Chapter 1: The goodbyes
Brennan does not want to hear Booth. She just can't believe that he accept to just pretend his death just to catch a fugitive. For two days, neither of them talks to each other. Booth tries to talk to her several times, but she just can hear him. The last, this morning, a sad Booth call to her phone at 6, he was pledging her to answer saying that he must tell her something important, that this was life or death issue, but she does not believe in him anymore. By the time he gets into his office, Cullen was waiting for him. Cullen was really worried about him. For the past month Booth was walking strange, Cullen knew that his knee was throbbing again, but despite his efforts to speak about the theme, Booth does not seem to mind.
"Good morning Sir." Said Booth as he spot his boos entering in his office
"Agent Booth, you are early today." Cullen said to him in a calmly voice
"I can't sleep very well these days" Booth said with a sad tone.
"I got a question for you Booth. Did you know by any chance why Dr. Brennan requests a new partner?" Cullen had been trying to not ask the questions but he just can do it anymore.
That question was the least that Booth was waiting to ear so early in the morning, a new partner, she does not want to work with him anymore. The sudden realization of that hurt him deeply.
"Frankly sir, I don't know, but I have my suspicion." Respond Booth with sadness in his voice that Cullen recognized immediately.
"May I ask what it is?" Cullen sits in front of Booth, waiting for the answer.
"Well sir, she does not trust anymore in my. I guess that the fact that I'm supposed to be death help in the process." Respond Booth after a few minutes.
"But Agent Booth that was an assignment. She was informed..." Cullen answered worried but Booth calm voices held him for continue.
"No sir, that's the problem. Sweets never talk to her. He believe that she would understand better my death that a mission, so he does not tell her. She became knowledge of my condition the same day of the fake funeral." Booth said with sadness to his boss.
Cullen looks at Booth with a mixture of compassion and pain. He knows how much trouble he gets in the bureau for taking her into the field and how bad he pass those two weeks in the security house.
"Booth, I can't send another agent to work with her… she is just..." Cullen was not going to let go Booth so easily.
"There's no problem sir, I would help you to find the right person to the job." Booth answers rapidly.
"But Booth, there is no better person than you to work with her." Cullen said seriously and worried. He new about the concept the agents have regarding working with squints, especially with her.
"Sir I resign to my work with her. If she does not want to work with mw anymore, its ok I understand. You can't work with someone that you don't trust and right now, she does not trust me." Said Booth trying to contain the sadness out of his words.
"Sir I suggest you send Agent Carl. He is…" Booth tries to rephrase his words before saying it… "Let's say that he can work with her."
Cullen knotted. "Ok then Booth. I'm going to notify the Jeffersonian."
"Sir, May I did it?" Ask Booth.
"But I think" Said Cullen amazed
"Sir, lets say that I want to say goodbye to them in my own way." Booth let his head down after saying the last words.
"Booth, there something you are not saying to me?" Ask Cullen now worried about Booth.
Booth silently opens the upper drawer of his desk, and gives Cullen a letter. Sadness and pain came across Cullen face as he read the letter that Booth gave to him.
"But, for how long did you know?" Ask Cullen
"Almost an week sir" Admit Booth calmly.
"But" Cullen was going to ask a questions but Booth voice stop him.
"I must leave tomorrow sir." Said Booth
"There's something I can do? You can talk to someone about it." Cullen said in a soft voice.
(Smiling) "No sir. It's alright" Assure Booth
"But what are you going to do then?" Ask Cullen
"Right now I will be out for at least six months. I just can't loose my job sir" A worried expression appeared in Booth face.
"Don't worry about it Seeley. Let me worried about it ok. Everything will be fine son." Cullen told him honestly.
"Thanks sir" Booth answer to his boss gesture.
A few hours have past since his conversation with his boos. He knew Cullen must know, but he do not know how to do it. In the end, it works just nice. A soft knock at the door announce that young agent had step into Booth office. Booth smile at his sight
"Agent Carl come in I'm waiting for you." Said Booth, his usual smile in his face.
Agent James Carl had 28 years old. It was 6'3" and had the same body structure that Booth. When Booth meets him for the first time, Booth felt that both of them are really alike.
"I was notified to present to you office Sir" Carl said in the best respectful tone he can.
"Don't do that James." Booth said.
"I know sir, but you are mi superior and I have a big respect for you."
"Smiling I know this is why I ask you to come. I need to speak words to you, sit." Boot signal the seat in front of him and wait for Carl to seat.
During almost three hours, both agents sat in front of each other. Booth has a folder with all the personnel of the Jeffersonian in his hands. He was talking about them he also told him about how to threat them the last photo was hers.
"This is your new partner. Her name is Dr. Temperance Brennan. A sad smile appears in Booth face.
"Well there are a few things you had to know about her." Booth smile sadly and start talking Carl about her.
There were almost noon when Booth arrive at the Jeffersonian. He slides his authorization card and enters the platform follow closely by James. Booth face expression was sad. All of the squints were there including Bones, His Bones. He does not look at anyone and pass through all them and just go directly to Cam. All the squint look at him while he walks in the platform.
"May I have a word with you in private?" Ask Booth. For the first time in her life, Cam does not like to sound of those words. There are very formal, inclusive for Booth.
"What happen?" Ask Cam as she see Booth accompany by other FBI agent.
"Let's get to you office. I can explain my self in there" Said Booth seriously.
Cam walk toward her office follow by Booth and James, leaving behind the squints. When they arrive, Booth closes the door behind him, and shoots the blinds.
"You are scaring me Seeley" Said Cam waiting for Booth to face her.
"Cam there's nothing to be scare of. I came here to present you the new officer in charge of the liaison relation between the FBI and the Institute" Booth said to Cam seriously.
"That was a joke right. You are the agent in charge" Said Cam with a unbelievers gesture in her face.
"Well no more. I… I resign effective immediately." He does no want to tell her that it was Brennan who ask for a change of partners, so decide to tell a little lye.
"But…." Cam was going o interrupt, but Booth stop it.
"Let me finish Cam. I really need to be going. Well, this is Agent Carl, I instructed him in almost everything that I knew about your world. Also, there's one thing more. The FBI does not want to Dr. Brennan be in the field with Agent Carl. If she wants it, she had to make Agent Carl to take the responsibility of her life in his back. And frankly, I don't think that's gone to happen" Booth said to Cam with a mischievous smile.
The meeting takes about an hour. Cam was not quite sure about this change, but does not want to ask more questions about it, since every time she tried, Booth stop her. When the meeting finish, all three of them exit the office. Cam escort Booth to the exit. She has asked him to say goodbye to the team, but he just can't face them. For him it's like said goodbye to his family. In the main door of the lab, Cam hug Booth…
"I knew you Seeley, something else is happening here, but you won't tell me anything, and I accept that. Take care of your self alright." Cam said to him in a low voice.
"I will, good luck with the guy." Booth said to her as he give her the authorization card of the Lab. "I think I don't gone to need this anymore"
"Kept it" She pushes his hand back to him.
"No Cam. I think that…" Booth doesn't want to have the card any longer.
"What happening Booth?" Cam was worried about him.
"Nothing Cam" He said smiling to her.
"It's everything ok" She was really worried about him.
"Yes I'll be fine Cam. So… this is goodbye then." He said and hug her again.
"I want you to keep the card Booth, just as a…" Cam was interrupted with Booth hand movement.
"Remind of everything. No Cam, I get in here every thing I want to remember" Booth was padding his hearth.
And by saying that, Booth take a last look at the lab, and walk away. Agent Carl was staying in there with Cam, so she may introduce him to the others. When Cam return to the platform, there was a cascade of question about what happen. Cam just lifts her hand, and they became quite.
"Ok. Here is the situation. From this moment on, agent Carl is assigned to work with us." She was playing with Booth's authorization card in her hands.
"I'm sorry, may you can say it again" Said Jack.
"There was a change, this is Agent James Carl, and he is now assigned to work with us, as the liaison between the Jeffersonian and the FBI." Cam says trying to calm her nerves.
"But that is so unfair" Said Jack loud.
"No offense, but what happen with our big, strong FBI standard issue that a few minutes ago you were hugging in there" Said Angela asking for Booth.
"He just came to make official the change of Agent and left." Cam was not completely sure of wanting to have the conversation.
"But…" Angela was going to ask again but Cam stops her.
"I really not know what happen in here. I really want to know, the only thing Booth told me is that he resigns." All the eyes go towards Agent Carl.
"I really don't know anything about it, Agent Booth told me this about three hours ago" Said Carl defensively.
"I make an official request to change the agent in charge of the investigations… I think that my request was approved" Said Brennan in a cold voice.
All the eyes look into Brennan as she takes off his gloves.
"But sweetie, what are you thinking" Said Angela.
"I don't trust him anymore, sorry for you guys." Respond a cold Brennan.
"Well, Agent Carl my name is…"
"Dr. Temperance Brennan. Agent Booth told me about all of you" Said Carl in a calm voice.
"He does?" Brennan said scare.
"Yes, we spent almost 3 hours just to talking about you guys" Carl was happy to finally know the famous Booth's squint group.
"You" Carl said referring to Jack "are the specialist in bug, slime and dirt and also a brilliant conspirator theorist" Jack knotted smiling.
"Then, you" Looking into Angela Carl said "are the beautiful artist that make amazing facial reconstructions"
"You are Zack well Dr. Addy, you work directly with Dr. Brennan" Zack knotted.
"Cam is the chief, and also the coroner" Cam smile at Carl
"And finally you are Dr. Brennan." Carl said to a serious Brennan.
Everybody seems to lose their breath for a moment. They were waiting to him to say something about her, but he just remains in silences.
"Well I think that Booth really did his job" Said Brennan looking nervously to the others.
"I need to speak a word with you Dr. Brennan" Said Carl nervously to her,
Bones and Carl get into her office, follow closely by Cam.
What is this about?
"Well Dr. Brennan, as you recall a change in partner, there some change in the current situation." Carl starts as he looks into Brennan eyes. Bones look scare as Cam sit in front of her.
" Well Dr. Brennan, the FBI office wont allow you to continue going into field activities, you just go to scene, make you work and return to the lab." Said Carl simply to her.
"But, I usually…" Interrupt Brennan.
"Dr. Brennan" Continue Carl. "There's something you need to know before we continue. For you to be in the field, I must accept the responsibility of your life."
"I don't understand the past agent let me" Brennan said, but Carl stops her. "
"Well Dr. Brennan, That's the situation. Agent Booth takes full responsibility of you in the field. I won't be taking it. If something happens to you, it would be considered my fault, and I don't want to damage my career." Carl reply to her amusement. She had never though of the responsibility Booth carried over his shoulders.
As this happens, Booth was with Parker at the park. He call Rebecca early in the morning, to explain that he must leave, but want to say goodbye to Parker first. Booth does not tell Rebecca what's going on, but make her believe that it was a mission.
"Well buddy, here is the deal, ill be going for a few week…" Booth stat, but Parker interrupt him.
"But I don't want you to go." Parker tears began to fall.
"I know buddy. I don't want either but I must go ok." Booth try to sound convincing for his son but he was failing.
"But you are going to be fine. Right, dad?" Ask Parker looking into his father eyes.
"I hope so buddy, lets make a deal, I will call you everyday ok." Booth say to his son with a smile.
"Ok daddy!" Answer Parker grabbing his father neck.
"Also, this is my new phone number. Please bud, don't give it to anyone" Booth ask to his son as a favor.
Parker does not understand why his father does not want him to give his number to anyone, but he made a promise to his dad and he is going to keep it. The pair of Booths remain hug to each other for a few minutes, until Booth decide to take his son to eat ice cream, and they left the park Parker still hang into his father neck, and Booth carrying his son in his arms.