Thursday, June 18th 9am.
"Shit, damnit." He cursed, his shin throbbing after making contact with the corner of the coffee table as he got up from his couch.
He was nervous, his stomach flipping and churning, tomorrow was the day he'd been waiting for, and three days ago, she kissed him right here on this couch. He never imagined it happening like that, not with her making the first move, not without being able to see her face as it happened. He always thought he'd tip her back during a guy hug and softly kiss her lips, or reach lovingly across the table, take her face in his hands and bring her to him, or look up at her as they sat on the steps of the memorial and their lips would meet. Instead it was her hands pulling his face to hers, her lips finding his as his brain fought to keep up, as they passionately kissed for what seemed an eternity to him.
Even after it happened, he still wondered if it was reality, she was making excuses for why she had to go, and then she was gone, his door closing softly. It wasn't the reaction he'd hoped for so many times, or the way it normally played out in his mind, but he took it for what it was, her way of telling him she cared about him. His mind had been racing since that night, and with his surgery looming overhead, it was one more thing he didn't really need to worry about. But finding himself alone in his apartment while Jared was at work, and having not heard from her since he heard his door close, he could do nothing but think about it. It was the cause for his sudden clumsiness, he told himself, as he rubbed his shin. He didn't have long before he was to be admitted to the hospital, and as he shuffled through his bathroom and bedroom gathering up what he would need for the two week stay, he couldn't help but let himself become excited. He had so much riding on this surgery, the possibility that he might be able to see again, possibly being able to work again, and her.
By four thirty thursday afternoon his bag was packed, and he was waiting for Jared to get home. What he didn't know was that she was more nervous than he was, more reserved, knowing that the chances of his gaining something back was limited. And as she shutdown her computer, getting ready to leave, she mentally ran through the other night with him. How easy it had been to let herself be held by him, and then finally the way she moved in and kissed him. As much as she'd wanted to do it, and as much as she could tell he was open to it, it still felt awkward to her now. Even as it happened, her mind raced to find a way to get out of his place, to get as far away from him as possible. And when she pulled away from him, despite her body's ache to stay, she stammered out a lame excuse and before she knew it she was in her car, wondering how she let herself do what she did. But at the same time, somewhere deep inside she knew it was right, it was time to finally let him know that she did share the feelings that he once tried so hard to hide from her. Now though she didn't know what he expected from her, if anything, and it scared her. Just as she ran through all these thoughts in her mind, she was interrupted by Jared entering her office.
"Jared what are you doing here? Is Booth okay?" She asked, nervously.
"He's fine...I came to see how you were doing Tempe..." he said smoothly.
"What would make you think I was anything but fine Jared?" She shot at him.
"Maybe the smile that's been on his face for the last few days, or the way you haven't been around all of a sudden...what happened?" He asked her.
"I think that it's between Booth and I if you don't mind." She said cooly, not wanting to discuss this with him.
"If you say so Tempe, but I'll figure it out on my own, or I'll just ask him. You are going to be there tonight right, at the hospital?" He asked, his cockiness fading some.
"I said I would be there, tonight and tomorrow, why would I just not show up?" She said, irritated at his inference that she would just disappear from his life when things got tough.
"I just don't want to have to tell him otherwise, especially when he depends on you Tempe." Jared said, turning to leave.
She didn't even bother to respond, even if she hadn't talked to him in a few days, it didn't mean she was going to leave him when he needed her most. She'd taken friday off from work, so that she could be there during the surgery, and to be there for him. She knew that it was going to be hard for him the first few days after, he'd want to know right away if there was a change, but it was going to be at least five days before his bandages would come off, and it was going to be a rough time. She knew more than anyone just how stubborn he was, and how hard it would be to keep him in check for five days. As she loaded her laptop into her bag, and grabbed her coat to head home so she could then meet him at the hospital at seven.
"What took you so long getting home?" Booth asked, as Jared and Parker entered the apartment.
"I had to finish up some paperwork since I won't be in tomorrow, jeez." Jared said not mentioning his stop at the Jeffersonian.
"Hey little man! How was school?" Booth asked his son, hearing the child's backpack hit the floor with a thud.
"Dad, really, every time you ask me that I answer the same way...boring! Where are we going to eat?" Parker asked, knowing that they weren't getting pizza tonight.
"Well, I was thinking that maybe we could pick Bones up, and all go to the diner, what do you think bud?" Booth asked, Jared stopping on his way to change out of his uniform at the mention of her.
"Yeah, I like it when we hang out with her dad, she knows everything." He said excitedly.
"Seeley, did you ask her if she was free?" Jared yelled from the other room.
"No, I was going to surprise her..." Booth said, as though barging in on her was no big deal.
"Dad, I made this cool project in school yesterday and I want you to see it...I'll be right back." Parker said rushing from his father's side to his bag.
Booth flinched, knowing he couldn't see whatever it was that his son had to show him, but was surprised as his sons little hands grabbed his hand and moved it towards whatever he had on the table in front of him.
"Here daddy, you can use your hands to see it." Parker said, guiding his father's hand over the jumbled mass of paper and glue, and buttons.
"Wow this is something Parks, how long did it take you to do this?" Booth asked, still shocked at his son's thoughtfulness.
"Just one day... Mike didn't understand what it was, but I told him I used the buttons and the glue so my dad could see it too...Mrs. Jouth said it was real nice. Are you gonna hang it up daddy?" Parker asked.
"Uncle Jared will hang it up later when he comes home okay. Thank you little man I love it." Booth said pulling his son close into a hug.
The three of them piled into Jared's car, booth's bag in the trunk reminding them of what tomorrow meant. Booth knew that Parker was aware that he was having surgery, and that he'd be in the hospital for a while, but in his childish mind it didn't register how much could change. He was lucky that he even got to spend this time with his son before going in, but after reasoning with Rebecca for more than an hour she finally gave in. His argument that it would be a while before he could come visit had eventually worn her down, despite her misgivings.
"Can you pull up to the front of the building Jar?" Booth asked.
"Sure thing bro, you two just gonna run up and get her?" Jared asked.
"Yep. It shouldn't be that long." Booth said, smiling.
The car came to a stop and Booth and Parker emerged, greeting the doorman with smiles, Parker somewhat leading his father through the door and to the elevator.
"Which button do I press dad?" Parker asked as the entered the elevator.
"Number four buddy. Can you reach it?" Booth asked, ready to feel his way over the braille.
"I got it dad. Can you tell which one it is?" Parker asked curious.
"Yep, it's this one right?" Booth said, feeling the small bumps under his finger.
"That's so cool dad." Parker said amazed that even though he couldn't see he knew exactly which buttons to press, or what door to go to.
Booth didn't answer, he thought about how long it took him to learn the braille, even though he still couldn't read a book with it, he could get by in his daily life with what he learned. He wondered about how easy it was for Parker to adjust to his new life, and why it had been so hard for himself.
Pulling him from his thoughts, Parker asked "Which door is hers dad?" as they stepped off the elevator.
"To the left 408." Booth answered him, his little hand still in his.
"Can I knock daddy?" Parker asked excitedly.
"Yeah, you have to knock loud though so she can hear you." Booth said his hands on Parkers shoulders as he knocked.
As they waited, Booth could feel Parker fidgeting, either with his t-shirt or something in his hands and as much as it got on his nerves, he knew his son had to be nervous about tomorrow as well and he let it go.
She heard the knock on her door, and wondered who it would be, Ange and Hodgins had dinner plans, and her father was out of town, maybe it was Jared, coming to apologize, she thought as she moved to look out the peephole. She was surprised to see the dark glasses almost in front of her, his smile small but hopeful.
"Booth, what are you doing here, I thought I was meeting you...Parker..." She said, after opening the door and seeing the mini version of him too.
"We thought you might want to come to the diner with us Bones." Booth said his voice soft and full of nerves.
"Yeah Bones... we were hungry and the diner is better than pizza, come on Bones." Parker said squirming out of his father's hands and tugged at her arm.
"Parker don't hang on her..." Booth said, knowing how eager his son was.
"I'll come with you, but can I meet you there?" She said, not wanting to be stuck with Jared later.
"Sure Bones. Jared is waiting downstairs for us, you won't be too long will you, we have to be done by quarter of seven." Booth said trailing off a little, grabbing for Parker.
"Don't worry Booth, I'll be right behind you." She said smiling at Parker.
"See you soon Bones." Parker said, turning back towards the elevator without his father.
"Parker Booth, you better not get on that elevator without me." Booth said sternly, turning his head towards the sound of his son's shoes, then back at her. Reaching out for her hand, he took it in his and squeezed it tight then said, " Don't be long Bones." before letting go of her hand and turning to go after his son.
The contact with him made her stomach flip, and her heart race, the sound of his voice soothing her nervousness. She wanted to lean in and kiss him again, what was it about him that made her go so crazy. She watched as they boarded the elevator, hand in hand, the once strong man, still unsure of his steps, paired with those of his sons jittery child size ones. The doors closed with Parker waving at her, his little smile burning into her memory. She slowly turned, moving to grab her bag and head out after them, yet something caught her eye on a shelf across the room. Letting the door close behind her she walked to the object, the small pig that occupied a small piece of real estate in front of her books. She closed her eyes, and held Jasper in her hands, running her fingers over the plastic, trying to feel what he would feel. Only frustration filled her mind as she set the pig back on the shelf, picked up her bag and left. With every ounce of her being she was trying to fight the rational side of herself that was reminding her that tomorrow may not be a cure-all. She wanted him to get better, despite the facts that were spinning in her mind. Her whole drive to the diner, she tried to turn off the part of her brain that rationalized everything, but it wasn't working. Not until she saw him opening Parker's straw did it click with her that maybe things would still work out if he didn't get his sight back, maybe he could work through it.
"Bones?" he asked as she passed him to sit across from him, every time she'd enter a room he'd been in, he knew. He didn't know how he knew, but he did, he could feel her close to him.
"It really is amazing how your other senses have taken over Booth. Hey Parker." She said, a little self conscious of his awareness of her.
"Hey Bones. Daddy said I can get a sundae if I eat all my dinner!" Parker joyously told her.
"Do I get a milkshake if I finish mine?" She said jokingly.
"Only if I get the overflow, I mean I know you can never finish it." Booth said, grinning from ear to ear at how well he knew her.
"Uncle Jared what are you going to get for desert?" Parker asked Jared, who felt as though he was chaperoning a high school date.
"Maybe I'll eat your dad's pie, since he's gonna share a shake with Tem-...Bones." Jared said laughing.
"Did you decide what your getting little man?" Booth asked him.
"Yeah, nuggets and fries, what are you getting daddy?" Parker asked, keeping his eyes on Bones.
"Burger and fries, like always." Booth said, his hand moving slowly across the table towards her.
"What'll it be guys?" The waitress asked cheerfully.
After they ordered and his hand was still on it's own, he moved to pull it back, stunned when she stopped him. Her gentle fingers intertwining with his was more than he'd expected, and it was driving him crazy that he couldn't see her face.
"Are you scared Daddy?" Parker blurted out, ending the silence at their table.
"Just nervous bud. Why are you scared?" Booth asked him softly.
"No, I just want it to work. Mom says that if it does I'll be able to stay with you again. Is that true?" Parker questioned.
"Listen little man, even if it doesn't work you'll be able to stay with me. I'll make sure that happens okay." Booth said, his heart sinking at the thought of it not working.
"Seeley, what's the first thing your gonna wanna see when you get your sight back?" Jared asked.
"There's a few things I can think of, but we'll wait and see what happens." Booth answered, squeezing her hand a little tighter.
"Parker did you have a good day at school?" Bones asked the littlest Booth as he tried to get a rolled up straw paper into his uncle's drink.
"It was boring...but yesterday I made a cool art thing for daddy. Maybe he'll show you someday Bones." Parker said happily.
Their meal went quickly and easily, the four of them oddly at ease with each other. Even though in his mind, he was flailing, his every trick before, the subtlety of little looks here and there was gone, his crystal ball to knowing her was gone. He was struggling, not sure of where they stood, even with the hand holding. He prayed silently that soon things would go back to normal, or even close to normal, because if he had to live his life in the dark for much longer, he would not be able to handle it.