Hello readers,

This chapter includes some more character development in a sweet way, many more kisses are shared and of course, more about the case that was introduced in the last chapter.

Just a reminder on disclaimers: I don't own Bones, I don't own any of the characters.

Hope you all enjoy,

- Anonymous

Recap: Justin nodded accepting the facts and after the footage was cut, they all fell back into casual conversation, pretending not to notice the screen whenever the three people, eventually four when Dr. Hodgins joined the platform, shared a kiss.

##Break##

Angela woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. At first she was a bit confused, not remembering going to bed, but rolling over and seeing the brunette laying next to her, it all came back in a wave. After Cam had left, Brennan sat at her dinning room table, pictures scattered everywhere, notepad open to a new page, pens and highlighters at the ready. For the next few hours, she had leaned over her papers and took note of everything she thought needed noting. At some point, Cam had contacted them through the group chat, complaining that Zack and Hodgins had already started planning experiments that included a ridiculous amount of maple syrup. Angela and Brennan had joined in the conversation, eventually attracting Jack, Booth and Zack to join in on the chat as well. At around two in the morning, Angela had finally encouraged Temperance to call it a night and put the pictures away, enticing her by bringing up scientific facts that involved rest and recovering. Brennan had agreed, realizing that it was in fact very late and that the rest of her boyfriends and girlfriends would be able to get home sooner if they focused on their work instead of communicating with herself and Angela.

Angela remembers vaguely being annoyed that Booth had ignored her text earlier in the night but joined the group conversation, in the end she figured he'd talk when he was ready. In fact, it didn't even cross her mind by the time she was heading to bed. As she crawled under the covers, tired and ready to sleep, she found herself suddenly attacked by Brennan who had literally leaped into the bed and with a giggle sat across her thighs, looking down at her.

"Hello there, Sweetie, how can I help you?" Angela giggled, knowing that the little bit of work she'd done today had put her in this good mood. Temperance slid further up along Angela's body before answering.

"I find that I'm overly excited at the idea of returning to work soon. I feel as though my ribs have long since healed. While my arm may still be a problem, I'll be perfectly content working in the lab until I've gone through some physical therapy. Seeing you all daily and having the freedom to drive and pick up lunch for us all, sitting down at the Founding Fathers, having a few drinks. The last time we've all done that, we entered into the best relationship I've ever experienced. I've reached this state of happiness that just won't leave me, injuries and all." Angela listened to her girlfriend talk with the biggest smile on her face. She agreed with many things that she's said, feeling them herself, but seeing Brennan express them in a way she's never seen before, made her happy.

"I'm glad you're happy, baby. I love seeing you smile like this." Brennan laughed again and threw her upper body forward, hugging Angela where she rested. They laid in silence, just holding each other for a few moments. The only interruption came in the form of Temperance yawning against her chest before snuggling in closer. Angela tightened her arms at the show of cuteness and let the next words slip out of her mouth effortlessly.

"I love you, Sweetie." Brennan raised her head, pressing a gentle kiss against Angela's neck.

"I love you too, Angela." They fell back into silence until Angela felt the girl relax completely in her arms and knew she had fallen asleep. Taking great care in her still injured arm, she rolled slowly, arms still wrapped tightly around her and guided her to the bed. Angela laid the girl on her side, facing her. She brought her hand up and very gently brushed hair out of her face before slipping closer and resting an arm around her waist, falling asleep soon after.

Angela, considering herself to be the most sociable and emotionally connected in the group of six, always assumed that she would be the first to say those three words. With Temperance though, it was different than with the rest of the group. Angela has known Brennan for years now, she's known her longer than she's known the others and found that because of this, they had a special connection. When they first met, Angela knew that there was something different, unique, about the girl now sleeping next to her. As they grew closer together, Angela started to discover what made this girl tick, learning more about her. They came off as a weird pair when observed in public, one an artsy, out-of-the-box girl that enjoys relaxation with the occasional partying, the other a more organized, focused girl who's driven by science and work.

They've shared those three words many times before as close friends, looking out for each other, but in this moment, as they laid in each others arms, falling asleep. It's never felt more right to say in such a way.

Angela was brought back to the present when an annoyed Temperance made a grumbling noise before crawling across her, reaching over to the nightstand and answering her phone. Angela chuckled at the new weight laying across her stomach.

"Hi Cam... No she's right here but she took too long to answer the phone so I did... Yeah, I'll tell her, I'll see you later, bye." Brennan put the phone back down and returned to her side of the bed.

"Cam says that the remains are cleaned and the skull is ready for you to put a face on it. The mandible seemed to have been struck repeatedly to render it impossible for dental records but apart from that, the skull is mostly intact and free of maple syrup. Booth brought bagels and coffee to the lab for breakfast and he's on his way to spend time with me until the face is ready. He's bringing our bagels with him." Brennan relaxed back into her pillow as she spoke tiredly. As she finished relaying the message, she slowly rolled out of bed and held her hand out to encourage Angela to get up with her.

Angela groaned at having to wake up early to go put a face and name on a poor young girl who was most likely brutally murdered, but as Brennan reached out for her, she got up willingly. They took turns showering, Angela going first before helping Temperance wrap her arm in a plastic bag and getting dressed. By the time they were both dressed and Angela was ready to go, Booth had arrived, putting the bagels and coffee on the table.

"Have a good day, Angela. Oh! And see if you're able to get more pictures from Cam of the cleaned remains for me? Please?" Angela chuckled at Temperance's slight pout and nodded at her request before kissing her, then Booth, goodbye, and heading out the door, coffee in hand.

##Break##

Booth and Brennan have long since finished their breakfast and had been carrying a casual conversation for the past hour as Bones went over her notes that she'd taken the night before. As noon approached and relaxation hung in the air, Booth assumed that this would be best time to tell Brennan the news.

"So listen, Bones. There's something I've got to talk to you about." Glancing away from her papers, Brennan answered.

"Is this concerning whatever put you in a bad mood yesterday?" Booth nodded and paused, looking around the room, trying to figure out a way to tell her.

"Yes, actually. So I talked to Cullen at the crime scene yesterday... He arranged for you to... talk... with someone from the bureau." Brennan froze.

"A therapist?" Booth nodded.

"A shrink, psychologist." Brennan scoffed.

"Soft science." Booth laughed.

"Yeah, I told him you'd say something like that, but unfortunately you have no choice." Brennan responded without pause.

"Of course I have a choice and my choice is to not go." Booth sighed.

"Okay, you do have a choice, but it's not as simple as do or do not. Cullen is worried that possible future reactions caused from this trauma could jeopardize future cases, and to be honest, I agree. So your choices are A) You go, and once you get the all-clear, we can be partners again, working the field, or; B) You choose not to go, Cullen won't allow for you to work in the field with me anymore and we're no longer partners." Brennan frowned.

"I believe that our current relationship status ensures that we'll always be partners." Booth shook his head.

"You know what I mean, Bones." She nodded.

"Yes, unfortunately I do know what you mean. I'll give it some thought before letting you know my choice." Booth wanted to argue, knowing what choice he wanted her to pick but instead fell quiet. Booth's cell phone vibrating was the perfect excuse to end their conversation and he alerted Brennan to his departure.

"Angela has a face and we have a name. Ashley Jackson. Age twenty, reported missing four weeks ago by her parents. I will be off to go talk to the parents first, break the news to them, then I'll be going to the boyfriends house. Angela and Jack already took their lunch and need to get back to work, Jack has new particles or something to look at and Angela needs to restore some paper, but Cam and Zack will be coming over for their lunch break- and yes, Cam's bringing pictures." Booth smiled as he answered her unasked question and was rewarded with a beautiful smile. He rushed to her side on his way to pick up his coat and left her with a kiss as he rushed out the door.

##Break##

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss." Booth spoke softly as the the people in front of him burst into tears. Ashley's mother and father had hoped for the best when the special agent had showed up at their door, but this news just broke their heart.

"Do you know anybody who may have wanted to hurt Ashley." The mother worked to stifle her sobs long enough to answer as her husband comforted her.

"A few days before... before she disappeared... She was having problems with her boyfriend and was thinking about moving back in with us, breaking things off with him." The mother's sobs returned with incredible strength. Booth made final condolences and made to leave the house as the husband escorted his wife out of the front room. Before Booth could leave, someone called out.

"Agent Booth, a moment please." Booth waited for Mr. Jackson to return.

"Do you have any children, Agent?" Booth nodded but stayed quiet.

"Then I think you'll understand why I'll be forceful and persistent while saying that I want you to find the son-of-a-bitch that did this to my baby girl and make them pay." Booth nodded, squaring his shoulders to let the man know he was serious. No parent should ever out live their child, and Booth was determine to right this wrong.

##Break##

Zack looked down at the work in front of him. All of last night, as well as all of today, he's worked to compile a list of fractures, breaks, discoloration, and any anomaly that took place on the remains. The list was properly organized and enjoyably color coded, but most importantly, Zack believed that Temperance would appreciate it. Since they've all been together, Zack found his life to be more meaningful as they grew closer together. Every accomplishment that he got, every good experience, like wining king of the lab, for example, just seemed like an even bigger victory, all because the people he loved were there to share it with him. Even the not so great experiences were made better with Booth's arm around him, Jack's lips on his own, Cam holding him while Angela whispers sweetness to him, Temperance, reassuring him before sealing it in with a kiss.

"Ready to go, Zackaroni?" Zack glanced over his shoulder to smile at Cam who was watching him gather his papers, her coat hanging over her arm.

"Yes, I am." Zack answered, as he straightened out his papers and stood from his chair. Together they walked to Cam's car, shoulders brushing lightly and smiles shared.

Arriving at Temperance's apartment was like arriving from a day away from your pet. Brennan greeted them at the door, hugging them both tightly before bombarding them with questions about the case, not giving them a moment to respond before moving on to the next question. As she spoke she moved to the kitchen, gathering left overs from last night's dinner and setting up the table for lunch.

"Brennan... Brennan... Tempe!" Dr. Brennan fell quiet.

"Thank you... We missed you, how are you doing?" Brennan smiled, finally acknowledging her boyfriend and girlfriend instead of her co-workers.

"I missed you both too, I find I have more energy lately and am overly motivated to do at least a little bit of work."

For the rest of lunch, they managed to keep a casual conversation, work not being mentioned once, but of course, it did not last that way for long.

"So... Booth said you were bringing pictures?" Cam laughed and nodded, getting up to grab her bag where she left the pictures. Zack took this as his opportunity.

"Temperance, if I may?" Brennan turned her gaze to the man on her right and nodded while smiling.

"You see, I've brought you my personal list and documentations on everything I've noticed and found so far regarding the remains. The list is properly organized, the colors indicate whether it's something that appeared through the x-rays, that I've seen physically or that I've felt. From there they were sub-categorized from fractures to discoloration to texture...Of course, it's not that I'm questioning your note taking, but I thought you could then compare them to yours in case there's some evidence that could not be detected by picture only." Cam watched the interaction with a smile. As Zack spoke, his back slowly hunched further and further until finally, by the end of his explanation, he couldn't lift his head to look at Brennan without hurting his neck. Temperance started to glow as an amazed and happy look slowly graced her face. By the time Zack had finished talking, she was running her fingers delicately over his papers as if it were a fine treasure. They fell into silence for a few moments before Brennan seemed to noticed how nervous their boyfriend was. She moved her hand from the pile of papers and instead guided them through Zack's hair, her grip tightening near the back of his head to gentle encourage him back into a seated position. Once his back straightened out, Brennan surged forward, pulling him into a hug. They held each other closely, Zack noticeably relaxing into the embrace until they slowly pulled away from each other, but not before pausing when they were face to face.

It had become a known fact to the group that Zack was a surprisingly sensual kisser, knowing just the right moves to make to get his partner to react. This moment wasn't any different. The moment their lips touched, Brennan practically moaned as she molded into her boyfriend. Their lips danced, as did their bodies as they seemed to push and pull against each other. It lasted five minutes before Brennan remembered that there was another presence in the room. Reaching out her good arm, she hoped that Cam understood what she wanted. She only had to wait a few seconds before she was reassured that Cam did in fact get what she was implying. Cam approached the couple and slid one arm around each. Brennan's lips moved from Zack's, trailing down his neck, giving him the opportunity to turn his head and share a kiss was Cam. They fell into a synchronized rhythm, Neck to lips, lips to lips, neck to lips and over again. Zack and Cam kissed as Brennan nipped and kissed at either Zack or Cam's neck, then they'd switch, with Cam and Brennan kissing with Zack doing the neck work. They lost themselves in their actions, pictures and notes forgotten.

##Break##

Angela stared at her phone as it went to voice-mail for the third time and gave up with a small smile, having a slight idea as to why Cam wasn't answering her phone. Instead, she made her way over to Jack's office to tell him what she found.

"Hey, babe." She called as she walked through the door. She was greeted by the sight of Hodgins smiling at her over his telescope.

"Hey, Ange. What's going on?" She walked over to lean against the table before tapping on one of the computers not currently in use and displaying her find.

"Those degraded pieces of paper? They're a flyer." Hodgins interest was peaked and he turned to face the screen directly while reading the paper.

"'Maple Mania... All you can eat maple dishes... Friday, twelve noon until Sunday, five in the evening... Hosted by Maple Jackson Farm...'" Hodgins skimmed over the information with a frown.

"So this is some sort of festival with maple?" Angela nodded.

"Everything from maple syrup and maple fudge to maple smoked ribs and maple infused beer. There's also music, a maple-brown sugar-pecan pie eating competition and some small fair games. Fun for the whole family." Hodgins eye's widened and his mouth watered, but he remained focused.

"Hosted at Maple Jackson Farm being..." Angela finished his sentence.

"Owned by Ashley Jackson, our victim's, family." Hodgins nodded and picked up his phone to call Booth.

##Break##

Booth arrived at the boyfriends house and before he could leave his car, his phone rang.

"Booth." It was Hodgins and Angela.

"Hey, Booth. So Angela finished piecing the paper back together and I hope you're going to have to go investigate it this weekend and decide to bring me with you." Booth heard Angela smack the poor man at the other side of the line before taking over the call.

"It's a flyer for some sort of maple festival that's taking place this weekend. It's being hosted by the victim's family who owns the farm." Booth nodded, processing this information.

"So this could be connected to the M.O of the murderer. Either land feud, some sort of maple jealousy thing. Okay, thanks guys, I'm about to visit the boyfriend and depending on what he says I'll make another stop before going to the bureau then calling it a night. Are you both coming to dinner? I'm cooking." Angela's heart skipped a beat learning that the stud of a man at the end of a line was going to be cooking.

"I'm there, Sweetie." Jack nodded.

"Count me in." Booth smiled.

"Alright, I'll see you soon, babes." Booth hung up and climbed out of the car, heading over to the front door of the suspects house. Back at the lab, Angela and Jack shared a glance.

"Did he just call us 'babes'?" Angela nodded in confirmation with a smile. Booth has called the girls in this relationship a variation of terms of endearment; babe, baby, Hun, sweetheart- but this is the first time that those terms extended to one of the boys.

Booth knocked on the door while taking a last glance at the name he had written down in his notepad, Gary Norefield. The door opened slowly to reveal a child, no older than eight.

"Oh... Hi there, I'm looking for Gary?" Booth was confused by the child arriving at the door but kept his cool. Without a word, the child disappeared from the doorway and was soon replaced by an older guy.

"Uh, hey, I'm Gary Norefield... How can I help you?" Booth flashed his badge.

"Special agent Seeley Booth, F.B.I. I have a few questions to ask you about Ashley Jackson." Gary let out an exasperated sigh and opened the door wider, letting Booth in.

"Hey, buddy, can you go play in your room for a bit? Sorry agent, that's my kid brother." Booth nodded and waited patiently for the kid to gather his toys and wander down the hall.

"Okay, what did that bitch do now?" Booth's eyes widened.

"That 'bitch', your girlfriend, died. She was murdered." Gary's face went blank for a few seconds.

"You're joking right?" Booth shook his head.

"No, I'm not, and right now you're my prime suspect so why don't you show some respect for the deceased and tell me what you guys were fighting about." Gary raised a hand as if to argue before sighing in defeat.

"She was cheating on me. We've been dating since we were sixteen and last month, I find out that she's been cheating on me, not with one guy either... With seven different guys for the past year! I get angry, I tell her we're over, that I don't want to be with her anymore and that I'm kicking her out of the house. I bought this house, I pay for everything, so this is my house. She goes on this rant, telling me that we can't break up because all seven times she's come back to me so obviously I'm the one, or something stupid like that. She wouldn't leave and after one of her other boyfriends showed up at the door one day, I took matters into my own hand. She left to go help prepare the maple event, while she was gone I packed up her stuff, left it by the door, but she never came back." Booth raised a brow.

"And you didn't think to report her missing when she never came back to get her stuff?" Gary shook his head.

"There were seven other guys! I just assumed she finally went to stay with one of them, she didn't have that big a wardrobe and nothing that she actually cherished here so I thought she just left it." Booth nodded, taking note of all this before turning to face the hallway at the sound of footsteps.

"Gary, I'm hungry!" Booth smiled at the child pouting in front of him and put his notepad away.

"I'm done for now, but I wouldn't go anywhere if I were you, just in case I have more questions. Now go feed that growing boy." With that, Booth left and went back to the the bureau.

##Break##

Cam was fixing the top three buttons of her blouse while also trying to rush and put her shoes back on. Zack stood awkwardly by the door with a blush on his face, ready to return to work. Brennan was sat on her couch, pouting.

"You both should stay, finish what we started. I find what we were doing to be very pleasurable, and while I may not be the best at reading people in a variety of situations, I believe that you both enjoyed it as well." Zack's blush turned a shade darker while Cam hesitated, considering the offer, before sighing.

"I wish we could. Unfortunately, Angela, Jack and Booth all have new information for us and Zack and I need to do at least a few more hours of work if we plan on being here for dinner. We heard Booth was cooking." Temperance nodded in both understanding and confirmation.

"In that case, we'll be returning to work and we'll see you soon."

"Bye, Temperance!" Brennan watched them go with a smile on her swollen lips.

##Break##

"Okay, Angela, you first." After leaving Temperance to do some work and rest on her own at home, Cam and Zack had returned to the lab. Cam, being the boss, took it upon herself to gather her co-workers and their new information and evidence that she missed, giving everyone an opportunity to get filled in.

"Well the shredded paper found in the bucket with her skull was a flyer advertising a maple festival on her family's farm this weekend." Zack jumped in.

"Damage on the hyoid, along the anterior longitudinal ligament and on the right side of the mandible imply that the right-handed killer held the victims jaw open and shoved something down her throat, quite possibly the flyer." Jack took it from there.

"After Zack determined the cause of death as some sort of sharp object being stabbed in the side of the neck, I swabbed the area and found chromium alloy, splinters of wood from a maple tree and, of course, maple syrup." Angela took hold of the reins.

"After a few trials and errors on the Angelatron, taking into consideration the substances Jack found, we know what the murder weapon is. A spile." Cam looked between her smiling girlfriend and boyfriends, feeling proud to call them hers.

"I'll let Booth know." With a content smile of her own, Cam returned to her office and called Seeley.

"Booth." Cam visibly relaxed at hearing the man's voice, not having seen him all day.

"Hey, Booth. It's me." Booth dropped his professional 'I'm-a-special-agent' voice as he answered.

"Hey, Babe! What's going on?" Cam's smile grew.

"Calling to let you know that Angela and Jack identified the murder weapon. It's a spile." Booth hesitated.

"A spile, right, yeah." Cam chuckled.

"A spile is used to extract things from trees. In this case, maple. The spile was stabbed into the side of the victims neck. She bled out." Booth fell quiet for a moment.

"Of course! Turns out that Ashley Jackson wasn't the most loyal when it came to her boyfriend Gary. One of her other seven boyfriends goes by the name of Fredric Harrison." Cam raised a brow in confusion.

"And Fredric Harrison is relevant how?" Booth was quiet for another moment.

"He's Travis Harrison's son. Now Travis, he owns the farm across the road from the Jackson farm and it isn't doing as great as their farm is. Many times he tried to buy them out but as the farm dies, so does the amount of money he can try and bribe them with." Cam started to get the idea.

"I see, so you're thinking..." Cam stopped, allowing Booth to finish putting the puzzle together, just as he loved to do.

"Rival crime. Travis, losing money and his farm, finds out that his son is fooling around with the enemy's daughter. As revenge, maybe a warning. He kills her, plants her body on the outskirts of the Jackson farm... Or! Fredric, watching his father suffer with everything going on, seduces Ashley into trusting him. He gets her alone and boom. Kills her. In anger, revenge for watching this practically kill his father, or maybe even hoping that this pushes Jackson into selling." Cam nodded as Booth spoke.

"Seems like you have some interrogations to do. I'll let you get to it because I do not want to miss out on you cooking tonight. I'll see you soon, Seeley." Booth smiled on the other end of the line.

"Don't call me Seeley, Camille." Cam chuckled.

"Then don't call me Camille." With that, they both hurried back to work.

##Break##

Booth sat facing Fredric Harrison, trying with all his power not to slam his head into the table in front of him. Fredric was sobbing, as he has been for the past fifteen minutes.

"A-a-are you s-s-sure? Dead? Oh God." The crying started again. Booth was starting to think twice about Fredric being the killer.

"Is this the first you're hearing of it? Maybe the realization of what you've done is finally hitting you?" That seemed to sober the man up.

"What? You think I killed her?! No way! I could never! I loved her. I wanted to marry her! I've asked her three times and was ready to ask her another hundred times until she said yes." Booth raised his brow.

"You asked her to marry you three times and she said no? That would sure give you motive." Fredric back tracked.

"No, no, no! It's nothing like that. She wanted to marry me too, really she did. The only problem was Gary. She said he wasn't mentally stable enough for her to leave him after they were together for so long. She wanted to wait until she was officially single. After Gary found out about me and started kicking her out, I knew what she meant by unstable and I went to go get her stuff from his place, so she wouldn't have to see him, you know? He started yelling at me, kicked me out." Booth sighed.

"Were you aware that, apart from you and Gary, there were six other men in Ashley's life." Fredric imitated a fish. His eyes went wide, mouth opening and closing repeatedly as he struggled to find something to say until finally, he burst into tears once again. Booth sighed once more and dismissed him from the room, giving the usual 'don't leave town' speech before heading over to the second interrogation room where Travis Harrison sat, waiting.

"Hello, Mr. Harrison." Travis sighed in frustration although seemed to look relatively calm and tired.

"What's this about? I swear, I've been paying my bills on time and if there's anything that's fallen behind, I'll get it payed, I always do." Booth felt sympathy for the man in front of him but went on with the usual questions.

"Me? No, I'd never hurt that girl. Sure, she was a Jackson, but my son loved her, he was happy. She was a sweet girl, they've spoken many times about getting married you know. They talked about their future. Two dogs, three children, and once Ashley inherited her father's farm in the next few years, she was going to sell it to us, merge the contracts. Make it one big jolly farm for a growing, happy family." Booth wrote down this new information in his notebook.

"Mr. Travis, were you aware that Ashley had other men in her life?" Travis seemed to deflate.

"Unfortunately yes. I've caught her a few times, talking to people on the phone, she'd call them baby, honey, and eventually use their names. A different name every time... I had hope though. I could see the way she looked at my son so I hoped that, when they finally got married, had children, she'd grow out of it." Booth nodded, still seeing plausible motive in a father protecting his son from pain.

"That will be all for now, Mr. Jackson. Thank you for your cooperation. I'd like for you to stay near by, in case I have more questions." Travis nodded.

"Of course." With that, Booth let Travis out of the room and went to find Caroline, hoping that, by tomorrow morning, he'd have a warrant to search the Harrison Farm for a spile.

##EndChapter##

Hello!

Chapter four is over and leaving many possibilities to come! I hope you all enjoyed and I'd like to see if anyone can guess who the killer is?

Thanks for reading!

- Anonymous