After Brennan tried in vain to convince Booth that she could carry her bag herself, she stomped angrily after the FBI agent. He was a few steps ahead on the way from the parking lot to the resort entrance.
The resort was a one story modern building complex. The entrance was in the middle of the complex and to the right there were the hotel rooms, to the left was the area made up of the restaurant and the conference rooms. According to the brochures, the resort was suitable for all kinds of activities. The organizers of the couples therapy weekends normally rented the whole complex for these events, although it seemed that not all the rooms were occupied at the moment.
The organizers could probably afford to do so, considering that the weekend stay cost $3,000 per couple. According to the information brochure, retaining the entire building was to ensure absolute seclusion and tranquility.
After entering the building, Booth took a quick look around and then turned to the young clerk who was seated at the front desk. While the young man, who introduced himself as Charles, briefly checked his information, Booth filled out the registration form. As they had already learned from Angela, they also had to sign a disclaimer stating that the sessions would be recorded. He took a deep breath and then signed the form.
Brennan stood at a distance behind him and surveyed the premises with great interest. Everything in this resort felt very elegant and expensive. In other circumstances, this would certainly be an ideal place to spend a few quiet days away from the city and its noise. According to the signs and the site plan on the wall next to the entrance, in addition to the meeting rooms, there was a pool and a fitness room, as well as a small library.
But they weren't there to go on vacation. This was about investigative work and an undercover action that was supposed to be helpful in solving a double murder case.
After Booth received the code cards for their room 107, they went in search of the room, which was at the end of a long corridor on the right. After holding the card to the doorknob, he opened the door and held it open for Brennan to enter as well.
The room was bright and spacious. To the left of the entrance was the door to the bathroom, to the right was a closet and a small desk. Looking straight ahead from the door was a large window overlooking the park. In front of the window was a small table with two comfortable armchairs flanking it. On the left was a large king size bed with two bedside tables. A large TV was mounted on the wall opposite the bed.
They put their luggage on the bed and started unpacking the things they had brought and putting them in the closet. This was done quickly. After Brennan entered the WiFi code she sent a message on her mobile phone, then she took her vanity case and went into the bathroom to put her things away.
As she placed her things on the shelf in front of the mirror, her phone displayed an incoming text from Angela. "Can you and Booth contact me from a place that isn't monitored?" Immediately the next message came up on the screen. "It's urgent!"
Since they weren't sure yet if the bathroom was really safe, they decided it would probably make the most sense to get in touch with Angela from somewhere else. Suspecting her hotel room was being monitored, Brennan had to convince Booth to go with her outside without giving away the reason.
She went back into the main part of the room and found Booth lying on the bed, flipping through the channels on the television.
"Hey, we have an hour before therapy starts. Come on, let's go outside for a moment. The drive was long, so we should stretch our legs a little." She gave him a serious look, hoping that somehow he'd understand her and get the message. They hadn't communicated that way in a long time. It hadn't been their preferred mode of communication since her return from Maluku. They used to have entire conversations just looking at each other without ever exchanging a word. She hoped now that this way of speaking to him hadn't been totally lost. She needed this silent conversation now and would probably need it even more in the days to come.
So that he understood her in any case, she made an inviting gesture with her hand to get him to come with her. Apparently Booth had actually understood her. He got off the bed, turned off the TV and grabbed his jacket. He briefly checked whether he had his code card and phone with him, and together they left the room.
Brennan shuddered slightly as they walked down the hall towards the hotel entrance. Booth had his hand on her back and was guiding her in the direction of the automatic door. He hadn't done this since he had been with Hannah, and he was probably only doing it now because of their undercover situation.
But it felt good, like a small step back to who they used to be. In moments like this, she wanted to believe that they still had a chance, or that they could at least be the friends they used to be.
Then she recalled his ultimatum, where he'd told her he only wanted to continue working as murder-solving partners, and nothing more.
As they stepped outside the hotel, they walked quickly in the direction of the park and the nearby forest, as far away from the resort as possible to be sure they could talk privately. Brennan had told Booth about Angela's message in a few words so that he knew the reason she had lured him outside.
They sat down on a distant bench under a large tree. Booth moved close to Brennan and put his arm around her shoulder so he would hear Angela's phone call. From afar they looked like a romantic couple resting comfortably on a bench.
Placing her phone in her jacket's pocket, Brennan had speed dialed Angela's phone and began a conversation, all the while keeping the phone in her pocket. From a distance it looked like she and Booth were talking to each other, when in fact they were taking turns talking to Angela, who was trying to bring the investigating couple up to date as quickly as possible.
"Listen. I was able to log into the servers at the hotel as soon as I received the wireless key from Brennan, and it is indeed as we suspected. It's not just the common areas that are video-monitored…the hotel rooms are, too. Each room has a hidden camera mounted opposite of the bed."
Booth cut off her rant. "I think it has something to do with the TV, because it's mounted right across from the bed. That would be a good camouflage."
Angela spoke again. "Yeah, that's probably where the cameras are hidden. But the fact is that there's only one camera, aimed directly at the bed. The bathroom and the room's entrance have no camera. So those are the places where you can exchange information…at least for a moment. Otherwise you are totally monitored. Unfortunately, I have no better news for you:"
Brennan spoke now. "Can you spot where the camera tapes are being stored? If so, it would be easy to get a search warrant."
"Uh, it's not that simple. You both had to sign that you agreed to being monitored, so it's not easy to get out of that. And just observing someone is, unfortunately, not yet a criminal offense. Recording and wrongly using the material, that's where we could do something about it. So we have to catch them in the act, while they're using the material illicitly. I'm sorry, but you'll have to put up an act now and keep playing along while you stay there."
Booth looked around the area, pretending to be interested in nature while talking to Angela. "How can we keep in touch with you? How can you reach us directly if necessary? I don't think phones are allowed during sessions."
"It's good that you brought that up. I set up a chat group for the three of us. The name is "Love," she giggled. "It's fitting, isn't it?" She cleared her throat. "Anyway, in this group we can always communicate, because no noise is made when messages come in. "
Brennan had concerns. "Angela, we can't keep looking at our phones when we're in our room! That would be suspicious, too, wouldn't it?"
She heard the triumph in Angela's voice. "Sweetie, I've been thinking about that, too. We'll just make this another issue in your relationship. All Booth has to do is complain about how you keep chatting with your girlfriend and ignore him. Don't worry…I think you'll come up with something."
Booth answered for both of them. "Understood. This isn't the first time we've done something like this. How can you reach us if necessary? I mean immediately, in case of emergency. "
"Hey, FBI man, I had an idea there, too. I designed an earpiece for Brennan. It's extremely small and she can put it in her ear and then let her hair hang over it so it won't be noticed. That way I can always hear you and send you information at the same time."
Brennan nodded to Booth. "Yes, I keep this piece with my things in the bathroom. Then I can put the earpiece in my ear without it being noticed." She looked at Booth but talked to Angela. "We will immediately inform you with the necessary data as soon as we get to know the participants, so that you can check them out. Maybe you can listen to the information directly, and we'll see how good the earpiece really is. There are also cameras in the rooms which you can use."
Booth laughed. "Angela, you now have a 24/7 job monitoring us, if you want to follow everything closely. "
Angela laughed mischievously. "Don't worry, Booth, I'll sleep sometime, too...like when you guys sleep."
Booth nodded even though Angela couldn't see him. "Good, then at least we'll have some free time without you." However, he said this with a smile in his voice, and Angela knew what he meant.
Angela couldn't help but make the next comment. "Ha! Booth, I'll keep the tape running though. We don't want to miss anything interesting here, do we?"
"Angela, what do you mean?," Brennan intervened, a little irritated. "We are a troubled couple, so there will be no romance." She shook her head at Angela's giggle. "I'm serious…"
"Sweetie, we'll see...but never say never. You know that the other couples were blackmailed by videos of intimate situations, so maybe that's what you have to do to find the bad guy, right?" She laughed out loud now, enjoying the happy banter.
Brennen couldn't help looking over at Booth though, unsure of what else their undercover role would require of them. You never know, I suppose. What will we do then?
It was about time to go back to the hotel, since their session was about to begin. So they said goodbye and headed back.
§§§§
Brennan grabbed a notepad and pen from her bag and then they headed to the meeting room where their first session would be held. They were both a little nervous. It was important that they were fully concentrating now so that their cover wouldn't be blown.
They looked around the room. There were already two couples sitting there who seemed just as insecure as they were. They sat down in two free seats and just behind them came another couple and a group of four people with files under their arms. These were probably their therapists.
After everyone was seated, one of the therapists opened the conversation. "My name is Daniel Johannson, and my specialty is Marriage Therapy and Trauma Management. On behalf of my colleagues, I'd like to extend a very warm welcome to you. You're here to improve your partnership, deepen your connection, and learn to identify and resolve conflicts and problems in your relationship. Our goal for your weekend here is for you to get a new boost for your relationship so that your relationship becomes more harmonious, loving, and happier.
Our experience over the years has shown that we've been able to help many couples in the long term and this should give you courage. Open yourself to new experiences and help us to help you by being open and honest with us and each other. This is the only way we can be successful. "
He pointed around the group. "My colleagues will now introduce themselves and say what their specialty is. Then we'll give you the opportunity to introduce yourselves and briefly tell us why you are here. Please be assured that what you say here is safe between us, and nothing will leak out. It's important that we play with open cards here."
Booth thought how untrue that statement was, but since they weren't sure who was behind the crime, those therapists might actually have had no idea that someone was untrustworthy. Booth didn't want to jump to conclusions, so he had to accept that statement for now.
"I'll now pass it on to my colleagues, who will now introduce themselves, and then I will ask you to give us your names and ages and a bried explanation of why you're here."
During the round of introductions, Brennen was busy taking notes. Booth glanced at her notes and smiled. This was so typically Brennan.
Daniel Johannson, marriage counseling and trauma counseling, 57, gray hair, prominent chin, toned body, apparent jogger.
Michael McLean, addiction recovery and domestic violence, 35, short blonde hair, parting on the left. large signet ring on the right hand, posture indicates little exercise
Emma Cohen, analyzing relationship problems and communication in partnerships, 55, motherly type, nice smile, favors left shoulder, could indicate a bicycle accident within the last two weeks
Joshua Wells, harmony in relationships, recognizing and accepting differences in partnerships, 48, somewhat stocky guy, open laughter, golfer
The Bowers: John 39 and Luisa 35, alcohol use and spousal violence, Luisa protecting her left side, could have bruised ribs from being punched, possibly one week ago.
The Summers: Ben, 48 and Margie, 45, Kids have left home and they don't know what to do with each other anymore.
The Bloombergs: Peter 35 and Andrea 27, childhood sweethearts, he wants children, she wants a career.
Then it was Booth and Brennan's turn to introduce themselves.
But before Booth could speak, Luisa Bower turned to him and pointed to Brennan. "Hey, what is she always writing down there? What we say is confidential, so you're not allowed to write anything here." Brennan looked up in surprise at the woman who was complaining about her notes. Booth gave her a help-seeking look, wondering how he should explain this. However, Brennan immediately took over the task of answering the question.
"Okay, my name is Temperance Brennan, I'm 35 years old. We're from Washington DC, and I work at the Jeffersonian Institute as a forensic anthropologist. Through my job, I am familiar with movement patterns of the human body and what data we can get from studying the bones."
She pointed to Luisa with an open palm. "I like to know the people I'm dealing with and have made it a habit to quickly learn their names to show my respect. That's why I make short notes to tell my fellow human beings apart and to assign a face and special characteristics to the names. So I not only noted your age, hair color and height, but also that you have a fractured rib on your left side, probably the result of a blunt force trauma about a week ago, am I right?" She looked at Booth with a small smile, and was pleased to see his amusement as he nodded at her. Obviously, she had given exactly the right answer.
Luisa looked at her open-mouthed, but said nothing more. She whispered something else to her husband, but Brennan couldn't hear it.
Emma turned to Brennan. "Temperance, this is very interesting. Thank you for sharing this knowledge with us." However, Brennan did not take this as mild criticism, as it was meant, but as a compliment. She smiled at the therapist. "I noticed that you hardly move your left shoulder. I suspect a shoulder bruise due to an accident, maybe with a bike, about eight days ago, am I right?" She gave Emma a triumphant look.
Emma just shook her head. "I admit this was a very correct diagnosis. Very impressive, actually." However, to keep things from getting out of hand, she quickly turned to Booth. "And now all that's missing is your introduction."
Booth cleared his throat and shifted slightly uncomfortable in his chair. "My name is Seeley Booth, I am 39 years old and I work for a branch of the government in Washington. Temperance and I have been married for 5 years." He grinned. "I call her Bones, though, because of her job. Bones are her thing." Then he got serious and looked down at his hands, which he had placed on his thighs, nervously rubbing them up and down.
"We have problems in our relationship. We've obviously grown apart and can't find our way back to the time we met...you know, how we felt when we fell in love and thought we'd spend our lives together. We've lost the basis in our marriage. We're here to give our marriage another chance."
Now Joshua spoke up. "Thank you, Seeley, for giving us the chance to help you with that." He looked around. "And this goes for all of you. We'll sit down together tonight and develop a strategy for each of you. We'll discuss what's in it for you and how we can change something in your relationship, to help you move you forward.
We'll also coordinate in deciding which therapist is the right one for your situation and explain who will work with you. You'll receive the exact schedule tomorrow morning at breakfast. There will be two sessions for each couple throughout the day and after dinner we'll meet briefly to do a roundup session to compare notes."
Now Michael spoke again to all of them. "For today, the first session is over and we'll meet again after dinner for a meeting. You have free time until dinner."
Booth sighed, glancing at Brennan as the members of the group began to go their separate ways. Even though he knew this was just an undercover job, he couldn't help but hope that the therapist assigned to them could help them recover what they'd had before Hannah had interrupted their lives.
Brennan was lost in thought as she walked next to Booth. As much as she detested psychology, she was willing to try something…anything…if it would help heal their friendship…including talking to a couples' therapist. Perhaps an disinterested third party would be helpful in resolving their conflict.
After all, things couldn't get much worse than they were at that moment.
AN: Wow, I didn't expect so many reviews, follows and favorites. Thank you very much. I am surprised that there are still so many readers waiting for new fanfiction. This really is motivation at its finest.