A/N: Continuation of 1x1 Pilot
WARNINGS: THERE'S SWEARING
Claire's eyes widen, "You blackmailed Agent Booth?" Claire had called Brennan to see how the investigation was going and to tell her about their discovery of the elements in their victim's head as rolled steel, likely due to a sledged hammer and they also found cement.
"I just told him that if he went back on his word about allowing me full access in the field then I'd have a press conference released about the identity of the remains we possess."
Claire's lips twitched, "I see you've learned how to get your way."
"I've learned a few things from you this past year."
"Well have fun in the field, I'll call if we find anything else." Claire hung up and looked up to see Zach walking towards her, "Do you think I'm boring?"
Claire blinked at him, "It would depend on what you would deem as boring." Zach frowned, "Do I talk about things and do things that you deem unnecessary or redundant?"
"Sometimes, yes." Claire answered and Zach's shoulders drooped, "Oh."
"May I ask why you're asking me?"
"I knew you'd tell me the truth, I asked Angela and she told me that 'boring is such an expressive word, don't think about it' and that only made me think more."
"Zach, being boring is fine." Claire assured as she stood up, she walked out of her office with Zach following close behind. "But I don't want to be boring."
"Okay, then don't be."
"But how-"
"Why're you asking me?" Claire turned to face him, "No offense Zach, but we aren't close, I barely acknowledge you unless we're working, and I'm not one to really talk about anything outside of work. What's your motive for talking to me?"
Zach just stared at her and sighed, "I'm trying to figure out why Hodgins laughed when I said Amanda was into me."
"Amanda as in the intern for one of the other departments?"
"Yes, Hodgins laughed at me and said I was boring so I'm trying to see if that's true." Zach answered and Claire frowned, "That still doesn't explain why you're asking me."
"Dr. Kano, you're not boring so I assumed you'd know how to fix me."
"Zach, I'm very boring. Don't ever insult me like that again, I'm boring."
"It's not an insult, you're not boring. Other than Angela, you're probably the most normal person here." Zach stated and Claire stared at him before sighing, "Will you leave me alone if I tell you how to not be boring?"
"Yes."
"Then stop slouching and talking about work when you're with a woman you're interested in, not everyone wants to learn how you can repair your own tooth if it's fallen out by shoving it back into place or how you reconstructed human remains that date back to the early 1700's. Try to have small talk about normal things that she'd like, be less of a genius, and please try to keep the pen tapping to a minimal." Claire stated and turned to walk back to her office and sighed with relief when Zach didn't follow her.
I will never get used to people coming to talk to me normally.
___
Claire was with Brennan and Zach in the examination room. Brennan pointed to the remains. "There are stab marks here and odd markings on the distal phalanges, nothing I've seen before."
"In a nutshell? Anxious, depressed, and nauseous."
Claire turned to look at Hodgins as he walked in, "Take a sick day." He shook his head, "Not me, Cleo Eller. People casings show she was on Larazepam, Chlordiazepoxide, and Meclizine Hydrochloride."
Brennan frowned, "Nausea...show me those bone fragments." Hodgins looked at her confused before doing so and Brennan sighed, "These aren't frog bones, Cleo Eller was pregnant."
Claire's eyes widen and she gulped, "That's...really sad. Are you sure?"
"Malleus, incus, stapes. These are fetal ear bones." Brennan stated and looked at the remains, "This girl was pregnant, but not very far along." Zach turned to look at Brennan, "Want me to try and get a DNA reading? See if we can prove paternity?"
"You can try, let's hope there's enough genetic material to test." Brennan answered and Hodgins smirked, "This Senator is smart, and a planner. He gets an intern pregnant, murders her when it threatens his career, and he has the connections to get away with it."
Brennan turned to look at him, "I hate it when you make paranoia plausible, it's like sliding off a cliff." Hodgins just shrugged, "This has to be a special unit, no way your FBI pal heads it up unless the dark powers in charge are convinced he knows where his political bread is buttered. Either way, that's where this investigation ends." He turned to look at Claire, "You okay?"
"Fine."
"You've been staring at the remains."
"And?" Claire countered and Hodgins raised his hand in surrender, "Just asking."
"Then don't." Claire stated and looked at Brennan, "You're going to call Agent Booth?" Brennan nodded, "I'll let him know this new piece of information." Claire nodded before leaving, she rubbed her face and sighed.
So young with her life ahead of her, this is just terrible.
___
Claire walked out of her office to see Brennan and Angela standing there waiting for her, Angela smiled at her. "Want to go get a drink? Glug-glug? Show some skin? Possible hook-ups?"
Claire shook her head and was about to walk away when Brennan started talking to her, "Booth said I was only good with bones, he said I'm lousy with people....do you think he's right?" Claire sighed as she rubbed her face, "Is there some kind of memo I missed where people are asking me personal questions?"
Angela raised an eyebrow at her and Claire shook her head before looking at Brennan, "Temper, I'm lousy with people and I'm not the best one to ask. If you really must know, I think your communication skills could use some work but hey so does everyone else's. Finding comfort in bones that don't lie to you and wanting to stay away from people isn't a crime, you connect to much with people and that's why I believe you come off distant because you're scared of being hurt or lied to again. No I don't want to talk about anything Angie, I'm fine." Claire stated as Angela had opened her mouth to speak, she sighed at Claire and Claire turned to walk away again.
Angela watched her leave, "Is she okay?" Brennan shrugged, "I don't ever know, but she's good to talk with. I feel better about me being so called emotionless and lousy." Angela smiled at her, "That's good, but I wish she'd talk to us. She always seems on edge, I'm worried." Brennan shook her head, "One thing I've learned about her since I've met her, she's always on edge and she'll never tell you why because she doesn't trust or interact with you unless you're human remains."
"Like you," Angela stated and Brennan smiled, "Like me, maybe that's why we get along."
___
Claire flopped onto her bed and sighed, she felt exhausted and her head was hurting. Claire closed her eyes to finally rest, she jumped when she heard a knock at her door. Claire sighed and sat up before walking out of her bedroom and heading to her door, she opened it and quickly closed it.
"Cee-"
"Nathan, if you don't get away from my door this instant then I'll call the police." Claire stated without letting him finish, Nathan banged on the door and Claire rolled her eyes. "Ah yes, banging on the door is definitely going to make me open the door."
"Just open the door so we can talk."
"Go to hell, leave me alone."
"You owe me an answer!"
"I don't owe you a damn thing, leave." Claire sighed as she rubbed her forehead, "God you're annoying, I can't believe I slept with you."
"Why'd you reject me? I thought we had a connection?"
"Nathan you're delusional, I made it clear that I wasn't looking for anything. Whatever you felt, you felt on your own." Claire stated before moving away from the door, "Stay there all night if you want, I'll get a restraining order in the morning if you keep it up."
Claire went back to her bedroom and ignored the knocks on her door, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep as the knocking finally stopped.
___
Claire couldn't breath, her lungs hurt and she coughed while trying to gasp for air. "Vio-"
"Shhh!" Violet whispered as she tried to bring them back to land, "They'll hear us!"
"I-I can't breath."
"We're almost there, just shut up and swim." Violet said urgently and Claire coughed as she tried, the currents crashed against her frail body and onto her sharp rocks. Claire sobbed as she felt something on her side sting, "I'm bleeding."
"I'll clean it up when we get home."
"Why're you out here? What-"
"Cee, just shut up and-"
Violet's eyes widen as she looked at the land and saw someone with a gun, Claire continued sobbing as she couldn't make out what they were saying anymore.
"I-----go, now."
"N---she's------safe."
"To--------die."
"No!"
BANG
___
Claire woke up with a gasp, she was sweating and panting as her lungs felt on fire. Claire sighed and wiped her eyes to wake herself up.
I haven't had a nightmare in awhile, dumb Kenny and his dumb worries.
Claire stood up and stretched before walking to her bathroom to freshen up, she splashed cold water onto her face.
Stop thinking about it, stop trying to fix yourself when you know you'll stay hollow.
___
"You okay?" Hodgins asked and Claire looked over at him, "Fine, why?"
"You look like you didn't sleep, late night?"
"I slept fine Dr. Hodgins." Claire answered and he sighed before shrugging, "You're always so closed off, would it hurt you to open up a bit of yourself to us?" Claire blinked at him, "Yes, it would. It'd hurt my work ethic talking about meaningless things, we should focus."
Hodgins smiled at her, "I'm here if you ever want to talk, we've known each other for almost 2 years and I still feel like we're strangers."
"I'm good, but you should talk to Zach so he stops coming to me for advice." Claire turned around and left the observation deck, she raised an eyebrow at an upset Brennan who just walked in with Booth. Claire shook her head and started mumbling to herself, "Don't ask Claire, it's none of your business. Don't ask-"
"Dr. Kano." Brennan called out to her and Claire sighed before turning around, "Yes?"
"Do you think I'm a heart person?"
"Why do you want to know?" Claire asked confused and Brennan shrugged, "I may have gotten in trouble-"
"You were almost arrested for threatening the Senator and assaulting Cleo's boyfriend, that's a lot of trouble." Booth interrupted and Brennan sighed, "I just wanted to know if I'm someone who can think rationally and emotionally."
"Temper, I'm not the best person to ask-"
"Well you're a heart person, so I thought I'd ask you." Brennan interrupted and Claire frowned, "I'm not a heart person." Brennan nodded, "Yes you are, you're very kind with your words. Maybe a little emotionless and blunt like me, but you talk to me about emotions even if you act like it's a bother. I think you're very heart is very caring, so you're the type of person I should talk to like I do with Angela."
Booth shrugged, "You seem like a heart person while Bones is a brain person."
"Don't call me Bones."
Claire blinked at them and shook her head, "You're wrong, I'm not...just forget it. I think you're more of a brain person, if you want to be a so called heart person then you need to start thinking with your heart. I'd advise against it since the heart is something dangerous to let control your emotions Dr. Brennan, let your heart and mind meet in the middle."
Brennan hummed, "Your psychology is the probably the only type I listen to, thank you Claire." Claire gave her a small smile before motioning to Angela's office, "If you don't mind, can we get back to work?" Brennan nodded, "Of course, Angela should have a composite of what happened to our victim ready."
They all walked to Angela's office and Angela looked up at them with her tablet in her hand, "This is a rough composite, but you get the idea."
"Skull trauma wasn't the cause of death, Cleo was stabbed first. She was stabbed five to eight times with a military issue K-Bar knife." Brennan stated and Hodgins walked in with Zach not far behind, Angela nodded at the hologram. "I just completed this rendering. The defensive wounds to the bones of her hands suggest that it wasn't until the third or the fourth penetration."
"That's likely the fatal stab right there." Claire pointed and Angela cleared her throat, "Cleo stopped fighting back." Brennan looked over at Booth, "I believe that the distinctive damage to her distal phalanges-"
"The tips of her finger bones." Claire interpreted when Booth looked confused, Brennan nodded, "Correct, I believed the damage was caused by the murderer using the knife to remove her finger pads."
Claire tilted her head, "Cranial fragmentation suggests a 20-pound hammer striking four to five times while the victim's head rested on a cement floor that contains traces of diatomaceous earth."
"That's the best explanation for the particulates found in her skull." Hodgins said and Brennan looked at Booth, "This wasn't a crime out of passion."
"Cleo never saw the first stab coming. It didn't arise out of an argument, why smash her face? Why remove the fingertips, remove her clothing, and her jewelry?" Angela asked and Claire hummed, "The murderer put more effort into hiding the victim's identity than he did into the murder itself."
"Incase Cleo was identified, the murderer planted evidence. The little book Brennan got from the stalker matches the cellulose found in Cleo's hand." Hodgins stated and Angela sighed, "Military cemetery, military knife, implicates her own father which is just more misdirection."
Hodgins looked at Booth, "Sound like any conniving son-of-a-bitch Senators you know?" Booth stared at them and chuckled bitterly, "You expect me to declare war on a United States senator based on your little holographic crystal ball?"
"It's not magic." They all said at the same time, Booth gave them a look and Brennan shrugged. "It's a logical recreation of events based on the evidence we've acquired."
Booth sighed, "It's no more valid that my gut."
"A good hypothesis with stands testing, that's what makes it a good hypothesis." Zach countered and Booth scoffed, "Not a hypothesis, this is a dead girl and a United States senator.
Booth shook his head, "This is why squints belong in the lab, you all don't know a damn thing about the real world. We're done here."
"Yes, we are." Claire stated and looked at Booth unamused, "Don't act all high and mighty Booth, you're forgetting I've lived in both worlds. Don't try and pull this bullshit 'we live two separate lives' when in reality you're thinking about what every FBI Agent is thinking about, politics. Just say it's about politics and be done with it, don't try to excuse it with some other shit. You don't understand the real world if you can't grow a pair of balls and get your answers with the evidence you've been given, please check your occupation before you check ours."
Claire left and Brennan followed with Hodgins and Zach, Booth's jaw clenched and sighed. Angela looked over at him, "She's a bit touchy."
"I see that, so is Bones."
"You've read her file, both of Brennan's parents disappeared when she was 15. That counts as the real world." Angela shrugged and Booth sighed, "Yeah, I've read the file. Cops never found anything and the case went cold."
Angela smiled sadly, "Brennan figures that maybe if somebody like her hand been there..."
"Well for somebody who hates psychology, she sure has a lot of it." Booth replied and Angela motioned out the door, "Claire's been someone she's opened up to a bit and accepts her despite her psychology major, but she's not opened up to any of us."
Booth sighed and rubbed his face, "She's got a bad past, her file says a lot." Angela raised an eyebrow, "I'm going to pretend I don't know that so when she finally tells me, I can give her some support."
Booth looked over at her, "I should go find them, shouldn't I?"
"Yes, you should."
___
Claire looked up to see Booth and Brennan at her door, she raised an eyebrow. "Yes? Can I help you two?" Booth walked awkwardly into her office, "I came to apologize for my words before."
"Apology accepted."
Booth frowned, "That wasn't the apology." Claire shrugged, "That's a shame, I don't really want to hear some long speech." Booth smiled at her, "Y'know Cee, for someone claiming to not be a heart person you sure do act like one."
"Don't call me Cee, and how?"
"Because you stick up for your friends before you can even ponder about it, you're emotional in your own way." Booth answered and she cringed, "That's the worst thing someone's ever insulted me with and Zach's told me I'm not boring, if I let you say your apology speech will you stop?"
"Yes."
"Then my attention is all yours." Claire shut her book and Booth cleared his throat, "I know you've lived in both worlds and...you've experienced the hardships of what the real world it, you've worked hard in life. I'm sorry if I offended you in anyway, it wasn't my intention."
Claire gave a nod, "Apology accepted." Booth sighed as he smiled, "You really aren't going to go off on me again?"
"I think my message got across already, there's no need." Claire answered as she opened back up her book, Brennan cleared her throat. "Are you ever going to say anything? About yourself? Booth says your file is complicated like mine is, we could talk about it sometime."
Claire looked back up at them and hummed, "Interesting."
Seems like they've become quite the team, how nice.
"What's interesting?" Booth asked and Claire shrugged, "Who knows," She turned to the next page in her book, "I'm not one to talk about personal lives Temper and you know this. You're the same way and I appreciate your concern, but there's nothing to talk about. Agent Booth, please do not discuss my personal files and stop looking into them."
Booth raised his hands in surrender, "I didn't say anything, the file part came out on accident." Claire looked back down at her book and Brennan sighed, "Booth thinks that we're good at our jobs, but we can't solve murderers. He says that squints stay in the lab to look at science while cops solve the murders."
Claire sighed and shut her book, she put it away and looked up at them.
I won't be able to read in peace if they continue to bother me.
"Well one of us is wrong, is it the FBI Agent or is it the two squints with PhD's? Or it could be a plot-twist and all of us are wrong?" Claire asked and looked at Booth challengingly, "If that man wasn't a Senator I know you'd be at his door kicking it down, you can't deny that. You say that cops solve murders and squints stay in the lab for a reason, so prove it."
Brennan nodded and smirked at Booth, "Be a cop Booth, go with your gut and solve this murder. I know you're afraid of him, so just admit it and be done with it or prove me wrong by doing your job." Brennan walked out of Claire's office and Booth sighed while shaking his head, "I can see why you never loss a case."
"I'm very persuasive while Brennan was simply taunting you, have fun Mr. FBI Agent." Claire responded as she opened back up her book, "Please stop coming to me with your problems or I'll have to switch occupations again to become a therapist."
Booth smiled as he sighed, "I wanna have Bones open up to me...partners share things."
"Since when were you two partners?" Claire asked with genuine curiosity and gave her a look, Claire sighed. "Fine, continue."
"As I was saying, partners trust and open up to each other. How do I get that with her if she doesn't trust me?" Booth asked and Claire raised an eyebrow, "Why're you asking me?"
"Because she trusts you, whether you believe it or not she does and you trust her a little bit too." Booth answered and Claire shrugged, "Agent Booth, trust has to go both ways. If you want trust, you have to give trust."
Booth stared at her before nodding, "I guess I'm going to go see a judge for a warrant, I'm not afraid of the Senator by the way. I would be in his basement tearing the room apart if he wasn't a Senator, but I'm not afraid of him." Claire hummed as she turned to the next page in her book, "I guess we'll see who was wrong."
"I'm doing this for Cleo by the way, not because Bones is a genius."
"Good for you, now please leave me alone."
___
Claire sat on the couch on the top floor with Angela as they sat across from Zach and Hodgins, Brennan sighed as she sipped her drink. The Senator's house had been searched, but they only found a hammer. The cement floors were clean of any blood, Zach frowned, "They won't even arrest him?"
"Don't worry, if they match the hammer as the murder weapon that killed Cleo then they'll arrest him." Hodgins assured and Claire shrugged, "Maybe, but the lack of evidence isn't reassuring."
They all turned to give her a look and she tilted her head, "Did you want me to lie?" Hodgins smiled, "That's a joke and I'm glad you made it Dr. Kano, seems you're warming up to us." Claire looked at him confused, "If you want to take it that way then be my guest."
"Thank you, I will. Now, let's toast to catching that murderous bastard." They all clinked their glasses and Brennan shook her head, "The hammers not enough, Claire's right."
"I'm always right," Claire stated as she sipped her drink, Brennan smiled at her before shaking her head. "He's going to get away with it, maybe Booth was right. Maybe outside this lab, I'm just useless."
Claire turned to look at her, she gently leaned over and gently tapped her forehead with her index finger. "You're not useless Temper, you're very helpful in many ways outside of this institute. Just because you could potentially be wrong about the crime scene doesn't make you useless, give that big brain of yours have some credit and realize your worth."
Brennan looked at her and relaxed with a smile and Claire gave her a small smile before sipping her drink, she turned to look at the others who looked at her in shock. "What?"
"Why don't you ever talk to me like that?" Zach asked, "I asked you if I was boring and you told me to leave you alone."
"I did answer your question though." Claire defended and Hodgins smirked, "Admit it, we are growing on you." Claire shrugged, "Stockholm syndrome is a possibility." Angela nudged her and smiled, "That was definitely a joke."
Hodgins reached for a small book, "Let's take guidance and blessings from 'The Lives of the Saints'."
"Albertus Magnus, Patron Saint of Scientists." Angela read out loud, Claire sipped her drink again and cringed at the taste before finally putting it down.
I hate it when Hodgins mixes the drinks.
"I thought Magnus was the patron saint of fishmongers?" Zach asked and Hodgins shook his head, "Two separate entities, Albertus Magnus was a 13th-century philosopher. The fishmonger saint was-"
"Fish!" Brennan exclaimed as she stood up and Claire blinked at her, "Fish?" Brennan nodded and looked at Hodgins, "You said that diatomaceous earth could be used as a filtering agent."
"Yeah, for swimming pools, water filters-"
"Or tropical fish?" Brennan interrupted, "Oliver Laurier the stalker said that Ken Thompson the boyfriend kept fish." Claire nodded at Brennan, "That's your killer."
Brennan hurried towards the stairs and Angela frowned, "What's your hurry!?" Brennan didn't turn around as she called back, "Thompson read the warrant! He knows we're looking for diatomaceous earth! Call Booth please Cee and tell him where I'm going!"
"Don't call me Cee!" Claire called back before looking at Angela, "Did she even say where she's going?"
"Not in the slightest."
Claire sighed before taking out her phone, she dialed Booth's number. "Booth, it seems that a squint has solved your murder."
___
Claire stood next to Angela and Brennan as they attended Cleo's funeral, Brennan walked away and Claire sighed. "I don't see why Temper is going to be charged." Booth sighed and turned to look at her, "She shot Thompson in the leg-"
"Self-defense, he threatened to burn the whole building down while she was inside and you would've lost your evidence."
"Look at you Miss Prosecutor, sticking up for your friend." Booth smiled at her and she didn't look amused, Angela smiled at her too before turning to Booth. "Is the FBI really going to lay charges against Brennan?" Hodgins looked over at Booth, "She only shot him in the leg....once, and he'll live."
Booth sighed, "She didn't give him a warning, she just shot him with alcohol on her breath." Goodman shook his head, "It was her first shooting, you can't expect her to be perfect right out the gate."
"How much warning did you give people before you sniped them?" Claire asked and she blinked as they all looked at her, "What?" Booth chuckled and shook his head, "Y'know Cee, I don't know why you try and convince yourself you're not a heart person."
"I'm not."
"Well from how I see it, you might just be the most heart person here." Booth said before walking away to follow Brennan, Claire watched him leave and how he caught up to her. She hummed before smiling a tiny bit to herself, she shook her head.
Those two are the most heart people I've ever met.
___
Author's Note:
Hello! Hope you guys enjoyed this first case~ I've found that this story is a bit harder to write about since in Bones the main storyline surrounds Booth and Brennan, so I'm going to have to add some plotlines separately with Claire and the team back at the Jeffersonian~ The next episode I'm planning to do is 1x04 and 1x05.
Don't forget to vote and comment if you enjoyed this chapter~
See you in the next update!