A/N: Here it is, the next chapter. Sorry for the delay, hopefully chapters will be coming up quicker in the future! Thank you to BonesDBChippie, a911chic, bb-4ever, Bellabun and kmmp99 for their fabulous reviews!
She glanced down at the bodies on the table before her and tried to calm her pounding heart. 'It's just a case.' She said to herself. 'Just like any other.' Her eyes roamed the place cards next to the skeletons. Garrett Delaney. Robert Kirby. Pete Norris. All casts of the original bones. Then Vince McVicar. And then Christine Brennan and finally, Max Keenan.
Her father was the worst to look at, he was still decomposing. Although most of his body had been eaten away, she could still see his hair and other features that make it look like him. As she had said to Booth once, the core architecture was what mattered. The rest was just window dressing. His grey jumpsuit was partially eaten away and she could see the stab wounds along his sternum and ribcage.
She looked up, blinking back the tears. She didn't know how she felt about her father, part of her was still angry about what he had done, but she did know that she missed him. He should be in jailing, paying for what he did but alive, not here on her table staring back at her. 'Focus, Brennan.' She thought to herself. 'Time to focus.'
"Zach?" she inquired.
"Yes, Dr. Brennan?" Zach replied.
"I need you to double check everything I do on this bodies. More than double check. You are in charge." She stated.
Zach looked at her confusedly. "I am not sure what you mean?"
"She means that she is not here." Cam said, coming on to the platform, Booth following behind her. "Any comment she makes about the bodies you need to repeat if you agree. Preferably into a tape recorder. Officially Dr. Brennan as of this morning is on vacation and will not be back for several weeks."
She turned and smiled at Cam who nodded back. She was grateful that Cam was letting her do her job even though technically she shouldn't be allowed to.
"Let's start over here." She said, gesturing to Max. "I need Hodgins to examine the body for particulates as well as run clothing analysis. Then you can clean the bones. Angela, I would like you to start a facial reconstruction on all of the bodies."
"But we know who they are." Angela asked.
"I want to make sure that we aren't missing anything. I don't want to miss one step of the process." She replied.
Angela nodded. "Even your mom? I have her face on record already."
"Yes and try not to allow your previous facial reconstructions dictate what you create this time. Not that you would but…" she stated.
"I understand, Bren." Angela replied.
"Zach, when you are finished cleaning the bones we will do a preliminary examination of all of the bodies. I want to do it all at once." She said.
Zach nodded and everyone headed off to do their tasks.
She looked once more at her father's body and moved away to her office.
"Excuse me." Booth said to Cam, as he followed Brennan to her office. He knocked on the door and she looked up.
"Come in." she said softly.
"What do you need me to do?" he asked.
"I'm sorry Booth." She blurted out, standing and moving towards him. "I didn't mean to…"
"Don't worry about it." He said sharply.
"No please, listen." She said, feeling her tears resurface. "I got scared. I saw Parker and Russ and we were all having a good time like a family and it scared me. I can't give you the things you want and it scared me, but I can get through this, I know I can. I'm sorry." She moved forwards, trying to put her arms around him, but he moved away.
"Look Temperance, I can't do this right now. I have too much going on with this case and the custody…" he replied.
"I know." She said. "I want to help. Just tell me what you need me to do and I will do it."
"I don't need anything from you." He said, hoping she couldn't tell that he was lying. He really wanted to pull her into his arms, but he wasn't ready for that. "All I want is to get my son back. Nothing else matters right now."
"Booth, Rebecca shouldn't have…" she started.
"No! Listen Temperance, listen carefully. I don't want to talk to you about this. I don't want you to help me or comfort me, I just want to figure it out by myself. I don't want us right now, I can't handle it." He replied, running his fingers through his hair.
"Right." She said softly, her heart sinking.
"So, if you don't need me to do anything, I am going to head over to FBI headquarters and talk to Cullen." He said.
"About the case?" she asked. "I thought we were keeping it from him."
"We were. That is until Rebecca found Russ taking care of Parker." He replied. "When this goes to court, Russ is going to be brought up. I need to convince Cullen to testify that he is part of an ongoing FBI investigation."
"Right." She nodded. "Is Cullen going to arrest Russ?"
"Possibly." He replied.
"Okay." She said, moving back to her desk and shuffling her files around. "I will call you with any updates the team has."
He gave a quick nod and headed out the door, trying to ignore the tears he saw in her eyes.
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"So let me get this straight? You found a convicted felon and are hiding him in your apartment?" Cullen asked incredulously. "Of all the stupidest…."
"I know. But sir, Russ has provided us with valued information on the case. Turning him in could cause problems, not to mention that he could be killed like Max." he replied.
"You really think this is FBI?" Cullen said.
"Would I be meeting with you in the diner if I didn't?" he asked.
"Good point." Cullen said gruffly. "But Booth, you are crossing a line here. I know Dr. Brennan is your partner and much more, but this is a federal offence, you know that right."
He nodded. "Yes sir."
"You love her?" Cullen asked.
He felt his heart wrench at Cullen's question but answered it truthfully anyway.
"Yes sir I do."
"Why did you come to me?" Cullen asked. "For all you know, I could be in on it."
"I know you aren't sir." Booth replied.
"Gut feeling?" Cullen said.
"Yes sir." He replied.
Cullen nodded. "Tell me what you need me to do."