Risks vs. Friendships

Time, the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues.

"Thank you all for agreeing to come. Before I begin, I want to make it clear; the actions that need to be taken in this case, if it ends badly, will have repercussions beyond a slap on the wrist. Your jobs will be at stake, and will most likely be facing jail time. If you don't want to take the risk, I will completely understand and I won't hold it against any of you." Booth explained.

I have processed my thoughts into two categories. What is the correct method to handle the task at hand, and what is the method that will lead me to the best possible outcome. Both methods involve a vast amount of time. Time I acknowledge I do not have.

"I've been waiting to fight the system my entire life baby. I'm all in." Hodgins was the first to agree. Booth looked at him and gave a quick nod in his direction. A nod I believe to be an act that portrays thanks. Booth looked to the person standing next to Hodgins, which happened to be Angela.

"Booth, I think of you as family, and nobody comes into our home, and messes with our family. I'm in." She smiled at him and he smiled back and looked onto the next person.

"I know the risks I am taking Seeley, I'm in too." Cam spoke the words confidently.

"Don't call me Seeley." Booth smiled in her direction and looked onto Zack.

"The probability that you murdered Max Brennan between the hours of 6 to 9 is 0%. I can provide no reason for the DNA evidence under the victim's nails, but I can say in certainty that you did not murder Max Brennan. I can say this, because at the time in question you as well as the rest of us were preoccupied at Dr. Brennan's book signing. I can attest that you were in my sight the entire duration. I will take the risks because I know with certainty you did not commit the murder." When Zack finished Booth looked to be a little confused but thankful. Booth then looked onto me.

"I am with you Booth; you do not need to ask." I looked at him as I spoke the words making sure he got the meaning.

"Alright then, we don't have much time, I need you guys to look over all the evidence, find anything that doesn't fit. Angela, I need you to get into Max's apartment. Look for recording devices. Look in the air vents, light shades, in between cushions, if I know Max, there is at least one and take Hodgins with you. Hodgins when you get done with that do your bug thing, see if you can place the murderer somewhere I couldn't have been. Cam, look at what kind of DNA was under his nails, was it just blood, or was there skin?"

"I can't believe I didn't check that. I am sorry that was something that I should have checked." She said.

"It alright Cam, I've seen these cases before. I know what to look for, but I also need you to run ballistics on this gun, find out who's it is because obviously it isn't mine." He handed over the hand gun.

"Zack, you can… you can do whatever it is you do with the bones. Get them to talk to you or something." Booth punched him in the arm playfully.

"The bones cannot speak, for they are not alive, but I will reexamine them, see if I could have missed something, but I highly doubt it." Zack stated

"And thanks, this means a lot to me. I am sorry I have put you all in the situation. Call Bones if any of you find anything. " Booth opened the door to let them out of my apartment.

"Booth, you didn't tell me what I should be doing?" I should be doing something.

He shut the door after the rest of the group filed out and took a seat on my couch.

"I need you here with me; I have to talk to you about something important." I did not quite understand the expression on his face.

"Do you not think I can be more helpful working at the lab, because I think I would be of most help there?" I tried to clarify, taking the seat next to him.

"I need you with me because I have a strong feeling that you're not safe." He spoke the words slowly, thinking I needed an explanation, but in reality, I knew he was right. I had been thinking the same thing.

"Is it alright with you if I stay at your place for the time being?" His tone implicated that this was another risk I was going to have to take.

"Yes." I quickly responded.

"Do you know what this means?" He asked as a warning

"Yes I do."

Accomplice, a person who actively participates in the commission of a crime, even though they take no part in the actual criminal offense. I am well aware of the possibility that charges will not only be brought upon myself, but also to the entire team. We could all loose our jobs, and spend the majority of our days behind bars; particularly me; harboring a fugitive and impeding an investigation.

"Bones, do you think I should give myself up? I mean just walk into work and let them question me. I have an alibi. They wouldn't be able to hold me."

"I think you are forgetting the stack of evidence they have. If you happened to be leading this investigation, would you let yourself go?" I had given this a lot of thought.

"No, I wouldn't." he seemed to be saying this mostly to himself.

"Perhaps it would be more prudent for you to stay here. As of this moment, we do not know if the FBI is out looking for you yet." Booth seemed to understand.

"Do you think someone could be after me?" This is, after all Booth's area of expertise.

"I have a feeling this person already came after you through your father. This seems to be personal. Something to do with both of us, and I am pretty sure it is an inside job." Booth explained.

"I don't know what that means. Nobody from my team would do this." Regardless, we all have alibis.

"Bones, I mean someone from inside the FBI. Someone I work with." I could tell he didn't like that idea.

"How did you lose your gun?" It was a question I had been eager to ask.

"That is a good question. The only thing I can think of is my gun was switched with another when all the agents turned them in for the monthly check." This was hard for him.

"Who does the monthly checks?" It was a reasonable question.

"My boss." His answer was hesitant.

"Do you think he could ha-"

"No, absolutely not." He interrupted me.

"What do we do now?" I asked letting the previous topic drop.

"What do we do now, Bones? Now we wait."

I did not like that concept. Waiting. I have always been able to compartmentalize, but it has proven to be more difficult in this case.

"Booth." I waited until I had his attention.

"Angela once told me, that I need to offer up bits of myself for others to open up to me. I find myself wanting you to open up. Our partnership is very important to me. I don't know what I would do if it were to diminish. I wanted to tell you that; in hopes that you would intern explain something to me."

He looked at me questionably and let his hand fall onto my own.

"Bones, our partnership is important to me too. You don't have to tell me things in order to ask me something. I am your partner, if you have a question you can just ask." He was sincere.

"You have stayed so calm during this chaos. I was wondering how you are able to do this?" I looked at him as I said this.

"I, I can stay calm because I haven't done anything wrong. I have the smartest people on my side, working to help me. Including you Bones. Don't get me wrong, I am scared. I have doubts, but I do not doubt you, or the squints." When he finished explaining, I relaxed a bit and let my head rest on his shoulder.

"I am scared too." It was mostly a whisper.

"I know, Bones. I Know." He said in the same hushed tone.

Probability, a way of expressing knowledge or belief that an event will occur or has occurred. I am scared. I am in a state of fear. I do not fear for my life or the lives of those around me. I do not fear the repercussions of my actions or the actions of those around me. I do not fear my intelligence and capability or the intelligence and capability of those around me. I fear the probability that the team and I will not find enough evidence to exonerate Booth. I fear the loss of our partnership. I fear the loss of our friendship.