5 Hours Earlier
The lab was quiet, peaceful even. With workers that used whispers and worked silently and efficiently. The sun that came in through the windows at the top of the building gave it a warm glow that a normal person would never consider this building to have. It made it feel calm and surine... until Special Agent Seeley Booth strutted through the sliding doors.
"Come on Bones! We got a new case!" Without even looking up from the case file that was in his hands Booth slid his ID threw the scanner and ran onto the platform. It was abandoned. Not even the overhead lights were on. His stomach dropped as he looked around. Never before had the lights been off in the daytime. Booth didn't even think there was an off switch for them.
As he left the platform Booth glanced into Brennan's office. A sigh escaped him, no matter how clean she liked her work space there were always to many things for her to work on. It was evident from the mountains of paperwork piled high on her desk. No wonder she hardly left the museum sometimes, much to the annoyance of Booth and the other squints.
He stood still for a moment to listen with his well trained sniper ears. Almost complete silence. The only thing he heard was the soft hum of the machinery in Angela's office. The silence was almost scary here. It sent a shiver up his spine. It just wasn't right.
Booth walked into the dark space cautiously, only to trip over the very woman he was looking for as she lay under the desk working on a hard drive. The floor rushed up to meet him and Booth did a face plant straight onto an oriental rug.
"Aw! Sweetie I'm so sorry! I didn't hear you coming." As he opened his eyes Booth saw Angela's worried face and instantly hated it. She knew a fall like this wouldn't hurt the former football player. Normally not even a punch could faze him, and since that was the case something else must be worrying her. Something worse.
Booth sat up with her help and rubbed his sore nose. "What's wrong Ange?" She was surprised for a moment then smiled slightly.
"So you can tell huh?" she paused looking out towards the platform. Her eyes scouring the large room for something. Not taking her eyes away she continued. "Booth have you seen Brennan?"
"What? No, I haven't. That's why I'm here. We got a new case to look at, and I came to pick her up. Why?"
The smile wavered. "Because she hasn't come in to work today. I'm starting to worry, but I was kind of hoping you two had-"
"Angela." Booth interrupted her with a low growl. Why can't she ever mind her own business?
"Fine. Even though my fantasies tend to run wild I still get worried. This is one of those times." He looked into her watery eyes. Any minute. He thought.
It was evident to any idiot that Brennan was one of those people that loved to work and hardly ever got out, so her not coming into work was a big deal.
"Have you tried calling her?" Better to be safe than sorry when worrying about his Bones. If he sent out a search party only to find her at the grocery store there would be hell to pay.
"Yes. No answer. Booth I'm worried. These kinds of things always happen when some creep kidnaps her! You need to keep her safe! And you're doing a really crappy job of it!" With tears streaming down her face she slammed herself into his arms. Her sobs brought a stampede of their remaining coworkers into her office. Jack Hodgins was the first through the door and when he spied his arms around Angela Booth thought for sure he would explode. Man the bug guy had it bad for this woman.
"Booth what did you do to Angela?!!"
"Whoa, Hodgins she just started bawling! What did you want me to do? You obviously weren't here." At the mention of his absence the bug and slime expert promptly shut his mouth and motioned for Booth to let go of his girlfriend. Angela let out another shoulder wracking sob and let herself be shuffled into his arms where he immediately began soothing her. Now that he wasn't preoccupied anymore Booth noticed that Zack and Cam were standing somewhat awkwardly in the doorway.
"Any of you seen Bones?" They both shook their heads. Angela's sobbing subsided and was now just quiet tears. Her eyes already showing signs of redness. Since she was being quiet all five companions could now hear another set of footsteps coming to them. Hope spread to them all and as they ran to the doorway their expectations were crushed. Dr. Goodman was walking to them.
When he saw Angela's tear streaked face he smiled in understanding. "So the crying was from you Ms. Montenagro? You are a very emotional woman." Coming to a stop directly in front of Booth and looking at group in front of him he frowned slightly. "Why are you still here? Booth I thought for sure you of all people would be at the hospital."
Booth imagined shock waves smashing into the team. With Dr. Goodman's random statement and their own reactions it dawned on him. "Does this have anything to do with why Bones isn't at work today?"
Dr. Goodman groaned and rubbed his temples with his fingers. "So typical of Temperance. I assumed something like this would happen but I thought for sure she would at least inform Booth of her condition."
"Why is she in the hospital?!" Booth demanded.
His ferocity stunned the older professor for a moment, then he continued with a slightly shaky voice. "She is having surgery today Agent Booth. She requested sick leave for it yesterday. I'm not quite certain what type of surgery it is but it seems serious since it was scheduled so suddenly. I can't leave so please call and inform me of her condition as soon as you find out any details!" Goodman called after Booth as he bolted out of the Jeffersonian with the others close at his heals. They piled silently into his SUV bickering about the fastest way to get to Trinity Hospital as Booth pulled out of the parking lot. Then they were silent.
As soon as she wakes up I might just strangle her. Not only was his pride hurt but there was a dull ache in his chest. He knew what it was from, but he didn't want to think about it at the moment. Instead he kept his eyes on the road, trying not the let the silence in the car weigh down on him.
