Doc Manager likes me again :) Happy Labor Day!

Gum


Chapter 6

The lab was buzzing with activity as she swiped her security card and ascended the steps to the forensic platform. Grad students requiring her authorization for one thing or another hovered like gnats until they obtained her signature. It took her five minutes to traverse the platform to where she had left the box of bones from Limbo and she sighed with relief as the last paper was signed.

Stepping up to the stainless steel table she put on her gloves and began carefully transferring the bones from the box. Slowly, the skeleton began to take shape in front of her. When the one hundred and forty-sixth bone was placed on the table, she began her initial overview from the bottom of the skeleton up, noting as she went which bones were present and which were not.

The most frustrating aspect of the entire process was the fact that there were sixty bones unaccounted for. With so many bones missing it would be very difficult to ascertain how the victim had died, even with Brennan's detailed analysis. Without the skull, as she had told Booth earlier, identification was virtually impossible. Still, she gave the bones present her full energies in hopes that they would divulge some useful information.

When she was satisfied that she had gleaned every iota of data from the bones, she stretched long enough to ease the discomfort in her back from hunching over the table and moved to sit down at a nearby desk. It was only when she looked around for the original file that she became aware of how empty the lab had become. The clock on the desk informed her that it was almost ten.

Weighing her options, she determined that the rest of her work could be completed at home. Leaving the bones where they lay on the table, she gathered her notes, along with the original file, and left the forensic platform for her office.

Like a landing beacon guiding her in, the glow of her office's computer monitor lit up the darkened walkway, and she was unsurprised to find her husband sitting at her desk, watching a streaming broadcast of the Flyer's hockey game.

"I'm fairly sure that's not what this high-speed connection was meant for," she came up behind him and whispered in his ear, taking great delight at the startled jump that ensued.

"Geez, Bones," he whispered loudly, "A little warning?"

She grinned slyly in response and muttered, "Sniper-trained reflexes indeed."

He responded by reaching out suddenly and pulling her into the chair with him, so that she was now seated most unceremoniously on his lap. For a moment, she thought about resisting, but it was late and she had been on her feet for the better part of five hours, so she relaxed into him, enjoying the comfort of his close proximity.

"You should've taken her home," she reproved softly, gesturing toward the couch where Sadie slept peacefully.

"She wanted to stay," he shrugged, "And it's not like she hasn't done this plenty of times before. Besides, Angela set up a video conference between us and Maddie and Joey, so they were all thrilled."

It was true, she realized as Seeley went back to watching the game. In the last three years, Sadie had probably fallen asleep on the office couch just as much as she had on her bed at home, and it never seemed to bother her. In fact, the couple had found that they had more trouble getting Sadie to sleep when her Mommy wasn't home, than when they were at the "Jeffers." Odd as the dynamic seemed to some, it worked well for the three of them and no one at the Jeffersonian had complained.

"May we go home now, Seeley?" she asked as the game came to a close.

"What if I say no?" he teased, still refusing to release her from his lap.

Not even bothering to justify his question with a response, she tickled the inside of his thigh with her fingers, causing him to instantly let go. Freed, she sprung off of his lap and moved away quickly before he could get a hold of her again, leaving him to turn off the computer. Methodically, she began collecting and packing the files that she needed to take home.

"Here's the stuff that came in while you were away," he motioned to a stack of papers just as large as the one she had just placed in her bag, "I swear you need a small suitcase to lug these things some days."

She nodded, knowing that he was correct, though she had long ago come to terms with the fact that her job required voluminous amounts of paperwork. Together, they stashed the remaining papers into her shoulder bag, before moving to clean up the rest of the room. Coloring books, flashcards, and board games were returned to their designated shelf, along with the small collection of graphic novels that Seeley kept on hand. Sadie's collection of miniature ponies, as well as her baby dolls, and stuffed animals went into her "High School Musical" backpack.

While Temperance shouldered the bags, Seeley gently scooped the sleeping little girl into his arms, so as not to wake her. Sadie stirred slightly as they buckled her into her booster seat, but was fast asleep again as soon as the SUV started moving. Fortunately, traffic going out of the city had thinned and they made it home in reasonably good time.

A light rain began just as they pulled into the driveway.

"This," Seeley said as they got out, "Is why we needed a nice garage."

"Liar," she shook her head, "You just wanted a large space to re-construct old cars."

"Classics," he corrected, "And I restore them."

"So you say," she cocked an eyebrow at the gutted car that had occupied the garage since just after they had moved in, "Though I still am unsure as to why you would want a car named after a farm animal."

Seeley's eyes rolled, "Bones, for the millionth time, just because it's called a goat, doesn't mean it has anything to do with the animal."

"Then why call it that?" she'd never understood the logic no matter how many times he'd tried to explain it.

"It's a GTO, and a '69 at that," he informed her, "Do you know how many guys would kill for this car?"

"People will kill for anything, Seeley, our line of work is enough to prove that," she eyed the car once more.

"Indeed they will, Temperance," he placed a patronizing kiss on her forehead, "And if you're a good forensic anthropologist and don't insult her too much, I just might let you drive her when she's done."

She opened her mouth to question why he would assign the female gender to a car, but he had opened the SUV's side door to extract Sadie. Shaking her head, she collected their bags and followed him inside. Sadie had gotten into her pajamas at the lab, and after a mumbled "Good night," to each of her parents, quickly fell back asleep in her bed.

Parental duties complete, Temperance retreated temporarily to the master bathroom for a hot shower, after which she emerged refreshed and dressed in her soft yoga pants and one of Seeley's old Army t-shirts. Her stomach growled as she descended the stairs, reminding her that their late lunch had been some time ago.

"One world famous Seeley Booth omelet comin' up," her husband greeted her as she entered the kitchen.

She sat on one of the stools at the kitchen's island, sipping the freshly brewed coffee that he had prepared for her as she constructed a mental checklist of things yet to be done.

"Item number one on whatever agenda you're plotting," Seeley's teasing voice cut into her thoughts as a plate materialized in front of her, "Is eating."

She threw him a mock salute, using her fork to cut through the fluffy yellow mass. As her tongue closed around the first, sumptuous bite, she decided she had no objections to putting her work off just a little while longer.