Long, thin, and black. A half-seen, half-sensed object in Booth's peripheral vision tugs every protective instinct he possesses. Time cools to crystal. Bones is propelled behind him-dear, brave, Bones, who gapes at him uncomprehendingly-and the agent wheels, gun coming up.
"Bones, get down!" Short, sharp. He shouldn't have brought her. Too dangerous.
His gun solid in his grip, he aims, bang-
Misses.
His target isn't where he was a moment ago. He is…there!
BangBang! Two guns fire as one. The criminal goes down, bullet to the throat in a brassy gush of fluid. The other bullet is coming at him. Shit.
The instant shatters in a split, spiky microsecond; the metal rips through his flesh. Its cold pain is awful and familiar.
"Booth!" Bones. Her voice is terrified, rasping in the icy air. Warmth slides down his cheek. Why is she crying for him? He's just her partner. She's alive. That's what matters. She-she won't die now. Her face is so close to his. She's hugging him, screaming but he can't hear what. She doesn't have to go to his funeral if she doesn't want to. Bones is beautiful. He opens his mouth to tell her that, tell her he's sorry he broke his promise, that he thinks he's leaving. Again. Say goodbye to…Parker (vision sparking and getting dimmer now)…goodbye to squints and especially Cam (Bones' eyes are glowing brighter than the winter snow-sky) and Jared/Mom even Dad (her white hands are spilling over with lifeblood).
His lips move, her lips move, together mouthing things the other can't quite hear. If they'd just had a little more time, time to learn, time to love-
Blackness swells, and the earth tilts away in a rush of confusion. Warm sapphires are sobbing diamonds that cut away his heart, and soft mahogany waves stretch over his eyelids, easing them gently shut.
Goodbye, Bones.
A.N. I'm really unsure about this piece. It's quite experimental and depressing, and I don't really know why I wrote it. Should I leave it a one-shot, or continue under the assumption it wasn't a fatal shot? Please let me know! Thanks!