A/N: OMG! We're almost at the end folks. By the end of this chapter: one baby down, one to go. I'm using this chapter to delve further into Angela and Jack's lives, to try and understand them and their relationship better. On the show they're living off of sex and laughing so I'm making it up as I go along. It may be confusing but I'm gonna switch POV between the men and the women, hope it's clear enough.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bones but I do own the adorable little baby…
Chapter 17 The Baby Arrives (Wednesday)
Wednesday morning the team gathered on the platform, sans Jack, to go over Temperance's latest discovery on the bones.
The doctor holding the latest information was shifting her weight from foot to foot. Wearing her first maternity outfit, she struggled to maintain her professional cool, fearing the outfit was a huge bull's eye proclaiming her pregnancy, undermining her contributions. Cam stood apart from the group, slightly aloof, worry crossing her usually vacant face. Zack was nervous, his hands visibly pooling with sweat, knowing he'd missed something, anxiously awaiting Dr. Brennan's rebuke. Katie leaned forward toward the bones on the table, her pen poised over the well-used notepad, anticipating a new clue to the murder mystery that had her spellbound. Only Booth was relaxed, standing comfortably with his hands resting on his hips, watching his wife do what she did best.
Temperance's voice rose, unsteady, over the platform as she pointed to the first victim's skull.
"The fatal blow to the victim's head combined with the bone fragments found in the basement led us to believe the victim was tortured and killed in her home. While the bone fragments found at the site confirm the fatal blow was administered in the basement the other wounds indicate she was tortured elsewhere." Booth nodded, following her reasoning.
"That's why nothing was missing from the house that could have been used in the attack."
"Correct. And why we couldn't find the matching carpet fibers. Hodgins believes the red shag carpet was from the vehicle used to transport the body to the dumpsite. Most likely a late model van. Upon further review of the skull, it seems the victim sustained two blows, the second one fatal." She glanced at Zack, giving him a reassuring smile.
"The first strike would have been light, most likely knocking the victim unconscious, but not for long. The skull fractured here," the doctor said, pointing with a gloved finger, "and here, the victim's leg was broken; the open wound and skull fracture would have produced a lot of blood. But at some point, the victim woke up, fought back. Small fractures on the olecranon process of the right ulna indicate the victim held up her arm to shield herself from the blow." Temperance held up her own arm, demonstrating the move that would result in the injury. "That," she concluded, "was the blow that killed her. According to Angela's reconstruction, the blow came from behind. She never would have seen it coming but she was fighting someone."
"An accomplice," supplied Booth confidently.
"Yes, a second person may have tried to subdue the victim when she was killed."
Katie spoke up now; "But the second victim didn't show any signs of two killers. Did she?" Her voice conveyed uncertainty.
"You're right. The second victim was first struck with a silver object, based on the particulates Hodgins found, and then, when she was unconscious or stunned from the attack, choked."
"Choking implies the killing was personal. The killer had to be in the victim's face, watching her die. Our killer knew the second victim." Booth was simultaneously disgusted and intrigued by this information.
"Psychology aside, yes, the second victim probably knew the attacker. She was killed in her home, sitting in her recliner. The family even reported a pair of silver candlesticks missing from the scene." Booth nodded in agreement.
"It was someone she knew and trusted. Let them into her house, had a conversation. And they killed her."
"But they mutilated the body." Zack's objection did not go unnoticed.
"Postmortem mutilations are not a common sign of remorse. The killer still moved the body, although not far away, and stabbed her multiple times."
"Possibly to disguise the crime."
"But why—" Booth's objection was cut off by Temperance's pager. The team watched her with curiosity. Temperance never used a pager. She pulled the bright green device from her jacket pocket reading its message.
"It's the baby pager Angela gave me. She's in labor!" Temperance squealed, stumbled from the platform, Booth hot on her heels, attempting to steady her descent. Rushing toward the exit Booth called over his shoulder, "Good work, squints. We'll call you from the hospital."
"Like hell you will." Cam and Zack turned to Katie in surprise. The young woman was beaming. "Let's go you two!"
It was in the early hours of Thursday morning when Cam finally dragged Zack and Katie out of the hospital. Waiting for 23 hours for a coworker to have a baby was not Cam's idea of a day well spent.
Temperance and Booth waited it out, only leaving to pick up Sam and Parker and bring them to the hospital. The family was sleeping fitfully in the waiting room, the boys sprawled out on the floor, Temperance curled up against Booth on the sofa when a rather excited Hodgins burst into the room.
"IT'S A GIRL!!!!" His beaming smile lit the room and his shout failed to wake the young boys who'd fallen asleep just hours before.
Temperance rushed the man with a hug before Booth managed to comprehend the news.
"Where is she? How is she?" Temperance demanded as she squeezed her friend.
"Angela's back in recovery. She did great. She was amazing." Jack's pride shone through his eyes. Booth finally found his voice.
"Congrats, man. Let's go for a walk, let the boys sleep." Temperance ignored the men, and rushed to her friend's bedside. There, Angela held in light pink swaddling clothes the youngest baby Temperance had ever seen.
"Hi, Sweetie. Come meet your goddaughter." Angela couldn't stop smiling as she watched her friend gently pick up the bundle and cradle her softly.
"Ange, she's beautiful. She's got so much hair!" Angela laughed.
"Yep, a mop of black hair. And Jack's blue eyes. She's going to be a heartbreaker."
In the hallway, Booth gave Hodgins a warm pat on the back and handed him a cell phone.
"You've got to call Zack; Cam dragged him out of here awhile ago. He made me promise we'd call as soon as we heard anything."
"Zack?" Hodgins held the phone to his ear, as they continued to walk. "We have a girl! She's beautiful man… Yeah… thanks man… sure, I'll be home later today and bring you in to see her… her name?"
"What did you name her Ange?" Temperance asked, lowering the baby into her mother's arms.
"Well, it took long enough for us to decide. We finally chose a boys name and a girls name last weekend but I decided, oh, two hours ago they wouldn't do."
"During labor?" Booth asked, shocked at the story he was hearing from Hodgins. "In the middle of the pushing and screaming she changed her mind?"
"Sure did, man. Made a big speech about her son not being named Jackson and calling me crazy for agreeing to name her daughter Aurora Rose. She went nuts. I had to agree."
"I don't blame you, man."
"Ohh, it's perfect Angela. Just perfect."
"I know, Bren. I just saw her and knew. You'll see." The doctor's eyes shone with tears as she leaned toward the baby who was struggling to open her eyes.
"Hi there, Aimee Noe Joy Hodgins. I'm your godmother, Bones."
"Angela named her Aimee, after Cullen's daughter?" Booth asked as the men approached the room.
"Yeah. They really connected when we worked that case. And after she died… well, Angela had a tough time."
"What does the name mean?"
"Beloved friend, peace, and happiness."
END Chapter
A/N: hope you liked the name I picked for the new baby. I know it took me forever to find, thanks for katiebeth for the insanely long IM conversations searching for the perfect name. I've decided to leave in her ramblings because they make mine seem more sane...and yes, she does correct the grammer and spelling in my A/N. I'm that pathetic.
Katherine's note: Haha; no kidding. 1½ hour-long IM conversations at 4 in the morning (my time). Yes, I guess you could say I'm in love with this story. A love so deep that it makes me stay up until 5 every morning and makes me pretend to be sick so I can come home from school. Mmhmm. It's a very deep love. Song I'm currently listening to: "Rockin' the Paradise"
A/N: Hope Booth doesn't find out I'm contributing to the delinquincy of a minor child...I'm sure he'd frown on that!