That afternoon found the partners in the room laughing hysterically. Booth could tell that something had shifted while Angela and Bones were alone, but he wasn't going to question it. He finally felt like he got his partner back. There were still the slightest traces of sadness about her, but he saw her making an effort and he couldn't help but do the same. A knock brought them back to reality as Dr. Norbury walked in.

"I have to say, I'm pleased to see you in such good spirits," he told the pair after they greeted him. They turned to look at each other and remnants of their laughing fit made another appearance, "antifungal" and "Christmas" breaking through the giggles of the pair.

"What can we do for you Dr. Norbury," Brennan asked as she tried to become serious. Her partner did the same, but with less success, snickers breaking through his attempt at a stony face.

"I just wanted to check on you," the doctor explained kindly, their good moods rubbing off on the older man, "as well as introduce you to the therapist you will be working with."

He motioned to the door and a woman in a white lab coat walked in. She her brown hair was shoulder-length tied back in a professional half knot. Her hazel eyes danced warmly behind her rectangular glasses as she smiled at the couple in front of her.

"Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth meet Dr. Tara Young." The woman walked forward to shake hands with Booth and Brennan.

"Dr. Young is one of the best in the field," Dr. Norbury elaborated with a smile.

"Where did you go to school?" Bones questioned the woman standing before her while Dr. Norbury laughed and Booth hissed an embarrassed, "Bones!"

"Boston University for Pre-Med, Harvard for Med school and three years at Columbia for specialty work," the therapist replied without missing a beat.

"What types of specialties?" Brennan fired back, not letting her interest show.

"Orthopedic, Neurological and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation," Dr. Young answered with a slight smirk. Dr. Norbury had told her that this patient could be feisty and she was intrigued.

Brennan and the doctor held eye contact before Brennan finally nodded to herself. Bones turned to Booth who looked pleased at the exchange.

"I approve," she said with one more sharp nod, "Dr. Young has the credentials and will be an excellent facilitator for my therapy."

The therapist felt pleased at this and looked back at Dr. Norbury.

"You weren't kidding about her being thorough," she said with a tinkling laugh. The doctor just laughed and smiled before excusing himself to make his rounds. Dr. Young turned back to Brennan and Booth, introducing herself further and getting to know her newest patient ("Please, Temperance, call me Tara," she requested. "Please, call me Dr. Brennan," Bones replied in the same tone, her eyes flashing. Booth just snorted back his laughter.).

"I'd like to get started as soon as possible, if you don't mind Dr. Brennan," The therapist said after a few minutes.

"Yes, I think that would be wise, though with my other injuries," she trailed off, motioning to her swollen right side. Booth visibly winced, feeling guilty all over again.

"We'll start simple," Dr. Young replied, pulling the covers off of Bones' legs, "We just want to keep your muscles stimulated for now."

Feeling uncomfortable in her short hospital gown, Brennan tugged on the edges before looking at her partner.

"Perhaps Booth could wait outside?" she directed the question at the woman by her feet, though her eyes remained pleading towards her partner.

"Well, actually," Tara started.

"It's ok," Booth interrupted as he rose from his chair, "I'll just go make some calls."

He gave Bones an encouraging smile before he left. Both women watched him leave before Tara cleared her throat for her patient's attention.

"Let's begin," she said as she reached for Brennan's right foot and started massaging.

When Booth returned from his wanderings thirty minutes later, he was surprised to see Dr. Young holding Bones' left leg in the air before gently bringing it back down to the bed again. She carefully maneuvered Bones' legs on the bed before bringing the blanket back up to Bones' waist.

"Hey Booth," Bones said wearily as Dr. Young finished tucking the blankets back around her.

"How'd it go?" he asked, smiling as her eyes drooped slightly.

"Exhausting," she sighed as Tara said "Excellent." The therapist gave a small chuckle at this.

"Well, even though you can't feel it, we worked those legs of yours," she explained.

"To prevent muscular atrophy, we had to expend energy. A lot of energy," Bones clarified almost to herself.

"Well, I'll be back tomorrow around the same time and we'll keep working on it," the therapist said with a smile before picking up her notes and saying goodbye.

Booth talked to Bones for a few minutes, watching as the scientist struggled to remain awake. She finally drifted off and he settled in his chair to read the book he'd had Charlie bring to him days before. They were still in this position when a soft knock on the door revealed a smiling Angela. Motioning for quiet, Booth got up and went to the hall with the artist.

"I brought her some things from her apartment, is she ok?" Angela asked once they were out of the room.

"She just did her first round with the physical therapist and it wore her out," he explained.

"You don't look so good yourself," she pointed out, "When's the last time you slept in a bed, a real bed?"

Booth felt his cheeks redden at the thought of how he had awakened that morning.

"That's what I thought," Angela said with a satisfied nod. Booth tried to protest, saying that he didn't mind, but she wouldn't hear any of it.

"Now, you are going to get that FBI butt of yours home, shower, change, take a nap, whatever. I'll take care of her tonight, and I don't want to see you back here until tomorrow when you are bright eyed and can keep your back from keeling over after four days in a hospital chair."

Booth considered protesting some more, but the artist looked deadly serious and he knew better than to mess with this woman on a mission. He nodded sullenly and made her promise to call him right away if anything, anything, changed, whatever the time. She swore she would and he looked one last time at his partner before dragging himself resentfully down the hallway and towards home. Angela shook her head and gave a soft laugh before taking the spot next to the bed.

"Red Tape, White Bones," the title read as she picked up the worn, dog-eared copy from the chair.

"This ought to be good," she thought, turning to page one.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he woke up the next morning, Booth had to admit that Angela's idea was a good one, though that didn't stop him from worrying all night long. It was still early, 6:09 his clock read, but he couldn't wait to get back to the hospital. He showered, changed and went to the car. He had one more stop to make.

An hour later he made his way through the hospital halls as he balanced the paper bags in his hands precariously.

"What are you doing?" he whispered as he walked into the room and deposited the bags on the chair next to the door.

Bones glanced at him from her laptop, before going back to her typing. She hit a few more keys then closed the program she was in and set the computer aside.

"Good morning Booth. You're here early," she pointed out with a sweet smile. Booth took a moment to look at her, unduly gorgeous even at seven thirty in the morning, and he couldn't help but give a laugh and shake his head in disbelief. Of course she would be working two days after being in a coma.

"I stopped by the diner," he said, bringing the bags over and setting them on the bed.

"A vegetarian omelet for you," he handed a Styrofoam box from the bag to her, "ham and eggs for Angela," he set a second box on the bed after glancing at the still sleeping artist in the chair, "and pancakes with sausage for me," he rubbed his hands together in anticipation as he pulled out the third carton. Bones for her part was speechless as she watched him unveil an entire breakfast buffet by her feet.

"Oh! I almost forgot the coffee," he said and jumped up to grab the carrier still by the door. He handed Bones hers and she wasn't surprised that he had made it just how she liked it. Angela started to stir as she smelt the heady aroma near her head.

The three made quick work of their meals and talked until Angela had to leave to change and go to work. She promised to bring the rest of the group by that night with dinner and hurried from the room.

"So what did you two do last night after she kicked me out?" Booth asked as he cleaned up the remnants of their breakfast.

Brennan gave an airy laugh, "She had gone to my house and picked up a few things, and when I woke up she had convinced the nurses to help give me a shower. Let me tell you, I've never loved hygiene more than that moment. After that she got me into my sweats," he noticed her new, more comfortable attire, "and tried to style my hair," she punctuated this with an eye roll, "but settled for doing my nails as we watched some movie she had brought over. It was very weird."

"The night or the movie?" He asked with a grin, sitting back down on the bed by her feet.

"The movie. It was about a girl who wishes to become an adult after some traumatizing adolescent event. I was quite disappointed that it didn't have a proper analysis of the space-time continuum."

Booth snickered at her portrayal of a movie Tessa had dragged him to years ago. Before he could comment his phone buzzed in his pocket. His heart sank a little as he saw "Cullen" light up the screen but he answered it. After a few minutes' discussion he closed the phone with a sheepish look as he saw Bones cross her arms over her chest, an eyebrow peaked in question. She didn't say anything, just stared at him with the penetrating gaze he usually loved (when it was directed at other people).

"So, I need to square with you," he finally caved and she continued to train her calculated gaze on him.

"When I told you that Cullen had given me time off until you came back, it was more that I, uh, took time off until you're better."

Her eyes widened in both shock and confusion while her arms unwound themselves to her side.

"I told them to only call me if it was really important, life or death," he continued quickly, not sure if her reaction was a good thing.

"Booth, you can't afford to do that," she was still stuck on the first part of his confession, "how did you? I mean, what made you? Just, why Booth?" The normally brilliant scientist couldn't seem to comprehend his selfless gesture.

"Well, you know, I just wanted to be there for you." He rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous gesture and looked up at her through his lashes. The cocksure agent was feeling much more reticent now that his actions had come to light.

Brennan's face flushed at his admission and she wasn't sure how to respond. Normally she'd ask Booth what to do in a situation she was unsure of, but the man in front of her looked almost as lost as she felt. He gave her a slight grin, testing her reaction, and she could hear Angela telling her to "let him in".

"Are you mad Bones?" he tried, the slightly worried expression never leaving his face. She watched him for a moment longer before letting out a laughing sigh.

"No, Booth, I'm not mad," she said and watched the relief wash over him, "but you have to go back to work!"

"Bones," he whined. They debated good naturedly for the next several minutes until Brennan finally won the argument, telling him that he had to go to work and home to sleep, but he could come visit her any other time. Booth knew she wouldn't concede her stance and finally gave in with a grin.

"Shake on it," Bones said warningly as she offered out her hand.

When his hand grasped hers, neither could mistake the electricity that passed between them in that simple movement.

______________________________________________________________

Sorry guys, I know this one was kind of a filler chapter again, but the next few will get the action going again for our favorite duo! Let me know if you have any ideas, suggestions, etc. for me, I love hearing from you! I hope you are enjoying the story so far, thanks for sticking with me! Happy reading!

.