Hannah || Booth/ Bones Fanfiction

Chapter Nine: Circles and Squares

Chapter Nine: Circles and Squares

The beeping of the hospital heart monitor was consistent enough to make Hannah groan as she came to consciousness.

"Ugh." Her mouth was dry and had the gross, unbrushed after taste in it as she tried to produce some saliva to moisten her mouth. Beside her, Aubreys eyes shot open and he moved forward, a smile on his tired face.

"Han?"
"Water." Aubrey grabbed a plastic sippy cup from the side table and offered the straw to the woman who took it greatfully and sucked down the cool liquid.

"How do you feel?"
"Like I was hit by a truck."
"Well, if I'm being honest, you look like you were hit by a truck." Hannah opened her eyes and gave him a steely look. "What happened, Han?"
"Well you could say that poop hit the fan." She lifted her hand to take the clear cup from Aubrey and sucked on it some more, the tension leaving her face as she drank.

"I think you get a free pass to swear."
"Don't wanna. Where am I?"
"Washington DC Memorial. Once Booth got you, they flew you straight here. You've been out for three days." Aubrey took the cup away from her and grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it.

"What's wrong with me?"
"Shattered ankle, broken ribs, bruised spleen, dislocated knee, concussion, oxygen deprivation but that's all sorted and broken fingers." Hannah winced.

"Sounds painful."
"Yeah. The doctors didn't like  it when I suggested we take you out back, boil you down and start you all over again."
"That was your only recommendation?"
"Putting you out of our misery didn't seem to be the right card to play." Hannah cracked a grin and laughed a little, soon turning into pained coughs.

"You should get some more sleep.  Heather and Richard will be here in a couple of hours."
"Joy." Hannah was beginning to feel sleepy again. She sighed and closed her eyes, keeping her hand wrapped loosely around Aubreys. "Please don't go."
"I won't. Promise." He pressed a kiss to her hand and pressed the call button for the nurse to come, just as Hannah allowed the waves of unconsciousness to take her into its warm embrace.

Some time later, after Aubrey had gone to go get some food, two elderly people were sat by Hannah's bed. The woman sat there with a magazine, her green cardigan pulled around her shoulders to combat the cool hospital air. Her grey hair was tied back into a bun and her grey/blue eyes flickered constantly to where her granddaughter lay, peacefully unaware to the storm that would hit her when she woke up.

Across from Heather Nardini, for this was who she was, was a giant of a man, chin touching his chest and the faint sound of light snores coming from the grey bush that was his beard. Richard Nardini had his arms crossed over his chest and had fallen asleep some time ago, the flight from Utah to Washington making him dozy. Not that Heather complained. It was better than hearing about Chingo again.

A small knock on the door revealed the nurse on duty who smiled at Heather and whispered,

"Mrs Nardini, there's a man from the FBI here to see you." Heather immediately closed the magazine and put it down on the  side table and put a hand on Hannah's one, squeezing gently. She got up and followed the young nurse out into the hall and came face to face with a ragged and very tired looking Booth.

"You must be Agent Booth." Booth looked down at the smaller, older woman and nodded, offering a hand for her to shake. She took it and gripped it firmly. "Thank you for finding Hannah." Booth hung his head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Nardini-"
"Call me Heather." He nodded and led her to a seat so they could both sit down.

He was in civilian gear and from what Heather could tell, he hadn't slept in the days that Hannah had been in the hospital.