13

Booth knelled on the snowy ground of the tree lot, his gun in his hands as he waited. Close to the back there was a darkened patch blocked off by a large van he did not remember being there on his prior trip. All around him there were black clad agents with guns drawn. They paused, waiting for their signal. Hodgins sat on his flanks waiting as well, his only defense a bulletproof vest that matched Booth's.

Booth crept along following the fresh shoe prints in the underbrush. He could smell pine needles and sap as he moved with stealth and control. The crying heap of a man he had been at the lab was gone replaced with the army ranger on a mission. Fresh snow fell around him clinging to his hair, blending him into the background.

Voices became clearer as he crept closer. He could hear a man talking, his voice distinctly recognizable. Getting as close as he could he peered around the backside of the black van, his fingers stinging against the cold metal.

Brennan's body lay in a crumpled heap in the snow. He felt his own relief set in, he had found her, and she was alive. His eyes looked skyward as he mouth "thank you". In what seemed to be slow motion he gave the signal. His fingers curled inward beckoning the army behind him to follow as he drew his gun. Taking a step out from behind the van he yelled.

The man clad in a black ski mask turned dropping the shaky knife in his hands. He moved like a cat prancing over to the table on his left, picking up a semi automatic from the makeshift arsenal Booth had not seen.

They stood there in the snow eye to eye, guns drawn. Brennan twitched starting to come around, her body shivering slightly. It was that moment when things became a blur. The black clad man turned to kick her, causing her to writhe in pain. Booth reacted not thinking about the consequences as he lunged at the man tugging his hat off and pulling him down into the white ground.

The man under him seemed to come into focus, as the world seemed to right it's self. Sully lay under Booth's weight his arms above his head, his face red with anger. It threw Booth for a moment, causing him to forget everything for just a moment. There was a steep sense of betrayal as he realized that it had been one of his own.

" Get off of me." Sully growled, his voice unlike Booth had ever heard before.

" What the hell are you doing?" Booth's own voice was as sharp as steel

" You don't get everything, Booth. She was mine first. It was supposed to be me, until you stepped in." Sully spat in Booth's face then knocked his forehead into his left eye. Pain filled Booth's eye socket and he rolled away letting Sully go.

" She was supposed to be with me, in the sun. You took that from me!" Sully was over him now with a gun barrel pointed down right between his eyes.

" I never took anything from you! I told her to go!" Booth shouted wondering where all of his back up had gone. He could hear Hodgins voice but he could not make out the words.

" I will take from you, what you have taken from me. She was my last hope at love." Sully turned moving the gun to point at the woman on the ground. He waved back toward the swat team, who was standing back keeping a distance. It gave Booth enough time to stand and turn toward them. Suddenly with blinding clarity the situation became clear.

Between the SWAT team and them was a large barrel of explosives, rigged to blow the moment the trip wire was moved. They were alone in this, no one to help them now.

" Why are you doing this?" Booth called to him gaining his attention once more.

" To show you what it feels like to loose her." Sully said walking up to him and jabbing the gun to his throat. He could feel the hard plastic of the barrel crushing his jugular. Just one pull on the trigger and he would be gone.

" Why her? Why take her and not me?" Booth gagged as Sully pushed the gun harder into his neck. He could feel the other man's breath on his face as he spoke.

" You may have been the reason, but it was still her choice." He whispered in Booth's ear before releasing him. In a flash he pivoted and pulled the trigger before Booth had a chance to stop him. Brennan's body jumped as the bullet entered her, leaving a growing stain of red in the snow. Booth was there in a heartbeat cradling her body against his, trying to find her wound, his hands becoming covered in her blood.

" Oh god, Please Bones, Hold on. Come on! Hang in there." He cried into her hair rocking her in the snow.

" There is something very poetic about this. You will get to die in each other's arms." Sully said with disdain as he pointed his weapon once more. There was no time for thought as two men pulled their triggers at the same time, bullets crossing paths as they flew through the air. Booth's face cringing in pain as one grazed his shoulder.

" You forget I'm a better shot." He said breathlessly as Sully fell to the ground clutching his neck. He landed face first his blood mixing with theirs. The gentle thud of the lifeless body hitting the soil was the last thing Booth heard before everything went black.