Suddenly There Is Love

After two weeks in the hospital, it was finally time for me to go home, and was I excited? Excited would be an understatement, I was absolutely thrilled! Thrilled about getting out of the hideous hospital robe, taking a shower without having to feel dirty from the gross towels, and thrilled about sleeping in a comfortable bed. My leg was still broken, but healing. My ribs were still hurting a little, but they were healing. The bruises in my face, and generally all over my body were pretty much gone, except for a few spot that were still a funny blueish-purple colour. I had been given crutches that I needed to use, except for when I was exercizing to help build it back up. Matt had been so sweet and brought me clothes from back home, so that I could leave the hospital with a little bit more dignity. I was unpatiently waiting for Booth to come pick me up, but he was running late. I had gotten dressed, almost all by myself - a nurse had to help me put on my pants, as I could not bend my leg to put it on. I had even decided to brush through my hair. The door burst open, and a fluttered Booth was standing in the doorway.
"Sorry," I explained, and took two long strides, and put his arms around me, squeezing me a little tighter than he had in the last couple of days, as I had been to fragile for him to really hold on to.
"It's ok," I said, bringing my fingers through his hair, which I was not able to do, as my finger got stuck in something in his hair. I pushed his head down, leaning against the bed to keep my balance, and looked at what had hindered me from brushing his hair.
"You have paint in your hair," I stated, and he shrugged, smiling the crooked smile I love so much.
"What have you been painting?" I asked, looking confused, as he grabbed my bag, and supported me on the way out of the hospital. He was not going to answer my question, but I had a feeling I knew what he had done.

We drove to Booths place, oh, well... Our place. Sounds funny, doesn't it? And Booth was the perfect gentleman, carrying my bag, supporting me as we walked to the elevator. He kissed me sweetly on the forehead as we waited for the elevator to reach his floor... Our floor. We walked over to his door... Our door, and Booth grinned to me.
"You ready?"
"For what?" I asked, raising my eyebrows, and he opened the door. My breath was completely taken away, as I looked into the apartment. It did not at all look like I was used to. The whole bachelor-look of it was gone. I jumped on my one good leg, supporting my weight with the crutches, as I took it all in. I was completely and utterly amazed!
"Booth..." I said in a whisper, and looked all around me. The walls had been painted in a faint green colour, lovely white curtains with pale purple flowers on it were decorating the windows. All the furniture he already had were still there, only pillows in wonderful colour were making the livingroom such a welcoming place.
"Gosh, I do not even know what to say!" I expressed, and turned my head to look at Booth. He was smiling carefully.
"Go see the kitchen," he said shortly, and grinned.
"You fixed the kitchen as well?" I humped shakily on my crutches, and I felt my heart drop as I saw the new look of the kitchen. He had tiled the room with fancy metal-looking tiles, and the cupboards were painted with a dark, and wonderful colour. I stood there, staring like crazy.
"If I could, I would completely jump your bones right now," I said, a tear falling down my cheek.

He walked carefully towards me, and held out his hands for me to fall into his embrace.
"I love it, Booth," I said, and let my head fall to his chest, and the feeling of him holding me made me feel utterly and completely safe!
"And I love you," he said shortly, kissing my forehead softly. I started crying, for real this time, and Booth lifted me up from my feet, and carried me to the couch, and put me down carefully. He put my crutches safely by the couch, and sat down, placing my head in his lap. He was playing with a strand of my hair, looking me intently in the eyes.
"I'm so glad you're safe," he said, and I felt him drown a sob.
"I knew you would come to my rescue." He traced my cheekbone, making me shiver at his touch.
"I was sure I had lost you. The thought of losing you completely tore me apart!"
"I was not about to go disappear on you. You mean too much to me!" He kept looking me, and I looked back at him, smiling, tears filling my eyes.
"This might sound real cheesy, but the one thing that made me want to keep holding on was you." Booths eyes were filled with tears, and I loved that he dared show such emotions in front of me, instead of hiding them as other men usually did.

I could not say that it felt like I was in my home, not yet at least. And allof the sudden I recognised my DVDs under the TV.
"My films?"
"Yeah. Did you think I would pack all of your things away. Look around, Zo. Most of the things in here are your stuff." He ruffled my hair, smiling his crooked smile.
"You went and got things from my apartment?" I asked, my voice sounding as I was in disbelief.
"Yeah. When Matt was with you, I was getting your stuff, and I redecorated and painted this place. And when I was with you, he did those things. A true cooperation." he was expecting me to freak out - I could feel it, but I felt an intense sense of gratefulness. The thought that the two favourite men in my life had done something like that for me, made me feel extremely lucky.
"You mad?" he asked carefully, and I shook my head intently, my mouth dry.
"No, no. Absolutely not! I love that you did that for me!" A tear slipped from my eye, and Booth caught it as it tried escaping.
"You and Matt have gotten to know each other at last," I said and smiled.
"Sure have. He helped me a lot the day you... got missing. I couldn't have done it without him, I really couldn't," My head lay comfortably in his lap, and I felt so safe being near him.
"Now you know why I love him," I said, and a jolt of jealousy flashes across his face.
"As a friend..." I added, smiled and pushed myself up so that I could kiss him. His lips tastes sweet, as if he had eaten berries or something.
"You taste like..." I started, but Booth finished my sentence.
"Strawberries." I smiled, and tastes his lips again.
"Nice. Althought I am more of a raspberry-girl myself." I grinned, and let my head fall back onto his lap.

"I don't want to push you, but I have to know what happened the day you were kidnapped." The smile on my face faded, and a great lump manifested in my throat.
"I...eh..." Booth stared at me, and I got up and sat next to him, not wanting to say anything at al, but at the same time: I wanted him to know.
"I know it's hard, Zo, I do. But the FBI really needs to know, so they can nail the guys, and well... I need to know so that I can help you through it all!" My heart shattered just a little when I realised just how much he cared for my safety and well-being, and I felt incredibly ashamed of my behaviour the day I was kidnapped.
"I am so sorry for my idiotic and irrational behaviour when we fought..." Booth interrupted me.
"No, Zo, don't even think about it!" I interrupted him.
"But I need to apologise. I was stupid, childish and silly. I need to tell you that I really am sorry, and I appreciate everything you have done for me, and I love you!" I knew I was rambling, but I could not care less. He needed to know!
"And I also love that you call me Zo," I added quickly, and a great smile spread across his face. He pulled my head to him, and kissed me hard, passionately, and I responded quickly. He pushed me back in the couch, laying on top of me, placing his hand on the small of my back. I could feel the smile on his lips as we kissed, and at that moment I knew I would never be afraid again.

Our kiss broke, but Booth stayed on top of me, still holding me tight.
"I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked carefully, about to move away from me, but I held him back, shaking my head.
"You could never hurt me," I countered, smiling, and just then he came near my still broken leg, and I yelped out in pain. He jumped quickly off of me, looking terrified.
"You jinxed it!" he exclaimed, and clamped his hand to his mouth.
"Well, do the knock on the table-thing!" I said frantically, sitting up. He gave me a calculating look, smiling.
"Knock on wood, Zo," he said, and I was reminded of the first time we had talked about just this. I bent over, and knocked two times on the table, and I grinned at him.
"Knock on wood, is that right?" He shuffled in the couch, making me sit on his lap, my broken leg relaxing down the side of the couch.
"I can talk," I started. "But it was a hard experience. But then again: I want that bastard locked away." Booths face was serene, and I knew that this was going to be the final time I ever needed to talk about the events of that fateful day.

"Well, we fought, and I left, but you already know that part." I was rambling like crazy, but I did not know any other way to tell him.
"I heard a car behind me, and I was sure it was you, and I turned around to bitch about it, but I was attacked by a man. I was tossed into the trunk of the car, and something hard hit me over the head. They thought I fainted, but I did not. I heard the engine running, and I heard two men talking..."
"Two men? I thought it was just that one?"
"Two men," I stated. "But only the one kept coming to me in the room, pushing me for information I did not have. I recognised him."
"Bradley Moore, the leader during the bankrobbery," Booth said, and I nodded.
"Yes, I remembered him as soon as I saw his face. And he kept saying he wanted to punish the two of us for stopping him from getting that money. But I still can not remember what happened, other than the few people I remember. He, well, obviously you have noticed, but he hit me, and kicked me for information." Hurt flashed across his face, as I told what had happened as a simple story, not as something that happened to me.
"I will not say this one more time, and this is the only way I can manage to tell it all!" Booth nodded in understanding, and took hold of my hands.
"He is not working alone, I know that for sure! And this Bradley-person was not the one leading the operation, he was doing orders."
"So we still haven't really caught the bad-guy?" Booth asked, squeezing my hand.
"No, I do not think so. I think someone else is out there, making people do his bidding." Booth shuddered at the same time I did, and he pulled me into a warm embrace.
"You will never have to go through anything like that again, Zo, I promise! I will protect you!"
"But you can't follow me around, and we can not be together every single second of every single day, because that will ruin our relationship. We need to keep going on as best as we can, and when the time comes, we will deal with this creep." He nodded, and our lips met in a kiss filled with need, lust, belonging and love.