-Venus POV-
Booth, Temp and I were coming out of the Royal dinner door as Booth was talking on the phone. "Florida? Today?" Temp then asks, "Is that work?" "Yeah. Hot, fun, Miami, Florida or sticky, you know, swampy Florida?" I then ask, "What's going on in Florida?" "Wait a second. What flight?" An ice-cream truck comes into view playing the theme music loud. "Hold on for a second, I can't hear you." He looks at the man driving the ice cream truck. "Enough with the song already, all right?!" "I'm doing business here. Deal with it!" Booth goes back to his call, "Hold on for a second. Wait, now my pen's out of ink." I take out a pen from my pocket. "Here." He takes it, "You know, hold on, you know. I can't hear anything!" The ice cream truck driver then says, "The kids love the music." I say, "Ice cream does sound nice." Temp says, "Well, I don't see any kids." The driver yells back, "The music attracts them!"
I nod thinking if I should get an ice-cream as Booth says, "Did you say, 'the Everglades'? Look, I can't hear anything because of this insane music!" I jumped as Booth turns around and shoots three shots at the ice cream truck clown's head. Making the music stop and some people screaming. Temp and I are shocked as we looked at Booth as he says, "Okay, flight number? Okay. Thanks." He ends the call happily and turns to us, "Okay, we're all set." I then say, "That was not good, Ranger..." Booth finally looks at what he did as we then see that the clown starts to set on fire.
Temp went to Florida by herself as I had to stay at this time, plus she wouldn't is capable to do it by herself. Booth couldn't either since he shot the clown. I am with Booth right now in his office doing some paperwork that regards between both the FBI and the Jeffersonian speaking to Temp through the speaker as she says, "I thought you said you'd be down on the next flight." Booth then says, "I haven't met with the shrink yet." "What shrink?" "Well, the department psychiatrist has to sign a piece of paper saying, you know, that I'm not nuts before I get my gun back. So I got an appointment tomorrow." "Great. Now I have to break in this Agent Sullivan." "Wait, wait, Sully's a great guy. Okay? And for your information, you never broke me in." I chuckle a bit knowing that's not true as Temp says, "I think that's him. Okay, I'll talk to you later." Before she hangs up I yell out a good bye and be safe speech.
Booth hangs up and sighs lying back on his chair as I look at him, "I know that your bummed out, but you know could start finishing some of your paperwork that you have been holding off." He sighs even more as I then say, "I will help you with half of it." "All right. After this we should get lunch." I nod as we start working.
The next day I was at my apartment asleep as I got to go to work in the afternoon. But then I hear someone knocking on my door. I get out of bed and got to the door and opened it. I was met with Booth with a bag of donuts. "Hey Ranger. What are you doing here? I thought you have to go to see the psychiatrist today." "I do, but I am taking you with me." "What?! Why? I don't need it." "Yeah, but if I take a nice young woman with me then the process of getting the signature to release me will be faster." "Ranger... I don't think that will work. But I wish you luck." I start to close the door as he stops it from closing and opens it again. "Sorry blueberry, but I am not asking this time. Plus, I have some donuts with me." I nod as I quickly turn around about to run to my room as Booth grabs me by the collar making me stop. He then grabs me and throws me over his shoulder as I start complaining, "Wait... At least let me change out of my pajamas..." "Sorry but we don' have time for that."
We get to the psychiatrist's home seeing him trying to build something. Booth then calls him out with me behind him. "Dr. Wyatt." He looks at us and stands up, "Ah, agent Booth, is it? And who is this lovely young lady with you?" I smile and shake his hand, "Nice to meet you. I am Dr. Venus Brennan. But please call me Venus. You must be Dr. Gordan Wyatt. I am sorry for my appearance right now. I was dragged last minute to join and didn't have time to change." Booth then says, "Right, you the shrink?" Gordan then says, "Shrink, yes, meaning, uh, psychiatrist." "That's great, Doc. How's about you just sign my piece of paper here, and I'll get back to work, all right?"
Booth hands him the paper and a pen as Gordan says, "Certainly. No, no, I have a pen. I have a pen. Um, do you mind if I ask what exactly it was that you did?" "Yeah, I shot a truck." "Ah, full of terrorists, no doubt, or plutonium or fleeing felons, was it?" I then say, "No... It was an ice cream truck..." He then looks up at Booth, "Do you have a good reason for firing on it?" "Yeah, the music, it was bothering me." I just sigh as Gordan says, "Ah." Booth then says, "Yeah, there was a speaker in a clown's mouth. Yeah, I just pulled out my gun, you know, and..." He starts imitating shooting at the clown's head making gun shoot noises.
Gordan then says, "So the FBI sent you to me because you shot a clown?" "Not a real clown." "I suggest you cogitate on the underlying reasons you shot that clown while I make all of us some tea." I chuckle a bit as Booth says, "What? Cogitate? Tea?" I then say, "Shall I help you bring out the tea Dr. Wyatt." "Yes please, that would be fantastic. And please call me Gordon Dr. Venus. And if you would like I think my wife has some clothes from when she was younger that might fit you." "Thank you that would be amazing and please just call me Venus, Gordon." We both go inside leaving a confused Booth outside.
Gordan and I came back out with the cups and tea as I had changed to a nice dress. I had texted Cam that I might not be at the lab today or tomorrow. I set the tray down on the small round table as I sat next to Booth and Gordon serves us tea. Booth then says, "You are really English." Gordon then says, "Oh, I don't know, I think I've assimilated quite well. Typical American house, right down to the white picket fence, a truck that's the, uh, what is it, the heartbeat of America? But tea, is, uh, sacrosanct, thank you very much." "Me, I'm a coffee drinker." I then take the cup of tea, "I will have some tea." "Listen, pal..."
Gordon then cuts him off, "You know, in an effort to understand your culture better, I've been trying to embrace this very American practice of preparing meat in the garden." I watch in amusement as Booth was getting frustrated as he says, "Barbecue." "Mm, it's a delightful word, isn't it? 'Barbecue." I nod adding, "I think it's from the Caribbean, barbaicu, which means a sort of sacred fir pit." Booth gives me an annoyed look as Gordon says, "Yes, I see that your very knowledgeable about this." "Yes, one of my doctorates is on archaeology." "How nice, my I ask what the others are?"
I nod, "I also have a doctorate on forensic anthropology and geology/mineralogy. And two B.A.'s on engineering and kinesiology." "Very impressive, mine is only on forensic psychology. Did you know that the Latin for 'hearth', though, is 'focus.' Isn't that revealing?" I nod, "That would mean that it is literally the focal point of every household." "Yes, the hearth, the heart. Huh? Interesting." I nod as Booth was confused, "I told the ice cream guy I was sorry, all right? I-I even bought him a new clown head." I nod, "Yes, he did do that... I also bought all of his ice cream for additional compensation." Booth nods and tries to hand him the paper and pen, "So just sign the paper."
Gordon looks at it then says, "I must apologize, but I've got to go off and get some ingredients for my mortar. Um, why don't we reschedule?" "We can't reschedule, all right? We got to get back to work!" "Oh. Well, in that case, um, why not finish off, uh, preparing this area here? Could you do that? All the specifications are on the plans. You are fit for physical labor, aren't you? I mean, the clown didn't return fire, did it?" I chuckle as we both stand up, "Well, what if I said that the plastic clown did fire back, huh?" "Brilliant."
They both chuckle as Gordon continues, "Now, while I'm gone, what I want you to do is to consider what you were really aiming at when you drew a bead on that unfortunate clown." "Hey, buddy, when I aim at something, I hit it." "Precisely. Anyway, I shan't be long, Agent. It's all on the plan here." Gordan then looks at me, "Would you like to join me Venus?" "I would be delighted Gordon." He looks back at Booth, "We'll be back before long, Agent. See you then. Do help yourself to more tea, by the way." "Bye Ranger, I will see you soon." Booth looked at us so confused as the plan he made didn't work out.
A few hours later we came back with Gordon rolling a cart barrel with cement as I also carried a bag of cement, as we see Booth working on the project as Gordon says, "Oh, splendid. So, it was your father who taught you to read plans, was it?" "Wrong tree, Doc, okay? Dad and I were tight." "Only, it's just that earlier you said that you weren't used to drinking tea with men, which suggests to me that you're usually pretty rigid in your assignment of gender roles." "What? No, no, both of my partners are a woman, okay? Venus is one of them. And one of them is a woman who needs my help." I do a little cough as Booth then says, "Who needs both of our help."
Gordon then says, "Are you two currently involved with each other?" I chuckle as Booth quickly answered, "No! No, no." I then add, "We do have a close relationship, but not like that. It's more of a sibling relationship that we have." Gordon nods understanding as he looks back at Booth, "Ah, but are you currently involved with anyone?" "Just broke up with someone, okay? Me. And I ended it." "And how long had you been involved with her? Or-or him?" "Her. Let's get that straight, okay? Her. Couple months this time." Me and Gordon say at the same time, "This time?" "We'd gone on- We'd gone out b-before a-a few years ago, and, uh, you know, we, uh... I broke it up when, uh, you know, my ex wanted to give it another go."
I nod as Gordon says, "Complicated." Booth sighs, "Ah! That's it! I shot the clown because I can't let go of the women in my life. Ha! Thanks, Doc. All right, now I can go back to work, and you can sign the paper!" "Excellent theory, but quite wrong. And we're out of time. Tomorrow all right for you?" I chuckle a bit as Booth looked exasperated as Gordon then says before he goes into his house, "And do come tomorrow as well Venus." "That is very kind of you but I don't..." "I insist you come as well tomorrow, I could see that we all are making amazing progress." I just nod and smile as he walked inside his house. Booth and I both sigh and sit on the seats and we looked at each other knowing that we both need to come back tomorrow. I then said, "You're the one that dragged me to this... Even though you say that I looked like I enjoyed today in which I did, there are many things I need to do at the Jeffersonian." We both took a few seconds of silence as we go back to Booths car and call it for the day.
Later that day when we were going to the lab to drop me off Booth decided to turn around and go back to Gordons home. So it was already dark outside as we walked up his home and Booth knocks on his door. Gordon opens it , "Oh." I waived a hello as Booth was first to speak, "Hi." "Um, do we have a scheduled..." Booth cut him off, "Um, listen, I really need to get back to work, so why don't you give me one of those clown retraining orders and just sign my paper." I rubbed my eyes as Gordon says, "Have you had an insight, then, as to why you shot at the clown?" "Yeah. You know, I have some insight."
Booth phone rings as he takes it out and show Gordon, "It's right here. That's my... Bones calling, huh? My other partner. Right?" Booth then answers the phone as Gordon went back inside to get something, "Yeah, Bones." "So when are you coming back with Venus again?" "What, aren't you playing nice with Sully?" "I'm just not sure how serious he is about his job." I then say, "That's all right Temp, you will get used to it." Booth then says, "Oh, look, he's one of the best, all right? He just likes to keep his options open." "I've noticed." "Listen, Bones, Sully, he, uh, lost his partner about, uh, a year ago, all right? Something like that happens, you just, you hear the clock on the inside ticking just a little bit louder. So, uh, you know what, you're in good hands. Here he comes, so I gotta go, gotta, go, gotta go."
I then add, "Good night Temp, I might see you later or tomorrow." Booth hangs up as we turn back around with a sweater on coming towards us. Booth then says, "So... All right, so maybe I am a little irritable." I give him a knowing look as he then says, "Maybe a bit more than a little irritable..." I nod as Gordon asks, "Why do you think that might be?" "Come on, look, don't they give you, like, papers and files and reports and...?" I walked over to where Gordon is and sit on a seat as Booth then says, "All right, um..." He then sits next to me and exhales, "Me and my partners caught up to this serial killer by the name of Howard Epps, and he died." Gordon then asks, "And whose fault was that, yours or your partner's?" "No, no, he jumped over that balcony because of her." He points at me when saying that and then chuckles as I looked away as Booth continues, "Sometimes I think he had the right idea." "And where were you when Mr. Epps fell?"
"Holding his arm." "No, that was before he fell, surely." Booth and I were both confused as Booth says, "What?" "Well, Mr. Epps was dangling from your arm before he fell, at which point he was no longer dangling but falling. Attached to you, he was alive; no longer attached, dead." "Well, I don't feel guilty about that. I mean, Epps was a serial killer. He tried to kill both of my partners and he threatened my son. I was glad when he hit that pavement." "Do you think about suicide often?" "Suicide? Me?" He chuckles, "No, no, never." "And yet you sometimes feel that Howard Epps had the right idea about jumping off that balcony?" "It was a joke. Okay? It was a joke." "Yes. You do that a lot, don't you? Makes me feel such a bully for prying. Well, we'll pick up on this next time. And maybe if there is some extra time we could indulge in yours Venus." Booth and I just looked at him as he pats Booths shoulder and pats my head and leaves back to his house.
The next morning Booth dragged me bright and early to Gordons house as I wore some of my working overalls when I am either repairing my cars or working on a new project that involves getting dirty. Booth and I made amazing progress on the future grill that is constructed with bricks. Gordon then comes over to us with three cups of coffee saying, "Ah. You know what? I'm in America. We're men and woman. Let's drink coffee, not tea, eh? Oh, I say, doing a marvelous job." I then say, "Thank you."
Booth takes a sip of the coffee then saying, "That's not coffee." "Ah. What is it?" "I don't know what the hell it is, but sure as hell isn't coffee, Doc." I make sure everything is aligning together as Booth continues with the bricks as Gordon says, "You tend to do things well, don't you? Make coffee, build barbecue machines." I chuckle nodding as Booth then says, "It's not really a 'machine." "Solve crimes, raise a son, love women. Leave women. Whatever you aim at, you hit."
Booth drops his gloves as I continue working on the barbecue as he says, "Is that bad?" By no means, no, of course not. Except..." "Oh-ho, okay, here we go. Let me have it, Doc." I then sip the suppose coffee not minding it as I then continue working as Gordon says, "Except it is indicative of a need to control your environment." "Again I ask, uh, is that bad?" "No, of course not, no. Except..." "Except?" "Except when you shoot a clown." "You know, you make it sound like he was walking around making balloon animals." "For the most part, your rebellions are small." "Rebellions?" "Mm, the colorful socks, the funky belt buckle. They're mechanism. Quiet rebellions. A way of asserting your personal control over a homogenizing organization like the FBI. But shooting a clown is not a quiet rebellion."
Booth phone rings as Gordon continues talking, "Shooting a clown is quite literally deafening." Booth then picks up the phone as I go over to him and Temp then says, "Hey, it's me." "Yeah, hold on for a second. Wait, why is it, Doc, every time I answer the phone you walk away?" "Why do you answer the phone knowing it'll make me walk away?" I chuckle as Booth says, "Yeah, you know what, Bones, I gotta call you back." "Well, uh, is Sully for real?" "What?" "I just can't decide whether or not to take him seriously."
I then ask, "Was he acting unprofessional sis?" "No, he's very professional, it's just... can he really do all he says he can do?" Booth then says, "Oh, you mean that whole master carpentry thing? Yeah, well, he made me a dining room set last year." I then looked at him, "What? What happened to me? Did you replace me?" "No, he just insisted on making me one and I couldn't refuse..." I nod as Temp says, "He's a carpenter as well?" "As well as what?" "That's Sully calling right now. We're um- We're doing, you know, what we did." "Oh, you know, I'll be back soon. Even with Venus." "Okay. I'll talk to you later." I say goodbye as well as Booth hangs up as he looks at me, "Am I being replaced?" I shake my head, "No, she would never replace you."
It was dark as I finished off all the piping and cords to get the grill working as I gave Booth the signal to start it up and check if it is working. He uses a lighter to turn it on as Gordon come outside, "Oh... my... good... Lord!" I chuckle as Booth says, "That's right!" Gordon then asks, "How many bricks did you use in the end?" Booth, "You know, 180 bricks. Right? So you can go sign away." Gordon then spots something on the grill, "What are those?" Booth then says, "Oh, those are three beautiful prime rib eye steaks. All right, being the barbecue master that I am, I thought I'd show you how to barbecue, Doc." "Oh, but I don't want to be shown. I want to learn by trial and error."
"No, no, no, Doc. Come one, listen, it's better to learn off hamburgers or sausages. You know, those puppies cost 50 bucks a pop." "Hm. You know, according to the FBI reports... there was no way you could save Epps' life. Both of your partner's report says the same thing. An FBI sniper on the opposite roof saw everything his scope. According to all witnesses, you have nothing to feel guilty about." I sigh lightly knowing the actual truth even though Booth doesn't know that I do know as he says, "Yeah, so?" "So why in a fit of pique did you endanger innocent people in a public thoroughfare by discharging your firearm?"
Booth closes the grill lid as he then says, "I'm a good shot. I didn't put anybody in danger." "How many people have you killed?" This was a very touchy and dangerous subject for Booth and I who don't like to recall the numbers, as Booth says, "I lost count." "Oh, you can remember 180 bricks, but not how many lives you've taken?" It was quite for a few seconds as he then says, "Epps makes 50." "50 what?" "50 kills." "But Agent Booth, you didn't kill Epps. You tried to save him, remember? Or perhaps I'd better put it as a question. Did Howard Epps slip from your grasp, or did you release him?"
I look at Booth knowing how tough it is to rencounter the scene as Gordon says, "Oh, come now, man, it's a simple enough question. Was he indeed your 50th kill, or did you just happen to be there when he died?" Booth looks at me and Gordon struggling what to say, "I don't know." "A man like you, in control of every situation, and you don't know?" "I don't know. I... I had him, and I lost him and-and... something happened in between. I don't know." "I believe you. Because for a man like you to admit you don't know, to relinquish control, that could indeed argue a disruption in your self-view that was large enough to... motivate you to shoot a clown."
He then smiles, "You know, I think we made marvelous progress. This is a place from which we can certainly begin." He then sits down, "You know what? I've changed my mind. I would love you to cook those steaks." Booth and I smile as Gordon signs the paper and hands it back to Booth as he says, "I can do that." I sit down across from Gordon, "Medium rare, please, Mr. G-man." "I can do that." I then say, "You know my favorite Ranger." Gordon turns and looks at me, "Don't worry Venus, I did not forget about you." I looked at him and sigh, "I can see that I won't be able to get out of your ticks and grips... all right, where should I start?" "Well, I don't have a file about anything you so, tell me everything about yourself." "Mmm... okay I suppose we could start off with something easy like that..." I start telling my about my background and any past history as Booth would also join and ask occasional questions.
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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.