It's a nightmare no one should ever have to endure. Fear was ever present, like a thick fog that surrounded you. There had never been a time when she had been so frightened and afraid that death would come for her. Not even when she had suffered abuse in the foster system did she feel so desolate. She tried to focus on something that would keep her will to live alive. The pain was almost unbearable as she lay gasping for breath and praying for a rescue that she was uncertain would come.

Temperance waited and prayed that her attacker had finally left, even though it could mean her death. She hoped for and would welcome death after what she had suffered. Knowing the beating might start again had her begging for darkness to engulf her and bring her peace. Minutes, hours, or days may have passed since she was taken, but was certain it had been long enough for someone to recognize her absence.

She remembered leaving work after the long case that she and Booth had worked tirelessly on. She also remembered that she had never made it to her apartment because her attacker had come up behind her before having reached her car. In the dark room, however, she was unable to see the rising or setting of the sun and she had lost track of time. She remembered being tied and gagged and beaten. It was obvious to her that she had broken ribs and other serious injuries but the humiliation she endured had been the worst. If she did live, she knew that her life would never be the same. Nothing she had ever experience had prepared her to deal with the level of degradation and violation she had been forced to undergo.

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"Where is she? I'm looking for Temperance Brennan. She was brought in by ambulance." Booth was beside himself as he entered the emergency room and approached the nurse behind the desk.

"Sir, calm down. How can I help you," she said patiently.

"I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and I was called from this hospital and told that Temperance Brennan had been admitted in serious condition." Booth had never felt such an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. It took him several minutes to realize that what he was feeling was pure fear. Fear for his partner, fear for what happened to her, and fear for himself if he lost her.

"The team is working on her now. There isn't much I can tell you at the moment except she is in stable condition," the nurse was using her most patient voice in order to attempt to console him.

"What happened to her? Who found her?" He demanded.

"She was brought in by ambulance but I don't know who made the call. I will be able to tell you more when the doctors are finished with her," she answered as patiently as possible.

"I need to see her and speak to the doctor. This needs to be treated like a crime scene. We have to try and collect whatever evidence we can."

"I understand. The protocol for this type of case is being followed. There are two detectives here gathering evidence. I will advise the doctor and the detective that the F.B.I. is interested in this case as well." He watched the nurse exit her station and disappear through the double doors leaving him to stare after her.

Booth didn't know what to do first. He thought for a moment then took out his cell phone and called Angela. He was certain Bones' best friend would want to be notified, though there wasn't much he would be able to tell her. Booth dialed her number and waited for Angela to pick up.

"Hello, this is Angela. I can't get the phone so leave a message." He did a brief message telling her it was urgent that she get in contact with him. Frustrated that he was unable to reach Angela, he decided to contact the Bureau in order to get them involved. He phoned Cullen and told him what he knew, which wasn't that much.

"Do you know where she was found?"

"No sir. I haven't been able to glean any of the details about what happened to her. I only arrived at the hospital about twenty minutes ago and I haven't had the chance to speak with the doctors yet. I can only assume it is serious because they refuse to let me see her, saying only that she is stable but that a team is working on her." Booth was pacing in the waiting room, uncaring that people were staring at him.

"We'll send a few agents over to the hospital to see if they will be able to get some information from the attending. There isn't much I can do at this point Booth. At least not until we find out what happened to her." Cullen knew that Booth and his partner had a special bond and hated like hell that something happened to one of them. Truth be known, Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth were the best team he had working for him. "I'll also call over to D.C.P.D. and request a courtesy on this case.

"Thank you sir, I'll be here if you need to reach me. I hope that isn't a problem." He didn't wait for a response before hanging up because he saw a doctor heading towards him.

"Are you Agent Booth?" The doctor asked. Booth noticed immediately that he appeared way too young to be a doctor and he immediately wondered about the care his partner was receiving.

"Yeah, how is she? Can I see her?" He asked impatiently.

"I would like you to follow me back to the office. I will explain everything to you there." Booth followed him silently and sat down in a chair when he entered the office.

"What's wrong with her? What happened? Was there an accident?"

"I'm Dr. Paul Phillips and from what I am able to discern, it appears that Ms. Brennan was…"

"Dr," Booth corrected. "It's Dr. Brennan."

"I'm sorry. It appears that Dr. Brennan is the victim of assault. In fact, she has received some very severe injuries from the attack. This was a brutal assault Agent Booth. One of the worst I have ever seen. I think she is extremely lucky to have survived. She has some extensive injuries to her ribs which punctured her lungs. She has been intubated while we continue assessing all of her injuries."

"Evidence needs to be collected from her clothing and body. There is a pair of agents on their way here now." Booth rubbed a hand down his face in an attempt to clear his head. "How long ago to you think this happened?"

"From the extent of the bruising, I would say no more than forty-eight hours. She lost quite a bit of blood and was dehydrated when she came in. We are pumping fluids into her no but she did not need a transfusion. Surgery may be necessary to repair some of the broken bones." His tone was so matter-of-fact that it was starting to annoy Booth. He hated the clinical descriptions he was giving about his Bones.

"Is there anything else that you can tell me right now?" Booth questioned.

"Dr. Brennan was the victim of a sexual assault. We have completed a rape kit on her and the evidence has been sealed. I didn't expect for this to be a federal matter so the D.C. Police have already been notified."
"Dr. Brennan works in collaboration with the FBI and she is essentially one of our own. I will do my best to make sure this is handled by my people." Booth could sit there no longer. "I need to see her Dr. Phillips."

Agent Booth you just said that you want your people to handle the case so you know that I cannot permit you to see her before all of the evidence has been collected. You know yourself that nothing collected would be of any use if the prosecution knows that the crime scene was contaminated. I promise you that as soon as the authorities have collected everything I will allow you a short visit before we move her." Dr. Phillips rose from his seat. "We'll take good care of her Agent Booth. She is not conscious at the moment so she won't be aware of the collections and procedures."

"I appreciate what you and your people are doing but I want to let you know that is my partner in there. I need to know if it's possible for her not to…make it."

"I won't lie to you. She is in critical condition but I think she will pull through but I would like to give it a few days before I make a definite prognosis." Dr. Phillips began examining the chart before him. "She is in excellent health and that will go a long way in aiding her recovery."

"Please let me know as soon as I can go in to see her please."

"Certainly," he said solemnly.

Booth walked slowly back to the waiting room trying to make sense of what the doctor had told him. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach as he tried to digest what had happened to his partner. Booth knew that things would never be the same with her. She had suffered so much in her life but as strong as she was, he knew she would be facing an agonizing recovery.

"Agent Booth?" Booth jumped up from his seat. "You may come back now."

Booth followed the nurse to the small room that held his partner. He stepped within the curtain and stopped abruptly in shock. He had tried to prepare himself for what he would find but nothing he had thought prepared him for the fragile sight the lay before him.

Temperance lay broken in the bed. The bruising to her face left her almost unrecognizable to him. Her face was cut and swollen and blood had dried in her hair. He stepped to the side of her bed and reached for her hand. It too bore the signs of the assault. He could tell that she had fought hard, with all she had in her. He gently picked up her hand and brought it to his lips.

Anger began to course through his body as he thought of the man that had violated her. He silently vowed that he find whoever did this and make damn sure he would never do it to anyone else, by whatever means necessary. There was no way he would let this crime go unpunished. He reached down and stroked her hair and felt tears begin to sting his eyes. He pressed his lips to her forehead and kissed her gently.

"Agent Booth, there is an Angela Montenegro at the desk asking to speak with you." The nurse was polite and appeared to be understanding of his situation.

"I'll be right there." Booth bent to give Temperance another kiss on the forehead and walked out to give Angela the news.

"I got here as soon as I got your message. What's happened?" Angela was anything but calm as she questioned Booth as soon as he appeared. Booth looked at her not knowing how to tell her what had happened. "Why aren't you saying anything? Your message said it was urgent."

"It's Bones Angela."

"She's not…"

"No! She's been…she's been attacked and severely beaten. She's is serious condition."

"But she is alive isn't she."

"Yes but there's more. Damn this is hard. Angela…she was raped." He saw her eyes widen in distress and he reached out to hold her. "She's alive Angela. We've got to be thankful that she is alive."

"Who would do something like this to her? I need to see her Booth."

"I know. They will be taking her up to surgery soon so we had better go back now. I want you to know that it is not pretty. What he did to her was brutal and she looks bad okay."

"I don't care how she looks." Just then they reached the curtained off area and Booth pulled it to the side to let Angela in. He heard her sharp intake of breath as she saw her best friend for the first time. "Find him Booth. Find him and make him pay for this." Booths arm steadied her as she made her way to the side of the bed. "Oh sweetie…" Tears immediately began to fall from Angela's eyes as she sat in the chair beside Temperance's bed.

Angela tried to take in all the bruising and the other injuries that she could see. There was no doubt that she was lucky to be alive but she wondered how much the emotional injuries were going to scar her. "I don't know how she will recover after this Booth. She has always acted and been so strong but I don't thing she is strong enough to cope with this without a lot of help."

"We need to get Dr. Brennan ready for surgery. The OR nurses will be here to get her in just a moment. There is a waiting room on the ICU floor that you can use. The surgeon will call up as soon as she is out of surgery."

"How long do you think she will be in surgery?"

"I can't really answer that Agent Booth. She has some really good doctors here to work on her."

"Thanks. What floor is the waiting room?"

"Seventh floor."

"Can I just check on her once more?"

"I'm sure that will be fine." Angela and Booth disappeared behind the curtain. Angela went over to the bed to give Temperance a kiss to her cheek then she stepped back to let Booth by her. She stood back and watched how he looked down at her broken and pale body. He took her hand and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. Booth then bent further down to whisper something in her ear that Angela couldn't hear. She almost felt like an intruder watching this intimate scene play out in front of her. She had often joked with Brennan in the past about getting together with Booth but there was no doubt that Booth did, in fact, have deep feelings for his partner. He had feelings that went way past being platonic.

Angela and Booth found the waiting room with ease and settled down for an undetermined length of time. "I should be out trying to catch the bastard that did this to her. I need to be out doing something about this, something productive. I can't do anything to help her here just sitting and waiting."

"Booth, we need to be with Brennan right now. This is where our priorities need to be. When we know that she will be okay, then you go find whoever did this to her but you are going to have to prepare yourself for the fact that they will not let you work this case."

"I know they won't let me work it, officially but what I need to do can't be done through official channels." Booth voice was deadly calm and it almost frightened Angela.

"Booth, as much as I want to see the person who did this fry, I don't want to see you go to jail for his murder. That is not going to help the whole situation. Imagine how Brennan would feel if she thought she was responsible for you going to prison." Angela was usually the voice of reason and this time was no different. Booth also knew that the Bureau would have no jurisdiction over case and that he would be distanced from working any aspect of it.

"I need to call Cullen. I've got to get him to get a handle on this case as courtesy to the FBI since Bones is essentially one of ours." Booth stepped out of the waiting room while he used his cell phone. He was immediately connected to Cullen's office. Booth described what he knew of the crime and told Cullen that Metro Police were on the case but that he wanted him to call in some favors to make sure that the Bureau got the case. He wanted his own people to investigate the case as thoroughly as they would if Bones was actually a member of the FBI.

"I know how you feel Booth. I will do everything I can to have the case fielded to use but you are not going to be on the team. I don't need to tell you that you are way too close to this one. Let me make some phones calls to see what I can come up with. I'll get back with you as soon as I know something but if Dr. Brennan comes out of surgery first you give me an update."

"I'll call as soon as I know something." Booth hung up the phone and reentered the waiting room to sit with Angela. "Don't you think we should call the Jeffersonian to let them know what has happened?"

"Probably but I know Brennan wouldn't want everyone fussing over her. I'm also not sure how much of this that she will want other people to know. I think it would be best to keep people away for the moment. Hopefully we will be able to talk to her soon after she gets into a room." Angela said hopefully.

"I know what you're saying but it doesn't seem right to keep something so important from the rest of the team." Booth was quiet as he spoke.

"I think that is the first time you have referred to us all as a team. I like it."

"Isn't that what we have become? We are a team no matter how much I tried to fight it. You guys are annoying but brilliant and I wouldn't want to have any other group of people to work with." He gave her a small smile.

"I think you are just being mushy because of what has happened."

"Maybe, but I think Bones would be proud to hear me say it and I promise I will tell her the first chance I get."

"I want to be there for that. Tell me one other thing, when are you going to tell her that you love her?" Booth jerked his head up to stare at her as if she had gone mad.

"Where the hell did that come from?" He asked in disbelief.

"There is no way you can deny that you don't love her."

"Maybe, but it is strictly a love bread out of friendship. That is all there has been between us Angela. We have always remained partners and friends but we have never crossed that invisible line." Booth seemed to be adamant about what he was saying but then he began questioning himself on whether or not he was speaking the truth. He had to admit to himself that he was more than upset over her victimization. He was devastated.

"I just think you need to look a little deeper and admit some truths, as well as feelings to yourself."

"Even if that were true Angela, not all truths need to be spoken," he said quietly. They each sat back in their seat in silence. The seconds ticked into minutes and then to hours and there was still no word on Brennan. Finally the phone on the wall rang and Booth jumped up to answer it. "Yeah!" he said gruffly into the receiver.

"Dr. Brennan's family please," said the polite voice on the other end of the phone.

"Yes, this is Agent Booth. How is she?"

"Hold one moment while I put the doctor on." Booth waited a few moments before a man's voice came over the line. "This is Dr. Ranier."

"Yes, I'm Seeley Booth."

"I just want to let you know that we just closed on Dr. Brennan and everything right now looks very good. There was not as much internal damage as we had feared but there was some suture work done within. She is being taken to recovery and will stay there for the next hour or so until we can move her to ICU. The full extinct of the damage most likely won't show itself for sometime but I am hopeful that Dr. Brennan will progress nicely."

"Can you tell me what kinds of injuries she has?" He asked in a grated tone.

"There was damage to the liver and spleen but those should heal. The most damage sustained was localized in the cervical and uterine area. We have taken a great deal of care to try and make all the repairs that we can but like I said, we won't know for sure until the healing begins."

"You're saying that damage was done to her reproductive organs."

"Precisely," replied Dr. Ranier.

"Will she be able to conceive?"

"Mr. Booth, are you and Dr. Brennan…"

"She's my partner."

"She may have received enough damage to her cervical area to prevent her from having children but that is simply speculation at this point." The doctor was being extremely patient, Booth could tell. He also knew that he was reluctant to tell him anything more than what he already had.

"Thanks for telling me what you did." Booth hung up the phone and saw Angela rise from her seat and walk towards him.

"What did he say? How is Bren?"

"She came through surgery as well as can be expected. She'll most likely be in the recovery room for at least an hour before they move her to ICU." Angela looked questioningly at him.

"There is something you aren't telling me."

"There is some damage to her reproductive system. Dr. Ranier is not giving a full prognosis on that yet but he says it does not look good at this point." Angela took in what Booth said. At face value it wasn't that serious because Brennan had always said she didn't want children but Angela knew in her heart of hearts that she would change her mind when she found the right person to have them with. She also believed deep down that Booth was that someone but she was beginning to wonder if they would ever find one another.

"We can't just think the worst Booth. I have to believe that she will be okay. Whatever it takes to get her there, she will be okay." She put her arms around him as she began to see tears form in his eyes again. "Booth it's going to be okay. We are all going to get through this. Why don't we go down to the cafeteria while she is in recovery?"

"I really don't want anything right now. I need to call Cullen and let him know what the doctor said. Hopefully he has gotten word as to whether Metro will field us the case. I'll meet you back upstairs in just a little while. I just need to get out and get a breath of fresh air." Booth hugged her gently then turned from her and headed toward the elevator.

I'm doing an edit and rewrite on some of this story so that I can get back to it. Thanks for those that have followed it.