A/N I have edited this first chapter extensively in the hope that it now reads much better. Please let me know what you all think those of you who may have read it months ago. I started this story clear back in May but got sidetracked writing my other two stories, Fire Breathing Dragon and Doggy Daycare B N'B Style. I hope as this story continues that everyone will enjoy it as much as you have my other two. :) Please don't forget to leave a comment. I have 3 new chapters complete and am about ¾ of the way through the fourth. So the more reviews I get the sooner I will post a new chapter. :)
Lisa
One Moment in Time
Chapter One
The fog was just beginning to lift from the Potomac River as Dr. Temperance Brennan started her morning jog through Rock Creek Park. The path she took today was littered with numerous spider webs clinging precariously from the trees and flowers, which glistened like spun silk in the early morning light. The Washington, DC skyline was filled with wispy clouds that were turning fluorescent pink, orange and blue.
Within a few weeks of moving to Washington, DC to begin her work at the Jeffersonian Medico-Legal Lab she had discovered Rock Creek Park. She felt closer to her mother when she discovered the park was also home to a Planetarium. She had fond childhood memories of her Mother teaching her all about the stars and planets in the Solar system.
Temperance had come to the park today for a couple of reasons. She recently experienced two life altering events and she had been on an emotional roller coaster ever since.
She felt like she had a constant video playing inside her head that kept repeating the same scenes over and over again.
Namely the kiss she'd been blackmailed into sharing with Booth. After Caroline had shoved Booth at her they were so close she could smell the cologne he was wearing and could feel his breath on her face. Her entire body trembled waiting for the first touch of his lips.
Her whole body had suddenly flushed with heat, her heart rateincreased, and her stomach filled with butterflies. She felt the change in him as his breathing became labored; heopened his mouth and their tongues hadmet in an erotic dance as old as time. This kiss that was supposed to mean nothing to them suddenly took on a life of its own.
She suddenly realized that never before had she experienced a kiss as hot and passionate as this, not even with Sully. Oh my God, she wondered, where did that thought come from?
Who knew that sharing one kiss with Booth would bring so many great things into her life? Booth had called her later while she was at the prison with her family. He had asked her to look out the window.
Her heart swelled with a feeling that felt a lot like love. She saw Booth and Parker waving next to a beautiful fully decorated Christmas tree. In the gently falling snow the lights on the tree twinkled brightly thanks to the battery from the SUV.
When she saw Haley and Emma squealing with delight she couldn't stop smiling. She knew this was going to be the best Christmas her family had ever had. The only thing that would have made it better was if her mother had still been alive to share this special time with all of them.
She couldn't stop herself from whispering into the phone to Booth that she loved her gift. On some inner level she knew Booth's sharing of the tree meant something really important. She wondered if she could let herself believe anymore that anyone could give her the love she has yearned for, for so many years.
The next day she boarded a plane and flew to Peru. National Geographic wanted her to search through a ceremonial burial site known as El Brujo-The Wizard, located on the north coast of Peru.
During recent excavations at the site an ancient mummy was unearthed. She was the first woman of the Moche people to be found buried with gold jewelry, which included necklaces, nose ornaments and a headdress. Some thought she had been a warrior queen.
She also appeared to have extensive tattoos, most likely created by using charcoal pigment inserted under the skin with a cactus spine. Temperance shuddered in horror when she was told how the tattoo was applied to the woman's body.
Even though Temperance normally would have been in seventh heaven having had such a unique opportunity to study something of such great importance all she could think about was Booth.
She wondered how the kiss they had shared at Christmas would affect their partnership in the coming days and weeks. What would it mean to the line he had told her you shouldn't cross with some people?
A few of her anthropologist friends even wondered aloud why she had come on this dig. She couldn't seem to concentrate on anything she was supposed to be doing. They began to joke it must be because of some man.
Had Angela been right that Booth had feelings for her? The incident with Kenton nearly cost her, her life. She had never been so glad to see Booth in her entire life, with the exception of being buried alive by the Gravedigger. Jack explained to her that what she had was faith. She insisted that it was not faith, that she had seen what Booth could do.
She had been keeping a secret from everyone she knew for a very long time. Before her parents had disappeared, she and Russ had attended Sunday school. She had been taught to believe in God and his ability to heal those who were sick or injured. For some time she had believed that there was a God, but all that changed the day her parents had disappeared without a trace.
She had prayed, begged and pleaded with God to help the police find her parents. None of those prayers had ever been answered.
Why, she wondered, did Booth seem to have such faith in God? She would never have his kind of faith and conviction in God again; however there had been times when she was watching Booth pray, when a tiny little voice in her head asked: what if you did?
Temperance wondered if she might be falling in love with her partner. Why did that thought scare her so much? What would she do if things didn't work out, or even worse if he was seriously injured or died in the line of duty? With all her abandonment issues, Temperance really didn't know if she was willing to take that risk.
A long time ago she had asked Angela if she thought she was missing out by not being more open socially. Angela had told her, yes by not allowing herself to feel her emotions and allowing others into her life she was going to miss out on having a real family of her own someday.
With a startled gasp Temperance came to a sudden halt. Her father had once told her to promise him, if she ever found someone she could trust to hang onto them. Oh God, She wondered had he been trying to tell her something? Had he meant Booth?
She dropped to her knees. With shaking hands she wiped the sweat from her brow. Why, she wondered, do everyone Booth and I know seem to think there is something going on between us? Now it appeared even her father seemed to think they were more than just partners.
She knew the two men had a grudging respect for each other. They seemed to have come to some kind of unspoken agreement. She couldn't understand how Booth could respect her father knowing he was a murderer.
She slowly pulled herself to her feet then began to stretch her now cramped legs. She brushed her hair back off her face with the back of her hand. With a loud sigh, she shook her head and thought, I can't think about what's going on between us right now.
She returned to the jogging path to finish her morning run. The sun was up now, and shining brightly. Most of the fog had evaporated.
As she continued on the path, her mind began to wander to other things. Temperance had retrieved her mail on Saturday and found a letter from her friend Molly. Molly and her certified cadaver dog, Tuti had worked with her on a number of cases in the past.
She thought Molly was just writing her usual Christmas greeting until she was halfway through her letter.
Temperance,
I was asked to send the following invitation to you:
The American Red Cross, the Delta Society, and the International K-9 Search & Rescue Dog Service organizations request the honor of your presence at a special black-tie Tribute/Fundraiser on the seven year Anniversary of Sept. 11.
This event will be held at the 911 Memorial Center in NYC on Sept. 11, 2008.
We hope that you will be willing to share with the audience, in a short speech detailing your team's personal experience working with the Search & Rescue & Therapy dog teams that were involved in helping to bring closure to all the families who lost loved ones on that day.
Since there are only a small number of dogs and trainers certified by the American Red Cross each year many teams must travel out of state -- occasionally even out of the country -- in order to perform their duties. Whatever profit is made is equally split between each organization.
The following Handler/Dog teams will be given a special honor at this event: Cindi Ellers and Tikva a 2 year old Keeshond, Pat Erickinson and Kate a 3 year old Golden Retriever, Pat and Bill Bartman and Uno a German Shepherd Dog who is one of only a handful of Certified Crisis Response dogs who was personally requested by the American Red Cross to come to Ground Zero after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
We also hope to address our concerns about all the recent legislature and local bills being introduced trying to ban certain breeds of dogs. There will also be a discussion on the mandatory spay/neuter laws, new fees for a breeding license and what kind of affect it will have on any future Search & Rescue Dogs, Service Dogs, Police Dogs or just the average pet owner.
Temperance I know this was a very emotional time for you and your forensic team. I'm hoping that you will be able to attend and give an account of your own experience on that day.
You may bring up to eight guests who would be willing to donate either time or money to our very special organizations.
Please RSVP by July 30, 2008 with the number of guests who will appear in your party. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Seasons Greetings
Molly and Tuti.
The letter had slowly fluttered to the floor as she finished reading. Immediately all those memories came flooding back.
The day began just like any other workday at the Jeffersonian Medico-Legal Lab.
Temperance remembered how, out of nowhere Dr. Jack Hodgins came in screaming about some tragic airline accident that had just happened in New York City at the World Trade Center. As Jack had turned the TV on, she and the rest of the squints, including their boss Dr. Goodman, had gathered around to watch the latest breaking news. They had watched in horror as the second plane crashed into the Trade Center. As the morning went on the news continued to be updated. Later the newscaster had said that it was no longer considered to be simply an accident, that someone or some group must have done it on purpose to attack our country.
It had just happened at 8:45 a.m. Eastern Time. By 9:03 a.m. another plane would be deliberately flown into the second tower of the World Trade Center. At 9:43 a.m. the news would report that a third airliner had been hijacked and deliberately flown into the Pentagon. Before long the shocking news came that a fourth plane had also been hijacked with the intention of flying it into the capital building. By then passengers on board had already heard from family or friends what had been going on in NYC.
The passengers on Flight 93 decided to take matters into their own hands and tried to stop the hijackers from crashing their plane into the capital by storming the cockpit. Unfortunately, while doing this the plane had crashed in a farmer's field in Pennsylvania and all those on board had perished.
Nobody said a word for several minutes and then the whole team began talking at once. In all of the confusion none of them could even begin to hear or understand what anyone else was saying.
Dr. Goodman's voice rang out above all the chaos and he said, "I think we need to start making some phone calls to see if we can be of any assistance in the coming hours and days as this is going to be one of the worst disasters our country has ever known."
Not long after the phones began to ring incessantly. After being on the phone for some time, Dr. Goodman returned to say that Dr. Brennan and the rest of the squints were being called in to help the local authorities begin to sort through all the rubble.
Temperance shook her head trying to banish these overwhelming thoughts from her mind. She was nearly at the end of her run. She used the remaining time to cool down.
While she was stretching she watched the Crocus and King Alfred Daffodils swaying in the light breeze. Occasionally she would see a White Tailed deer, a family of raccoons and once in a great while she might catch a glimpse of one of the few timid coyotes who wandered the woods.
She knew sooner or later that she needed to speak to Booth about what she was feeling, however she wanted to speak to her father first. Did he trust Booth enough to let him continue to be in her life? If so why? Did he know something more about her partner than she did herself?
She would also have to give Molly an answer soon. She truly wanted to help her friend get the donations they needed so all the dog teams could continue to do the work they did all over the world.
Without the dogs on these teams working on a daily basis with law enforcement defending American borders, looking for drugs, hidden explosives, and taking part in numerous branches of the military, America – 'The Land of The Free'-- would not be as secure a nation as it is today.
She was due at work in a little over an hour. Booth would be calling her to make sure she was okay, and right now she was not in the mood to deal with his alpha male tendencies.
Temperance watched as a very startled Angela, Cam, Jack and Zach looked up as she walked in and realized she must look as frazzled as she felt. She paused for just a moment and then continued hurriedly, walking toward her office.
"Sweetie, where have you been?" Angela said as Temperance came rushing through the lab.
"We were beginning to think we should call you to see if you were coming to work today. After what happened with that creep Kenton, then the Gravedigger, we were really worried!" Angela told herwith the sound of fear in her voice.
"I'm fine Angela, really. I just need to put my stuff in my office then I'll be right out." She paused in the doorway to her office. "Cam, I'm really sorry I'm late today, the traffic was unbelievable this morning. I promise I'll make the time up today."
"Are you okay, Dr. Brennan?" Cam asked with a concerned look.
The other three looked at each other, and shrugged.
Cam murmuredunder her breath to Angela, "Maybe you should go talk to her? She looks awful."
Angela nodded at Cam then quickly made her way to her best friend's office.
"Brennan, are you sure you're okay? You look like you haven't slept all weekend. Look at you, there are dark circles under your eyes and you're so pale." Angela said bluntly. "What happened since I talked to you on Saturday morning?"
"Ange, I'm sorry I can't talk about this now. I'm so far behind today. I'm sure Cam is annoyed that I wasn't here on time this morning. If I don't start soon, I'll never catch up on everything," Temperance said barely taking the time to breathe.
"Okay, sweetie." Angela gave her friend's hand a gentle squeeze. "Just remember I'm here whenever you're ready to tell me what's really going on."
Angela's pretty brown eyes were looking at her pleadingly.
Temperance sighed. "Ange, I got a letter in the mail this weekend from a good friend. Unfortunately, it brought up a bunch of bad memories. I promise, I'll talk to you about this later. You know I can never keep anything from you," Temperance laughed.
"Just so you know, I'm going to hold you to that, Brennan," Angela said as they both made their way out of her office and back out to the lab platform.
"Bones! Hey, Bones are you here?" Special Agent Seeley Booth hollered.
"We have a case, chop, chop! Hurry up or your evidence is going to be compromised."
As Booth stepped up onto the lab platform four sets of eyes turned to him. As one they all said, "Dr. Brennan's in her office Booth."
Angela added, "She seems really upset. She received a letter from a friend over the weekend. I can't get her to talk about it. Maybe you can ask her about it later, Booth?"
"I'll try. We'll have plenty of time to talk on the drive over to the crime scene, since it's an hour away." With a quick nod goodbye Booth went off to his partner's office.
"Bones, are you in here?" he asked on his way through her office door.
"Yes, Booth I'm here. Why are you here? Do we have a new case?" Temperance looked up from her computer screen.
Booth came to a sudden stop in the doorway. Wow, he thought to himself, Angela was right; she did look a little down. There were dark smudges under her eyes. He decided he would wait until they were on the way to the crime scene before asking her about her weekend.
"The DC Sheriff's Department thinks they've found the remains of a missing child. Evan Sinclair, an eleven year old boy, and his fourteen year old sister Amanda Sinclair were reported missing from the local after school Boys and Girls Club three days ago." Booth told her in a somber voice.
"Exactly what condition was the body found in, Booth?" Temperance turned to look at her partner as he helped her put on her coat.
"Sheriff Williams says the remains they've discovered appear to be pretty badly decomposed. He put in a special request for our help to solve this case. He's hoping that we can find the other missing child."
"What do you mean he's 'hoping' we can find the other missing child? I don't understand? Didn't you say they were reported missing at the same time?" She continued to walk around the lab collecting equipment she thought she would need to aid her at the crime scene.
"So far, they've only found one body. Hopefully you or your squints can find enough evidence to help us locate the other child so we can find them alive. They were only reported missing seventy-two hours ago," he told her as they began to make their way off the lab platform on there way out to the parking lot.
Temperance raised her eyebrows, "Booth did you say the children have been missing for seventy-two hours? If so that isn't long enough for the body to be that decomposed. Are you sure the time line is correct?"
"I think so. According to Agent Mathews, it appears the body is partially burned. He thinks it has been mauled by some type of animal," Booth informed her as he opened the door to the SUV so she could get in. He walked around the front of the car and got into the drivers seat. Within minutes they were out of the parking lot and on the road to the scene.
Temperance and Booth had shared some more information about the upcoming case then suddenly Temperance became very quiet. She was gazing out of the passenger window. Eventually, Booth glanced over to see if she was awake. It was now completely dark outside.
Booth reached over to touch her arm as he asked, "Okay, Bones. What's wrong? Angela said you received something in the mail? Did something happen with your dad or Russ? I haven't heard anything from Caroline, so I assume they're okay. She would be one of the first one's to hear if something had happened at the prison."
It was several minutes before Temperance finally answered him, "No, my father and Russ are fine. Yes, Angela is right I did get something in the mail and it has put me in a rather somber mood."
She glanced over at him as he was driving and suddenly realized that he was the only one she would ever tell her story too.
"Do you remember me telling you when we worked on the Devon Marshall and Charlie Kent case at Arlington National Cemetery that I had been asked to go through the remains from the World Trade Center after the 911 attacks?"
Booth shot her a startled glance when she mentioned going through the remains of 911. "Do you really think I would have forgotten about that, Bones? I know that was before we met. I'm sure that was a very difficult time for you and the squints. It was very hard for me too. What made you ask me about your work during 911?"
With a soft sigh she turned to Booth and said, "Molly and her Search and Rescue Organization, want to know if I would like to speak at an upcoming Tribute to all the Canine Units that worked at the Trade Center site after the 911 attacks. You remember when I asked Molly to bring her dog Tuti to help us locate Eve Warren's body, don't you?"
With a laugh Booth said "How could I ever forget Molly and Tuti the drooling Mastiff! Yuck! I have never seen a dog slobber so much in my entire life. I was impressed when Tuti found the remains of Eve Warren even though she was buried under several feet of cement in Simon Rulz music studio."
"You're right. Tuti's pretty impressive. So are all the other Search and Rescue dogs that specialize in looking for missing persons or are therapy dogs. They take the dogs to hospitals or nursing homes to cheer up sick or elderly patients. Therapy dogs are also used when individuals or a group of people have been traumatized in a natural disaster, a victim of a crime or a freak accident."
Once again Temperance became quiet as she continued to look out the window.
"So, are you going to go and speak at this fundraiser?"
Temperance heaved another sigh as she looked over at her partner. It was hard to see his face now that it was dark, but she could hear the concern for her in his voice.
"I don't know yet, Booth. Rationally, it's the right thing to do. I just don't know."
"I was so overwhelmed with emotions when I was actually there, seeing first hand what was left of the buildings. How warm it still was, the smells emitting from the site, the looks on the firefighters faces as they were looking for anything to help them find their fallen comrades and all those people missing in what remained of the Twin Towers."
Booth reached over, and put a hand on her knee and gave her a soft squeeze. "I know how hard that must have been for you. I'm really sorry I didn't know you then."
"After all the years I have been doing this job, the things I've seen in Iraq, El Salvador, Rwanda, and Guatemala you would think that I would have handled 911 better," she told Booth with tears welling in her eyes.
"I would like to think you would have come to me to talk about your feelings if we had known each other at that time. I'm here now, so if you need to talk I'm ready to listen."
"Thanks, Booth. You have no idea what that means to me. You know that was the first time that I really wished I knew where my family was? I tried to call, Russ, but the number he had left on my answering machine wishing me a happy birthday was out of service by then."
"God Booth, I was so awful to him after our parents disappeared. I was so self-centered and wallowing in my own loss that I never gave Russ a chance to do his own grieving over losing our parents. I even told him I hated him a few times."
She was finding it exceedingly difficult to conceal her feelings from Booth these days. His next words confirmed to her that as per usual he seemed to be able to read her like an open book.
"Temperance, look at me." Booth whispered. "Remember what I told you about having the weight of the world on your shoulders? There was really nothing you could have done to change anything. You do understand that, don't you?"
Even in the dim light of the SUV, Booth could see the pain in her eyes. "Do you really think, even now that it was your fault that your parents were missing?"
"Booth, you know I hate psychology!" She said her voice full of exasperation at his question. "Rationally, I know all that you just said is true, but somehow getting my head and heart to figure that out seems to be causing me a real problem."
"I'm sure Russ would never hold that against you now. If he knows what's good for him he won't," he mumbled under his breath.
Temperance asked with a sharp look, "What?"
"Never mind it doesn't matter. As your big brother he was supposed to be the 'man of the house' so to speak. Hell, I was thirty when Parker was born; even then it was a struggle to know the correct way to raise a child. I can't imagine being nineteen years old and then suddenly becoming an instant father and mother to a fifteen-year-old girl."
"Bones, do you remember when I told you that I would never abandon Parker like your parents did to you?"
"Yes."
"I suppose Russ was unable to collect any insurance your parents may have paid for in the event something ever happened to them. I'm not sure if I had been in Russ's shoes if I would have tried to keep you with me either," Booth said with a note of surprise at his own words
"Bones, most teenage girls don't know how to ask the men in their lives for emotional support. Not that it matters, as most of the time we don't know what to say."
She murmured softly. "I wish Russ had known all I really wanted was for us to stay together. I wanted him to be the Marco to my Polo."
"I wish Russ could have been there to give me one of your famous 'Guy Hugs'.
Booth looked at her and in the lights of the passing cars he saw again the look he had seen on her face at Christmas. That lost little girl look that he would do anything to keep from seeing again.
"Aw Bones, is that a hint? Are you asking for a 'Guy Hug' from me?" he said with a laugh of his own.
"Yes." She whispered so softly he almost didn't hear her over the noise of the SUVs engine.
Booth pulled to the side of the road. With the engine humming quietly in the background he drew Bones across the front seat into his arms as she began to cry in earnest. He began rubbing her back and shoulders as he rocked her. He wondered how long it had been since Temperance Brennan had really cried.
"Shhh… Bones, I'm here and everything is going to be okay," Booth could feel every soft curve in her body and her breasts were now thrust into his chest causing him to feel things that he had no right to feel at this moment in time.
Suddenly, the headlights of a passing car softly illuminated the interior of the vehicle enabling him to see his partners tear streaked face. Her long flowing chestnut hair had begun to stick to her now flushed, tear stained cheeks.
"Booth," she whispered with a sob as her body continued to shake uncontrollably. "What is wrong with me? I don't have time to be sitting here with you bawling my eyes out like a two-year-old!" She said as she angrily wiped the tears from her eyes.
"One of those two missing children could still be alive! We can't sit here waiting for me to finish having a nervous breakdown!"
Shaking his head Booth privately thought to himself.
Gee, Temperance I just don't know what could be wrong with you. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you have spent the better part of the last sixteen years keeping every person you know at arms length, so you don't have to feel a damn thing! If pushing them all away doesn't work, you run away. Whether you actually packed up and moved your home, or you went off on one of those damn anthropological research digs you love so much. The truth is, you're not all that different from those two missing children we should be looking for. I promise you Bones, I won't give up until you find your own way home.
"Booth, I'm so sorry. I can't believe what a mess I've made of your shirt."
Temperance couldn't remember feeling this safe and protected since she had been a child when her father had held her in his arms to comfort her. However, it was soon apparent that this was no longer a Guy Hug or even just a fatherly hug.
When she looked up into Booth's dark chocolate brown eyes, she realized they were filled with passion and that their lips were barely half an inch apart. Her heart was racing in anticipation, waiting for the first touch of his warm full sensuous lips on hers.
With a low moan he brought his head down to hers until their lips met softly in a touch as light as butterfly wings. His tongue slid gently over her top lip, and she opened her mouth with a soft moan. His tongue felt like molten silk as it brushed against hers and then swirled around her bottom and top lip once more.
"Seeley," she pleaded, "please don't stop." He turned his head into her neck, breathing in the scent of her perfume. He began to kiss the pulse fluttering rapidly at the base of her throat. Temperance's hands fluttered up to his cheeks as she pulled his head back to her lips for another soul searching kiss.
"Umm, Temperance, we have to stop now," Seeley groaned into her mouth. My God what are you doing to me? I can't think straight with your lips on mine. Why the hell did I ever tell you that there was a line we shouldn't cross?
"Bones, God I really don't want to stop kissing you either, but one of us has to keep their head in the game." He gently put his hands on her shoulders to push her away from him for a moment.
Temperance looked up at him with a glazed look in her luminous blue eyes. "What?" she said in confusion.
"Oh, nooooo…She quickly slid back across the seat, putting some distance between the two of them. "I'm so sorry Booth. I don't know what came over me."
"Well, that makes two of us. Since I was the idiot who said there is a line you shouldn't cross when you're working with some people, I'm the one who owes you an apology." Yeah, that was real professional of you wasn't it, Seeley.
"Booth, I guess we should talk about this later. I know I won't be able to live with myself if we can't find those two missing children because I was having an emotional breakdown."
"You're right Bones, this isn't over. Promise me you won't shut me out before we have a chance to talk?" Booth asked as he pulled the SUV back out onto the highway.
"I promise I won't shut you out. Remember, we said we wouldn't give up on ourselves or each other." With a soft smile on her lips she reached over and took his right hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.
TBC
Chapter two will be posted next and maybe three if I get enough reviews. :)