The following day, after getting herself ready and going for a run. And then fine-tuning Christine's items, finding out that she had been called to a site by the FBI. She had the directions message on her phone. Just before she left our apartment. A very tired-looking Hank came out saying, "oh sorry, Christina. Sorry. Sorry about everything. I'm sorry for bugging and dropping in on you. By the way, if I do stay all day. Are you doing anything tonight -cuz- I would really like to talk to you about a different subject? Actually, I meant to come here about that different subject. But the other subject jumped up, but I need your help with the other subject, which is a little more. I guess it's more up your alley and less of mine. I need help." Christine interposed, "anything you need. As long as I don't want to kill anybody because of it, I'm good."

She left, got in a car, and she drove towards the address. It was a small rural lot in Virginia. Upon arriving there. Got out of her car and got her kit on, got her overalls on her booties and zipped up, knowing that she had a new FBI guy or gal; she had her ID out, not knowing who she wouldn't be appointed to. And she walked up. Lo and behold, who was controlling the site was one special agent James Aubrey. She walked over. Do I need to introduce myself to him? at that moment, Aubrey introduced himself, shook her hand, and asked, "What do you need me to do?"

She whispered to him, "Is that how you acted with mom? when Dad wasn't around?"

"Always professional; your Dad was always professional." And he led on a chuckle and continued, "Well, I fired your liaison, that much, you know. But they haven't found anyone who would go with you; it seems the toxic Booth element has them running scared. There's a lot of rookies that would die to be with you. But they don't have the experience yet. So, I'm looking for the right one.

In the same way that Dr. Sweets looked for me, or someone like me to work with your Dad, after you got out of prison, I'm trying to find someone who will work with you properly and give you some support. But just get behind. Don't bust them up too bad. Your Dad was pretty rough with his help sometimes. Christine laid out a little laugh and said, "I'll be gentle. Don't worry, except those are idiots that I'll break down." So, she got to work.

A few hours later. The remains of the body were brought back to the Jeffersonian. She walked into the lab, got changed, got herself presentable. Arrived at the platform, where her interns were working on the body already. She made sure that their notes were clear, And everything else was tied down. She went to her mom's office, said "hello!" and asked if Hank had shown up. She said "no"; Hank just sent me a message saying that he's taking a personal day today and he's staying at your apartment. He likes it there. And then Christine told her, " I think there's something else going on, and Hanks wants to talk to me. But like you, he needs prep before he can start the conversation." Brennan kind of lets her head sags a bit. Brennan said wistfully, "I always hoped he wouldn't be like this. I suffered so much because I would have been forever alone if it wasn't for your Dad. Never able to form, to build a relationship with anyone. Because no one had patience with me. No one was there to really bridge the gap. Hank needs help. But he knows he needs the help of a friend. Unconditional friends. Who will not betray him," Christine said, "well, you can count on me. I'm willing to do everything I can for him; Including cereal."

Brennan starts, " I forgot to tell you he loves his cereal. Mostly when he concludes. That's what happened. He concluded a big problem. And he wipes out all the cereal. When he was in university, it got costly at certain points. Booth would laugh and say, 'most kids, when they celebrate, get themselves drunk. Our son just eats all of our cereal. Let him be... it so much better; you don't have the police involved? You don't have crazy driving. You do have a kid in a coma on a couch afterwards. It's not hurting anyone.'" And before Christine left Brendan's office, she called out to her, "Christine, thank you. You have no idea how much Hank suffered when you weren't around? He has no one. He doesn't connect well with Parker. Parker is like an uncle to him. And your Dad was the only guy he talked with, and your Dad's gone. He had no one. " Christine turned to her mom, "we're gonna fix that. We're gonna find him some friends. Find him a social circle. We're going to make it so that he can be happy. Because there's nothing wrong with him, it is just that he's too intelligent for his age group." Brennan smiled and said, "well, that's what your father also said about me. That's what hurts me so much when they call him a Neanderthal. Neanderthals had small brains and big bodies, but they didn't comprehend human interaction's nuances. And these people who supposedly are more evolved are far less evolved. But thank you again, Chrissy. Actually joking. Dr. Booth." Christine turnback, with a squinted face; her mother was doing what? Brennan continued, "So here, I'm not, mom. I'm at this point. Dr. Temperance Brenan."

Christine licks her lips and says, "Okay. Dr. Brennan?

"Yes. Dr. Booth. With three doctorates, you deserve to be treated with respect."

She turned and looked at her and said, "Are you listening to my office?" "No. Well, kind of. You see, James heard a lot of what you said. And it really lit up, James, I must say, James was delighted to hear how you revealed that nasty individual. That's why Jessica was willing to meet with you, to be with you, and be his second set of eyes during the visit with the FBI guy. Just you back to normal, which thrilled James, but she wanted to see if it was true. If you had changed, Jessica was delighted with it. She said afterwards, uh, "you have returned to humanity. You're no longer a robot."

Thank you, Dr. Brennan, for saying that. I'm no longer a robot. Christine said sadly. So back to her work, slogging away, Christine went. The interns buzzing about one of the newer interns came up to her and said, Dr. Booth, I was at the conference of the forensic anthropologists. I loved your ... your speech that you gave there. Christine looked at her and said, Well, it was a speech for an academic group, but in reality, it was 100% true. That's me. That's me being me. So, someone died here. We need to find out who got it or how it happened. We're gonna find out a port talking about a homicide or, we're talking about just an accident. And we can't have any mistakes. We do good science. Good work. No sloppy stuff. And at that point, James Aubrey walked in with his graying hair. Slight limp, munching on a snack. So, he comes in, and which Christine turn around expels him from the platform, saying, "no food is allowed on the platform. You should know that by now. Working for how many years with my mother, you should have already figured that out." And then he whispered, "your mother or Dr. Brennan," To which Christine rolled her eyes and said, "yes. Dr. Brennan. I'm Dr. Booth. Okay. Agent Aubrey." And he said, "Well, I'm really enjoying it. I'm way closer to home right now. And I get you working on the particulates, and Dr. Hodgins I get to go for lunch with, and Angela's invited the kids over this evening. I love loving this job. I would give it up any day for Quantico; Quantico is like taking care of preschool; All these little children. At Quantico, They're trying to be something they're not; here, on the other hand, people here are professionals, know what they're doing. And actually, a group of professionals running the place who actually like each other. It's so nice. If you want me, just scream, " as he munches on his potato chips, walking to check in on Angela, who jumps up and gives them a massive hug. Christine looks around us. 'How did they do it? How do they make an ambience so conducive to friendship? When she thought more about it, pain, they all suffered so much over the years. They suffered in different degrees. But they learned how to lean on each other; they trust each other. With that, she went back to the platform, making sure everything was being done according to her plan. Since Dr. Saroyan had retired and was now blissfully working independently and helping her adopted children, but more than anything else, lending her expertise to other corners in the country. They had brought in a Coroner as part of the team, so officially, they were all equal team members under Dr. Booth. Dr. Hank Booth took care of speculative forensics, the what-ifs, and when something didn't fall into place, he took care of it. His field had far more science; if you may say so, something celebrated far more mental than Christine's dead bodies. Although Christine had no problems calling for Hank over the din of the lab when she was stuck on something.

On the other hand, a holder of "Chrissy!" would be heard across the lab. When Hank was stuck on something. Hank didn't have an issue with Christine calling him. Christine did have a problem in public being called Chrissy, because as she reminded him, Hank, he liked, and Hank was the name he was given because of their great grandfather. Chrissy was his pet name for her, which Dr. Christine Booth preferred it would stay at home. She didn't want anyone else getting the idea; Hank would laugh about it, But he agreed she was right.

She walked into Dr. Hodgins's office, preparing another experiment, testing a new invention and finalizing a particular spectrum that she had asked for. Age had not been good with Dr. Hodgins since he lost the use of his legs so young. But his spirits were still high. He had three children. One was an artist, very well looked upon in Europe. And the other two had decided not to go into the Jeffersonian, saying that it sounded too much like nepotism with the Booth kids employed there and having Mom and Dad there. So one went into astrophysics, and the other went into computer science. Both were based around the DC area and did come home on a relatively frequent basis but never enough for Angela. Still, Angela was happy that both of them had grandchildren and that she could redouble upon them all of her artistry and fanciful attitudes. Christine goes in and asks Hodgins a simple question. "How did you build this place? So, well? Hodgins? "

"well, I was in charge temporarily when they rebuilt the lab. And I worked with Camille about how that part would work."

" No, no, no, that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking how you built such a team that everyone gets along. People actually like each other and that they stay together and that the next generation picks up on the same vibe. I worked at the FBI; people hate each other. They only survive because they hope for a promotion, or they help to get more money. That's it. And if someone were to offer them money or a promotion, they'd run for it. Here. "

Hodgins pushes back in his wheelchair, takes off his glasses and cleans them. "Do you want to know what the mystery sauce is? This whole thing is? It's not the pay. Okay? Well, it's not great. Why do people stay? This is one of the best labs in the country, but that doesn't cause people to treat each other with respect and loyalty. What kept Angela here? Well, you might say after she married me, that would be me. Not quite. What caused your mother to stay? There were offers every day for her mind. But that wasn't what kept me here; I'm a misfit, a wealthy kid, well-educated and revolted and pampered by my family. Why is Arbury so happy out there right now? He's not a science guy. He's a smart guy, but not a science guy. Why is he happy? Because being here reminds him of a different era. Unfortunately, that era is over. But that doesn't mean that we can't open a new one."

Christine, at this point, is seated and in awe but not understanding what Hodgins is getting at. "It's your Dad. Your Dad came up with this idea that if he got a squint, got one of us and got us to work with him, that he would be able to solve his cases, and he'd be able to bring justice for dead people, for peace to murder. People done wrong by the law by using a good understanding of science; there is a mission. There's truth, and there's error. There's right and wrong. But the mission doesn't exist. When Booth came in here and gave us a mission, he made us crime solvers. You can't respect those FBI guys who treat us like trash; they treated us like? Well, your Dad used it as a term of endearment, so I won't degrade his term but squint. We were just things like computers that you plug in and play with. Your Dad would come and spend hours here, asking the right questions, showing us how things worked. Showed us how are ballistics tests done properly, made sense showing us what it really was. So, you were constantly learning from him. He was learning from us. No one else could do that. No one else cared to do it. When we got different agents here instead of your father, it became evident how good your father was. He was the best. He was the best. How he did not go but the ranks in the FBI. I have no idea. He was bright. He was smart. Quick, fiercely loyal. If you made it into his family, I mean family being the way he interpreted - friends, loyal friends- He would do anything for you. He would get himself killed or shot; it didn't make a difference? Why? Family! Christine, that's why it hurts so much. I don't want to go back to the old-time, but you broke the point that made Booth, Booth: family. You busted it. You hurt him and all of us. But I think in heaven now he is looking down and is saying, 'my daughter's doing well.' I'm so happy."

Christine was thinking, Dr. Hodgins continued, "your Dad was the component that made the whole thing go to the next level. Absolutely. Dr. B would have run off to some digs someplace and never come back. She would have been scooped up by some other university someplace. Her writing was a way in which she could explain what she didn't understand about human relationships. My wife, Angela, would not have married me; she would have run off to Paris. And so many of the other ones who work in these departments here are directly attached. Wendell would be dead; that was your father and mother's work, good work. So that's it. So, in this new era, we need someone to be the soul of the lab. That one who's willing to help people, teach them what a family is to be loyal to people. And if you, are it, I hope you are going to help with this party. You've got my full support. And I know Angela has got your back, but you're going to need to do a lot of work. We also got to show these young bucks here. What it is to be loyal. Because if you don't, it's going to become like your time in the FBI, and the interns will just look around for the next possibility. The next job."

Christine sat up; she heard everything she needed hearing, nodded her head. I understand, Dr. Hodgins, I know you have to be professional here, but I find that that's an insult. You have always been my uncle Hodgins - Uncle Bugs- I used to when I was a little girl. I would like to use it again." Uncle Hodgins let out a big smile. And he said, "Well, you know, I've been waiting for that for a long time. You know, there's a great author, C.S. Lewis, who dedicated his books to his godchild, in which he invokes an interesting theme in which he says to his goddaughter who was of a certain age - that she wasn't old enough yet. You haven't grown up to be able to read children's books. In that sense of respect, you need age and perspective to understand what you need. So, I'm more than willing to be your Uncle Bugs." She smiled and left the room.

The rest of the day went well. Angela invited Christine over to her house that evening, stating that Aubrey and the girls would be there, and everyone was coming to her house. But Christine said, "I'd love to, but I have to take a rain check. I've got another appointment with another significant person," which Angela immediately jumped to conclusions about. "There's somebody! Tell me! Spill! please tell me!" Christine said, "if there was somebody, I would tell you, but there's somebody, and that is my little brother who needs me."

Angela smiled and said, "Oh, is he okay?"

Christine continued, "He's been working himself really hard these last days. He'll be fine. He rested today. He ate his Cheerios. It's all my Cheerios; I'm gonna have to buy some more. But he wants to talk. So, we're going to make an item we're going to talk."

Angela gave her a big hug and said, "that's what it is to be a part of a family."

And as she left, she turned off her light in her office. She ensured all of her interns had finished their work and bid them a good evening. She got into her car and drove home; of course, before arriving at home, she passed by the supermarket where she bought some more eggs, some more bacon, some more cereal, some general food items, not knowing what this evening was going to hold for itself. So, when she came to her door and opened the door with her hands full of bags, she was kind of shocked when there was a smell of food in the room. Someone else had already thought the same thing. But he'd gone on foot to the supermarket.

" Well, sorry, Chrissy, but I couldn't wait. And I ...Oh ...yeah, because you know... your cereal and your eggs. Yeah. Yesterday." As he starts putting things away? What are you making, Hank? Something I found on the internet.

"Well, it's time for you to wash up, and then we can sit down for food."

So, after they sat down, they talked about work. They talked about different ideas. Hank outlined three articles that he was reading for. He was writing for three different academic journals. He asked Christina if anyone had been asking her for her two cents on these ideas. She said one, but she said that since she's been doing the public media, social media and the like, promoting her Dad's testimonials, she didn't have a lot of time to do the academic stuff. But she'll get back to it. Because she needed to make sure that her name was out there so that people didn't start talking about her and saying it was nepotism that she had a job in the lab. Hank retorted, "The reason that you had her spot at the Jeffersonian" Hank laughing, "yeah, sure, nepotism, three doctorates, a handful of masters. Only God knows how many bachelors but nepotism it was. While Mom makes a lot of money writing novels, there'll be a lot of bribes to pull that off." Christine didn't like the argument. Didn't like the comments.

"Hank, What are you getting at?"

"No, just that after. After what you wrote in your notes. I really doubt anyone's specifications. This Annabel Brown that you had, supposedly helping you, the top third of her class at Quantico, but can't write her own work; her stuff is terrible. Her conclusions are wrong. That means the other two-thirds of our class were either failed or just stupid. You can falsify things like this; this is not possible. So, as they continued talking about these and other sundry items, Hank stopped eating, put his fork down And said, "Christine, I have something to ask you. You can say no, but I really need your help." At this phase that he had a complete concern, and stress overtook it. And Christine looked at him and said, "anything you need, I'll do it. Don't worry about it. I'm here. I'll have your back. But maybe not shooting people but break their bones put them in the worst jujitsu Twister possible; I'm game. But just tell me what I need to do."

Hank continued, "I don't want you to kill anybody or anything like that. No, it's just that I met someone." Christine is more interested. "Oh, you met some. Okay."

" She's, she's interesting. She's ...She's still at the University of America. She's studying her master's in English history, and literature, literature. She has a specialty in history." Christians nod her head.

"Yes. I think she's really nice. But I'm not good at this. Actually, at that point it... I stink. I don't read people well. So, I... I was wondering," Christine is like, okay, spit it out, "What do you want me to do? Break her face. Read her the rights... What?"

Well, I'm going to meet her Friday night at the Founding Fathers. And I was wondering if you could do what Dad does so well." Christine's Dad was good at a lot of things. "But what do you want? What exactly is that" "You know, read people. Figure out her intentions. Figure out if she's any good for me. Because I really don't want to make a mistake. And you have no idea how many of these ones came my way. And Dad just told me to run away from them." Christine started laughing. Dad told you to run away from them. Oh, man, he was direct. But afterwards, I found out that they had the idea that they could get money off me. Because mom was rich. Christine's like, "Okay, I'm getting it. I'm getting the read. Oh, right. I understood. So, Hank, what do you want me to do? Exactly? You have to explain to me? What is this operation? Do you want me to be the sister who comes in and reads the right to the girl? Do you want me to be the sister who is out for a drink with her brother or happens to run into you at the bar? Or would you like me to sit at another table and watch? Hank looked and said, " how about the nice sister who drops in on her brother during a drink? But if you can arrive before and just watch, read the interactions, the things I'm not good at. Just nod your head. I get that. So, I'll be there Before you arrive. I'll be mixed in when you order. What, what will be your order? Let me think. When you order your second plate of nachos. I'll come and steal some of your nachos. I'll give a story that I was stood up by my date and whatever, and we'll go from there. Hank then finished his food, happy. And he goes, Oh, Hank, up just means you're gonna wipe out my cereal again. Well, you accomplished your quest, and you're gonna go eat." He laughed and said, "mum told you that?

"Yeah, she told me that that's an excellent sign that you've accomplished something. But please don't take out my cereal again."

"No, I can't. I'm eating dinner anyway. "

So, the siblings finished dinner, they finished everything up to wash the dishes. Take a look towards the sister and says, "I'm gonna ask you one last favour."

"Ask anything?"

" Can you give me a lift home? I was a bit stressed, so I left my car. When I came, I really didn't have a plan. I thought research was earth-shattering that you would like to know about it. Wanted to find out from you only to find out you're way ahead of me. So, I think our next step is to continue to gather information and sit down and reread everything in the composite, make a new and updated profile and historiography of what's going on. Which should be done with Parker."

And she thought it was okay. "Get your stuff. Let's go. Hey, do you want me to wash your stuff and just leave it in the closet? Or do you want to take it home or what?"

Thanks. I already packed it up. I'll bring some more. Don't worry about me. " They got to the car, and they drove home. Lights were on still in the kitchen. Hank unlocked the door and came inside. Brennan was sitting in a chair that Booth had always loved to sit in. She was cradling her tea. The look of sadness on her face. When Hank saw that, he turned back, waved at Christine to please come in. Christine parked the car went into the house. She saw her mom sitting like that; she took off her shoes and jacket. She scooted over and sat on the couch started to force a conversation with her mother. "Mom, what are you thinking about?

As she was cradling her tea, she stated, " all the things, All the regrets that I have, things I should have said, things I should have done with your father that I didn't do cuz I was scared. He tried breaking every wall down. He broke most of them. But there were still a few that were up I refused. I was scared." she stood and stepped over to Hank and said, "Hank, I hope you're not like me at this point. You're like me in most, but I hope not at this point. Don't be afraid. Fear brings misery brings regrets… Don't be stupid either. Know who you can trust. Know who deserves it and learn how to forgive. Now she, in her way, finished her Epistle to her children; She turned, finished her tea and said, "Okay, well, I'm off to bed. We have work tomorrow.

Christine, what you did for Hank is very good. Hank looks so much healthier and better, and I wasn't able to reach out to him. That's my problem. That's my worry that I won't be able to help my children. Christine whispered to her mother, "Your children are adults. We'll be able to help each other. We have to toolsets. Don't worry, you've done a great job. Dad did a great job. Just don't give up. You're young and have so much more to do. By the way, you still haven't done one of the most important things that a mother does in any evolved society." At this, Brennan's eyebrow worked, "which is... you haven't married us off." Brennan let out a huge laugh saying, "Christine, your humour so like that of your father? Christine, Are you going to stay tonight? Are you going back to your apartment? she's nowhere back in the apartment. I still have to put some things away and what have you, but I'll be buying. I'll be buying a few at the lab. And then she spoke up louder, "Hank. So, we've got Friday night set up, right? What time should I be there?" He said, "Well, I don't know... 6:30pm. So, I'll be there around 6:30pm you do your thing. I'll come flying in like the noisy sister, and we will take things from there. " "Chrissy, Thank you." Echoed hank in the room. Before she left the house, she could hear this little voice up of Hank, again reminiscent of him as a little boy. "Chrissy, I missed you so much. You're my best friend."

Christine got to her car. And she realized how much he was hurt. When she pushed him away? Hank had lost his only friend. The true friend he had; he never made another one. So, he was left alone for years. But he had made up a story that somehow, she had gone to become a kind of knight who kills the evil dragons. Only to find out that it was a hoax and that she was a real dragon, And that's what hurt him so deeply.