A/N: We've finally arrived at our final chapter.
Please note: if you're interested in learning more about the Masonic Temple in Guthrie, you can find it on the internet. It really is a beautiful place, inside and out.
The story Brennan tells Booth about the identity of the remains is strictly from my imagination and not based on fact. The Cherokee people mentioned in the story are not real people as far as I know.
There are actually quite a few museums and other attractions to see in Oklahoma City, but I could only select a few. You can find a more extensive list if you look up Oklahoma City.
December 26 8:00 AM
The early hours of the morning after Christmas held the promise of a bright, sunny day. Temperatures had stayed well above freezing overnight, and the snow that had blanketed Guthrie for days was now melting rapidly, leaving patches of mud in its place, so that the neighborhood lawns resembled battered checkerboards. It was becoming more apparent by the hour that the beautiful White Christmas the little town had enjoyed would soon be nothing more than a wonderful memory.
The rectory kitchen was abuzz with activity as a large group of hungry people gathered inside, ready to have a good breakfast before beginning their day. Even though there were still plenty of sweet rolls and bagels left over from the day before, Phyllis had insisted on frying several pounds of bacon and making a big batch of pancakes, just in case someone wanted something different that morning.
Booth was not about to let the opportunity for enjoying such a fine meal go to waste. After filling his plate with four large butter and syrup covered hotcakes, six slices of crisp bacon, and a heavily iced apple Danish, he poured himself a cup of coffee before joining Ed at the dining room table. "Mornin', Father."
Sipping from his mug, the priest nodded. "Hey, Booth. So…whaddya think? Headin' to the City this mornin'?"
The agent nodded as he stirred some sugar into his cup. "Yeah, I guess we're gonna leave in an hour or so." As he cut up a pancake, he continued. "Have you had time to write me a receipt for the room and board money I gave you?"
"Yep, it's ready to go." Ed patted the pocket on the front of his shirt absentmindedly. "I've got it here somewhere…hang on a minute…oh, yeah…I remember." He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pants pocket. "There you go…signed and dated, all proper like."
"Excellent. Thanks." Booth grinned as he looked over the page. "That should do it. Now, you can put all that money in the church's discretionary fund if you want, but please don't tell me or anyone else about it, okay? The bean counters at the FBI are gonna have a hard enough time trying to figure out our arrangement without any extra complications…"
"No problem…it'll be our little secret." Smiling, Ed held out his hand to Booth. "It's been great havin' you here, son. Me and Phyllis appreciate everything you and Temperance have done for us…and for the Nelsons, too."
Shaking Ed's hand, Booth shrugged off the older man's gratitude. "It's no big deal…"
"You're joking, right?" Scoffing, Ed rolled his eyes at the man sitting next to him. "Yeah, well, it's actually a huge deal, okay? You know, I can tell that you've been raised right, Booth, and I bet you'll raise your son the same way…and I'm grateful for that. The world needs more fellas like you...guys who care…guys who always choose to do the right thing so they can help someone else. See, all those little things you do make a big difference for other folks, even if you think they're nothing special at the time. The way I see it, when you choose to help someone somehow, you're doing the Lord's work, okay? That makes it a big deal. Don't ever forget that."
Stunned at hearing Ed's heartfelt sentiment, Booth hesitated for a few seconds. "I…I never thought of it that way…"
"Well, maybe you should. It'll help you see things in a whole different way…and I bet it'll keep you going, too, even when times get rough and you're not sure if the whole mess is worth it." Seeing Booth's shy grin, the priest sipped his coffee before continuing. "Now if we could just convince Temperance to take a chance on a good guy like you. Maybe I can help you out with that. I know…maybe me and her could have a little chat, and I'll just point out what a great fella you are. She's smart…I'm sure she'll agree with me."
"Thanks, but that's really not necessary…" Sighing quietly, an embarrassed Booth picked at the icing on his sweet roll. "I don't want to rush her, okay? She's kinda skittish about all the romantic stuff…too much pressure and she might decide to take off for parts unknown…"
Ed chuckled at Booth's excuses. "Well, there's a difference between not rushing her and not making a move at all, right? So here's some advice from an old man: take it slow with her if you want, but not so slow that you're not getting anywhere. Eventually, you gotta make some progress towards that goal, or you're gonna regret it someday, okay?"
"Yeah…okay." Glancing at his watch, Booth cleared his throat nervously. "Listen, I've got a few things to do before we take off, but we won't leave without saying goodbye…"
Ed nodded, pretending to shake his fist at the younger man. "You better not, buddy, if you know what's good for ya…"
Chuckling, Booth held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay! Now, if you'll excuse me…"
"I guess." Ed sat back in his chair and smiled. "I'll let you get to it, then…but I'm gonna have some more pancakes…"
Laughing as he picked up his dishes, Booth took them into the kitchen and was surprised to see Brennan and Alice involved in an animated discussion as they sat at the counter.
Alice looked a bit bewildered as she stared into her coffee cup. "I don't know about that. I mean, it sounds like a lot of money, and I'm not sure we can afford it. I know it's probably a good idea, but do you really think I'm smart enough to handle it?"
"Yes, I do, but you're right…it's a big step to consider, especially considering your current lack of funds." Brennan smiled as she handed Alice a business card. "Here…take this. If you decide that's what you want to do, you can contact me at that email address, and I'll assist you in any way I can. Please give it some thought. I'm sure we can arrange some financial assistance if you need it. This organization is always willing to provide deserving students with scholarships, and I'll be sure to put in a good word for you."
"Thank you so much!" Alice paused, grinning shyly as she noticed Booth standing at the sink. "Oh…good morning. Well, I'd better go see if Sam's got those kids corralled. We're supposed to go look at that house on Mansur Street this afternoon to find out about renting it, but we need to do some straightening up at the parish hall first. Our stuff is scattered everywhere." Waving at them, Alice smiled happily. "We'll talk again before you leave…"
Brennan waved back at the younger woman. "Very good…"
As Alice left, Booth grinned at Brennan. "What's up?"
"Nothing, really…" Seeing his raised eyebrow, Brennan sighed quietly. "I was merely encouraging Alice to consider obtaining a nursing degree at a four year university. The University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond has an excellent program within an easy commute from Guthrie, and having a BSRN would open several doors for her."
"You think she should go to college? Are you sure that's a good idea? I thought she wanted to go to vocational school…"
Brennan smiled cheerfully as she launched into a lengthy explanation. "That was her original plan, and, of course, there's nothing wrong with that idea. After doing some research, I've found that Oklahoma has an exceptional vocational education system. I did suggest that if she chooses to go to vocational school, she should consider getting more advanced training to become a respiratory technician or an X-ray technician, or maybe as a sonographer, since they're higher paying positions than being a nurse's aide or a medication aide. However, after talking to Alice, I believe she'd rather be involved in one on one patient care. She also mentioned that she'd like to be a school nurse. In either case, having a four year degree would be a definite advantage. In fact, I think such a degree may be required to work at a school. Besides, if she has a four year degree, she can eventually study to become a nurse anesthetist or a nurse practitioner, if she so desires."
Of course, she did research! That's my Bones! Chuckling at his partner's enthusiasm for Alice's educational plans, Booth nodded as he rinsed his plate in the sink. "Well, I guess that makes sense. It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into her future."
"I suppose I have, but I see so much potential in her! Anyway, Alice said she'd considered going to college at one time, but she married young and became pregnant soon afterwards, so her plans changed. I think she's open to the idea of college, but she's concerned about the cost of tuition and books, even with Sam having the potential for gainful employment, so I gave her information about the Women in the Science organization, of which I'm a founding member." Brennan heaved a contented sigh. "I believe Alice would be an excellent candidate for a college scholarship to defray her expenses, if that's what she decides to do, and in the long run, Janie will benefit as well, because Alice will provide a good example for her…you know, showing her daughter that if a woman works hard for what she wants, she can be successful, both intellectually and financially…that she can be fulfilled both with her career and with her family life. After observing her mother's efforts, Janie might be encouraged to study science as well."
"I see." Booth turned to face her, crossing his arms over his chest. "So by 'scholarship', you mean you're personally going to pay for everything Alice needs to go to college if she decides to go, right?" He grinned as she stammered her denial. "You can't pull one over on me, okay, Bones? I know you too well…I know you've got a soft spot for someone like her…you know, a young woman trying to beat the odds to better herself…a young woman who maybe reminds you of yourself at that age. For what it's worth, I think It's really wonderful of you to help her out like that. I hope she decides to take you up on your offer."
"I do, too." Wanting to deflect Booth's praise, Brennan quickly rose from her stool and smoothed her sweatshirt. "I'm going to go check my room one more time to make sure I have everything, and then I'll be ready to leave."
"Great. Let's plan on taking off in about thirty minutes or so, okay?"
"Yes, that's fine."
As she left, Booth smiled to himself while he put his plate in the dishwasher. His Bones was an amazing, kindhearted woman, and he knew he'd be willing to do anything to keep her in his life…even if he did think it was better to move in slow motion to avoid ruining things between them. I don't want to scare her off…but I don't want to lose her, either. Jesus…why does love have to be so complicated?
Oooooooooo
Forty minutes had passed before Brennan came jogging down the stairs on the rectory's back porch carrying her duffel bag, her backpack flapping on her shoulder as she ran. "I'm sorry I'm late, Booth…I'll explain later."
"No problem. Me and Phil were just shootin' the breeze here." He handed the firefighter a business card. "If you do decide to check out the Bureau, let me know and I'll make some arrangements so you can get a first hand look at what goes on there, okay?" Seeing Phil's surprise, Booth grinned. "I know the guy who runs the field office in St. Louis, and he owes me a favor. Couldn't hurt to look around, right? No strings…just a chance to do a fact-finding mission in order to make an informed choice, that's all."
"That's great! Thanks." As Phil put the card in his jacket pocket, he whistled loudly over his shoulder. "Hey, everybody…Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan are gettin' ready to leave. Come say goodbye…"
Soon there was a small crowd of well-wishers standing around in the muddy parking lot as Booth loaded the bags in the SUV. Hands were shaken, hugs were given, and tears wiped away as he and Brennan prepared to leave.
Phyllis hurried down the back porch steps carrying a large paper bag, which she handed to Booth. "I put together a care package for the road, so you can have lunch on the way if you want.," she said, opening the bag so he could see inside. "Ham sandwiches…a nice salad for Temperance…some bagels…some sweet rolls…some sugar cookies…a couple of slices of pie…some carrot sticks…some apples…bottled water…you know, stuff like that." Seeing his happy grin, she gave him a sly smile. "I couldn't figure out how to get the pancakes in there so they'd stay hot, but…"
"Wow…this looks great!" Booth winked at her as he put the bag on the front seat's floor board. "It'll be nice not having to stop somewhere, and we'll have leftovers for breakfast tomorrow! Thanks!"
"And thank you for everything, too, Temperance…" Phyllis sniffled slightly as she gave Brennan a hug. "...especially for signing my book. 'Red Tape, White Bones' is my favorite out of all your novels…and now it'll be even more special because you've autographed my copy."
"It was my pleasure, Phyllis. I enjoyed our chats. You've given me a lot to think about." Turning towards Paula and Diane, Brennan smiled pleasantly. "Now, don't forget…email me next month, and I'll see about getting you both some signed copies of my new book to auction for your charities…and, of course, one for each of you to keep as well…"
"We really appreciate it." Shifting nervously from one foot to the other, Paula grinned shyly as she held up her camera. "Um…do you think Diane and I could have our picture taken with you and Agent Booth?"
"I'm sure that's fine…isn't it, Booth?"
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, sure…why not?"
They posed for a couple of pictures before bidding everyone goodbye. Booth grinned as he patted Sam's shoulder. "Good luck with the new house and the new job, Sam…take care…"
"Thanks for everything, Agent Booth…" The young man gave Booth a firm handshake. "I promise…I won't let you down. I'm gonna get my finances straightened out, and we're gonna be okay. I may even have my own plumbing business soon. I'll let you know when that happens."
"I'm sure you'll do great. I look forward to hearing all about it." Booth chuckled as he shook hands with Josh and Jake. "You guys be sure to do good in school, okay? That way maybe you can be a tough FBI agent like me…"
Josh shook his head solemnly. "Nah, me and Jake wanna be pro wrestlers…or maybe sheriffs…"
Booth laughed out loud as he tousled the little boy's hair. "That'll work, too…"
Janie gave Brennan a hug. "Bye, Dr. Brennan. When I grow up, I wanna collect rocks and write books, just like you do…"
"I hope you find some lovely rocks, Janie." Brennan patted the little girl's head. "And I look forward to reading your books…"
"Goodbye, Ed." Booth gave the priest a bear hug. "Take care of yourself. Drop us a line when you get settled…wherever that may be…"
"I'll do that. It's been an honor, Booth…you, too, Dr. Brennan."
"Thank you, Ed. For a priest, I found you to be remarkably open minded…"
Booth ran his hand over his face before glaring at her. "Really, Bones? Now is not the time…"
"Why not? It's true…"
It was Ed's turn to laugh out loud. "You know what, Temperance? I'm gonna take that as a compliment. Well, anyway, safe travels, you all…" He smiled as he made the sign of the cross over them. "God bless you both…" He chuckled as he saw Brennan roll her eyes. "Yes, you, too, Temperance…I promise it won't hurt…"
Finally it was really time to leave. As the SUV slowly made its way out of the parking lot, the Bledsoes' extended family and the Nelson family all waved goodbye, watching as their new friends drove away.
Ed sighed quietly as he brushed away a tear. "There go two really fine people…and I'm gonna miss them, but I know they're gonna do a lot of good out there in the world…"
Oooooooooo
The partners decided to take one last spin through Guthrie before they left for Oklahoma City that morning. As they drove down Oklahoma Street, the grand Masonic Temple loomed before them, its gray-white granite facade shimmering in the winter sunlight like something out of a fairy tale.
"It's hard to imagine why they'd have such a huge building in a small town like this…especially a building as fancy as that one.," Booth commented as they drove around the city block housing the Temple and the vast lawn surrounding it. "It's almost like a castle, isn't it? It looks like it should be in some major European city instead of being in the middle of Guthrie, Oklahoma."
"The article I read about it said that when the decision was made to move the state capital to Oklahoma City, the land was offered as a donation to the Freemasons, and they decided to use it to their advantage by erecting this amazing structure. It's beautiful, isn't it? The article said it was built in the Neo-classical style, and because of its architectural style and historical significance, it's on the National Register of Historic places…and at over 400,000 square feet in size, it's one of the largest Masonic buildings in the world."
Booth smiled to himself as he listened to Brennan's discourse. She'd always been an excellent tour guide, able to share all sorts of information about what they might be seeing or experiencing when they visited somewhere. "That's good to know. Thanks, Bones."
"You're welcome. I think there are tours of the interior available. The article said that each room was decorated with an Art Deco theme…you know, there's an Egyptian room, a Pompeiian room, a Crystal room, and so on, and the furniture, carpets, painted trim details, and the fixtures were all designed specifically for each room with the theme in mind. It would be interesting to see it in person, but I don't suppose we have time…"
"Not really. Maybe next time we're in Oklahoma, okay?" He smiled as he turned the SUV back onto Oklahoma Street. "Anyway, I want to stop somewhere and find a little something for Parker before we hit the road for Oklahoma City."
"He'd like that. Perhaps a baseball cap would be appropriate…with a tee shirt to go with it?"
"Yeah, I think that's a good idea."
As they sat at a stoplight, Booth tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "You know, sometimes when I visit a place like this, I think about what it'd be like if I stayed instead of going back to DC…" Seeing Brennan's confusion, he continued with a laugh. "You know, I make silly plans about living a different life, just for fun. I guess I wouldn't mind living in a town this size, especially since there's a major city about 20 minutes away. Whaddya think? Would Billy Don give me a job?"
"I'm sure he would…or perhaps you could transfer to the FBI field office in Oklahoma City…although it might be interesting to see you driving a patrol car around this little town, writing traffic tickets and arresting jaywalkers, or eating lunch at the Hilltop Diner and gossiping with the locals about the latest news." Brennan giggled as she looked out the passenger window. "However, instead of following in Deputy Debbie's footsteps, I think I'd rather get a job teaching at one of the universities in the area…and since the internet is available here, I could still write my books and then email them to my publisher."
"Sounds like a plan." Booth chuckled as he pointed at an older white frame house on the street corner. "Hey, that place is for sale. It's not real big, but I bet there's room enough for the two of us…although I don't know where you'd put your collection of fancy artifacts that you've picked up over the years…"
"True…however, I imagine it's a lot less expensive to buy a house here in Guthrie than it is in DC…" She scrunched up her nose as they drove by. "That house appears to need some repairs…the porch appears to be sagging in front, and it could use a new roof."
He waved off her concerns. "Nah…nothing that a little remodeling work couldn't fix. With a little paint and some TLC, we could turn it into a real cute little place." He sighed softly. "The main problem with living in Guthrie would be getting Parker here to visit. I can just imagine how Rebecca would howl over having him fly to Oklahoma City by himself."
Brennan sighed softly, shaking her head. "Unfortunately, that would be a thorny issue to resolve. Maybe for now, it's best for you to live in the DC area…at least until Parker is older…"
His shoulders drooped slightly as reality set in, chasing away his cheerful fantasies. "I suppose you're right…" He shrugged slightly as he checked his mirror again. "...but it doesn't hurt to dream, does it?"
"No, it doesn't. In fact, some dreams can be very enjoyable." Patting his arm tenderly, she smiled. "Especially dreams about the future. Perhaps one day you can retire to a small town like this…"
He nodded to himself as he listened, deciding that if he retired to a small town like Guthrie, he wouldn't want to live there by himself. "Listen, Bones…what would you think about…"
"Look!," she suddenly interrupted him, pointing at a sign facing the street. "I imagine we can find the souvenirs you want for Parker at the Territorial Museum…"
"Right." Sighing softly, he parked the SUV in front of the old fashioned building. "Okay, Bones. Let's go shopping…"
Oooooooooo
Parker's new cap and tee shirt had been tucked safely inside of Booth's bag, and now the SUV was traveling down Route 77 towards the junction with I-35. Glancing at his passenger, Booth laughed quietly. "You know, even though it was quite a bit out of our way, I'm glad we ended up spending some time in Guthrie. In some ways, I think that blizzard was a blessing from God. Just think of all the good that came from it, okay? We got to meet Ed and Phyllis…we helped the Nelsons…"
"What are you talking about?" Brennan couldn't believe her ears. Astonished by his statement, she turned to stare at him. "So you really believe that your god created a giant blizzard over the state of Oklahoma simply to divert us from our planned itinerary so we could interact with some random families in an obscure small town in the middle of nowhere? That's a bizarre and utterly irrational idea, Booth. I realize you're given to illogical thinking and religious fantasies from time to time, but this one tops them all…" She grunted in disgust as she continued. "Just think of all the other people who were inconvenienced by that blizzard…people who had their holiday plans ruined…people who had car accidents because of the hazardous driving conditions...people who were injured in falls on icy sidewalks…families who were housebound and missed their family celebrations…and now you're saying that those things were part of some grand heavenly scheme, too, just so we could help the Nelsons? That's an incredibly harebrained idea…"
Irate at having his ideas being so thoroughly dismissed as worthless, Booth glared angrily at his partner. "Why is it irrational? Not everything has to be explained by science, okay? Some things should just be accepted on faith! I happen to believe that God controls the Universe, okay? He can use natural stuff, like snowstorms, to get stuff done whenever He wants to. He knew that the Bledsoes were lonely and that the Nelsons needed help, so He put us in their paths to help them…and it wasn't just us, right? I mean all those truck drivers helped out, too, and they wouldn't have been available to pony up the cash if it wasn't for the poor driving conditions. None of that happened because of mere coincidence…things fit too neatly together for it to be random!"
"Well, it certainly wasn't due to any divine intervention, Booth. The blizzard was caused by a convergence of weather factors, which you would know if you had any inkling about how meteorology works." Rolling her eyes, Brennan groaned in exasperation. "It was merely due to random chance that things happened the way they did. The blizzard just happened to occur while we were here in Oklahoma for a case. We just happened to meet some people in need, and we just happened to be available to help them. Those events weren't governed by some sort of higher being manipulating the circumstances…they occurred because we just happened to be stranded due to a meteorological event which made travel difficult. We were in the right place at the right time, that's all. "
"And the Lord put us in that position, okay? He's the reason we were in the right place when we were…there's no way all of those things happened to line up due to random chance."
"So you're saying that your decision to drive to Oklahoma City during a blizzard instead of leaving from Tulsa as we originally planned was inspired by your god so that we'd serve his purposes, and it had nothing to do with your refusal to acknowledge that meteorology is a reliable science?" Seeing his frown, she shook her head. "That's ridiculous! Any number of people could've helped the Nelson family. It didn't have to be us!"
Booth gripped the steering wheel tightly, hoping he could contain his temper. "My decision to drive to Oklahoma City was based on me trying to do something nice for you, Bones, but right now I have no idea why I bothered!" He was furious as he heard her scoff. "So are you telling me you wish we hadn't helped the Nelsons? That you'd be okay with Phyllis and Ed being lonely over Christmas? That'd you wouldn't be concerned about the Nelsons' predicament? Are you really so cold and callous that you don't care about assisting other people during the holiday season?"
"No, of course not!," Brennan replied angrily, indignant at Booth's cutting remark. "All I'm saying is that we were not 'chosen ones'...not by any stretch of the imagination. Anyone could've done what we did! We weren't selected especially by a god to complete the mission, no matter what you might think. How ludicrous! Besides, what would make us worthy of being selected to do that work?"
"Well, you have the financial resources, and I'm good at organizing people to get things done, okay? But chosen or not, we were the ones who did it…we got the job done, and we did it well. Think about how everything sort of fit together at the time, okay? Money and people came together perfectly to solve all the problems, right? No way that was just arbitary shit happening." Her irritated sigh only increased his frustration. "Look…all I'm saying is that no matter how it happened, I'm glad we were able to help those people, alright? Jesus…why do you always have to make things so hard? Why do you always have to question my beliefs? Why can't you let me be happy, thinking that God used me to help people?"
Crossing her arms over her chest, she scowled at him. "Maybe because you always have to be so irrational! Doing good for others doesn't have to be inspired by some sort of imaginary deity, Booth! People can do good for others simply because they feel it's the right thing to do."
"Fine!," he snapped. "You do good things for your reasons, and I'll do good things for mine!"
"Fine!," she huffed, tilting her chin away from him.
"Fine!"
He knew it'd be a waste of time to argue with her any further. No matter what he said, she'd refute it somehow. Clenching his jaw, he decided to concentrate on driving instead of focusing on how angry he was. He'd been enjoying the 'day after Christmas' glow that morning, but that seemed to have evaporated quickly in the wake of his most recent argument with his partner. I don't care what she thinks…I know what I believe! Of course, it doesn't make any sense to her…and maybe I should keep those feelings to myself if I want to avoid an argument…
Crossing her arms over her chest, Brennan stared out the passenger window. She had to admit…Booth had been correct in some of his statements. He was excellent at inspiring groups of people to work together to achieve a goal. That was one of the qualities that made him an excellent Special Agent in Charge. He was also a tenderhearted person, often moved to help someone who was down on their luck. But why does he always attribute that quality to his god? Why can't he just be altruistic of his own accord?
Sighing softly, she felt something akin to regret. He's never belittled my belief in scientific evidence…which is understandable, since it's so important…but perhaps I should be more tolerant of his beliefs, no matter how odd they are. If they're important to him, that should be adequate for me. Perhaps that sort of give and take is important in maintaining a friendship…
After several miles of stony silence, Booth gave his partner a sidelong glance. He'd walked right into that argument. After all these years of working with her, he should've known to keep the Lord out of the equation when talking about how they'd helped the Bledsoes and the Nelsons. No matter what she said, he couldn't shake the idea that they'd been used by God to help others, just as Ed had pointed out at breakfast.
However, as angry as he was, he realized that it would be best to seek a truce with her since they'd be spending at least two more days together. Maybe they could talk about something else instead…
They drove on for a few more minutes until Booth cleared his throat. "So…um…you said you'd tell me why you were running late this morning…"
She glared at him from the corner of her eye, as if trying to decide if she really wanted to talk to him. Finally, she sighed quietly. "I was detained for a few minutes because I received a call from Dr. Bishop. He has a lead on the identity of the man whose remains were found in Fort Gibson."
"Really? That's great…"
"I thought so, too." She shifted in her seat, turning towards him. "Because Tahlequah, Oklahoma, is one of the capitals of the Cherokee Nation, Dr. Bishop had put an article in their local newspaper about the remains which were found in Fort Gibson, hoping it would spark some memories among the elderly tribal members who live in the area, or that perhaps someone had heard some relevant snippet of family history from some of their older relatives."
"Sounds like a good plan…"
"It was an excellent plan, because he got some interesting results. Shortly after the article was published, a woman called him, saying that her grandmother had once shared a memory about a relative's death…something that had happened many years ago, and there were simply too many similarities between the past event and the present discovery to be ignored. According to the woman, when her Grandmother Tesarkee was a young girl of about nine or ten, her maternal grandmother's brother, Isaiah Culstee, who was in his seventies, was found deceased in his home during the winter of 1943. His death didn't come as a surprise for his family…Mrs. Tesarkee recalled that he'd been severely ill for a long time and hadn't been expected to recover, which seems to conform with my initial evaluation, when I suggested that he had suffered from advanced bone cancer…the degree of involvement present in the skeleton would indicate a terminal diagnosis. In fact, Mrs. Tesarkee remarked to her granddaughter that Mr. Culstee had built his own coffin, so perhaps he knew his death was imminent…"
Booth puffed out a sigh as he considered that detail. "Man…building your own coffin? That'd be weird, wouldn't it? I don't know if I could do that."
"Perhaps it would feel strange, but for some cultures, death is more accepted as a natural part of life than it is in ours. Besides, if he knew he was dying, he may have viewed it as a way to help his family defray the expenses involved with his funeral." Brennan grimaced slightly as she continued. "The next part of the story is a bit hazy. Mr. Culstee's family didn't contact a mortuary after his death. Instead, they conducted his funeral on their own, with the aid of a shaman. Because it was in the middle of World War II, many of the family's adult males were away from home for various reasons…you know, serving overseas or working at jobs in some of the larger towns…such as the newly opened ammunition factory in McAlester…to support the war effort. Whatever the reason, since the Cherokee prefer to inter the deceased as soon as possible after death, burying Mr. Cultsee fell to Mrs. Tesarkee's frail grandfather, as well as her three older brothers and two of her older male cousins, all of whom were in their early to middle teens at the time."
"Wow. Well, you said the Cherokee have well delineated funeral customs, so maybe those kids knew what they were in for, but still…" Booth shook his head as he gazed down the road ahead of them. "That'd be rough, being so young and having to bury a relative like that. I can't imagine…"
"It would be difficult to be sure, but I suppose they did what they felt was necessary, given the circumstances." Brennan studied her nails for a few seconds before continuing. "Mrs. Tesarkee said her mother and her grandmother dressed Mr. Culstee in his best ribbon shirt and his good pants before wrapping him in a clean sheet and placing his body in his coffin with an eagle feather, and then the boys, under their grandfather's direction, dug a grave in a secluded spot, somewhere on the family's property."
"So what happened next?"
Brennan sighed softly. "The family had a simple funeral service with some Scripture readings and some prayers offered by the shaman. Since it was winter, the ground was partially frozen, so the grave that was prepared was slightly less than six feet deep, but the boys had done the best they could. They interred the coffin with the idea that eventually they'd have a more 'normal' funeral for Mr. Culstee, including reburying him in the town's cemetery, which was to take place when the rest of his relatives were able to attend. Unfortunately, that plan never came to fruition. Because of the wintry conditions and the fact that the family's property was made up of approximately sixty acres, it seems that somehow the information about the exact location of his body was lost over time, until his remains were found recently."
Booth nodded in understanding. "And because the information was lost, they couldn't find him when it came time to move him. Yeah, I get that. I mean, those folks were probably dealing with a lot of feelings, having to bury the fella like that, so it's reasonable to think that they'd forget to jot down some of the details about where they laid him to rest."
"And it was 67 years ago. Even if the information had been recorded somewhere, there's no way of knowing where that information is now. The land in question was sold by the family approximately three decades ago. Mrs. Tesarkee's older brothers and her cousins…the young men who buried Mr. Culstee…are all deceased. Mrs. Tesarkee is 77 now, and even though she's in relatively good health, her memory is fading. She does remember the actual funeral, telling her granddaughter that they'd interred her great uncle under a large tree in an open field, but she doesn't remember any other landmarks in the area." Biting her lip, Brennan shrugged slightly. "She also mentioned an interesting fact to her granddaughter…that Mr. Culstee was called 'Uncle Gimp' by everyone who knew him. Apparently he walked with a noticeable limp most of his life because he'd sustained a broken leg as a boy, having been kicked by a horse. I don't know why that bit of information stood out in her mind, but…"
"But it's just like you mentioned in your initial exam…so that goes towards proving that it was probably Mr. Culstee's remains you were looking at in Dr. Bishop's lab." Knowing that Brennan was pleased at having that small detail corroborated, Booth tried to suppress a smile. "So the poor fella has been left alone for all this time until someone accidently dug him up...in a cemetery…because his family couldn't find him to put him in a cemetery. Talk about irony…"
"I suppose it is ironic…and rather sad, in a way. I imagine his relatives were upset, not knowing exactly where he was buried. Anyway, Mrs. Tesarkee is willing to submit a DNA sample to see if there's a chance that the remains are those of her great uncle. The results might not be conclusive, but given all the other details we have, it would probably provide enough information to allow us to assume that's who the man is. I think that's important…knowing who he is as the Cherokee Nation arranges for his reburial…providing his family with closure, and giving his name back to him…"
"Well, that's interesting, Bones. Is Dr. Bishop going to let you know about the DNA results?"
"Yes, he said he hoped to get back to me in a few weeks.."
"Good. Well, I know his family appreciates your efforts on their behalf." Smiling at her, Booth couldn't resist getting in another little dig. "So…I guess it was worth it for us to come all the way to Oklahoma after all…and not just because we helped the Nelsons and the Bledsoes. It looks like we'll end up helping the Culstee family as well."
Scoffing noisily, she pretended to be annoyed with him. "I suppose it was an interesting case after all, but that's not all 'we' did to help people, is it?," she asked, arching an eyebrow at him. "I think you must've helped Billy Don make things right with Debbie…and now they're engaged. Hopefully, they'll have a good marriage after all of your meddling in their lives." Brennan giggled as Booth rolled his eyes. "You convinced him to say something about his feelings for her, didn't you?"
"Maybe…kinda." Booth shrugged slightly, trying to hide his embarrassment. "He already knew what he wanted with Debbie, alright? I just had to give him a little push in the right direction, that's all…" Now if only I could do the same thing with Bones… "Besides, Ed said he thought they belonged together, and after being married so long, I figured he knew what he was talking about, right? After all, if a priest gave them his blessing, why not nudge things along a little bit? Maybe that's all they needed…anyway, Billy Don asked my opinion, and I gave it to him. I told him he needed to speak up and tell Debbie the truth, and the rest, as they say, is history…"
"Of course." Brennan nodded as she watched the scenery go flying past the SUV's window. "By the way, speaking of Ed…Phyllis told me this morning that they're going to look for a rental property when they visit Branson this spring, with the idea that it'll be their permanent home. It seems that's the compromise they made with Phil and Paula…Branson is apparently almost midway between the two cities where their children live."
"Actually, I think that's a good plan. They'll still feel independent but it'll be easier for them to get help from their kids if they need it…and I think maybe they both feel like at their age, it'll be comforting to have a place to call home instead of wandering around from town to town." Booth ran his fingers along the steering wheel as he glanced at Brennan. "Well, I'm glad they figured it out. I mean, I understand how Phil and Paula feel, okay? I feel better knowing that Pops lives in the retirement center instead of living in that old row house by himself, especially since I'm not exactly close by, because I know he'll get some assistance if he needs it. They feel the same way…they just want what's best for their parents."
"As a general rule, I'm sure that being able to provide assistance to one's parents when needed would make the offspring feel more secure about meeting those needs." Brennan sighed softly as she picked at her nails. "However, I'm not sure having Max living close to me would actually make me feel better, as unpredictable as he can be…"
Booth reached over to pat Brennan's knee. "Well, Max is the exception to a lot of rules, so…"
She giggled softly. "That's very true…" Wearing a coy smile, she continued. "So, as per our discussion, it would seem that we've ensured that everyone we've encountered over the last few days has had a satisfactory conclusion to their quandaries…"
"Huh?" After a few seconds, he nodded. "Oh, I get it. You mean they all got happy endings, right?"
"That's what I said, Booth…" She pointed at a large green road sign. "It looks like we'll be arriving in Oklahoma City shortly. What's on our itinerary for the rest of the day?"
"Hmm. Well…" He scratched the back of his neck as he thought over her question. "I'm not really sure." He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "By the time we find a place to stay and have lunch, it'll be almost one…"
"I saw what you ate for breakfast, Booth! How can you possibly be ready for lunch?"
"I just am, okay, Bones? Geez…driving is hard work! Anyway, I think we may have to wait until tomorrow to go to the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Western Heritage Museum. From what I saw online, it looks like it'll take several hours to see everything, and I don't want us to rush through the exhibits if we don't have to." He gave her an apologetic smile. "I hope you're not too disappointed about not going today. I mean, we're gonna go see it before we go home…I promise."
"I know." She smiled as she took a piece of paper from her backpack. "However, I was also concerned about our time constraints for today, so I did some research about some of the other museums in Oklahoma City. Perhaps we could visit some of them this afternoon instead…"
Booth groaned inwardly. More museums? Talk about boring! Yuck! "Well…maybe we could check out a couple of them since we have a couple of hours to kill this afternoon. What did you have in mind?"
Brennan ran her finger down her list. "How about the Firefighters' Museum? They have several examples of antique firefighting equipment there…or we could go to the 45th Infantry Division Museum. They have information about their unit's history and the 9 Medal of Honor recipients that belonged to that division…and a large collection of Bill Maudlin cartoons. Being a veteran of the Army, you might find that exhibit very enlightening."
"Wait…the Thunderbirds have a museum here in the City? Cool!" Booth smiled happily as he thought over her suggestion. "Yeah…that might be interesting, considering their impact on history. That unit was involved in World War II and Korea…I think they liberated Dachau, too."
"So that's settled. We'll go there first and then, depending on how long we spend, we might be able to visit some other places I looked up. Here in the City there's also a rattlesnake museum, a railroad museum and the Softball Hall of Fame." Looking up from her list, she tilted her head to one side. "When are you supposed to pick up Parker for the New Year's holiday?"
"At noon on New Year's Eve." His handsome face registered his confusion at the sudden change of topic. "Why? What does that have to do with anything…"
She held up her list so he could see it. "Well, I know we're scheduled to leave on the day after tomorrow, but there are a couple of other museums I'd like to visit while we're here in Oklahoma City, so I'd like to extend our stay in such a way that we leave on the 29th instead of the 28th. It's just an extra day, and you'd still be home in plenty of time to see Parker."
Even more museums? Jesus help me… "Um…what kind of museums?," he asked cautiously. "It's not gonna be dusty old mummies and shit like that, is it? I mean, I've already arranged to take off the two days before New Year's Eve so if we get home a day later, that's not a problem, but still…museums aren't exactly my cup of tea, and maybe it'd be better for us to just go on home…" …instead of wasting my time in museums. I'd enjoy being with Bones, but still…museums are so fucking BORING…
She glared at him in annoyance. "The King Tut exhibit was outstanding…but since you lack an appreciation for Egyptology, you'll be glad to know it's not a mummy display that I want to see." She nodded primly. "I want to go to the Museum of Osteology."
"What the hell is Osteology?," Booth grunted.
"You know 'osteo' means 'bone', Booth…so osteology is the study of bones." Rolling her eyes at his apparent ignorance, she read the information she had pulled up on her phone. "Here's the description that's posted on their website: 'The Museum of Osteology is devoted to the study of bones and skeletons. Over 350 skeletons of various animal species are on display, and the museum holds a total of 7000 specimens, making it the largest privately held collection of osteological specimens in the world.' It took over 40 years to amass such a vast collection. I think it sounds fascinating…and given my reputation as a forensic anthropologist, they might be willing to give us a behind the scenes tour to see some of the specimens that aren't on display."
"Why would anyone be interested in a bunch of old bones and animal skeletons?," Booth groaned. "I'd rather look at mummies…"
He knew it was a mistake as soon as it came out of his mouth. Seeing the hurt look on her face, he sighed quietly. "Sorry. What I meant to say is, 'I'd love to go look at a bunch of old bones and animal skeletons with you!' There…better?"
"I suppose." Brennan pretended to pout a bit before continuing with her wish list. "I'd also like to visit the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History on the University of Oklahoma's campus in Norman. They have various exhibits, including some dinosaurs on display in their Hall of Ancient Life…"
"Dinosaurs? Now you're talkin'..." Booth paused suddenly, shaking his head. "...I mean, it sounds great, going to see those places, but to be honest, Bones, I'm not sure it's gonna work out with our itinerary." Grimacing as he glanced at her, he gave her a defeated shrug. "The Bureau is picking up the tab for only two more nights in a hotel…and they won't pay a penny if there are any extra fees for changing our flight if we decide to leave on the 29th. We'd be on our own for those expenses…"
She casually waved off his concern. "I can afford to pay for our hotel room and any fees incurred by changing our flight reservations. After all, who knows when I'll have a chance to return to Oklahoma City? I think paying a little bit extra to change our itinerary would be a worthwhile investment for me if it means I can visit those places."
She nattered on for a few minutes, but Booth wasn't listening any more, because one particular word had snagged his attention. "Wait…" A smile slowly spread across his face as he turned to her. "You said 'our hotel room'...as in singular…as in…we'd be sharing a room? So are you thinking of two double beds, so you can save money on the room rental?"
Surprised at his assumption, she shook her head. "I thought you'd prefer one king sized bed. I suppose two doubles would work if that was the only room available, but that seems redundant if we're planning to share the same bed."
Booth did a double take, unsure if he'd heard her correctly. "Whoa, whoa, whoa…back up a minute. I think maybe you skipped a part there, Bones…"
"I can't think of anything I missed…" Her brow furrowed slightly as she considered their conversation. "Don't you want to share a king sized bed with me? I suppose we could get something smaller, but given your height that might be somewhat uncomfortable, both for sleeping and for coitus…although perhaps if we had to get a smaller bed, we could be creative in the use of sexual positions for smaller spaces. I did some research on that for my last novel, since Kathy and Andy were trapped in a storage closet on that two man submarine…"
Booth was stunned. Suddenly all of the fantasies he'd ever entertained about having sex with his Bones seemed flood his brain. "A mini-sub? Really? How in the hell…" Realizing that he needed to focus on driving in an unfamiliar city's frantic traffic, he held up his hand to interrupt her. "Listen, Bones…see, the size of the bed…um…that's not the point, okay? I'd love to share a king sized bed with you…for sleeping and for…other stuff. That'd be great! It's just that…" Glancing at her, he grinned happily. "...I didn't know that you'd be interested in sharing that…with me…" Suddenly a thought occurred to him. "Did you talk to Ed this morning?"
"Only to say goodbye. Why?"
"Well, as much as I appreciate the offer to share a room and a bed with you, it seems kinda…I don't know…sudden?" Seeing her confusion, he rushed to continue. "I think it's a good idea…a really, really good idea, okay? I'm just…not sure where it came from. I mean, this is a huge surprise…a welcome surprise, but still…it's huge…and I wonder how you came up with the idea…"
"Oh. I see. Perhaps I haven't explained myself adequately." She hesitated slightly before sharing her thoughts. "You see, while we've been stranded, I've had the opportunity to reflect on my feelings for you, taking into consideration your physical attributes as well as your emotional intelligence and your kindness…all of the things that make you who you are." She paused as she folded the list and put it in her pocket. "As you know by now, I've always felt inadequate when it comes to maintaining a relationship, but after listening to you yesterday…when you suggested that I should just take things one day at a time…well, I decided to take the opportunity that was presented to me." She smiled shyly. "What's the expression? Kill some birds with a big rock?"
"You mean kill two birds with one stone?"
"Yes, that's it." She reached over to take his hand. "So, if we can stay an extra few days in Oklahoma City, I'll get to see the museums I want to see…" She giggled at his annoyed groan. "...and I'll be able to attempt a monogamous relationship with you."
"I see how I rate…museums first, Booth second…" He chuckled as she pretended to slap his arm. "Well, I suppose that makes sense, but I'm gonna be up front with you, okay? One day at a time isn't gonna cut it with me." Seeing her shock, he laughed. "I'm gonna need to take it one year at a time…or maybe one decade at a time…"
"Perhaps we should see how the next few days go first, Booth. As you found out on our drive to Oklahoma City, I can be quite disagreeable."
Booth laughed as he checked his mirrors. "You and me both, okay? Look…we both have strong personalities, and that helps us with our jobs, but that can also mean that we can be stubborn and set in our ways…and occasionally difficult to get along with. We're gonna argue from time to time…but then we'll just remember to take things one day at a time, right?"
She shrugged slightly. "I suppose that's true. However, those differences of opinion may take some getting used to…"
"Nah…it'll just be like any other day at work…we argue but we always seem to work things out, right?"
"True." She accessed the airline's website on her phone. "So when do we want to return to DC?"
"As late on the 30th as possible." Seeing her confusion, he grinned. "Might as well enjoy sharing our king sized hotel room bed as long as we can, right?"
"Right. And I'll make our hotel reservations for the 28th and the 29th…"
"Great." Clearing his throat, he checked his mirrors. "And of course, you need to plan on spending New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with me and Parker…"
"I don't want to infringe on your family time, Booth…"
"You're part of my family, Bones…it's your time, too, okay?" He sighed contentedly as he patted her knee. "You know what? There were a lot of happy endings for the stories we encountered on this trip, but I think I got the happiest one…because we're gonna be together, right?" Exhaling slowly, he decided to take a giant leap of faith. "I love you, Bones."
She sat quietly for a few seconds, wondering how to respond. She knew she felt something…something more…something she couldn't name. Finally, she decided to respond in what she hoped was an appropriate manner. "I love you, too, Booth."
Seeing his dazzling smile, she grinned in return. After everything that had happened over the past few days, it seemed as if things were on the right path now…
…and maybe being snowbound in a small town hadn't such a bad thing after all.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Laura.
