(Season 10)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones

Ooooooooooooooooooo

It had been the look on Courtney Hodsoll's face while she spoke of letting go that grabbed Booth's attention. The young lady had told him she had finally realized that she could love her mother even if her mother couldn't love her and that had hit him hard. She was the daughter of an addict and that addiction, even if it was just cookie jars, had made Courtney feel less important to her mother, unloved, unwanted.

He had tried to assure her and he hoped he had got through to her. "It wasn't your fault. She was an addict. It had nothing to do with you." And it hadn't. Courtney's mother had died trying to protect her cookie jars and that made Booth realize that his own addiction could do the same thing to him leaving behind his family wondering if he really loved them at all. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen.

His next meeting came and he finally stood up and told his story. It was a big step in trying to fix himself and he knew it. It had taken him weeks to finally stand and once he had told his story, he knew that he had made the first step back towards his family. He had a lot of work to do, but he now accepted that and he would do what he needed to do to get the trust back that he had destroyed between him and Brennan.

In the meantime, he was still working on the clown case and he had a few decisions to make. The clown was probably going to kill in a week or two and he felt he should put out some kind of warning to the Sheriff's offices in the counties that might be targeted next. Neither he nor his team were any closer to finding out who the killer was and he was afraid that a child was going to be murdered before they found the clown.

Booth had known that it was going to be a tough sell, but he hadn't counted on how tough. He called the Sheriff of Ohio County where Bethlehem, West Virginia was situated first because he had a gut feeling that was where the next murder was going to take place. He had tried to warn him about the clown, but the Sheriff had thought Booth had either lost his mind or was conning him. "Look Agent Booth. I've seen those movies and I don't believe some guy in a clown outfit is killing anyone. I know you people are publicity hogs and you like to get your names in the paper, but you aren't going to make a laughing stock out my office." And the man had hung up.

He had also contacted the Sheriffs of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Tucker County, West Virginia, Hunterdon County, New Jersey and Alexander County, North Carolina. Unlike the Sheriff of Ohio County, those Sheriffs had listened to him and assured them they would keep an eye out, but Booth had heard the disbelief in most of their voices and he knew that they weren't taking him seriously.

"Damn it, Bones. It's ridiculous." Booth was angrily stirring a spoon in his coffee cup and some of the liquid was sloshing over the sides of the cup. "Some kid is going to be murdered in the next week or two and the minute I mention clowns to law enforcement, they act like I'm nuts. Too many people have seen those damn killer clown movies and they think this is some kind of a stunt being perpetrated by the FBI. Those assholes . . . damn it!"

Clearly Booth was agitated, but Brennan didn't really see away around the problem for now. Placing her hand over his hand, she stilled his stirring spoon. "All you can do is warn them Booth. I contacted the family of the child murdered in Canaan, New York and asked if we could exhume the body of their daughter. They weren't receptive to my idea, so I called two other families and the family of Beverly Li has agreed to allow their daughter's body to be exhumed and sent to the Jeffersonian. I told them we would pay all expenses involved and Mr. Li said he was grateful. The Li family wants the killer caught and they have agreed to cooperate as much as possible. After I got their approval, I contacted the Sheriff of Essex County, Vermont to let him know what is happening and he has agreed to cooperate with our investigation."

"That's great, Bones." He knew that Caroline had been trying to get permission to exhume the bodies of two of the children killed in New Hampshire and the child killed in Canaan, Connecticut, but the families weren't cooperating. He had known she had planned to try the other families next, but it looked like Brennan had beat her to the punch and this way they wouldn't have to produce a warrant to get what they wanted. "I'll let Caroline know you got one of the families to cooperate. She told me the families she'd contacted so far didn't want their child's bodies to be cut up again since they've already been autopsied once. One of the fathers cussed her out and hung up. Caroline didn't like that . . . not at all."

Brennan had been given the same treatment from two of the families, but had not taken it personally and kept contacting families until someone agreed to her plan. "Many of the families just don't want their child to go through another autopsy. I realized that they may also be worried about the expense, so that is why I assured Beverly Li's father that I would pay all costs."

"That was a great idea." Booth wiped up the spilled coffee with a napkin and sipped some of the cooling beverage. "Maybe you'll see something the coroner of Essex County didn't see. God, I hope so."

"If there is anything to find, I will find it." Brennan was just as anxious as Booth was to find the killer before he killed another child. "How was your meeting last night?" Brennan was anxious about Booth's recovery and she wanted to make sure he was still going to his meetings. So far he had seemed to be barely trying to fix his problem and she was worried that he never would.

Booth picked up a fry and dredged it in some ketchup. "It was good . . . This is going to take some time, Bones. I'm working on fixing me, fixing my addiction, but . . . well, it's not something I can fix in a day or a week or a month. What I did, it was wrong . . . I have a lot of hard work ahead of me . . . I, uh . . . I need time."

"I know." And she did know. She wanted her husband to know she was on his side. "If you need my help, Booth, you just have to ask me. I know it seems like I'm not on your side because I made you leave the house, but what I did was necessary. I want you to succeed. Everyone wants you to succeed."

He was grateful for her concern, but he knew it was battle he had to fight by himself. Booth did appreciate that she was in his corner though. It gave him the strength he needed to do what he needed to do. She was his anchor in the wild storm his life had become. "Thanks . . . It helps believe me . . . Let me know when you get Beverly's body and if you find anything. In the meantime, I'll tell Caroline what's going on and tell her she can quit trying to get one of the families to cooperate."

"No don't do that Booth." Brennan needed all the evidence she could get. "If she can get one of the other families to cooperate then that would be good. It would give me a better chance of finding evidence to help with our case. Tell Caroline to tell the families that the Jeffersonian will pay for all expenses if that is their worry."

"Thanks, Bones. I'll do that." Booth hoped they got a break soon. He didn't want another child to be murdered.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.