. I'll be back later.
After Hodgins had left their room, Angela sat up and looked at Bren.
"Okay, sweetie. Out with it."
Brennan looked confused.
"Out with what?"
"Tell me why you allowed Jack to stay, while you practically threw Booth out of this room yourself."
Angela realised she was harsh, but she knew that the subtle approach wouldn't help in this case.
Brennan looked away.
I can't tell her about my nightmares, or the fact that my attacker called me Bones. I can't tell her that it hurts, even worse than the physical injuries, to hear anyone (and especially Booth) call me that. I can't tell her that I feel terrified and safe at the same time of the mere thought that Booth is going to move in with me.
Hell, I don't even understand why I ever agreed with it.
Although she didn't understand her feelings or her answere about Booth moving in, Brennan was sure about one thing. She didn't feel the need to run from Booth. She'd actually missed him these few days she'd spent in the hospital. Brennan sighed.
Although she is asking me to tell her. Maybe it will help to tell her. Maybe if I tell her, I can deal with it.
I'm going to have to deal with it soon enough. Booth was moving in with her.
There is no escaping him when I'm home.
Or escaping his nickname.
Brennan suddenly realised that Angela didn't even know that she was going home today. Or that Booth was moving in with her.
She's probably going to throwa party when she finds out about that.
Brennan looked at Angela, who was still staring at her.
"I have some good news, Angela. I'm going home today. Someone is going to pick me up and stay with me."
"Who?"
"That's not important."
"It is if the one who is picking you up would be a certain FBI agent." Angela knew she was pushing it. But she could push it as long as Bren didn't push back.
Bren nodded and Angela saw tears forming in her eyes. She quickly left her own bed and crawled in with Brennan.
"Sweetie, talk to me. Why are you crying? Did you change your mind? Do you no longer want Booth to take you home?"
Brennan shook her head. She knew that Booth was the only one who could make her feel safe. At least during the day.
But at night.
"No, I'm not having second thoughts about him getting me home or him moving in with me."
Brennan stopped and looked at Angela to see her reaction.
"But...?"
"But I'm scared. You know that I have nightmares every night. You know that I always wake up, screaming his name."
She paused again. She didn't feel strong enough to continue. But she didn't want to stop either.
"Sweetie, you call out for him because you need him. If he moves in with you, he can help you when you wake up. He can be there for you." Angela spoke softly and encouraging to make sure Brennand wouldn't draw back from her. She was finally opening up.
Brennan shook her head.
"He can't be there after those nightmares Angela. They seem to real and I don't want to hurt him anymore than I already have." Her words were whispered.
Angela struggled to understand.
I know that Bren's dreams must be horrifying and graphic, but why wouldn't she want to see Booth after that. It's not his fault she's having the nightmares. He won't feel hurt at all when she screams his name in terror.
Angela's eyes widened in horror when the shocking realization hit her.
"Sweetie, the nightmares,... are they about ... you know ... the rape or the rescue?"
Please answer the rescue. Please answer the rescue. Please answer the rescue.
"The rape."
Angela swallowed. She was right. There was one last question she needed to ask her best friend.
"Who is raping you? The attacker or..." she swallowed "Booth?"
She anxiously awaited the answer. She was shocked when Brennan answered.
"Both."
"Both? Sweetie, what do you mean?" This was the last thing Angela had expected to hear.
Now I have to tell her about the nickname. I don't have a choice.
She took a deep breath and said:
" It always starts out with him Angela. But when he blindfolds me, it's no longer him but ... Booth." She whispered his name. She couldn't go on.
Both women were quite for a few seconds until Angela spoke up.
"What causes the shift?"
Brennan looked down to the hospital sheet covering her body. She sighed and answered with a shaky voice:
" In my dream my attacker calls me Bones when he blindfolds me."
It was all she needed to say. Angela immediately knew what Brennan was hiding from her and the rest of the world.
That son of a bitch! He didn't only destroy her fragile faith in herself by raping her. Making her feel unable to defend herself. But he'd destroyed the faith she has in Booth. If that's what he calls her in her nightmares, then there must be a very good reason for it.
He must have called her that while he was raping her.
Everything started making sense. The need she'd felt to kick Booth out of her room. The shivering when Booth was around...
But I can't jump to conclusions here. This is way to important.
So she sat up and looked at Brennan.
"Bren, I have one last question. After that you can get ready to go home. Okay?
"Okay."
"Sweetie, did your attacker call you Bones when he was raping you?"
Brennan nodded and got out of bed to start collecting her stuff. Seeing that there wasn't that much it didn't take her long. She grabbed fresh clothes and went to the bathroom to change.
"The nurse just brought the release forms for you to sign. Booth will be here soon." Angela handed her the papers, looked Bren in the eye and said softly: "Sweetie, don't wait to long until you tell him. Okay? Promise?"
" I promise to tell him Angela. But I can't promise it will be anytime soon."
They heard a knock on the door and watched Booth enter. Preventing Angela from reacting to wath Brennan had just said.
A/N
Thanks for reviewing!!!
Will Bren tell Booth soon?
Will she push him away?
Is it really going to take a frightening nightmare to make her talk?
Or will Angela tell him?
Do you guys want her to eventually accept his nickname for her again? Or will she never want to hear it?
And if she doesn't what's Booth going to come up with?
Let me know what YOUR answer is to these questions!!!
That really helps me to write this story the way it needs to be written. Because I'd like to know what you want to happen.
Not that I promise anything...