Chapter Three:To The Airport
Brennen was just packing the last items of clothing in to her bag. She couldn't decide wheather or not to take Angela's advice and pack something 'sexy'. She decide to be on the safe side and threw in a plain black dress she had worn to many business parties that the Jeffersonian had held over the years. Zipping the case she glanced at the clock, 7.35. Booth wouldn't be picking her up for another 25 minutes and she was anxious. She was about to go away, for at least a month, with the man she was in love with, but who had a girlfriend, and they would be the only Americans working the case.
'It'll be no different to working over here,' She thought to herself, 'Except there are no bones so I shouldn't be going. If Angela thinks Booth needs support then it would be best to take Cam.' Jealousy flowed through her veins at the thought of this, 'Cut it out Brennen. You should want Booth to be happy. Anyway, he chose you for this trip not her.'
Smiling she moved her last bag to the door and went into the kitchen to brew two cup of coffee, knowing Booth would want one before they went. Feeling her phone going off in her pocket she pulled it out and her heart fluttered when she saw Booth's ID come up on it.
"Brennen." She said, trying to sound normal,
"Bones you ready to go?"
"Yes, why? You gonna be late?"
"No, quite the opposite," he replied laughing, "I'm outside now. Wasn't gonna come up if you weren't ready."
"Well I'm ready, come on up. I'll have a coffee ready for you."
"Great!" he said excitedly, "I'll see you in a minute."
Brennen close her phone and finished the coffee just as Booth knocked on the door.
"Coffee's in the kitchen. I just need to grab the last bag out the bedroom." She moved away as Booth called to her,
"Good Morning to you too." He chuckled and grabbed his coffee. He sipped it as he waited for her. when her came back from the room she was carrying a small case. and her usual work bag.
"I doubt you'll need that bag Bones."
"Always be prepared. You know me." She said as she grabbed her coffee and nearly drained it in one, "Shall we go?"
"I'll grab your bags and we'll be off." Booth walked over to her bags, only to be beaten as Brennen picked them up and carried them off to the car,
"I can carry my own bags Booth."
"I was only offering" He said, waving his hands in surrender and opening the boot of his SUV so she could put the bags in. "I need to swing round Rebecca's before we go, to drop off his birthday present as I'll be away for it." Closing the boot they got in the respective seats, Brennen not even trying to argue about driving.
"That's fine," Brennen replied, looking at pained expression on Booth's face. She knew how much he loved his son, "What did you get him?"
"He's been after the Lego Star Wars Game for his Playstation for months, Rebecca said she wouldn't buy it so it gave me something to buy, without fear of a duplicate." Booth voice made it clear that this wasn't the first time they had planned presents to avoid duplicates.
"Is that the box in the back?"
"Yeah. hang on, we're here. You comin' to the door?"
"No, It's your time Booth. Say happy birthday for me." With these words Booth got out the car and went to the door. He was only there for a few minutes. Brennen saw him hand the present to Parker, who opened it on the doorstep. He then gave his Dad a huge hug and, part thanks and part goodbye, and ran inside to play on his new game. A few minutes passed with Booth talking to Rebecca before he came back to the car.
"Did he like it Booth?" Bones asked as he started the car back up again,
"Of course he did. He was loading it up as i was leaving. It hurt, he wanted me to play a quick game with him before I go."
"We have time Booth."
"Not as we have to stop for breakfast and then check in as well as fill you in on the case."
"You still haven't told me why I'm coming?" Not that I'm complaining, she thought to herself,
"All in due time."
"Booth..."
"I'll tell you over breakfast. I feel like pancakes."
Booth parked his SUV in the airport car park and they went to the reception to sign in. After twenty minutes they had their packs registered and ready to go on the plane, the two partners headed to the cafe to buy pancakes. They carried with them two simple hand bags, Brennen's had her forensics kit, as usual, as well as her laptop and cell. Booth had his cell and a carefully selected folder on 'The States Watchman'. They sat down and Booth checked his watch, 9.45, they still had two hours until their plane was due to take off.
"So are you going to tell me Booth?" Brennen asked she cut one of pancakes into smaller pieces,
"Tell you what Bones?" Booth flashed her smile, he was teasing her, as usual,
"Why am I here? And it's not someone like Cam or another FBI agent?"
"Main reason. Cullen said. I didn't think at the time to argue. Second reason you are my partner Bones, not Cam not some other FBI agents. You." Booth said, putting his hand on hers. She felt a strange feeling flow through her body as Booth touched her.
'Stop it!' she cursed herself. You can't let him know how you feel. It will ruin the relationship you have... but what if I want more? No That's not logical. Screw logic... not yet. not yet.'
"Bones?"
"What? Oh sorry Booth I was thinking."
"About? Come on Bones. You can tell me."
"Nothing Booth, now fill me on this killer." She had never seen so much anger fill Booth's face so quickly.
"He's a bastard. Started killing in October 2002. He shot dead Tabitha Williams, aged 17, outside Century 10 Cinema. She was with 5 friends. Since then has shot one person on the full moon of each month. His last was Shirley Fitzgerald who was shit when out with her family in Albany, New York. She was 45, and holding her new born son Derek."
"Was he..." Brennen was shocked at this killers ruthlessness,
"No. We found him covered in hid mother's blood." Booth was trying to stay calm, but he had his fists clenched, and Brennen could now see why she was here.
'If he were to go alone,' she thought, 'then he would more than likely snap at someone. Cullen wants me here to try and keep him from doing that.'
"You're thinking again Bones."
"Sorry. Habit. Is there any known link between them?"
"No. That makes it even worse. There no pattern to who, or where. Just when."
"If he's killed his quota of 50," She said, trying to lock the emotion away, "then why are we heading to France?"
"Two days ago we received a call from the French branch of Interpol. A women was shot dead in a market square. The wound, round and timing all match our guy. As does the calling card. As I'm on the case I'm being shipped off to France." He sounded really bitter about this.
"Do you have a problem with France?" she asked, trying to sound comforting, but failing and sounding far to official.
"No Bones." He said, his temper getting the better of him and punching the table, causing many people to look, "I was put on the case to keep me from the Jeffersonian, at least that's what I think. There are many people higher up in the ladder don't like you out in the field. They believe that by moving me they can throw you back in the lab."
"Booth..." She couldn't think of what to say.
"Someone high up is messing me around. My gut says this whole Watchman thing is fishy."
"I hope your guts wrong, and he's just a psycho." she never thought she'd hear those words come from her mouth.
"So do I Bones. So do I."
They sat in silence for another half an hour eating their food, or in Booth's case poking the food with his fork, and just moving it around. Their flight went up and they picked up their bags and headed for the gate. While they were walking Bones placed her hand on Booth's free one for comfort, unexpectedly he took her hand. They walked to their flight door, somehow, hand in hand.
