Hi there again. Thanks again for all the reviews; I'm still astounded by the number of alerts and I'm flattered by your support through reviews or silently (I do prefer reviews though *wink*).
Shout out to mendenbar, who kindly took the time to correct some of my grammar mistakes and typos.
All facts are from Wikipedia and the few anthropology books I picked up from Barnes & Noble.
According to Wikipedia (which is always right), it's Daisy "Wick" and has been changed.
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Day 13
B&B
"This is Dr. Temperance Brennan, beginning surface examination of inter-hominoid remains."
The team spent the last week out in the burning sun to excavate the remains from the strong grasp of the hardened ground. Through the daily afternoon rain showers, sweat, tears (from when sweat came in contact with Daisy's eyes), and much more sweat, the team finally was able remove the skeleton. Carried bone by bone with careful touches, the figure was transported with the utmost care on to an examination table.
The examination room was nothing more than a hut, but it had many more high-tech gizmos tucked in. Builders put extra time and effort into completely waterproofing the roof, pouring a concrete floor (it was the only building the complex without a dirt floor), and wiring the high-powered lights and electrical outlets to fuel the investigation.
Of course, the facilities were a far cry from the Jeffersonian's pristine and modern accommodations, but they were sufficient for the research needed.
"Remains have noticeable resemblance to Homo floresiensis discovered in Flores, Indonesia," Brennan noted on the recording.
She often was able to find serenity in empirical examinations; to fully uncover all secrets; one had to give full attention. But in giving full consideration to one thing, once must momentarily forget others.
Like wondering if that email you sent six days ago actually went through.
"The body is remarkably preserved; no hominoid remains from this time period have survived…or at least, been discovered."
At least the one-room examination building was quiet and empty. It's not that Brennan couldn't deal with people; her tolerance for extended social interaction had increased dramatically in the last few years. All the close quarter living and eating really didn't afford one any personal space. With past digs, it had taken her some time to adjust to this unusual style of lodging. With this dig, it felt as if she couldn't get home fast enough. But knowing that home didn't have what she really wanted…it made her feel that much better than she had chosen to go to the Maluku Islands.
"Features of said remains are both primitive and derived. Considering the proposition that Homo floresiensis contemporaneously with Homo sapiens, it is entirely possible that this specimen is the offspring of the two," Brennan paused. "But without even preliminary reports, my previous statement was complete speculation."
"Brennan?" Daisy stepped cautiously into the hut. "May I observe?"
"Certainly," she replied curtly.
Daisy stepped back to a corner, staying well out of the radius of Brennan.
"Remains are female; pelvic bones show the tell-tale signs of childbirth."
"Any ideas as to the date of the remains?" Daisy stood on tip-toes to get a better look.
Brennan placed the recording device on to the examination table, "Assuming that this is between H. sapiens and H. floresiensis, then they would have to have been from 38,000 and 13,000 years ago…but I don't feel comfortable with that theory though without evidence."
"Oh, well that's totally logical," Daisy backed up into a table, knocking a water glass to the concrete floor with a crash.
"Dr. Brennan!" Dr. Curtis Mays appeared, looking immediately to the recovering Daisy. "What on earth have you done!" he screamed, bristling with rage.
Daisy froze with fear; Brennan imagined that her heart rate was increasing.
"Who in the hell would let you near ancient human remains if you can't even keep a stupid water glass on a table? Get out this instant!"
"Stop!" Brennan yelled. "This is my examination room and Ms. Wick is my intern. You have no right to come in here and start ordering her around." She spun to the door, "Daisy, freeze," she halted the escaping intern. "Mays, outside, we need to speak."
Despite the reprimandation, the biological anthropologist slinked out with a smirk.
"Daisy, if you would continue my examination beginning with comparisons to other species in the Homo genus."
"A-Are you sure I will be able to do this?"
"You will be fine."
How could Mays have the gall to treat Daisy in such a manner? Mays was a moron; he barely contributed to the excavation in the past six days. Who had even approved for him to come on this dig anyway?
"Dr. Mays, who do you think you are?" Brennan stormed out of the hut, her fists clenched in anger. It was the posture reserved for crime scenes contaminated by incompetent FBI techs.
"I think I'm a brilliant and talented biological anthropologist looking into the very beautiful eyes of Dr. Temperance Brennan," he said flirtatiously, kicking some pebbles around on the ground. "But, as one cannot live outside their own experiences, I'll never know the truth."
"Well then you are mistaken, as you certainly are not brilliant and not talented enough to see the impact of your actions?" she fumed.
"Come on Temperance, you know I had a point back in there."
"How many times have told you, not to call me Temperance!" she bristled.
"Fine Dr. Brennan."
"I can't have you humiliating my interns-"
"Everyone has to learn sometime to be more careful-"
"Apparently you haven't."
"What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?"
Brennan's palm contacted Mays cheek with a smack. He was left stumbling by the sudden vicious blow. She preferred a closed fist when hitting someone, but as Booth once said: "An open hand doesn't leave a mark."
"Come on Dr, I was trying to lighten the mood with a bit of Shakespeare!" he clutched his reddened cheek.
"You could have certainly picked a more appropriate time to tout your literary knowledge."
"We're practically partners."
Partners? Brennan froze in mortification.
"Did I say something wrong?"
They would never be partners; she already had a partner. Heck, Booth was halfway across the world, but they were partners, never less. Not just partners, but best friends with the potential to be more. Did she want to feel more?
"You are nothing close to being my partner, and I already have one."
"Oooo," Mays mocked. "Anything you ought to tell me since we are working together?"
"That is none of your concern you prodding fool!"
"I think it's time I taught you a bit about manners," he rolled up a sleeve.
Brennan was ready to stand her ground, but Mays was a man of decent stature. Even with her extensive hand to hand combat practice, it would be a difficult fight if it indeed came to that.
"Umm, am I interrupting something?" Keith Merrill cleared his throat. Daisy had probably tipped the UCLA student off; they often conferred. They were the only two non-doctorate anthropologists accepted to be on the dig; she suspected that the two were able to connect over this.
"Nothing important," Brennan smoothed over her khakis.
"Well we could use you help, Jakarta's National Research Centre of Archaeology is trying to snatch Adi like they did to the Hobbit."
"Adi…Hobbit?" she asked quizzically.
"Hobbit, ya know, H. floresiensis. And Adi means precious in Indonesian; seemed kind of fitting for our little remains here," he said fondly.
"Thanks Mr. Merrill, it would be a disaster for the remains to be damaged in any way."
"Dr. Mays, the team could use your expertise at the site," Merrill respectfully said.
"Well…wouldn't want to keep them waiting," Mays took off across the island.
Brennan just stood out in the tropical breeze, wishing it could blow away all her problems.
"Dr. Brennan," Merrill began, "I might not have a doctorate, but I'm not stupid, and I know what I interrupted…want me to leave you alone or stay?"
"I'd like to be alone…"
He placed an amiable hand on her shoulder, "No worries Dr. B."
This dig was supposed to be about pure science. There wasn't supposed to be this…"drama," as Angela would call it. She wished that people could simply do their jobs without bringing all the extra baggage.
Well then, considering the baggage that you've brought along, you wouldn't qualify as one of these "ideal" workers.
As much as worrying was waste of both time and energy, Brennan couldn't help but wonder if Booth had gotten that email. She hated wasting brainpower over pointless agonizing. He was undoubtedly busy, training soldiers to better fight and to apprehend terrorists.
She walked towards the beach, slipping off her rugged hiking boots and thick socks as she went. The sand, warmed by the sun, slipped through her toes as she sunk onto the untouched beach. The sun began to set in the west, turning the sky a moody red.
Her parents took her the beach in the summers…they took her and Russ to New Jersey.
"Tempe, don't be such a baby!" he splashed around in the frigid Atlantic water.
"Russ, be nice to your sister!"
"But moooom!"
"No arguments. Tempe, come here, I'll braid your hair."
It's simply amazing how sensory input can bring back vivid memories. Like how the smell of dry earth and still, musky air, transported her back to that underground SUV.
The sun was setting, the night gaining on the light of day.
"Brennan! We've got food!" the voice of Merrill bellowed.
Just 352 more evenings of sunset's like this one…
B&B
"Alright boys, you're done for the day. Go take a shower, you stink!" Sergeant Major Booth ordered to the group.
After six days of training, the squads were beginning to really shape up and get the hang of what he was teaching. Booth was confident that after another three weeks would turn these guys into terrorist catching machines. But for now, the boys got the evening and Sunday off.
"Hey boss, I gotta talk to ya!" Herring stepped over from the group as they dispersed to drink and relax. "It's real important."
"Sure man, hit me."
"I heard saw you ran into a few days ago, I jus' didn't have time to talk to you about it."
"And who would that be?" Booth walked off across the dusty base.
"Captain Ella Foley," Herring jogged to keep up with the Sergeant Major's brisk pace.
"What about her?"
"You gotta leave that chick alone kay brah?"
He stopped, "Why would you say that?"
"I saw how you looked at her. Look man, I know there ain't much girls on base, but the last thing you want to do is go droolin' after an officer."
"Yeah?" Booth tipped his chin up in defiance.
"You ain't stupid, you know the rules. The Army has a line that you don't cross."
A line…right.
"Yeah, people who work in high risk situations, they can't be involved…romantically because it…leads to…things like what happened."
"High-risk situations…"
"Every single day, it's with us…and there's this line…we can't cross it. You know what I'm saying?"
"Yes. I understand."
A line…just like the one between him and Bones before he boldly crossed that line to where no man had been before. And after fording that river, their partnership wasn't the same. Often it was, but it just felt wrong, like a puzzle with one piece shove in incorrectly but not knowing exactly which one.
"Okay fine, you win. And I did not have the hots for her."
"Sure you didn't, whatever you say boss…"
Booth wandered over towards the recreation building which housed the computer access center. He hadn't been there for six days; the work had really piled up with the boys. He wondered whether he should send an email to Catherine; with his quick departure, he didn't have time for more than a phone call to say goodbye and tell her to move on. Undeniably, she would move on in the next year. She didn't love him enough to stay around, and he didn't love her enough back to want her to stick her around.
"Can I help you?" the Army computer attendant asked with boredom.
"Sergeant Major Seeley Booth," he passed his military ID over the desk. "I want some computer time."
"How much? It's five bucks per hour."
"Start me off with one."
"Take computer number three."
Booth brushed by the desk with purpose.
"Oh, and one more thing," the attendant swiveled around, "viewing or downloading pornography is a no no. Got it?"
"Wasn't planning on it buddy," he clapped the kid on the shoulder.
He logged on to his government email.
Two new messages
One from Rebecca, and from…Bones!
With the excitement of a prepubescent boy on Christmas morning, Booth jabbed the "open" button to Rebecca's email. He just wanted to start with his boy.
To: Seeley Booth
From: Rebecca Stinson
Daddy! I'm telling Mommy what to write. I miss you, but I know you are catching bad guys and helping people, so it's okay then. Look! Mommy took me down to the mall with Brent! She says I don't have much more time left, but I love you Daddy!
-Parker
Seeley, I just want to remind you to stay safe over there. Parker needs you.
-Rebecca.
Enclosed was a picture of an elated Parker, running about on the National Mall. The email brought a smile to his face.
Next up was the mail from Bones…he felt trepidation pool in his stomach. But he was eager to hear what she had to say.
To: Seeley Booth
From: Temperance Brennan
Booth,
I apologize for the late reply, knowing how you are, you have been worried. The team got delayed in Timor-Leste for nearly a week. Obviously, I had no access to internet communications or I would have contacted you sooner. We made it up to the dig site safely, it is truly a marvel and the weather is excellent.
Even with the intellectual effort required to correctly analyze the bones, I can't help but think of you. I hope you remember what I said to you in the airport; don't try to be a hero. I just won't want to see you hurt, dead, or damaged in any way. Wow, now I'm just rambling and I don't want to take away your valuable time.
We've settled in at the site, I'm sharing a room with Daisy. I assure you, it isn't as bad as you might assume; she is proving to be quite the anthropologist and quite a companion. The rest of the team is excellent. They are working extremely well and have given me no problems.
Stay Safe,
Bones
P.S. I we have a phone number at the site now. I don't know what kind of access you have, but be mindful of the time difference if choose to call. Don't forget, it's a shared line, so don't be surprised if I don't pick up.
Booth had to read the email to himself over again to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.
She missed him? Of course she did! He had expected it (in a non-arrogant sort of way), but somehow, her confirmation made him feel that wonderful way that being wanted makes one feel.
"Hey buddy, you hour's up."
"Give me another one!" Booth said through gritted teeth.
"Hey, it's your money, not mine. Don't get all angry at me."
Crap; no he had to compose a fitting reply. What if he said something wrong? At least her jungle adventure was going well…the last thing he had to worry about was some creepy doctor feeling her up.
He wanted to smack his head on the keyboard, but the pesky attendant wouldn't like that at all. The guy would probably ban him from computer access. No computer means no internet, no internet means no Bones.
And now she had a phone number? This year wasn't going to be too bad. Well, he could tell himself that, but truth be told, the year separation would be difficult.
"Let's see…" Booth mumbled, looking at his watch.
9:10 PM
Bones was three and a half hours off…so it would have to be 12:40 AM. That was no time to call her. Maybe with his day off tomorrow he could call her.
Wait, the lines for the free 15 min phone calls were always ridiculously long. Not to mention that they only called back to the US.
"Damn," he swore under his breath. The attendant probably thought he was some crazy combat veteran with all his talking to himself.
He could use a pay phone, but a call to Indonesia…it couldn't be cheap.
Distraught and out of options, Booth typed up a reply and then printed Bones' reply.
"I'm done," he said to the young army attendant, private by the look of his chevron.
Okay, so the perk of this job was free internet. And young 19 or 20 year olds with free internet only turned to one thing.
"Hey buddy," he tapped the boys shoulder causing him to jump in surprise. "If you're going to break you own rules and watch that…stuff. You could at least be a bit more discrete," Booth winked.
"Uhhh, sure," the kid blushed. Who said the Army was immune to embarrassment?
Booth tucked the email into his breast pocket, keeping it close to his heart. Bones might have said that the heart was only full of blood, but the flush of warmth he felt by having a part of her real couldn't have been imagined.
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Well, if you haven't figured it out, I'm putting the emails in when the other partner reads and replies. Next chapter we shall see a phone call!
By the way, seriously, thanks for all the support. Your reviews are really cheering me on to keep writing. If you are one of many people who have this on alert, thank you. I'd love for you to drop me a review so I can hear what you have to say.
Brownie points to whomever can correctly name the Shakespeare play in which the line I quoted was from. Bonus points if you can name the character!
Happy Memorial Day!