A/N: This story is inspired by Waiting To Get Out Of Here who wrote a very similar piece for NCIS: LA. Total credit to her. Thank you for a fabulous story and UPDATE SOON! Btw Vincent isn't in this story. Not dead just not in it. Neither is Daisy. Also I'm totally making this up. My facts are most likely wrong.
Disclaimer: Not mine. That's fo shizzle.
Hidden Away.
His dad was sick. Wendell was 15 and they were boxing, training for a competition. Wendell was punching the bag and his dad was making minor adjustments to his technique. Wendell was tired, sick of his judging, annoyed at the comments. His dad called him weak and Wendell blew up. The yelling attracted attention and the argument turned to his mother. Hurtful words were thrown and they both said things that they never meant to say.
Wendell hadn't known. His father didn't want sympathy so he left his wife and son in the dark. Wendell knew, deep down, something was wrong, but didn't press it. It lung cancer and blood clots around his heart, caused by the constant smoking. His dad shouted something, Wendell can't remember what it was, but he does remember the reaction. He punched his father square in the face and walked away, fuming. But he didn't know that before the punch, his father had lost feeling in his left arm. He was too angry to notice. Wendell didn't look back when his father called out his name, while clutching his heart.
His father died the next day. His last words were that he forgave his son.
2. Sweets
His life was good. He had lived with his adoptive parents until college and he visited every Sunday. After the horrors of the first 6 years, he had a family. A kind, generous, elderly couple. Marie and Thomas were good people and he loved them deeply. They were with him through everything, through the many first days of school, the Death Metal phase, dates, break ups, friends. Being an orphan, the fear that they would suddenly regret their decision followed him for years until he was about 10, when he accepted that fact that they wanted him, a lot more than his biological parents. They picked him, over Sally Dickson, over Robbie Twist and Christina Hope, all the other orphans. Him, the boy with literal scars on his back, marks he will have for life. And that pushed him to give back to them as much as possible.
And he did. He worked, studied, helped out with chores, accepted no pocket money and did everything he could to make them proud in their honorary son, until they died. Sweets knew that it was inevitable. They got him when they were in their 50's. They died 2 weeks apart. The emotional scars would last longer and are more visible.
Alone.
3. Cam
Cam knew he wouldn't change. Losing her hurt him bad. She stayed for that beautiful little girl but his habits ate away at her, deep inside. She loved him, no doubt about it, and she wanted a life with him and his daughter. She wanted to drop Michelle off at school, she wanted to come home from a long day of being around the dead to a family, a husband and daughter, maybe even another kid.
But she knew it wasn't meant to be.
She loved Michelle like her own. She had one thought about taking Michelle with her, but the girl needed her father. Michelle was the only thing he would always love and will never, Cam was sure, betray or leave.
It was a rainy Thursday. Cam had packed and said her goodbyes. She returned the ring and finally ended the relationship that was doomed from the start. She had left the hardest part, the most heart breaking decision she's ever made and had to go through with last. She breathed and knocked.
Cam had to be strong. She left the salt shaker on the table in front of Michelle and left the room, tears running down her face. She made it to the door without looking back, even when Michelle followed her. She paused, hand on the doorknob, and broke. She left the house sobbing while Michelle walked behind her, screaming, tears mixing with the rain. Michelle begged her to stay, sobbing hysterically, crying for her mommy to not leave her. She promised to be better, to be good. Cam turned and knelt on the ground. She whispered to her child that she loved her with everything she had and nothing was her fault. Cam told her that she had to leave because she needed to. She hugged to sobbing girl, climbed in to the car and drove off, barely able to see through the rain and tears. Michelle ran after the car until she got tired. Cam drove out of sight. Michelle cried and screamed and begged for her mother to come back. Her father, the man Cam loved, followed Michelle and tried to calm her down.
Cam pulled up at an old friend's house and knocked, hysterical and soaking wet. He wasn't home, so she sunk to the floor and leaned against the door, wishing she could go back. Cam heard her name after what felt like an eternity. She looked at him, dressed in army fatigues, concerned that his friend was sobbing on his doorstep. She said one thing.
'I left her.'
4. Fisher
Fisher could always relate. Booth clearly had it worse, but at least his grandfather saved him. Fisher remembered everything, every detail of what she did. Fisher was the product of a one night stand when she was 18, but his mother had been with multiples that night. She didn't give a shit about who his father was, she only cared about what drugs she'd take that night and who'd she sleep with. Fisher was her waiter, cleaner, cook, beautician and so much more. He was never her son. She would throw empty bottles at him if he showed up when she had a potential one night stand and he never brought friends home, embarrassed by her calling him her butler or handyman. She called him horrific things and judged him by how he dressed. He would always be in detention for not having books or a sport uniform, but she's never bought him things like that. Goth and Emo things made him feel better, like other people go through the same things as he does.
He ran away at 16. She didn't notice. She was caught with drugs and was sent to rehab. Now she's trying to mend the bridge but really, she hasn't improved behaviour wise. But Fisher has a mom.
That's all that matters.
5. Hodgins
He was rich, that was ridiculously true, but nothing changed when people found out. They still dangle the weak, bug obsessed boy over the stairwell balcony. They forced his head down toilets and played pranks on him. He was victim to having his clothes stolen 3 times while in the change rooms, before he began hiding them. He was bullied, horrendously, but he pulled through. He had a sister to live for. She had leukaemia and his parents had given up. He's seen them only 5 times, being raised by staff his whole life. He didn't mind. So when they died in that car crash when he was 16, he felt more like an uncle he met once at a Christmas party had died. But being the next heir, he had rights to the money left behind. He was always very understanding, so he hired a lawyer to help him access some money to start a leukaemia foundation. He spoke with potential donors and scientists and campaign organisers. He explored every way he could think of to save her.
One day, she asked him to give up on her. She was tired of life and hated seeing her brother work himself so hard over her. She had stolen his life from him. He refused, promising to never give up.
That night she told him she loved him with all her heart and she wanted him to continue the foundation if something happens to her. When he left the room she took out the IV, the breathing tubes and took no medication. She died in her sleep.
Alice Hodgins
1984- 1998
RIP my sister.
6. Brennan
She glares at the women across the table. Her unintelligent social worker smiles a sickly sweet smile back at her. The vile woman wants to know if Temperance knew about tomorrow. She ignores the bruises all over the 17 year old's arms and asks again. Temperance growls out a yes and maintains her stare. The woman says her goodbyes and leaves the house. the current Foster father waits until the social worker had driven out of sight before grabbing Temperance's wrist, adding more bruises to her body. She wriggles out of his grasp and ran upstairs to hide, not wanting a repeat of last night's events. She had defended herself the best she could and it worked. She had made it out with only two broken ribs, which was impressive. Brett Tucker was strong and knew what he wanted to do to Temperance. His wife is just as horrible. She stands to the side and watch as he tried. But the girl has been through worse. She's faced what no child should go through, but the life she lives has made her strong. She's learnt to grow up, to face the world, to stand up proud and shove it in their faces. She hides how she feels, knowing that emotion just spurs her assailant on.
Temperance hides in a place she knows they won't find her. Her bag is there packed for the next day. She sleeps after her foster parents climb into bed themselves. She dreams of a man, about 22, sitting on a bed with a gun to his head. She somehow knows what lead him there and tries to tell him that it's illogical to kill yourself over a dream. He lowers the gun and looks around, seeing no one. There's a collection of badges and medals on the bed next to him. He looks familiar but she ignores it.
An alarm that she bought with the tiny amount of money she had beeps before dawn, bringing her back from the room. She grabs her bag and slips out of the house, note left on the kitchen table. The bus she catches takes her to the tiny little apartment she used her last pay to rent, the dream long forgotten.
Today is her 18th birthday. She is free.
8. Clark
Clark had a good childhood. He grew up in a loving household, with middle class working parents and his grandfather. Clark loved his grandfather. The man was well travelled, always had a story to share about The Great Pyramids of Giza, or a carnival in Rio, or when he got locked inside Big Ben. How much was true, Clark never found out. But the man could spin a damn good tale.
Clark remembered sitting on the floor with some friends and his baby sister while his Gramps told stories of adventure and romance, stories of him and his friends getting into all kinds of trouble. Clark's mother would scold him, telling him to stop putting ideas in her son's head, but she always had a smile on her face when her father started.
Clark's grandfather was a scientist. A pathologist, who encouraged his grandson's interest in anthropology. They would study together, preparing Clark for all of his college classes and tests. When he died, Clark was heartbroken. His Gramps didn't get to see him graduate. But his mother gave him the letter that his grandfather had written to him. Clark decided to finish his work in his grandfather's name.
Clark Edison II does everything for him. And that keeps them together.
9. Angela
Angela wasn't scared of her father. He loved her to bits and she was well aware of it as she couldn't bring boys home for fear of what he'd do to them. She never told people who he was though because people treated her differently. Even now, when she's at college around mature people!
But the one thing Angela didn't want to tell her father was the fact that she was dating another artist called Roxy. He was a traditional Texan! Who wouldn't be scared? She's never been that nervous, not when she was 16 and "sleeping over" at Billy Gabel's house for the first time or when she had to tell her father that she changed her name. When her last boyfriend broke it off with her, she didn't see him again and Angela is sure it's because her dad went to visit him and his roommate.
She had invited Roxy to Sunday dinner at her house. They had shown up together, freaking out, and pasted smiles on their faces when he answered the door. He behaved and was polite and asked her questions about her major all through dinner. Angela waited until dessert to tell him.
He smiled at her and said that he figured it out when they walked in. He knew all along that she played for both teams. Roxy sighed with relief and Angela frowned. He didn't say anything! Not a word!
But he did give Roxy the same threat he gave all the boys.
10. Booth
He tried. Many times. But someone always found him. The first time his father found him and beat him senseless for trying. The second time it was his old girlfriend, who stopped by to return some things she found. Cam found him the next time and Jared after that. He stopped trying after a year of living with his grandfather.
But now, there was no one. No one to try and stop him. No one to walk in on him, No one to care. Sure, his brother, grandfather and maybe even his unit might care, but it seems worth it. Worth ending the nightmares and horrors Sgt. Major Booth has seen. Erasing his past from existence. Removing the emotional scars his abusive and alcoholic left him with. The things he's done, the people he's killed, all for his country, but how many of those didn't have to die. He should be there with them, feel their pain and suffer for taking a life of another. But his job says it's right. Take one to save millions, right? But it didn't feel that way. He hates what he has achieved. The badges, plaques, medals, they can shower him in them but he will never wear them or display them to other humans. They were symbols of the lives he has taken and he was supposed to show them proudly? Advertise that he was essentially a murderer?
But as he sits on his bed, he hears a voice. A woman, strong and intelligent, going on about all this stuff about how it's illogical to kill yourself over some dream. He's going crazy, that's for sure, but he kind of follows the lecture this unknown person is giving him. He takes it as a sign from God and lowers the handgun he had pressed against his head. Maybe this was fate.
He walks into the lecture hall. Things are different now. He's older, wiser, an FBI agent, a father and happier. Then he recognises the voice speaking. She is very different to how he imagined her. She speaks with intelligence, explaining how to remove flesh from bones to a room filled with students. She is beautiful, stunning. And she somehow saved him.
This has to be fate. He asks her if she believes in fate. She firmly states that it's ludicrous. He smirks and decides to not tell her.
It's better this way.