Scene 8: Poking around at Neptune High

[argyle_princess]

Previously . . .


It’s the way high school halls work. One moment, they’re empty, and then a bell rings, and they fill very suddenly with people who have four minutes to get to wherever they’re supposed to be next.

Of course, at Neptune High, getting to your next class is the least of the things to worry about in the hallways between classes – it’s a chance to grab things from your locker, catch teasers on gossip to be shared over lunch, greet friends and shun enemies. There’s a chance, too, you’ll see which couples have gotten together or split up (or at least who’s holding hands in the halls today). You might see a fistfight, or a fellow student being led out of the school in handcuffs.

Hannah’s seen all of those things, at one point or another. But there are certain things you just do not expect to see in the halls of a high school, even if that high school is in Neptune.

This? Would be really high on her list.

“Dr. Brennan? Agent Booth?”

Comments

[paladinsuitsyou]

Booth, who was looking vaguely nervous and annoyed around all these wealthy, indolent adolescents, turns at her voice.

"Hannah!" he says, a broad smile spreading across his face. "How's it going, kiddo?"

[dr_temperance]

Brennan has occasionally reflected that Booth would probably spend less of his life being irritated if he learned to view situations (like affluent high schools) with objective dispassionate interest.

On the other hand, there's nothing objective or dispassionate about the grin that crosses her face at the sight of Hannah.

"Hannah--it's so good to see you!" she says, giving her young friend a hug.

She steps back, still smiling. "I take it you didn't get my message that we'd be in town."

[argyle_princess]

"That would be a no," says Hannah, who has now been hugged and kiddoed in the middle of Neptune High.

Her friends, who she was walking with, are regarding all with open curiosity. So is pretty much anyone else who happens to be in this hallway.

"What -- why are you here?"

Not that she's not happy to see them. She's just also very very confused.

[dr_temperance]

"We got called in on a case," Brennan explains. "Human remains discovered at a movie site."

She seems completely oblivious to the odd looks their small group is garnering from the passing students in the hallway.

"I sent you an email right before we left, but I wasn't sure if you'd have a chance to get it before you left for school."

This trip to California had been pretty short notice.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"It's Lynn Echolls." Booth says, knowing the case has been all over the news. It's hard to keep something like that under wraps. "Her kids went here, right?" He's surveying the hall as if it might have some sort of evidence to offer.

It doesn't, but he does grin at one girl who is staring at him really, really hard. She blushes, ducks her head and walks away quickly, causing Booth to look very puzzled.

[argyle_princess]

"They did," Hannah says, slowly. "Ummmm--"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" says one of the guys she was walking, stepping forward slightly. "Showing up and bothering her about that?"

"Sam," says Hannah, shaking her head. "Don't."

[paladinsuitsyou]

Booth buries his confusion - it's not entirely relevant at the moment. He frowns, partly in irritation and partly in confusion, and draws himself up as tall as he can. Sam's close to him in height, but he lacks Booth's bulk.

"Hey, kid - Sam? Just...cool it, OK? FBI."

He's hoping the mellow tone works, but if not, maybe the largeness and the looming will send home the message that Sam really should just back off.

[argyle_princess]

At this point(this point being the letters F, B, and I), they have the attention of as much of the student body as can cram itself into this hallway.

The floor, alas, has not opened up and swallowed Hannah whole, though she's rather wishing it would.

Floors are notoriously uncooperative that way.

"Sam, it really is all right," Hannah says, very quietly.

He looks back from Booth to Hannah. "You sure?"

"Really."

[dr_temperance]

Brennan rolls her eyes slightly at Booth. A roll that says, There really is no need to be looming at a teenaged by in the hallway of a pubic school.

Males and their dominance displays.

"Sam? It's nice to meet you--I've heard a lot about you," she says. And she really doesn't mean for that to sound scary.

Turning back to Hannah.

"We were hoping we could get together with you while we were here. We didn't know that the investigation would be taking us to Neptune High."

[paladinsuitsyou]

Booth looks mildly abashed. Only mildly, though.

"It is good to see you, though, kiddo," he says, trying to sound conciliatory. As if he hadn't been looming just a moment before.

[argyle_princess]

Let's review, shall we?

In the three minutes since English class ended, Booth and Brennan have managed to hug Hannah, call her "kiddo," twice, ask her about her incredibly gossip-worthy ex-boyfriend, get into a war of looming with one of her friends, and then tell that friend that they'd heard a lot about him. All of this in front of the entire student body of Neptune High.

So she must really like them, given that her response is, "Good to see you, too." And that there's not a trace of sarcasm in it.

But there is still a good bit of confusion.

"And . . . why are you here?"

Logan graduated two years ago, and Hannah can't imagine there's anyone here who would have a tie to the Echolls family.

Well, you know, aside from her.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"These kids shot video of Lynn Echolls jumping off a bridge. They're seniors now, and bringing the tape by later. We've gotta see if it will help us figure out how she faked her death." Booth shakes his head. "This place is messed up."

The halls have been clearing out in spite of the spectacle of the guy in the suit and his partner bugging a senior. When the bell rings, the few stragglers flee for class, leaving the halls empty once again.

well, almost empty.

[dr_temperance]

The volume in the hallway drops dramatically as students disappear into classrooms.

"We're probably holding you up," Brennan says. Well, no 'probably' about it, really.

"We'd like to get together with you later though, if you're free."

To catch up personally, for certain. And Booth is probably going to have some questions for Hannah in a professional capacity.

[argyle_princess]

"Little bit," says Hannah. "It should be okay, though. But I should get to class.

"And, um, sure. We can meet for coffee or something, after school?"

Preferably some place none of her classmates hangs out.

Please.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"There's a Starbucks down the road," Booth says. "Sound good?"

It's impersonal and corporate. Teenagers would never hang out there, right?

[argyle_princess]

"Sounds great," Hannah says. "See you around three. Bye for now, then."

[dr_temperance]

Brennan watches Hannah go. And then suddenly turns to Booth with slight concern.

"You don't think we embarrassed her, do you?"

High school culture is complex and nuanced, and fraught with opportunities for humiliation.

Brennan suddenly wonders if a scene with strange adults (complete with nicknames, open displays of affection, and looming) in the presence of the student body qualifies.

[paladinsuitsyou]

Booth shrugs. "Probably. But she's still talking to us anyway."

That seems to be pretty important.

"What was that whole thing with that guy all about?"

He's more talking to himself than to Brennan, but it's still a question he'd like answered.

[dr_temperance]

"It seemed like a perfectly typical masculine display of protectiveness to me."

Brennan gives Booth a tolerant look.

"I'd think you of all people would recognize the body language."

He employs it often enough himself.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"Yeah, but who is that kid? What's he got to be protective of?"

Hannah's cool and all, but it's hard to imagine a friend getting that worked up about a girl's safety.

[dr_temperance]

"That was Sam," Brennan says, as if that more than adequately answers the question.

She raises an eyebrow.

"Put yourself in the place of a seventeen year old boy. And then imagine you're in school with someone like Hannah. What do you think he's got to be protective of?"

[paladinsuitsyou]

Booth frowns. "So, what, she's got a new boyfriend now?"

If that's the case, his special FBI powers will have to be used researching this Sam.

[dr_temperance]

"No," Brennan says with great certainty, shaking her head.

"But I think he'd like to be."

[paladinsuitsyou]

Booth has the kind of expression a cartoon character wears after the lightbulb goes on over its head.

"Ah," he says. "Come on, Bones, let's go get that tape."

They pulled kid two out of school to get it, after all. Might as well check it out.