"Hey."

Booth was just waking up. Besides him the woman he'd come to know as Debbie was curled up tight against him. The night before the two, after facing their own separate instances of torture, were thrown together on a cold concrete floor for the night. Every other night he'd kept them separated. Or so Booth thought. His memories were distorted.

Somehow though they were both nearly incapacitated and strangers to one another they'd slept close for the joined warmth their bodies provided. Not only did it give them warmth but also a strange sort of comfort.

"Hi," Booth acknowledged.

Debbie sat up. Like Booth her wrists were wrapped in heavy chains. "Another day, huh?"

Booth didn't dare move. His body was throbbing all over. Brenghause had taken out all his frustration on him the afternoon before. In the aftermath he'd been left with a black eye and burns on his wrists. "Yeah."

"Do you think anyone's looking for us?"

How long had they been gone? A week? A month? The days had all run together. Booth's black outs didn't exactly help him keep time. "I hope so." Bones has to be looking for me. Why hasn't she found me yet? He knew better than to rely on others. But he also knew the relentlessness of his partner.

Debbie noticed his obvious distress. "Good God," she whispered, touching his face delicately. Booth breathed in through his teeth. Immediately she backed off. "Sorry."

"It's not you." They both silently noticed that Booth seemed to be getting the brunt of Brenghause's anger. It didn't make sense to him. He'd only murdered women before he'd been arrested. Abusing Booth went against his routine.

Not that Debbie didn't have her own injuries. She also bore lacerations and burns all over her body. Booth was no expert in anatomy but with just a glance he knew her wrist was broken.

"He's angrier at you," Debbie murmured as though she were reading his thoughts.

But why? Because Booth had hunted him down? Had been the arresting agent? Did it really matter? Figuring out motives wouldn't do him any good. If they didn't rescue themselves soon they'd die. It'd been days since they'd had food or water. Brenghause had been withholding both. Booth was feeling its effects.

Since Booth didn't respond Debbie laid back down next to him. She hoped to give him solace by cuddling close. The funny thing was, it worked. Yes, he didn't know her very well. But any touch out of kindness felt amazing.

Suddenly bright lights went on overhead. Both of them shielded their eyes. Brenghause had been keeping them in the dark since the episode had begun. He strode confidently into the room. "Well now, how cute. The two victims are bonding."

Booth turned his head enough to glare at him. It was the only action he was capable of.

"Party time's over, kiddies." In his hand he held two syringes. Neither one could do anything as he injected them for the second time. Booth's forehead bumped against Debbie's. They looked into each other's eyes.

Debbie was wrestled away first. The lights shut off as Brenghause hauled her from the room. Booth was left alone with his thoughts.

He must have blacked out again because he woke to his body being dragged across the floor. If he had the energy he would have fought. But he was simply tapped out. Booth had nothing left to give.

Brenghause heaved him up onto the same table he'd been on before. Booth watched numbly as he lifted a broken metal pipe from underneath the table. Once again he leaned in, keeping his head only inches away from Booth's face. He asked the same question he'd been asking every day. The question Booth had no answer to. "What do you want?"

He kept silent.

Brenghause smashed the pipe down against Booth's hand, breaking two fingers instantly. Booth twisted his face in pain. He gasped, trying not to let on how much pain he was in.

"Ah ha," he smiled satisfactorily. "You're not Superman. You are capable of feeling pain."

Booth trembled. He couldn't control it anymore. The look in Brenghause's eyes told him all he needed to know. Helplessly he could only watch as fate happened. There was nothing left to do.

The first few hits Booth felt throughout his whole body. After that, he felt nothing. His body shied away from the pain. He was fading fast. Everything in sight began swimming in thick waves before his eyes involuntarily closed.

Brenghause stopped. He spoke just next to Booth's ear. "What do you want?"

All this time he'd been waiting for him to break, to ask for what was certain to be his upcoming death, Booth realized then. He refused to do it. Instead he curled his body inward slightly in an attempt to protect his ribs from further damage.

The pipe struck him again. The hits increased in their intensity. "What do you want?" Brenghause screamed his question.

The world was slipping from Booth's grasp. The unbearable pain was easing away from his tense muscles. His body went limp. He knew it was getting ready to give up on him. Despite his resolve he was close to telling Brenghause; close to begging for his own death. He remained just barely holding onto consciousness. I'm sorry, Bones.

Off in the distance he could hear the sound of more than a dozen boots pounding the floor. The din grew louder until nothing could be heard but shouting voices. The beating stopped. He could sense Brenghause standing over him, the pipe held over his head.

There were so many voices that Booth couldn't focus. All he heard was a gun shot, followed by the sound of someone slumping to the floor. He knew he should have tried to see what was happening. But he was too weak. The monster in the darkness had appeared once again to take him away. This time he was more than willing.

More sounds. He felt someone put their hand upon his bruised neck to check for a pulse. If he could have smiled he would have. Out of everyone in the world he knew that touch. It still amazed him how someone who handled bones and remains all day could have such soft skin. Bones.

"Booth," she whispered.

If he'd had the strength he would have done something in response. Something to show her he was glad she was with him.

"We need a blanket!" She yelled to someone.

It seemed like mere seconds passed before Brennan had wrapped him up and tugged his torso into her arms. "Hold on," she said in a soft voice next to his ear.

Someone pried his eyes open and shined a pen light. "Pupils are dilated."

Booth's eyes rolled back.

Brennan gasped. Her grip on him tightened.

The monster was drawing closer. Booth began taking in small, shallow breaths in a rapid procession.

"He's going into shock!" He heard somebody scream just as the monster took his hand and led him down into the shadows.