CHAPTER 10 - To Consider the Past

TWO WEEKS AGO

Tilly sat in her hotel room. She couldn't bring herself to pace anymore, but it didn't mean she wasn't nervous. For one, She'd waited years to seek them out. Now that she was doing it, she wondered how it would go, if they would react badly. But the bigger concern was not part of the process itself, but rather what it meant that she was doing it now.

She was dying. She'd known it as an eventuality for some time, and she'd done her best to deal with it. It was easier before, it still seemed at a distance in one way or another. But she knew she was nearing the end now... and that was a whole other kind of fear. In that instant she closed her eyes and thought of Ian and Carlee.

If it was possible, she was more afraid of what her death would mean to them than actually dying. Her life had never had as much meaning as when they came into it. She had made a mental deal with whoever would listen to allow her to see her daughter's birthday before she'd have to go.

Now here she sat, alone with her very last life goal.

She looked at her list. She'd placed them in alphabetical order. She didn't know why. She'd already made some calls, but none of them had gotten her anywhere, because she'd been afraid. She couldn't do that anymore. All it did was waste precious time. With a deep breath, she took her phone and dialed the last number. The phone rang for the fourth time, and she thought about hanging up. But then...

"Hello?"

"Is this Brighton Young?" she asked evenly.

"Who's this?" the man asked. Time of truth...

"I don't know if you'll remember me. We used to live in the home of Richard and Jane Brody. My name is Matilda McCrea, I went by Tilly?" There was a pause.

"Long time..." He remembered.

"Yeah..." she lightly laughed, relieved. "I'm not bothering you, am I? I can call back..."

"No, it's alright. What's this about?"

She took a breath. So many times she'd thought of what she'd say. Now here she was, and she just hoped those were the right words. Most of all she wanted to say these things face to face. Still, she had to convince them to a meet.

"Hello? Are you still there?" his voice brought her back to attention.

"There are some things that have happened in the past, things I've hoped just as long to some day get to discuss with you. To you it may seem out of the blue, but it's been a long time coming. And the truth is if I'll ever get a chance to do it, now is all that's left."

"To do what?" he asked.

"To make amends."

x

TODAY

They'd been at this all day. First it had been only Booth and Brennan, going through the lists. It wasn't just about identifying female foster siblings of Brighton Young, but finding the ones that matched the description. Billie had tried to be more precise, but she couldn't help further. Still she was positive she could identify the woman on sight. They could hardly rely on files, as pictures or no, time and aesthetics had changed them.

After a time, Angela had joined them. Then came Hodgins, Zack, even Goodman. To their surprise, Agent Eckers came to offer her services. Before long they had their system down. They alternated on the phone task. When it came around to dinner time, they ordered chinese.

"Number three is clear," Hodgins declared, hanging up the phone. They'd assigned the homes numbers, to make things easier. Once the 'candidates' of each home were identified, they worked to locate them and determine them either suspect or clear of doubt.

"I doubt any of the earlier homes will bring results," Agent Eckers commented.

"What's your point?" Goodman asked.

"Speaking only from intuition, I just have a feeling this is where we need to look. The little I know of this situation..." She turned to Brennan. "What's your take on Mr. Young? Out of all of us you're the only one who knew him, lived with him day in, day out." Brennan considered this. "From the files we know he arrived a month after you. Do you recall meeting him?"

x

FEBRUARY 17TH 1992

"Is he here yet?" Sara Lynn asked, standing behind her. Temperance looked out the window again.

"I don't see anything," she scanned the street - no car. "Wait..." she squinted. "I think... car... car!" she called louder on the second time. The magic word. Before long, curious faces began to trickle in.

"Alright, let's not crowd him, people," Richard pushed his way through with a chuckle.

Most of them drifted off, though Temperance remained with Sara Lynn, attending to the latter's infamous curiosity. Soon Jane arrived as well. A moment later, the doorbell rang and Richard went to answer. Temperance and Sara Lynn could only hear what was going on, being blocked from view by the door. After a moment though, Richard entered with a man they were all familiar with, from social services, and then the boy.

Temperance's first impression was that the boy looked unaffected. She remembered the dread in her when she'd made her own entrance. But then she supposed this wasn't his first time - by far.

When the boy looked over and saw the two girls looking at him, his observers startled. He gave a silent wave though, moved on. They would soon know his name, though not through him. In fact for a number of weeks they would believe him to be mute. They nicknamed him Zombie... that was how he seemed most times.

The first who'd gotten him talking was Tilly.

x

TODAY

"It was who she was... She got people." She fell quiet.

"Maybe..." they looked up when Zack spoke. "Maybe it's not a coincidence... this girl looking like her."

At this suggestion, and the implications it brought with it, the rest of the room joined in Brennan's silence. They knew what Brighton was capable of, through Grace. The fact that she may not have been the first had somehow not crossed their minds in this context. Booth reached for a stack of files and placed them within their 'circle'.

"Post-Brody home," he announced. Everyone got to work, dividing and conquering. Brighton's foster days had rounded to a conclusion in one final home after that of Richard and Jane, having already been seventeen at the time.

They were still in early stages of working up some contenders when they got a call from the unit over at Brighton's home - more blood. Angela spoke up, seeing conflict in Brennan's eyes.

"Go. We'll keep at it." Brennan smiled, looking to Booth. Wordlessly, he followed as they headed out. In the car, a question hung on Booth's mind. He considered for a while whether or not to ask it. Finally though he could tell she was aware of his internal mental debate. "What is it?"

"Brighton... you... did he ever..."

"No," she assured him.

"Okay," he nodded slowly.

They arrived once again at Brighton's home. This time though they didn't even need to enter the house. They were stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the door.

"What do we have?" Booth asked.

"Under the stair, here," the man crouched and lit up the area with his flashlight. The trickle was discreet but present. Booth leaned in to observe this. His attention moved to the steps themselves, touching them. After a moment, he looked to Brennan.

"There were recently repainted." She nodded.

"Take them back to the lab." The man nodded and went to get the needed tools. Brennan stood back, observing the set-up. She could see it in her mind now. Tilly happens upon the scene inside, becomes faced with Brighton, killer, perhaps tries to get away and gets sent down the stairs.

"We should check with neighbors across the street, see if they might have spotted something," Booth came up next to her.

"I should get to the lab," she reminded him. "The steps..." He nodded.

"Alright. Just as well. They're never happy when we come knocking at this hour," he sighed. She smiled. He gave her the car keys and headed out across the street. Soon she was handed the packaged steps and she took them to the car. As she drove off she could see a door being slammed in Booth's face. He spotted her and gave a 'see?' nod.

Further, she pulled out her phone, called 'central', as Hodgins had deemed their work room with the foster files. In fact that was how she was greeted.

"Central," Hodgins spoke, no doubt knowing it was her.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Slowly. People get cranky..."

"Yeah, so I've heard. I need you and Angela back at the lab."

"You got it. I could use a change of pace."

x

"Sorry to bother you, sir, this shouldn't take..." Booth started, but the old man waved his hand up and shook his head.

"At this point this is the most entertainment I'll have on a given day. Please, come, sit," he led him into his living room and they sat. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"Are you aware of the situation across the street?"

"Hard not to be, isn't it? Although trying to get a straight story is another matter."

"Were you here Tuesday before last?" The old man considered this.

"Yes, I was."

"Did you see any stranger cars or people at Mr. Young's?" The man thought, shook his head. "How about ones that you knew?" At this, there was the slightest of changes in the man's features. He tried to keep it discreet, but Booth had seen it.

"No one," he looked Booth right in the eye, no flinch or doubt.

"Are you sure?"

"Nothing stands out, I'm sorry," the old man held.

"Alright," Booth nodded, standing. He figured they could talk to him again by day. He was protecting something... someone.

All he wanted was for this to be over, for her. He wanted justice for Tilly, Grace, and even Brighton. But as to Brennan, it was a whole other matter.

x

"I'm just saying after all this, we might want to rethink it," Hodgins was telling Angela as the two of them made their way into the room where Brennan was observing the removed steps from up close. Hearing the voices, her eyes flickered sideways for a moment before returning to the steps.

"We're not going to get eaten, Jack," Angela rolled her eyes. "We'll get a tent, a nice big sleeping bag..." she edged on with a grin. He lowered his head with a smirk. After a moment, they reconnected to the present situation, giving their attention to Brennan.

"Hodgins & Montenegro here," he announced.

"Need to get under this new coat of paint," Brennan explained, still transfixed. "In all likelihood, this is where Tilly was killed."

The longer she looked at the steps, propped up as they were, the more she found that her brain was forcing her to think of it. Tilly, already being separated from the peaceful life she'd made for herself, tumbling down the steps as she was pushed by someone that remained veiled at this time.

After a time, they had gotten some results. As Brennan stood and observed, the covered stains of blood were revealed. And with that, they found a point of impact. Angela brought up an image of the skull. The two lined up perfectly.

"It's a match," Angela spoke for the sake of confirmation. Brennan approached.

"What else?"

"Force of impact that strongly supports the push theory." Brennan nodded. "This is good, isn't it?" Angela asked slowly.

"Yes," Brennan answered after a moment. She rubbed at her eyes. Angela sighed.

"Sweetie, you haven't been sleeping right, have you?"

"Sure, I mean..."

"Not buying it. But don't worry because I've got the solution to all that," she nodded, ducking out of the room before Brennan could protest. Hodgins watched her go with a smile. When he looked back to Brennan, he found she was staring back with a chuckle in her face.

"Please, don't be a girl," he shook his head. She blinked, realizing for once that she'd just smiled. She almost felt these days that seeing Hodgins and Angela so downright happy with one another... it made her feel better. Of course there was her and Booth too, but what she felt there was how she hadn't been herself and because of that they were suffering, both of them. But it wouldn't have to be this way for much longer - not if she had anything to say about it.

x

Booth looked at his watch as he exited the last home within proper range of Brighton's. He may not have gotten any answers beyond the elusive old man, but the good thing about these visits was that he'd planted the need to remember in their minds. After a night's rest, something might come through.

He was heading to his car, which had been driven back to the scene no doubt per Brennan's request, when he spotted Mara Blaine sitting on her front porch, gently rocking little Maggie in her arms with a murmured song. He walked toward the house, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. She saw him and smiled innocently.

"She likes the stars."

"Yeah, I do too," Booth looked to the sky for a moment.

"She won't sleep unless she's seen them before closing her eyes. They were the first thing she ever saw... through the sun roof of our car," Mara recalled. "Not quite what I'd expected," she looked back to Maggie. "But it was perfect." Booth climbed the steps and sat at their side.

"May I?"

"Sure," Mara nodded with a smile as she handed over the two-month-old. She fussed for a moment but then she melted back into calm.

"Look at those big blue eyes," Booth smirked.

"Cole says he's glad she's got mine, then he's with both of us at any time he's with one of us..."

"Mara," he addressed her as she'd allowed him to, "Did you see anything on the day of the murders?" She shrugged, looking up to the skies. There was a look in her eyes he couldn't explain, faraway.

"I spend most of my days with Maggie. Other times I take her to visit old Mr. Jacoby across the street." Booth nodded.

"Met him tonight. He seems nice."

"He is," Mara nodded. "Very kind. He's all alone. I know how that feels..." her voice faltered. He turned to her. He was going to ask what she meant when both paused, hearing the phone ring inside. The distraction was only a moment.

"It's good you're looking out for him, that he's not alone..."

"Yes..." she smiled, looking down to her daughter.

"And your loneliness was taken away too." She looked to him, nodded. "What do you..." he started to ask when the front door opened behind them. They turned to see it was Cole, handset still in his hand. He paused, finding Booth there, with his daughter in his arms.

"Agent Booth..." he started, then remembered the phone. "Someone calling for you," he turned to his wife.

"What..." she looked to her watch. "Who is it?" Booth turned his attention to Maggie, not wanting to intrude on the Blaines. The girl had fallen asleep by then, and Booth could tell she had indeed fallen asleep with stars in her eyes. That only lasted so long though when a name drew him back.

"A Zack Addy, he works in a lab or something?"

"What's he want?" Mara asked as Booth listened discreetly, pretending to be adjusting the blanket around Maggie.

"I don't know, he wouldn't say. He called you by your maiden name," he pointed out with surprise. As Mara was handed the phone, Booth stood to Cole.

"She's asleep..." With a nod, Cole took Maggie and went inside. Booth turned to Mara.

"Hello?" she was speaking into the phone. Booth took it from her. She paused, looking at him.

"Thanks Zack, I've got this," he hung up. He sat by Mara again. "We need to talk."

TBC