(The Boy in the Shroud)

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I don't own Bones.

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He knew it was coming, he was just surprised it had taken Cam this long. "Booth, if Dr. Brennan were to quit, if she were to leave the Jeffersonian . . ."

Booth hooked his thumbs in his belt. "The Squints would flee this institution like the French Army."

"And you?" Cam knew that Booth and his partner worked well together, so she was sure she knew what he was going to say.

"I'm with Bones, Cam, all the way." Booth felt sorry for Cam, but he had already made his choice. If Brennan didn't stay then he wouldn't either. Wherever she went he would follow. He'd made his promise to his girlfriend and he was a man of his word. "Don't doubt that for a second."

Hodgins had interrupted them with news about the rose that had been found in Dylan Crane's hand when his body was found. Per usual, the entomologist had piled on unnecessary information that Booth didn't care about. When he'd finally come to the point, Booth realized that they might have a clue as to where Kelly Morris was. She was their primary murder suspect and they needed to find her. Before he left with Hodgins to find Kelly, Booth turned his attention back to his friend. "Look Cam, maybe you just got off on the wrong foot with Bones because . . . well, she was a foster kid."

The odd behavior and defensiveness by Brennan now made sense and Cam realized that Booth might be right. "Why didn't she tell me?"

If there was one thing Booth was sure of, it was that Brennan did not talk about her past to just anyone. As far as he knew, Brennan had only told him and Angela about her childhood. Like him, she was a very private person. "She doesn't do that." With a wave of his hand, Booth grabbed Hodgins arm and pulled him along. He just hoped Kelly was at the United States Botanic Garden. If she wasn't then Booth was running out of places to look for her and it was starting to piss him off.

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Sadly, the murderer of Dylan Crane turned out to be Kelly's younger brother, Alex. Sometimes the tragedies they saw while investigating crimes reminded Booth about the unfairness of life. A small boy, afraid he was going to lose the only relative he had, pushes another boy through a window and that boy falls to his death. Justice was done with the arrest of Alex, but it came with a cost to everyone that had to deal with it.

Alone, Booth sat in his apartment, sitting on the couch sipping Scotch. He tried not to dwell on Alex and how the death of the boy's parents had not been the only tragedy he would have to deal with. Branded as a murderer, too young to be tried as an adult, he would be locked up until he reached his twenties and then have to make a new life for himself. It made Booth wonder about fate. His own childhood had been tragic, but the love of his grandfather had turned his life around. Kelly and Alex didn't have anyone that could rescue them from foster care and their young lives were ruined. He also thought about Brennan. She too was a foster child, but she was strong and intelligent and fought for everything she got. She worked multiple jobs to supplement her scholarships while she was in college and persevered to graduate at the top of her class. Working under hellacious conditions, she had plied her trade in foreign countries and rose to the top of her field as the best forensic anthropologist in the world. Booth admired her strength and her ability to rise to the top. If only all children had that perseverance, but he knew that wasn't how the world worked. It never would. Some children didn't have the strength to fight for a better life. It took a special mindset and determination. Some children needed to be guided to reach for more, but without that guidance, they failed and society lost.

She entered the apartment, surprised to find it quiet. As a rule, Booth usually had a stereo on or the television since he hated silence so to find the apartment quiet was worrisome. Dropping her purse on the sideboard the near the front door, she walked down the hallway and spied Booth on the couch. "Hello."

A welcoming smile for her, Booth stood up and kissed her once she was near enough. "You're home late."

Brennan returned his kiss and sat down on the couch, her boyfriend doing the same. "I talked to Cam before I came home. I've decided it won't be necessary to quit after all."

Surprised and relieved, Booth smiled and placed his glass of Scotch on the coffee table. "That's great. What caused you to decide to stay?"

Her hand sought Booth's hand and she clutched it. "I need to stop trying to control everything at the Lab. Cam is in charge, but we've come to an agreement. I get three passes a week to defy her with no repercussions."

"Good for you." Booth was surprised that Cam had compromised like she did, but she was a damn good coroner and if she thought she could work with Brennan then he knew she would bend a little to get the job done. "I'm glad. You have friends at the Lab and I think you're a perfect fit for that place."

"Yes." Brennan knew that she had resolved to stay at the Lab because of Booth. In the end, she didn't want to take him away from a job that he loved. Someday, she might get a better job offer and if that happened she would talk it over with Booth. He would be part of the process although she already knew that he would ultimately let her make the decision. He was like that and it still surprised her that someone could be so selfless like that. She knew she would never find someone like that again. Booth loved her like no one had ever done before and she was well aware of it. She also knew that Booth had been alone for a long time and that she gave him what he needed too, someone that truly loved him and was willing to commit to him. "Cam is a very good coroner and she might be able to teach me things that I don't know. I am always open to learn new things to better myself."

Booth placed his arm around her shoulders. "I was hoping you'd work it out. The Lab wouldn't be the same without you. The Jeffersonian has invested a lot of money in the Lab because you're there and our partnership has such a high solve rate because we have the tools we need. Our success shines a light on the Jeffersonian and believe me they'll want that light to shine bright for a long time. Of course, it gives the FBI bragging rights too and that can only be good for us. In a few months, we might be able to let everyone know we're together. By then, we'll be even more valuable to them and I'm pretty sure they won't break us up. It'd be the stupid thing to do and the people we answer to are not stupid."

His words were sincere and optimistic which made Brennan smile. "Yes, I think you are right. We do make a good partnership and I am quite certain we will remain so in the future."

"Did you get a chance to eat?" Booth picked up his Scotch and sipped some of the amber liquid. "I was waiting for you to come home. I thought we might order some Chinese take-out. I'm too tired to cook."

Her stomach rumbling, Brennan blushed. "I think I could eat." Brennan took his glass from him and finished the drink. "I'll go change clothes while you order." Handing the empty glass to Booth, Brennan stood up. "Make sure you order extra ribs this time. The last time you were still hungry after you ate all your ribs and stole my spring rolls. I wanted those."

Amused, Booth laughed. "I'll order extra ribs and spring rolls. I'm very hungry."

"Of course you are." Brennan shook her head and entered their bedroom. If I ate as much as he does I'd be fat. It must be nice to have a high metabolism.

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