May 28, 2008

7:00 am

There are a bunch of different characters standing outside the morning after the death of Benjamin Oshiro. The morning is just like any morning after a storm. Wet grass, scattered leaves, and that after-rain smell. But it's not just the morning after a storm. It's the morning after a murder.

Zack can see Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth from outside his window. He sits and watches them, remembering what murder scenes were like before he got his doctorate, when he was Dr. Brennan's assistant. Dr. Saroyan kneels at Ben's body, scanning him for visible wounds. Dr. Brennan crosses her arms.

"I don't see why you need me here. I study bones that is skin." she says.

"I thought you wanted to see Zack." Dr. Saroyan looks up to see Dr. Brennan frown.

"I was called because this is a murder case. I have no time for recreational-"

"Dr. Brennan. Have you seen Zack recently?"

"Yes, when we went to interview Mr. McIntyre and-"

"I'm not talking about your little run in after your stupid interview. Zack loved you and Booth. Imagine what it would have been like for him that the only reason you stopped by was to not only see someone else but convince him to help with a case while he's trying to get over the fact that he no longer works for us anymore."

"You know, I don't like it that you keep interrupting me." Dr. Brennan seems to ignore Dr. Saroyan. She pulls out a pad of paper. "When can I have access to the remains?"

"You see right here on his arm? Heavy burn marks. But at such a weird pattern. It definitely needs to be identified first. The body is fresh and no decomposing. You can do a little while without the bones." Dr. Saroyan puts her hands on her hips.

"Then may I leave now?"

"Fine." Dr. Saroyan sighs heavily.

"Uh, hey Bones?" Agent Booth calls over to her. "I'm gonna hang back. I've got a few questions to ask these people." He gestures to a short, squat, blond woman who bares a shocking resemblance to Lilac.

"Fine, I'll stay! I need to help Booth interview." She pivots on her heel to talk to the woman.

"It has to be my daughter. I know she killed him." the blond woman frowns.

"Agent Booth, FBI, can I please have your name?"

"Jenna Dorsey, Mr. Booth. My daughter, Lilac, is a patient here." she nods her head. It doesn't look like she'd gotten much sleep. Maybe because she's a worried mother? Or just stressed from a day of getting through her life with her own daughter in a mental hospital. How are the two different? Or more importantly, how are they the same?

"The same Lilac Dorsey that is...er...romantically linked to Felix McIntyre?" Dr. Brennan asks.

"I hope you don't mean sexually!" Mrs. Dorsey turns purple.

"Of course not." Agent Booth shoots Dr. Brennan a glare. "What brings you to the understanding your daughter might be responsible for the death of Benjamin Oshiro?"

"Mr. Oshiro is her supervisor. If you know anything about my daughter, it's that she doesn't like to be watched and hates authority."

"It's common for teenagers to find angst and rebellion especially against authority." Dr. Brennan says.

"Yeah it's common I know. My daughter is in a mental institution for it. Tell me how that's common." Mrs. Dorsey starts to raise her voice. Agent Booth takes a step back.

"Alright, come on Bones, we're going inside."

"Wait, why?" Dr. Brennan seems startled.

"Don't ask stupid questions." Agent Booth says, confused by her reluctance to enter the mental hospital.

The two enter casually even though they don't feel so. Agent Booth is uneasy. It's the second time this week he's had to go into the mental hospital and on two different cases. Dr. Brennan is nervous. She hopes not to run into Zack again. She's been hurt more than once in two weeks. The first, by Booth who had to fake his own death to catch a criminal and didn't tell her that the funeral was staged. Next by Zack, her most trusted colleague. Two people she cared about. Nothing in the world seemed right all of a sudden. She'd masked enough in her last visit and she's at her breaking point.

Dr. Brennan doesn't know if she feels better or ten times worse when Zack appears around the corner. Zack doesn't even feel he needs to greet them.

"What's happened?" he asks.

"Benjamin Osh-"

"I know I know Ben's dead. But they don't-I mean how did it happen?"

"Well I believe you saw for yourself. He was dropped from the fifth floor."

"But-" Zack holds himself back.

"Yes Zack?"

"No. I'm not supposed to help out with the case." Zack says. However, still regretting his choice. Not the first thing he regrets.

"Well, you're a witness. So, speak now or forever hold your peace." Agent Booth states.

"No one's getting married." Zack gives him a confused look. "That was a weird reference. Considering the fact that I can speak at any moment."

"Well I hope you do so quick because we're taking your friend, Lilac-"

"She's not my friend."

"Into custody today. Once we get a blood match on her clothing." Agent Booth finishes. Dr. Brennan hasn't said anything the whole time. It's to weird seeing him this way. Of course, she saw him the day before. But she hadn't processed it through her mind. Standing before her, Zack seems so alien. So different. She's almost afraid.

"I'm sorry Dr. Brennan, is something wrong?" Zack asks.

"No nothing. Do you know where we can find Michael Thomas?" She asks, referring to a clipboard.

"I don't know anyone by the name. How is he important to the case?"

"They say he predicted Mr. Oshiro's death." Agent Booth says.

"Oh, you're probably talking about Orian. Here, he's in the cafeteria getting over himself." Zack says and indicates for them to follow. Dr. Brennan hangs back a little.

"Come on Bones, we gotta talk to this guy." Agent Booth says, tugging on her arm. Dr. Brennan bites her lip.

"Why doesn't he want to help?" she asks in a whisper.

"I don't know. Why did he kill the lobbyist? Why was he working for Gormogon? Why'd he send you a human jaw?" Agent Booth first comes off as sarcastic but as he starts to remember everything Zack's done he's never been able to understand, he begins to get serious.

"He's so different now. It's like he's a total stranger." Dr. Brennan hates admitting it and saying it out loud almost brings her to tears. But she stays strong.

"Come on," Zack calls from further down the hallway. Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan hesitate slightly before following him to the cafeteria.

Orian is sitting in the corner talking to himself. Sometimes, his voice slightly changing. He doesn't even look up when Zack approaches. He's to involved in a heated conversation with himself and an empty chair across from him.

"Keep yourself together Ori!" he says loudly. Suddenly, he bursts into tears. "I don't want to! I can't my life is nothing without Ben." He stop crying and changes character. "You have to move on. He's gone now!" and then he cries again. "Shut up, Monroe!" Zack studies how he uses different personalities to argue with himself. Dual personalities isn't always common in most schizophrenic patients. However, Orian's brain is so disorganized, it seems he copes by developing a personality for multiple parts of himself. It seems Orian is the more emotional side while Monroe is more strong. He looks to the empty chair and waits before smiling again. "You always know how to cheer me up."

Zack clears his throat and Orian looks up at him.

"Hey Doc." he sniffles.

"Orian, these are my friends and they're working on the case of Ben's death." Zack says. Orian starts to cry again.

"Orian, I need you complete cooperation. We're such gonna ask you a few questions." Dr. Brennan assures him and he settles down.

"Orian doesn't want to speak right now. He's a little heart broken. You can talk to me." Monroe says.

"But aren't you-" even the brilliant Dr. Brennan is confused.

"I'm Monroe."

"Okay we're not looking for Orian or Monroe. We're looking for Michael Thomas." Agent Booth is getting frustrated, thinking Orian's playing a joke on him.

"Oh. Michael." Orian smiles to himself. "Good times." Monroe says.

"Where is he?"

"Well he's not really here." say Orian.

"Why not?"

"Because I killed him." Monroe grins devilishly.