Disclaimer: Bones isn't mine.
Super Long Explanatory A/N: This is written to explain an inconsistency that's always bugged me: Brennan and snakes. We learn in 5x17 (The Death of the Queen Bee) that she had a pet snake as a teenager, and she seems calm enough around Sam Potter's snake in 1x19 (The Man in the Morgue). In 3x05 (The Mummy in the Maze), however, she's suddenly scared of snakes. WTF? And in 6x01 (The Mastodon in the Room), Brennan does another about-face, declaring that she only fears snakes when Booth is around to be jumped on. (Which is a pretty lame explanation, IMO.)
Now naturally, I'm aware that these inconsistencies are due to the show using multiple writers rather than any grand plan to further develop Brennan's character. That doesn't stop me from wanting an explanation that makes all of the above facts fit together, however. So the following short fic is my attempt at a coherent understanding of Brennan's attitude towards snakes. It references a Youtube video (Couple's Counseling) in which Brennan tells Booth that what scares her most about snakes is "the fact that they smell with their tongue". (And yes, I know Booth was strongly hinting that Brennan's dislike of their "forked tongues" had to do with her fear of betrayal/deception, but come on. This is Brennan we're talking about; she rarely does symbolism.)
Finally, bear with me, and pretend that 1x13 (The Woman in the Garden) happened at some point after 1x19 (The Man in the Morgue); the timeline doesn't work otherwise.
Ms. Wick screams upon seeing the snake, and Brennan feels rather like shrieking too.
That isn't an option, though. It's only the two of them, and obviously Miss Wick is going to be of no assistance whatsoever.
Logically, shrieking won't do her any good.
Instead: "I find it interesting that I'm only afraid of snakes when Booth is around to be jumped on," she comments lightly, picking the snake up and trying not to shudder at the feel of its scales against her arm.
It's at times like this that she really misses Booth.
But even as she disposes of the snake, her mind wanders back to a cell in El Salvador.
Every day without fail, the cop comes in to taunt her. There's no reason to it, none at all. He doesn't want information from her, and she certainly isn't being held for ransom. So why is she still alive?
It's dark and the walls are closing in on her. (In her mind's eye, she's back in that damn trunk again, utterly alone, her throat hoarse from screaming for help that never comes, marinating in her own urine and sweat.)
A couple of times, he brings in snakes that he informs her are poisonous, and sets them loose in the cell. Then he leaves, and she's trapped with snakes that she can't see for hours on end, maybe days. She can hear them slithering, though; feel their cool scales running over her arms and legs. Hear their soft hissing as they smell her, feel those forked tongues of theirs on her limbs and neck. She shudders, but tries not to move, not to startle them. One wrong move could easily get her killed.
But it's hard not to react to weight on her recently bruised ribs. And the snakes can smell the metallic tang of fresh blood on her face where the cop broke her nose.
And she hates him – hates him – for making her afraid of an animal for which she'd previously had an affinity.
Jerking herself out of the memory, Brennan slowly lowers the snake to the ground, where – thankfully – it slithers off into the grass without further ado.
Everything is fine.
She forces herself to take a deep breath. There's no sense in worrying Miss Wick any further, after all.
She can do this.
Next step? Check on the car's malfunctioning carburetor.
She can do this. She can.
