Prompt: 5 stages of grief
Fandom: Bones
Characters: Zack Addy, Jack Hodgins
Pairing: none (maybe slashy if you put on your x-ray goggles, squint, and tilt your head)
Summary: Hodgins moves through the 5 stages of grief through letters to Zack.
Denial
Zack,
I know the evidence is overwhelming, and that you confessed to Dr. B, but I don't believe it. You aren't a murderer. You're the kid who builds robots for Parker, and watches Firefly reruns at night. You can't be Gormmagon's apprentice.
You just can't.
-Jack Hodgins
Anger
Zack,
Dammit Zack! How could you?! You betrayed us all, you know! Angela was distraught! I think even Dr. B cried when they took you away.
You can't imagine the hell we've been through. They've gone through the lab with a fine tooth comb, and we're all under review. Even Booth is in trouble. We've all lost our FBI clearance, which means no more FBI cases, and we're back to solving the murders of dudes who've been dead for four hundred years.
I hate you Zack. I really fucking hate you.
-Dr. Jack Hodgins
Bargaining
Zack,
I'd do anything for these past few months to have been a dream, or a lie, or a sick joke. I'd give anything for you to be back in the lab with us. I'd sign over control of the entire Cantilever Group to whomever, if we could just have you back.
We need you Zack. We need the King of the Lab.
-Jack Hodgins
Depression
Zack,
The lab is so empty without you. Brennan's been alternating grad students as interns, but we can all tell that she doesn't like any of them very much.
The house is too big, too quiet, Zack. I went through your things last week. This week I watched all your Firefly DVDs.
The drive to work is the worst part. All I can think is that I'll never hear you teach me about the architecture of the bridge, or sing along with the radio ever again.
I miss you Zack. God I miss you.
-Jack
Acceptance
Zack,
Everything's going to be okay, isn't it? Nothing's the same, but it's getting better. Cam brought macaroni for lunch last week. I did an experiment with Brennan's dad yesterday, and it almost felt like old times. Almost. It'll never be like it was, before, but it's getting easier. Coming into work in the morning, and being in the lab without you is getting better. It'll never be like you weren't here, but it's easier for you not to be here than it was.
You know that we'll never forget about you, right? And that you'll always be King of the Lab.
-Hodgins