4 – The Introduction of a case

Booth drove expertly through the city's streets. He did it like it was second nature. He was comfortable driving through those streets; he knew where he was going.

They had been quiet since he welcomed her to Philly. She had been watching him before, but the way he spoke made her even more unsettled. He looked nervous.

He had been more introspective than usual. Booth didn't like to mull over things very often because it always made him remorseful. He ended up reliving the horrors he had seen and done in the past, either as a Ranger and an FBI agent, and invariably, he felt terribly guilty. So the fact that he was contemplating so fiercely send shivers down her vertebral column. As an aftermath, she always had a hard time convincing him that he was worth it, that he was a good man. But of course, in the meantime she would say something stupid that would offend him, and the mere thought brought her physical pain. She didn't want to see disappointment in his eyes ever again, at least if she could help it.

"Must be the fact that this is his hometown" she thought to herself. She knew barely nothing of Booth's past, and not much more than his hometown, his brother and the fact that his dad was an abusive, alcoholic man. She never pushed the issue after his Birthday Party. Oh, she was very interested, and the scientist part of her was very curious, but she didn't want him to reveal more than he was ready for. He would only close up under pressure. He endured torture in the army, after all.

"So, are you excited to be coming home?" She had to say something to make sure he stopped his musings. But he cringed. Of course, she had to say the wrong thing. He was visibly tense, and looked like he wanted to be everywhere else but there. Even her socially impaired self could recognize that. But she couldn't stop herself from opening her big mouth.

"Yes, it's a dream come true." His voice was sarcastic and his tone was dripping with venom. He clenched his teeth, and stared right ahead telling her that he didn't want to talk. He hoped she would get the message.

"I'm sorry" she shied away, which was very out of character for her. She always had something to say, especially when she felt she was being snapped at for no good reason.

He looked at her as she looked out the window, admiring her profile as she admired the skyscrapers. Philadelphia's silhouette. He was so familiar with it.

"No Bones, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, especially when you don't know any better."

"What do you mean? Technically speaking, I do know better than most people, and my knowledge is vaster than yours, both because I have a higher IQ and a more extensive education…"

"Stop right there Bones. Please stop before you say something you regret, even though I'd know deep down that you wouldn't mean it like that, ok?"

She gave in, then. He was right; she did have a tendency to say things the wrong way. Hadn't been the previous conversation a prime example of her poor people skills? And she had called him stupid before, when she was trying to compliment him. What kind of person does that? His voice brought her back to reality.

"It was an expression. What I meant is that you don't know much about this part of my life to know how I feel about coming back here."

"You don't talk about it. Not to me, anyway." She whispered, so that he wouldn't listen, feeling a little hurt. But he was a trained sniper, so he did hear. And it broke his heart a little bit knowing that she trusted him so implicitly, not actually knowing where he came from. He knew he should tell her, at least so that she had the general idea. She deserved at least that. And if he was true to himself he wouldn't want to tell anyone else but her. So he decided to tell her exactly that.

"If it makes you feel any better, if I end up telling anyone, it will be you." He admitted quietly. He wanted her to realize she was important. That she wasn't the one he was hiding these memories from. He was hiding them from himself.

She smiled, touched, and he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. She understood. She knew him enough to understand. So he vowed then and there that he would tell her, and not only for her to have the general picture, but every detail. Because he knew that he wouldn't get pity from her. And he decided to start right now.

"So Bones, my dear, would you like to go get breakfast, well, lunch really, in the best place of the entire city, with yours truly?"

She laughed freely. "Are you going to take me to the place where you took all your conquests while you were at school?"

"No Bones, I only introduce the good food to the really good ones." He said, full Charm Smile on.

"Right. And I bet you told them all the exact same thing."

"Well" his tone changed from playful to semi-serious "I'm not going lie to you, I did have my fair share of girlfriends during school. I played hockey, and basketball, and as I told you already, if I didn't hurt my shoulder I may have gone pro. I had good grades, not your kind of good grades, but, enough to get me into a good college, if the sports scholarship had failed, and I was kind of good looking." He smiled "But I was never a player. If I was with a girl I was only with her, and I was with her because I liked her. And if all I wanted was a one night stand, I would make sure the girl knew it going in. I never cheated on a woman in my life, and I don't intend to."

"I wouldn't have expected anything else from you." She said in a no-nonsense kind of way, as if thinking otherwise would be completely ludicrous.

He was astounded. Her faith in him was even stronger than he ever knew. His heart swelled with pride, and he beamed. "Thanks Bones"

She wasn't sure what he was thanking him for, so she just looked at him and smiled.


It was almost noon when they got to the dinner. It was much like the one they went back in Washington, so she felt at home. The familiar banter with Booth was restored, and his eyes were twinkling again, which she took as a good sign. He was relaxing, and with that she relaxed as well.

"Seeley Booth" a loud squeal was heard, and even before they could see where it had come from, a large woman in her sixties came running and wrapped Booth in a fierce bear hug. "You took so long to come back. So many years. I should kick your ass for disserting us, you little rat. You broke so many hearts when you left." the woman said to him, with a tear stuck in the corner of her eye. "And now you come back, more handsome, and with this beautiful woman, Seeley…"

"Bones, this is Alice, the owner of this fine dinner, and the maker of the finest pie in the whole wide world."

"Booth you can't know that for sure, since you have not tasted all the pies in the whole wide world." She said clinically. "But I must admit that the one you served us was exquisite, and I normally don't like my fruit cooked. It's very nice to meet you." She said smiling

"You too, my dear. You have got to tell me your name though, since our Seeley here introduced you as Bones"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Temperance Brennan." Booth noticed the lack of her formal title, but said nothing about it. "I'm so used to him calling me Bones, that I don't even feel the need to introduce me as anything else at this point."At this he chuckled.

"See, I knew you liked it when I called you Bones."

"Not so much as liking it, I just got used to it."

"Admit it, you like it"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Ok kids, ok, I got it." Alice was smiling and had a knowing look in her eyes. "So, Seeley, are you finally bringing a girl to meet the parents? Again, you will break many hearts."

"Were not a couple"

"Were just partners"

They're answer was almost synchronized. Alice reckoned that they had to say it countless times, and if she had to guess they fooled no one but themselves.

"Were here as a part of a FBI investigation, Alice. Bones was called to do what she does best, and I, as her partner, tagged along."

"And what is it that you do honey?"

"I'm a forensic anthropologist. I identify remains that are too decomposed to be identified by regular forensic methods." Bones knew she probably shouldn't have said it, but she really did not know how to put it lightly.

"Bones gives back the identity to those whose bodies were too traumatized for normal people to recognize them. It brings closure, and prevents the families some very horrifying images of their loved ones." Both women felt the pride in his voice. One of them was smiling again, as if she knew a secret the other two didn't, and the other was blushing with the compliment.

"Well, that is a very noble job indeed."

"Booth made it relevant really." She smiled at him. It was her way of saying thank you.

"We have to go now Alice, work a waits. It was really nice seeing you again. And I missed your pies, so much." And there it was the infamous charm smile. So it was true that he got whatever he wanted with it.

"You to, my boy. Please don't be a stranger while you're here. Bring your lovely lady again, and I'll make you more of the pie you like so much." Alice said, hugging him again.

As they were leaving, Alice grabbed his arm and told him quietly "You should go home, honey. You're mother misses you. And your father, well, he had better days."

"You know I can't Alice, not after the last time."

"At least think about it. They are after all part of your family."

With that he left, promising to come back.

They drove the 30 miles to the Longwood


Gardens, and what she saw amazed her. They were an impressive extension of a green extravaganza, with a beauty that matched The Mall itself. She always liked the outdoors, even though the majority of her time was spent inside a lab. That's why she liked working at the Jeffersonian so much. She only needed to get out the front doors and she was surrounded by nature. Tamed nature, true, but nature none the less.

The fountains were impressive and together they looked like water fireworks. Which she knew was impossible. The colors and the smells overwhelmed her. She could hear the birds and the squirrels, and even find some hummingbirds every once in a while under a very opulent tree, so high that she could not see where it ended. From where she stood she could see a pond, surrounded by green, and beautiful flowers, and a little gazebo, that stood near the water. The image was so beautiful that she found herself wishing she could share it. She could photograph it. But the pictures wouldn't have the same beauty. Suddenly Angela talked in her head again. "A sunset it's always more beautiful when you share it with someone special."

Meanwhile Booth looked at her. As she walked, lost in the magic of the place, we could almost swear he could see the fifteen year old, hoping and dreaming and being happy. Before all the mayhem happened in her life. Her eyes shone like two safires, as she took everything in. She didn't even blink, afraid of losing a single moment.

Before he could think of what he was doing, he approached her, hugged her from behind and murmured in her hear, as his hands rested in her abdomen "Beautiful, isn't it?"

She didn't answer right away. She was so amazed by the gardens that his embrace was almost expected, and very much welcomed. She relaxed against his chest, took a deep breath and spoke:

"Dazzling."

They stood there for a moment, neither one thinking of how they would both react when the spell was broken. What they needed was the others strength. And both were willing to give it.

"Agent Booth" They heard in the distance.

And with that they were Booth and Bones again, the crime fighters. They walked steadily towards the young agent, who had witnessed nothing between the partners, with his hand on the small of her back, as if nothing had happened. Neither of them actually thought about it again, it was one of the moments. They felt it, and didn't question it.

"The remains are in one of the fountains, Doctor Brennan, right this way."

"I hope they didn't compromise the crime scene Booth"

"Relax Bones; they know what they are doing. Besides their orders were not to touch anything until you said so."

The remains were actually pretty intact, apart from the decomposition, of course. The body was bound by ropes, and two heavy stones pulled it downwards. They noticed it, because one of the hands got stuck in the water filters, allowing the water to turn green from the algae activity.

"Female, 40-45 years of age, multiple fractures to the radius and proximal carpal bones, suggest defensive wounds. I can see some other fractures to her clavicle, upper ribs, and scapula. I can even see a lesion in the cartilage of the glenoid fossa, which is congruent with repetitive shoulder dislocation." She started her examination, knowing that booth was writing down the more important details, or at least the ones he could understand. She smirked at that thought. "Most of these injuries healed, so they were sustained before death. This woman was most likely victim of a very violent abuse. Her lower limbs are mostly intact except for the pelvis which is fracture in the pubic region. It can either be a car fracture, like she was run over by a car, or a very violent rape. This was a very violent murder Booth."

"Right Bones, anything else you can tell me?"

"She was approximately 5 feet and 5 inches high, and had blond hair. I can almost guarantee that she wasn't killed here, but transported here post-mortem. I would put time of death between 6 to 8 months. Hodgins will be able to tell for certain. I could know more at the lab. Make sure the forensics team sends samples of the water and the surrounding flora with the body."

"Sure thing, Bones. People you heard the lady, pack the body, water samples and flora, and send it all to the Jeffersonian."

"Are you coming back or should I go back with the body?"

"We need to investigate it here Bones so neither one of us are leaving just yet. I'm sure intern of the week can handle it."

"But Booth…"

"Please Bones?" His look said more than his words. He wanted her to stay, and more than that he needed her to stay. He didn't want to be there, much less alone.

So she did the only thing she thought of:

"So, did you book a hotel yet, or are you waiting on my unlimited budget?"


Here you have it guys. Sorry for the delay, but as I told you I went to the beach for a few days.

I don't really know how deep I'm going to go with the murder, because even though I know a few things about bodies, I don't have much forensic knowledge, and I don't want to say completly wrong things.

Oh about the intern. I don't have a personal favourite, all of them have such distintive caracteristics, so help me out here, which one do you prefer?

On a last note, I've never been to the States, so the Gardens are nothing more than pictures to me. They are real though, so let me know if I made them too, oh well, made up.

Please leave me a review when you stop by. They make me very happy... =)