The Face With Two Skeletons

by: Tropicwhale

disclaimer: Not mine...

Warning: The end of all things...

Author Talk: Last chapter. Holy cow. Also, I accidently changed the spelling of Robbie's name. Same person. I just prefer this spelling. It's now on the list of things to edit when writers' block hits. Also, stay tuned for the epilogue.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Booth drove up to the gates of Hodgins' property. Zack leaned out the window to punch in the code and sat back to watch the gates open. "Feel good to be back?" Booth looked over at the squint. Zack shrugged. Seeley drove through and parked at the newly rebuilt two story garage. He helped Zack get his (new) suitcase out of the trunk and walked him up the steps. It feels like it had been a thousand years since the last time he followed Zack up to the second floor of this building. He still felt like a giant in a hobbit hole making his way up the stairway. Zack opened the door to reveal his new apartment and all of his friends, both from the lab and the Copperheads. Ms. Julian and Agent Marsters were also there. "SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted. Zack blinked and looked up at Booth who grinned at him.

"Yes, I knew." He told Zack right before Hodgins swooped in and threw his arm around Zack.

"Zack, lemme give you the grand tour." He said, pressing a soda into Zack's hand. He swept his free arm wide to include the main area which was fully decorated with almost the same furniture Zack had before the blast, including a wall of DVDs and a flat screen television. "Living room" He pulled Zack into the room by about a meter then turned him to face a decent sized attached kitchen "Kitchen, fully stocked." He drove Zack to a short hallway. "Laundry closet, bathroom, three bedrooms. One for sleeping, one for working out and one for an office. If you don't like the lay out just tell Robbie and he'll help you move things." Hodgins said with a grin. Zack shook his head fondly. Hodgins lead him out to the living room again where the party was in full swing, Robbie was the closest Copperhead and clearly meant to overhear Jack's statement.

"Funny, bug man. You're wasted in a lab, you should take your act on the road."

"Actually, he's not that funny and he's much better with bugs and slime." Zack defended his friend and landlord.

"Thanks, Zack" Jack said drily.

"No problem. What are friends for. Also, Robbie?"

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to tell you that, no matter what Dr Hodgins says, I am King of the Lab." Zack deadpanned. Then he grinned briefly.

"You are not! You didn't even help with the last case! I'm the one that narrowed down the location of the graveyard where Anne Zerbrowski was killed." Zack shook his head.

"Yes, but it took you how long without my help?" Hodgins stared at him, mumbled something along the lines of 'shut up' and wandered off to bug his girlfriend and nurse his bruised ego with an alcoholic beverage. Robbie turned to Zack.

"You okay?" He asked, sincerely. Zack nodded.

"I processed everything."

"You sure? Booth told me what happened."

"Yes. I am just sad that Zerbrowski and Anne got caught up in it. They didn't deserve what happened to them."

"Just them? Not your friend or his mother?"

"I have mixed feelings over Mrs. Oscarmann's death. On the one hand, she really did care about her family...on the other she helped a convicted murderer escape and perpetrate fraud of a law enforcement officer and an elected official. There's a part of me that thinks that Bradley was right to shoot her, especially since she was going to tell his father that he was alive. Bradley felt what he did was in self-defense. After what happened to him...I agree."

"And Bradley?"

"I wished he had lived long enough to get the help he clearly needed but...I am glad he is finally at peace. At least his father can't hurt him anymore."

"You are scary sometimes, you know that?"

"I can't help how my brain is wired, Robbie."

"I know, kid." Robbie looped his arm around Zack's neck. "Does it feel good to be home?" Zack looked around at his friends and family. Ms. Julian was flirting with Othello (scary), Bailout and Wineskin were talking over by the wall of DVDs (worrisome), Dr. Brennan was speaking with the two federal agents who seemed to be in a verbal competition of some sort (hilarious because Marsters was winning...by a metaphorical mile), Dr. Saroyan and Keg were speaking in the kitchen; Keg was clearly cooking (he was the best cook on the team and that made Zack excited and hungry).

"I am not a young goat and yes, it feels very good to be home again."

*S/Z*

Meanwhile, Booth had had enough of Marsters. Marsters was clearly flirting with Brennan who was enjoying the attention and that bugged Booth to no end. She was his partner, his! Marsters, for his part, seemed to be aware of Booth's feelings on the matter and amped up his swarmy behavior, touching Temperance on her lower back as he asked her if she wanted another drink and smiling. Temperance told him her drink preference and, with one last smile at Booth complete with eyebrow quirk, Marsters ducked into the kitchen to fetch it for her. "I don't like him." Booth glowered.

"I do." Brennan admitted. "Zack looks very happy to be home." Booth looked over at his squint.

"He does, doesn't he? It was a good idea you had, having everyone chip in to help buy him all of his DVDs and books back."

"Hodgins and I put the most money in. But, yes, it was very nice of me to come up with the idea. I remember when my apartment blew up and my insurance only covered a small amount of what I needed to rebuild my kitchen."

"Also, I was blown up."

"Yes. It looked like it hurt according to your x-rays."

"Still say those were private and you had no right to look at them."

"Booth, you are my partner and I wanted to know if you were going to be ok. I also looked at Zack's x-rays when he was blown up. I was worried and I made sure your doctors were afraid of me and accepted that I am an expert when it comes to bones."

"I'm sure you did, Bones." By this point Marsters had returned with Bones' drink which he handed to her.

"Thank you, Charles." Brennan said, tucking her hair behind her ear in what she had been told was an alluring matter.

"You're welcome. What are you two talking about?"

"We were discussing people I care about getting blown up and how I insist on looking at their x-rays. Booth disagrees that I should look at them."

"She reads bones like books. I've went through some stuff while in the military that I have put behind me."

"You were tortured...and on a separate occasion blown up."

"Yes, Bones, that is exactly the information I was talking about how I didn't want you or Marsters here to know."

"I didn't hear anything." Charles said blithely. He turned his gaze over to Zack now speaking with Wineskin and Bailout. "What's next for him?"

"Back to work." Dr. Brennan said. "He is an invaluable member of my team."

"I am recommending to my superiors for him to consult on a freelance basis to help with my division."

"That would be a great opportunity for him." Brennan was genuinely happy for her assistant. "It would not interfere with his duties at the Jeffersonian?" Booth smiled into his beer. Marsters gave her a confused look.

"Don't argue with her." Seeley advised.

"I wasn't about to." Charles said with a rueful grin.

"What is there to argue about? Zack's primary job is to assist me at the Jeffersonian, everything else is extra. Just as my primary job is to identify remains and my secondary and extra positions are to help Booth solve murders and to write fiction."

"Just as you say, Temperance." Charles assured her and then shared a knowing grin with Booth over her head. Charles apparently got it. Booth appreciated it.

Zack, Bailout and Wineskin were trying to figure out the new stereo system. They finally figured it out and music blasted through the apartment. People started dancing and Zack went to bug Keg about the food. Jack sidled up to Booth who refused to join in the dancing. Hodgins, in good spirit, watched Angela dance with Robbie. He wasn't the least bit jealous. It helped that he knew the basketball captain was happily married to a intimidating woman. "So, you and Zack, huh? Gotta say, man, didn't peg you for the type for fluid sexuality." Hodgins had, vindictively, waited until Booth took a sip of his beer to speak and was awarded with a spit take. This please Hodgins. He was still sore on the fact that Zack was having a secret relationship with a federal agent. Ok, so it was their federal agent and not an outsider like Marsters...but still, a betrayal.

"That's? What? We're-What makes you say that?" Even Seeley could admit that wasn't the smoothest thing he could have retorted with, especially after a spit-take.

"Feeling Angela has about the two of you. Hurt him and I'll bury you alive." Hodgins smiled and started to walk away.

"We're not a couple." Booth mumbled. They weren't. It was early and very complicated.

"Whatever." was Hodgins' final shot over his shoulder. Booth glanced toward the kitchen. First Cam now Hodgins and Angela? Seeley and Zack still needed to talk about it and everyone had already decided that they were a couple. Booth felt the bottom of his stomach drop out and he leaned against the wall. Cam walked up.

"Did you talk to Zack yet about your relationship?" She asked. Seeley glanced at her, suddenly angry. He kept his voice low.

"We don't have a relationship and no we haven't talked about it. Leave it alone, Camille." He practically growled at her.

"Don't get snippy with me, Seeley. He's been through a lot. He deserves-"

"Don't tell me what he deserves. You have no idea what he's capable of. Besides, we're not in a relationship. Sleeping together is not a relationship" Just then the door to the apartment slammed open. There was a crow of a rooster. Bailout and Wineskin came in with the younger of the two holding a chicken in his hands. Booth wasn't sure he had noticed that they were gone.

"ZADDY! We got you a housewarming pet." Everyone had stopped dancing. Booth was silently freaking out for religious reasons. Zack walked over to his teammates.

"You got me a chicken?"

"Because farm animals are cool." Bailout said. Wineskin held up kit, including a large cage and feed. "You can let him outside to stretch his legs and here's a cage for him for when he needs to be inside."

"We actually remembered a cage this time." Wineskin added. "And food." Zack held up his arms and took the chicken.

"He's adorable." he said, beaming down at his new pet, petting its neck like a cat. It craned toward him and rubbed its beck against his fingers. Booth would have thought it was really cute had he not been having his own private 'St. Peter the Apostle' moment while holding up the wall. The rooster crowed again. "I am going to name him Kevin." The rooster crowed a third time. "Come on, you two, help me set up his cage in the office. The three of them trooped past Booth. "Look, Agent Booth, I have a pet chicken."

"Careful or he'll eat your pet bugs."

"My beetles are insects and are kept at the lab." he said deadpan.

"Go get him settled, Zack." Booth told him. Zack grinned at him and wandered off to set Kevin up in style. Agent Marsters shook his head.

"I'm not entirely sure that's a legal pet inside city limits."

"As long as it is only one and he doesn't use it for cockfighting he should be fine." Robbie replied. "I'm more concerned where they found a rooster."

"Maryland has a lot of chicken farms." Brennan stated helpfully. "Perhaps they bought Kevin from one that had an extra rooster. After all, chicken farmers do not have much use for more than one male bird at a single time. They usually kill them." After that, the party went back to full swing. Booth ducked out and went into Zack's bedroom, sitting on the bed. He took a few minutes to notice the purple walls and grinned. Well, if he didn't believe in God before he certainly did now. He denied he and Zack were a thing three times and then the cock crowed three times. What the hell? Biblical much?

Zack was really cute with his chicken. He really tried not to think about how he had to answer Zack at some point about their future. He knew he had to but he just didn't want to consider it. He just wanted to be with Zack but to have to come out as...what, bisexual? Or worse yet, ask Zack to wait while he had a crisis about it. Ok, he liked Zack. But, people saw him a certain way. Hell, he saw himself a certain way. It wasn't wrong to be gay or whatever, no matter what Seeley was raised to believe. He realize that it was all antiquated prejudice. He was allowed to like Zack. It was considered by most people to be normal. So it would take some getting used to. Was it just Zack or was Seeley just suppressing an urge that he had had his whole life. Was it right to use Zack as a guinea pig when Seeley was so unsure? No. It wasn't. Zack deserved better. He deserved someone who was sure of themselves and what they felt for Zack. Someone who wouldn't hide their relationship away or deny it three times in the space of a few minutes. Seeley wasn't, at this point in time, that person. He did want to be in a relationship with Zack but he had to level with himself first. Seeley stood up and rejoined the party. Brennan gave him a questioning look and he held up his cell phone for an explanation. He knew what he had to do and now he could enjoy the party.

Seeley had somehow managed to be the last person left in Zack's living room. The squint, himself, was lounging on a loveseat sized bean bag chair that everyone had fought over as it was so comfortable. Something about being made from memory foam. He held a snoozing Kevin in his arms. The chicken was surprisingly ok with being manhandled. "Some party." Seeley said, legs stretched out before him on the sectional sofa. Zack looked at him.

"So, what's the verdict on us?" Seeley blinked.

"Geez, Zack, dive right in. Don't wait for me to warm up to it or make small talk or anything."

"That was sarcasm, yes?"

"Yes, Zack."

"I've been waiting for two weeks, I've made small talk all throughout the party. You've been sitting there in silence for the last twenty minutes. You should be warmed up by now." Zack's face was earnest and intent. "What is your decision?" Seeley blinked and leaned forward, planting his feet and resting his elbows on his knees.

"I think we shouldn't be in a relationship together right now. But I think you should hear my reasons."

"Ok, I am listening."

"My attraction to you was sudden and with everything that's happened...I really want to figure out if what I feel for you is just physical and temporary and about convenience or something I really should chase after. I also...don't know if...I've been this way all the long."

"You want to know if you are bisexual or just curious?"

"Yeah, I can't do that if every time I see you I want to rip your clothes off and-"

"This seems reasonable. However, I am not waiting for you to figure it out. If I meet someone I meet someone."

"That's fine. It probably means that it wasn't meant to be."

"I don't believe in fate."

"I do."

"Yes, it is another one of our fundamental differences. It will also help our processing capabilities to not be physically intimate for awhile."

"Yeah."

"Thank you for being honest with me."

"You knew, didn't you?"

"I suspected but I did not want to guess. It was too important."

"I-uh-I should go."

"Yes. It is close to my bedtime." Seeley smiled.

"See you next murder." Booth said. "I'll let you know."

"You better." Zack responded with a smile then focused on his pet chicken. Seeley left then. By the time he got home he realized he left his jacket at Zack's apartment.

The End

Author After Notes: Stay tuned for the epilogue. Mostly...because I said so..

Love, always from the Dorkside;

Tropic