Thank you for your continued interest in my story.
Remember this story is AU and not just a little AU either.
I don't own Bones.
Oooooooooooooo
Entering the Lab, Booth looked around until he spied the wild haired scientist that he'd given his letter to. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Doctor Brennan."
Surprised to see Booth at the Lab, Hodgins frowned. "Yeah, let me take you to her office."
Walking next to Hodgins, Booth looked around the hallway, peering into doorways as he passed them. Hodgins, uncomfortable with his companion, cleared his throat. "Look man, I'm afraid I lost your letter that you wanted me to give to Dr. Brennan. I should have been more careful with it . . . I'm sorry if it caused you any kind of trouble."
Interested in what he was seeing, Booth stared at the large platform as they walked around it. "It's my fault. I should have mailed the damn thing. I just kept putting it off and well . . . never mind."
Curious, Hodgins asked, "Why didn't you mail it? Why put it off?"
Not sure he wanted to explain his business to a stranger, Booth finally shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. She's a world famous anthropologist. I'm a nobody."
Stopping, Hodgins placed his hand on Booth's arm causing him to stop too. "Dr. Brennan was upset when she found out that you'd left a letter and I lost it. She really did want to meet you again. She may be a world class anthropologist, but she's not stuck up about it . . . well, I mean she's very proud of being who she is and she knows the value of her work, but that wouldn't keep her from being a friend to you if you played your cards right. It's just . . . I don't really know Dr. Brennan as well as I'd like to, but I do know she has a hard time making friends . . . well so do I, but I'm off point. She's kind of blunt and it can be off putting, but really who doesn't need an honest friend like that? I think it's refreshing most of the time. You really know where you're at with her."
Puzzled that Hodgins seemed to be pushing him into a friendship with Brennan, Booth nodded his head. "Yeah, sure, I guess, which way to Dr. Brennan's office?"
Pointing towards Brennan's office, Hodgins responded, "That's it. Look, is there a chance that we might be working on more cases with you?"
His gaze now upon Brennan's office, Booth shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I guess it will depend upon what happens with this case. It's a cold one and no one wanted it. I want to get Gemma Harrington justice and if you and Dr. Brennan can help me get her that, then maybe we can work on more cases like it. I guess it will also depend upon whether or not Dr. Brennan wants to work with me again."
Nodding his head, Hodgins was pleased that there was a possibility. "Cool as long as there's a chance. Your case really energized us around here."
Oooooooooooo
Flipping through her folder, Brennan provided Booth with the information she'd uncovered so far. "The victim was a 16 year old bi-racial woman. She died between three and four years ago and her body was dumped in a landfill where her body remained for about one year. She was born in southern Alabama, but moved north when she was eight years old. She was injured in an automobile accident when she was 13 years old. She was a swimmer, a singer or asthmatic or a combination of any of those. We did a facial reconstruction and it does match the picture you sent me so I can definitely say for certain that the victim was Gemma Harrington. We're running DNA tests, but those take time."
Impressed, Booth shook his head in awe. "That's amazing . . . All I gave you was the skeleton, a picture and a name and you gave me all of that. That's exactly how it played out."
"Do you have a suspect?" Curious, Brennan handed her file over to Booth for him to look at.
Accepting the file, Booth replied, "Judge Myles Hasty. So far I haven't been able to prove he did it but I know he did."
Curious, Brennan asked him, "How do you know if you don't have proof."
Flipping through her folder, Booth studied her notes. "I just know . . . I talked to him, I know he did it."
"I'd rather have proof before I accused someone of murder . . . Dr. Hodgins found a wood splinter on the body. He said it's maple." Surprised, Brennan saw a look of annoyance cross his face.
Closing the folder, Booth sighed. "Damn, her boyfriend was a baseball player. He was in town trying out for the minor leagues the day she disappeared. Tell you what we'll interview the boyfriend but you're going to see that he didn't do it. Judge Hasty is our murderer. We just need to find out where the maple splinter came from. I'm betting that it wasn't from a baseball bat."
Oooooooooooooo
After several stops and starts during the case, including an interview with Gemma's boyfriend, Booth and Brennan met Judge Hasty for an interview. Much to his dismay Brennan ended up hitting the judge after the judge had grabbed her while arguing with her.
Standing in Caroline's office, Booth listened in anger as the prosecutor told him to fire her. "No way, Caroline. He grabbed her and that is assault. She hit him to make him let her go. That's self-defense in my book."
"That's not how the judge told it." Angry to be put on the spot, Caroline shook her head. "She assaulted a Federal Judge."
Vehemently, Booth argued with the prosecutor. "She was protecting herself. I was a witness. I am not going to fire her. I need her to help me with my case."
Relenting, Caroline nodded her head slowly. "Alright Cher'. I'll let it go for now, but if she hits anyone else then out she goes. I can't have a lose cannon running around popping judges."
Relieved, Boot smiled at his friend. "I'll talk to her."
ooooooooooooooooo
Their case complete and Judge Hasty in custody for the murder of Gemma Harrington, Booth and his partner had a little trouble spot when Brennan started to worry about whether or not they had enough evidence in front of the victim's mother. Annoyed, Booth grabbed Brennan's arm and pulled her from the room which angered his partner.
Pulling her arm from his grasp, Brennan complained, "You're grabbing me. Let me go."
Immediately dropping her arm, Booth stepped back and shook his head. "I'm sorry. . . I, uh, shouldn't have done that. I just didn't want you to upset Mrs. Harrington and . . . well, I'm sorry."
His cheeks red, Brennan knew he was embarrassed. "No . . . no, I'm not used to speaking to . . . I'm not sure of proper protocol when talking to . . . when I'm involved in an investigation. Clearly I didn't do it right."
Carefully placing his hand on her arm, Booth smiled at her. "Don't Temperance. I shouldn't have grabbed you like that and you shouldn't have talked about the evidence in front of Mrs. Harrington. Let's just learn from that. I don't want it to go any further, okay?"
Glancing in the room, Brennan noticed Mrs. Harrington was leaning over and crying. Swallowing, Brennan turned to look at Booth. "Yes, you're right."
Relieved, the partners decided to celebrate with a celebratory drink. Sitting in the bar, Booth listened as Brennan talked about the fascinating crime they'd just solved and how her staff had worked together more congenially than they normally did. "As a rule, Dr. Hodgins is quite surly, but Dr. Goodman thinks it's because up until now we haven't been using his full potential at the Jeffersonian. While he was helping me trying to determine how Gemma was killed he seemed to be more attune to those around him and less rude than he normally is."
"Is Dr. Hodgins the guy with the wild hair that lost my letter?" Sipping his drink, he noticed that the bar seemed to be getting more crowded.
Placing her glass down, Brennan tried to explain Hodgin's actions. "Yes, he apologized for losing the letter. He admits he was careless when he lost it."
His thoughts on their success, Booth finished the Scotch in his glass. "He asked me if he and you were going to work on more cases with me. I told him it depended upon if we were able to solve Gemma's murder and if you wanted to continue to work with me afterward. I hope you do. I think we make are really good team."
Drinking the last of her Whiskey, Brennan suddenly realized that she wanted to continue to work with Booth. "I think I'd like to if that's alright with you. I found the whole thing to be quite fascinating. Normally when I identify bones the person that owned them has been dead for hundreds if not thousands of years. Occasionally I identify bodies in war zones but I found this case to be quite interesting. It allowed me to find justice for someone and help bring closure to her family. It seems to be more personal and yet worthy of my talents. I could help you with more cold cases or any case that the FBI is having problems with."
Happy to hear her reply, Booth ordered another drink. "Hey, I think I'd like that. I don't want to take you away from what you're famous for though."
"Oh you wouldn't." Brennan ordered another drink when the barman came down to their end of the bar. "I will still go on digs and I have a job that I will continue to do for the Jeffersonian. I will just add your cases to what I do."
Pleased that his partnership had been successful, Booth confided in her. "Outside the Army, you're the first partner I've had. I don't generally play well with others. Most people get on my nerves, but you're different. You're a pretty good partner and I would like to keep working with you."
Nodding her head, Brennan accepted her new drink from the barman. "I will of course have to have a contract drawn up with the FBI but besides that I don't see any obstacles in our path."
"Good, great." Picking up his glass, Booth waved it at Brennan. "Here's to a great partnership, Bones."
Annoyed, Brennan raised her glass and sipped some of the whiskey. "We will have a great partnership if you don't call me that."
Nudging her, Booth used his charm smile. "Come on, you're a great forensic anthropologist and you work with bones. Bones is a natural nickname. I'm going to call you Bones. It's a sign of affection not an insult."
"I'd rather you call me Temperance." Placing her glass down, she frowned at him. "Bones seems a ridiculous nickname."
Shaking his head, Booth chided her, "Come on Bones. It's a cool nickname and Temperance is a mouthful."
Brennan glared at Booth and tried to stop the nickname from being used. "I'll think of a nickname for you if you insist on calling me that."
Laughing, Booth replied, "Go ahead."
Not annoyed as she usually was when people did things she didn't like, Brennan drank the rest of the whiskey in her glass and leaned closer to Booth. "Would you like to come over to my apartment?"
Leaning closer, Booth asked her, "What would we do there that we can't do here?"
Amused, Brennan whispered in his ear. "We could have sex."
Not sure about himself, Booth rubbed the side of his head. "I can't believe I'm going to say this but . . . I really like you Bones and well. . . . how about we be friends for now. I've never had a friend like you and I don't want to screw it up. Also if you're going to be my partner, the FBI may not like it if we're in a personal relationship. I need to check into that, I guess. Lets' just take this slow and you know . . . let's work on our friendship. God I can't believe I just said that."
Disappointed, Brennan nodded her head. "Alright, it's your loss though. I'm very good in bed."
Exhaling slowly, Booth shook his head and muttered, "Damn."
oooooooooooo
Reviews would be great. Thank you.
