I'm better now. Well, sort of. What the hell was that finale? I can't believe they dared to do THAT. I'm still shocked. One hell of a cliffhanger there.
Anyway. I don't know if this is long, or what. But I'm keeping track of the plot, and no crazy theories in this one, so...
Booth spent most of the week trying to understand his new life. Things did change. Cam's old boyfriend, the dentist, was alive. It was very harsh for her, because that meant Michele wasn't with her. She was struggling to understand she didn't have a daughter anymore. Booth was worried sick about her.
Not all changes were bad. Zack, for instance, didn't have anything to do with Gormagon. The kid still worked in the Jeffersonian, lived with Hodgins and everything. The squinterns were all the same. But most of their work was with Zack.
Hodgins and Angela were married. For almost four years. That first time they were engaged, well, let's just say "Berimbau" never crossed Angela's path. Luckily, she was pregnant in this time-line, otherwise things would be very complicated.
Brennan called him in the morning after. When he got to her apartment, he was quite surprised. That collection of DVD was impressive.
"Wow, look at this!" he said with a comic enthusiasm in his voice "You've got every single possible sci-fi in here! Star Wars, X Files..."
"I never bought any of those." she pointed "I don't even know what is Star Wars."
"Please be joking."
"That's not the point. The point is, the biggest change I found in the apartment was this. What does it mean?"
"That you're a Hollywood/TV addicted."
"But I'm not!"
"In here, you are. C'mon, is not the end of the world. You just have to watch everything in this shelf..." he grinned "Want company?"
"Booth, if I enjoy television and cinema this much, I must know something about it. But I don't. What if people notice something is wrong? What if they found out what happened?"
"Yeah, because when people are different one day, the first thing that jumps to mind is 'time travel'." She noticed his sarcasm and stared at him. He sighted. She had a point, but it wasn't as bad as she thought. Right?
"Look, just, for a while, try not to talk much. Pretend that, I don't know, a relative or an old friend died. Look depressed. No one will get too close. That way, we'll have time to figure everything out."
She didn't look very convinced, but nodded. After a moment, she asked:
"So, is everything okay? Is Parker...?"
"Yeah. He's there. Different haircut, but hey, when you think it through..."
"So what changed for you?"
He thought about that. His place had some stuff he didn't recognized, but if Cam was right, it was expected. Nothing too big, really.
"I don't know. Hope I still have a job, because my personal life seems the same so far."
He was almost leaving when he found a photograph on the floor. When he turned, his stomach turned.
It was a picture. A blond girl dressed in a roman suit. He remembered the story he told Brennan. But the girl wasn't the same. And he realized what was the change in his life.
Hannah.
How? How could that be possible? Hannah and that girl had nothing to do with each other. And now, they were the same people. He found himself asking the same question Brennan asked a week ago: "What does it mean?"
The phone rang. One time. Two times. Three times. He answered. It was the same one he answered to get back to his time. The same Hannah got him.
"Hey, you." It had to be a joke. It was Hannah. What was going on? Her tone seemed normal. No awkwardness, nothing. Just a normal phone call. Did he broke up with her? Or they never even dated? Or maybe were just friends now.
"I must be going back this weekend, do you wanna grab some dinner after I get home?" No clue. No way to know if she was talking to her friend or to her boyfriend. 'Help.'
"Huh... sure. Wanna do something else after?" There. Whatever her answer was, it would give him the information he needed. Hannah wasn't the type that hided her libido. If they were dating and she was gone for over a week, she wouldn't be subtle about her plans.
"We can work something out when I'm there, no need to decide it just now."
"Okay." he said, trying to hide the relief in his voice. Friends. Then something crossed his mind "Are you mad because I didn't call all week?" Somehow, that got a laughter.
"Stop worrying about that, Seeley. I told you, I'm the one that calls you. I do not need you interrupting my work, and that's probably what your calls will do, my schedule is insane. I only got some free time, well, now! And I'm using it to talk to you, so you better be flattered." she finished in a playful tone.
"I do. Huh, look, Hannah, I need to go now, or I'll be late for work. So..."
"Right, sorry. Around here is afternoon, telling you, it's insane. Talk later, 'kay?"
"Bye."
"Bye."
Well, it wasn't so bad. He would have to figure out how to deal with his anger, and find out their history, but at least he wouldn't have to break up with her. He knew for sure now that he didn't want to be with her. But friends, he could do friends.
"Bones."
"Hey, Booth." The week was weird for both of them. The kiss wasn't brought up by any of them, and it was a very big elephant in the room. But they kept it under control.
"I know what changed." Brennan didn't need more than that
"What?"
"Hannah." he said without looking at her, but somehow sensed her look. She was hurt.
"You never broke up with her?" She intended to ask if they were engaged, but decided to go slow.
"Do you remember that story about the photo?"
"Are you trying to change the subject?"
"No. Do you...?"
"Remember it? Yes, I do."
"Hannah is that girl. And we're friends, that's all I know. She's somewhere... and she's coming back this weekend." He leaned back in the couch in her office. "I don't know."
Brennan wanted to say she had no idea what he meant, but she decided to leave it. Instead, she said:
"I think I found out something else."
"What?"
"I don't think my mom is dead." That got Booth jumping from the couch.
"Really?"
"I don't know. But the files of her case aren't here. I looked for them. And Zack doesn't remember anything about that."
"You're gonna look for her?" She opened her mouth to answer, but at that moment Zack came in.
"Doctor Brennan... am I interrupting something?" He asked, with a anxious look.
"No. What is it? Did you find anything on the skeleton?"
"I gave it to Mr. Clark. I wanted to work on a project of mine, and that's actually why I'm here. I want your opinion on it." He stood there, like he was waiting to hear his death sentence.
"Sure, I'll go. Do you want to catch lunch later?" She said to Booth.
"Sure. See'ya." They parted ways right outside the office.
Brennan didn't know where they were. She couldn't remember that part of the lab. Zack was nervous. He kept talking about random things all the way. But one thing in particular caught her attention.
"I was a little reckless a week ago, I was very exhausted, you see. I just wanted to go home, and I thought I could just get back here earlier and put it away. So I just left it in the platform. I see now that it was a mistake, because someone tempered with it."
A week ago? Something in the platform? Could it be...
"It's right here, Doctor Brennan."
He opened the door. And there it was. The damn machine.
The story about the machine must take about 4 or 5 chapter just for itself. So, in order to make the whole thing clear (because it's all in my mind, a very bad place to be), the updates will take a while. But I'm fairly sure there will be fillers, because I so intend to put Brennan and Booth as couple and to get rid of Hannah eventually, and it has nothing to do with the main plot. Those will be faster.
Reviews?;)
And happy Towel Day! (if you know what that is)