"No sleep today can't even rest when the sun's down, no time does not know and nobody's watching you now. When we were children we'd play out in the streets just tempting fate when we were children we'd say that we don't know the meaning of fear, fear, fear...we don't know the meaning of fear…
Wish I didn't know the meaning of…"
Fear by OneRepublic
Booth watched as the cheap plastic clock that hung on the wall changed from six to six o' one. Her time had come and gone. He figured time was punishing him. He had wasted enough of it. It was now seven a.m. He needed to call Angela.
"Ashley I get'ah bigger pancakes, okay? Cause I'm bigger and my birthday is soon." Piper explained to her friend that sat beside her at the table in the kitchenette. Her birthday was next month.
"Dat means my birfday is soon too!" Ashley said knowing Piper and she usually celebrated their birthdays together. Piper's birthday was in April, Ash's was in May. It was easy to knock two birds out with one stone and just have one big party.
Angela glanced at the girls and smiled then looked to Hodgins.
"Babe?" Hodgins called out to his wife.
"Hhmm?" Angela looked up to her husband a smile on her face thinking of the nearing three and four year old and what kind of party she and Bren would throw for them. Though, he looked like he had seen a ghost. Oh God. What was wrong?
"Brennan's in the hospital. She was in a bad car accident." Hodgins said and Angela's mouth dropped open, time stood still.
Piper looked up to Angela. "Mommy is Auntie Bren is in the hospital like Auntie Han and Ash was? Will she hafa need surgery like Ash? " she asked bringing Angela out of her shocked state.
Angela looked down at the two girls. Piper was curious, but Ashley's face was whiter than Hodgins as she burst out into tears. "NO! NO! I don't want hew to be in the hospital! I want Auntie Bwen! I want my Auntie Bwen! Mommy! Daddy! I want my Mommy! Auntie..." Ashley cried.
In her mind a hospital is where big people died. Accidents were not good things, accidents killed people. Ashley was young, too young to already know what the fear in Hodgins' voice meant. Too young to know how bad things could turn out. Though, she did.
Angela shared a glance with Hodgins shocked. Ashley found herself in Angela's embrace as tears streamed down her face. Angela held tight not knowing if she was calling out for Hannah, Brennan or both as she screamed the word mommy.
"She will be fine baby, sshhh it will be okay Ash." Angela comforted Ash then looked up to Hodgins mouthing 'How bad?'
He mouthed 'Coma' and Angela closed her eyes wrapping her arms tighter around the little girl whose arms were wrapped tightly around her neck. Piper withdrew into herself and quietly stared at Ash and her mother. She looked up to her daddy trying to gage his emotions. He looked upset too. Ashley's abnormal outburst frightened her.
"I'll go. You stay with the girls." Hodgins said to Angela who had Ash on her hip, the little girls head buried into her shoulder.
Angela nodded, but Ashley looked up, "Where is you going Hodgie? Is you going to see Auntie Bwen? Where is my Daddy? I want my Daddy." Ash sniffled.
"I will be right back Munk. I will see you later, okay?" Hodgins said and Angela looked at the little girl.
"NO! Cuz Ange said mommy would see me later too." Ashley stated, knowing obviously later never came. Hodgins and Angela frowned at each other and Angela mouthed 'go'. As Hodgins left he heard Ashley's ear piercing screams. Piper hadn't moved from the table but stared wide eyed at her friend and mother. Piper still didn't know what was going on except her Auntie Bren was in the hospital.
"MOMMY! NO! NO! I Say my R's good I p-pr-omise! Auntie Bwen! I want my Auntie Bwen! I want my Daddy! NO! NO! HODGIE NO! Stay with me! Daddy!" Ashley was confused and starting to hyperventilate she was crying so hard.
Angela had wondered if the little girl would ever have a meltdown. She just never thought that another car accident would be the trigger. Now everything was coming back to her full force.
God, if anything happened to Bren? Angela didn't know if Ashley could handle another person she loved leaving her. How the hell would she explain Brennan was just asleep? That she wasn't dead? Ashley wouldn't be able to comprehend that. Angela sighed and brushed Ashley's recently cut bangs back kissing her temple.
"SShhh, baby SShhh…" she swayed back and forth as Piper sat motionless, her pancakes untouched.