Twenty-one Weeks at Quantico
By: Lesera128
Rated: T
Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.
Summary: When the FBI establishes a pilot program for consultants to receive training at the FBI academy, Brennan and Booth clash over whether she should enroll. AU.
A/N: This fic is set sometime post-season 6 finale (Change in the Game). It assumes that Booth and Brennan are in some type of romantic relationship… nebulously defined. I haven't quite decided if this story has anything to do with my other story "Often Quoted Quotes Quoted One More Time." For now, you can decide yourself. As ever, annoying flames will be fed to my pet dragon. A good piece of advice... if you don't like the story (be it premise, writing style, plot, characterization, or INSERT RANDOM GRIPE HERE), stop reading, and hit the back button. It's that simple. :)~
1. T-minus 12 Weeks until Orientation
"I have to ask, Andrew… why me?" Dr. Temperance Brennan asked with her eyebrow arched in curiosity.
FBI Deputy Director Andrew Hacker sat back in his chair and nodded at her. "You are one of the Bureau's most valued consultants, Temperance."
"Yes, I know… I'm very good at my job. But, that does not necessarily answer my question... unless this offer is the result of some kind of meritorious initiative?" Brennan asked.
Hacker shook his head. "Quite simply, Temperance… this is a pilot program. In order to diversify the effectiveness of various field offices throughout the nation, the FBI would like to find out if there is a way to take advantage of local experts while simultaneously not risking our liability as a law enforcement agency."
Brennan narrowed her eyes. "And, so, the purpose of the training would be?"
"Potentially to create a new level of standing within the agency. Outside experts with security clearance that were also trained in proper law enforcement tactics and legal strategies could be an extremely beneficial resource that we haven't tapped yet as an organization," Hacker said.
"You still haven't told me why you are making this offer to me," Brennan said.
Hacker shrugged. "The pilot program is making an offer to a dozen consultants within the DC area. Of those twelve individuals, we were looking for people who had at least a basic knowledge of forensics and a strong aptitude to pass the physical requirements of the training. You possess all of these things."
"And more," Brennan said. Nodding, she added, "I have three questions."
"Okay," Hacker said.
Brennan nodded. "First… if I complete the pilot program satisfactorily and a new class of standing was created within the FBI hierarchy, would my partnership with Agent Booth be at risk to change?"
Hacker shook his head. "No, if anything, we see the skills and training you would receive as something that would benefit your partnership, not threaten it."
"Second, if I completed the program… would one of my rights be to carry a firearm in the field?" Brennan asked.
Smiling, Hacker said, "Well, see as how FBI agents usually carry guns to catch bad guys, yes. But," Hacker said with a nod, "*Only* if you complete the trainining successfully."
"My third and final question, Andrew… is… does Booth know anything about this yet?"
Shaking his head again, Hacker said, "No… not as of when you walked into this office… but…"
"But?" Brennan prodded.
"But, he is being informed by Sam Cullen of it as we speak," Hacker said.
"Why?" Brennan asked.
"Because… the way this program is envisioned... your roles would be different, but we'd like for both of you to participate... and to do that... we would need to pull Booth… temporarily… to act as an instructor for the duration of the pilot program at Quantico," Hacker said.
"Both of us?" Brennan asked, curiousity evident in her voice. "Surely there must be some type of conflict between use given the history of our relationship?
Hacker shrugged. "You know you guys are the best. The program was, in some ways, especially designed around that aspect of your partnership."
Brennan sighed. "And how long does the program last again?"
"Twenty-one weeks."
"And I told Cullen, no way. I mean, everyone knows if they pull you from active field duty and deposit you at Quantico, it's only a matter of time before you're pushing papers from behind the desk of some ring in the ladder of the Bureau's bureaucracy," Booth said.
Former FBI psychologist Dr. Gordon Wyatt looked over at Booth and said, "Forgive me, Agent Booth… but… how long did you take to contemplate the offer?"
Booth shrugged. "I dunno… a few seconds. Why?"
"Don't you think that was a bit precipitate?" Gordon Gordon asked.
"No," Booth said. "It was a really easy decision to make."
"Then, again, forgive me… but why are you here speaking to me about it?"
"You're telling me that while I was talking with Cullen, that doofus Hacker had you in his office making you the same offer?" Booth said, munching on a carrot stick.
Brennan continued chopping up the celery she was getting ready to toss into their dinner salad. "It wasn't exactly the same offer, Booth… I was being offered a position as a student, not an instructor," Brennan said.
Booth chuckled. "Yeah, well they were stupid to approach us. What we do and how we do it works just fine as it is. It doesn't need to change... Even though they don't know about us... well, you would think that after all this time they would know by now that if something's not broken, there's no need to fix it—"
Brennan stopped chopping and looked up at him. "You said 'no', Booth."
"What?" He paused from his diatribe as he processed her words and then nodded. "Oh, yeah, Bones, that's what I said just a couple of minutes ago," Booth said.
Brennan was quiet for a moment before she said, "Why did you assume that I gave them a similar response?"
Booth suddenly tensed as he lowered the remnants of the carrot stick and said, "You told them no." He said it as a statement and not a question.
Brennan remained silent.
At this, Booth frowned. "Bones… you *did* tell them no, right?"
At last, Brennan spoke. "No, Booth… I didn't. I said 'yes'."
-TBC-