Chapter Five: You had one Job

The brunette walked into the police station and nodded at the officer on duty.

"I'm here for Hannah Price." Temperance Brennan stated, scrunching her nose at the distasteful smell of the room. Colbert, that was the name on the officers badge, nodded and got up from his chair, pushing a door open for her to walk in.

Sitting quietly and cross legged in a shared cell with her eyes closed and head resting against the cold brick wall, Hannah nursed her wrist and hummed softly to herself.

"Agent Price, someone is here for you." She opened her eyes at the sound of Colberts voice and blinked slowly as she sighed and nodded at Brennan.

"Is she free to go?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Then let her out." Colbert unlocked the cell and beckoned to Hannah. She pushed herself into a standing position, holding her wrist closer to her as she walked past her glaring inmates.

"Thanks for coming to get me." Hannah said meekly as she was handed her shoes, wallet,  phone and keys. Brennan nodded.

"Why didn't you call Booth? He's your partner after all."
"Yeah, but then I would have to tell him a whole lot of stuff that I don't really want to tell him." Brennan shook her head as she led Hannah to the car.

"I agree that Booth is nosey-"
"I didn't say that."
"But you implied and I agree. But he cares." Hannah allowed Brennan to open the door for her so that she could slide in and start to slip her shoes on.

Brennan got in on the otherside and turned the car on.

"I'm going to take you to the hospital, okay? You need to get your wrist checked out."
"Why can't you just look at it?" Hannah asked, resting her head on the frame. Brennan smiled as she started driving to the hospital.

"Well let me tell you about when I injured Booth so badly he couldn't come to work."

                       ************

When she finally crawled into bed that night, Hannah's wrist was wrapped tightly in a black brace. She had some torn cartilage and a broken knuckle as well as some bruised ribs, a headache and some swelling to her knee. She lay on her back in the dark and stared at the ceiling, resisting the urge to itch at her tattoo as she reflected. Her tattoo was under her brace as her brace was sat so snugly that it wasn't causing her any pain.

Grabbing her laptop from the floor with her right hand, she flipped up the lid and turned it on, listening to it hum to life. A dip in the bed and the 'prrp' of her cat talking to her made her smile as Aslan rubbed up against her leg.

"Hey boy." She patted her lap and he immediately crawled on, stretching out across her legs and resting up against the computer. Heading for her music, she chose her Playlist that she wanted and then moved the  computer to the floor and closed her eyes, humming along to the quiet hymns of her childhood.

                    ************

"Hey, Gran."
"Oh, Hannah my dear. How are you?"
"Yeah,  I'm okay. How's Utah?"

Hannah was curled up in her shorts and a sports bra on a Saturday morning, bad hand holding her cellphone to he ear as she talked to her favourite people in the world.

Heather and Richard Nardini had moved to Utah not long after Hannah had gone to Quantico. Her grandparents had raised her from the age of 13 and Hannah loved them to absolute pieces.

"Oh, you know Utah. It's not the same as San Francisco, that's for sure." Heather commented, sighing dramatically.

"You say that every time, Gran. And every time I say,"
"Just go back to San Fran." The two women said together. They both chuckled and Hannah sighed.

"How are you and gramps?"
"We're fine, lovey. Your grandfather has picked up a new hobby."
"And what's that?"
"He calls it... Oh.... Richard, what your new hobby?" Hannah grinned at Heather yelling. She heard the muffled response of her grandfather before Heather spoke to her again.

"He calls it 'Chingo.'"
"Chingo?"
"Chess and bingo all at once." Hannah laughed.

"Thats absurd. They are two different games."
"Well his new hobby is making it a game that works. Now, what's new with you? How's that job of yours?" Hannah shrugged.

"It's good. We had a case that wasn't a case and then I got an odd delivery that's being looked at."
"Oh, it sounds so exciting. Has Maybelle come around yet?"
"I haven't really been home but I think she's coming over today... Which reminds me that I need to called James and letcha know that my wrist is in a brace because I punched someone quite a few times." Hannah rushed the last part and heard Heather tut at her.

"Hannah..."
"It was to defend someone else, I promise." Heather sighed and Hannah could almost feel the disappointment through the phone.

"We use our words, not our fists, Hannah."
"And we pray, not hurt. Yes I know.  But I couldn't help it.  I couldn't... not intervene. There was a man and a woman and two little kids..." Heather sighed and Hannah stopped.

"It was all to familiar."
"I understand." A knock at the door distracted Hannah from the phone.

"Hey Gran?  I gotta go. Someone's at the door. Give grandpa my love."
"I will, sweetie. Love you lots."
"Lots and lots of jelly tots." She hung up and walked over to the door and peeped through the peeper.

"Booth?" She opened the door and Booth glared at her.

"Arrested? Really Hannah?! Why didn't you call me!"
"I called Doctor Brennan..."
"I know you did but I could've gotten this off your record! What the hell happened?" Hannah glared at her partner and put a hand on her hip.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking. Would you like to come in? Yes? Take a seat. Make yourself at home. I'll put the kettle on, shall I?" Booth growled and walked past Hannah, taking a seat on the couch and ran his hands through his hair.

"What the hell happened?"
"I got into a fight. I got arrested because I was trying to stop the guy from harming anyone else. He got arrested too, by the way." Hannah moved into the kitchen and turned on the kettle, pulling two large mugs out of the cupboard and began the process of making tea.

"And why did you get into a fight?"
"Because I saw something I didn't like." Booth had gotten up from his seat in the lounge and grabbed the teabag from Hannah and opened it for her. She moved aside and started fiddling with the strap on her wrist.

"And what was that?"
"A man about to be abusive." Booth sighed and took the coffee container Hannah passed him.

"You were abused too?" Hannah looked over at him and breathed heavily through her nose before nodding.

"My dad."
"Me too." Hannah cocked her head. Booths abrasive and angry temperament had suddenly disappeared and Hannah sighed as she noted the hints of sorrow and empathy on his voice.

"I don't need you to feel sorry for me. It's made me who I am."
"I wasn't going to. Sometimes things happen. They aren't fair and they aren't good, but they happen." He winced at his own words and passed Hannah her cup of tea as he poured hot water into the cup. He poured his own drink and then led her back to the couch.

"How bad was it?" Hannah shrugged.

"Bad."
"Don't want to talk about it?"
"Yeeep."
"Okay then." Hannah sipped at her tea and cleared her throat.

"Thats why I have that tattoo though." Booth cocked his head. "To remember."
"I get it. You know,  my brother and I used to get abused a lot. My dad.... he was a mean one." Booth looked at his coffee and sighed. "But you aren't your past."
"Doc B told you that, didn't she?" Booth chuckled.

"She's wise."
"Eh. She asked me if a lollipop would make me feel better. I said yes and she told me that my wrist doesn't need a lollipop, it's just my subconscious mind telling me that in reality, I'm a toddler." Booths face cracked into a large smile and he began to laugh. Hannah smiled into her tea as she watched her partner lose the plot. She liked how he laughed.

"She spends way too much time with Sweets."
"Not enough time, if you ask me." Hannah leaned back into the couch and grabbed the remote. "Want to watch the game?" Booth put his coffee down and stood up.

"It may be ten am but if we're watching the game, we need beer and takeout." Hannah bounced and grinned, also discarding her tea and getting up as well.

"I think I have A beer."
"We need more than that. I'll grab the beers, you get the food."
"You got it boss." Booth moaned.

"Nooooooooooooooooooo. Not boss. We're partners, Hannah." Hannah gave him a sheepish roll of the eyes.

"What ever. We have a mission!"
"That we have chosen to accept!"
"It is our one Job!" Booth hesitated. "What?"
"You had one job and that was not get arrested." Hannah scowled and punched Booth in the arm with her good hand. He groaned and rubbed his arm.

Authors Note:
Merry Christmas and Happy New year!

I know it's short again but I'm working on it! I've been working or with the boyfriend all week and have barely had time to write so this is what you get.

Tell me what you think!

Love ya'll!
》Bree《