Well, out with the old year, and in with the new, right? Will our favorite couple have smooth sailing as the calendar page turns? Read on to find out.
Feeling refreshed after her long weekend trip with Aubrey, Jessica buttoned up her lab coat while making her way up the steps of the lab platform Wednesday morning. Signing onto the computer on the platform, she caught up on her work email. Because Dr. B was going to be tied up in court all morning, she'd sent a list of tasks for Jessica to complete while Hodgins went with Angela to her prenatal appointment. Due to the last of the new equipment being installed throughout the week, several staff members had decided to enjoy an extended holiday.
"It's so quiet in here...it feels like a Saturday…", Jessica said to herself as she skimmed through her messages. "Oh well...that'll make it easier to concentrate."
Since the lab had been closed for the holidays, there hadn't been any new cases, so barring something drastic, she'd be working on the ongoing project of identifying unknown WWI casualties that had been brought up from Limbo. Opening her work tablet, Jessica busied herself with her current task and smiled to herself, proud of the fact that both Dr. B and Curly had trusted her enough to let her work unsupervised on this project. With the influx of new interns this semester, she, Oliver, and Wendell were now the senior interns, and they'd been chosen by Dr B. to assist her in this endeavor, one that meant a great deal to the forensic anthropologist and to Agent Booth as well, since he was a veteran.
She would be working more hours independently this semester as Brennan focused on guiding the new junior interns. Considering how far along she was on the way to receiving her doctorate, that was to be expected. However, knowing what a perfectionist Dr. B was, it was still a point of pride to her.
'She knows I'll do a good job…she knows that I know what I'm doing…'
She'd been looking forward to the start of this semester as she worked toward finishing her doctorate degree. The research for her dissertation was over half way done, and Dr. Brennan had been most encouraging as to her progress. In addition, her mentor had chosen her as her teaching assistant for her two upcoming summer classes. The tuition reduction would be very helpful, as was the valuable time learning from her advisor as she worked with a large group of students.
The only downside was the time it took away from her research. However, she knew that practical application was essential, and the skills she acquired would ensure that she'd be ready when it was time to take her orals and go out into the workforce. A PhD didn't mean much without the hands on experience that she would gain while working with Dr. Temperance Brennan.
'I might be ready to graduate by the end of the fall semester next year...just think...I'll be Dr. Warren, just like my dad…'
After putting in her headphones, she accessed her Amazon Prime app and selected her 'Work Mix' playlist. Pulling on some gloves and scanning the label's barcode into the program, she opened the first large plastic box and began to lay out the skeleton in the correct anatomical position, noting whether any bones were missing before she began to take pictures of the remains. Then she noted any large anomalies or injuries before she began the process of taking measurements and recording them in the computer file.
Having worked on this project for many weeks, it had almost become routine as most human skeletal remains fell into distinct parameters. The femur of the average adult male was approximately 48 centimeters long, and all of the skeletons they'd been examining were male, so she'd expect the femurs of the skeletons to show variations in size within a set range on either side of 48 centimeters. Still, even though she had already worked with several sets of remains, she didn't want to become complacent in her measurements. Subtle differences within the skeletal structure might be enough clues to provide an identification. Somebody might still be wondering what had happened to these men, and Jessica wanted to be sure to supply all the information needed so their families might finally experience some closure.
She'd worked efficiently, finishing the measurements on four sets of remains as she hummed along to her music. Suddenly she stopped, breaking into a smile as she heard a familiar guitar melody accompanying the words of the next song.
Lay, lady, lay…
Lay across my big brass bed…
Aubrey had sung that very song to her late Monday evening, after a blissful day spent together hiding away in their mountain cabin, followed by a fun evening with Andie and Wendell, who had arrived to hang out earlier that day. After an update on Skinner's weekend antics, they sat down to appreciate a wonderful dinner together, with the two women humoring Wendell and Aubrey's 'whore sauce' jokes.
Throughout the evening, Daisy called both Aubrey and Andie twice, but seeing the messages didn't include an emergency, all four had decided to let them go to voicemail and tried not to feel guilty.
After the four friends enjoyed a few hours of catching up, Andie and Wendell had decided to "go to bed early", around 11:00. When Aubrey and Jessica heard soft music through the upstairs bedroom door, they chuckled.
"It seems Wendell and Andie are still playing 'catch up' from the end of the semester…", Aubrey had snickered.
Jessica had giggled as she'd winked at him. "Maybe we should do the same…"
She could still picture him sitting in that chair in the bedroom, wearing his boxers and an unbuttoned shirt as he serenaded her while accompanying himself on his guitar. It was the same song that had been playing on Aubrey's turntable after his birthday party, when they'd made love the first time after getting back together...and it was magical. Her Superman was truly a very romantic man. She closed her eyes, sighing softly as she continued to listen to Dylan's version.
...why wait any longer for the one you love
When he's standing in front of you?
That was the real question, wasn't it? Why did she want to wait any longer to be with him permanently? When Superman had mentioned that people often spent their honeymoons at that resort, why did he think she'd be upset? Was she upset?
No...I wasn't, I guess...I've been thinking about how it would be to spend the rest of my life with him...how I wanted to make love with him over the next 20 or 30 years or more...but getting married? Really? Could I do that? I don't know how to be a wife...that is a big...big...step...a lifetime together...we're not even living together yet...
Hitting pause on the music, she sat down on a stool next to the table, mulling over that breakfast conversation. As she considered everything that had happened over the last several months, she began to realize that she couldn't imagine her future life being happy without having James Aubrey in it. They might not ever get married, but she was fully committed to him anyway.
So we're not married...but would it hurt any less if we were to break up now? NO! So what am I waiting for?
The answer was simple. She was waiting for Aubrey to make up his mind about what he wanted from their relationship. Considering the way he verbally fell over himself, trying to backtrack after he'd accidentally brought up honeymoons at breakfast that morning, it appeared that he might not be on the same page as she was when it came to getting married, and she understood that. It was a huge decision, and every time it came up in conversation between them, they both backed away from it immediately.
So are we any better than Daisy and Beau? We've worked out a lot of our problems...I think we've handled our problems better than our parents ever did...and I think we're totally committed to each other...but we can't quite seem to get around to talking about marriage…Maybe I'll just have to be patient...or then again...maybe not…
She giggled to herself as she checked the calendar on her phone. I'll give him two months, and then, if nothing has happened...well, I might just have to be the one to pop the question…
Surprised and a little scared as that thought crossed her mind, Jessica jumped up from her stool and hit play. She had a lot of work to do, and sitting around daydreaming about getting married to Aubrey wasn't going to accomplish anything.
Shrugging her shoulders, she laughed out loud. "But come March 1, Superman...you'd better watch out…"
Oooooooooo
Yawning as he got out of his SUV on Wednesday morning, Aubrey stretched a bit before walking over to the elevator that would take him up to his office. He grinned to himself as he remembered the reason he was still somewhat sleepy.
A long weekend making love with my girlfriend, and a nice long shower together this morning...I'm a lucky man…a very lucky man...
Striding onto the elevator with his Star Wars mug and laptop bag, he tapped his foot nervously as he sang a little tune. "Lay, lady, lay…" He paused as the elevator stopped at the second floor and new passengers entered. I really don't want to be known as the Singing Agent, right?
Still, the song kept rambling around in his brain as he thought about singing it to Jessica Monday night while they were getting ready for bed. She loves that song…and I love singing it to her…
He'd played his guitar in her presence in the past, but that night he'd done it to help drown out the schmaltzy 80s love songs that they'd heard coming through the ceiling from the guest room directly above them. It had been a bold move on his part, singing such a sensuous love song for her like that. He'd never felt confident enough in his musical abilities to do something like that for any of his previous girlfriends. However, he knew Jessica didn't care what he sounded like as much as she appreciated the romantic gesture.
'I do a lot of things with her I wouldn't do with anyone else. I guess just being with her makes me want to act that way…'
Greeting the agents in the bullpen as he walked to his office, he listened patiently as they told him about their holiday adventures. Agent Haggarty had spent the holiday with Agent Shawn Wilson of Homicide, and they'd enjoyed a New Year's party at Agent Thompson's house. Several other agents had similar stories to tell. Then Steve Bower winked broadly at his coworkers as he shared details about his recent weekend trip to Milwaukee.
"Our honeymoon was amazing. Me and Mitzi got it on all over that town…just like it was back in high school…"
Having heard enough, Aubrey quickly excused himself, as did several other agents. "Um...okay. Gotta go see if any new cases have come in…talk to you later, Steve. Tell Mitzi I said hi."
"Will do, Boss.", Bower chuckled before getting back to his story.
He hurriedly entered his office and closed the door. "Wow…", he muttered to himself. "I did not need to hear any of that shit…"
After hanging up his coat, he sat down at his desk and started his computer. Glancing through the folders laying on his desk, he chuckled softly. It looked like things had been quiet while he was gone...there wasn't very much work to catch up on.
'Good...maybe I can take a day or two to catch up with all the other stuff I have to do…payroll...schedules...evidence reviews…'
Of course, he couldn't help but remember that things hadn't been completely quiet in his office last Friday evening. In fact, Jessica had been downright noisy as she expressed her approval of his lovemaking techniques. Just remembering how her beautiful body looked splayed out on his desk as she waited for him to fill her with his erection and tease her with his tongue...it was almost enough to send him over the edge.
She was so hot in that blue dress...and that lacy garter belt and her crotchless panties...hell, all of her lingerie...and then without her clothes…God, I gotta get my mind back on work...I can't think of that night for the rest of the day...can I?
Feeling his temperature rise sharply, he made a valiant effort to concentrate as he scrolled through the seemingly endless string of emails waiting for him in his inbox. Before long, he finally gave up, deciding that maybe another cup of coffee was in order. Grabbing his cup, he strolled over to the break room and started a fresh pot of his favorite smoky Colombian brew.
Yeah...that should do the trick...I'm probably just feeling a little groggy…
However, as he sprinkled some cinnamon onto the coffee, he began to realize that maybe something else was going on. Returning to his office, he gazed pensively out the window as he thought about the New Year's weekend he'd spent with his girlfriend.
Even with all the obnoxious interruptions from Daisy, it had been wonderful. He and Jessica had thoroughly enjoyed each other's company in every way imaginable. They'd talked…they'd laughed...they'd appreciated some really great food and wine...they'd made love…ooh, boy...did we make love...
So what was the problem? They were both happy, right? They'd spent a long weekend in a cabin together, and even after dealing with a little tiff over Daisy's incessant phone calls, they were still talking to each other...they were still in love. Things were perfect…
Except for that stupid New Year's resolution he'd made to himself...the one about asking Jess to move in with him...and then, of course, that stupid faux pas he'd made mentioning that a lot of people spent their honeymoons at that resort.
Why did it bother him so much that he'd said actually that out loud? After all, he was just stating a fact...repeating what the manager had told him...but then he'd seen the look of surprise on Jessica's face. "Why did she look so shocked?", he mumbled to himself. Did she think I was proposing?"
But then it occurred to him...she was surprised, but she wasn't really upset. She didn't look panicked...she didn't drop her plate on the floor...she didn't run out of the room. Could it be possible? Was she also thinking about them being together...for the long haul?
It was hard to sort out. Aubrey knew himself well enough to know that he'd never love another woman the way he loved Jessica and he couldn't imagine his life without her. The fact remained, however, that he had fallen in love with a free spirit. Jessica Warren was not a woman to be bound by societal conventions, and he realized he'd have to accept that part of her personality if he wanted to be with her.
However, he wanted...no, he needed...a commitment from her...something that would insure that they would be together for years to come. He wanted to establish some sort of permanent relationship with her.
That didn't automatically mean getting married, right? It didn't have to be marriage, per se, although legally that would make things easier if and when they had children. They could live together at his house for many years. Booth and Dr. B had moved in the Mighty Hut together when she was pregnant with Christine, and things had been worked out well for them. Angela and Hodgins lived together before getting married...Wendell and Andie were living together now, and everything seemed alright with them so far.
Unfortunately, there was one small detail to consider. To get to that point, he would have to man up and ask her to move in with him...and he was scared to death.
Still...it wouldn't hurt to ask what she thought about being in a committed relationship with him. Glancing at his calendar, he made a decision. "I'm going to wait and see how things play out with her, but if nothing happens by March 1, I'm going to ask her if we can make things permanent somehow.", he said to himself. "That should be plenty of time to figure things out…I hope..."
Hearing a knock on the door, he looked up and smiled at Shaw. Pushing his thoughts aside, he waved her in. "Hey, Genny...it looks like things went well while I was gone…"
She smiled as she came in and sat down. "Yeah, there's not much new stuff going on right now, so I've spent some time trying to find some more women to testify against Gerald Maxwell. Unfortunately, I haven't had much luck...not that I've given up, of course. It's just frustrating, you know? I mean, although he's parading that intern Ashley around all over town as his true love, with his history, there's no way that the little prick can keep it in his pants. Everywhere I go, everyone seems to say the same thing...that he's a smug bastard, but not any sort of sexual predator."
"I wonder…" Aubrey sat back in his chair and scratched his chin. "Have we got enough probable cause to get a warrant to look into his bank statements? Maybe he's paid people off…"
"I've already checked on that." Genny grimaced in irritation. "His statements don't show anything out of the ordinary. If people are getting paid off, it's probably through one of his dad's accounts, and right now, we can't even get close to looking at them. We don't have anything against his dad, except that the guy is a louse. I don't know what to tell you, Aubrey…"
"I know. Well, I'm sure you'll come up with something." Wanting to change the subject, he gave her a lopsided grin. "So what did Hunter think of the Gala? I guess the FBI can put on a good party if it wants to…"
"We had a good time." The color rose in Genny's cheeks as she mentioned her boyfriend. "He thought it was a lot of fun. I think Hunter liked the food and the music, and of course, he was proud of being there when I received my award. Overall, he was pretty impressed with the venue…".
'I bet that's not all he was impressed with… ' Aubrey thought, remembering what he and Jessica had overheard last Friday night. "I see. Yeah, Jess and I had fun, too, especially when we walked around the covered garden area next to the hotel. Those gardens are very beautiful, don't you think?"
"Um...yeah...considering what little I saw of them, I'd say they were very nice." Giggling softly, Genny gave Aubrey a sly grin. "Hunter and me...I think it's gonna work out, Boss."
"I'm glad to hear it. I'm happy for you." Aubrey jumped slightly when his phone rang. "Oh, shit...It's Stark. I gotta take this…"
"Okay, I'll talk to you later." She flashed a happy smile as she left the office.
Glad to see his friend so happy, Aubrey quickly answered the phone. "Director Stark...what can I do for you?"
Oooooooooo
Jessica and Aubrey met at the diner for lunch later that day, each feeling pleased with themselves as they thought about their secret plans for the first day of March. Smiling sweetly, the redhead reached out to take her boyfriend's hand.
"Were there a lot of new cases waiting for you this morning?"
"Nah...I guess whatever happened over the holidays was within the locals' jurisdiction, so I didn't miss much. I did catch up some on my paperwork, so that was good." He picked up a couple of french fries and dipped them in his garlic mayo. "About the most interesting thing that happened was hearing Bower talking about his trip with Mitzi…Milwaukee will never be the same..."
"Yuck...I'm glad I missed that." Jessica ate a bite of her club sandwich. "I've spent the morning taking skeletal measurements of unknowns from World War I. I finished 7 sets, so I was pleased with my progress. It's not the most exciting work, but it does help with my dissertation...you know, taking the measurements of skeletal structures over a wide section of the population from that era, and then comparing them to skeletal measurements from this era…"
"So it sounds like neither one of us had as much fun at work as we did in the shower this morning…" Licking his lips, Aubrey quirked an eyebrow at his girlfriend. "You sure are good with that soap…"
A grin spread across Jessica's face as she remembered how she'd applied the bubbly lather to various parts of Aubrey earlier that day. "Thanks. You're pretty handy with a sprayer, aren't you?"
"Well, I aim to please…" He chuckled at her wide-eyed smile. "I guess I aimed correctly, too, didn't I?"
Blushing, Jessica giggled softly. "Behave, Aubrey! How am I going to be able to concentrate on my measurements when I go back to the lab if all I can think about is your talent for making me squeal in the shower?"
"Oh, you have talents of your own, Jess, and believe me, they make it hard for me to concentrate, too. I think maybe turnabout is fair play in this case." He gave her an ornery grin. "Anyway, I talked to Shaw today, and based on her reactions to my questions, I'd say she and Hunter are very happy. I guess the time they spent together at the Gala has led to bigger and better things, if you know what I mean...at least I think so, by the way she blushed whenever she said his name…"
"Well, I think that's wonderful. If anybody deserves a good man...besides me, that is...it's Genny Shaw." Sipping her tea, Jessica shrugged at Aubrey. "Who knows? They might even end up getting married. Maybe I'll be the last one of us girls to be single…"
"Oh, I don't know about that, Jess. Are Andie and Wendell in the wedding planning frame of mind?" Aubrey popped some more french fries into his mouth.
"Andie said she and Wendell are at least two years off from actually tying the knot, even though they're living together to cut down on expenses."
"Well, there you go...it'll probably be Andie. Besides, it's not like a race…" He laughed to himself as she glared at him. "You don't want to get married just to avoid being last, do you?"
"True...although it may turn out that way unless I can find a good candidate for the job of being my husband." Seeing Aubrey's annoyed expression, she smiled at him. " And you're right...I'm not in a hurry to get married just because almost all of my friends are married...or about to be. I'm going to wait until the time is right. Marriage is not to be entered into lightly, you know…"
Son of a bitch… Jessica's candid observations were not what Aubrey wanted to hear after making plans to fulfill his New Year's resolution. "Yeah, I know."
Jessica, for her part, was surprised to see her boyfriend's slight pout. Why was he taking her playful banter so seriously? "Hey, I'm just teasing you. You're definitely the leading candidate for the job, okay?"
"Okay, I think that's acceptable." He nodded as he pulled out his wallet, offering a shy grin. "Hey, I need to get back to work. I have to meet with Stark about some new protocols we have to put in place this year. I'll pick you up later, okay? About five?"
"That's fine...if I'm finished with my measurements early, I'll just work on my dissertation." She reached up to grab his hand. "I really do love you, James...don't forget that…"
"I know." He bent down to give her a kiss. "I love you, too. See you soon." He stopped at the register and paid for their lunch before stepping out into the bright sunshine. Turning back toward the diner's window, he smiled as he saw his girlfriend getting ready to leave.
'Holy shit...I'm really thinking about getting married…'
Jessica watched Aubrey pay Hilda for their order, leave the diner, and cross the street, wondering how she was going to be able to wait until March 1 for her plans to come to fruition..
Leaving the tip, she grabbed her stuff, and after waving to Joanne and Hilda, walked outside with a smile as she headed back to the lab.
"I'm going to marry James Aubrey…"
oooooooooo
After a pleasant walk back to work, Jessica turned her attention to the next box of remains in the queue. After opening the program on her tablet and inserting her earbuds, she began taking measurements on Unknown 11024 WWI Cantigny May 1918. She noted the extensive damage to the skull's frontal bone and the zygomatic arch. Probably the result of a rifle butt to the face...his facial bones are horribly fractured. No wonder they couldn't identify him…
Noting her observations on her tablet, she continued her examination. Because she was concentrating on taking the measurements, she didn't notice that someone had joined her on the lab platform until he reached over and tapped her shoulder. "Good afternoon, Ms. Warren."
Thoroughly startled, Jessica gasped out loud and dropped her scanner. Turning around, her stomach lurched as she saw Harold Maxwell standing there.
"M-Mr. Maxwell...I didn't see you there."
"I know. I was watching you work. You are very thorough, it seems. You will do well in your future endeavors...perhaps even surpassing Dr. Brennan someday."
As her bad vibes began working overtime, she struggled to keep her cool. Puzzled at how he'd accessed the area, she looked past the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry...but for security reasons, unauthorized personnel are not allowed on the platform, Mr. Maxwell. Did someone use their ID card to let you up here?"
"I have my own card, my dear." Holding up his access card, the middle aged man wore a feral smile as he eyed the young woman. "I'm on the Jeffersonian's Governing Board. We all have cards...we can go anywhere we want in this building. Dr. Boyd offered to let me use hers, but I told her it wasn't necessary."
"Dr. Boyd? I don't understand. Why would you have contact with her?" Looking at the tablet, Jessica turned back to the exam table, hoping to end the conversation. "Anyway, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Maxwell, Dr. Brennan expects her interns to use their time efficiently and I have a lot of work to do today…"
"You can take a break, Ms. Warren. I'm here to speak to you about a very important matter..."
His tone of voice set Jessica on edge, since his presence there didn't feel right. However, she fought to remain calm. 'Where are you, Curly? Where is the security guard that is usually in here during the day?'
Harold Marshall smiled once again. "I'm sorry, that sounded harsh. Anyway, Dr. Boyd told me that I'd find you here today."
"Um, we're not supposed to be giving out other employee's schedules, Mr. Maxwell, per the lab's new security policy…she could get in trouble for that."
"Well, I'm on the Governing Board, not some horndog boyfriend sneaking around the premises.", Maxwell said patiently. "Now, I'm reading the tag on this box, and that says this person is from World War I, correct? As Dr. Brennan's intern, I'd think you'd be making yourself more useful by solving some sort of messy murder…"
Closing her eyes, Jessica willed herself to be polite. "While it's true that I occasionally help Dr. B as she attempts to solve murders, the identification of unknown individuals also falls under the umbrella of forensic anthropology. These remains are part of a joint project she started several years ago with the Sorbonne. Only senior interns are allowed to work this assignment with her."
"I see." He bent over the table to inspect the bones before turning back to her. "Don't you get tired of working so hard? I know this must be really monotonous work for an intelligent young woman such as yourself. Surely you'd rather be working on your dissertation…"
Unsure of Maxwell's point, Jessica moved away from him and began entering some data into her tablet. "As an intern, I'm assigned certain tasks to complete. Those tasks cover a wide range of responsibilities, but Dr. Brennan makes sure they are all relevant to my degree…"
Maxwell stepped closer to her. "That may be true, but I'm sure you'd rather be doing your research so you could finish your degree sooner instead of later, and I'm in a position to assist you with that, if you'll let me."
Suddenly feeling suspicious, Jessica clutched the tablet to her chest and moved to where the exam table was between them. "If it's anything to do with my program, you should discuss it with Dr. B. Now, I really do need to finish my work, Mr. Maxwell…"
"I'm not suggesting anything illegal or unethical, my dear. I just want to present you with a gift, that's all." His voice took on a smarmy quality as he pulled a folded slip of paper out of his breast pocket. "I'm prepared to offer you a significant financial benefit...a check for 500,000 dollars...to assist you with furthering your education. You could use it however you see fit. That should be more than enough to pay your tuition and your living expenses, and leave you a nice nest egg to begin your new life after you receive your degree."
"Um...actually…", Jessica began. "My trust fund pays for my expenses…"
"Excellent! If that's true, you'll be able to use the gift to buy a nice little house for yourself when you get your first job...or for your father's future medical expenses. The nursing home he resides at in Towson as well as his future medical costs must be quite costly." Seeing the young woman's surprise, Maxwell smiled as he smoothed out the crease in the check before laying it on the table. "I signed it this morning and it's certified, so the funds will be available to you as early as tomorrow."
Jessica realized where the conversation was going. "I'm fine where I live, Mr. Maxwell and my father's medical expenses are fully covered. Thank you for your offer, but I'm set financially in regards to my education."
"Nonsense, Ms. Warren. Everyone needs help at some point.", Maxwell stated in a slightly frustrated tone before pulling out a thick folded set of papers from his breast pocket. "Now, all you need to do for my financial gift to further your education is to sign his affidavit stating that this unfortunate situation with Gerald was merely a misunderstanding and that you're willing to drop all charges. My attorneys will take this to that nasty Agent Shaw and we can forget this little situation ever happened."
"I can't do that, Mr. Maxwell...I shouldn't even be discussing this with you right now..." Jessica nervously edged toward the platform stairs. "I need to go…"
"I'm not done with you yet, young lady." He quickly reached across the table and grabbed her arm. "After all, you must realize that the case against him is mostly circumstantial. Even if he were convicted, he'd most likely get a suspended sentence, but your name and reputation will have been dragged through the mud as his lawyer presents all that unfortunate information about your rather dubious past. I'm trying to save you a lot of time and trouble, because this sort of unsavory affair could affect your future employment opportunities. It would behoove you to accept my offer, Ms. Warren...do you hear me?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Maxwell, but nothing you say will change my mind. I won't be accepting your gift. Now, if you'll excuse me..." Jessica backed further away until she was almost to the edge of the platform.
"You know, your family has a wonderful winery that I was blessed to visit this summer. However, the problem with family businesses is that success can easily be ruined with one negative experience...a bad online review from an important man like me can be devastating. I can promise you no one would purchase that awful wine when people hear what I have to say...or perhaps I could arrange for their vending license to be rescinded. That shouldn't be too difficult." He smirked as he checked his fingernails. "You see, I also have friends in high places within our incoming administration, Ms. Warren...friends that can help me accomplish all sorts of things. You don't want that nice FBI agent you've been seeing to have his chance for promotion ruined by being associated with a loose woman such as yourself, do you?"
Jessica flinched for a moment, afraid for her family and Aubrey's career. Shaking it off, she tried to leave, but Maxwell gripped her arm tightly. "Let's be logical, Ms. Warren. Is trying to cause all of this trouble for Gerald really worth it? Think of how much you can do with 500,000 dollars…"
Her eyes were blazing with anger as she finally pulled her arm away from him. "I don't need your filthy money! Do you really think that I'd accept a bribe like this just so your precious son can avoid jail? Do you think I want him to be harassing other women the same way he has harassed me? Maybe if you'd spent more time teaching him the ethical way to live instead of buying his freedom whenever he got in trouble, you wouldn't have to worry about how he treats women!" She pointed to the end of the platform. "You need to leave immediately, or I will call security…"
"Listen here, young lady...if you think for one minute I'm going to let some cheap tease like you ruin my son's life just because he was acting like any other red blooded American boy, you are sadly mistaken. Do you really think you're the first woman who thinks she's going to try to ruin my family's good name? Not only will I make sure that you lose your position here, you little cunt, but I will use my influence to make sure you're never gainfully employed." Maxwell took some menacing steps towards Jessica, quickly closing the distance between them. As he towered over her, trying to physically intimidate her, he shook his finger in her face as his eyes, identical to his son's, hardened with rage. "Don't forget who I am, little girl. I can make your life...the lives of your family...and your boyfriend...absolutely miserable…"
Clenching her fists, Jessica bit her lip as she tried to keep her composure. "I have work to do, Mr. Maxwell. You need to leave."
"Jessica? What's going on?" Hodgins wheeled his chair to the base of the platform, concern etched on his face as he looked up at his intern. "Is everything okay?"
"It's fine. I was just explaining to Mr. Maxwell about how we identify unknown individuals here in the lab." Jessica sniffled a bit as she backed away from Harold and raced down the platform stairs. "Excuse me…"
Hodgins watched her run to the restroom before turning back to the man on the platform. "What did you say to her, Mr. Maxwell?"
"Nothing that concerns you, Dr. Hodgins. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm late for an appointment."
"Oh, no...no, you don't. You don't get to leave just yet, Harold." The entomologist maneuvered his wheelchair so that it was in front of Maxwell.
"Dr. Hodgins, I remember when the Hodgins name is one that not only demanded respect, but also when those who bore it knew when to give a man the respect he's due."
"My parents raised me to respect good people, Harold, not bullies like you.", Hodgins said sneeringly. "Now, listen to me carefully. If I find that you've threatened my intern in any way, I personally will see that you are removed from the Governing Board. In fact, I may go so far as to file charges against you for assaulting a federal employee. You'd better hope that you didn't leave any bruises on Ms. Warren when you grabbed her arm…"
"We were just having a friendly conversation…", Maxwell said, tiny beads of sweat forming on his brow. "Ms. Warren, however, needs a lesson in respecting people of authority...a lesson she is not getting from you or Dr. Brennan. Perhaps that is something that needs to be revisited when it's time to renew your contracts…"
"Thank you for your concern, but here's the thing, pal." Hodgins was grim as he looked over his shoulder towards the restroom. "You don't know how long I was sitting here, do you? You don't really know how much I heard...or how much I recorded on my phone. Think about that as you see yourself out. I need to attend to Ms. Warren. Goodbye, Harold…"
After watching Maxwell hurriedly walk away, Hodgins went to check on Jessica, finding her sitting on the sofa in Angela's empty office. "Hey…"
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she shrugged as she responded softly. "Hey."
"Did that bastard hurt you? Let me see…" He gently ran his fingers over the red marks on her arm. "I'm afraid you're going to have a nasty bruise there. What did he want? How did he even know where to find you today? I mean, he knows you usually work with Dr. B., but..."
"He said Dr. Boyd told him I was working here at the lab while Dr. B. was in court today, and since he has an access card, I guess he has the run of the building. Anyway, it's no big deal, Curly…"
"Jessica...it is a very big deal." He shook his head as he saw her try to put on a brave face. "He was bothering you in my lab, and I won't stand for it, so don't give me any of that 'it's no big deal' garbage. You don't have to tolerate that sort of abuse from anybody, okay? You can tell me about anything that happens to you...and you can trust me to take care of it. I don't want you to be afraid to come to work."
Sighing softly, she tried to explain. "He offered me a 'gift'...a very large amount of money...if I would drop the charges against Gerald and sign some form stating it was all a misunderstanding. When I said I wouldn't do that, I guess it made him really angry, and he got aggressive…he made comments about my family...about Aubrey..." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I really thought he might hurt me…worse than he did..."
"Wow…" Hodgins inhaled sharply as he realized what had happened. "Okay, listen to me. I'm going to talk to the president of the board…Ms. Marshall." He held up his hand to stop the intern's protests. "I know you don't want to 'cause trouble', but we have to let Mr. Maxwell know that this sort of abhorrent behavior won't be tolerated, right?"
"I suppose so." Chewing her lip, she slowly nodded in agreement. "Oh, okay...whatever you say, Curly. Do what you think is best."
"You need to call Caroline, too...no later than tomorrow." Hodgins said. "If Harold is trying to intimidate you into dropping the charges, she needs to nail his ass. You also need to talk to Aubrey about this before he finds out some other way."
Jessica nodded before standing up and straightening her lab coat. "Is it alright if I go back to what I was doing for another hour or so? Aubrey's going to pick me up about five..."
"Yeah...if you feel like it. I don't think Maxwell will be back. Guys like him are big cowards who back down if someone challenges them."
"Okay. I need to finish that set of measurements before I go home."
"That's fine. I'll be in my office if you need me." As soon as she left the room, Hodgins wheeled over to his workspace and picked up the phone. "Cam, are you busy? Just a question for you…it's kind of related to what you told me about Friday night..."
After he talked to her for a few minutes, he nodded his head. "I'll definitely keep you posted. I hope it doesn't come to that. I'm going to call Booth now. Bye."
Hanging up, he sent a quick email before dialing another number. "Hey, Booth? Do you have time to answer some questions for me? What I need won't take long...yeah, it's kinda important...listen, what constitutes assault of a federal employee?"
Ending the call, he made another outside call before dialing an in house extension. "Dr. Boyd? I need to see you in my office immediately."
A few minutes later, the blonde sauntered confidently into his office. "You wanted to see me?"
Hodgins nodded silently as he glared at the woman, who began nervously shifting from one foot to the other. Finally, he spoke quietly.
"Dr. Boyd, it has come to my attention that you've given out information to a Mr. Harold Maxwell about Ms. Warren's work schedule here at the lab. As I'm sure you remember, we have a strict policy that prevents anyone from giving out any employees' schedules. That is an integral part of the lab's security protocols. In addition, the only way you would have had that information to begin with would be to access files that were expressly off limits to you."
"Well, I...you know...he said he needed to talk to her, and I didn't see what it would hurt. He's on the Governing Board, Dr. Hodgins. He has a right to know what's going on around here."
"That wasn't your call to make. As I've explained to you many times, I am in charge of this lab until Dr. Saroyan returns on March 1st."
Dr. Boyd squared her shoulders as she stared down at Hodgins. "It was requested I wait for the transition to be made official. However, I've already let Dr. Strohmeier know about my new position this morning, so there's no point in waiting."
"Waiting for what, Dr. Boyd?", Hodgins asked, barely concealing his annoyance.
"For your information, Dr. Hodgins, Mr. Maxwell informed me last week that a change in leadership that will be made soon...that I'll be taking over as Director of the lab. Of course, both you and Dr. Saroyan, upon her return, will act in a supporting capacity…"
Hodgins could barely hold back his laugh. "Well, I apologize for the miscommunication, Dr. Boyd, but I will continue as Interim Director until Dr. Saroyan returns to work, at which time she will resume her role as Head Pathologist and Lab Director." He pointed to the doorway. "These two gentlemen from security are going to escort you to your office. You have 15 minutes to gather up your belongings, and then they will escort you from the premises, and you will not return unless you have written permission from me. You're fired."
"But...Harold said...he promised…" Obviously stunned, Dr. Boyd gaped at the man in front of her. "He said I could have this job. He said it was unfairly denied to me-"
"Unfortunately, he may not be in a position to make good on that promise." Hodgins glanced at his watch, making note of the woman's last comment. "14 minutes...you'd better hurry." He nodded at the guards. "Make sure she only takes the things in her desk."
"I am an excellent pathologist, Dr. Hodgins, and you will regret firing me. You're also going to hear from my lawyer!", she yelled angrily.
"Good. You're going to hear from the Jeffersonian's lawyer, too, so I guess that makes us even." He chuckled as she sputtered in rage. "I guess you don't need anything from your office. That's fine with me. Bye, Dr. Boyd…"
Seeing that she was beaten, at least for the moment, she turned to leave. "I'll be back…"
"Not if I have anything to do with it...oh, Dr. Boyd…" When she turned around, Hodgins wheeled up to her. "I almost forgot to tell you that I've also taken the liberty of calling Dr. Strohmeier to inform him that your temporary employment here has been terminated. Funny, he didn't mention that you had already quit. I've also let him know that I will be having a conversation with Deputy Director Stark about how you were chosen to be our interim pathologist over other recommended candidates tomorrow morning. You may want to question whether being a buddy of the Maxwells is helpful to you."
After the pathologist gave him the bird, she stormed out. Waiting until she left, he checked his phone. "Good. Everything was recorded, nice and neat. I'm sure the Governing Board will find that conversation to be very interesting."
Oooooooooo
Aubrey arrived at the lab about 5 o'clock to pick up his girlfriend. "Hey, Jess." He reached over to give her a peck on the cheek. "Did you get lots of measurements taken this afternoon?"
"Not as many as this morning." She shrugged as she stared out the passenger window, wanting to avoid eye contact with him.
"So I guess thinking about me all afternoon kept you distracted, right? Sorry…", he said in a teasing tone. "I guess I'm just too sexy…"
"Yeah, I guess."
Surprised that she hadn't responded in kind, Aubrey glanced at his girlfriend, noticing how she wound a strand of dark red hair around her finger. Something's not right...she's preoccupied.
He cleared his throat softly. "So I was finally able to talk to Tanner today about Karen's behavior at the Gala. He's been really cranky since he got back from paternity leave, but having quintuplets will do that to a guy…"
"Hmm...I suppose.", she commented absentmindedly.
"Yeah. Anyway, he and Booth both agree that we need to send Karen to the federal prison on Alcatraz Island." No reaction from Jessica. Okay...something is definitely wrong. "Anyway, I met with Stark today, too, and he wants me to take a new job in Idaho. I'll be running the federal task force concerned with crimes against potatoes."
"That's good.", Jessica said softly. 'How am I going to tell him? He's going to be so pissed...'
"Okay, dammit...out with it." Pulling his SUV into a parking lot, he shut off the engine and took Jessica's hand. "What's going on? You haven't heard a word I've said…"
"It's nothing, really. I don't want to discuss it right now. Can we just go home, please? I'm exhausted…" Glaring at him, Jessica pulled her hand away and crossed her arms over her chest. "Aubrey…just leave me alone for a few minutes, okay?
"Do you want me to take you to your apartment instead of my house? You obviously don't feel like talking to me…" Upset at her reticence, he shook his head. "We're supposed to discuss things with each other, okay? If you have a problem, we can work it out together. Please don't shut me out, Jess…I love you, and I want to help..."
She remembered what Hodgins had said earlier and she knew Aubrey was sincere, but for some reason she was still hesitant to tell him about Harold Maxwell's offer of a bribe and the threats he'd made. "I just...had a bad afternoon, that's all…"
"No...that's not all." Sighing softly, he started the car. "I really thought we were past this shit, but I guess not. I thought you trusted me…but obviously I was wrong about that..."
"I do trust you…" Suddenly, Jessica was angry. This is not my fault! I didn't do anything to be ashamed of...I won't let that asshole come between me and Aubrey! "Okay, you're right. I'm going to tell you what happened...actually, I need to tell you what happened, but can it wait until we get home?"
Aubrey's antennae went up. "No, it can't. What is going on, Jess?"
Jessica took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll tell, you but you have to promise to stay calm."
"Really? You're going to tell me what happened but you warn me to stay calm...how do you expect me to stay calm when I hear that?"
"I just don't want you to do anything you'll regret." She took a deep breath. "Gerald's dad came to the lab to see me today…"
"That rat bastard!" Aubrey was livid. "So do we need to get another restraining order?"
"Just listen, okay? He offered me a bribe to drop the charges against Gerald…" Jessica paused as she glanced at Aubrey, knowing how upset he'd be when he heard the rest. "It was a lot of money...but, of course, I turned him down, so he got angry, and he grabbed my arm…"
She pulled up her sleeve and exposed the area where an ugly purple bruise was beginning to form. "Nothing's broken…there was no blood...anyway, he said some things about my reputation, and then he suggested that he could make sure I'd never work as a forensic anthropologist…"
Aubrey saw her hesitance. "He threatened your family, didn't he?"
Jessica nodded as she choked back a sob. "My family's winery...he also said that you'd never be able to advance in your job...that he'd use his influence to hinder our careers. About that time Hodgins showed up, and I got away from Maxwell…and that's why I've been so distracted. I was scared...you know I hate being weak, but he really frightened me…he was so angry and I wasn't sure what he was going to do."
Aubrey could see how close she was to tears and he was quick to reassure her. "You're not weak, Jessica. You stood up to that animal, right? So what did Hodgins do? Did he call security?"
"I don't know...we talked about the incident right after it happened, and I think he was still considering what to do. He said something about assault against a federal employee…"
"He's right...it was assault." Angrily pounding his fist against the steering wheel, Aubrey swore under his breath. "I'm gonna beat the shit out of that mother fucker…"
"You promised to be calm, James." Jessica reached out to take his hand. "Why don't we see how Hodgins handles things? You don't need to get involved, okay? Maybe we can ask Booth or Shaw to look into what happened."
Aubrey heaved a big sigh. "You're right. I have to control myself, and I have to remove myself from the equation. But I'll say this...I don't want you working in the lab by yourself anymore...at least not until we get this shit taken care of. I don't want you to be in the position to get hurt…"
"Okay. I'm sure Dr. B. and Hodgins will say the same thing." She offered him a small smile. "So did you really talk to Agent Tanner today, or were you just giving me a load of BS?"
"Oh, I talked to him alright. Karen is in Cincinnati working a case, but she should be back in the next week or so. I have a feeling he'll be talking things over with her very soon. He wasn't happy to hear about what's been going on."
Pulling the car out of the parking lot, he drove a few blocks over to a small strip mall, stopping the car in front of their favorite chili parlor. "How about some Seventh Circle of Hell for dinner tonight? We can get a couple of quarts to take home along with some of Mr. Leonelli's multigrain muffins." He gave Jessica a sly wink. "However, we may need to eat in the nude to keep from getting any on our clothes. You know how tomato sauce stains..."
Giggling at Aubrey's suggestion, Jessica nodded. "That sounds good. Maybe we can have some vanilla ice cream later to cool down...you know...without the bowls and spoons? They just get in the way..."
"Oh, yeah, baby…" Aubrey grinned as he climbed out of the truck. "I'll be right back...don't go anywhere…"
"Don't worry. I'll be right here waiting. I love you, James Aubrey...you're the best thing that's ever happened to me…"
He nodded as he looked into her eyes. "I love you, too...and I always will. Now, listen...enough of that sweet talk, or we'll have to go home and go right to bed without any dinner."
"Yeah, but you'd be hungry again four hours later." She laughed at his glare. "Go get the chili!"
She smiled as she watched him lope into the store, feeling better about herself. "I don't give a damn about Harold Maxwell. I have James Aubrey on my side, and that's all I need."