(Season 10)

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Aubrey didn't know how it happened, but suddenly Booth was free from prison and he knew that his job had just begun.

Deputy Director Stark had been right. Booth had balked at any help from Aubrey, but that didn't stop the younger man from doing his job. The older Agent didn't want backup and was rude to Aubrey most of the time they were together, but that didn't bother Aubrey in the least. Booth had been wrongfully attacked in his home and almost killed. The three attackers were killed instead and the Booth/Brennan house had been destroyed during that wild attack. Booth had been locked up in a Federal prison awaiting hearings and a possible trial, but for three months no hearings had materialized. It stood to reason that once Booth was out of prison, he wouldn't trust anyone especially anyone working out of the Hoover or the Justice Department and Aubrey knew that.

It was Aubrey's job to back up Booth and he planned to do it to the best of his ability. He had fairly thick skin and though Booth's rejection was slightly irritating, that didn't mean that Aubrey would let it him bother him. It was his job to make sure nothing happened to the freed agent. It had been a little shocking when Booth had made him right away and slammed him against the hood of the car in the parking garage shortly after he began to shadow the man, but it also confirmed that Booth was still someone you didn't mess with. He was a dangerous man and Aubrey would treat him appropriately. He did wonder if Booth's enemies knew that the beast had been unleashed inside of Booth and that the man was after blood. Not that Aubrey cared. If anyone was stupid enough to make an enemy of Booth, then they weren't very intelligent as far as Aubrey was concerned. With Brennan and the squints on Booth's side, those enemies should be looking over their shoulders. Justice was coming and when it did, it would be led by a wronged man out for revenge.

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It had taken a lot of persistence, but Booth had accepted Aubrey being his shadow. It seemed to Booth that wherever he went Aubrey was close by and at first he had wondered who had bothered to assign him as his partner and why. Out of prison, trusting almost no one, Booth wondered what Aubrey's assignment was. Was Booth still considered a murderer and was Aubrey there to make sure he didn't skip out of town or did someone have faith in his innocence and wanted to make sure Booth wasn't working alone?

When confronted, Stark had admitted that he had assigned Aubrey to him, but Booth wasn't sure if Stark could be trusted, so his motives were suspect. Since Booth couldn't really trust anyone at the Hoover, he decided to keep Aubrey in his sight. He might not trust the younger man, but he might be of use and Booth needed help to fix what had gone wrong after the investigation into Wesley Foster's death. That death had led Booth and his team into what looked like a government conspiracy that involved a lot of high ranking government officials and those officials didn't seem to be adverse to murder and mayhem to protect their positions.

Whoever was leading this conspiracy had tried to frighten everyone at the Jeffersonian by going after Booth, but all they had done was solidify the team and forced them to work in secret to clear Booth and to find out what was going on.

The ironic part of the situation was the fact that Hodgins was a well known conspiracy theorist and most of the time he was ignored by everyone including his wife, but now it looked like he might have known what he was talking about all along and everyone else was playing catch up. It was disconcerting to most of his friends and to Booth in particular.

It appeared that there had been an almost silent coup in the United States government and through terror and blackmail, government agencies were being influenced in a nefarious manner. Booth and his team had stumbled upon the biggest threat to their country in modern times and they were determined to put an end to it.

Aubrey worked diligently to back up Booth and to involve himself in the hunt for the conspirators. He considered himself to be a patriot and he wanted to help find and stop the men and women who were trying to destroy his country.

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When the call came in about an agent down, Aubrey was closest and made it to the parking garage where Lance Sweets had been attacked before anyone else could get there. Horrified to see the young doctor lying on the dirty concrete floor, a pool of blood slowly forming under his body, Aubrey had called for paramedics and he had called Booth to let him know that his friend was seriously wounded and he needed to get to the parking garage right away. Lance was in bad shape and Aubrey stayed with him while they waited for help to arrive.

While they waited, Aubrey had knelt beside the psychologist and tried to assure him that he would be alright.

Gasping in pain, Sweets had shook his head. "No, I don't think so." He had trouble breathing and the pain was so intense. "Booth is going to be upset . . . you need to help him . . . he can't blame himself . . . don't let him."

"No I won't let him." Aubrey heard the labored breathing and the growing pool of blood beneath the psychologist worried him. "You've been his friend for a long time." Aubrey wanted to keep Sweets talking until help arrived. He was afraid that if Sweets closed his eyes, he'd never open them again. "You know Booth . . . you know he didn't murder anyone."

"No he didn't." Sweets trusted Booth more than anyone alive. He and Brennan were the closest Sweets had to a family besides Daisy and he knew what kind of people they were. He loved them both and he realized he wouldn't be around to help them anymore. "Booth is a patriot . . . he loves his country . . . you can trust him. Please help him . . . please help him."

The squeal of brakes announced the arrival of Booth and Brennan and Aubrey witnessed the grief that those two went through when their friend died in front of their eyes. Sweets had believed in Booth and he had had several talks with Aubrey before Booth had been released from prison. It was Sweets who had convinced Aubrey that Booth was worth following and it was Sweets who insisted that Aubrey was the partner that Booth would need in the future. Aubrey took the psychologist seriously and now that the man was dead, murdered, Aubrey knew deep in his soul that the conspiracy that was being investigated was more dangerous than he had thought. There was no doubt that no one was safe. Everyone was in danger and they had to find the head of the conspiracy before others were murdered.

Someone had tried to have Booth killed and someone had killed Sweets and whoever was behind this injustice would pay a heavy price. Aubrey would make sure that Booth and Brennan didn't fail. His country's liberty was at stake and he would fight to save it. Sweets would be avenged and Aubrey meant to be there when it happened.

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The head of the hyrda was finally exposed and Durant went down as the traitor he was. Booth had persevered and with Brennan's brilliant work and with Cam and the rest of the team at the Lab working on it, the proof they needed finally came to light and a grave conspiracy was ended.

Deputy Director Stark called Aubrey into his office once Durant was arrested and talked with Aubrey about his future. "You did a good job, Agent Aubrey. I know that Booth didn't trust anyone except his wife and the squints at the Lab, well and Ms. Julian, but you stuck it out and you backed him up."

Up until the list of conspirators had been uncovered, Aubrey had begun to doubt the man sitting across the desk from him. The conspiracy had been so deep, the young agent had started to feel like Booth, that no one could be trusted at the Hoover including Stark. "Thank you Sir. Dr. Brennan and Booth did an amazing job uncovering those traitorous bastards. It really was amazing."

Stark nodded his head and leaned back against his chair. "They did and so did you. I told you it would be a thankless job backing up Booth and I appreciate the hard work you put in to this operation . . . I don't know if he has said it or not, so I'm going to say thank you for him."

Pleased with the recognition, Aubrey smiled. "Thanks, but he needed the help and once Dr. Sweets was murdered I realized that he needed me more than ever. Of course he still doesn't think he needs a partner, he really only trusts Dr. Brennan. This whole thing has really messed up Agent Booth and who can blame him? Almost murdered in his own home, terrorized in prison. I'm still not sure why he was released by the prosecutor, but for whatever reason, Booth didn't trust him or anyone at the Justice Department or anyone here at the Hoover."

"Yes, I'm well aware of all of that." The entire episode was a black stain on the FBI and Stark wasn't sure how long it would take to clean that up. "Booth didn't trust me either and after I saw that conspirator's list I can understand why. I talked to Booth this morning . . . He's changed his mind about quitting the FBI. He's agreed to continue on as head of Major Crimes and now that we know why Booth was set up, almost everyone here doesn't think Booth is a murderer anymore. Unfortunately, Booth doesn't care and he doesn't trust anyone here at the moment expect maybe you. He's going to do his job, but I think it will be awhile before he'll let himself forgive those of us who fell for that whole set up against him . . . God what a mess. Who could believe that something so horrifying could happen in this country in this age, but those damn Hoover files were just so dangerous . . . they should have been destroyed when Hoover died. It should never have got this far. A lot of people were killed, careers were ruined, people were hurt and all for some misguided belief instilled in one man by Hoover. It's almost seems impossible."

Not sure that anything else needed to be said, Aubrey remained silent waiting to see why Stark had wanted to meet with him. The thank you was fine, but it seemed there was more coming.

Shaking the dark thoughts from his mind, Stark leaned forward on his desk. "I'd like you to stay in Major Crimes. You proved yourself capable, you can work with Booth and you should be rewarded for helping crush Durant. You have a bright future, Agent Aubrey. The Director doesn't want to lose your loyalty and expertise. We think it would be good for you if you work with Booth for a couple of years and then we'll see about moving you up. Maybe Special Agent in Charge at one of the field offices as soon as there is an opening."

A little shocked and greatly flattered, Aubrey smiled at the thought of moving up that rapidly in the organization. "Thank you. I don't think Booth is looking for a partner, but I'm going to work on that. Dr. Brennan has made a few comments that she thinks she might be sticking closer to the Lab because of their daughter and that means Booth needs backup whether he thinks so or not. I think once he gets to know me better, once he realizes that the people left at the Hoover can be trusted, he might bend a little and start to trust me more. I just need to give it some time. Eventually he'll see I'm the perfect partner."

Stark stood up, leaned forward and offered his hand. "You've done a great job, Aubrey and believe me, it's been noticed. You get Booth to accept you as his partner and I think that will just add to your credentials. Booth is a great investigator and you can learn a lot from him and his team."

Firmly shaking the Deputy Director's hand, Aubrey felt that his world had taken an sudden turn for the better. He had come a long way since his father had betrayed his mother and him and he knew he had made the right decision choosing law enforcement as his career. He could put away scum bags like his father and make the world a safer happier place. He was in a position to do good and as a part of Booth's team he would.

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This is not the end of this story. Let me know what you think it so far. Thank you.