Inspired by the 100 Themes concept. Somehow, I'm enjoying playing with things from before the pilot episode. We'll be back to original programming eventually. Oh, I suppose I should mention (not that I think she's reading, but you never know, and it's only polite) that the character of "Super Sophomore" mentioned oh-so-briefly in the last chapter was the creation of a high school friend of mine.

This does link into chap. 4, by the way.


"Dr. Brennan, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI. He's replacing Agent Dimitri," Goodman said. "Agent Booth, Dr. Temperance Brennan, our forensic anthropologist."

Booth held out his hand; she regarded it curiously--and warily?--before nodding. "Agent Booth," she said, not extending her own gloved one in return.

Goodman sighed and shook his head at her. "Amicable, Dr. Brennan--remember?"

She gave him an opaque stare, then nodded reluctantly at Booth before bending back over her worktable and its skeleton.

"So," Booth said, trying to get a feel for her once Goodman had left. Cullen had said she was supposed to be brilliant, and her reports from the earlier cases certainly seemed to support it. Water cooler talk, on the other hand, had indicated she was a complete pain--stuck-up, aloof, a bitch, the Ice Queen: you name it, she had been called it. He knew a number of agents had failed to get along with her, but… Well, they weren't him. Not to brag, but he had a way with women. And for all that she was some brilliant genius scientist-squint, she was still a woman. Right?

She hadn't responded to his tentative overture, though. Not a good sign. He squared his shoulders and cleared his throat. "Ahem."

"Yes, Agent Booth?" she asked coolly, not lifting her eyes from her work. "If you're coming down with a cold, please step away from the remains before you compromise them."

"I'm fine," he assured her. "Um, so. May I call you--"

"'Dr. Brennan'? Yes, that would be acceptable." Now she looked up at him and it was just like the challenges in all the old movies; he could almost hear the swords clash.

"That's a little formal for two people working together," he said. "What do your friends call you?"

"Since we are unlikely to become friends, but merely collaborators, I would say it doesn't matter. Zack!" she suddenly called and one of the squints working at some strange machine (too complex for a simple microscope) joined her, young and lanky and awkward.

"Yes, Dr. Brennan?"

"Did you look at the ulna on this skeleton? What did you see?"

The boy rattled off a long string of squintese in response, and Booth watched, still seeking clues. He prided himself on reading people, but she wasn't giving him much. Pretty woman, brainy, lots of ice was all he had so far.

"Very good, Zack," she praised him at the end, a small genuine smile crossing her face. Booth's eyebrows rose; so she wasn't completely the Ice Queen. "Oh, and by the way, Zack, this is Agent Booth. Dr. Goodman informs me he is replacing Agent Dimitri. Agent Booth, my assistant and intern, Zack Addy."

Zack nodded at him; he reminded Booth of a young stork, ungainly, unfinished. "Nice to meet you, Agent Booth," he said. Like his boss, he didn't hold out a hand, though it wasn't for the same reason, Booth was sure. Addy struck him as someone not comfortable with people and normal behavior, while Brennan was more impatient and snotty with them. He began to understand why the other agents gave him such sympathetic looks. If all the squints were like this, he wasn't going to be spending much time here.

She sighed, and he was aware those clear eyes were looking at him. He smiled at her, his best charm smile; her expression didn't even flicker. "Zack, why don't you go get Hodgins and Angela so we can complete the social expectations. And tell Hodgins I want those reports for the NSA case. I want to get them out of here."

"And who are Hodgins and Angela?" Booth asked as the kid turned and left the platform.

"The rest of my team," she replied absently, already bent back over the table. "It would be more efficient for them to come here rather than for me to escort you around. I'm quite busy this week."

His eyes narrowed at that. "Dr. Brennan," he started, but was interrupted by the beep of the access reader and a woman's voice.

"So, sweetie, what's the big news? Oh," she murmured, dark eyes taking him in appreciatively. "I think I see. Dimwit no longer with us?"

"Something like that," Brennan murmured. "I'll explain once Hodgins gets here." She lifted a bone and examined it. Another beep made her lower it again and regard Addy and another man, shorter and bearded, as they came up the steps. The other man brandished a file.

"It just finished, Dr. Brennan."

"Good. I'll take a look at it as soon as I'm done here." She straightened up. "The FBI has sent us a new agent."

"What, again?" Hodgins said in disbelief. "They're going to run out at this rate."

She shrugged. "That would be their problem, and not ours. Agent Booth, this is Angela Montenegro, our forensic artist and facial reconstructionist, and Dr. Jack Hodgins, our particulates expert. Ange, Hodgins, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth. If you would explain to him our routine, I need to get this report done. And don't touch the bones, Agent Booth." She stripped off her gloves, caught up the file, and disappeared. Leaving Booth absolutely dumbfounded.

"Why would I want to do that?" he asked with distaste plain on his face.

"Eh. Some of the previous agents tried," Hodgins said, folding his arms. "Only once, though." Angela smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Bren is very particular about these things," she added. "Handling them with bare hands tends to leave skin oils and so forth on the bone which interferes with her examination." She looked him over. "You look smarter than Agent Coffey, at any rate."

Agent Coffey, Coffey… Wasn't he the one out on medical leave for a dislocated shoulder a month ago? Oh. Oh! He shot a quick glance over his shoulder in the direction she had headed. When he looked back, the older squints were grinning.

"Yep. Bren's a fighter," Angela told him. "I'm in a bit of a lull right now, Agent Booth--or is it Seeley?"

"Booth's fine," he told her.

"All right then…Booth. Like I was saying, I'm got some time, so let me give you the grand tour." She tugged at his arm, guiding him off the platform.

The men watched them go, then Hodgins spoke. "How long do you give him?"