Disclaimer: Bones and its affiliated characters do not belong to me. I mean no copyright infringement.

Spoilers: Season 6 (Includes promos and spoilers for future episodes)

Rating: T for language

Author's Notes: Happy Bones Day! I'm looking forward to seeing how the first sniper episode with Taffet plays out on the show this evening.

Note the rating change above.

Please forgive any mistakes regarding the legal system.

I left responses to your reviews at the end! (Lengthy… and there is a story spoiler… beware if don't want to read it. I put it at the very bottom of the page when responding to a reader's review.)

The Trouble in the Triangle

Chapter 13: Interrogations

Brennan arrived at the Hoover about a half an hour before the scheduled interrogation of Eliza Turner. She called Booth to inform him of the set-up. Charlie and Perotta would be questioning the witness while Sweets observed for consultation. Sweets talked Brennan into staying. He was looking forward to the interaction between his favorite partners.

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Brennan got to work setting up the laptop.

"So, Dr. Brennan, how does Agent Booth seem to be handling everything?"

She stopped what she was doing. "He's recovering just fine. His chest tube is being taken out this afternoon. And he's relieved that he's participating this morning. Of course, I don't think he would have allowed otherwise. He ran away from the hospital once to rescue me."

"Really? That's interesting."

"And that's annoying."

Sweets just smiled. "What I was really hoping to find out was how he was doing with the changes in his relationship with Hannah."

She finished with the connection. "It's not my place to share that information." He should know that's what I would say.

Booth appeared on the screen. "Hey, Bones. Everything running on time?"

"With Turner, I haven't heard differently. But Sweets has already started his interrogation."

Sweets rolled his eyes. "I'd hardly say that I was interrogating you."

"Ah! Sweets is there." Sweets appeared on the screen. "Listen kid, relax. What's between us is ours… meaning any conversations dealing with Hannah or any other personal matter is off limits to you."

"Even more interesting," thought Sweets. "I think a few days in the hospital was just what the doctor ordered to get them talking to each other."

"That's a switch," thought Brennan. "The changes in Booth have been amazing and caring. If he keeps this up, I don't know how I'm going to move on."

"Whatever it is that has you grinning stupidly, Sweets, stop thinking about it," ordered Booth.

"Looks like the show is starting," announced Brennan.

The inmate named Eliza Turner was ushered into the interrogation room by two armed guards. A few minutes later, they watched Charlie and Perotta walk in and take their seats at the opposite side of the table. Sweets had done an extensive profile on the prisoner two years ago. Given that information, it was decided that Perotta would begin the questioning.

"We are recording your statements, today. For that purpose, will you state your name?"

This line of questioning was something Brennan had never seen before and she was glad she stayed.

"In the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, under the direction of Judge Matthews, it has been proposed to move your parole hearing up by five years in exchange for your statement regarding events leading up to Heather Taffet's death. These statements must be deemed credible by the judge before the terms of the agreement are binding. Do you agree to these terms?"

After the official standard business was taken care of, Perotta started in with her questions.

A few minutes into it, Booth said, "Well, that's no surprise. Sweets, have them go back and ask her about the night guard. Why that particular guard?"

Sweets relayed the message and they got their answer. "Bingo Baby!"

Brennan rolled her eyes at him. "I highly doubt babies play bingo, Sweets." Booth chuckled. Charlie turned to look towards the one-way window.

Perotta: So, Taffet was overly friendly with all of the guards, male and female. And you're claiming that a night guard by the name of Roy Bedford was coaxing bits and pieces of Taffet's crimes from her in exchange for conjugal visits. How often did this occur?

Turner: Once a week. On Wednesdays.

Perotta: Who came to visit Taffet?

Turner: She never said.

Brennan: Ask her if it could've been possible for the night guard to be the person who satisfied her biological urges.

Perotta quickly covered her mouth and faked a cough. Sweets chuckled softly. Booth looked down and shook his head.

Perotta: Could it have been possible that the night guard was having sex with Taffet during those visits?

Turner: Not likely.

Perotta: Why not?

Turner: He always made rounds immediately after chaperoning her to her room. And she was gone for only about a half an hour, sometimes less.

Sweets' immediate reply was, "Wham bam, thank you, mam." Perotta faked another cough, Charlie smirked, and Brennan furrowed her eyebrows at no one in particular. Booth spoke up. "Sweets, turn the speaker off. Geez!"

Perotta: Is there anything else about Roy Bedford's routine on Wednesdays that you remember?

Turner: He always makes more rounds than the other night guards, but I never saw anything unusual. I tried. I figured I could grab some shit on some other chic.

Booth spoke up again. "Sweets, ask her if Taffet had any dirt on another inmate."

Perotta: Was it typical for Taffet to look for shit from other chics?

Turner: Hell, yeah. How do you think we survive in here?

Perotta: Did Taffet piss anyone off, recently? Owe anyone something?

Turner: She had shit on almost everyone at some time or another. The only one she was interested in lately was Wilkens. And there was a chic that harassed her frequently. Brown. She was released two weeks ago.

Perotta: What was special about Wilkens?

Turner: I don't know. But she got special treatment from Roy on Tuesday nights.

"Damn. I need to get out of here," complained Booth. "There are guards and inmates I need to question again."

"Get it out of your mind, Agent Booth. You are not on this case right now."

"Stay out of it, Sweets."

"Nice try. I'm the one who approves when you're fit for duty." Sweets was all professional in his statement and never once looked at the monitor.

The questioning went on for another hour. Booth had refused his morning dose of medications, he hadn't eaten since the previous night, and he was exhausted. He figured he looked like hell.

"Are you in any pain?"

"I'm fine, Bones."

"Did you take your pain medication this morning?" asked Brennan.

"I didn't need it."

"Which means you made a sacrifice in order to stay awake for this," noted Sweets.

"I can handle it. So drop it."

Brennan stood near the laptop, bent over, and looked directly at the screen. "Obviously, you needed it Booth. You're moody," she whispered.

He sighed. Did she have to wear a low cut blouse, today? "Bones, I'm moody because of Taffet," he replied in a whisper for no reason other than Brennan had whispered. "But, if you want to see me change my attitude, you can come back here and keep me company," he said with his charming smile.

Brennan smiled back at him. "I can't. I still have a couple of things I need to do before I get there."

"Oh, come on, Bones," he whined. "You know that you've always been able to cheer me up."

"Booth… you're whining… here at the Hoover," she stated with surprise. He was essentially at work and he, Special Agent Seeley Booth, was whining. Booth blushed adorably.

Sweets stood back leaning against a nearby wall and just watched the interaction between the partners. Days like this had become unfamiliar and he realized how much he had missed them.

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Review Responses/Commentary

Tartantrace, SouthunLady, & Boneslover97 (When I read that Brennan says something about not having sex for gratitude in a future episode, it instantly reminded me of episode 2. Of all the things that have annoyed me about Hannah Banana, her excitement over gratitude sex under a fig tree annoyed me the most. It was the first evidence I noticed that she was changing the Booth I knew and loved. So… I'm glad you liked it so much. (*u*)

IndiaDuBois (I haven't decided, yet, if Brennan will go on another date with Jake. I keep changing my mind. It would give her confidence, but it would also push Booth into staying with Hannah for that "safety net." And Booth waited for her for so long without dating anyone. I'd kind of like to see Booth noticing she's doing the same for him… she couldn't move on therefore he wouldn't be so afraid of her and questioning if she had regrets from being afraid of losing him for good because of Hannah or was it really love? But then I go back to the confidence thing for Brennan and seeing her happy. So, I don't know.) healingcat (I'm glad you liked the text from Jake. I think I rewrote that 3 times!)

Harper83 (Thanks for the laugh! I've had a lot of moments when I've wanted to throw my TV out the door after watching a season 6 episode.)

ObsessedWithBones3000 (My hubby laughs at me when I say "Awww!" or laugh while writing my own story. LOL! Glad you liked the line "I slept better when you were here." And I love it when readers point out specific lines that they enjoyed. Booth not calling Brennan "Bones" as much… I hadn't noticed that. I guess I was concentrating too much on how he was distancing himself in other ways.)

SouthunLady (I could tell from your reviews early in the story that you are just as upset as I am about what's happening in season 6. Thanks for sticking with the story. It's encouraging to read that you like how they're becoming friends again first and Booth is realizing what's he's done to harm his relationship with Bones.)

Boneslover97 (Thanks for telling me about 6x13!) I immediately went looking for the spoilers after I read your review. I'm trying to stay calm over the photos because they look soooo promising. About the sniper… I want Booth to be able to depend on Brennan. I don't see Hannah ever being able to do that. To me, she seems to think about herself first… such the opposite of Brennan. I don't know why HH thinks they're so alike. I'm guessing my sniper story will be very different from the one on the show. I hope it kept your attention and has you wondering how it will end. I was so humbled when you commented that my story is getting more awesome. That's a huge compliment for any writer and especially for who just started writing stories 7 months ago.)

Aching Bones (I love showing Brennan's steep learning curve. It's tricky to do that without going out of character. I'm interested in what you thought about the interrogation. I had a hard time writing it… hardest chapter so far. I hope I didn't rush it. I wanted to get it done before tonight's sniper episode so I wouldn't be too influenced by it.)

Aching Bones & Barb (I'm not sure I see Brennan running right now. I think she genuinely wants Booth too make sure his relationship with Hannah is real or not so she won't become the consolation prize. I think his time doing nothing in the hospital has given him time to feel guilty and receptive to a change in his love life. He really did a good job of getting her to open up that first night in the hospital. He has always been the one to tear down her walls. And I agree that he needs to be more persistent with her this time.)

Barb (If I wasn't writing this story right now to make the storyline happier than the show, I wouldn't be watching right now. I didn't watch eps 9 and I only watched a couple of scenes of eps 8.)

KlingonGal8489 (Something very interesting is coming up to help him realize he can't keep agreeing with her.)

Animagus-Steph (I try very hard to keep everyone in character and so when I get a review praising me on that, I get excited. So, thank you. Brennan's heart is big and I wish Booth would give her evidence of that on the show. There's soon to be a side plot where he will get that opportunity. I wouldn't be able to give up Booth, either, but I don't have the trust issues she has. I think that's why she is so rewarding to write… she's so different from me.)

SPOILER for The Trouble in the Triangle (Animagus-Steph) The length… yeah, sometimes I struggle with chapter length. I don't always write my chapters in order. My elevator scenes are in a lonnnnng chapter and I was in tears by the time I wrapped it up and went on into the next chapter. I hope it evokes the same kind of happy, sappy emotions in my readers.