Chapter Two

She held him for what seemed like forever. He hadn't actually cried that long, but he made no effort to remove himself from her embrace. They stood in front of the reception desk, ignoring the stares of other patients and their families. Time passed. Neither of them knew actually how much, but eventually he stood up straight. His hands lingered just a little bit on her upper arms. She looked at his face, but he wouldn't make eye contact. He kept his eyes downcast. Maybe they were closed, she couldn't tell. Brennan took his hand and guided him to one of the chairs, which were in the waiting room. They both sat, she kept his hand in hers.

"So... still think I'm a tough guy?" A shadow of a smile crossed his lips, but never reached his eyes.

"Booth, you just found out your brother died. According to your version of the circumstances, I think you are holding together remarkably well..." She placed her other hand on top of his and held his hand between hers. "So, what do we do now?"

Booth's shoulders visibly slumped, and he sighed loudly and slowly. He squeezed her hand. "My old man is on his way. I just told him there was an accident, I haven't told him about Jared yet." His voice broke when he said his brother's name. "I thought it would be better if I told him in person. I'm glad you're here with me now Temperance. I don't know what I'm going to do."

She had never seen him so dejected. She was not used to the roll of the comforter. Always it was her with some crisis, her needing to be held. Her brain raced for something to say, something to do in this situation. She recalled something Angela had told her a long time ago. "Just let him know you're there."

"I'm here for you Booth. Whatever it might be that you need." Her eyes met his and held them for a long while. He smiled finally. It was no charm smile. It was a smile that did not mask the pain. The gaze was broken finally by a loud shout.

"Seeley! WHAT THE HELL is going on now?" The man who resembled Booth came storming through the doors. People flew out of his way. He approached the partners with his hands already raised in question. "What is it? Is it Jared?"

Booth stood up and tried to guide his father towards the empty chair beside them, but the older Booth was having none of it. He pushed Seeley's hand away, and took a step back.

"Dad. Seriously, I think you should sit down. I have some bad news. It is Jared."

"Just tell me!"

Booth glanced at Brennan. She was half-sitting half-standing, completely unsure of what to do or what to say. He gestured for her to stay seated, and looked back to his father. "Well, there, uh, was an accident. Jared was driving drunk, and he wrapped his car around a lamp post. Well, uh, dad, there was nothing they could do, his injuries were too severe. He died."

Brennan remembered all the times she had accompanied Booth when he had to inform a family of the loss of their loved one. He never flinched. Not once. He always had something sympathetic to say, and his eyes expressed his sympathy better than anything. Now, telling his own father about the death of his brother, Brennan swore his knees buckled. She was up beside him, before he had the chance to reveal his weakness to anyone. She wrapped her arm around his waist, and squeezed his side with reassurance.

Booth's father just stood there. He was in shock. He hadn't blinked or flinched, or moved since Seeley told him the news. His face paled considerably. He looked at his surviving son with contempt.

"What did you say to him after I left earlier? You must have said something to him to set him off. He wouldn't have done this, if you hadn't baited him!" The elder Booth was livid. His eyes flashed with anger, spit flew from his mouth. "This is your fault Seeley. You." He poked his finger into Seeley's chest. The younger man flinched considerably.

"This is hardly Booth's fault! Accidents are in-themselves defined as chance events commonly involving a catastrophe. Key words are*chance events*." Brennan finally found her voice before this intimidating man.

He hadn't even noticed her presence before her outburst. Now his angry glare was directed towards her, and she shrank back so she was a little bit behind Booth. Her partner had never seen her intimidated by anyone before, this man who had raised him though, he had powers.

"Who the HELL are you anyway," Older Booth now pointed his finger at Brennan. "Seeley's flavour of the week?"

"I don't know what that means, but I'm Brennan." Booth actually stifled a giggle. He suddenly feared a little bit, what the outcome of this brewing show-down would bring. He glanced around for breakables. There were none. Other patients had backed right out of the room, letting the scene play itself out.

"If you're a doctor, then why the Hell weren't you in there, saving my son?" The finger pointing continued. He was getting awfully close to making contact with Brennan's clavicle region.

"I'm not that kind of doctor." With the word doctor spoken, Booth's father made contact with his partner, and Seeley lost it. He jumped between Brennan and his father, but not before Brennan had grabbed the offensive digit, and twisted it back to his fore-arm. Booth pushed Brennan back with his left hand and smoked his father in the face with his right. The blow didn't even distract the older man, but he noticed it. He turned on his son, with familiar ease, and landed shot after shot on Seeley. It only took as long as Brennan could bull her arm back and swing, before she launched her purse at the senior Booth. She caught him square in the nose, and he flew backwards, unconscious before he hit the floor.

Hospital security decided that was a good time to show up, and a few police cars were pulling up outside the glass doors, lights flashing. Booth pulled his badge out of his pocket, flashed it towards the approaching cops.

"Everything's okay here fellas, I was just leaving, and my Old man there, he might need to be treated for a broken nose. Call me if you have any questions. The doctors will explain everything to you..." Brennan had grabbed him by the arm and was pulling him towards the door. She needed to get him out of there.

When they had reached the fresh air, they stopped and looked at each other, the police lights brightening their faces.

"You didn't have to protect me in there. I was handling it."

"Bones, what the hell, YOU were protecting me. How does that make me feel? Huh?" Seeley had his partner by the shoulders. He was looking into her eyes. "And trust me, I've been on the receiving end of my dad's blows more than often enough to know that if he had hit you, I would've killed him. Right there."

"Seeley, I'm so sorry." Brennan reached for his hand on her shoulder. He caught her hand halfway to his. He brought it to his lips. His mouth barely grazed her fingers and both felt it warm up a little in the world.

"Thank you Temperance. I mean that. Now, I'd really like to go away right now. I can come back in the morning and deal with the formalities. You drive." They walked silently in the darkness towards her car. She unlocked it from a distance away with her remote, and they both climbed in their respective sides. Brennan didn't immediately start the car, and she turned in her seat to look at Booth. He finally met her eyes.

"Are you okay?" She really wanted to know.

He looked quickly out the front window and then back at her.

"Nope."

"Where should we go?"

"I don't really care Bones. You're in charge tonight."

Temperance turned back in her seat, and started the car. She drove aimlessly for awhile, and then decided on a course of action that had worked before. They pulled up beside a familiar sight.

"Wong Foo's! We haven't been there in forever!" Seeley started to get out of the car, when Bones grabbed his arm and held him back.

"No, I'll go in and get it to go; you go over to that all-night liquor store over there and pick us up something that's sure to give us a head-ache tomorrow."

"Good thinking Bones!"

"It's what I do." She muttered the last statement, but his accurate hearing picked it up. He smiled a little as he crossed the road.

Errands finished, they headed for her place. After all else had been taken care of, they sat on her couch, eating their food, she drinking wine, he drinking scotch. Silence filled the room. It wasn't uncomfortable though.

"You know Seeley; it's not your fault." The silence continued for awhile longer. They had both finished eating.

"I don't know Bones; I said some pretty harsh stuff to Jared tonight. I can't take it back now can I?"

"Would you have taken it back if Jared hadn't died tonight?"

"No, probably not." His eye was swelling. She hadn't noticed until now. He had marks showing up all over his face.

"Then don't worry about it. Just for tonight. Whatever you want."

He groaned and leaned over his lap, putting his hands over his face. He knew what he wanted. She leaned forward and tried to pry his hands off his face. She wanted to look him in the eye when she said her next words.

"Seeley. I want to make you feel better tonight. However I can. I want to love you, like you love me."

"Bones I, uh ...what?" He was tongue tied. He thought he was so stealth and secretive with his feelings. She had known all along. Tears welled up in his eyes. Some over-flowed.

She reached over to wipe the tears away; he captured her hand and held it to his face. He kissed her palm.

"Bones, I want you to love me. For real. Not just tonight. Not just because of what happened tonight."

"I do Seeley, Or, what I think I feel is love. But, what I'm saying, is tonight is yours. You said it, I'm in charge tonight.

He looked into her eyes, and saw only sincerity. He knew Bones didn't know how to lie, or really, to be funny either. She was telling the truth. She had to be. He dared to lean closer to her. His hand found her waist, his other hand hooked around her back as he pulled her closer to him, and leaned back against the couch. Both of them were afraid to make the first move. The move had to be mad though. Booth sighed,

"Oh Temperance."