In the Blink of An Eye
By LizD
Winter 2011
Chapter 8
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Angela walked into to Brennan's office. "Was that Reporter Barbie I just saw walking out like her dream house was on fire? Or maybe on her way to meet Cameraman Ken for a quickie before heading home to domestic bliss with Booth."
"I don't understand what you mean," Brennan said not really listening.
"That blonde hairdo that Booth calls a girlfriend, was that her?"
"If you mean Hannah, then yes she was here."
"Like I said ... Hairdo."
Brennan shook her head; she didn't get the reference.
"You know ... she is IN STYLE for the moment. Today's news; tomorrow's garbage."
"I have reason to I believe that Booth is truly in love and quite serious about her."
"Phfft," Angela dismissed. "He may say that ... but Booth has never known his own mind in the love department." She slumped down into Brennan's guest chair rubbing her ever expanding abdomen. "He's just biding his time - waiting for you."
"I don't believe that is the case," Brennan said without meeting Angela's eye.
"Regardless, Hannah is not THE ONE - trust me."
"I thought you liked Hannah?"
"I do like Hannah. If I had met her under any other circumstances we would have been friends. As Booth's love interest - not so much."
"Do you imagine you are being loyal to me?"
"Sweetie, I gave up on you and Booth a year ago when you two went your separate ways."
Brennan looked down at the paper work on her desk.
"Ah, but you didn't, did you, sweetie?" Angela sat forward in the chair conspiratorially. "Tell me. Come on."
"There is nothing to tell."
"Sure there is. Come on, sweetie, this is the kind of thing you should tell your best friend."
Brennan thought for a moment and decided that it might lighten her burden if she shared a little with Angela. "Several weeks ago when we were working the case of that prominent surgeon who had gone missing and we found her buried under a tree."
"I remember, go on."
"Well - you know that I was having a difficult time with that case."
"Not to sound like Sweets, but you were way over identifying with that doctor."
"I came to a realization - that ... that ... this is hard to say ... that I wanted more from life. That I wanted more from Booth and that I had missed my chance."
Angela was smiling up until that last comment. "Missed your chance? What chance? You mean back when you worked your first case together?"
"No. Last year Booth suggested that we ... that he and I ... that we should enter into a sexual relationship."
"That's not what he said."
"I don't remember the exact words." Of course she remembered the exact words. She remembered the whole scene verbatim. "It was after we left Sweets' office discussing his book where he concluded that Booth and I were in love."
Angela gasped. She couldn't believe that Sweets would make such an assertion to them, much less put it down in writing.
"We flatly denied it in his office, but apparently it was not true for Booth."
"Just Booth?"
"At the time, yes, but six weeks ago I realized that I had made a mistake."
"And you told Booth?"
Brennan nodded and then shook her head to indicate that the feelings were not returned.
"Reporter Barbie was in your way."
"Booth said that he was in love with her. That she was not a consolation prize."
Angela laughed. "Of course she is ... Don't believe him, Sweetie. There is no way he can go from being in love with someone like you - for years - to being in love with Malibu Blondie in a few months."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because ... because ... How do I say this? ... She is without. She is all for herself. Sure, Booth is this big strong handsome guy who saved her life. What's not to love? Love enough to move across the world for? But she is not in it for the long haul. She is just riding the Booth wave until she can break off an catch another one."
"People change."
"People do - she hasn't. She will not step up and be Parker's step mother. Hell, has she even been around to support Booth through this thing? If I were a betting woman, I would bet that she would try to convince Booth to send Parker to military school in a galaxy far, far away. And depending upon how deep she sank her hooks into Booth's Johnson, she might actually convince him that it would be a good idea."
"Well, on that part you are correct - not the part about the Johnson, I don't know what that means. But she doesn't feel that Booth is prepared to be a fulltime father."
"You see?" Angela said with great pride. "It's not Booth that's not prepared, it's the Blonde Bimbo."
"If you are right, this will hurt Booth a great deal."
"He'll handle it. It's about time he saw just how fair weather his girlfriend is."
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It was close to eleven. Booth was finally able to sit down and reflect on the events of the day. Before he left the house that morning, Sherry was constantly at him about any number of things. He ignored her as much as possible, but when she said something in front of Parker, he shut her down with no uncertain terms. She seemed to back off a bit, but started ramping up again. That's when Booth decided to get Parker out of the house.
When he returned that evening, Sherry seemed somewhat subdued. She was still shooting daggers at him with her eyes, and made a comment about getting a visit from his pit bull that he didn't pursue. The only thing she barked at was when she discovered that Rebecca's body had not been moved to the funeral home because Booth took Parker to the morgue to see her. It was good that Parker was in the shower at that time. Booth gave her 'what for' again and ushered her out of the house. Sherry may have expected to stay there, but that was just not going to happen.
Booth again reflected on his time with Rebecca and what a hole she would leave in his life. His heart broke for her loss: so tragic, so senseless, a stupid accident. He still felt the loss of his own mother. His heart broke for Parker too. It was now up to Booth and Booth alone to ensure that Parker had the childhood he deserved. It was Booth's responsibility to ensure that Parker was surrounded with people who loved him, would support him, would help him to be a better person and to survive this tragedy as best he could.
His mind drifted to Brennan. She truly was an amazing woman and the truest friend he had ever known. She was selfless and kind. For all her social awkwardness (which he used to find endearing), she was right there for him providing what he needed, what Parker needed without a thought for herself. One source of pride for Booth was that he had maintained friendships with all the women in his life, but that was not true. Yes, he would be there for anyone of them if they had called in crisis, but he never called to check in. He didn't send Christmas cards. He ran into Tessa about a month before he went to Afghanistan and it was as if they were strangers. Booth was a bad friend. He knew one way to interact with a woman and if that were off the table (so to speak), then there was nothing left to interact about. That's what was so amazing about his relationship with Brennan. It wasn't about sex - at least it hadn't been. During his alone time in Afghanistan with the absolute silence he was getting from Brennan, he concluded that he didn't really love her - at least not like a lover. It was that damned coma dream that got him to want a marriage and a future that was more than just business.
He was working under that assumption when he met Hannah - the assumption that he wasn't in love with Brennan. Hannah was so similar yet entirely different. She was smart, independent and courageous - just like Brennan. Well similar to Brennan. Brennan wasn't careless, impulsive, or reckless. Yes, Booth had saved Hannah's life, but she never should have allowed herself to get into that situation. Brennan never would have. The best part about Hannah was that she was so easy to be with. Booth didn't have to worry about his place with her. As Gordon Gordon Wyatt would say, Booth never had to concern himself with where to stand with her. At first Booth assumed it was just a wartime affair. When he decided it was time for him to go home, he never expected her to follow him. If he were totally honest, he expected that they would keep in touch via email, a few letters. There would be some hook ups in odd cities for a while and eventually they would just fade away. There would be no big break up scene. It would just be a fond memory that he would take with him to the grave.
When he arrived back in the states and saw Brennan, he was angry; angry at her. He was freshly reminded of her seven month slight - not one email, phone call, letter, text, message in a bottle - NOT ONE WORD (of course he didn't send a word to her either, but that was beside the point). He clung to his memories of Hannah and their scorching emails to maintain his dignity and to put a wedge between him and Brennan. It pissed him off more to see that Brennan was still Brennan - nothing was different for her. He was bound and determined to make her see that things had changed. There were consequences to actions. She broke up the partnership and left without looking back for seven months - would probably have been all twelve if they weren't called back early. And then she showed up like they parted the day before and were just supposed to carry on. Booth wouldn't have it. He treated her like crap. Hannah's appearance was just want he needed. He shoved Hannah and his BLISS in her face at every turn. The more she didn't react the angrier he got. Her idiosyncrasies were no longer endearing, they were annoying and Booth was nothing short of intolerant. Then Brennan did something he couldn't believe possible, she befriended his girlfriend (not quite the triumph Booth was looking for) - until she broke down. All he really wanted to do that night in the rain was to take her in his arms and tell her that it would be OK, but instead he reinforced the line that he had drawn between them. Again he shoved his new found "happiness" in her face. A day late and a dollar short, sweetheart. You snooze, you lose, baby cakes. I'm happy and you are not, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. "Can I call someone for your?" What an ass. He was just a jerk. That was unforgivably cold. But Brennan bore it like she bore everything. And she was still his friend - the best, most selfless friend he had ever had. She would still do more than was required, without being asked regardless of the cost to her. How could he have been so petty, so foolish, so selfish? How could he have been so wrong? How could he have given up so easily? Jerk.
His realization about the real nature of his relationship with Hannah had been coming for a while, since before Brennan's revelation. Hannah was not happy in Washington. She had made a pretty good effort trying to get acclimated to the scene there, but it was not her style. It didn't escape Booth's notice that every time he tried to broach a serious subject, one about a future between them they somehow got sidetracked into bed. Not all of that could be blamed on Hannah. Some of it was Booth realizing that he was not getting the answers he was looking for, so distraction was better than agreeing to disagree. But these were topics that were more important than the brand of toothpaste, or whether to sleep with the window open or closed. The writing was on the wall for Booth and Hannah. They probably would have been over a month or more ago if it hadn't been for Brennan. There was no way Booth could tell Brennan that Hannah was a mistake and save any shred of his ego particularly after his vehement assertion that Hannah was no consolation prize. That had been his mantra since the day he slept with Hannah - actually it was from the day he first told Hannah he loved her (pretty close to the same day). Saying it doesn't make it so.
Hannah called at half past eleven. Said they needed to talk. She asked if he could come to the apartment. He told her that he couldn't and suggested that she come to the house. It probably wasn't the kind of conversation they should have with Parker asleep in the house, but she agreed.
Close to midnight Hannah pulled up and parked on the street even though there was plenty of space in the driveway. Booth noticed and knew that Sweets would have a field day with that if he were ever to find out. Booth went out to meet her. There was a stiff hug and an obligatory kiss. Hannah leaned against the car. Sweets would find that interesting too as it put her in a much lower position than Booth. She was giving him the power, it was his to take.
"You didn't sign on for this," he started. "I get it."
She looked down. He went straight for the kill. That was Booth; a sniper shot through the heart - one bullet, one kill. "I didn't."
"I understand."
She looked up at him. "I don't."
"When you have a child of your own, you will."
"I understand duty and responsibility," she said but she really didn't. Where would she have learned that? Certainly not from her parents who gave up nothing for her. "But this is above and beyond."
Booth shook his head. This was not a topic that they would be able to sidestep with sex. "No, no it's not. Parker is first in my life, he always has been. I would give up everything I have, everything I am for him. I am nothing without him."
"In Afghanistan -."
"I spoke to him every day. I left when things were getting hard for him at home. I came home for him. You knew that."
"I just think it's an awful lot to give up."
"I don't see it as giving up anything - I see it as gaining everything. I missed being his father on a daily basis for the first eleven years, I won't miss another moment."
"If Rebecca had lived -."
"She didn't - but even if she had - Parker was still first in my life. I thought you knew that."
"Is that why you didn't introduce me to him for months?"
Booth felt caught.
"You claimed to love me. You told me to move into your apartment. But you didn't introduce me to your son for months. Did you think we wouldn't last?"
"Apparently I was right," he snapped defensively. "The first time things get real, the first time you need to put someone else first, you run the other way."
"I put you first when I quit my career and moved to Washington."
"You may not see this yet, but your position in the Washington Press Corps will enhance your career more than any little dirt you dug up in Afghanistan."
"I am a field reporter, Seeley."
"Then why did you come here?"
"I told you."
"You were tired of sleeping alone?" he threw back at her. He spread his arms wide. "This is me, Hannah - father, cop, lover. You have to take it all, or nothing."
She pushed herself off the car and stood up straight. "Then I have to go with nothing."
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
"Yeah, me too." She turned to get back in the car. "Parker is a lucky kid."
Booth was going to correct her and say that he was the lucky one, but thought twice.
"I'll be out of the apartment tomorrow."
"No hurry. I'm here for the duration."
"I'm going to accept an assignment in Central America. Really big story. American funding of drug trafficking."
Booth frowned. "Be careful."
She smiled broadly. "You know me."
He did know her. He had rescued her the day they met because she got in over her head. "Yeah, I do."
"Take care, Seeley. I'll see you in the funny papers."
"Yeah."
She was just about to get in when she stopped. "It doesn't really matter anymore, but just so I know. You and Temperance - you are more than just partners aren't you?"
He didn't quite know how to respond. He shook his head slightly which probably indicated a no to her.
"No, I think you are. She is fiercely loyal and totally dedicated to you. She's in love with you, isn't she?"
"I won't speak for her."
"Then speak for yourself. You love her - are in love with her; have been since before you and I met and have never stopped."
Booth glanced away which was enough for Hannah to take as a yes.
"Then what the hell were you doing with me?" She laughed. "Proving some damn point? Men," she declared. "Such jerks. Have a good life Seeley. You're a good man and you deserve to have everything you want."
"So do you."
"Yes, I do." She smiled brightly but the tears were only moments away. She sunk into the car and without a look back was gone in a flash.
Booth looked after her. He thought he would have felt a deep loss - deeper and more painful than when he left Bones at the airport. It wasn't there. There was nothing. In fact, if he had to put a name on what he was feeling it would be relief. He checked his watch. It was after midnight. He wondered if Brennan was still up. He really needed to talk to her.
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Brennan checked the clock on her computer. It was after midnight. She should be home asleep or at least home working. She had been corresponding with Ian O'Dwyer, the archeologist from Ireland, most of the night. They had moved up her date for the visit to the following week. It was actually in four days. They had found another Bog Body and Brennan wanted to be in on the analysis.
Bog bodies are a fascinating phenomenon. They are naturally preserved human remains found in the sphagnum bogs in Northern Europe and are hundreds or thousands of years old - or can be. That is the most interesting thing about them. A body could be ancient or just decades old - it was near impossible to tell. Bog bodies retain their skin and internal organs due to the unusual conditions of the bog including highly acidic water, low temperatures and lack of oxygen. The soft tissue is preserved (tanned, but preserved) but typically the bones are not as the acid in the peat dissolves the calcium phosphate of the bone.
O'Dwyer was the leading expert in Ireland of the phenomenon. He found it interesting that Dr. Brennan, who was an expert on bones, would be so interested in bog bodies that had no bones. It was just an idea she was working out for a book - how would the bone lady solve a murder with no bones?
Brennan still didn't know much about O'Dwyer other than professionally, but she didn't want to look him up. It felt intrusive and presumptuous. They were colleagues, to think about anything more at this stage was ludicrous. But she liked how he wrote. He had an interesting way of turning a phase. His emails were very conversational, not like a professor of archeology would typically write.
"Dr Brennan?"
Brennan looked up to her doorway. Joe, the new security guard, was standing there with a young woman by his side. She looked nervous.
"Dr. Brennan, this woman says she needs to speak with you urgently."
Brennan nodded and Joe left the woman with Brennan but didn't go far.
"How may I help you?" Brennan said. "It's very late."
"Yes, ma'am," she was able to squeak out. "I'm sorry to bother you - well actually I'm not sorry. I'm sorry that I didn't see this before." She thrust a set of X-rays at Brennan.
Brennan took them slowly and moved over to a light board in her office. She slapped one of the X-rays on to the board. It was the skull of a woman who has suffered trauma to her parietal bone consistent with a blow to the head with a blunt object. It also showed a craniotomy hole near the trauma. There was no name on the X-ray. Brennan looked back at the young woman.
"I took that X-ray earlier this evening. It's of Rebecca Stinton."
Brennan was surprised and very interested.
"The pathology report said that she died from an epidural hematoma from a fall down stairs. As you will see form the rest of the X-rays, Rebecca Stinton did not fall down stairs. Her injuries are defensive in nature and not fighting off gravity."
"Who are you?"
"I am Lacey Carroll. I work in the coroner's office. I am studying to be a forensic anthropologist ... like you."
"How did you know to bring this to me?"
"I know a lot about you Dr. Brennan," she said proudly if a little creepily. "I also know that Agent Booth is your partner and that he came by the morgue today to see Ms. Stinton's body. I was not convinced about the cause of death before, but took a closer look when I found out that she was connected to you."
Brennan put the rest of the X-rays up on the board and studied them. "What are you suggesting, Ms. Carroll?"
"I'm suggesting that Ms. Stinton was murdered."
Brennan's phone rang. It was on her desk. Brennan could see the caller ID and picture. It was Booth.
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A/N: I am truly inspired by the response this story is getting (hence my rapid updates - sorry about the typos etc. I'm sure there are a lot more than usual). The hit counter is still down on so I can't really tell how many are reading, but I know there are a lot of you out there from the comments, the favorites and alerts. I was thinking about wrapping this story up quickly, but that last bit came to me by surprise. I'm sure I will have exhausted this story by next week when the show is back on. Until then, enjoy and keep those cards and letters coming. :-)
A couple of other notes here: I stole "Reporter Barbie" from ScotFree who claims to have heard it from someone else but doesn't remember who. Doesn't matter - very funny. A literal LOL for me.
Secondly Bog Bodies are a real phenomenon. I had never heard of them before I read Haunted Ground by Erin Hart. I looked it up on Wikipedia (always trust everything I read on Wikipedia) and it is real. I heartily recommend Erin Hart's books: Haunted Ground, Lake of Sorrows and False Mermaid. I devoured Haunted Ground in a week. I'm almost done with Lake of Sorrows but haven't had time to finish because I am working on IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE (need to finish both). And I have False Mermaid on order for the release of the paper back in March. Her main characters are Nora Gavin and Cormac McGuire; two anthropologists who get involved with current and ancient murders. They are not Booth and Brennan - but the books are GREAT! Please check them out.