This is not one of my prouder moments.

I am cowering in a corner, having a panic attack as snakes slither towards me. I know that rationally I shouldn't be afraid, that these snakes are giving me a wide berth, so that must mean they aren't going to attack.

But, for once, the rational part of my brain is down.

I try to comfort the girl that was trapped in here, offering her declarations that everything will be fine. Doesn't matter, really…she's been drugged, her adrenaline pumping and the chemicals making every thought about terror.


Booth is out there, with my gun, shooting at the ambulance driver that did this…that killed those other girls. He's not fairing well…my gun is too big, has too few shots…and his gun, the one he should be using, is in my hands.

And to make matters even worse, I'm dressed up like Wonder Woman.

If my brother could see this, he would be laughing.

It's his fault, you know, my love of Wonder Woman. Russ got me into it, reading me old Justice League comics. We use to spend whole Saturdays sitting together, piling over what he had managed to find at garage sales, excited when we found a really good one and then spending hours rereading it till we memorized the dialogue. Modern myths wrapped in colorful drawings.

I know the others made fun of Booth for reading comics, alone in his bathtub with that stupid hat on. I didn't though…didn't let on that I knew for a fact he was reading Green Lantern, that it was an older issue. I wanted to let him know that he really should read the newer stuff, Rebirth and the following monthly series. That night he came over to my apartment, when he was flipping through my music…had he just knelt down and opened the cabinets, he would have been having spastic fits, seeing the neatly sorted comic books that lined the shelves.

Some would call it a dirty secret, I guess, but it's just a matter of me not discussing it with anyone. They know about my Wonder Woman costume, that is enough. No need for them to know that when Hodgins and Zack are debating which Justice League is better I could easily list 15 reasons why JLI was the most interesting. But I don't…culture demands that we fill certain roles in certain places, and that when we break out of those roles it causes distress. Booth coming to the lab, me coming out into the field…those were two cases, and it took a long time to make it work. But they were things we each truly wanted. I feel no need to reveal my enjoyment of comics with the rest of them.

I try and remind myself that Wonder Woman wouldn't be frightened by snakes, if she were in this situation. She would plow through them, take down the insane clown-masked man, and save the day.

So why aren't I?

I hold the frightened girl tight as we circle around the snakes, kicking them back. I can hear the gunshots outside, the killer taunting Booth after every blast. I make my way to the door, calling out for Booth, to see if he needs my help.

The bullet from the madman's gun strikes inches from my head, sending me and the quivering girl falling back. I slam to the ground, and I hear the back of my skull crack against the concrete as everything goes black…

^&^&^&^

"I think she's waking up."

Doctor Temperance Brennan groaned, rubbing her forehead. Above her, the bright lights of the lab shone down, forcing her to shut her eyes once more. She could hear movement to one side, and turned her head that way.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Cam said.

Temperance groaned, rubbing her temples. "My head…"

"Cracked it pretty badly…you've been out of it for a while."

Nodding, Temperance slowly shifted herself up, looking over Cam carefully. "When…when did you change?"

"What do you mean?" Cam asked.

"Your costume."

Cam frowned, looking down at her outfit. She wore an orange vest, cut low and exposing part of her cleavage, matching orange pants, heeled boots and gloves, an animal tooth necklace around her neck.

"I've always worn this..."

"No…you were Catwoman before I left."

Cam looked down in concern. "I think you hit your head harder than we thought, Diana."

"Diana?" Temperance asked, sliding off the table. She felt strange, off balanced. She looked down, noticing that she was till in her Wonder Woman costume…

…except it was different.

It looked…better. Like something they would make for a movie, not something she would get at a costume shop. Her fingers ran along the bracelets that were clamped on her wrists, startled when she felt the magical energy tickle her fingers. She reached for the Golden Lasso, expecting it to be a normal rope with gold paint…no, this was spun gold, tingling with energy.

She took a step back, gripping the table…and felt the metal twist under her fingers.

"How…how…" She stammered, turning towards one of the windows, finding not the view of the gardens that lined the outside of the Jeffersonian, but Earth hanging in space.

"Diana…what's wrong?" Cam asked.

"This…this isn't right." Temperance whispered, mind swimming. "I…I have to be dreaming…I have to be…" She shook her head, as if hoping that would clear the crazed visions from her brain. "This costume isn't right…the lab…and my name isn't Diana…it's Doctor Temperance Brennan…"

Cam nodded. "Ok, ok…" She held up her hands, trying to calm the woman. "You're right…your name is Dr. Temperance Brennan…when you aren't in costume." Bones gave her a confused look. "I think the Joker hit you with something, scrambled some of your memories, so I am going to take it slow. You are Diana, Princess of the Amazons…Wonder Woman. When you aren't fighting crime, you call yourself Dr. Temperance Brennan. You work as a teacher in Washington DC…"

Temperance shook her head, fingers rubbing the bracelet on her left wrist. "That's…that's right. I am a teacher…in DC…but I'm not an Amazon…my parents…"

"A cover, Diana…" Cam said softly. "We made an entire backstory for you…so that you could live in…well, you call it "Man's World"…without being discovered. The Flash pretends to be your brother sometimes, to help…and we recently had Wildcat act as your long lost father…your mother…"

"Died…that pig farmer…" Temperance whispered.

Cam shook her head, cutting her off. "No…your mother is alive and while on Paradise Island. We said your mother, the mother of Temperance Brennan, was dead because you didn't want to have anyone else play her." She paused. "Diana…" Temperance narrowed her eyes. "Ok…Temperance…"

"Dr. Brennan."

"Ok, alright…Dr. Brennan…do you know who I am? What I do?"

Her hand was shaking as she continued to rub the bracelet. "You're my boss at the Jeffersonian…you were a coroner, you were given the job while I was away on vacation…"

Cam sighed. "Damn that Joker…he really screwed you up." She gathered her thoughts before beginning. "Yes, Cam is the name I use when I'm not in costume. But I am not your boss, and I don't work at the Jeffersonian. When in costume I am Vixen." She held up her necklace. "Do you remember this?"

"Of course." Temperance said, relieved. "That is the power totem that gives Vixen her powers." Cam smiled, pleased. "Except you aren't Vixen."

"And we are back to square one." Cam muttered.

"Why are we back to square one, and why didn't any one call me and let me know the Princess was awake?" Booth called out.

Temperance turned, seeking out her partner, unable to find him…till she looked up.

Her jaw slowly dropped as Booth descended from the sky, the power ring on his right middle finger casting a protective green glow around his black and emerald costume, his eyes filled with concern behind his mask as he landed on the ground.

"Princess?" Booth asked, taking a step forward. "You ok?"

"You're…you're the Green Lantern." Temperance stammered.

And with that she passed out.