Chapter Text
Some things need to happen eventually. Perhaps because of a God, or the sentient universe, or evolution. Events have a way of playing out no matter how much you try to avoid them, or ignore the subject entirely. I was never sure what to believe. As a rational person, I could not attribute every life-altering event, good or bad, to some plan created and enacted throughout my life. But as a human being, there was a certain romanticism about the idea.
Dr. Goodman had informed of one such event today. An event that needed to occur, I mean. I am now officially the longest running employee of the Jeffersonian Institute to not declare a specialization. Dr. Goodman, now the boss, used to be archeology. Dr. Shaw is restoration. My father was management, the Director of Authentications and the former of the institute himself. It’s the privilege I have from being his daughter that I could keep a position here for so long without choosing a department. Technically, I was still an intern, but my seniority here, as well as my status as the youngest scientist on staff, excelled my station long before I could ever choose. Every department seemed to get word that I was trying out divisions like candy and began requesting my time. Well, except one.
The forensics division of the Medico-Legal lab. Dr. Brennan headed the operation under Goodman, and she’s known to be a stickler for perfect candidates for her work. Her botany and entomology expert is rumored to be able to find the location of a crime scene using a speck of dirt, and Goodman speaks of her intern Zack Addy like he invented the wheel, and then recited every way the wheel could damage the rib cage upon contact. Everyone standing on the platform in front of me is a certified genius, and they’ve begun to notice I am staring.
“Can I help you, Doctor…?” Brennan trailed off, leaving the blank space to fill in my name. I’m not ready yet, so I smile.
“Dr. Goodman sent me. I don’t want to waste any more of your time, I’m here to observe and help if I can. My credentials and my file have been emailed to you, including the reason Goodman has authorized this.”
“Oh-kay…” Ms. Montenegro spoke up, “What’s your name, sweetie?” She offers the question like one would a cup of tea. She’s being kind, I realize, so I tell her.
She lights up, as does the curly-haired man standing next to her. Even the youngest, who I assume is Zack Addy, has finally looked up from the skeleton to acknowledge me. I don’t notice anything important first. Not what he was doing, not reaction, or even his demeanor. I forego all important observations to note how pretty his eyes are. I make a note to hit myself later.
“Okay, well, Angela, this skeleton is not going to identify itself, so take our new friend and show her the Angelator.” Brennan relaxes back into her role after being prickled by the interruption, this visually calms Zack down as well. Interesting. Angela leads me away. I can’t help but steal another glance as Zack, who’s stopped poking at the skull and started presenting it like a science fair. Where did that confidence come from? It’s hard to believe he was the same man slouching over the corpse moments ago, avoiding my eye. It’s like he flipped a switch. Unfortunately, as I’m noticing Zack, Angela is noticing me.
“Do you two know each other?” Angela asks, reaching to open the glass door to her office.
“Zack and I? No, no, I’ve heard of him, I just didn’t know he was so…”
“Cute?” I startle, completely emptying my expression. Angela smirks, grabbing a tablet and electronic pen from her desk.
“I… was going to say young.”
“Ohhh.” She says, but I can hear the sarcasm. “Why, you impressed?”
“Threatened, actually. I was the youngest intern at the Jeffersonian, but he looks positively green.”
“Yeah, I thought your name sounded familiar, your dad was the director of the institute before Dr. Bancroft, wasn’t he?” I nod, not wanting to draw too much attention to the subject. “You started here just before I did. Zack was already here. Luckily, I don’t think they can give you the title of youngest intern if you’re not actually the youngest intern.”
“Yes, of course.” I spoke absently, watching Angela put in her sketches to the holographic table in the middle of the room.
“You already know that, though. Because you were lying.” She didn’t even look up from her tablet as she picked me apart. The look she gave me was like a lightning bolt. She pursed her lips together in a grin. I can feel the excitement coming off of her.
“Okay, so he’s cute—“ Before I could even finish, she squealed.
“I knew it!”
“Can we get back to task at hand? Please, I’m dying here.”
“Alright, alright. I’m just so proud of the Zackinator for charming a real, live girl.”
“We haven’t actually spoken, Ms. Montenegro.”
“Please, honey, call me Angela. If I am going to be your maid of honor, we need to get past the last name thing.”
“My maid of—“ Interrupted again, this time by an outsider to the conversation.
“Angela, Dr. Brennan left with Agent Booth and asked me to work with you in the facial reconstruction.” Zack said as he entered, fully unaware of the conversation. He’s carrying the skull with him, which is now covered in markers that indicate where the flesh would fit.
“Don’t be rude, Zack, I hear you and our new intern haven’t actually spoken yet.”
“If she is to be Dr. Brennan’s new intern, that makes me Dr. Brennan’s old intern, which makes this a rivalry, and I do not want to tarnish the competition by conversing with the enemy.”
“I’m not Dr. Brennan’s new intern, Mr. Addy, I am Dr. Goodman’s intern. I am on loan to the forensic department.”
“In that case, I am Zack Addy.” Angela passes me a knowing look. She expects me to run. I tell Zack my name instead. He switches his grip of the skull to rest against his arm and we shake hands. It’s slow, tentative. I can’t help but smile a little bit. By this point, Angela seemed to be imploding. Her tablet was pressed into her chest so hard I was afraid it might crack, her knuckles turning white against the sides. Zack noticed her reaction too, but I can tell that he doesn’t understand it. His brow is so furrowed, the rest of his face is squishing together. He’s cute when he doesn’t understand things.
We spent the next couple of hours in that room, adjusting the facial reconstruction to match the markers and searching databases for the victim’s identity. Eventually, I found a match. Isabella Jimenez was a beautiful medical student, and now her skull was on the table in front of me. It never gets any easier.
“I’ll call Dr. Brennan.” Zack spoke up, brushing past me to get to his phone, which he must have left in the forensic platform. He excused himself quietly as he left the room, an apology for bumping into me. I smiled again.
“You like him.” Angela cooed, her tone mocking. She was messing with me, but she said it like a fact.
“Mr. Addy is a very impressive man, and, admittedly, a little cute, but I’m not here to start a relationship.” She seemed to consider this. Well, really she seemed to reject the statement entirely but she mercifully dropped it. “And I’m sure you’ve spoken to Mr. Addy, he doesn’t seem to fully process what relationships are yet.”
“Oh, not that I mind, honey, but why are you here?”