The Ending (Chapter 7)

"Booth, you don't have to escort me everywhere. Andrew and Henry Rigby are both dead. They can't hurt me anymore."

"Humor me, Bones," Booth said as he watched her retrieve her belongings from the Jeffersonian. They had flown back from Houston earlier that day and Booth had not left her side. He even insisted on her flying economy so he could keep an eye on her. He almost lost her, and the thought pierced him to the core. The FBI had insisted that they both report for a mandatory session with Dr. Gordon Gordon. It wasn't a formal thing, but they couldn't return to work without his medical release. Bones had met him once, but she felt very uncomfortable with the premise that psychology was anything more than a soft science.

"Welcome, Welcome," Doctor Gordan exclaimed as they walked into his office. "I see that you are both very alive. Good, good. How are you feeling about this whole ordeal?"

Booth and Bones simultaneously looked at each other and Dr. Gordan smiled widely. "I see, you both make a rather brilliant team. I read the case file on this one. A prison break, kidnapping, a hostage situation, cannibalism. Goodness, it would make a wonderful book, wouldn't it?"

"Bones and I are just happy to be back home."

"Yes, and happy that two murderers have been brought to justice.

"Yes, that's all very good. But there is a silver lining to this case that thus far has not been investigated."

"I know you are referring to the metaphorical silver lining as a physical silver lining is an atmospheric impossibility."

"Care to venture a guess as to what that is Agent Booth?"

After a long pause, Booth answered.

"They counted on people being one dimensional didn't they," Booth contemplated as the waitress brought the gentlemen coffee and the lady a tea.

"They certainly underestimated you both."

"Exactly, their ritual was contingent upon Booth being only courageous and I being only intelligent. They didn't factor in evolution." Doctor Gordan looked between both is charges with a measure of pride.

"That was the flaw in their plan. Had they realized that brilliance could be accompanied by courage and vice versa, they would have succeeded."

"In other words, you make a good team because you have learned from each other. That's why I am going to sign this waver and return you two to the field."

"Thank you Dr. Gordon. We do make a good team don't we Bones?"

THE END