Okay so I missed the deadline by a few days... but I went over this one meticulously for errors. This is me at my very best.]
"Running up that Hill"
By Placebo
From outside Brennan could hear the muffled sounds of the music playing within. The song had a strong beat to it, the base finding rhythm with her heart in her ears as she walked towards the one place she hated more than anywhere else.
Any other time and she might have walked slower, dreading what she was about to do.
Not tonight.
Tonight anger was pulsing through her veins stronger than anything. Years and years of anger amplified by a shot in the dark that pierced into her partner's shoulder.
Tonight she wasn't walking in there as a scared seventeen year old with no one and nothing, too afraid to step out of line. No, tonight she was walking in as Dr. Temperance Brennan, Forensic Anthropologist, bestselling author, and part of the best crime solving team in history.
Tonight she was going to do what she did best and solve this case once and for all, even if it killed her.
The gun strapped to her lower back just under her coat proved that she might not be leaving here tonight. However Brennan was damn sure she'd bring Steven with her at any cost.
Reaching the all too familiar guard, she pushed all regrets of not having said goodbye, to her subconscious. She wished she could've at least said goodbye to Booth, but he'd never have let her go.
This was something she needed to do, something she should've done weeks ago.
The guard recognized immediately who she was and quickly stepped aside. The music was louder now. She could feel deep it in her chest.
Looking back towards the closing door, the light from outside getting smaller and smaller, she could feel everything slipping away from her.
It was only when she heard the heavy metal door slam shut did she turn around into the darkness of the club to whatever fate awaited her inside.
Booth and Angela pulled up to the Roxy and took a look around. The place was pretty big from the outside, with no windows except on the bottom floor. The sign outside said the club's name in big red neon lettering.
The parking lot was filled with expensive looking cars of all types. Looking around Booth noticed one in particular.
"Isn't that Bones' car?"
They both leant over to see and sure enough the door opened revealing one very pissed off Dr. Brennan. She was wearing dark blue jeans that hugged her every curve, a gray shirt that for Booth was way too tight, a black coat, and heels.
Angela went to get out of the car but Booth stopped her.
"Wait until she gets inside"
"We'll never find her inside, this place is huge"
"I want to see what she's doing here"
Angela looked at him skeptically "this feels a little like stalking to me"
Booth ignored her, and Angela watched as Booth's eyes followed Brennan as she walked, never leaving her for a moment. It was almost sad in a way how much he missed her.
"You don't suppose she actually came here for the dancing do you? Because she looks hot" Ange said smiling faintly.
"Thanks Ange, that's really helpful" Booth said glaring at her.
They waited until Brennan walked straight up to the bouncer instead of getting in line, and then to their great surprise he stepped aside quickly and let her pass.
Booth didn't think much of it and quickly got out of the black SUV, making his way after Brennan.
Angela however was baffled by this. Since when did Brennan go to clubs and get let in without even a word to the bouncer. Angela was fairly certain that a club with a reputation of drugs and violence wouldn't just let a renowned crime solver walk through the door without even asking her name.
Booth walked up to the bouncer just as Brennan had done, but instead the guy stopped him.
"Hey where do you think you're going? Get in line"
"But..."
The bouncer stepped towards Booth threateningly, his large muscles stretching through his shirt. However Booth didn't look threatened at all and held his ground.
Angela stepped up and placed a hand on Booth's shoulder.
"We're here to see his girlfriend, she just walked in"
The bouncer looked back at the door he had just let Brennan through.
"Oh yeah? What was her name then?" He asked grinning, thinking he had caught them in a lie.
Booth surpassed a grin of his own as he answered, "Temperance Brennan".
The guy looked shocked for a moment before grudgingly letting them both in.
"Well that worked better than I thought it would" Angela said to Booth as they walked down the pitch black hall to the main floor. Booth stopped and looked back at the door to see it swing shut leaving them in darkness.
"It worries me that it worked at all"
"Tempe you're not serious are you?" Lindsay whispered
"I am absolutely serious"
Lindsay tied her waitressing apron behind her back and stared at Brennan. Something had changed with her. It was like she was a different woman than the one that had sat on her couch only hours before.
They were in the locker room area, where Lindsay and the rest of the girls were getting ready for their shifts.
"Look you can't just go up there and steal that book. He'll have it on him, and even if you do get it there are a hundred of his men in here tonight. You'd never make it out"
Brennan helped her with her pin fastening it in place.
"While I'm up there you try and collect evidence like we talked about. When I get it I'll hide it in the lounge upstairs quickly and then have him follow me onto the main floor. You take the book and whatever else you find and bring it straight to the Jeffersonian"
Lindsay looked at the woman in front of her with the same admiration and respect she had when she was a teenager.
"You'll never make it out of here"
Brennan didn't hesitate in answering "Don't worry about me, just get it to the Jeffersonian and tell them where they can find everything else"
Lindsay understood what Brennan had not said and hugged her tightly.
"Good luck"
Brennan smiled thinking of Booth and how many times she told him there was no such thing.
"You too"
"I told you we wouldn't be able to find her" Angela said looking around nervously. Most of the men were staring at her with dark intentions written on their faces.
Booth saw these men too and felt his panic level rising even more. "She has to be around here somewhere"
Inside the club it was all dark with only a few flashing lights. There were tables set up towards the stage, and a hard wood floor where people were dancing. There was a bar on their left as they walked in and a stair case on the other side leading up to a balcony.
The whole place seemed to be packed and Booth didn't know how he was ever going to find her.
"Booth"
"What?"
"Look at the waitresses"
Booth looked at them in their extremely revealing outfits, waiting on customers and having the customers grab at them as they went by. It made Booth sick to his stomach to watch.
"What about them?"
"Their heels are the same ones that were sent to the lab"
Booth noticed that they were the same pair for every one of the waitresses in here.
"That's not all; I've seen those pins before Booth"
"When?"
Angela hesitated not wanting to tell him what she thought about all this.
"They're almost the same ones that Brennan had back when we were in college... she said Mandy gave them to her"
Before Booth had time to respond, he saw Bones out of the corner of his eye coming out of a room beyond the bar.
"She's over there"
Booth pointed to where and they watched as Brennan glanced around before making her way through the club to the stairs. They followed her not noticing Lindsay standing where Brennan had just come out of.
Lindsay tried to get their attention but they were already to the stairs.
It was no use. They were in this now with them.
The Lab was in a flurry of activity. Zach had managed to find some DNA not belonging to their victim that looked like she had pulled from her attacker. The pieces of hair were a silver color that she had clenched tightly in her hand.
"We found DNA and were able to match it to Stephen McCoy" Zach jumped in cutting Hodgins off before he could reveal the find to Cam.
"It also seemed like the victim was thrown backwards against a wall, causing her to black out for a period of time. I'm assuming she tried to run when the attacker grabbed her and killed her"
They kept looking for more information though, there were some things that didn't add up. And they were determined to get all of the facts, just as Dr. Brennan would tell them to do.
Hodgins was searching anything and everything that had to do with the Masons and had finally found some information concerning the foster child they had.
"Cam I got something" Hodgins said printing out various articles.
"What is it?"
"There was a police report filed a month before the murders saying that the father, Ron Mason..."
Hodgins hesitated, his mouth turning to sand paper.
"Yes?" Cam said motioning for him to continue.
"...sexually assaulted and beat the 17 year old girl staying with them. Charges were dropped when a psychologist determined that the young girl was... unstable and delusional after the... disappearance of her parents three years earlier"
The lab was unusually quiet as Dr. Brennan's words filled their thoughts.
"I hate psychology. It's a soft science"
"It is my belief that Dr. Brennan was sent to work at this club by her abusive step father, and that she made friends with Miranda Richards. Steven McCoy killed the Mason family for some reason and both Miranda and Dr. Brennan attempted to go to the police but were stopped" Sweets said breaking the silence and stepping onto the platform.
"Miranda was killed and Brennan was..."
"... Abused to some extent. That's probably why she's been so distant to everyone... especially Booth. She figured that if she stayed out of this case, then Steven McCoy wouldn't try to hurt any of you"
"She didn't count on the fact that Booth would never leave her alone, so she did the only thing she could and broke his heart just about every way she knew possible"
"And you think Steven sent a hit man to kill Booth" Hodgins asked.
"Most definitely, Booth didn't stay away and Steven saw him as a possible threat just as he did Angela"
"Now wait, Angela hasn't been threatened" Hodgins said nervously.
Cam broke in slightly shocked herself at just realizing it. "She has! The note and heels McCoy sent to the lab. And the picture! He sent it as a warning, and Brennan knew what it meant that's why she took off"
Sweets nodded satisfied that he had brought the team up to speed with all this. "Where are Angela and Booth now? I think it's important for them to know this; they may be able to find Brennan if they did"
The other three looked at each other, horror written across their faces.
Booth and Angela thought that the danger was only for Brennan, when in fact they had been in more danger than she had ever been.
And they were walking right to the man that Brennan had done everything she could to keep away from them.
Booth and Angela watched in amazement as once more Brennan got by another official looking guy without even a word to him. This time however it was for the VIP area and Booth could see that even most of the waitresses here didn't have access up onto the balcony.
They watched as Brennan made her way through tables where the waitresses were doing a lot more than serving drinks.
He was amazed at how she was able to keep her composure when even from here he could see that those poor girls had no choice in what they were doing. They were like play things to these men.
He saw her stop abruptly and then turn back the way she came to talk to the man that had gotten up behind her.
From what he could see she pushed him away from her.
It was all the motivation he needed to go to her and help her. God knows what he had just done to her.
"You can't go up there"
"My girlfriend just did, her name's Temperance Brennan" Booth said quickly trying to push past him.
The guard laughed and crossed his hands over his chest. "Yeah I know her name, it still doesn't get you upstairs"
"Then what does?" Angela asked.
A few guards started coming towards them slowly and Booth slowly reached for his gun.
Meanwhile
Lindsay had finally finished what Temperance had told her to do in time to find Agent Booth and Brennan's friend at the foot of the VIP stairs. Four guards had started to surround them. And if they caused a scene now then it would all be over.
"Brian, its okay they're with me" She said coming up behind them.
It was then that Angela recognized the difference in the pin Brennan and Lindsay had, and the ones they had already seen. It may be subtle enough for Booth to miss but not for an artist.
And somehow Angela knew... Brennan had worked here with Miranda.
She turned and could almost see a younger Brennan serving drinks to a table of older men, some touching her and some not even noticing her. She could see it almost as if it were something she was actually witnessing, because she had. It was the same look Brennan had back in college and the same one she had for the past three weeks.
It was a look of sadness, of regret, of shame. It was Brennan at her most vulnerable and she almost felt guilty for seeing it. Like it was something only the girls here should have to witness and share with each other.
And it was the same look that every girl in here had.
Lindsay was leading them away from the stairs now and back towards the exit.
"Where are we going?" Booth asked while turning to see if Brennan had come out of that room yet.
"You both need to leave"
"What? No I'm not going anywhere until I talk to Bones"
"Who?" Lindsay asked stopping to glance at him truly puzzled at what he just said.
Angela grabbed Booth's arm to keep him from going back to the stairs. "Brennan, he means Brennan and how come we can't go upstairs?"
"You have to be a very close friend to Steven or a very high paying customer, usually both"
Angela nodded again still trying to hold onto Booth
"What if you work here?"
Lindsay stared at Angela, realizing that she had figured out how Brennan had gotten up there. She wasn't sure what to tell her, uncertain if she should say anything at all.
"You... you have to be one of Steven's favorites. You have to already know how things work here, you have to know when to let some things go"
Angela nodded that she understood with unshed tears threatening to fall, but Booth shook his head clearly not getting it.
"So how did Bones get up there then?"
Lindsay bit her lip and looked down, unable to look him in the eye.
Angela did too, but gave him the answer he never wanted to hear.
"Booth, she worked up there when she was seventeen, with Miranda"
Lindsay nodded "Out of every girl that has been up there she was his absolute favorite, still is"
Echoing through Booth's head was the last line of the message that had come to the lab. "I always take good care of my girls"
Brennan was still Booth's girl. And she was going to stay that way if Booth had anything to say about it.
Without another word he ran in the opposite direction back where they had just came from before Angela or Lindsay could stop him.
Reaching the guard this time he pulled out his badge before pushing his way past him.
Once he was on the balcony he realized that it was even worse up here for these poor girls. He didn't waste any time before going straight to the door Brennan had gone into. Passing the guy that was covered in beer from being pushed onto his table.
It was time to have a little talk about Steven about his Bones.
About 15 minutes ago...
Brennan made her way through the club trying to avoid any contact with some of its patrons. One man reached out as if to grab her but a guard instantly came over.
The men on the main floor were all the same, always grabbing at the girls and always wanting more.
It was only on the balcony that they could get what they wanted... if they had enough money.
Those who were Steven's favorites didn't have to be bothered by the men downstairs. However they were better off down here, where they didn't have to be worried whether or not they would have to go to bed with someone or get beat up if they refused.
She came to the stairs and was surprised to see the same guard from when she had worked here.
"Brian" she nodded smiling politely.
He nodded as well and let her up. It didn't matter that she didn't still work here, every one of Steven's men and even most waitresses knew who she was.
Brennan stopped at the top of the stairs glancing at the red satin couches lined against the wall and full of patrons.
She straightened and kept her chin up as she walked as swiftly as she could to Steven's office. Her pent up anger from before resurfacing.
She almost made it there without incident until a man in a black suit grabbed her from behind.
"Haven't seen you around here honey, why don't you come sit down"
Brennan took two deep breaths before she spun around and pushed the man back against his table that he was sharing with what looked like associates of his.
"Touch me again and I'll break your arm"
The waitress that was already there looked up at her shocked at what she had done.
Brennan only smoothed out her jacket before banging on Steven's door.
"Not now" he replied just loud enough to be heard over the music.
Brennan's eyes narrowed as she pushed open the door, letting it slam into the wall behind it.
Inside Steven was making out with two of his girls. Seeing who it was he pushed them both away and told them to wait outside.
"Temperance, I have to say this is a surprise"
However the smirk on his face was enough to tell her he had been expecting her.
She moved inside while closing the door behind her and clenched her fists trying to keep some semblance of control before she kicked his ass.
"I told you to stay away from him"
Steven took one step towards her, one she watched carefully.
"I'm not sure I know who you're talking about Bones"
"You know exactly who I'm talking about, let's not play games"
Out of the corner of her eye she could see what she had come here for, Steven's "business" journal. Filled with every deal he had ever made.
Steven took a few more strides until he was just in front of her, and reached out to softly move a few strands of her hair that had fallen out of place.
Brennan was shaking by now with trying to keep herself in check.
His tone was soft as velvet when he spoke. "Is this about the FBI agent?"
"The one you tried to have killed? Yeah it is" She said coldly pulling away from him.
Steven's smirk had faded into a more sadistic one. "What about him?"
"You broke our deal" Brennan said pointedly moving to the side and away from him.
"How is that exactly?"
"You almost killed him!" Brennan said, her composure slipping ever so slightly.
"I promised I wouldn't hurt any of your friends. You admitted it yourself that he was more than a friend, Bones"
"Don't screw with me Steven, and don't call me Bones" she said fiercely.
This only seemed to egg him on further.
"I'll do whatever I want to you and you know it."
She could feel his hot breath on her face as he gripped her around the waist.
"I'm not kidding" she said twisting out of his arms.
Whatever power he once held on her was gone. There was no fear in her eyes, only anger. Dr. Temperance Brennan was back, and extremely irritated.
Steven noticed it too, his smirk fading away.
"Why are you here then Temperance? I assume it's not to beg me to spare your friends"
"No I'm done begging"
She moved a little closer to his desk where his journal laid.
"So what is it now? A threat that your precious team will bring me down, because they won't"
Brennan took another step just in front of it.
"They're the best around they'll figure it out, if they haven't already"
Brennan knew that if she were going to do this, then now was the time.
"But how will they do it without you Bones?"
Just as Brennan grabbed the journal behind her, the door was thrown open once more.
"FBI, don't move" Booth said his gun drawn on Steven. "And don't call her Bones!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Well had to stop somewhere. Next one up ASAP!