He let go of Luke and sank to the floor, his ankles still tied to the chair.
Luke gasped for air, Booth had been so close to choking him to death.
He slowly got up.
He walked over to number 2 and took his gun.
"Go."
Lukes voice was cold and calculated.
He was standing behind Temperance.
He put his hands over her throat.
"Tell Booth to look at you."
Temperance wished for strength to fight him, but she simply had none left.
And I need him to look at me. I have to know if he's okay.
So she opened her mouth and spoke up.
She hadn't spoken since she'd recovered from the powerful drug.
Her voice was hoarse and croaked.
"Booth, please..."
Booth was still looking at the floor.
He had tears in his eyes.
I'm so sorry, Bones.
I want to get you out of here, but I don't know how.
Booth was thrilled she was alive, but now that she was, he feared for her life.
God, I know that I asked for a miracle, but this is even worse.
I am so glad that she is still alive, that she is still here.
With me.
But I can't keep her safe.
If she would have been dead,...
He looked into her eyes when she said his name.
At least she would've been safe.
I won't survive losing her again.
She saw the tears in his eyes.
He is crying.
She could clearly see the despair in his eyes.
Luke laughed and then it hit here.
He slipped up.
Luke made a mistake, Booths hands are still untied.
But what does that mean and how do I use that to our advantage?
She was flung back into reality, when Luke pulled her hair.
Hard.
She saw the anger and pain flash in Booths eyes.
That is it!!!
Whenever Luke hurts me, Booth gets angry.
Whenever Booth gets angry, Luke makes a mistake.
Whenever Luke makes a mistake, I can use it to my advantage.
Our advantage.
So all I have to do, is allow Luke to hurt me, so Booth will get angry and Luke will slip up.
But...
How do I do that?
Not knowing that he was making a big mistake Luke looked at Booth and Bones and said:
"Someone is going to have to pay for your actions, Special Agent Seeley Booth."
Those words stabbed Seeley in his heart.
I don't deserve that title.
I'm not special.
If I was I would've been able to prevent this.
But it was his question that followed that hurt the most.
"Who will it be Booth? You or her?"
Without even thinking he replied:
"Me."
To his surprise he heard the exact word, coming out of her mouth.
She saw his eyes.
And realized that he wanted to do this for her.
He needs to.
He needs to prove to himself that he can protect me.
He is such an alpha-male.
That thought brought a smile to her lips.
Booth didn't even realize why she was smiling, but he quickly flashed her one of his famous charm smiles.
It lightened his heart as much as hers.
Something that didn't go unnoticed by Luke.
He slapped her.
The sound echoed through the room.
But she kept smiling.
"Do you think this is funny, Bones?"
To both Booth and Lukes surprise, she didn't even shiver.
She just kept smiling.
Booth was very worried, he couldn't understand why she was smiling.
He came to a conclusion that shocked him and left him, wishing for the first time in his life, that he was reading the signs wrong.
Temperance, don't.
This is not a time to compartmentalize.
You'll have to deal with this eventually.
I'd much rather see you deal with this sooner than later.
He wasn't sure he could reach her if she started to pull her walls back up around her heart.
Luke turned to Booth and said:
"Don't worry, Special Agent. Since both of you are so eager to get the beating of a life time, I'll make you an offer."
Booth frowned.
What is he up to?
Luke leaned closer to Temperance.
"All you have to do is say stop and I'll start beating him instead of you.
There you go sweeties !!
Let me know what you think!!!