CHAPTER 9:
"Kentucky?" Brennan questioned. "Kentucky." She back looked down at her daughter, an air of sadness washing through her. "How long would we have to be gone?"
"However long it'll take us to solve the case," Booth replied. He waited for Brennan to make eye contact with him before he continued. "Despite sending in a request for our help-well, your help, really-the big wig officer in charge won't let us take complete control over the remains. They stay in Kentucky."
"Will we look for Morgan as well?" Brennan hesitantly asked.
"Yeah, we can do that," Booth said. "Might as well make the best of our time there. But remember, Kentucky is a big state..."
Brennan was silent, deep in thought for a moment as she pondered her options. She looked back down at Lilah. "We'll have to get someone to watch Lily while we're gone."
Booth nodded. "How about your brother?"
Brennan shook her head. "He and Amy took the girls down to Florida to visit Disney World. What about Jared and Padme?"
"Not gonna happen," Booth replied. "He may have straightened his life out, but he's still fairly irresponsible. No way I'm allowing him to take care of our daughter for an extended period of time. Max?"
"I...I'm not sure I feel comfortable with that," Brennan admitted. She didn't need to explain her reasoning, Booth implicitly understood. Her abandonment issues were coming out. Brennan adjusted her position on the couch under Booth's scrutinizing gaze. "How about Rebecca? That way Lily could spend some time with her brother. Parker would love that, wouldn't he?"
"I can't ask Rebecca to do that," Booth said. "She and Brent are in the middle of planning their wedding. They have enough on their plate already."
Brennan nodded in understanding. But they were running out of options.
A voice at the-now open-doorway startled them out of their conversation. "What about me? I can take care of her while you're gone."
"Ange, you would've been the first person I asked," Brennan explained. "You know that. It's just...well, I'm sure you're going to be really busy here helping us with the case. Plus you're five months pregnant, and I didn't want to burden you with taking care of a 7 month old."
"Really, Angela. We appreciate the offer, but it'll be too much for you to handle," Booth said.
"Nonsense," Angela said as she waved her hand through the air. "I'll have Hodgins here to help me. Plus, I usually have the most down time, out of anyone here at the lab. And Lily can spend the day here with me. She's here all the time anyways...and it's not like you've had much luck at keeping my goddaughter away from me in the past. Well, except for the times that Cam is in here. Then I can't get anywhere near Lily."
Brennan looked over at Booth. The offer was tempting. It didn't hurt that they trusted Angela the most out of their other options. Brennan smiled, and finally relented. "Fine. But make sure she continues to eat healthy. And don't be spoiling her either."
Angela smiled brightly as she came to grab Lily out of Brennan's arms. "I wouldn't dream of it. I only give her things that she needs or deserves. And, let's face it...she's a good kid, so she deserves a lot!"
"We're serious, Angela," Booth replied, but was interrupted.
"Oh, calm down, G-man," Angela retorted. "I promise we'll be good. Now where are you going, anyways?"
"We got a case in Kentucky," Booth answered. "We're leaving tonight, and I'm not sure how long we'll be gone."
Angela nodded her head. "Okay." She turned her head towards Brennan. "By the way, the reason I came in here is to tell you that the remains have arrived. Wendell and Clark are laying them out now."
Brennan jumped up off the couch and hurried to grab her lab coat. "Why didn't you say anything before, Ange?"
Angela laughed. "Because they only just arrived. And I figured that we'd solve one problem at a time."
Brennan rolled her eyes as she buttoned up her lab coat. She turned her attention to Booth. "I'm going to perform another preliminary examination on the remains. Once I've completed that, I'll let Mr. Bray and Dr. Edison conduct the rest of the analysis. Then we can go home and pack for Kentucky." She turned and rushed out of her office without waiting for Booth to answer.
"Well, she's certainly determined to get to work," Angela said. She grinned and then turned towards Booth. She walked over to the couch and sat down, placing Lily on her lap. "Hodgins tells me that you had a little difficulty with your daughter this morning."
Booth sighed, letting a small smile grace his lips. "Turns out she likes to argue with me over her independence just as much as her mother does."
Angela laughed. "And why was she even at the Hoover this morning? Usually Bren keeps her here at the lab. Does the FBI even allow agents to bring their babies into work?"
"It was a one-time thing," Booth explained. "Bones wanted me to keep an eye on Lily while she took care of the exhumation and analysis of Morgan's remains."
"Right," Angela said. "Not that I'm complaining-which I'm not, 'cause you know I love the little girl-but why haven't you found a babysitter or nanny yet? Or enrolled her in childcare?"
"Bones doesn't want to do that," Booth replied. "She hasn't spent more than a few hours away from Lily since she was born. It worries her when Lily's out of her sight. Plus, she's really uneasy about leaving Lily with a complete stranger."
"That's understandable," Angela stated. "Especially considering Bren's past. Is she gonna be okay leaving Lily for a few days, maybe even a week or two?"
Booth shook his head. "I'm not sure."
"Well, you know you can trust me," Angela said. "Plus, Hodgins's mansion has security up the Wazoo. So there's really no need to worry."
"I know," Booth said. "Thanks, Ange."
"Anytime, G-Man. Anytime." Angela stood up and gave Lily back to Booth. "I should probably get some work done. Maybe I can get a lead on where Morgan actually is, while Bren tries to figure out who those remains really belong to."
"Ange, wait!" Booth said. He waited for her to turn around before continuing. "Do you think you could start a little early on watching Lily?"
"Yeah, sure," Angela smiled as she crossed her arms over her chest. She questioningly raised her eyebrow at Booth. "May I ask why?"
Booth stood up and walked over towards Angela. "Because...," he began as he handed Lilah over to her, "while Bones is working on the remains, I'm gonna swing by to pick up Sweets and then make a quick run down to FCI Petersburg. I'd like to have a talk with Tristian before I head out of town."
"Do you think that's a good idea?" Angela questioned. "Bren hasn't been able to get anything from him, other than that he didn't really kill Morgan."
"That's why I'm bringing Sweets," Booth replied. "I'll question Tristian, maybe I'll mention Kentucky. Then Sweets will tell me what Tristian is trying to hide."
"Okay, but be careful," Angela warned. "I'll tell Bren after you leave. I'll make sure she gets home in a few hours to get started on packing."
"Great, thanks, Ange. I appreciate it."
"No problem-o, G-Man." Angela winked before walking out of Brennan's office and into her own, with baby girl Booth in tow.
oOo
"Hey, sweetie," Angela said as she walked up the stairs of the platform. "You about ready to go?"
Brennan slightly shook her head, keeping her attention on the remains spread out in front of her. "Go?"
"Yeah. Go," Angela smiled. "You've been bent over the remains for the past 4 hours, Bren. I told Booth I'd get you home so you could start packing the things you'll need for Kentucky."
"You're going to Kentucky, Dr. Brennan?" Wendell questioned.
Brennan nodded her head. "My presence was requested for a case." Brennan went back to concentrating on the remains.
Angela walked up and placed her arm around Brennan's shoulders. "Which is why you need to get home to get ready. Booth should be getting back soon, and I had made him a promise that I'd get you out of the lab. Now let's go." Angela began to pull Brennan away from the autopsy table.
"But I'm not finished yet, Ange," Brennan protested. She looked over her shoulder towards the remains. "I have to finish my examination."
"Wendell and Clark are more than capable of doing that," Angela reasoned. "They can handle it, Bren. Don't worry. Now get into your office and get your things. I'm going to go get Lily, who-I might add-is sleeping peacefully in my office after having watched footage from the aquarium on my big TV."
Brennan smiled slightly at her friend's statement, but stopped walking.
When Angela realized that Brennan was no longer walking beside her, she turned around. "Sweetie, is everything okay?"
"Am I doing the right thing?"
"Right thing about what?" Angela questioned.
Brennan placed her hands on her hips. "Leaving. Is it the right thing to do?"
Angela smiled. "You're not leaving, sweetie. You're traveling to Kentucky to work on a case. It's not like you're planning to stay there forever. You'll be back. Lily will be fine."
"It just...it doesn't feel like I'm doing the right thing, Ange."
"But you are," Angela stated. "You're going away to solve a murder. You're definitely doing the right thing."
"Somehow I don't think Lily will see it that way," Brennan argued. "She cannot comprehend the idea of murder. She'll see me leave, and I won't be back for a few days. Maybe a week. During the time I'm gone, she'll think I've abandoned her. I can't...I won't..." Brennan took a deep, calming breath and sighed. "She shouldn't have to think things like that, Ange."
"Sweetie, Lily knows you're always here for her," Angela said. "She has no reason to think you've abandoned her. If she can't comprehend murder, then I'm pretty sure she can't comprehend abandonment."
"Yes she can, Ange," Brennan pointed out. "She'll need me, or want me, and I won't be there. I won't be there for her." Brennan crossed her arms over her chest. "Perhaps I should no longer go work in the field. At least not on cases that require me to leave for extended periods of time."
"Dr. Temperance Brennan, not go in the field?" Angela scoffed. "Now I've heard everything." Angela wrapped her arm around Brennan's shoulder and began to lead her friend into her office.
"I don't know what that means," Brennan said as she allowed herself to be guided into her office.
"Yes, you do," Angela stated. "Now get your things ready."
Brennan smiled as she walked towards her desk. "Do you think Booth would be upset if I asked one of my interns to come along with us. You know, to train them in the field for out-of-state cases..."
Angela chuckled. "Depends on which intern you ask."
"Hmm...I suppose you're right," Brennan admitted. "Unfortunately, I don't have many options. There's no way I'm taking Ms. Wick-for obvious reasons. Mr. Vaziri has once again switched his academic focus. He's gone back to cultural anthropology. I don't feel comfortable bringing Mr. Fisher into the field."
"So, that leaves Clark, Wendell, and Vincent."
Brennan nodded her head. "Wendell would be the obvious choice. Booth and he get along very well. But I would like him to remain here working on Morgan's case. He's the only one, besides Vincent, who has worked on that case from the beginning."
"So take Clark," Angela said.
"I'm sure Dr. Saroyan would appreciate it if the only other person with a doctorate in forensic anthropology remain in the lab," Brennan replied. "He should oversee Wendell's examination of the exhumed remains, while simultaneously helping with the new case."
"So, that leaves Vincent."
"I suppose so," Brennan said. "I cannot leave him here to work on Morgan's case. He's too personally involved with that. He does appear to be our only option."
"But there's still a problem with that, isn't there?" Angela mused.
Brennan nodded. "He hasn't worked an FBI case since Morgan. He's chosen to continue his internship working solely on the remains in modular bone storage."
"Limbo," Angela corrected. "Remember what we discussed...limbo is the perfect name."
"You know I dislike the use of that term," Brennan retorted.
Angela chose to ignore that comment. "And then the other problem is that Vincent has taken up quite the habit of spending all of his spare time drowning his sorrows at the Founding Fathers."
"Yes, he has developed quite the inclination to consume large quantities of alcohol," Brennan stated.
Angela shook her head at her friend's obliviousness. "He's trying to numb the pain, sweetie." Upon seeing Brennan attempt to protest her statement, Angela changed the subject. "Do you think he's ready to get back into the field, though?"
oOo
"No, absolutely not," Vincent answered. He set down his shot glass and signaled to the bartender to get him another. "I don't work cases anymore, Dr. Brennan. I will not be going out into the field with you."
"Mr. Nigel-Murray," Brennan said. "I understand that you've been going through a tough time since what happened to Morgan, but I could really use your help."
"No."
"As a forensic anthropologist, you are required to go out into the field. And to occasionally work on cases with local police and the FBI," Brennan explained. "That is, unless you'd like to change career paths."
Vincent remained quiet as the bartender filled his shot glass. He nodded and muttered a quiet 'thanks' before turning his attention back to Brennan. "What does it matter anymore? I'm what you Americans call 'washed up'. Useless." He downed the shot of vodka that was sitting in front of him.
Brennan was shocked to see the once eager grad student behaving in this manner. Despite having strengthened her people skills over the years, high-strung emotional situations such as this always made her uncomfortable. She wasn't quite sure what to say. "You're not useless."
Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper. But somehow the words got through to him. He looked up at his mentor. "And what makes you say that? What have I possibly done over these past two years that comes off as anything but useless?"
"You've solved countless cases from limbo," Brennan answered. "I know you prefer to examine the older remains, but you still are making a difference. You're giving those people back their identities. Letting their stories be told."
Vincent nodded.
"There's no one else I can take, Vincent," Brennan pleaded.
Vincent noticed the seriousness of the situation when his mentor referred to him by his given name, rather than his surname. "You really are upset about leaving your daughter, aren't you Dr. Brennan?"
Brennan smiled. "Is that a yes?"
Vincent took a deep breath. "That is a yes, Dr. Brennan."
"Great. Booth and I will stop by your apartment to pick you up in a few hours," Brennan stated. "I've already packed everything we need from the lab. I just need to get my personal affects in order, and say goodbye to my daughter."
Brennan started to make her way out of the bar, but was stopped by Vincent's voice calling through the crowd.
"Thank you, Dr. Brennan."
She turned around and took a few steps in his direction. "For what?"
"Having faith in me. And in my abilities."
"I don't believe in faith," Brennan honestly said. "You've proven to me the extent of your abilities time and time again. I know you're good at what you do, and will be an asset to us in the field."
"Still...thank you."
Brennan nodded and smiled to herself as she turned around. Perhaps she was getting better in her interactions with people, after all. Now she just needed to explain to Booth why she was bringing an extra person along.
AN: Next chapter we will see Booth and Sweets take a trip to visit Tristian. It should be the last chapter with them in DC. Then we'll get to the juicy bit of the story :D
