Brennan asked Hodgins about the detergent found on the victim's shirt.
"Spride. A cheap generic version of its competitors. In use since the late eighties. It does alright on the market, not that it really has a chance."
"Any other chemicals you found?"
"No, but there was a high absorption of coal in his clothes."
"Coal?"
"Yeah. My guess is he was somewhere with a fireplace, or an old stove. Someplace where good old heat is generated."
"Huh. What about the chain?"
"Get this," Hodgins pulled the chain out and gave it to Brennan. "Pure white gold. Do you know how much something like this would cost? Whoever had it, and then threw it away like trash, is insane."
"Wow, pure gold," Angela said brightly.
"You like gold?" Hodgins softly asked.
"No," Angela smiled.
"Can we get back to work?"
"Touchy Dr. Brennan this morning, aren't you?"
Brennan looked at Hodgins and his smile faded and he cleared his throat.
"Well, the blood is human. It doesn't match the victim's DNA though. Cam wanted to take a look at it."
Brennan stiffened and said nothing for a second.
"Oh, well, let me know when she finds anything."
Seconds after she said that, Cam came to the platform and asked how the investigation was going.
"We're doing fine, Dr. Saroyan," Brennan stated.
"Well, that's good. Listen, can I talk to you for a second?"
"I'm very busy, Cam."
Brennan moved to a microscope to look at a bone fragment, but found that Cam was not going to give up so easily.
"Dr. Brennan, are you okay?"
Brennan made sure Hodgins and Angela were on the other side of the platform before she answered.
"I'm fine, Cam."
She turned back to her fragment.
"I know that last night was pretty rough on you, on all of us-."
"No, it wasn't. I was angry and needed to vent. Plus, I had to make Booth see that my place in this world is not that of a brainless, helpless, girl."
Cam opened her mouth, but looking at Brennan's back was unnerving her. All she could think about was her fist colliding into Booth's head, and then walking out the door. Cam had gotten ice for his eye, but Booth hadn't been so warm to her. After a few minutes, he had told her that he was pretty done for the night, and had walked away.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Well, I am. I'm not so sure about Booth though. I did hit him pretty hard. How was he?"
Cam tried a smile.
"He's fine. A little battered looking but, it suits him."
"Okay, I need to get to work Cam."
Brennan switched slides and managed to ignore Cam's stare. It wasn't because she hated her, though she didn't like her much, it was because she was slightly embarrassed that Cam had seen her outburst.
Hodgins motioned his head to Brennan and Cam, asking a silent question. Angela could only shrug her shoulders.
At that moment, Booth swiped his card and walked slowly up the steps. Everyone stared at the blue and purple bruised eye.
"What's everybody staring at?" Booth asked gruffly.
"We have a case to solve people. What's new?"
Silence.
He glanced to Bones but then pointedly looked away and cleared his throat.
"What happened to your face man?" Hodgins asked in a laughing tone.
Angela, noticing Cam's downward gaze and Brennan's avoidance of looking at Booth, had all her evidence.
Booth sighed and gave a small grin.
"I wasn't paying attention and hit it on the car door last night."
Hodgins just looked at him.
"Dude, you did not get that by doing that. You're the FBI. FBI agents don't get beat up by their car doors."
Booth shrugged nonchalantly.
"Okay, can we just move on? Good. Tell me about the detergent."
Hodgins does.
Booth nods his head.
"I found two laundry mats in the neighborhood. Is there anything you think that could narrow it down?"
"Well, if you find any coal that would be helpful?"
"Okay, coal. Check."
He paused, finally looked at Bones and tried to tell himself that they were partners. No matter what else happened, they at least had their work relationship.
"Are you coming, Bones?"
"Actually, I have too much work to do here."
"Oh," Booth said softly.
"Um, Brennan? Can I talk to you for just a minute?"
Angela dragged Brennan off the platform.
"Just hold on a second, Booth? Okay."
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When she was sure that no one was around, she faced her best friend.
"Tell me everything."
"About what?"
Rolling her eyes, Angela took Brennan's hand.
"Sweetie, you can't fool me," she motioned to where Booth stood.
"I know that you hit him. I just don't know why."
Brennan closed her eyes and fought back a sigh. How did she always know everything?
"It's really nothing."
"Then why are telling him to go out on the field by himself? You always want to be involved."
"Well maybe this time I don't want to be."
"Oh, now that is another lie."
"Ange, I really don't see your point."
"Look at me Bren. What happened?"
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"Come on Booth, tell me what really happened."
Booth shoved his hands in his pockets.
"I told you what happened."
"And I pretended to believe you. Come on."
"Uh, Hodgins, would you ask Zack to bring me those images of the skull?"
"Aww, ruin my line of questiong why don't you?"
As soon as Hodgins had walked past them, Cam peered closely at Booth.
"How does it feel?"
"How it looks."
"I'm surprised at how hard she can hit."
"Well, I'm not."
He glanced to where Brennan and Angela were on the floor. Cam knew exactly where he was looking and felt a tug of jealousy.
"Maybe you should go by yourself."
"No. She's my partner, Cam. And she has these eyes for the evidence."
"But after last night, she may not want to."
"No. She'll change her mind. It was my fault. I shouldn't have stepped into her life. Dang, I just have a way of ruining things with her, don't I?"
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For a few heartbeats, Brennan managed to keep her mouth shut.
"He sent some agent to keep watch over me last night at dinner."
"And that warranted you beating him up?"
"I didn't beat him up and yes, it did."
"Honey, no, you've got that all wrong. He was just trying to protect you, I think."
"No, I don't think so."
"Bren, what is with you lately? You've been so…unBrennan and that's scary."
"I just don't want to be treated like I'm useless and weak."
"Okay, just let me say this one thing."
Angela waited until she had Brennan's undivided attention.
"Give him a break. He's worried about you all the time and why wouldn't he? You've been in few situations where he felt like he should have been there to prevent it from happening in the first place. You know Booth. He just can't express it, he has to act on it."
Brennan sighed. Maybe Angela was right. Plus, he was her partner. You couldn't change that. And she did want out on the field. Could she be civil? Hhmm…maybe.