Call me Kansas
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.
Right so this is a sequel to Kansas but I don't think you need to have read Kansas to understand this story. You could to get a sense of the relationship between the characters but I don't think you have to.
I wasn't sure if I was going to write a sequel because I didn't think people would like it as much as Kansas. Then some people were asking for a sequel and I thought I might give it a go. I do like writing this so the important thing is!
Have I enough in this chapter that makes you all want to keep reading and reviewing?
Thanks and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Booth sighed as he heard the squelching of the wet sand underneath his shoe.
He looked down, already having a good idea of what he going to see, and grumbled at the sight of his black shoes splattered and the bottom of his suit pants speckled with the brown slime. He put one leg up and shook it, spraying the sand over the back of Hodgins's blue jumpsuit.
"I hate the beach!" he grumbled as he stood on two feet again.
Brennan, who had just stepped out of the car, looked at him and said, "But you loved it when we went to Hawaii."
Booth turned to her. "That's because that sand was golden, soft and most of it was dry. This," he said as he gestured widely with his arm-nearly knocking Hodgins out- "is not sand! This is mud who thinks its better then regular mud!"
"Mud does not possess a brain so I doubt it thinks at all let alone thinks its better then anything," Hodgins said without turning around.
Brennan sighed and said, "Well you were the one who wanted to park on the beach."
"That's because I wanted to save as much walking as possible," Booth exclaimed, "The crime scene is all the way down there."
He gestured again to group of police officers that seemed to be gathered in the distance on the beach.
Booth and Brennan shut their doors and after Booth realized that Hodgins was standing in his way beside the car- he having jumped out of the car when it stopped- they all moved down the beach…after Booth gave Hodgins a shove to get him moving.
Hodgins stared around at the beach. With a grey sky, dark brown sand and cliffs that loomed over them on the left, the beach was not the usual holiday get away. Hodgins bent down for a second, taking a pinch of the sand in his hand before once again walking beside Booth and Brennan.
"Also you might not want to classify this as just sand or mud. You do not want to know the amount of thing I have found on beaches!" Hodgins said with a laugh as he rubbed the sand between his index finger and thumb.
"You're right I don't," Booth said.
Hodgins frowned at him and asked, "What's wrong with you this morning?"
"Well let's see," Booth said, "Its cold, I'm on a wet beach with sand soaking into my pants and there's a crime scene that's taking ages to get to!"
There was silence for second as they walked and then Brennan said, "The Capital's lost last night."
Hodgins nodded his head and replied, "I see! So that's why he's so grumpy."
Booth only grunted in response and Brennan replied, "Yes and there's four other boys at home who were just as grumpy."
Hodgins glanced at Booth and then at Brennan he mouthed, "Do something!"
Brennan looked at Booth and took his hand in hers. She brought it up and kissed it before letting their still linked hands fall between them.
Hodgins smiled with relief when he saw the small smile on Booth's face and looked towards the crime scene. The three of them reached it in a few minutes and Booth let go of Brennan's hand to let her work.
She immediately bent down to look at the remains while Booth pushed all the police officers back, only letting the sheriff stay where he was. Hodgins crouched down near the body and took some sand samples.
The body was laid out on the beach covered in mud, some fresh, some of it dry. It was mostly bones with very few pieces of skin left on the body.
"Male, mid-forties, no obvious signs of death," Brennan said as Booth took it all down.
Brennan gave another look to the body and said, "It's extremely decomposed. Hodgins take a lot of samples off the body; I think these remains have been buried before."
"You mean," Booth said, "That someone dug up this body and put it on the beach."
Brennan stood up and said, "I'm not comfortable in assuming that at this moment but there's a good chance."
The sheriff cleared his throat and said, "Nothing against your findings Dr. Brennan but I and my men thought there was a good chance the person jumped off the cliff or was washed up by the waves."
Hodgins snorted, trying to contain his laughter but a look from Brennan sent him back to work.
Brennan turned to the sheriff and replied, "That is what you would assume if it were not for the position of the body. Have you or any of you men touched it?"
The sheriff shook his head and Brennan turned to Booth and said, "Do you notice anything about the body?"
Booth looked it over and then said, "It's tidy."
"Exactly!" Brennan said, "I can tell from just a look that nearly every bone in these remains is in the right place. There's barely any flesh on these remains, not enough to hold together all the bones in their place if they were simple dumped here, from the cliff or the sea."
"What, even the small finger bones are placed right?"
Brennan nodded and said, "I think that whoever did this, dug up this body, brought it here and placed every bone in the right place."
"Brennan!" Hodgins called as he looked at the body's right hand.
Brennan walked over to him quickly and Booth was soon beside them as well. Brennan looked into the right hand and said, "It's been curled into a fist instead of placed flat like the left."
"There's something in it," Hodgins said handing her a pair of forceps.
Brennan took them and carefully took out a white piece of paper from the body's hand. "This paper can't have been with the body originally. It's not decomposed enough," Brennan said as she unfolded it carefully.
"So, what someone placed the paper in the body's hand for us to find?" Booth asked. Brennan didn't answer. She was staring down at the paper with a horrified look on her face.
"Bones? What's wrong?" Booth asked her.
Brennan looked at him and handed him the paper. Booth gave it a look and felt the wind had been punched out of him.
"High School Hockey Champs!" was written clearly on top of this newspaper cut out. But it was something else that frightened Booth and Brennan.
Underlined and highlighted was the name of the team's captain. Like it was a giant sign that lit up and flashed.
Cole Booth.
-Cole-
Cole watched as Lily drew lightly on her sketch pad. Said sketch pad was half resting on her knee and half resting on his.
They were both sitting on the low wall in front of the school and Cole looked back at the door and then back at Lily.
"I'm sure Matt will be ready soon. I mean he did have to help clean up after practise and then he had to get changed," Lily said without looking up.
Cole nodded and replied, "Ya, I know. I just wish he'd hurry up."
Lily smirked and continued to draw.
Cole let his eyes drift from the drawing to Lily. Her brown hair was down and sitting around her shoulders. It still sometimes fell in front of her brown eyes and she had to push it back. Wearing a red top and jeans she didn't even know how great she looked to him.
She had that effect on him really. Not that he could tell her that. You can't really tell your ex-girlfriend that sort of thing, especially if you were still friends.
Cole looked back at the drawing and smiled when he saw their school statue draw onto the page.
"That's pretty good," he said.
Lily replied, "Thank you" before picking up the sketch pad and putting it back in her bag.
Cole leaned back slightly and stretched his arms. Lily glanced at him and bit her lip. He still played hockey and it showed. His brown hair was still cut short and his body was clearly that of an athlete.
Lily looked down at her bag when Cole relaxed his arms. Of course girls still flocked around him. Cole tapped her on the arm and she dragged her eyes from her bag to him.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
Lily nodded and smiled.
Matt appeared a second later and sat down on the wall beside them with a sigh. "Hey guys," he greeted, "Cole, is your Dad coming soon to pick us up? I'm tiered dude."
Cole nodded, "He'll be here soon. Do you want a lift home Kansas?"
Lily felt a shiver go up her spine at the nickname but she hid it and replied, "No thanks Cole. I'm being walked home."
"By who?" Matt asked but his question was answered when another teenage boy suddenly walked up to them.
"Hey Lily," he greeted, "Matt, Cole."
Cole merely nodded at him but Matt said, "Hey Ryan."
Ryan bent down and pecked Lily on the lips, before helping her off the wall. Cole suddenly felt the urge to kick something but he kept his temper.
"I'll see you guys later ok?" Lily said before she and Ryan walked down the street.
Ryan wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled Lily gently to his side. It was a sweet gesture and he did it often but Lily frowned nearly every time. She felt like he was controlling her walk somehow. Sounds stupid but Lily did not like to be controlled and that's how she felt when he pulled her into his side. But she didn't want to say anything; Ryan didn't do it on purpose.
"How are Cole and Matt?" Ryan asked.
Lily smiled and said, "They're good. Really good."
Ryan nodded happily and he and Lily walked down the street.
They had walked off and then Cole said, "What does she see in him? He's the kind of guy Kansas wouldn't even have the patience for."
Matt nodded, "Wow dude. You are so over her! No feelings left there!"
Cole punched him in the arm and the Matt said, "Hey. I just don't want my friend sitting around and sulking."
"Look who's talking!" Cole replied.
Matt looked out at the road and Cole sighed and looked at his hands. "Sorry man," he said.
"It's no problem," Matt replied shrugging.
Then Matt smiled happily. "Finally! Here's your Dad."
Cole looked up and saw the back SUV driving towards them. When it stopped, Matt got into the back seat while Cole got in the front.
"Hey Dad," Cole said.
"Cole have you noticed any strange people around you lately?" Booth asked immediately as he pulled away from the curb.
Cole threw a confused glance back at Matt and then looked at his dad saying, "No. Why?"
Booth replied, "Have you noticed anything strange at all? Anything?"
"No! What's going on?" Cole said getting worried.
Booth sighed and said, "We found a body today."
"I thought that was part of your job?" Cole said back.
Booth replied, "The body had a newspaper clipping of an article about your team winning the championship. Your name was underlined and highlighted."
Cole looked at him with wide eyes and Matt looked between Booth and Cole from the back seat.
"The clipping was obviously placed with the body for us to find. You're…you're in danger Cole."
Cole sat back in his seat, his mind racing.
Matt sighed and replied, "What is it with you Booths and dangerous situations?"
-A few minutes later-
Booth watched carefully as Cole and Matt walked towards Brennan's office. It was only when they were in the office that he walked forward and swiped his past key. He stepped onto the platform and walked towards the team who were looking over the body.
"What else have you found?" Booth asked.
Brennan who had been looking in Cole and Matt's direction turned to him and said, "Hodgins examined the materials on the body and also insect activity. This body was defiantly buried before and it was buried over fifty years ago."
Booth pinched the bridge of his nose and then put his hand down saying, "So someone dug up this body and placed it on the beach with a clipping about Cole. What else?"
Angela pointed to the ribcage and said, "There's something written on three of the left ribs but it's on the skin tissue as well so I can't read it clearly. But I have pictures so I will be able to read them once I've cleared them up."
"What the cause of death?" Booth asked.
"Natural causes," Brennan said, "Probably a heart attack."
"So it's not murder?" Booth asked. "It's still a threat Booth!"
Brennan said, "It's a threat to Cole!"
"Hey," he said walking to her, "I know that. I know."
Brennan nodded and said, "Since Angela has all the pictures and we've done a full examination the bones can be cleaned. I want them back as quickly as possible."
With that she walked off the platform and towards her office. When she entered she saw Cole sitting on the couch and Matt standing near her desk.
He was playing with one of her skeleton heads moving its jaw bone up and down like it was talking.
"That's not a fake, by the way," she said.
Matt looked at head, practically dropped it back on her desk and shuddered as he waved his hands about.
Brennan walked over to Cole and sat down beside him, taking his hand. "Honey, are you alright?"
"As alright as I can be Mom," he said, "Do you have any idea who this guy is that's after me?"
Brennan sighed and replied, "No, we're not sure yet but we don't think he's killed anyone. The body we found died of natural causes. But I don't want you to panic ok?"
Cole nodded and Matt said, "Dude your dad and your mom are amazing fighters anyway. This guy's not going to touch you!"
Cole smiled at the statement. "Plus you can look after yourself and do you really think any of your brothers are going to let anyone else hurt you?" Brennan said.
Cole smiled again and said, "Can me and Matt get some food in the cafeteria?"
Brennan nodded and said, "Ok but don't wander off ok? And I'm telling the security guards to watch out for you guys."
Cole and Matt stood up and after giving his mother a hug, the boys walked out of the office and towards the canteen. Cole sighed and said, "Why do I feel like I'm going to be watched like a hawk until this guy is caught?"
Matt replied, "Probably because you are."
-Later-
Brennan rubbed a hand over her face and looked over the file on her desk. It had been a few hours since the bones had been taken away and Brennan was waiting for them to come back.
She looked up to see Cole and Matt doing their homework on her coffee table. She sighed and sat back in her chair, her head resting in her hand and her elbow propped up on arm rest.
"Brennan!" All three people in the office looked up to see Cam running to the office door. "You have to see this," she said before turning and hurrying back to the platform.
Brennan got up and walked towards the platform. Cole and Matt stayed sitting in the office for now. Brennan hurried towards the platform, nearly forgetting to swipe her card and walked up to everyone who was gathered around the body.
Brennan looked down at the body, now all bones and no flesh and nearly immediately saw what Cam was talking about. Brennan reached out and examined the three ribs in the left side of the body.
"I looked at the pictures of those words that were written on the skin," Angela said, breaking the tension as everyone watched Brennan, "Those words match the ones on the ribs."
Brennan nodded. Three words carved into the three ribs near the top of the rib cage. Twine, Missouri and Dorothy.
"What is it supposed to mean?" Hodgins said as Brennan straightened up.
"Obviously its part of a code," Sweets said, "These three words have something in common and this guy wants us to figure out what it is so that he can deliver a message…possibly relating to Cole. As well as that, the ribs that words are carved into are over where most people would assume the heart would be."
Brennan turned to Booth and exclaimed, "There has to be someone that can make sense of these words! And the heart is more towards the centre of the body, not the left side."
Sweets just nodded at her statement, used to it after all these years.
"Alright," Booth said, "But I'm sure of we all just calm down then we can figure it out as well. We've done it before."
Hodgins and Sweets went off in an argument about fabric while Cam and Booth were saying everything they could think of with Missouri in the name of it. Brennan stared down at the ribs and Angela went and stood beside her.
"I never liked the name Dorothy," Angela said, "Not since I watched the Wizard of Oz as a kid and that witch gave me nightmares."
Brennan's head whipped up to look at her and said, "What?"
Angela looked slightly taken aback and the team looked at Brennan strangely after hearing her outburst.
"Um you know? Dorothy…the Wizard…the Emerald City…please don't make me sing "Follow the Yellow Brick Road," Angela replied.
Brennan looked at Sweets and asked, "You said that the thing that links all these words could have something to do with Cole?"
Sweets nodded and Brennan looked down at the body again mumbling to herself. Booth stood on the opposite side of the table and said, "What have you got Bones?"
Brennan looked at him and said, "Twine, the Missouri River and The Wizard of Oz. What state do they all have in common?"
It took Booth a second to figure to out. His eyes snapped to Brennan's; Brennan barely nodding to confirm her suggestion. Booth glanced at Brennan's office and then back at Brennan.
"Kansas."
-Later; Lily-
Lily sighed and turned the TV up louder. She then went back to putting away the dishes. The house was way too quiet when she was by herself. She smiled slightly. The house to herself? Hadn't had that in a while.
Her phone rang suddenly, startling her from her thoughts. She turned down the TV and walked to the kitchen table. She picked up the phone, answering it with a "Hello?"
"You said I should give him a chance!"
Lily smiled slightly-and she was glad Suze couldn't see her because she probably would have thrown something at her for smiling at her statement- and replied, "Would this be the date you had last night Suze?"
"Yes it was and I spent most of it sitting across a table from a man that ate like a pig!"
Lily cleared her throat and said, "So I'm guessing your date didn't go well?"
"By the main course I wanted to poke him with my fork…or poke myself. Anything to get out of that date!"
Lily heard her huff slightly on the other end and then she said, "Well I'm sorry. From what you told me he seemed like a nice guy. What was wrong with him…other then the dinner manners I mean?"
"Oh I'll tell you what was wrong with him!" Suze said and Lily could picture her sitting in her apartment, fists clenched and a frown on her face.
"He tried to be funny!" Suze said, saying it like he had gotten up on top of the table and started singing opera.
Lily rubbed her face slightly and then replied, "And what's wrong with that?"
"He wasn't funny!" Suze stressed. She calmed slightly and then said, "You know how some guys are naturally funny? Well this guy was trying too hard. I mean some guys can just make you laugh from one word!"
Lily thought for a moment and then said, "Would a certain one of these 'some guys' be Matt?"
Suze was slightly for a second and then she said hesitantly, "…N-No."
Lily nodded slightly and replied, "You know your new apartment is nearer to him. Maybe you two could meet and catch up?"
Suze sighed and said, "Matt and I broke up Lily. We broke up because we just weren't right for each other."
Lily sighed and said, "Sorry if this sounds harsh Suze but bullshit! You broke up because you and Matt got affected by what those girls from your college were saying! So what if your boyfriend is still in high school? He's only a few months younger then you and both cared about each other!"
Suze was silent for a second and then said, "You want to hear some bullshit Lily, then what about two people braking up because of what people were saying about the seriousness of their relationship? And these people weren't even close friends they were random people in their class who decided to comment on other people's business! Now that! That is bullshit!"
Both girls were silent for a moment and then Suze mumbled, "Sorry, Lily."
Lily nodded and replied, "Me too."
There was another silent moment and then Suze asked quietly, "Do you miss him?
Lily swallowed and said, "Sometimes. Ryan is so different to Cole. He's much calmer about things. Sometimes…sometimes I think he doesn't care at all. I mean he knows how serious Cole and I were but he doesn't even seem to mind that we're still friends and spent time together. And then he'll do something like carry my books for me or buy me some chocolate and I know he cares. He…he just has no…no…?"
"Passion?" Suze said, "Fire? Fight?"
Lily smirked, "Exactly. I mean Cole had buckets of all three and I swear the way his eyes light up when he's mad or happy or anything…"
Lily bit her lip and sighed. "It seems like we're both not over our ex-boyfriends,"
Suze said, "Sometimes I look at a guy and I think about why he's not like Matt. It's a thought in my mind when I'm with a guy. Why isn't he like Matt?"
Lily sighed and replied, "We need to stop pining over our ex-boyfriends."
"Or we could get back together with them?"
Lily frowned at Suze's suggestion and said, "What?"
"Why not? Why can't we give it another go with the boys? I miss Matt."
"Well you haven't got another boyfriend Suze," Lily said, "That makes things more complicated."
"True. Actually maybe I should just back off from Matt," Suze suggested.
Lily stood up straight. Suze was talking herself out of even talking to Matt! "No, no! You should at least try and hang out with him! I mean you can come home from college more often? See your family too."
Suze thought for a moment and then said, "I could do that."
The doorbell rang and Lily said, "That's a good idea, you should. Someone's at the door so I'll call you later."
"Ok then. Bye! And by the way, you hate it when people carry your books for you."
Lily hesitated for a moment and then said, "Bye!"
Lily hung up the phone and hurried to the door. She opened the door to see Booth standing on her porch.
She smiled at him and said, "Hey Booth! How are you?"
Booth smiled at her tightly and said, "I'm fine. But I'm working on a case and I need you to come over to the house."
Lily frowned and asked, "Why?"
"I'll explain it all when we get there, but trust me."
Lily nodded and grabbed her keys from the hall table and put her phone in her pocket. She walked out of the house, shutting and locking the door behind her before walking to Booth's car.
-A few minutes later-
Lily entered the Booth house to the sight of Parker holding James in a head lock in the front hall. Booth sighed and walked up to them pulling them apart.
"Stop fighting! And don't even think of trying any of those moves on me because I could kick both your asses!"
Parker and James glanced over at the door and saw Lily, the fight forgotten.
"Hey Lily!" Parker said.
"Long time no see," James said.
Lily smiled at them and accepted their hugs. "Hey guy! Are you Booth boys still kicking the crap out of each other?"
"Of course," Parker stated. "Except Mom has leaned that we really don't like it when she sprays us with the hose so she's been doing that a lot," James said.
Lily nodded and walked into the sitting with the two Booths. Sitting on the couch were Cole and Michael both from whom she received wide smiles- except when she sat between them Michael gave her a hug- and Booth and Brennan were standing in the kitchen talking.
"What's going on?" Lily asked as Parker and James sat down in the arm chairs.
"My dad told you he was working on a case? Well the body was buried in a cemetery, dug up, put on a beach and a newspaper clipping with my name underlined and highlighted was put in its hand," Cole said as Lily's eyes grew wide.
"That's not all," Brennan said, walking into the sitting room. Brennan looked at Booth who came to stand beside her and then at the boys and Lily.
"There were three words scratched into three of the ribs. The three words only had one link that made sense….Kansas."
Everyone was quiet until Cole sat forward and said quietly, "What?"
Lily still in shock couldn't help but notice that his green eyes were lit with concern for her and she felt her breath catch in her throat before she was able to breathe again.
"S-Someone is after Lily and Cole?" Parker asked.
Booth looked at his wife and said, "That's what we think. We don't know the full extent of the risk just yet but we're treating this seriously. Lily all your brothers are out of the house at the moment?"
Lily looked at him and cleared her throat before saying, "Um, yes. Chase is touring with a minor hockey team; he's in Canada at the minute. Lucas and Tyler have an apartment near their college and Devon is staying in the apartment over the music shop until some repairs are done."
Booth sighed and said, "Lily in most cases like this we usually send an agent to live with the family or have a patrol car outside. But since we don't know the full risk and since you both live close by…we thought it would be best for you to come live with us Lily. Until this guy after you and Cole is caught."
There was silence again and Brennan said, "We have a spare room and plenty of space in the house and we would love to have you here."
Cole didn't miss the glance his mother gave him. Living with Kansas. Living with the girl he was still in love with? Who had a new boyfriend?
"I've already talked with Chase and he agrees that staying with us is best. That way I can look out for you both until we solve the case and so can Brennan," Booth said.
Lily looked at Booth and Brennan. "Um…well if you think its best I suppose I could move in with you guys?" she said.
Booth and Brennan smiled at her and then walked into the kitchen. Booth sat on the kitchen stool and Brennan leaned against the kitchen island beside him. Brennan sighed and Booth took her hand.
"Calm down. I know things are crazy and worrying but panicking isn't going to help."
Brennan looked at him and replied, "I know that. Even after all these years I am still rational!"
Booth nodded and Brennan said, "I'm just concerned about Lily and Cole living so close to each other."
"They broke up Bones."
"But he's still in love with her!" Brennan whispered to him, "and she's still in love with him. I know those two and even though it's been three months since they broke up they still have feelings for each other."
Brennan sighed and said, "That's what I'm worried about."
There was a silence in the sitting room until Michael got up and followed Booth and Brennan into the kitchen.
Parker and James looked at each other and then at Cole and Lily and then back at each other. "I think I hear Mom calling us!" Parker said-ignoring the fact that they could see Brennan talking to Booth in the kitchen- and he and James sprang up from the seats and hurried into the kitchen.
Lily sat back in her seat while Cole was still leaning forward. There was someone after them and they didn't know what they wanted? She had to live with her ex-boyfriend that she may still be attracted to?
"Well shit," she said quietly.
"I couldn't have said it better myself Kansas," Cole replied.