Chapter 25. a night at the Bones museum.
Booth and Brennan are in Booth's office talking when Assistant Director Andrew Hacker enters the room.
"Hey! These are all the approvals that you asked for, Agent Booth. I- I think they're all in order." He said handing Booth a file.
"Right, you, uh, usually just e-mail me these, sir." Booth pointed out surprised.
"Yeah, well, since I heard Dr. Brennan was here, I thought I would say hello and ask her if there was anything she needed from us suits upstairs." Hacker said smiling at her.
"Oh, no, thank you, but it's nice to see you again, Agent Hacker." She said smiling back.
"It's Assistant Director Hacker, Bones." Booth corrected quietly.
"Andrew is fine." He offered.
"Andrew, cool." Boooth nodded.
"…For Dr. Brennan. I'm still your boss, Agent Booth, and since we're at work..."
"Sure." Booth nodded again.
Hacker looked to Brennan "I just want you to know I realize how busy you are being an author and scientist… I loved the last book, by the way. Not everyone can make crushing someone to death charming" he complimented her.
"Thank you." Brennan smiled.
"Well, the Bureau is grateful for all of your help and I hope that you're pleased with Agent Booth; he's the best we've got."
"Oh, I don't know about that..." booth said modestly.
"I agree that statement is impossible to quantify, since there are no other agents, partnered with forensic anthropologists let alone, one with my abilities."Brennan explained rationally.
"You know what, Bones? You're raining on my parade." Booth sighed giving her a look.
"Agent Booth, would you mind if I had a quick word in private with Dr. Brennan?" Hacker asked turning to him.
"Sure! No problem." He stood facing Brennan. "He probably wants a signed copy of your book." Then to Hacker. "Happens all time, no need to be embarrassed." He smirked walking out.
An hour later. Brennan and Booth get out of the car and are walking towards the crime scene.
"Director Hacker wants to have sex with me." Brennan said, striking up a conversation.
"what? …He said that….And it's Assistant Director by the way."
Brennan ignored the correction. "he said he wanted to have dinner, but it was implied." She nodded remembering what happened every time they went out to dinner.
"right." Booth nodded uncomfortably. "well, all you gotta do is just turn him down. Y'know, be very polite and nobody gets hurt."
"Why would I turn him down? He's charming and very good looking and-"
"because he's my boss, ok? It'd just be awkward. I'm the guy who's gotta report to him, Bones." He explained.
"And you're jealous." Brennan said smiling.
"what?" booth laughed caught off guard. "I'm not—why would I be—you know what, never mind let's just focus on the dead guy huh?" he said walking over to the fence and meeting Cam.
Early morning. Brennan and Daisy were examining the remains of the mummy.
"There seems to be a separation between the C6 and C5 vertebrae. Some kind of wooden shaft is connecting the head to the spine." Brennan said examining the x-rays.
"Oh, let me see." Daisy said walking over excitedly.
Hodgins and Angela look at each other surprised, saying 'Are Brennan and Daisy seriously bonding?'
Meanwhile. FBI Headquarters. Booth's Office. Booth is talking on the phone.
"Hi, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth with the FBI, Dr. Malloy. This may sound a little strange, but we recovered a mummy that may be evidence in a homicide investigation, and... Okay, um, and you're sure that one hasn't disappeared? …Okay, great, thanks." He said haing up as Hacker entered.
"Agent Booth."
"Assistant Director Hack-er." Booth said leaning back in his chair.
"I just got a call from a Nobel Laureate who claims you dragged him out of bed to ask if he's missing a mummy. I assumed it was a crank call."
"No, I'm just investigating a potential homicide, sir."
"And there's a mummy involved?" Hacker asked raising an eyebrow.
"Preliminary report." Booth nodded handing him a file.
"Huh. So there is a potential mummy-related victim out there." He said interested.
"Yeah, Bones is looking at the old guy for clues."
"A mummy." Hacker sighed. "Damn, you field agents have all the fun. Good luck." He said handing him the folder again. "Oh, by the way, did Temperance mention that I asked her out?"
"Uh, y-yeah, I think she may have said something like that." Booth said awkwardly.
"I just wanted to make sure there's nothing going on between the two of you. I wouldn't want to get in the middle."
"No, nothing whatsoever, sir. Strictly professional." Booth lied, wanting to slug him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, positive."
"All right, then. I'll let you get back to pissing off Nobel Laureates." Hacker said walking out.
"I appreciate that" Booth nodded picking up the phone, obviously annoyed that Hacker is going out with Brennan.
The lab. Angela's Office. Brennan and Daisy come running in excited.
"I identified the mummy."
"and I helped!" Daisy chimed in.
"It is a find that is certainly valuable enough to kill for."
"who is he Dr. Brennan?" Cam asked curious.
"…right. His name is Anok. He's known as 'the Boy with the Bleeding Heart'. He was the second son of the Pharaoh, and according to legend, Anok's older brother, Meti, fell off his horse and Anok trampled him to death to ensure that he would ascend to the throne. Anok insisted that his brother's injuries were the result of the fall, but the Pharaoh didn't believe him and he went into a rage and cut off Anok's head. He became known as the Boy with 'the Bleeding Heart' because his grief was two-fold. Grief for the death of his brother, and grief for the loss of his father's love." Brennan explained the lore excitedly.
"And what does this have to do with the murder?" Angela asked confused with its significance.
"Anok is supposed to be here at the Jeffersonian, on loan from the Egyptian government. He's going on exhibit Friday." Daisy explained. "…But I should have let Dr. Brennan tell you that." She said apologetically.
"Why wasn't he reported missing?" Cam asked surprised.
"I don't know. Booth and I are going to talk to the curator." She said as he walked in.
"Bones! Hey you ready to go?"
"yeah." Brennan nodded pulling her lab coat off.
"good luck" Angela called as Brennan hurried out.
12 noon. The platform. Cam, Hodgins and Brennan are examining Dr. Kaswell's body.
"Dr. Kaswell's blood's a match for the spray we found on the mummy." Cam informed them.
"The weapon appears to have penetrated the eye and then entered the frontal lobe. There's damage to the superior orbital fissure and sphenoid." Brennan said looking closely.
"It must have lacerated the internal carotid artery. That would be consistent with the arterial spurt." Cam nodded.
"Given the injuries, the killer must have used a narrow, blunt-edged instrument."
Daisy come ups behind them, quietly raising her hand and clearing her throat.
"Speak, Ms. Wick." Brennan said with a sigh.
"I used phenolphthalein and hydrogen peroxide in Anok's open chest cavity. You can see blood traces in the compaction and evidence of a blunt-edged instrument used to gouge out whatever was hidden in his chest. I extracted some metal shavings for Dr. Hodgins." She said in a rush of words.
"Perhaps the murderer used the same weapon that killed Dr. Kaswell to open Anok's chest." Cam suggested.
"Dr. Kaswell had been studying this mummy for weeks. She must have known what was inside his chest." Daisy pointed out.
"The Egyptian government wouldn't allow any invasive examination of Anok." Brennan added.
"And there was nothing in her notes?" Cam sounded surprised.
"Her notes were missing."
A couple hours later. The Autopsy Room. Cam is just finishing up the autopsy on Dr. Kaswell and talking to Angela.
"Heart like a marathon runner. She probably would have made it to 90 if this didn't happen." Cam said pulling her gloves off.
Angela frowns. "This poor woman. Y'know, she gave me a lift last month when my car broke down."
"Maybe there really is a curse. Messing with mummies...clearly not a good idea." Cam suggested with a small smile.
"When I was in Rio, some kid graffitied a mummy in the National Museum. The next day, choked on his own tongue."
"Seriously?" Cam asked surprised.
"'Death shall come on swift wings to he who disturbs the peace of the mummy.'" Angela recited the well known warning with a smile.
"Well, I guess I'd be angry, too, if someone pulled my brain out through my nose and stuck it in a canopic jar." Cam joked and Angela laughs as Hodgins entered.
"The urine of a redheaded boy."
"We need so much more than that." Cam said looking to him.
"From the swab of Dr. Kaswell's eye." He explained.
"A redheaded boy peed on her eye?" Angela asked confused.
"Well, not exactly. See this? The tool used to stab Dr. Kaswell left traces of iron and carbon. And, to a lesser extent, silicon, manganese and phosphorous."
"Any of those things scream 'pee'?" Angela asked looking to Cam.
"Not that I'm aware." She shook her head.
"Ancient metal workers turned iron into steel by accident. They accidentally carburized the iron while heating it over charcoal, thus turning it into low-grade steel. But they thought that it was the mode of quenching the molten metal that hardened it." Hodgins explained so they would actually know what he was talking about.
"The redheaded boy pees on the molten metal."
"The iron turns to steel and our ancient metal worker figured that the little redhead did the trick. It's an instant old wives' tale." Hodgins nodded.
"Wait. I didn't know they had redheads in Ancient Egypt." Angela asked confused.
"They didn't. It was Ancient Rome. Our murder weapon was forged in Ancient Rome." He said reaching his point.
3:30 pm. Booth's Car. Brennan is reading over a file while Booth is driving.
"Dr. Wheaton's department has a very extensive collection of Roman tools. Chisels, lathes, planes, files."
Booth shakes his head. "I don't get it. Eggheads killing each other over exhibits no one really wants to see."
"The King Tut exhibit was immensely popular." She said matter-of-factly.
"Look, Bones, the only thing that regular people learn from going to a museum is how to sleep standing up. All right?" he said smiling at her then back to the road. He clears his throat when she doesn't respond. "…So, I did a little checking on Hacker, by the way; 42, never been married. …Just in case you're interested."
"Late marriage is often an indicator of a discerning, goal-oriented individual." Again matter-of-factly. "Why is this a problem for you, Booth?" She asked mildly amused by his jealous snooping.
"because he's my boss. That's all. And if you're going to go out with Hacker, then you guys are going to talk about me." He said awkwardly and mildly paranoid.
"Why would I talk about you?" Brennan asked confused.
"Because I'm what you've got in common." He pointed out.
"If you're concerned that I'd discuss any perceived shortcomings-"
"shortcomings? What shortcomings?" majorly paranoid now.
"Honestly, Booth, Andrew and I are attracted to each other. I'm sure neither of us will think of you for a second." She sounded reassuring but she knew it only made Booth uncomfortable.
Back at the lab. Hodgins Daisy and Angela are on the platform contemplating what was placed in Anok's chest.
"something was painted. What would have been painted then placed in his chest?" Hodgins asked frustrated.
"And why?" Daisy asked confused.
Angela shook her head. "it must have been important and it needed to last forever. So, if I can scan the cavity and find out where the paint seeped into the different tissues, I might be able to reconstruct what was in Anok's chest."
"This is Azita Jabbari from the Egyptian National Museum" Cam said as she and Azita approach the platform.
"Turn off that light." Azita ordered as they walked up.
"What? Wait a minute. We just discovered..." Hodgins protested.
"We have not authorized any invasive or investigative procedures on Anok." She insisted.
"Ms. Jabbari wants her mummy back." Cam said giving them a look saying they didn't have a choice in the matter.
"'The Boy With the Bleeding Heart' goes back to Cairo. Today. Unless you would like to start a feud between our two governments." She threatened.
Brennan walked into the lab with Booth at that moment.
"whats going on?" Brennan asked surprised.
"Ms. Jabbari is here on behalf of the Egyptian Government" Cam informed Brennan giving her a look.
"my apologies. I'm Dr. Brennan." Brennan introduced shaking her hand.
"azita jabarri." She nodded.
"Can we talk in my office? I'd like to tell you what we have found out about Anok's body."
Azita nodded curtly and they headed to her office.
"Anok is a national treasure on loan to your country. According to our agreement, we can revoke the permit at any time." She said getting down to the point as soon as the office door was closed.
"I understand your government's concern, but he's safe in our Medico-Legal Lab. The low humidity and temperature in the lab are optimum conditions." Brennan explained, all business herself.
"Dr. Brennan, with all due respect, you have no legal grounds to keep him." She said impressed.
"Yes, we do." Cam said matter-of-factly. "Anok is evidence in a murder investigation. Whoever killed Dr. Kaswell stole something from inside the mummy. Any idea what was inside that was worth killing for?" Cam asked raising an eyebrow.
"Have you examined the CAT scans?" Azita asked with a condescending look.
"What CAT scans?" Booth asked from the doorway.
She sighed "A few days ago, I granted Dr. Kaswell's request to perform CAT scans on Anok. The films should be in Dr. Kaswell's files."
"Dr. Kaswell's lab was searched. The files are missing." Brennan said matter-of-factly.
"Then ask the young man who worked for Dr. Kaswell. He sent the request." She said not enjoying being ganged up on.
Booth and Brennan looked at each other. "Ms. Jabarri if we agree not to touch Anok. Can you give us 24 hours before you make arrangements to send him back."
She thought for a moment looking between them. "24 hours and no one is allowed near him. I also want security on him every second. …You understand, Dr Brennan." She said seriously.
"yes I do ms. Jabarri. Thank you." Brennan nodded and they walked out.
20 minutes later. FBI interrogation room. Booth and Brennan are talking with Leland Frankel.
"'I work for Dr. Kaswell at the Jeffersonian Institution, and I'm writing to request autobiographical information on the man who funded the exhumation of Anok's tomb'" Booth read from the report. "I checked with the museum. You never worked with Dr. Kaswell." He said with a smirk. "and she was murdered, so I'd start talking if I were you."
"Okay, technically, I did not work for her but Dr. Kaswell did agree to be my doctoral advisor at the antiquities graduate program at Georgetown." He said defensively.
"Very impressive." Brennan said playing good cop.
"Thank you. I'm very bright."
Booth glared at her momentarily. "Okay, Bright Boy, let's just stay on point, shall we?"
"As soon as I got to D.C., Dr. Kaswell said that she did not have the time for me anymore, that she was too busy prepping the Anok exhibit but I knew all about Anok. I even wrote a paper on him as an undergrad."
"It pissed you off, didn't it, that she wouldn't let you help?" Booth accused slamming his hand onto the table.
"No." he shook his head violently.
"No?" Booth raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, yes" he confessed. "…but not enough to kill her." He sputtered. "I signed up as a museum intern so I could prove my value to her."
Brennan nodded understandingly. "You thought if you helped her with her work, she might change her mind about advising you."
"It was my idea to do the CAT scans on Anok. She thought it was an excellent suggestion." He said proudly.
"So, you saw the films?" Brennan asked hopreful.
"No, I didn't even know if she followed through but I would have killed to see those images."
"Excuse me?" A cold glare from Booth.
"But I didn't." he clarified scared.
"…we're going to need to know where you were the day Dr. Kaswell was killed." He stared at Brennan for a second then wrote it down and they left.
"wanna come with me to check out his alibi?" Booth offered smiling.
"I have to get back to the lab. I've got to get changed and meet Andrew in a half hour."
"you're still going on the date? What about the case?" Booth asked surprised.
"Daisy's got the lab work covered. Cam's working on Dr. Kaswell. And it's not like we can touch Anok anyways. So… why not?" she said walking towards the elevators.
"why not?" he asked, slightly mockingly. Brennan didn't notice.
The Founding Father's. Brennan and Hacker are on their date.
"so there was something hidden inside the mummy's chest?" Hacker asked curiously.
"yes." Brennan nodded animatedly. "Usually all you find in a mummy's torso are pounded perfumes."
"Yeah, that's all I've ever found. …Once a sandwich, but of course, it was stale." Hacker said smiling.
"You found a sand...? …Oh. You're joking." She laughed. "That's funny. A sandwich, because it's, it's highly unlikely to find one in a mummy. …Did I tell you that Anok has six fingers? Also highly unlikely, so perhaps there is a sandwich in him."
"You know, no joke, I have an uncle with four toes." Hacker said finding her rambling cute.
"Frostbite or lawnmower?" she asked curiously.
"You are good." He smiled. "Lawn mowing accident. He was watching a playoff game while cutting the lawn. He had no regrets, though. Said it was a great game."
Brennan laughed.
"So, uh, what do you want to eat after this appetizing conversation?" Hacker asked looking at the menu.
"…Booth likes to get the meatloaf. Although, He has them take out the hard boiled egg"
"why is that?"
"because his mother used to tell him it was a human eyeball."
"I got to say… you and Booth… it's a very unlikely partnership."
"I prefer not to talk about Booth, if you don't mind." Brennan said mildly annoyed that Booth was right, they did end up talking about him.
"That's fine by me. You're a far more interesting topic."
Brennan smiled. "I'd like to know the story behind your guitar. Not many FBI Directors have a Stratocaster in their office."
"I'm impressed. You know a Stratocaster."
"I once had a victim who was beaten to death with one but it still played. It is an excellent instrument." She explained her phone going off. "Oh. Sorry." She apologized checking it. "I'm so sorry. They need me back at the lab."
"You're investigating a murder. That tends to take precedence over meatloaf." He nodded understandingly.
She stands to leave. "Friday night dinner on me?" she suggested.
"Sure, and I will then reveal the secret of the Stratocaster." He said standing with a smile.
"allright" she smiled kissing him on the cheek "goodbye Andrew."
"goodbye Temperance."
10 minutes later. Brennan walked into Angela's Office.
"Hey. How come you didn't tell me that you were on a date when I texted you?"
Brennan shrugged. "It was just drinks."
"Celibate. Seeking crumbs. Spill." Angela said smiling.
"He's Booth's boss's boss. His name is Andrew." She said giving her the minimal amount of info possible.
"Wait… This is his boss's boss? Was Booth upset?"
"not that my dating life is any of his business but yes. ...although I don't understand why."
"Brennan, this could screw up the natural order of things." Angela informed her with a sigh. "Not to mention, Booth wishes that you were going out with him."
Brennan rolled her eyes wishing Angela knew how right she is. "Well, I drink with him all the time but with Andrew… there's the potential for sex."
"And not with Booth?" Angela asked with a disbelieving look.
Brennan avoids the question and changes the subject. "You said there was something important you wanted me to see?"
"Yes." Angela said amused by her reaction to that question. "The paint residue was found inside the compacted area in Anok's chest. I laid a grid over that area and had Hodgins inspect each section of the grid for chemical residue, assigning values based on our color differential. It was kind of like paint by numbers." Brennan looks at her, critically. "Don't worry as far as anyone knows this was done before Egypt interrupted. It just took a few hours to finish rendering."
"So what is it?"
"Okay. So bone was used for white, kermes insects for red, and wode for indigo. Now I reshaped, refined and cropped the edges. And finally, removed the grid. and was left with this."
"Hieroglyphs." Brennan said impressed.
"Yeah. Whatever was hidden in his chest left a negative impression."
"Wow Ange that's very good."
"I know, right?" she smiled proudly. "Next, we take the object out and we look on the bottom and we have the positive image of the hieroglyphs. Unfortunately, some of the paint residue had faded too much and couldn't be retrieved."
"But if we can decipher this, it could tell us what was inside." Brennan said hopefully.
Angela nods "I know." she turns to Brennan and gives her a look "Sex?"
Brennan smirked amused. "Print this out and send it to Dr. Babajanian in Ancient Languages." Brennan heads to the door.
"Oh, come on, Brennan. Be a pal. I need a vicarious thrill. Please?" Angela called after her, really that desperate for something juicy.
Hodgins and Cam walked in past Brennan and she stopped, curious to see what they found out.
"what've you got Hodgins?" Cam asked as they reached Angela's screen.
He looks for a moment examining the scans. "Based on the density of the image, it's most likely Nile stone."
"but What's that in it?" Brennan asked walking back over to them.
"Can you enhance it?" Cam asked looking to Angela.
"yeah." She presses a few buttons and the screen zooms in and refocuses.
"…It's crystalline in structure. It's a corundum in the trigonal crystal system and the hexagonal scalenohedral class." He said in sciencese.
"and for those of us who speak English?" Angela asked confused.
"If the CAT scan were in color, it'd be red and really expensive."
"A ruby." Brennan informed them.
"wow." Angela said impressed.
"that's one big ruby."Cam agreed.
"It's right where Anok's heart would be." Angela pointed out.
"Anok's bleeding heart must refer to the ruby." Brennan said logically.
"A stone that size would be worth a fortune." Hodgins informed them.
"Only someone who saw the CAT scan would've known about this." Cam said certain.
"Dr. Kaswell's grad student?" Hodgins guessed. "... I mean, he's the one that requested the scans."
Cam shook her head. "Booth cleared him. He was working on dioramas at time of death …but Azita Jabbari, she knew about them, too. She gave permission to have them done."
"…and she tried to get Anok taken away from us before we could finish investigating." Hodgins agreed.
"I'll call Booth. We'll go talk to her." Brennan said pulling out her phone.
"sweetie. Remember what I said. Go for it." Angela teased as Brennan walked out.
"what's up, Bones?" Booth asked answering the phone.
"we need to talked to Azita jabbari."
"what the Egyptian lady? Why?" he asked surprised.
"'Anok's bleeding heart' what was in his chest was a box with a priceless ruby in it."
"what does that have to do with her?"
"she authorized the scans, she gets copies of all the notes. She would have known about the ruby."
"And she tried to get the skeleton back before we found out." Booth nodded with a sigh.
"my thoughts exactly."
"is she still at the lab?"
"yeah. She hasn't moved since she got here."
"alright. I'll make the call, ask her to come down here and we can ask her a few questions."
"ok." Brennan hung up looking up at Azita who sat on the platform next to Anok. Then walked out.
A half hour later. Booth and Brennan are talking with Azita Jabbari in his office.
"This is insane. I have devoted my life to preserving my country's antiquities." She said defensively.
"You knew about the CAT scan. You had access to the mummy." Brennan pointed out.
"I didn't know about the ruby, and if I did, I would have insisted on additional security. That ruby is a national treasure. I am holding you responsible for losing it." She shot angrily.
"Where were you three nights ago when Dr. Kaswell was murdered?" booth asked curiously.
"In Los Angeles. There was a fund-raiser at The Egyptian Theatre. I know it's tacky, but the Ambassador wanted me there. I am sure that counts as an alibi?"Booth and Brennan look to eachother, they both know that she couldn't have done it. "You said you found hieroglyphs in his chest? I would like to see them." She offered.
"An expert from the Jeffersonian is studying them." Brennan informed her and showed her a copy anyways.
"I am one of the foremost scholars on ancient hieroglyphs." She countered. "…These are incomplete."
"We know. They are remnants from the paintings on the box that contained the ruby." Brennan explained.
"This is a signature." She said pointing to the picture. "This is a message from the Pharaoh's wife."
"Ah, a note from his mom." Booth smiled.
"Yes, exactly. 'My heart bleeds for my guiltless son.'" She reads slowly.
"Guiltless. She didn't think that Anok killed his brother, Meti?" Brennan asked, almost surprised by this new information.
"no mother wants to believe her son is guilty of murder. That hasn't changed in 3,000 years." Booth said looking up at Brennan.
"This could change history. We now have the ability to determine Meti's cause of death." Brennan said excitedly standing and gathering the file. "I can have his remains brought from the Natural History Museum in New York."
"I would like to assist." Azita offered.
"Of course." Brennan smiled.
"bones can I talk to you outside for a second?" bopoth asked giving her a stern look.
"yeah… excuse us." She said standing and walking out.
"how is this gonna help us catch Kaswell's killer?" Booth asked focused on the current murder instead of one that happened 3000 years ago.
"…Well, it won't," Brennan admitted. "but it could exonerate Anok. …There can be no time limit for justice, Booth. …remember you taught me that."
Booth ignored the urge to kiss her right then and continued with his lecture. "Bones, Dr. Kaswell's killer is out there now. And we're running out of suspects."
"You'll do it, Booth. You always do." She said smiling at him certain.
Booth nodded. "… is that a new dress?"
"no. it's angela's" she admitted, uncomfortably.
"oh… well you're really… its nice." He said taking a deep breath to calm himself.
"thanks. … I have to Call New York."
Booth nodded again. "right."
8 am the next morning. Booth's Office. Hacker walks into Booth's office right before Booth enters, holding a cup of coffee.
"Hey, boss." He greeted setting the cup down.
"How's the case going?" Hacker asked, mildly interested.
"Not solved yet but, uh, you're not here for that, are you?" Booth asked sitting.
"I just wanted to say you're doing a great job. Truly exceptional work." Hacker complimented, awkwardly.
"Sir, if we would just kill the compliments and just say what's on your mind, I'd appreciate that." Booth said overtired and not in the mood for all this polite crap. The truth is he just wanted to deck Hacker and make up with Brennan.
"Right. Let's drop the agent/boss thing for a minute." Hacker suggested sitting. Booth nodded. "It's been a while since I've met someone, y'know, special and, uh, …oh, hell, I just don't want to make a fool out of myself if Temperance is only going out with me 'cause I'm the boss." He admitted honestly.
Booth sighed. "Right. Listen, Sir, …Bones doesn't… she doesn't feel the pressure to act or do or say anything that she doesn't want to do and no one, and I mean no one can make her. That what makes her... Bones." He said finishing with a thoughtful smile.
Hacker let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, thanks, really" he said greatful and standing to walk out.
"No problem." Booth nodded wondering, momentarily, why her boyfriends always come to him for advice on how to win her over.
Hacker turns back before he reaches the door. "oh and by the way, next time you're at the Founding Fathers, you should try the meatloaf with the egg. You'll like it, it tastes nothing like a human eye." He said smiling and walking out.
Booth leans back angrily. Brennan did exactly what he didn't want her to do, she talked to Hacker about him, and he hated it.
8:30 am. Booth walked into Brennan's office placing an egg on the desk infront of her, annoyed.
"oh…what's this?" she asked confused.
"What does it look like?"
"An egg." Still confused.
"And when was the last time you recently talked about an egg?" Booth asked not able to hide his annoyance.
Brennan's face fell in realization. "Oh."
"Oh?"
"Well, he asked me what was good to eat, and I mentioned that you liked the meatloaf." She defended.
"Stop right there. You said you weren't going to talk about me, and you talked about me." He said angrily.
"But I - I didn't mean to talk about you. I told him I didn't want to but, you know, I like that story and I guess it just… popped out."
"it Popped out? I don't need Hacker knowing about my mother's meatloaf."
"…this isn't just about the meatloaf is it? …you're afraid that I'll say something about us." She accused standing
Booth shook his head. "no. no I'm not."
"then why are you so upset?" she demanded growing frustrated herself.
"Because... what goes on between us is ours." He said leaning in over the desk, his eyes burning into her skull.
"Come on, Booth, you must've told a lot of people the meatloaf story, right?" she said lightly. Booth just stares at her and she realizes that this is something that he's only shared with her and that She's betrayed his trust. "oh." She looked down at the desk infront of her.
"yeah Bones. You are the only one I told about that, because I trust you." He said his voice softer now.
"I'm sorry." Brennan apologized genuinely.
Booth nodded. "Don't talk about me again. What I tell you is private ok?"
Brennan was about to respond when Hodgins enters and they both take a sep back from the desk.
"So, I got a print off the linen. Had your people run it through the database."
"You get a name?"
"Yeah, Alexander Wheaton."
"The Director of Roman Antiquities." Brennan said looking to Booth and they knew they had their guy.
Friday night. Anok and Meti Exhibit opening. The gang is dressed to kill and having a good time.
Brennan walks up behind Booth and whispers in his ear. "I want to show you something." She took his hand leading Booth down the stairs to the exhibit.
"Bones, we're not supposed to be down here yet." He said smiling.
"You're with me, Booth. This is my find. You're not gonna get into trouble." She reassured him looking into his eyes.
Booth stepped back and looked around. "God, this is so cool!" Brennan chuckles following him. "So, he wasn't trampled by his brother?' He asked looking back at her.
"No. Meti suffered from osteogenesis imperfecta." Brennan shook her head. "it's—"
"brittle bone disease." Booth stopped her smiling.
Brennan couldn't help but smile back with a nod. "Meti's fall from his horse killed him; Anok was innocent. His mother was right."
"So it only took 3,000 years for someone to hear her. …You know… If I was Egypt, I'd throw you a party, too." He said stepping closer.
She smiles up at him. Then after a beat. "…I have to speak. I hate these things."
"What are you talking about? You're great at these things. Listen, you changed history. How many people can say that?"
Brennan took a step this time. "You can. …Every arrest you make changes history. You make the world safer."
"With your help." He pointed out only about a foot away right now. "So, Andrew...I thought you were going to take him to this thing. …That's what he told me."
"I was, yes, but...you and I …this was our case and...what goes on between us, that should just be ours. Isn't that what you said?" she said her hand moving to his chest.
"Yeah." He nodded. "its between us." He said his lips meeting hers.
A moment later they hear the murmurings of Angela, Hodgins, Cam, Sweets & Daisy and they pull apart, Brennan turned red and looked down as they appear at the top of the staircase.
"what are you two doing? Come on. The Ambassador is about to speak." Angela called out smiling and they all run back into the ballroom, leaving Booth & Brennan alone again. Brennan adjusts his bow tie and he tucks a strand of stray hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek.
"Thanks."
Brennan nodded and they walk back up the stairs to the party.
2 am.
Booth pulls infront of Brennan's apartment, and opens her door for her.
"Thank you." She said smiling and taking his offered hand as she stepped out.
"anytime." He smiles closing the door behind her.
"thanks for the ride." She said still holding onto his hand.
he nodded. "no problem."
"…I'll see you tomorrow." She said kissing him on the cheek slowly.
Their eyes meet followed by their lips. Booth pulls her closer and her fingers lace in his hair.
"I …should… go." Booth said between kisses.
"you …don't …have to…" she said pulling him back in for another long kiss.
"no… I do…" he said pulling away with a sigh. "I'll see you at work tomorrow." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then circled the car to the driver's side.
Brennan went upstairs, a large smile on her face. She dropped down on the couch pressing the flashing button on her answering machine with a sigh.
"Message 1. 6:45 pm.: hey Temperance, It's Andrew. I just wanted to say that I had fun the—" Brennan hit the delete button her smile fading as she realized that was the reason Booth had left.
She picked up the remote and turned on her stereo hearing the beginning cord of "We Can't Be Friends" by Joanna Smith. Brennan rolled her eyes at the irony of the timing of the song, but didn't turn it off.
We can't be friends, you can't drop by, If I run into your brother, can't tell him to tell you 'hi'.
You can't call, I can't pick up, We can't meet for margaritas
I can't wear that dress you love.
Cause you'll look at me, like I want you to Then we'll brush hands like we accidentally always do
We'll stay too late, we'll laugh too hard, hug too long And that ain't too far
from waking up right where we've always been.
We can't be friends, we both know that,
You can't tell me you don't love her and I've got no right to ask.
So I'll pretend like I don't care I won't send a birthday card and if you see me out somewhere
Don't look at me, like I want you to Cause we'll brush hands like we accidentally always do
We'll stay too late, we'll laugh too hard, hug too long
And that ain't too far from waking up right where we've always been.
We can't be friends...
We can't be friends, it's just too tough
It's not that I don't love you, it's that I love you way too much
And we'll just end in pain again
We can't be friends...
"yeah that makes me feel loads better." Brennan said aloud and realizing right then how alone she really felt even though she was 'with' Hacker. She turned the radio off and went to bed, alone, her head was pounding and she knew what she needed to do.
Noon. Brennan and Hacker were at the diner having lunch.
"Andrew..." Brennan started slowly. "I don't think we should do this… I mean you're Booth's boss's boss. And I don't want this to end up awkward when it doesn't work out."
"and how do you know this won't work out?" he asked leaning in closer to her.
"I don't exactly have a good record for relationships working out." She pointed out with a laugh. "you can even ask Booth if you don't believe me. …and its not fair to you to lead you on when I already know how its going to end." She said honestly.
He nodded knowing that he was right the first time, there's more to their relationship then they let on. "I understand."
"thanks Andrew." She kissed him on the cheek and left.