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Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, no matter how many times I try to bribe the actual owner, and no matter how many times I threaten, or beg. I have to accept it and deal with the fact that I only own the outside characters in this story.


Chapter 4

Compensation and Comprehension

Well Jackie didn't come when she planned. She got hit with a big case and ended up coming two weeks later. I didn't mind, but I was constantly being annoyed by that Dr. Sweets.

"So when is your lawyer friends supposed to get here?" asked Sweets the day Jackie arrived "Wasn't she supposed to arrive two weeks ago?"

"Look, I don't know what teacher in their right mind let you graduate, but so help me, I will hurt if you do not keep at least a ten yard distance from me, unless it is relating to a case. Even then you probably won't be needed." I said and kept walking towards Dr. Brennan's office. Herself, along with Jack, Angela, Cam, and Agent Booth were waiting for me. We started planning Zach's appeal and we really needed Jackie's help.

I came in and sat down on the couch next to Jack, who was starring at Angela, I nudged him and he snapped out.

"Now that Althea is here." said Cam, it still felt a bit weird not calling her Dr. Saroyan, but I was getting used to it. "Let's begin; what do we have so far?"

"We know that Zach was not read his rights when he was confronted." said Dr. Brennan.

"There is very little evidence to suggest that Zach indeed killed the Lobbyist. In fact he even gave us the location of the Master." I said. "Therefore Zach deserved a lot more for his services than what he got."

"There was also not a lawyer present on Zach's behalf. The lawyer present was not properly qualified and was not familiar with the case." said Angela

Booth was about to say something, but my cell, my Put it on the Ritz ring tone interrupted him.

"Dr. Calloway." I said "really…you are….and you did….great, where are you now….that's great I'll be right there…" I hung up and turned to the others. "That was Jackie. "She's waiting up front for me. She read the case file I sent her and she's ready to meet with Zach."

"That's great, are you gonna drive her over there?" asked Jack

"Yes." I replied and grabbed my bag. "I'll be back in an hour or so."

I ran outside and almost tackled Jackie.

"Hey Jacks" I said.

"Althy, Geez you scared the hell out of Me." said Jackie, but she hugged me anyway. "So what's first on the agenda?"

"We go and see Zack." I said and led her to my car. We got inside and I put the key into the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Althy, are you still sweet on Zach?" asked Jackie.

"First Angela and now you, what makes you so sure I'm in love with Zach?" I asked kind of annoyed.

"I never said you were in love with him, I just asked if you were sweet on him." said Jackie grinning as my face turned a strange shade of pink. I slapped myself mentally on the forehead. I totally walked in to that one.

"I hate you." I said.

"I love you too." replied Jackie laughing. We pulled up into the parking lot of the loony bin and the Nurse at the desk led us into the same stuffy, uncomfortable room I first saw Zach in.

"Make yourselves comfortable." replied the Nurse. "I'll bring Mr. Addy in right away." she closed the door and walked away.

"Is she serious?" asked Jackie "How can anyone be comfortable in a place like this?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth." I said as we sat down at one end of the table.

A couple minutes passed and Zach came in. He was no longer wearing the gloves, which already made me happier.

"Althy, and Jackie, glad you made it to DC. Um…why are you both here." asked Zach sitting down.

"Zach, I told you when I visited you last week, as soon as Jackie got here we were gonna start your appeal and she's gonna represent you." I said and he nodded.

"Zach, you aren't taking any medication are you?" asked Jackie.

"Why is that important?" asked Zach.

"If you are we can pull out the improper treatment card, so are you taking any meds?" asked Jackie again this time a bit harsher.

"I am given some medications." said Zach and he explained what they were "but I have not actually ingested them"

"Good." said Jackie and wrote it down in her notebook. This continued on for about fifteen minutes. Then the nurse came back and told us to leave, rather rudely too.

So we walked back to my car and headed back to the Jeffersonian.

"Jacks, where are you staying?" I asked.

"At my brother's place, you remember Alex?" asked Jackie, I truly didn't remember him all that wel..

"Vaguely" I replied.

"I think that you and I and a couple of those women you work with should go to a club." suggested Jackie as we stopped at a red light.

"A club" I asked "Me, at a club? Are you sure you didn't hit your head on something?"

"Positive." replied Jackie "It'll be a great chance to meet guys…please Althy I don't want to go alone..." she added and pouted

"Fine," I said as the light turned green and I hit the gas pedal.

We arrived at the Jeffersonian a few minutes later and Jack and Jackie said their hellos.

I felt so stressed, I felt like I could collapse right there in Dr. Brennan's office and sleep. But no such luck.

"Everyone." I said "This is Jackie, Jacks this is Dr. Brennan Angela Montenegro and Dr. Cam Saroyan."

"Nice to meet everyone." said Jackie

Nice to meet you too." said Cam.

"Any of you guys want to hit that new club that opened up in Alexandria?" asked Jackie

"The Black Panther?" asked Angela "I'd love to."

"I have work to do." said Dr. Brennan a bit quickly. Which was rather odd, and where were Jack and Booth?

"Well I'm in." said Dr. Saroyan…Cam. "What time?"

"Tonight, say at eight?"

"Fine," I sighed "Woman's night out, though I still say I won't have any fun."

"Come on Althea you'll have a great time. You might even meet someone." said Angela.

"But right now we have work to do." said Cam and we got started.

Eight o clock rolled by and I sluggishly changed into a cocktail styled, shoulder strapped maroon dress I had. I left my hair down and didn't bother with make-up. I hate make-up. I met up with Jackie and the others at the Black…whatever it was and we walked in.

We sat at the bar and ordered drinks. Jackie took a bloody Mary Cam and Angela took something related to that and I asked for a Fruit Mohito. Yeah woot, hoot I was having a blast.

"Come on Alths if you don't try you'll have a bad time." said Jackie as some guy asked her to dance.

"Right, because I'm having a great time now." I said back

"Jackie's right." said Angela "Look at that Guy." she pointed to some tall dark and handsome guy, "He's been starring at you for like ten minutes now. Look he's coming over here." I rolled my eyes as this stranger came up to me.

"Hey, I'm Jonah, you wanna dance?" he asked

"She'd love to." said Cam quickly before I could respond and Jonah dragged me off to the dance floor.

"So what's your name?" asked Jonah.

"Althea" I replied and he starred, "Yes that's really my name. My mother had a thing for originality when it came to naming the girls."

"That's funny." he said as the music slowed down. Great, I though now I'd have to be even closer to him. "I won't bight."

"I might," I replied and he laughed. Maybe he wasn't so bad…but there was something about him….

We swayed to the slow music and I felt oddly good. It would have been better if I was with Zach, but hey you deal with what you've got.

"So Jonah, what do you do for a living?" I asked.

"Aren't you to the point." he said smiling. "I work for Homeland Security."

"Really," I said, "that's…interesting…"

"Its not." he said. "FBI is more exciting. What about you Althea, what do you do for a living?"

"You don't want to know." I said as he twirled me.

"Yes, I do." he said.

"Alright," One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four "I work for the Jeffersonian Institute."

"Oh and what do you do there?"

"I'm an anthropologist there, but also and archeologist and a forensic scientist…." I said, "Is that weird?" He dipped me.

"Not one bit." he said as the music ended. "Althea, I would like to buy you dinner. How about tomorrow at a Yung Chun? Do you know where that is?"

"Yeah it's not to far from where I live." I said.

"Great then I will see you tomorrow at seven." he said and handed me his card, "I'll pick you up?"

"No I'll get there my self." I replied and took the card before walking back to my seat.

"What was that all about at the end?" asked Angela.

"It feels too weird. This was pointless. I knew it. I'm going home." I said and almost ran home. Wrong, all so, so wrong.

I arrived home and Jack was sitting at the table drinking tea and reading a book, typical Jack Hodgins on a Friday night.

"So, I'm guessing love isn't in the air for you, cousin?" I asked.

"I could same the same, cousin." said Jack looking up, "You're back early. Did you meet anyone?"

"I danced with a Homeland security agent…." I said

"And…."

"And nothing he asked me out to dinner tomorrow night, but I don't think it's appropriate." I said rather more as a fact then oppinion.

"Why not," asked Jack.

"Why? Well think about it Jack, I'm on a date having fun while my best friend is stuck in the loony bin. It's not fair to him. I promised him I'd get him out and I have to work on that.

"Althy, I don't think Zach would mind if you spent a little time on yourself." said Jack "Ever since you got a job at the Jeffersonian all your attention has been either on work or on Zack."

"Alright," I agreed and took off my glasses to rub my temples and headed to my room to sleep.


Some of you mentioned that I was going a little to fast. Well getting Zach out of the loony bin is only part 1. Him and Althy also have to get together….but how does this Jonah character fit into all of this? YOU DECIDE!!!! [PM] me and let me know if you have ideas on how Althy and Zach should get together.

A. She almost married Jonah, and Zach interrupts the wedding.

B. Jonah asks Althy to choose. She chooses Zach.

C. Althy confesses to Zach and then when he ignores her goes to Jonah and then Zach follows after a pep talk from Jack.

D. You have your own theories.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IMMIDIETLY!!!