Well, before we have Booth's reaction, I think there are some other notable people who will be equally shocked. Sorry, but this one's kinda long. Thanks for reviews guys.
"Brennan?"
She looked up from her yellow legal pad.
"Hey, Angela. What did you find?"
"Well," Angela sat on Brennan's desk, "the breaking of the arm is more than likely accidental. Its signs are congruent with falling from about four feet, and landing on it in just the right way to break the ulna."
"You're sure?"
"Pretty sure. And the skull trauma? I tried working it out so that maybe he would have hit his head on a corner or sill, but there's not enough force on his own."
"And even on the skull, there's signs that the object not only hit the victim, but actually looked like someone had scraped it against the head just to make sure," Brennan thought out loud and threw her pen down.
"Definitely. We should be looking for someone with the same physique as Zack?"
"Zack?"
"Well, I did a little experimenting and his muscle strength, height, and weight, almost perfectly match what the killer would look like."
"Where are Zack and Hodgins?"
"Something about finding the murder weapon before the other. I really try to tune them out when they're together."
Brennan stood.
"Angela…."
"What?"
Okay, just tell her, Brennan thought. Just come out and say it. Wait. Wait.
"Let's go to the Angelator. I have something to tell you."
"Oooh, is it exciting?"
With just a hint of a wince, Brennan shook her head.
"I'm not sure."
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"Dr. Brennan, I was going to come find you," Hodgins gave her a paper.
"Nickel and Steel?"
"Yes, those were the only two elements found in the skull wound. I have to say, whoever this person is, they like their stuff pure and fine."
"Why do you say that?"
"That chain was pure white gold. Whatever he used to kill the victim was made mostly out of steel with the outside being nickel, probably to keep its luster."
"You can tell all that?"
"Of course. Oh, and Zack thinks whatever it is has got to be small?"
Brennan turned to Zack.
"That would match wouldn't it? The size, shape, material, it would make sense that the killer would use something he knew he could control, but that he also knew would kill the victim."
"Yes, Dr. Brennan. I still haven't found out what it is, but it would stand out if anyone saw it. It's got to be irregular shaped from what we gathered from the wound."
"And I also tested some of that Spride you gave me. Turns out, that thing is more devilish than the little blue box says."
"How is that?"
"Well," Hodgins folded his arms, "It barely acts like a detergent soap. I would say it acts more like a cleansing solution considering when I tested it, it nearly scavenged away natural fibers and left them brittle. It does bring out ketchup from shirts anyways."
"And I suppose you tested that just for fun?"
"What can I say? I am a thorough man."
Brennan shook her head and put her hands on her hips. They were with the Angelator now. The room was semi dark. They each held their own side of the table, and looking at all three of them, Brennan felt her throat close.
"Okay, now that we've discussed the case, what did you want to talk about?"
Taking a breath, Brennan leaned against the table.
"I've been offered a job at the Perkins Institute."
There was silence as they looked at each other confused.
"You were offered a job?" Hodgins asked.
"Yes. Gail Perkins thinks that I would be an appropriate fit for the forensic anthropologist position, and I haven't answered him yet."
"Wait," Angela stepped closer to Brennan's side of the table.
"I thought you told me that you weren't considering it?"
"You knew about it?" Hodgins nearly yelled.
Angela's eyes never wavered from Brennan's.
"I thought I knew then."
"But now you don't?"
"Okay, hold up!" Hodgins motioned with a time out signal of his hands.
"Are you going to take it?"
"I am undecided at the moment."
"So you could go either way?" he asked incredibly.
"Brennan, you can't do this. Sweetie, you just can't!"
"That's a fifty-fifty chance that you'll leave!" Zack burst out.
"The odds are,are, o-one to two that you'll leave. Or one to two th-that you'll stay. That can't be right. It's got t-to be s-skewed somehow. It c-can't just be ratio of single digits-."
"Okay, Zack. Don't override your circuits."
Hodgins clapped him on the back and Zack immediately focused. That being out of the way, Hodgins turned to Brennan again.
"How long have you been thinking about this?"
"He asked me at dinner yesterday."
"And you didn't tell me?" Angela nearly screamed.
"You've got to say no," she continued. "You can't just leave us for some fancy institute in England for god sake."
"It's a good opportunity for me Angela."
"But not for us? What are we supposed to do?"
"Work."
"Work? Work?"
"Okay, Angela," Hodgins rushed to her side but she pulled away from him. She grasped Brennan's hand and squeezed it tightly.
"You are my best friend. You are all of ours best friend."
"I know Angela," Brennan whispered as she watched a tear from Angela's face.
"But this might be for the best."
"How could it be for the best? You might leave us."
"We'll all go."
Hodgins statement hung in the air as Angela, Zack, and Brennan turned to him.
"I mean it. With our credentials, who would turn us down?"
"Hodgins-."
"No. I'm the bug, soil, slime man. Even the best of them come to me. I've got three doctorates, who would turn my expertise down? And Angela has the Angelator. She can also draw like nobody's business, and manage computer images like Rambo. Zack, well Zack is a freaking genius. He's all numbers and stuff like that. Why wouldn't the Perkins' want us too?"
"I really don't think that will work."
"Why not?"
"What happens to the Jeffersonian?"
"Eh, who cares after we're gone?"
"I do. The Jeffersonian has been my home for years."
"Then why are you leaving?"
He knew he had her at that one.
"We can do this."
"No," Brennan stated, "we can't. I won't let you. You guys are the best, and that's why the Jeffersonian needs you."
There was a silence as she stared at each one, hoping to talk some sense into them. She hadn't even made her decision yet and they were minutes away from mutiny.
"I still haven't made my choice. I don't even know where I want to be right now, so let's just keep that in focus. There's still a good chance that I'll stay. I just can't say for sure right now."
"Why didn't you tell me, Bren?"
"How could I? I didn't know how."
"But this is pretty major. It affects us all."
"I know, Ange. That's the hardest part."
She hugged her friend and pulled away. There was one more thing.
"I uh, I need you all to not tell Booth."
"What!?"
"I haven't told him yet."
"Well it's settled then," Zack said brightly.
"Booth won't let you leave Dr. Brennan."
"I'm afraid he won't have a choice."
"But…he's Booth. He has a gun."
"And I can stand toe to toe with him."
"Why haven't you told him?"
"I haven't found the time. So please, don't say a word."
"He's going to find out anyway."
"Jack, please. I want to tell him in person. I don't want him finding out from someone else. How would that have made you feel?"
"Okay."
"Okay."
Brennan sighed, straightened her shoulders and nodded her head.
"Well, let's get back to business as usual. We still have to find our killer."
Hodgins held Angela's hand as they walked out and Zack followed closely behind them, but as he reached the doorway, he paused. Slowly, he turned around.
"What are we supposed to without you, Dr. Brennan?"
It startled her for a heartbeat. It was completely out of character for Zack the Scientist. And she couldn't help but feel her shoulders sag under the pressure.
"I don't know," Brennan said quietly. She offered him a weak, sad, smile.
He waited, and returned the same smile before walking out.
Okay, pros vs cons.
Brennan split her legal pad paper with one line down the middle. Two days. That was her deadline. Any longer, and she'd overanalyze the situation. Any shorter, and it would end up being a rash decision.
Pro
Can apply for gun-again
Be my own boss
Raise
Lovely flats
Very blunt people
Array of remains to dissect
New furniture
No FBI breathing down my back
No Booth
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Con
Have to move some of my furniture
Not near to Russ
No Angela, Jack, Zack
Telling everybody I'm leaving
I've heard some parts smell bad there
Move my entire office out
No Sid and his food
Have to start work from scratch
No Booth
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She looked at the last con, then the last pro. Quickly, she scratched them out with a slash and leaned back in her chair. Two days. That was too fast.
Angela knocked on her door quietly.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"I…just thought I'd see if you want to have dinner with me and Hodgins?"
Brennan smiled slowly.
"I think I'll pass for tonight."
"What are you going to be doing?"
"Well, I've got a bit of paperwork to do. And there's a skull that needs to be put together."
"Never miss a moment to do work, do you?"
"Nope."
Brennan tilted her head.
"What else do you want, Angela?" she asked softly.
"I uh, um, well, I just wanted to say that-I know you'll make the right choice."
"You do?"
"Of course. You are Dr. Temperance Brennan. Nothing gets past you."
She smiled and held her hands together while fighting tears once more.
"Don't think the worst, Angela. I still haven't decided."
"I know. That's all that keeps playing in my head is that phrase."
Angela caught her breath on a sob, and nodded her head.
"Well, he's waiting for me."
"Go ahead. Ange, tell him thank you. Even though I won't let any of you quit if I do leave, tell him thank you."
"Are you sure you don't want to come?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. Go on."
Brennan watched as Angela walked out on stiff legs. She covered her face with her hands and sat like that for a long time.