Chapter 22
Sunday
11:33 PM
Booth turned the page of his book and glanced over the top of it to look at Brennan. Of course, nothing had changed. She was still lying unconscious. It had been forty-eight hours and nothing had changed. Dr. London had come in and said that her vitals looked better, but there was still no telling whether her brain was damaged or not. The doctors could tell there was some brain activity, but nobody knew if it was enough for her to wake up. Booth had tried to remain hopeful, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult.
He had hoped that after he admitted his feelings she would magically wake up like a kiss from Prince Charming in a fairy tale. He had hoped Sweets was right and that she was just waiting for a reason to wake up. But telling her he loved her wasn't enough. He wondered if it would ever be enough.
Booth put his eyes back on the page he was reading. It was Brennan's latest novel. Of course Booth had already read it. He read it before the book even hit the shelves. He wasn't a reader by nature. He didn't understand how reading was a form of entertainment when there were so many other things he could be doing, but he understood Brennan's books. He understood them because they were her. Whether she realized it or not, she wrote herself into each of her characters, except for one. The FBI agent who played her main character's partner was all him. She denied it when Sweets had pointed it out to her, but the character was driven by his heart and his gut just like Booth. The only difference was, in Brennan's books, the beautiful anthropologist and the sexy FBI agent weren't just partners. They were hitting the sheets every chance they got. When he read those scenes, Booth couldn't help but blush and wish that art imitated life.
"Booth?"
Booth slammed the book closed, hoping his cheeks weren't red. He looked up to see Cam standing next to the open curtain.
"Hey Cam."
"You ok? You look flushed."
Booth put the book down on the floor next to him and slid it under his chair, trying to hide it. He didn't need the whole world to know that he was reading her novels just because he missed her.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Look who I found outside," Cam said.
Casey appeared from behind the curtain and stood next to Cam.
"Hey Casey," Booth said.
"Hey Booth." Cam immediately noticed the ease in which Booth and Casey spoke. It was no longer the strained relationship that was there when they first met. Obviously something positive had happened between them. "How is Dr. Brennan doing?"
Booth shook his head. "I don't know. But it's been more than forty-eight hours and she hasn't woken up. That's not a good sign."
"I took the liberty and spoke to Dr. London," Cam said.
"Did he say anything?" Booth asked, hopefully.
"After deliberating with him over whether or not I should have access to Dr. Brennan's medical records, he told me that he was sending Dr. Brennan's scans to a specialist out of New York."
"What kind of specialist?" Booth asked.
"A neurosurgeon."
"Is something wrong with her brain?" Casey questioned.
"She could have…brain damage," Cam answered as delicately as she could. Booth's eyes immediately went to the bandage on Bone's forehead.
"Oh," was all Casey said. She shuffled her feet uncomfortably.
"Why is Dr. London sending her scans to a neurosurgeon?" Booth asked.
"He's afraid the brain damage may be more severe than they originally thought and that the brain activity we've been seeing isn't…enough to sustain life. I took a look at the scans myself."
"And what do you think?" Booth wondered. He needed someone to tell him what was going on. Even if it was bad news, he had to know. The waiting was killing him.
"I think it's good that we have a specialist take a look at the scans," Cam answered.
"So, what are you saying? She could be in a coma for…" He couldn't finish his sentence.
"Seeley, she might not wake up," Cam stated. "But I'm not a brain, surgeon. I'm a coroner. In my case, a functioning brain isn't usually something I worry about. The specialist should be able to tell us more."
"When will we know?"
"It could take several days."
"Days? I'm supposed to just sit here and wait around to hear if she's brain dead?"
"I know this isn't easy, Seeley," Cam said. "But we're all in this together."
Cam put her hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged away. He was tired of people touching him. He wasn't a child. He didn't need people telling him it was going to be alright.
"I…ah…don't know if you even care, but I brought this," Casey chimed in. She was holding a file folder in her hand. "It's my report about the case. I thought you might want to take a look at it."
Booth took it from her hands. "Thanks."
"Everything is exactly as I told you. They'll be expecting your report as soon as you can. I talked to your superiors and they understand the severity of the situation so there's no rush."
Booth knew exactly why she had given him a copy of her report. It wasn't just so that he could see what she had written. It was so that when he wrote up his report, his would match. Booth prided himself on being a good guy. He prided himself on doing his job with honor and integrity. He had never fudged a report before. As he looked at Casey, though, he knew that streak was about to end. He was going to fudge his report to save himself so that he could be there for her.
"So, how'd you convince the nurses to let both of you up here?" Booth asked, changing the subject.
"I told them I worked for the FBI and I showed them my badge," Casey answered.
"That was it? You just showed them your badge?" Booth questioned.
"I told them I was the lead investigator in Dr. Brennan's attack."
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Booth wondered.
"I should go," Casey said. "I've got a mountain of paperwork to do. I just wanted to give you the report…and to tell you…if you need anything, let me know."
"Yeah, you too. Thanks for the report."
"You're welcome. And don't forget our little deal," she said, winking.
"I haven't forgotten."
Casey turned towards Cam. "Dr. Saroyan, I just wanted to say that it was a pleasure working with you."
"And you, Agent Temple," Cam replied.
"Casey. It's just Casey." Cam smiled. "And…don't take this the wrong way, but I hope I never have to work with you or your people any time in the near future."
Cam smiled. "Agreed."
Casey nodded to Booth before leaving the room.
"What was that all about?"
"What?"
"Your little deal?"
"It's nothing."
"You like her, don't you?" Cam asked.
Booth was shocked by her question. Sure, it wasn't exactly a secret anymore how he felt about Brennan, but he hadn't expected it to become a topic for discussion.
"What? Who?"
"Casey. You like her."
"I do not."
Cam rolled her eyes. For all of his intuitions and gut feelings, sometimes Booth could be incredibly oblivious.
"I'm not saying you're in love with her Seeley. I'm just saying that you started off hating her and now you like her."
"Oh. Yeah, she's…ok."
"Just ok?"
"She's a good agent. You know, she's smart. She's got good instinct and she knows how to take charge in a tough situation, but she does this annoying psychoanalysis thing."
"Psychoanalysis?" Cam sat down next to Booth.
"Yeah, like Sweets. She knows what you're thinking before you're even thinking it."
"Sounds like Dr. Brennan wouldn't like her."
"Probably not. Bones would say she's wasting her time on the unproven science of psychology and she'd tell her to look at the hard, physical evidence."
"She probably would say something like that, but Dr. Brennan not liking her would have nothing to do with psychoanalysis."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh come on, Booth." His obliviousness kept growing and growing. "Casey is a young, attractive, smart agent who you worked very closely with."
"So?"
"So…Dr. Brennan would be jealous."
"Bones? Jealous. Bones doesn't believe in jealousy."
"Yet I've seen the way she's looked at other women you so much as talk to. She is not too happy when you flirt with other women…including me."
"I do not flirt with you. And besides, Bones likes you."
"But she didn't always."
"She didn't like you because you took the job she thought she deserved."
"She didn't like me because I was sleeping with you."
Booth looked down at Brennan, wondering if it were true. Was Cam right? Had Bones been jealous? It was an emotion she always said she didn't understand, but maybe it was just another one of those emotions she had been able to build those thick walls around. Maybe Booth just hadn't knocked down the walls yet.
"So did everyone know about…our feelings for each other except for us?"
"Pretty much, yeah. We've all just been waiting to see when it would happen. Angela always voted for a quickie in the backseat of your car."
"So I've heard." They both smiled. "What about you? What did you think would finally break us?"
"I always knew something big would have to happen or else the two of you would have gone on dancing around each other forever."
"I know how I feel, Cam. I'm not afraid that anymore. But what if she doesn't…reciprocate my feelings?"
"Were you listening to our conversation, Seeley? A woman doesn't get jealous unless she has feelings. She's yours, Seeley. She's always been yours."
"Mine," he whispered. "My girl." He smiled.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Booth could have explained it. He could have told Cam the story of how he called Bones 'my girl' and how she had gotten angry with him, but he refrained. 'My girl' was a nickname that was going to stay between Booth and his girl. Nobody else needed to know about it.
"Why don't you go take a break?" Cam suggested. "I'll stay with her. It's my turn anyway."
"No, I'm fine."
"Seeley…"
"Cam, really, I'm fine. Angela already kicked me out last night. I've slept, I've eaten, I even showered."
"That may be true, but I'd like to have a few minutes with her."
"What?"
"I'd like to talk to Dr. Brennan. Are you going to leave or am I going to have to kick you out?"
Booth smiled. "I'll be right outside the door."
He squeezed Brennan's forearm before leaving the room. He stood ride outside the door, leaning against the wall. He knew that Cam and Brennan had always had their differences, but despite everything, he understood why Cam wanted a moment alone with her. It seemed as if each of them wanted to make their peace with Brennan before it was too late.
Inside the room, Cam slid into Booth's chair so she was closer to Brennan.
"I don't do well in these situations, but there is something I'd like to say," Cam began, talking softly. "I know we don't always see eye to eye, but I wanted to let you know, Dr. Brennan, that I respect you. More than anyone else in my career, I respect you. I know you're strong enough to pull through this. And you should know that we all need you to pull through this. Sweets, Angela, Hodgins, me, Booth…we all need you." She took a breath. "I've known Booth for a long time and I have never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you. You both deserve happiness."
Feeling as if she had said what she needed to say, Cam stood up. She walked past the curtain and to the door. She peeked her head out the door and saw Booth standing against the wall.
"Thanks," Cam said.
"What did you say to her?"
"Girl talk."
"I don't think Bones would know what girl talk is."
Cam smiled. "Then it's a good thing it was a one-sided conversation. Do you want me to stay with you?"
Booth shook his head. "No, thank you."
She nodded. "Call me if you need me."
"Cam?" Booth called out as she turned to walk away.
"Yeah?"
"This…schedule you and everyone else worked out to be here at the hospital. Was that for Bones or are you really all just here to babysit me?"
"Maybe a little bit of both."
"Well, I appreciate it. And I know she does, too."
"I was thinking of grabbing a bite to eat. Do you want anything from the diner?"
"Maybe a piece of pie?"
"One piece of pie, it is." This time when she put her hand on his shoulder, he didn't shrug it off. "Hang in there, Seeley."
Cam walked away and Booth immediately back into the room. He sat down in his usual chair and looked at Brennan.
"All alone again," Booth said.
He leaned in and kissed her lightly. He was beginning to think of that spot on her forehead as his. He only hoped he would have the opportunity to kiss that spot with her eyes open.
"I know you don't believe in this. I know you think that me sitting here talking to an unconscious you is silly and pointless, but I believe it, Bones. I believe you can hear me. I believe you're in there somewhere, just waiting to get out."
He paused and wiped his eyes. He hated that he couldn't stop crying. He wanted to be strong. He didn't need her thinking that he was weak, but he couldn't keep the tears in. And what was it that he always told Parker? It's ok to cry as long as you pick yourself up afterwards. Booth allowed his tears to fall, very well aware that he was going to have to pick himself up again.
"You know, Bones, everyone seems to have us pegged. Everyone seems to know how we feel. The only question is, are they right? Do you feel the same ways, Bones? I need to know. Because if you do, Bones…if you do…I promise you, it'll be worth waking up. I'll spend the rest of my life loving you."
He closed his eyes and silently prayed. He rarely prayed. Although he was a religious man, he didn't often ask God for his help, but this was different. If he ever needed divine intervention, it was at that moment.
"Please Temperance," he whispered with his eyes still closed.
"Don't call me Temperance. It's not normal."
Author's Note: Well, I hope everyone is finally happy! Don't worry, we're only about halfway through the story so there's a lot more to come!
