Chapter 1 Something Wrong

Brennan woke up from an awful dream. There had been a man, he had jumped out and grabbed her. She could feel his fingers around her neck, feel his gun against her skull... then she had woken up. She shook her head. She spent too much time with... She sat up, looking around her neat office. She was lying on the couch, wearing her lab coat. She wrapped her hair up quickly in a ponytail, and grabbed the spare set of clothes she always kept. There were some other things, much fancier than what she wore, Angela must've put some in. She wore jeans and a simple shirt. She walked out the doors of her office, it was around seven o'clock in the morning. A guard she had never seen before nodded and said " Good morning." She ignored him, too busy thinking about the mid 1400's bones she had to finish cataloging today. She stopped at the coffee cart and the worker immediately began making a coffee without her having to say what she wanted. Odd... they must have memorized her order. She thanked them, and walked away. The worker looked older somehow. Maybe it was just the light. She gazed at the pool, and gasped as she caught sight of herself. She looked different. Her hair was darker, she looked older. Must be the light again, she reasoned. But it was still odd looking at herself. Her face was blurry from the sun that shined directly on it. She turned to look away, still staring at the reflection when she saw the dark purple claw marks around her neck. She dropped her coffee. Her dream. No, no, no. She pulled her cell phone, thinking she should call... who did she call? Angela? Maybe, but she would see her later. The dream must have caused her to grab her neck, trying to get rid of her mind's imaginary fingers. Her throat closed at the memory. Deciding that maybe going inside would be the best idea, she walked away quickly. Not looking back.

Back inside the Jeffersonian, she sat down at her desk looking for the file on the medieval remains. Finding instead a case about a 21st century man who was killed early this morning, expressed mailed over to her, she stood up. Wondering why a police report was on her desk, she glanced at the clock. Around eight. Zack would be in by now. She near ran out onto the platform of the Jeffersonian, looking for him.

" Zack!" she called, heading for his work station. " Zack!" she yelled again, more worried. He was always in by eight, usually earlier. " Zack!" Her feet moved faster and faster, and stopped at the empty desk. Where was all his stuff? the desk was bare.

" Zack?" Something was wrong. She didn't know what, but why wasn't Zack's stuff here? She looked around for him, maybe he cleaned out his desk finally? That must be it. She took a deep breath to calm down, freaking out in front of the Jeffersonian was not a good idea.

" Dr. Brennan?" Hodgins asked from behind her, she turned around, startled and saw both him and Angela walking towards her, worry expressed on their faces.

" Yes?" she replied.

" You okay, sweetie? You look sick." Angela asked, then gasped as she saw Brennan properly. " Oh God. What happened?" she demanded, running forward. Brennan near panicked, she didn't like being touched. She turned away, avoiding Angela's hands as she tried to examine the bruises.

" Nothing, I'm fine. I tripped." she lied immediately, Angela looked at her strangely. Brennan knew any sort of fall would never be congruent with the bruises but Angela didn't know that, she did facial reconstruction. Brennan turned and ran for her office, trying to appear professional. Angela stood there, staring at her best friend as she fled. She was acting like the Brennan six years ago, terrified of people touching her. Something was wrong.

" What's with her?" Hodgins asked bluntly. Angela glared at him, he took the hint and slumped away to find Wendell and demand what was going on, he didn't like seeing his wife so worried.

" I'm calling Booth." He heard Angela mutter dejectedly, and felt her pang of hurt as she realized Booth could talk to Brennan, but not her best friend. He made a mental note to give his boss a hard time about it later, whatever was wrong with her she didn't have a right to hurt Angela. Ever.

Booth walked up to the coffee vendor, and asked for two coffees.

" The doc already came down to get hers." he replied, Booth frowned. He had gotten here early to finish some paperwork that was due yesterday, Bones wouldn't be here for another ten minutes unless she had slept there. But she had't since he had made sure she had gone home himself. Watched her head toward her car after eating dinner at the diner just last night. What was she doing here so early?

His cell rang. Expecting it to be Brennan he picked it up eagerly, a little too eagerly for just partners, noted the coffee guy. " Booth." he walked a few paces away so coffee man wouldn't over hear.

" It's Angela. Have you seen Brennan this morning?" Angela sounded worried, no, she sounded terrified.

" No, I only just got to the coffee cart." he replied, worry spreading in his body. Something was wrong.

" Why? Is something wrong?" he demanded, going overprotective FBI agent in an instant.

" I don't know, she was here early this morning, she told me she might be late today but she here before the janitor. Booth," Angela hesitated. Booth drew in a breath. Something was really wrong.

" It's alright Angela, I'm coming over right now. Should be there in a few minutes." he replied, and started for the Jeffersonian, hanging up.

" Hurry." Angela murmured, watching from behind the platform as Brennan walked hurriedly toward Limbo, a file in her hands.

Brennan pulled her hair band out the second she got into her office, avoiding any questions. So many things were wrong. Her office was different, Zack's stuff was gone, Angela had come in with Hodgins, who was usually here much before her with Zack. Where was he? She didn't appreciate his tardiness. Not because she really needed him, it just worried her when he wasn't around. Not that she would ever admit it, but Zack was like her son. She liked his rational thoughts and he was very smart, plus at times he made her laugh with his and Hodgins' experiments.

She dug through her filing cabinet, staring at cases she had never seen before. Someone was messing with her. A practical joke. One she didn't appreciate. Finally she found the file she was looking for, glanced quickly at the number and rushed hurriedly toward Bone Storage.

She paused in front of the box, in the empty halls and skeletons silent. Her breathing was like bomb explosions in the quiet. She grabbed the box, a little rougher than normal. The bones rattled inside. She peered in and saw the facial markers that showed Angela had done a facial reconstruction, but she hadn't... Brennan had only seen the bones yesterday. Why she hadn't stayed up to work on them she couldn't remember. She placed the box on the steel table and looked at the file for the first time. It was completely filled out. The name, age, sex, everything. Even how he died. She hadn't determined any of this. The date where it said the case was completed was tomorrow, September 6, 2004. Zack must've stayed late, really late, and finished it. He got the date wrong, oh well, he must've left just as she woke up. She heard footsteps above her and looked up. No one came into Limbo unless she told them too. Why would they? It was bones, no one else worked with bones.

She watched as a man, wearing a black suit, red tie, and a belt buckle that said Cocky scrambled down the steps. He was attractive alright. His hair was short and brown, along with brown eyes. She watched as he stepped out in the dark, and gasped.

" Oh my God, Bones. What the hell happened?" he demanded, stepping forward, reaching for her neck... She stepped back involuntarily, terror pulsing through her like a living thing. Glaring at the stranger, she took a defensive stance.

" Who are you?"