(After 'The Change in the Game')

I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Cam had been quite clear to her interns and techs in her email that everyone had to attend the meeting at the Lab on Friday morning. If they couldn't make it, it had to be for a very good reason since it was possible their careers might hinge upon what was covered at the meeting. Everyone took her seriously and showed up on time.

Pleased to see everyone assembling in front of the platform, Cam noticed Booth enter the Lab, walk over to Angela's office, enter it and then leave with a chair which he placed in front of her office. Once he was seated, he folded his arms against his chest and stared at her then Brennan who was standing next to her on the platform at the top of the stairs. Both Cam and Brennan were glad he had come to the meeting. They wanted him to see that they were taking care of the problem Daisy had created.

He hadn't really wanted to come to the meeting, but Booth knew that Cam and his partner wanted him to be there and he was willing to waste a little of his time if it meant that the interns would stop gossiping about him and Brennan.

Daisy had noticed that Booth was sitting outside of Angela's office and she hoped it didn't mean he was there to see her being fired. So far, Brennan and Cam hadn't spoke to her except in regards to the remains she had been assigned in Bones Storage and she wasn't sure if that was good or bad for her. She knew the next few minutes would clarify if she had a future in forensic anthropology or not.

Her people assembled in front of her, Cam looked at Brennan who shrugged her shoulders. Okay, then. "I have called this meeting this morning because private information was given out from personnel in this Lab about someone that works here and that is unacceptable." Cam noticed that a few eyes were now on Daisy and she knew that the gossip mill had been in full swing for the last few days.

"We do a lot of work for the CIA, Homeland Security, the Pentagon and the FBI. We also do body identifications for various law enforcement agencies around the country and some foreign countries also rely upon our help when needed." She had her team's full attention. "A lot of personal information is discovered when we are investigating the identity of remains and their cause of death. Most of that information is critical and it must remain secret until the investigating officer has completed his investigation and is ready to divulge that information . . . Now, it is also important that personal information about our fellow co-workers should also be treated with discretion. Some of our personnel have military backgrounds and sometimes those personnel worked on classified projects for the government. That means that that information should be treated as confidential information and is not to be disclosed to anyone outside this Lab. It is also important that personal information not be disclosed about anyone working here unless that person wants that information relayed to anyone outside this Lab."

Cam noticed that Daisy was now the object of a lot of attention and the intern was starting to blush. "This is a matter of trust. We need to be able to trust each other. The FBI, the CIA and the other agencies that we deal with need to be able to trust us . . . Yes, it is human nature to gossip, but the Lab is exposed to a lot of personal information that could ruin lives, reputations and yes in some cases, could get someone killed . . . Those agencies count on our discretion and if they start to doubt our ability to keep secrets then they will refuse to work with us . . . We are considered one of the top Forensic Labs in the country, but that reputation could be easily sullied with gossip. Yes, something as simple as gossip could cost all of us our jobs. Now, I don't know how much you like your job, but the pay here is excellent as is our benefits. We work with the latest equipment in spacious work areas. We have security to insure that our jobs are completely safe." Well, almost. God, I hated that Mr. Nigel-Murray was murdered here.

Brennan almost spoke up but chose to remain silent instead. Brodsky had shot through the skylight to kill her intern and that was probably unpreventable. No work place could be one hundred percent safe.

"The point I am trying to make is this, any secrets you learn here must remain here. From now on, if anyone divulges personal information about personnel who work here or at the Hoover or you divulge personal information about anyone under investigation . . . you will be fired and believe me when I say it, your career will be over. I will make sure of that. I hope everyone understands what I am saying." Cam stared at her employees and noticed the grim expressions on everyone's face. "I know that gossip is inevitable. We are human, but no gossip should leave this Lab. I mean it people. Take me seriously. Your job and career count on it."

Brennan spoke up. "Personal information about me was divulged last weekend and that information was posted on the internet. That is unacceptable. As most of you know, I'm pregnant. It had been my intention to release that information in my second trimester. Something that should have been private between me and my partner is now common knowledge. I will not tolerate any more gossip about me or my partner, Agent Booth. If I find out that any of my interns have divulged personal information about me or him on the internet, I will have that intern fired and that person will be dropped from the program. You may be able to enter into another program at another university, but it will be with a poor recommendation from me. You have been told that this is about trust. We deal with a lot of government agencies and they need to be able to trust us. I need to be able to trust you. Agent Booth needs to be able to trust you." She didn't have anything else to say. She noticed Booth stand up, push the chair next to the wall and leave the Lab. She hoped he approved of what Cam and she had said. She needed him to be able to trust everyone at the Lab. If he lost that trust, then she wasn't sure if their working partnership would continue.

Ooooooooooooo

The meeting over Daisy followed Brennan over to her office and stood just inside the room while Brennan sat down behind her desk.

Aware that Daisy was watching her, Brennan turned her chair to face her intern. "You are not fired Ms. Wick . . . this time. There will not be a next time."

"No, Dr. Brennan. There won't be." Daisy was relieved and embarrassed. "I do apologize."

"Your apology is accepted . . . This time." Brennan turned to face her PC. "Agent Booth doesn't want me to fire you. I have decided not to fire you, but this is your last chance. My life is not to be used for your amusement. Agent Booth is not a toy to be played with. He is a very serious man with a very important position at the Hoover. You will treat him and me with respect."

Her cheeks a scarlet color, Daisy placed her hands against her face. "I am sorry and if I ever overhear you and Agent Booth saying something you shouldn't in public, I won't repeat it to anyone."

Clearing her throat, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, we will do our best to speak about private things in private settings."

Since there was nothing else to say, Daisy left to go back to bones storage. She was still working on a set of remains and she was determined to identify who the owner of the bones was.

Ooooooooooooo

Curious about Booth's opinion of the meeting, Brennan called him.

Booth.

"You were at the meeting. Was it sufficient?"

Yeah. Let's hope they take you and Cam seriously.

"Yes, I believe they will . . . Daisy has promised not to repeat anymore gossip, even if we are the source."

Yeah, we didn't help that situation so we'll be more careful about what we say in public from now on . . . Still, she shouldn't have told anyone. I really hate gossip and I really hate it when I'm the object of the gossip.

"I'm not a fan either." Brennan sighed.

I liked how you and Cam handled this. Thanks. I just wish I could stop the gossiping here at the Hoover. If any of my people gossip about you or me and I find out about it, I will let them know they're on my shit list. It's not a good idea for anyone to get on that list . . . Meet me for lunch?

"Yes, I will meet you at the diner at around noon." Brennan noticed she had several emails that needed her attention. "I love you, Booth."

I love you too, Bones and that's no secret.

oooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.