Jeffersonian Institute Medico-Legal Lab

[argyle_princess]

For the most part, Hannah has spent the first two days of her internship shadowing someone while they went about their regular routine. Usually, she follows Tempera--errr, Dr. Brennan, but also Ang--Ms. Montenegro and Dr. Hodgins and even the newly PhD'ed Dr. Addy. (Dr. Addy did not, contrary to confindent predictions, have kittens. But he also didn't know exactly how to deal with a sixteen-year-old intern, so he just talked very fast at her about whatever he was doing. Hannah caught about a fifth of it, understood maybe half of that, and tried not to smile.) She even talked briefly to Dr. Saroyen, who first asked how she met Dr. Brennan, and then tried to steer her towards pathology.

But there are times when people are doing things she really can't shadow -- because she lacks security clearance or because they require a level of concentration that doesn't lend itself to explaining as you go along or simply because there are some things you just don't show a sixteen-year-old intern, no matter how interested in forensic anthropology she is. And usually that means she's just off shadowing someone else, but now they're all reviewing something on the Angelator that Hannah can't see for at least one and possibly all of those reasons.

So she's settled at one of the couches on the balcony that overlooks the lab with coffee and her laptop. She's making notes on what she's seen and what she's learned, because she has a report to write when she gets back to Neptune. And if she finishes that, she has a pile of journal articles she's supposed to read. Or, you know, try to read.

Comments

[argyle_princess]

Hannah grins back at him.

"Oh, if you have time, Agent Booth, that would be great. Get a fuller picture of the . . . the practical applications of science outside the lab. The crime-fighting side of things."

[paladinsuitsyou]

"Absolutely," Booth says. "I could even take you over to the office, if you've got time. Let you sort of check things out over there. Not the labs, unfortunately, as I don't work over there, but the main building, sure."

[dr_temperance]

Brennan raises an eyebrow at him with an Again, with the intern poaching expression.

But she's not really serious.

"I had thought we might run over at some point before you go back if we have time," she says to Hannah. "Since I work closely with the FBI it seems like an oversight to leave it out."

[argyle_princess]

"It sounds really cool. And, as a bonus, if Mr. Clemmons really was serious about that assembly thing, I think that's what you might call a 'hook.'"

She turns to Booth. "My principal is threatening to make me do a presentation in front of the school about my experiences here. I'm hoping he'll let me get away with just the written report. I kinda don't think most of my schoolmates are as interested in slime and particulates as I am."

[paladinsuitsyou]

"But the FBI, it's all kinds of sexy compared to that, right," Booth says, laughing. "And I've seen these guys make slime and bones seem pretty interesting. As long as you remember to speak English and not squint, you should be fine."

[dr_temperance]

Brennan gives Booth a raised eyebrow.

"Our work at the Jeffersonian may not be as 'sexy' as the FBI, but considering how often you bring us slime and bones to work with, I'd say the dull details have their place."

Brennan nods with a smug so there smile.

"Hannah, Zach is getting ready to start cleaning those bones, if you'd like to observe."

[argyle_princess]

"Okay," says Hannah, cheerfully. Because what could be more cheer-inducing than Zach Addy talking at light speed while he cleans human remains?

"It was really nice to meet you, Agent Booth. I hope I'll see you again," she adds, getting up and piling her journals on top of the laptop.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"I'm sure you will," Booth says, smiling charmingly. He manages to do that while still giving Brennan a look that clearly reads I know there is more going on here. Don't think I won't be trying to find out what, exactly.

If this were a different kind of show relationship, he might be wondering if Brennan has a Mysterious Tragic Past and an illegitimate daughter to go with it.

[dr_temperance]

Brennan's smile pretty much says, Well, you can try.

She's rather enjoying this.

"Are you here about the Norfolk case, or just visiting?"

[paladinsuitsyou]

"Mostly visiting," he says. "I didn't expect you'd have much for me on Norfolk yet."

He's trying to lull her into a false sense of security here, see if he can't distract her for a moment. Then he'll pounce.

Of course, it is very hard to distract Brennan. Her mind can handle two or three times as much as a normal mind can.

[dr_temperance]

If not more.

"We only have preliminary results so far."

Booth may find the lulling extremely difficult. If, for no other reason, than because Brennan knew going in that Booth's curiosity-o'meter would be pinging off the charts once he met Hannah. And that, subsequently, he would attempt to lull her into a false sense of security in order to try to get information out of her.

Brennan smiles.

"What do you think of Hannah?" she asks, nodding after her temporary intern.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"I'll take whatever you've got."

He gives her a Look. He should have known the lulling wouldn't work.

"She seems like a sweet kid. Tell me, though, Bones, when did you start taking interns? Especially random high school interns?

[dr_temperance]

"The file's in my office." Brennan starts walking in that direction.

"Hannah's hardly a random high school intern," she adds over her shoulder. "She's very interested in the field."

[paladinsuitsyou]

Booth follows, not letting a little movement interrupt him.

"Yeah, I got that," he says. "What I didn't get is how you got involved in her life enough to know that. She's a fan, Bones, not a friend. But somehow she went from one to the other, and I can't help but wonder how and why."

[dr_temperance]

Ironically, Hannah had been a friend before she'd ever read Brennan's book.

Brennan shrugs.

"She emailed to tell me that she liked my book. I answered. She had some questions about the science aspects. A regular correspondence developed. In most ways, it's no different than how most acquaintances are formed."

And Brennan and Hannah have made sure that they have the emails to back up their cover story.

[paladinsuitsyou]

And that's the disconnect Booth is picking up on - something just seems backwards here. It's not wildly off, but there is something just a tiny bit unusual in the whole thing, and while Brennan's making it sound entirely rational and normal, Booth knows there's something she's not telling.

He's also sure he's not going to get it out of her today, so he lets it drop.

For now, anyway.

"She seems like a bright kid," he says. "I can see why you let her come in. Where's she from, anyway? Around here?"

[dr_temperance]

Booth may be dropping the topic. But Brennan knows him well enough to know that he's not going to forget about it. He'll be back to poke and prod later.

"She's very bright," she replies, leading the way into her office. She begins to sort through some files on her desk.

"No, she's not from around here. She's from Neptune, California, outside of San Diego. She flew out here over the weekend."

[paladinsuitsyou]

"Long way to come for a one-week internship," he observes. "Of course, it is the Jeffersonian. Chances like this don't come up every day."

Booth isn't insinuating anything. No, not at all.

[dr_temperance]

Sure he's not.

"No, they don't," Brennan replies. "Her school is very enthusiastic, given the Jeffersonian's prestige. The principal was very accommodating."

"Besides, part of the Jeffersonian's purpose is to encourage education in the sciences."

"Here's your copy of what we have so far," she adds, handing him a thin folder.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"Understandable," Booth says, taking the file. "And she likes it here? Fits in with all the squintiness?"

He flips through the report, makes a face. "No cause of death yet?"

[dr_temperance]

"We've had the bones less than a day, Booth. And they're in pretty bad shape."

She reaches over to point out a notation in his file. "Preliminary findings show a distinct depression in the back of the skull, but I want to examine the bones more thoroughly before I say what killed him."

She sits down in her desk chair.

"I think she does like it here," she says smiling. "And she fits in very well. She's not fazed by a lot of things, which helps." Brennan's tone takes on a distinct note of amusement. "Zach doesn't know quite what to make of her, but other than that she's fit in easily."

[paladinsuitsyou]

"Yeah, I know," he says absently, still reading through the preliminary findings. "This is good, though. Thanks."

He closes the file. It can wait.

"Glad to hear it. This'd be a tough place for most teenagers to handle. How's she doing with the remains themselves?"

He grins, also amused. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

[dr_temperance]

Brennan takes a moment to grin, in a conspiratorial manner, back at her friend.

"She experienced the normal initial level of discomfort that most people experience when they first try to examine human remains. That's natural. But clinical interest in the scientific details took over very quickly."

"And we're not exposing her to anything too terribly graphic."

Brennan tilts back in her chair comfortably. "I really hope she maintains an interest in the field. I think she could be very good at it."

They're aren't a lot of forensic anthropologists around. It's nice (albeit idle speculation) to think of Hannah joining the field as a colleague one day.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"That's nice of you, not to make her look at the worst ones," Booth says. "Thank God we're not dealing with anything like the Hollins case right now."

No one really wants to expose a 16-year-old girl to a man who murders teenagers and then lets starving dogs eat them. Even the memory makes the normally stoic Booth wince.

"That'd be pretty cool," Booth agrees. "Even I know we need more squints of your caliber around."

[dr_temperance]

"Thank you," Brennan replies.

She grimaces slightly, remembering the Hollins case.

"There are some things you don't expose a 16 year old intern to, no matter how bright she is."

"Fortunately," Brennan adds, "most of what we've had to deal with this week has been fairly run of the mill."

Which is about as close as the Jeffersonian's medico-legal lab ever gets to 'quiet'.