(The Hole in the Heart)

I don't own Bones.

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The next few days were nerve racking for everyone involved. Brodsky had finally made his move and to the surprise of everyone working on his case, he had tried to assassinate Booth at the Jeffersonian. Much to everyone in the Lab's dismay and horror, Brodsky had called Booth on a phone he had left at Paula Ashwaldt's gravesite and expecting the Agent to answer it, he had shot through the glass ceiling above the platform at the person holding the phone. Unfortunately for Vincent Nigel-Murray he had answered the phone for Booth and he died. Brodsky had failed in his attempt to kill his enemy, but he had killed Brennan's intern.

Horrified, Brennan had watched Vincent die from massive blood loss while Booth pressed his hands against the young man's chest. Once her intern was dead, she tried to assure Booth that she didn't blame him for Vincent's death. She knew her partner and she didn't want him to blame himself for something Brodsky had done.

Slowly nodding his head, Booth cleared his throat and called Harris to let him know that Brodsky had killed someone else and an APB needed to be sent out as soon a possible. "I don't know how he did this, but the shot came from above the Lab. Start looking for something higher than the Jeffersonian. He's probably gone by now, but we have to start the search somewhere." Once the call was finished, Booth glanced at his partner then back at the body of the intern. "Brodsky did this and he will pay. Vincent is his last victim . . . I'm going to make sure of that."

Moving closer towards her partner, Brennan placed her hand on his arm above his bloody hand. "Yes, you are more than a match for Brodsky. He failed to kill . . . he failed to kill you and you will now kill him."

"Yeah . . . he's a dead man walking." Booth shook his head. "I'm sorry, Bones. I'm sorry it was Vincent." He didn't finish the sentence. He could have easily given the phone to Brennan and he would be forever grateful that she hadn't been close enough for him to hand the phone to.

Though she was sad that her intern was dead, she was grateful that the man lying on the platform wasn't Booth. "Don't Booth . . . This isn't your fault and no one will blame you for something Brodsky did. You will get justice for Mr. Nigel-Murray. I am confident that will happen."

Standing, Booth looked at his hands and knew he needed to wash up before he left the Lab. "I've got to get back to the Hoover. I'm going to light a fire under everyone at the Hoover and at Metro . . . It's time to bring Brodsky down. He's done enough damage."

Cam was now on the platform and was staring in horror at the sight of Vincent lying in a pool of blood and Booth's bloody hands a testament to his effort to save the young man. "Oh God. I was in the breakroom drinking coffee and I got down here as fast as I could. Hodgins and Angela just got back and . . . We didn't know what was going on . . . Hodgins ran to the entrance to guide the paramedics in to this area when we heard Dr. Brennan call for someone to call 911."

Turning to face Cam and the security guard standing next to her, Booth nodded his head. "You need to get someone to fix the roof as soon as possible . . . It's supposed to rain tomorrow." With nothing else to say, he walked past his friend, down the steps and walked over to the men's restroom. He needed to clean his hands and get to the Hoover as soon as possible. There was blood on his clothes, but he would have to ignore it for now. He didn't have time to go home and change clothes.

After staring at Vincent for a few moments, Cam finally turned her gaze towards the damaged ceiling above her and sighed. This was a nightmare come true.

Ooooooooooooo

That evening, while they lay in bed Booth held Brennan in his arms while she cried. "I know it's not fair that Vincent died, Bones, but this was Brodsky's doing. Every law enforcement agency in Virginia and Maryland are looking for him. Metro Police and the FBI are looking into every lead called in. We are going to find him. He's not going to kill anyone else if I can help it."

"Vincent . . . Vincent said don't make me leave . . . I don't understand why he thought I didn't want him to stay . . . Don't make me leave . . . I . . . Don't make me leave. I don't understand why he thought I was making him leave." Brennan was horrified that her intern felt she had wanted him leave this plane of existence. She didn't understand why he'd said that to her.

"Bones . . . Look, he wasn't talking to you." Worried, Booth knew he needed to help Brennan get through this mess.

"He was talking to me, not you. He wasn't talking to you . . . He said don't make me leave." Brennan wiped her hand against her damp cheeks and continued to weep.

Not sure how to get through to her, Booth knew he had to try. "Bones . . . He wasn't talking to you. He was talking to God. He didn't want to go. He wasn't ready yet."

Shaking her head, Brennan didn't think that was true. "He was an atheist like I am. He didn't believe in God."

"Bones . . . He was talking to the universe. I've seen what happened to Vincent many times when I was in the Army . . . In Afghanistan and Iraq. It doesn't matter if you believe in God or not. When you're dying . . . when it's time to leave and you're not ready then you try to make deals with the universe. You ask to stay, but sometimes that can't happen. Vincent couldn't stay even though he didn't want to leave. He wasn't ready . . . He was a young man and he just wasn't ready."

What her partner said made sense and Brennan finally nodded her head. "Booth, I need you to hold me."

"I am, Bones." He tightened his arms around her. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I need to feel you, Booth." She wiped the tears from her face once more. "I need to feel your body, Booth. I need you."

Slowly nodding his head, Booth knew she wanted to make love. She needed to feel alive and he was going to help her. "Yes, yes I understand . . . I love you, Bones."

"I know you do." Brennan moved so that she was now straddling his hips. "Brodsky planned to kill you, Booth . . . I need to feel you."

"I'm here." His hands on her hips, he smiled a sad smile. "I'm not leaving you. I love you."

ooooooooooooo

The search for Brodsky ended in the Port in Wilmington. Booth had been tempted to put a bullet through Brodsky's head, but at the last moment he shot him in the leg ending the assassin's reign of terror. Once Brodsky was delivered to the hospital, Booth arranged for two agents to guard the murderer until he could be transferred to a jail cell and left to return to the Hoover. Before meeting with Caroline and the Deputy Director, he called Brennan. "Hey . . . you know I'm okay? Harris said he called you."

Yes, he called me. I'm glad you're not hurt.

"Yeah, me too . . . Look, I have some meetings I have to take care of but as soon as I can, I'm coming over to the Jeffersonian . . . Are you okay? Do you need me to bring you anything?" His gaze moved towards his doorway and noticed Harris standing there pointing at his watch.

No, I'm fine. I will be happy to see you. Cam has maintenance people on the roof placing tarps across the opening in the ceiling. She needs to call someone to see about replacing that section of the roof, but that will take time.

"Yeah, thank God that glass was tempered glass. Regular glass would have shredded everyone on the platform . . . I really am fine, Bones, so there's nothing to worry about." Booth waved at Harris then turned his back to face the wall behind his desk. "Brodsky is in the hospital . . . I kind of shot him in the leg. He's lucky I didn't kill him the sorry bastard . . . Anyway, I should be there in a couple of hours." Booth glanced at his watch and knew he had to end the call. "I got to go. Caroline gives me the evil eye if I show up late for meetings with her and Harris is bugging me right now."

Go to your meetings, Booth. I'll wait here for your return.

The call ended, Booth wished he could check on Brennan but he knew he had a job to do and the people at the Lab were there if Brennan needed help for any reason. Turning to face Harris, Booth scowled. "Stop being a pain in the ass. I'm coming."

Ignoring Booth's comment, Harris turned and walked over to the elevator. As Booth joined him, he hit the up button. "Lester called and said that Brodsky is in surgery right now."

"Good . . . He's lucky I just shot him in the leg." Booth didn't regret wounding his enemy instead of killing him. After all he wasn't a killer like Brodsky was.

"Yeah." Harris checked his watch as the elevator door opened. "It sure would have saved the taxpayers a lot of money though."

Following Harris into the elevator car, Booth sighed. "It wouldn't have been worth all the paperwork I would have had to fill out."

Oooooooooooooo

Entering the Lab, Booth waved at Cam as he walked towards Brennan's office. Once he was standing in the doorway, Booth noticed his partner sitting on the couch, her eyes closed. "Bones."

Relieved that Booth had finally arrived, Brennan stood up and faced her lover. "Booth." Moving quickly, she moved into his waiting arms and placed her arms around his chest. "Booth."

"I'm fine, Bones." Leaning down, he kissed her and smiled. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sad that Mr. Nigel-Murray is dead . . . That bullet was meant for you, Booth. Brodsky meant to kill you." Tears in her eyes, Brennan shook her head then kissed her partner.

Returning her kiss, Booth knew that this could have turned out worse for both of them. He could be dead or Brennan could have been the one to die. Thank God that hadn't happened. "Vincent was collateral damage and I'm sorry that happened." But he wasn't sorry that Brennan was safe. "Do you want to go home?"

Slowly nodding her head, Brennan needed to be with Booth and she needed to do that as soon as possible. "Yes, I wish to make love to you . . . I . . ."

"Whatever you want, Bones." Stepping back, he took her hand in his and smiled at her. "Whatever you want."

Once she had her lab coat off and her purse strap over her shoulder, Brennan placed her arm around her partner's arm and left her office with him. She planned to show Booth just how much she loved him when they got home. Brodsky was captured and Booth was safe. That was all that mattered to her at the moment. Booth was safe and her baby would know its father.

Ooooooooooo

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