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BRENNAN

Brennan heard a loud knock at her apartment door. She looked at the clock on her nightstand beside her bed and then reached for her cell phone. She had slept in later than she expected. She was up late trying to find something on the case that would help her and Booth get closer to solving it. This process was starting to become a nightly habit. Although the FBI had found all of the human victims they had yet to find the horses that were the main reason the people had been murdered. Brennan found it extremely difficult that she couldn't figure anything else out. She sighed in frustration noticing there was a missed call from Hodgins on her cell. There was also a text from Angela. Her fast thinking mind quickly jumped to the murder weapon. Hopefully he found something helpful. All of the twitches from the farms had been sent to the Jeffersonian, where Hodgins and Cam were working on finding particulates and DNA. She found her cream terry cloth robe hanging over one of the chairs she had in her room. She quickly slipped into it covering up her yoga pants and tank top sleep wear. She tied the robe across her well toned stomach as she headed for the door. She read over Angela's text; she had finished the sketches and had sent them out to the FBI. Booth had probably already taken care of it. She thought noticing how late she was. She then thumbed through her cell's phone book until she got to Hodgins number. She heard another impatient knock on the door.

"Coming!" she called sighing heavily. She didn't like being woken up let alone being late for work. She prided herself in never being late. This was not a good start to the day. She quickly ran her fingers at lightning fast speed across her cell phone's screen and she quickly typed out a message to Hodgins. She finally made it to the door just when the next loud obnoxious knock came. She opened the oak door to see an already dressed Booth standing in the hallway. He was dressed in a pair of low slung jeans and a Flyers t shirt that peaked through the FBI jacket that he wore. Brennan remembered the jacket well. His last name was printed on the left pocket in bold white letters. She also remembered the letters FBI was printed hugely on the back. He was balancing two coffee cups from their favorite coffee cart in one hand while his other hand was still in mid knock.

"Booth?" Brennan breathed finally sending a text off to Hodgins and looking back up at Booth, "What are you doing here?" she asked, "I know I'm tardy." She admitted, "But you're not even dressed in your suit." She observed. Even though she thought the jacket was a little over the top she did love how Booth looked in it.

Booth couldn't believe that he had woken up Bones. She was usually ready before him. He couldn't help but notice how cute she looked with bed head. He brought his feelings back to reality before he handed her a coffee walking in past her, "Coffee's hot." He cautioned sipping his gingerly, "I didn't have a chance to pick up my suits from the dry cleaners. About an hour ago one of the maintenance workers at Haywood Farms found a halter washed up on the shore of the big lake they have on their property." Booth took a sip of his coffee not being able to wait for his caffeine fix any longer. The coffee was scalding. He cursed under his breath.

"I don't understand why you drink your coffee when you know that it's too hot for you to consume." Brennan stated closing the door before following Booth into her kitchen, "So are you here because we have to go find equine remains?" Brennan asked putting her coffee on dark marble counter top. She ran a hand through her messy chocolate brown hair. Her blunt bangs were literally going in every direction. She tried with no success to tame them by sweeping them to the right side of her face.

"Well…" Booth started, "The FBI dive team is on the way to the farm now."

Brennan got tense for a moment, "They aren't getting into the water until I get there right?" she asked, "I would like Cam and Hodgins to come. Hodgins could get water samples and it would be best if Cam and I could look over the remains at the scene."

"Yes, I know how you get when people mess with your remains." Booth stated, "We've been partners for a long time now?" he asked before adding, "I called Cam and Hodgins, they're on their way. You do realize that these are possible remains of horses right?" Booth asked making sure Brennan knew what she was getting herself into.

"I'm sure that Cam and I could use our expertise on the remains of horses. We could also call in a veterinarian if you think that would be more sufficient. That might help us with the case."

"I already did. He will arrive at the scene within the next hour or so." Booth instructed sitting down at Brennan's kitchen island, "It's a guy that is in the area. Dr. Duane Colfax is one of the best. I thought he would be helpful."

"That sounds appropriate." Brennan stated before looking at Booth, "I should probably go get dressed. I'll be ready in a half hour." She assured Booth who had now taken the lid off of his steaming coffee to let it cool off before attempting to drink it again. So much for a shower she thought.

"Sounds good." Booth stated, "I just want to get to this scene. You know this could be a huge step in the right direction."

Brennan sighed heading for her bedroom, "We've been thinking that for the past couple weeks." Brennan sighed annoyed with the fact they couldn't crack this case. They used to be so efficient at solving murders. Now she was extremely irritated that this case was taking them so long to solve. They both must be out of practice. Everyone said this case was a career killer, maybe they were right. She thought before stopping herself. She couldn't think like that. She needed to stay positive.

"We're going to solve this murder, Bones." Booth called after Brennan who was headed towards her bathroom now that she had collected clean clothes. Brennan stopped for a moment in her tracks. It was almost like he read her mind; "You know Caroline wouldn't have offered me the case if she didn't think we could solve it." he called again.

Brennan sighed not knowing if what he said was really true or not. She figured that was at least part of the reason why Caroline had given him the case. The other part of her was fairly certain that Caroline offered Booth the case to try and get him back in the swing of things. Either way all of them were completely involved with the case. They weren't quitters; they were going to finish this case no matter what. Brennan headed to her bathroom where she quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth. She looked back at her reflection in the mirror as she pulled her hair back into a low pony tail. She finished up her simple make up. She took a long glance at her reflection before taking a deep sigh. She looked into her piercing blue eyes that stared back at her. So many thoughts at that moment passed through her mind. She dismissed them as quickly as they came. She fixed her bangs as they hung almost in her eyes. She turned away from her reflection. After she was dressed she grabbed her rubber boots and her lab jump suit before heading back out to see Booth.

"I'm ready." She called grabbing her wallet off of the kitchen table. She went and grabbed her coffee and took a sip savoring it, "Now that's the temperature to enjoy coffee." She said raising her cup to Booth, "Are you ready to go look at some equine remains?" she asked with a smile.

Booth sighed getting up from the chair, "Not nearly as excited as you." Booth took his coffee and followed Brennan to the door. Brennan's phone started to ring as she locked the door behind them.

"Brennan." She informed the caller as she always answered phone.

"It's Cam."

"Hold on, I'm putting you on speaker." Brennan instructed as she put the call speaker phone, "I'm with Booth. Are you with Hodgins?"

"Yes, we're on our way to Haywood farms." Cam instructed Brennan, "I got the DNA results back from the twitches that were sent from all of the farms where the horses went missing. All of them had traces of horse DNA."

"But without horses you can't determine what horses." Brennan thought out loud.

"Exactly."

"Is there any good news?" Booth blurted out leaning into the phone so Cam could hear him.

Booth and Brennan heard Cam sigh, "There were traces of human DNA on the twitch taken from Haywood farms. The DNA matches Charles Cartwright."

"I also found particulates that put each particular twitch at all of the locations where the horses went missing." Hodgins broke into the conversation, "Is that good news?" Hodgins asked.

Brennan smiled looking at Booth, "That's very good news." Brennan replied, "Were you able to pull finger prints from it?"

"That's still in the works." Cam stated, "We should have the results back in a couple days."

Booth smiled, "Well that makes me feel a little better." He sighed, "Good work."

"How long until you two get out to crime scene?" Cam questioned turning the radio down in the car they were driving.

Booth and Brennan finally got to Booth's SUV, "If I hadn't woke up Bones we would be even later." Booth joked getting into the SUV.

"Booth!" Brennan yelped, "They don't need to be informed that I was late getting up this morning." She said feeling slightly embarrassed.

Cam and Hodgins both laughed.

"It's alright to sleep in every once and a while Dr. B." Hodgins called.

Brennan slipped her seatbelt on, "We'll see you in a bit." Brennan assured them before ending the call, "Booth, you know how much I hate being late. Why would you say that to my boss?" she asked.

Booth looked over at her completely surprised, "Bones, we both know that Cam is your boss but you really run the show at the lab."

Brennan shook her head, "I'm not worried about who is in charge at the lab. I just don't like being late."

Booth smiled as they drove in silence to the crime scene. A few minutes left in the drive Brennan pulled on her rubber boots over her navy blue jumpsuit. Booth drove quickly across the grass pastures to the lake in the far back pasture that was heavily wooded.

"This would be a very good spot to dispose of horses." Booth said scanning the area through his sunglasses.

Brennan looked around and saw all of the FBI vehicles surrounding the lake, "I agree with that." Brennan also noticed the Jeffersonian van was the closest to the water. The news reporters had arrived too. They were all clustered in groups with cameras everywhere. Their vans were starting to get in the way of the search.

"How did this get out already?" Brennan asked as Booth pulled his Sequoia up next the lab's van, "Booth, you need to get this under control!" Brennan stated anxiously, "They're going to harm the evidence."

"This is a huge case Bones. It's all over the news." Booth explained, "You haven't even heard about this case on the news?" Booth asked, "I'll get the press under control."

Brennan shook her head, "I finally did get that TV out of my closet but I never use it." Brennan explained as Booth put the SUV in park. Brennan reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of latex gloves before slipping them on as they walked to the edge of the water.

Booth looked over at Brennan, "You really should start to use it. It would better prepare you for cases like this."

Brennan watched as Booth went to get the press under control. Cam was looking out into the water. She looked over to see Brennan standing next to her, "I let the dive team get started." Cam began to say, "I've given them strict instructions again." Cam assured Brennan although they had worked with the same FBI people for the past five years. Brennan was very particular on how things should be handled when dealing with remains.

"Dr. Brennan?" a man with strong voice called from behind her and Cam. Brennan turned to see very tall man, about six feet four inches in height standing in front of her. He was a husky built man with a tan complexion that was covered in a trimmed salt and pepper beard. He wore rimless glasses and had hair that matched his beard; it was parted on the side.

Brennan looked him up and down for a moment before meeting his green eyes with hers, "I am Dr. Brennan." She stated, "And you are?" she asked feeling taken aback before looking back at the lake. She was too distracted by the dive team in the water to be fully involved with her conversation with this man that was taking too long to introduce himself.

"I'm Dr. Duane Colfax, the veterinarian assigned to help with the case." He said with a smile holding out his hand for Brennan to shake, "I was told by the FBI that your team would need help with the horse remains that were going to be found in this lake."

Brennan looked at him with a surprising glance, "You were assigned to the case?" she asked in disbelief.

"An agent by the name of Seeley Booth contacted me about the case." he recalled, "I know that you like to surround yourself with educated people. I believe that I could help you, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan looked back and saw one of the dive team members surface and mention that they had found something, "Well this might be the time and the place that you show me how valuable your expertise is, Dr. Colfax." She said curtly.

"I'm sure I will surprise you Dr. Brennan." Dr. Colfax said before heading off to the designated place where the remains of the horses would be taken.

Cam looked over at Brennan with a criticizing glance.

"What?" Brennan asked Cam completely unaware of her cold tone towards Dr. Colfax.

"You were a little harsh on the doc." Cam confessed to Brennan.

Brennan didn't look at Cam, "I'm here to do my job and solve a case. He should do the same."

Cam raised her hands in defense. Cam directed her attention to lake where they were starting to lift remains from it. They dragged the first set of remains out before another FBI dive team member mentioned that they had found another set of remains. Brennan brushed past Cam and hurried to Dr. Colfax's side as the remains were being placed, "You must wear gloves, Dr. Colfax." Brennan instructed sternly.

"Dr. Brennan I know how to do my job." He said as he pulled out a pair of latex gloves. The horse remains were undistinguishable. Brennan and Cam knelt down next to the veterinarian as they each work diligently.

Brennan went to work quickly with Cam and Dr. Colfax. She watched over everything Dr. Colfax did just to make sure he was doing everything properly. She couldn't have the remains compromised. While Dr. Colfax started to explain markers on the horse's hind legs that indicated that this horse was a reiner. Brennan had to admit she was fascinated. Dr. Colfax was able to find markers on horses' bones the same way she could find markers on humans. With their preliminary findings they all agreed that this horse was definitely one of the horses taken from Haywood farms. Even with all the commotion going on around her she heard someone call Booth's name. She looked up from the cannon bone, on the horse's right front leg, to see a gorgeous tall blonde with long wavy curls walk towards Booth.

Please R&R! Who do you think it is? Hopefully I will have the next chapter up tomorrow or the next day!