Sequel to: 1. The Princess in the Tower; 2. Dichotomy (both posted here as well)
Author: moonie
Pairings: Booth/Brennan, Jack/Angela
Rating: PG to PG-13
Spoilers: Not so much... mostly rests on season 1 info... Also means no Cam, and still some Goodman :D
Disclaimer: Wish it was mine, but it's not... honest )
A/N: Okaay here we go again :) At this time I am midway through writing chapter 5 so... yeah :) And as always, updates will come on every MONDAY. Chapter 1 will come then )
A/N2: Five months after Dichotomy.
PROLOGUE - To seek a whole
"There was a bunch of the marshmallows that fell right in the fire. It was kind of a mess..."
"It must have smelled good," Hodgins laughed.
"Well, for a while, sure. But then," she made a disgusted face, throwing in a shudder for good measure.
"I see," Hodgins chuckled as he sat by the poolside while the visiting Meg Montrose paddled on back and forth in the water, recounting the camping trip she'd gone on with her Uncle Mike.
"I usually dropped them just shy of the flames. That just got frustrating, so close yet very unsalvageable," Angela commented as she trailed in to join them. Meg laughed before diving under to swim along. Angela came to sit at Hodgins' side.
"We should go camping," he turned to her.
"Mm... Can't we just rough it in the pool house..." He looked at her. "Ha, you fell for that," she chuckled. "I could go for a little nature," she nodded. "If we ever get the time..."
"We'll make some," he assured her with a smile.
The trial period officially ended fifty-two days after it began, at which time Angela agreed to 'properly' move out of her old place and in with Hodgins. He was one happy man.
There was an instance or three where the decision was challenged through arguments. Nevertheless, they always managed to come through to the other side that much stronger.
Meg was on the last day of her second visit to Hodgins' since she'd left town to live with her uncle. The first visit, three months before, had been harder in comparison. Anywhere they went had just reminded her of everything that happened less than a year ago. Eventually she had asked to go see them... the graves. Her sister's, her mother's, her father's...
Right from the time where she'd called to ask about this second visit, Hodgins could hear in her voice how time was helping her, how she was moving along and making a life for herself. And when she'd arrived... It could have been Ellie standing there... the freedom she'd experienced these past few months had made her into a person that would have made the elder Montrose daughter proud.
"Coming?" Angela eventually stood, shaking her sandals from her feet as she approached the pool.
"In a bit," he promised.
"You better," she pointed, turning to face him as she stepped off and dropped into the water with a minimal splash. Meg chuckled as she swam to approach Angela. "Come on, I'll race you," Angela told the fourteen-year-old. She laughed, and they were off. Hodgins watched them, forever in awe that he'd have Angela. She'd been indispensable in giving Meg the comfort and ease that she needed in these visits.
x
THE NEXT MORNING
"Close it off!" the ranger told the men as they made sure the campers didn't wander into the area they'd closed off. The problem was that with this type of situation, it was hard to make sure they had the whole area. For all they knew, someone would find more pieces.
The first had been found courtesy of a family's dog. They'd been setting up camp when the dog wandered off. One of the children, the eldest, had been tasked with going after him. After calling for old Scrappers for a while, the teen had found him. It wasn't the only thing he'd found. It took only a moment to realize it was an arm even though there was practically no skin or much else left on it. The boy had then called to his family.
As reinforcements came in, it didn't take long before more pieces started being found. A second arm, its hand... a foot, a leg... Finally, they'd started making calls.
The Jeffersonian's van pulled up to the scene, soon joined by Booth's car. He got out, followed by Brennan. They were let through, joined by Zack and Hodgins. The first two went one way, the last two went the other. Booth and Brennan were shown to where the pieces were gathered.
"Who knows how long they've been out there... The sun, the animals..." the ranger explained.
"I'll see about that," Brennan crouched, examining it all. After putting on some gloves, she began to organize them.
"Is it... all one person?" the ranger asked, covering his nose and mouth.
"I think so... Female... I'd say early thirties."
"Have they found any of her belongings?" Booth asked. Some parts of the clothes still hung on.
"Anything we came across has been located on a map of the area. We didn't risk moving anything. But it's all there." Brennan stood, looking down.
"So... where's her head?" she asked, her gaze finding Booth. He looked down as well.
That was the one missing piece, other than a part of the leg.
TBC