Remember Me

Booth was tired. He and Brennan had just finished a particularly difficult case. And if he had to describe it in one word it would be: draining. They had just put two scumbags in jail who were killing innocent girls with poison. Apparently it was something they had created themselves, with no known cure in its wake. What angered Booth the most, was the fact that those two bastards used the term "experiment" to explain their behavior. How much lower could they get? Well, at least they were in jail. They got to them before they could kill another innocent. Booth made his way into his apartment building. Thinking about the case on the ride home made him even more exhausted, if that were possible. He discarded his clothes and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Brennan had had a feeling all week. A feeling where she knew something bad was about to happen. She never really put that much trust into these kinds of "feelings," but this was different. This time, the dreadful feeling was associated with Booth. She kept thinking something bad was going to happen to him. She never really wanted to tell anybody not even Angela because she knew she'd sound completely ridiculous. It's probably nothing, she thought. What are the chances of Booth getting hurt? Well, there was that time with her refrigerator and when he got kidnapped. . . . All right that's it no more thinking about Booth's close encounters with death. She really needed to get some sleep or else she'd be up all night thinking about bad things happening to Booth. Nothing will happen, these feeling were definitely uncalled for. Maybe these feelings she was having were just side effects of their recent case they solved. They did last through the whole investigation. Those lowlifes killing those innocent girls with a poison they created and with no antidote. She had felt an unspeakable fury when they finally figured out what those girls' cause of death was. Using them as "experiments." That was what those men, if they could be called that, used as an excuse. She didn't even have to mention the look in Booth's eyes when he interrogated them. Experiments on humans. They did not deserve to live. People like that shouldn't even exist. But she was confident that they were to receive what they deserved, Booth certainly was and she could too. Yes, that sounded reasonable enough and logical. She got ready for bed, set her alarm clock and tried really hard to sleep. However, sleep didn't come for her until 4 in the morning.

"Johnston"

"They are in prison. What now?"

"Who's responsible?"

"An FBI agent called Seeley Booth and a forensic anthropologist named Temperance Brennan."

"Find out anything there is for you to know about them. When you've done report back here and then you'll be given supplies"

"You want a hit on them both"

"I've wasted more money than you'll see in a lifetime to those two idiots to come up with an untraceable poison to kill my adversaries and if you think for a second I'm just going to sit back and do nothing you are gravely mistaken. Now do what I told you to do and do it quickly." He hung up.

Great. Just great. This is the last thing he needed. He should have put more security on those two to see they discarded all evidence on what they were doing. I'm surrounded by dumbasses. Now he had to deal with these two nuisances before anything could be traced back to him. He figured the case was dealt with, but he took no chances. Loose ends were tied. No exceptions. Especially when those ends had to do with him. He had worked far too long to have everything he had being taken away from him just like that. That agent and doctor were going to pay. But first, he needed to come up with a plan.

2 Days Later

"It's all here"

"Yes. Everything"

"Fine. That box contains all that you'll need. You've had proper sniper training before, correct?"

"Yes"

"Then what you'll do is track them. When you get the chance you'll shoot one of them

wit these bullets" He handed him two green bullets. More like they were glowing green.

"What are these?"

"The poison that those two goons in jail produced, but turned into bullets"

"And why am I shooting only one. I thought you wanted both of them dead"

"At first yes, but that could raise too much suspicion given that they just solved a case. I don't need them investigating. And if its only one, they'll know that they have had at least made a few enemies with each case they solved in the past."

"If you say so"

"Look, I can hire just about anyone to do this job for me and you questioning me might just make me reconsider"

"Sorry"

"You better be with all the money I'm paying you. Now, the one you shoot does not matter. Just pick the one that is the easiest target. When you're done call this number and they'll tell you where to get your money. But understand that they are going to check if you actually did the job. There will be another shadowing you. So if you want the money aim and kill."

He handed him a paper with a number and walked away leaving Smity with a wooden crate alone in the warehouse. He couldn't believe what he was doing. 20 years in the army, fighting for his country and being proud, now killing those who were just like he was before. What had made him take this offer was stupid. He had lost his wife and his kids weren't talking to him. To them he didn't even exist. Out of the rage and disappointment he had entered the mouth of hell. At first to blow off steam, but as he got deeper and deeper into the business of his "boss" he knew this was beyond him and tried to get out. But now he couldn't. He accepted Johnston's lies like some stupid teenager. Being hired as a bodyguard to an important business man turned out to be a personal killing machine to an evil, arrogant bastard. Now he had no choice, but to kill those two kids to keep him from getting him killed. Because he knew that Johnston wouldn't hire anyone else without killing him first for his knowledge.

Same Day at the Jeffersonian

Brennan was tired. Actually that was an understatement. She felt dead. Just like the skeleton before her. This was probably the first time she juts wanted to go home and rest. She knew Booth was standing behind her, watching. She didn't feel like playing games; she was tired and she tended to get annoyed easily.

"You can say hi you know," she told him.

"I know, but it's so much more interesting seeing how you just fully put yourself I your work. You get that face that says "back-off-if-you-know-what's-good-for-you-while-I'm-working-face," he answered.

"It's nothing you haven't seen before Booth, I'm sure," by now she had turned her complete attention to him. Something in his voice made her be in a lighter mood all of a sudden. This wouldn't have happened in the past. Booth had changed her and it was something she slowly has had to come to grips with. But, it didn't bother her anymore. She's learned to liked it. She liked working with Booth and the fact that maybe she was starting to learn to open up and not be so closed all the time.

"Do we have a case?" she asked suddenly realizing, he may have one.

"A case of me being hungry, yeah," he said with that smile of his, "care to join me."

"Didn't it occur to you that I may have been busy while you were there staring at me?"

"Well, is that a skeleton from Limbo?"

"Yes."

"In that case it has waited this long it can wait at least another hour while you eat,because I know you haven't eaten yet."

How does he always know? "Alright, let me get my coat and purse.But just because I'm accepting doesn't mean they need as much identification as any other murder victim you come to me with."

"I know Bones, I know," he says with yet another smile.

Booth felt better knowing that Brennan accepted to go out and get a bite to eat. They didn't have a case so he thought it may be weird for them to go out like this, but in the end it wasn't. It was almost 2 and he knew he may just pass out from being food deprived. He could have gone alone, but he wanted to spend time with Bones. No harm in that. As partners they have solved many cases together. As friends they have endured more than anyone else would care to take. In their line of work any other person would have gone mad. But not them. They held on. If Brennan hadn't been there for him all those times, he would have probably lost it and he knew that maybe, just maybe Bones felt the same way. However, there was another reason why he wanted to go to lunch with her. She had been acting sort of strange, like she was keeping something from him and he with no idea what that was. She was able to get through the case like always but she worked as if at any moment what she was keeping from him might come out and bite her in the ass. He promised himself he'd find out what it was. Hopefully, it was a side effect from the case they had solved and nothing more serious. It didn't matter as long as she got it out so he can help her. She was his partner and that was his job.

Little did Seeley Booth know was that that day may be his last one he got to spend with her.

Booth and Brennan got into his SUV and headed towards the diner. They were driving in complete silence. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it made Booth a bit uneasy. Brennan had a conflicting expression on her face and he wondered not for the fist time since they got in the car, that she was battling some war in her head. As soon as they got to the diner he'd find out what it was that was troubling her. They got to the diner and ordered their food. They sat in their usual spot and sipped their drinks while their food came. Booth took the opportunity to start the conversation.

"So, tell me what's wrong," he started.

"Why would you think something is wrong?" as soon as she answered she knew he had been taking glances at her through the whole car ride so he knew something was going on.

"Come on Bones, I know something is wrong," he knew she was trying to veer him off, but she should know better than that.

"I guess I should know that I cant keep anything from you, huh?"

"You guess right Bones. Now, what's been bothering you. You've been acting this way since we started that case we just finished."

"Its just. . . . . . I've been having this feeling since we started the investigation that something bad was going to happen. I know, I know I sound incredibly stupid. It's totally unlike me."

"No, no Bones don't think that way. You're not stupid. But do you have any reason to believe something is going to happen."

"See, that's the point. There is absolutely nothing to be worried about. But when we were driving over here that feeling of complete dread just intensified."

"Intensified?"

"Yes and I can't explain it."

"Do you think something bad will happen to someone or that just something will happen?" Booth asked.

Brennan avoided his gaze. How could she tell him that he felt something bad will happen to him when there wasn't any reason to feel like that. Booth noticed this and pressed her.

"Bones?"

"I. . . . . you."

"Me?" Booth said surprised.

"I keep thinking something bad will happen to you and it won't go away. This is completely irrational when I know you can take care of yourself."

"Have you told anyone else?"

"No just you."

"Not even Angela?"

"I'm pretty sure she noticed my behavior, but didn't really ask me and I didn't want to tell her because I knew it was silly, even though she might have understood in the end. Plus, she had her own problems to deal with without me having to dump my issues on her. She was going away for a while with Hodgins anyway, why worry her."

"Well. . . ." Booth was at a complete loss at what to say for the first time. Brennan seemed to be worrying about him. He felt good that she cared for him, but did not want her to be scared for him. He knew he could just tell her nothing will happen, but you never knew. But he'd reassure her anyway. He wasn't planning on getting himself hurt or killed any time soon after all those previous incidents he's been in the past.

"Look Bones, don't worry. Nothing bad will happen. I'm not planning on anyone getting the best of me yet. It didn't happen then and it sure as hell won't happen now ok I promise"

"I know, I shouldn't have gotten carried away like that."

"It happens. You know what they say about women and their 6th sense."

"Now that, it something completely irrational."

"Whatever you say Bones." As soon as he'd said that their food came and they started eating.

When both had finished their dessert they paid the tab and started to head out. Not aware that a trained sniper had already spotted its target and was now ready to shoot when the opportunity presented itself.

"Hey Bones, you feeling better about what we talked about?" Booth had to know if she was feeling better. He wouldn't be able to carry on the day if he knew that Brennan was at the Jeffersonian worrying about him. He'd feel too guilty.

"Yeah. I was just being paranoid. I'm sorry if I made you worry too." Brennan responded touched with Booth's concern.

"No, no not all. It's just I wouldn't want you think about stuff that may not happen having to do with me. I shouldn't be a load on your shoulders."

"I'm fine now Booth. But I would like to get back to work."

"Oh. . . . yeah, sorry. Guy hug?" Booth asked with arms wide open.

Brennan just nodded and smiled. Laughing lightly as Booth had a huge grin on his face. As Brennan was getting her hug, Booth noticed movement on a corner in a rooftop of one of the surrounding buildings. Booth squinted to see what it was and gasped. It was a man with what clearly looked like a sniper rifle. Worst yet, it was aiming it at Bones.

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Brennan heard Booth shout and was about to let go of him and turn around, but he wouldn't let her. Booth spun them around and a shot was heard. Everyone within the shot's hearing range screamed and got down on the floor. Brennan knew that that shot was meant for her. The way Booth shouted and spun them around was enough evidence.

"Booth?"

He didn't answer. His legs gave out and Brennan slid down to the ground with him.