Monday, July 16th- 8:00am
Nichols walked through the parking garage slowly, knowing that he was about a half hour early for meeting with Booth and Ace at the lab. As soon as he exited the car, he could hear the loud exclamations of an argument ensuing elsewhere in the parking garage. The man's voice was animated and loud, as well as serious, as the sound of a woman's voice volleyed back, a very familiar voice, demanding and stern. He paused for a moment, trying to listen to the content of the conversation, completely aware that his actions were not proper, yet extremely interested in what they were arguing about.
Was it infidelity? Lying? Was Agent Fitzgerald being improper? Was Antonia feeling threatened? He listened but couldn't make out the words of their argument, but the tone was so snipped and strong, that he was sure it was angry and final sounding. He walked around one of the pillars in the garage, tripping slightly, his foot hit the concrete hard, making a slapping sound, and the arguing voices stopped.
He decided that instead of bringing attention to his lurking, he'd pretend that he hadn't even heard their argument, and when they saw him walking toward the elevator and stairs, he looked down at the folder in his hands, just in case they decided to engage him in conversation. Aiden's hand went to the small of Antonia's back as they walked toward their destination, and Nichols headed toward the elevator, expecting Antonia to take the stairs as she always did. When he stopped at the doors of the elevator and looked up, however, Antonia and Aiden were standing side by side at the elevator. He looked at the two of them, standing just enough apart that they weren't touching, yet there seemed to be an electricity between them, like a static charge. They had no air of anger about them, but Antonia's cheeks had a bit of a pink hue to them indicating that she had been fired up.
"Good morning, Sam." Antonia said with a friendly smile as the elevator door opened, they each stepped inside, Antonia first, followed by Aiden and then Nichols.
"Oh, hey Antonia." He said with a friendly smile. He looked up at Aiden, expecting to see a scowl, or angry grimace on his face, but instead his eyes were on the panel, pushing the button for the lab. He was still expecting some kind of comeback or remark from Aiden regarding his comments the day before, but nothing had come. It unnerved him to know that there were things that he had said out in the open with no closure to it, as if he expected some kind of retribution for his words.
"You're here early." Aiden said suddenly, watching as Nichols jumped a little at the sound of his voice, the taller man's eyebrow lifted at the other agent, and Nichols' anxiety was noticeable.
"Uh, yeah." He shrugged, glancing to Antonia to see how she was handling the elevator ride. The last time they had been in an enclosed space had not gone well, but she seemed perfectly fine within the four walls of the elevator, though for some reason Nichols was feeling a bit boxed in.
"Sam, are you okay?" Antonia asked, watching as the other agent turned his gaze from Antonia and looked to the floor.
"I'm fine, fine. Just… looking forward to getting this thing solved." He said as the door opened on the floor of the lab, and Nichols burst from the doors, heading quickly down the hallway toward the lab.
Antonia and Aiden stepped out of the elevator and watched as Nichols practically tripped over himself to get to the lab, and they exchanged a look. "Did you say something to him?" Antonia asked, watching Aiden shake his head.
"Nope." He shrugged. "Apparently our mere presence is enough to scare him off." Aiden let out a laugh as Antonia nudged him.
"Not nice, Agent Fitzgerald." She said, looking up at him, a glitter of humor in her eyes as she watched him for a moment.
"You okay there, Doctor Booth?" He asked, noting her pause as she looked down the hallway, she looked back at him and shrugged slightly.
"Just taking a second to get back into this. I've enjoyed my time off." She shrugged.
"Lest we forget that it began with you being run off the road and kidnapped." He said seriously, stepping toward her, he looked down into her eyes and she smiled slightly.
"I know." She said with a slight shrug. "I just feel, different. I don't know. I don't want to be treated differently." She whispered.
"Are we talking about the case, or the baby?" He asked, looking up at the lab doors to be sure nobody was coming.
"The baby." She whispered. "I don't like the idea of people knowing and talking about my personal life behind my back." She said, her voice sounding small and vulnerable, a tone she rarely took into a public realm, if ever.
"Listen." He said, watching her eyes focus directly on his. "This is our life, you and me. This is our baby, tiny little… Antonia Junior, or Little Fitz, or whatever…" He said, listening to her laugh. "They're part of it now. With your brains, and my handsome good looks, let them talk." He winked, watching her tears of concern turn to tears of laughter. "Are you laughing about the good looks thing? Because I think I'm pretty darn handsome." He said, smoothing his hair back as he stuck his nose in the air, listening to her laugh.
"You're pretty darn handsome, Agent Fitzgerald. You're also very charming." She sniffled, taking a deep breath.
"You've never let people's talk get in your way before, Tex. It's not going to start now." Aiden said seriously. "You got it?"
"Yeah." She said, nodding her head.
"Okay, so let's go get 'em, Tiger!" He said, smacking her butt lightly, he started walking confidently toward the lab doors, turning to see her standing in the same spot, her jaw dropped as he smiled, shrugged, scanned his card as he pointed a finger gun at her and walked into the lab.
When Antonia walked into the lab, Aiden had already disappeared into her mother's office. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the activity in the room, taking a moment to feel the familiar electricity in the air she always got when she walked into the lab. She stood for a moment, when she felt a presence behind her and a voice very close to her ear. "She's back." The voice said in a soft, taunting tone. She turned around and instantly wrapped her arms around the surprised intern, knocking him back a step or two as he let out a laugh. "Wow." He said with a laugh.
She jumped back and smiled, straightening herself out as she grinned brightly at Charlie, her smile immediately going serious as she narrowed her eyes. "Mr. Morris." She said, trying desperately not to crack a smile.
"Doctor Booth." He said, deepening his voice as he too tried not to laugh. "It's good to have you back in the lab."
"It's good to be back, Mr. Morris." She nodded, and turned to walk confidently toward her mother's office. Just as she was about to make it to the office, she felt a tug on her arm and before she realized what was happening, she was being pulled across the lab. "Doctor Hodgins!" She let out a laugh.
"How did you guys sleep last night?" He asked, watching as she gave him a confused look, though the smile didn't leave her face.
"Fine, we slept fine." She laughed. "Where are you taking me?"
"I need a second opinion." He said, opening the door to his office, he practically pushed her inside.
"Second opinion on what?" She asked, not minding that she was being pushed and pulled, it felt good to be wanted, to be back in her domain, her safe place. "Hodgins?" She asked as she came to a stop by his work bench, looking down at a dried flower.
"Hemerocallis!" Hodgins exclaimed.
"Gesundheit." She said with a laugh, watching as Hodgins looked at her with a surprised expression. "Sorry." She said sincerely. "I've had a really weird morning." She smiled. "Okay, a daylily." She shrugged. "Is this the flower from the box?"
"Yes." He said, watching her reading over the description in the book in front of her, she looked up at him. "They're pretty common as landscaping flowers. There's nothing too special about this one. You agree though?"
"Yes." She nodded. "It's a Hemerocallis. Anything on the buttons?"
"No fingerprints or anything, but they seem to be from an older garment. Not something made recently. Two are from the same garment, and the other four are from a sewing kit of some kind. There's nothing extraordinary about them." Hodgins shrugged.
"The coin?"
"Fifty cent piece, nothing too extraordinary about that either. No fingerprints or anything. Doesn't appear it was in circulation too long. Might have just been put into the box for any reason. Did you show it to Melody? Did you ask her about her drawing?" Hodgins asked, indicating the drawing that Melody had colored the day before.
"We've tried several times to get her to talk about the drawing, and the coin, the buttons. She just seems to give us a blank look like she doesn't know what we're talking about. I feel like we're not asking the right questions." She sighed. "I mean, she can't hold the coin in her hand, it's evidence. She knows it exists, I'm not sure she knows why." Antonia sighed.
There was a light knock on the door and Aiden poked his head in. "Doctor Booth?" He said, a slight smile on his lips as she narrowed her eyes in his direction, causing his smile to brighten just a bit more.
"Yes, Agent Fitzgerald." She said challenging him a bit with her tone.
"Doctor Brennan would like to see you if you have a moment." He said, waving to Hodgins, he disappeared out the door.
Antonia sighed as she turned back toward Hodgins to see a bit of a smirk on his lips. "Is there something you'd like to say?"
"Uh, nope." Hodgins shook his head. "Nope. I am a smart man who knows better." He grinned.
"Look at that, stating your hypothesis and proving it in the same sentence." She said, listening to Hodgins' light laughter. "Thank you for sharing what you have. I'll see you around, Doctor Hodgins."
"See you, Ant." He smiled, as she glanced back at him with a smile, and disappeared out the door after Aiden.
Antonia walked briskly to her mother's office, stepping into the doorway, she noticed immediately that the room seemed a bit crowded. Aiden was standing by the door, Ace and Nichols seated, with Booth standing behind the desk beside her mother. She lifted her eyebrows, opened her mouth to make a comment and promptly snapped her mouth closed.
"Good choice." Booth said, nearly reading his daughter's mind, he heard Ace snicker from his chair.
"Doctor Brennan?" She said, focusing directly on her mother.
"Antonia, I need you to take Agent Nichols through some of the physical evidence in the case. He says he has some specific questions on some aspects of the case and hasn't been able to get a clear read on a few things." She said, though from her tone, it seemed a bit annoyed. "I suppose since he hasn't been here since the beginning of the case, you may start with the crime scene, and move through the car accident evidence, the box, the number, and the drawing again." She shrugged. "Perhaps a fresh set of eyes will be able to come up with something new." Temperance said, watching Antonia stiffen slightly at the suggestion, but the moment passed in an instant.
"That will be fine." She said, nodding her head, she turned and walked out of the office without another word.
It took a moment, but Nichols finally stood up, looking around at the other agents and Temperance staring at him, he quickly left the room in search of Antonia.
Aiden glanced toward the door, and then to Ace, who gave him a reassuring nod and the younger agent sat down.
"I thought that he was going to get lost when Ace came back." Aiden asked, glancing to Booth.
"Booth figured we'd let him finish out the case." Ace said, watching Aiden knowingly.
"Why, Fitz? Feeling a little competition?" Booth teased.
"Booth, need I remind you that you are speaking of your daughter?" Temperance asked, looking up as Hodgins came to the door. He handed Temperance a print out, and then excused himself quickly. "Doctor Hodgins identified flower as a daylily." She said, reading through the paperwork. She continued looking through the description and write up that Hodgins had supplied.
"A daylily?" Aiden said, watching Temperance's eyes lift to his.
"Yes, Agent Fitzgerald."
"They're pretty common, right?" He asked.
"They are. They're a very hardy plant, and very common for landscaping. They grow well in the shade, and fairly well in just about any soil. Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering." He shrugged, looking down at his feet as Ace and Booth continued to talk, he quietly thought about the evidence. The flower, the coin, the buttons, the number. His mind was reeling with information as suddenly his head snapped up. "Ace, we need to go check something out."
"What?" He asked, his brow furrowed as he looked between Booth, Temperance, and Aiden.
"I think I figured it out." He said standing up. "I need to find Tex." He said as he stood up and quickly exited the office.
Booth watched the agent disappear out of the door and looked to Temperance. "That kid has been hanging out with our daughter too much." He said, as he shook his head and they all moved to follow after Aiden.