This story is somewhat fluff free, and is more about Booth taking care of business. I hope you like it. It's different than most of the stories I write. I wrote this story before the finale as well, before it seems everyone actually knows the 'truth' about Zack. So please take that into consideration as you read this.

--b&b--

Early one morning.....

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" Booth knocked lightly on Cullen's door.

"Ah, yes, Booth. Come in" the director stood. "Close the door, and have a seat."

Booth rolled his shoulders back as he sat, a compulsory smile of sorts on his face.

Cullen's was even less accommodating, and he steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. "Booth…I trust you."

"Uh…thank you, sir."

"Right, but, Dr. Brennan…"

Booth stiffened. "Bones is solid, right?"

"Her status as liaison is still intact, and not in any danger, Booth" Cullen conceded, "but the Dr. Addy fiasco…"

Booth pulled in a breath. "I understand."

"It's bad business for the FBI to have a liaison associated with a cannibalistic serial killer."

"Again, I understand."

Cullen nodded. "Good. Then you'll understand this assignment." He handed Booth a file.

Booth took a moment to open it up. His eyebrows flew upward.

"Booth, I'm sure you understand the seriousness of this task."

"Yes sir" Booth nodded. "I understand."

But there was one person he needed to talk to. He was going to need help.

--b&b—

"And you want me to help?" Hodgins raised his eyebrows.

Booth leaned forward on the diner bar, motioning for another cup of coffee. "Yeah. I do."

"Huh" Hodgins nodded. "Zack's my friend, or was my friend, you know."

"Got it" Booth agreed. "But Cullen is making me collect all the current squint students and find out whether or not they are trustworthy."

"Again I ask" Hodgins looked at him, "You want me to help?"

Booth sighed. "You're like the head guy squint, and I figure…" Booth pressed his tongue to the inside of his mouth. "I figure you can help me relate to these guys." He shook his head. "Look, Zack and I…we didn't really get along, you know? I tolerated him," Booth admitted, "and looking back, I realized I probably could have been nicer to him, been more understanding, you know?"

Hodgins nodded to himself. "Yeah, I definitely get that."

Booth spared a glance toward Hodgins and nodded, understanding that the scientist was being real with him. "And uh, look Hodgins, I'm doing this because my boss told me to, but also…" he pulled in a long breath, "also because I don't ever want to see that look on Bones' face again, you know?"

"Yeah, man. I know." He winced, "How are you going to tell her about this?"

Booth nodded and patted Hodgins on the back. "Just leave that to me."

--b&b--

"This is HIGHLY inappropriate" Brennan clenched her fists and stormed around the lab table to get into Booth's face. "They are MY grad students; you have NO right to do this."

Booth opened his hands toward her calmly. "The way I see it, you got two choices, Bones. Deal with this, or be angry. Either way, it's happening. I suggest you deal with it" he smirked.

"Do you know about this?" Angela asked Hodgins as he joined them on the platform.

"Yep" he nodded and spared a glance toward Brennan. "And I'm also going."

Brennan's head reared back. "No. I draw the line at this, Booth. You can't take my team away from me."

"I volunteered" Hodgins lied, and Booth raised his eyebrows but smiled. Nice…

"Come on, Bones" he shrugged. "Accept it. This is the Federal Bureau of Investigation of THE United States of America, so…" he ran his tongue against his teeth and leaned down to whisper dramatically in her ear, "you're probably gonna want to go ahead and go along with this one."

She swatted him away like an annoying bug and turned toward Cam with her hands on her hips, "And you approved this?"

"I did" Cam asserted. "And if you would actually listen to Booth's reasons why, I think you would agree."

"Yeah, Bones" Booth taunted and leaned over her shoulder, then laughed when she swatted again his direction.

"What's all this about?" Sweets asked as he walked up the platform steps. "I'm sensing a lot of negative energy"

Booth chuckled. "That's just Bones. She's mad because I'm taking all the squinterns on a little camping trip, and she's not invited."

"That's NOT why I'm mad, Booth." She lowered her voice as if everyone wouldn't just listen in closer. "You have no right to do this!"

Booth's face got serious, and he pulled her aside, his voice also lowering. "Listen up, Bones, and listen good. You and I both know what this is about, and we can talk about it, if you want, here, in front of everyone, or…" his grip loosened, and she pulled back her arm, crossing it with her other one in front of her chest, "or, you can let me do my job, and do this, okay?"

Brennan gritted her teeth and looked around to where the team looked back at them. "I suppose…I suppose I could spend the time archiving ancient remains."

To his credit, Booth didn't gloat, he just clapped his hands twice and turned toward the rest of the team. "So that's that. Hodgins, go…do whatever it is you do to get ready, and gather up the guys. It's time for a meeting."

"No, wait" Sweets blocked Hodgins' path. "I think there is more that needs discussed." He pulled at his collar a bit. "As a trained psychiatrist, and both an FBI employee AND asset to the Jeffersonian team, I feel I should go along to observe. Professionally."

Hodgins looked at Booth, and the agent shook his head. "Sorry, Sweets. I don't think so."

The younger man swallowed and looked down. "I see…" he turned then to walk away, and Hodgins looked at Booth with a smile, then called out, "Hey, Dr. Sweets."

"Yeah?" Sweets turned around.

Booth grinned. "Do you WANT to come?"

Sweets raised his eyebrows and rocked back on his heels. Invited never even crossed his mind."Totally" he breathed, then cleared his throat. "Uh, I mean…sure, I guess…"

Booth clapped his hands again, "Then bring on the squints!" He pulled out at list, "First one...Arastoo Vaziri?"

With a sigh, he exhaled through his nose and clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Come on down."