HEY THERE!

Okay, don't shoot me. I'm unarmed!

-I know it's been, like, a millennium since I have updated, but after my computer crashed, I was sitting around waiting for my birthday to come hopping along - and it wasn't like I was going to use the FAMILY computer...jeez...they'd think I was entering phase II of the Bones obsession...what if they found my chapters? I have avenging siblings that would delete this masterpiece out of spite... - joking; they're not that bad...

Anyways, I started this a long while ago, and I discovered it on a memory stick when I was transferring stuff to my new Mac, so long story short - I have really missed writing, I missed the readers, and I missed always being kept on my toes to process another chapter.

After much debate, I decided it was easier to put the rest of the story on here, rather than create a whole new story. (Like, those old-fashioned novels where they have 'volume I' 'volume II' etc - well, that's what this is, except we'll just be a little bit more modern, and name it PART II.

Anyway, without further adieu,

Enjoy guys!

Xx G

(NB: Story continues nearly a month after the ending of Part I)

(PS: Think 'Punching In A Dream' by The Naked and Famous as the soundtrack for this chapter ;) - )

PART II

The Matter to the Bones

"Every mountain is unclimbable until someone climbs it."

(Lord Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 1 - Julian Fellows)

24. Take Your Lattes With Sugar

"Look, Dad, I'm up to my neck right now in a case-" Brennan smiled up at the barista and accepted the coffee carrier. "Thanks," she whispered to the woman, and passed over the correct money. Taking the phone from its squashed position between her ear and shoulder with a freed hand, she commenced her conversation. "Can we reschedule?"

Max huffed on the other end of the line. "You're putting your case over your brother?"

"Dad," Brennan replied exasperatedly. "That's not fair; you know I have to. I'm dealing with a double murder here, not an overdue assignment that I could charm my way out of."

"Double murder?"

As Brennan strode along the sidewalk, she filled her father in with what little she could.

"Any more juicies?" her father probed.

"No, Dad. You're a criminal, and you're lucky I'm sharing anything with you. I could get in trouble."

"C'mon honey, you're only telling the stuff you hear on the news, or read in the papers."

Brennan was silent.

"Hmm?" Again, with the probing.

"You never read the papers anyway," Brennan pointed out.

"Fine. But what about your brother?"

Brennan arrived at the entrance doors of the Hoover.

"Look...I just really think we should work this out later. Please, Dad?" she said entreated.

"But, honey-"

She interrupted his protest. "I don't want you mistaken my putting this off as a reason not to see Russ; I really do miss him, and I can't wait to see him, but there's just so much going on at the moment. I would honestly rather figure this all out at another time, when my plate isn't so full, okay?"

"I suppose you're right-"

"Hold on a sec, Dad." Brennan pressed the phone against her chest and presented herself at the front desk.

It was the same lady, Samantha. Sam. Sweet Sam.

Sam had always disliked her, and Brennan only understood now, that it was because Booth's attention was all and only for her - the beautiful, educated anthropologist.

And not the tacky blonde from Skid Row.

"Visiting Seeley?" Sam purred, cat-like eyes piercing holes wherever they rested.

"Not visiting, Sam," Brennan corrected her tiredly. "I've got work to do. We're in the middle of a case."

If it were possible, the hazel eyes became even more narrow. "It's Samantha, for you. Sam, for everyone else." She fumbled about with something behind the barriers of the desk. "Now, you would be visiting Seeley?"

Brennan didn't let the pettiness touch her - too much. "Work," she repeated. She was in a fantastic mood, granted, but her fuse was too short for simple-minded idiots like the receptionist.

The blond antagonist was taking an unnecessary amount of time to perform the simple task at hand, and thus Brennan could restrain herself no longer. "What, are we five-year-olds?" she demanded exasperatedly. "I've been here thousands of times. Booth has been my partner for almost seven years, and you have been a receptionist here for four; show me the courtesy I deserve by not making your jealously so damn obvious every time I step a foot through that front door! "

Sam stared at her coolly, and passed over a tag. "Maybe it is a game of mine," she answered bitterly. "But your the one who plays along."

"And maybe I do answer back to you, even when I shouldn't, because I should be above that, but nothing changes the fact that Seeley shares my bed, and he will never share yours. So leave me alone." Brennan clipped the tag on. "Do us all a favour and build yourself a bridge."

Satisfied with her swift finish, and more than eager to disappear from Samantha's presence, she made for the elevator. Once inside, she brought her phone back up to her ear. "Hi Dad, I'm back - sorry about that. The receptionist was being a tart."

"Yeah, I heard. Nice one, honey."

Brennan frowned. "What...how did you-"

"I heard the conversation," Max chuckled.

"But I had my phone against-"

"I think you must have not had it muffled properly, because I heard it."

"Oh."

"Don't be down about it; you did good, honey. I'm proud of you." He paused. "Something you said though, caught my attention, though.

On the other end of the line, his daughter rose her eyebrows. "And what was that exactly?"

"Something about you and Booth sharing a bed-"

"Oh, that's nothing," she lied. "I just said it to get her off my back."

"You're a horrible liar."

"Am not."

"See, you're lying right now!"

Brennan laughed. The lift arrived at Booth's Homicidal Units floor. Exiting the lift, she passed through the sea of desks.

"Okay...I've got to go Dad."

"But we haven't finished talking about-"

"I'm so, so busy, Dad," Brennan fibbed again as she entered Booth's office. "I really have to go."

The man himself looked up from his papers and grinned broadly.

"Tempe, honey-" her father began to protest.

"Uh-oh! Assistant about to come and hail me down!" she said quickly in the phone, while Max continued to try cutting in. "Love you!" She hung up.

Booth laughed. "Is that how we dismiss callers now?"

Brennan shrugged and an joined his laughter. "He'll be okay."

Her partner stood and met her.

"I come bearing gifts," she said with a smile, presenting the two coffees, and a coffee-kart pie.

"Mmm," Booth replied approvingly, leaning over and kissing her chastely on the lips. "So how's your day been, beautiful?"

"The usual," said Brennan nonchalantly, handing him a coffee and his paper bag of pie. "Elbows deep in remains. Inspecting and re-inspecting. No breakfast."

Booth shook his head in disapproval. "I don't like you skipping breakfast."

"Well, I worked through last night, and by this morning I just didn't feel like eating."

"That's no excuse," he chided. "The one night you don't spend with me, and already you're breaking habits. Tsk, tsk."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm a villain to my stomach. Now, how has your day been?"

"What...no 'beautiful' for me?" Booth pouted.

Brennan thrust her tongue out. "How was your day beautiful?"

"Oh, you know, the usual."

"Paper work. Loose ends that don't tie up. Suspects that drive you up the wall?"

"Bang. Hit that one right on the head."

Brennan broke into a smile again.

Booth studied her a moment. "Why do you look like that cat that ate the canary?"

She frowned. "I don't know what that means..."

He laughed and kissed her forehead. "It means that you look very self-satisfied or smug, baby. What did you accomplish?"

Brennan had to think for a moment. "Oh!" she gasped suddenly. "I put that bitter receptionist in her place."

Booth was sceptical. "Sam?"

Brennan nodded.

"Bones, she's harmless..."

"Booth, you weren't there! Anyway, so I called her Sam, just like everyone else does, and then she was like 'it's Samantha for you, Sam for everyone else'"- Brennan made a face as she quoted the blonde- "and do you know what I told her in reply?" she continued, eyes fiery. "She was being nasty to me the whole time, and she kept on calling you Seeley, like she was some sexy seductress that had stolen your virtue-"

Booth laughed. "And what did you say?"

Despite his laughter, though, she competitively concluded, "like the responsible adult I am, I told her that you shared my bed, and that you would never share hers, and I said that she was to treat me more courteously in the future - considering the fact that had been working with the bureau longer than she had been an employee there - and then I told her to build a bridge."

"And do you think it will work?"

"Probably not." Brennan pressed her lips to the cup. "But regardless, it was worth it; just to see that look on her face when I threw it straight back at her."

Her partner eyed her thoughtfully: his laughter had subsided.

"Were you jealous?" he eventually asked, curious."...Jealous of Sam showing an interest in me?"

Brennan shifted on her feet, and cast her eyes downwards.

Booth's hearty chuckle made her lift them.

"Are you laughing at me?" she depicted, expression wary.

"No," he assured her, shaking his head. "I actually feel...flattered."

"Flattered. Good on you." Brennan nodded grimly.

Booth took her chin between his thumb and index finger, eyes serious and compelling against the stubborn set of her jaw.

"Don't get so stirred up, baby. I'm flattered that you would get defensive on someone over me, even though you know I'm already yours. I'm proud of you; you just told off the bitchiest girl in school, and you won. Kudos."

"I don't know what that means..."

"Praise of the highest order, my stubborn little beauty."

Brennan scrunched her nose. "Little?"

"Call it metaphoric; you're budding in the ways of the big, wide, urban world."

She gave into a smile.

Booth's computer made a strange sound. Both heads turned towards it, and its owner moved around to observe the screen. "Hey - I got something back on the victim."

Brennan motioned with her hand. "Do tell."

"Phoebe Caultts. No official record, no criminal record. Just an address, and a profile from a linked website." He glanced at Brennan momentarily, before popping the lid off of a biro and scribbling down the address into his notebook. "You're going to like this one; nice and easy." He went to pass the book to her, bust she joined him instead.

"She lived right near the racecourse where we discovered the remains," she observed thoughtfully.

Booth nodded. "And that's not all."

Brennan leaned closer. "She was a jockey?"

"Read on," her partner encouraged.

Her eyes scanned the screen. "She worked for Gates' Breeding Stables. Gates...why does that sound familiar?"

"Mary Rushmore."

"What about her?"

"What were the names of her three husbands?"

Brennan frowned, and counted out on three fingers. "Well there was Evan Rushmore, the victim, of course...and then there was Kevin...Kevin Giles. The millionaire. And then the last one was...Nicholas...Gates, wasn't it?"

Booth nodded.

How were they connected? Brennan drifted into deep meditation.

"Nicholas and his wife Margaret built up their small fortune from breeding racehorses!" she exclaimed suddenly, linking the story. "Wait...wait. You don't think that Joshua Blake committed these murders too, do you?"

Booth shook his head. "No. I think that the fact that these to cases are related, just happens to be a coincidence - but an interesting one at that."

"There are no coincidences in a crime."

"Sometimes."

"Barely."

They were both silent for a moment.

Brennan broke the ice. "So what do you want to do?"

"I think we should go to the racecourse, and do a bit of poking around. What do you say to that?" Booth suggested.

His girlfriend nodded eagerly.

"But..." Brennan added, knowing that there had to be more to it, reading his expression.

"You need to tell Cam about what we know, and what's going on, and I need to do a what more background research I can. I'll pick you up from the Jeffersonian at two?"

"Sounds like a plan." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you then."

"Okay." He grinned - wide, and goofy.

She chuckled, and kissed him on the lips. "Don't worry; we've got tonight. Professional for now, right?"

"Right."

He pulled her in by the waist, and embraced her for a few moments, ignorant to the agents not too far away.

They broke away, and Brennan made her way to the door before he could reel her in again. "Later."

"Thanks for the coffee."

"No problem," she called over her shoulder, sparing him one last look before disappearing entirely.

Two hours. Two hours to the examine evidence, and wait for their expedition.

She didn't know how she was going to last.

Whew! Great to be back!

Okay, just a couple of things to clarify:

- This is a couple of weeks after the last chapter - it's been a slow case, but I'm not going to plunge into excessive detail

- Brennan's brother Russ is going to come and visit with Amy and their girls

- Everyone knows about B&B's relationship (clearly...cough...with all of the PDF going on)

Thanks for reading!

If you have the time, I would LOVE for you to pop in a little review - it's been a wee little bit of a while since I last posted, and it would help me so much to know what you think.

Thanks again guys for tuning in - I'll try and post again as soon as.

Lots of love

Xx G