CHAPTER 1: Meat & Griet
Jolene walked through her front door, setting down her daughter, Jordynn. "Go play with Griet," she said referring to their new liver and tan German shepherd. Just as the toddler was about to turn around, Griet came bounding through the house to greet them, barking a couple times, about to get over excited. Jo sternly said "Griet, sitz," and instantly the large canine took a seat on the rug. Jo smiled, "Good girl." Once Jolene had Jordynn, and Griet settled in the living room she stepped into the kitchen to begin dinner, keeping a close eye on the dog and the child through the large doorway. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Jo set down the bag of carrots and walked to the door. Opening the door, Griet was right at her side, her training kicking in on instinct. "Hello Seeley," Jo said smiling.
At the mention of his name, Jordynn came running, "SeeSee!"
Seeley Booth swept up the little girl in his arms and kissed her cheek as she wiped it off. "How's little Jordy today?" he asked the little girl as she laughed. Jolene moved aside to let her brother- in-law inside. He leaned over to set Jordynn down and pet Griet. "Glad to see your new addition is working out," he said casually looking around as though he hadn't been here countless times before.
Jolene shoved a beer in his hand as she cracked one herself. "Griet is amazing. I'm so glad I decided to take her."
Seeley nodded taking a drink. "She's a trained FBI dog who's partner was killed-in-action. Had you not taken her she'd have been thrown into a shelter." Jo nodded, watching Jordynn like a hawk out of the corner of her eye. Jordynn paid no mind to the adults in the room as she played with some blocks. "What did you really come here for Seeley? I know it wasn't about the dog." Jo said,voice echoing as she walked back into the kitchen to start peeling and slicing carrots. Seeley set his beer down next to hers on the counter as he began helping with dinner. He sliced, she peeled; he talked.
"I remember you talking about needing a break from the Cyber Division. Angela is due to go on maternity leave soon, and we need someone to take her place at the Jeffersonian. They need someone who works with computers and has a background in art. I thought you'd be perfect, so I put in a good word for you. If you're interested that is." He added the last part quickly, hoping she wasn't mad he interfered in her career. Usually, he stuck to helping with her personal life given the fact he had helped raise her daughter, and could do almost nothing but watch, as his brother dragged the two of them through the mud. Seeley, of course, had gotten into it physically with Jared a few times over the past couple years when it came to his niece and Jo, usually when both Seeley and Jared were drunk.
Jolene dumped the sliced carrots in a sauté pan and handed Booth an onion as she fired up another pan and took some sea bass fillets out of the fridge. She seasoned the fillets and coated the pan with olive oil. Seeley dumped half the onion in the oiled pan and the other into the carrots. Jo finally spoke, "Look, Seeley, I love my job, and I love that you stuck your neck out for me. I just don't know. I mean the only person in that lab who knows Jordynn or I even exist is Cam who's known Jared and you 15 years. What will the others at the lab think of me? Of my messed up life? At least the last three years of it."
Booth put the knife down and glanced over at Jo's left hand which still bore the emerald and diamond bridal set his little brother had bought for her in Vegas the day they got married. He looked away as if it hurt his eyes. In truth, it wasn't his eyes that hurt, but his heart. "They will love you. Please, J? I mean c'mon. They like me, don't they? I'll help you explain when the time comes. They will only know what they need to know. If anyone comes out of this looking bad it will be Jared. Besides, Bones already dislikes him." The red-headed, green-eyed, mother-of-one looked up from her dinner preparations to her brother-in-law, running her fingers through her short pixie haircut. "Fine, Seeley. One meeting. I'll stop by on Wednesday after work; before I have to go get Jordynn from daycare."
Seeley hugged her and smiled, "Fantastic! Thanks J. Really. It will all work out just wait and see."
