Angela Montenegro, the Jeffersonian forensic artist, had just spent a full day working on facial reconstructions for all the nameless patrons residing in Limbo and she was really tired. She also had a throbbing headache from staring at skulls all day. Home, some alcohol, and my family should be just what I need, she thought as she walked out of her office and made a beeline for the doors.

Then she spotted her best friend, world-renowned anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan, sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. Uh oh, I don't like the look of that, Angela thought.

She approached slowly and quietly, gently rapping her knuckles on the doorframe as she asked hesitantly, "Bren? Sweetie? Is something wrong?" Brennan raised her head and looked at her friend with blue eyes that glowed with dozens of secrets and memories that only she knew and understood.

The anthropologist looked at her friend for a moment before dropping her gaze to her desk again as she murmured softly, "I could use a second opinion."

Angela immediately walked in and sat in a chair across from Brennan and said, "I'm all ears." She watched Brennan closely as she took a deep breath in and held it for a few seconds before letting it out slowly. Then she opened a desk drawer and pulled out a picture before carefully handing it across the desk to Angela.

Curious now, Angela accepted it, looking at it as her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes shot up and she met Brennan's piercing gaze as she stammered, "B-but this is..." The look in her friend's eyes silenced her as Brennan nodded slowly, and Angela looked back at the picture in her trembling hands as she thought, Oh my God…

XXXXX

Brennan watched as a look of shock crossed her friend's face, swiftly followed by disbelief, and she shuddered slightly as a bolt of fear tore through her soul. What am I going to tell Booth?

It was like Angela read her mind. "Have you told Booth about this yet?"

Brennan shook her head as she replied, "No, and I'd rather not, not yet. We're about to go to Fort Carson to help Sergeant Hughes with the remains they found. It just doesn't feel like the right time. Besides, I'm having some tests run to make sure this is exactly what I think it is before I tell him. Why get him all riled up over nothing?"

Angela got that look, the look that said, Not a good idea, but before she could say anything, Brennan cut her off. "I know, Ange. This is as hard for me to do as it is for you, make no mistake. I hate lying to him, even if it isn't telling him the full truth."

Brennan dropped her head and sighed deeply. "I still don't even know what to tell myself."

Her friend watched her with concern for a moment before she got up and walked around the desk, pulling Brennan into a warm hug that was full of understanding.

"Trust him, Bren. Trust him and he will trust you. That's the only advice I can give."

Brennan felt tears sliding down her face as she whispered, "I'm so scared, Ange. I trust him, I do. But I have to figure this out first before I say anything else."

She felt her friend nod into her shoulder as Angela replied, "I know, Sweetie. I know." She gently pushed Brennan back and looked at her as she said, "If you need to talk while you're away, you have my number."

Brennan nodded as she looked over Angela's shoulder, seeing FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth standing several feet from her office door as he watched them both. How am I going to get through this? She thought as she wiped away her tears and went to meet him.

XXXXX

Booth had easily won the battle with Hacker over whether or not he was going to Fort Carson. Huh, he actually believed he was going to stop me. Not gonna happen. I'm never letting her go anywhere alone again, he thought as he drove to the Jeffersonian.

He parked his SUV, getting out and locking the vehicle as he headed up the steps and went into the big building. It took him maybe a minute to reach the Medico-Legal Lab where his beloved partner spent most of her waking hours studying bones.

Hmm, she's not on the platform. Interesting, he thought as he turned towards her office. He came to a sharp halt when he spotted Angela in the office talking to Brennan.

That looks rather serious. Maybe Bones is telling Angela about the trip to Fort Carson?

Then Angela got up and hugged Brennan, and he saw the tears glistening on her face.

Okay, definitely not about Fort Carson. Why would Bones cry about that?

Booth started to feel uneasy as he watched Angela comfort Brennan. I don't like this. I don't like this at all.

Then Angela released Brennan and she looked up and saw him standing there. She wiped away her tears before walking out of the office with her best friend on her heels.

"Have fun in Fort Carson, you two! Bring me back a souvenir that is NOT a skull or a bone, please." Angela said with a teasing glance as she walked away and left the lab.

Booth looked at Brennan as he asked, "Hey Bones. You ready?" She nodded swiftly and they both walked out, side by side, perfectly in step as he looked down at her and asked softly, "You okay?"

Brennan nodded as she replied, "Yes, I'm fine. I just felt uncharacteristically sad, saying goodbye to Angela. I'll miss that little boy of theirs terribly. And Dr. Hodgins too, of course."

Booth chuckled to himself as he thought, Ah, that explains it. She has become awfully attached to their son.

They both jumped into Booth's Toyota, and as he started the engine, she said, "I got us a flight. Apparently, there's a military aircraft enroute to Fort Carson within a couple hours. Sergeant Hughes got us permission to come in on that aircraft, so we won't be charged anything."

Booth groaned as he said, "What type of aircraft is it?" Brennan looked at him curiously as she replied, "A C-17, from what I was told. Why?"

Booth shook his head as he grumbled, "I'd have rather paid for a flight. Most of those flights are not very comfortable."

She stared at him reprovingly as she said softly, "It is actually going to get us to Fort Carson far more quickly than a regular commercial flight would. Sergeant Hughes sounded very uneasy over the phone and I promised him we'd be there as quickly as possible. We may suffer a little along the way, but we'll be fine."

Booth looked at her sheepishly before looking back at the road in front of him as he thought, Hopefully this isn't as bad as we're all thinking it is. I don't want to put Bones through all this. Not again.

He looked at her for a second as he thought, Not again.