AN: Been posting chapters left and right, so go back and double check the chapters to make sure you read them.

Chapter Ten: Somewhere Else to Be

Brennan leaned against the windows of the Baltimore-Washington International airport, increasingly becoming impatient. Her flight had been delayed for over two hours due to inclement weather. She closed her eyes, keeping a guffaw in about the 'inclemency' part of Mother Nature. When Brennan first arrived at the terminal, the announcer made it seem the storm would pass in a few minutes…opening her eyes again, she couldn't help but feel a flare of anger at the irony. The skies were the color of slate, with patches of coal. Every few seconds flashes of lightning cut through the opaqueness of the cloud cover, followed by the crash of thunder. Rain pounded on the ground, washing away the earth. It seemed like the sky was falling down around her, and there was nothing she could do to change it. And that was another feeling she despised. The sense of urgency in her head and stomach quickened with every minute she was stuck, waiting to board the plane. Zach was somewhere out there, and with the wasted time spent pacing and groaning, she could have been one step closer to bringing him home…

Brennan, she warned herself, you have to find him first before you get your hopes up. And that's…that's even if he's alive. And statistically about now… Fighting a sudden sense of panic, she breathed aloud, "It isn't good."

"Nothing ever is," a soft voice spoke from behind.

Her moment of despair vanished, and that voice was able to replace it with warmth. Smiling, Brennan turned and asked, "I thought you weren't coming."

Booth smirked slightly, and clarified, "I told you goodbyes suck. And I figured you'd miss me too much." She tried to keep a straight face, but it broke into another wide grin. She never realized how happy she was to see Booth. He made her feel safe, and it didn't hurt to have a tough ex-sniper/FBI agent on her side. "You and your ego," she muttered. He flashed her his charm smile, but allowed his face to turn grim again before answering, "Well that, plus I figured I should come, if Zach wants any real chance of being found alive."

Brennan crossed her arms. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Booth mimicked her posture and asked, "You're diving headfirst into something you're not really ready for. I'm curious, what was your grand plan?"

Taken aback by his bluntness, she stammered, "I …I was going to start off by checking with the U.S. Embassy, and if they had heard nothing, go back to the site where the massacre occurred." What the hell, he was teasing me a second ago…

Booth started pacing slowly, and explained, "Good plan, except the U.S. Embassy part. Our government won't make compromises with people holding U.S. citizens hostage. Yeah, the Embassy says they'll use every appropriate resource to gain the safe return of American citizens who were either unfortunate enough or stupid enough to get captured, yet, it's a ground rule to deny hostage takers the benefits of ransom, prisoner releases, policy changes, whatever. Basically, Bones, you'll get nowhere."

Frowning, Brennan challenged, "I understand that, but we really have no evidence documenting Zach was taken hostage. There's no proving or denying it, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try--"

"That's where you're wrong," Booth finished. She looked at him incredulously. "What aren't you telling me, Booth?"

Stepping closer, Booth began, "You're staying at a hotel where everyone knows you'll be, including the people who murdered the other anthropologists. You have no weapons waiting when you arrive. The people at Base Salinger don't even know you're coming, not that they'd help you anyway. You need me to find Boy Wonder."

"That doesn't answer my question."

She saw a flash or reluctance pass his face before clarifying, "I pulled some strings last night. Made a lot of calls to people over in Iraq. I have us set up at a place that's under the radar, and we won't be fighting blind or defenseless. I have some weapons waiting for us when we get there--"

"You're giving me a gun?"

"--so don't accidentally shoot me," Booth ordered, but the charm smile was back on his face for a few seconds. "I knew you wouldn't be allowed to bring your gun along, so I took the liberty of getting you one for there."

Brennan gave him a small smile in thanks. Booth continued, "And I also might have a name of someone who witnessed the massacre…Bones, from what I was able to find out, Zach was taken hostage as a warning. I don't know what that is yet, but it means he was very much alive when he was taken."

Booth watched as a small weight was lifted off his partner's heart. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the chances of Zach being alive just increased. Unfortunately, Booth could not share that same relief with Brennan. He felt growing dread in the pit of his stomach, and he swallowed hard. Get a grip on yourself, Booth. You managed to put her at ease, so don't blow it by having her ask questions with unwanted answers. He gave Brennan a tight smile, and was dismayed to see she was staring at him intently. It was like she was analyzing a bone.

"Booth," she began slowly, "I can't help but think you're holding something else back. I mean, you would have found all this information about Zach and the witness the minute we got word on his disappearance. Not to mention you were so steadfast earlier about not liking what I was planning to do."

He stiffened and she bit her bottom lip. "I just got in touch with some old contacts. From when I was a Ranger. They gave me the information." His voice was hollow, and Brennan felt guilty about grilling him. He was helping her, she shouldn't have confronted him. But I need to know.

"What's the catch, Booth?"

He stared at her, and she could detect how uncomfortable he was becoming. His cheeks flushed red, and her heart sank when she realized it was shame.

"It's just…I didn't contact those people before because I knew they wouldn't help. There was nothing in it for them." His eyes were cast to a very interesting speck of dust on the floor. "Now that they know I'm coming, they have initiative."

"I don't understand," Brennan asked, her pitch up an octave. What isn't he telling me? I'm his best friend and partner! We're supposed to share things…

Sighing, Booth finally answered, "Word gets around. Fast. People who wanted me dead seventeen years ago know I'm coming back to Iraq. Get the picture?"

Brennan's mouth dropped as she understood. "Oh my God, Booth…what are we going to do about that?"

"We are doing nothing about them, I'll deal with it, okay?" He placed a hand on the small or her back and guided her away from the window. Apparently the storm was easing up. They'd be able to board the plane soon. Brennan stepped away from him, concern and a new bout of confusion engulfing her features. She wasn't finished with him.

"Wait…the same people who told you about Zach and are helping us out are the same people who wanted you dead?" Brennan accused.

"Not exactly," Booth answered hurriedly. Can't she just drop it? "I have a list of contacts that came to me via mail after I got back into the States. Didn't know who they were from, and I didn't care. I kept them in case I would ever have to go back to Iraq. I did find out down the road that some of the listings were of people involved in my capture…you saw the x-rays. They sure as hell weren't planning on letting me go back then. And the others were people who rescued me. I just don't know who did what."

Brennan swallowed, still reeling over the fact that Booth had placed himself at a huge risk to come with her. She knew Booth was referring to the time he was tortured, all those years ago. She felt shivers run up her spine as she remembered looking at his x-rays. His feet had suffered from multiple breaks and fractures, beaten with pipes and hoses. His ribcage had spread, and she knew Booth had taken a violent punishment meant for someone else before he even admitted it.

"Booth…" she trailed off and diverted her gaze to her feet. What am I supposed to say? 'Thanks for everything, sorry that I'm giving those bastards an opportunity to brutally torture and kill you?'

"Hey," he said softly. He placed a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face. A year ago, she would have kicked hiss ass to high Heaven and back for such a gesture. But now…she had let him in past the walls. He had to make sure he didn't screw it up. "Don't feel guilty. I'm here on my own will. Besides, did you really think I'd sit and twiddle my thumbs and miss out on all the action?"

She chuckled quietly, and a smile lit up his face. "That's my girl."

He turned from her, and her stomach did an odd flip-flop. She feared for him. At the same time, she felt admiration, and his courage and sacrifice empowered her own will. More than ever, she wanted him by her side. And now he was here.

"Let's get Zach back."