A/N: Once again, you guys make my day - and thank you to my anonymous readers,I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
So now we get to part two of the conversation that was awkward and horrible to write. We find out what happened to Booth (some of it), and Brennan shows just how much she has grown in six years... Also want to apologise for any perceived military-bashing that goes on in this chapter. Brennan uses a classical argument against military commanders being out of touch with their soldiers and that's all. I'm not from the US, but I have full respect for what the US armed forces do, and for the strength of character that all enlisted personnel the world over need in order to face the hells they do.
Disclaimer. I own nothing!
"Dr Brennan,' Director Cullen began, "This is General Mitchell. We have been communicating with him over the... 'hiccup' in paperwork regarding Agent Booth's release from military service."
Mitchell bowed his head in salutation. "Doctor, the reports of your forensic ability to solve seemingly impossible cases are read with great interest on The Hill."
"Yes General, I am the best." Brennan didn't bat an eyelid, but found herself irritated with the man's patronising attitude. "But I cannot take all the credit in our successful solve rate."
Sweets noticed Brennan's slip into full-blown professional mode, and prayed that this would not end badly.
"Ah yes. The medico-legal lab at the Jeffersonian and your phenomenal partnership with Sergeant Major Booth . I know, Doctor. Now." Mitchell looked expectantly at Brennan. "How can I be of service?"
"Sergeant Major Booth's contract stipulated that he would remain in the non-combat zone for his tour of duty."
"That is correct. Your point?"
"Can you please explain to me, General, how poor the defences were for him to be captured by insurgents in a safe zone?"
The silence was thick as Brennan stared down the General. In the bedroom, Booth sat up. She knows? How... He remembered the readjusting of his blanket earlier. The scars. She thinks I broke my promise. He ran his hand over his face. She'll never let me see Parker now.
"I'm afraid that's classified information, Doctor."
"General Mitchell," Sweets saw that dangerous glint in her eye as she addressed the man. "I do not care for co-ordinates or logistics. I want the truth."
"The truth is in the letter you were sent as the Sergeant Major's medical proxy when informed of his release from duty. I cannot give you any more information than that."
"General." Brennan's tone was clipped as she pointed to the box behind her. "That box contained every piece of correspondence sent to me in the last seven months. I do not have anything from the military regarding Booth's wellbeing or early discharge from service amongst those papers. So tell me. What happened?"
"The Doctor does not lie, General, as I am sure you are well aware." Cullen looked slightly smug.
"I'm just going to get the file sent to me for confirmation." Mitchell beckoned to somebody off the camera. "In the broadest possible terms, Dr Brennan, Sergeant Major Booth and six rangers were at the training site in the safe zone when they were ambushed by a group of insurgents. They were taken to a known location and were retrieved without fatality to our men."
"How long." Brennan looked intently at the General.
"Excuse me?"
"How long were those men held at this 'known location' before being rescued?"
"Five days."
"Five days?" Brennan looked at the general in surprise. "I would not presume to advise you on the correct way to successfully undertake your chosen vocation, but five days is too long."
Booth nearly choked. She did not just do that. He started praying to all the saints for patience and serenity, a small glimmer of hope rising inside of him.
"Explain yourself Doctor."
"You have admitted that seven soldiers were being held at a known insurgent location, and yet the commanding officers chose to wait?"
"It's not that simple."
"Your Army left a non-combative army veteran and former prisoner of war and six soldiers unfamiliar with the pressures of combat in an enemy camp to be tortured for five days, General. Something could have been done."
Mitchell opened and closed his mouth as he found himself at the sharp end of cold, hard logic. This is one formidable woman. "You are correct Doctor."
Booth couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did Bones just get the army to admit fault? No. He was hearing things. In his office, Sweets was watching the conversation in fascination. If Booth doesn't watch out, Brennan is going to be running interrogations single-handedly.
"Methods of torture."
"Outlined in the letter."
"Which I never received," Brennan reminded him. "Lashings on back and feet?"
Mitchell nodded.
"Controlled electrocution?"
Mitchell nodded again.
"Psychological trauma."
Mitchell dropped his gaze guiltily.
"I'll accept that as an affirmative."
"Doctor, I don't see how this is relevant."
"How long was Booth in hospital?"
"Two weeks. He was flown back to Fort Benning before being discharged."
"What did the psych evaluation say?"
"Doctor – "
"What does it say?"
Mitchell took a file and started leafing through it. Finding a sheet, he closed his eyes and sighed. "The the Sergeant Major was shown to indicate symptoms of a possibly psychological break due to his reintroduction into a hostage situation for a period of time. The recommendation was for the Sergeant Major to be released into a stable social network for rehabilitation and recovery."
"And did that happen?"
"It appears that it didn't, Doctor." Mitchell waved a copy of paper at the camera. "I have here a copy of the release information sent to you as his medical proxy, Doctor. It has been entered and dated in the internal log."
"I would check the outgoing paperwork, General," Cullen cut in, his eyes intent.
Mitchell frowned and he paged through the file. "The processing forms are incomplete." He looked up. "This has been marked as complete on the log, but these forms have not been filled in."
"And his medical release forms?" Sweets cut in quickly.
"The duty doctor makes no mention of the Sergeant Major's psych evaluation. The note here is that 'SM Booth has physically healed enough to be released from the infirmary', and he was signed out by that doctor in mid-July."
"This appears to be yet another example of the complete disregard military commanders have for the lives of their men. Soldiers in combat zones are dehumanised to the point where they are just a number, another piece of paper lost in the process."
Mitchell met Brennan's steely gaze. "You are a rare woman, Dr Brennan. Iron resolve wrapped in care, compassion with the tenacity to match. No wonder your solve rate is so high." He offered her a smile. "If we had more officers like you, this conflict would be heading toward a completely different outcome."
Booth leaned back in the bed. She insults the military and he's just complimented her? Maybe I should go talk to somebody.
Mitchell continued. "Director Cullen, Doctors, there appears to have been a serious breach of protocol in this instance. I will personally see to the investigation of this matter and will have the relevant information to you in due course. I will also have those letters sent to you ASAP." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "There are a few members of my staff here who have served with the Sergeant Major during his earlier tours. They speak highly of him as a person and a soldier... they will take this personally. We will get to the bottom on this." He ducked his head to the screen. "Director Cullen, Doctors." With a smile, he cut the link.
"Dr Brennan, that was remarkable!" Cullen congratulated her. "You've managed to find out what happened to Agent Booth, now we can start putting things in place..."
"Physically."
"Pardon Doctor?"
"We've managed to establish what happened to Booth physically. Mentally, we're just beginning."
Cullen nodded, remembering the last time. "I know Doctor. But that should not detract from what you have achieved today." He shifted towards his keyboard. "Ms Julian will want to be appraised of the situation. You will be at Agent Booth's recertification tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"We will talk to you then. Just... look after them today."
Cullen cut the line and Sweets suddenly took up the entire screen. Brennan sat down, resting her chin on her hand as she met his gaze.
"Dr Brennan, you really have no idea who General Mitchell is, do you?" Her blank look confirmed his suspicions, and he shook his head. "It doesn't matter anyway. You've managed to resolve a significant part of the mystery surrounding Booth's return."
"But as I said, there is still a long way to go."
"There is."
"You're going to want to talk to him."
"And you." Sweets looked defensive. "It's my job!"
"You don't need to talk to me."
"Actually, I do. This can't be easy for you Dr Brennan. Agent Booth's is not the only world that has fallen apart here. And Parker won't be the only Booth you end up caring for."
"We're partners. He'd do the same for me."
"You're not partners anymore. At least, not yet. Again. But you're correct, he has done the same for you. Do you... feel obligated?"
"What? No Sweets, I want to do this. And do not even try to profile me, now is not a good time."
"I can see that." Remembering their earlier conversation, Sweets asked gently. "Temperance, when did you last sleep properly?"
"Define properly."
"A full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep." He took in her glare. "Wrong definition. When did you last actually sleep?"
"The day I left Maluku."
"Saturday? We should have asked Parker's foster parents to keep him for a few more days."
"No Sweets, I'm fine. And I have to get ready for Parker's arrival."
"Sure Dr Brennan. Until tomorrow." He hesitated. "If you need anything..."
"Thank you Sweets, I'll let you know." She cut the connection as the surprise registered on the psychologist's face.
She stood and sighed. It was quiet. Almost too quiet. Brennan checked the hallway. The guest room door was wide open. She walked in and sat down. Booth was lying on his back with an arm over his eyes.
"You heard."
"Yup."
"How much?"
"From when you out psyched the kid."
"Oh."
Booth sat up and looked at her. "You are incredible, did you know that?"
Booth took her puzzled and slightly embarrassed look as his cue to continue.
"Not only did you successfully, if inadvertently, interrogate the man in charge of the United States Armed Forces, but you managed to get him to give up classified information. You also got him to admit that the Army was wrong – the Army is never wrong Bones, never – and, after you insult his ability to command and question the general state of the armed forces, he still likes you enough to pay you the highest compliment he could." He pointed a finger at Brennan. "That is incredible. No wonder Cullen was gloating."
"I did nothing of the sort. I just wanted the truth, and I got it."
"Yes you did Bones." He closed his eyes and sighed. "And now you know."
She cleared her throat. "I have gathered enough information regarding your movements in Afghanistan, yes. And I feel that I would be able to establish an informed hypothesis as to your mental state at the time of your release from Fort Benning. However, I am still missing the information from you that is necessary to implement avenues of rehabilitation." She looked at the exhausted man in front of her. "Your psych evaluation recommended that you be rehabilitated within a strong familial setting."
"I got that Bones," he said bitterly, not opening his eyes.
She ignored him. "You spent a long time getting me to accept that I do, in fact, have a large and supportive family comprising people I care for and who care for me. I may have spent time fighting it, but I am aware just how special that family is." He opened an eye to look at her. "We're your family too, don't forget that. And Caroline and Cullen and Gordon Gordon and Parker. You have a large and loving family. We have your best interests at heart and we will help you when you need it. I will make sure that happens."
"You have evolved Bones."
"So I have been informed." She looked at the poker chip clenched in one hand. "It's not your fault, and no, you didn't break your promise to me. I... believe that you wouldn't." She tried to catch his gaze and failed. "Do you feel slightly more secure in the knowledge that there are people who believe in you?" His silence answered her question. "It takes time, I know. When you're comfortable talking to somebody I'll be here too."
Brennan saw that Booth's eyes were drooping, and ignoring his silent protests, she covered him with a blanket. "Get some sleep. I'll wake you when Parker arrives." He surprised himself by falling asleep before she left the room. He felt a little less alone.
Brennan found that she had lost track of time as she stared out the window. It had been a long and strenuous morning. Her vague contemplation of the sleet outside was interrupted by a knock at the door. Her pulse quickened as she checked her watch. Parker.
And so we have an idea about what happened to Booth. The poor man has a long way to go, and I pity Sweets those upcoming sessions. But here comes Parker, and we find out more about Booth's actions in DC in the next few chapters. Did I mention there was Parker?
Let me know what you think, and what your thoughts on the purpose of Brennan's blacklisting... I'm writing those chapters now. I should have the next chap up tomorrow.
Hope you enjoyed this one!
xox ~CF
