OK…this chapter is gonna be loaded with my unique brand of darkness…ENJOY!!!
Chapter 7
The rest of the drive to Booth's apartment was in silence. They had both felt the wall go up around Soph-Schuy-Astrid and her face was once more the stony mask he'd first seen.
Brennan would glance at Booth occasionally and he would glance back. Neither knew what to say.
When they reached his apartment, Booth slipped into protector mode and got out of the car, his eyes scanning the landscape like a hawk's. As they entered the apartment, he eyed the hallway cautiously.
"At ease, soldier. They couldn't have traced me this fast. Then again…even if they had…"
She trailed off and he looked at her curiously. Her eyes flashed dangerously and, despite her injuries, she bent and rose again in one fluid motion, a dagger in her hand. The blade was thin and deadly. Intricate carvings ran up the blade and the hilt was decorated as well. Possibly more frightening than the weapon was the grin on her face.
He'd never seen her smile before but there was nothing youthful or kind in her smile.
Something dark and terrifying was filling her eyes. And being an ex-Ranger didn't quell his momentary fear.
"Where did you get that?"
Her grin widened a fraction, only adding to the obvious threat in it. She spun it incredibly fast so the hilt was pointed towards him. She nodded for him to take it which he did, apprehensively.
"Custom made for my sixteenth birthday. Just so you can calm yourself…I think it's only fair to inform you that not only am I an expert with this but I was also taught to fight using a variety of more…unique weapons."
Brennan, to say the least, looked interested as she looked glanced up from examining the dagger.
"Such as?"
"Broadsword…crossbow…scimitar…I've also got some experience handling samurai swords. Picked up that skill during one of my martial arts classes…my teacher taught me how to handle them on the side. Not to mention I got a pair of sai for my thirteenth birthday that I love. All of them birthday gifts from Uncle Sonny. He said that I should know how to handle myself in a situation where a firearm of some kind just doesn't do the trick…or in my point of view…where it doesn't give the same kind of satisfaction."
Booth finally found himself able to admit that there was something truly scary about this young woman.
"You have a set of sai? Really?"
He looked at Brennan, a little aghast of her excitement.
"Yes. They're gorgeous. Thank the Godfather that I thought to hide all my favorite personal items and weapons before I started this…I can get them all later."
"I'm sorry…'thank…the Godfather?' As in the movie with Marlon Brando?"
"What? Too 'mobster' for you? Deal with it, handsome. You just took in DC's one and only 'Mafia Princess.'"
An hour later, Brennan was returning from the location Astrid had provided her with. Two duffel bags were what she'd found and she quickly loaded them into Booth's SUV and returned to the apartment. They had agreed Brennan would be safest leaving the apartment because it was more likely if they were watching Astrid that they would also be watching Booth.
Booth was sitting on the couch looking at the TV but she could tell he wasn't really watching. Astrid was sitting at the other end of the couch, absentmindedly twirling her dagger. She looked up as Brennan entered the room, the dagger stilling immediately and her body tensing as if ready to fight. Booth noticed it as well and they both felt pangs of sadness, realizing that this was probably a normal reaction for her. But what happened next was surprising.
Her eyes seemed to light up brilliantly and an honest-to-God smile sprung onto her face. She practically jumped over the couch before rushing up to Brennan.
She took one of the heavy bags from Brennan and hauled it over to the couch before setting it down. She unzipped it eagerly and Booth almost found himself smiling. She was like a small child at Christmas. But he found himself disappointed as he saw what she pulled from the bag.
An unloaded crossbow was examined carefully and almost affectionately.
A broadsword, complete with scabbard was unsheathed and she meticulously checked for damage. She balanced it on a single finger and suddenly tossed it up, spun, and caught it, settling into a fighting pose. Her smile was enormous.
She set down the sword and dug around in her bag a few minutes, removing the occasional weapon, examining it, and setting it aside with the others.
She seemed to be searching for something specific and they finally heard her let out a sigh of happiness and relief.
She pulled out a bundle of material. She unfolded the fabric slowly to reveal a pair of what looked like daggers. He heard Brennan catch her breath. He assumed these were the sai she'd mentioned earlier. It looked like a dagger only unsharpened. Plus there were two long and unsharpened, prongs on each side stemming from the handle. She looked at them almost lovingly.
She looked up at him and he saw genuine contentment in her eyes. Holding up the sai, her index and middle fingers straddling the center prong, she showed them to him.
"With these…" She gestured to the other weapons as well, "I know what I'm doing. I know how to handle myself. I can take care of myself."
The way she said it let both Brennan and Booth know how important taking care of herself was.
She put all the weapons back in the bag except the sai. She lifted the hem of her shirt and he noticed the tiny holes on the each side of her jeans. She tucked each of them into one of the small holes and left them there. She put the bag aside, moving to take the bag at Brennan's feet.
She was smiling again but it was a more relaxed smile. Peaceful rather than excited. Perhaps she just felt better knowing she could defend herself if need be. He found himself amending that assumption once again as she opened the next bag.
Her hands skimmed the bindings of at least a dozen books.
He doubted he would ever understand this girl. Just when he thought he'd figured something out about her, she through a curve ball.
She shifted the books to the side and he saw more books, paperbacks and hardcovers in varying sizes. There had to be at least 40 books there.
"Wow…you weren't kidding. You read a lot."
"This is only a dent in my collection. I converted the walk-in closet in my room into a mini library. I only took the important ones."
"Any clothe?"
She frowned.
"Unfortunately, no. I was able to sneak out the weapons by saying I was getting them cleaned and the books by saying I was donating them. Clothes would have really blown it."
"I'm sure I have some things that will fit you."
She looked at Brennan and nodded a 'thank you.'
"I appreciate that."
She sighed and brushed some of her hair back from her face. Her fingers caught in the strands and she looked at the dark blonde color for a moment. Something like sadness crossed her face for an instant.
"Can I…maybe take a shower?"
The nervous quality to her voice was unsettling to them both. But Booth caught the look she gave her hair and remembered the picture of her family. She used to have brown hair. He nodded gently and went to a hall closet and pulled down some towels.
"Second door on the left."
She nodded and thanked him before disappearing into the room.
"Was it just me…or did she seem nervous?"
"I think when she comes out of there she's gonna look a little different, Bones…"
Brennan thought for a minute and then nodded in understanding.
Sure enough…an hour later…they heard the door open and they both turned.
Her hair was completely rid of the blonde coloring and was dark and curling where it stopped in the middle of her back.
She'd ditched the colored contacts as well, revealing for the first time the dark brown color that they really were.
Dark, brown eyes that looked almost disturbed.
"You OK?"
She nodded but there was an uncertainty to the gesture.
"I just…when I looked in the mirror. I didn't know who I was looking at."
Booth gave her a gentle smile before going to stand in front of her. When he was less than a foot from her, she seemed to realize he'd moved and her two hands wrapped around her stomach, her fingers within and inch reach of the weapons on her hips, and stepped back.
He stopped and his smile faltered a bit.
"It's OK. I'm not gonna hurt you."
She seemed to pause at the soothing tone of his voice. Then she shook herself and he saw the darkness flash in her eyes.
"Yea…how many people do you think I said that to in my life before…well…I guess you know. Look, I'm beat…literally and figuratively. Mind if I crash?"
His smile dropped completely and he gestured to a door further down the hall.
"Sure, last door on your left."
She walked past him and hauled up the two duffel bags. He refrained from moving to help her with them, knowing it would more than likely piss her off. She shut the door behind her and he returned to the couch.
He dropped his head back and shut his eyes.
"You OK?"
He opened his eyes to see Brennan sitting beside him.
"I hope I can keep up with her, Bones. She goes back and forth so fast. One minute she looks like a child…innocent and untainted. Then she flashes over to something dark and almost…evil."
"She's not evil, Booth. She's had the worst life imaginable. It's only natural for her to be like this. Especially with you."
"What do you mean?"
"Well…she's been surrounded by dangerous men all her life. Now, here you are, being the man you are and she's unsure how to act. You're taking her by surprise just like she is doing to you. Give it some time. You'll reach her eventually. And I'm here to help."
He smiled at her and reached for her hand. He squeezed it gently and pulled her into a hug that she returned.
"Thanks, Bones."
"Of course."
Her head dropped onto his shoulder and they just sat for awhile. After several minutes he felt her breathing even out. He glanced down to see her sleeping, he smiled and tightened his grip around her before closing his eyes and drifting off.
A/N: There you go…some BB plus some of my dark and twistiness thrown in for effect!!lol..I hope no one gets too confused with names. It's Astrid now though for good. I hope…lol…Also...thanks to JP for helping me remember the names of some of these insane weapons...lol...