Chapter 13 – The Woman in the Garden

Booth and Brennan arrived in their SUV to the crime scene. They got out and started to walk toward it when Brennan asked, "Why'd they call in the FBI to Little Salvador?"

Booth slammed his door shut as he told her, "Well, the car's got Virginia plates, crossed the state line. Then there's a suspected gang member. Then there's RICO to deal with. What, Bones, do you really wanna know?"

She looked at him and smiled, "No, I was just using it as an excuse to make conversation and reestablish our connection."

Booth looked at her puzzled, "What?"

Brennan came up to him and told him, "I read a book about improving work relationships. It's not fair to expect you to tell me everything."

Booth squeezed her hand and smiled. "I appreciate the effort Bones. But I know you. Plus we've already got a great connection!"

Brennan smiled, "That is true." She then looked around at the scene and noted, "It's like they recreated their country here, right down to being terrified of the police."

Booth sighed and agreed with her, "A lot of these people, they're undocumented. They get nervous around law enforcement." He flashed his badge to one of the officers and asked him, "What do we got?"

The police officer told him, "He ran the stop sign. I pulled him over, he tried to run."

Booth stepped up behind the suspect and patted him on his back as he caught a glimpse of a tattoo on the man's neck. He pulled the collar down and let out a low whistle, saying, "Oh, look at this, huh? A Mara Muerte tattoo. It's one of the most feared gangs in the area. No wonder he was chauffeuring a dead body around, huh? Couldn't just join the Boys Club, pal?"

Brennan looked at the policeman confused and asked him, "And I'm here because..."

The officer led her to the trunk of the car as he explained, "Routine inspection of the vehicle...I found this."

Brennan started to put on gloves while Booth looked over the officer's shoulder at the body, "Oh."

Brennan observed the body and started to let them know what she saw, "Vertical brow ridge suggests female. Recently dug up, looks like." She stood up straight and pointed to the suspect and started to walk toward him while asking, "Could you hold his hands up, please?" Booth grabbed his hand and looked them over. Brennan told him, "We should analyze the dirt on his hands and compare it to the dirt on the shovel and the remains."

Booth spoke to the suspect, "Where was she buried?" But the man just ignored him.

Brennan asked him in Spanish, "Where was she buried? Why did you dig her up?" But the suspect continued to ignore them.

Booth let go of the man in aggravation, "Great, how he's ignoring us in two languages."

Brennan asked the officer, "Where's the nearest cemetery?"

He thought about it and told them, "The closest one I know about is Holy Rood, but that's a good ten miles from here."

Brennan looked around and thought of something. She asked the crowd in Spanish, "Excuse me ... Can you help us? We're wondering if there's a cemetery nearby?" However the crowd looked put off and walked away, not willing to help them.

Booth whispered in her ear, "Maybe your Spanish is a little rusty?"

Brennan shook her head, "They come from a place where getting involved gets you killed." All of a sudden gun shots went off as a black car rolled by shooting at them. Everyone ducked for cover. Booth made sure he covered Brennan's back as they both ran for cover behind the car.

They heard an officer yell to everyone, "Get down! Get down! Shots fired! Shots fired!"

Booth waited for the shooting to stop and then he whispered in Brennan's ear, "Are you okay? Bones, are you okay?"

Brennan nodded her head, "I'm fine Booth. Go!" He nodded his head and rolled off of her. He took off chase after the suspect. They were running down an alley when Booth yelled, "Hey!" However the suspect started to climb over the fence. Booth yelled again, "Don't make me shoot you!" He then tried to grab the suspect's foot to stop him from getting over the fence, but the shoe came loose and fell off. The suspect got over the fence and ran away. Brennan arrived in the ally as Booth turned around, upset that the suspect got away.

~BONES~

On the platform of the lab where the bones were laid out, Brennan continued to examine them as Booth walked up onto the platform. "'Kay, I have it on good authority that the guys who shot at our killer were doing it so he'd have a chance to escape."

Brennan was holding the fourth rib when she looked up at Booth and told him the news, "The victim was pregnant when she was hit over the head."

Booth leaned onto the table and sighed, "Pregnant?"

Brennan nodded her head, "Yeah, five weeks along." She then saw where his hands were and told him, "Get your hands off there." Booth remembered at how she didn't like her remains contaminated and brought his hands up.

Hodgins told them from a workstation adjacent to the platform, "I ran samples from the body, shovels and burlap through the gas chromatograph and it all came back full of organic compounds. Plant detritus, root remnants, fertilizer."

Booth nodded, "Sounds like stuff you'd find in a cemetery."

Hodgins added, "Well, I also found this. Fernaldia pandurata, otherwise known as loroco buds."

Brennan saw Booth's look of confusion and explained, "Loroco is an edible flowering plant, it's native to El Salvador. It's grown in vegetable gardens, not cemeteries."

Booth nodded as he said, "She was buried in a vegetable garden?" Brennan made a sound of agreement as Booth continued, "Ok, can you recognize this loco plant?"

Brennan corrected him, "Loroco. I've eaten it, but I wouldn't recognize the plant."

Hodgins told them, "It's quite distinctive. I'm also analyzing the dirt and particulates on the shoe you got off the suspect. At first glance it matches the vegetation we've already found but with a couple extras I'm still checking out."

Booth clapped his hands together and said to Hodgins, "Ok, Hodgins, suit up, you're coming with us. We're going to the barrio."

Hodgins said excitedly and hopefully, "Field work. Cool! Do I get a gun?"

Brennan was going to be pissed if Hodgins got a gun before she did from Booth. "You can't arm Hodgins and not me."

Booth couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everyone in that place needed to get their head shrinked. "What is with you people and the guns, huh?"

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were walking through the lad as Booth told Brennan, "Our gang unit's gonna bring in the leader of Mara Muerte, see if we can identify the gangbanger that got away."

Brennan asked him, "Why would a gang leader cooperate?"

Booth said sarcastically, "I'm gonna ask him very, very nicely, Bones."

Brennan stopped and looked at him. "You know that book I'm reading, about getting along with your coworkers? It says that sarcasm is never helpful. I could lend it to you if you want."

Booth was about to apologize – he was just a little wound up still from the shooting – when Hodgins came up to them. "I found Spodoptera, Ornithogalae and Tetranychus urticae on the suspect's show and on the victim. I also found Notonectidae and Corixidae. It's aquatic fauna typically only found in and around ponds and streams."

Brennan looked at the file he passed to her and said, "There are no ponds or streams at the burial site."

Hodgins smiled and said, "Yeah, and here's the kicker. There was also evidence of genetic material from a Franklinia alatamaha on his shoe."

Booth looked at him skeptically, "You're kidding. I'm in shock. Frankie Alabama, you don't say?"

Brennan leveled at him and gave him a stern look, "Did you hear what I said about sarcasm?"

Booth brought his hands up in surrender, while Hodgins said, "It's a rare flowering plant that hasn't been seen in the wild since 1800. The only known specimen in this area outside a specialized botanical garden was given to Senator Alan Corman as a gift. Oh, I love going after senators."

Booth looked down at the file and said, "Whoa, just simmer down there. We're gonna check out the botanical garden first."

Hodgins smile grew even more, "Fine. It's at the White House."

Brennan smiled as well and laughed. "Yeah!"

Booth watched as the two of them high-fived. "Ok, you guys should do that even less than normal people."

Hodgins started to back away slowly while he explained, "Make sure to keep your eyes open for backswimmers and water boatmen while you are there. Remember the Notonectidae can be different colours, you know, so..."

Booth interrupted him, "That's a nice try, ok? You're coming with us."

Hodgins smiled again and raised his hand while he yelled, "I call shotgun."

~BONES~

Hodgins slumped in the back seat of the SUV and said sullenly, "I called shotgun. What does it mean to a society when the niceties are no longer observed?"

Booth was not amused. He could take it when he was shot at, but when his wife was threatened. Now he was pissed. "Ok, look, we got two bodies, alright? One unaccounted for. We've been shot at, and now we know that there's a gang member walking around a US senator's place. Any theories?" Brennan and Hodgins both shook their heads. "Oh, come on guys. Let's think of it as a puzzle, and there's a missing piece."

Brennan smiled as she remembered the puzzle her and Parker finished that weekend. "I like puzzles, I find them relaxing. I just finished The Anatomy Lesson, Rembrandt."

Booth looked at her amused. So that was what those two did when he was called into work that day. "You're kidding, right?"

Brennan shook her head and smiled even more. "No." Then she looked at him through her eyelashes, "What do you find relaxing?"

Booth could feel the stirring of arousal at his wife's words and adjust himself quickly while he answered, "I restore vintage cars."

Hodgins slung an arm across the seat and said, "I know what I find relaxing."

Booth couldn't believe that Hodgins actually just said that out loud. "Everybody finds what you find relaxing, relaxing."

Hodgins ignored that and said, "Senator Corman is a big supporter of business leaders in Central America. That means supporting repressive regimes that use death squads to silence any opposition from the working people which are the same people who flee to the States."

Booth was pleased to see that they were getting back on track. "Ok, that's great. That's good. Let's focus. That's good, cause now we have a link between Corman and the Salvadorans."

Brennan was now confused, "Wait, now you think the senator murdered two people?"

Booth explained, "I just think we got another piece of the puzzle, that's all."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan entered the empty apartment and looked around. Booth told the landlord that opened the door for them,"Thanks." He then called out, "FBI, make your presence known." He searched through the house to make sure there were no threats to them.

Brennan was looking at photos on a table. She held it up for Booth to look at. "Look, he has a family, a baby." She then called out first in English then Spanish, "Is anybody here? You don't have to be afraid."

Booth turned toward and said, "Of course they're gonna be afraid Bones, I have a gun."

She looked at another photo of an older couple in front of a church. "Milagro de la Paz, that's where the victims are from."

Booth held a bottle of milk left on top of the TV and felt the temperature, "They had to have been here a few minutes ago, the bottle's still warm."

Brennan thought back to the multiple times she's been to El Salvador. "They're still here."

Booth asked, "How do you know?"

She looked around while she explained, "They're prepared for this kind of thing. Hiding from death squads, people learn to build false walls."

Booth immediately knew where to look. "Closet." He then saw Brennan walking in there and his heart started to race. He hated it when she was in danger. "Ok, hold on Bones. Let's just pretend that I'm the cop for a second, ok? Just..." He walked into the closest and knocked on the walls. Booth found a latch and opened a trap door, pulling out his gun. Inside hiding was a woman clutching her baby, trying to prevent him from crying.

The woman and baby were sitting on the bed, being interrogated by Booth and Brennan. She kept telling them that she didn't know anything.

Brennan talked to her in Spanish and after she was done Booth asked her, "What did you say?"

Brennan translated, "That we just wanna talk to Jose. That they'll all be safe, and they have nothing to worry about."

Booth was done with this being nice guy persona. He approached the woman, in a more direct voice and asked, "Do you wanna be deported? Do you wanna see your baby again? Because if he was born here, he doesn't have to go back with you. We can keep him."

Brennan couldn't believe that he was acting like that. "Booth, stop. She's frightened enough."

Booth turned to her and said, "Bones, we have a double murder on our hands. You were shot at."

Brennan tried to reason with him, "But she didn't do it."

Booth knew what she was saying was right, but his emotions got the better of him. "Just tell her what I said, ok? Tell her we're calling immigration. Tell her we'll get to Jose."

Brennan stood her ground. "No! She's lived with terror and intimidation her whole life. I'm not gonna add to it."

Booth said right back, "Alright, you know what, you're acting like I'm gonna hurt her or something. I was just trying to get a little information."

Brennan pleaded with Booth, "I am asking you as a favor not to make me do this...to scare her. Please?" Booth looked between Brennan and the woman and then back at Brennan. He saw the shine in her eyes and knew he wouldn't push anymore. It wasn't worth it.

~BONES~

Booth was in his office when Brennan entered. She knocked on his door, "Anything?"

Booth sighed, "Yeah. Immigration has the wife, she got a lawyer from the Salvadoran League or something or other. And she's not giving us anything about Jose."

Brennan looked at Booth as he sipped his coffee. He was tense, on edge. "You mad at me?"

Booth grabbed his stress ball and squeezed. "Nope. But you know, I could've gotten something back there if you hadn't gotten all mushy on me."

Brennan tried to explain, "I was uncomfortable with…You always say I'm not a cop. You're right, especially in a situation like that."

Booth looked at her with only love in his eyes, "Nah, it's ok. We're not gonna need her anyway."

Brennan could see that everything was fine between them and started to walk toward his desk, "Really? Why?"

Booth explained, "Because I had the gang unit put a lean on Roberto Ortez, he's the head of Mara Muerte."

Brennan was surprised, "The gang that Jose belongs to?"

Booth nodded, "Yeah, I convinced Ortez to bring Jose in for questioning."

She couldn't see the logic in that. "But why would he do that?"

Booth shrugged slightly, "Ortez's sister's in the can on possession charges. I promised him I could make that go away."

Brennan looked at him amused, "Can you?"

Booth shrugged again, "I don't know, it's a local beef, I'm federal. But, hey, you know...I'm a cop, and thank God for bad sisters, huh?" He smiled up at her and tossed the stress ball at her as she chuckled.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were interrogating Ortez when he said, "Jose's sister hated him."

Booth looked at him from across the table, "Hated him, why?"

Ortez looked at both of them and said, "She didn't approve of his associations."

Brennan already hated this man. "You mean associations like the leader of one of the most murderous street gangs in the country?"

Booth leaned forward and rest his elbows on his legs when he asked, "Look, if she hated Jose so much, why was he moving her body?"

Ortez explained, "Her burial site was threatened. He wanted to move her to a better place, and his father. Real family guy, you know?" He then focused in on Brennan, "I'm not the leader of the whole gang. Just the DC chapter." Brennan wasn't amused.

Booth's blood was boiling. "You shot at us so Jose could have a chance to get away?"

Ortez shrugged his shoulders. "The Mara Muerte takes care of its own, even a throwaway like Jose."

Brennan asked him coolly, "Can I ask you something?"

Ortez nodded his head, "Go ahead."

Brennan leaned forward and said angrily, "Jose's all beaten up, so he won't tell us anything. But you, you don't even ask for a lawyer, but you hardly stop talking."

Booth could see she was pissed. He knew why. But he still knew what could happen, so he said warningly, "Bones..."

Ortez said angrily, "I'm the boss, lady, ok? Jose's a sobrenado. That baboso is not as smart as me."

Brennan definitely hated this man. "You intimidate him into silence, but you can walk in here to the FBI, say whatever you want and walk away like you own the place?"

Ortez leaned back a little. "That's right."

Booth saw that this was escalating and tried to defuse the situation. "Look, all I need to know is who would have the guts to kill his sister?"

Ortez shrugged his shoulders, "Who cares, man?"

Booth stood up, getting fed up himself. This was going nowhere. "Come on Ortez, the sister of the Mara Muerte...it's the most feared gang in the city."

Ortez looked up at him and smirked, "She wasn't my sister, man."

Brennan talked to Booth, "It had to be somebody else in the gang, somebody more important than Jose."

Ortez leaned forward and said in a threatening tone, "You know what, lady? You think too much. Maybe you need a man like me to get your mind off of things. You know what I'm saying? I can be your adoring Salvadoran." He gave her a kiss gesture, which upset Brennan. She looked at Booth and silently told him to finish this because she was done. She got up and walked out of the room, leaving an even angrier Booth. Ortez looked at Booth with a smirk and told him, "Look, I don't know who killed Jose's sister. But I'll tell you what, because I like you so much, if I find out who did it, I'll kill him." He started to laugh as Booth clenched his teeth and fists, holding himself back from punching the shit out of him.

~BONES~

Brennan was waiting for the elevator as Ortez approached to wait too. He said to her, "You've been waiting for me? Push that button again, and we can go down together, junas."

Brennan wanted nothing else but to deck the guy but settled for, "You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?"

Ortez shrugged his shoulders slightly and said, "Ok, I'll push it myself."

He moved toward the button to push it, but Brennan turned around and stopped him. She looked him straight in the eye and said mockingly, "How do you handle someone who isn't afraid of you?"

Ortez was getting pissed now, "Just get out of my way." Booth approached from behind them, wanting to make sure Brennan was okay. Ortez said in a menacing voice, "I said move your ass, man." Ortez grabbed hold of Brennan's arm while Booth warned, "I wouldn't ...oh."

Brennan slammed her forearm into Ortez's nose while Booth didn't even try to step in between Ortez's beating but just said, "That's gonna hurt in the morning."

Ortez saw that his nose was bleeding and said, "Bitch." He then took a swing at Brennan, but she ducked. He tried to punch Brennan again, but she blocked them before kicking him and Ortez fell onto the ground. Booth approached her from behind as the elevator doors opened. She stepped over him and into the arriving elevator.

Booth looked up from the heap on the floor and asked amused, "Feel better?"

Brennan smiled and said, "Yeah. I really do."

~BONES~

Brennan was working at her desk when Angela came into her office. "You beat up a gang leader?"

Brennan looked back at her computer and smiled slightly at Booth's way to try to have someone keep an eye on her. "Booth told you that?"

Ange couldn't believe it. "You did." She had to sit down for that. "You got into a fight with a gangbanger."

Brennan could hear it in her voice, but didn't understand why. "You're mad at me?"

Angela couldn't believe that Brennan could be so naïve! "The guy's a killer, Brennan."

Brennan tried to calm her down. "Angela, relax. We were in the FBI building."

Angela tried to reason with her, "Look, I know you're all about self-reliance and fighting your own battles and standing up for yourself, but now, as your friend, and knowing how much you hate psychology here, you need therapy."

Brennan tried to explain, "I'm sorry I upset you. It's just that I've dealt with him before."

Angela tried to see it. "With who?"

Brennan expounded, "People who get what they want through fear. Gangbangers, members of death squads..."

Angela pointed out, "I know it's psychology again, but you said 'him', like one guy."

Brennan tried to think of a way to explain it, "I didn't mean Ortez specifically, I meant people like him." Brennan paused for a second. She didn't know how to tell Angela this without giving too much away. She then remembered that she had visited El Salvador when she met Angela. She decided to use that. "On my last trip to El Salvador..."

Angela smiled at that memory, "Yeah, I remember, I tried to get you to go to Italy with me."

Brennan was pleased Angela remembered. She didn't want to let her know that when this actually happened that was the first time she met Booth. "I was in a tent set up by one of the grave sites. I was working with the remains of a young girl, maybe 13. She'd been shot in the head and dumped into a well. This cop shows up and he might've been a solider...it's not easy to tell. I thought he was there to guard me, but he told me to stop. When I refused, he called in two others. They put a bag over my head and tossed me into a cell with a dirt floor and no windows."

Angela couldn't believe that she didn't know this already. "For how long?"

Brennan sighed, remembering exactly what happened… On that third day the same man came in and told her that today was the day she was going to die. She had tried to hold back her tears. She didn't want to die, she still had so much to accomplish. They gagged her, threw a bag over her head and picked her up from the ground, tying her hands together. They dragged her out of the building; most of her body strength was gone from the lack of food and water. She could hear birds chirping in the background and feel the sun hitting her skin. With just a few more steps the men dropped her on the ground, tying her feet together before they removed the bag from her head. The two men, one looking like an officer and the other a commander of some sort, yelled at her in Spanish to kneel. But she didn't make a move; if she was going to die she was not going to help them kill her. The officer kicked her in the stomach and grabbed her by her hair, bringing her to rest on her knees. The commander looking man then unholstered his gun and pointed it directly at her head. He then said in English, "You should have left when we told you to. This is your own doing."

Brennan blinked once, her tears betraying her by sliding down her cheeks. However even with her tears rolling down her cheeks, she didn't close her eyes. She was going to watch this man kill her, no matter how scared she was. She watched as the man put his finger on the trigger, but she didn't waver. She saw his finger start to move back the slightest bit and then she heard a gunshot and then one more. She felt blood splatter on her face, thinking it was her own, thinking that the two gunshots weren't fatal and she was going to bleed out instead. But then her brain registered that she felt no pain and that the two men in front of her were now lying on the ground, blood pouring freely from their heads. That's when she decided she could breakdown. She slumped back on herself and let out a strangled cry, tears rolling down openly.

She heard a rustle in the bushes to her left and thought the worst. She was still going to die, after this she was still going to be killed. She saw two men come running out of the bushes completely camouflaged to their surroundings. They were both holding guns and that was the only thing that registered to Brennan. She frantically started working at the rope binding her ankles together, while tears still streamed down from her eyes. She had about ten seconds before they got to her. She felt the rope loosen and pushed herself to her feet, completely running on adrenaline now. She started to run away, but felt big hands grasp her by her waist holding her back. But Brennan fought back, with all the strength and energy she had left. She kicked and squirmed against him. She reared her head back and hit him square in the face.

The man cursed loudly before holding her closely to him, completely stopping her from moving at all and said quickly, "We're American. We're here to save you Dr. Brennan."

Brennan cried even harder at the sound of being saved. She went completely limp in the stranger's strong arms and mumbled, "Thank you" before she passed out from exhaustion. She woke up being flown in a helicopter, completely disoriented. The last thing she saw before she passed out again was a handsome man – with a newly broken nose – yelling at her over the noise that she was going to be okay.

The next time she woke up was when she was in a medic building of some sort. She looked around to see many men and a few women recovering from some sort of injury or another. She started to scratch her arm only to find that she was connected to an IV. She sat up in her bed and started to get out when a nurse came rushing over to her. "Dr. Brennan, you shouldn't be moving. You need your rest."

Brennan looked at the nurse with her analytical eye and asked, "What happened? How did you find me?"

"I'm not sure about that Dr. Brennan, you'll have to ask with Master Sergeant Booth. But I do know that you were severely dehydrated, malnourished, and severely fatigued. You need to rest until we can send you back home to some family and even then you'll be restricted."

Brennan nodded, "I understand, but could I please just walk to Master Sergeant Booth to thank him personally."

The nurse gave Brennan a stern look, but caved a little at the look of sadness seen in the doctor's eyes. She sighed, "I suppose I can take you, but you will be in a wheelchair the whole time. No negotiation there sweetheart." Brennan nodded her head and gladly – and shakily – slid into the wheelchair that was brought to her.

The nurse pushed through the doors, shining the bright sunlight into Brennan's face. It felt so good. To be alive. Just the thought of the idea that she was suppose to be dead was terrifying, bringing fresh unshed tears to her eyes. The nurse drove her to another building, pushing through its set of doors. She stopped after a short while, just enough for Brennan to see that they were in some sort of workout room. The nurse patted her shoulder and whispered, "I'll be right back dear. I just need to find him. I know he's in here somewhere."

Brennan watched her weave through the machines and men working out, stopping at someone who was bench-pressing an impressive amount of weights. The man sat up and wiped some of the sweat off his forehead with his forearm. He stood up and followed the nurse to come back to her. Brennan now saw the full extent of the man that saved her. He was excellently proportional. Excellently. She suddenly became self conscious about her own appearance now. She thought to herself that she must look rather unpleasant after everything she went through.

Master Sergeant Booth came to stand right in front of her, smiling warmly. "I'm glad to see that you're doing a lot better Dr. Brennan."

Brennan nodded her head, trying to regain her self-confidence back. "Yes, so am I. Master Sergeant Booth…"

However he cut her off, "You can call me Booth, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan nodded her head again, "Okay, Booth I just wanted to thank you personally for saving my life. I would have surely been killed if it weren't for you."

Booth knelt down to come to eye level with her as he said, "Dr. Brennan, your very welcome. I'm glad that I could save you." Brennan worked her bottom lip trying to decide if she wanted her questions answered or not. Booth chuckled softly as he watched the uncertainty flash in her eyes, "Is there something else you would like to say Dr. Brennan?"

Brennan decided then that she needed to know. "How long was I taken? And how did you know where to locate me?" Booth looked down at his thighs, trying to find the easiest way to say this, when Brennan broke through his thoughts, "I would like it if you would be as straight forward as possible, please."

Booth looked up at her and saw that same conviction he saw in her eyes the first time he saw her. He nodded his head, "You were taken for three days. We've been trying to find a way to take out Commander Santiago for some time, but then we were notified that you might have been taken by him and his soldiers. We located his whereabouts to an abandoned house in an uninhabited town. My team and I got to your location just as he was bringing you out of the house."

Brennan had looked at him stoically throughout the whole explanation. "Why were you after him?" She was thankful her voice didn't betray her of her true feelings.

Booth looked at her, shocked at how strong this woman in front of him was, "The victims you were identifying were his causing. He ruled over the most dangerous gang in El Salvador, without him the gang becomes broken. We were able to stop many more killings with him gone."

Brennan nodded her head, satisfied with the answers she got. She extended her hand, "Thank you Booth. You've given me all the information I need."

Booth took her hand and shook it gently. He stood up slowly and smiled as he said, "Why don't I come by later on today."

Brennan looked at him confused, "Why would you do that?"

Booth chuckled, "You don't know many people here Dr. Brennan. I thought a friendly face might make the time go by faster. I'll bring some cards so we can play a little poker."

Brennan titled her head slightly, trying to decipher why Booth would want to spend time with her. She couldn't see any malice or pity in his face so she nodded her head slowly, "Okay, if you want to."

Booth's face broke out in a wide smile as he said, "I want to. I'll see you later Dr. Brennan."

Booth thanked the nurse for bring Brennan to see him, told her that he was fine and had gotten his rest, and then waved goodbye heading back to his workout station. The nurse had already turned Brennan's wheelchair around when something registered in her brain. She turned her head around and yelled out, "Oh, and Booth!" At the sight of Booth turning around to look at her she said, "I'm sorry for breaking your nose." The last thing she saw was Booth throwing his head back laughing. For the first time, in a long time, a genuine smiled came across Brennan's face.

Brennan looked up at Angela and told her half the truth, "Later I found out it was three days. But, I thought it was a week, maybe more. He came in every day and made me believe I was going to die. He said that he'd shoot me and toss me into a well and that no one would ever know who I was or what became of me. I promised myself if I ever had the chance, I'd get even." Angela nodded her head in understanding as Brennan continued, "That doesn't mean I need therapy."

Brennan was relieved to have Hodgins walk in with new information. This case was getting to her more than she thought it would.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were walking through the FBI hallway towards the elevators while Brennan asked, "What about the father?"

Booth didn't buy that angle. "A powerful man with a lot to lose. But, I mean, why kill her? Why not have her deported in the middle of the night?"

Brennan stated, "That leaves Hector."

Booth did agree with that one though, "He's responsible for hiring the servants. I mean, one of 'em gets pregnant, he feels like it's his mess to clean up."

Brennan pushed the button for the elevator when she said, "We still can't figure out how Maria's skull was fractured by the bedpost."

Booth faced Brennan as he smiled at her. "Well, that's sort of your line of work, Bones, ok? So go have fun." She smiled back and started to walk in the elevator when Booth swatted her butt affectionately. She looked back at him and laughed as the doors closed.

~BONES~

Another Agent approached Booth in the FBI hallway and called out, "Booth?"

Booth turned around, "Yeah?"

The Agent came up to him and told him, "Message from the Gang Task Force Unit." He looked down at the piece of paper and said, "Mara Muerte has put a hit out on your lady scientist."

Booth looked down at the paper and said, "Oh, man."

The Agent asked, "You got a response?"

Booth looked at him dazed, "Yeah, just tell 'em...tell 'em I got the message and tell 'em thanks."

The Agent nodded his head, "Sure." Booth paced the floor a few times and then sat down on a bench, looking troubled – remembering something of a similar situation with Brennan. It had been the first time he'd seen her. Booth had just been dropped off with his team. He directed two to hang back while he and Corporal Douglas went to take the target out. They ran quietly, but efficiently threw the brushes and came up to their location. Booth immediately saw Santiago and his first in command, Vargas, leading what would probably be Dr. Brennan out of the house. Booth motioned to Douglas to spot for him and to be quiet. He saw Douglas nod as he started to set up, aiming at his target. He waited for Douglas to give him his readings as he watched in horror as Vargas threw the woman down to the ground, bound her feet, and took the bag off her head. She was one of the, if not the, most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. It was Dr. Brennan and her picture didn't do her justice. He wondered what was taking Douglas so long as he watched Vargas kick the doctor, pulled her by her hair to kneel in front of them. Booth cursed softly as he watched Santiago unholster his gun. He watched as tears rolled down the doctor's cheeks but she didn't close her eyes like most people would. She just watched Santiago with fire in her eyes. He whisper yelled, "Douglas, I need those readings!" And that's when he remembered that this was only the kid's second time out in the field. Damn.

Booth made a speed decision. He closed his eyes and felt for the wind direction. His eyes snapped open as he tuned everything out. He aimed and fired. One shot then another. Taking both men out within milliseconds. He immediately got up and started to run to Dr. Brennan. He watched her as she slumped against her legs and broke down. He heard Douglas trip over a fallen branch as he was about 200 yards from the doctor. He broke through the brush with Douglas now running again right behind him. Booth watched as the doctor looked at them with fear and then as she started to untie her legs. He was amazed to see her jump up, with her hands still tied behind her back, and start to run away from them. But he had strength and speed on her, as he quickly approached her. He grabbed her by her arms, halting her. He was about to tell her that she was safe, when she did the unexpected. She fought back. She kicked him in his shins, struggled against his grasp and threw her head back, hitting him directly in the nose. He cursed silently and then wrapped his arms around her midsection, completely immobilizing her. He told her in her ear, "We're American. We're here to save you Dr. Brennan."

Booth felt her whole body start to shake as she cried and went limp in his arms. He heard her whisper, "Thank you", before she completely passed out. Booth positioned her so that he could carry her the rest of the way back, bridal style. He turned to see Douglas watching with wide eyes. "Douglas, come on. She needs medical help now. Let's move." And then he was off running to rendezvous with his team so a helicopter could take them back to safety. Everything else had been a haze for Booth. All he paid attention to was the feel of her heartbeat against his chest as he ran through the forest. He couldn't have another life on his head. She had to live. Each time his foot hit the ground, he felt himself willing her to live by giving her his energy, his strength.

~BONES~

Brennan and Angela are standing with everyone at the funeral. While the priest was speaking in Spanish, Angela told Brennan, "This is nice of you, not many people would pay for a funeral like this."

Brennan was looking around the cemetery. "Where's Booth? He said he'd come."

~BONES~

Ortez was walking down a street as Booth was watching him from his car. Ortez turned into an alley and Booth followed him as he got out of his car. Booth came up to him from behind and pushed him into an empty doorway.

Ortez yelled at him, "Are you crazy? This is my neighborhood."

Booth got into his face, "You put a hit out on my partner?"

Ortez shot back, "She's not FBI."

Booth elbowed him in the face and grabbed him by the throat as he pointed his gun right at his throat. "I never said anything about FBI. She's my wife, ese. And if anything happens to her, I will find you and I will kill you. I won't think twice. Come here, look in my eyes." He pushed the barrel of his gun into his mouth and cocked it. "Look at my face. If anything happens to her, I will kill you. This is between you and me, and nobody sees, nobody knows. You got nothing to prove, understand?" When Ortez didn't answered, he yelled, "You understand?"

Ortez grunted out, "Yeah."

Booth nodded his head as he glared at him. "Yeah, I thought so. Ok, now if you don't mind, I'll leave first because I have somewhere I have to be." He pulled his gun back and turned to leave, but before he did, he turned back to Ortez and aimed his gun right on his forehead, giving one final look before leaving. He wanted to pull that trigger, but he knew he shouldn't.

~BONES~

Booth ran up to Brennan and Angela as everyone left the funeral. They both turned and looked at him as Booth asked Brennan as she turned away from him, "Am I in trouble?"

Angela smirked at him and said, "You're late for a funeral, of course you're in trouble."

Booth tried to stay back since Angela was still standing with them. "Sorry." Brennan gave him a dirty look, so he continued, "I apologize, I...everything ok here?"

Brennan needed to know. "Where were you?"

Booth smiled softly at her, "I had something to do."

Brennan was skeptical. "More important than a funeral?"

Booth smiled slightly at how angry Brennan was. "I thought so at the time."

~BONES~

Brennan walked out of their closest in only her bra and dress pants and asked him again, "Where were you really Booth?"

He turned around from where he was taking off his gun holster in front of their dresser and answered, "I was taking care of some unfinished business."

Brennan started to take off her necklace and walked toward him while she asked, "What type of business?"

Booth looked at her put her necklace away and asked, "Do you really want to know?"

Brennan looked at his reflection in the mirror on top of the dresser and said, "Yes, I really do Booth."

Booth came up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she leaned against him. He whispered in her ear, "Ortez put a hit out on you. I just made sure he knew he was messing with the wrong people."

Brennan looked at him in shock. "He put a hit out on me, why?"

Booth turned her around and spoke softly, "You beat him up. Gangbangers don't like that. But I took care of it babe. He knows not to even think about you now."

Brennan wrapped her arms around his neck and asked, "What did you do?"

Booth leaned down and kissed her softly, "I told him not to mess with my wife because I would kill him."

Brennan deepened the kiss slightly and then she stopped to say, "Oh, Booth. You always seem be saving me from Salvadorians."

Booth leaned his forehead against hers as he said, "I will always protect you Temperance. I will kill for you, I will die for you. I love you."

Brennan caressed the back of his neck and saw all the love in his eyes. She whispered to him, needing the comfort as much as he did, "Show me Seeley."

He kissed her softly as he unbuttoned her pants and let them fall to the floor. She had already started to unbutton his shirt and slid it down his arms as he undid his belt and pushed down his own pants. After those barriers were gone Brennan wrapped her long leg around his waist as he carried her to their bed. They made love that night. Love showing just how much they needed each other, how much they loved and cared for each other.

A/N: So what did you guys think? Was it good? Do you want more of how they met? Well, to tell me you know what to do. Leave a review