Before we start. I am not a scientist in any way, shape, or form. I looked up something and then used my imagination, so no it is not scientifically correct, and I don't car., I think it could be plausible, okay maybe not in my life time, but maybe someday.
Brennan sat quietly listening to the echo's of Rebecca's heels fade as she left the lab. She slowly lowered herself into her chair and stared, eyes unseeing at the papers lying on top of her desk. "Was it wrong to tell Booth to take the promotion; was it wrong to want him to succeed? I can't hold him back; this is a very good opportunity for him. It's something he was working for when we met, he can't give up his dream simply because I … because I … It wouldn't be fair to him … I am not fighting …" her vision started to blur, she closed her eyes causing them to overflow down her cheek.
Angela stood quietly in the doorway watching her best friend. She saw the far away look, the battle she was having in her head was written across her face. She saw the pain there also. "Bren" she gently spoke her friends name. When Brennan didn't respond she tried again "Sweetie", although this time she took a step forward. Brennan still didn't move. When her eyes closed Angela could see the tear slip down her cheek. Her heart was breaking for her friend, but one thing she knew about Temperance Brennan was that you couldn't tell her how she was feeling and expect her to get it; she had to discover it for herself. All Angela could do now was hope she could gently steer her towards that discovery before it was too late.
Brennan as if startled, suddenly realized that Angela was standing there. She quickly turned her head slightly and wiped the moisture from her cheek. "Angela, I'm sorry did you need something?"
"What did Rebecca say that caused this?"
"I don't know what you mean." She looked at Angela with what she hoped was a blank look.
"Sweetie, this is me, that 'I don't know what you are talking about look' might work with others, but not me. What happened?"
"Nothing" Brennan stood up crossed her arms in front of her body and faced Angela. Both women stared at each other for a moment. "I really need to get back to the body, has Hodgins finished analyzing the swab he took from the victim?"
"Not yet, he'll probably have it finished after lunch." Brennan diverted her eyes several times from Angela's penetrating gaze, then glanced at her, gave her a tight smile and a nod before moving past her and heading back out to the platform.
"Gentlemen" Brennan began as she climbed the stairs to the platform. "While I could continue with the examination, I would prefer to wait for Dr. Hodgins results first, which won't be available until after lunch." She moved her eyes around to all on the platform then turned and headed back for her office coming face to face with one determined artist. Angela was blocking her path and standing with her head tilted to the side and her arms crossed in front of her and for her life Brennan could not understand how seeing her friend like this made her feel guilty.
"Dr. Brennan" as voice came from behind her. She turned to find Gibbs standing a couple of feet from her "Would you care to join me for lunch?"
Brennan glanced once at Angela, knowing she would never get past her fast enough, and even if she did, closed doors meant nothing to her friend when she was like this. She turned back to Gibbs. "Yes I would like that very much." She turned her back on Angela's astonished face "See you after lunch Angela" she called out as she headed towards the door with Gibbs.
Angela stood flabbergasted staring after her best friend. She knew whatever happened in that office between her and Rebecca had something to do with Booth. Angela grabbed her phone out of her jacket pocket and quickly dialed Rebecca's cell hoping the woman answered. After several rings a irritated voice answered. "Rebecca, its Angela Montenegro. Can you talk for a few minutes?"
Angela understood that Brennan's brilliant mind caused her to lose out on some aspects that the rest of us pick up on as we grow and mature. She also understood the trauma that Brennan went through that caused her to use her science and that brilliant brain to hide away so that she would never feel that kind of hurt again. But there was only so much gentle prodding and coaxing one could do before someone needed to be hit over the head with a two by four to wake them up to reality.
After hanging up with Rebecca Angela realized that gentle prodding was over. She headed to her office with determination, grabbing her purse and jacket then headed for her husbands office where she found him and the unusual Abby Suito involved in a highly energized discussion about what she was assuming were their findings. Not really interested in being pulled into the discussion she quietly waited for a few minutes hoping Hodgins would notice her there. When that didn't work she cleared her throat loudly, again having no effect on either party. She sighed and left no reason to pull them out of their euphoria.
Her heels echoed loudly in the parking structure and she didn't hear Booth call out to her. She disappeared around a corner and continued towards her car with only one thing on her mind, Booth and Brennan had to be stopped. They had to be stopped before they destroyed themselves with misery. Booth reached the corner Angela had disappeared around just as she accelerated out of the parking structure squealing the tires on her mini van. Booth watched in the direction the car vanished before he turned and headed for the elevator that would take him to the lab.
Upon entering the lab there was a strange feel to the air. He looked around and although nothing changed he felt like a stranger. He glanced towards her office and the knot in his stomach tightened, he was nervous, he didn't know what he was going to say or how to say it, hell, he didn't even know if she would listen or drop kick him out of the building.
Taking a deep breath he made his way across the lab without being noticed or so he thought. He stopped momentarily at her door and then slipped inside "Heya Bo …" He stopped and looked around, she wasn't there. His face showed a mixture of relief and sadness. He missed her, he wanted to see her, but he relief that he didn't have to have the conversation just yet. He turned and left her office and headed across the lab towards Angela's office, Angela would know where she was.
A voice he didn't recognize sounded "She isn't here."
Booth stopped and sought out who the voice was attached too and his eyes came to rest on an older man sitting up on the platform. "And you are?" Booth pulled his card from his jacket and slid it through the card slider before climbing the stairs.
"Dr. Mallard" the older man introduced himself as he stood and held out his hand to Booth "NCIS, most people just call me Ducky" Booth shook his hand and just stared at the man for a moment. "And you are?" Ducky gently prodded. He had seen this type of man before in his friend and team leader Gibbs.
"Sorry, Special Agent Booth, FBI."
"Oh, you are the FBI agent that Dr. Brennan's works with. You two have quite a reputation in the crime solving circles."
"Uh .. Yeah" Booth creased his brow, not quite sure of what to make of Ducky "So do you know where Dr. Brennan is?"
"She went out to lunch with Jethro or Special Agent Gibbs."
The color drained out of Booth's face and he swallowed hard. "Oh, do you happen to know where they went, I had some information for Dr. Brennan."
"Actually they didn't say, but if you would like I would be more than happy to pass along your information." Ducky watched Booth's face.
"No, no that is fine, I will catch up with her later, it isn't that important." Booth attempted to leave the lab without being detected, but that wasn't happening today.
"Hey Booth" Hodgins greeted him with a smile. "How have you been?"
"Fine… I've… been fine."
Hodgins missing Booth's body language was looking around. "Where is Dr. B? You need to stick around for these results. Where is she?" he finally turned his eyes to Booth and saw the dangerous look in the agents eye.
"Why don't you ask her new friends, because I sure the hell don't know where she is." Booth turned and exited the lab.
"Ohhh is he always like that?" Abby asked timidly
"Only when someone has trespassed on his property."
Ducky and Abby looked at each other with similar looks of confusion. "I am not sure we follow you Dr. Hodgins." Ducky said
"Where is Dr. Brennan?" Hodgins asked.
"She went to lunch with Jethro." Ducky watched Hodgins shoulders stiffen as he slowly turned around.
"It is a long story, but let's just say your Special Agent just trespassed on our Special Agents territory."
"They're a couple" Abby asked with wide eyes
"No" Hodgins breathed out "But anyone around them for more than a minute knows they belong together. They are the only two that haven't figured it out yet."
"They love each other?"
"Like I said it's a long story."
"It is so sad, everyone should have love." Abby looked at Ducky "Wish there was something we could do."
"Abby that is kind, but you know we've tried, neither can be forced, they have to figure it out on their own."
Gibbs and Brennan had settled on a small Bistro to have lunch at, she didn't feel right going to the diner. The Bistro was small but warm and welcoming, a good place to relax and enjoy good conversation over delicious food.
Brennan and Gibbs sat in relative silence, her staring out the window, still processing her visit from Rebecca and Gibbs studying her. Gibbs found her intriguing yet complicated. She was beautiful and there was a spark to her eye that he had never encountered before. But what he saw deep was a sadness that she protected, much like the sadness he buried so deep inside himself.
Brennan pulled herself out of her fog. "Agent Gibbs I want to apologize for being preoccupied …"
"Jethro…" she blinked at him "it's my name, remember?" he gave her a small smile.
"Oh yes Jethro, I'm Temperance." She glanced at his eyes for a moment and back down to the table.
"And uh … no need to apologize, it is personal and I respect that."
"Thank you" the silence between the two returned, but it was not uncomfortable it was just there.
Gibbs broke the silence this time. "What do you think the 'squiggly lines' are?" Gibbs wiggled his fingers around when he spoke.
Brennan smiled back at him "If I am right the ink will be from the cuttlefish and while it originally was used for over a hundred years by homeopathic medicine for the treatment of menstrual problems, depression, and menopause, it was also found to exhibited cell protective properties in chemotherapy patients."
Gibbs watched her intently the way her lips moved, the way her eyes sparkled and how she bloomed in front of him talking about something that excited her. But even that couldn't take away the sadness she kept so deep, so close.
"There are multiple benefits they are finding for cuttlefish ink, I believe in this case that your Marine was very ill and that the ink was not working in an injection form for him so it was placed in a time releasing agent on his spine near where he was diseased."
Gibbs just nodded at her and gave her a grin. They finished their lunch in a comfortable silence and headed back to the Jeffersonian to see if she was right.
Angela walked through the secretary's area "He in?" she motioned towards the closed door, but never slowed down as she reached for the knob and turned it. Three heads turned in her direction as she entered the office with the secretary hot on her heels
"I tried to stop her." The secretary spat out defensively
"Excuse me for interrupting" she glanced around at the men then brought her sights in on her target "but we need to talk"
"Ms. Montenegro as you can see we are in a meet…"
"Now" she crossed her arms in front of her making it perfectly clear she was not taking no for an answer.
"Gentlemen would you excuse us." The men got up and quietly left the room "Margaret you too." The secretary glared at Angela as she pulled the door shut as she left. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"Booth"
Booth sat in the underground parking at the Jeffersonian for he didn't know how long when he made the decision to take the rest of the day off. Pulling out his phone he called Hacker, told him a personal matter came up that he needed to attend to and he would see him in the morning. It wasn't a lie, he did have a personal matter that was consuming his thoughts and it did need attention. He pulled out of the Jeffersonian parking structure, not having the foggiest idea where he was heading.
Booth found himself walking through the doors of The Founding Fathers and making his way to the furthest corner where he could have some sort of privacy, he wasn't ready to go home and it was pretty obvious he couldn't talk to Brennan, not right now, not today, maybe not tomorrow.