AN- Sorry that it has taken me so long to update this. My Bones stories are so much more serious and involved than my CSI stories. I'll try to do better this time and not make you wait so long for so little. (P.S. Emma, if you're reading this… I don't think I added that much since you read it over my Spring Break)
Temperance searched through the shoebox she had dug from her closet. Her fingers trembled as she found the photograph she was searching for, remembering the day the police had confronted her about Evan's disappearance. She had trembled in their presence and vehemently denied knowing anything about it, all the while blinking back tears so that her grandfather wouldn't see how weak she was.
The picture was her favorite from her time with the Millers. She had on a simple blue gingham sundress, with long auburn hair hanging halfway down her back. Evan's head peered over her shoulder, his blue eyes sparkling an the freckles on his nose even more noticeable after a summer in the sun. There were genuine smiles on both their faces, a testament to the connection and love between them. A tear fell from her eyes as she stared at the picture. She didn't even hear Angela return from the bathroom.
"You okay?" she asked. Temperance jumped and began to shuffle through the other photos, but Angela had already seen the evidence. She pulled the photo from the stack.
"Bren, is that the little boy from our case?" Temperance nodded, tears in her eyes.
"Evan Connors. He was six there. He's the reason I went into forensics. I always hoped I'd find him, but never like this." Angela's face contorted into first and expression of surprise, then one of immeasurable sorrow. She drew Temperance into a consoling hug.
"He used to sit next to me on the couch and he'd play with my hair. He used to say that I was his best friend. He still had nightmares sometimes, mostly around the times he had to visit his Dad. He used to sneak into my room and curl up at the foot of my bed, like a cat or a dog. He said I made him feel safe. I taught him Marco Polo and we used to play it all the time," Temperance sobbed, "I miss him so much, Ange. I used to dream that he'd find me someday. He'd stride into the Jeffersonian, maybe with a wife or kid and he'd smile at me and everything would be okay."
"Sweetie, you'll be okay. We'll find this guy. We'll figure out who did this to Evan and to you and to those foster parents. And you know Booth is going to make him pay." Temperance managed a small chuckle.
"What do you say we get something to eat and then head back to the Jeffersonian. Sully should have gotten the hint by now."
Angela's words reminded Temperance of her other major problem at this point: Sully. He still thought there was a chance for him. She didn't want to crush that, but couldn't see any smooth way of telling him that the position he was applying for had already been filled in more ways than even she could have imagined would be possible.
As it turned out, she didn't have to. Apparently the only job available for an agent who extended his leave without first consulting his boss was a dirty deep cover matter somewhere in northeast Oregon. Sully had shipped out without time to say goodbye to anyone, and Booth suspected that Cullen had something to do with that.
The team worked diligently on Evan's case, examining every trace, fracture, bug and speck of dirt on his bones. Booth and Temperance tracked hours of leads. Even as the trail grew
colder and other cases gained priority over it, that case remained on the front burner, Evan's small remains on one of the autopsy tables on the platform.
Two months after Evan's bones were discovered, Angela went on maternity leave. She and Temperance had made a habit of having lunch together on Wednesdays and the two couples would get together most Friday nights for movies. These traditions continued well into Angela's leave. One Friday night they were sitting in Hodgins' huge home theater, watching the home video Angela and Hodgins had put together of their weeks in Florida hunting down Angela's ex-husband. The video finished with their joyful beach wedding. It was a film Booth and Temperance had been wanting to see from the moment they learned of its existence. At its conclusion Angela stood and announced that she was in labor. Hodgins began to freak out and ushered her out to the car, grabbing for their emergency suitcase along the way.
"Do you want to go with them?" Booth asked. Temperance shook her head.
"Labor can last for hours, she'll be a while. Let's go home," she rubbed her hand over her seven month belly, feeling her baby wake up. Booth drove them home and tucked her into bed.
In the morning, Temperance woke up early to check in with Angela. She was only at seven centimeters and taking it all in stride. Hodgins was more on edge than Angela, reportedly pacing the hospital and demanding drugs that Angela didn't need. Temperance made breakfast for Booth and woke him with a gentle kiss.
"Bones, it's 5:30. I'm not going to let you work this early," Booth groaned, rolling over to bury his face in the pillows.
"But Booth, I have a few things to do for the trial. Please?" she pouted a little. Booth rolled over to look her in the eyes. Then he relented, pulling himself from the covers. He kissed her quickly then headed to the shower.
After Booth dropped her off at the Jeffersonian, Brennan pulled a file from the back of her file cabinet. She opened the folder and studied the photographs inside. Technically, being a victim herself, Temperance shouldn't have been studying the Valdez file, but something had felt wrong the whole time about her father and the President. He was set to go on trial for treason later that morning and she scoured the photos for some clue that the last ten months of searching hadn't revealed. But there was nothing. She flipped on the television to catch the beginning of the morning news. Her father's face filled the monitor.
"And today the courts convene to begin the trial of accused traitor, Max Keenan," the announcer's voice boomed, "Keenan is accused of conspiring to kidnap and torture the President of the United States. According to inside sources at the DA's office charges will not be filed against the conspirators for the kidnapping of their second victim, at the request of that victim." The footage shifted to Max's attorney reading a statement.
"My client continues to deny his involvement in the kidnapping of the President and begs that the justice system will show temperance and level headedness as the trial proceeds. He begs both parties involved to forgive his actions and to understand that he meant only the best for them." Temperance fought the urge to throw her paperweight at the television, but only barely. Instead she turned it off and returned to work, pausing to study Evan's bones as she did every morning she came in early.
She reviewed all of the previously discovered irregularities in her foster brother's bones. She ran her gloved finger over the pressure fractures on his second and third ribs and then his fractured wrist bones. She felt a tear trail down her cheek as she regarded the hairline fracture on his small skull and the stain resulting from the subdural hematoma which had likely caused Evan's death. They had searched the area around the crime scene as well as Evan's foster home
and his father's old home. Nothing had matched any of the evidence. They had nothing to go on at all. Out of frustration she lay her head down on the autopsy table and promptly fell asleep.
She was awoken by Booth promptly at eight when he arrived with the news that Angela's baby had arrived at last. They headed out for the hospital, Cam in the backseat.
Temperance felt her heart leap at the sight of Angela with the small bundle resting in her arms. The artist seemed, in that moment, so incandescently happy and at peace, that death and treason seemed not to exist in the world. The child Temperance was carrying seemed to wake at that moment, gently stretching its limbs against her, as if to remind her that very soon she would feel that same peace. She crossed to Angela's side and ran a finger down the sleeping infant's cheek. The baby woke and stared up at her with dark blue eyes.
"Kenna," Angela cooed softly, "meet your Auntie Brenn. Brennan, meet Kennedy Temperance Hodgins."
