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

[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'.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"Yeah."

Booth is quiet for a moment, remembering. Then he shakes it off, smiles.

"Thanks for the files. And I'm glad I got to meet your Hannah."

[dr_temperance]

"Sure," Brennan nods.

"I'm glad you got to meet her too. I probably would have brought her by the office if you hadn't stopped by."

Because, honestly, Brennan would have been a little disappointed if Booth and Hannah hadn't had a chance to meet, even if it meant some cloak and dagger.

"I'll let you know when we have more details."

[paladinsuitsyou]

"Bring her by anyway," Booth says, grinning. "I'd like to see her again, and maybe show her around the Bureau. It really isn't as exciting as what you're doing here, but it's all I've got."

He nods. "Thanks. I'll see you soon, I'm sure."

[dr_temperance]

"Maybe at the end of the day?" Brennan says. "Then we can go grab an early dinner at the Diner if you don't have any plans."

Brennan levers herself out of her chair.

"And by then I may have more information on those bones for you."

Duty always calls.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"That sounds great," Booth says. "Give me a call when you're done here."

He gives her an exasperated grin. "You're the only person who makes discussing human remains over dinner sound anything like appealing. How is this possible?"

It's a rhetorical question, but he knows she'll answer anyway.

[dr_temperance]

Brennan has never met a rhetorical question that she didn't like to answer.

She raises her eyebrows. "Because the sooner I get the details to you--and, in this case, over dinner would be the soonest I could get them to you--the closer you'll be to being able to solve the case."

She certainly finds that appealing.

[paladinsuitsyou]

"That would explain the appeal, then," Booth says, laughing. "I'll look forward to it."

With a half-wave, he turns and starts out the door.

[dr_temperance]

Brennan smiles fondly after her friend as she gathers up her files.

"See you later, Booth."