A/N: This is the last chapter before the epilogue. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Thirteen

After a few inquiries, Booth and Brennan found themselves at the community college auditorium. The theater was empty except for the cast of High School Musical on the front few rows. As they walked down the aisle of the auditorium their bodies became difficult to move and both Brennan and Booth felt like they were moving through mud.

"Whhhhhhhhaaaaaaaatttttttt'sssss hhhhaaaaaaappppppppppeeeeeeennnnnniiiing?" Booth asked, his voice drawing out every syllable.

"Oh no! They're in slow motion! It must be really important," Chad whispered loudly to the group. Everyone exchanged worried glances as Booth and Brennan moved slowly down the aisle as Brennan's hair and Booth's jacket blew in an invisible wind that only touched the two of them.

They reached the front rows as silence fell across the small crowd. Ryan stood up, looking anxious and depressed. Kelsi passed Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan and stood by Ryan, holding his hand. Gabriella held Zeke's hand, while the guys patted his shoulders in compassion.

"Do you have anything?" Ryan asked them as they stepped in front of the close knit group. Booth nodded gravely, then turned to face Ms. Darbus, who was sitting in the folding chair with her handkerchief twisted in her hands. She looked up at them, and her face was tortured, drawn, and gray. She looked almost relieved as Booth and Brennan turned to her with grim looks.

"Agatha Darbus, I have a warrant for your arrest," Booth began. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," he recited as he gripped Ms. Darbus' arm and helped her stand.

"No!" Taylor shouted, "You've made a mistake. It can't be Ms. Darbus!"

"Witnesses place you at the scene of the crime at the time of Sharpay's death," Brennan said to Ms. Darbus authoritatively. "The shards of glass match the type of glasses that are around your neck, and the ceramic beads are similar to those on the chain that you're wearing."

"Also, a partial print was found on the battery of Sharpay's cell phone," Booth said as he brought out his handcuffs. "It matches the prints on file with the school."

"Ms. Darbus?" Troy asked in confusion. She looked at him sadly.

"It was an accident," she protested to her horrified students. "I didn't mean for it to happen!" The students looked at her with angry expressions, and it seemed to draw out Ms. Darbus' anger as well.

"I never meant for it to go that far! It just happened, and I knew that if anyone found out…" Ms. Darbus' voice trailed off as "Fabulous" began playing in the auditorium. Booth let Ms. Darbus walk down the aisle, knowing that she couldn't get away if she decided to run. Ms. Darbus began to sing her confession:

It's out with the old

And in with the new.

I worked so hard

But they never stayed true.

Drama was nothing

Before I was here

But Sharpay comes along

And I'm gone without a tear.

Excuse me?

Booth had been putting his cuffs onto Ms. Darbus' wrists, but let go and let her finish her song.

Thank you.

I want everything

To be just as it was

I want everything

But it's now a lost cause

I didn't mean to go that far

To get me what I want

I want some drama in my life

Is that so wrong?

The music ended and she stood in front of the stage, looking at her students that she spent so much time with. "Sharpay was going to replace you as the drama teacher?" Zeke asked, his face tear streaked. "That must have been her big news that she was talking about."

"She was so talented," Ryan said quietly. "She would have done well."

"I've been working at that school for fifteen years and because of stupid budget cuts they replace me with a girl that barely finished high school!" Ms. Darbus screeched. Her face was splotched red and white from crying and her mascara was running down her cheeks. "Drama is my life. They were trying to take away my life! She climbed up to the catwalk to gloat and tell me that I could assist her. Assist her?! Who does she think she is? She began singing about how she would change everything when I was gone, and I just pushed her. She grabbed my glasses as she fell. But I never meant to hurt her."

Booth was surprised that her flighty voice didn't change as she confessed. She still had the same dramatic flair, even as she was being arrested for murder. He took Ms. Darbus and placed the handcuffs on her. She went without a struggle, beginning to cry as she was taken away. Her former students spread out in the aisle and the music of "Walk Away" began playing. Ms. Darbus began singing as she was ushered through her students:

I guess I should have known better

To think I could have gotten away

Zeke started singing, pointing at Ms. Darbus accusingly:

You took my love away foreveeeer

When we finally found each other

Ryan began to sing, with Troy and Chad backing him up:

I can't believe you tried to fool us.

My sister's life was traded for your selfishness.

All the students began singing together, helping each other with their harmony:

We'll only survive if we stay together

(If we stay)

You walk away

Only don't come back.

Cause you broke our hearts

Now Sharpay won't come back.

So just walk away.

Brennan and Booth escorted Ms. Darbus to the waiting squad car. She was crying in earnest now, sobbing violently. "I didn't mean to hurt her," she moaned before Booth closed the door. He slapped the top of the car to signal that she was ready to go and the D C police officer drove off.

"Do you think she'll get off on manslaughter?" Brennan asked him.

"I don't know, Bones," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He smiled when she leaned into him without protest as they walked towards the SUV. "It would depend on the jury, I suppose. She did try to cover it up, which will look bad when it goes to trial. And the jury will sympathize with a pregnant young woman who was getting her first job more than they will sympathize with an older, eccentric woman who was trying to serve her own interests."

"Although by most accounts, Sharpay was an unpleasant person to be around, I don't believe she deserved to die so young," Brennan said sadly. "I'm glad that we were able to provide answers for her family and friends." Booth pulled her tighter against his side as they reached the SUV and turned her to face him.

"I love your heart," he said gruffly. "I love the way you care about the victims we see. I love how you pour yourself into your job because you know your job matters. It makes you so beautiful." His hand cupped the back of her head as her hand caressed his cheek. Her eyes were shining and surprised. "You don't have to look so surprised, Bones," he whispered over her jaw, reading her expression perfectly. "Why did you think I loved you?" he asked softly.

"We work together very closely, Booth. We have become very good friends, in my opinion. And I am a reasonably attractive female," she answered as he stroked her hair and let his other hand splay possessively at the small of her back. "Anthropologically speaking, it is entirely logical that because of your status as an alpha male, you would seek a mate that has alpha female characteristics." He smiled at her self-satisfied tone, his upturned lips touching her neck lightly. He inhaled deeply, taking in her scent as he finally kissed her neck the way he had wanted to since he had seen her talking with Sean Cook early in their partnership.

"You certainly are an alpha female, Bones. The crème de la crème, as it were," he said as he kissed along her neck to her jaw. She impatiently turned her head so that his next kiss fell directly on her lips. He obliged her, kissing her deeply until her body was pressed against the door and Brennan's knees were so shaky that she was glad that she had the support that the vehicle gave her. They finally pulled away slightly as Booth leaned his head against hers, holding onto her hips to steady himself as well as her.

"I love you, Temperance Brennan," he said softly, seriously. "I love you with all my heart. It would take a lifetime of words to tell you all the reasons that I love you."

"Well," she said teasingly, stroking his tie and caressing his strong shoulder, "I suppose you'll just have to use the life we have together to tell me."

"That sounds perfect," he whispered. They shared a quick kiss, knowing that they couldn't let themselves get carried away in a public place. He unlocked the doors and held her door open until she got in, then jogged happily over to the driver's side.

"I'm hungry," Booth complained as they drove out of the parking lot. "And I know you have to be hungry, too because you only had one of those protein bars that taste like sawdust mixed with cocoa powder pounded into a disgusting rubbery paste."

"They're very filling!" Brennan exclaimed, "And they have an acceptable amount of protein per calorie ratio that complements the nutritional requirements of my diet."

"Whatever, Bones," he said, waving her protests away airily. "I still say that you need real food, so we're making a stop at the diner before we go home to finish the paperwork."

"I suppose that would be satisfactory," she said, locking her seatbelt in place. "I would like to eat something soon, and I know that you need more calories than I do because you have more muscle mass and therefore a higher metabolism than I do. Although you should stop filling up on empty calories like pie."

"Hey! Don't knock my pie. I look forward to it all day. Just let me have my little pleasures," he protested with a smile as he thought of another little pleasure he would love to try. Stretching out his hand towards her, he was thrilled as she slipped her smaller hand into his larger, more callused hand and squeezed affectionately. He would forgo any amount of pie for the simple pleasure of her hand in his.

A/N: I hope you liked this! I've already written the epilogue, so it should be up soon. I would love to hear what you think!