-Venus POV-
I was at Temps office as Booth and Temp come in with Andrew Hopps as Booth says, "Thanks for coming in to the Jeffersonian, Dr. Hopp." "I'm not a doctor yet. I'm only a third-year medical student." I then ask, "So, you tutor Robbie Timmons?" "Yeah, twice a week- here's a complete record of our meetings. He was going to hand it to Temp as Booth snatches it, "I'll take that. Thanks." Booth sees stitch marks on a pillow as he says, "So, you do a little, uh, needlepoint on the side?" I shake my head, "It's used to practice suturing Ranger." Hopp nods his head, "Yeah, next year, we use actual corpses." Booth then asks, "So, what is, uh, Robbie like?" "He's a good kid- I mean, he's never going to be what his dad wants, but he tries hard. Oh!" His watch starts beeping, "I'm sorry, I have to run. I got a class." "Did you ever meet Dr. Elliot?" We start walking out as Hopps says, "The vet that Robbie worked for? The one who got murdered? Yeah, yeah." "I take it you didn't like him, huh?" "Uh, I was raised not to speak ill of the dead." "Yeah, well, I was raised to ask questions like that, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist." "I met him maybe twice, and I'm pretty sure he was tweaking." Temp asks, "What's that?" Booth answers, "He's a meth addict."
Hopps then says, "I'm just not sure Seth Elliot was the best role model for Robbie Timmons, that's all." Temp asks, "Did Robbie Timmons' father know?" "No way. Old Don's a pretty straight arrow. Robbie's his main project, so..." Booth nods, "Well, thanks for coming in." "Hey, thanks for letting me see this place. It's legendary." I then say, "Thanks." He leaves as we go to Angie's workplace.
We are looking at images of dogs as Booth says, "It's dogfighting." Angie then says, "I hate this job, so I'm quitting to go run a gallery in Dubai." Temp then says, "Oh, it's just disgusting." I nod as Angie says, "Yeah, we got the subpoena to download Dr. Elliot's PDA records from the server." Booth asks, "These were on his PDA?" "Time-stamped the day of his death." She changes the image as I point out, "Fighting pit, spectators." Temp continued, "A rape stand used to restrain uncooperative females." I nod, "The smaller cages are for bait- smaller animals used as rewards for the winners." Booth asks us, "They teach you that in anthropology school?" I then speaks, "Pitting animals against each other is a common pastime in evolving cultures, where violence is more commonplace and animal life has no value." Angie adds, "To men. No value to men." Temp nods, "Yes, it's always men." Booth then says, "Here we go again. Okay, you three, don't get all, you know, Xena: Princess Warrior, on me, okay? I guess we know now where Elliot liked to do his gambling."
I then notice something in one of the pictures as I say to Angie, "Wait, Angie, go back." She does as I point a certain spot on the picture, "Right there, can you magnify that?" "What that blob?" "There's something familiar." Angie zooms it in as we see a ball, "It's Gladys' ball." "Who's Gladys?" Booth then says, "Could be enough to for me to get a warrant if the judge had a glass of wine or two at lunch." Angie sighs, "Dubai, people. I'm going to go sell Inuit art to gazillionaires." I then say, "If that happens could I be your first buyer." She smiles, "Yes, you will get my special discount for being my first customer." I smile, "Nice."
We are back at the Timmons place as Booth got the warrant. We get out of the car with the forensic team here as Booth says, "Okay, people, what we're looking for is evidence of a dogfighting operation." Booth then walks up to Ceasar Millan who was going to help us with the dogs this investigation. "Mr. Millan, thank you so much for coming." "I hope I can help." Temp then says, "We've seen you on TV." "Thank you." "No, I only stated a fact- there's nothing inherently complimentary about being on television." I chuckle and shake my head, "She's happy you're here and so am I and Ranger." Booth nods as Mr. Timmons and Robbie come out as he yells, "What the hell's going on here?! " Booth then says to an agent, "You know what? Serve them this warrants; tell them we're looking for Astroturf." Temp then asks, "So where do we look first?" "Start with the larger outbuildings. Come on." As we were walking Ceasar then says, "You don't hurt the ones you love. You don't send the ones you love to their death for entertainment." I nod as I see something in the distance as I nudge Temp and point over to the area. She nods as we start walking our way over as we hear Booth says, "You must really hate these guys." Ceasar nods, "I really do."
Temp and I look through the gate to see the area to have been dug up recently as we go inside and Booth comes over as well and sees as he asks, "What is it?" Temp speaks first, "He said that the dogs fight to their death, so we should have expected this." I nod sadly, "Yeah....". Two hour later Temp and I have dug up the remains of the dogs as I say, "It's a mass grave. These seem to be all dog bones, but there's some trash, betting slips." Booth nods, "We'll send it all back to the Jeffersonian. See if we can trace the betting slips. Find these people and charge them." I nod as Temp says, "Yes, that would make us feel a bit better, if we did that." Ceasar then comes out over to us, "Agent Booth, we found something." We enter the building as we see the place and Booth nods, "Yup, dogfighting ring, the Astroturf." I add, "It's just like the pictures on Elliot's PDA." Booth asks Ceasar, "Find any dogs?" "Yes, quite a few, in fact." He opens a door revealing several chained-up dogs that started barking at us. We all sigh as Ceasar then starts shushing them getting them to stop barking and lay down as he snaps his fingers, and they all listen to him. I looked at him amazed as Temp asks, "Booth, "How does he do that?" Booth answers, "he's a dog whisperer." He does the same thing as Ceasar by snapping his fingers and shushing. I chuckle at him as Temp looked at him weirdly, "You didn't do anything." I pat his back, "It's not meant for everyone Ranger."
We had the dogs sent back to the lab as Ceasar was with us. The dogs where growling as he says, "Hey, stop that now." Temp then asks, "Could I see your teeth, please?" The first dog barks causing all the others to as well as he says, "That's not how you do it. Sss. Down." The dog listens as I open the cage and the dog starts to whimper. Ceasar opens the dogs mouth to show the teeth as Temp compares it with a molding as she then shakes her head, "No, it's not a match." We get up as I close the door and go to the next dog as Ceasar says, "That mold you made, it's like Cinderella's slipper." I chuckle and nod as Temp says, "That story never made sense to me, but yes." The dog starts growling as Temp tries to do the same thing as Ceasar, "Hey, stop that now.
The dog barks as she continues, "Shh-shh-shh." All the other dogs start barking as well as Ceasar says, "It's not as easy as it looks." Temp continues as I tap her shoulder making her stop and look at me as I then say, "Sss!" The dogs stop barking as Ceasar nods impressed, "I guess not for some. Very well done." I smile and bow, "Thank you." Temp then asks, "How did you do that?" I shrug, "I am not sure... I just acted as if I was the alpha of the pack." Ceasar nods and then goes back to the dog, "Down." The dog does so as I open the gate and Ceasar reveals his teeth as Temp compared it to the mold. "It's a match." Ceasar asks, "Are you positive?" "This is the killer dog, yes." We looked at the dog sadly as Ceasar pets him, "I'm sorry, buddy. So, sorry, buddy."
It was the next day, and we went back to Dr. Elliot's workplace as we hand Karen Ripley the dog file as she asks, "Ripley." I nod, "According to the American Veterinary Identification Device database, his owner brought him here." Booth adds, "To be put to sleep." Karen nods, "It's true. Do you know why?" "Why?" "Because they didn't know when they bought him that he'd get so big." Temp asks, "You didn't euthanize Ripley?" "Seth couldn't do it. The dog was completely healthy. Instead, he found Ripley a new home." Booth asks, "Where?" "That I don't know." I add, "Ripely ended up at a dogfighting facility run by Don Timmons." "No, Seth devoted his life to saving dogs. He simply wouldn't do that. Not on purpose."
-No One POV-
They were back at the lab as Brennan and Venus where in her office. Brennan was on the computer with Ripely's head on her lap and Venus was asleep with her head on Ripely as they were all content in their positions. Booth walks in, "Hey, Bones, Blueberry, Don Timmons' alibi checked out." He looks at the empty cage weirdly as he turns his head at Ripley and Venus asleep on him and back at the cage quickly, "He was in Chicago... Whoa, what are you doing?" Temp shushes him pointing over at Venus asleep as Ripely looks at him as she says, "I'm just going through the case to see if I miss anything." "Uh, the dog should be, you know, in the cage, not under a sleeping Blueberry. He killed Seth Elliot." "Well, it's not his fault. He's actually a very nice dog, aren't you? Plus, he helps Venus sleep better. I never seen her sleep so peacefully. He also reminds me of you." "Me?" "He's got warm and reassuring brown eyes, and he's capable of great violence." "Hey, great. Thanks a million." "Wait, Booth, look at this cruelty. They send dogs into fight, to die or be hurt, and then they stitch them back up and they send them out to fight again." "Yeah, that's pretty cruel."
He then looks at Venus again still asleep. "Has she not been sleeping well?" Brennan shakes her head, "Not really. Her episodes have increased since everything that happened, and she feels at fault for it. But during this case she still is upset but much less since she's been playing with the dogs, and she hasn't woken up so far with Ripely here." He nods as Temp looks at another image as she notices something, "We've been assuming it's been Seth Elliot doctoring these dogs." "Well, he was a vet." "But look..." She shows him an image of a dog stitched up in a very familiar pattern. "... common suture stitch. See here how it's uneven in the same way. And there's an 'X' at the end." "So?" "It's distinctive. And I've seen it before."
-Venus POV-
We are at the barn at the Timmons as we gathered up three people as Temp says with a picture, "Common suture, uneven... 'X' at the end. Same thing. It's like a fingerprint." I nod as Booth grabs the pillow comparing it to the picture. "The thread is green nylon. You better believe we'll match it. " Hopp then says, "Stitching up wounded animals isn't a crime." Mr. Timmons then asks, "What's going on?" "Just everybody shut up, and we'll be fine." We hear a dog bark as we turn around as Booth says, "Everyone, this is Ripley." Temp adds, "He killed Dr. Elliot." Mr. Timmons adds, "None of us ever saw that dog before." I then say, "Well, we can tie Andy here to all of these wounded animals and to Ripley."
Robbie then asks seeing Ceasar, "Is that that guy from TV who talks to dogs?" Booth nods, "Yes. You see, we want to know who sicked Ripely here on Seth Elliot." I nod as Temp says to Mr. Timmons, "We don't need you. We know you were in Chicago." Ceasar then asks both Robbie and Hopps, "Would you mind clapping like this?" He claps at Hopp says, "No, we won't do that." Mr. Timmons looks at Robbie, "Do it Robbie." "What?" "You're not his master. Do it." Robbie claps as Ripley just sits still. Ceasar shakes his head, "It's not him." I see Booth step behind Hopp's and claps his hands loudly as Ripely barks and runs over to Hopps sitting waiting for what he has to say. Booth then says, "Look at that." I add, "He's waiting for your command." "May... maybe my dog killed Dr. Elliot, but that doesn't mean I made him do it." Mr. Timmons then speaks, "Ripley's a good dog. He wouldn't attack unless he was ordered." He then looks at his son, "Tell these people what you know about Seth Elliot." Robbie looked conflicted as Hopps then says to him, "Robbie..." He shakes his head at Robbie as he then speaks, "I-I saw it. Andy told Ripely to attack because he saw Dr. Elliot taking pictures of the dogfighting."
It was over as Temp and I had went out to buy things for Ripely. As we made it back to Booth's office we see him sitting on his desk as we say, "Hey." "Hello." "Hey. Robbie Timmons gave a statement. Andry Hopp set the dog on Seth Elliot. Apparently, Elliot was furious when he found out the dog he'd given to Timmons was used in dogfighting." I then say, "Dr. Elliot took all the photos to turn into the police." "Andrew Hopp would have lost his main source of income. He would have been forced to leave medical school." Temp then asks, "What about the rest of the people in the dogfighting ring?" "Don't worry about it. We'll round them up. So... What do you two got there?" Temp and I smiled as I take out the first thing out of the bag as Temp says, "Well, we've decided to adopt Ripley."
I nod as I take out the collar and leash as Booth says, "Bones, Blueberry..." But I continued, "I've already contacted a dog walker and a doggie day car place, and our dad will take him when both of us have to leave town. We got a little tag. See? Ripley Brennan." Booth sighs sadly, "He was put down." Temp and I freeze as we ask, "What?" "I'm sorry. He killed someone, and they had to put him down." I just sit down on the chair looking at the collar as Temp says, "It wasn't Ripley's fault. People made him do what he did." "I know. I'm sorry." "You can tell he's a good-natured dog." I then ask, "They put him down?" Booth nods, "Yeah." I chuckle as Temp sits down on the other seat next to me as I then say, "It's not fair." "It isn't Blueberry, but that's what it is."
I nod, "I know... it's just sad, that's all. I mean, everything was looking good, everyone was happy, my episodes weren't the same as it used to be... it was all good, until Zack... He's my best friend... the first friend that I ever made... someone that I dropped my guard around other than my family and you Ranger. But after what happened with him... he's still my best friend, but that feeling is no longer the same as it used to be... and my episodes are reoccurring more again. But when we had Ripely for that short amount of time, I was feeling happy again, no worries... I felt more relaxed... but he's gone now too." Temp grabs my hand and squeezes it in reassurance as Booth says, "Blueberry I'm sorry." I sigh looking at the collar as Temp asks, "What are they going to do with his remains?"
Next thing we are at a park nearby a beautiful lake as we dug up a hole and put Ripley inside as Booth was burying him as Temp then asks, "Hey, Booth?" "Huh?" "Can I do that?" "You sure?" "Yeah. You and Ven dug it." Temp starts to finish burying him as I ask Booth, "So did Sweets help you with Parker?" "Yeah. I told Parker that it's best just to walk away sometimes." Temp asks, "What, sometimes? Isn't it always better to walk away? You know, this dog would still be alive if he wasn't forced to fight." "I told him to walk away if it's for himself and stand up and fight if it's for someone else. I don't know if that was the right thing to say, but..."
I shake my head cutting him off, "It was the best way to say it. That's something that I even stand by." Temp nods, "You're a very good father." Temp finished as Booth asks her, "So, do you want to say something?" "Well. I feel that this dog, Ripely, paid a price that was unfair." "It's not my fault. Bone's why are you talking to me?" "You and Ven are the only ones here." "Talk to the universe... or God or Ripley." "I don't believe in God." "Well, God spelled backwards is 'dog'." Temp and I give Booth a weird look as she continues, "And Ripely is dead. Plus, he's a dog, with, you know... limited vocabulary skills." I nod agreeing about that part as Booth says, "Bones, just... Speak from your heart." She sighs and nods, "On behalf of humankind, universe, I'd like to apologize for what happened to Ripley. He was born a cute little puppy... and then the people who adopted him wanted to kill him because they were too stupid to realize that he would grow into a big dog." I nod, "You're doing good Temp."
She nods and continues, "Ripley was a good dog. He didn't want to fight, but he did it to please his master. He didn't want to attack a human being, but he did it to please his master. You know, it wasn't Ripley's fault that his master was cruel and selfish. Like all dogs, Ripely only saw the good in people. Dogs are like that People should take a lesson." I nod at Temp as I take out his little name tag and place it on his grave as Temp asks, "Is that enough?" Booth and I nod, "Yeah." Booth continues, "As much as any good dog... he... could hope for. Even with the limited vocabulary skills, okay?" Temp nods as I give her a hug as she does the same. Booth then comes in as well as all three of us hug together in memory of Ripley.
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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.