Title: A Subtle Shifting
Author: Gryphin
Spoilers: Could be any and all aired up to each chapter being written.
Disclaimer: Seriously?
A/N: Ok, I think I'm finally starting to get the feel for things and where this story is taking me. Thank you so much for all of you that reviewed, it really helps me to hone in on what needs to be written! I'm going to try and weave this story around the episodes that are being aired, so long as I can plausibly fit them in. It will give us all a kind of "what COULD be happening behind the scenes" feel. The next chapter will likely set us up for The Passenger in the Oven. Tonight's epi was fun and had plenty to sigh over, but I would like to see some of this being done in a more serious episode, rather then the comedic ones. Here's hoping! In the meantime, I hope you like this next installment. Let me know! Also, I apologize to anyone that lives in the area of Rock Creek for any mistakes I make. I live in the Seattle area and have never been further east then Idaho, so please forgive me!
- Chapter 3 -
Booth was busy talking to an officer outside of Rock Creek Station when the sound of gravel crunching under car tires caused him to look over and see his partner's car pulling in. Other then the brief call she had made to let him know that she was on her way, he hadn't seen or spoken to her since his birthday party on Friday – four days ago now. But while he hadn't seen her, his thoughts had been consumed by her all weekend long. He could feel his heart involuntarily starting to thump in his chest as Bones curled herself out of her vehicle, looking all nonsense in her determined posture as she walked around to the trunk to retrieve her field kit.
Even though he had spent days wondering, he found himself once again searching for the right way to act around her now. All of the arguments were fresh in his mind, but he didn't have any time to revisit them because he could smell her shampoo as she stepped up beside him. Could he really feel as nervous as he seemed to be? Booth mentally shook his head clear of his thoughts, and thanked God as a trained professionalism took hold of him.
"Officer Brendle, this is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan." Booth turned to look at her and indicate the man before them. "This is Officer Edward Brendle. He's heading up the investigation."
Brennan's eyes lingered for just a moment on her partner's face before turning to the officer. "I assume you have bones to show me?"
If Brendle was at all put off by her abruptness, he didn't show it. Instead, he flashed a smile at the forensic anthropologist. "I sure do. I think you'll certainly enjoy the mystery. I'm really pleased to meet you, Dr. Brennan. I wish it was under better circumstances then this, although our case doesn't seem to be too bad."
Brennan furrowed her brows at him as he ushered them towards the edge of the parking lot. "If you have indeed found bones in your park, then it would be accurate to state that someone has died, and I can't really imagine how the loss of life could be considered 'not too bad.'"
Booth followed behind the pair as they headed toward a well marked path leading off to their left. Brennan was walking in front of him, and he was suddenly struck by just how appealing her blue field overalls were. They were so squinty and completely unfeminine and yet so her. And since Friday he was starting to think that he was liking her more and more. "Jeez Seeley, get a grip," he mumbled to himself. We're on our way to look at a dead body for crying out loud."
"What was that?" Brennan asked as she turned her head back to look at him.
Booth's face snapped to his partner's. "What? Nothing!" He recovered quickly. "I was just wondering how long we're going to have to hike through the woods is all."
"We're almost there Agent Booth," came the reply from Officer Brendle. "We're on our way to Rapid's Bridge, one of the bridges that cross over Rock Creek. It's really not far.'
"What exactly is it that we're coming to see?" Brennan asked.
"Well," replied the officer, "Like I mentioned, it's a bit of a mystery. This is a pretty popular park, and the area here is by no means considered remote. A couple that was doing a day hike this morning came across what they described as an interesting bone, and after some snooping around the area, they found more. As soon as they realized that they were looking at possible human remains, they hiked back to the police station to report it. Since then, we've recovered over five hundred bones and bone pieces."
"Wait, so the scene has been compromised? And why are we here then if the case is already being worked?" Brennan asked, sounding miffed at having been called in after the investigation was already in full swing.
"We are in need of your special area of expertise considering what our coroner thinks he's observed." They rounded a final bend, exposing the entire scene by the bridge. "He thinks the bones are old. Really old."
Booth took in the view before him. The path continued across the bridge, but all of the work was occurring to the right, down a slight embankment. Florescent lights had been set up around the perimeter so that the personnel could continue their efforts despite the encroaching darkness. There were four tarps set up on the ground with various bones set out on each. "Phew, we got a serial?" he asked.
Officer Brendle responded as he was ushering over an older gentleman with thinning hair and glasses. "Not really sure, but this man will have more answers for you then I will. Agent Booth, this is Dr. Gary Alvarado. He's the Montgomery county coroner. Gary, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth and Dr. Temperance Brennan."
The older man smiled warmly at each of them, striping his hands of their latex gloves in order to shake each of theirs in turn. "It's a pleasure to meet you both." He chuckled. "Actually, I'm surprised that we've never had the opportunity before, what with me working in your back yard and all."
"You don't work in my back yard Dr. Alvarado."
"He means that he works in the same vicinity as us, Bones. It wasn't literal," Booth whispered at her while giving the doctor an apologetic smile. "So," he asked in a brighter voice, "What have you got for us? Officer Brendle says the bones are old?"
"Well, that's what I'm hoping Dr. Brennan will be able to confirm for me. I'm not an expert at ancient remains and…"
"Ancient remains? You've got bones that old here?" Brennan couldn't quite keep the excited tinge out of her voice. Booth knew the only thing she liked better then bones were old bones. And the only thing better than that, were really old bones.
Brendle had walked with the group to stand before the laid out tarps. "That's what I meant by 'not too bad' Dr. Brennan. There are worse kinds of remains to find then ones that are so old."
Brennan seemed to consider this for a moment and then inclined her head. "You are correct Officer Brendle. Ancient remains would not necessarily even incline towards murder. And from the looks of things here, you're discovering multiple bodies, which may even indicate a burial ground of some kind." She looked at Booth. "We could even be talking natural causes of death."
Booth relaxed slightly, releasing a tiny bit of the tension building up inside. It happened with every case, and he knew that Bones felt it too. They worked to find the killers of the people who's bodies were found, and yet it never really got any easier. Booth still housed a certain level of trepidation as they approached each case, wondering what they would find.
He followed Bones as Dr. Alvarado led them to the first tarp. Brennan lowered herself onto her haunches and then opened her field kit to pull out a fresh pair of latex gloves. After putting them in place, she picked up the skull lying on the ground against the blue tarp background. She studied it for a couple minutes, then let her eyes wander over the rest of the bones laid out.
"I can't say for certain how old these are, but I can confirm for you that these are indeed ancient remains. I'd place them somewhere in the three to four hundred year range. I'll need to take them back to my lab for further analyses in order to conclusively evaluate their age." She stood up and wandered down the line of tarps. At the last one, she stopped and hunkered down again. "You have more than three skeletons here. There could be several more then that. Were they found in graves?"
"Well Dr. Brennan," replied Brendle, "That's part of the mystery. We're finding them scattered around the area, mostly in the wooded copse right here beside the bridge. No graves, and no evidence of their having been any."
Booth chimed in, looking perplexed. "So there was no disturbed dirt or anything?" The officer shook his head. "Has this area been explored before?"
Brendle replied with an emphatic nod. "Oh certainly. Not only is this a popular area for hikers, picnickers, bicyclists, equestrians, and the like, but regular routine maintenance is performed on this bridge. If these bones had been here before, we would have found them sooner."
Booth looked over to his partner. "Who the heck would body dump a bunch of ancient old bones?"
-------
The two of them continued to work for a couple more hours. It was fully dark outside, and Brennan no longer felt confident looking at the bones under the vague lighting conditions. Booth had collected statements from everyone involved, and there wasn't really much more that he could do. He looked over at his partner as she placed another bone back down on the tarp and then wiped her sleeve across her brow. She arched her back as she stood, the light from the florescent field lights creating a burst around her head.
He could still feel the silken warmth of her mouth pressed to his. It had been so unexpected, his reaction to kissing her. Of course, he had always wondered what it would be like. He was a man after all, and she was a very beautiful woman. But the reality of it had far eclipsed his dreams, and now he couldn't seem to stop…wanting. Wanting more. Wanting…he didn't even know.
Her unexpected smile as she caught him staring at her nearly took his breath away. Booth managed to stutter out a question as to whether or not she was about wrapped up. God, he sounded like a lovesick teenager. It wasn't like she was the first woman he's ever kissed.
But maybe she'd be the last.
He didn't even know what secret place in him that that thought had bubbled up from, but he put it firmly out of his mind as she walked towards him. He could feel his heart thumping again, and had to take a deep breath, reminding himself that this was his partner, his Bones, his friend. No reason to panic.
"It's after eight. You hungry? We can grab some dinner if you want," he asked her, surprised at how normal his voice sounded.
"Yeah, that'd be nice. I was still at the lab when I got your text, and I haven't eaten in a while."
"Surprise, surprise." He grinned at her.
Side by side this time, they headed up the generous path back towards the police station. They talked a little about the interesting turn of events this case presented, postulating over what might have happened. A comfortable silence descended then as they continued walking. Booth found himself relaxing, even though he was struggling with an overwhelming urge to reach for her hand. Such a simple gesture that would speak a thousand words between them. With a show of monumental effort, he resisted, only to be confronted with the desire to kiss her again as he walked her to her car. How in the world was he going to keep this up?
"See you at the diner," she said before ducking her head into her car, sparing Booth from possibly humiliating himself.
He tapped the hood of the vehicle twice with his palm before turning to walk to his suv. He was hoping for a return to normal by hitting their favorite eatery, but he was now questioning the decision to put himself through it. Despite his best efforts, he had a feeling that their version of normal was forever changed.
Bwa Ha Ha Ha!!!! Aren't you just DYING to know when these two will get on the same page?? Ok, I'm off now to go to bed and replay the scene of Booth treating Brennan like a naughty librarian over and over in my head. Sweetie, you missed out on a golden opportunity!