A/N: a situation from the past and a problem in the present occupy our favorite couple's lives in this chapter. If you have time to review, we'd appreciate it.
It was a Monday in late January as Hunter Geren worked through some files in his office at the SEC. He sighed audibly as he shook his head, wondering if people realized that the experienced forensic accountants at the Securities and Exchange Commission had seen it all...there were no new ways to get around federal law when it came to how to trade stocks and bonds. 'Another case of thinly disguised insider trading.', he thought to himself, making notes before putting the file in Agent Kendrick's stack. 'You think they'd know better by now…'
He grinned as he heard his phone chime. It was about time for Genny to send her morning check in text. Opening the message, he was pleased to see the 'special' picture she'd sent him...the 'naughty' one, for his eyes only. Laughing to himself, he quickly sent a response and put the phone inside his desk drawer. After all, no matter how much he enjoyed it, it was bad form for an FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge to be sending sexy photos via texts, and he wanted to take no chances. Nosy people and prying eyes are everywhere...
Looking up from his desk, he gazed out the window, watching the random snowflakes drift by. They'd known each other less than six months, but he had fallen hard for Genny Shaw when they first began working together to solve the case of Louis Vacchio's murder. She was a combination of strength, intelligence, and sweetness that he'd found irresistible from their first meeting. He'd soon resorted to making lame excuses for going to visit her at her office...to discuss the case, of course. Finally, he'd worked up the nerve to ask her out for coffee at the diner after work. After that, little by little, he'd wormed her way into her heart…
"Yeah, sure...I'm such a catch, right?" Chuckling softly, he tapped his pencil on his desk. At 39 years old, he'd given up on finding the right woman...one who could tick off all the boxes on his list. Meeting Genny had changed that, but since then he'd had to work hard to get her to see that they could be so good together. She was used to being on her own after losing Danny's father several years earlier. She didn't need a man in her life to feel successful, and she wasn't sure that she was ready to give up her freedom for anyone. His efforts had been worth it, however. She had given him a chance, and he'd made the most of it, knowing that, with a little patience, he might be able to convince her that he was sincere in his affection.
And now, after just a few months, Hunter and Genny were on the same page as a couple. To make things even better, after some initial shyness, Danny had completely accepted him as a sort of father figure. It had been so much fun taking Danny to the park to play on the monkey bars, and Hunter had found himself cheering as loudly as the rest of the dads when Danny scored a basket during his last intramural basketball game. It's like he's my own kid...and I get to be a father...a dad...something I thought I'd totally miss out on...
He smiled as he glanced at the new photograph sitting on the corner of his desk. They had visited his parents in New Haven a few weekends ago, and Danny had taken to Hunter's mom and dad as if they were old friends. Another piece of the puzzle was fitting into place. Maybe it wouldn't be too long until they were all part of one happy family…and perhaps someday, Danny might even get a little brother or sister...
His reverie was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door jamb. "Agent Geren?"
"Yes?" Rising from his desk, Hunter eyed his visitor cautiously. "I"m Agent Geren. Can I help you?"
"I hope so." The man sauntered into the office and sat down before pulling his briefcase onto his lap. "I'm Kendall Matney, with Internal Revenue…"
"Internal Revenue?" Hunter swallowed hard as he sat down behind his desk. "Um...I see. What can I do for you?"
"Aw, relax." Agent Matney grinned as he held up his hands in mock surrender. "This isn't an audit, okay? I mean, some of you accounting types can be pretty slick when it comes to moving money around to avoid paying your fair share, but that's not why I'm here."
The man laughed at his own joke as he opened his satchel. "Actually, I need a good forensic accountant for a complicated case, and your name came up several times when I asked around. Seems like you've got a good reputation...a fella over at the FBI recommended you highly, as a matter of fact."
"So it wasn't Assistant Special Agent in Charge Genevieve Shaw?"
"No…it was some guy." He looked at the sticky note attached to the folder. "Says here that Special Agent in Charge Booth thinks you're the man I need to see…he says you're the best..."
Hunter whistled softly. Receiving such a good recommendation was the last thing he'd expect from Booth. "Okay...so what's going on?" He took the file that Matney offered. "It must be something pretty important…something involving more than just tax evasion, right?"
"Yeah, that's the problem. We're not sure how involved the thing really is." Agent Matney pointed out the name on the file. "So this guy...Harold Maxwell...he died recently. It was unexpected, and so there were some questions about his will...you know, his wife gets everything he had in the bank, but there were a lot of unanswered questions about some of his business holdings and other assets. Anyway, we'd been keeping an eye on Harold and his company, Maxco Enterprises, for a while now, because of some of their tax shenanigans, and they were actually due for an audit this year, but the old guy died before we could start it…"
"So...what? No audit?" Hunter glanced through the file before setting it aside. "Isn't that sort of thing the IRS's jurisdiction? I'm not sure how I can help you…"
"I'm getting to that." Agent Matney folded his hands in his lap and sat back in the chair. "Because the company is staying in the family, one of his sons is taking over as CEO." Matney smirked at Hunter as he explained what had happened. "We used the elder Maxwell's death as an excuse to go over his company's books with a fine toothed comb...you know, to make sure all of the estate and inheritance taxes were being paid correctly. As far as taxes go, the company did some finigaling with the books, but nothing too serious. However…" The agent pointed to a page in the file. "...it seems that Mr. Maxwell had invested in some pretty shady deals...offshore accounts and shit like that...and look...they've been trading with some companies in countries that are supposed to be out of bounds. They tried to cover it up with a shell company, but it looks like some serious money laundering was going on…"
Hunter read further down the page and gasped in shock. "Histavark? He was involved with them? Oh, my God…"
Matney was surprised by Hunter's strong reaction. "Yeah, it was Histavark...why?"
"Sorry…" Hunter puffed out a sigh, trying to compose himself as he read the information again. "... it's just that one of our agents, Louis Vacchio, was murdered by a Histavark securities trader named Vincent Sipoletti while he was investigating that company. Sipoletti just happened to be Vacchio's brother-in-law, and, unfortunately, it turned out Vinnie was a hitman on the side. It was all over the news last fall. And here's the crazy part... when an FBI agent and I went to interview a guy named Joe Fuller in Sipoletti's office, the son of a bitch shot me before the agent took him down."
"Oh yeah...I remember! Man, that was some crazy shit. Hey, wait a minute...Agent Booth and that other agent...Booth's partner...Aubrey or something like that...they got shot the next day, right?"
"Yeah...they were shot when they tried to arrest Sipoletti. Jesus...I thought we were done with that shit..." Hunter shook his head in disbelief. "Okay, I'll take a look at the file...but it may take some time…I want to make sure I cover all of my bases here..."
"Yeah, of course. No problem." Agent Matney closed his briefcase and stood up to leave. "Keep in touch, okay? Let me know what you find out." He reached out to shake Hunter's hand. "Thanks…"
"Yeah...I'll be in touch." Watching the IRS agent leave, Hunter sat stunned, as if he'd been hit with a lightning bolt. Reaching for his phone, he called his girlfriend. "Genny? You're never gonna believe this…."
Oooooooooo
Ninety minutes later, Booth and Aubrey sat at a table in the Major Crimes conference room, staring at Hunter Geren and Genny Shaw in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me…", Booth began, thumbing through the IRS file again. "So Harold Maxwell's company is involved with Histavark, the same company that Louis Vacchio was investigating when he was murdered? That's a wild coincidence."
"I know." Genny bit her lip nervously. "I couldn't believe it, either. When Hunter called me to tell me about the case, I thought he was teasing me, but after looking through the file...well, you saw it for yourself. There are a lot of under the table deals going on at Maxco."
Frowning as he drummed his fingers on the table, Aubrey shook his head in disgust. "So is that why Gerald Maxwell went after Jess and me? Did he know that I was the guy that investigated Vacchio's death? Did he think I could tie things back to his dad's company?"
"I doubt it." Hunter turned to a page, pointing at a highlighted paragraph. "From what I can tell, Mr. Maxwell didn't make a lot of the day to day financial decisions for Maxco Enterprises. He made some of the big decisions with the help of his board of directors, but when it came to moving the money around to pay the actual company expenses, that responsibility fell to his chief financial officer, Craig Stevenson. I doubt that Mr. Maxwell even knew the extent to which Maxco is entangled with Histavark, and I feel sure he had no idea who Louis Vacchio or Vinnie Sipoletti were." Glancing at his friends, the accountant scratched the back of his neck. "The IRS is planning a tax audit, but they want me and my guys at the SEC to check on the shell companies, both here and abroad. That's pretty straight forward stuff, and I wouldn't have involved you guys, except…."
"Except for the link to our murder case. Yeah, I get that." Booth pursed his lips slightly as he looked through the file again. "You know, I was never really satisfied with the outcome of the Vacchio case…my gut was telling me that there was something else going on...things were wrapped up just a little too neatly..."
Genny coughed softly. "Yeah, I know. So, what do we do now? Can we follow this trail of evidence? I mean, as far as the Bureau is concerned, the Vacchio case is closed…"
"I don't know." Booth debated with himself before turning to his friend. "What do you think, Aubrey? It was your case originally…do you want to have another look?"
Aubrey grimaced slightly as he thought over Booth's question. "Let's see what Hunter finds out first. If he gets enough stuff on the CFO, maybe we can look into it again. Right now, we don't really have a lot of new information to go on…"
"Yeah, I agree." Booth closed the file and pushed it towards the accountant. "Hey, thanks for cluing us in on this little situation, Hunter. Let us know what you find out, okay?"
"Yeah, sure thing. I'll be in touch." As Hunter stood up to leave, he sent a meaningful glance Genny's way. "Agent Shaw? A word, please…if you have time, that is."
"Of course, Agent Geren." Trying to hide her pleased grin, Genny followed him out of the conference room and they walked down the hall toward her office.
"Well, how about that? It looks like Hunter and Shaw are quite the item, doesn't it? They are totally into each other.", Booth chuckled. "I think there'll be wedding bells soon for those two…"
Aubrey rolled his eyes as he gathered up the pens and sticky notes left behind on the table. "Are you indulging in some gossip, Booth?", he teased. "That's not like you at all..."
"Hell, yes, I'm gossiping! It's about time I have something to talk about around here besides you and your love life." He gave his friend a snarky grin. "Hey, the kids and I are gonna order some pizza tonight since Bones is going out for drinks with the girls. Wanna come over?"
"Man, that sounds really good, but I can't...I gotta rearrange some stuff in my closet tonight." Seeing Booth's surprise, Aubrey laughed out loud. "I need to make room for Jessica's stuff. She's moving into the house next weekend, remember?"
"Oh, yeah...that's right, but come on...you know that she already lives there, Aubrey...she moved in almost two months ago. You were both just too stubborn to admit it." Booth chuckled at his friend's scowl. "How much room do you need to make for her, anyway? I mean, her old apartment was tiny..."
"She has some clothes already at the house, but I need to make more room in the closet for her, clear off some shelves for her stuff, and I want to clean out a second dresser drawer."
Booth sipped some coffee out of his Steelers mug. "Okay, I'll let you off the hook this time. So...are you gonna need help moving her things? I guess I can show up if you need me…"
"I don't think that'll be necessary. Wendell is coming over with his truck, and Arastoo is bringing his boys. It's mostly boxes, but I'm pretty sure Wendell, Arastoo, and I can handle what little furniture there is. We'll be fine."
"Well, if you change your mind, call me, okay? Before I forget, when does Jessica want to sign the lease?"
"Let me check with her. She's seeing her doctor for a recheck today and hoping to be able to go back to the lab tomorrow."
"Bones and Hodgins will be happy about that. They were short three interns last week with Jessica, Oliver, and Ashley out. Bug Boy's new intern started yesterday, but she still has a lot to learn."
Aubrey sighed as he thought over what Booth said. "Yeah, Jess said she's probably going to have to work extra shifts to help cover for Oliver. He's probably out for the semester at least."
Booth nodded as he refilled his mug. "Hodgins visited him yesterday and said Oliver has made a lot of progress so far and he's doing better than expected. He can write with a pencil somewhat, and is speaking in sentences, although he struggles with fluency, like choosing the correct word to say what he means. It seems he can process ideas, but expressing them is a big problem for him right now. Bones told me that because he's so smart and has many varied and complex activities that he engages in, he has a better chance at making a full recovery than someone who wasn't as intelligent and creative. However, he still needs to go in a rehab facility for several weeks because he has some memory issues to work on and fine motor skills that he needs to re-learn, like typing and using some of the lab's tools. He may also need some speech therapy to regain his speaking fluency."
Aubrey grimaced slightly as he picked up a file. "Well, I still think he's a dick, but I'm glad he has a better than average chance at having a normal life someday. Is he coming back to the lab?"
"Bones says he's out for the semester and may not be back until at least this Fall, depending on how well he does in rehab. Bug Boy used his connections to get him into the same facility he was in after he became paralyzed. It's the best in the region when it comes to dealing with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries." Booth glanced at his watch. "Hey, I gotta run. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
Seeing Aubrey's slightly frustrated expression, Booth nudged him with elbow. "Listen, don't worry about what Hunter told us. Chances are, it's no big deal…"
"Okay. Thanks, Booth. Good night." As he left the conference room and walked back to his office, Aubrey pondered over what they'd found out that afternoon. I hope he's right...I hope it's not a big deal...but I doubt it turns out that way…
Oooooooooo
Checking the time on her phone, Jessica decided to make a quick phone call before leaving home. "Hey, Daisy...it's me. Are we still on for tonight? Founding Fathers, right?"
"Of course, Jessica, unless you've found something better to do...again."
Unhappy with her friend's sarcastic response, Jessica cleared her throat before responding, hoping she sounded calm and pleasant. "Well, I know Beau and Lance haven't been home long, and I thought maybe you'd want to spend some time with them…but, if you still want to go out for drinks, we can meet you at Founding Fathers in about a half hour or so."
"Beau says he doesn't mind...he's really tired from traveling all day, and so is Lance, and adjusting to the time difference will just add to their exhaustion. I'm going to put Lance down for the night before I leave. I'm sure Beau will crash on the couch in a few minutes, and there's no reason for me to stay home just to watch him sleep." Daisy lowered her voice to a whisper. "Besides, I really need to talk to you...about a lot of things…"
"Okay. We'll see you soon." As she ended the call, Jessica put her phone in her pocket. She was glad that Dr. B had decided to join them. Maybe together they could talk some sense into Daisy.
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
"Dr. B, thanks for coming out with us this evening."
Brennan nodded as she drove her Prius through Washington DC. "You're welcome, Ms. Warren. I haven't been able to talk to Daisy in a while, and from what you've told me and what Booth told me about last Friday, I'm greatly worried about her."
"I do think some of this is because she's...angry at all the upheaval in her life the last few years. Losing Sweets...raising Lance alone...playing emotional pingpong with Oliver...and rushing to marry Beau after knowing him only a couple of months. I think her feelings for Oliver never really died, and after what's happened to him...she's just doing crazy shit that's going to ruin her marriage. I don't know what to do to help her."
Brennan parked her car and after locking it, the two walked down the block to the nearby restaurant. "Well, hopefully, we can get through to her. Her increased drinking has me very concerned, and the fact that she's obsessing over Dr. Wells is only going to result in negative consequences for her if she doesn't face the reality of her situation."
"I agree." Jessica opened the door. "Well, here goes nothing."
The restaurant was crowded for a Monday evening. As Jessica and Brennan entered the lobby, they looked around for Andie and Daisy, who were supposed to meet them there. Finally Jessica pointed toward the back of the dining room, gently nudging Brennan in the right direction. "There they are, Dr. B…that back table."
As they made their way through the dining room, they were surprised to see Andie sitting alone. Jessica glanced around before asking, "Where's Daisy? We saw her here when we walked in."
Looking very uncomfortable, Andie checked her fingernails. "She's in the restroom. I...um...I think she started without us…she's already had several glasses of wine."
"What? Oh, no! You mean she's…" Jessica was horrified. "Is she drunk? It's only 7:00."
"Not really drunk...just very relaxed, if you know what I mean. She's been openly flirting with our waiter. I think she tried to grope him." Andie shook her head as she looked around the room. "It's been really embarrassing…"
"Well, that's just great." Sighing in exasperation, Jessica eased carefully into a chair. "So much for trying to get her to be sensible."
"We may yet be able to prevail, Ms. Warren." Brennan sat down and folded her hands in front of her. "We must impress the gravity of the situation on her."
"I know, but I'm not sure she's willing to listen…", Jessica began, only to be interrupted by Daisy's noisy greeting.
"Hey, girls! It's time to get our groove thang on…" Laughing loudly as she sat down, she yelled to get their waiter's attention. "Hey, Robbie! My friends are here. Bring us another bottle of Merlot…"
"I really only want a glass of Zinfandel, thanks.", Jessica told the waiter. She shrugged at her friends. "My doctor cleared me to return to regular activities, and I'm off the pain meds. However, even though it's okay for me to go back to work tomorrow, I don't want to push it."
"I think that is a wise decision, Ms. Warren, and we're very happy to have you back, albeit for shorter days this week." Brennan nodded her approval as she smiled at the waiter. "I'll have a glass of Merlot, but there's no need to bring another bottle."
Daisy began to pout as her friends settled back in their seats. "I thought we were going to have fun…you know, maybe get a little bit crazy..."
"We all have to work tomorrow, Daisy and it's going to be Jessica's first day back at the lab.", Andie commented quietly. "I'm sure Jessica must still tire easily, even though she's mostly recovered from her injuries…"
"Speaking of injuries...did you hear what Rani did?" Daisy huffed out an annoyed sigh. "I can't stand that bitch! She's so vindictive!"
Daisy's three friends were caught off guard by the sudden change in subject. Jessica cleared her throat before speaking calmly. "I'm not sure what you mean, Daisy. What makes you think she's vindictive? She visited me in the hospital and checked in on me last week in between working and being with Oliver. I think she's been very pleasant, considering everything that's happened recently."
"Well, she's got you fooled because that snot made Oliver tell me Friday afternoon that I need to leave him alone...and that he no longer wants to talk to me." Daisy crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance. "He said I shouldn't come to see him anymore, but I know he doesn't mean it…she's making him say those things because she's so jealous of us."
"Oliver said that?", Andie asked in surprise. "Wow…"
"Yes, and I still don't believe it.", Daisy huffed. "I got there as he was napping, but then he woke up and snapped at me for being there and told me to stop visiting him. I'm his friend! As I asked him why he was being so cold to me, a nurse came in and told me I had to leave!"
Remembering Daisy's incident with Oliver two days before Gerald's attack, Jessica shook her head. "Daisy-"
"Then, that sneaky little skank got Hodgins to sign off on a letter she sent to the Nursing Administrator of the hospital where Oliver's been recuperating, formally requesting that I be banned from seeing him without her express approval! I mean, can you believe the nerve of that woman? Oliver is my friend, and I should be able to see him whenever I want! And you know what else? She doesn't want to tell me what rehab center he's going to when he's discharged, and neither does Dr. Hodgins. She's treating me like I'm some sort of stalker. Dr. B, you have some friends at that hospital's administration, right? Maybe you can get me in to see Oliver. If I can just talk to him for a few minutes, I can find out what I need to know…or maybe if one of you asks Rani, she'll tell you and then you can text me the info. I have to see Oliver!"
"Daisy…" Brennan sipped her wine and set her glass before for continuing in serious tone. "There are some things you need to know. To begin with, Hodgins told me that Dr. Wells' parents are no longer living and that is why he has Dr. Wells' Health and Financial Powers of Attorney. However, Hodgins and Dr. Mittipalli are also working together to assist him with all of his needs and in making sure he is able to recuperate fully. Eventually, Dr. Mittipalli will be listed as a second next of kin, along with Dr. Hodgins, so they'll be the people contacted in case of any further emergencies."
"Hodgins plans to help Oliver list that 'See You Next Tuesday' as another next of kin?" Daisy was shocked. "But why would Oliver let them do that? I'm one of his closest friends. Why in the hell would Dr. Hodgins do that? They aren't even married…"
"Not yet, but they were in the process of arranging to cohabitate when he was attacked. I believe they had looked at several condominiums near Georgetown University. As it stands now, Dr. Mittipalli has put her research project on hold so that she can assist in his care. He has a long period of recovery ahead of him."
Thoroughly incensed, Daisy slammed her fist on the table. "How can he recover if she's keeping Oliver from all his friends? Her jealousy is going to hurt him even more! I still can't believe that Dr. Hodgins would let Rani cut me out of Oliver's life like that..."
"Perhaps I can give you an example to help you understand their point of view." Brennan sighed softly as she glanced at her companions. "When Booth had the surgery to remove that benign mass in his brain, it took him several months before he felt that he was completely healed. He suffered from memory loss and periods of disorientation."
Daisy rolled her eyes at her mentor. "Yes, Dr. B, I remember all that-"
"But Ms. Warren and Ms. Roberts don't." Pausing for dramatic effect, she grimaced as she remembered what Rani had told her. "Dr. Wells' injuries are much, much more severe, Daisy. The swelling in his brain has eased considerably, but the neurosurgeon is still quite concerned about the effect of the injuries on Oliver's cognitive abilities. While he is communicating and able to do basic tasks like eating and writing, he is having issues with memory and some of the higher cognitive activities. They're unsure as to whether or not Oliver will be able to function as well as he once did, although with his advanced intelligence and mental acumen, he has a better chance at a long term recovery than most. While he composed a persuasive victim's statement to be read at Gerald's hearing, but it may be that Dr. Mittipalli assisted him to a significant degree. It's also possible that she may have to assist him in many other ways as well, such as in dealing with the tasks associated with day-to-day living, and she may have to do so for the rest of his life, but I believe she's up to the challenge of caring for him. As for your other accusation against Rani, my interactions with her don't show any obvious jealous tendencies. I believe she is instead concerned about making sure Dr. Wells has the best care possible."
"But that doesn't give her the right to keep me from seeing him.", Daisy blustered. "I'm sure he wondered where I was…"
"Daisy…", Jessica began, thoroughly aggravated with her friend. "...Oliver was critically injured with a severe skull fracture, brain trauma, and was in a medically induced coma due to the swelling. He needed time to recuperate without people traipsing through his room…"
"I wasn't traipsing! I was trying to help! There was one evening when Dr. Mittipalli was nowhere to be found, and Oliver was moaning and groaning...obviously in pain, you know? He couldn't use his buzzer, and someone needed to get the nurse…they needed to get him some morphine or some stronger pain meds."
Andie interrupted, holding up her hand to stop Daisy's rant. "I can assure you that the staff at the hospital had things under control. Of course he was in pain! He'd been attacked and seriously injured! Contrary to what you think, narcotics are contraindicated in patients with head trauma, so he was getting sufentanil to manage his postoperative pain. As a patient in ICU, he was being monitored at the Nurses Station as well as by having the staff make frequent rounds. I know most of the nurses that work in that ICU and they're excellent at doing their jobs. Oliver has had the best care possible."
Daisy shook off Andie's comment. "But how could Rani just take off like she did...just because they had a fight? How is that supporting her boyfriend? Because when she was in Mumbai, he was alone for almost an entire day."
"Dr. Wells was not alone. Hodgins was with him when he wasn't with Angela, Daisy, as you were." Brennan glared slightly at the young woman sitting across from her. "Dr. Mittipalli returned as quickly as she could, thanks to Booth's contact at the State Department, who called the US consulate in Mumbai. There were embassy employees at the airport to meet Rani when she arrived and after she called to inquire on Oliver's condition, she was on the next flight back to the States…"
Realizing that Daisy didn't believe her, Brennan decided to be blunt. "Rani and Oliver are in a committed romantic relationship. From what Hodgins told me Saturday night, it seems that they've discussed making their research partnership a marital partnership as well. Whether or not they'll be able to go through with that now depends on how well Dr. Wells is able to recover, but I believe they love each other very much."
"But...he said...before being attacked he and I, we...I know he cares about me!", Daisy stammered, clearly hurt by Brennan's statement but unprepared to go into what had happened before the attack. "They'd argued, and she had left for Mumbai...that's a chicken shit way to handle things..."
"She had a speaking engagement there. She didn't leave the country simply because she was angry with him. Those two events were coincidental in their timing." Brennan took another sip of her wine. "Hodgins also told me that Oliver was upset about their argument, but he didn't want to discuss it."
As she listened to her mentor, Jessica debated on what to do. It seemed that her talk with Oliver, his near death experience, or something else had prompted him to do the right thing by ending his entanglement with Daisy. She hated lying, but it seemed that not even Dr. B could get through to her former student. Knowing that the truth about her confrontation with Oliver and his declaration of love for Daisy would cause an even bigger mess, the redhead decided to do the one thing she hated doing most in order to help her friend...she lied through her teeth.
"Daisy, listen to me, okay?" Jessica reached across the table to take her friend's hand. "I talked to Oliver for several minutes before we...were attacked, and I confronted him about the fact that he was possibly leading you on. He told me that he cares for you, but he also realized that he missed his chance...that you're married to someone else now. He felt badly about what had happened between you...about all of it...but he has made a conscious effort to move on with his life. He's happy with Rani now…and, if you're truly his friend, you should be happy for him as well. If you keep meddling, you could ruin their relationship."
Andie had been listening quietly to the conversation, but finally she spoke her mind. "Look, Daisy...Wendell says that you're probably the first person that Oliver had ever really loved unselfishly, and because of that...due to his lack of experience with being in love, if you will...he didn't handle things well between the two of you...he didn't know how to express what he was feeling for you at the time. I'm sorry if you were hurt, but you've also moved on, right? You're married to a man who loves you…"
"Enough!" Daisy was fed up with her friends' condescension. "If Beau truly loves me, why is he chasing after some dream that he knows I don't share? Why is he trying to force me to do something he knows I don't want to do? Why can't he be the one to change? First he wants me to pump out a bunch of kids, and now, after talking to his dad about moving to Canada, they both decided it was a good thing without even consulting me! They want me to give up everything so Beau can play football!"
"Marriage is about compromise on both sides.", Brennan said firmly. "Have you actually had a calm, adult conversation about what both of you want out of life? It would have been preferable to have had that talk before you were married, but it's vital now that you have life changing decisions to make."
"We didn't need to talk, Dr. B. He said I was his princess and that he wanted to take care of Lance and me. He supported me working at the NFL and I supported him playing football here in Washington. Why does he have to ruin things by wanting to move to Canada?"
"I still don't understand why you two can't compromise on this", Jessica said. "Maybe you should reconsider the idea of visiting him in Regina on long weekends during the season and he can come back to DC off season. That way you two can both have what you want."
"No, I'm needed at the NFL and my absences would be too complicated to coordinate. Besides, Beau wouldn't want to do that."
Andie was surprised as she listened to her friend's response. "Wait, 'wouldn't want to do that?'. Daisy, you told me that you two had already talked and that he didn't want to do that."
"Because he didn't. He wants us together as a family." Daisy shrugged as she sipped her wine. "One big happy family...in Regina…"
Brennan twirled the stem of her wine glass between her fingers, not missing Daisy's slip of the tongue, either. "Unfortunately, it seems as if you're at an impasse with him, but there is something else to consider before you make any sort of rash decision about your marriage. I'm sure you must realize that Beau is the only father Lance has ever known. Even though your husband is not his biological father, it's obvious to even the casual observer that he loves your little boy as his own flesh and blood. Are you really willing to put that relationship in jeopardy?"
"I might, if it meant I could keep my job. I thought for sure you'd realize what was at stake here, Dr. Brennan.", Daisy cried. "You recommended me for the job at the NFL! How can I give up the job of a lifetime so my husband can play a little boy's game for a couple of years? I've worked my whole life to attain that sort of success. You taught me that as a woman I can do anything I put my mind to. Has that changed now that you're married to Booth?"
Brennan ran her fingers around the rim of her glass, considering Daisy's statement. "I still believe that a woman can achieve success in anything she puts her mind to. However, I also have come to believe as I've aged that a woman can achieve success in a wide variety of places...and as you've said yourself, Daisy, it would only be for a couple of years. I had a similar dilemma when Booth was offered the position as Special Agent in Charge of the Berlin office. However, I realized that it was a chance of a lifetime for him and I could still work on my discipline in some other area, so I was prepared to go with him. I still am. That's the commitment I made to him as his partner at the FBI and in our life together."
"But Booth got ambushed at the congressional hearing, Dr. B, and then those guys shot up your house. My situation is totally different.", Daisy whined.
"Perhaps.", Brennan commented. "However, Beau has also worked his whole life to attain his dream. Why is your dream more important than his? You two need to work that out!"
"Daisy...I know where you're coming from.", Jessica interjected. "I've worked hard, too, and you're right...the NFL is a dream job. But you have something else I've dreamed about...you have a family...a husband and an adorable little boy. Are you going to give that up to stay in DC so that you can work at the NFL?"
"So you would give up your dreams, Jessica, just to follow Aubrey if he gets transferred to another field office?", Daisy snapped back. "No, I know you wouldn't, because you broke up with him when he accepted the position at the LA field office, remember?" She turned to Andie and glared at her. "What about you? Are you going to give up your nurse practitioner program to follow Wendell if he has a job opportunity in another city?"
"If that happens, Wendell and I will talk about it and work it out together. With Aubrey and Jessica, it was different, and you know that.", Andie replied. "Don't make this all about us."
Brennan finally said the one thing Daisy's younger friends had hoped to avoid. "Is this about your husband's career opportunity in the CFL, Daisy? Or are you wanting to stay to pursue a man who isn't interested in you 'that way' any more? You'd be losing so much if you give up on Beau and your marriage."
"You're supposed to be my friends!", Daisy sobbed. "You're supposed to support me during the hard times…"
"That's what we're trying to do. We all care about you, Daisy...that's why we want to help you think through your decisions.", Jessica explained. "We're not judging you...and we're not angry at you. We just want to help you make the best choice."
"But it seems that you've all made up your minds that whatever I want to do is wrong. I'm a grown woman! I can make my own choices! If I want to see Oliver, I will. It's not going to hurt Beau or anybody else if I go see my friend at the hospital." Draining her glass, an unsteady Daisy tried to stand up. "Never mind! I'll figure it out on my own! Thanks for nothing! I'll see myself out! I'll just get a cab and go home..."
"Daisy, please don't leave like this…", Jessica pleaded. "Please sit down. We can work this out…"
"Too late! You can all just go to Hell!" Daisy grabbed her purse and jacket and wobbled away from the table, leaving her three friends to shake their heads at her tantrum.
Finally Brennan broke the awkward silence. "Well, we tried to convince Daisy to make the best choice, but I'm unsure if we were successful." She smiled sadly at her companions. "On that note, I suggest we call it a night as well. Do you need a ride home, Andie?"
"That would be nice, Dr. Brennan, if it isn't too much trouble. Thank you."
"It's no trouble at all. Shall we?"
The women walked out to Brennan's car in silence, each wondering what further drama the evening would hold for Daisy and Beau.
Oooooooooo
It was almost 9 PM when Jessica arrived at home. "Hey, Superman…", she called from the front door. "I'm home…"
"Hey, Jess." As he came into the foyer he reached out to give her a tender hug. "How was your day?"
"It was eventful, to say the least." She grinned as she hung up her jacket. "The good news is that the doctor has given me the all clear as far as recovering from my injuries. She said that I can slowly get back into my normal routine...you know, at work and here at home...and various forms of intimate recreation…"
"Cool." Aubrey twitched an eyebrow at his girlfriend. "I like that kind of recreation…"
"Yeah, I know you do." Jessica tried to smile as she pulled off her gloves. "The bad news is that after the three of us spent time trying to talk some sense into Daisy, I don't think we got through to her at all. She seems determined to self destruct, and to take Beau down with her. I don't know what else to do…"
Seeing how sad his girlfriend was, Aubrey took her hand and led her over to the couch. "Here, come sit with me for a minute." He put his arm around her and gently embraced her as she lay her head on his shoulder. "You did everything a friend could do, right? You've tried to warn her that her actions were going to ruin her marriage, and maybe Oliver's relationship with Rani, too, but she has chosen to ignore you. That's not on you, Jess. That's on her."
"But she didn't listen…no matter what we said, she just didn't get it at all, even after Dr. B was very blunt. It was like she was deliberately disregarding our advice." Jessica sighed softly as she put her arm around her boyfriend's waist. "I don't know how she could be so asinine...so ignorant. It doesn't seem to bother her that she could ruin her marriage and maybe even permanently scar Lance emotionally by taking away the only father he's ever known. She's being so thoughtless, Aubrey. It's like she's playing stupid for no good reason, and it's so upsetting…seeing her act like that...like she doesn't give a damn who she hurts...she didn't used to be this way..."
"I realize that's aggravating, but you're not responsible for her choices. You...Andie...Dr. B...you all gave her the necessary information to make a good choice, and now she has to decide what to do with it. I know it's frustrating, but that's the way it goes. And I think you're right. All the upheaval and drama in her life has made her angry at the world, and Oliver is her way of crossing some imaginary line in the sand. She'll come around, Jess, but she'll have to face the consequences of her actions first."
"But she's going to get hurt, Aubrey, and there's nothing I can do to stop that."
"No, there's not...except be there for her as a friend without letting yourself get sucked into the drama again." Aubrey kissed the top of Jessica's head. "Hey, I guess if the doctor gave you the all clear, you can actually sleep in the bed with me tonight, right?"
'Oh wow...he wants to make love…' She thought about his question for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. "I guess so...and I'm pretty tired, so I guess I'll go upstairs…"
"Yeah...me, too." After making sure Skinner had food and water, Aubrey turned off the lights and followed Jessica upstairs to their bedroom.
There were a few awkward moments as they both undressed, with an unspoken question hanging between them. After brushing his teeth, Aubrey moved the cat, pulled back the sheets and crawled into bed. "Are you okay, Jess? I don't want to rush you..."
She stood by the bed, looking at it with uncertainty. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just...I..."
Suddenly Aubrey realized what was happening. "You don't have to explain, Jessica. We'll take the next steps together, alright?"
Feeling reassured, she slowly sat on the bed and then pulled her feet up and turned to lie next to him. "Um...can you just hold me for awhile? I'm so tired…and disappointed, I guess...and sad..."
"Of course." Aubrey turned off the bedside lamp and took Jessica into his arms as she snuggled next to him. He rubbed her shoulders gently and stroked her hair as he crooned softly. "You just rest, Babe. I've got you now. You're safe with me. I love you so much…"
"I love you, too." Jessica rubbed his chest gently. "I'll be there soon, Aubrey. I'm almost there."
Aubrey held her closer. "Well, when you get there, I'll be there, too."
Soon they were both snoring softly in each other's arms, content just to be together.