A/N: First of all thank you to everyone who has alerted/favourited or reviewed this story! If anyone has any ideas they think I should be including feel free to let me know. I am trying my best to include the crime into this fic and write everyone in character. Hopefully I haven't done too badly. Anyway, tell me what you think. Also thank you to RomanticAngel92 for beta reading my chapters!
"Okay, thanks", Booth flipped shut his cell and marched into Brennan's office with a self-righteous expression on his face. "It's been confirmed, Naomi Johnson's twin Hayley Laurence was reported missing a week ago when she disappeared after her Tennis lesson near her home in North Carolina".
"So Naomi Johnson had a long lost twin"? Brennan confirmed.
"Looks that way", said Booth taking a seat on the office sofa a few feet away from where Temperance Brennan sat at her desk studying a file laid before her. "Can you believe it"?
"So my sketch wasn't wrong", interrupted Angela matter-of-factly as she waltzed into her best friend's office carrying the dark haired little baby, that had been very well behaved for the last five hours, and took a seat next to Booth. He held out his arms out to Angela indicating that he wanted his turn to hold the 5-week-old future genius that was Michael Hodgins and Angela smiled and relinquished her grasp on the infant and handed him to Booth. He looked even tinier in the arms of the tall, dark and handsome FBI Agent who seemed to be quite lingual in baby drawl whilst Angela and Brennan looked on in awe and great amusement.
"And I never said that your sketch was wrong Angela. Knowing how precise you are is what lead Booth and I to the conclusion that Naomi Johnson must have had a twin sister. It was the only logical conclusion".
"So what's the deal? The parents gave her twin up at birth"? Angela asked with an expression of distaste. Now that she was a mother she could never imagine giving up a child.
"Actually", cut in Booth. "Naomi Johnson's parents are not her real parents".
"They failed to mention that in the interview", added Brennan taking a sip of her coffee.
"Naomi and her sister Hayley Laurence were both adopted by different families when they were 6 weeks old. Their birth mother was just a teenager and gave them up the day they were born".
"I can't even imagine doing something like that", said Angela reaching over to her son who now held her little finger in his tiny palm. He had nestled himself into the crook of Booth's arm and was peacefully dozing. Angela let out a soft laugh. "He likes you Booth", she whispered so as not to disturb the sleeping baby.
"So what do we do now Booth"?
"Well Bones, we're going to interview Naomi Johnson's parents again and Hayley's parents have been notified of their daughter's death and they're flying in tomorrow from North Carolina".
"We can't release their daughter's body yet Booth".
"They know that Bones".
Silence fell over the room whilst the three of them just watched Michael sleep and listened to his quiet rhythmic breathing. "What's going on in here"? Asked Jack Hodgins entering Brennan's office and Booth, Brennan and Angela all simultaneously turned to shush him. He immediately laid eyes on his son. "Okay, sorry". He smiled and took a place on the arm of the sofa next to Angela. "You're looking quite at home their Booth".
"What"? Booth asked a little too loudly and Michael's small eyes shot open. "Now look what you did Hodgin's". Booth exchanged a guilty glance at Brennan who was trying to hide a smirk and failing miserably. Booth cleared his throat. "I should be getting back to do some interviews. Thanks Angela", he said returning the baby into her welcoming arms. "You coming Bones"?
"Booth, I have remains to examine. Just call me if you find out anything interesting and I'll call you when I determine cause of death".
"Fine", he said, and made his way out of her office.
So you're saying Naomi knew about her sister"? Booth was currently interrogating Devon Lewis; the blonde haired, blue eyed, nineteen year old boyfriend of Naomi Johnson.
"Well, yeah. They'd met up a couple of times and talked over the phone".
"How long had this been going on"?
"Err…" the kid looked like he'd been given an equation involving quantum mechanics to solve and Booth lifted up his eyes to high heaven. "It was about two months ago, her parents had gone away for the week to an Inn in Vermont for their anniversary and Naomi visited her birth mother in Indiana. That's how she found out about Hayley. Before her parents came back she took a flight to North Carolina to confront her sister. They got along pretty well actually".
"Did Naomi's parents know about any of this"?
"No way. Naomi didn't want to hurt their feelings by telling them she went to see her real Mom and she didn't really get along with Mr and Mrs Johnson that well anyway, she didn't confide in them about stuff".
"Were Hayley and Naomi close"?
"Sure. They hadn't known each other for that long but, they're twins so I guess they just bonded. A couple of weeks ago, Naomi told me she'd been looking at colleges closer to her sister. Naomi and her parents had always planned for her to go to Corcoran College because she wanted to study Art and Design but I guess she changed her mind".
"Did you ever meet Hayley"? Booth was starting to think this case was going to be anything but simple.
"I was going to meet her. She was meant to be coming to Washington last week so that Naomi could break the news to her Mom and Dad and introduce them to Hayley, but she never made it. That was the last time I heard from Naomi too. It was last Tuesday night and she was expecting her sister the next day. We arranged to meet on Wednesday night at 8 at a coffee shop near her place but they never showed".
"And you didn't find it suspicious when you didn't hear from her"?
"I tried calling her cell but she didn't answer. I just figured she'd gotten into it with her parents again. Can I go now"?
"Sure. Just don't get any ideas about skipping town. I may need to talk to you again". Booth pushed back his chair and walked Devon to the elevator before making his way to his office. It was time to see what Bones could tell him about their victim.
Brennan began to squint at the remains before her, then immediately righted her eyes remembering the resentment she still held over Booth's derogatory remarks about people with high IQ's and basic reasoning skills. He had once told her that when the cop's got stuck, they brought in people like her; squints. That had been right after he'd accosted her at the airport after her trip to Guatemala seven years ago because he'd wanted her help on a case. The rest, as they say, was history. She had been standing over this set of bones for forty minutes and was beginning to feel a sadness that she was usually able to compartmentalise. She didn't want her hormones affecting her judgment or her ability to look at a set of remains impartially. This poor young girl had had, up until a few days ago, her whole life ahead of her and it had been cruelly taken away. Brennan frowned mentally re cataloguing the injuries; fractured skull with bruising on the frontal lobe, fracture to the right distal radius, hyoid fracture. Her cell phone rang and she quickly tossed her white latex gloves aside before pulling it from her pocket and seeing Booth's caller I.D.
"What's the verdict Bones"?
"There's a fracture to the right distal radius and hyoid…"
"In English Bones, please". It didn't matter how many times Booth became frustrated at her inability to dumb things down, as he put it. It was just second nature for her to relay things giving them in their correct terms.
"Sorry, she has a broken wrist, fracture to her neck, damage below the clavicle…err, collar bone", she simplified. "A fractured skull and bruising on the ribs".
"What does this mean"?
"The injuries suffered by the victim are all common in defensive postures. There's also damage to the clavicle consistent with stab wounds, something with a serrated edge. The wound went no more than 3 inches deep and looks as though the murderer stabbed overhand which could mean the assailant was a woman. In any case the stab wound would have resulted in a pneumothorax, err, ruptured lung. The break to the wrist indicates the victim was holding her hands up in defence and the bruising on the ribs could be where she was held down, maybe someone knelt on top of her to restrain her".
"So... It's murder"?
"Yes. I feel quite comfortable in saying that cause of death was the fracture to the hyoid suggesting deliberate strangulation. This is murder Booth".
"Okay Bones. Good work. Listen, it's 7.30 so I was thinking we could grab dinner and pick this up tomorrow"?
"Okay, I'm almost finished. I'll meet you at the diner".
It was now 8.30 pm and Brennan and Booth sat across from each other at a small table by the window in the Diner. Brennan moved her salad around on her plate with distaste whilst Booth devoured his cherry pie, looking on in amusement at his pregnant girlfriend who was obviously nauseous again.
"You going to eat that Bones"?
"I don't think so", she finally decided pushing the plate aside. "I can't say I won't be glad when the first trimester is over". She reached for her ice tea and took a small tentative sip. "Do you think that once the F.B.I find out about our relationship, they'll allow us to keep working together"?
"I don't know Bones", Booth finally answered looking solemn.
"Taking into account my considerable skill and factoring in that we have such a strong and mutually beneficial relationship, they should conclude that we would both be most useful solving crimes together, as partners", Brennan said with confident finality and Booth couldn't help but smile and hope that he could convince Cullen to allow them to keep working together.
"You know what Bones? You're right. You and me; we're like two peas in a pod".
"I don't know what that means", Brennan had the usual blank look on her face that came over her whenever someone used a figure of speech or common expression she wasn't familiar with. Her lack of social skills and trouble understanding jokes and sarcasm had improved greatly in the seven years she and Booth had been partners but they still left much to be desired. Booth didn't mind though, it was part of her charm.
"What it means Bones, is that I'm going to do everything I can to make sure we can still be partners and I don't want you to worry about it okay"?
"Okay", she resolved. "I trust you Booth". Whilst Booth ate the last of his pie and drank his coffee, the image of him cradling Michael Hodgins wouldn't leave her and a soft smile touched her lips. After a moment of comfortable silence Booth withdrew several bills from his wallet and placed them on the table as he stood. He stepped forward to Brennan's side and held out his hand.
"Your place or mine"? He asked and she smirked and stood up from the table, taking his hand. "I think a change of scenery would be nice, don't you"?
"What"? Booth asked in mock offence as they made their way out onto the street. "We go to your place all the time Bones".
"No, Booth…we're always at your apartment"!
"That's because my apartments better anyway".
"What"? Booth raised his hand and a taxi pulled over. "My place has a pool Booth". He scoffed at her weak comeback and opened the door for her to get in.
"Fine. We'll go to your place", he said sitting beside her and gave the driver directions.
"Good", she smiled.
As the cab wove its way through the twilit traffic of Washington D.C. Brennan laid her weary head on Booths shoulder and closed her eyes. He smiled at the gesture and brought his head down to rest on hers. Brennan thought back to the night her child was conceived.
The sad passing of Vincent Nigel-Murray and the threat of Jacob Broadsky had unsettled everyone and Booth had insisted she spend the night at his place. She had almost launched into a speech about how the idea of spending the night at his apartment to ensure her safety was ridiculous. After all she was highly skilled in the ways of martial arts and certainly had the means to protect herself. She even had a gun, that was bigger than Booths, and she was an excellent shot. Instead, however, something within her compelled her to accept his offer. The look in his eyes told her he would not have taken "No" for an answer anyway. So, she found herself lay on Booths couch gripping a blanket that reminded her of his scent and brought his face to the forefront of her jumbled thoughts. She had been replaying the same scene in her head for an hour; Vincent's dark red blood seeping onto the floor beneath him, Booth desperately trying to apply pressure to the gunshot wound, and the young British interns pleading words; "Please don't make me leave". Through tears she had reassured the dying young man that he could stay and that he was her favourite. She had immediately felt an overwhelming sadness, guilt and panic overcome her and she knew that if she could just hear Booth's voice, she'd be okay. As he lay with her in his arms, quieting her sobs, she had felt a shift in gravity. As if there was something meaningful tying her to the fragile life she now realised could be over far too quickly through unforeseen occurrence. It was Booth. She lifted her eyes to meet his and the kindness and love she saw there removed any lingering doubts. They lay, unmoving, for what felt like an eternity, Booth silently daring her to make the first move. It was her turn. So, she pressed her lips against his for only a few seconds and then drew back taking in a shaky breath, hoping with everything she had that he would not reject her. She had started to think she'd made a mistake until his lips came crashing down on hers and he swiftly positioned himself on top of her, his body hovering so as not to crush her with his weight. She ran her hands up his chest feeling the heat of his restraint and then he spoke for the first time in what seemed like an age. "Are you sure this is what you want Bones? If we do this, we can't go back".
"I know Booth, this is what I want".
For both of them, it had been so much more than a night of passionate, unprotected love making. Nevertheless, there had been the absence of birth control.
Now, as Booth moved his warm palm to rest on Brennan's stomach in the back seat of their cab, their lives were changed forever. There was a baby on the way that belonged to both of them and Booth couldn't wait to tell the whole world that he loved this woman and that she was going to have his child.