Ok everyone this is my first ever fic so please please please R&R. constructive criticism welcome. Thanks to ktlyn for encouraging me and this story.

Disclaimer: sadly I do not own Bones or any of the characters.

Chapter 1: No Rest For The Righteous

Temperance awoke to the shrill sound of her mobile phone ringing from her bedside table. Rolling over in bed, she squinted at the digital clock – 3:36am. Groaning, she picked up her phone, mainly to stop the incessant ringing.

"Brennan" she said into the phone, her voice still thick with sleep. Booth replied on the other end of the line.

"Oh, hey Bones. Sorry, did I wake you?" She did not dignify him with an answer.

"What do you want, Booth?"

"I've got a new case for you, Bones." That woke her up properly.

"Oh, right!" she scrambled out of bed and flicked the bedroom light on. Blinking, she asked, "What are the specifics?"

"Well, I don't have much at the moment. Only what Cullen told me over the phone. How about I tell you everything I know in the car on the way there. I'll come pick you up."

"Alright. How far away are you? Do I have time for a quick shower?" she asked, now pulling clothes hastily from her drawers.

Yes, if you're quick. I'm just leaving now, so I'll be there in about 15 minutes."

"Ok, see you then." She barely waited for his answering "see ya", before snapping her phone shut and rushing into the shower.

15 minutes later Booth stood outsides her apartment and knocked on the door.

"Just a second!" he heard her call from inside and about 5 seconds later Temperance opened the door. "Hey Booth!" she said energetically while pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"Hey Bones. Ready to roll?" Booth flashed her his trademark charm smile.

She gave him a confused look. "I don't know what that means. But if you're asking if I'm ready, then the answer is yes, right after I get my bag." Booth rolled his eyes as she disappeared into the lounge and came back with her forensics bag. "Alright, lets go." She locked the door behind her and followed Booth down to his car. Temperance glared at him when he opened the passenger door for her. Booth considered it a victory when she didn't berate him for it like usual.

"So what have you got for me?" she asked once they had started driving.

"Some remains found in Tauride Park, in a wooded area, by a couple of teenagers around 1:00 this morning."

"What were they doing in a park at 1 in the morning?"

"Dunno. Nothing suspicious I don't think. The local cop who talked to them reckoned they were just mucking around, smoking or something, being rebellious. The usual, you know."

"No, I don't know" she replied bluntly and Booth hid a smile. "How did they come across the remains?"

"Apparently they first saw lights under the trees. They went to check it out and saw the bones surrounded by candles and some other weird things. That's all I got from Cullen."

Temperance stayed silent until Booth glanced over. "Bones? What do you think?"

She didn't shift her gaze from the windscreen in front of her. "Well I shouldn't really make any assumptions about the unusual surroundings until I've seen them."

"But you must have some idea."

"Hmm, well from what you've described it sounds like some sort of shrine or something…" she trailed off. Seeing she was deep in thought again, Booth left her to it, driving the rest of the way in silence.

When they arrived they were greeted by a tall, dark-haired policeman.

"Morning sir. You must be Agent Booth. They told me you were coming. I'm Officer Ethan Woods." he shook Booth's hand.

"Yes, I'm Agent Booth and this is Dr. Temperance Brennan, Forensic Anthropologist for the Jeffersonian Institute." Woods extended his hand to her also and, taking it, she asked "So where are the remains?" Booth hid another smile. Nothing will distract my Bones from the task at hand. Booth admired Woods' quick recovery from his partner's accidental rudeness as he gestured across the grassed are of the park.

"Right this way ma'm." he led them across the dark grass, their way lit only by the torches of other cops on the scene, to the other side. "Here we are." Woods said to them, although they hardly needed the indication. The scene in front of them was the only source of light for several feet around them and behind it the trees loomed before retreating into pitch blackness.

Temperance took a step forward, away from the two men, and surveyed the scene. About ten feet into the trees a dark crimson cloth was draped over a raised box, flowing onto the ground in front. On top of the box sat countless candles and even more rested on the cloth-covered ground, each emitting their own tiny pool of light. Also, strewn amongst all the candles, were many groups of golden flowers. Artistically placed amidst the candles and flowers were several delicately painted masks. Each mask appeared slightly different but all had one similarity- every one was decorated to resemble a human skull.

Two masks on the ground, which were supported by the front of the box, were edged with thick, bushy manes of white hair.

"Creepy." Temperance heard Booth mutter behind her. And indeed the weak flickering light from the candles gave the masks a very eerie look. Their black eye sockets seeming to watch you from where they rested. In the middle of all this, laid out neatly on the crimson ground, was the skeleton. After studying the bones Temperance relayed her findings.

"Female. Caucasian. I'd say between the ages of 50 and 65. Fractured radius. Ligature marks on wrists and ankles suggest she was bound and struggled against her restraints. There are also small markings all over the bones, perhaps made from small animals." Temperance cautiously picked up one of the masks, fingering it and tilting it to catch the light. "Yes, like I said before, a kind of shrine or altar…" her gaze shifted to the raised part of the 'altar'. Putting the mask down carefully, she moved round behind it.

"Bones? What's up?" Curious, and not liking how her position hid her from the light and from him, Booth followed to stand beside her. From there he saw what had caught her attention; a small, silver photo frame, facing forwards. Placed right at the back of the 'altar' it had been obscured from view by darkness and the flowers surrounding it. Temperance picked it up and flipped it over. In it was an elderly woman, smiling at something to the left of the camera.

"It's not…?" Booth gestured to the remains lying before them, unable to voice the disturbing thought, temperance peered closer at the photo.

"No, I think this woman is Hispanic. But we can get Angela to confirm it when we get everything back to the lab and she can do a facial reconstruction."

Booth nodded. "Alright then. Are you done here? We should get all this bagged and sent to the lab. Cullen wants it gone ASAP. Preferably before the Press and public appear. We don't really want an audience for this." They walked back out of the trees and Booth spoke to Officer Woods, who waved over an evidence team.

"Right boys. Bag it all, then we want it delivered to the Jeffersonian." The group converged n the crime scene.

"Wait!" Everyone stopped. "Booth what time is it?"

"Uh, ten to five."

"Ok." Temperance addressed the evidence team. "Blow out the candles now and when you bag them make sure you get all the melted wax too. We'll be able to determine how long all this has been here by the amount of wax that has melted." They nodded like obedient school children and she turned away. "Ok, lets go."

Booth shook hands with Officer Woods again, then guided Temperance across the park, still in darkness, towards the car with on hand on the small of her back. He smiled into the darkness when she didn't break his arm for touching her. His efforts to humanise her were definitely working.

Well? What did you think? Go on just click the little button below.

Oh and just for your entertainment, ktlyn came up with an alternate answer to Brennan's question at the start. "Do I have time for a shower?" Booth: "yes, but only if I can join you!"