-Venus POV-
Temp and Booth went to check out the hotel where Jared went to for the seminar thing as I was in Angie's office lying down on her couch that faced away from the door. I was working through some paperwork as she was doing the same occasionally asking some questions on what she should put on certain areas as I hear someone coming over to the door. I stayed in my place as Angie looks over at the door as she says, "Hey, Wendell. Come in." I guess he still hasn't seen me as I hear him step inside as she asks, "What can I do for you?" "I was looking for Venus, but then I remember you said come to you with questions." I listen not saying anything as I gave a hush tone to Angie who looked at me as she got the message looking back at Wendell noding as he then says, "I owe people money." "It's not technically a question, so there's not much for me to go on." "What I got to do is keep my nose clean, graduate at the top of my class, and get a good job so I can pay off that debt." "You're worried about getting fired because you can't satisfy Dr. Brennan, right?" "Never mind. I'll try finding Venus again." Angie and I look at each other as I motion for her to bring him back so we could handle his concern as she gets up from her desk, "Wendell... Wendell, hold on. You never actually asked me a question."
I could hear him stop right in front of the door as he then says, "The guy, the psycho who helped the serial killer?" It pained me a bit from hearing people thinking Zack as that type of person as they don't know who he actually is. Angie looks over at me seeing the bit of hurt on my face as she then says to Wendell, "Could you please not call Zack a psycho? Crazy as it sounds, we all love him... especially Venus who was her best friend..." Wendell nods a bit then asks, "He was Dr. Brennan's boy toy, right?" Angie and I were confused as she asks, "What, boy toy, as in... sexual?" He nods as she scoffs, "No. Where did you get that...? No. Absolutely not. If anything, he would've had the hots on Ven..." I thought this was the perfect time to interrupt as I started blushing, "Not true!"
This startled the both of them as I get up from the couch and walked over to the two. "First of all Zack was never Temp's boy toy. Second we already talk about us just being friends Angie. Third, she is right about not calling Zack a psycho... I don't like when people call him that. So please don't, all right?" I look at Wendell as he nods understanding and still a bit surprised for not noticing me there as I say, "And lastly you don't need to go looking for me anymore as I am right in front of you. So what else do you have to ask." "How about the FBI guy." "Again, no. Wrong." "Then she hit on me." "I don't think so." "She looked at me right in the eyes and asked if I had any experience with older women. It's like, if you want to work around here you gotta..."
I then cut him off by placing my hands on his shoulder making him look at me, "Wendell, stop. You need to understand that she did not mean it that way at all, because she absolutely didn't hit on you. She was genuinely asking out about you opinion on whatever she asked you about because the case involves the victim having a relationship with a women that was 20 years older than her. You understand?" He nods looking at my eyes as I smile, "Good, I'm glad we talked. And if anything, we could talk more later, all right." He nods, "Yeah... I would like that." I smile, "All right, talk to you later and get back to work." He nods as I start heading back to the couch as he asks, "Where you going?" "Back on the couch to finish some last paperwork before Angie finishes with the victim cell-phone." He nods leaving as Angie looks at me, "You seem close with him." I nod, "Yes... Yes, I am. Why?" She shrugs smiling, "No reason." I nod looking at her seeing that something was bothering her, "Are you okay Angie?" She nods, "Yeah. Just thinking about something." I nod, "All right, but if anything, tell me about it and I could help you out." She smiles and nods as we get back to work.
An hour later Angie was on the computer as I walk up to her, "You get anything off the victim's cell phone?" "I was able to recreate a call list from the SIM." She brings up the log as I look seeing only person being called as I say, "He only called one number." "Once a day for 30 days at exactly the same time." "Who is it?" I called the number and recorded the answer:" She plays it as we hear a receptionist, "Forward-Retro Publishing. How may I direct your call?" Angie then asks, "Does that mean anything to you?" I nod, "Yes, it does. Foward-Retro is the publisher who dropped Jarred Addison after his second book, the one who never wanted to talk to him again." We both look at the Jared's photo as I then say, "I'll let Ranger know what you found. You did another amazing job Angie." "Thank you, I'll be here all day." We chuckle as I make the call to Booth.
I was with Temp, Booth and Hodgins as he finally got the fly to hatch which led us to a garden shop as Booth asks us, "So what do we think here, huh?" Temp asks Hodgins and I, "Yeah, what do you think?" I smile as Hodgins says, "Oh, yes, this is definitely an environment conducive to the white fly." I nod as Hodgins and I fist bump while looking around the place as Booth whistles as I say, "We should start taking some samples." Hodgins and I split from Temp and Booth as a man comes out asking, "Can I help you?" Booth speaks, "Yeah. FBI. Special Agent Seeley Booth. We have a warrant here to search the premises." The man asks, "Is this about Jared Addison's murder?" "Yeah." I was looking around as I hear Booth then say, "No, no, Bones, don't touch that. There's tons of disgusting stuff and chemicals..." The man says, "Not here. Our fertilizer's 100% organic. My own blend." "Uh! There you go. Now you're gonna get sick, your stomach's gonna go upside down, it's gonna be a mess." I then hear Temp say, "Coffee." "Coffee?" "Sea kelp and coffee grounds. Jared Addison was here shortly before he died." "Jared was my mom's boyfriend. Heavy emphasis on the 'boy."
Booth then asks, "Yeah, well, we heard this place kind of freaked him out." "All the germs, yeah. But he was here. I don't know if it was the dirt that made him squirm or the question, but the kid toughed it out." I then ask from a certain area, "What question?!" "He wanted my permission to marry Mom." Booth asks, "And what was your answer?" "I told him I thought it would be creepy to have a stepfather who was ten years younger than me. I told him he should forget about it and try to be normal." Temp asks, "You told him no?" "I said no, he could not have my blessing. He's lucky I didn't conk him on the head and chop him up for fertilizer. But I didn't." I come over to them at the same time as Hodgins as he says, "White flies. I'll do some lab work, but they look to be the exact strain that I hatched at the lab." I stopped noticing the flies right by the garden tools as Booth asks, "I'm sorry, did you just say you did conk him on the head?" "I said I didn't."
I decided to call over Temp and Booth, "Ranger. Temp." "Yeah?" "Flies on the shovel." Booth nods, "Oh. We know that flies are attracted to manure and blood." I nod taking out my kit, "The flies are mostly on this shovel. It follows that there's something different about this one. Will the warrant let me test the shovel?" "Well, yeah, it's out in the open, so it's fine." I nod smiling, "I'm going to use phenolphthalein. It'll tell us if there's blood present on the shovel." I grab the q-tip swabbing the shovel as I place it inside the tube of chemical as the q-tip turns pink as the guy asks, "What's pink mean?" Hodgins answers, "It means you caved in Jared Addison's skull." I nod adding, "And/or removed his head." Booth then says, "I'm going to have to ask you to close up shop and take you downtown. We have a few questions we'd like to ask you." I then ask, "Could you drop you drop Hodgins and I off on the way back?" Hodgins nods agreeing as Booth nods, "All right."
I am walking around the lab as Angie comes over to me, "All right, I already talked about this with Sweets, but I need a second opinion." I nod, "All right. What is it?" "Wendell?" "What about Wendell?" "He might be nuts." "Why?" "He thinks Brennan hit on him." I was confused, "Did you not hear our conversation?" "No, I left him with you since it seemed he wanted to talk to you more." I nod, "I see, okay. Why do you think he thinks that then?" "Well, remember when he said that she asked if he was interested in having sex with an older woman. Which is impossible." I nod, "I see, so you left us after he said that?" "Yeah. But I am certain she didn't say that." I chuckle, " No, I really do think she'd say that Angie." "No, no. I've we've known Brennan for years and there's no way. You should especially know since you are her sister."" I nod, "Your right. But our murder victim was 28 years younger than his girlfriend and Temp was most likely looking for insights in her usually way." She nods, "Yeah, your probably right." I nod, "You know, we should let him know that you misjudged him and we could put this all behind each other." "Well, remember when Wendell also said that he owes a lot of people a lot of money and that he really needs this job. Like the mob or something." I chuckle, "I really don't think so Angie. Like I said, you probably misjudged him and interpret it wrong. I could think of other ways someone owes someone money without it being related to something bad. But if you would like I could accompany you and we could talk to him about it." She nods, "Yeah... that would make me feel better." I nod smiling wrapping my arm around hers, "Well, let's go look for him then." She nods as we walk.
We are upstairs on the second floor as we spot Wendell seeing him putting a cigarette in his mouth as I then get his attention saying, "Somebody as smart as you should know better." He looks at me as I gave him a soft smile as he stands straight saying, "Oh, I don't smoke. I just... I don't smoke." I chuckle, "Don't worry Wendell, I was just messing around with you." "Oh." "But I do have someone who needs some things to be cleared up." He looks at me curiously as I nudged Angie as she sighs and then says, "So... you weren't totally wrong about Dr. Brennan." "I can't risk having sex with my boss. Like I said I got debts." I then cough, "Yuh, remember what I said before Wendell, her interest was only anthropological." "I know, but she was looking at me right in the eyes." I chuckle, "She's very direct..." Angie adds, "And awkward." I nod as Cam then says to him, "Now, you've got two choices here: you either answer the question, like me or Zack, or you tell her she's being inappropriate, like Booth and Cam."
I nod, "Yeah, but mine is a bit of both. But either way, she's not gonna hold it against you." "You sure about this?" Angie and I nod as I say, "For certain. I mean I should know my own sister better than anyone else." "Dr. Brennan is your sister?" I nod, "I thought you already knew that since we followed her last time together?" Angie looked interested in this conversation as I then say to her, "I'll tell you more later, but not right now." She nods as Wendell says, "I didn't know... I didn't see her face that day, she had her back facing us the whole time." I think about it for a minute recalling as I nod, "I guess your right... We'll surprise." We both chuckle as Angie then speaks, "Frankly, I'm more worried about the money owing thing." I nod a bit, "I am a bit too." "I can pay my debts."
I nod as I say, "All right. But let me know if you need any help." While Angie says, "Yeah, but you can't work on legal cases if the wrong kind of people have leverage on you, right?" "Wrong kind of people? What's that supposed to mean?" I then cough, "Not the right way to ask your worries Angie." "No, I'm just trying to help Wendell." "Yeah, but Angie..." Wendell cuts me off, "No, no, no. If she's saying they're the wrong kind of people, then so am I." I sigh thinking that they are both misunderstanding each other as Angie says to him, "Could you please not yell?" I tried to speak as Wendell then says furiously, "My whole neighborhood ponied up to send me to school. They're working people. They make money with their hands. I need to pay them back."
I quickly stand between them as I put a hand on Wendell's chest pushing him back a tiny bit as I say, "Hey. Calm down." I hear Angie says, "Oh." He tried to say something else as I just say, "It's all right. Look at me." He looks at me as I gave him a soft smile, "You're all right. I understand that your mad at what she said, but you both have misunderstood each other, right now. So, let's all calm down and listen on why she thought that way. All right." We look at each other in the eyes for a few seconds as he calms down nodding, understandingly." I smile as I look back at Angie, "All right, let's get things clear right now, so let's start off with you Angie." She nods, "I-I... I thought you owed the mob money. Like, we're working on a mob case and you owe the mob money." Wendell laughs as we then start to laugh a bit as well as he then says, "I don't owe the mob money." I then say, "Now you see the problem that we had?" They nod as Wendell then says looking at me, "And I don't smoke. When I gotta think, I ask myself what my dad would've done. He smoked all the time. Holding a cigarette, it's stupid, okay, but it helps me get into his head. But he died of lung cancer. So I do not smoke."
I nod, "I don't think it's stupid first of all and second I also do the same, but not with a cigarette. Instead, I would do something I remember my mom doing when she had to think about something." Angie then says, "Really. This is the first time I hear about you remembering something about your mom." I nod, "Yeah... but I don't really tell it to anybody. But she would take off her shoes and walk around all over the place... even if she was out in public areas... she would still do it as it helped her think better. So, I do it as well to at least think in her perspective once in a while." Wendell gives me a caring and understanding smile as I do the same as Angie then says to him, "Wow, Wendell, once you start talking, it's... wow." I chuckle, "I told you were just misunderstanding him... he's a really good and genuine person Angie." She nods as I see a bit of a blush on Wendell's face as he smiles for a second as he then says, "I don't get you people. I'd like to work here, but it's like a minefield- too many ways to step wrong." I chuckle as Angie nods, "I admit it takes some getting used to. But I think you'll be fine if you just follow Ven's guides." I shrug as she then says to him, "Good luck." I looked at her confused as she walks away as I say, "What does that supposed to mean?" She doesn't answer as I could feel Wendell's smirk from behind me as I just push his cigarette into his mouth, "I don't need here your theory about what she meant... Just stand their and think." He just smiles as I pat his shoulder walking away giving him one last look before leaving.
It was late at night as it was Temp, Booth, Cam, Hodgins, Angie, Wendell and I in the lab. We where on the platform as Cam says, 'It wasn't blood. On the shovel it wasn't blood." Booth then says, "Blueberry's magic juice didn't work." I chuckle, "It's not magic. If it was then I would've made the shovel blood." Temp then says, "Phenolphthalein is not magic." "It's an indicator that reacts with..." Wendell cuts in, "Potato proteins." I smile nodding as Angie asks, "Potato's?" Hodgins adds, "Phenolphthalein turns pink in the presence of potatoes." Booth looked at Temp and I, "I locked a guy up because of potatoes?" I nod, "It seems so Ranger." Temp adds, "He might have done it, Booth. But we all know that without the victim's head, we aren't likely to solve this murder." Hodgins then says, "Well, maybe Wendell here missed something in the bones." "I didn't." I then speak, "Don't blame Wendell. He's doing very well." Hodgins adds, "I just wish Zack were here, that's all." I smile sadly, "I do too..." Booth looked at him and I, "You both got to get over it- Zack's not coming back." I frown a bit as we then hear someone else in the lab, "I know where to find the victim's head." We all look over down at the platform seeing Zack standing there. We all looked surprised as I was the first to react as I ran down the platform jumping on Zack hugging him as he staggers back. I then hear Cam say, "This is not good." Temp then asks, "How did you get out?" "You don't appear happy to see me, but Venus."
Booth then says, "Oh. we're not. And Venus is going to get off of you right now." I then say back, "No, I am not." As Temp says, "Well, I am. I really am." She comes over to us as I finally let go as I let the others greet Zack as I hear Cam say, "I doubt he got a weekend pass." Booth then asks Zack, "Zack, how'd you get out?" "Dr. Sweets helped me." I was confused as Angie says, "Oh, well, then I totally change my mind about Sweets. I now love him." I then finally get an idea as I ask him, "Does Dr. Sweets know that he helped you?" "No." He looks at Temp as she holds his arm, "You're hurting my arm." She lets go as I chuckle wrapping my arm around his lightly as
Booth says to him, "All right Zack, you're with me and Bones. The rest of you go play with your microscopes, or whatever it is you do. Let's go- bone room, now, march. Come on." He then grabs me lifting me up moving me away from Zack and up the platform next to Cam as he says, "And that still doesn't give you a pass to stay next to her Zack. Let's go." I try to protest but they left as I sigh, "That's not fair, it happened one time..." Cam pats my back as Wendell comes next to me asking, "What happened once?" I look at him, "It really wasn't something that important... Oh, right I forgot to introduce you to Zack." "That's fine. You were excited to see your friend again." I nod, "Yeah. He's may seem a bit odd, but once you get to know him, he's really great." "You really care for him." I nod, "I do... He's my first truly friend that I ever made." He nods as I look at him, "Want to get a snack with me?" He thinks about it for a second and nods, "I could use a snack right now." We smile to each other and walk to the break room.
20 minutes later Wendell and I are walking back to the platform as I see Sweets arriving as I wave at him, "Hi, Sweets." "Hey. Do you know where he is?" "He... as in...." "Zack." I sigh, "Yes. I will take you to them." I gave Wendell a small bye as I take Sweets to where Zack, Temp, and Booth is as we hear Temp say, "He didn't name himself, his mother did." Booth asks, "His mother has OCD, too?" Zack answers, "That's the most reasonable conclusion." "But the body was found in 12 pieces, not counting the head- why?" Sweets and I stand bye the door as he then says, "The incomplete saw marks on the C-2 vertebra were hesitation marks. She couldn't deal with the part of the body that was her child's face." I nod walking over to Zack side as Booth stops me making me stand next to him.
Sweets looks at Zack, "You. You used me to escape?" Zack nods, "How?" "Your card." I then say, "Sweets, one crime at a time. Murder first." Booth nods as he asks, "Why'd she kill her son?" "He was overcoming his disorder. Jared Addison was ready to take control of his professional life. He'd found love and was ready to leave her house. It wasn't just his patterns he was destroying; it was hers. And as a result, she suffered a psychotic break and murdered her own child. You know, I still have my card." "I swapped out the magnetic strip with my loony-bon library card." I coughed a bit as Sweets then says, "Wait, that's why it didn't work?" I then say, "Sorry, I taught him that a while ago in one of our sleepovers in the past... I didn't think of anything until now." Booth then looks at Zack, "Zack, where is Jared's head?" "Everything comes in 12s. Everything except for... this." We look at the fountain seeing that this was what we missed as I jump excitedly, "You did it again Zack." I go over to him grabbing his face kissing his forehead. "That amazing brain of yours never fails us."
Temp and Booth said that I could stay with the team as to spend more time together with Zack, before he has to go back. They left as the team gathers up to go to the royal dinner as we were all leaving, I wait for a bit as Wendell was leaving as well as I stop him, "Hey, Wendell!" He stops looking at me then smiles, "Hey." "So, we are heading to the dinner right now... Would you like to join us." He shakes his head, "No, that's okay. You guys have fun, I have to get up early tomorrow anyways." I nod, "Alright. I will see you later then." He nods as I f to walk away as he then stops me, "Hey, wait." I stop and turn to look at him, "Yeah?" "Maybe, I could have your number and plan to hang out some time." I smile and nod, "Yeah, I would like that." I go over to him taking out a paper and pen from my bag and writing down my number. I hand it to him, "Well, I hope to talk to you soon then." He smiles taking the paper, "I will make sure." We chuckle while staring at each other for a few seconds. I then look away, "Well, I got to get going now. So bye." "Bye." I walk away to catch up with the rest of the team to have dinner with Zack and talk about anything with him.
We were at the dinner laughing amongst each other as Cam got a call. She finishes as she says, "Well... Zack was right." I chuckle as Angie says, "Of course he was." I nod, "As always." Zack then says, "Time to go." We all nod sadly as he continues, "I should get back." We stand up with him to accompany him back. I wait with Zack outside as Booth and Temp were going to take us over to the psych ward. While waiting Zack starts asking, "Was that the new intern Hodgins was talking about." I nod, "Yes, his name is Wendell." "Hodgins says that your close with him." I shrug, "I guess. We did meet once before I meet him again at the lab, so that probably explains why." He nods, "How is he?" "He's good. One of Temp's brightest students." He nods as I then say, "Don't worry Zack. No one can compare to your brilliant mind." Booth and Temp finally came as we entered the car and made our way over.
We finally arrived as we get out as Booth says to Zack, "Okay. Yeah, come on, let's go. Come on. Easy." We see Sweets waiting for us as he asks, "What took so long?" Booth then says, "Relax, Sweets, okay? He's all yours." "Wait, uh, I thought we'd do this together." "Look, just walk him back through the front door, okay, don't look guilty, and if anyone asks, you took him for electroshock. All right?" He then looks at Zack, "Don't escape again. You got it Zack? Figure out who our killer is, you call me, Dr. Brennan or Venus. Not Sweets. All right? Yeah." I chuckle at Booth as I go up to Zack, "Come here Zack." He walks over to me as I give him a hug as he hugs back.
I then whisper, "But if you really feel that you need to escape... just do it if you feel that someone you really care for is in danger or yourself, all right?" We separate looking at each other as he nods, "Okay." I nod patting his arm as he then says, "Hodgins says that I needed to be bolder and act first." I was confused, "Huh? Why? For what reason do you need to act ..." Before I could finish, I feel my face being pulled and my lips colliding with Zacks as I stood there shock. We are like that for a few seconds as I didn't know what to do or say as Booth comes between us pulling us apart as I just stood there still in a daze not knowing how to react to what happened.
All I hear Booth say, "All right, time for us to go and keep his paws away from you all right Blueberry." I started blushing furiously as I finally started to process the event as I was still speechless as Booth turns me around making me walk away with him as Sweets says, "Wait. What if he... I don't know, what if he overpowers me or...?" Booth looks at him, "Zack?" We then hear him say, "I'm much stronger than I look." Sweets adds, "He's done it before; he killed a man." "Okay, Zack, promise you're not gonna kill Sweets." "I promise." "There you go." "Yeah." Booth comes back over me as he pushes me back into the car as I just wave a bye to them as they wave back. We go inside as Booth drives back leaving Sweets and Zack.
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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.