Okay so this is probably the strangest idea for a story I've ever had and something I don't think anyone else has really written about yet. I have no idea where it came from really but there are spoilers in her for Season One, the boy in the bush and the first few episodes of season Two (Although not big ones at all). It's just a short little piece that I know isn't my best work but you know what its like when your muse pokes you in the side repeatedly until you write!
"You're fired."
The words echo in Temperance Brennan's head as she walks to her office, her former office, stunned. She knew she was walking a fine line with Dr Camille Saroyan every moment she worked at the Jeffersonian but after their truce a few months back she didn't think this would happen, especially over something so trivial as an unauthorised experiment. As Brennan walks over to her desk she scans the room, finding it hard to believe she won't be coming back. Anger starts to bubble inside her as she packs up her laptop and bag. She starts throwing her personal items into the back, muttering under her breath how she really feels about Dr Saroyan. She barely notices Angela arriving until the young woman practically shouts her name.
"Tempe!" Brennan looks to the door. "What is going on?" Angela demands.
"I've been fired." Brennan states.
"What?" Angela exclaims.
"I've been fired." Brennan repeats as she closes up her bag and slings it over her shoulder. The laptop is slung over her shoulder next.
"Cam fired you?" Angela asks. "Can she do that?"
"She can and she did." Brennan grabs her keys off the desk and makes her way over to the door where Angela is standing.
"I don't understand." Angela moves to allow Brennan out then hurries to keep up as Brennan strides across the lab towards the exit.
"What's there to understand? Dr Saroyan has been looking for a reason to get rid of me since the day she started." Brennan spits out Cam's name with venom. "She found her reason and I'm gone." Brennan steps through the double glass doors with Angela practically running behind her.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Angela asks, finally stopping and calling after Brennan.
"I can't tell you that Angela. You don't work for me anymore." Brennan calls without looking back. She's afraid if she does she'll break and she doesn't want to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her cry. This place means everything to me, it's my world. What am I going to do now? She thinks as she slaps her ID badge down on the security desk without breaking her stride. The security guard looks a little confused as Brennan steams through the front entrance and disappears from view.
"Cam did what?" Zach asks.
"She fired Brennan." Angela tells them.
"For what?" Hodgins asks.
"I don't even know." Angela explains. "Brennan didn't tell me."
"So what now?" Zach asks.
"Now you get back to work." A voice behind them states firmly. All three spin around to find Cam standing with her arms folded staring at them.
"Why did you do it?" Angela asks.
"Dr Brennan has trouble doing what she's told. I can't have people in the lab who think they're above reproach." Cam tells them.
"Booth isn't going to like this." Hodgins mutters. Cam looks thrown for a moment but she quickly regains her composure.
"This has nothing to do with Agent Booth." She states.
"He's not going to see it that way." Zach whispers to Angela as he moves over to his station on the platform. Cam stands watching the three, waiting for them to return to work. Her arms are folded and she taps her foot impatiently. Angela quickly grabs Zach and Hodgins and pulls them close.
"We need to decide what we're doing here." She tells them. "I don't know about you but I don't want to work here if Brennan doesn't. She's the only reason I've stayed in town so long."
"I'm with you Angela." Hodgins states. I'm not working here if you're not.
"Zach?" Angela looks to the youngest member of their team. He seems to be debating everything in his head.
"If I don't work I don't get my doctorate." He states. The other two pauses, realising Zach has more to lose than them.
"It's all right Zach." Angela tells him.
"I didn't say I wasn't quitting with you. I was merely stating a fact." Zach pulls off his gloves and drops them onto the table. Hodgins follows suit and Angela lays down her sketchpad. Together the three pull off their blue lab coats much to the surprise of Cam. Then following Angela they all walk down off the platform.
"I quit." Angela tells Cam.
"Ditto." Hodgins adds.
"Me too." Zach says. Cam turns and watches as all three make their way to the exit.
"You can't do this!" she calls after them. Angela stops in her tracks and turns around.
"I told you before Cam, we're with Brennan." Angela says before she and her two friends continue their way out. Cam is left alone on the lab wondering what she's going to do now. She didn't really think that the team would quit if Brennan left. What will Booth do? She wonders. He'd told her the same thing. That he was with Brennan all the way. Will I lose him?
When Booth arrives at the lab he has no idea of the events that took place earlier in the day. He is surprised not to see anyone at the platform despite the remains that are lying out. Angela's office is empty and so is Brennan's. He pulls out his cell and calls Brennan but it goes straight to her voicemail. I never get her voicemail he thinks. Cam. She'll know what's going on he thinks. Changing direction he heads for Cam's office and finds her behind her desk, sorting through some papers.
"Hey Cam, you seen Bones?" he asks innocently. Cam looks up from her papers and the look in her eyes tells Booth something is going on. "Oh no, did you two have another fight?" Booth asks.
"Something like that." Cam replies. "I fired her."
"What!" Booth exclaims. Cam fired Bones?
"I fired Dr Brennan."
"What the hell for?" Booth demands.
"Insubordination." Cam replies. "She does not know how to take orders and she keeps doing things behind my back. I can't continue to operate a lab like that."
"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Booth asks, planting his hands on his waist.
"I have an inkling." Cam tells him. "Now unless there's something you need I have to get back to work."
"What can be more important that this?" Booth demands. I'm not going anywhere.
"I have to find a new forensic anthropologist and replacements for Angela, Hodgins and Zach." Booth starts to laugh.
"You didn't believe me when I told you did you?" he asks. Cam looks confused. "I told you that if Brennan went the squints would be out of here faster than you could say… well you know." he smiles.
"It doesn't matter anyway." Cam shakes her head.
"Oh it does." Booth tells her. "I work with Dr Brennan. I take responsibility for Dr Brennan in the field. If I don't work with her, I don't work with the Jeffersonian." Booth explains. Cam looks stunned.
"Seely?"
"I told you Cam, I'm with Bones." He replies as he backs out her office. Cam watches him go and starts to wonder what she's done.
Angela and the squints wait outside Brennan's door. They know she's home but she isn't answering the door.
"Come on sweetie." Angela leans into the door. "Let us in." Hodgins and Zach glance at each other then at Angela.
"It's no use Ang." Hodgins says. "She obviously doesn't want to talk to anyone right now. We should just come back." Angela looks dubious for a moment then realises her friends are right.
"Sweetie, we're going now but we'll be back." She hopes for an answer but doesn't get one.
Inside her apartment Brennan is slumped on the couch, a large glass of wine on the table and beside it a half drunk bottle. She doesn't care that it's barely five in the evening. Her head is pounding and the last thing she wants is to talk to anyone so when she hears Angela at the door she closes her eyes and ignores the knocking. She is relieved when they finally go and she sits up, taking a long gulp of her wine. Without her work Brennan is feeling lost. She doesn't know what she's going to do and the thought of that makes her stomach flip. Booth. Her FBI partner pops into her head again. I feel like I've let him down she thinks. How will Booth work without me? The more she thinks about it she realises that Booth will probably just work with another forensic anthropologist. The work will still get done. The murderers will still get caught and Booth will still be working towards his atonement. He doesn't need me, he just needs someone. She takes another long gulp, finishing the glass. Her hand reaches for the bottle and she fills up her glass again.
Booth arrives at Angela's apartment building and is heartened to see the lights on. He hurries up to her door and knocks sharply three times. Angela is quick to answer the door.
"Booth." She sighs.
"So it's true huh." He shrugs.
"Yeah, meet the latest unemployed bums." Hodgins greets from the couch. Booth steps in.
"So you seen Bones?" he asks.
"We went by her apartment, she wouldn't answer the door." Zach explains.
"You been by?" Angela asks. Booth shakes his head.
"I wanted to get the full story." He explains.
"What's to explain? Cam freaked out about the experiment we did for the case and she fired Dr Brennan." Hodgins speaks up. "The woman obviously has no idea what she's doing."
"I think I need to go see Bones." Booth states. Angela looks up.
"Good luck." She says. "She doesn't seem like she's in the mood to talk to anyone."
"She'll talk to me." Booth says confidently.
Booth knocks on Brennan's door.
"Bones, open up." He calls. He knocks again when she doesn't respond then he digs around in his pocket and pulls out his keys. I hope you don't listen to me he thinks as he slides a silver key into the lock on her door. The lock snaps and Booth pushes the door open. Thankfully Brennan hasn't paid any attention to what Booth told her about pulling the chain over when she's home and the door swings open fully. He steps inside and finds Brennan slumped on the couch, a glass of wine in her hand and her feet up on the coffee table.
"Hey Bones." He greets her, trying to sound cheerful. "Bit early for that isn't it?" he asks, looking at the wine.
"That key is for emergencies." She says without turning to look at him.
"I don't know about you but I find you getting fired and the squints quitting an emergency." His words about the squints make Brennan sit up.
"They quit?" she asks.
"As soon as they found out." Booth explains as he saunters over to her.
"Why?" she asks. "Why would they do that?"
"Because they're your friends and they work for you, not Dr Saroyan."
"That's not true, technically they do work for Dr Saroyan." Brennan argues.
"Maybe technically Bones but you know the only reason they stick around is because they work with you."
"Zach quit too?" Brennan asks. Booth nods.
"But his doctorate, he won't get it." She almost whispers.
"I don't think he's worried about that right now."
"This is all my fault." Brennan sighs. "If I weren't so arrogant…"
"Bones, this is no-one's fault but Cam's." Booth tells her as he moves to sit on the couch at her side. "She knew what would happen if she let you go."
"How?"
"Uh, we told her."
"What?"
"When you came back from vacation. Angela and I both told her if you left then we'd go too."
"We?" Brennan asks.
"Yeah Bones." He smiles. "I work with you, no-one else."
"Booth, you can't do this." She says. "None of you can." She rises to her feet. "If they go back now I'm sure Cam will take them back." She says. "It's me she has the grudge against, not them."
"Bones, don't you get it?" Booth asks. "They don't want to work at the lab without you." Brennan puts her head in her hands.
"This is all such a mess. I've messed it up for everyone. I messed it up for you." She sighs.
"What are you talking about Bones?" Booth asks.
"I'm talking about your mission Booth." She tells him. "I promised to help you with your mission and now I can't. I've let you down." She sighs and reaches for her wine glass. Booth leans over and takes the glass from her hands.
"You haven't let me down Bones." He tells her firmly. She doesn't look convinced.
"Don't worry, we're going to fix it." Booth tells her as he rises to his feet.
"How? How can this be fixed? Dr Saroyan has the final say." Her words spark something in Booth and suddenly he realises just how this can all be fixed.
"I'll take care of it Bones." He rests his hand on her shoulder. She turns to face him and up close he can see the redness of her eyes, obviously from crying.
When Booth arrives back at Angela's apartment he is excited and all three wonder why. Angela is not shy asking why.
"I know exactly how we are going to get Brennan's job back. And yours." He adds.
"How?" Hodgins asks.
"Well, you're going to have to call in a few favours." Booth states. It takes a moment for the other two to catch up to what Booth is thinking and Hodgins is dreading.
"Oh no." Hodgins shakes his head. Angela realises what Booth is talking about and a smile spreads across her face.
"Yes Jack." Angela says. "You have to. You're the only one that can fix this now."
"Oh man." He shakes his hand. "I don't believe this." He says as he pulls his cell phone out. "But I swear, if Brennan finds out…" he threatens.
"We know how to keep a secret Jack." Angela tells him.
An hour later Hodgins comes off the phone and sits down with the squints.
"It's taken care of." He states simply.
Two days later, Booth pulls into the parking lot at the lab with Brennan protesting in the passenger side.
"Booth, I'm not going back in there."
"You have stuff to pick up in your office. I'm here for moral support." Booth tells her.
"I do not want to run into Cam." Brennan tells him.
"Bones, trust me. Everything is going to be fine." Booth grins as he starts to get out the SUV. Brennan follows reluctantly and soon the pair is walking through the doors of the lab. The place has a strange atmosphere to it, like it's filled with tension. As Booth guides Brennan to her office, his hand placed lightly on her lower back, she feels everyone staring at her.
"Booth, they're all staring." She whispers.
"Don't worry about it." Booth pushes her office door open and Brennan steps inside.
"Angela?" Brennan looks both surprised and confused to see her friend waiting inside. "I thought you…"
"I did, we all did." Angela grins. "But you have guardian angel." She says. "Check your email." She gestures to the computer. Brennan walks over and sits behind her desk, opening up her email account. She sees a new email received that morning from the Cantilever group to all staff in the institute. She looks up and glances at Booth and Angela as she quickly clicks on the email and scans the content.
"What?" she whispers to herself. "I don't get it."
"Sweetie. Someone up there above Cam, way above Cam, likes you." Angela grins. If only she knew all it took was a phone call from Hodgins. Brennan reads through the email again, needing confirmation.
It has come to the attention of the Cantilever Group that Dr Camille Saroyan has terminated the employment of Dr Temperance Brennan which in turn lead to three other valued members of staff resigning. The Cantilever Group believes that the loss of Dr Brennan is not acceptable given her outstanding work for both the Jeffersonian Institute and the FBI. In addition, the loss of three employees in Dr Brennan's team is found to be unacceptable as the Cantilever Group appreciates that Dr Brennan is assisted to a great extend in her work by said employees. In view of this, as the major contributor to the Jeffersonian Institute, the Cantilever Group expresses its right to reinstate Dr Brennan, Angela Montenegro, Dr Jack Hodgins and Zach Addy. Whilst the Cantilever Group appreciates the work Dr Camille Saroyan has accomplished since her appointment as Head of Forensics, it has been agreed that her talents and skills could be utilised elsewhere. Dr Saroyan will therefore be transferred to our sister Institute in Los Angeles to continue her excellent work.
Brennan sits gawking at the email.
"Bones, aren't you going to say anything?" Booth asks, grinning widely.
"I don't believe it." She whispers.
"What did Cam say about this?" she asks.
"Uh, no one has seen her since she stormed out first thing." Angela admits. "Aren't you happy?" Angela asks.
"Of course." Brennan shakes herself back to reality. "Of course Angela. I just didn't expect this. And Cam, she must be devastated."
"Why are you eve concerned?" Booth asks.
"I may not have liked her professionally but she isn't a bad person. I feel bad that I got my job back but she's been transferred." Brennan admits.
"Sweetie." Angela sighs. "I liked Cam too but she didn't fit in here. She didn't understand how we work and she wasn't willing to compromise." Angela explains.
"Where are Hodgins and Zach?" Brennan asks as she rises to her feet.
"Wong Foo's." Booth states. "Officially you don't start back until tomorrow so we thought we'd celebrate this afternoon." Booth rubs his hands together expectantly.
"I guess." Brennan sighs. "You guys go ahead, I need to check a few things here first." She says. Angela nods and heads out the room but Booth hangs back.
"I'm glad this all worked out Bones." He says as he steps up close to her. She lifts her head and meets his eyes. "I don't know what I'd have done if I couldn't work with you anymore."
"You'd find someone else." She shrugs. Booth is surprised by her words and he reaches out, placing his hands on her shoulders.
I don't want to work with anyone else but you." He almost whispers. "I won't work with anyone but you." He adds. Brennan stands staring at him as his face draws closer to hers. He places a soft kiss on her cheek and pulls back, a smile on his face.
"Welcome back Bones." He grins as he backs away. "Don't be too long." He warns as he turns to leave. Brennan glances around her office and realises that everything can wait until tomorrow.
"Hey Booth, wait up." She calls as she hurries to catch up. Booth stops and turns to wait. When she reaches his side, he slings his arm around her shoulder casually and together they walk to celebrate a new beginning.
ARGHH. So I finally got this on paper. It's not very BB fluffy but it was one of those stories that just popped into my head and I had to write. I appreciate that it didn't have much direction, was quite rushed and could probably have used a few more scenes so don't hate me. Review if you want. Thanks