Glad people are intrigued, I am really enjoying this already. Oh and I don't own Bones or Nickelback...but it could change.

April 2nd

There's this song. I don't like it much…hits a little too close to home, ya know? But…I really can hear her scream from down the hall. And it is amazing she can even talk at all. But she doesn't have to tell me to go back to bed. A pack of wild dogs couldn't drag me from the safety of my closet when he is like that.

"Hodgins looked at the bug activity and places time of death around the end of summer last year." Brennan lead the way into her office and Booth sat in the chair in front of her desk.

"Well that would explain why the body was left undisturbed on the beach for so long. People were done with it for the summer." Booth absently rolled a set of dice between his fingers while he thought. "Have you got any information on the murder weapon or age of the girl?"

"No, I haven't let Zach clean the bones yet because Hodgins is still examining the remains of clothing and bio-matter. I'll have him take x-rays though."

"Sounds good, call me if you get anything. I've got some eye witnesses to hunt down." He said, getting up to leave.

Brennan nodded, half listening as she flipped through some papers on her desk.

"Shit." She muttered picking up a small white envelope.

Booth looked back at her. "What's the matter?"

She paused while she read the contents of the letter.

"This. Fan mail." She pursed her lips and waved the paper angrily.

Eye's wide, Booth tried to comprehend why she would be so upset with fan mail.

"Grr. Yeah…I hate fan mail too." He said slowly, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"No. It's annoying and intrusive. Look at this one. 'This last book of yours was really great'. Well, I already knew that or it wouldn't be on the best sellers list. And here, 'is you're real life FBI agent partner as hot as Andy?' Why do they keep making the connection between you two?" Brennan slumped into her chair and tossed the letter back onto the desk with a heavy sigh.

Booth's smiled. "C'mon Bones, there are worse things." At Brennan's glare he raised his hands in surrender. "Alright alright I'm going."

Just then Brennan's desk phone rang and she glanced at the caller ID before calling Booth back and putting it on speaker.

"Yes Angela?"

"Hey Bren, just wanted to let you know that I'm in my office with the vic's face. It's running through missing persons as we speak."

Within moments Booth and Brennan had arrived in Angela's office and were hovering expectantly.

"So…have you two admitted you're in love yet?" Angela smirked at her computer screen.

"What?!" They replied in unison, glancing at each other and then back at Angela.

"I'll take that as a 'no'." The artist looked at them, both red in the face. "It's just that once people start singing spontaneous duets in the middle of restaurants they are generally ready for Stage 1." She shrugged and continued squinting at her screen.

Brennan looked appalled and Booth slightly amused.

"Where did you hear about that?"

"Did they get it on camera?"

"Calm down Sweetie, you know I can find out anything I want to. And...yeah, we should check out the surveillance footage in the Diner, there might be something I can work with."

Booth nodded and ignored Brennan's fiery glare.

"That one." Booth pointed at a blinking picture of a smiling blond girl on the screen and Angela pulled up her drawing.

"Yep. That's her." She leaned in to read the information on the screen. "Courtney Alamang. God, she was only fourteen. Resident of Maryland daughter to…" Angela stopped and bit her lip.

"What is it Angela?" Brennan questioned, leaning in closer to read what Angela had been reading.

"Resident of Maryland daughter to Phillipa Alamang…deceased. Jonathan Alamang, incarcerated." Brennan straightened but didn't take her eyes off the screen. "The victim was a Ward of the State."

Booth's hands were poised on his hips and he sensed Brennan stiffen, a stolen glance revealed her expression as neutral as ever. But Booth knew better.

"Bones…"

"Angela can you print out the address of that foster home so we can go talk to them? Thank you." She turned and left the room quickly, leaving Angela and Booth staring after her, concerned about things to come and frustrated over what to do next.

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"Bones…you alright?" Booth asked quietly, busying himself with glancing in the rear view mirrors to avoid staring at his partner.

Brennan took a deep breath before answering, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

"Fine Booth. It's just another case okay?"

Booth raised an eyebrow. "You're sure? Because it wasn't just another case the last time it involved a foster child."

Brennan tensed and threw him an icy glance.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean you were emotional last time. You took it personal, it's understandable but it's not going to do anyone any good if you hide it."

"Booth," The edge of her tone was sharp enough to draw blood, "I'll put this in laymen's terms for your benefit. I. Am. Fine."

Booth glanced at her, the look in her eyes left no room for argument of any kind. At least, not if he valued his ability to see out of both his eyes.

"Alright Bones. Point taken."

The rest of the drive was spent in contemplative silence.

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The house was plain. Small and set far back in a thick of Jack Pine trees. The front yard had remnants of grass here and there, but was mostly dirt. It was a single story set up with chipped white paint and moss growing on the roof. Obviously the owners didn't have a lot of money, but it didn't seem unsafe in any way. A small pink bike lay on it's side in the yard and a beat up truck sat parked in the driveway.

"Just let me do the talking okay?" Booth shut his door and met Brennan at the front of the SUV.

"You say that every time. Do I ever listen?" Brennan's teasing tone was back, but thinly masking her apprehension at approaching the foster home. Booth glanced at her, pulling off his sunglasses and pushing down an inexplicable urge to take her aside and somehow remove this pain from her.

"No, but I keep hoping one day you will." He reached up to knock and Brennan watched the door intently, responding in monotone.

"The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over expecting a different result."

"The cure for insanity is seeing a shrink." Booth responded, not missing a beat.

"Which obviously isn't helping." Brennan muttered, holding her breath as the doorknob began turning.

The large white door swung open and Brennan waited for Booth to hold out his badge and introduce them.

He didn't.

When she looked over at him she could se he was staring, mid reach for his badge, at the teenage girl who'd opened the door.

Hoping to find an explanation for his odd behavior, she turned back to the girl.

What first struck her was the black clothes, head to foot the girl wore black. Black boots under baggy black jeans with a silver chain dangling from one of the belt loops to her back pocket. The pants hung low on her bony hips and a black short sleeve shirt over a white long sleeve shirt covered her slight torso. Her thumbs were threaded through the ends of her shirt and Brennan noticed with chagrin the chipped black nail polish, indicating the girl was a nail-biter. A habit Brennan detested. The girl's pale face was framed with long jet black hair and set off by the copious amounts of dark eyeliner.

Brennan shifted uncomfortably. Neither the girl nor Booth had moved for several moments. Obviously something was going on, she just wished she had some idea what. Just as she was about to say something, the girl spoke.

"Seeley?" She had a voice that was quiet and calm, almost unnervingly so.

Booth slowly closed his mouth and blinked.

"April."

I definitely wasn't expecting to see him when I opened the door, but I'm not complaining. I wonder if this is one of those times when my whole world is about to change.

Curious? haha, me too. R&R por favor! (please!)