(The Stiff in the Cliff)
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All he'd ever wanted to be was an anthropologist. He'd worked hard in his studies, so that he could he get scholarships to the right schools. His parents were willing to pay for his education, but Clark had wanted to keep that burden from them. He loved his family and he didn't want to be a financial burden if he could help it.
His childhood had been a happy one and his family was a loving one. His beloved grandfather had lived with them until he'd died and Clark had inherited his love of science from him. Clark loved how the old man's mind worked. His grandfather had been fascinated with how things worked whether or not it was mechanical or biological and his enthusiasm for learning had been transferred to his grandson at an early age.
Clark had felt blessed to be supported and encouraged to learn and after he'd entered college his career seemed to be heading in the right direction. He'd applied for and was invited to join Henry Charles' expedition in Alaska. It had been a dream come true and he was the envy of his classmates. Only five people were scheduled to be in that expedition and his role would be that of an intern for Marcus Eldridge who was also in the expedition. Clark considered it a real coup.
At first he had loved his role in the expedition and he had become close to Hazel Mitchell during that time. So close that he'd failed to log the fact that she had chipped the C4 vertebra of Captain Frank's skeleton when she'd exhumed his body from the ice. She had been mortified by her mistake and because he loved her he'd compromised the data to help her out. He'd allowed himself to become emotionally involved with someone he'd worked with and compromised his work ethic. He regretted that mistake long afterward and vowed to be more professional for the rest of his career.
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When Dr. Clark Edison first came to work at the Jeffersonian, he'd been serious to the point of being humorless. He abhorred gossip and refused to become involved in anyone's personal life. That was his right of course, but Hodgins had always been puzzled as to why. Brennan had found it refreshing since she too hated gossip, especially gossip about her and or Booth. After Zach had been institutionalized, Clark had been hired by the Jeffersonian to work part time while he continued his education and though he was a very serious young man, he was talented and a welcome addition to the Lab.
The fact that the personal relationships around him made him uncomfortable made him quit more than once, but in the end he would always come back. The Jeffersonian was the pinnacle, the Mount Everest of the scientific community and working there was a coup and added prestige to anyone's resume who landed a job there.
Clark had vowed to remain unchanged and to not let the casual relationships between his co-workers alter him in anyway and yet slowly the emotional side of him evolved and in the end he felt a better man for it.
He had strived to be like his mentor, Dr. Brennan. Her ability to separate herself from the horrors of their cases was admirable and the professional wall she kept between herself and her interns seemed to be noteworthy. After Clark had worked at the Jeffersonian for a few years, he realized that Brennan's walls were shrinking and though she was the epitome of restraint when working on cases, she did allow friendships between herself and her fellow employees and much to his surprise that included him.
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Wendell found Clark in the break room. "Man did you read the expose Dr. Brennan did about Dr. Eldridge in The Forensic Anthropology Times? She really had a lot of nice things to say about you and a lot of terrible things to say about Dr. Eldridge."
"Yeah, I saw it." Clark wiped his lips with his napkin. "You're like the eighth person to tell me about it. Everyone acts so surprised that she'd do that . . . you know she really is a great anthropologist and no way she'd let Dr. Eldridge get away with the crap he's been pulling."
The intern sat down and opened his canvas bag, pulling out a peanut butter sandwich, a bag of chips and an apple. "I agree. She hates dishonesty . . . I thought it was terrific how she pointed out that you weren't the only scientist taken in by Eldridge. She's just terrific."
"She's a great friend." Clark was still surprised Brennan had rescued his career like that and yet he should have known she would set the record straight. She was just that kind of person.
Slowly nodding his head, Wendell took his sandwich out of the baggy. "Yeah . . . I know. Look what she did for me when I got Ewing's sarcoma. I mean she got me into that trial run and . . ." Wendell still got a little chocked up thinking about how her intervention had saved his life. "She's just the best and Booth . . . he's been so supportive . . . I just owe them both so much . . . literally my life."
Clark knew that Wendell's disease was in remission and Dr. Brennan was a big part of why the intern was still alive. "Yeah . . . When I first starting working here, I thought she was kind of cold and clinical which was fine. She was the best in her field and I didn't hire on here to be her friend. I wanted to learn from the best, but once you get to know her . . . really know her, you find out it's just a big shield she uses to protect herself. I really do admire her . . . the things that have happened to her and yet she just keeps moving on . . . I'm glad to be here. Everyone here is just like family to me."
"Yeah." Wendell agreed with Clark. "We are kind of like a family."
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