Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or any of the movies I mentioned in my summary.

Summary: After an attack Brennan is left in limbo – invisible to the living and also near death – she soon discovers the only person who will be to help her is her partner. B&B and Parker too. Please R&R. Inspired by the movies Ghost, The Invisible, and Just Like Heaven.

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Chapter 1

Friday May 22 – An Unknown location – 1:55 am

Temperance Brennan gasped, well aware of how uncommon a reaction it was of her. She was so tired. Every ounce of energy and strength she possessed had been spent in favor of survival. She was exhausted, but determined nonetheless to push her logical mind past the point of suffering a person could bear. She could fight this. Booth would find her and everything would be alright. If only she could ward off the darkness fighting to overtake her long enough.

She blinked several times in an attempt to clear her sight, but it was of no use. Some kind of warm, sticky liquid kept dripping down her face. Brennan shook her head, blinked some more, and then froze in utter shock. She had blood obscuring her sight.

She slowly tried to move, but she couldn't. It hurt too much. Her head was spinning and the constant drumming seemed to be intensifying every minute. Brennan suddenly cried out as vague memories from just hours ago came rushing back. Memories she didn't want to remember. Maybe if she had just told Booth she wouldn't be in this awful situation. Damn it! She should have called him the moment she found out, but it was almost midnight. She had not wanted to wake him. She cursed again. If she had only been paying attention. If she had only seen them coming.

They had attacked her without warning. The strongest one had hooked an arm around her waist, and covered her mouth with his hand to silence her shrieks. The other two had beaten her senselessly, without mercy. But she was smarter. She remembered kicking the one holding her in the groin, and since he wouldn't release his hold on her, they had both been forced to the ground. The rest was a blur, but she was almost positive that she had taken a savage blow to the side of her head. At least, that would explain the severe gash and her lack of memory.

Brennan couldn't help but grunt as she tried to get up again, but it was of no use. Her entire body felt like it was on fire, and the only thing keeping her alive was her stubbornness. She knew she could easily give up and let the darkness overtake her, but that wasn't her. She would fight this. After all, she couldn't – wouldn't – let Booth down. However, the enduring darkness was just so tempting. It would revive her of all pain and memories of what had happened.

She cursed. She had to stay alive. She had to see Booth one more time... but the pain.

God the pain, it wouldn't stop. Maybe…

Maybe she could let the darkness set in for just a moment. Only for a moment, though. Any longer and she would perish into an endless sleep. For a moment she could forget and the pain would go away. Just for a moment. After all, Booth was the one who had told her everyone breaks eventually; we can't be strong all the time.

Slowly she closed her eyes and let the darkness set in. For a moment she would forget and the pain would go away. But just for a moment. However, when her time was up she forcefully tried to open her eyes, but she found she couldn't. The darkness was overtaking her and she was too tired to fight back. She had never felt so hopeless before. Unable to hold it off any longer, she gave in, letting her mind fade away.

Her memories, pain, and regrets along with it.

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Friday May 22 – Jeffersonian – 10:45 am

Seeley Booth hurried up the steps to the examination tier. He was already late, but a meeting with Mrs. Caldwell had lasted longer than he attended. He knew Bones would be mad at him for not inviting her, but to be honest, he didn't want her there. She just wasn't good with people.

"It's right there!" Hodgins exclaimed, gesturing as if he was currently winning in a game.

Zach stared at the computer screen with a critical look on his face. "I don't see anything. You must be –"

A triumphant smiled appeared on Hodgins face as he cut Zach off, "Face it Zachy Boy. I won. King of the Lab, baby!"

Booth rolled his eyes as he swiped his card, and quickly made his way to where the other squints were standing. He wasn't in the mood for games. In fact, he wasn't in the mood for anything. He just wanted to get this case over and done with.

"No. You can't be King of the Lab. You're wrong."

"Don't you squints have something more important to do?" Booth asked annoyed.

Not wanting to draw any more attention to themselves, Zach and Hodgins scattered in opposite directions.

"Hey, Booth," Angela greeted him cheerfully. "You ok?"

Booth pinched the bridge of his nose, let out a deep sigh, and gestured to skeleton on the table. "I just told Mrs. Caldwell that her husband was murdered."

Angela gave him a look of sympathy, but an amused smile soon replaced it.

"What?"

"That's not what's really bothering you. Is it?"

He almost laughed. He had forgotten Angela wasn't your normal squint. She could read people as well as he could, if not better. He told her in one word, "Rebecca."

"Ah. Ex problems. Tuff luck."

Booth gave her a smile and before she could give him any advice he quickly changed the subject. "So where's Bones?"

Angela's bright smile was immediately replaced with a frown. He could see confusion spread across her delicate features, and if he hadn't been paying attention he wouldn't have seen the hint of worry that flashed before her eyes. "She's not with you?"

"No."

"Then where is she?" Angela questioned.

"Yes," a stern voice spoke from behind. "Where is our Forensic Anthropologist?"

Dr. Camille Saroyan hurried up the steps to the examination tier, in that unnerving way she had of just showing up, without warning. Immediately, any lingering technicians and staff scattered to the four winds, not wishing to draw undirected rage of accidental eye contact. She had already acquired a notorious reputation as a daunting figurehead, during her few months aboard. She tended to run a very tight ship and she took her job very, very seriously.

"People…" Cam began, addressing a small, but decidedly captive audience, consisting of Zach Addy, Angela Montenegro, Dr. Jack Hodgins, and Booth. "There are procedures in place. And they are there for a reason."

"Yes, Ma'am," Zach agreed automatically, without prompting or clarification of the subject matter.

Ignoring the eye roll from Hodgins, she continued, "We all have to follow them. Dr. Brennan included."

"It's not like Brennan's late every day," Angela cut in. "In fact I don't think she has ever been late before."

Cam sighed. "I know, but we still have procedures to follow. She should have been here at nine it is now…" she consulted her wristwatch, "10:46 am. So, does anyone know where she is?"

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Friday May 22 – Jeffersonian – 10:45 am

Brennan abruptly jerked upright to find herself not drowning in the excruciating darkness, but at her office desk. She jerked backwards, surging to her feet, nearly knocking the hard plastic chair over on her way. Her face was sheet white as she pressed both hands against her mouth to stifle the scream that threatened to escape.

It took her moment to calm herself down, and once she did she realized she was safely at the Jeffersonian. She let out a sigh of relief as she examined her skin. No bruises, no cuts; it was her same creamy, snow-white skin. It had just been a nightmare. Nothing more. No one had attacked her. It was just a nightmare.

Brennan sighed, wondering how she could have possibly fallen asleep at work… again. She slowly stretched out her arms. Her rapid breathing was slowly going back to normal, but she had never been so startled before. She knew it was a dream, but it had felt so real. Nevertheless, it was a work day, so she quickly pushed all thoughts of the nightmare away.

Yawning, she walked quickly towards the examination tier, only to find Booth arriving at the same time.

"Hi Booth," she called out to him, but he didn't even acknowledge her. Instead he walked quickly passed her as if she wasn't even there. "Nice to see you too," she muttered.

"It's right there." Hodgins exclaimed, gesturing as if he was currently winning in a game.

Brennan looked over to find Zach staring at the computer screen with a critical look on his face. "I don't see anything. You must be –"

A triumphant smiled appeared on Hodgins face as he cut Zach off, "Face it Zachy Boy. I won. King of the Lab, baby!"

Brennan smiled. As childish as the game was, she found it very amusing. However, work came first and she knew they could play that game later. "Zach, did you –," she began, but was immediately cut off by Booth.

"Don't you squints have something more important to do?"

She scrunched her face in anger. "Booth, are you mad at me?"

No answer.

"Hey, Booth," Angela greeted him cheerfully. "You ok?"

Brennan let out a nervous laugh when she realized that Booth wasn't the only one ignoring her. "What's going on guys?"

Booth let out a deep sigh. "I just told Mrs. Caldwell that her husband was murdered."

"Booth! You told me I could come with you!" Brennan scolded him. Was he really this mad at her? Were they all mad at her? What could she have possibly done to make them ignore her like this?

"What?" Booth asked, as an amused smiled appeared across Angela's face.

"That's not what's really bothering you. Is it?"

Brennan wanted to scream. They had always teased her, but they had never taken it this far before. Maybe they really were mad at her. However, she couldn't think of one explanation of why that might be. "Is this a Joke? It isn't funny," she told them sternly.

"Rebecca," was Booth's reply.

"Ah. Ex problems. Tuff luck."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she turned to Zach. "Zach, what's going on?" But he just continued examining the human skull as if she hadn't even spoken a word. Her eyes burned with fire. Never in her life had she felt so disregarded, invisible. It made her feel like she was fourteen years old again, back in the foster system.

"So where's Bones?"

She turned around sharply and waved her hand in front of his face. "I'm right here." Her mind began to wonder. Maybe this was one of Sweets experiments. Surely that's what it was.

"She's not with you?" came Angela's worried reply.

"No."

"Then where is she?" Angela questioned.

"Yes," a stern voice spoke from behind. "Where is our Forensic Anthropologist?"

"I'm right here," Brennan told them angrily.

But no one seemed to hear her.