ATTENTION ALL BONES FANS!!! The Peoples' Choice Awards are coming up and voting has begun. Sadly, Bones, nor any of it's actors, are nominated for awards. However, you can write in your own candidate. So on the 'Favorite TV Drama' and 'Favorite TV Obsession' I wrote in "Bones" and for 'Favorite Drama Actor' and 'Favorite Drama Actress' I wrote in David Boreanaz and Emily Dechanel. I voted over and over for about an hour and plan to do that at least once a day every day until voting is closed. "Bones" and I need your help to make them win! Go to *http: // www . peopleschoice . com / pca / nominations / vote . jsp* (of course, without the spaces) and write in your vote for "Bones" and your favorite actor and actress from the show. Let's get "Bones" an award without them being nominated! How epic would that be!? We would be the greatest fans ever if we could do that! "Bones" has been good to us, so let's return the kindness! You can vote as many times as you want, so go forth and VOTE!!! Do it for "Bones"!!! "Bones" fans unite!!! Thanks :)

OMG I am so sorry for how long it took me to post this chapter! I know it's been weeks! But I had a really bad case of writers block, but thanks to the help of David Archuleta (well, his music, anyway XD) I'm back with chapter three! Thank you, David, for making such terrifically fun and helpful music! Love you!

I'd also like to thank all who reviewed, favorites and subscribed to this story. And all who waited so patiently for this chapter. Thank you for not messaging me, yelling at me and demanding an update, and just hanging back and waiting for my writers block to pass. You're all so great and I couldn't ask for better readers.

It's short, but it's a chapter, but it gets things in motion for the rest of the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones and all of the names, but one, that are listed are made up by myself. If there is anyone out there with one of the names, I didn't mean to use your name. The one name I didn't make up, which I will not point out, is a shoutout to a friend of mine. ;D

Jeffersonian, September 8, 12:03pm

Brennan paced impatiently in front of the fax machine in her office with her arms crossed. There was an uncomfortable tightness of anxiety in her chest. If his name was on one of the lists, that would mean she would know where he was. But it would also mean that he had been shot. Was he even alive? Even if he had been alive upon reaching the hospital, that didn't mean that his injuries were not fatal. As she felt the tears burn the corners of her eyes once again, she forced in a breath and forced out the thoughts. She wasn't about to give up on her partner.

Finally the fax machine came to life, beeping and rumbling shortly until a paper covered in names was spit out. She snatched it quickly, scanning over each name carefully, the knot in her stomach tightening with every name that wasn't Booth's.

Sara Simmons, James Corr, Alyson Clark, Tyler Massey...etc.

When she reached the bottom of the page, she cursed, not finding his name. She quickly grabbed the next page that was produced and scanned it.

Timothy Davis, Rachael Reid, Rosie Cook...etc.

Again she cursed when she didn't see the name she needed to see. The third page came out and she grabbed it faster than the first two. This had to be it. It was the last list left. His name had to be on it.

Jacob Sanders, Kelly O'Donnell, Robert Chapman*, Dani Cliff...etc.

Brennan collapsed down into her desk chair feeling completely defeated. His name was no where on any list. She angrily tore the papers into shreds and threw them into the trash. The logical plan B would be to search reports by the ME's offices of each city, but that was something she didn't want to have to do. Would she ever find him? If she did, what would she find? Her partner and friend? Or just his body? A chill rand down her spine and she nearly retched.

Brennan was brought out of her dark thoughts by the sound of a throat being cleared from the doorway. She turned in her chair to see Angela with a curious look on her face that turned to sorrow when she noticed Brennan's look. The sadness in her eyes.

"He wasn't on the lists," Brennan said in a monotone.

"What now?" Angela inquired, entering the room and sitting in a chair across the desk from her best friend.

"Now we look over M.E. reports," she said with a pang of sadness in her voice.

"I don't want to find him in that list," Angela whispered, staring at her hands and shaking her head.

"Me either," one tear escaped Brennan's eye.

--------

The next two hours went by painfully slow as Angela helped Brennan contact the Medical Examiners offices, giving a description of Booth, and coming up empty handed each time. Though, they were quite glad at the fact that no ME in New Jersey had seen him pass through their office, it still meant that he was missing.

"What now?" Angela asked, looking quite defeated where she sit on Brennan's office couch. "I mean, he's not in any hospitals, thank God he's not in any morgue. What else is there?"

"I don't know," said Brennan, shaking her head.

"You don't think...that he faked again, do you?" asked Angela, wishing she didn't have to put the question out there. It was still a sore subject for Brennan.

"No," Brennan said immediately. "He wouldn't do that to me again."

"But sweetie, there's no body, he's not in a hospital or morgue, the FBI is not even looking for him..." she ticked the things off on her fingers. "And how else would he just disappe-"

"Stop it, Angela," Brennan interrupted with a slightly louder voice than she had just had. "I told you, Booth would not do that to me again."

"He didn't do it to you in the first place. He didn't know you didn't know. What if that happened again?"

"Then he'll come back eventually. But I'm not going to wait around to find out if that's going to happen. I need to find him, Angela."

"And I'll do whatever I can to help you do that, Bren."

"I appreciate that, Ange. I'll let you know if there's something else for you to do. Right now, though, I need to go see someone." she stood and grabbed her jacket on the way out the door.

--------

Doctor Lance Sweets was just coming out of his office when he saw the familiar figure of one of his two favorite patients, coming down the hall in a determined march.

He had heard what was assumed to have happened to Booth. And even though he didn't want to believe it, there was no proof that the agent was still alive. However, he knew that there was no proof of his death, either. Cullin had informed him of Doctor Brennan's reaction to the news, concerned for her state of mind, and requested that Sweets talk with her. Sweets knew that she had a point, though. If there was no proof either way, there was no telling where Booth was.

And he also knew she was not voluntarily coming to talk psychology with him, so she must have another reason. But what could he possibly do for her, he wondered.

"Dr. Brennan," he forced a smile, though his eyes betrayed the sadness he felt for the fact that someone he considered a friend, or even a big brother, was missing. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to you, Sweets. In private," she stated when coming two feet from the young man.

Taken aback for a moment, not expecting her to want to talk to a psychologist, he stuttered an answer. "Of- of course. Please, come into my office."

"Thank you," she said as he lead her inside, closing and locking the door behind them.

Once inside and settled in their usual seats, Brennan feeling slightly cold without the presence of her partner beside her, she began.

"I don't believe that Booth is dead. And I'm not going to believe it until I see his body."

"Yes. Director Cullin informed me of this," Sweets nodded.

"Whether I was on a list or not, and whether you intended on telling me or keeping it from me again, I need you to tell me, Sweets. Did he fake his death again?"

Sweets could plainly see the pain in her eyes and swallowed thickly, regretting keeping the information of Booth's survival from her a year ago.

"No, Dr. Brennan, I swear. I am so sorry for not telling you when he did last year, but I would tell you if it happened again. Whether you were on his list or not. I won't make that same mistake twice."

"I appreciate that, Sweets," she looked down, feeling and looking defeated.

"However," he stated, getting her attention back. "I'm not saying that he's dead. I actually agree with you that we need to find proof of whether he is or not before we do anything. And I'm willing to do whatever I can to help you do that."

Brennan smiled. "Thank you."

"Now, what can I do?"

"Is there any way you can find out what city his mission was in and what his cover name is?"

"I can try, but I can't make any promises."

"That's fine. Would you call me on my cell with your findings? I won't be reachable at the lab for a few days."

"Of course. But if I may ask, where are you going?"

"Out of town."

*Yes, that is Booth's covername.

There you have it! Brennan's going on a road trip to find Booth wherever he may be! Will she come up empty handed? Find out next chapter! :D