Disclaimer: I don't own Bones
Ryan was nervous. He was about to meet the people he would spend the next few years (hopefully) working with. As if that wasn't nerve racking enough, these people were also his mother's oldest friends. He was certain that sooner or later someone would mention his mother, and when that happened he didn't know how he would respond. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea. He was thousands of miles away from the only home he's ever known, and now he must maneuver his way around the nation's capital. That's a lot for a recent high school graduate who lived his whole life in a town with a population of 25,000.
Max smiled encouragingly at him. "So," he said motioning to the huge lab that lay before them, "who do you want to meet first?"
Ryan was overwhelmed, so he just shrugged, "how about the boss?" he questioned.
Max led him to an office located near the one they just exited. A woman sat at her desk, reading her autopsy reports intently. Max knocked on the door frame, and she looked up at them. "I brought the new intern to meet everyone." The woman got up and went over to the two men standing at her doorway.
"Come on in," she motioned them inside, "You must be Ryan Benin, we've all heard a lot about you." She shook Ryan's hand and gave him a warm smile. "I'm Dr, Saroyan, but most people around here call me Cam."
Ryan returned her handshake, "it's nice to meet you Dr. Saroyan, I hope what you have heard about me is good."
Cam smiled. This kid would be a breath of fresh air in the lab, something they all needed. "Extremely good," she replied. "The Jeffersonian usually does not except interns before they are grad students, let alone before they are in college at all. You really impressed someone to be here."
"Can I ask you," Ryan questioned, "why I am here, exactly?"
Cam looked into Ryan's eyes. They were a deep blue, piercing her with his questions. "According to your record Mr. Benin, you have been involved with bones your whole life. You helped solve a murder at the age of 11, and you know more about the human body than most people know after graduating college. You defiantly are qualified for this position." She looked at him and saw that he was satisfied with her answer. "Besides," she continued, "I have only seen this much raw talent 2 times. One of the people will be your mentor, Dr. Zack Addy, and the other-" her voice choked off at this. She took a deep breath before continuing, "The other is Dr. Temperance Brennan, who unfortunately, no longer works here, but I assume you have heard of her, being an inspiring forensic anthropologist."
Ryan was surprised. He expected his mother would be brought up in the near future, but within 5 minutes; he did not expect that. He didn't know what to say. Does he acknowledge that he knows her? What? "I have heard her name around here and there," he finally said.
Outside the office someone shouted, "Dr. Saroyan, we have a body for you!"
Cam smiled, "That's my cue. I got to go do an autopsy." She shook Ryan's hand again, smiling, "I will see you on Monday, Ryan."
It was nice to meet you Dr. Saroyan," Ryan said to her.
"Be prepared to work your ass off," she called to him as she rushed out the door.
Ryan did not know what to think after meeting with Cam. He thought she liked him, but he didn't know for sure. He also worried that he handled the topic of his mother the wrong way.
Max saw the confusion in his grandson's eyes. "It's ok, Ryan," he said patting Ryan on the shoulder, "you did the right thing."
Ryan nodded. "Who next?"
Before long the two of them were standing by a door, looking in on two people arguing.
"No!" the woman screamed, "you have no right to tell me what I am going to do!"
The man grabbed her by the shoulders and said, "Ange, baby, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, I just want to make sure-" the man became silent once Max cleared his throat to announce their presence. "Hey Max, what's up!" he said, letting the argument drop.
"I just wanted to introduce you to the new intern, Ryan."
The woman pushed herself aggressively away from the man and went up and looked at Ryan. "Oh," she squealed, "you are so adorable."
Ryan raised his eyebrows. He wasn't used to people calling him adorable. The woman laughed, knowing she had embarrassed him. "I am Angela Montenegro, I am the forensic artist here at the Jeffersonian."
Ryan shook her hand. "I'm Ryan Benin, I'm the new intern."
"Oh yes," the man said, now approaching, "we've all heard a lot about you. Is it true you're super smart?"
Angela hit the man, hard, in the ribs, "Don't mind him sweetie, he can be annoying sometimes."
Ryan smiled, "I know plenty of people much worse than him," he replied, shaking the man's hand, "Believe me, he can't be that bad."
"Well, at least somebody appreciates me!" the man said returning Ryan's handshake. "I am Dr. Jack Hodgins; bug, dirt, and slime extraordinaire!"
Ryan laughed, he could really see himself getting along with these two. "It was nice to meet you both."
"You too Ryan," Hodgins said, turning around to Angela. "We'll finish this discussion at home, no use getting the kid worked up before he even starts the job," he said pulling her into a kiss.
Ryan was amused. People in this lab had a mind of their own. He could never see his mother working here. "Nice to meet you both," he said again, walking out the door.
"Shut the door on the way out," Hodgins called after him, Angela giggling in the background. He complied, and turned to Max, "Are they all like this?"
Max chuckled, "this is a weird place Ry, that's why you'll love it!"
Ryan flashed his Booth-like grin. "Let's go meet the others."
Max lead Ryan to the platform, where Booth was talking with two other men. Seeing Ryan, Booth smiled and swiped a card, allowing him access to the platform. "How ya doing Ryan?" Booth asked.
Ryan nodded, "Ok, Booth."
Booth looked over to the two squints and introduced them to Ryan, "This," he said, indicating a man dressed in a suit, "is Dr. Sweets. He's a psychiatrist," he whispered in Ryan's ear.
"I heard that agent Booth," Sweets said, grasping Ryan's hand, "It's nice to meet you, we've all heard a lot about you."
Ryan sighed, "Everyone has!"
"And this," Booth continued, indicating a man with bandaged hands who was intently staring at some bones, "Is Dr. Zack Addy."
Ryan went over behind Dr. Addy's shoulder, to get a better look at the remains. "it's nice to meet you Mr. Benin," Zack said, not looking up from the bones. "Still no sign of cause of death," he said to no one in particular.
"Do you mind if I take a look?" Ryan asked, eager to prove himself to his fellow colleagues.
Zack backed away, "I don't know what you'll be able to find, we've been looking for the cause of death for over 2 days. Neither I nor any of the others could indicate a cause for death.
"Look here," Ryan said pointing to the spinal chord. "There is evidence of an excess amount of blood filling up in the spinal cavities."
"So the guy bled to death?" Booth asked.
"Yes, internal bleeding," Zack said, "I don't know how I could have missed that." He looked at Ryan in amazement, "You are really good." He stated a fact.
"Thanks," Ryan said, "but it's no big deal, I've been doing this as long as I can remember." Everyone looked at him in shock.
After a few moments Max cleared his throat, "Ryan, don't you have a meeting at George Washington University?"
"Yes," Ryan said, nodding to Sweets and Dr. Addy. "I better go, I need to catch a cab."
"I can take you," Booth said following Ryan.
"That's nice agent Booth, but you've already hauled me around enough places for one day."
"It's fine, really," Booth said, " I have to meet someone up that way anyways. It's on my way."
Ryan looked at Max, and he nodded. "I'll see you tonight," Max said leaving Booth and Ryan alone again.
Ryan felt a pang in his chest. He had thought for sure that this man was his father. He had hoped it was his father. Sure, he loved his mom, but a man should also know his father. He sighed, pushing the depressing thoughts from his mind. "Thank you agent Booth, I really appreciate it."
"Any time, Ryan," Booth said, flashing him the smile that Ryan himself knew so well.
This chapter may not flow quite the way I wanted it to. Tomorrow's will be better, I promise. Please review, it might encourage me to write longer chapters, which I find difficult; it's not my style of writing. Anyways, thanks for those of you who do review, keep it up, any feedback brings new ideas to my mind and keeps this story alive. I couldn't do it without you! (cliché, I know)