1Chapter Seven: Nothing Accomplished
Zack was running late.
He had taken three busses, missed another and ran the entire way to the Jeffersonian and didn't realize just how late he was until he ran into Doctor Saroyan as she exited her daily meeting, and fell onto the floor with all the contents in his hands flying in all different directions.
"Are you alright Zack?" Cam asked, bending down to pick up the papers around her feet and giving him the once over to make sure he wasn't injured.
"I'm so sorry that I'm late." He said breathlessly looking at his watch reading almost ten before crawling on his knees to grab the piece of paper that had fallen under a desk. "I couldn't find Angela or Hodgins this morning and I took three busses to get here, but I missed the one on M Street so I had to run all the way here. . ." He was turning purple.
"Zack, breathe." Cam said, setting the papers on the desk and placed a hand on her shoulder, he stopped talking and inhaled, exhaled before his color returned back to normal. "Don't worry about it, just get to work."
The anthropologist opened his eyes slowly, surprised that she didn't scold him or fire him for that matter for being that late. He shook his head and picked up the papers, before wandering to his workstation and it wasn't until he sat down that he realized that he was alone on the platform. Leaning forward to see that the light in Angela's office was turned off and leaning backwards to see that Doctor Brennan's was turned off also and there wasn't a light from the screen saver, showing that she hadn't been in yet.
It wasn't until Doctor Saroyan called his name some ten minutes later, causing him to jump and wander to the pathology lab. "Yes Doctor Saroyan?" He squeaked as she handed him a pair of gloves.
"I figured since it's the two of us, you can help me with his guy." Cam said, pointing to the autopsy that she was currently working on, a severely decomposed body that held minimal tissue that held the interest of the pathologist. "We need to authenticate this man, he was found in Northern Maine."
"Isn't Doctor Brennan the one who usually does that? I mean . . ." He stuttered overwhelmed by the chance to prove himself as a forensic anthropologist.
"Seeing as Doctor Brennan isn't here, I figured I would ask the other anthropologist in the lab and last time I checked that was you." She said with a small smile on her face. He nodded, as she turned to leave and he opened his mouth then closed it as if she was going to ask a question, but decided against it. "What Zack?"
"Where is everybody else?" He asked snapping the gloves.
Cam sighed, it wasn't her place to tell the man. "Doctor Brennan has an appointment and she will be in later, I'm not sure about Angela and Hodgins." She answered lamely, but not lying. "Come on Zacaroni, let's figure out what this John Doe's name is."
The pathologist started filling out the report, glancing up at the young man from time to time and frowned slightly, wondering exactly how he was going to take the news that was between their colleagues. It was easy for her to detach herself from the situation and remain in a neutral place because she was their boss, a professional. Unlike Zack, who looked up to both woman and would feel obligated to pick sides, she couldn't pick sides.
She sighed again, if only her words to Angela convinced her that Hodgins really did love her and for everyone's sake she hoped Angela made the right decision. And in Doctor Camille Saroyan's professional opinion was to marry Hodgins. "Doctor Saroyan? Are you alright?" Asked Zack, looking up from the remains.
"I'm fine Zack." Cam said.
"I've read in many studies that sighing. . ." Zack started, but stopped as Brennan walked into the pathology lab, pulling a lab coat over her outfit with Booth at her heels. "Good afternoon, Doctor Brennan."
Cam looked up surprised to see the woman and the man standing in the doorway. "I apologized for being late." She said in a small voice.
"It's alright, Doctor Brennan." Cam answered, looking to Booth who was standing uncomfortably behind the doctor. "I left a file on your desk I would like you to go over it." She nodded and walked around Booth heading towards her office, the three sets of eyes watching her.
It wasn't until Zack's mouth opened slightly in shock. "What's wrong, kid?" Booth asked, stepping up to the table. He shut his mouth and shook his head. "Come on, spit it out."
"Her gait has changed as if her ilia is shifting to open the. . ." Zack said awkwardly and looking to his feet. "Birth canal."
Booth clasped him on the shoulder remembering the same words Brennan had said to a suspect, not that long ago. "You're too smart to for your own good, Zack." He said with a weak smile. "Just don't ask her about it, unless she brings it up."
Zack nodded as Cam motioned for him to follow her into her office. They both took a seat before the questions started coming from Cam. "So it went well?" She asked sarcastically.
"You could say that." Booth answered, his hand went to his face and rubbing his tired eyes. "She's positively pregnant and is due the first week in September. I also learned something very valuable this morning, that morning sickness doesn't just happen in the morning."
"I could've told you that. . ." Cam started, but was cut off.
"I don't want to hear your scientific explanation, it's just going to make my head hurt." Booth said with a slight smile. "The doctor said that her blood pressure is high and she needs to get it under control or she is going to end up on bed rest, and made her blood pressure go even higher, hopefully it'll go down now."
Cam sighed. "I know how much she doesn't like psychology . . ."
"It's a soft science." Booth quoted.
"But once she gets used to the fact that she's pregnant then she'll calm down."Cam answered with a smile as Zack tapped on the door.
Both turned to look at him. "Booth, Doctor Brennan would like to see you in her office."
The pair looked at each other, confused. It wasn't like Temperance Brennan to send someone else to search for anyone and he jumped to his feet. "Is she okay?"
"Her stature suggests that she is mildly agitated and her voice seemed higher in pitch as if she was upset." Zack said as the agent pushed passed him towards her office and through the window sat Brennan on her couch and the entomologist sitting across from her.
Booth opened the door slowly and took a seat next to the anthropologist, taking her small hand in his. Hodgins looked up and smiled weakly. "How are you feeling, Doctor Brennan." He asked.
"Are you sure you want to know how I feel?" She asked, she had dark circles around her eyes and lost all pigment in her skin.
Booth chuckled at her side before he spoke, "Have you talked with Angela?"
"Yes." He said grimly. "She did agree to marry me but . . ." His attention went to anywhere but Brennan. What he had to say to her would hurt her and ensure a bullet to the brain. "She agreed to marry me, if I give up all paternal rights and. . ."
Before he could finish, a wave of nausea took over the good doctor and she dashed out of her office to the bathroom, with both men running after her. Once inside the women restroom, Booth turned the lock at the door and Brennan managed to lock the stall door, leaving the men on the outside of the stall.
Hodgins looked to Booth guiltily as the contents of her stomach finally came out and Brennan sat with her back against the wall. "Are you alright, Bones." Booth asked.
"Fine." Came her response and Booth motioned for Hodgins to continue.
"Angela said that she doesn't want Doctor Brennan in the wedding party." He said as the sound of Brennan's soft cries from the other side of the door filled the small space. "It was the compromise we reached after I told her that if you wanted to be there, then so be it."
The latch opened and Brennan stepped out of the stall, wrapping the shorter man into a hug. Booth watched with a smile and placed a hand on her small back, he was happy that their friendship wasn't suffering despite their current situation. Soon their embrace ended and she wrapped her arms around Booth, leaving him to mouth his thanks to Hodgins. "Come on Bones, let take you home."
She nodded without argument, catching both men by surprise as they walked out of the women's bathroom, gaining a strange look from Zack who had moved to the main lab.
Zack watched as they went back to Brennan's office and soon exited with their things. Looking at the clock on the wall read quarter to one, he frowned. Something was really wrong when Doctor Brennan was only at work for forty two minutes.
It wasn't until Cam came out of her office that brought him out of his thoughts. "Come on Zack, let's go get something for lunch and head out for the day." Cam said before helping him put the remains away. "It looks like we aren't going to get anything accomplished today."
