A.N : I don't own Bones!
Sorry for the delay... but anyway, I hope you like it! Tell what you think with that pretty review buttom, please!
CHAPTER 9 - OUR SONG
They managed to get into a confortable silence after the nurse had letf, Bones's head resting on his shoulder, her hand still clasped against his. Booth knew that he really, really should get out of that bed and just seat at the chair at her side, but it felt so damn good to have her sunggled against nothing more than his body, as if seeking for protection there. He've fantasized about having Bones in his arms several times, but never allowed those fantasies to go too far, because he knew that, with Temperance Brennan, things would never go that easy. He had come to accept a long time ago that yes, he may have feelings stronger than friendship for his partner. But between accepting and acting, there was a long way that he wasn't sure if he could take. It was too risky, for if his Bones freaked out, that was nothing to keep her from running.
But today…it was so different and surreal than anything he had ever imagined. Bones had said so many disturbing and confusing things, and even though she had warned him about her verbal feverish skills, there was still a big part of him that screamed that something at least had to be true. That Angela was right about inner desires. He sighed, making her open her eyes and stare at him.
" Are you mad at me?" Did I say too many unnapropriated things for the day? Maybe he has reached his limits. All because I can't keep this big, enormous, stupid tongue of mine shut. She tried to pull away in order to give him some space and let him go, and was overwhelmed with so many emotions when he just tightened his grasp on her. She felt secure. Warm. And lord helped her,I can't believe that I'm even thinking about it, loved.
" Why would I be mad with you, Bones? I'm just worried, that's all. It's a partner prerogative, okay? Partners are allowed to feel worried about each other whenever they want to. It's on the book." His voice was soft while he watched her right arm, feeling a pang of pain himself by the vision of the IV, the serum slowing making it way through her blood. Damn, she looks so pale.
" What book? I read way much more books than you . How come I don't know of this one? Is this one of those silly comic things that you pretend that you buy only for Parker?" She was regretting every time she ventured to speak now, because it was making her so, so tired. If felt like her chest had tons of iron on it.
" Hey, I resent that! Those are for Parker. But that's nothing wrong with me reading it too,ok? And it's called comic books, Bones. And I was using another expression. You don't need to keep reminding me that I read way lesser than you. Which I'm actually thankful for, brainy smurf." He said the last couple of words in a very sweet tone, a thing he would regret forever, for at the very same time the curtain opened to reveal a woman in her fifties, that could only be Dr. Crane. She smiled broadly at him while looking at the file that the nurse had filled with his Bones vitals. And oh, fuck, the nurse is right behind the doctor. Hearing me calling Bones Brainy smurf.
" It never ceases to be endearing to learn the loving names that husbands and wives give to each other among the years. You young people make me remind the beginning of my marriage, not that I'm telling you what petname my husband had for me then. But anyway, I'm dr. Crane." She extended her hand to Booth, who shook it lamely while feeling his ears burning, a sign that he knew that indicated that yes, he was blushing.
" Seeley Booth. And this is Bon…Temperance Brennan, I mean. And huh…we're not married. We are partners." He realized how lame that sounded by the way the two of them were in a hospital bed. He was freaking lyind down with her, for God's sake! I'm seriously considering having my brain checked for something after the doctor is finished with Bones. Something is definitely wrong with me.
Dr. Crane was already shaking Bones's hand, and Booth actually liked that kind of efficience. He felt that his girl was in good hands.
" Husband, partner, lover, boyfriend, nowadays I really don't see the difference, mr. Booth. And by the way, am I talking to The Temperance Brennan? The forensic anthropologist? I'm a great admirer of your scientific work, dr. Brennan. And a huge fan of your books too." Yup, Booth definitely liked that doctor, for she was diverting all Bones attention with conversation while already starting a quick examination. She checked her pulse, peeped through her eyes, felt her neck for possible lumps, asked for symptoms, not even giving time for his Bones to retreat, which Seeley considered the best option with someone as stubborn as Temperance.
" I'm glad that at least someone is able to appreciate my work as a scientist before my work as a writer." Booth smiled broadly, blessing the good doctor. She was in his Bones good side.
" Well, science comes first, at least in my opinion. But you are a quite remarkable writer. Tell me, this partner of yours, is he the inspiration for Andy? I always wandered who it might be." Booth puffed his chest speaking in a loud voice, already foreseeing the vehement denial that would come from Bones.
" Yup, that would be me, no matter what she tries to tell you." And that's when he realized that Bones never screamed her usual NO to that infamous question. Instead, she was looking intently at him, as if deciding the reason of the universe existence.Oh, no. That question could so not come right now. I have no control over my tongue and brain. So much for years trying to stick with a strong no about Andy and Booth.
" Well, mostly, I guess. At least in the personality, and of course, the good looking. Booth doesn't speak seven languages though. But I think that he's my inspiration mostly in the relationship of Kathy and Andy, with all the sexual tension and all. Not that Booth and I ever did any of the characters do together, but that's what my imagination keeps telling me to write when wandering if Booth and I were to…"
" Oookay, Temperance. I don't think the good doctor needs that amount of babble. Dr. Crane, will you please,please finish your examination? What about using the esthetoscope now, huh? She can't be talking while you're using that stuff." Booth was sure that he could die of embarrassment by now. And to be fair, his Bones didn't look very comfy herself. It was true, she had no control at all.
" But Booth.."
"Shush, Bones. She's using the sthetoscope." He could see the nurse silently leaving he room to laugh down the corridor, while dr. Crane tried to keep a straight face.
" Bones, Mr. Booth? Now, that can't be a nice petname for such a beautiful woman. Ok, Dr. Brennan, I need you to take deep breathes, as much as you can" Booth fought the urge to retort, instead concentrating on his Bones. He could see that all that deep breathing was quite painful, for sometimes she would just stop in the middle and wince in pain. Finally, it was too much, and she started coughing again. And again, he was there, his hands rubbing her back softly, the other far away from her chest this time, instead being squeezed by her cold fingers. She looked at him, and seemed so helpless that Booth desired he could be in her place. Man, I'm in deep, deep trouble. I don't think I ever cared for a woman like this. Not even Rebecca, and she's the mother of my child. But Bones…it's Bones. Special . Mine. Oohh, I'm in deep shit.
The cough subdued after a while, and Temperance didn't even tried to talk this time, just cuddling at the bed and Booth. She was honestly too tired. Dr. Crane smiled at her with sympathy, taking of the sthethoscope and hanging around her neck.
" Ok, Dr. Brennan, I have pretty much a diagnosis already, based on your symptoms and the sound of your lungs. Also, I was faxed by a dr. Saroyan with some blood results that were quite helpful. Are you following?" She waited for Temperance nodding, and continued in a professional voice now. " You have high fever,mind confusion, muscular pain, special on the toraciccal ones,cough, and labored breathing, plus other minor symptoms such as nausea, headache, which are more general. The way your lungs sound, though, tell me a lot. There's infiltration, which means that is fluid and possible infection over them. Also, there's a considerable diminished vesicular murmur on the basis of your left lung. All of this points to left lobar pneumonia. I'm positive of my diagnosis, but we'll need to perform an X-ray to see the true extension of it and if there's any pleural fluid in your lungs that I might have been unable to detect. So, I'm starting right now some IV anthitermic associated with pain killers, and as soon as we get the X=rays, I'll start antibiotics. Is that clear?" I'll never, ever be caught at rain again. Rain is evil. And now, I think that Booth is starting to hyperventilate.
Indeed, Seeley Booth was breathing way too fast for his own good, but he couldn't help it. Freaking pneumonia? Hell, he was counting with a very bad case of flu, maybe bronchitis, but lung infection? Hell, no.
" Ok, then, where do I sign to check her in? And what kind of antibiotics are we talking about? Hold on, Bones, I'll put Cam on the phone right away, and I guess we'll have to call your father, and damn, you don't have any clothes here,nevermind, Ange can get these and.." He was so self focused with his alleged tasks that he failed to see the shaking heads and smiles of the doctor and nurse, or the eye rolling of Bones, or even hear her calling his name several times until she actually had to yell. Which hurt like hell, she tought.
"BOOTH!" Good, at least he stopped talking and pacing. " Stop with it. I'm not staying interned."
"Ok, Bones, not funny. Didn't you hear the doctor? You've got pneumonia, Temperance, not a silly cold." He stared at her as if she went insane. Maybe she is insane. She's speaking nonsense again.
" I'm well aware of that, Booth. But In case you don't remember, I am a PhD, so I know a thing or two. Most cases of pneumonia are treated with oral antibiotics, in domicile. There's no need for the patient to stay at the hospital. In fact, several studies shows that it's indeed more benefic to be at your own home, for the risk of getting a secondary infection is way less than staying into a hospital full of resistents bacteria. Am saying anything wrong here, dr. Crane?" For a minute, Booth could see the true and only Temperance Bones Brennan again, his defiant, eloquent Bones, and his heart slowed down a little. He turned his eyes to the doctor, whom smiled kindly at him.
" Dr. Brennan is indeed right, Mr. Booth. Pneumonia can be very well home treated, as long as the patient obey strict orders and keep in touch with his doctor. There are 5 risk classes of pneumonia. Class 1 is always home treated. And most of class 2 and 3, unless there's some other basal disease or condition that requires hospital care. Now, dr. Brennan, unfortunately, is not a class 1, I can tell by the amount and severity of some of her symptoms, but I'm almost sure she'll stick into class 2 of risk. That's the main reason I want the X-ray. If the exam shows so further complication, she can be treated at home, but of course I'll be criterious about that. I'll have to be sure that she's not going to be alone, that there will be always someone in charge making her take her medications on the right time, watching for any signs of worsening. We'll discuss all of this as soon as we get the X-rays. For now, let's focus on making you feel a little better, right? I'll prescribe the IV meds stat. The X-ray technician will be here in a minute. Just relax a little, Mr. Booth. She's in good hands." The doctor squeezed his shoulder lightly before leaving the room to make sure Bones got her meds. Booth looked at her, and she smiled with an easy that all day she thought she didn't have. But it's so easy to smile for him. Specially I it's to make him feel better.
" It's ok, Booth. I'll be ok. You heard dr. Crane. I'll just ask Angela to stay with me. And if it makes you feel better, I can ask Cam to visit me at home every day." She was bluntly interrupted by his voice, his brow eyes piercing into hers with a intensity that made her dizzy.
" No Angela. I'm staying with you, Temperance. And don't even try to say no, or I'll have my way and not only you stay in this damn hospital, but also you'll go to freaking ICU." While they were having this conversation, the nurse had managed to get into the room and slip the medications into Brennan's IV. She surveyed the couple for a minute, and both could hear her mumbling while closing the curtains once again. " Just partners my ass."
" Fine, Booth. I don't care who stays with me, as long as I'm out of here." When did I become such a good liar? He gave her his boyish " I won" smile, and she rolled her eyes. Once Seeley Booth, always Seeley Booth. They stayed in silence for a couple more minutes, and temperance started to feel awfully drowsy. Those are strong medications indeed. She suddenly realized that she was humming, and focused on discovering exactly what song it was. When she did so, she smiled and claimed for her partner.
"Booth?" her voice was sleepy, and he sensed that she would fall asleep soon. He seated again gingerly by her side on the bed, indicating that he was listening. " I got a song for us. I bet you know. I don't quite remember who wrote it, but I've always liked the Elvis Presley version." Oh boy, here we go again. Why can't she be quiet? Really, I'm gonna question that doctor about this. Before he could muster any protest, her husky voice was already filling the place, barely a whisper, but still as lovelly as he always thought it was.
Never know how much I love you,
Never know how much I care.
When you put your arms around me
I get a Fever that's so hard to bear.
You give me Fever,
when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever - in the morning
Fever all through the night
Sun lights up the daytime,
Moon lights up the night.
I light up when you call my name
And you know I'm gonna treat you right.
You give me Fever,
when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight Fever
in the morning
Fever all through the night
Ev'rybody's got the Fever
That is something you all know
Fever isn't such a new thing
Fever started long ago…
She stopped slowly, her baby blue eyes set on his.
" I don't remember the rest."
" And I don't think that's the kind of fever we're talking bout here in the hospital, Bones. It's a very different one on the song."
" I don't think it's the same either. But it fells right for now. The song." He was about to try and retort, when he realized her eyes closed. She finally had fell asleep.
" I think we got all kinds of fever here, Tempe.I just don't know which one can be more dangerous." He whispered in her ear, adjusting himself in a more comfy position to allow her rest, waiting for the X-rays.
TBC...