The Reflecting Pool

October 7 9:00 AM

I wait on the bench at the reflecting pool, the normal spot where Booth and I meet up. The pool is

slightly off color, and I suspect ash.

Booth comes over, and my heart sinks. His ankle is in a full cast, his arm bandaged. He limps over on

crutches and winces as he sits on the bench next to me.

"Booth, why aren't you at the hospital?"

"They needed the room."

"But your leg...and your arm is—"

"Bones, there are people with missing legs."

I'm silent.

"So, Bones, what happened to you? Did you fall on a pile of pillows or something?"

"I was sleeping. What happened to you? Did you get blown up or something?"

He pauses, looking embarrassed. "You won't laugh, right?"

"Of course I won't laugh."

"I fell off the toilet."

I smile and try coughing to cover my laugh.

"What? Bones! You said—"

"Well, you laughed at Brainy Smurf."

"Yeah...but still..."

We argue for a while. Finally at around ten, we part ways. I go to the Jeffersonian. Booth goes home to

nap.

Booth...

Booth...

It could be him...Booth...

The Body

October 7 2:00 PM

When I leave my office, there's a body on the examining table. Hodgins is looking at it.

"Murder?"

"Yes. Shot in the sternum." Hodgins doesn't even look up.

"Any other injuries?"

"No. The person wasn't even unconscious. He was standing, facing the killer."

"Wow."

"Standard military issue gun," says Colin Fisher, who's standing over in a corner, tapping his black

fingernails against a railing. He looks happier than normal.

Angela comes onto the platform.

"Hey, baby," says Colin, and Angela glares at him.

"Um, you guys," she says, ignoring him, "You might want to come over here."

Bad Timing

October 7 2:30 PM

"What are we looking at, Ange?"

"This is video footage of a hotel lobby, at 6:59 yesterday." It showed everyone passing out, well,

everyone but two. They were alive. The person with their back to the camera pulled a gun and shot the

other, then walked straight out the front door.

"Oh, God."

"They're awake," states Angela.

"Can you enhance the picture?"

"I'm working on it, but any farther and I'll blow out the pixels."

"Keep working." I leave for the platform.