And, I'm back! I'm trying to keep up my updates I promise! All the lovely reviews are keeping me motivated too, I must say! Thank you all. Anyway, own nothing, still. Imagine.

BB

Silence followed Angela's statement as Dr. Herd stared at the group with wide eyes. She was the first to speak in stilted sentences. "I thought you…when did you…wow."

"That was our reaction too….with a few more tears and a little more shock, though." Hodgins was the first to answer. "It's a very long story…who wants to reiterate it?"

No one volunteered immediately, so Brennan sighed. "I doubt you care enough to hear the entire story…"

"No, trust me." Dr. Herd shook her head. "I have heard nothing since I got here but the wonder that was Dr. Temperence Brennan. I'm thrilled…I'm thrilled the news your death was a rumor, and I would like to know details, but you don't seem keen on sharing them."

Brennan slipped her hand out of Booth's and held it out to the woman, who took it in a wary handshake. "Please don't think it's just because of you, Dr. Herd, it's just….I've done it twice today, Booth has done it once, and frankly it's rather painful to both of us. I'm sure my team feels the same way. The rough overview is that I was on a mission in Uraguay, I was discovered by guerilla fighters, and in order to protect the ones that I love I had to die. Now they're gone, and I'm alive."

"Good enough for me." The new scientist smiled warmly, and there was a visible relaxation among the team. "Now, you were going to go break the news to Dr. Goodman?"

"Yes, and I'm afraid by the time we get there he'll get the same version as you did….or we'll be held hostage until we tell him the full story." Hodgins grinned, obviously knowing the persuasive tactics of his superior well.

"I'm betting on the held hostage bit." Angela grinned.

"Me too." Brennan sighed. "I guess we need to go ahead and get it over with then. Dr. Herd, care to join us?"

"Yes, if you don't mind." Dr. Herd's expression was mild, but everyone looking on could tell there was some tension behind it. "I need to discuss with him the new terms of employment."

An awkward silence covered the group again, but this time it was Brennan who broke it. "Dr. Herd, I have no intention of taking your job away. I fully understand that things…things change."

"I have no intention of taking away the job you were obviously meant to do." Dr. Herd answered, smiling a little too much.

"I can't come back and just take your job away." Brennan protested, not noticing the horrified looks that her colleagues were giving her. "I won't steal your job. If Goodman can possibly make an opening…"

Dr. Herd shook her head. "You are the head of this department…even after you were gone there was no doubt about that. I can work other places in this institution; I'm sure of it. ."

"But…"

"Dr. Brennan!" Zach interrupted his mentor, an occurrence so rare that everyone stopped and stared. He colored under the attention. "Could I…could I possibly speak to you in private?"

Too shocked to say no, Brennan followed her assistant into Angela's office, closing the door behind her. "What is it, Zach?"

Now that he had time to thing about it, the young assistant was obviously horrified that he had even thought of dragging the older scientist away from an important conversation. "I'm sorry, Dr. Brennan, I didn't mean…"

"Obviously you did." A smile played at Brennan's mouth, and a still-sheepish Zach nodded.

"Well, I did mean to get your attention, but not to interrupt an important conversation, so I guess…"

"What did you need to tell me, Zach?" It was obvious that if he wasn't interrupted soon the explanation/apology would continue for days.

Zach turned crimson. "Dr. Brennan…you can't not come back. Dr. Herd is right…you belong here. You are our leader, and no one else can fill that….you can't come back from the dead and not come back where you belong."

The stammered words filled Brennan's eyes with tears, but she shook her head. "I can't possibly take someone's job away from them..this is a dream job for anyone in this field."

"I don't think Dr. Herd is enjoying it."

Raising her eyebrows, Brennan looked at Zach quizzically. "How is that possible?"

Zach turned even redder, and lowered his eyes. "Well, if her team isn't…well, if her team resents her for taking their dearest assets' spot…then her team would…well, not be quite as pleasant as they might be normally."

"You all didn't." Seeing Zach lower his chin even further, if that was possible, Brennan knew that they did. "You actually resented her for taking my place? That doesn't make sense…she didn't kill me."

"She wasn't you." The simple phrase was mumbled, and warmed Brennan's heart so much she could stay mad.

"Regardless, she can't just be kicked out…if she wishes to take a job in another sector, she will. If not…"

"She will, Dr. Brennan." Zach's chin lifted slightly, and he smiled at his mentor. "You belong with us."

She couldn't help but smile, and she nodded. "I hope I will, but I refuse to take another woman's job."

Zach nodded, and opened the door for his teacher. The group on the other side was awkwardly silent, and there was an audible sigh of relief when they saw the pair emerging from the office.

"So, did you get everything discussed you needed to, Bones?" Booth's eyes held more of a question than the actual words, and Brennan's told him she'd answer all the unspoken later.

"Yes." One word was not enough to quell the looks she was getting from the rest of the team, so she sighed. "Listen, Dr. Herd, I do not want to steal your job. If, however, you believe you will be happier elsewhere or a position can be created, I would love to continue working here. This is my family."

"I can see that." Dr. Herd smiled, and the bitterness that was left softened a bit. "I've heard so much about you…you're a legend here, Dr. Brennan. And you." She turned to Booth, who straightened slightly and looked perplexed. "You're both a legend. The great Dr. Temperance Brennan and her partner, the knight in shining armor Special Agent Seeley Booth."

"Knight in FBI standard issue body armor, actually." Angela corrected, a smile creeping onto her features. In response, Brennan rolled her eyes, Booth smirked cockily, and Dr. Herd smothered a laugh.

"Yes, that too…I heard so many good things about you. I regret not being able to work as you partner."

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I only have one partner. My superior will tell you that the suggestion of a new one did not go over well." It was Brennan's turn to raise her eyebrows, and Booth responded with a squeeze.

"I can imagine." With a knowing look in her eye Dr. Herd surveyed the duo in front of her. "I'm glad you're ok, Dr. Brennan. I'd enjoy the opportunity to get to know you."

"Thanks. I look forward to it." Brennan returned the smile.

Hodgins voice cut through the moment, probably too sentimental for his taste. "Listen, if Goodman finds out in any way other than from us, we will all be worried about our jobs. Well, I won't, but the rest of you will be skrewed."

"Why won't you?" Dr. Herd surveyed him shrewedly.

A cheeky grin crept onto the face of the entomologist. "Because I am just that good, baby." Angela hit him on the arm. "Whaat? Oh, sorry, you're my only baby." Another hit and another whine later, the group had turned towards the doors, heading to the next reunion.

BB

And there it is! I apologize for the lack of utter cat-fightness…I would have put Cam in here and started a bar brawl, but I didn't want to force Cam into my story.

Sorry for the lack of B/B in this since the first few chapters…I'm trying to give all the characters a due, because I'm waay too likely to turn this into a full ship fic. They'll get their due, I promise. Brennan's got to go home with someone! ;-).

Reviews are still love.