(Before The Pilot)
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I don't own Bones.
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"What do you mean you're working for the FBI?" The boy paced outside of Brennan's bedroom as she changed clothes. "That sounds kind of dangerous. You're not a policeman."
"Don't worry about it." Brennan opened the door and stepped out into the living room. "I do know how to take care of myself and you do remember I've been in war zones numerous times. I've a black belt in self-defense. You've seen me practice. You've practiced with me."
Frustrated, Seeley followed her into the kitchen. "But you had soldiers to protect you in the war zones and you've never had to use self-defense on bad guys before. Who's going to protect you if some bad guy hits you or something? You need a partner to help you."
"Seeley, the FBI is going to send over to the Lab some remains for me to identify." Pausing in the doorway, Brennan faced her ghostly friend. "They need my expertise to help with a closed case and I'm going to do it, so stop fussing at me."
His hands in his jeans pockets, Seeley nodded his head. "Okay, I just don't want you to get hurt."
"I won't." Brennan entered the kitchen. "The FBI Agent that contacted me appears to be frustrated with his investigation and he'd like me to help him. If all goes well and I'm able to help with this case, perhaps I can get a contract with the FBI. I think it would be a good use of my time to help the FBI solve cases they are unable to do for themselves."
Arms now across his chest, Seeley twisted his lips momentarily as the thought about it. "Yeah, you did find out who I was and now Dad is in jail for killing me and that was pretty cool." Finally he nodded his head. "Okay, I get it. Still you have to be careful."
"I will be." Brennan removed the ingredients for a simple pasta sauce from the fridge and smiled. "You know for someone who's dead, you certainly are fearful."
"Well, I got cause." Seeley moved into the kitchen. "Don't forget I know what it's like to be killed. It hurts and I don't want you to get hurt. You're my best friend . . . hey how is that artist you hired working out for you? Can I meet her? I won't let her know I'm around. I just thought it might be cool to visit the Lab again. It's been a few years since I've been there and well, I won't embarrass you or anything."
Surprised with his request, Brennan nodded her head. "Of course you can visit the Lab. I never told you that you couldn't. Just make sure that no one sees you. It would be too hard to explain who you are."
Amused, Seeley laughed. "Aw, no one knows I'm real, but you and you don't believe in ghosts, or at least that's what you keep telling me." Snickering, the boy shuffled further into the room and suddenly threw his arms out. "Boo!" His laughter ringing out into the kitchen, the youngster laughed so hard he held his hand over his side.
Her eyes rolled as she shook her head. "You have a very strange sense of humor."
His laughter now under control, Seeley sat down at the table. "Hey, you're the one who claims there aren't any ghosts and yet here I am. If I'm not a ghost then what am I?"
"I don't know." Brennan tried to be reasonable with her young friend. "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. That's from the play Hamlet written by William Shakespeare. It means that are a lot of things in this world that exist but we don't know how or why. Sometimes things are just not explicable."
Impressed, Seeley nodded his head. "Yeah, that's cool. I'm still learning stuff. I used to hate school, but now that I can't go I miss it. Thank you for buying me those books about NASA to read and thanks for the new cable package. They have some cool channels like the National Geographic Channel. Oh hey and the Discovery Channel. They have Shark Week. That is so cool. You should watch TV with me."
"Maybe I will." Brennan cut up some garlic and began sautéing it in a pan. "Now stop worrying about the FBI, okay?"
"Yeah, okay." The boy smiled at his friend. "Don't burn the garlic."
"I won't." Brennan quickly stirred the garlic pieces as they started to scorch. "I may have the heat up too high."
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Seeley was at the Lab when FBI Agent Timothy Sullivan swaggered into the Brennan's office. "Okay, we nailed the bastard. Judge Hasty is going down for murder and it's all because of you. Thanks."
Glad for the good news, Brennan stood up from her desk and moved over to the doorway where Sully was standing. "That's good to hear. I told you that if the evidence existed, I'd find it."
"Yeah you did." Sully grinned. "Hey, why don't we go out and get a drink to celebrate?"
Surprised at the offer, Brennan walked over to her coat tree and retrieved her purse. "That sounds like an excellent idea." Aware that Seeley was in the room, Brennan paused in the doorway. "I really need to be home by at least nine. There is something on television I wish to see."
"Not a problem although I was hoping I was more entertaining than TV." Sully was intrigued with Temperance Brennan and wanted to see her, a lot of her if he got the chance.
As the couple walked away, Seeley fumed and crossed his arms against his chest. "I'm her best friend, not that . . . gosh." He didn't want to share Brennan with anyone, but it looked like he didn't get a say in the situation. "If I was alive . . . man, I hate being dead."
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She came home late that night and entered the apartment in a very good mood. Placing her purse on the sideboard, she entered the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Carrying it into the living room, she was surprised not to see her young friend. "Seeley?"
The apartment much too quiet, Brennan walked into the guest bedroom and found her young ghostly friend sitting on the bed staring at her. "I'm sorry I missed watching that television show you wanted me to see."
A sad look on his face, Seeley nodded his head. "It's okay."
Relieved that the boy was alright, she left his room and entered her room to change clothes.
After she left, Seeley stood up and walked over to the bedroom window. Pulling the curtain aside, he stared down at the quiet street below and wondered if it was time for him to move on. Maybe she won't be lonely anymore. That's a good thing. She'd have Angela and that guy . . . Maybe she won't need me to be her friend anymore. Sadly, he rubbed his face and watched a car drive down the street. Nah, I guess I better not leave just in case she needs me. I'm all she's got. It's okay if she's friends with that guy. I don't care. I'm her family.
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Brennan was upset and she wasn't sure what to do about it. Sully's partner had been murdered and he was shaken up about it. She had worked a few cases with Sully and Agent Leblanc and she had considered the murdered agent to be patient and an excellent investigator. He had been Sully's partner for three years and now he had to accept that his partner and friend was gone.
She really wanted to help Sully, but she knew she was terrible when it came to heart issues and that made her sad. Sitting on her couch, she stared at her phone debating whether or not to call Sully.
"What's wrong, Temperance." Seeley stood in the doorway of the guest room and wondered why his friend was sad.
"Sully's partner was killed this morning." Brennan placed the phone on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch. "He tried to stop a bank robbery in progress and he was killed.
"Gosh that's bad." Seeley moved across the room and sat down. "I bet Sully is upset."
Grimly, Brennan moved her gaze back towards the phone. "Yes he is. I'd like to comfort him, but I'm not sure it would come across as sincere. I'm not very good in social situations like this. I could make the situation worse for him."
"No way." The ghostly boy hated it when his friend doubted herself. "What are you talking about? You're kind and so nice. Why not just call him and talk to him? I bet he'd appreciate that more than anything. I know I would if someone I liked died."
Hopeful, Brennan picked up the phone. "But what do I say?"
Seeley shrugged his shoulders. "It probably doesn't matter what you say. Maybe you can just say you're calling him to check on him. Just see what he says and then maybe you'll know what to say next. You talk to me pretty good. Just play it by ear."
"Yes, but I've known you for nine years." Brennan nervously made the call. "You're easy to talk to."
Filled with pride, the boy smiled. "Well, we're family, that's why."
The phone ringing, Brennan turned to stare at her friend. "You think I'm part of your family?"
"Sure, you kidding?" Seeley moved a little closer. "We've been family for a long time. If I wasn't your family you wouldn't have anyone and that would be wrong. As for me, well Pops has Jared so he's not alone and my parents, well, you and me are family. That's just the way it is. We're always going to be family no matter what."
Sully answered his phone and Brennan spent the next few minutes consoling her partner. She felt awkward, but Seeley sitting next to her gave her encouraging smiles and she managed to do what she had hoped to accomplish. Once the call was complete, Brennan placed the phone back on the table. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Proud that he had helped her, he stood up and moved towards the guest bedroom. "Hey lets watch TV. Maybe we can find something funny to watch."
Grateful that she had someone in her life like Seeley Booth, Brennan followed him into the bedroom and sat on the chair next to the bed. "I do think of you as family Seeley."
"Thanks." The boy picked up the remote and started searching channels. "Thanks a lot. I love you too."
"You love me?" Brennan hadn't thought about what it meant to be part of the boy's family and it made her feel warm knowing that there was someone in the world that actually loved her.
"Sure I do." Seeley stopped fiddling with the remote. "Like I said we're family and we love each other. No matter what happens you have me. I won't ever leave you. Not ever."
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