"I'll be back in a couple of days dad. I have to go back to Washington to help settle this work situation with Booth." Temperance set her suitcase down next to her while she and her father talked. Max frowned and crossed his arms as he looked at his daughter. This was supposed to be a family vacation, and already his workaholic daughter wanted to leave.

"Do you have to go? I mean can't Agent Booth take care of the situation himself?"

"Normally yes, but Deputy Director Cullen is under the impression that Booth and I are married. Booth is already on probation for a problem that occurred in California, and we just want to make sure that we both can talk to Cullen about this. Our partnership could be dissolved otherwise." Max looked at his daughter for a long moment and nodded in understanding.

"Well, hurry back then. I know the girls really want you here with the rest of us."

"I'll be back soon dad, I promise. As soon as this marriage thing is resolved I'll be back." Brennan hugged her father and picked up her suitcase as Booth came back through the front door.

"Bones, you ready? The plane leaves in a couple of hours, so we need to get going." He took the suitcase from her and guided her to the car, his hand on her lower back as always. When Booth felt her stiffen up, he removed his hand and looked at her. "Is there something wrong gorgeous?"

"Maybe we should refrain from any physical contact when in public. Something had to trigger the misconception about our personal status."

"I've been doing this for what, three years now? If I suddenly stopped touching you then Cullen would know something was up. Besides, we aren't married, so there shouldn't be a problem." Brennan looked at Booth as she contemplated what he said. It was true that they had maintained close physical contact for years, and in fact most times before their current relationship began people always thought that they were together as a couple.

"You're right, a sudden change would warrant suspicions, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be more discreet. We both have been more open of late with our affections." Booth opened the rental car's door for Brennan and shut it after she stepped inside. He jogged around to the driver's side and got in, starting the car and heading out before finishing the conversation.

"That I think we can do." He offered her a smile and a wink before taking her hand and lacing their fingers together. Yeah, like not touching her was going to be an option.

XxXxX

"What do you have for me Dr. Hodgins," Camille Saroyan said as she snapped on her latex gloves and stepped up to the newly arrived remains. Dr. Jack Hodgins, the entomologist and geologist in residence picked up a Petri dish and set it under the lens of a microscope.

"I've got some calliphidae pupal casings here. I'd say our vic met his untimely end approximately twelve days ago." He set down the dish and began to sift through some of the dirt that accompanied the body to the lab. Cam looked over the remains and pulled a magnifier over the chest of the victim and looked at the remaining soft tissue. She ran a finger over the markings there, trying to judge how deep they were.

"There are some odd striations here in the musculature as if something tore at his flesh."

"Ew, something tore chunks out of his chest," asked Angela as she scanned onto the platform, a photograph in her hand. "That's just gross. I've got a match on his dentals by the way." The artist held out the paper, which Zack took from her as he got up from his work station.

"Bill Lightfoot Brody? No way!" Cam stepped up next to Zack and looked at the photograph. Hodgins also made his way over to take a look.

"You know who this is?"

"Dude, anyone who was a fan of eighties wrestling knows who Bill Lightfoot is. He's a legend."

"He's won the world championship fifteen times through various organizations and has been in the business for thirty years. He just had a retirement match about two weeks ago," Zack prattled as he looked from the picture to the remains. He couldn't believe it, Bill Lightfoot was on their examination table.

"Well, you'd better call Booth with the information. He's going to want it right away," Cam said as she returned to the remains. There really was something odd about the damage to the tissue. "As soon as I'm done with my cursory evaluation you can have the remains Zack." The young anthropologist nodded as he made his way to the phone at his station to call Booth. Just wait until he finds out who this is, Zack thought as he dialed. Imagine, Bill Lightfoot right here. It was too bad someone had to kill a legend like him. Such a shame indeed.

XxXxX

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, please have a seat," Deputy Director Cullen said as he motioned to the chairs opposite his desk. As the pair sat, he folded his hands and looked at them. "I want you to explain to me why I had to find out that you were married from an internet article."

"Sir, Bones and I aren't married. I don't know where anyone would have gotten that idea from." Cullen picked up a piece of paper and handed it to the FBI agent.

"I printed a copy of this article after it was brought to my attention. I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't lie to me on the subject; it's only going to make me angrier." Booth perused the article before handing it over to Brennan. Well, he thought, that explains a lot.

"Sir, the newlyweds referred to in this article are Bone's brother and his wife Amy. The author was mistaken in thinking that Bones and I got married." Cullen looked from one to the other, not sure if he believed Booth.

"If that's the case, then what were the two of you doing at the same bed and breakfast while a case is being investigated? I know you never work with other people unless there are mitigating circumstances."

"Director Cullen, Booth is working on the case with Dr. Addy because I'm on vacation this week and next. My family just happened to choose Bridgeport, Alabama purely by coincidence. I had no prior knowledge as to where we were going. When we discovered Booth and Dr. Addy were also there, we invited them to dinner."

"I'm going to have this looked into, and until I can prove without a doubt that the pair of you are telling me the truth, you are banned from working together. Booth, any cases given to you will be assisted by Dr. Addy. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir," Booth answered. His jaw clenched tightly, and he gripped the arms of the chair hard. The situation wasn't fair in the least, and there was no reason for them to be separated.

"You're dismissed Agent Booth," Cullen said before returning to the paperwork on his desk. Booth stood with Temperance and guided her from the room. She could feel anger pouring off of him in thick waves, but refrained from speaking to him until they were out of the building. Once in the SUV, the agent couldn't hold his tongue any longer.

"It's bull. He had no right to split us up. It was one thing to do so while your father was on trial, but now? This is ridiculous." Brennan placed her hand on his thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze in an effort to calm down Booth.

"This is only temporary. Once he finds out that the journalist was incorrect, we'll have our partnership back. I'll get a hold of my publicist and have her contact the travel site to issue an apology and statement about my marital status, okay?" Booth placed his own hand over hers and interlaced their fingers before bringing them to his lips and kissing them. "For now, I think we should just go to the Jeffersonian and see what they've found out about the remains."

"Sure. I suppose we're just going to have to bite the bullet on this one. When are you going back to Alabama?"

"I'm flying back tomorrow morning. I promised I'd join everyone on a tour of Russell Cave, the parts that are open at any rate, and then we're driving up to Memphis from there."

"And you'll be gone for two weeks? Maybe I'll get lucky and have the case solved by then, and Cullen will figure out that we're not married, and everything will go back to normal." Brennan shook her head a little and looked out of the window.

"Maybe if you do solve the case by then you and Parker can join us for a couple of days." Booth turned toward Brennan and found her hand unconsciously settling on her abdomen. He was sure she wasn't aware of the move as she continued to stare out of the window.

"Sure Bones, I'm sure Parker would love that." She turned back to him and smiled. "Now what do you say we find out what the squints have for us, huh?"

"You mean what they have for you."

"Yeah, for me."

XxXxX

"Are you sure it's my father," Trisha Brody asked as she led Booth to her living room. She appeared dumbstruck by the news to Booth as she sat down in a large overstuffed chair. Booth looked around the living room as he sat across from her on the couch. Trisha was very much her father's daughter with her athletic build and no nonsense look.

"Yes, we've confirmed his identity through dental records. There are some questions I need to ask, but let me know if you need a minute, okay?"

"Of course, I understand."

"You put in the missing persons report on your father. When exactly was the last time you saw him?"

"The last time I saw him was over a month ago. Between my training and his work schedule we didn't get to see much of each other, but he'd call me every night just to check in. When I didn't hear from him, I reported him missing."

"Were you aware of anyone who had a problem with your father, anyone who wanted to harm him maybe?" Booth glanced at some pictures on the end table next to the couch. Most showed Trisha and her father at various ages posing with wrestlers. One picture however caught his attention. In it, the young woman stood in the ring with a two by four covered in barbed wire in her hand. He picked it up to look at it as she contemplated his question.

"Dad was really well respected in the business. The guys in the locker room all looked up to him, listened to him when he gave them advice. It's not that often they get to work with an old timer."

"So your father never mentioned having issues with any of the guys he worked with?"

"No, not at all. Wait, actually there was one guy who had a problem with my father. Dad said that Michael Draven thought he was sleeping with his girlfriend. It's a totally ridiculous accusation, but Draven was furious. He's a pretty powerful guy Agent Booth, and I wouldn't put it past him to try something." Booth set the photograph down on the end table and stood up.

"Thanks for your help Trisha. I'll give you a call if I need anything else." He headed for the door after shaking her hand and left the house. It looked like it was time to track down the head of the wrestling promotion Bill Lightfoot worked for and see if he could get some more information on the guy.

XxXxX

Booth leaned down and kissed Brennan on the shoulder as he held her body to him. She rolled over in his arms and laid her head onto his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as she ran a hand over the taught muscles of his abdomen. The FBI agent smiled and closed his eyes in contentment. These were the moments he cherished the most, the moments where it was just the two of them and the rest of the world seemed to melt away.

"Do you have to go back tomorrow," he asked Temperance as he tangled a hand into her thick auburn hair. She glanced up at him before settling against him once more.

"I promised my family I'd be back as soon as everything was settled. My lawyer has drafted a statement and sent a letter to the online company stating that an error was made. Cullen will have his assurances, and we'll have our partnership back."

"Hmmm, I wish you were staying longer."

"I'll only be gone for two weeks Booth, it's not like we'll be separated for months at a time."

"I know that, but I don't like it when you're not around." He ran a hand up her back, enjoying the way she shuddered under the touch.

"When did you get so needy?"

"I'm not needy, there are just certain needs you fulfill that I can't do on my own."

"Oh, so I'm only good for releasing your biological urges is that it?"

"Well, that among other things," Booth grinned and leaned in to kiss her. Just before he reached her lips, his phone rang. With a groan, he rolled away from the anthropologist and grabbed his cell phone from his bedside table. Flipping it open, he grumbled into the phone, "Booth."

"Seeley, it's Rebecca."

"Well obviously. What's up, is Parker okay?" Booth sat up in bed and concentrated on the call. It wasn't like Rebecca to call in the evenings.

"Yes, he's fine. Listen, the reason I'm calling is because I just got that job I interviewed for."

"The I.T. specialist?"

"Yes."

"Well congratulations, but I don't see how it warrants a phone call."

"The position is in New Jersey. I'll be moving in two weeks."