AN: Thanks for the reviews y'all, because of all the encouragement I decided to post this a day early. It was really fun to read how many people wanted Booth to become a peeping Tom.
Chapter 2 Closet Secrets
Temperance took her time changing, thankful that the door was indeed locked and, having tested it herself, the lock was durable. Digging in Booth's gym bag, which was surprising clean and fresh smelling, she found a clean towel and dried her feet which were wet from the thorough soaking she'd received. Smiling, she rummaged in Booth's bag until she found a pair of clean pair of socks wondering, with the hint of a smirk, whether her partner wore boxers or briefs.
Goosebumps raised on her flesh as she stood holding the socks dressed only in her bra and Booth's sweatpants. It is entirely too cold in here, she thought, although the thermostat was pushed into the eighties and her body temperature had returned to normal range. Temperance smiled as she donned the t-shirt, Female Body Inspector, only Booth would wear that to the gym! Lowering her head to pull her wet hair back and brush it out with her fingers, Temperance recognized a familiar scent on the garment.
She had just pulled on the sweater, relishing its extra large size and worn comfort, when a knock came on the door. Opening it, still shoeless with dripping wet hair, she found Booth, his eyes closed. Silently he held out a cup of coffee, the steam rising up like a phoenix from the ashes. Temperance took it gratefully and smiled,
"I am dressed; you can open your eyes." Booth opened one eye, then the other.
"Just checking." Reentering his office, Booth noted her shoes atop the heater and grinned.
"Want to order in? Considering the whole 'no shoes, no shirt, no service' policy might be a problem..." Temperance rolled her eyes good naturally.
"Let's go, I'll wear shoes." She reached for them but Booth pulled her hand away.
"Bones! They're not nearly dry yet, if you put them on now you'll just get your socks wet." Temperance grinned and pulled up the pant leg to show off the socks she'd found.
"But Booth, I'm too sexy for your socks..." she grinned as his jaw dropped when he recognized the socks on her feet.
"Bones... what else did you get out of the bag?" He eyed her carefully waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Nothing Booth." Temperance paused a moment, "what else do you have?"
"Nothing! Jeeze, Bones, I was just wondering where I might find the rest of your clothes." He gestured around the office where her pants were thrown casually over a chair, her shirt on a lamp shade and her socks across his file cabinet. Now Temperance blushed and settled in his chair, pulling her feet up and under for warmth.
"Just take me to the Jeffersonian and I'll get my car and go home to change. Then we can go out to eat." She bargained.
"That'll take too long," Booth whined playfully, "I'm hungry now!"
"You're always hungry." She dismissed easily. Booth grinned at her again.
"So, let's eat here. No shoes, no shirt, no problem." Temperance raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"Fine, take it off." Booth blushed at her teasing. "What?" she continued, "you didn't think I'd be the topless one did you?"
Booth was readying his retort when a soft knock came at the door.
"Excuse me?" Booth looked up to find a woman, no more than thirty with dark hair and troubled eyes at his door. Standing beside her, eyes downcast and sniffling, was a small child.
"Yes? I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth, how can I help you?" He invited them in and the woman took a seat smiling gratefully. Booth pulled over another chair, tossing Temperance's pants in his gym bag, as the woman took the small girl in her lap.
"My name is Michelle Reynolds and I'd like to report a crime." Booth glanced at Temperance whose eyes were only on the child, silently observing, checking for trauma. Booth took a deep breath and tried to relax his gaze.
"Okay, Ms. Reynolds why don't you tell me what happened." Michelle tried to smile but stopped, struggling to find her words. Lying one hand on the little girl's back she tried to explain.
"Sarah here is in the first grade... she has been getting into lots of trouble lately at school." Booth nodded patiently, wondering what, if anything, this had to do with a crime.
"Today was the fourth time this quarter Sarah did not complete her in class homework-"
"Whoa, lady!" Booth cut her off, incredulous at what he was hearing, "are you seriously telling me you want to report your daughter is not doing her class work?" Michelle shook her head furiously and Sarah seemed startled by the outburst.
"That's not why we're here. A foster child acting this way is unacceptable-"
"Just because she is in the foster care system does not justify your poor judgment." Temperance cut in, her blue eyes piercing Michelle with a practiced cold stare. Michelle looked back to Booth.
"Excuse me but who is she?" Booth groaned internally, wishing Temperance had not been, at that moment, dressed in his clothes with her own thrown haphazardly around the office.
"This is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian Institute. What she means," He gave her a look pleading cooperation before turning back to Michelle, "is that whether or not Sarah is a foster child, not completing homework is not a crime nor should it be reported as such."
Michelle sighed, lowering her head dramatically to rest on her hand. Booth watched closely, knowing how to pick up on the signs of child abuse. He could tell there was something going on and intended to get to the bottom of it.
"Sarah?" He called, and finally the girl lifted her head timidly. "My son Parker is about your age and he left some toys here last time he visited me. Would you mind looking at them to make sure they're good six year old toys?" Temperance smiled at his gentle voice, used so often with the young victims. Sarah nodded cautiously and Michelle lifted her from her lap while Booth pointed out the various trucks and toys lining a lower bookshelf.
"Ms. Reynolds, why don't you tell me what's going on?" Booth pushed, once Sarah was safely occupied with the toys. Michelle agreed and took a deep breath.
"Sarah is my daughter, not a foster child. She's great but I'm a single mom and I don't always have the time for her that I want to. But I know her, she loves school and every night we do her homework. Every night, Agent Booth. But she has all these problems in class. Half of her assignments are uncompleted. I've talked to the teacher and she says Sarah is uncooperative, that her work is sloppy. I just don't believe it."
"So you want me to scare your daughter into cooperating?"
"No. Sarah is at Brighten Day, it's the best school in the district. I wish I could afford the private schools but-"
"We do the best we can for our children." Booth reminded her, giving her a break she sorely needed.
Temperance, for her part, watched the exchange silently, amazed at how easily Booth transitioned from agent to father so seamlessly.
"I know it's a tough school but I also know Sarah can do the work. Tonight I got another note from Mrs. Evans, that's Sarah's teacher, and we talked about it and Sarah said she did her drawings but Mrs. Evans wrote another girls' name on the paper and sent it home with her. I don't know why but I believe my daughter." Booth was still, feeling there was again something more to the story.
"Sarah, can I ask you a few questions?" The girl looked up and comfortably returned to her mother's lap.
"Who took home your drawing today?" He asked, concerned.
"Alexis." She answered simply, still holding a truck, turning its wheel with her finger.
"Why didn't Alexis do her own drawing?" Booth asked, sparing a look for his partner who was, by this time, comfortably warm and intrigued by their visitors.
"'Cause she was in the closet." Sarah announced, as if the sky were blue and puppies were cute. Michelle seemed shocked at this revelation, Booth now deducing that she would no more hurt her own child than hide the abuse of another. Now Temperance sat forward, unable to stay silent.
"Sarah, is Alexis a foster child?" She asked and Sarah stared for a moment before nodding her head yes.
"Booth..." He held up his hand to silence Temperance before turning back to Sarah.
"Sarah, did Mrs. Evans know she was in the closet?"
"Uh huh."
"Are you sure, honey?"
"Yeah."
"Who put Alexis in the closet?" It was the question on each adult's mind but Temperance was the only one to voice it, her straight forward approach once again paying off.
"Mrs. Evans." Sarah answered simply, running the toy along the edge of Booth's desk.
End Chapter
AN: Thanks again for reading. I will do my best to post another chapter by Friday.
