"The Man in the Hospital" - Chapter 3
Title: The Man in the Hospital
Author: Shannon - shannyfish
Disclaimer: I do not own “Bones” or its characters, Fox does. This is merely for entertainment purposes only.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Pick up from the Season Four Finale - plain and simple.
Warning: Severe spoilers for “The End of the Beginning” - Season Four Finale episode! You have been warned!
Chapter 3 - “Life On Hold”
Author’s Note: Since I like the grad student - Wendell Bray - the one who played hockey with Booth and was the bouncer in the finale, I’m using him in this fic...FYI
chapter 3 - “missing” by evanescence
*~*~*
Jeffersonian Institute
“You’re going alone?” Wendell Bray asked.
She didn’t understand why it was so important that she was going alone. She had gone on trips before; it wasn’t like this was a new thing. Of course, the only reason she was leaving was because she couldn’t currently function there and do her job properly with Booth in his current state. Brennan had intended to previously travel to Peru; this was just an opportunity to finally take that trip.
Booth.
Her head dropped for a moment as she forced herself to keep the smile on her face. It seemed to make things easier if she remained happy and smiley rather than miserable. Being miserable wouldn’t get her anywhere at the moment. She needed to get done what she’d set out to do at the Jeffersonian and then return home to pack.
“Yes,” she said and stared at him for a long moment before continuing. “I assume that you will be able to assist Doctor Edison in my absence,” Brennan said.
“Maybe I should assist you in your travels,” Wendell offered. “I do know how to shoot a gun. I could also assist you in identifying remains.”
Brennan frowned, she was starting to think that the world had reverted to one in which women were thought to be inferior. Obviously, Mr. Bray was not apprised to the fact that she did know how to use a gun, though the one she’d bought had been too large for her. Perhaps she needed to buy another one, this time one closer to Booth’s weapon.
Booth.
Keep the smile.
“Who said anything about identifying remains?” Brennan asked.
She watched him. Booth and Angela were still better at body language than she was, but she was trying. Brennan figured that observation was the best method of trying to keep a handle on it. Bray didn’t seem to be up to anything, have any ulterior motives, though she did believe that he was concerned for her well being. He reminded her a bit of Booth.
Booth.
Wrap it up, so that you can leave. Keep the smile.
“I asked Ms. Montenegro why you were leaving, she said that you were supposed to go for Christmas to identify remains a few years ago,” Wendell told her. “Though, I thought it was because of Agent Booth.”
Booth.
Keep the smile in place.
She felt like turning and leaving. She couldn’t do that. Not in good conscious. Not only would it give Wendell the idea that he was right, even though he was. It was also give worry to those she considered friends at the Jeffersonian. Someone would go after her or try to go along with her. She didn’t think anyone really wanted to do that.
“I am going to identify remains,” Brennan admitted.
“Look, I’m not looking to be paid or anything. I have money saved for a trip. Let me help you,” Bray told her.
Purposefully, she had kept from trying to really know her grad students. She was looking for an assistant, not for another friend. She loved Zack...and she didn’t think she could deal with such a loss again. Bray was the one grad student who had come the closest to being a friend to her and Booth. It was hard for her to tell him to stay out of her business. After all, he’d gone above and beyond his position in order to assist them. Booth liked him.
Booth.
She let her head drop.
“I will be fine, Mr. Bray,” she finally said. She looked back up to him. “Though, I do appreciate your concern. I’ll be checking in with Angela daily.”
Bray nodded and then just stood in place as she walked away from him. Tears started to fall once her back was turned. She continued to her office to pack up a few things. At least in there she’d have some solace. It wasn’t just some packing she needed to do, she’d also intended on leaving a few notes...just in case.
A note for Angela because she knew that her friend would visit her office in her absence.
A note for her father, just in case something were to happen to her. She also made sure to write something for Russ.
A note for Booth. Just in case he remembered.
She hoped he remembered. To have that letter be opened. She’d pour her heart into it. Sharing with him all the joy she had felt and all the pain she currently was filled with. Her hope for him to be well. Her hope that they could be together...to have their family. That note, was tucked at the bottom of the pile.
*~*~*
En Route to Peru
She was flying from Washington D.C. to Lima, Peru. She had one stop in Atlanta, Georgia. Brennan had booked the flight as a one way. She didn’t know when she’d be returning just yet and it was a nice feeling to feel free...to not be burdened down by a date to return. She felt sadness though as well, like she had lost something...
Brennan stared out the window at the clouds. They’d be arriving Georgia soon enough. She’d pick up lunch before getting onto the final plane. She had brought all kinds of things to do, but nothing seemed to keep her interest. Her mind wandered. It wandered to a place she didn’t want to think about. Booth.
She knew it was only natural. She and Booth had been together it seemed for everyday for many years now...and now she was without him. It was hard. It was harder that he didn’t remember. At least if he just didn’t love her, it would hurt but then she could move on with her life. She felt like her life was on hold.
On hold.
Possibly never to resume again.
Though, maybe it was just that she’d backtracked. Like her life before Booth. She stared down at her hands. Brennan wasn’t sure what she was going to do in Peru. She’d offer her services if needed, but she also wouldn’t mind just getting lost in the history. Peru offered a lot of culture that both lived and still remained. Though she was more interested in the culture that still survived, that peeked out from under centuries of vegetation.
She’d picked up some information packets in the store at the airport before getting on. They were more of tourist guides, but she felt like maybe she’d try being a tourist this time around. There had to be something to it. Millions of people did it every day.
Machu Picchu.
That’s where she’d go.
There were opportunities to hike in different areas with all different experience levels. There was a grand hotel, which she’d knew Booth would cringe at the price per night and there was also camping available. It gave her a lot of options and a lot of things to think about on the flight.
Booth.
It was a place that she wouldn’t mind sharing with him. It was beautiful. There was so much culture. There was just so much. It was an adventure. Yes, she knew that he’d label it an adventure.
Her heart ached at the thought. There was so much sadness at the thought of Booth. She felt guilty and extremely sad at the same time. How sad was it to think of someone she loved so much and to feel so sad about it? She found that it was so wrong, but couldn’t help it. Booth wasn’t the same. If she’d offered for him to come along on the trip, it wouldn’t be right, he wouldn’t be the same. It would be wrong.
It was already wrong.
Booth would have been very wary of her leaving the country on her own. He’d insisted on stricter check-in times than she’d arranged with Angela. He’d most likely have found a way to make it so that he was “needed” in Peru. Some FBI training thing that ended up being called off after he was already in Peru and then just having to go along with her.
She smiled sadly. Tucking the brochures and book away, she lay back in her seat and tried to relax. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on Peru. Booth kept popping into her head, though. His smile and his jokes that didn’t make sense to her. His pop culture references, only ten percent of which she got. It would have been fun, she realized. She missed him terribly, her Booth.
The Booth that would do anything for her. That’s who she missed. Her best friend, well her best guy friend. Angela said that he was her other half. He was. He was the emotional part of her. The part of her that was good with people.
She missed that part of herself...
*~*~*
TBC...