A/N: Hi, everybody, thanks for reading. I'm sorry if the title of this chapter is a little confusing (I don't think this is the case, but better safe than sorry), but just to be completely clear, this is NOT the last chapter. (I mean, really, there's still some plotlines that haven't been resolved.) There will be two more chapters after this. Enjoy!
Most of the staff of the Jeffersonian Institute's Medico Legal Lab were gathered on the platform to wish Zack well before his sendoff. Dr. Brennan and Dr. Saroyan had come to an agreement to let him stay a little bit longer to help with their current non-Pelant case, but once the team done with that – which couldn't be more than just a couple more days – he had to return to McKinley.
"You did a great job, Zack," Dr. Brennan congratulated with a tearful smile of approval.
"Thank you, Dr. Brennan," he replied as she embraced him, gently tousling his curly brown hair in the process.
After she loosened her grip, her intern stepped up and softly tapped her boss's former assistant's shoulder. When he turned around, the two shared a small fist bump. "I know I don't really know you all that well," Daisy began, "but it was truly an honor to get to help you and Dr. Hodgins with all those experiments."
Cam lifted an eyebrow. "I don't remember approving any experiments."
Dr. Simon was flustered as she tried to explain. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Saroyan. I tried to stop them, but I was outnumbered three-to-one."
Cam laughed slightly, but quickly followed with a stern, "Don't let it happen again."
"Does that mean you'll let me come back here again?" Zack asked.
Cam realized what she had just said. "Well, if we ever need you again, and if Dr. Simon is available at the time, it could happen."
Dr. Simon wasn't sure whether to be flattered or terrified at the thought of being in charge of babysitting the scientist again. Either way, if there was going to be a "next time," it would be best to try to make amends with him before then. She offered her hand to Zack. "Well, Dr. Addy, I have to say that I misjudged you. You are truly a brilliant scientist, and generally not that bad a person... even if we did almost get in trouble several times." She quickly looked over at Cam as she finished the last sentence.
Zack smiled slightly and responded, "Thanks, and you weren't as much of a stick in the mud as I expected...most of the time, at least." She softly giggled at his comment, and a few of the other squints joined in.
Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of an ID card being approved by the platform's scanner. Everybody turned to see Angela standing at the base of the steps, holding Michael Vincent. "Is it true?" she asked, then noticed a familiar face among the squints on the platform. "Zack? Is that you, sweetie?"
"Angela?" a few of them questioned simultaneously.
"Yes, it's true," Dr. Brennan said. "And, actually, if it weren't for Zack, this might have turned out quite differently."
"Zack," she said lovingly, pulling him into a side-hug, "I'm so proud of you." The young anthropologist beamed at her praise. Still clinging onto him, she looked back at her coworkers and commented, "I can hardly believe that after all this time, the thing that finally allowed us to catch him was something so mundane."
The others nodded in agreement, but they were too distracted by their colleague's return to question it too much.
