Hi everybody again,

Here is the fifth chapter of my story. I hope you like it.

I've changed the rating to M because the story I have in mind could be a little harder than what I thought at first.

I've re-read the whole story again through the web, not directly in my Word files because it happens to me that I find different to read my own files than read the story in the web, and besides. I've found some grammatical errors, despite I've checked every chapter twice before upload them, so I have to apologize for it. Please, remember that this is my very first fic I write in my life, and my first language is not English but Spanish, so I beg all of you readers, please, forgive these grammatical errors that you could find. A thousand pardons for this.

Disclaimer: as always, Bones is not mine…

STUBBORNNESS

Brennan had calmed down a lot in Booth's arms, she felt comforted with him and that was exactly what she needed in that moment. But she knew that Booth couldn't work on that case because he was recovering from the surgery and Cullen wouldn't let him take part on this. They separated slowly and she spoke again.

"How are we going to face this? I mean, obviously you can't participate in this case. You must be resting at home right now. You can't make any kind of effort, and this leads me to take into consideration that I'll have to work with another agent in this case, and I don't like it. And all that argument has been useless"

"Well, I don't think it has been useless if you feel better now than five minutes ago."

"I'm a little more relaxed, yes. But that's not the point."

"I'll call Cullen right now and tell him what's going on. You're wrong if you think that I'm not going to take part on this case, because even if I can't do the field work, I'm going to be here to help all of you to solve it."

"No, you must follow exactly what the doctor said to you, so you are going to go home and rest." She replied stubbornly.

"That, definitely, is not going to happen. If I feel tired I can rest in your couch a little. And don't think for a moment that you are going to go out in the field, because you are going to stay here all the time too. And when you want to go home, we, together, will go to my place. In short, you are not, on any account, going to be alone, neither in here nor out here."

"And there we go again! Don't you understand that I need to work on this case as I always do? I need to cover all the fronts of the case to be sure that everything is being done properly. I don't want to miss any evidence that could lead us to solve it. And I can't let every murderer to stop my work just because it could be a threat. I couldn't do my job if I allow that to happen, and you know it."

"Bones, and don't you understand that that son of a bitch is somewhere out there, and maybe waiting for you to distract just a second to…?" he couldn't finish that thought out loud. "I'm sorry, but I'm not letting that happen, and if that means that you have to be inside the lab since he's caught, then this is how it's going to be. You are more useful alive, don't you think?" He said, without hiding the fear to lose her in his voice.

"I don't want to be shut up in the lab, and missing important evidences that could help us to catch the murderer, Booth!" She stood up from the couch. "In fact, I should be in the crime scene instead of here."

"No, you shouldn't because there's nothing you can do there since the body is still fresh. It's Cam's responsibility, and if she wants to be here and let the FBI forensics do the preliminaries then it's her decision. Anyway, the Jeffersonian can send your assistant to the crime scene instead of you. It's not necessary for you to go there, and in fact, the FBI should assign the case to me to allow specifically you to go in the field on any investigation, and I'm pretty sure Cullen won't do that while I'm recovering."

"I know that, but I don't want my assistant to go alone. Maybe if it could be Zach, but not any of the rotary ones. And, why I'm not going to go out with the agent that Cullen assigns to this case? I've worked with other agents sometimes. Why it has to be different this time?"

"Have I to repeat it to you again? Because the murderer is somewhere out there lying in wait for you! It's not safe for you to go outside without any kind of protection! You could be the target of that bastard, don't you understand that?" He was beginning to desperate.

"I do understand that perfectly, but I need to do my job, I need to do what the investigation requires. And right now it requires me in the crime scene, although the body wasn't decomposing, recollecting evidences, instead of being here arguing with you!"

"The FBI forensics can do that for you, don't worry. They'll send everything here and you'll be able to work on them as soon as they arrive. They are also sending the body here for the autopsy, so you'll be able to work on it too when Cam finishes with it."

"So, this is how it's going to be right now? Have I to be locked here until we catch the murderer?" She said dryly.

"It's for your own good, Bones." He said dialing Cullen's number on his phone."I'm going to call Cullen to inform him about the case. He'll tell me how is the FBI going to work on this case and what agent is going to be in charge of the investigation. Ok?"

"Do you know what, Booth?" She said while catching the package with the light bulb that Booth had brought to be analyzed. But her voice made Booth feel uneasy. "I'm tired of arguing with you about all this. Maybe I should talk to Cam and tell her that the Jeffersonian is not going to take any part on this investigation, and maybe no more in the future. Maybe this way I could be safe enough for you, don't you think?" She said sarcastically and left her office. Booth's face turned white while he answered to Cullen, who had listened the last sentence she shouted. But he didn't follow her at that very moment because he needed to know what the FBI was going to do with this case. And while he wasn't going to be able to do any kind of field work, he wanted to be in the lab to be sure that Bones was safe. He'd deal with her right after, but knew it wouldn't be easy.

Brennan headed to Cam's office fuming. She was really decided to begin the work on this case, because this was the best way to occupy her time, instead of arguing with Booth, she thought.

"Cam, have we received anything from the crime scene? The body, pictures?"

"Yes, the FBI is sending the pictures in this moment. I've called the team to come to the lab right now, and Angela has to be just arriving to work on them. And I'm waiting the body in an hour or so. Where's Booth?" Cam asked, but Brennan didn't answer to that.

"Could you give this package to Hodgins when he arrives and tell him to examine as soon as he can, please?"

"What's that?"

"Someone sent me this package yesterday morning to my place. It contains another box with a note and a light bulb. I'm sure it's linked with this murder, but I need to be sure."

"And why didn't you tell me anything about this before? Brennan, this is really… " Cam began to say, but she couldn't finish when she watched the inside of the box. "Oh, my God, Brennan. Are you telling me that the murderer sent this package to you yesterday morning and then he raped and killed that woman? Now I understand why you were as in shock at the crime scene and why Booth is so extremely nervous too." Cam said, and noticed that Brennan was making efforts to hide the fear from her face.

"I don't like to jump to conclusions, Cam. Booth has brought it this morning to examine it and search for fingerprints or anything that could help us." She wasn't in the mood to speak again about it with Cam, so she changed the subject. "I'll be in Angela's office. While I can't work on the victim I'll start with the pictures of the scene. Maybe we can take something from them."

"Well, you don't have to wait for her. Look, she is on the platform heading to her office."

"Ok, send the pictures to her now, please."

"No problem." Cam said to no one, because Brennan had already left her office and was walking toward Angela's.

"Angela!" Brennan called her.

"Sweetie! Are you ok?" Angela said, really concerned.

"Yes, I'm ok. We have work to do. Cam has sent you the pictures that the FBI has taken from the crime scene." Brennan said while entering Angela's office.

"Hey, Bren, are you sure you're ok? Cam hasn't told me everything about this, but she has told me about that hair-raising bathroom." She made a face. "I know he is recovering, but have you talked to Booth about that?" And this question made her upset again.

"Why everyone thinks I have to run to Booth when something strange happens to me? I'm getting tired of telling everyone that I can take care of myself!" Brennan replied a little more dryly than she wanted.

"Ok, ok, I was just asking. You know that man cares about you and I'm sure he'd feel the need to help you the way he can. But you don't have to be angry with me. I don't know what has happened but we can talk about it later, or when you want, you know." Angela said, trying to calm her down.

"I know that, Ang. I'm not angry with you. But, can we start to work on the pictures of the scene, please? I really need to focus on the job right now."

"Yes, of course. Let me download them and we can start." But in that moment Booth came into the office.

"Hello Angela." He said.

"Hi Booth!" She said surprised that he was in the lab. "What are you doing here? I thought you were recovering at home. How are you?"

"I'm ok, don't worry about me. I'm feeling very well." But she knew something was happening because she could have cut the tension with a knife, besides the odd expression she saw in Brennan's face before she turned to the big screen, where the first image appeared. "What's going on here? Are you two guys ok?"

"Angela, do you mind to give us a few minutes, please?" Booth asked kindly to her.

"Of course. I'll be with Cam if any one of you needs something from me, ok?"

"Thank you, Angela."

"No, Booth, you're welcome." And then she turned to Brennan before to leave. "Sweetie, please, listen to everything Booth tells you, and remember that he just wants you to be ok." Angela waited a few seconds for Brennan to tell something, but she didn't say anything. She left her office looking at Booth and understood the situation, although she didn't know the details yet. The expression on Angela's face was very clear to Booth to read: be patient with her. Brennan didn't raise her face from the screen, but she wasn't really paying attention at the image.

"Bones..." Booth called her, "Temperance…" but even listening to him calling her this way, she didn't answer him. "Come on! Be reasonable, for God sake! Do you think I'm doing this just to bother you?" He said desperately. But she remained in silence. He took a deep breath and continued. "I've talked to Cullen and he's going to assign Agent Perotta to this case, you remember her."

"Yes, I remember." She finally said.

"She is going to be in charge of this case. Cullen thinks that she is the best option to assign to it, because she has worked with you before and it went well." He told her. She didn't raise her head from the monitor yet. "He knows about the box you've received yesterday and he agrees with me that this is not a coincidence, and that bastard is probably going to try to go after you. And since you are not an agent you need protection." He saw her knuckles turning white. "He has agreed too for you to go out, when it's absolutely necessary, with agent Perotta." And now she raised her head and looked at Booth surprised. "But," he waited one second, "you two are going to go out with another agent. This is going to be the only way for you, although I don't like the idea, to go out of here without me, do you understand?" She didn't say anything. "I'm serious Bones, you're safety is more important to me than you being upset with me because of this. I prefer you being angry with me but alive and ok than you happy but beaten, or dead." He said. And he noticed that she was trying to calm down a little.

"I'm sorry, Booth. I know you are just trying to help me, but..." Booth interrupted her.

"Are you saying sorry? Do you feel good?" He asked trying to release the tension, but she didn't understand it.

"I'm feeling very well, but if you prefer I can keep my sorries for myself!" She replied.

"Hey, I'm just kidding, ok? Can you finish what you were about to say, please?"

"I was telling, before you interrupted me, that I'm sorry for yelling at you, and I understand that you are just trying to help me. But to catch this murderer is the most important to me, because if I can't do it I'm sure he is going to kill again. I'm not letting him to catch me, and it's a very plausible possibility that he tries to catch another woman instead of me, and I can't let that happen again, Booth!" She said with a mix of despair and determination.

"I know that, but please, just try to see the whole situation from my point of view. Let's start from the beginning. Yesterday you receive a package with a light bulb and a note that says that you are the most brilliant person I've ever known. This is already extremely odd. And supposedly the same guy that sent that to you rapes and kills a woman during the night, drains her blood and decorates a bathroom writing a very threatening message to you with it. Am I missing something? Oh, yes, the little detail of the few light bulbs hanging from the ceiling of that same bathroom, just in case the bloody message wasn't clear enough for you. How do you think I have to react at that? Just try to think about it from my perspective. Try to imagine that all this wasn't happening to you, but for example, Angela. Would you let her go out of here if you weren't sure she was going to be safe?"

"No, of course not. But…"

"No, no buts. Please," he changed to a plea voice "I need to know that you'll be ok. I hate to not be able to work full by your side, because I won't be able to be with you if something happens." He said discouragingly. He took a step toward her.

"I understand you, but I hate when you bring up your alpha male pride and go ordering me what to do. I'm an adult Booth, I can take decisions on my own and I can defend myself if I need to." She replied, but a lot calmer now.

"I know that, Bones. I don't mean that you couldn't defend yourself very well, I already know that. But I need to know, for myself, that you are ok, that nothing is going to happen to you. Call me selfish if you want, but I can't help it."

"You probably couldn't do anything, anyway, because you're not in the best shape right now."

"That's exactly the reason why I'm so worried, Bones, just because of that." He finally explained, taking another step toward her.

"Ok, I give up. I'll work with Agent Perotta, but I still don't like the idea to go with another agent if we have to go out." She said with resignation.

"Well, it's not going to be exactly that way. The fact is that you are not going to be the official partner of Agent Perotta, because Cullen has assigned two agents for this case. The other agent, I don't know who is he yet, is going to be the real partner of her, although Agent Perotta will be in charge. Cullen is going to allow the Jeffersonian work with the FBI on this case, just as a favor to me and you, and that will allow you to go with them when it's necessary." She was about to reply something to that but he didn't let her. "Don't argue with me again, please. This is more than what I was willing to accept. You have no idea how hard it's going to be for me not be able to stay with you. But Cullen knows, despite you could be the target of the murderer, that this is the best team to solve this case. He was not too much convinced to let you work on this case because it could be dangerous for the agents and the team. But, he knows too that you are not going to stand doing nothing while your team is working. It seems that he's starting to know you a little."

"Well, it seems I have no option. When are Agent Perotta and his partner going to come here?" She asked.

"So, this means that you agree?" Booth asked skeptically.

"As I said I have no option, so I'm going to start with the work and I want to know when they are going to come here, so they could tell me how they are going to work on it."

"I don't know. Cullen has sent them to the crime scene. I guess they'll come here as soon as they finish there."

"Ok, we'll wait then. Why don't you go to my office and rest a little? I'm going to start on the pictures with Angela, while the body arrives and Cam starts with it. I'm expecting Hodgins to arrive in any minute to start to work on the package and the victim's clothes to search for particulates, as well as the samples the FBI sends to us. Maybe the murderer has left some evidence that he could find." She said.

"Yes, and I hope he finds something quickly. But I'm not tired at all, and I want to watch those pictures too. I want to see what Cam has explained to me."

"I don't want you to make efforts, Booth." She replied, but she knew Booth would stay, no matter what. "You are just going to ignore all my advices, aren't you?"

"I'm ok, really, I'm not tired at all. But I promise you I'll go to rest when I feel I need to, ok?

"No, it's not ok. I'm just going to allow you watch the pictures with us, but after that you will go to my office to rest. And don't try to convince me, because I'm not going to change my mind." She said firmly. "I'm going to call Angela." And she headed to Cam's office to find that the body has arrived before she thought and Cam was preparing herself to start with the autopsy while she explained everything she knew to Angela. Brennan waited a few seconds for Cam to finish and then called Angela to come to her office to start with the pictures.

"Why didn't you tell me about that package? Do you really think this guy wants…?" She didn't finish.

"I don't know, Ang. Let Hodgins examine it and then we can conclude something." Brennan answered.

"But…" Angela tried to reply.

"Ang, please. We cannot be one hundred per cent sure that the package is linked to the murder, so, let's wait for the tests, ok?"

"Ok, we'll wait." She said. "Is everything fine with Booth?"

"Yes, it's just that… I'll have to work with Agent Perotta and her partner in this case instead of him, and he didn't want me to go out of here without him, because he's sure that the murderer will come after me. But I can fight him and he doesn't seem to remember that. I know he wants just to protect me, but I don't think I need to go out of here with two agents because he can't come with me."

"Bren, you know what I think about how much Booth cares about you. He just wants you to be ok, that's all. Why do you think he's doing something wrong wanting that?"

"I don't think he's doing anything wrong. It's just that I don't like to be shut here without be able to do my job properly. That's all."

"You are too stubborn. I think he's right in this case. He knows you better than anyone, even me, and if I'm thinking that you could do something reckless to catch that bastard he has to be thinking exactly the same." She said with concern. "Bren, you didn't see him when the Gravedigger took both Hodgins and you. He was absolutely frantic. I've never seen him like that day. I don't want to know how hard it would be for him if something happens to you. Really, I wouldn't like to be in front of him if something bad happens to you. And I'm sure he'd hate himself for not being able to protect you for the rest of his life."

"Don't start with that again, Ang." Brennan said, but what she had said somehow made her know that Angela was right.

"It's true, even if you don't want to listen to it." Angela said, but knowing Brennan wasn't ready to talk about that she changed the subject. "But let's start with the work, ok?"

"Yes, please, I need it."

They came in Angela's office and Booth was waiting for them to start. He had been looking at the picture Brennan was looking to before he came in Angela's office, and was stunned. It was a general view from the whole bathroom. He hid the anger that was raising in him, and they started to watch all the images. They were trying to determine how the murderer has written that, and they concluded that it has been written with a medium size paintbrush. They'd wait for Hodgins to analyze the samples that the FBI was sending to the lab. Maybe the murderer has left there some more evidences from himself, but that was a remote possibility, because the FBI had recovered neither the paintbrush nor the container where he had drained the blood.

"We are going to take nothing from this. Maybe we can talk to Sweets, and ask him to make a psychological profile of the murderer. The pictures could help him to do it properly." Brennan said after a good while.

"You're right. I'll call him." Booth answered going out of the room with the phone in his hand.

"Let me work on the pictures some more. Maybe I'll be able to find something that has passed us, although I doubt it. But I'll try." Angela said to Brennan.

"Ok, Ang. Let me know if you find something else."

"Bren, don't get angry with me, but I have to tell you something. Please, please, please, do everything Booth tells you, please, Sweetie. He wants just you to be ok. Remember it before doing something you could regret, ok? I'm afraid that psycho could try to do something to you, and if so, I'd like to be with Booth, and not all alone. Please, promise this to me."

"Angela…" Brennan was about to reply, but Angela didn't let her.

"No, promise me right now! Or I swear to you I'll call Cullen myself and tell him to not allow you to go out of the lab with anyone! Just promise me, please!" Angela said, practically begging her to.

"Are you blackmailing me, Angela?" Brennan said.

"Yes, plain and clear. Just do it, please!"

"Ok, as you want!" Brennan gave up.

"No, say it. I want to hear you say it."

"Ok, I promise you I'll follow every reasonable instruction from Booth."

"Every reasonable instruction? Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Oh, God… Ok, I promise you I'll follow each and every instruction from Booth." Brennan said resigned.

"While we catch the murderer." Angela tagged.

"Yes, while we catch the murderer." Brennan said at last. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take Booth to my office where he can rest for a while. Call me if you find anything in the pictures, ok?"

"Ok, don't worry. Go and take care of him for a while. I'm sure he must be tired of arguing with you, and needs some cuddles."

"Angela!" Brennan said

"What?" She said laughing while Brennan left her office.

Booth had just finished talking with Sweets when she came out of Angela's office.

"Sweets will come with the profile today afternoon, and he wants to talk with us." He said.

"About what?"

"The usual thing, of course. I'm sure that ass likes to hear himself bray more than any other thing." He said funny.

"I don't know what that means." She answered.

"It means that I'm sure that he likes the sound of his own voice more than anything, Bones." He explained. "I was just kidding, forget it."

"Let's go to my office. You'll be more comfortable there. Anyway we have to wait until Cam finishes the autopsy and Hodgins gets some results from the tests on the package, the clothes and the samples from the crime scene."

"Yes, ma'am!" Booth said joking. Then they headed to her office and Booth sat heavily on her couch. She thought he seemed tired.

"Why don't you lie down on the couch for a while? I promise I'll wake you up as soon as we have anything."

"No, I'm ok, but I'd need a coffee. I'll bring another one for you." Booth offered standing up.

"No, I'll bring the coffees. Just sit on the couch, please!" She said and left without waiting for him to reply. When she was coming back from the coffee machine she found that Hodgins had just arrived and was talking with Cam in the autopsies room. She was explaining to him what had happened and what she needed him to do. Clark Edison was there too, paying attention at her and ready to help in everything they needed. But Brennan didn't stop there and went back to her office with the coffees.

Booth was sat on her chair. Angela had sent the pictures to Brennan's computer and he was looking at them again, just trying to imagine why the murderer has chosen Bones, his Bones, he thought. Brennan gave him the coffee and sat on another chair next to him. They remained in silence while they watch at the images. Booth noticed that the more images they watched the more uneasy she was. And he wasn't mistaken: she was indeed becoming more nervous with every picture. He put his hand on hers to calm her, to make her feel that he was going to be here for her.

"We will catch him, ok? We will do it, I promise you." He said.

"I know that." She said in low voice.

He promised to himself that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, even if it costs him his own life. He had already done it before, and he would do it again undoubtedly.

.

To be continued...

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