(AN: thanks to reviewers nertooold54, and topdog19. No need to worry, Patience can handle herself, and I'm trying to keep the story at a T. That and I don't like Mark, even though I created him. He's kind of a jerk, and a little…off his rocker.)

I don't own Bones. It sad, I know.

The Hit on the Anthropologist: Part 3

"Booth," Booth answered his phone.

"We got the security camera, and we've ID'd the shooter. There's a warrant for his arrest now, and I have the FBI on it," Cam told him. "How's Dr. Brennan?"

"She survived the surgery, and they removed two bullets. We can see her as soon as she wakes up, and she has to stay overnight," Booth explained.

"That's…good."

"Who shot her?"

"A twenty year old man named Patrick Smith."

"Do you have a motive?"

"No. He has no connections to Dr. Brennan. It's possibly just a random shooting."

"Thanks, Cam."

"No, problem."

"Has someone contacted Patience's school?"

"Only Bones knew what school she went to."

Angela motioned for Booth.

"Hang on, Cam." He covered the mouth of the phone. "What, Angela?"

"Max knows what school. He's her science teacher."

"No one's told Max or Rus," Booth suddenly realized.

"I'll do it. Maybe we can find Patience and get her here too." Angela got up, followed by Hodgins.

Booth returned to his phone. "Cam, Angela said Max is her teacher. She's going to call him now."

"Great. I'll see what else I can find about Patrick Smith."

Booth ended the call and looked up as Brennan's doctor approached him.

"Dr. Brennan is awake. If you would like to go back. Room one-fifteen."

"Thanks," Booth replied.

The doctor nodded and walked away.

Back at the lab Daisy was hovering over Cam as she set the phone down.

"Can you please find something to do, Ms. Wick?"

The intern bit her lip. "I usually help Dr. Brennan with the bodies. With Dr. Brennan in the hospital, I have nothing to do."

"Go…lay out a set of remains from Limbo or something."

"I already have, and concluded that they date back about four hundred years, the body was that of a twenty-three year old man, and he most likely died from being stabbed with some kind of knife."

Cam grimaced. "Find someone else who needs help, or go bug Sweets. Please, Ms. Wick, I don't think anyone is going to be able to stand your cheeriness today."

Daisy looked ready to cry but left Cam's office. Cam watched the video of the shooting again and looked down at Patrick Smith's criminal record. The phone rang.

"Dr. Saroyan," she said. As someone on the other line spoke, she sighed in relief. "Great. I'll go tell Agent Booth."

She set the phone back down and grabbed her coat. Before she left the lab, she went into Brennan's office and picked up the folder labeled 'Patience'.

Angela and Hodgins walked into Brennan's room. Booth had been behind him, walking slowly in. Angela rushed to Brennan's bedside.

"Oh, sweetie, are you okay?" she asked.

Brennan blinked. "I'm fine, Angela."

"What were you doing there? You took the rest of the week off."

"I left the custody papers for Patience on my desk."

"Someone could have brought them to you."

"Angela, I'm fine," Brennan insisted. "I should be allowed to leave now."

"Bones, they have to keep you for observation," Booth said. "To make sure you're really alright."

"I am. I am perfectly capable of assessing my own health. Angela, I have to find Patience and get those papers to the agency by Friday."

Cam chose that moment to walk in and set the papers on the bedside table. "Taken care of Dr. Brennan." She turned to Angela. "Did you call Max?"

"Yes He didn't answer, but I left a message," Angela told her. She glanced back at Brennan. "What do you mean you have to find Patience?"

"She refused to come with me yesterday. I went after her, but she…disappeared. I drove around looking all evening. I went to both addresses on the school's files, but I didn't find her." Brennan hung her head.

Cam motioned for Booth to follow her out into the hallway. He glanced at Brennan before leaving the room.

"They found Patrick Smith," she told him. "He's in the interrogation room."

Booth moved to leave the hospital before Cam pulled him back.

"Whoa, Seeley," she said. "You're not allowed near him. Hacker's orders. He wants to know who's after Brennan, and he knows that won't happen if you put the guy who shot her in a coma."

Booth glared at Cam. "If you think I'm going to sit and do nothing while someone could be after my partner you're wrong, Camille. I have to do something."

"He told me to tell you not to come into work until further notice."

"He can't do that."

"He's your boss," Cam reminded him. "He can do what he wants. He was very firm with his decision, and he is going to personally investigate this case."

Booth walked away. Cam followed him out of the hospital as he made a call.

"I need to talk to Hacker, now," he said angrily.

Max rushed into the hospital, asking a nurse which room his daughter was in. He sighed half in relief when he walked into the room.

"Oh, Tempe, you're alright?" he said, grabbing her hand.

"I'm fine. Why is everyone asking me that?"

"Sweetie, you were shot," Angela reminded her.

"I do not need reminded of that Angela. Dad, is Patience okay?"

"Patience?" he asked.

"Your student, the girl who helps you with the after-school Jeffersonian program."

"Patience Morrison? She was absent today. What does she have to do with anything?"

Brennan made a move to get up. Both Angela and Max gently pushed her back down.

"She could be in trouble," Brennan snapped at them. "We have to find her now!"

"Tempe, what does Patience have to do with you being shot?" Max asked gently.

"I don't know, but I have to find her."

Max looked to Angela for help and answers. Angela was looking at Brennan sadly. Hodgins stood quietly watching the scene.

"Her name isn't Patience Morrison," Brennan admitted. "Her name is Patience Brennan. She is fourteen years old, completely alone, and if someone is after me they might know I'm trying to get her back! I have to find her. I have to get out of here. I have to find my daughter."

"Your daughter?" Max asked.

Patience slowly pushed herself up. Her vision was clouded, and her head was aching. She clutched at her forehead, looking from side to side. A large heating vent on the wall caught her eye. She looked to the door before using the bed to help her stand. She stood on the bed and pried the grate from the wall. She stacked up the pillows and pulled herself into the heating duct.

(AN: so I don't know if people actually could crawl through heating ducts, but it's done in movies, and it fit into the story rather well. Sorry it was sorta boring. Anyway, I'll update soon, probably the last update for this weekend. Reviews help me write more, and maybe leave you with another chapter…!)