Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot.
I just had to try this after reading some bones crossover fan fiction. The plot bunnies overpowered me and strapped me to the chair until I wrote this out. Hopefully it is not too terrible. This takes place somewhere in season 2. Brennan is 38 and Rachel is 30. For the sake of this one shot, let's just say Brennan never dated her professor.
"Dr Brennan, there's a really attractive woman here to see you."
Hodgins said, as he approached the forensic anthropologist. His face was a mixture of expressions, namely confusion and shock. Staring blankly at Temperance, he just sort of stood there holding samples of dirt from the crime scene which he had finished analyzing a while ago. Angela and Zack, who were just discussing about the facial features of the victim who had been recently flown in, turned their attention to Hodgins.
As Temperance's best friend, Angela took it upon herself to break the sudden awkward silence which seemed to have engulfed the lab.
"Sweetie? Did you hear what he said?" She asked cautiously, knowing how snappy the anthropologist could be when she was concentrating on something.
"Yes Angela, I did in fact hear Dr Hodgins." Temperance replied, her eyes never leaving the skeletal remains. In fact, she didn't even bother to look up.
"There seems to be piece of bone lodged firmly in the throat. Zack, could you hold his jaw while I retrieve it?"
"Right away Dr Brennan." While her assistant scrambled to lend her a hand, she brought out miniature torchlight and pointed it into the mouth of the victim. This was followed by a series of words exchanged with Zack and some mumbling of medical jargon. Angela sighed at the blatant dismissal and shot the still shell shocked man an apologetic look. She patted his arm gently in a sign of comfort; however the man still seemed to take no notice. Hodgins shook his head a little and cleared his throat before addressing Temperance again.
"Dr Brennan…there is an attractive woman claiming to be your girlfriend, asking for you. She's currently in your office, accompanied by Booth and Dr Saroyan."
Everybody froze. The silence that followed was so thick, that it could have been cut with a knife. Brennan was the first to snap into action, dumping the torchlight into a very confused Zack's hands and rushed past Hodgins and Angela while ripping off her gloves. By the time everyone came to their senses, Temperance had disappeared.
"I have a hard time believing that Dr Brennan is in a relationship with a woman. A younger woman." Cam whispered to Booth as they eyed the woman currently lounging on the sofa. For being in a new environment, she seemed to be suspiciously at ease. Booth sighed and brought a hand up to rub his face. "I can't even believe that Bones has a relationship at all. I mean, she practically lives here!" The man exclaimed rather agitatedly. He couldn't believe that bones even had the capacity for a romantic relationship.
Meanwhile, Rachel Berry rolled her eyes as she watched the two of them arguing fervently about something. Her no doubt. She tensed up when they shot her another weird look again. Thank goodness for her showface, or she would have cracked under the pressure ages ago. Her girlfriend was so going to camp out on the couch tonight. If she even came home at all that is. Rachel understood the logistics of the job, but seriously, the bodies in this place probably saw more of Temperance than she!
Just before the atmosphere took a turn for a worse, her lovely girlfriend (who looked attractive in a lab coat) came rushing into her office, face flushed and panting slightly. Rachel couldn't hold back a smile when she saw Brennan and stood up quickly, striding over to the forensic anthropologist.
Booth and Cam went slack jawed with surprise when their usually monotonous and detached co-worker lit up at the sight of this mysterious so called 'girlfriend' and embraced her. Seriously, even Dr Brennan's voice sounded lighter and happier when speaking to this attractive woman. "Rachel, what are you doing here? I thought you had to fly out for a show today."
Temperance asked, once the shock of seeing her girlfriend had worn off. She ignored the two gaping people in the corner of the room and leant forwards to give Rachel a quick kiss on the cheek. She usually wasn't so into public displays of affection, but this gorgeous specimen just brought out quirks she didn't even know she had before they began dating. Rachel opened her mouth to answer the question when Angela, Hodgins and Zack suddenly entered the room shooting off questions. Well, Zack just stood at the doorway and looked on in interest while Hodgins just nodded to what Angela was saying.
"Sweetie, mind introducing us and explain exactly why you haven't told your best friend, that you had a girlfriend?"
Just before all hell broke loose in the Jeffersonian, Cam stepped forward and cleared her throat rather furiously to be heard over the noise. "Settle down everyone, and let agent booth handle the questioning around here."
Booth nodded and immediately zoned in on the attractively tanned woman in his partner's arms. He motioned for them to at least step away from one another before continuing.
"This is Rachel Berry. She is one of the only suspects –" he held up his hand when he saw bones open her mouth to interject.
"–To have a solid alibi, because apparently, she was seen performing at the time of the murder and had supposedly spent the rest of the day with bones. However, since the murderer has not been caught, the FBI has been tasked with her protection. And fortunately for you bones, I was the one assigned to accompany her at all times."
He finished, and traded several looks with Cam. Brennan was silent throughout the whole speech and she was looking at Booth with a contemplative expression on her face. Rachel, on the other hand, had slipped her hand into Temperance's and was currently looking at everything but the occupants of the room. Angela was just looking put out while Hodgins was still shocked.
Zack had disappeared when booth started talking. He had a bone to remove and a body to clean. Dr Brennan would thank him later.
Rachel kissed her girlfriend goodbye when the man called Booth, needed her to sign a few forms to get everything straightened out. He promised to bring her back to see the forensic anthropologist later. "See you later Tempy." She whispered sweetly before letting go of Brennan's hands and reluctantly followed the agent out of the office. The sooner everything was sorted out, the sooner she could get back to Brennan later.
Cam massaged her temples. It was supposed to be a simple case…and now look what happened. From the corner of her eye, she could see Angela shooting her daggers of fury and subtly pointing towards the doorway. If that wasn't a message of 'Get Out', Cam would eat her paperwork.
"Let's go Dr Hodgins; it looks like they have to sort out a few things alone." She stressed the last word and promptly dragged the bug and slime obsessed man out of the office.
Angela sighed and crossed her arms, waiting for an explanation. Temperance could see hurt and anger swirling on her face and mentally sighed.
"Angela –"
"No Brennan, just tell me why you never told me? How long have you been dating her without telling me?"
Angela asked quietly, her gaze on her best friend.
"We've only been intimate for a year and a half, but we have known one since the start of my job at the Jeffersonian. It was my idea not to tell anyone of our relations."
"But, not even me? Come on Brennan!" Angela said, suddenly angry at being kept in the dark about something so important, but began deflated when Temperance started to explain.
"Rachel is a famous Broadway actress, Angela. I wanted to keep our relations a secret because it would have been dangerous for her if someone found out that her girlfriend was working at the Jeffersonian. Not only is she a publicly recognized figure in one of the most populated cities in the world, she is also very vulnerable, considering that she regularly travels from New York to come and visit me."
Brennan paused in her lengthy explanation and stepped forward to wrap her best friend up in a friendly hug. When Angela returned her hug, she smiled; because it was her way of saying that she had been forgiven.
"I'm sorry I never told you Ange, but I was just really worried. After my novel took off, it was really hard to keep our relationship out of the limelight."
Brennan apologized honestly. Angela stepped back and laughed.
"Okay sweetie, but never do that again."
A pause.
"As you were saying sweetie, you've been intimate for how long now?"
Upon seeing the mischievous expression on Angela's face, Brennan couldn't help but wish that she could take everything back. She groaned. Work was going to be unbearable now.
"So…you and Bones, huh?"
"I beg your pardon?" Rachel said in confusion as she looked up from the forms she was signing.
"Did you just call my girlfriend a piece of hard whitish tissue that makes up the skeleton in our bodies?"
He could hear the amusement in her voice. Booth sighed and rubbed the back of his head in resignation.
"Yep, you're her girlfriend alright." He said and thanked her when she handed over the papers. He shuffled them, which was preferable to wringing his hands, and placed them into the folder. Gesturing for her to take a seat, he sat on his comfy chair at his desk and placed his elbows onto the table. Rachel seemed to have noticed that he had become serious and sat a little straighter, putting on her show face once more.
"The FBI has already confirmed your alibi, seeing as you and bones – I mean Dr Brennan, were both caught on security camera in a restaurant near the theatre after the show was over." He cleared his throat uncomfortably at her gaze.
"However, I will still need to question your relationship with the victim, Mr Welton as per protocol Ms Berry."
She smiled, and Booth could see why Bones had been attracted to the woman in the first place. Although she was in her thirties, the woman had an extremely healthy, toned body and even a natural tan. It wasn't the conventional type of beauty but nonetheless, the woman before him still looked stunning. Although, he suspected that her physical aspects were not the only thing bones had been attracted to. After all, his partner had always looked for intelligence rivaling her own even in lovers. Booth cleared his throat again.
He seemed to be doing a lot of that today.
"Well, Mr Welton was the one who held the auditions for the part of Fanny Brice in the musical. He was there when I auditioned and have exchanged a few words with me after managing to obtain said role."
Rachel paused to gather her thoughts.
"On the night of the performance, Mr Welton was absent, and the cast was informed by his assistant that he was out sick that day. However, he was also not present for the next few performances so we suspected that something had happened. I was approached by the FBI and well…you know the rest."
She said, a hint of sadness coloring her tone. Rachel may not have known the man personally, but he had a family and was also certainly one of the best directors out there on Broadway. Her musings were interrupted by the shrill screech of a cellphone.
Booth jumped and quickly reached for his phone. "Hello, Agent Seeley Booth speaking."
Rachel watched as the man's face contorted into a frown, and his hands curled into a fist.
"What? Okay, I'm on my way. Oh and Ms Berry –" He looked up at her and she nodded to show that she was indeed listening.
"Take care of Dr Brennan." Booth smiled wryly before grabbing a few papers and left his office. Rachel let out a soft laugh at his retreating figure. Temperance wasn't as alone as she made it seem.