A/N: New chappie. Thanks again for your support and encouragement...
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own the show. Or the characters. I have no intention of stealing from Fox.
Brennan blinked. Angela had an arm around her shoulders, her almond eyes wide with concern. "Are you okay?"
"I…I guess," Brennan stammered. She suddenly realized that a crowd had gathered in the large entrance to the Jeffersonian. Cam and Hodgins were behind Angela. Sweets stood next to a couple of security guards.
No one aside from Angela seemed to be paying any attention to Brennan. The sound of her partner's angry voice alerted her to the trio that was claiming everyone's interest.
#
Booth's trembling fists were at his side. "I don't care who you are, you can't just walk in here and assault someone!"
Molly Nunan's head barely came up to his chin, but the expression on her tear-stained face was defiant. "She killed my daughter! Why is she allowed to get away with it?"
Carol Murphy stood between Booth and Pam's mother. She had a hand out to each of them and kept trying to speak. Booth frankly didn't care what she had to say – his concern was with the perceived threat in front of him.
"Ma'am –" The "ma'am" came to his lips automatically, the result of his grandfather drilling into his head that you always treated a woman with respect (good thing or he would have been tempted to knock her flat after she slapped Bones), "- I suggest you turn around and walk out of here before I say some things I'll regret – or I decide to arrest you for assault."
Carol Murphy's eyes widened. Molly Nunan appeared unfazed. "Of course! Arrest me for just hitting someone while not doing anything to her."
"Mrs. Nunan, Dr. Brennan shot your daughter in self-defense," Booth said, his patience just about at an end. He didn't say what he was thinking – you're daughter was a whack job who stalked me and tried to kill my partner. He wasn't a cruel man, he hoped he wouldn't have to resort to that.
"Of course, that's what you would say! I suppose Dr. Brennan is worth more to the FBI than my daughter!" Molly's Nunan's tears were flowing again. "I just want the truth!"
"Ma'am, I assure you that the truth was told!" Booth decided that this woman was leaving the Jeffersonian if he had to arrest her like he'd threatened. He began to reach for his handcuffs.
"Do you mean the same truth as that she killed you?" Molly Nunan's tear-choked voice was filled with sarcasm. "You look quite alive to me, Agent Booth."
That statement stopped him. He had forgotten about that.
Seeing a small silence, Carol Murphy jumped in. 'Excuse me, this is going badly, could we please just all step back – and – and start over?" She shot a glance at Bones.
Booth turned around and saw Bones' expression for the first time. He swore to himself. He'd been engaged in a shouting match with a crazy woman's mother while Bones was standing there freaking out.
He came over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. He didn't like how pale she was, how her eyes were filled with pain. "Bones? Bones, it's okay, let's get you out of here."
Brennan shook her head. She knew Booth was worried about her, but she didn't want him to fuss over her. "I'm all right, Booth. Really, I'm fine."
"You don't need this," Booth insisted. "I'll get you to your office and then I'll get rid of these people."
"You don't need to treat me like I'm fragile!" Brennan snapped.
Booth stared at her, his dark eyes wide. "Bones, I'm not saying you're fragile. I'm saying you don't need this crap right now."
"Isn't that for me to decide?"
Before Booth could reply Carol Murphy spoke. "Excuse me. Dr. Brennan?"
To Brennan's frustration, Booth stepped in front of her, as if to stand between her and a threat. She was annoyed – and frightened. I don't want him to do that again. I don't want…
She stepped to one side so her partner's body was no longer blocking her view. Carol Murphy was staring at Booth, her eyes wide. She was holding a cream colored business card in her hand. Molly Nunan was staring at the floor, an occasional sob causing her shoulders to shake.
Brennan saw how both women's shoulders drooped, the circles under Carol Murphy's eyes. She realized that both women were on the brink of exhaustion. An unwanted stab of sympathy went through her.
"Dr. Brennan," Carol Murphy said, speaking as if she were testing each word before letting it out of her mouth, "This is my business card. On the back I've written my cell phone number, and also the name of an FBI agent I know from the Orlando, Florida office."
"And you want Dr. Brennan to do…what with this?" Booth asked, his arms folded across his chest.
"Agent Booth," Carol Murphy said, "I would like you to check me out as thoroughly as you feel you need to so that you understand I'm no threat to you or Dr. Brennan." She turned back to Brennan. "Once Agent Booth is satisfied, if you're willing, Dr. Brennan, maybe we could meet and talk? Mrs. Nunan and I will be in Washington until the end of the week."
"And if Dr. Brennan doesn't want to talk to you?" Booth asked.
"Booth…" Brennan said, seeing him in full alpha male mode and finding it upsetting for some reason.
"Bones, let me handle this," Booth said.
Carol Murphy sighed. The hand that held the business card out drooped slightly. "Of course, it's her decision."
Molly Nunan's head came up. "But…"
Carol Murphy turned her head to her companion and shook her head. "You need to trust me on this, Molly. I'm trying to salvage this and avoid having to call Arthur and ask for money to bail you out of jail."
"If you want to avoid jail I think it's time for the two of you to leave," Booth said.
Brennan was torn. She was being flooded with emotions – guilt, fear, anger, sorrow…and Booth just steamrollering over everything wasn't helping her sort them out. But she was paralyzed by the feelings flooding over her.
Sweets suddenly stepped forward. "Hi. I'm Dr. Lance Sweets, and I work with the FBI." He plucked the card out of Carol Murphy's hand. "I'll consult with Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan. If a meeting is indicated, you'll be contacted."
"Sweets!" Booth said, staring at the kid. Brennan was stunned. What was Sweets up to?
"Thank you," Carol Murphy said softly. She looked one more time at Booth and Brennan. Brennan had the impression the woman wanted to say something else. Instead she gave them a slight nod. "Come on, Molly."
Both women gathered up their luggage and plodded to the front of the Jeffersonian. After getting an confirming nod from Booth, the security guards went after them.
Sweets came up to Brennan. "Dr. Brennan, I think we should take a few minutes to process this."
"No," Booth said, "I think I should take Bones to her office and you should go do whatever it is you do when you're not harassing us."
"Would you both stop?" Brennan said. "I'm fine. I have work to do."
"Uh-uh, Dr. Brennan," Cam said with a shake of her head. "I think you should take a brief break before getting back to work."
"Cam, I'm fine!" Brennan insisted. Why was everyone treating her like some crybaby? She might be upset, she might feel like crying – who wouldn't after what just happened? But she could compartmentalize, didn't anyone remember that?"
"Perhaps I wasn't clear," Cam said, her arms folded. "Let me put it to you this way: you either permit Seeley to take you to your office for a 10 minute break or you take the rest of the day off."
Brennan's mouth dropped open. "But I'm -"
"Fine, I heard you," Cam said. "But I'm still your boss."
Booth shot Cam a grateful look. "C'mon Bones, let's not tick off your boss."
She rolled her eyes. "All right. Fine. I'll go to my office."
"Good girl," Booth said, placing a hand at the small of her back.
"I'm a woman, Booth, not a girl!"
Cam shook her head as the pair headed toward Brennan's office. She caught Sweet's eye and jerked her head towards the couple. The doctor nodded and trotted after them.
With a sigh, Cam noticed that Hodgins, Angela, and some grad students were still standing around. It was times like this that she felt less like the head of the most prestigious medical-legal lab in the country and more like the headmistress of a dysfunctional daycare.
"Okay people," she said, clapping her hands. "Let's get back to work."