The fog was dense and low that morning. I shivered and pulled my jacket closer. Its not like I was a stranger to the cold, I lived out on the east coast all my life. Its just that something about the moisture in the air caused me to feel exposed to the elements. I was thankful I didn't have to walk far, just down the walk to Michael's car. When I opened the door to the powder blue coop a rush of warmth hit me. I slid into my seat greeting him with my usual foggy hello.

"Morning, Sunshine. Coffee?" he asked. He held out his Styrofoam cup to me and I took it gratefully. In retrospect, maybe it was weird the we shared food and drink. I never really thought about it like that. Michael was my best friend, my only friend. He was always there. No one else really knew me. My parents were great, and I knew how much they cared for me, but often their cases got the better of them. Kids at school came and went like seasons, most of them unfriendly. Our parents' jobs labeled us as freaks and weirdoes. Michael understood the feeling of being on the outside looking in. It didn't bother me much anymore. At this point I knew I was lucky. Growing up amongst the best minds in the world gave me an easier time in the academic aspects of school. Today, of course, was just an ordinary day.

"Happy Hump Day." I told him as soon as I remembered that it was Wednesday.

"Damn it!" he groaned.

"Looks like your buying lunch today." I said in a sing- song voice. Usually we just switched off, but on special occasions, whoever wished "Happy whatever holiday" first got a by for footing the bill.

"Try not to look so smug. Please. Its unsportsmanlike." He joked.

"Your just bitter because you lost at checkers Yesterday, and this is just to painful a reminder." I volleyed with mock melodrama.

"You cheated!" He shouted laughing even as the words came out of his mouth.

"Maybe I did. Doesn't change the fact that you lost for the first time in 3 months!" I know. That's an absurd daily ritual, but what else or we going to do? Watch our parents work with dead guys? No. Thanks, I'd rather not throw up. Checkers is the only game we have access to at the Jeffersonian, and we've played it every afternoon after school since I was old enough to understand it. We continued to make mindless chit- chat until we arrived at school. He swung a hard left into the parking lot and took the spot he always took. We got out, grabbed our backpacks, and said good bye. Before we allowed ourselves to be swept into the crowds of teens getting to class Michael confirmed what I already knew.

"Right here, 12:25 for lunch?" he asked. I smiled.

"Of course." And with that we parted. My classes passed uneventfully until 3rd period, right before lunch. I had English 3rd period and wasn't really paying attention to the teachers incessant ramblings on the misuse of commas and semi- colons. I had five minutes left before I had an hour with Michael. An hour to drive to the dinner and grab pancakes. I was deep into my syrupy daydream when the PA crackled on.

"Excuse the interruption: Grace Booth, to the office." I stood up and grabbed my stuff, tuning out the jeers of kids and the 'oooh. The Freaks in trouble!' I heard someone shout. I walked slowly hoping that I wouldn't have to go back to my English class afterward, since it was so close to lunch. I hated the secretary's office. It was bland and colorless and everyone always seemed like robots. That's how I knew something was wrong. As soon as I entered I felt a string emotion hit me: sadness. Every single person in the that office was frowning, a slight tearful redness in their eyes. My stomach twisted up, like I had just chugged a gallon of sour milk.

"I was P.?" I asked. Mrs. Baum the aging secretary handed me the phone she was nodding into.

"Its your mom." She told me, something slightly apologetic in her voice.

"Mom?" I spoke softly into the phone.

"Oh, Gracie. I- I should've seen it! Its all my fault! I could've stopped it!" Her voice was choked.

"Calm down, Mom. What happened?" I asked trying to steady my voice, to provide assurance for her.

"Your father was shot. In the chest. He's in surgery." My mouth went dry.

"Will he.. will he survive?" I asked finally understanding the overall mood of the room.

"I don't know. These damned doctors won't tell me anything…" After that she began to fo what she does best. She covered her emotion with science mumbo jumbo so she wouldn't have to deal with it. I sighed and cut her off.

"Mom. Listen to me. He'll be okay. I know he will." I told her calmly. It wasn't that all of me believed it, but she needed to hear it.

"You can't possibly know that."

"Yes I can. Because Seeley Booth will never, ever let you down. Or me. When has he ever? He will NOT let himself leave us that easily." That's my dad. Never leaving with out a fight.

"That's… That's…" Mom tried to argue.

"Exactly what you need to hear." I filled in. She sighed in defeat and I continued. "I have to meet Michael, and he can give me a ride to the hospital. The secretary said she'll give me the rest of today excused from school."

"Alright. I'll see you then. You should get some lunch, first, though. Bye" She hung up as the lunch bell sounded. I handed the elderly woman the phone and wandered slowly out of the building. I made my way to the parking lot, where Michael was waiting. He leaned up against his car dangling the keys.

"Hey, Princess. Ready to go?" he asked, and then paused reading the shock and heartbreak in my face. "What happened in the office? Is everything all right?"

"My dad was shot." I said quietly. I lost it at that point. I completely broke down. I shoved my face into the space between his shoulder and his neck and sobbed. "Can you… take me to…. the… hospital…. after lunch?" I asked between sobs. He nodded quietly and pulled me tighter.

"Anything, Princess."