It's been a hot minute!
Here it is, the first chapter of the Seeley Booth fanfic. I'm sorry it took so long, I'll try to do better. No promises though, because I actually have no ideia where I want this to go and I probably need to re-watch Bones to figure that out.
Hope you like it!!!
(pls give feedback, it's been SO long since posting anything I've written that it feels like the first time)
(not my gift)
Back to Bones - Chapter 1
“Booth.” Sweets was interrupted mid-speech, as usual, by the phone call that he wished had been ignored.
It was the beginning of Booth’s and Brennans’ therapy sessions and there was nothing they liked more than finding their way out of them. If it happened to be because of a case, even better.
This, however, wasn’t the case or Temperance’s phone would have started to ring as well. Booth got visually anxious, getting up almost immediately and pacing.
“I’ll be right there.” He said, agitated, rushing whoever it was on the other side of the phone call. “I need to go.” And with that he left, the door hanging opened in his wake.
“Wait, agent Booth.” Sweets called after him as he got up as well and reached for his car keys.
Temperance left the room, following Booth in hopes of calming him down and understanding what was happening, but as soon as she caught up, he was already closing the elevator door. Sweets was right behind her and, with an exchanged look, they decided to use the stairs. As they reached the parking lot of the FBI building, Booth was already inside his car.
Sweets drove like a madman, very unusual for him. Soon, they realised the destination was George Washington University Hospital and panic also settled in between them, immediately thinking something had happened to Parker, Booth’s son.
Parking the car in a careless matter, Booth ran inside the hospital, asking for the Doctor Reynolds, that had called him. A nurse pointed him in the right direction as Brennan and Sweets walked in the hospital and spotted him.
Finally catching up to him, Booth was already pacing again, following the doctor’s directions to his wife’s room.
Before he could leave, Temperance asked the doctor abruptly the name of the pacient and then, both understood Booth’s urgency.
The truth was, yes, everyone was aware that Booth was married but no one had met his wife.
When their meetings with Sweets started, the topic came up and, just as quickly, Booth put an end to it, making sure that it was never bought up again. He was aware that Sweets, as part of the FBI, had access to Maggie’s file as well as his own, and with how long it had passed, they were to assume the worst and Sweets thought he could help Booth accept his wife’s disappearance.
As he walked through the door, Booth took a deep breath and relaxed, trying to see the bright side. Getting a call from the hospital wasn’t the ideal scenario for him, but it was better to finally be getting a call.
“Son of a bitch.” It wasn’t louder than a whisper, but it was the first thing Booth heard his wife say after 11 months. There she was. His smile was so big that his cheeks hurt, she was okay.
Maggie was, however, too focused on suturing the opened scratch on her upper arm, which wasn’t going as well as she planed because the angle wasn’t the best and that last stich had slipped.
This was very typical behaviour for Maggie. She was impatient and having an MD only gave her the means to get it over with.
As she finished and reached for the bandaged, Maggie shook her shoulders in a dancing matter, like she did when something went her way or she was happy, which made Booth realise a small, genuine laugh. It always amazed him how she could find happiness in the smallest of situations and how cute she was when doing so.
She looked up, suddenly aware of his presence. It had been two years since she had seen him. Eleven months since they had last spoken. It was forever for them.
Quickly removing the IV in her arm, Maggie didn’t give him the chance to reach her. When Booth realised, she was already in his arms.
“I’m so sorry, Seeley.” Maggie said with a shaky voice, pulling back on the hug to look at her husband. Booth’s first reaction was to connect their lips in a passionate matter of lovers who missed each other for too long.
At that moment, Brennan walked in the room, with very little care for their privacy as Sweets followed, trying to call her to reason so Booth could be alone with his wife as this was a vulnerable moment.
“I don’t believe it.” She said loudly in the room, chuckling, making the couple break apart.
“C’mon, get dressed and let’s get you out of here.” Booth said to his wife, ignoring the new presences in the room and kissing her forehead before he left to find he doctor. He knew better than to ask Maggie to stay in the hospital. “Sweets.” He called after himself, making the young man leave with him, giving her privacy.
“Hello.” Maggie said, reaching her hand to greet Temperance. “I assume you’re Doctor Brennan.” She smiled as the woman took her hand in the greeting.
“Yes, hello.” She greeted, surprised that Maggie knew who she was.
“I’m Margaret Harrington.” The brunette smiled, pulling her hand after the shake so she could get dressed.
“I-I’m sorry, I’m a bit surprised.” Temperance said, looking around the room in the attempt to compose herself. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, Booth just never wanted to talk about you and, honestly, it got to the point where we thought you…” for lack of a better explanation than “we thought you were dead”, she restrained herself from continuing her sentence.
“I understand Dr. Brennan,” Maggie pulled her jeans up her legs. “I also know that Booth would refuse to accept that kind of odd.” She smiled, a bit sarcastically. Of course he wouldn’t believe she had been killed because they spoke almost everyday for the first year of her undercover mission, which was against the FBI rules, meaning that Booth could never argue that it had only been 5 months since she was, in fact, missing.
The FBI rules, when it came to this kind of mission, were very strict. Usually, she would have a weekly report or a watch car, something to assure her safety. This mission, however, it was too risky to have any of that, they had one chance to get it right and that protection could risk it. Maggie, however, knew she wouldn’t be able to go through with it without her husband by her side, even if metaphorically. Booth’s support was always what gave her strength in the most difficult times.
Getting up from the hospital bed and taking her gown so she could put her shirt on, she turned her back to Temperance, hoping the bruising wasn’t as bad and that the other woman wouldn’t have time to notice. Maggie didn’t want Booth to worry, or to even know what had happened to her. However, Temperance did notice, just didn’t mention it and knew better than to mention it to Booth. That was something that the friendship with Angela had taught her.
“Hey, you ready?” Booth asked as he walked back in the room, Sweets staying in the hall. Maggie nodded, pulling her hair messy, at the moment straight, hair up to a low ponytail. That’s when Booth actually noticed the highlights in her hair, giving her a mocha brown look, so much different to her natural dark brown curly hair. “We gotta go, Bones, we have a case.” Brennan nodded, in agreement, leaving the room. “Are you sure you are okay to leave? The doctor made it seem pretty bad.” He held Maggie before she could leave.
“I’m fine, Seeley. I promise.” She smiled. “I just need a hot shower and a change of clothes.” Booth nodded as they joined the others in the hall.
“Sweets will give you a ride to the apartment as we check the scene.” Booth said, giving Maggie her keychain that he still carried around. The girl smiled seeing the ornament that Parker had made for her when he was 3, that still hanged there.
Maggie stopped shortly after, greeting the doctors and nurses that had treated her in the 3 days she had been there, thanking them for their efforts and promising that, if anything where to happened, she would come back to the hospital for treatment.
“Sweets, I don’t want her alone.” Booth said, as a whisper to his colleague. “Take her to my apartment and find a way to bring her with you to the Jeffersonian. I’ll meet you there.” Sweets only nodded, understanding Booth’s concern.
And with that, they were near the cars, ready to leave.
“I’ll see you later, okay?” Booth asked, brushing her cheek before kissing her forehead.
“I love you.” She told him with a smile, that he returned as he said it back, before a small kiss was dropped to her lips.
With that Booth and Brennan left, rushing to the crime scene so that he could get back to his wife.
Sweets was unsure of how to address the conversation, or how to even start it as they drove out of the hospital in complete silence. Maggie kept playing with her keychain, with a small smile on her face. It had been the first time she felt happiness and safe in such a long time.
“He asked you not to leave me alone, didn’t he?” She asked, breaking the silence. “It’s okay, Doctor Sweets. I know Booth.” The panic on the man’s face was clear, and she had to laugh a bit at her husband’s predicament.
“He’s a natural caretaker.” Sweets justified. “He needs to take care of the people he loves. It’s only natural that he wouldn’t want you alone after everything that I imagine you have been through, and I’m honoured he trusted me to keep you company.”
“I know.” Maggie concurred. “I don’t mind him being protective.” It made her heart warm.
“You continued contact with him, didn’t you? While you were undercover?” Bravely, Sweets accused with a small smirk on his face as he saw Maggie’s reaction. “You know him better than anyone, it would only be natural that you would do what you could to ease his worry.”
Maggie kept quiet, admiring Sweets’ skills and how easily he had read the situation. “It’s alright, I won’t tell.”
“Wouldn’t you do the same?” Maggie asked now. “If you were to put yourself in a dangerous situation for the greater good, leaving the person you love sick with worry, wouldn’t you try to find a way to let them know you are okay?” Her tone was playful, wanting an honest answer from him.
“I-I don’t know.” Sweets answered honestly, after taking a minute to think. “I don’t think I have ever loved anyone enough that I would risk my career or my life like that.” With that, he parked under Booth’s apartment.
“Well, Doctor Sweets, I can assure you that you would do the same.” Maggie said getting out of the car. “C’mon, I’m sure there’s coffee upstairs.”
With that they both went up, Sweets clearly very uncomfortable about being in Agent Booth’s home without him.
Maggie was quick to shower, finally getting her beautiful curls back and putting on one of her finest suits. Part of the FBI rules, and she loved it.
Sweets had finished his coffee as Maggie but her heels on and they left for the Jeffersonian.
Getting to the lab, Maggie was impressed. Working at a place like this, with this amount of technology and resources, was a dream of hers as she got into college. Both of her bachelors were in this area. When she joined the army with Booth, her goals changed a bit and, later, when joining the FBI, she focused more on forensics for her master and doctorate.
“This is the Jeffersonian.” Sweets said, as if he was at home there. The truth is, he always feels out of place at the Jeffersonian. Everyone knows their place and what they add to the team while he is still figuring out his part as more than Booth and Brennan’s assigned therapist.
“Doctor Sweets, you’re here early!” Cam said, walking in while taking her gloves off as the rest of the field team took the body to the platform.
“Camille Saroyan?” Maggie asked, moving in front of Sweets. “Do my eyes deceive me?!”
“Margaret Harrington?” Cam said, moving towards her. “Am I daydreaming?!”
“You two know each other?” Sweets asked, stunned at the new information as the two women hugged.
“I haven’t seen you in ages!” Maggie exclaimed.
“Me? Are you kidding?” Cam said back, laughing a bit. “It’s the second time I’ve thought you were dead.”
“At least this time you didn’t go to a funeral.” Maggie joked as Cam hit her arm, jokily. This interaction showed Sweets how close the women had been, in the past. “I hear something about a new case.”
“Yes, yes please, join us!” Cam moved to the platform, letting Maggie and Sweets in with her. “Ah Mister Bray, I see you are already getting ready for when Doctor Brennan arrives. I have found an extra pair of hands.”
Only then did Wendell lift this head from the corpse’s table. He was incredibly shocked, seeing THE doctor Harrington right in front of him, putting on a lab coat and pinning her hair.
“Oh my god.” He moved to Hodgins, who was working on a few particles found at the scene. “Dude.” Wendell kept trying to get his attention.
“Hi.” Maggie said, approaching the duo. “The extra set of hands, yup, that would be me.” The woman pointed at her self, reaching a hand out to greet Wendell. “I’m Margaret…”
“Harrington, Doctor Margaret Harringtin.” Wendell said, finally getting Hodgins attention. “I know, I have followed your work for a long time.” He pulled her hand to shake it. “It is an honour to work with you.”
“Dude.” Hodgins laughed before Maggie could respond. “Doctor Harrington worked with my father when I was in high school, she would need to be, at least, in her 50’s.” Now he looked at Maggie, with a “know it all” smile. “No offense.” He moved to the other table where he works.
“None taken.” Maggie said, as she moved to the other side of the corpse, opposite to Cam who was smiling, knowing the woman’s reaction. “And it was one of my life’s pleasures to work with your father, Doctor Hodgings.” Now she turned to Wendell, who was too stunned. “Maggie is fine, Mister Bray. Now if we could get up to speed, it’s been a while since I have worked in forensics.”
Wendell was more than ready to help her, reaching for all the materials Maggie could need, letting her know how Doctor Brennan would want things done and writing down all of her finds. Being a headless corpse, made it harder to ID and meant no work for Angela, who still joined them on the platform, seeing if she could be of any help.
She knew Maggie. Not personally, obviously, but Booth had asked, as a personal favor, if Angela could find her anywhere. He was desperate and wanted to know if she was okay, meaning that he had giving her a photo for Angela to look.
Maggie started to recognise the injuries, same injuries she had suffered and recovered from in the past two weeks. Worry started to trouble her, she was barely focusing anymore on the work, she was going through injuries before Wendell could register them to later on be analysed by Doctor Brennan.
“We have the head!” Doctor Brennan said, happily as she climbed on the platform, followed by Booth. “What are you doing?!” She exclaimed, seeing Maggie around her table. “What is she doing?” Now she asked Cam and Booth, who just smiled, seeing this so characteristic on his wife.
“I asked Doctor Harrington to help with this case, Mister Bray put Maggie up to speed on how you do things, Doctor Brennan.” Cam mentioned for Wendell to take the head from Temperance, while reaching for the notes that had been taken so far and passing them as soon as her hands were free.
Maggie, however, was still too focused on the corpse for Booth’s liking, getting his attention as well as Sweets’. Her face was different, not the usual focused face. She was worried, which was getting him worried.
“Let me see that.” She said, reaching Wendell as he was taking the head and putting it on the stand. Wendell stepped away, letting her get closer as she analysed. “I have an ID.” The room fell silent, including the bickering between Temperance and Cam, as Angela tried to pacify things, telling Brennan it wasn’t a big deal. “This is Gabi Morales. Daughter to Elena Morales and Senator Richard Calloway. She worked as a housekeeper at Briarwood Estate.”
Angela started to search immediately, unfamiliar with the meaning of these new discoveries. She showed the rest of the team Gabi’s file, while trying to find more information, as well as confirm who the father is, since it’s listed as “not stated”.
“There’s a bullet wound.” Wendell stated, as he analysed the head. Quickly he grabbed the portable x-ray machine, to see if they were lucky enough to have a bullet.
Maggie slipped away as everyone was distracted, trying to find Cam’s office. Inside, she set out a small sterile field, propped a hand mirror so she could see the hollow under her shoulder blade, and laid out a handful of surgical instruments. She peeled off her black fitted shirt, exposed the bruise and the neat bandage, and peeled that away. The wound, dark at the edges, had been cleaned before, but she swabbed it again and steadied a hemostat between her fingers.
She probed the tract with slow, exacting movements until the metal bite of the bullet registered under the tip. Finding it hadn’t been the hard part, keeping a grip while warm blood sizzled down her back and the world narrowed to white light and a distant hum was. Maggie swallowed, locked her jaw, and clenched the hemostat. With a single long pull she hauled the slug free. As she dropped the bullet onto a sterile rack, Booth walked in the room, followed shortly by Cam.
“What are you doing?!” He almost screamed, reaching for a cloth that could stop the bleeding. “Did you really leave the hospital with a bullet lodged in your shoulder?” Seeley kept checking the wound to see if it had stopped bleeding but it seemed worse.
“What is going on?” Cam asked, getting closer to them as Booth showed her the wound on his wife’s shoulder. “Oh my god.” She took over, with some saline, trying to actively stop the bleeding.
“I’m calling an ambulance.” Booth said, before Maggie grabbed his hands.
“Don’t. I’m okay.” She promised with a smile before hissing in pain. “Cam can suture the wound.” Cam agreed, knowing that the worst was over and if Maggie handled that pain alone, she could handle being stitched up. “Please Seeley. I don’t want to waste time going to the hospital.”
“You’re not working the case, if that’s what you are thinking.” Booth promised, giving in. He saw the bruises on her body, knowing those were torture marks.
“Seeley no.” She almost go up, but Cam held her in place because of the suturing. “It should be me on that table.” Maggie whispered, her voice rarely this small. “I’m only here because of Gabi, Seeley. I owe her this. Please.”
Again, Booth let her get to his soft side, barely imagining what she must be feeling. He kept to himself as Cam finished of the work on the wound. As soon as she was done, he asked her for a moment before they could join the others once again. Cam left her office, understanding.
Booth and Maggie had always had a special connection and in moments like this, they needed to be alone, which Cam understood better than anyone, knowing the both since college.
“You’re home, Maggie.” Booth said, reaching for her hands as he sat by her side. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you again. You know that right?” He whispered and with that small reassurance, she broke down crying all the tears she held back.
“I was so afraid Seeley.” Maggie whispered in his chest, as he held her.
Maggie kept most of the things to herself, only telling him the things she had found that could bring the Senator to justice, but Booth knew.
