Two days after she had arrived back from England, Brennan found herself sitting in front of Dr. Camille Saroyan, the boss of the Jeffersonian department Brennan would be working in. She had met Cam briefly before back at karaoke night and again during her father's trial. Brennan ran her hands down her pant legs again, trying not to feel nervous. She could do this job. She had the credentials, and she was very smart.
"Booth speaks very highly of you," Cam smiled. "And your work in England was very impressive."
"Thank you," Brennan nodded.
"I don't really see why not," Cam went on. "I mean, we are looking for a forensic anthropologist. You've got the education behind you, and I don't doubt you're a fast learner. I guess my question is, why now?"
"Well, it was a dream of mine at first do this this as a career, but then I knew how much my Dad enjoyed working with his students, and I love science, so I decided to go that route. Perhaps if I hadn't had his influence, I would have done this instead."
"Well, needless to say, I'm happy to bring you aboard. I know you've already met Dr. Hodgins. Dr. Addy no longer works here..." Cam trailed off.
"I know," Brennan nodded.
"It's basically the three of us, and sometimes Dr. Edison. Sometimes it gets difficult when we can't I.D. a victim, but we figure things out," Cam finished. She stood then. "Welcome to the team."
"You're not going to test me at all?" Brennan asked, surprised. Cam made a face of contemplation.
"Well, I mean...we could. Is that what you want?"
"I'd like to show you my abilities, yes," Brennan answered.
"Okay then. Right this way," Cam said, leading her down to a room. Dr. Edison looked up.
"Hello," he nodded.
"This is Dr. Brennan," Cam said.
"Yes, we've met," Clark nodded.
"What are you doing?" Brennan asked, taking in the skeleton on the table.
"He's looking at skeletons from the Limbo room," Cam explained. "It's where unidentified people are kept until we can either I.D. them or at least find out what happened to them."
"And you want me to see if I can find out what happened?"
"Well, I already know..." Clark started.
"This is a test as per Dr. Brennan's request," Cam interrupted. "Go ahead, Dr. Brennan."
Brennan leaned over the table, taking it all in.
"Marks on the bone at the ankles and wrists suggest bondage," Brennan started. "The cut in the third upper rib suggests a stab wound close to where the heart was. Damage to the parietal bone says the victim's head was bashed into something."
"Very good," Clark nodded.
"I'm not finished," Brennan said, holding up her hand. "The victim is female, around 30 to 35 years of age, and has markers that indicate she was a dancer. The evidence is on her phalanges and metatarsals. Most likely ballet. Her pelvis indicates that she has given birth."
"Well, I'm impressed," Cam nodded. "I'll say it again. Welcome to the team."
"Thank you," Brennan smiled. She felt very good about herself then.
"Let me show you to your desk," Cam said, leading the way.
...
Brennan had an extra spring in her step when she walked Ripley that evening. She got a job at the Jeffersonian Institute! It was incredible. She couldn't wait to tell Booth. They were going out that night, and she was going to tell him the good news then.
"I'm starting a new chapter, Ripley," she said. Her loyal canine looked up at her with a whine. "Things are gonna be different." She made her way home, and walked up the stairs to her apartment when she found her father sitting outside her door.
"Dad," she said, shocked.
"Hey, honey," he said, looking up at her. "I know how much you hate it when I just let myself in."
"What are you doing here?" she demanded. Seeing him took her by surprise. She wasn't prepared.
"I learned a valuable lesson from a young woman I met on a bus a few days ago," Matthew said, sighing. "She told me to stop running."
"Oh?"
"Yes. I was running away from you, running away from our conflict. I'm not gonna do that anymore. I have been doing it my whole life, and I need to stop running, so here I am. Look, I know you're upset with the things I've done, and I'm not proud of them, Temperance. I never was. My mission now is to live a clean, good life, one where maybe one day you'll be proud of me."
"Dad..."
"And I'm dropping the whole Matthew b.s. too. My name is Max. If I had the chance to do it over again, I'd make some big changes," Matthew, now Max, said. "I know you're struggling to forgive me, and I get it, but I just want to be your Dad, Tempe. It's all I ever wanted. All this other mess just got in the way. Can you please give me another chance?"
Brennan stared at her father. He was begging, and she knew he was being sincere. Her father didn't beg.
"Do you want something to drink?" she asked, not knowing what else to say.
"Sure," he nodded eagerly. She let him in then, and he hovered by the door. He felt as though perhaps she would change her mind suddenly and ask him to leave.
"Water? Juice? Pop? Booze?" she asked.
"Pop is fine," he answered. She threw him a can of ginger ale. He took this to mean he was allowed to stay, and he sat on the couch carefully. She sat on the arm of it, fiddling with her fingers. Ripley looked back and forth between the two of them.
"I guess I should try to see things through your point of view," she started. "You were protecting your family. You did what you thought you had to do. The people you loved were in danger. It does make sense, but I still struggle with the fact that you killed people."
"If you ever experience it, you'll know that it's not a pleasant feeling," Max said. "I threw up all over your mother after we disposed of McVicar. Needless to say, I had to do laundry that night too."
"Oh my," Brennan said, covering her mouth with her hand. She tried to hide her smile.
"I still felt sick after Kirby," Max said quietly. "Taking another human's life takes more strength than you realize. I justified what I did because he was going to kill you without mercy. And Russ. I had to remind myself that." He left out his third victim. Brennan didn't need to know.
"Let's make a deal to not speak of this again," Brennan suggested. "Let's just move on and try to fix our father/daughter relationship."
"Yes," Max agreed instantly. "Let's do that."
"I got a new job," Brennan said, smiling shyly.
"Really? Where?"
"At the Jeffersonian. I will be helping Booth and the FBI identify remains and solve murders."
"I hope I didn't have any influence on that decision," Max teased. He felt a lot lighter then. He finally felt like his old self again.
"No, no. It was my second choice aside from teaching."
"I'm sure you'll do great," Max beamed. Brennan smiled at him. He was her father. She had decided that she couldn't just throw that away. Her mother wouldn't have wanted her to.
...
"You got the job!" Booth hooted, clapping his hands together. They were at dinner, and she told him the good news.
"She practically handed it to me. I had to ask her to test me," Brennan laughed.
"Of course you did. And I'm sure you passed too," he nodded.
"I did."
"Good!"
"My father came by tonight..."
"He did?" Booth asked, putting down his fork then. He grew serious.
"We had a really nice talk. We decided to start fresh. Oh, and he's Max now," she finished.
"I see. I'm glad you talked to him again."
"Me too. I guess I just had to work through the anger first."
"Did you, though?"
"Some of it," she admitted. "Maybe not all of it, but he's my father. I can't hate him forever."
"Good for you," Booth said, raising his glass to her. They went on to finish their meal, and then they headed back to his place for some one on one time. Brennan couldn't get over that she had this life now. A few months ago she had been single and only dreaming of her dream job. Now, she had an amazing new job and a man who was in love with her. A very hunky man at that too.
"So, partner," he said, resting on one arm and looking down at her. They were curled up in his bed.
"Mmhmm?"
"What do you think about when you think about us in the future?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, where do you see us?"
"Is this the marriage question?"
"I didn't phrase it that way..."
"I know. Angela told me about it. She said that it comes up in relationships after a few months."
"So...you've been waiting for me to bring it up?"
"Not waiting really. I figured it would come up eventually, and now it has."
"Are you freaked out?"
"No. I mean, I'm not so sure about my thoughts on marriage, but I do see us together for a long time, if that answers your question," she said, smiling at him. He pursed his lips back.
"Good answer," he said, bending down to kiss her.
...
"I just can't believe you're leaving," Angela said, watching Brennan pack up her desk.
"I can't believe you're not coming with me," Brennan said back.
"I like my job."
"Do you? Kids pressing their painty little hands on your chest? Fighting over colors? Throwing paint around?"
"When you put it like that, yea, it's a messy job, but I still like it," Angela answered, crossing her arms.
"You would do so well there. You could help identify victims!"
"Not my ideal job, sweetie. I'm happy here. This is where I want to be," Angela said firmly.
"Well, then I guess I'll see you when I see you," Brennan said. She was going to miss their lunches together and their morning and evening chats.
"You're not moving to Rome," Angela laughed. "I'll see you tonight at the bar."
"Sounds good," Brennan smiled. She picked up her box and headed out the door. She walked down the hallway one last time, envisioning all the children who would be there in a couple of weeks. She would miss them, but she also couldn't wait to get started on her new journey.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I anticipate perhaps only a couple more left, but we'll see ;)
