Acknowledgment
Author: wanderingsmith
March 2006
Summary: a talk, Post- Two dead bodies in the lab
Warning: B\B, spoilers 1x15
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I ain't got no money, and nobody'd be daft enough to pay me
for this.
Author's rant: they switched the time!!!!!!!!!!!! I missed the
first half..miooooooooooowwwwwwwwww. <sigh> I only got to
watch from the first hospital scene, and that just because I was
suspicious (great sounding ep... baad luck...). it better show up
on torrents soon!!
AN2: the Mini... rotflol. man did he look like Angel in
those shots.
AN3: the rescue scene...<happy sigh> loved his
leaning into her chest at the last, and lifting her around his
neck<happy happy sigh> sooo waiting to hear Hodgins comment
on the whole thing at some point. though I gotta say, what the
heck was he doing visiting booth in hospital???
Jeffersonian, afternoon, a few days after the ep
Temperance was forcing herself to focus on the skull on her table,
tiredness and the reason for it making it an effort.
"You haven't been sleeping."
The quiet voice made her realize a shadow had appeared on the edge of
her vision. She raised herself quickly from her tabletop-level
crouch, trying to ignore how glad she was to hear him, to see his faint
grin.
"Neither have you." The shadows around his eyes weren't all
bruises and burns.
They both stood still several seconds, eyes itemizing each other,
checking injuries, confirming life; trying to dismiss nightmares.
Finally she cleared her throat, her arms crossing on her chest, "So,
you have a case?"
Booth stepped back and sat down heavily into a chair next to one of the
computers, leaning back and closing his eyes. Sitting was better
than standing today, and he could still hear her breathe from
here. "Cullen has forbidden me to so much as *talk* to anyone
from the FBI."
For a change she managed to hold back the automatic, logical question
of, why was he here then. Her nightmares, his not letting her go
when he found her, the sad, lonely look she caught on his face when she
returned to his room rather than leave on her date, the way she wanted
to go over to him and hold him right now... she was glad he was
there, maybe even enough to admit she'd missed him, if he asked again.
She watched him wince after taking a deep breath, "Are you supposed to
be out of the hospital?"
He smiled, "I was released this morning."
Unable to stay away, she walked over to him, "And I'll bet there was
some mention of your staying home and resting, yes?"
He tilted his head up, following the sound of her voice, ignoring the
flicker of images from the morning's nightmare that were skipping
through the back of his thoughts. "I was bored."
Temperance crouched down, "And you don't find bones boring?" she asked
skeptically.
His grin got wicked, "'Bones' never bored me."
She blinked, one hand unconsciously resting on his knee for
balance. She *knew* he wasn't interested in skeletons...
Booth could imagine the confused look on her face, the one she always
got trying to follow slang. He opened his eyes, staring right
into hers and daring her to misunderstand. Or ask for
clarification.
Her eyes widened suddenly, and he smirked briefly; 'Gotcha,
Bones.'
"Booth," she warned as her eyes narrowed, "why aren't you sleeping?"
His jaw tightened and he looked away. Finding her tied up and
terrified. Knowing very well what would have happened in a matter
of seconds. Bad enough. But, too often, he saw the fridge
explode from the living room, saw her lifeless body, burned and
broken. He preferred seeing himself on that floor.
"Booth." Her hand squeezed his knee gently. The other
reaching for the fist his right hand had made.
"If Hodgins hadn't come by.. or been 3 minutes later..." he took
a slow breath, wishing it could be deeper, keeping his eyes on their
joined hands while he tried to bury the fears down.
"I'm OK," Temperance kept her voice quiet, tried to think of anything
to say or do to help. She held his hand tighter, "Everything
worked out. We're good."
Finally he looked up, hoping his eyes were clear. "Let's talk
about you instead." he saw her cheek twitch and her eyes get
shadowy with pain, "Why can't you sleep?" He was almost surprised
that the experience had bothered her so much; he had a feeling it
wasn't the first time she'd been threatened. Why would this
memory cause pain?
She was quiet for so long, he thought she might ignore the
question. Then her hand lifted from his knee and touched the
large bruise on his temple. "If you hadn't been reaching for that
glass...", her voice was as soft as he'd ever heard it, but there was a
thread of fear in it that caught at him.
She turned away suddenly, walking to the other side of the platform,
staring over the edge, gripping the rail. She hated the
dream. Hated seeing the same film run through her mind again and
again. Knowing how close he came to dying because of
her. Thinking of his sweet little boy never knowing his father's
love again. Of her never getting to see or argue with him again.
He watched her stand still, angry at himself for being glad at the
reason for her nightmares. He knew his words wouldn't help her
any more than hers had him, but he had to say something, "I'll be OK.",
it was an acknowledgment that he knew what was hurting her, nothing
more.
Temperance nodded her head in understanding, "And I *am* OK."
Booth smiled ruefully, "What was it you said, 'What a pair'?", he saw
the hand gripping the rail shaking, "You shouldn't be working,
Temperance. Come on, let's go get some food and just sit
somewhere quiet."
AN4: I'm
only seeing this as aone-shot for now. I have to finish Slow
hands. just couldn't help adding a touch to that ep. why the
heck did they do the whole 'watch the arm' at the end????grrrr, oh
well, compromise, at least she ditched setup boyfriend and stayed with
him.
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