Monday, July 9- 11am
Temperance sat quietly at her desk, poring over the case file as she had been doing for days, hoping to find something within the pages that would lead to their suspect. She glanced periodically to the computer, waiting impatiently for the live-link icon to blink. She looked up at the knock at the door and sighed. "Come in, please." She said, watching as the door began to open before she had finished her sentence.
"Hey, Doc." Harding said, stepping into the room, holding several folders in his hand. Temperance stood up and reached for them. "Hey, hey. Not so fast." He said, pulling them out of her reach, he smiled.
"First of all, don't call me that, and secondly, give me the files, please. I don't have time for your foolishness." She said, moving forward as he tossed the files on her desk. Immediately she opened them and started reading through them.
"She almost lost the kid several times." Harding said nodding toward the files as Temperance read through them, her stomach twisting at the charges and other items within the files.
"Melody." Temperance said with a glower. "She's not 'the kid', Christopher." She turned another page. "She should have never been living in these conditions." Temperance whispered. "Drug possession, drug dealing, prostitution?" She said, looking up at Harding, who shrugged his shoulders. "That child should have never been in that home."
"She was in and out of the system since she was born, Doc. Her mother would get clean and they'd give her back, then slip into old habits and she'd get taken away. Nobody wants to deal with a deaf child." He said, sounding a bit callous, he shook his head and sighed. "It's just too much work."
"That is absolutely ridiculous." Temperance growled. She turned her attention back to the folders, reading each and every word carefully. She noticed that Harding had remained standing beside her desk. "Was there anything else you needed?" She asked, watching as he sighed. His eyes held deep frustration.
"I think that Toni and Fitz should find another home for her." Harding said, watching as his partner's eyebrow lifted curiously. "She's caused nothing but trouble since we found her. Her mother's dead, her foster parents are dead, and Toni's already gotten herself into trouble trying to keep her safe. Maybe they should just send her away, send her somewhere that someone can take care of her, and not put everyone around her in danger."
"Are you listening to yourself speak, Agent Harding?" Temperance asked, her voice filled with anger. "You were a foster child, Christopher. You, yourself were in this girl's exact situation."
"It was different, Doc. I didn't have a gang of deplorables chasing after me trying to kill me and everyone who has had contact with me! You have Toni to think of here, and the baby. She could have lost that baby!"
"Do you think that I don't know that?" She snapped angrily at him. "Do you think she didn't know that?",her voice dropping an octave as she stood up and approached him. "My daughter may be brash, she may be bold, and she may be a bit impulsive at times, but I will have you know that inside her chest beats the heart of a Booth. Do you understand? Do you understand what that means? You of all people should know what that means! Her family is her number one priority. She was willing to go out in the middle of the night with an oncoming snowstorm in order to find the men that shot her sister, and she is willing to fight back in order to save the life of an innocent child. She is a very brave woman."
"You're her own mother, and you think what she did was brave? To risk death is not brave, Temperance. It's stupid! She knew that people were after that kid, and she still pranced her around town like she was her own child, like everything was just fine. She had a goddamn target on her back, Temperance! Antonia put herself at risk, she put Melody at risk, and she put her unborn child at risk! If you ask me, she's no better than that girl's mother!"
"Get out." Temperance said, her voice low and even. "Get out of my office right now!" She exclaimed. "And as far as I'm concerned you're off this case!"
"You can't just fire me, we hired you for the case! This is the FBI's case!"
"Then I want a different agent!" She said, gathering up the papers and folders. She stopped and looked up at Harding, her eyes blazing with anger, her breathing erratic. She stepped up toward him and pointed her finger into his chest, staring into his eyes. "That child has seen more death, and more pain than you or I could ever imagine at her age. She has been beaten, starved, abandoned, and neglected her entire life. She finds a few days of solace, and all you can say for yourself is that she should be sent away? Do you think she doesn't remember what she's seen? Do you think that she doesn't cling to Antonia and Aiden in the middle of the night for fear that she will wake up to them dead like everyone else she has ever loved? Do you think she doesn't fear these things, Christopher? What is going on in that head of yours? Do you think she's undeserving of a life, and a home where she is loved and nurtured and taken care of? If you think these things, then you are no better than the people that killed her mother or her foster parents." Temperance growled. "I'm through with you, Harding. Done." She said, pushing the folders against her body, she reached for the door and swung it open. "Out!" She exclaimed. "Now!"
He shook his head, walking past her quickly, he stepped out into the lab. He was just turning around, when she swung the door, slamming it directly in his face. "Temperance!" Harding exclaimed angrily as he heard the door lock, leaving him standing alone outside her door, his face red with anger as he stomped off, and out of the lab.
Temperance sat at her desk, just in time to hear the sound of the live link on her computer make a sound. She tried to catch her breath, her face still flushed with anger as she clicked on the button, opening the window as her daughter's smiling face appeared on the screen.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Antonia asked, recognizing the worn look on her mother's face.
"I'm fine, Antonia. Nothing to worry about." She said, watching her daughter's eyebrow lift, an expression that more often than not matched her mother's. When Antonia said nothing, Temperance sighed. "Ace ."
"Say no more." She smiled.
"It may be a little worse this time. I think something is bothering him, but he's far too proud to bring it up. I hoped that your father would be able to get it out of him, but he's been stubborn."
"He's worried about me, Mom." Antonia said, glancing to the side for a quick second, she looked back at the camera. "You know Ace. We joke around about him being your second husband, or my other dad, but the truth is, since he and Rebecca couldn't have a child, and since the whole mess with the foster adoption that didn't go through, he's been really sensitive. He has always worried about me, ever since I was little. You know he still feels responsible for all of that too, I know he does. I'll talk to him."
"That could go a long way." Temperance replied with a sigh.
"Did he get you the files on Melody's mother?" Antonia asked, and could see from the look on her mother's face that she had. "Can you send them to me?"
"No." Temperance said, her voice resolute and strong. "I will send you the autopsy photos and notes, but I will not send you the criminal files."
"Mom." Antonia said, straightening in her seat, her brow furrowed. "I need those files to move forward with the case, to find this guy."
"No, the FBI needs those files to do that. You work with forensics, the investigators do the investigating. I will send you the autopsy notes, but you will not be getting the information on Melody's background at this time. You need to rest, and not stress yourself with things that you could not prevent."
"We know some of her history, Mom. It's not like you're protecting us from information that we don't already know about. Please send me those files." She said again, feeling her stubbornness deep in her belly pushing up, but noted that her mother was being just as stubborn.
"Absolutely not, Antonia. While it is important for you to know some background items, it's not necessary for this case, or your own stresses and struggles to have that information. You know what you need to know, and we will work on finding the connections. I will be sending the autopsy information to you shortly." She sighed, glancing up at the knock on the door. "Just a moment." She said to Antonia. Temperance stood up and walked to the door. She sighed lightly and flicked the lock on the door, opening it slowly to find Booth standing on the other side.
"Why is your door locked?" He asked, watching as she took a step back and let him inside. She closed the door behind him and he turned to face her. "Bones, why is your door locked?"
"I was just trying to get some work done." Temperance said, nodding toward the files.
"Dad?" Antonia's voice rang through the office, and Booth smiled.
"How can you get any work done when she's talking in your ear?" He said, walking around Temperance to look at her screen, Temperance sat in her chair and he stood behind her. "Hey, kid."
"Dad, tell mom that I need Melody's files." She said with an indignant tone.
"Antonia Elyse." Temperance said angrily. "You will get the autopsy photos and notes, and if you continue pursuing the other files, I will limit your resources, and you will get nothing." She said sternly.
"Mom." Antonia exclaimed. "Dad?"
"Hey, you know who the boss is, don't look at me." Booth replied. "How are things down there? Have you put your work down and had any fun?"
"Nope." Aiden's voice came from somewhere behind her, and Antonia turned.
"Hush, you." She said, glancing to the screen. "Parker left this morning. I've just been reading over the files."
"I think she has them memorized." Aiden said, coming into view on the screen. "Hey, Booth."
"Fitz." Booth said, noting that the younger man looked rested. "Where is Melody?" He asked curiously.
"She is down for a nap." Aiden said, glancing to Antonia. "She hasn't been sleeping well at night, so we've been having her nap in the afternoon. She'll be ready for lunch soon, I am sure."
"If there's one thing that child knows, is when it's time to eat." Antonia laughed. "I'm glad you're both there. We wanted to discuss something with you."
"What is it?" Temperance asked, straightening a bit, she watched Antonia seem to become shy all of a sudden, her eyes darting to Aiden.
"Check your e-mail." She said with a smile.
"Okay." Temperance said, she glanced to Booth and navigated her computer desktop, finding a new e-mail that had come in a moment before from Antonia. She opened the e-mail, and opened the video file within the e-mail. She gasped at the content of the video, her hand moving over her mouth as she felt tears spring to her eyes. "Antonia." She whimpered.
Booth grinned as he leaned over Temperance's shoulder, sharing the video with his wife.
"Turn up the volume." Antonia whispered, tears in her eyes as well.
Temperance did as she was asked, turning the volume up on the video, the soft whooshing sound that came through the speakers made her heart jump into her throat.
"That's the sound of your grandchild's heart." Antonia whispered.
"It's beautiful." Temperance whispered, looking up at Booth to see the pride and happiness in is eyes.
"So she's okay?" Booth asked.
"She's okay." Aiden said over the line.
"Listen to these two." Antonia whimpered, swiping a tear. "Thinking they are sure it'll be a girl. You can't tell one way or another just yet."
"Oh, I know." Booth said, smiling through the camera. "Thank you for going to the doctor." He said sincerely, watching Antonia smile at him.
"I love you guys." Antonia smiled. "We love you." She corrected.
"We love you too, sweetheart." Temperance said. She was mesmerized by the video, the black and white image moving constantly, she looked back at Antonia. "I'll send you the files."
"All of them?" Antonia asked hopefully.
"None, if you keep it up." Booth snapped playfully. "Go have fun, put the files away for a little while, because when you do get back, it'll be a long while before you get another vacation. Rest, relax… let us do the work."
"I'll try, Daddy." Antonia replied. "I'll talk to you guys later."
"Love you." Temperance said, as the screen went dark, she leaned back in her chair and looked up at Booth as he smiled down at her. Their eyes went to the screen, where the ultrasound was still playing on loop. "She's going to be alright, Booth." She whispered.
"They will all be okay, Bones." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, watching her turn to look into his eyes. "Let's go get lunch." He smiled.
Temperance smiled, watching his eyes sparkle as she shook her head lightly. "We need to talk about Ace." She said sincerely, watching as Booth's smile disappeared.
"If it's not one kid, it's another one." He said, letting a small smile appear on his lips. "Let's go." He said, nodding toward the door, he smiled as she took his offered hand, she grabbed her bag, as they headed for the diner.