Hate Crime

Summary – Zack has returned to the Jeffersonian, just in time for a new case to solve. As they delve into the murder of a young gay man, things get a little awkward for Booth. Booth/Zack slash.

Disclaimer – I don't own Bones. I don't even understand half the things the squints say.

Warning – boyxboy, some controversial topics about LGBTQ

A/N – As much as I adore Booth/Bones, I adore slash even more. And as Zack is essentially the male version of Bones…well. I had to.

This takes place during the 4th season as an alternative ending of sorts.

Chapter 1

Angela was, predictably, the first to greet him. Zack walked in and before he could even see the platform of the main lab, Angela had spotted him, shrieked as if she'd found the perfect pair of shoes, and enveloped him into her arms. It was quite a welcoming, but just a tad too stifling.

"I'm so glad you're back!" She cried, smiling into his shoulder.

"As happy I am to see you, I must ask that you stop crushing my diaphragm and allow me to breathe," Zack informed her, though he grinned in spite of himself.

"Oh yeah, it's definitely you," Angela gave him a little pat, "Welcome back, mastermind. Whenever it gets too quiet around here, I'll have your robot voice to go to."

"Zack!" It was Hodgins. Zack allowed himself into another bone-crushing hug, deciding that a few more seconds of lost air was a fairly acceptable price for greeting his best friend. "It's great to see you back! I got the memo just yesterday and I'm telling you buddy, I jumped out of my seat!"

"He did, I saw him," Angela smirked. "He spilled his coffee all over his work station; big time technology issues."

"I can take care of money with the Jeffersonian," Hodgins snorted. "I just have to live with the damage for a couple days. So, first day back! Feeling all better?"

"What did your psychiatrists say?" Angela asked.

"I think they were intimidated by my constant display of intellectual aptitude," Zack began, "and they did mention that they found my incapability to emotionally connect to the human race as a whole rather troubling, but they concluded that I was fit for society." Zack adjusted his gloves slightly, flexing his fingers. Angela and Hodgins pretended not to notice. "They also suggested that romantic involvement with someone would help me assimilate."

"Great! We'll get you a girlfriend," Hodgins grinned.

Zack raised his eyebrows, saying nothing. Hodgins frowned at his lack of enthusiasm. "Isn't that…what they meant?"

"I'm not sure how comfortable you would feel to hear this—"

"Oh honey, don't worry," Angela smiled knowingly. "We'll get you a hot piece o' man instead."

Hodgins looked rather taken aback, but taking Zack's silence as confirmation, his face relaxed into a chuckle. "Wow, really?"

"It probably wasn't the intention of therapy," Zack said sheepishly. "However somehow, while examining interpersonal relationships, I realized that I found certain prospective attributes of having a male partner both comforting and attractive."

"You know," Angela murmured to Hodgins, "when I came out, I just said, 'Daddy, I'm bi,' and that was it."

"Do either of you mind?" Zack asked.

"Nope, it just changes the game plan a little."

"What?"

"We'll get you a hot piece o' man, as Angela likes to put it," Hodgins assured him, dodging Angela's little slap on the arm. "We'll get you tons. Your libido better be high after all those months alone."

The three friends walked away together, arms around Zack, as he expressed with genuine confusion, "But what would I do with a piece of a man?"

"Alright, before we retrieve the remains from the scene," Dr. Brennan began, "Booth has some announcements to make regarding FBI regulation."

Booth, who was sitting down a couple feet away from the group, looked as if he'd been wishing not to hear his name. "They were suggestions, Bones," He muttered. "We don't have to follow them. And I really don't like the sound of—"

"What kind of regulation are we talking about here?" Cam interjected.

"Well unfortunately, Zack is currently viewed as a potentially hazard in the lab," Dr. Brennan said, ignoring Booth's noisy little hints to be quiet. "Not by my personal opinion, I assure you. Dr. Goodman and the FBI didn't think that it would be safe to reemploy Zack. However, I convinced them that, criminal record aside, Zack is a valuable asset to the team and has helped solve a number of cases. So the FBI has recommended some new arrangements. Essentially, Zack and I would temporarily trade places."

"Trade places," Zack repeated. "If they are suggesting that I live like you…I'd rather not wear women's clothes."

"She means you two would switch tasks," Cam said plainly. Oh, how she missed Zack's hyper-literal attitude.

"Basically, a bad idea," Booth cut in. He got up from the chair and stood in front of Zack, arms crossed. Zack seemed to shrink just a tad. "This is just the FBI being paranoid about you blowing things up again. I said that all I had to do was look you in the eye and, you know," his hand patted his gun affectionately, "convince you to behave."

"And I said that intimidation would not help the situation," Dr. Brennan said crossly. "Booth, this is a perfectly logical arrangement. I'll spend most of my time in the lab and Zack will go with you to collect evidence, question suspects—"

"This kid? Question suspects?" Booth snorted disbelievingly.

"It's only for a couple cases. And when Sweets deems it safe for Zack to work more in the lab, which in itself is nothing more than a mere formality, we can return to how we always were."

Cam raised her eyebrows. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea at all, actually. We'd work just as efficiently, if not more."

"We'll get to see Brennan more around the lab," Angela smiled.

"I'll be permanent King of the Lab," Hodgins added.

"Only until I return," Zack corrected him quickly, "which renounces the permanence of your position."

"Look guys, stop talking about this like it's already going to happen," Booth sighed.

"It's a democracy, Seeley," Cam smirked, a sardonic little twinkle shining in her eye. She stood leaning on the tabletop, arms and ankles crossed. "Looks like you're outnumbered."

Booth looked at Zack, who returned the gaze apprehensively. He let the idea sink in that he would spend the next week, weeks, hell maybe even months (it all depended on how long these cases would take) driving the squint around and listening to his logical ramblings and awkward sex questions. "Oh Lord, have mercy," Booth groaned, making the cross.

"I don't understand him sometimes," Dr. Brennan whispered to Cam.

"And I do. I think that's the sad part," Cam chuckled.