-Venus POV-
Temp, Booth and I have arrived at a farm as Booth starts breaking things down. "All right, Bones. Venus. This guy McVicar, he might be a pig farmer now, but he used to be a mechanic, all right? With ties to the strong-arm crew that your parents ran away from." Temp then ask, "A mechanic, like Russ?" "Not like Russ." I nod, "Russ fixes things Temp. This person used to kill people." Booth nods as a man then turns around and asks, "Can I help you folks?" Booth then takes out a gun. "Yeah. Put your hands up. Do it." Brennan then says, "Booth!" I push Temp behind Booth as I go up to McVicar and check him for a gun as he asks, "What's going on?" I then start finding them, "He's got a .45. Let me check his ankle. a .38." Booth nods as he says, "I'm FBI. I know who you are." "Steve Beers, pig farmer." "Vince McVicar, the pig farmer, huh?" "You want to talk to Vince McVicar, you do it through the federal marshals." "I do it through the federal marshals, I'm gonna have to tell them about a pig farmer who carries two concealed weapons." I then pop up, "Three Ranger. .22 in the small of his back." I put it away on me as I take out my own gun and stand right next to Booth pointing it at McVicar. McVicar then ask, "What do you want?" Temp from behind me then says, "We are Ruth Keenan's daughter." "Are you Joy? Joy Keenan? Yeah... I can see that." He then points to me, "Then you must be the unnamed secret daughter."
We are now walking with McVicar inside his barn as Temp says, "We found your blood in the car." Booth adds, "You hurt lots of people, Vince. You bashed in their heads." "They never proved that, or I wouldn't be in Witness Protection." "We know how it works, Vince. You rat out your crew, everybody loses interest in a few old murders." Temp adds, "My mother was hit on the head." "Yeah, I know. I was there. 32 stitches." I asked, "She fought back, huh?" "Ruthie fought back, all right. But not against me." "Then against whom?" "Your father." Temp and I looked at him questionably as Booth asks, "Why'd he attack you?" He scoffs, "Think about it a second, all right?" I stay silent and still with no expression as Temp says, "You and our... our mother?" "Me and Ruthie run off together. Max caught us pulling into a motel outside of Champaign, Illinois. We were nuts about each other, Ruthie and me. Crazy in love."
Booth then says, "Let's just skip that part, okay?" "Well, he hit Ruthie first." I then ask with a monotone voice, "With what?" "Tire iron. Hit my arm, caught me a roundhouse to the head. Lights out, baby. I came to. Ruthie and Max were gone. Never saw neither of them again. You ask me, Max killed Ruthie, and buried her somewhere and vanished. Our plan, once we set up- most likely in Florida- was to bring you both down. Your father is a hard man, Joy and you." I then speak up for Temp who was about to break down, "Our names are Brennan. She is Dr. Temperence Brennan, and I am Dr. Venus Brennan." He scoffs as I step up to him with the deadest eyes and stared at him in the eyes. I could feel him starting to get terrified a bit but hides it well enough for others not to notice, but I could see right through him.
I scoff and walk back to Booth and Temp as Temp says, "We work at the Jeffersonian Institution. I'm a forensic anthropologist. Ven is the second head director of the institution. We... specialize in identif... ...in identifying... ... in identifying people when nobody knows who they are. Our father was a science teacher, and my mother was a bookkeeper. My brother..." I run up Temp and hug her as I start tearing up and Booth slowly makes his way to us and hugs us both as Temp continues, "We have a brother. I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan." Booth then says, "We know who you are. Hey, I know. It's all right. It's okay, we know."
We are now in our apartment with Russ telling him what we found out. He starts saying, "No way Dad hits Mom. No way." Temp then says, "If he caught them together..." "No way mom cheats on Dad. No way." I join in, "I agree with Russ Temp. When I looked at that man in the eyes, I could feel the fear he had as if was hiding something and was afraid to let it out threw his eyes." Booth then adds, "A man like McVicar he lies the way you guys take a drink of water. I am impressed Venus was able to see through him. He killed people and then he snitched to save his own ass." "You don't believe him?" "No. I don't believe him. And if Venus is saying he is hiding something, then he is." "Give me one piece of evidence that doesn't back up his story." "Your school sticker on the back of your parents' car was scraped off."
Russ then asks, "What does that prove?" "The only reason to do that would be to keep you guys hidden; to keep you guys safe." Temp asks, "From McVicar?" "McVicar performed hits for the crew that your mom and dad ran out on." "What else?" "Well, there's a two story that tracks for me, but without evidence, at least one of them it's... it's just a story." Russ then says, "Tell us." I give Booth a nod as he starts saying, "The first one is with your sister. She and your dad go out to the park to play on the playground and your sister here spots McVicar. She tells your father about a man that is staring at them. McVicar can't really confirm if its Max because he never heard or seen your sister before, so he lets them slide off the first time. Then your parents go out Christmas shopping one day. They spot McVicar- the hit man, all right? They lead him away from your home." Temp adds, "Scrap off the name of the school, so he can't trace it back to me, Russ and Ven." Booth nods continuing, "He takes out your father." I add "And our mother gets away with a head wound." "She leaves the car a thousand miles away, finds friends, but she can never go back to see you guys because the crew is still looking for her. It's just a story."
Temp then says, "Fits the evidence." "All right, you know what? The weapons that McVicar had on him, they're a violation of his agreement with the Witness Protection Program. I'm going to take him into custody. I'm going to get a warrant. I'm going to search his farm." Russ asks, "Search for what?" I answered, "McVicar liked to bash in people's heads." Booth nods adding, "Maybe we'll get lucky and match the weapon he used on your mother." Temp then says, "It's unlikely." "In that case, we'll still ruin his day." I wave Booth goodbye as Temp stands up from her seat as Russ then says, "Tempe, Ven, that theory explains why mom never came back for either of you during that year and a half before she died." I nod shrugging as Temp looks at him as she asks, "What's your excuse, Russ?" "Your the one that left me." Temp then scoffs as he continues, "You needed someone to blame, you chose me." "I was 15 years old!" "I was 19! My parents were gone. My sister hated my guts. My youngest sister was blaming herself for not stopping them. Everyone telling me that they are both better off in foster care." "You didn't even ask me." "I tried, Temperance! You wouldn't talk to me! You still wouldn't be talking to me if mom's bones hadn't shown up. And I kept trying! Every year- every year- on your birthday. Your the one that gave up. You turned your back on me and you made yourself a new family"
I start trying to speak to get them to stop as Temp argued back, "And what about Venus?! Huh?! She was just a child, and she had no resentment towards you?! I was still a child?! You think I could've taken care of her myself?!" "I thought it would be unfair if I only left you in the foster care. I thought that by having her there with you then it would ease you a bit." I kept on trying to stop them, but they still wouldn't pay attention as Temp then says, "Really?! You thought that was better for the both of us?! Did you know that we were separated just a bit over a month we were put in the foster system and never to be heard or seen again.!" "I didn't at first, but when I did learn about that, I tried looking for her... I would spend countless days not sleeping just so I could bring her back to you!"
I start panicking a bit, but they still hadn't notice me as Temp says, "She was mistreated when she was in the foster care when she got separated from me... And then at just thirteen she was taken to be part of an experimental program in the military Russ! That was why you couldn't find her. And she had to endure so many things in the program and was immediately sent out to war and missions. A place where no child should be or see at her age! She was there for five years before finally being able to be released and found me! Do you know that she suffers from PTDS and would occasionally have panic attacks, even if she is in a good mood that day! Do you?!" "What?" "Do you?!" "I... I... didn't..."
As they were both calming down the start to hear someone wheezing. They turned to the side and look down to see that I was on the ground having a hard time breathing as I could only make a few words come out of my mouth, "I... I... I'm... I'm sorry?... Ple... Please... don't.... be... mad... anymore...." I can't stop stop wheezing as I started crying. Both Russ and Temp come running and getting down to me as Temp instructed Russ on what to do. "Pick her up and take her to the living room. I will close the curtains." Russ nods and picks me up and puts me on the ground and sits behind me and and has me between his legs as Temp continues, "Just hug her and tell her everything is going to be okay." Russ nods and starts conforming me as he hugs me and lays my head on his chest and his chin on my head, "It's okay Venus. You are okay. We aren't mad anymore. Okay. It's going to be okay, just calm down." Temp comes over and sits in front of us and starts rubbing my leg and says, "Breath Ven. Listen to his heartbeat. Follow his heartbeat, okay." I listen Temp and listen to Russes heartbeat and start breathing at his beat rhythm. After a few minutes I start calming down and then I fell asleep in Russes arms.
-No One POV-
Russ had left the apartment and Temp had carried Venus to her car and to the Lab up the platform with the rest of the team. Booth saw her coming up and quickly goes over to her and takes Venus off her back and carries her himself as Temp asks, "What's going on?" Hodgins answers, "The FBI delivered all these tools and weapons from the pig farm guy. What is with you carrying a sleeping, Venus." "I didn't want to leave her home alone, so I brought her over here with me." Angie nods knowing that Ven had another episode as she just continues talking, "We went through them to see if any of them match the mark on your mother's skull." Booth then says, "I got 20 hammers and a dozen hatchets..." Hodgins adds, "The man loves his blunt instruments."
-Venus POV-
Zack adds, "Seven tire irons, none of them match the wound, even allowing for shrinkage." They then start hearing my voice as she says, "It was 15 years ago." Temp nods adding, "Even if McVicar killed our mother, what are the chances he hung on to the exact weapon?" I rub my eyes as I say, "Hey? When did I get here? Oh well, Ranger could you put me down?" Booth puts her down as she walks around the tables, " None of these items on the table are the weapon." Zack then asks, "How do you know?" "I know tools very well Zack. Plus, the murder weapon is most likely not something a mechanic would use. It is used for something else... But I don't know what." Booth nods, "Great, plus it's always like this with McVicar. All right? You know? Some mook is found with his forehead bashed in, the FBI goes in the basement, collects about 40 hammers... and nothing matches. So, Venus is right." I ask, "Always the forehead?" Booth nods, "Yeah, that's his signature kill, yeah. Not that anyone could ever prove it." Temp then asks, "You said guys like McVicar get comfortable with a way of killing?" I then ask, "Where did McVicar grow up?" "He grew up a farm kid in Iowa. Why?" I look at Temp and back at Booth, "How do you slaughter a pig?"
We had arrived back at the farm as they do another search and Temp and I see McVicar there in a prison suit as Temp asks, "Why's he here?" "He gets nervous, we know we're getting close." I nod as Kevin comes up to us, "Found this in the barn." He hands me a stunner as he explains, "This is a spring-loaded captive-bolt stunner. The animal is restrained, this pressed to the forehead..." I nod as I cocked the stunner and place it against a board and shoot it as it makes a big impact on the other side of the board. Booth wince as Kevin asks, "What kind of person could use this on a human being?" I shrug as Temp says, "What kind of person could use this on a pig?" Booth adds, "It's the perfect dodge. Blood, flesh- it can all be explained." I nod as Temp says, "I think I just became a vegetarian." I shrug as I say, "I am not there yet. But I was close." Booth asks, "What do you think?"
I nod, "Yes. It's the same shape as a tire iron... but smaller. This is most likely a match." McVicar then speaks, "Before you decide anything, we should talk." I then ask the three, "I'd call that nervous. Wouldn't you?" McVicar speaks again, "There's no way to prove that that's the exact weapon that killed your mother or anyone else." Booth then says, "You'd be surprised at what they can prove." "I need to speak to both of you alone." "Forget it." I shake my head at Booth, "It's all right Ranger." "No. No." "It's all right. I am right here if anything happens." Booth looks at us and then goes up to him, "You got two ways to look at this. One is you score a private chat. The second one is, you attack either of them, and I'll drill you through the forehead." "How could I possibly attack them?" "I'll decide what is and isn't an attack, like, say, a hiccup."
Temp starts pushing out of the way saying, "Booth. Come on." The three of us step to the side as I stand a bit in front of Temp as she says, "You killed our mother." "Gonna be hard to convince a jury." I then shake my head, "Not with me, I'm pretty persuasive. I get the job done very well. I'll make sure to put you away." "Here's the thing, ladies. Two people know what really happened that night: me and your father." Temp adds, "You killed him before you attacked my mother." "Then how did I get this scar on my head? You both got a choice. You drop the bolt-stunner down the well, and you'll know what happened. You put me in front a jury, not only will you fail to convict, but you'll never know the truth. Neither of you can live with that. You can't live not knowing." Temp then speaks, "We found out what happened to my mother; we will find out what happened to my father, too."
Temp and I start walking away as she says, "We're done." "You will never know what happened to your father." I chuckled at his statement and walk back up to him as he looks down at me thinking he might have got me. I stop chuckling as I look up at him with dead piercing eyes as I whispered too where only he can hear me. "You don't know who you are dealing with? Do you McVicar? You think you are all high and mighty while I am just a young lady who helps puts bad guys away, don't ya? Well, I got news for you. I am not like my sister there; I am someone that could terrify you in your sleep. I mean I am not sure how many people you have killed, but what I do know is that my kill rate is 3x more than yours."
McVicar stares at me with wide eyes and a bit of fear, "What?" "Also don't you remember that news about 4 years ago about a major crime Boss in Chicago who ran about four other states who was suddenly assassinated by an unknown person." "Yeah?... What about it?" "Well, why don't you think about it for a second? I mean why else would I be asking you that?" "No... That's not possible... How could that have been you?" "No one knows about it, so if I hear it's been leaked out, I know where to find you and no one will recall you ever being there or that you ever existed McVicar." McVicar starts shaking tremendously in fear as I walk away not before looking at him one more time with a grin and a finger on my mouth to indicate him to stay quiet. I turn around as McVicar is put in the car as I smiled at Temp and Booth. Booth looks down at me and ask, "What did you say to him Blueberry? It almost looks like he was about to piss on himself." "Don't worry Ranger, I just said what I did in my time in the military without actually telling him I was in the military... I guessed that really scared him... Oh well." I shrug as Booth chuckles and Temps smiles as he says, "What a trickster you are."
We are in the car as Temp was driving this time as she asks, "Why are you letting me drive?" Booth then says, "It's a reward." "For what?" "Totally pissing off a hit man." I then say, "I like my reward. This giant cookie is amazing." Booth then asks, "Can I read your book?" Temp then says, "After it's come out." "Not before?" "No." "Oh, but I let you drive." Temp makes a turn as she says, "Just let it go." "Where are we going?" "I'd like to make up for a little lost time." I understood what Temp was saying as I nod, "I would love that too." We arrive at the carnival as we see Russ bringing down some riders and I ran and hope over the small fence and leaped on him as he turned around. He was startled not knowing that it was me as he stumbled back a bit. But he sees Temp walking up to us and finally realizes that it was me who is hugging him, and he hugs back and carries me down the steps to Temp.
As he and Temp are face to face, I get off him and stand next to Temp with a smile as she says, "I have something for you." She gives him his marble, "Thanks, Tempe. I will see you soon Ven." He was walking away as I nudge Temp and she calls him out, "Russ... You were right. You were only 19, but at the time... I didn't understand what that meant. Sometimes people need to explain things to me, I guess." "Then you have to let them talk to you." "If... you could maybe come back and stay a couple days longer? Please? At our place, I mean?" "Marco." "Polo." We all then hug each other as I say, "Also you don't worry about this job of yours, I talked to the owner and made sure you are getting paid for all of the days that you left and leave." "If only you could buy this carnival."
We all stop hugging as an idea pop in my head and both of my siblings look at me at my silent state. "That is an amazing idea, Russ. I never had a caravel before..." Russ then asks, "What? What are you planning on doing?" I smile as I dialed up someone and wait for them to answer. They pick up and say, "Hello? Dr. Venus? What could I help you with?" "Hey Jimmy... Sorry to call you so late, but do you think you could contact an owner at a caravel that I am currently at and do some negotiation with him?" "Sure thing. How high do you want to go?" "Mm mm... You decide, but I do have to say that it needs a lot of work and I think there are some parts that are in violation, so if he gives you an unreasonable number just use that and anything you could find on him." "Sure thing Dr. Venus." "Thanks, Jimmy just sends me the thumbs up and the cost when you are done, and I will take care of the rest." "All right have a nice night Dr. Venus." "You too Jimmy. Greet your wife and kids for me as well, bye."
I end the call as they still stared at me as I say, "I hope he can get this done fast. But I am not in a rush." Russ then says, "That was meant as a joke Ven." I looked up at him and chuckled, "Yeah, I know... But just thinking about owning my own carnival is exciting." Both Temp and Russ laugh as I get a notification and it is from Jimmy giving me a thumb up and the amount it cost. "I got a carnival now." I jump as I look for Booth and see him a few feet away from us and I yell out, "Ranger! I just bought the Carnival!!" "Nice!... Wait What?!" I chuckle as Temp asks me, "How are you going to run this carnival?" "Hmm... I won't be doing that much. I will have Russ run it." Russ looked at me with wide eyes, "What? Me?" I nod, "Well yeah... I trust you and I believe you could make this great, successful, and safe. Plus, you would be getting payed a lot more and each employee would get a pension and insurance as well. You just need to make sure to keep me updated once in a while and if something is wrong, just contact me and I will handle it." Russ nods and gives Temp and I another hug. We stay like that for a few more seconds as I say, "Well, ready to go. Everything will be transferred to me in about a week." They nod as Booth comes over to us and he head back to the car to Temp and my apartment.
Temp opens the door for us as she asks, "Anybody thirsty?" Russ asks, "Is it too early for a beer?" Booth then says, "I gotta go, you know? I'm picking up Parker for the weekend." I nod saying, "I heard." "From who?" "Parker..." "How?" "That's our secret..." I look away joining Russ as Booth then says, "Yeah, I'll take one." Russ then asks, "You have a boy?" "Yeah..." "Woman I'm seeing- she's got two daughters." "Nice... Girls are nice." Temp come's over to us with beer as she passes one to each of us as I take it and look at it. Russ then asks, "What's wrong Ven?" "Hm... Nothing... It's just I can't handle any type of beers or alcohol." Booth then says, "This beer isn't that bad Ven. To us." "Russ then adds, "Whoever the hell we are." Temp adds, "To what we're becoming." We all clinked our beers together and drank a bit from it. I drank it as I made a not liking face as the rest laugh at my face. I drink a bit more as Temp goes over our home phone messages as it says, "New message recorded today, 3:00 p.m. 'Temperance, Venus, you have to stop looking. You have to stop looking for me right now. This is bigger and worse than you know. Please, sweathearts, stop now." Booth then asks, "Who's that?" Temp then says, "That was our father."
I had drank about half of the bottle of beer when the recording had finished and when Temp said that I said, "Well... this got even more difficult... Do you think dad will be disappointed that I am more of a law enforcement person then a robber..." Russ then looks at me, "Wow, Ven... You really can't handle a single beer or alcohol." I nod as I said, "Could you sleep with me?" I chuckle as he leads me to the couch and sits down as I lay down my head on his lap and he pets my head as Booth, Temp, and Russ discuss about the event that just enfolded right in front of us. I listened as much as I could, but I eventually fell asleep.
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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN "BONES". IT IS OWNED BY JOSEPHSON ENTERTAINMENT, BY HART HANSON. I ONLY CLAIM MY CHARACTER VENUS BRENNAN. I ALSO DON'T OWN ANY OF THE IMAGES. THANK YOU.