The Profilers in the Lab Chapter 10: The Profilers and the Squints, a bones fanfic

The Profilers in the Lab

Chapter Ten: The Profilers and the Squints

By Ann Parker

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"Oh, that's great! Thanks Hotch. Yeah, we'll meet you here at the Jeffersonian." Reid hung up his cell phone and turned to JJ. They were back in Angela's office, compiling all their files to head back to Quantico. They had been too far away to be of any help at Easton's auto repair shop so they had returned to wrap up things on this end. Everyone but Angela had left to help collect evidence after Booth had shot Easton through the shoulder and they had him in custody. Gideon and Bones had gone with Tina to the hospital. The squint in question had wandered away about ten minutes ago, leaving them alone in her office.

"Hotch just said that the doctors think Private Morris will make a full recovery. They were getting ready to head back after getting Gideon and Dr. Brennan," Reid informed her and she nodded with a smile.

"This has been one crazy day," she stated, boxing up all the files they had obtained from Command Sergeant Johnson, except for the files on the victims and on Easton.

"You're telling me." JJ and Reid both spun around to the office's entrance at the sound of Garcia's voice. There she stood, arm in arm with Angela. Both had large smiles on their faces.

"Garcia, what are you doing here?" asked Reid.

"You'll find out soon enough, sugar," she teased. Angela laughed as she walked over to a cupboard and grabbed a box. It was full of glass beakers and stirring rods. Okay, now his interest was peaked.

"Finish up and tell everyone to meet us upstairs," instructed Angela as the two technical whizzes left the office. It was then that the pair noticed Garcia was carrying two large grocery bags.

"They can't be up to any good," commented JJ with a smile. A slight chuckle escaped Reid's lips as he nodded. JJ's cell phone rang and she wandered down the hallway to answer it. Undoubtedly the press. Reid sighed as he watched her walk away. Because of that, he didn't realize that a curly haired scientist was watching him. He turned back to the paper work and finished boxing up the last few files that would be needed for Easton's prosecution.

"Don't wait, man," Hodgins stated, slightly startling Reid as he walked into Angela's office.

Reid furrowed his brow and looked at him, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't wait on asking her out. Go for it. Believe me, don't waste time," Hodgins replied.

Reid's mouth gaped open for a second, "How did you--"

"Spence," JJ chose that moment to pop her head back into the room. "The rest are back. Time to figure out what those two girls are up to."

Reid nodded, "Yeah, okay." JJ left the room and Reid looked back at Hodgins who simply smiled and patted him on the arm as they left the office.

"Wait, what did she mean by 'those two girls?'" asked Hodgins as they walked over where the rest of the BAU team, Booth, and Brennan were. Zack and Cam walked out of another lab. Although they had managed to save the last victim, it wouldn't have appeared that way to anyone that had seen their faces. All looked fatigued; their eyes full of sorrow for the victims lost and for the man responsible. This case had taken a lot out of all of them. Even though they were all used to seeing horrendous things, it was clear that this particular case would be one that would stick with them for a while.

"Did you take care of all the evidence?" asked Brennan, turning to Zack and Cam. Zack nodded.

"It's all bagged and tagged and ready for the bureau to take," replied Cam.

"Why did I see Ester in the parking lot?" asked Emily once she spotted Reid and JJ.

"Because Garcia and Angela are up to something," replied JJ, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

"Where is she?" asked Morgan, a smile already creeping across his face.

"Up here, stud!" exclaimed Garcia. Everyone's heads snapped up to the balcony above them to see Garcia and Angela leaning over the railing. Both had a beaker with some liquid in them. The stir rods appeared to have some sort of food attached to them, probably olives.

"What are you up to, sweetness?" Morgan asked for everyone.

"Just some glug, glug, woohoo," replied Angela, twirling a finger of her free hand as she grinned. Zack, Hodgins, and Brennan all smiled.

"Glug, glug, woohoo?" asked Gideon, the words sounding foreign in his mouth. The rest of the BAU team also appeared to be confused.

"It's time to partake in some beverages that will help us relax after dealing with such a brutal case," replied Zack.

Emily raised an eyebrow, "Come again?"

"Time to get drunk, man," replied Hodgins as he turned to go upstairs. The rest of the squints and Booth all began to follow. The profilers looked at Hotch to gauge whether or not they should stay.

"I could use a drink," Hotch sighed and the group quickly joined the rest. What they found when they reached the balcony was a bunch of beakers next to some various bottles of alcohol and bags of chips on the two round, glass coffee tables. One was a little larger than the other. The green, cushioned couches and chairs surrounded the tables, forming almost two separate circles in the process.

"So, what brought this on?" asked JJ.

"Pen and I got to talking and with the way this case turned out we both decided everyone could use a little relaxation," answered Angela. Garcia and her clunked their glasses, well beakers, together as they sat at the larger circle with Hodgins and Zack. Brennan, Booth, and Cam were around the other circle. The profilers took their seats around the tables, this time a little more mixed up. Morgan slid in next to Garcia, with JJ taking a seat next to him. Reid sat next to her and Zack. Emily took a seat between Zack and Hodgins. Gideon and Hotch sat down next to each other, with Brennan at Gideon's other side and Cam at Hotch's.

Morgan picked up one of the beakers and eyed it. "These haven't had any body parts or weird fluids in them, have they?" he asked.

"Not today," replied Zack with a grin. Morgan studied him as the rest laughed.

"I believe he's kidding, Morgan," smiled Reid as he poured himself a small drink.

"No really, genius?" Morgan teased, roughing up Reid's hair. Reid rolled his eyes at the older man as he poured JJ's drink as well.

"Thanks Spence," she replied and they exchanged smiles. Hodgins sighed to himself. That was apparently going to take some work.

At the other table, a slightly more sober conversation was taking place. At the moment, Gideon was studying Booth. "Booth, what made you decide to go for his shoulder?" Gideon has expected Easton to not make it out alive. Brennan turned to her partner, waiting to hear his answer. She too hadn't expected that.

"Easton didn't deserve to die that easily," Booth stated, looking down at his drink. "No one does after what he did."

"Very true," commented Hotch as the group took a drink. Laughter from the other group pulled them out of their thoughts.

"Oh, this is too much fun! Okay, Zack, your turn," stated Angela. "'I have a very bad feeling about this.'"

Zack smirked, "Too easy, Angela. Luke Skywalker in Star Wars IV: A New Hope." Reid nodded in agreement. "Drink!" Everyone but Reid and Zack took a sip of their drinks as laughter continued to fill the room.

"Okay, I've got one for you Reid. 'Not bad for a little fur ball,'" stated Morgan. Everyone stared at Reid, even the other table, now very amused at the Star Wars quote battle going on.

Reid rolled his eyes, "Please Morgan. Han in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi." Morgan groaned, signaling to everyone that Reid, as always, was right. They all took a drink.

"This is too easy for them," complained Emily.

"What isn't?" asked Angela.

"I'll drink to that," added Garcia, clanking glasses with Angela again as the group laughed some more.

Cam smiled, turning back to the calmer group at her table. "Looks like everyone is finally getting along." The group smiled, taking sips of their drinks. All recalled Hodgins' slight annoyance at his profile, among others.

"That reminds me," started Brennan, turning to Gideon. "How were you able to get all that information on Jack? Did you have Garcia feed you some or did Emily tell you about times with him?" She still doubted that he was able to build that accurate of a profile after just meeting him.

Gideon smiled ever so faintly, "You don't think I could have figured that information out on my own?" Brennan shook her head. "Can't you tell a person's life story by just examining their bones?"

"Yes, but I have scientific procedures to back my findings," she countered.

"And countless interviews with killers and the study of the brain aren't scientific?" asked Hotch, now also smirking. Even after the day they'd had working together, she still didn't believe in their science.

"Well---"

"Bones," injected Booth. She turned to him and he flashed one of his signature grins at her, making her heart skip a beat for just a second. "Just let it go, okay?" He clanked his beaker into hers and smiled again. She smiled in return and shook her head.

"Well, regardless," she started, changing what she was going to say. "I still don't believe in psychology, but I think you did a good job." Gideon and Hotch smiled.

"As did you and your team here, Dr. Brennan," replied Hotch.

"In fact, I wouldn't be overly opposed to working with you again," she added.

"Oh, I would be," countered Booth, taking a swig of his drink. She turned to him, confused.

"But you just---"

"What I think he means," added Cam, "is that working with them again means there is a need for the teams to work together again."

"Something none of us would wish for," finished Gideon. Brennan nodded in complete agreement.

"I'll drink to that," Hotch stated and the group laughed slightly while taking a drink.

They all knew that come tomorrow morning they would be returning back to their corners of the crime universe. There would be another criminal to catch; another victim to avenge. But for now, sitting together as laughter filled the air, things were at peace for the profilers and the squints. And that was just fine with them.

The End

I hope everyone enjoyed this little creation. Even though it took longer than anticipated, I'm quite proud of my first real hardcore case-fic and my first attempt at writing Bones. I hope I made all of you Bones fans happy with my representation of Booth, Bones, and the Squints. Thank you to all that have read – and in particular, those that have been kind enough to share your thoughts in reviews. I just love seeing those in my mailbox; its one of the reasons I love to write. Also, thank you for be patient. I didn't mean of it to take this long.

I left this open for the remote possibility of a sequel, but even if that does happen I will guarantee that it won't be for a long time. My last semester of undergrad is just starting up and I have other fanfics that must first be dealt with. But, if inspiration hits me, I could see a sequel maybe next year. We'll just have to see.

Thanks again for reading!

Ann Parker