Hello, Folks. Welcome to Installment #11 in the Saint in the Shadows fic series- Son of a Savior
For those of you unfamiliar with the series, it is an AU B&B 'Legacy' fic Series. I would recommend reading the other 10 stories at your leisure, but if you don't have time for that, you can pick it up just about anywhere, and the characters are fairly self explanatory... but you'll appreciate the flashbacks and the character's past if you read them... So please enjoy... and comment at your convenience, because reviews and comments are very important to my muse, and to ensure that the story is still working. Stories in order are as follows:
1. Saint in the Shadows
2. Spaces in Between
3. Shades of Grace
4. Shadows in the Sun
5. Saints, Sinners, and Saviors
6. Something is Lost
7. Space in the Soul
8. So It Goes
9. Sense of Danger
10. Sacrifice of Spirit
11. Son of a Savior
(Approximately six months from our last adventure)
10:00am- Thursday, July 11th
The lab doors opened, and the sound of two FBI issue shoes could be heard marching across the floor amid the other movement around the lab. They moved purposefully and deftly toward the platform, pausing for a moment.
"Doctor Booth." He said, announcing his presence, he could tell by the way that she lifted the bone in her hand and her pause that she had heard him.
"Agent Fitzgerald, it's about time." She stated, her voice was deep and full of concentration. Her eyes lifted to his when he said nothing. "We believe that we have cause of death."
"This couldn't have been done by phone?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow.
She stared at him, her eyes boring into him for a moment as she waited for him to break, which he refused her. He hadn't however, expected the firm pat on his back as Charlie walked past him and up the platform steps. "Hey, Fitz." He said, scanning his card. "It's been a while."
Aiden had jumped a little at the contact, his eyes moving to Charlie who grinned at him. "Damn it, Charlie." He muttered.
"I win." Antonia grinned. "I asked you over here because I want you to take a look at a few things for me. I want your opinion." She said, lifting an eyebrow.
"I'm not a squint." He said, taking a step onto the platform, he scanned his card and walked toward her. "Why are you asking me? Where is Doctor Brennan?" He pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket and snapped them on, watching her smile of satisfaction at training him properly.
"First of all, I asked you for help because you are point on this investigation, and secondly, because I know that you have at least a rudimentary knowledge of anatomy and physiology."
"Rudimentary?" He muttered.
"Who has their doctorate?" She asked haughtily.
"You're so mean to him." Charlie said from the other side of the table.
"Thank you, Charlie." He said, glancing to Antonia. "See that? It's not just my imagination." He said with a smile. She glared at him and he cleared his throat. "Go on." He mumbled.
"And Doctor Brennan is currently busy in the conference room with our new wave of interns." Antonia sighed.
"Right." He nodded. "You mentioned that was happening today."
"So, I thought perhaps you could assist me." She said, carefully lifting the clavicle from the set of remains in front of her. She stared at the bone carefully for several seconds and placed it down. "Mr. Morris has helped me with some preliminary findings, but I'd like an outside opinion." She said, looking into his eyes, she watched him smile back at her.
"Okay, Doctor Booth. Show me what you have." He said, moving to her side, she began to explain her predicament.
Temperance had just finished her brief overview of the lab, its rules of conduct and procedures with the six interns seated before her. It had been a long morning, but she was confident that the young scientists before her were up for the task ahead, and would work out nicely for future investigations.
Her eyes moved over the interns, four young men, and two young women, all eager and happy to get started. "We will have one intern be the on point intern each week, and the rest of you will be working in tandem in different areas of the lab. Some will be working with Doctor Hodgins in entomology and botany, some will be working with Angela Montenegro with reconstruction and identification, and some of you will be working with Cam Saroyan for autopsy. Doctor Booth and myself are involved in all areas of the lab, and will need assistance as well, and we do have several interns that are working on their doctorate, that will be available for mentorship as well. The schedule will be available by the end of the day." She said, looking up at the sound of a knock at her door, she glanced to the door and Charlie looked in, a bit embarrassed. "Yes, Mr. Morris."
"I apologize for interrupting. Doctor Booth and Agent Fitzgerald would like to see you." He said politely. "It's case related." He said, just being sure that she knew it was a professional request and not of a personal nature.
"Thank you, Mr. Morris." Temperance said, watching the door close behind him, she turned toward the interns and smiled slightly. "You may all accompany me to the platform." She said, stepping to the door, she walked out into the lab and quickly scanned the room, noting Antonia and Aiden standing at the platform having a mildly heated, but quiet conversation. "Doctor Booth? Agent Fitzgerald?" She said, stepping toward the platform, she glanced behind her to see that her interns were still following. Aiden and Antonia looked over at her, and then exchanged a look, both of their lips curling to a smirk as they both stifled the 'duckling' joke that they were both thinking.
"Yes, Doctor Brennan. I was conferring with Agent Fitzgerald on the indicators of the bone, and he agrees that the bone seems to indicate signs of bone marrow toxicity." Antonia explained.
"And based on the age of the victim, which is between 30 and 35 years old, osteoporosis wouldn't likely be something that he'd have. We're going to look into possible poisoning. Arsenic or other heavy metals can cause this type of degeneration in the bone marrow." Aiden explained, watching Temperance's lip curl to a slight smile. "I mean, you… they…Doctor Booth is going to look into possible poisoning." He stammered, he glanced to Antonia and her smile matched her mother. He turned back to Temperance and sighed slightly, a smile playing at his own lips.
"Very good, Agent Fitzgerald, Doctor Booth, and Mr. Morris." She said, watching Charlie glance up from the computer screen where he had been working. She turned toward her students, who were all watching carefully. "This is Special Agent Fitzgerald with the FBI. He works very closely with the Jeffersonian, and I believe this is the first case that you've been lead on, is that correct?" She asked, looking back to Aiden.
"Yes, Ma'am." Aiden said, watching Temperance's humored glare.
"You will all see him often, I'm sure, as he is typically with Agent Booth and Agent Harding, who should be here in about an hour." She said with a sigh as she glanced to her watch. She looked up to see Angela stepping out of her office. "Let's go see if our reconstruction is complete." She said, walking briskly toward Angela, each of her interns falling into line as they made their way toward Angela's office.
Aiden watched the parade of interns as they each stepped into Angela's office and he let out a humored chuckle. He turned to see Antonia was still looking at the skeleton. "Hey, did you need me for anything else?" He asked, watching her set the bone down and look up at him with a slight smile.
"Just like looking at you." She said with a playful wink, watching him roll his eyes playfully. "Right, Charlie?"
"Yep. Good looking FBI agent over there." Charlie said, not looking up from his computer.
"Okay. I'm going back to the office." He said with a laugh. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Antonia said at the same time as Charlie, and they both let out a laugh.
Aiden let out a laugh and shook his head. "You two are ridiculous. I was thinking of taking M&M to the diner for lunch today. I'll be by to pick them up, and I'll check in to see if you're available." He said, stepping over toward the table, she watched him for a moment.
"I'll try to free up some time." She said. "Have a good morning."
"You too." He said, taking a step backward. "Let me know what you find out with the bone marrow test."
"You got it, Fitz." She said, pointing a finger gun at him, she laughed, when he did the same.
"Later, Tex." He said, laughing as he stepped down off the platform, and made his way out of the lab.