In The Blink Of An Eye Chapter 2, a bones fanfic

In the Blink of An Eye

By LizD

Winter 2011

Chapter 2

In the blink of an eye, Brennan's world changed.

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For Brennan since before the holidays, the situation was normal, better than. Things were fine, things were good, things (whatever things actually meant) were as they should be. After that rainy night her world righted itself and it didn't take the expected three days. She was no longer sad, she was (dare she think it?) hopeful. If she could love Booth, if she could desire a long term relationship with anyone, then she was ready to open her heart and take a chance. She was prepared to risk pain to find joy; that was huge for Brennan. She had to appreciate that Booth was instrumental in getting her to that revelation, and she was grateful to him. She considered him a friend and a partner and was happy for him that he had found someone with whom he could share his life. He wanted that, needed that kind of love in his life more than she did, but her turn would come as long as she was ready for it. Next time she would be and she knew there would be a next time, she just didn't know who that would be.

She noticed that Booth was awkward around her, but she didn't question it. She noticed that they didn't talk much anymore, but didn't question it. It was what it was. She wasn't avoiding him and she didn't believe that he was avoiding her. She stayed as constant as she could - albeit less invested. She wouldn't rely on Booth they way she did before; it wasn't fair to him it certainly wasn't fair to her. He shouldn't be, couldn't be, wouldn't be her surrogate mate anymore. She had known that before, but she really hadn't changed her behavior. She needed to do that. She needed to give him the freedom to do what he needed to do for himself. She would have the same freedom. It would free them up to be partners again - work partners - like they used to be.

It was true that she took more of her meals alone, worked in her office alone, spent more time alone; but she didn't feel alone, nor did she feel lonely. She spent time with Angela, her father, her brother and his family. She had a number of projects that she had been putting off due to her workload with the FBI that she finally had an opportunity to resume. She started another book and was deep in the research for that. Her research had led her to contact an Archeologist from Ireland, Ian O'Dwyer. They started communicating via email several times a week and they seemed to have a great deal to talk about. Other than his work, she knew little about him, but maybe next time she wrote, she would ask. Maybe not. Maybe she would save all non research related questions for when they met in person. That was in the planning stages for when the weather got better in Ireland – spring, early summer. In the end, she was fine. She was happy … to be more precise, she was content ... and hopeful.

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So nearly five weeks after that realization, it finally seemed that she and Booth would resume their partnership without all the awkwardness. Booth seemed to be more playful with her than he had been in months. He was calling her Bones again (he had stopped that after that night in the rain). He was smiling at her again. He was easy. He had that sparkle in his eye that implied that he was happy to see her. It had been a long time since she had seen that, since before she went to Maluku. She surmised that it had little to do with her and concluded that it must have to do with Booth's general state of happiness. In any event, she was glad that the awkwardness was gone. She was happy about that. She had missed him; missed him for a long time.

They had been called to another crime scene and were instructed that this one take priority due to the sensitive nature of the driver of the smaller car. Brennan hated that kind of preferential treatment. She typically ignored it. All victims needed her one hundred percent attention (at least while she was working on their case). She had voiced that rather loudly in the car ride over. It was actually nice to be debating a case point again rather than avoiding personal subjects.

They had been there for about an hour. Booth was nagging her for preliminary information as he typically did. She looked up at him from her crouched position about to repeat for the umpteenth time that she would not offer an opinion until she had all the facts. She was formulating the words when his phone rang. He gestured for her to wait. She watched as the color in his face drained away. His breathing became erratic. His eyes stayed fixed on hers, but it was obvious that he had stopped seeing her. Then he blinked and looked away. Brennan stood up and stepped toward him. He reactively stepped back. Brennan waited. Then he snapped his phone shut and remained silent. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but she wasn't sure how he would react. She wanted to ask what had happened, but allowed him to find his own voice.

He finally looked up at her. His eyes were red and wet. "Rebecca is dead," he stated.

Brennan was speechless. Cam and Hodgins were watching but couldn't hear what was going on. The body language told them that whatever it was it was serious.

He hesitated. "I need to get to Parker," his voice was full of pain and he was clearly confused about what to do as if he had forgotten how to walk, move, act. He was looking around as if for something that would tell him what he should do.

Brennan felt the overpowering need to help him, protect him, comfort him. A year ago it would have been natural, now was she was unsure of her place, but the pain in his eyes was tangible. She needed to do something. She pulled off her latex glove and reached out and grasped his arm. He didn't pull away.

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Booth looked back up into her eyes; she felt his pain, his loss, his confusion. "Rebecca is dead," he repeated as if saying it again would finally get it to register.

"How?" Brennan asked but it didn't matter.

"Epidural hematoma?" he said as if asking what it meant. "She tripped down some stairs at work yesterday and hit her head. She refused to go to the hospital." He looked back up at Brennan. "She's dead."

"I'm sorry," Brennan said resisting the urge to explain what an epidural hematoma was.

"I need to get to Parker," he restated. He turned and started for the SUV.

Brennan gave a quick glance at Cam who had been witnessing the entire exchange but still didn't know what was going on. Cam nodded once. Brennan ran after him stripping off her jumpsuit.

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Booth attempted to walk around to the driver's side but Brennan directed him to the passenger's. He took her direction well - surprisingly.

"You aren't supposed to be driving an FBI vehicle," he commented when she gunned the engine, but really didn't care.

"You can arrest me later," she said flatly probably meaning it. "Is Parker in school today?"

"Yes," Booth answered quickly. Then he looked over at her in terror. "I think he is. I mean he should be. I talked to him this morning -." Booth dropped off remembering the conversation with Parker. He rubbed his hands over his face. "He said his mother had a headache and asked if I could pick him up today because she was not going to work." He looked away. "What do I say to him?" he asked rhetorically. "I have notified more than a few families, but -."

"Booth, this is not a notification. This is a father telling his son that his mother has died."

He looked at her. She continued to glance between him and the road. "What do I say?" he pleaded.

Brennan shook her head. Her only experience with the loss of a parent was when Russ and she were forced to accept that their parents weren't coming home. No one came. No one said anything. There was nothing definite. She remembered wishing that someone had come. That someone had an answer. That someone would tell her what happened even if they were dead. Not knowing was so much worse - it had to be. "You tell him the truth," she said evenly.

It was simple advice, but it was real. It was what Booth needed to hear.

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Brennan pulled into the school parking lot. She told him to wait by the car. She ran into the administration office and explained the situation. They started to question her authority, her relationship to Parker and Rebecca Stinton. She shut them down quickly and decisively. She told them to pull Parker out of class. The vice principal stepped in, offered her office and left immediately to go get Parker. Brennan ran back out and waved Booth inside. He followed her instructions.

He paced for a moment in the principal's office. Brennan touched his arm. He again turned his gaze on her. It seemed to calm him, ground him, steady him. She slid her hand down his arm and laced her fingers through his and pressed. His eyes softened. She wanted to give him her strength and he seemed to take it. She nodded for him to sit down. He did and took several deep breaths. She slowly pulled her hand from his and left to meet Parker in the hall.

Parker, bright eyed and happy to be getting out of class, came around the corner with the vice principal. He took one look at Brennan and his glee faded. "Dr. Bones?" he asked. His first thought must have been that something had happened to his father.

She directed him in to the office and stepped out. She watched as Booth told his son that Rebecca was dead. Parker had a lot of questions. Booth had limited answers. Parker kept asking becoming more agitated. Booth shook his head not knowing how to answer. Parker started to cry. Booth wrapped him up in his arms and cried with him. Brennan's heart broke for them. It seemed like a long time before they were able to speak again. Brennan kept a watchful eye on the pair protecting their privacy. Parker asked another question and Booth was able to nod. He wiped the boy's eyes and his own, and stood up. Taking Parker's hand he led him out of the office.

Parker looked up in to Brennan's face. Brennan didn't know what to say, but her expression showed how sorry she was for him. Parker put his arms up and Brennan leaned down to hug him. He clung to her very tightly. It scared her a little but she didn't let go. She held on to the boy tightly.

"I'm taking him home," Booth announced to whoever was listening. It was followed with a number of mumbled apologies about the loss. He put his hand on the boy's head and Parker finally let go of Brennan.

Brennan's eyes were wet now too. She looked up into Booth's face and was sorry. Sorry for Parker. Sorry for Booth. Sorry for Rebecca, though her suffering was now over. Sorry for being weak. She wanted to be strong for him. He gave her a sad smile and she returned it. He slid his hand down to Parker's shoulder and directed him to the SUV.

Brennan trailed after them. Her mind started spinning to what would come next and how this fractured family would put the remaining pieces of their lives back together. She knew that their lives would never be the same, and was beginning to appreciate that hers would also be affected. She wanted to help. She thought of her own loss and her heart broke all over again for Parker. No child should have to lose a parent so young. Booth had lost his mother when he was young too. He never talked about it, never talked about her. Brennan had to think that there was a lot of pain around that for him even at this stage in his life. He would have to draw on that to help Parker; Brennan wondered how Booth would handle that.

Booth and Parker shared a private look. Brennan felt like an intruder. She shouldn't be there. It wasn't her place. Maybe she had done enough. Maybe she should just slip away. Parker looked back at her and put out his other hand for her to take. She stepped up and took it. Booth looked over at her and nodded. Whatever her role was with this family, she had it and they were grateful for her presence in their lives particularly at this difficult time.

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A/N: Thank you all for your comments and alerts. I hope your faith in me and this story is rewarded.