A/N: OK. I got over five reviews saying "More chapters!" So to all you people who wanted more, here's to you guys! By the way, if anyone wants to correct me on Jared's status in the Marines, go ahead and correct me!
Chapter 2: The Introducing of Cate Pritchard to the Squint Squad
Author's POV
Temperance Brennan sighed as she sat in the living room of her apartment, Booth by her side. They were going over the case file. Booth said, "So how did your date with Jared go?"
Brennan smiled at her partner. "It went great! I mean, your younger brother is such a gentleman. He's just like you, in the sense he's an alpha male. Maybe that's why you two never got along."
Booth was scowling. The date was supposed to have gone horribly wrong. Bones wasn't supposed to have a good time with his younger brother! He said, trying to hide the anger and jealousy in his voice, "What did you two talk about?"
She glanced at him. "Are you jealous, Booth? If you must know, we talked about you."
Booth blinked in surprise and said, "Uh… What about me?"
"Well, about the two of you really. When you were —" Brennan's phone rang, and she glanced at the caller ID, and then at the clock. "One moment." She answered, "Brennan."
"Hi, Bren!" came her friend's voice.
"Hi. What's up. Isn't it—" Brennan glanced at the clock. 12:30. "—5:30 over there?"
"Yeah. What time is it in DC? Did I wake you up?"
"No. Booth and I were working on a case. What's up?"
"I've just been granted a month vacation!"
Brennan smiled. "That's great! Do you need a place to stay?"
"Please? Pretty, pretty please, with sugar on top!"
"I was going to say yes, anyway. You do realize this means you'll be cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for your self?" she asked.
"Yeah. I'm totally fine with that! It'll be great. I need to get away. Things without Ian…"
"Have been hellishly painful? Yeah. I know that feeling."
"This new anthropologist they assigned me is stupid beyond belief. Well he's smart but…He just doesn't have the right set of people skills for me to take him out into the field. You do, Bren. So I'm taking a month off."
"I don't blame you there. So you solved that case? Didn't need any ID's done?"
"Nope. Yeah. Rodger, the new anthropologist, got the ID's done pretty quickly. But hey, why are we talking about work for?"
"Good question. When do you get to DC?" Brennan pulled a spare piece of paper to her as Booth stared on incredulously. He had NO CLUE who Brennan was talking to.
"Tomorrow, about 2ish."
"Morning or afternoon?"
"Afternoon. That means my flight leaves here about 10 in the morning. That means, I have to roll my ass out of bed at 3 in the morning. Stupid new restrictions…"
"Well, that's not so bad. Granted I'm up at four to make coffee and get dressed. But I've had to do that before on cases."
'Obviously,' Booth thought as Brennan wrote, "CP. Dulles Airport 11/10/08 2o'clock."'This CP person knows Bones and about our cases and works with law enforcement. I wonder if I'll need to wring his neck. And he's staying here?!'
"Maybe… But it'll be great to see you again, Bren."
"Listen, I have to get up in five hours, so I'll see you at the airport tomorrow at two. I'll bring Angela."
"Great! Have fun. Try to climb Everest tonight! I don't want to hear anymore about you and Kilimanjaro!"
"I suspect you'll meet Kilimanjaro. He is Everest's younger brother. Good night, Cate…" Brennan hung up.
Booth said, "Who was that?"
"Cate Pritchard. Remember her? When we were in England?"
"Oh… So Pritch is coming here?" he asked.
"Yeah. Ian's death is still affecting her so Scotland Yard is giving her a month off," Brennan said, starting to pick up the living room. Booth stood up and helped.
"Great. Should we introduce her to the squad?"
"Yeah. I'm taking Angela with me tomorrow. She said we had some things to talk about, and I have to treat her to lunch."
"Oh… I was hoping to give you a ride."
Brennan's heart sank and she had no clue as to why. He just wanted to see Pritch again.
Cam was dating again. No one knew who. Rebecca was engaged to Drew, AKA 'Captain Fantastic'. She hadn't seen Tessa since before New Orleans. Why wouldn't he want to see Pritch?
"Hey, Booth, it's late. Do you want to sleep here? I do have a guest bed."
"No…"
"Booth, you drank three beers. No way am I letting you behind the wheel. Some of your clothes from last time are here."
Booth rolled his eyes and agreed. There was no way he was winning this one and he was tired. "OK. I'll stay here. Just expect hear squealing from Ange when we come in to the Jeffersonian in my SUV."
It was Brennan's turn to roll her eyes. "Eh. I'll drive my car. I want to be there early if I'm to go home and get Pritch situated."
"OK. Want to show Pritch the best pie in DC?"
Brennan nodded. "Night Booth. I have extra toothbrush and toothpaste in there for you."
The forensic anthropologist shed her clothes once in her own bathroom. She had learned her lesson, and locked her bathroom door. She had run in on Booth taking a bath, and didn't want him to do the same.
'Although you wouldn't mind, would you…?'
She let the hot water wash over her body as her muscles began to relax. She had the feeling it would be a hellish month.
Her mind drifted to her date with Jared.
Flashback
Brennan and Jared sat across from each other at a cute little restaurant Brennan knew. Jared said, "So, what shall I call you? Dr. Brennan seems too formal for this setting."
"Bren or Brennan. Everyone calls me that."
"Except my brother. He calls you Bones."
"He does that to piss me off."
"Does it work?"
"No. Not anymore."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I mean, it's just natural to answer to that when he calls me. His caller ID even says 'Bones'."
"Wow…And you two are sure you aren't dating?"
"I believe that's the fifth time you've asked me that, Jared."
"Sorry, Bren. What is your first name?"
"Temperance."
"Temperance is a beautiful name. Why don't you use it?"
"I've never let anyone use it. I only let Russ, my brother, Max, my father, and Booth call me that."
Jared raised his eyebrows. "Seel? But I thought he called you 'Bones'."
"He only calls me 'Temperance if I'm having some sort of mental break down."
Jared nodded. "He's good at calming people down. When he told Mom and Dad he was joining the Army Rangers, Mom went into hysterics. Seel had her calm within five minutes."
"I have to admit, he is good with people."
"Especially, people he loves."
"What are you saying, Lieutenant Commander Booth?"
"I'm saying you are either just like a little sister to him, or he is completely and totally in love with you."
"Neither. He's my partner."
"OK…Whatever you say, Brennan…" Jared picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. And the rest was history…
End Flashback
There was a knock on her bathroom door. "Bones! There's no soap in there!"
Brennan groaned. She'd have to do laundry before she left in the morning. 'Or just get that hot-sexy FB-eye candy to do it in the morning. Wouldn't it be fucking sexy to see him doing your laundry, holding your bra and thongs?' Why she was thinking those things was beyond her. They didn't relate at all!
Damn her conscience that sounded like Ange and Pritch combined. She stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself as best she could in a little half-towel. She grabbed a fresh bar of soap, walked to the door, unlocked it, opened it enough to get her hand through, and handed the soap to Booth. Booth, being as talented as he is, accidentally hit the door, and opened it onto a shocked Brennan.
Booth was in a towel. Just a towel.
Booth blushed beet burgundy before Brennan regained enough composer to slam the door shut in Booth's face.
Booth suddenly needed a cold shower. And so did Brennan.
Brennan finished her shower after setting the temperature to cold. She brushed her teeth, and brushed her hair. She slipped into Sully's old FBI shirt and into bed.
Booth put on a pair of boxers and slid under the covers.
Brennan fell asleep, knowing that Booth was just on the other side of the wall.
Booth fell asleep, knowing that Brennan was in the master bedroom, on the other side of the wall.
Angela's POV
I dragged Brennan to the diner. "OK, sweetie. Spill. You kissed Booth? When? How was it? Is he as good a kisser as Cam said he was?"
Bren sighed. She knew she wasn't getting away from my interrogation.
"Yes, Ange, I kissed Booth. It was at Christmas. Remember the Kris Kringle case?"
"Yeah…" I said, wondering where the hell this was going.
"Caroline made me a deal. If I kissed Booth for five steamy steamboats, she'd get the trailer for Russ and Dad. I hung some mistletoe, popped some gum in my mouth, and let Booth know what I was doing."
I held up a hand to stop Bren. "Whoa…Hold your horses. You told Booth that you were going to kiss him?"
"Angela, I don't have horses to hold…"
"It's an expression, sweetie."
"Oh… I told Booth out of professional courtesy. After I told Booth, Caroline walked in. I was standing under the mistletoe, and she pushed Booth next to me." Bren took a breath. "Booth was about to step away, when I grabbed his jacket and kissed him."
"It was a mistletoe kiss?" I gasped. "Aw! How cute!"
"When we broke apart, Caroline's jaw was on the floor. It was quite entertaining to see."
Was it just me, or did Bren use a pop-culture reference correctly?
"I asked her if that was enough steamboats, and she said, 'A whole flotilla…' What does flotilla mean, Ange?"
"Enough."
"Oh. OK. Then I told her it was like…" Bren trailed off, and mumbled the last part, so that even I with my sharp hearing, couldn't hear it.
"Like kissing my brother…"
I gaped and stared at her. Even I didn't think Bren was that stupid. My god…How stupid can a girl get?! I said, "You said in front of Booth it was like kissing your brother…? Bren!"
"What?" she asked innocently.
"How stupid could you get?!"
"I'm not stupid!"
"You practically took out all of Booth's self-esteem in one fell swoop! Now he'll never ask you out!" I told her. This was the one chance that they could've gotten together, but she had just opened her mouth.
Bren rolled her eyes. She's gotten quite good at that. "Ange…You didn't let me finish. After Caroline left, Booth said 'Thanks for the gum Bones,' and left."
"There was tongue?! Oh my god! There was tongue!" I was half in shock. I almost wished Roxie were there so this wouldn't be lost on me alone. Sometimes I think Booth is right. I wonder what that lab does to us.
"Yes, Ange. There was tongue."
Brennan glanced at the clock on the diner wall. "Oh God. I'm late." She slapped a twenty on the table and said, "Come on, Ange. You're coming with me to the airport."
Author's POV
Angela was being dragged along by Brennan to the car. "Uh, Bren? Why are we going to the airport?"
"We're picking up Pritch."
"Pritch? That woman I met online last night?"
"Yeah. She's staying here for a month."
"Great!!"
Brennan and Angela were only five minutes late in picking Pritch up.
The arrivals screen in the airport was freaking out. Angela said, "Why is it, that whenever I come here to pick someone up, this damn board is being a bitch."
"I don't know. But let's go talk to the desk guy," Brennan said. Angela and Brennan walked over to the desk. "Excuse me sir, but when does the flight from London touch down?" Brennan asked.
The guy held up a hand to say, 'Wait and minute, and I'll get to you.'
Angela looked more closely at the guy. "Hey… I know you." She turned to Brennan. "Sweetie, this was the guy I flashed to get the information on when your flight touched down couple years ago."
"Great…"
Angela looked at the guy and unbuttoned her shirt. "Hi."
The guy was staring and Brennan was controlling the urge not to fall on the floor laughing. "Yeah. The flight from London?"
Brennan heard, "I hope you said 'Excuse me,' first."
Brennan turned around and saw Pritchard, luggage and all. "Pritch! You're here!"
"Hi, Bren. I am dead on my feet. It's 8o'clock back home. I hate airports."
Brennan said, "Pritch, I'd like you to meet Angela Montenegro. She's the woman you met last night."
Pritch stuck out her hand and Angela shook it. "Nice to meet you," Pritchard said.
"Nice to meet you too. How did you give Booth the nickname of 'Everest'?"
"Ian had just died. We'd been close, physically. I said it was like climbing Everest. I said Bren shouldn't forego Everest. So since we've kept in touch, I ask if she's climbed Everest."
Angela nodded. "Which of course she hasn't."
Brennan sighed. "You know, I'm right here, guys."
Pritch smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Bren. By the way, thanks for letting me stay at your place."
"No problem," Brennan said.
Angela's phone rang as Brennan's did. Angela walked away to talk.
"Brennan."
"Where are you Bones?"
"Airport, Booth. I'm picking up Pritch, remember?"
"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. OK. Bring Pritch with you. The FBI forensics squad found something at the scene."
"Great. We'll be there in about ten minutes."
With Angela
"Hello?"
"Hi, Angela. It's me."
"Hey, Hodgie. What's going on?"
"Get Dr. Brennan here now."
"Why?" I was curious.
"Booth is going crazy here. He's on the phone right now, but he's pacing and Wendell is about to commit suicide. Booth looks like he's going to murder someone. Probably me."
I stifled a chuckle. No matter what, even if Hodgins does hate everyone—I have my sources, people. Sweets being one of them.—he's still my paranoid Hodgie.
"OK. I'll get Bren there ASAP."
"Good. Booth is getting off the phone. Love you Ange. Bye!"
Hodgins said 'Love you', but did he mean it?
Eh… I was confused.
Back with Brennan and Pritch when Angela comes back
Cate said, "So Bren, how have you been?"
The three of them were sitting in Bren's car, driving back to the Jeffersonian.
"Pretty good. Hey, Angela, remember the Christmas party where Booth got stoned on that Valley Fever drug?" Bren asked, changing the subject away from herself.
"Oh, yeah. Goodman was telling me about Booth asking about the 'little flashy lights on the ceiling'. Apparently it was as funny as hell."
"You should have heard our conversation a little bit later."
"Somehow," Cate said, "I get the feeling I'm totally lost."
Angela nodded. She was confused. Bren's changing the subject and Hodgins and the I love you thing. "I would be too, if I were you in your position."
The car ride was loud, but they kept it down.
Once at the Jeffersonian, the girls piled out, making plans to got shopping the following Saturday. Cate and Ange were getting along really well, and Bren was wondering if it was such a good idea to introduce them without a buffer. Like Booth. No. Then they would have a field day teasing them. That she knew.
In the lab, she saw Booth pacing the forensic platform with Wendell staring at the agent like he'd gone mad.
She called, "Booth! What do we have?!" She swiped her card and ran up the stairs.
Hodgins and Cam walked over, discussing some particulates found on the bones. Angela said, "Cam, Hodgins, I'd like you to meet Bren's newest roommate for a month, Detective Cate Pritchard from Scotland Yard."
Cam held out and hand. Cate took it and they shook hands. Cam said, "Pritchard…You were the detective in charge of the cases when Booth and Dr. Brennan were in the United Kingdom, correct?"
"Yes, I was," Cate said. She liked Cam.
Hodgins said, "Yeah… I'm Jack Hodgins. Nice to meet you."
Cate nodded. "You too." She yawned. "Sorry… Long plane ride. Is there anywhere I can take a nap while Bren and Ev—Booth work?"
Camille noticed the slip, but didn't say anything. She'd interrogate Cate later. "Yeah. You can sleep on Dr. Brennan's couch."
Angela nodded and led the detective to Brennan's office. She handed the woman some blanked, drew the blinds, and closed the door, leaving Cate in the hands of Gainel the Dream King.
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Hey! Please don't kill me!!!
Hope you liked it! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I hope you guys get to climb your own personal Everest one day!
IKSMF signing out.