Disclaimer: I not own Bones

Ill get straight to the chase...

Storms

Chapter Two: The Sky Darkens

Dr. Brennan paced outside the air terminal, still wondering why exactly she was there. Booth's brother, Jared, was arriving shortly and had asked if someone could pick him up at the airport and drive him to the hospital. Surprisingly, Brennan volunteered. She was not usually one for first impressions, but she wanted to get out of the stuffy hospital- even if only for a moment.

She continued her pacing, glancing at her watch. It was half past noon. Jared's flight was due any minute. Perplexed at the odd stares she was getting from the woman at the terminal desk, Brennan sat down on one of the various, uncomfortable, plastic chairs and started twidling her thumbs, unable to stop moving. The other people in the airport were all either on cell phones or listening to iPods. Brennan distracted herself by getting into a long thought about how technology was replacing all ancient forms of communication. Soon, the terminal began to fill with noise.

"Flight 174 from Fredricksville, Virginia now deporting." the woman at the desk announced into the PA system.

Brennan stood up, looking for someone who could be Seeley Booth's brother. By examining the skull structure and appearence of the passengers, Brennan's eyes fell on a man who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, with black hair and oddly familiar chocolate brown eyes.

This had to be Booth's brother.

"Excuse, we you're-" Brennan began, walking up to Jared.

"Dr. Brennan!" Jared said, a relieved expression crossing his face. "Booth showed us all pictures of you on his last visit!"

"Thats nice of him." Brennan said kindly, leading the younger Booth out of the terminal until they were in the center of the airport. "So, how much younger than Seeley are you?" she asked casually.

"Just three years." Jared said. "I'm thirty two."

To any other person, Brennan would have commented that he took extremely good care of himself to look the way he did, but given the circumstances, she held back. She merely nodded and murmured 'Thats nice.' The two continued their walk in silence, passing the moving sidewalk and the ticket register and soon entering the parking lot. Hundred of cars stood in the lot, of all shapes, styles, and models.

"This one is mine." Brennan said, gesturing towards her silver car. Jared stopped to look at.

"thats nice." he mumbled, apparently uncomfortable.

Brennan scooted into the drivers seat and Jared stowed his suitcase in the trunk before sliding into the passenger's side. He glanced timidly around and Brennan turned away from him and inserted the key in the ignition.

"So how is he?" Jared asked after they had been driving for some time. His question took Brennan by surprise. She had been expected it, but not in such a subtle mannmer. Jared's gaze reamined fixed on the DC scenery that flashed through the windows. She swallowed.

"They were taking him out of surgery when I left." Brennan replied softly.

Jared then turned to look at her, and she could see the panic in his eyes. "He was still in surgery from last night- was they a problem?" his eyes showed the desperation in which he wanted her to inform him that all was well.

"Well.." Brennan said, dipping her head and looked pointedly at the red light infront of her. "He lost a lot of blood, and there was an issue on where the bullet was located..." she paused and snuck a glance at Jared. "But the doctors think that theres a good chance he'll make it."

"A good chance." Jared repeated, trying to reasure himself. He let out a shaky breath and hen reached for a chain that hung around his neck. Another quick glance identified it was a crucifix. Jared apparently shared the same religious beliefs as his brother.

"The light is green you know." Jared said after a few moments, no longer looking at her but once again at the DC streets.

"Right." Brennan replied quietly, and then the drove them past the intersection, closer to the hospital.

"""""

Terror. Heart skipping, brain freezing terror.

Thats what Booth felt as he saw the gun pointed at Bones- his Bones. Without a second thought he dove frantically in the path the bullet was taking, his Army instincts and FBI reflexes in all their glory. Then there was pain- unbelieveable pain. He had the odd sense of being thrown to the ground. A hot, sticky feeling erupted over his chest, and he realized with revultion that it was his own blood. His gun well from his hands and he was dimly aware of seeing the woman raise her gun again, when Brennan yelled no.

Then everything went dark, except the sound of her voice- Brennan's voice- insisting that everything was going to be okay.

When he comes to, its to the vision of a pure white ceiling. He is confused and disoriented- all of his thoughts around his final memory- of rapib gun fire and Brennan screaming. He had to know- had to make sure that all was not lost- that she had not- was not...

His breath is coming in desperate gasps. Is that his heart that is beating unbearabley fast? His head begins to swim and once again he feels the rush of everything all at once come and hit him. Theres a ringing in his ears, or is that just the monitors in the hospital- or is he even in the hospital? Perhaps he is dead, and this is just the next level, and he will be waiting like this for enternity.

There is a sudden, bursting shock in his chest and he falls once more into darknes...

"""""

"Zach..."

A bullet goes speeding for Dr. Brennan. A woman falls to the ground with a bullet in her head. A car speeds away into the night...

"Zach wake up."

Zach's eyes flutter open to see Hodgins bending over him, a concerned look on his face. Zach shakes his head and sits up, the dreams he'd been having of the previous day replaying in his mind.

"Booth went into cardiac arrest." Hodgins says when Zach gets up.

The young doctor turns and stares blankly at Hodgins."Is he okay."

Hodgins sighs and shakes his head, offering Zach a cup of coffee. "They were able to shock it back, but he's in a coma."

"A coma.. " Zach repeats, graciously accepting the coffee and taking a long sip of it. Its sweet- just like everything Hodgins makes. Usually Zach can't stand have this much sugar in his coffee, but he welcomes it now, for the extra caffeine helps him wake up and is also rather comforting.

"Come on- Get dressed." Hodgins says. "We have to go pick up Angela and head over to the hospital- Brennan is there with Booth's brother."

"I bet thats going well." Zach murmurs.

"Hey." Says Hodgins, rummaging in Zach's drawers and throwing a random shirt at him. "This is the first day Brennan has taken off work, other than vacation, in years."

"I wish it was for a better reason." Zach says, taking the shirt and going into the bathroom to change.

"Me too." he hears Hodgins mutter, as he closes the bathroom door.

"""

"Is the Booth family here?"

Brennan's eyes snapped forward from the spot on her sneakers that she had been staring at for the last quarter hour and fixed themselves on a doctor that had come out of Booth's room, clipboard in hand.

"I'm his brother, Jared." the younger Booth said, jumping quickly to his feet and shaking hands with the doctor.

"I'm Dr. Rutrowski, Seeley's doctor." the man said with a smile. "Are you his wife?" he asked, turing to Brennan.

"No," Brennan said at once. "I'm Booth part- we work together- at work." she studdered out. Jared exchanged a small smile with her, as did the doctor.

"I'm sorry, my mistake." he said, followed by a cough. Brennan thought about how doctors always seemed to cough before saying the most important part of their news. "Mr. Booth has-"

"Agent." Brennan corrected. "Agent Booth."

The doctor's eyes narrowed and he shot a quick glance at Jared, who had not stopped staring intently at the doctor for news.

"Agent Booth." Dr. Rutrowski went on, an irksome tone in his voice. "Is very. very lucky. The bullet pierced him on his right side, right above his lung. There was an issue about the bullet shifter towards tha lung tissue, but we were fortunate enough to remove it and repair most of the damage."

Good news so far. Brennan thought.

Rutrowski continued. "However, he lost a great deal of blood, and there is a lot of pressure on his heart. He went into cardiac arrest and we were able to shock him back to a safe rate, but he has entered a coma."

"I thought you said he was lucky?" Brennan said in surprise.

The doctor looked tiredly at her. "He's is."

"Last time I checked, comatose was not exactly the lottery."Brennan objected.

"Excuse me." Dr. Rutrowski said. "I have other patients to attend to."

"But- my brother.." Jared studdered.

"You can see him now." the doctor said, turning away. "I'll be checking in every hour or so."

Jared stared after him for a minute before turning into Booth's room. Brennan remained outside, wondering why she never was able to make a half decent first impression.

""

"Dr. Sweets."

He glanced up from his paperwork and spotted one of the young FBI 'errand boys' standing in his office doorway, an envelope in his hand.

"This just arrived for you." the kid said, placing the envelope on his desk. Sweets thanked him and stared at the envelope for a full two minutes before deciding to open it.

Dr Sweets

I would be very appreciative if you would meet me tonight outside the Lincoln Memorial at 6:15. There is a matter of which I which to speak to you with- and I can say in full confidence that you will wish to be a part of it. I had been hoping to have another compliant- but he appears to have little interest- I will see to him, for there are still some means I can take to -persuade- him.

Furthermore, I know that you may think this a prank or a trap, for who in the right mind would meet a stranger at night for such unusual a request? But I assure, this is no prank, I am not mad, and my request? It concerns matters that you will find great interest in- this I know. Someone of your atriubutes and accomplishments in direly needed in a project I hope to complete.

This is all I will say on the matter, so please, be at the memorial at quarter past. Be prompt, for I do not care for waiting.

PS Come alone. Wouldn't want anyone overhearing us, correct?

Sweets's brow furrowed in confusion as he reread the letter several times. He did not really know what to make of it, but he had a feeling that involoved some trickery. In his experience, he had known some people to ask for him to meet them alone, simply because they did not want to the public to them talking to a shrink. But somehow, this situation seemed different.

This man- was it even a man- seemed to think that Sweets was qualified for some scheme or another that he was involved in. Sweets did not buy this request for one minute- but his curiousity was extremely overpowering. In the end, he decided that it would be best to just go to the place at the specific time, and see what he would see. There was a very good chance that no one would come, and that he would sit there all night.

But it would be better than another awkward night at the hospital- with the Jeffersonian Employees that he was never really completely comfortable with. Something about that just set him off- and not in a good way.

"Dr Sweets, there are patients waited for you outside."

The errand boy had returned.

"I'll be right out." Sweets said. He picked up the letter and put it inside his brief case. As he left the room, he glanced at the clock, which read 2:07. Wondering how he Agent Booth was, and which clients he would see today, Sweets left the office, and all thoughts of the letter, behind.

""

"Are you sure you don't want a glass of wine?"Hodgins asked.

Angela sighed. "No, thank you Jack." she said for the tenth time that hour. Hodgins let out a breath before coming to join her by the window, where she was staring at the gradually darkening sky.

"Its nice out there." Hodgins said softly, glancing up at the cloudy night sky. Angela nodded in agreement and the pair watched the moon drift through clouds in silence.

"Somethings coming." Angela said suddently.

Hodigns turned to stare incredulously at her. "A storm, maybe." he said thoughtfully.

"Not just a storm, Hodgins." Angela replied, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. Hodgins looked on in confusion. "Look at whats happening. Booths been shot, and Brennan is all freaked out, and that stupid face eating serial killer is still out there.."

"Hey," Hodgins interupted, draping his arm across her shoulders and giving her a reasuring squeeze. "Booth is going to be fine. And Brennan will ge it together, she always does." he gave her a small smile. "And as for Gormogon.." he trailed off, unable to think of something to say.

"We should have caught him by now Hodgins." Angela said irritabley.

"I know." Hodgins agreed edgingly.

"Its been months, and we haven't identifiied who the killer is." Angela went on.

"Somethings aren't adding up." Hodgins contemplated. "But we'll figure out, we always do!" he flashed Angela a winning smile. "Now how about that wine?"

Angela grinned and shook her head. "I think I'm up for a glass."

"Alright. Two glasses coming up." Hodgins said, leaving the room.

Angela turned from him and glanced back at the night sky. Despite Hodgins's reasurance, she couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to happen, and that this was only the begining.