CHAPTER 7
Brennan had a wild look in her eyes. "What is he trying to do, Booth? Why would he have this girl, Emma lie to us? Why would he kill Agent Peters and Johnny Red?" Brennan's mind was reeling and she could not stop pacing. Booth had managed to get her to the nearest empty waiting room. It was nearly 1:00 in the morning, Brennan was exhausted, but the anger had taken over all of her senses.
"Slow down, Bones, we don't know anything yet. I've got Cullen pulling the file on Andy Branson right now. We'll have the report within a half hour. We'll see if her story adds up," Booth told Brennan.
Brennan was having none of it. She continued pacing, "Why did I let myself get so close to this case? I actually felt sorry for the girl," Brennan said.
"Hey, Bones, wait a second there. You felt sorry for her because of what she went through. She didn't fake that, you saw her injuries yourself," Booth tried to talk reason with his partner, which is usually what she was good at doing.
"She's lying, Booth. Probably to cover something up for my father. Did she really think that I would buy her story…that the man in that picture is her father? The man in that picture is MY father!" Brennan had stopped pacing and was now standing directly in front of Booth.
"Will you calm down, Bones? You're too emotional and you are jumping to conclusions, which is one thing that you don't do. Doesn't that tell you that you are being a little too emotional?" Booth placed his arms on her shoulders. She moved away from him. Probably not the best thing to say to her in this circumstance, Booth thought after the fact.
"None of this makes ANY sense!" Brennan shouted as she collapsed into one of the standard, uncomfortable waiting room chairs.
"Exactly, so let's just wait and see what the report says about Andy Branson, okay?" Booth sat in a chair next to Brennan.
She stared straight ahead, her elbows on her knees and her hands folded in front of her. Her hair was behind her ear, perfectly framing her face. This day had to be the most confusing day of her life. What was she so mad about, anyway? None of the information added up and really, this Emma Branson had no motive whatsoever to make anything up. Brennan curved her lips and sighed.
"You're right," she finally confessed.
Booth was stunned. He was trying to get her to calm down at best; he never thought he would actually hear what he thought had just heard. "I'm right? Wow, that's a first coming from you," Booth replied.
Brennan clenched her jaw and pursed her lips, thinking about the possible explanations…there simply weren't any. "We'll wait for the report. You asked for everything on Andy Branson?" Brennan asked Booth.
"Yeah, and also," he paused as he looked down toward the floor and then back at Brennan, "everything on your father."
"Yeah, I figured you would do that," she replied. Once again, Booth was amazed. For once, they were completely in sync.
Booth contemplated his next question for a while before actually letting it out, "Bones, did you even think for an instant that maybe, just maybe, Emma is telling the truth?" Booth gave Brennan a meaningful look.
Brennan returned his gaze and sighed once more. "Of course, I did, Booth. I just don't see how it could possibly be true."
"Do you think maybe there is still more you don't know about your father? He led a double life with you and Russ, he could have done it with others as well," Booth was walking a fine line, but he knew it had to be said. "Maybe you have a sister, Bones."
Brennan knew it was actually the most logical explanation to everything that had transpired that day. So many things were running through her mind, she couldn't concentrate very well. The tears returned to the corners of her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a man entering the waiting room.
"Agent Booth?" the man inquired. He held a brown envelope.
"Yeah, that's me," Booth stood up.
"The file you requested," the man handed them over.
"Thanks," Booth replied. The man left. Booth returned to his seat next to Brennan. He placed the file on the table between them. "You ready for this?" he asked her.
Brennan stared at the envelope sitting on the table. She didn't know what to think. Answers. She just wanted answers at this point. "Can you really be ready for something like this?" she asked him.
Booth gave her a knowing look and proceeded to open the envelope marked "Andrew Branson."
"Andrew Branson. Married to Elizabeth McCauley in 1978. One daughter, Emma Joy Branson, born October 11th, 1980," Booth read off of the file.
Brennan reacted to the name and said, "Joy."
Booth looked over at her. He continued reading as Brennan leaned back in the chair. "Elizabeth Branson killed March 27th, 1986. Car accident," Booth continued, "Emma said her mom died when she was 5. That matches with 1986."
"Yeah," Brennan said, staring again at the ground. Could this girl really be her sister? Well, half sister?
"Andrew Branson went missing on November 18th, 2001. Daughter reported him missing, but no evidence turned up and the case is still officially open," Booth finished as he closed the file. "Now we have to cross reference this with your father's official file, which will take a little more time. You should really get some rest, Temperance," Booth told her as he saw the circles under her eyes and the furrow in her brow.
"Rest, right," she replied, still looking at the ground. "Go home to my empty apartment and lie in bed for 5 hours with thoughts of all of this running through my head. I won't be sleeping, trust me," she added as she started to stand up.
Booth stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Bones, look at me," he tenderly insisted.
Brennan slowly turned to him. She didn't want to have to deal with any new shockers in her life. She had already found out enough about her father and now there was more to the story? Why couldn't she just have a normal life? Why?
"Booth, I just don't want to have to deal with my father and his past. There's always something new happening. I don't think I'll ever learn everything about him," she said.
"You may not, but if all of this checks out, then look at the bright side," Booth began as he gave her his usual shoulder squeeze, which he seemed to be doing a lot today.
"Which would be what, exactly?" Brennan inquired.
"You might finally have that chance at a family," he finished as he motioned towards Emma's room.
Brennan's smile broke through ever so slightly. He might just be right.
