Ah, here we are folks. I hope your Turkey Day was good.
Today Aubrey confronts the past and Jessica confides in Dr. B. How will it all end up? Read and find out.
A/N: There's a special announcement at the end of the chapter.
Due to their afterglow buzz from the night before, Aubrey and Jessica slept soundly until the alarm went off at 5:15 AM. Reluctantly, the agent left the warmth of the redhead's body and got out of bed. As he showered, he admitted to himself as happy as he was Eleanor was heading back to Pittsburgh, he wasn't looking forward to being in the car with her for the forty minute drive to the train station. However, it was near the Hoover, and he didn't want to make Jessica get out of bed early just to have her kill time until her shift at the lab started at 8:00.
"I'm a grown man.," he grumbled to himself. "I've survived a bombing and being shot. I'll live."
Coming out of the bathroom 30 minutes later, Aubrey didn't see either Jessica or Skinner. Realizing she was up to see her mother off, he went downstairs and was grateful to see his love putting a cup of coffee on the center island.
"Is your mom still getting ready?"
"She is." Jessica sipped her catnip tea. "Aubrey, I'm going to take her to Union Station this morning."
"So then you can sit in my office or at the diner for an hour? No, Jess, I'm the one who fought with her. I'll take her to Union Station."
"No, Aubrey. My mother and I need to have another chat. I specifically told her to not bring up your father and to leave you alone, but apparently, I need to tell her again. You've stood up to her for me too many times. It's my turn."
Aubrey could see she meant business. "You can hang out with me at my office until you need to go to the lab if you want."
"Thank you…I may take you up on that." Jessica sipped her tea again. "So I'm making chicken and dumplings tonight and I figure after dinner we'll set up our wedding registries...are you still alright with Bed, Bath and Beyond and Target?"
"Yeah, those places are practical and we can find some fun kitchen stuff, too." Aubrey finished tying his tie. "Wherever you want, Jess."
Jessica filled Aubrey's travel mug with coffee and cinnamon. "Okay, good. We have to also schedule a time to go shopping for our wedding rings and decide on where to have the rehearsal dinner…at least we can do that…I don't want another fancy catered affair."
Aubrey frowned as he figured out what was going on. "Jess, you need to talk to Angela…today. She's overstepping again, and she won't stop until you tell her to."
"I can't, Superman…I'm not really sure what to say, okay? She's going out of her way to help us out and we need to appreciate that, but I don't want some flamboyant, sophisticated bridal shower with fancy catering and I don't want a bachelorette party at a bar. Dr. B stood her ground about the seamstress altering our dresses, but Angela's really hurt her feelings by taking over everything…"
"And yours, too. Jess, Angela means well, but she doesn't always think outside of what she thinks is right. This time, she's not right and she needs to be told. If you prefer, I'll do it—"
"No, Aubrey. It'll be fine." Jessica sipped her tea. "I'm not looking forward to this engagement gathering...party...whatever we're calling it on Saturday. It seems like a waste and frankly, it's dumb."
Aubrey took her hand across the counter. "Jess, she pushed us to have it, but I don't think we need that shit, either. Honestly, she just wanted an excuse to have a party."
"At least she got barbecue for you." Jessica shrugged. "That's good."
"Yeah…I guess so, but if Angela gets to be too much, tell her and I'll back you up." Aubrey sipped his coffee. "Do you know what she's serving at on Saturday at least?"
"No…she said it's a surprise. Even the damn cake is a secret. Same for the bridal shower...a big surprise." Jessica sighed. "Honestly, all I wanted for my bridal shower was a nice potluck with a couple of games that aren't super stupid, you know? When I asked her about the price for everything, she said not to worry about it, which has me worried. We're not destitute and can afford nice stuff, but I don't want to shell out an arm and a leg for a shower, Aubrey, and I won't let my dad pay for anything crazy. I don't want Angela doing that, either."
"Well, I'll go along with whatever you want to do." Aubrey looked at his watch. "It's 6:00. Is your mom almost ready? I want to be at the Hoover by 7:00 to go through all the weekend reports."
"She should be…" Jessica took Aubrey's hand. "I'm so sorry that she pushed that prenup on you and brought up your dad. I told her not to..." Jessica was interrupted by a door opening, followed by Eleanor coming out holding her travel bag. "Mom, do you want a cup of coffee before we take you to the train station?"
"No, I'm fine." A loud horn was heard outside. "That's my cab."
Surprised and annoyed, Jessica stiffened. "You called a cab? I thought we were taking you there...I got up early so we could get you there on time and Aubrey could go to work."
"Well, you and your fiancé made it perfectly clear that my efforts to make your wedding a beautiful occasion were wrong, and I think it's best that I not subject myself to a car ride with James and his bruised ego."
"Mom, that's enough!," Jessica huffed. "I wanted to talk to you before you went back to Pittsburgh…Mom…stop, please..."
Eleanor didn't respond as she walked out the door. "I'll see you on April 13th, Jessica. Please make sure I have a suite reserved at the Carlton. Goodbye Jessica…James…"
The lawyer slammed the door and the couple stared at it before returning to the kitchen. Aubrey saw Jessica's back was turned to him as she worked at the sink and he cursed Eleanor's name as he hugged his intern from behind. "I'm sorry, Jess…"
Jessica wiped away a quick tear. "It's fine…storming out is something she's good at when she doesn't get her own way. Remember Thanksgiving?"
"Yeah…because I told her off then, too." Aubrey kissed her head. "I was out of line—"
"No, you weren't. I'll take care of it before the wedding, Superman. Since we're both up, would you like some breakfast before going to work?"
The agent shook his head. "I'll eat at the Hoover…not just donuts, I promise.," Aubrey clarified when he saw Jessica's face before kissing her. "I'll see you tonight. I'm not missing homemade chicken and dumplings…"
"James Aubrey, are you just marrying me for my culinary skills?," Jessica teased.
"No…," Aubrey scoffed. "You've also got a great ass…I'm not letting anyone else enjoy it but me."
Jessica threw a towel at her fiancé but missed as he put his coat on, grabbed his keys, Star Wars travel mug, and laptop bag, and headed out the door. As she heard his SUV pull out of the driveway, she thought about what he'd said about Angela. She was frustrated, but this was the artist's present to the couple and with them getting married in two and a half weeks, they needed all the help they can get.
"It'll be fine. I need to appreciate the effort…it will be fine…it'll be just fine..."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Thirty minutes later, Aubrey sighed softly as he waited for the elevator that would take him up to his floor. Mondays were always rough for him, but today it seemed worse than normal. Leaving Jessica was difficult after spending so much quality time with her over the weekend, although the thought that they'd soon make their relationship permanent did ease his mind a bit. She'd be home when he got in that evening, and he was looking forward to seeing her. Thinking about how happy they'd be later that evening would be enough incentive to get him through the workday.
Until then, however, he had to get some paperwork knocked out. Criminals didn't take the weekend off, and, in fact, it seemed that there were more felonies occurring on Saturday than any other day of the week. Being Special Agent in Charge meant that he didn't normally get called into work on the weekends unless something major happened, but he'd need to look through the incident reports for the past couple of days to make sure things in his division were under control.
There were also duty schedules to make, budgetary items to look over, leave requests to consider, and expense accounts to approve. He laughed sardonically. For all intents and purposes, he was actually a glorified desk jockey these days, rarely going out into the field to do investigations. He missed that aspect of his job...the hands on work that made solving a crime so fascinating. He had to relegate most of those cases to other agents now, since someone had to stay behind and hold down the fort…
His musings were interrupted by the sharp ding that announced that the elevator had finally arrived. It was early, so he was alone as he rode up to his floor. No one would be in the office yet...no one would interrupt him as he worked.
Grimacing slightly as he passed through the darkened bullpen to get to his office, he groaned softly as he unlocked his door. The reason he was even earlier than normal this morning brought unpleasant memories to mind. He tried to ignore them, sipping his coffee as he stared out the window, but to no avail. He'd screwed up royally, and there might not be any way to fix it.
He mentally kicked himself again. He should've known better than to fall prey to Eleanor Gordon's constant carping over the wedding plans he and Jessica had made as well as her loaded commentary about him being after the redhead's trust fund. He was an intelligent man, experienced in dealing with difficult people. Getting angry about her biting comments and telling her off, while giving him a moment's satisfaction, had been a rookie move.
He'd tried to rationalize his behavior by telling himself that he was standing up for his fiancee. Jessica's mother had subjected her daughter's wedding plans to an unbelievable amount of criticism. Eleanor's disrespectful attitude simply could not be tolerated, right?
On the other hand, Aubrey wondered if her comments about his father being a criminal hadn't gotten under his skin, causing him to lose his cool. Unfortunately, that seemed to be the more likely scenario…
Shaking his head, the agent scowled at his computer monitor as he read an email from Stark requesting a meeting with him, Booth, and Genny later that afternoon. As he accepted the meeting request, his thoughts wandered once more.
Why did he let that sort of thing get to him? He was a well respected man, with a great job, good friends, and a wonderful fiancee. He really had it all, so why let one little bitchy comment about his dad get to him like that? It was time to get his head on straight and to let that shit go…
"Good. I'm glad you're already here."
Startled by the intrusion, Aubrey looked toward the door. "Oh, hey, Booth. Yeah...I woke up earlier than normal, what with Jessica's mom leaving this morning, so I decided to get a head start on all this stuff." He pointed at the stack of folders on his desk. "The fun never stops, you know…"
Sauntering in, Booth shrugged as he plopped into the chair opposite of his friend. "Well, that may have to wait. I need you to help me out this morning."
"Really?" Somewhat surprised, the younger man nodded. "What's going on?"
"Prisoner transfer. The Bureau of Prisons wants to move a guy this morning, and protocols require that two agents be in charge of the transfer from one agency to the other."
Slightly confused, Aubrey scratched his chin. "Why can't you take Bower or Chamberlain? I've got a lot to do…and we have a meeting with Stark later today..."
"They want it done as soon as possible...like as soon as we can leave. The guy is being moved out of state and they want to get an early start." Booth cocked his head to one side. "C'mon...you don't really want to look through all those files this early in the morning, do you?"
Puffing out a frustrated sigh, Aubrey glared at Booth. "Do you think it'll take all day? I don't want to be here too late tonight...Jess is making chicken and dumplings for dinner, and I'm really looking forward to it…"
"With any luck we'll be done by lunchtime…" Booth stubbornly stuck out his chin. "You know, if you hadn't been arguing about coming with me, we'd be on the road already, right? Let's go…"
"Jeez…hold your horses…" Quickly rising from his chair, Aubrey grabbed his coat and travel mug. "Okay...just let me get some coffee on the way out."
"Fine. Five minutes...we need to get going…"
Ooooooooo
As the black SUV moved through the busy city streets, Booth glanced at his pensive passenger. "You doing okay?"
"Yeah, I guess. Why?"
"Because we've passed all of your favorite doughnut shops and you haven't complained once about us not stopping." Booth chuckled softly at his friend's grimace. "So...what's up? You and Jessica have a fight about wedding stuff? Planning something like that can be stressful, you know…"
"I didn't have a fight with her…," Aubrey began slowly. "Not really…"
"Oh." As they sat at an intersection, Booth tapped his fingers against the back of the steering wheel. "Well...okay then...how was Eleanor's visit last night?"
"She was a pain, and it could have been better." After a few seconds of silence, Aubrey cleared his throat. "I...got into a shouting match with her…"
"Whoa...what were you thinking? I mean, I can understand putting her in her place, but seriously...yelling at your future mother in law?"
"Yeah, I know. It sucks, and I'm kinda ashamed of myself..." The younger man shrugged a shoulder as he picked at his thumbnail. "...but she was being her normal obnoxious self...she was pissed we wouldn't serve her alcohol...she was upset about our plans for a small, informal wedding instead of some fancy production at the National Cathedral, so she barged in and made all sorts of pretentious plans without our consent, including reserving a room at a fancy hotel in Luray for our reception and planning the menu…and then she got her panties in a wad when we told her we were keeping our original plans instead. Then she made some rude remarks about the dress Jessica bought…and got in some digs about me getting a suit instead of a fancy tux from New York...hell, she was even bitching about Skinner..."
"You're right...that's obnoxious." Booth nodded in sympathy. "But still...yelling at her…"
"Well, I was mostly okay with her comments about our plans, you know? I mean, I knew what she was trying to do, with taking over the wedding and all, and she wouldn't listen to either of us, no matter what we said, which was frustrating. But then she started in on how I needed to sign a prenuptial agreement because she thinks I'm just after Jessica's trust fund money, waving the paper in my face, and accusing me of planning to get Jessica pregnant as soon as possible so she'd be stuck with me forever..." Aubrey grimaced as he turned toward the window. "She even mentioned something about me being a crook like my dad…and it went downhill from there."
"Shit." Booth was disgusted. "So she pulled one of her lawyer tricks, right? Making you feel worthless so you'd lash out…"
Surprised at Booth's assessment, Aubrey turned to look at him. "You mean, she wanted to pick a fight with me?"
"Maybe. I mean, look at it this way...Eleanor thinks you're not good enough for Jessica, so she makes you mad and you yell at her, which proves her point...you're a bum, shouting ungratefully at someone who's just trying to help you out. You know lawyers do stuff like that in court all the time…"
"Son of a bitch...and I fell for it…" It was Aubrey's turn to be disgusted. "I gave her exactly what she wanted, didn't I?"
"Yeah, it looks like it." Booth checked his rearview mirror before glancing at his friend. "So what about Jessica? Is she mad at you?"
"Nah...she knew I was sticking up for her. She said that maybe I shouldn't have provoked her mother, but Eleanor was way out of line, and I don't think Jess should have to put up with that woman's shit over what's supposed to be a happy occasion. She was going to talk to her mom when she dropped her off at Union Station this morning, but of course, Eleanor called a cab without telling us and then ignored her daughter as she walked out the door."
Booth felt sorry for his friend. "That's lousy, but it'll probably be better if Jessica sets the boundaries with her mother instead of you doing it. Then you can back up your fiancee instead of leading the charge."
"I agree...I hate putting her through that, but it also makes sense for her to do it instead of me." Aubrey paused as the SUV turned into the parking lot of a large brick structure. "So our guy's being held here?"
"Yeah." After parking the car and locking it, Booth headed for the door. "He's been convicted of breaking several federal laws, so he's under FBI jurisdiction until the marshals take over. C'mon…"
The agents checked in at the security desk and were led down a narrow corridor to the holding cellblock. The guard checked his clipboard and pointed to a door. "Down there on the left...that's your guy. It says here you're supposed to check him out...take a statement and then make sure there's no weapons and so evidence of injuries before the federal marshals arrive. Then they'll sign off and take him into custody." He held out pen to Booth. "If you'll sign here, sir…"
Booth held up his hand. "I'm not signing that…"
The guard was surprised. "It's just a formality. I mean, the guy's in good shape, so you can just sign here and then wait in the lounge…"
"No, that's not what I mean." He pointed to his companion. "Agent Aubrey will be signing off on this transfer." Seeing Aubrey's confusion, Booth put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go see how the fella is, okay?"
The guard shook his head as he unlocked the door. "Alright...if you say so." He paused as he pushed the door slightly ajar. "I'll leave you to it. If you need me, just press that button up there...it'll alert me at the desk."
Watching as the guard walked away, Booth gestured for Aubrey to enter. "Go ahead...you're the agent in charge. I'll wait out here."
Glancing at the manacled prisoner sitting at the table inside the cell, the younger man swore loudly as he turned away in disgust. "Son of a bitch...you set me up, Booth! That's my dad in there, dammit! What were you thinking, you rotten bastard?!"
Calm in the face of Aubrey's seething anger, Booth sighed quietly. "I was thinking that you need a chance to face your dad and tell him what you really think about him."
"What?! You dragged me all this way so I could cuss out my old man?" Aubrey stared at his friend in disbelief. "I can't believe this…goddammit, of all the stupid ideas..."
"Listen, I know you're upset...and you have a right to be, since I just sprung this on you without warning, but hear me out, okay?"
Muttering angrily as he paced the hall, Aubrey shook his head. "I thought we were friends, Booth...and then you go and kick me in the balls like this…you should've told me he was gonna be here..."
"If I had told you about him being here, you wouldn't have wanted to come, right?" Booth moved to stand in front of his friend. "Just stop pacing and listen to me for a minute, okay? Then, if you don't like what I have to say, we'll leave, I promise."
Seeing Aubrey exhale slowly, Booth continued. "I know your old man is a nasty mother fucker. Mine was, too, remember? Neither one of us hit the jackpot in the parent contest, right? But here's the difference, okay? I never got to tell my old man to fuck off before he died, and now you have a chance to tell your old man to go to hell." Booth hesitated as Aubrey glared at him. "You need to do that to free yourself from his influence on your life...kind of like clearing away all your dad's shit from your mind and making a clean break so you can have an unhindered future with Jessica. Trust me...if you don't do this right now, you'll probably regret it for the rest of your life. You have to shut the door on him for good, or the bad memories will haunt you forever."
As angry as he was, Aubrey nodded slowly, knowing that Booth was probably right. Finally he looked Booth in the eyes. "Okay...I'm gonna talk to him. Are you coming in, too?"
"No...I'm gonna wait out here. We'll leave the door open so it doesn't look hinky…" Booth patted his friend's shoulder. "Good luck, buddy…"
"Yeah...thanks."
Squaring his shoulders, Aubrey smoothed his tie as he opened the door and walked into the holding cell. Nodding to the guard, he pointed towards the hall. "You can wait outside."
The guard frowned in disagreement but quietly turned and left. Aubrey glanced toward the glass wall that hid the viewing room. Any observers who happened to be behind the window were going to get an earful, but it couldn't be helped. He was going to do as Booth had suggested, no matter who was listening.
Wearing a smug grin, Phillip Aubrey chuckled at his son's discomfort. "What's the trouble, James? Cat got your tongue? Aren't you even gonna say hello to your dad?"
Of course that's how he starts...he's always gotta have the upper hand. Makes him feel like the man... Aubrey pursed his lips slightly as he sat down opposite of his father. "This isn't a social call. I'm here to take any statement you might have before you're transferred, and to ascertain that you're in good health…"
"Cut the shit, boy…," the older man interrupted. "You didn't visit me once while I was in that hospital in West Virginia. You don't give a fucking goddamn about my health."
Gazing at the man sitting across from him, Aubrey nodded as he rose from his seat. "You know what? You're right. I mean, I've done my job...you're walking and talking after being shot, so you're in good health. I don't see any other injuries that were sustained while you were in FBI custody. Goodbye…"
"James...Jamie...wait...wait just a minute." Phillip wore a sad expression as he grabbed his son's arm. "Sit down...please. I want to talk to you for a minute…before I leave..."
Reluctantly complying, the agent turned and took his seat. "What?"
"I'm going away for a long time, son. They're sending to the Communication Management Unit at the federal penitentiary in Marion, Illinois...for ten to fifteen years. I won't even be able to write to you very often, you know? All of my mail will be monitored...and I won't have computer access…" Wiping his eyes, the old man sighed. "It's gonna be rough…I'll be incommunicado."
"Ten to fifteen years?" Aubrey was surprised and saddened by the length of the sentence being imposed on his father. "I thought you had immunity…I didn't think your sentence would be that long..."
"I did have immunity for part of what went down with the Croatians...I gave your Fed friends enough evidence on Craig Stephenson and his buddies to put them away for good." The older man shrugged sadly. "The problem is that my idiot lawyer talked me into waiving my right to a trial for the computer parts smuggling and all that other shit with the meth...he thought they'd go easy on me because of my age, and unfortunately, I trusted him." Phillip grunted as he shifted in his chair. "Yeah, well, that was my first mistake.. The judge was real lenient...I got a minimum of ten years instead of the 25 I could've gotten, and with my sentence for all that securities fraud bullshit from 20 years ago...I'm probably gonna die in prison..."
As much as Aubrey despised his father, he couldn't help but feel distressed about the older man's predicament. "I'm sorry to hear that, Dad. Are you sure you can't appeal?"
"Nah...I lost the right to an appeal when I waived my trial and threw myself on the mercy of the court. Of course, going to trial might've been worse...the prosecution would've dredged up all my past indiscretions. Either way, I was screwed, Jamie. I guess I should've stayed in Croatia, but I wanted to see you again, son. Even if it meant going to prison, I wanted to spend some time with my boy, you know? Seeing how successful you've become? It means a lot to me, knowing that you're gonna be okay."
"Really?," Aubrey asked cautiously. "I thought you said I was a loser since I went to work for the FBI instead of working in the stock market…"
Phillip smiled slightly. "Yeah, well...I don't really hold that against you. Of course, I wanted you to follow in my footsteps, but your mother was right...you had to find your own way. You had to do what you felt was right for you."
Relaxing a bit, the younger man sat back in his chair. "Yeah, I did...since you were gone, and couldn't give me the advice I needed."
"I feel real bad about that, James. I should have been there for you while you were growing up…but at least I had Frank Kwiatkowski keeping track of you. He sent me regular updates...and I was so proud when you graduated that FBI Academy, and now that you're a Special Agent in Charge...that's even better. You are a well-respected man...people look up to you...and your girl is pretty cute, too. I hear she's pretty successful in her own right...in that Mensa organization and her family owns a successful winery in Virginia, right? They've got their own connections...you both have it made."
Aubrey felt nauseated at his father's mention of his fiancée. "Jessica is successful because she has worked hard to become a forensic anthropologist. She doesn't need to fall back on her family's successes, and neither of us need connections to succeed in our endeavors. I'm lucky to have her...we're lucky to have each other."
"That's good, Son." The old man smiled to himself as he saw his son relax even more. Eyeing his son furtively, the old man decided it was time to lay his cards on the table. "Hey, maybe since you're a big shot with the FBI, you could put in a good word for your old man...ask the Feds to give me a reduced sentence and to send me to Leavenworth...you know, vouch for how I saved you and your girlfriend's life…be a good son, why dontcha...tell them that at my age, I need some clemency. They'll listen to you. After all, with you being so well respected and having such a great job with the Feebs, you should be able to arrange that, right? You must have friends in high places...FBI directors...federal prosecutors...hell, even that Dr. Brennan lady who's married to that agent guy you're friends with...people like that who can pull some strings."
"You want me to...grease some palms...to use my connections to get you out of prison…," Aubrey said quietly, not surprised at his father's request.
"Yeah, son...why not? However, if your solid word don't help, I've heard that your Jessica has a trust fund, so you have plenty of cash on hand. I've even still got some funds stashed away...maybe a little bribery here and there would help change some minds..."
"What?" Stunned at his father's request, Aubrey sat speechless for a few seconds. "You want me to lie for you? To offer a bribe to get you what you want? I should've known…"
"What good is it to have a son be in upper management of a federal law enforcement agency if he can't use that position to help out his old man?" Phillip scowled at Aubrey with disgust. "You don't have the balls to ask, do you? You're afraid you'll get in trouble. Damn, your girl had more balls when she shot Brinton." He scoffed at his son's exasperated sigh. "I knew your mother was going to turn you into a big coward…Rachael was such a weak, stupid little bitch...I knew she'd ruin you..."
"That's enough!," Aubrey roared. Quickly rising from his chair, he glared down at his father. "You will not talk about my mother that way. You don't even deserve to say her name." Inhaling sharply, the agent pounded the table with his fist. "You know what, Dad? I'm tired of it...I'm tired of putting up with all your drama. I'm not sure what Mom ever saw in you that made her want to have you as a husband, because as far as I can tell, you're a worthless piece of shit, but you probably conned her just like you've conned everyone else throughout your entire life."
Kicking the chair out of the way, Aubrey took a step closer to his father. "You've spent your entire life playing a game...trying to see just what you could get away with without getting caught. Nothing was ever real for you, was it? Mom and me...we were just pawns...we were part of your cover so you'd seem to be the well respected family man, right? You never loved either of us, but you needed us. We made you look normal...that was our only purpose, right? Well, let me tell you something, old man...I'm not playing that game any more."
"Listen, son…," the older man whined. "I can explain…"
"No, you can't. There's nothing you can say that would ever justify what you did to your family. You knew you were abandoning your wife and child, leaving us with no means of support. You knew that Mom loved you, and you didn't care...you threw that love away like so much garbage. Did you know that she always thought there was still a spark of goodness in you, even after you left us in the lurch? Up until the day she died, she prayed for you...and what did it get her? Nothing...because there is nothing good in you...there never was, was there? You've always been rotten to the core. I'm just glad that she never had to find out what a complete bastard you are. I mean, she knew you'd lie, cheat, or steal to make a buck, and she still loved you for some reason. You're a nasty piece of shit, you know that?"
Incensed, Philip pointed a finger at his son. "I took a bullet for you and that girl Jessica. You two owe me."
"I don't owe you shit, old man, and neither does Jessica. You told those bastards you didn't care what happened to her...you were willing to let the woman I love die to save your own ass. Because of you and your 'friends', Jessica had to kill your buddy Brinton so he wouldn't bash my head in." Aubrey locked eyes with his father. "When I think of everything else you've done over the years...well, all I can say is that you should go fuck yourself, you sorry son of a bitch."
His breathing ragged with anger, the agent shook his head at his father's surprised expression. "Let me tell you something else, Dad. I have someone in my life who loves me, warts and all. She wants to marry me, and we'll have a wonderful future together, just like Mom wanted with you...and to think of giving that up for any reason...I just can't imagine anything that would make me do it. There is no amount of money that would entice me to give her up. But you know what? I've finally learned something from your bad example. I've learned to appreciate what I have, and I will never throw that love away…I'll be a better man, because I won't be like you!"
"So you finally convinced that little redheaded floozy that you're something special?" Phillip chuckled sarcastically. "She's supposed to be some super genius, but she must be as stupid as you are. I can't believe you're going to be dumb enough to marry her...sure, she's got a cute ass and she's easy on the eyes and I'm sure with that hair that she's wild in the sack, but there must be plenty of rich old broads you could hook up with...you'd never have to work again if you played your cards right and you could still get as much ass as you want on the side from that Jessica."
"Don't even go there, Dad. You will not talk about my fiancée that way, either." Aubrey was grim as he leaned on the corner of the table. "As for what I do with my life, and who I marry, you lost the right to have an opinion about that years ago...and it's not like you're such a good role model anyway, seeing how you're going to prison for the rest of your life."
Almost smiling at his father's stunned expression, Aubrey stood up, straightening his jacket and smoothing his tie. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that you're surprised that I'm finally standing up to you. I get that, especially since you think I'm such a coward." Shaking his head, he continued calmly. "You know, I've tried for so long to make excuses for you, hoping that Mom was right...that there was some tiny speck of good in you, but she was wrong, wasn't she? There's nothing good about you...nothing at all."
Inhaling sharply, the younger man struggled a bit with his composure before continuing. "I've waited so many years for you to treat me the way a son should be treated by his father, but now I've realized that you just don't have it in you...that you don't really have the ability to love anyone other than yourself, and no matter how hard you try, all the words that come out of your mouth...are lies. You'll never be able to care about another human being unless it's a means to an end. All you're interested in is using people for your own gain, and I can't handle that anymore. You're like a poison, you know? You ruin everything you touch. Being in contact with you...being dragged down because of who you are...it's over. I will not spend the rest of my life worrying about what you might do next. I will not risk my own mental health nor my future happiness by being exposed to someone like you."
Crossing his arms over his chest, he leveled a stern gaze at his father. "So here's the way it's going down. This is the last time you'll ever hear from me. Don't bother writing or trying to call, because we're through...as of this moment, you are no longer my father and I am no longer your son. I will no longer be concerned about anything that happens to you. My future wife will never have to worry about you again and our children will never know you exist. Good luck at the new place. You're gonna need it."
Philip realized that he'd gone too far, so he went to another one of his tricks...the contriteness and charm that had always worked with Rachael. "Jamie...James...come on...you know I was joking about the bribe shit, right? Come on, son…I'm your father...you're my flesh and blood...I was just messing around about Jessica...she seems like a great girl..."
"You're nothing to me." Ignoring his father's pleas, Aubrey walked out to the corridor and spoke to the guard. "He's ready to go."
*/*/*/*/*/*
While Aubrey and Booth were at the detention center, Jessica and Brennan left to have an early lunch together while Angela was at her OB appointment. Instead of the diner, the two went to Founding Fathers and sat up at the bar. Familiar with the menu, the two ordered salads and soups and waited for their food to come.
"I talked to Millie this morning…" Brennan sipped her coffee. "...and she said we can come by during our lunch hour tomorrow to try on our dresses. I will drop them off to her tonight so she has them. Cam has also allowed us to take a longer lunch."
"Sounds great, Dr. B." Jessica played with the tag on her tea bag.
"Ms. Warren...I thought this would please you."
"It does. I just...feel like a heel that we had to sneak away for lunch to talk about my wedding while Angela is at the doctor's office this morning. I know she's our wedding planner, but I…" Jessica hesitated before continuing. "I thought planning my wedding would be crazy but fun, but she's taking all the fun out of it. She won't listen to anything I suggest...she's doing everything you're supposed to be doing as the matron of honor...Aubrey and I didn't want an engagement party...I don't want a fancy bridal shower...I don't want a bachelorette party at a bar since my sister-in-law probably can't attend due to her advanced pregnancy…"
"I know…"
"Dr. B, Angela told me this morning that she registered me at Pier 1 Imports and some other store last night, but Aubrey and I want Target and Bed, Bath, and Beyond." Jessica began wringing her hands nervously. "She's also set up an appointment with some jewelers downtown for wedding bands, but Aubrey and I want to do our own shopping...she won't tell me what's on the engagement party menu...I feel like such a brat for complaining, but…"
Brennan exhaled. "I understand, Ms. Warren. I admit I feel a bit...upset that my role as matron of honor is being usurped. I know that I'm not as...wild and spontaneous as Angela, but I am confident I can help you plan activities and anything else you may need before your wedding next month. Booth said I should talk to her, but...she's my best friend…"
"Aubrey said the same thing. He said that she won't let up until I say something to her. He offered to be the bad guy for me, but I can't let him do that after the crappy way my mom has treated him." Jessica sipped her tea. "I don't know what to do…."
"Ms. Warren, we should talk to Angela. She is an emotional person, but reasonable. She isn't intending on hurting our feelings, but we owe it to her to be honest."
Jessica cringed at the thought. "You don't think she'll hate me or think I'm being an ungrateful brat?"
"Of course not. Angela doesn't always understand that she can come across as probing and overbearing. She and Booth sometimes...disagree due to her nature, but it's better to be honest than to expostulate behind her posterior. First and foremost, she's our friend."
Realizing what her mentor was saying, Jessica nodded. "Can we do it together?"
"Yes, Ms. Warren. Actually, I think that's best. We can do it when she returns with Hodgins from her appointment this afternoon." Holding her coffee cup up, Brennan leaned it towards her student. "To us...making your wedding the happiest time of your life...and Aubrey's, of course."
"I'll drink to that." Jessica tinked her tea cup to Brennan's and they sipped.
Suddenly, Brennan's phone rang and she answered. "Hello...Cam, what's wrong?...Are they there now? Okay, we'll be back as soon as we can."
Jessica saw Brennan's worry as she ended the call. "Dr. B, what's wrong?"
"Angela's OB just sent her to the hospital from her appointment...she's possibly in labor."
"She's in labor? She's not due for over two weeks.," Jessica exclaimed as Brennan made another call. "Oh, we should go…"
"Hodgins, what is going on...oh...I see...does Cam know...understood. I'm glad she is doing alright and I'll stop over tonight. Do you need us to take Michael Vincent? Okay, give Angela my love...Goodbye."
Brennan hung up the phone and turned to her intern. "Relax, Ms. Warren. According to Hodgins, Angela had Braxton Hicks contractions, so she's going home for the day and the doctor has put her off work for the rest of the week. If she does well enough, she may do half days for the remainder of her pregnancy."
Jessica's phone buzzed with a message and read the message.. "It's Angela…"
Hey got BH labor pains & stuck at home all wk. Don't worry. Eng party still on. Ralston Jewelers has u 2 set up 4 2P Friday for wedding rings. Will send password 4 gift registries in email. Paid strippers 4 the 8th & catering 4 bridal shower all set. Made appt 4 u at Coup de Foudre 4 trousseau Sun at 12 noon.
C u Sat morning.
Jessica groaned and dropped her phone on the counter. "Great, now I have appointments to get wedding lingerie and I'm stuck with strippers for my bachelorette party. Dr. B...I don't want this stuff, but...I can't talk to her about my wedding now...it seems self-centered."
"I will be talking to her before the party and if you want to join me, you can. I think it will be best, Ms. Warren, but that is your decision to make." Brennan remembered something. "Oh, I need to talk to Cam about the lab budget when we return, but I will let you know by tomorrow about those days you've requested off for honeymoon copulation with Aubrey."
"That will be fine, Dr. B. It's not the most important thing." Jessica put on her coat and pulled cash from her wallet. "Aubrey and I will have a short honeymoon but we're having a longer one next year...wherever we decide to go."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
"Great. That's just great," Aubrey grumbled. "We may never get back to the Hoover…"
"I'm sorry I screwed up your plans, buddy." Booth shrugged apologetically. "The guy at the front desk says that the marshals' flight out of O'Hare was late taking off because of bad weather in Chicago. They should be here within the hour." Seeing Aubrey's aggravation, he quickly continued. "I sent Stark a text to let him know what's going on. He says he can push our meeting back an hour, so you'll still have time to get some of your paperwork done."
"So…" Aubrey glanced at his phone. "We've been here since 8...and it's 11 now. I guess we can stop and grab some lunch before going back to the Hoover. I can work through lunch today...and come in early tomorrow." Sighing softly, he nodded. "I guess that'll work. We can't do anything about the weather, right? We just have to wait 'til they get here..."
"Right."
The agents were silent for several minutes as they waited in the dingy lounge for the federal marshals to show up. Finally Booth got up to pour two cups of coffee. Sitting down next to his friend, he handed a mug to Aubrey and shook his head. "I know that was difficult...talking to your dad like that, I mean. I'm sorry. Maybe my suggestion wasn't a good idea after all…"
Sniffling a bit, Aubrey tried to smile as he took the coffee mug from his friend. "It was rough...but it needed to be done. I mean, it's hard, you know...cutting ties with my own father...but then when I think about how he's treated everyone...that he was never really a 'father' to me...I know it was the right thing to do." He sipped his coffee thoughtfully. "After all...I wouldn't want my kids to ever be exposed to someone like him."
"Yeah, of course. I felt the same way about my dad." Booth sighed softly as he sat back on the creaky brown plaid sofa. "It changes everything when your dad's an asshole. The way I treat my wife...my kids...I'm always trying to be the exact opposite of how my dad was to me. There are some days when I feel like I've failed, but then I realize that even as a failure in my own life, I'm still a better man than he ever was."
Touched by his friend's candor, Aubrey ran a knuckle under his eye, hoping to hide his tears. "I think you're a pretty good guy, Booth...you're family is proof of that. I mean, if Dr. Brennan can put up with you…"
"I know...I must be doing something right." The two men laughed at Booth's quip. "You must be, too, for Jessica to actually agree to marry your scrawny ass."
"Hey, she asked me to marry her, Booth, because she wants and loves my scrawny ass...and appreciates the fact that I have a healthy appetite…"
Hearing someone cough quietly, they both turned toward the door and saw the guard from the security desk standing there.
"The marshals have arrived. You guys are free to go."
Booth glanced at Aubrey. "You ready for some lunch? We can call Genny and have her meet us somewhere so we try to figure out what Stark wants to talk to us about."
"Yeah…" Aubrey swallowed hard and slowly stood up, somewhat shaken under the weight of his emotions. "Let's get outta here. There's nothing more to see."
Setting their cups on the counter, they left the building and drove away. Aubrey stared out the passenger window as the SUV made its way back to the Hoover. Sighing softly, he realized he was relieved to be rid of the onerous burden that was his father. He realized it would take some more time before he was truly rid of his father's influence, but now, at least, he'd be able to marry Jessica as a man free from the long shadows Phillip Aubrey had cast over his entire life. Blinking back tears, he smiled to himself. At last he'd removed the final hindrance to enjoying a happy future, and he couldn't wait to take that next big step with Jessica. His wedding day couldn't come soon enough.
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Jessica's day was uneventful as she assisted Dr. B with another set of remains for her WWI identification project. She knew she needed to talk to Angela, but how? How could she tell her wedding planner...someone who was doing her a big favor by helping her put together a last minute wedding...to back off? Angela was her friend but she hated the fact that she wasn't in control of her own wedding, which was supposed to be the happiest time of her life.
When 5:00 came, she drove herself home, changed clothes, and got the stuff together to make chicken and dumplings, Aubrey's favorite comfort food. Aubrey deserved it after dealing with her mother last night. When she called Eleanor earlier that day, she wasn't surprised it went to voicemail. Her mother would let her stew and fret because she didn't get her own way, but she wouldn't worry about it this time. Her mother wouldn't win.
Starting everything so it would be ready when Aubrey got home, she was happy to see him walk in the door at 7:30. "Hey, Superman, dinner is almost ready if you want to go change."
"Smells great." Instead of changing out of his work clothes like always, Aubrey stood and watched the redhead as she worked at the stove. Her hair was pinned up and she was adorned in black leggings and his oversized fraternity sweatshirt. He was so lucky to have this weird, sexy, amazing girl in his life.
He continued to watch his fiancée finish up one of his favorite meals, but his excitement for chicken and dumplings turned into something more carnal and he realized that at that moment he wanted something better than dinner.
Surprised that her fiancé hadn't responded to what she'd said, Jessica was about to turn around when she felt a familiar pair of hands encircle her waist before they slowly moved under her sweatshirt. "Aubrey…dinner will be...ready...oh…"
The lanky man's hands enjoyed her satin smooth skin and then her shudder as his hands found her breasts. "Jessica...dinner can wait...but I can't…"
Jessica had barely turned off the burner on the stove when she was spun around by a very ardent Aubrey. She held on as he picked her up and put her on the counter. Clothes were quickly shed on the kitchen floor and the redhead moaned softly when Aubrey's lips found her breast and his fingers found their target.
"Oh God...I don't know...what has gotten...into you...yes…oh God, yes…now, James…"
Aubrey pushed himself in her and they came together frantically on their kitchen counter. It didn't take long for the couple to hit their climax simultaneously and after crashing, they still held each other. As Jessica recovered first, she asked the obvious question.
"Superman, not that I don't love your spontaneity, but what made you so horny when you got home? Surely my chicken and dumplings doesn't turn you on that much."
Lifting his head from her neck, he looked into her big beautiful green eyes. "You...it's always been you...I'm so lucky to have you and...I couldn't help myself…"
Jessica believed him but something in his eyes told her differently. "There's something else...something you're not telling me…"
"You're right and we should talk about it." Aubrey saw her wariness and moved to reassure her. "It's a good thing, I promise. Let's get some food and we can talk while we eat."
Putting a smile on her face, she caressed his cheek. "Sounds good."
Fifteen minutes later, Aubrey, wearing only his boxers and fraternity sweatshirt, finished telling Jessica about his visit with his father in between bites of chicken and dumplings. "I wanted to kick Booth's ass, but now I'm glad he did it. I had things to say to my dad that should have been said when he was arrested last year."
Putting her fork down, Jessica took his hand. "So...you're going to be alright cutting your dad out of your life?"
"I am, Jess. He's...toxic and I've let him ride roughshod over my emotional wellbeing for too long. My fears of abandonment...fear of falling in love...commitment...trust...all goes back to him, and I'll be damned if I let his poison infect our life together." Aubrey squeezed her hand. "I love you, Jessica Warren. More than that...I trust you to always be by my side...warts and all…"
The redhead smiled as she also remembered Rodney's words from two days before. "I love you, too James Aubrey...and I trust you...always. I will not ever again let my mother be cruel to you like she was last night. I know you can hold your own. but I won't let her bitterness and...anger about her life poison our life together either."
The couple came together for a sweet kiss before going back to their meal, eating in a contented silence for a few moments until Aubrey spoke again. "So, honeymoon...I'm waiting to hear back from those people who own the cabin we stayed at on New Years Eve. It's short notice, but I'm hoping it's available for us, even just for Saturday night if we go in the morning and leave on Sunday."
Jessica cringed. "I'm sorry, Superman. Dr. B and I got busy, and we were also worried about Angela's false labor, so I'm not sure yet if I can have that Monday and Tuesday off."
"Well, if you can't, we'll at least have the weekend and we'll take a longer trip next year." Aubrey sighed as well. "I'm sorry we can't take an amazing trip right now..."
"Aubrey, I'm fine. I would be content with barricading ourselves in the house for a weekend of pure sexual debauchery."
"That would be fun." The agent smirked before taking another bite. "You know...there's always Smithfield…"
"No!" Jessica smacked his arm to his laughs. "I've already told you that we're not honeymooning where it smells like ham…and I think the cabin will be amazing…"
"Yeah...but you have to take that ribbon teddy, Jess…." Aubrey took another bite. "Damn, this is good...let's finish up so we can plan where to shop for wedding bands…"
"Um...about that…" Jessica dreaded what she had to say next. "Angela set us up with a local jeweler for Friday afternoon..."
Aubrey exhaled, unable to hide his irritation. "Jess, I want to do this together...with only you. However, if you want to go to her person and find a wedding ring, we'll go."
Jessica considered before relaxing. "No, you're right. I want some control over this part of our wedding. I'll call and cancel the other appointment tomorrow."
"Sounds great." He grinned at her as he ran his fingers over her engagement ring. "What kind of ring do you want? Something fancy? Maybe something to match my great-grandmother's ring, with a lot of diamonds and rubies?"
"No...nothing that expensive. If we can find a cool wedding band that can sort of blend with it, I'd like that better, I think. What do you want? Should we get matching rings?"
"I don't care, Jess. I'm just stoked to be wearing one in a few weeks." He squeezed her hand gently. "I can't wait to marry you...I'm glad we moved the date up…"
She nodded, smiling happily at him. "I know...I feel the same way. As crazy as things have been, it's all going to be worth it." She giggled as he winked at her. "Let's do the dishes and we can look at rings online, okay?"
"Good idea." He smiled as he entwined his fingers with hers. "I love you so much, Jess…"
"And I love you, Aubrey…" She giggled as he let go a small burp. "...warts and all."
Well, it's that time of year folks...Bonesology is having their annual Christmas fanfiction challenge, so L & C will be on hiatus until January 2020 so Laura and I can participate. There's going to be some amazing stories not just from us but other amazing Bones writers. Either follow here, AO3, or on the Bonesology website.
Don't fret, we'll be back after the New Year with Aubrey and Jessica's biggest adventure yet as they they prepare to get married.
Happy Holidays from Laura & Michelle