Disclaimer I do not own Bones. All copyright belongs to Fox Television and Kathy Reichs. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.

1. Old Friends

Zac sat quietly, staring into space. He knew Dr Brennan and Agent Booth would help him, if he could convince them that he was innocent. Sighing heavily he knew that would be easier said than done. All the evidence had pointed to him and he had admitted being Gormagon's apprentice. He had no idea why but he had. He sighed, knowing Hodgins would never forgive him, that Angela probably would believe him but Dr Saroyan and Dr Brennan? They were women of science, they needed hard, quantifiable evidence. He had a funny feeling even his family wouldn't be so forgiving. He had believed he had killed a man, but when it came to having to do it to save his own life he couldn't. He would have let the psychiatrist kill him if Agent Booth hadn't appeared when he had. He looked up to see the dark haired man staring down at him.

"Agent Booth. I thought you had left."

Booth nodded, before sitting next to him in the ornate garden.

"I had. I came back. I took Bones back to the lab."

"Ah, I see."

Booth fell silent. Zack had no idea why the older man was there. He knew the FBI agent had married his former mentor -and fathered two children. He had seen photographs of Hank and Christine on emails as well as Angela and Hodgins' son, Michael.

"Why are you here?" Zack asked.

"Because." Booth paused. He had wondered why he had come back. "I want you to know that I believe you. I don't want you to think I am going to let this lie. You are coming home. I just need evidence."

"I see."

"I need you to help me find the truth. I know you are innocent."

"Do you? How?" Zack was genuinely surprised. He had offered no real evidence to support his innocence. He watched as Booth looked away.

"Because I know you."

"You knew me then."

"Zack, a cold blooded killer. Even one that had been brainwashed would never have tried to help Hodgins. What you did for him. It was remarkable."

"It wont work. I thought it might. I thought it might at least give him hope."

Booth nodded. "I know. And he has hope. You gave him that."

"No." Zack shook his head. "I gave him false hope. And now I realise that was just cruel." He sighed. "And for that I am sorry. Dr Brennan doesn't believe me. Does she?"

Booth looked at his hands.

"She wants to."

"But."

"Zack, she was devastated when everything happened. We all were."

"I believed I was guilty."

"I know." Booth nodded. "And now you believe yourself to be innocent. I want to prove that. But honestly? You know the only way this is going to work is if we get new evidence. The DA wont even consider putting this back in court unless we have evidence. I'm going to ask the DG if I can reopen the case."

"Wont he want to see evidence?"

"Yes,"

"Oh." Zack stared at the floor. "But we only have my word."

"And that is why you now have to tell me everything. In minute detail."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N is it worth going on? Please review