After leaving our readers with a cliffhanger, we now have the aftermath. Warning...there is some violence in this chapter. Thanks for reading.

Time seemed to stop for Aubrey as the government SUV sped through the nation's capital, desperately trying to get to the Jeffersonian. He knew Genny was going as fast as she dared in the heavy traffic, but the fact he hadn't heard from either his girlfriend or Angela scared him to death.

Seeing a call from Agent Bell appear on the navigator screen, Genny answered quickly. "Talk to me, Casper."

"We're at Medstar George Washington…Ashley is alive…barely."

"Agent Casper, you were supposed to have Gerald Maxwell under constant surveillance.", Aubrey barked angrily. "Instead, you find his girlfriend gassed by the stove and that son of a bitch is nowhere to be found? What the fuck happened?"

"He was under surveillance, Boss, all night. Not one time did we take our eyes off that apartment house. Bell just called and said they found a small window in the basement of the building Ms. Anders lives in. It's a blind spot from us, and we think that's how Gerald sneaked away undetected."

"Anybody else hurt?", Steve, off the phone, asked as he peered over Aubrey's shoulder.

"No, but with the build up of gas we evacuated the other two apartments.", Casper said over the line. "According to the ER doc, her CO levels were at 67%. However, we found one of her kitchen windows broken and a baseball from when a group of kids were playing in the area earlier. The doc thinks that because some fresh air was able to filter into the apartment, that's what probably saved her life."

Aubrey worked to contain himself as he continued to ask questions. "So you found her unconscious?"

"Yeah. We got to her door and smelled gas. When she didn't answer our knocks, we kicked the door in and found her lying in front of the stove. Apparently she didn't know that newer gas stoves don't make it very easy to kill yourself like that anymore."

"We don't know that she was attempting suicide, Agent Casper. I would concentrate on finding out what happened first before making assumptions.", Aubrey snapped. "There are a lot of probable explanations for what you found at the scene, and we need to explore each one of them thoroughly."

"Yes, sir."

"Keep me informed, Agent. Bell is still working the scene with the technicians." Genny grimaced as she hung up. "Do we really think she tried to kill herself?"

"Well, her boyfriend seems to have set her up for a federal offense. She's probably going to prison.", Steve remarked quietly.

"We don't know that…we don't know anything yet because she's unconscious. Until she can talk to us, we don't speculate.", Aubrey said as Genny wove through the heavy traffic with the siren on.

Only three minutes had passed, but it felt like eternity as the government SUV raced into the Jeffersonian parking garage. Genny grabbed her lab badge before the three agents ran through the front entrance past the patrons and into the other side of the building. Genny grabbed two security guards along the way and everyone raced to the lab area.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Angela slowly woke up and groaned softly. Moving to sit up, she was hit with a wave of dizziness, so she sat back down to get her bearings. Trying again, she slowly crawled across the floor, pushing the door open to get some light in the room. As she turned, she saw Tom unconscious with what looked like vomit all over his clothes.

"Oh, thank God it isn't blood…" Angela listened carefully, sighing in relief when she heard him breathing shallowly. Trying to shake off her stupor, she looked around the small space. "Okay...need some help…phone is in my office…shit…"

Seeing Tom's radio, she grabbed it and pushed some buttons, only getting static in response. "Damn it."

Moving to get up again, she was hit with another wave of dizziness, but she fought it off. Taking a breath, she struggled to contain her nausea while rubbing her abdomen. "Hang on, baby...need to get help…"

Leaning against the wall, Angela made her way down the hallway. Just as she got outside, near the main lab, she heard running footsteps and then Aubrey and Genny calling out as they looked into the rooms on either side of the corridor

"Jessica! Jessica! Where are you?"

"Angela? Dr. Wells? Anyone?"

"Here…", Angela yelled. "In here...Tom needs help...he's barely breathing…"

Aubrey and the others turned to see Angela clutching her belly and bleeding from her head. Turning to one of the security guards, he pointed. "Help her, okay? Make sure she's not injured anywhere else."

The three agents and the lone security guard raced past the Bone Room, only to see another security guard unconscious, slumped against a doorway. Taking Steve and Genny with him, Aubrey led the way as they raced down the long hallway. When it ended at another hallway, all of them were filled with a sense a dread when they saw a fresh blood smear on the wall past an open door, followed by a small trail of blood surrounding the nearby doorway.

"Oh shit…", Steve muttered. "What the hell happened? This is bad..."

Carefully, they followed the trail of blood drops until they got to what looked like a store room. Looking inside, they gasped at the horrific scene. Oliver Wells lay unconscious in a large pool of blood, which had come from several head wounds.

Running over to him, Genny almost slipped in the red liquid as they checked the lanky man. "Boss, he's still breathing, but it's shallow...he needs to be treated right away...he's lost a lot of blood..."

"My God…how is he still alive…look at those wounds...", Steve mumbled before getting on the phone. "I need multiple ambulances sent to the Jeffersonian…at least three...stat! One of our injured is critical...yeah, with a head wound...hurry up!"

"Genny, I have to find Jessica..." Aubrey was in a near panic as he glanced around the area. "She couldn't have gotten far...I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch if he's laid a hand on her..".

"Boss, you've gotta stay calm, okay? Jessica needs you to stay in control." Genny pointed down the hall. "Go find her…we'll catch up with you…"

Hearing a scream and crashing in the distance, Aubrey raced out and down the long corridor towards Limbo. Then what he heard next made his blood go cold.

"Bitch, you should have fucked me instead of teasing me…now you're going to learn how powerful I am…"

Aubrey continued to run, hearing Gerald's taunts as he got closer to Limbo.

"Oh yeah…no, you're not going to sleep yet…I'm going to fuck you first…then I'll kill you after I'm done…I'm in control…I'm in control, Firecrotch!"

Practically leaping down the stairs, Aubrey saw Jessica's boots first. Then he saw the large figure sitting on her with his hands around her throat as she tried to fight him off. His vision clouded over as his protective instinct spurred him on.

Racing over, Aubrey dragged the large assailant away from Jessica and threw him across the room into a nearby table. Turning back to his girlfriend as she struggled to breathe, he noted that Jessica's sweater had been pulled up to expose her bra and it looked like the zipper on her jeans had been opened. He also noted some damp patches on her skin along with an unmistakable odor. Before he could check her over for injuries, Gerald charged him, his face covered with deep scratch marks and bruising along his left eye and cheek area.

"You're not going to humiliate me again, you asshole! You're going to die!", Gerald roared.

Aubrey went down, but quickly got the upper hand as all his FBI training kicked in. Throwing the larger man off him, he leaped up and got set, ready for the next charge. The large man picked up a bloody hammer from the floor and ran towards him screaming. However, Aubrey repelled him and tossed him down on his back. As the hammer dropped, the agent jumped down and pummeled the attacker multiple times in the head.

"I'm going to kill you, Maxwell…you're never gonna hurt anyone ever again, you filthy son of a bitch!"

Just then, he felt someone dragging him off Gerald. He fought hard until a second set of hands assisted to remove him from the prone body of Jessica's assailant.

"Boss, get off him…you're going to kill him!", Steve yelled. "C'mon, Aubrey...stop it!"

As Genny and Steve forced Aubrey to sit back against a wall, Gerald was ready to charge again until he found Genny's gun pointing in his face.

"Go ahead, you fucking bastard…give me a reason to pull the trigger. I'd love to end it here."

Steve pushed Gerald down to his knees and cuffed him as Genny started reading him his rights. "Gerald Maxwell, you have the right to be silent. Anything you say can and will…"

Hearing what was the unmistakable sound of gagging, Aubrey turned around to see Jessica vomiting on the floor as she tried to sit up. Running over to her, he knelt by her, tenderly checking her wounds.

"Jess…are you all right?", Aubrey asked frantically, seeing a laceration by her temple, a large bruise on her cheek, and a cut lip. "C'mon, Honey...talk to me…"

The redhead gasped for air as she clutched her side. "Yes…I guess so", she said in a choked voice. "I think I have…some cracked ribs…hard to see…head hurts…I fell down the stairs...did you get him?"

"Yeah, we've got him. It's going to be alright now. He can't hurt you any more. I'm here...I'm not going to leave you." Rubbing her shoulder, Aubrey was careful not to hug her in case she had internal injuries. Looking up, he saw paramedics coming down the stairs into Limbo.

"Right here. She fell down the stairs a few minutes ago. She's also got some hurt ribs, maybe a concussion. He also tried to choke her and she just vomited also.", Aubrey added.

On the other side of the room, Genny and Steve picked up an uncooperative Gerald, who was sputtering obscenities as he strained against his restraints. "Agent Aubrey assaulted me! That's police brutality."

"Nice try, but you assaulted him first, Gerald." Genny pulled the man away quickly so Jessica wouldn't have to see him. "We'll get your boo boos looked at, and then you and I get to have a nice long talk at the FBI."

"What can I do, Shaw?", Steve asked. "I need to help take this guy down…"

"Close off the entire lab and process it. Have Hodgins call people in from the FBI and lab, but no interns. I'll have Bell come down here to help you when she's done at Ms. Anders' apartment. I need everything we can get...including how the hell Gerald Maxwell got past security to get back here. If it looks the least little bit odd, catalog it, okay? I don't want to overlook anything."

Putting Jessica's gurney in the elevator nearby, the paramedics and the couple rode up to the next floor. When the doors opened, the redhead saw the storeroom and the pool of blood on the floor.

"Oh my God…Oliver…I didn't hear…I had my earbuds in…", she whispered. "Is he…"

Aubrey didn't want to tell her just yet about how bad Oliver was. "He's on his way to the hospital, Jessica…just like you are."

Jessica's eyes grew large as she began to panic, making breathing more difficult. "Angela…did anything...happen to her? The baby?"

"She's fine, Jess." Aubrey held Jessica's hand as they came out the door where an ambulance waited. "A little bump on the head, but she's fine. They're checking her out, and the baby, too..."

The two paramedics got her loaded before one turned to Aubrey. "Riding along?"

"Damn right I am."

Jessica was stabilized and the bus drove away to the hospital. Given an oxygen mask, she fought it, but Aubrey stepped in, glancing at the paramedic before turning to his girlfriend.

"Jess, you need to wear this."

"I don't…want to…don't want…anything on me…I'm sorry, Aubrey…I was…careful like…you asked…", Jessica croaked out. "He ripped...your necklace…the one you gave me for Christmas...I'm so sorry..."

Aubrey's heart broke for his girlfriend. "You did nothing wrong, do you hear me? I don't care about any of that right now…I'm only concerned about you, Jessica."

"Super..man…"

"Jess, you've been choked and your oxygen levels are low. Put the mask on for me, please. I'll stay with you, I promise." Aubrey took her hand, trying to ignore the smell of urine from her clothes that permeated the air. 'God, what did he do to her?'

Nodding at her boyfriend, the anthropologist didn't fight the medic any longer, wearing the mask for the rest of the ride to the hospital.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"So you didn't see anything, did you, Ms. Montenegro?", Jill Haggarty asked in the artist's hospital room.

Angela sipped her water, shaking her head sadly. "No...it was dark. I slipped on Tom's vomit and hit my head on the sink…and I guess I blacked out."

Haggarty's partner Jerry Thompson stepped in to the room to ask another question. "And the other thing that sticks out in your mind is the coffee…"

"Yeah, it's probably nothing…but Amanda, the barista, acted so weird…and Tom was so sick. I heard they found Dan passed out in the Bone Room, too. What happened to them?"

"The doctors are working to find out, Ms. Montenegro."

A technician wheeled in a portable ultrasound machine. "Agents, if you'll step outside, we need to do the fetal ultrasound now. You can question her further when we're done."

"Angie!"

All turned to see Hodgins wheeling into the ER suite. "Angie…are you okay? The baby?"

Agent Thompson nodded to Haggarty and the two headed out. "We'll leave you two alone and check on you in a bit."

Agents Haggarty and Thompson stepped out to give the couple privacy and made a call to Agent Bell. "Hey Jannie…it's Jill. Listen, did you meet up with Bower at the Jeffersonian yet? Yeah, there should be a coffee carafe on the counter in the top floor break room. Can you grab it? Bag it and everything that goes with it because if it does still have coffee in it, we need it tested…something Angela Montenegro told me…a hunch…also, there's a barista we need to keep an eye on. Amanda...Winters."

Jill listened with interest. "Really? Well, if it's the same person you saw at the apartment then we really need to talk to her...yeah, if she's not there, then get ahold of the coffee booth manager and get her contact information. It could be nothing...but I still want to check it out. Thanks."

"Think their coffee was spiked?", Thompson asked.

"Something was spiked, Jerry…", Haggarty muttered. "It's too much of a coincidence that both guards got sick…"

"I agree, Jill. Whatever it was almost killed those two guys...and may have killed Angela Montenegro or her baby, not to mention Jessica or Dr. Wells, if any of them had any the coffee."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Genny found Agent Casper outside Ashley Anders' hospital room. "How is she doing?"

"Physically...better. Emotionally, she's real quiet...trying to take everything in, I think. I guess if my boyfriend tried to kill me, I would be in shock, too."

"What did she tell you?"

"That Gerald didn't come home until Saturday night...because he spent the night with his mother to comfort her after the funeral."

"Which was a lie…"

"Yeah, it looks like it." Casper nodded, pulling out a notebook to go over the case notes. "Things were all right until she found an earring in her bed that wasn't hers…probably from that same girl he was with Thursday and Friday nights. She says that he was already halfway into a bottle of vodka when they argued, but he told her it must have been his mother's because she napped in the bed before the funeral."

"Did his mother show up at all when you tailed him?"

"No...just the one girl.", Casper continued. "After they settled the argument, he ordered in a late dinner of pizza and they shared a bottle of very expensive red wine he had pilfered from his family's wine cellar. She said she doesn't remember much after that."

Genny nodded. "Red wine masks the taste of just about anything. Do we think he possibly roofied her?"

"Doctors drew blood and are testing for GHB and other drugs. With the alcohol and pizza, it may have stayed in her body longer and we may get lucky.", Caspar said. "If she didn't respond to a window breaking a few feet away shortly before we found her, something must have put her to sleep."

"Obviously he needed something from her that he couldn't just borrow..." Genny got a brainstorm. "Did you find her badge at the scene?"

"Not in the apartment."

"Ask her where she keeps it and then call the head of security at the Jeffersonian and ask for all of Ashley's badge entries."

Agent Casper realized where her boss was going. "You're thinking he stole her badge?"

"Yeah. If he would have come in through the main entrance, Security would have been all over him. It had to be the employee entrance. Since he'd worked here, he would be familiar with the location and with the fact it was badge only access. CSI said the light by the entrance was broken out, like by a rock or a stick, so I'm thinking he was going to try jumping Jessica there or right when she entered the building, but with her arriving with Angela, he couldn't. I'll check his stuff when I get to the Hoover."

"So he used Ashley's badge to travel through the Jeffersonian without being spotted.", Casper said in disgust. "But the security guards..."

"Well, they were drugged. I just talked to the lab here and both guards tested positive for tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride in their blood. We just need to wait for the FBI lab to finish testing the coffee and carafe."

Caspar's brow knit thoughtfully. "Where have I heard of that drug?"

"Visine.", Genny said. "The toxicologist said that tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride is a vasopressor, which constricts blood vessels...hence why it's ideal for red eyes. People think it gives you diarrhea but the doc said that on the contrary, while it causes nausea and vomiting, it also can lead to fluctuating blood pressure, dizziness, and respiratory depression when ingested orally. It can kill a person if it's used in any other way than as drops for red eyes."

"The only thing those two men shared was the coffee from the barista...who we now know has hooked up with Gerald Maxwell recently. Either one could have put the drops in the coffee probably thinking they will just have diarrhea bad enough to be out of commission…"

"...so Jessica wouldn't have anyone available to help her.", Genny stated.

"But Agent Shaw, that doesn't explain Dr. Wells and Ms. Montenegro. Why did Gerald go after them?"

"Collateral damage, Agent Casper. Oliver was a last minute addition to the script and Ms. Montenegro didn't decide to come to work until the last minute this morning. Jessica was supposed to work alone today. Luckily...she didn't."

"So Gerald tries to get rid of his girlfriend so he can take her badge and have no witnesses. Setting it up as a suicide, it would seem like she couldn't handle going to trial and he would be rid of someone who would no longer be useful to him." Casper nodded. "That makes sense. Jannie said that she had a lab schedule right on her refrigerator and it only had Jessica's name on it for today. Gerald could easily see when Ms Warren was working and bide his time."

"Any word on Oliver Wells?"

"Still in surgery, Agent Shaw. I can't believe that guy is still alive after getting his head bashed in like that."

"I know…hopefully he wakes up and can tell us what happened." The agent gestured behind her. "I'm going to check on Jessica. I need to question her about what happened."

"Is the boss alright? He looked a wreck earlier."

"No, he's not, but Aubrey will keep it together for her."

"Maxwell looked like shit. Looks like Jessica got some good ones in when they struggled.", Casper remarked.

"She did...and between you and me, so did Aubrey after he found them." Shaw merely nodded at the agent's surprise. "Keep me posted, Casper."

Genny rubbed her face as she made her way down to Jessica's room. She did not look forward to this conversation, but she had to talk to the woman as soon as possible. She wanted the facts before she interrogated Gerald Maxwell.

Arriving at the door, she saw the doctor come out. "How is she doing?"

"Ms. Warren is very lucky, Agent Shaw." The ER doc stated. "Ultrasound of her carotid looked good so no permanent physical damage from the attempted strangulation. We stitched up the lacerations to her temple and her upper lip. She also has a couple of bruised ribs, a mild concussion, and a lot of bruises from falling down the stairs. No indications of sexual assault. Agent Aubrey saved her life."

Genny sighed in relief. "Did you take photos of the cuts and bruises?"

"We did…and yes, Agent Aubrey remained outside while I examined her." She pointed to the door. "I'll check on her after they admit her. She's still pretty shaken, but you can go in and question her now."

"Thanks, Doctor." Taking a deep breath, she opened the door a crack and heard voices talking on the other side.

"I'm so sorry…I was careful like you asked me to be…I shouldn't have got pissed at Oliver…"

"Jess, Oliver is in surgery because of Gerald...not because you two had a fight over what he did to Daisy. None of what Gerald did is your fault, do you understand? He made the decision to do all this…"

"I kicked Gerald in the face and scratched him a few times. I kneed him, too, but he kept coming...I got the wind knocked out of me…he...he peed on me...said I told people...he liked that stuff...I don't know where he..."

"Jessica-"

"He broke my necklace...the one you gave me for Christmas…"

"Jessica...I can replace the necklace...it's just a chain with a token of my affection. I can't replace you. I'm just grateful that you're okay…"

"Knock knock...hi, you guys." Genny walked up to the bed and tried not to flinch when she saw the ugly bruises on the redhead's neck and face. "Jessica, how are you feeling?"

"Like shit…but it could have been worse, right?", Jessica croaked. "Sorry…it's hard to talk right now."

"It's okay. I'm just glad you're all right.", the ASAC replied. "So…I have to talk to you about what happened."

Jessica nodded as Genny turned to Aubrey. "Boss, I need to talk to her alone."

"Does he have to go?", Jessica asked plaintively but Aubrey nodded in agreement.

"Jess, I can't be in here while she questions you. It's another way to make sure Gerald's lawyer can't say I influenced you..."

"That's bullshit. I know...what happened...I have the concussion...and bruised ribs to prove it. Plus...maybe DNA on me...if there were epithelial...cells when he…"

"Your clothes are getting tested now so we have that as back up in case Gerald tries something.", Genny said before looking at her boss.

"Jessica, I need to call your brothers before they or your dad find out what happened on the evening news. I'll be right outside, okay?" When she nodded, the SAC stepped out.

When the door shut completely, Aubrey took a deep breath to fight tears that were forming. He didn't know all that had happened to Jessica yet as he didn't want to push or accidentally influence her. However, based on the injuries he'd seen and what else he knew...Gerald had been vicious. He not only wanted to rape and kill Jessica, but he wanted to humiliate her as well.

"Aubrey!"

Turning, he was grateful to see Booth and Brennan coming down the hall. Quickly wiping his eyes he waited for them to join him.

"Is Ms. Warren all right?", Brennan asked in hushed tones.

"She will be, Dr. B…" Aubrey nodded toward the room. "Genny is questioning her now."

"What's Oliver's condition? What about the security guards?", Booth asked.

"Oliver is in surgery right now...odds aren't bad, but they're not great either.", Aubrey said. "The security guards are in serious condition. They're testing them right now to find out what made them so sick. How's Angela?"

"Hodgins is with her. The ultrasound came back normal, so the baby's okay. However, they're keeping her overnight as a precaution because she hit her head.", Booth said. "Any word about Gerald?"

"Genny said the paramedics checked him out and he's in Holding as we speak. She's going to question him when she gets done with Jess."

"How are you, Aubrey?", Booth asked, eying the man's bruised knuckles. "You got a couple of licks in on Gerald, I see."

"Me? I'm fine.", the lanky man responded with quiet ferocity. "I wasn't the one almost murdered today. That was my girlfriend and the others at the lab...and probably Gerald's girlfriend as well. I have to call Aaron and her brothers...I have to call Charlie...how do I tell her dad about this? Damn it!"

Brennan sensed that she would be needed elsewhere. "I should go visit with Angela. That's where I'll be, Booth."

"Okay, Bones." The men watched her walk away. "Sorry...I know Bones is as subtle as a Mack Truck sometimes."

"It's alright, Booth." Aubrey looked at his phone. "I'll start with Aaron…"

Booth grabbed his friend's arm and nodded toward the elevator. "That will keep for a few minutes. Let's get some coffee."

"I promised Jessica I wouldn't leave, Booth." Aubrey was perplexed as Booth grabbed his phone and typed on it. "What are you doing?"

"Sending Genny a message letting her know that we're taking a walk." Putting the phone back in his pocket. "Now, come on...they're going to be a while, Aubrey. You might as well take a break for a few minutes."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

In an interrogation room Agents Bower and Bell were interviewing Amanda, who was with an attorney.

"So you have no idea of how those security guards got sick, Ms. Winters?", Steve asked. "None at all?"

"No...why would I?" She bit her lip as she studied her nails. "I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Why were you so insistent that Angela Montenegro not drink the coffee today? She said you were very insistent that she get rid of it so no one else drank it...you said it would hurt her baby, remember?", Bell asked.

"Because she's pregnant, ma'am." Amanda continued to play with her nails. "She shouldn't have had that one cup of coffee, but I figure she knows best."

Bell looked at the young woman and moved in for the kill. "How well do you know Gerald Maxwell, Amanda?"

The girl paled and was quiet for a moment. "I've seen him come to my coffee booth. He's a flirt."

"That's it?", Steve asked. "You've never been with him outside of the lab?"

"No...he has a girlfriend. A rather mousy, uppity one, though. I was always surprised he was with her."

Bell pulled pictures out of a folder and set them out in front of Amanda, who paled even further when she saw them. "So then why did I take pictures of you coming into Ashley Anders' apartment building with Gerald Maxwell last Thursday night?"

"That's not me…"

Bell pulled out a copy of the DMV report. "We've had Mr. Maxwell on surveillance since his arrest. After leaving his mother's home Friday night, we tailed him to a house with two apartments...your apartment is in that house."

"He might have been visiting my neighbor…"

"Your neighbor is a 55 year old professor at Georgetown and he was home with his husband. We've questioned him already. Now, do you want to tell me again how well you know Gerald Maxwell?"

Amanda consulted with her attorney before turning back. "We went on a couple of dates and had sex. I didn't want it to get around I was fooling around with a taken man."

"Just so you know, lying to a federal agent is a felony.", Bower said quietly. "Starting now, every question you need to answer fully and truthfully or we will charge you. Do you understand?"

Amanda nodded, ready for the next question.

"We need to see the contents of your bag. Please hand it to me so Agent Bower and I can search it."

When she hesitated, Bell jumped in. "We'll just get a warrant and this will go much harder for you."

Reluctantly, she handed the bag to the agents, who left the room. Taking it to the conference room, they put on gloves and opened it. What they saw surprised both of them before Steve pulled it out a bottle of Beluga Gold Line Vodka that was one quarter full.

Letting out a loud whistle, Steve examined the bottle. "This is some expensive shit...it's like $100 a bottle. No way she bought this on a barista's paycheck."

"Didn't Ashley say that Gerald was halfway through a bottle of vodka when they fought over the earring in the bed last night?"

"Yeah...what are you thinking?"

"A long shot, Bower. We need to get this to the lab. If it's what I think it is, we know how it got into the coffee."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

An hour later, Bell and Bower came back into the interrogation room, where an antsy Amanda and her lawyer sat waiting.

"So, Amanda, interesting that you carry expensive vodka with you to work.", Bell stated.

"It was from last night. I don't drink on the job.", she sniffed.

"That's good.", Steve said. "Because we know you didn't drink it."

Amanda was confused. "Then what's the big deal with me having it in my purse? I'm legal age."

"You are...for alcohol, but that bottle didn't have vodka in it. It had tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride in it."

"No, it had vodka in it. Gerald told me that when he gave it to me this morning…" Amanda stopped herself, realizing she's said too much.

"So you saw Mr. Maxwell this morning, hmm? Interesting.", Bower said, turning to the agent with him when the young woman nodded.

"Well, Amanda, that bottle did have vodka at one time, but now the only thing in the bottle is Visine." Bell clasped her hands together. "Want to tell us why, Amanda? Think carefully before you answer, because if you lie one more time, you'll be in more trouble than you're already in."

Amanda nodded in acceptance. "He said it had vodka in it. I just had to pour it in the coffee and Tom would look like he was drinking on the job. That clown took the job meant for my brother. When I told Gerald about it, he suggested putting vodka in the coffee so Tom would appear to get drunk and then get fired. So if he had some Visine instead, Tom just got some diarrhea and was puking, right?"

"No, Amanda...both security guards are in serious condition at the hospital because you poisoned them. The main ingredient in Visine is a vasopressor that when ingested, does cause nausea and vomiting, but it also leads to fluctuating blood pressure and can even kill someone. That's two counts of attempted murder, Amanda, that we can charge you with right now."

"But I didn't...I swear…I wasn't trying to..."

"Fine.", Steve said while folding his arms over his chest. "Prove us wrong. Tell us everything you know."

The two listened as Amanda told them everything she knew about Gerald. When she was done, they excused themselves to talk to Caroline, who was in the observation room.

"What do you think, Ms. Julian?", Steve asked.

"Assault Two and I'll recommend probation, but she better have spilled all her guts. Now, find out how he bought all those eye drops!"

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Genny sat closer to Jessica as she listened to the other woman speak. "CSIs found the bulb broken in the entryway. He was probably waiting for you, not expecting Angela to show up."

Jessica nodded. "The morning was so quiet...I was happy...I should have known…"

"So did you hear anything after Oliver went to get more stuff for his exam?"

Jessica shook her head. "I had my earbuds in, listening to music. When I noticed he was still gone, I look at my phone and realized it had been about 30 minutes. I was still so pissed at him because of a fight we'd had earlier...and I figured he was pouting somewhere or he was on the phone with Dr. Hodgins complaining about me. I wouldn't usually care, but it was the fact the remains were just sitting out like that, in the open. Dr. B says it's disrespectful."

"What did you do?"

Jessica exhaled. "I got even more pissed and decided I was going to drag Oliver's ass back down to put the remains away or finish his work…so I went to go find him…so I went up the stairs but just as I turned, I felt this hard pain by my cheek and I fell down the stairs..."

Genny noticed that the intern was beginning to shake slightly. Taking her hand, she squeezed it. "Jessica, take your time, okay? I'm in no rush."

The redhead nodded and after composing herself, began to speak.

/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**\\

"Not so tough without your boyfriend around, are you?", a disheveled Gerald said with a deranged cackle, a bloody hammer in his hand.

Jessica saw him come towards her and tried to get up, but felt pain all over from her fall. As she moved to back away, she saw him drop his hammer and unzip his pants. Terrified, she moved to get up but felt a foot push her down again.

"You're not going anywhere, bitch. You've fucked with me for the last time."

Before she could move, she felt warm liquid fall on her back and side. She almost became ill when she realized what it was. "You peed on me? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You're the one who said I like pissing on women...so why shouldn't you get a taste, you know-it-all bitch?"

"I never...said that…fuck you..." Although she was in pain and dizzy from the blow to the head, Jessica turned around and watched him come closer. When he bent down, she kicked him in the face with her boot.

"You bitch!"

Jessica was almost on her feet when Gerald yanked on her leg and knocked her down again. Moving quickly, she kicked away and ran towards the stairs, but was pushed into the light table, her right side taking the brunt of the force. Ignoring the searing pain, she felt for a nearby bone saw and whipped it at him, hitting him in the shoulder. With lightning speed, the taller man shook off the injury and punched her in the face, propelling her into a door.

As she was hit with dizzying pain, Gerald pushed her further into the door and began trying to pull her pants off her. "Where the hell are your slut skirts?"

"In your...better dreams, asshole…", she slurred before being slapped again.

"You need to shut your face, bitch. You always think you're better than me! Telling people that I'm a fag and can't get it up...that I piss on women to get off...I'll show you that I'm all man and my cock is always ready. Been waiting to get inside you for over two years..."

"Fuck...you…" Frantically, Jessica began scratching at his face and neck, making contact near his eyes and face. Crying out in pain, Gerald slammed her into the door again. "You're gonna die, bitch!"

"I'm not going down without a fight, Gerald. It's sad that it takes rape for you to get a piece of ass…", Jessica slurred before kicking his hard in the groin with her knee.

"AAWWWWW! It's time to teach you a lesson.", the larger man bellowed before lifting her and shoving her onto the floor.

Moving was painful, but the redhead did what she could. However, it wasn't enough as Gerald's larger body weight landed on her. Her vision blurred but she could still make out him looking at her neck. Then she felt Aubrey's necklace pulled up and her fear broke through.

"Don't...please…"

"You're gonna beg for this little cheap necklace...that cop of yours doesn't make shit does he…couldn't even shell out for the good stuff for his used slut..." Gerald ripped it off and tossed it. "Now, you nasty little girl...you've been teasing me and it's time for me to collect."

Jessica continued to fight as much as she could until she felt hands around her throat alternate between constriction and release.

"See...there's something about controlling another person that I love...gets me hot.", Gerald said before squeezing again, this time longer before releasing. "I control you...I control whether you live or die...it's the ultimate turn on…oh yes...your face...I love that look of...terror in your eyes...hard it be an uppity bitch when I'm in control..."

He squeezed again a bit harder and Jessica fought harder. Gerald's response was to squeeze with more pressure with a sadistic smile on his face. The intern felt true fear as she struggled to breathe. One of Gerald's hands began going between her legs but stopped when she squeezed his hand tight and scratched him again, this time under his eye. When he let go instinctively, she screamed loudly until he clasped her again.

"Bitch, you should have fucked me instead of teased me…now you're going to learn how powerful I am…"

The larger man responded by squeezing her throat again, this time until she began to lose consciousness.

"Oh yeah…no you're not going to sleep yet…" He let go for a second. "I'm going to fuck you first…then I'll kill you after I'm done…I'm in control…I'm in control, Firecrotch!"

Jessica gasped for air and began to black out again when she felt Gerald's weight lifted off her. As her body began to take in oxygen, her blurry vision caught two men struggling and then she heard Gerald.

"You're not going to humiliate me again, you asshole!"

Her vision cleared slightly to see it was Aubrey fighting with Gerald. Through the haze, she felt pride as her boyfriend kicked her assailant's ass, but then she saw the agent began pummeling the other man. As she tried to yell at him to stop, she was with a wave of nausea and dizziness. Before she could stop herself, she vomited all over the floor.

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The tears started falling again before the redhead wiped them away with little success. Genny wordlessly got up and went into the bathroom. A few seconds later, she came out with a roll of toilet paper and handed it to her friend.

"Thank you.", Jessica croaked. "I want to lay down, but I can't because of my ribs. The doctor said they will need about two to three weeks to heal. Hurts to talk...God only knows what I look like right now."

"Like someone who survived a horrific attack, Jessica. Everyone is lucky today…"

Jessica sniffled. "But Oliver...any word?"

"Still in surgery last time I checked, Jessica.", Genny said vaguely.

"I heard he had head injuries...like he was beaten.", Jessica said calmly. "Check the hammer...it's probably Oliver's blood. Knowing him, he saw Gerald and was his douchy self before Gerald beat the hell out of him. He's such a jerk but I don't want him to die..."

"Whatever reason Gerald had for assaulting Dr. Wells doesn't matter, Jessica, because if he dies, that's murder. As a federal case, he could get the death penalty if Ms. Julian pursues it. Right now we have attempted murder of two people, three if we can prove he tried to off Ashley also, and DCPD gave us jurisdiction already...two more counts for the security guards whose coffee was spiked with Visine. Don't forget about the bomb threat a couple weeks ago. Another felony."

"So he did date Ashley not only to look good...but to use her for revenge against me. She had access to the lab, so he bided his time…"

"I don't know, Jessica. What I can say now is we have him. He messed with you...and that was a mistake. A big mistake, and I'm going to get him for it, I promise."

Jessica nodded. "I know Booth took Aubrey away while you were talking to me, and I know you have to interrogate Gerald but...can you stay for a while until they get back?"

"Yeah, I can do that. That SOB isn't going anywhere."

"Thank you...now tell me how things are going with Hunter.", Jessica choked. "Hot and heavy, I hope…"

"Well...there was this one entry from that Bad Girls Bible you introduced me to that he loved…"

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Booth watched his friend stare at a piece of chocolate cake and a glazed donut with sprinkles as they sat in the hospital cafeteria. He saw the swirl of emotion in the younger man's eyes and knew what he was going through.

"You couldn't have prevented what happened, Aubrey. Gerald was determined to get her no matter what. However, he not only underestimated us at the FBI, but he also grossly underestimated Jessica again. From what Shaw told me over the phone, she knocked and scratched the snot out of him, including a lovely boot print over his left eye."

"Yeah...barely 120 pounds soaking wet, but Jess is a scrapper.", Aubrey said quietly. "She learned a few things from her older brothers. Guess having five of them paid off…"

"I also know you got a few licks in, too.", Booth said with a sly smile. "I'll deny it if anyone asks me, but I think you did great, okay? I mean, that bastard must have at least 60 pounds on you…"

"I wanted to get more in, but Shaw and Bower pulled me off him.", Aubrey muttered as he flexed his right fist. "I wanted to kill him, Booth. I would have, too, if they hadn't stopped me..."

"I know, but you didn't, and that's a good thing. Jessica wouldn't get justice if you're in prison for killing Gerald Maxwell."

Aubrey looked up at his friend with tears in his eyes. "Do you think I give a shit about that right now, Booth? He beat the hell out of my girlfriend! He was strangling her...he...urinated on her...he was going to...rape her...then kill her...because she stood up to him…if he had killed her...Gerald Maxwell wouldn't be breathing by the time I got done with him."

"I know how you feel...but you have to cork it, Aubrey...now. Jessica needs to be your focus, not your anger about not stopping that asshole."

"You're right. I get that...I really do." Aubrey sipped his cooling coffee. "I wanted to observe the interrogation, but Genny said no."

"Because your place is here, Aubrey. Jessica needs you tonight." Booth took a deep breath. "She's going to have a hard time for a while…"

"I know that...and I'm going to be there for whatever she needs."

Booth remembered his seesaw emotions after getting out of prison. "Aubrey...you need to be prepared. Once the shock of what happened wears off, Jessica...will have a lot of conflicting feelings. She's going to be full of sadness...fear...rage...and she'll need to take it out on something...or someone."

"I know."

"No, you don't Aubrey. Bones...she was a saint with me when I got out of prison. I...was so...pissed off at what happened to me. My focus was so narrow that I almost killed an innocent man."

"I remember. You flipped me on the ground in a parking garage, remember?", Aubrey said in an attempt at humor. "You still haven't showed me that move."

"Yeah, I do remember. What I'm saying is...be patient with Jessica. It's probably going to get rough for a while before it gets better."

"Of course, Booth. I love her...I love her more than my own life." Aubrey stared at his coffee. "I want to watch that interrogation...but you're right. Jess needs me here."

"I'll go and observe, Aubrey.", Booth replied. "Genny won't need me in the room with him, but I'll observe and tell you how it goes. You know you can trust Shaw..."

"I know. Thanks, Booth." Aubrey saw the sweets in front of him. "I'm sorry...you bought me these, but I'm just not hungry…"

" I'll take those and hide them from Bones so I can eat them later." Booth looked at his watch. "I'm sure the ladies are about done. Ready to head back? You should call her brothers."

The two men got up and headed back to Jessica's floor. As they got to the elevator, they saw Daisy running towards it.

"Booth! Aubrey!", Daisy panted. "It's all over the news...is Jessica all right?"

"Yeah...she's fine, Daisy. She's talking to Genny right now.", Aubrey said, not wanting a panicked Daisy upsetting his girlfriend.

"I heard Oliver was hurt, too. Is he all right?"

"I was about to check in before heading over to the Hoover.", Booth said. "Last time we checked, he was still in surgery."

"OMG...what is he...he wasn't supposed to be there…at the lab..."

"Daisy, what are you talking about?", Booth asked, not catching Aubrey's knowing face.

"He...well...he was supposed to work with Rani but she's in Mumbai.", Daisy muttered. "Probably doesn't care."

"Her flight left Heathrow three hours ago, Daisy, and it's a 9 hr flight to Mumbai. I called my friend Alex at the State Department and they will be there waiting for her when she lands." Booth exhaled before he got a beep on his phone. Looking, he read and looked back at the younger woman. "Oliver is out of surgery. Why don't you see if you can find out anything? Jessica should be ready for company by then."

"Oh I'll do that. Thanks.", Daisy said before jumping into the other elevator.

"Booth, they aren't going to tell her shit because she's not family or the investigating agent.", Aubrey said as the two got on the elevator.

"I know, but that way she will get a little peace of mind and chill out before visiting Jessica." Booth chose the floor on the panel. "What's up with her and Oliver anyway?"

"Don't ask, Booth.", Aubrey replied as the doors shut. "Trust me, you don't want to know."