To Come Through

By: Lesera128

Rated: M

Disclaimer: ::stares:: ::blinks:: ::stares again:: Yeah. I still don't own anything…but, you knew that from the stares, right?

Summary: Everyone has a breaking point. After Pelant's latest threats against the team, Booth reaches his and does something that pushes his partnership with Brennan past the point of no return. Set post-7x13.

Logistical Notes on the Story: Set at the end of season 7. Beware of such spoilers. Enter at your own risk.

Chapter 26 - Losing His Badge and Gun

Special Agent Ginny Shaw knew as soon as she'd opened her mouth in the breakroom that she should've kept it shut. But, she hadn't seen Dr. Lance Sweets in quite some time―but between the escalating case with Pelant and how she knew him to be busy planning his daughter's christening, Shaw was worried about Agent Booth. So, she'd done what any friend might do―she'd sought out another person to ask his opinion on their mutual friend's progress. Unfortunately, as they stood at the counter of the breakroom in the FBI field office within the Hoover Building, Shaw ran her mouth in front of one Special Agent Hayes Flynn. And, that ultimately, was how Shaw ended up sitting next to Sweets and Flynn within the conference room as they all awaited Booth's arrival.

Flynn was an interesting character. He was in his mid-to-late forties with more of his field days behind him that ahead of him. The buzz around the Hoover grapevine was that he was fast=tracked to become as assistant director somewhere because of his efficient way at closing cases and managing personnel difficulties that arose within the field detail he supervised. Flynn wouldn't be considered by most people to be good looking in a traditional sense. He was tall, standing Shaw noticed, at about the same height as Agent Booth. But, whereas Booth was muscular and made his presence known as soon as he entered the room with his good looks and charming smile, Flynn was wiry and used his salt and pepper hair and piercing pale blue eyes to ooze professional distinguishment.

He also, Shaw, discovered had an excellent sense of hearing.

Shaw and Sweets had begun talking about Booth and the breach in FBI security that had allowed Pelant to dump remains within the confines of the Hoover Parker garage itself. Hayes had lingered as they chatted, the break in the Hoover's internal security being what caught his initial attention. By the time either Sweets or Shaw realized what had happened, Hayes had not only insinuated himself into the conversation, but become an active part of it. From there, it wasn't difficult for him to start pulling at the messy threads of what had been Booth's life since Christopher Pelant had come up for parole a few weeks earlier.

And, that was how Hayes found out not only about the resignation letter that Booth had submitted asking to be reassigned as the Bureau's liaison to the Jeffersonian, but also how agents had found a recording in Pelant's house after he'd disappeared of what appeared to be Booth's assaulting him in a chokehold, and finally a formal complaint and demand letter warning of a potential lawsuit for harassment from a Dr. Jakey in Crystal City, Virginia. With all of those issues combined, Hayes had talked to the Bureau's higher ups and been ordered to bring Booth in to let him explain himself.

That was how Booth found himself diverting mid-route from going to the church where he was supposed to meet Brennan and Max with the kids. Dressed in a crisply pressed grey suit, white Oxford shirt with French cuffs, and a simple black tie―all in all, a much more subdued outfit and less flashy than normal suit he would've worn if on duty, but he'd wanted to look good (read: a bit more traditional) for the photos that would be taken after Christine's christening―Booth hurried into the conference room. His eyebrows immediately lifted as he saw Sweets and Shaw sitting there, both looking incredibly nervous.

Once he sat down, Hayes explained why they were there and then began to ask Booth a series of questions.

"Did you submit your resignation letter as liaison to the Jeffersonian Institute in good faith?" Hayes asked.

Booth blanched, bit the inside of his lower lip, and then nodded. "Yes, I did, but you've gotta understand―"

"Is it true that you were the last FBI agent to see Christopher Pelant before he escaped from his home confinement?" Hayes questioned.

"I guess, yeah―"

"And, at that time, for some reason that you never felt it pertinent to share with the Bureau, you assaulted Mr. Pelant―" Hayes continued.

"Wait, it didn't happen like that―"

"Lastly, did you or did you not threaten one Dr. Seamus Jakey, a transplant surgeon at his office in Crystal City yesterday in the presence of Dr. Sweets?" Hayes asked Booth.

"He was trying to stonewall my investigation!" Booth suddenly snapped as he stood up from this conference chair where he was sitting. His face had flushed slightly red and his nostrils began to flare as he looked at Hayes. The other agent seemed quite unaffected by Booth's show of emotion and appeared content to let him run off at the mouth for as long as he wished. "I can't prove it yet but that sneaky little rat of a surgeon has connections to Christopher Pelant. And, I'll be damned if I'm not going to do what I need to do to protect my family. So, either tell me I'm reprimanded, take my badge and gun, or let's make a date to finish this joyful little conversation at a later date, but let me get out of here so I can be on time to my infant daughter's christening, okay?"

Hayes blinked at Booth and then nodded. "Okay," he said simply.

"Great," Booth muttered as he turned around and began to walk towards the conference room door.

"That is, Agent Booth," Hayes called after him. "Pending a formal inquiry by the Assistant Director, I'm authorized to inform you that you're hereby on administrative suspension. I need your badge and gun, please."

Booth stopped mid-step. Slowly, he turned around and looked at Hayes. Pursing his lips, his dark brown eyes burned with anger as he reached into his jacket and retrieved both his badge and gun. Walking towards the conference table, he tossed them in front of Flynn without ever breaking eye contact.

He then turned around and walked out the door.

By the time he'd made it down the hallway and into the elevator, some of his silent bravado failed as he realized if he was suspended that he wouldn't be able to take the Sequoia with him. Muttering to himself, he pulled out his cell phone and saw that he had one new text message that he'd obviously hadn't heard come in when he'd been in the meeting with Hayes.

Pressing the appropriate button to access the text message, Booth's whole world began to crack when he saw the single-worded message from Brennan flashing on his screen.

"HELP."

-TBC-