2 years ago
While everyone they loved watched their beloved lab burn to the ground Booth and Bones had been taken to New Jersey. They were whisked off of their plane and taken to the F.B.I field office where hairdressers were waiting to change their appearance.
"Wow." Booth mumbled when Bones walked out with a short blonde bob. She looked so different.
"Where is your hair?" Booth's hair had been shaved and he had been left with a buzz cut. "And why haven't you shaved?" He had a two day old beard on his face.
"It's the new me. Most of the hair on my head will be on my face."
"I don't like a beard on you. It's scratchy."
"Well you better get used to it." Tears filled her eyes and she began to cry.
"I don't want to get used to it." Booth pulled his wife to his chest, wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried. "I can't stop thinking about Parker and Morgan. What are they going through right now? What are they thinking?"
"We are saving their lives Bones." She nodded against his chest.
"I know but it's so hard."
"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, would you follow me please." Linking hands, the couple followed their F.B.I. New Jersey contact Agent Booker to a private office.
"You two look good." The agent began and Booth and Bones nodded. "I have your new identities." He passed them each an envelope. "Sam and Terry Butler, this is your life. You have been married for thirty two years and you have no children. You both grew up in Chicago and moved to South Carolina for a change in scenery. Sam, you are a construction worker and Terry you are now pharmaceutical representive. I believe they refer to them as drug reps."
"That has nothing to do with anthropology."
"Terry you are no longer Temperance Brennan anymore. You are no longer an anthropologist. You cannot be in the field anymore. A drug rep is the closet that I could get to science." Bones nodded.
"Inside of those envelopes in your hands has all of the information about your new lives; your parent's names, ages of death, their jobs, your childhood etc. You will also find your birth certificates, marriage license, college degrees, and registration for your cars etc. I suggest that you read this information on the plane because once you step off the plane in South Carolina Seeley and Temperance are dead and Sam and Terry Butler are alive and well. "
Agent Booker spent the next hour going over the details of their new lives. He made sure that he pointed out on multiple occasions that they were not to contact anyone from their "old" life ever. If they did they would be putting their loved ones in danger. By the time they boarded the plane Sam and Terry were heartbroken and overwhelmed.
"I hate coach." Bones/Terry mumbled.
"Sam and Terry fly coach babe; not first class." Booth whispered and he received a glare in return.
"Do you think they are okay?"
"No. I don't. They are most definitely not okay." Fighting back tears, they opened their envelopes that contained their entire lives in black and white and they began to read silently so when they stepped off of the plane they would truly be Sam and Terry Butler.
"Here sweetheart." Angela handed Morgan a cup of coffee and a bagel. Morgan took it and began to nibble as she stared straight ahead.
The sun was beginning to rise and the fire at the lab had been put out. The firemen along with some F.B.I. agents had gone into what was left of the lab to search through the wreckage. Morgan, Parker, David, Emily, Cam, Hodgins, Angela, Sweets and Carolyn held vigil all night behind the yellow caution tape. Fellow agents felt sorry for the close knit group and brought them chairs, coffee and snacks; not that any of them ate anything.
Throughout the night Morgan constantly called their parent's cell phones but the other end of the phone was never picked up. The bureau sent a car to their home but they found it empty, as everyone expected. Parker and Morgan kept telling themselves that there was some other plausible explanation for their lack of contact and absence but deep down they both knew the real reasons their cell phones went to voice mail.
"Something's happening." Hodgins commented. Everyone looked towards the sight of activity and saw three stretchers being pushed out with a body inside of a body bag being pushed out by the coroner and the coroner's assistants. Before anyone could stop them or even react Parker and Morgan were under the caution tape, running over to the bodies. The F.B.I. agents escorting the coroner stopped them.
"Is it them?" Morgan asked.
"We can't confirm the identity."
"Let me see them. I can confirm identity." Parker requested.
"I'm sorry Dr. Booth but that's not possible."
"Why not? Besides my mom, Parker is the best at indentifying remains."
"Two of these sets of remains may belong to your parents and under no circumstances will either of you be involved with the identification of these remains or any subsequent investigation that may occur because F.B.I. policy states that no agent may be involved in a family member's case."
"So are you going to compare dental records?" Parker asked.
"Yes we are. You will be notified of the results in an hour. Where will you be?"
"We'll be at the bureau; in the conference room on the eighth floor." Morgan answered.
"I'll see you in an hour." The agent walked away from the siblings, hoping that in an hour he would be able to give them good news but he didn't think that was happening.
"Morgan quit calling. You know damn well they aren't going to answer." Parker snapped. It was an hour later and everyone was in the conference room waiting for word and the waiting was weighing on everyone.
"No I don't know that Parker. No one does and mom says we cannot jump to conclusions without proof. Morgan snapped back.
"We can jump to conclusions when all of the evidence points to a conclusion."
"Stop it."
"No I won't. You need to prepare yourself Morgan. Mom and Dad are probably gone."
"Shut up Parker Booth." Morgan suddenly screamed. She was not ready to hear what he had to say. She stormed away from him to another corner of the conference room. Angela and David both attempted to comfort her but she pushed them away.
"You know how your sister is Parker. She won't accept the truth until she is presented with undisputable facts." Emily scolded him.
"I know that. I am an ass. I just…" Parker looked at his wife with tears in his eyes. "I want to believe as much as Morgan does that they are alive but Em…I know they aren't."
"I want that to sweetheart." A knock at the conference room door caused them all to jump and then freeze. No one wanted to open the door because as long as that door remained closed, there was a chance that Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan were still alive. Finally, Sweets opened the door and the coroner and two F.B.I. agents walked in with very somber expressions.
"Parker, Morgan can you follow us?"Agent Hollister asked them.
"No." Parker told them. "Everyone in this room is family so whatever you have to tell Morgan and I can be said here." Morgan moved to stand next to her brother. Parker took her hand. David and Emily were on either side of their loved one with Angela, Hodgins, Cam, Carolyn and Sweets surrounding them.
"I regret to inform you the two of the bodies that were discovered at The Jeffersonian Medical/Legal Lab were your parents, Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan." The room was silent for an exceptionally long minute until Carolyn spoke.
"Are you one hundred percent positive?" She asked.
"We identified them through dental records. There is no doubt." The coroner answered. Parker paled and Morgan began to cry softly.
"Do…do you have a preliminary cause of death?" Parker managed to get out.
"I did a quick cursory exam and there is no obvious cause of death. I will examine the bodies in depth but right now, I am going to say the cause of death is smoke inhalation." Tears began to fall from everyone's eyes.
"Your parent's were found holding each other" Morgan began to shake her head. "I'm not sure if that helps but I thought you should know. I am very sorry for your loss." Agent Hollister told them and turned to walk away.
"Check again." Morgan suddenly demanded, rushing over to the coroner, poking him in the chest. "You made a mistake so recheck the dentals."
"I'm sorry Agent Booth but there was no mistake. The dental records were conclusive."
"You're wrong." She shouted. "They are not dead." Parker rushed to his sister and wrapped his arms around her. He was obviously grieving himself but he was his father's son and he put his family, his baby sister, above his own grief just like his father would.
"There was no mistake Morgs, They're gone." The coroner and Agent Hollister discreetly snuck out of the conference room, leaving the family to grieve.
"No Parker. No. They can't be gone." She was shaking her head. There was a desperate terrified look in her eyes. Tears fell from Parker's eyes. "My wedding is coming up. They wouldn't leave before my wedding. Mom helped me pick out my dress…she has to see me in it and daddy…daddy has to walk me down the aisle Parker. He has to walk me down the aisle."
"Morgan they did not leave willingly. More than anything Dad wanted to walk you down the aisle and mom was so excited for you. It's all she could talk about." Parker began to sob right along with Morgan and the two of them sank to floor, holding onto each other sobbing for their parents. "They didn't want to go." Parker told his sister. David and Emily wanted to comfort them but both realized that the only comfort that would be accepted would be from the other in the room who was feeling the exact same way.
Morgan was at the ice rink where she and her father spent so much time skating, playing hockey and talking. Today she wasn't on the ice. She was on the sidelines, staring out at the ice. David was with her at the rink but Morgan wanted to be alone so David was sitting on the bleachers behind her; watching her; ready to jump the minute she needed him.
"So how long has she been here?" Parker sat next to David and handed him a cup of coffee.
"When we got home she locked the bathroom door and took an hour long shower. After she was done I got in the shower and when I got out, she was gone. I tried to call her but she turned her phone off so I came to the only place that I knew she would probably be."
"I came to the same assumption. I went to your apartment and when you weren't there I came here. She does her best thinking here."
"She's pulling away from me Parker. I try to touch her and she pulls away. I sat beside her and she moved seats. I don't know how to help her." David said miserably.
"Morgan is very much like mom is...or was." Parker had to fight with himself not to cry. "She holds everything but eventually, she'll let it out. She cried when we first found out and that will be the last time that she cries for awhile unlike me who cried the entire way home; cried myself to sleep and I cried when I held my girls. My dad and biological mom show their emotions which is why I can. The woman I call mom, Temperance doesn't easily show emotion and unfortunately Morgan got more of that trait then the show emotion trait from dad. It takes time but it will happen eventually so just be ready." Parker suddenly smiled.
"I remember this story from when I was seven or eight, I don't remember but dad had to fake his death. It was before they were married and mom was supposed to be notified and she wasn't because Sweets was testing them I think. Anyways, as far as mom knew she lost her partner and very good friend but it took two weeks for her to shed any tears. I guess the night before the funeral was when she finally let loose and basically threw or broke anything that reminded her of dad." A sad smile crossed Parker's face. "Mom wasn't even going to go to his funeral but Angela convinced her to go and during the funeral, dad came running out to get a guy that went underground. Mom's first instinct was to help dad and she nailed the perp and then she nailed dad in his jaw with her fist."
"I can see your mom doing that."
"She did. She knocked dad on his ass but for them it worked out. After mom invaded Dad's bath to question him about why she wasn't notified, he showed up at her apartment, saw the aftermath of her anger, she cried; they kissed and the rest is history."
"Unfortunately, there won't be a happy ending with this situation." David mumbled.
"I'm going to talk to her." As much as David desperately wanted his fiancé to lean on him; to soak his shirt with tears; he wanted her to talk to him but he knew right now, Parker was going to be the only one she let in so he was going to have to sit back and wait.
Morgan didn't even glance over to her right as her brother sat next to her. She knew it was him. He smelled like their dad; they were the same cologne. The lump in her throat grew larger when she realized that she would never again be engulfed by the scent of her father when he hugged her because he would never be hugging her again.
"Dad and I will never skate together again." Morgan softly told Parker. "It's not just about the skating. Daddy and I had our best talks out on the ice or if I was struggling with something about a case we would come out here and figure it out. Who am I going to bounce ideas of now that he is gone?"
"Morgs, you've got mom's brain and you will figure out what you need to figure out. Dad loved the time you guys spent out here but he knew that even without bouncing the ideas off of him you would have solved the case."
"I know. He never actually added anything. He just nodded or repeated back to me what I just said. He just reworded it."
"Dad is in your heart and even though he is no longer here you will know what he would say. All you have to do is listen."
"The heart is a muscle. I can't listen to a muscle Parker." Morgan snapped.
"Knock it off Morgan. You know damn well what I am talking about."
"It's not just about the cases." Parker was silent and let his sister talk. "Never again. I'll never talk to either of them again. I'll never lay my head on mom's lap while watching a movie as she plays with my hair. The night before my wedding I was going to stay the night. Mom was going to kick dad out of the bedroom and we were going to have a slumber party; eat pizza, junk food, paint our nails and now…where will I go? I need mom. I need them both. I…there isn't a day that goes by that I don't talk to them. How do I do this?"
"There is no answer for that Morgs."
"Don't call me that. That's daddy's name for me."
"Bullshit Morgs. I'm the one who started that. He called you Angel."
"I'll never hear him call me angel again. I'll never here mom say that she loves me. I'll never…That woman is lucky she is dead because if she wasn't I would kill her myself. She took away our parents, your children's grandparents. She took everything that mattered to us away." Morgan finally looked at her brother. "Why Parker? Why are they gone?"
"It's God's plan."
"That's a load of crap. Why would God take away the two most important people in our lives?"
"You know that I can't answer that. I have no idea…"
"Shut up. I don't want to hear about God's plan right now. There is no good reason why he would take them away. No good reason at all." Morgan stood and stormed away and he knew it was worthless to go after her. She wouldn't listen to a word he had to say.
After the bodies were released to the family, the task of planning the funeral of Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth fell onto their children or more accurately it fell on Parker because Morgan was no help. She didn't have an opinion one way or another. Parker knew in the five stages of grief, Morgan had settled on the anger stage and from the looks of it, she was going to be staying there.
Booth was eligible for burial at Arlington Memorial due to his Army service but since Bones was not, they decided to have them buried in the same cemetery as Bones' mom, Christine was buried in, close to her because they knew that Booth would not want to be buried away from his beloved. The couple would be buried together, both sets of remains or the bones that were left would be in the same casket and they would share a headstone which was inscribed with their name, birthday and date of death along with, devoted parents, grandparents and friends.
Like a cruel twist of fate the day of the funeral service dawned bright and beautiful. The sun was shining; the sky was blue and cloudless. It was just cruel. The service was one of the longest that any of them had ever experienced because Booth and Bones were so loved that many people wanted to say a few words. Throughout the service both Parker and Morgan maintained their composure. Morgan didn't cry at all while Parker shed occasional tears but the siblings hands remained clamped with the other and as well as with David and Emily's hands.
At the end of the service, friends filed out leaving only family in the room with the casket and it was time to say goodbye. One at a time, Carolyn, Sweets, Cam, Angela, Jack, David and Emily all went up to the casket and they took their own private moment to say goodbye and then, even though they weren't ready it was time for Parker and Morgan to say goodbye to their parents. Parker went first.
"It's the logical thing that children will bury their parents but it shouldn't have been like this." Parker whispered softly as he placed his hand on the casket. "I didn't get to say goodbye and I think that's the hardest thing for me. I keep thinking; do you guys know how much I love you?" Parker wiped away his tears. "A guy could not have asked for better parents than you two. You loved us with everything you had; you taught us the difference between right and wrong; you instilled great morals; by example you showed me how to be a good husband and father."
"You touched so many people during your lives and no one is going to be the same. This world just got a whole lot emptier when you left it. I am going to miss you every single day but I promise you both, I am going to continue to do my job to make sure that no one else can hurt another family like ours was hurt." Parker's tears began to increase. "Mom, dad, I promised you a long time ago that I would take care of Morgan if anything ever happened to you. I didn't think it was a promise that I would ever have to keep but I will keep it. Morgan will be okay; we all will be but it's not going to be easy." Emily saw Parker's body shaking and she went up to him.
"Em, I…don't want…to…say goodbye." Emily had her own tears falling.
"I know honey." Parker turned back to the casket.
"Goodbye mom. Goodbye dad. I will always love you." Parker sobbed and Emily slowly led him back to his chair.
Once Parker took his seat, Morgan took her turn at the casket with David by her side. For a minute or so, she just stood there, staring at the coffin that contained her parents and then suddenly, large silent tears began to fall from her eyes. David wrapped an arm around her and she leaned against him.
"Mommy. Daddy. I…I...keep thinking that I am having a nightmare but I can't wake up. I…I…can't believe you are…gone and I will…never see you….again. I want you …back. I need my…you guys." Morgan took a deep breath to calm herself. "I love you guys so much and I am going to miss you every single day." Morgan leaned over and kissed the casket. "Goodbye." She whispered.
The day following the funeral Parker and Morgan were at their parent's lawyer's office to discuss the will and other necessary items. It was an appointment neither of them wanted but knew that they could not avoid. "You look exhausted. Did you sleep at all?" Parker asked as they waited for the lawyer.
"No. Every time I closed my eyes I saw their coffin being lowered into the ground." After the graveside service was concluded, Morgan stayed behind until the very end; until the coffin was in the ground.
"You shouldn't have stayed."
"I know but I couldn't leave."
"Look Em and I are taking the girls to the coast for the next few days. You and David should join us. The girls would love it."
"Thank you for the invite but I can't. I'm going back to work tomorrow."
"What?" A surprised Parker asked. "You don't have to return to work for another week. You have the bereavement time."
"I can't just sit around. I have to work. I have to get my mind off of… and work is the best way I can go that." Morgan sounded just like their mother.
"Morgan, Parker, sorry to keep you waiting." The lawyer had just walked in.
"It's no problem Kyle." Kyle shook his client's hands.
"How are you two holding up?" He asked sitting behind his desk.
"Fine." Morgan quickly answered. She was so tired of people asking her how she was feeling.
"It's rough but we are hanging in there."
"Well I would like to begin by telling you how very sorry I am for your loss."
"Thank you."
"Well you are here to discuss the terms of your parent's will. It's pretty basic but please stop me if you have any questions." Parker and Morgan nodded.
Kyle began going over the specifics of the will. Booth and Bones had very healthy life insurance policies which will to be split equally between their two children. They had set up a trust for Morgan that she will have access to when she turns thirty so Kyle gave her the information about that. Parker also has a trust but he had access to his when he turned thirty. There were two separate trusts set up for Rebecca, Lauren, and Morgan's future children. The same amount of money was in the trust for Parker's girls and Morgan's yet unborn children and it was to be divided equally among the total number of children that Parker and Morgan each had. The kids will not have access to their portion of the money until they turn thirty with the exception of college. Any portion of college could be paid for using the trust.
Surprising Morgan, there was also money set aside for her to use when she decides to start a family. Because of Morgan's cancer when she was a child she had no viable eggs. Before her chemotherapy, she had eggs removed and stored for future use. Booth and Bones knew how expensive the in-vitro fertilization procedure would be so they put money aside so Morgan could have a family and not have to be held back by the cost. Morgan never knew about this but it didn't surprise her that her parents would do this for her. It was just like them.
Throughout their lives Booth and Bones had donated and supported many charities such as children's cancer research in Morgan's name; battered women's shelter in Parker's name in memory of his mother and a charity that was close to Booth and Bone's heart. They set up college scholarships for child abuse victims so all of their remaining money went to those charities.
After the money was discussed, Morgan and Parker were told that the house they grew up in was now theirs. They could sell it and split the profits or one could by the other out. Booth and Bones also owned two cars besides Booth SUV that was owned by the bureau so Parker and Morgan each inherited a car that they could do with as they pleased.
The final thing that Kyle discussed with them was the safe deposit box that belonged to their parents. Besides the deed to their house and car titles and other miscellaneous paperwork Kyle wasn't sure what else the box contained but everything in the box belonged to Parker and Morgan as soon as Kyle handed the key card over to them.
After they left Kyle's office they decided to go to the bank and check out the safe deposit box. Of course, there was the deed to the house, the car titles, tax returns, their marriage license and the biggest surprise was four envelopes. One had Parker's name and one with Morgan's name.
"What is this?" Morgan asked.
"I think you know."
"But…I don't understand."
"For years, they have been writing letters to us in case something happened. They update the letters once a year or after a major life changing event."
"How do you know this and I don't?"
"I caught them writing them one year while I was in college. I came home unexpectedly for a weekend and found them at the dining room table writing away. You were spending the night at some friend's house. They explained what they were doing and asked me not to tell you cause you were still pretty young and may not have understood it."
"Are we done here?" Morgan suddenly asked.
"Yeah. I guess."
"Good. Will you hold on to all this paperwork?"
"Don't you want to discuss the house and the…"
"No. These last few days have been overwhelming and I just want to get out of here and move on with my life.
"What about your letter? We have the room to ourselves."
"I don't want to talk about who will live in our dead parent's house. I don't want to talk about the money or read the letter. I don't want the money or the damn letter. I want my parents back. I want my parents alive." Morgan grabbed her letters and stormed out of the private viewing room of the bank. Parker sighed, sat down, opened his first letter was from his mom.
My Dearest Son,
I have said this before but I want you to know what a pleasure and privilege it has been to be your mother. It was due to a horrible circumstance that I was able to become your mother and if I could change that for you I would have so you could have had your mother in your life but Parker, being your mother has been one of the most rewarding and wonderful experiences of my life. I am proud to be your mother.
You have really made me proud. I never thought all the time you spent at the lab with me, identifying bones would lead to you becoming a world renowned forensic anthropologist like myself. You are amazing at what you do; almost as good as I am but now that I am gone you are now the best. One of the reasons that I believe makes you as good as you are is you have the heart for it. You just aren't in it to earn money. You have a connection to these victims maybe because you lost your own mother to a violent crime but regardless of the reason, you are wonderful at your job. Don't lose your heart or drive. Parker the victims are counting on you. Don't ever forget the bones on the table were once human beings and they can no longer speak for themselves. They need you to speak for them and if you can remember that I know that you will continue to make your father and I proud.
I know that if you are reading this letter I know that I am gone. There are so many things that I am going to miss. One of the biggest things that breaks my heart is the fact that I will not be around to watch your girls grow up. You are a wonderful father and I know that your girls will grow into wonderful women because of your influence. Love them with everything you have and make sure you tell them everyday how much you love them. They can never hear it too much. Your father taught me that.
I love you Parker. I may not have given birth to you but they didn't make me love you any less. I love you as much as I love your sister. I hope that I told you enough what you meant to me. Being your mother and Morgan's mother, it made my life complete. Please don't ever forget how much you were loved by me.
Parker wiped his tears as he finished reading his mother's letter to him and with a shaking hand he opened his father's letter.
Bub-
This letter is your mother's idea but I have to admit that it is a pretty go idea but don't tell her I said that. She doesn't need reminding how much smarter she is than I am.
So if you are reading this letter, I am dead and it probably had something to do with work. I know that it's easy to say but don't be sad. I have lived a wonderful life. I had a job I loved and I had the best wife and kids any guy could ask for. I have no regrets about my life.
One of my best accomplishments was you. You are a fine man son and I am proud of you. Never in a million years did I EVER think that you would become a squint but you sure blew my mind and decided to follow in your mother's footsteps and I'll be damned, you turned out to be one hell of a squint. The world is a much better place because you are a squint. I am so proud of you son and all of your accomplishments.
Have I told you lately what fantastic father and husband you are? Your wife and children adore you and I can just see by watching you that you feel the same. You are a wonderful husband and father and that fills my heart with pride. Cherish your girls' son. There is nothing better in life than the love of a good woman, which you have found, and a little girl looking up at you saying "I love you daddy." Trust me, I know.
Speaking of daddy, it's been amazing being your dad. I will never forget the first time I felt you kick in your mom's belly; the first time I held you in my arms, the first time you said daddy and the first time you told me you loved me. I was lucky to get a kid as great as you. I just wish that I could see more of your life but what I have seen and experienced with you has rocked. You made me so happy. I love you bub. Never forget that.
In a small South Carolina home Sam and Terry Butler were on the couch with a laptop on their lap looking at Angela's social media page.
Status: Buried my best friends yesterday. Hearts are broken all around. The world will not be the same with them no longer here. Please send thoughts and prayers to their children. They are devastated over the loss of their parents.
Terry and Sam wrapped their arms around each other and sobbed.