A Pain That I'm Used To—Chapter 14
Disclaimer: Duh-huh—not mine!
Author's notes: I downloaded "The Man in the Fallout Shelter" on iTunes yesterday and watched it for inspiration…well, that and to see Booth with his pants down! Cute boxers in that episode! As always I appreciate your reviews and even if you aren't reviewing, I appreciate the fact that you have taken the time to read this story.
(Quickly throws more chocolate at WOATCAPIITON—just as a preventative measure and please don't die!—and at Bella-mi-amore—can't have you feeling left out!)
To jaed621—You're right, the last chapter was not very exciting but I did feel that Brennan needed to get back on track and mend her relationships with Booth and Angela after her attitude. Plus, she needs to realize she's got the perfect guy!
And elliot02uk (Jean B.)—I always, always look forward to reading your comments. Whether it's 'nitpicking' or congratulating me on a chapter, your comments make me strive to be a better writer. So I thank you. And sorry about the shortness of the last chapter but sometimes brevity is key….although you couldn't tell it from my author's notes, huh? (grin)
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"Hey Bones, you ready…" Booth stopped short as he strolled into Brennan's office discovering it was empty. He glanced around, noticing that her monitor was off and her work space was covered with files. Brennan always cleared her work space first thing when she entered her office. He knew this first hand and had managed to annoy her a few times by placing items on her desk after she had straightened it. Booth grinned as he thought about how compulsive she could be sometimes.
The grin slowly disappeared from his face as another thought hit him. What if she wasn't in her office because she'd had another attack? Searching around her desk, Booth couldn't locate her bag which he knew contained her medication. He had insisted that she ensure the prescription bottle was in her bag before they left her apartment that morning. She had whined momentarily as she listed all of the side effects before placing them in her bag.
He turned and jogged out of the office down the corridor to Angela's. Hopefully her best friend would know where Brennan was. His heart constricted at the thought of Brennan having another attack without him there to help her.
Racing into the artist's office, Booth found Brennan and Angela sitting side by side at Angela's work station in front of her monitor.
"So since we only have one side of the bullet…" Angela typed on the keyboard, enhancing the image on the screen.
"What are you doing in here?" Booth's voice broke the duo's concentration. He placed his hands on his hips and stared at them.
Angela smiled at the obviously agitated agent. "Angela and I were working on the reverse engineer..." Brennan began, unsure why her partner seemed so perturbed.
"Yeah, I can see that. I…I, uh…you weren't in your office and I…" He stammered over his words, realizing how cross he had sounded.
"You thought something was wrong with your Bones and you came running in here to find out if I knew anything, right?" The twinkle in Angela's dark eyes was unmistakable.
"No," he said in a rather unconvincing tone. "It's just usually Bones is in her office or on the platform. Plus, she knew I would here at noon to pick her up…"
"Why are you two talking about me as if I'm not in the room?" Brennan waved her hand around to show that she was still present.
Angela laughed as she turned back to the monitor. "Sweetie I'll keep working on this while you and the hunky agent are gone."
Booth grinned at the word 'hunky' and smoothed down his tie. "Yeah, you do that," he said pointing a finger at Angela. "Come on Bones, let's hit the road."
Dark eyes followed the couple as they left, noting Booth's hand travel to the small of Brennan's back. Angela sighed and swiveled her chair back to face her monitor. "I'd take that kind of comfort any day."
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"You and Angela are cool then, huh?" Booth asked as he pulled out of the parking structure, pushing his sunglasses up with one finger.
"Yeah, we're…cool," Brennan agreed. "I apologized and she forgave me for being a complete 'beeyotch'."
Booth started laughing and found it hard to maintain control of the SUV momentarily. "What?"
"It means…"
"No, no, I know what it means." His laughter had subsided but his lips were still twitching into a smile. "I just can't believe you said it." He glanced over at her and shook his head. "Always full of surprises, huh?"
"I also told her about the panic attacks," she admitted. Brennan realized how much better she felt since Booth and Angela both knew about the episodes.
Looking over at her again, Booth smiled proudly. "Good."
"You would have told her anyway."
"Now why would you say that? When have I ever…"
"When I beat up Ortez." Brennan glared at him, crossing her arms. "You called and told her about that and she came into my office to berate for me it."
"Okay, granted I did tell her about that but only because I thought it was funny that an anthropologist beat the crap out of a gang leader." He smiled at the memory of Ortez hitting the floor in the FBI building. "And yeah, you're right. I probably would've told her just to make sure that someone could keep on eye on you when I wasn't around."
"I can take care of myself you know."
Booth rolled his eyes and groaned at her statement. "Sure you don't wanna take a nap on the way to Willow Lake…take one of those little pills?"
She swatted his shoulder with her hand to show her displeasure with his joking question.
He chuckled at her and remained silent for a few moments. "So…Angela thinks I'm 'hunky', huh?"
Brennan rolled her eyes at his question.
"And you think I'm 'hot'."
"I never said that!" She blushed as she tried to recall if she had said anything last night to prompt Booth to make such a statement.
"Okay, you didn't exactly say that I was 'hot' but you implied it when you used that word to describe Agent Andy Lister…because, you know…" He pulled his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose and turned to wink at her.
"The size of your ego is unbelievable. How did you manage to fit it in the car?" Brennan laughed.
"It's an SUV…lots of room…so, you're still denying it, huh?" He watched as she nodded her head, affirming her denial. "That hurts Bones. You and I both know the character is based on me—not Cullen or some other agent." He feigned a shiver as though the idea of Cullen as her inspiration sent chills up his spine.
Brennan pursed her lips together as Booth grinned at her.
"Well think about this Bones…what if I went to Montreal and worked with the only other forensic anthropologist near this area. Then I wrote a book about a case where I worked with a 'hot' anthropologist and when people, knowing that we're partners, asked me who that character is based on, I say, instead of you, that it was Dr…., uh…"
"Dr. Michel Dupuis," Brennan supplied as a small smile played on her lips.
"Yeah, Dr. Michel Dupuis. Michel Dupuis is one 'hot' forensic anthropologist. Now what would you say to that? Wouldn't that hurt your feelings just a little?"
"Not at all," she grinned at him. "In fact I would say that I admire your security in your sexuality as a heterosexual male given the fact that it doesn't bother you to call another male of the homo sapien species 'hot'."
"What?" Booth looked over at her with his mouth agape.
"Michel is French for Michael," she said as her eyes moved over Booth's body. "Gotta say, you two would make a cute couple. He's very particular about his suits too."
"Not funny Bones…really not funny. You set me up."
"How could I set you up when you're the one who started this whole conversation?" Brennan's smile grew wider as Booth's face grew more and more red. "Oh I can't wait to share this with Angela."
Booth looked over and narrowed his eyes at her before returning them to the road. "Not funny," he muttered.
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As the SUV approached the Thompsons' quaint home with a van load of agents behind them, Booth glanced over at Brennan and noticed her tense slightly. He reached out and took her left hand in his right, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.
"You okay?"
She nodded, taking deep slow breaths. "Fine."
Booth slowed the SUV and parked behind Sheriff Fife's patrol car. The fair haired man nodded his head at Booth in greeting from his perch beside the patrol car. Booth looked over at his partner as she placed her hand on the door handle to exit the vehicle.
"Bones…"
She turned to face him, recognizing the serious tone of his voice.
"If you have another…you know if this gets to be too much, just let me…"
"I will, I promise."
"Temperance." There it was—her given name or at least the only name she had ever known. It amazed her how those three syllables rolling off his tongue made her weak in the knees.
"I promise, Seeley." She quickly exited the vehicle and Booth followed her lead.
"Hello again Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth," Fife said as he approached them. "What's with the reinforcements?" He peered past the couple at the four agents climbing out of the van, unloading boxes and tags.
Booth handed the sheriff the warrant he had secured for the guns in the house. "Elaine Thompson will be here in the next few minutes…"
"You think they were killed with Ronald's weapons?" Fife looked from Booth to Brennan attempting to ascertain an answer.
"It's a possibility," Brennan stated, crossing her arms as she studied the man in front of her.
Pulling another piece of paper from his jacket, Booth provided Fife with another warrant. "And this one is for the service weapon on your right hip," he said, pointing to the gun.
Fife stared at the agent in astonishment. "You're serious?"
"Nah, I just thought I would have a federal judge sign off on a warrant for a double homicide investigation for fun." Booth held out his hand. "Hand it over…carefully."
The blood drained from the sheriff's face as he removed the gun from his holster and turned the gun so that Booth could grab it by the grip. Booth signaled for one of the other agents to retrieve the firearm.
"I've got other guns in my home. Do you need to seize those too?" Fife shook his head in disbelief.
"Any more 9mm handguns?" Booth asked.
"One or two…don't worry about a warrant. I'll just go…"
"You and the other agents can go after we're done here." He grasped the sheriff's shoulder. "It makes me feel better that you offered that information…"
"I didn't do this Agent Booth," he replied vehemently. "I couldn't do this…not to Katherine. Never to Katherine."
A large black town car traveling up the driveway to the house caught Brennan's attention. "I think Elaine Thompson has arrived."
"With her lawyer," Fife spat out. "Now who looks like the guilty party?" He stormed away from Booth and Brennan, walking around the house to the backyard.
A tall African-American man exited the vehicle, offering his hand to Elaine Thompson and then to Elaine's friend and helper, Maggie.
"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, this is Joseph Keith, our family lawyer," Elaine introduced the debonair older man as he shook hands with the couple.
"Yeah, nice meeting you," Booth said as he gestured to the others agents standing behind him and Brennan. "We just need to collect all of the handguns, different calibers, but definitely all of the 9mm…"
Joseph smiled politely at the agent. "May I see the warrant please?"
Brennan glanced at Booth, noticing how he gritted his teeth as he returned a polite smile and handed the warrant to the lawyer. "I'm sure you'll find everything in order. Agent Booth is very fastidious about his job," she said.
"Every 't' crossed and every 'i' dotted," Booth said as he watched Joseph read over the warrant carefully.
"Elaine, this warrant covers the entire house as well as Ronald's shed and work area," Joseph explained to his client. "And Dr. Brennan was correct. Everything is indeed in order."
"My son was…shot to death?" Elaine posed her question to Brennan who turned her gaze to Booth.
"Yes ma'am, he was and so was Katherine," Booth responded.
"And you think someone used one of his guns?" Elaine leaned heavily against Maggie who stood beside her.
"We think it's a possibility," Brennan said gently.
Elaine reached out and touched Brennan's hand as she and Booth turned to walk to the house and begin the search. "When can I have my son back? When can I give him a proper burial?"
"Soon, Mrs. Thompson." She pulled her hand away from the older woman's and turned away quickly. Brennan felt tears stinging in her eyes and she didn't relish the thought of having a breakdown in front of the old woman, a lawyer, several agents as well as Booth.
Watching Brennan walk up the stairs to the front door, Booth knew she was on the verge of tears. He also knew that she was pushing down her emotions again and he sighed softly. Turning back to Joseph and Elaine, he offered a small smile. "Dr. Brennan and I will be by your home after we finish here to speak with Natalie."
"We'll be ready for you and I expect to have an inventory sheet listing all of the items taken from the residence at that time," the lawyer said, flashing another polite smile before escorting Elaine and Maggie to the car.
"Damn lawyers," Booth muttered. He still couldn't believe he had dated one of the blood sucking creatures of the night. He looked up to see Fife returning to the driveway after Elaine and her crew had pulled away. "She's really dislikes you, huh?"
Fife ran a hand through his hair and smiled slightly. "It's a mutual dislike, agent." He kicked at a piece of gravel in the driveway and scanned the area. "What do you need for me to do?"
"Stay out of the way but don't wander off." Booth turned to enter the house and find his partner.
"Agent Booth?"
"What?"
"Do you really believe that I killed Katherine and Ronald?"
Booth studied the serious expression on the sheriff's face and sighed. "I really hope you didn't Fife. I would hate to be responsible for the state putting a needle in your arm."
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Two hours later, Booth and Brennan were searching through boxes in the basement of the Thompson residence.
"I don't know why we're searching through these boxes, Booth. The guy liked to keep his arsenal…"
"Collection, Bones, collection."
"Yeah right," she muttered. "He liked to keep his guns around him, on display. It's like it gave him power or something."
"Was that psychology Bones?" He quirked an eyebrow at her in amusement.
"No." Brennan frowned as she realized he was right—it was psychology.
"Is that why you always want a gun? To give you power?" he teased her.
She straightened from her crouched position and gave him a serious look. "No, I told you why I want a gun…to shoot people."
He rolled his eyes, remembering the numerous times they'd had this conversation, and continued searching through the boxes. "Well that was the last box. I hope we found all of them."
He stood and stretched his tired muscles and watched as Brennan did the same. "Still doing okay?"
"Booth…"
"I just want to make sure…I mean you know I'd hate for you to have another attack…" Although I wouldn't mind lying in your bed with you again, he thought to himself.
"I promise you, I'm fine. In fact…I'm good." Brennan smiled at him as he flexed his arms, stretching his hands above his head. Very good, she thought and then blushed at her Angela-like inner dialogue.
Picking up his discarded jacket, Booth placed his hand on Brennan's shoulder and turned her toward the stairs. As she placed her foot on the first step, something on the other side of the room caught her attention. She pivoted around without warning and found herself in Booth's arms.
"This is becoming a habit," he said softly as he regarded her with a loving gaze. "A rather nice habit."
Brennan's breath caught in her throat as it had that day in her office when Booth told her there was no reason to be scared—of him or how she felt about him.
The moment was interrupted by Sheriff Fife as he opened the basement door and called out to the couple. "Ya'll okay down there?"
Booth released his hold on his partner, allowing her to walk past him. He shook his head at the sheriff's seemingly shared impeccable timing with Brennan's squint squad.
"We're fine. Thanks for checking on us," Booth replied with a notable degree of sarcasm.
"Booth, look at this," she called out to him from the other side of the basement. As Booth made his way over to her, he heard Fife walking down the stairs.
"See the discoloration of the concrete here." She pointed to a large area approximately 2 feet wide.
"It's lighter than the rest of the floor…like it's been cleaned with something."
Brennan glanced up at the wall and frowned. "Two years…plenty of time for someone to patch up any bullet holes in the wall and paint."
"Are you sayin' what I think you're sayin'?" Fife asked as he stood behind them.
Brennan grabbed two small envelopes from her bag, as well as a scalpel and a pair of tweezers. "This could be the murder scene. I'll take samples from the discolored area and an area away from it so that Hodgins can examine both."
"Can't you use that luminol stuff to see if there's blood?" The sheriff watched as Brennan proceeded to scrape bits of concrete into the envelope.
"Luminol is very sensitive. It detects blood but it also detects other substances as well, such as bleach. When a scene has been cleaned thoroughly utilizing strong abrasive materials like bleach, it can give a false positive result." Brennan moved to another area and bent down to take more scrapings. "This concrete is very flaky Booth."
"Cheap stuff? Ronald spends thousands upon thousands of dollars on guns but he goes cheap on home improvement?" Booth questioned.
"Hopefully Hodgins can match the bits of concrete found on the victims' clothing to this."
"Humph, concrete is concrete," Fife stated. "I don't see how you're gonna prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it's the same."
Booth turned and narrowed his eyes at Fife. "You'd be amazed at what Bones and her team can prove."
The sheriff's apprehensive demeanor at Booth's statement was not lost on the agent and anthropologist.
Author's notes: Okay, it's that time again! Let me know what you think.