My dear readers, you simply rock!!! Thank you all for your wonderful comments, I'm so glad you still like this story.

Coming home…

Chapter 12:

I was just lifting myself out of my office chair after having devoured three sandwiches for lunch as I heard a loud crash from somewhere not too far away. Frowning I decided to search for the reason for that sound. Usually sounds like that weren't foreboding good things… and statistics were not going to elude me on this. If I had known what would happen, would I have stayed in my office? Probably. I would have closed the blinds and shut the world out for as long as possible... If I had known… but I didn't.

My feet were aching a bit, but being nearly six months pregnant brought that kind of aches and hardships. But at least the sickness had vanished a few weeks ago. So, I had exchanged morning sickness against swollen feet… I was still not sure if the change had been a good one…but it's not as if I had had a say in it.

Finally I found the source of the sound, the loud crash, I had heard before in Angela's office. And a few moments later I wished I hadn't. Angela turned around to look at me and I knew that something was wrong. I saw it in her eyes. On the floor I recognized the remains of her favourite tea pot, glass shards were glittering dangerously everywhere. Hodgins and Cam were just hurrying into the room too, but Angela's eyes were on me… and the intense look in them made my heart pound faster.

"Sweetie." She choked, then her gaze flickered to the small TV she kept in her office, the one she turned on during lunch breaks. And what I saw there captured my attention immediately.

"Philadelphia: Fourteen paedophiles arrested, eight missing children rescued." The headline read.

"Philadelphia." I said slowly. "That's where Booth is."

"Sweetie." Angela watched me, eyes wide. "Sit down, please."

"What?" I asked. "Why?" I frowned at her, my brain oddly numb, then my gaze returned to the TV even as the headline changed.

"Undercover agent killed during FBI operation." It now read and I needed a full minute to process it.

To understand that during that FBI operation in Philadelphia fourteen paedophiles had been arrested, eight children rescued… and one agent killed. My ever active brain tossed the possible meaning at me relentlessly, slapped it in my face.

"No." I choked out, my hands covering my stomach protectively. "No." My vision blurred as tears of shock started to fill my eyes. "Please…" I whispered. "That can't be true…"

"Bren." Angela was beside me in an instant as I started to tremble. "Sweetie, we don't know anything yet." I felt somebody else grab my other arm, trying to steady me… Hodgins, I thought numbly, as I stared at the TV. Hodgins holding me upright once again…because all my strength seemed to have left me.

"Booth." I whispered as the woman on screen tried to put a compassionate look on her botox-smoothed face. "…. the Federal Bureau of Investigation has not yet officially confirmed the death of the undercover agent, but witnesses report that …"

I didn't listen anymore, I just saw his face in front of me, the last time we had talked, the haunted look in his eyes.

Dead? I thought. Could his God really be so cruel to both of us? One more reason not to believe in anything.

Suddenly there was a buzzing sound in my ears and a stabbing pain somewhere in my abdomen… and then blackness engulfed me.

"She's waking up." Somebody murmured.

For a moment I was trying to find out whom the voice was talking about, but then I realised it had to be me. I tried to open my eyes, but I didn't manage to lift the heavy eyelids on the first attempt.

After a few moments of getting adjusted to the light I finally could make out Angela's and Cam's faces. They looked worried and I wondered why. Had I passed out again, because of the heat? But a few days ago the weather had changed, it was considerably cooler now. I had not felt dizzy for days.

I blinked again and noticed that I had never seen this ceiling before… It didn't quite look like something in the lab our my apartment.

There was something soft and warm underneath me and a beeping sound filled my ears.

Hospital, my mind analysed. "What happened?" I croaked, my eyes fixed on my best friend.

Angela and Cam exchanged a wary look. "You passed out." Dr. Saroyan said.

"Why… hospital?" I asked weakly. Again they gazed at each other and a cold numbness seemed to creep inside my limbs.

"You have to promise to stay calm, Sweetie…, please." Angela gave me a pleading look.

"Ange. Tell me." I whispered.

"You had premature contractions." She answered, her voice barely audible. I felt my pulse quicken and my hands flew to my abdomen… to find it still as pregnant as it had been before.

"The baby is okay, Bren… It's okay." Angela hurried to say. I heard her, but it didn't stop me from frantically searching for some SIGN that the baby was okay. I felt a tiny kick and was relieved.

"They managed to stop the contractions and stabilized you. Your vitals are fine now." Cam added. "But you'll have to stay here for the night and you're on bed rest for the next two weeks."

I nodded numbly. "What caused them?" I asked… but when Cam and Angela exchanged another look, I knew. It rushed back to me. The pain, the shock, the horror I had felt when I had realised what the news report had to mean.

"Booth." I whispered, my eyes widening. Suddenly I felt so cold, although I was sure the environmental temperature had not changed.

"No, please, Sweetie… we don't know anything yet. The news channel withdrew the information again. Now they're saying that an agent got hurt. But not killed, Sweetie. Do you hear me?" Angela took my hand in hers, warming it. "Do you understand? They said it was false information by an eye-witness. They report an injured agent, not dead."

I blinked slowly, while the meaning of her words settled in, while my mind processed what she had said. "Injured." I repeated. Injured could still mean he would die. If an eye witness mistook an injured man for dead … it didn't exactly sound promising.

"Have you called Cullen?" I asked after a moment and Cam nodded. "I tried several times, but his secretary kept on blocking me. Hodgins and your father drove over to the Hoover building half an hour ago to get us some definite information. They should be calling soon. Your father can be quite scary." I registered that Cam was holding my other hand. "I know it's hard… but you have to stay as calm as possible. Breathe evenly. Think of your child."

I think I nodded then, but I felt oddly distanced from my body, from what was happening. My vision blurred a little again and I heard Cam say. "It's the medication. Don't fight it. Sleep is good for you."

And everything went pitch black again.

When I woke for the next time I was in a different room and the beeping sound had stopped. I realised that they had moved me from the ICU to a normal room while I had been unconscious. I blinked again and moved my head a fraction. Angela was asleep in the chair beside my bed, her hand clutching mine.

"Ange." I said. But it came out as a garbled sound. My best friend woke with a jerk, blinked in confusion for a moment, but then her gaze focussed on me. "Hey sweetie." She said, smiling.

"Booth." I croaked, my throat feeling raw, as if on fire. "Drink first." She said and helped me gulp down some water.

"Tell me." I insisted, my voice a little steadier now.

"He's going to be fine, sweetie." Angela said with a smile on her face. "Just a few bruises."

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, relief pouring through me, filling me, warming me.

"What happened to him?" I asked after some time.

"The eye witness saw how he got shot, but he wore a bulletproof vest underneath his jacket. Cullen said the force of the shot threw him against a column or something. He hit his head and the lights went out. But he hasn't even gotten a real concussion. Guess he's too thick-headed for that." Angela quickly explained.

I had to smile weakly at her attempt at a joke. "Cullen told you all that?"

"Your dad made him tell. He told him what that damn news report did to you. Cullen apologised for it, but he said – direct quote now – 'that these damn vultures are quick and always say what they want'. Vultures meaning media." Angela squeezed my hand gently.

"I got that." I said. "Where is he?"

"Cullen? Or your Dad?" Angela asked confused.

"Booth." I answered and rolled my eyes at her.

She smiled understandingly. "Still in Philly. Cullen said he's going to stay in hospital for one night, just to make sure, then he has to give his reports and stuff…. He should be back the day after tomorrow."

Finally, I thought, finally he'll be coming home. I hadn't realised that I was crying until Angela started to stroke my hair, murmuring soothing words. Pregnancy sure had made me more sensitive.

It took me a while to calm down, but eventually I did and soon after I had regained my composure a knock sounded at the door.

Deputy Director Cullen entered my hospital room. "Dr. Brennan, Miss Montenegro." He said and I felt a flicker of panic, despite what Angela had just told me. What if Booth wasn't alright?

"Dr. Brennan, I'm very sorry about what happened today." Booth's boss gave me a long and without doubt apologetic look. "We had no idea that the media had been talking to this eye-witness and I was in a meeting when Dr. Saroyan tried to reach me. I should have made sure you were getting informed about what really had happened."

I nodded, but then suddenly a thought occurred to me. "Parker!" I exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Dr. Brennan. We contacted all of Agent Booth's family and informed them that he is alive and well. Just some minor bruises, that's all. He will be back in DC on Wednesday. His flight arrives at 3:30 in the afternoon. I assume you will want to be there, as will his son." Cullen told me.

"I can't. They put me on bed rest." I answered. "But thank you."

"We'll be there… we can bring Parker and then take Booth to your apartment. I'll work it out with Rebecca." Angela offered and I nodded weakly. Cullen soon left and I turned towards Angela again. "How are you going to explain to him that I can't be at the airport?"

"I'll say that you had a health problem and was put on bed rest. And that's not even a lie, right?" Angela said. "This is between you." She pointed at my abdomen.

"Yes." I agreed with her. "Angela?"

My best friend, digging around in her purse, looked up at me. "Hm?"

"What if he's angry at me? What if he doesn't want the baby? What…"

The words died on my lips as my best friend covered my mouth with her hand.

"Stop right there, Brennan. Booth loves you. He'll be surprised, no question. But as for the rest…. If he doesn't want this baby, he's an idiot. Do you think Booth's an idiot?" Her voice was a little rough.

Mutely I shook my head.

"Well, then…" Angela stared at me. "Why are you worried?"

"I just am." I answered and she gave me a stern look.

"Well, stop it. It's not going to change anything, right? You could have lost your baby today, Bren. Just be happy Booth's alright and you and the baby are too. Anything else is not important right now." My best friend said seriously… and I realised she was right.

Another thought occurred to me and I frowned a little. "Where's my father?"

"Hodgins and he are hunting up pudding somewhere. They said it's for you, but I know Jack. I swear I don't know why all men seem to be crazy about that damn hospital pudding. They should be back soon."

Angela smiled at me. "I've got something for you, Sweetie." She handed me an ultrasound picture. "From earlier, when you were asleep. This is the last time I've been holding your hand during an ultrasound…. The next time Booth will be there."

"I hope so." I said and stared down at the black and white picture.

"You'll see." Angela just said.

Soooooo, MAJOR angst in here, I know. But hey, hey, I could have ended the chapter with a cliffie or something and I didn't… not really… so please, please be patient. Reviews are really appreciated!!! Thank you for reading!