"Chaos Monster"

*Trigger warning*

The problem with working alongside Booth was that he was observant. He watched closely to monitor everything you did. He was also nosy, he needed to know what was happening all the time, why it was happening, and where. He was just as paranoid as Hodgins in some cases and yet he still acted as if everything was normal. Not to mention the amount of utter shit they had faced in the past few months would make anyone paranoid or scared or have their fucking guard up.

Chelsea was starting to realize that Brennan wasn't coming back for a while. Sure they both wrote this amazing book together or books together. Yes, their publicist insisted they take a book tour. That wasn't really What she cared about, she wrote those books with Brennan as a favor, she didnt care what came from them.

Yes, when Brennan first brought up the idea Chelsea thought she was crazy but now looking at it everything seems indifferent, now she misses her best friend and she has actual money. She isn't living out of her car and trying to make do with paycheck to paycheck and constantly looking over her shoulder worried about who or what was gonna catch up with her.

For now, she was just focusing on trying to make sure Booth didn't kill her, or her team. With his crazy antics. The partners found themselves at a  Jail, smoke streaming out several windows, firefighters and fire trucks outside, sirens wailing, prisoners yelling, Booth Chelsea, and Warden walking down the corridor.

"Hey, where'd the fire start?" Booth asks

"Not sure yet. It spread through the ducting though." 

Chelsea yawns.

"Maybe you'd like something a little bit more exciting, huh? Like Attica." Booth sasses.

"My neighbors are renovating their apartment and one of the workmen left his radio on. Hip hop is not conducive to sleep." the group walks past a giant group of inmates jammed into one cell. " Whoa. Are you allowed to put that many men in one cell?"

"Just cut the warden a little slack, okay, Cherry? There was a riot."

"The cell doors open automatically in a fire. The guards had to subdue the inmates so the firefighters could do their jobs."  the warden explains. A  Prisoner grabs Chelsea's hair and pulls her towards the cell. Booth grabs Chelsea immediately  and pulls her away, between him and the warden.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You stay close, okay? Many of these animals haven't seen a real woman since Reagan was president."

Chelsea nods. "Okay."

Warden pointing. "Body's in here."

"Okay, you're sure this is Howard Epps?"

The man nods. "This was his cell."

"Why not keep him on death row?"

"We don't have one. He was transferred to Bayview to be closer to the courthouse for his trial."

Chelsea is kneeling Looking at burnt remains. " Victim is male, approximately 30 years of age. He matches Epps's general size and build. Contortion indicates a . . .painful death."

"Well, after killing four teenage girls that we know about, it's just what the doctor ordered."

Chelsea continues with her assessment. "It seems as if someone threw accelerant on him, lit him on fire."

"Hey, look. Any idea who'd want him dead?"

"All the inmates hated him. Once the fire started, it was . . . It was chaos. Could've been anyone." Warden shrugs.

Chelsea is still examining the arm of the charred remains. "... Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"This is the wrist I broke."  she holds the wrist in her hand.

"So?"

"So this break is fresh," she explains as Booth makes a confused face.

"So? Cherry, they break in a fire, right?"

"Yes, but . . . there's no sign of a prior break. This man's wrist was slammed against a hard edge within the last few hours." She continues.

"Whoa, what are you saying?"

Chelsea exhales. "This is not Howard Epps."

"That's impossible."

Booth kisses his teeth. " Okay, look. All your prisoners, are they accounted for?"

"They are if this is Epps."

Booth nods. "What about the guards?"

"They've all reported in."

"Whoa," Chelsea speaks up

"What now, whoa?"

"The dye from the tattoo survived the fire." she pulls out a black light and shines it over the area. The tattoo on the remains reads  D.C. "Fire Department. He was a firefighter."

"So you're saying that the fireman comes in to save Epps, but Epps kills him, takes his uniform, and sets him on fire."

"and walks right out the front door."  Chelsea finishes throwing surgical gloves onto the floor as she stands.

The partner duo curses and glares at each other before they find it.

🍒

Zack, Angela, and Hodgins  are standing over the charred remains and examining the "SCIENCE" section of a newspaper with the headline "The Clues Are in the Bones: How Forensic Anthropology is Helping the FBI Solve Crimes."

"You look short, don't you think?" Zack points to Hodgins's in the photo.

"Is that important?"

"You were supposed to say no." Hodgins whines.

"But you are short."

"And the article describes you as robotic." Hodhins quips as Angela rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, and "wildly intelligent."

"Did you call me "the heart of the operation?" Angela asks  Reaching out to hold the newspaper.

Hodgins looks down at her with a lustful loving look in his eyes,  "Yeah. It was before you called me short." a slight smirk on his lips.

"Hey, Zack called you short. I think you're just the right height."

Hodgins nods. " Yeah?"

Angela smirks. " Short men have better leverage?"

Zack gulps thickly. "I'm feeling uncomfortable."

"Any answers?" Everyone turns around to look at Cam. Cam sees the newspaper in Angela's hand. "Hope you enjoyed your 15 minutes of fame people,"  Cam takes the newspaper from Angela. "'cause we have a psycho on the loose, so it's back to work."  Looking at the newspaper she smiles. " I photograph well. " she folds the newspaper in half and hands it back to Angela. " Okay. So what have we got?"

"The accelerant was distilled alcohol." Hodgins fires off.

"Fractures are consistent with Dr. Swan's theory. The victim's wrist was broken to match Epps's injury. A blow to the head rendered him unconscious. He was then set on fire."

Angela shakes her head. "If there was ever anyone who should be in Gitmo.."

"I agree. But, he's not. He's out and that means more victims unless we stop him first, which we will do. Or, there'll be another article written about us that won't be so kind. Where's Dr. Swan?"

"She and Booth are talking to Epps's wife."

Cam Turns and begins walking away " Okay I.D. the remains."

In Booth's office. There's a picture of a woman in a white dress with Epps. The woman sets the picture down on Booth's desk. She's sitting down in front of the desk and Booth is perched on the left side. Chelsea sits in a chair to the left.

"I'm no longer involved in Howard's life." Caroline tosses the photo on the desk.

"It's hard to believe, being his wife and all."

Caroline shakes her head. "Ex-wife. The judge signed my divorce papers last month."

"Why didn't it work out, exactly? Was it a lack of quality time or all the women he bludgeoned to death?"

She sighs. "I thought I could help Howard, but he used me. I haven't had any contact with him in over six months."

"I'd like to place you in protective custody until we find him."

" That won't be necessary." she shakes her head.

"Mrs. Epps, the women in Howard's life don't tend to live very long," Chelsea explains.

"I appreciate your concern Dr. Swan, but I've changed jobs and apartments."

Booth nods. " WE found you. Hey, Howard could too."

"I have a new life and a new boyfriend. Raymond's a good man. If he found out . . ."

Chelsea nods. Understanding. "We all have secrets in our past, Mrs. Epps. Admittedly, not as bizarre as yours, but you shouldn't risk your life just because you're embarrassed to tell your boyfriend the truth."

"Howard's interest is in young blonde girls. I'm not even his type."Caroline Gets up and walks to the door.

"If he contacts you..."

Caroline turns back to look at Booth. " I'll call." she exits.

"What-- You can't let her go! She's not safe!"  Chelsea scowls at Booth.

"Well, I can't force her to take protection, alright? I'll have the local police drive to her house every couple of hours and make sure she's safe. And you know what? You're not safe either."

She scoffs.  "But I'm not unhinged. I can take care of myself."

"You and Epps-- Okay, it's personal. You're everything that he hates."

Chelsea juts her chin forward. "And what is that exactly?" she folded her arms over her chest.

" Well, you know, you're a smart, strong, confident woman."  Chelsea smiles. " And, uh, figured him out. You made him feel powerless so he's gonna want to, uh, prove that, uh, you're weak and inferior. So, you are not to gout on your own, ever."

🦋

In Chelsea's office. Angela holds up a picture of a man in uniform, handing it to Chelsea. Chelsea  is standing in front of a board with a map with lines drawn on it linked to pictures of remains and pictures of victims.

"The burn victim is Donald Kent, a decorated firefighter."

"Epps would appreciate the irony." Chelsea looks down at the picture.

"You know Kent was still alive when he was set on fire? How many victims does that make?"

Chelsea felt the bile rise in her throat, this was new for her she never reacted like this to anything. "Seven that we know of." she pushes the feeling away.

" And they aren't just young blonde women anymore."  Chelsea sits in her chair.

"No, they aren't."  Chelsea looks over her shoulder at the board behind her.

"He's such a monster. He's killed from behind bars and new victims keep turning up and now he's out."

" We will find him, Ange. We're ready this time."

"I'm not. Look, I have some sick days coming. And I was thinking that since Epps makes me sick, that–"

"We need you, Ange. Hodgins certainly does."

Angela shakes her head. "That was low."

" I know. Did it work?"  Angela smiles.

" How do you deal with the fear?"

Chelsea. Reaching down to grab her purse, got up and set the purse on the desk. " I . . . have this." Reaching into her purse. She pulls out a very large, very shiny gun. She flips it open and closed, smiling.

" Oh, my God. That–" Angela stands. "That thing is huge. Whoa, wow. That's like, movie huge."

Booth walks in the door. "Where the hell did you get that?"

"The mall." she shrugs.

" The mall?"

She nods. "Yeah, it's pretty big, right? Bigger than the one you have."

"Excuse me. It's not the size that matters. It's how you use it."

Chelsea nods with a smirk. "Well, I think size is pretty important."

"The point is that you shouldn't have a gun in the first place!"

Angela shrugs. " If you do have one, bigger is always better."

"You're not helping!"

Angela nods a playful smirk on her face. "Right, yeah. This does seem like a private conversation. " Angela leaves.

" Yeah, private. Okay. You know, people see you with that, the next thing you know everyone in this place is gonna start packing."

" This is America. Get used to it."  A phone rings. Chelsea  sits, answering it. "Swan."

" I'd forgotten how nice it was to breathe fresh air."

Chelsea. Mouthing "Epps" to Booth who points to his phone and steps out of the office to make a call. "We will find you, Howard."

"We'll see. I can't tell you how nice it is to be out of that stupid orange jumpsuit. I mean, I have an I.Q. of 180, for God's sake, and they had me dressed like a pumpkin."

"You burned a man alive."

"Means to an end. Everything is a means to an end, Dr.Swan."

" I thought it was just women you were after."

"I felt the need to grow as a human being."

" What is it you want?" Booth snaps at Chelsea and signals for her to keep the call going. " You must want something or you wouldn't be calling."

"Yes. I want you to know that everything that happens from here on in is your fault."

Chelsea looks surprised. "Wh-what's going to happen, Howard?"

"I can't answer all your questions. Use your beautiful head, Dr. Swan. Use your head." 

Chelsea. Hangs up the phone. Booth walks back into the office looking at his notepad.

"Okay, we got it. He's in a pay phone on Water Street and 23rd."

Phone booth, receiver dangling where Epps was standing in the previous scene. Rapid beeping of the phone off the hook, and siren wailing as Booth's SUV and cop car both pull up in front of the pay phone. Booth and Chelsea exit the SUV and head toward the phone.

"Bus stop. Three different lines, they run through here." Booth nods To the cop. " Want you to check every bus stop. See any witnesses, you bring them to me."

Chelsea. Examining the phone. " Booth, Epps left us something." Takes a surgical glove out of her purse and uses it to pick up a glass jar with something white inside.

"What is that?" Chelsea shakes her head no.

🍒

Zack's office at the Jeffersonian. Zack and Chelsea. Are looking at a computer screen. Hodgins walks from the back of the room to the desk in front.

"It's bone."

'"Shaved down by a rough sandpaper. Hodgins found mica grit."

"Tell you this: If Epps comes near Angela, I'll kill him."

"What about the rest of us? " Zack moves the specimen to the microscope next to Hodgins, Chelsea follows.

"Everyone will be fine. Cam increased security."

Hodgins Adding solution to a specimen. " And you have the big gun."  Laughing. He continues. " Hey, tough to keep that one a secret. Beautiful woman with a weapon? Very guns & ammo summer issue."  Replacing the implement and looking at Chelsea he raises his brows at her with a smirk  She glares at him. " I'm gonna concentrate on my work now."

"Hey, osteon count places the victim's age as mid-30s. I'll run amelogenin and a nuclear DNA test to get sex and race."

Hodgins Looking at the screen next to him. " I got the chemical breakdown." Hodgins stands, and Chelsea and Zack move to look at the screen. "Powders in the bone are organic. It's a mixture of cardamom, tamarind, and kokum."

" Spices?"

Hodgins nods. "Yeah. The bone wasn't cooked. Why would he add spices to it?"

"Epps likes puzzles. The spices are a message." A woman screams.

Everyone runs out of the room. " ANGELA!" Hodgins yells

They follow the sound of the screams to Angela's office at the Jeffersonian. Angela is standing in front of her desk, staring aghast at a cardboard box on top, hand over her heart.

"Oh, my God." Hodgins, Chelsea, Zack, and Cam run in.

"What happened?" Angela points at the box. Chelsea looks in, Cam and Zack standing around the desk.

" A heart."

"Human. Adult. DNA can give us sex." Cam explains Chelsea rolls her eyes, she was now pissed off, it was one thing to mess with her but messing with her friends especially Angela was now sending her over the edge, she cups Angela's face inspecting her as Angela just nods. She walks back over to the box while Zack and Cam are talking out loud.

" He's killed two people today!"

"That's if this heart's from the same victim as the bone dust." Chelsea puts on a surgical glove and reaches into the box. "What? What is it?" Chelsea unfolds a piece of blood-soaked paper.

"It's the DC Sentinel article about the lab. Every line is blacked out except one. "Dr. Hodgins called Angela 'the heart of the operation." she reads.

"Son of a bitch. You don't have to stay in here, Angela."

Angela gasps.  "How did this even get in here?! I thought that there was security!"

" So did I. I-I'll take care of it." Angela and Hodgins exit.

Chelsea shakes her head. "He's coming after me through my friends."

"What?"

Chelsea sighs, "He told me whatever happened would be my fault."

Cam nods. "Then we'll make sure nothing else happens."

Back in a room at the Jeffersonian. A close-up of the heart in the box melds into an image of the heart on the screen over the autopsy table. Cam is standing on the left of the table, Chelsea on the right.

"Cut marks are on both sides of the inferior vena cava and connecting arteries. The heart was cut out using shears or scissors." Booth walks in.

"Package was delivered by a bike messenger. He said a man matching Howard Epp's description approached him on L Street. Paid cash."

Chelsea shakes her head. " He's just playing with us."

"Not for long." Booth starts pacing wearing his usual angry look just as Hodgins walks in.

" How's Angela?"

"Angry. She insisted on helping me, which worked out well. She realized that the present Epps gave us was a recipe."

Booth furrows his brows. " Wait, the heart?"

{No, the ingredients in the vial. After he ground up the bone, Epps mixed it with spices: the cardamom, tamarind, and kokum - which are all used in making curries."

Chelsea snaps her fingers. " Indian food."

" Epp's wife. The last address we had for her was in Little India over a curry restaurant." Booth grabs Chelsea Pushing Chelsea out of the room. " Come on!"

🦋

Outside Mrs. Epps's apartment building. Booth and Chelsea walk towards her open door. Booth puts out his arm to keep Chelsea behind him, opening the door with his other hand. Chelsea pulls out her big gun, checks the barrel, and clicks it closed.

Booth rolls his eyes. " You know, I could have the Bureau pull your license."

" Yeah, and I could assign Zack as your forensic anthropologist." They both enter guns at the ready walking cautiously through the apartment.

" The place hasn't been rented since she moved."

" You know, it's just not logical. Playing games with us? It's just gonna lead us right to him." Chelsea flips the light switch on and off but nothing happens. Booth turns to the kitchen and looks at the refrigerator which can be heard running. " Wait. If the lights are off, then why is the refrigerator working?" Booth moves toward the refrigerator.

" Wai- just stand back" Chelsea, still holding her gun up, looks into the other room. Booth examines the refrigerator. "Well, it's not booby-trapped."  He opens the door. Mrs. Epps's severed head and blood are sitting on the top shelf.

Autopsy room at the Jeffersonian. Dr. Chelsea holding the head and Cam looking on. Booth standing at the other end of the room.

" The neck was severed just above the shoulders. The jagged marks on the bone indicate that Epps used some kind of saw to decapitate her." Chelsea explains.

"No sign of blunt force trauma to the skull - Epps usual M.O. No clear cause of death."

Chelsea shakes her head. " Without the rest of her body, we can't know for sure how she died."

"I'm seeing some kind of white powder in her hair. Hodgins can tell us what it is. Why just leave her head?"

Booth practically growls with anger. " To get us all involved. I mean, the less we have to work with, the more we're all drawn in."

" Epps told me to use my head."

Booth shakes his head. "Everything he says is a clue. Could it be inside the head?"

" It's too early to tell."

"What do you mean, too early? Okay? All we do is just cut open the damn head and find out what's inside." Booth snaps.

"But there are protocols, Booth!"

Booth rolls his eyes. " Yeah, and I'm sure Epps is concerned about the protocols."

"This is my autopsy. We're gonna do it by the book. That means a surface exam followed by x-rays after which I will open the skull."

Booth's eyes were softened When he meet Chelsea's gaze her look was asking if he was okay. " Sorry. I'm just a little anxious to get the little gerbil back in his cage. That's all."

Cam Looks from the neck to the screen above the exam table which shows an enlarged view of the neck. " Okay. That's terrifically disturbing."

"What?"

" Massive blood aspiration to the soft tissue of the neck. "Chelsea exhales loudly.

"Meaning?"

"Caroline Epps was alive when Howard cut her head off," Cam explains

Chelsea's face turns sad. " Now he's torturing his victims."

"So let's torture him."

Chelsea shrugs. " How?'

" Bring his mother in."

Cam furrows her brows. " thought Epps hated his mother."

"His FBI profiler believes he was emotionally attached to her. His prison logs show that he wrote to her almost every day."

Cam grimaces. " Well, that's sick."

"But helpful. I mean, if he feels responsible for his mother being in jail we can knock him off his game."

In an interrogation room. A large woman in a colorful print dress with glasses on a cord sits at the table. Booth and Chelsea enter.

Booth Whispering. " What's that smell?"

"It's mold. It grows in the fat creases of morbidly obese people."

" What is this about? Did you bring me here to make fun of me?" she cranes her neck to glare at Chelsea.

" I merely stated a fact, Mrs. Epps. You need to lose weight. Obesity also causes diabetes, heart damage, and liver failure. Not to mention the wear it puts on your joints." Chelsea sits down in the chair and Mrs. Epps stares at her arm seeing the dexacom.

"I have a glandular condition. A little compassion and understanding, that's what I need. You shouldn't be talking about obesity when it clare you in the same boat," she nods to the Dexacom and Chelsea feels like that teenage girl in high school again struggling to figure out who she was and killing herself to lose weight, Mrs Epps smiles seeing that she got to Chelsea. Before turning  To Booth. "Why am I here?"

Booth looks carefully at Chelsea who is lost in her head. "We, uh - we found some drugs at your place" Pulls a pill box, plastic with slots for each day of the week, from a plastic evidence bag.

"Those are my pills. My doctor gave them to me. I need my medicine." She says simply/

" Well, you know, they're not, uh, properly labeled. This could take us a few days to sort this out with your doctor."

" We're looking for Howard, Mrs. Epps." Chelsea blurts out.

"Howard's in jail. I haven't seen him or talked to him in years."

Booth takes a seat next to Chelsea. "Howard, uh, escaped yesterday."

"Oh, dear Lord. I tried to raise a good son. Tried to keep him pure like the good book says. I-I don't know what happened. He was such a sweet child."

Booth presses a finger to his lips. " Howard- He wrote to you all the time."

"He wants me to understand, wants me to forgive him. Says he's still my little boy."   She Inhales loudly."But I don't answer."

Chelsea shakes her head. "You're son murdered his wife yesterday, beheaded her."

Mrs. Epps Shaking her head now. " And you want to blame me?"

Chelsea scowls. " You made your son bathe in ammonia."

"The women he would go out with, they were loose. Not the right kind for a God-fearing son! Wanted him to wash their scent off."

Booth trying to suddenly cover his nose. "Is there anything else that you can tell us that might help us find your son before he kills again?"

"It's not my fault what he did."

Booth rolls his eyes, " Yeah. Okay. Um, that's all for now. We'll have an agent escort you back to your cell. Um, of course, you have the right to an attorney." Booth and Chelsea stand up to leave.

Mrs. Epps shakes her head. " I should've been harder on him, beat him more regularly. I'm a nice person. Too nice. That was my problem. Too nice."

The two partners find themsleevs in Booth's SUV. Booth is driving and Chelsea is in the passenger seat.

Chelsea was staring out the window. " Marian Epps is a bad mother."

Booth chuckled. "You think?"

Chelsea shakes her head. "But a lot of people have bad mothers and they don't up to be serial killers which is part of the reason why I got a degree in psychology."

"Listen, Cherry, I don't care how you explain it, alright? The guy, he's an animal. He's got no conscience. I saw how what she said went to you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Chelsea shook her head, it was all coming back to her in small amounts.

You're just fat and no guy  will ever want to date you.

Everything would be better if you just died.

Ew look at her she's gross.

Chelsea lets out a shuddered breath, " I don't know how one draws moral distinctions between Killers."

"Listen, Cherry, alright, there are crimes of passion, alright, crimes committed out of desperation, which are usually followed by remorse or acknowledgment of human failing. The key word here is "human."

Chelsea e that's taken is all that matters."

Booth shakes his head, watching as Chelsea tries to ground herself. "Listen, you can't blame yourself here"

Chelsea takes another shuddered breath but keeps her demeanor cold and stoic," It's me he's after. Angela and everyone else, they shouldn't be involved."

"Alright. Look. It's not your fault, alright? It's all Epps, which is why I'm gonna take this little bastard down."

Chelsea closes her eyes for a second. " Booth." Looking in the rearview mirror at a car behind them.  "Booth, we're being followed."

"Mm-hmm. That's right." Booth Chuckles. "Two agents, all the time, at a very discreet distance. See, I don't care how big your gun is. Alright?" he Clears Throat. Cell phone rings "What's this? Booth."

"Oh, God. My son plays there every day after school."  Booth hits the siren and does a U-turn.

The partners are running  around at Hillside Park. A man is handing a girl a token in front of a merry-go-round.  Booth and Chelsea run around the path toward the merry-go-round.

"Parker comes here every day at 4 with his nanny." Booth Sees the nanny and grabs her elbow. " Rose! Rose, where's Parker?"

"On the merry-go-round. He was just there!" Booth jumps onto the merry-go-round, and Chelsea runs around the other side.

"Parker! Parker!" everyone is shouting for him.

Booth begins Freaking out. "Parker. Parker!"

Chelsea: Looking away, sees Parker at the ice cream vendor. "Booth."

"What?"

Chelsea points. "Over there."

Booth hops off of the merry-go-round. "Parker. Parker! Parker!"

Parker is Running towards Booth, carrying an ice cream cone. "Daddy!"

" Hey." He picks him up, hugging him tightly, hand behind his head. "Oh, God. Alright."

"Look. A man bought me ice cream."

"Alright. Alright." Throws down the ice cream.

Parker whines. " That was my favorite."

" I'll buy you another one, okay? Just listen to me. What did this man look like?"

Parker shrugs. " A man. He said he was your friend."

Booth shakes his head. "What did he say to you? Did he say anything else to you, Parker?"

"To use my napkin."

Chelsea Picking up a napkin. " Booth." Booth takes a napkin from Chelsea, reading it aloud, "My name is Parker. Ask me how I can solve this case."  he turns To Parker. "Alright. What else did he tell you?"

"Nothing. He was just nice."

Booth presses his hands down the sides of Parker's arms. In an attempt to calm himself and Parker. "Okay. Just listen to me, Parker. Alright? This man is trying to hurt Daddy's friends, okay? So I need you to think. What else did he say to you?"

"I didn't do anything wrong. He said he was your friend."

"You never talk to strangers, okay?! You never!" Parker begins to cry. Booth hugs him. "I'm sorry, buddy. It's okay. Alright? I'm sorry."

"What's going on, Mr. Booth?" Rose asks.

"There's just an investigation going on, okay, Rose?" Booth Pulls Parker away and looks at him." I'm gonna have these agents take you and Parker home and keep you safe. Alright?" Booth Pulls Parker into another hug." I'm sorry. It's okay."

Things went from and to worse, Cam broke protocol and went to cut Caroline Epps's skull just for her to end up lying in a hospital bed dying, it was bad enough that Epps was targeting her friends but now Cam might die and it was all taking a toll on her, she hadn't slept or eaten in the days since this entire case had started. She needed to find Epps but now Cam's life was on the line and there was a suspicious powder involved and no one had answers.

Everyone was now racing to find the answers. Not just to put Epps away but also because of Cam.

Back in Chelsea's office. Chelsea is at her desk and Angela is in the doorway.

"You look exhausted."

Chelsea Exhales. " What have you got?" Angela leans in and types on Chelsea's computer.

"Okay. This is an x-ray of Caroline's head. These are shards of glass, very fragile."

"What was it?"

"I think it was a glass capsule filled with a poisonous powder. Epps inserted it after she was dead. Probably up the nose." Angela explains.

"And when the saw blade hit it, it exploded."

Angela. Shakes her head.  " Hodgins has some of the shards now. He'll figure out what the poison is."

Chelsea nods. " If I were Epps, I would've made it something that changes composition after prolonged exposure to air.?

Angela smirks. "Let's hope he's not as smart as you. I'm gonna go sit with Cam for a while." Angela exits. Chelsea turns to face the wall with the case info. A telephone rings.

"Dr. Swan."

"So who'd I get?"

Chelsea mouths "Epps," pointing to the phone to signal to the agent outside her office. The agent exits. " If you're talking about the bulb in Caroline's head, we removed it. How'd you get it in there without breaking it?"

"I saw the emergency vehicles. I know I got someone. They might not be dead yet, but they will be soon."

Chelsea starts pacing. "Sorry. You missed this time."

" If you don't admit to who it was, then I can't give you the hint to save their life. Okay, then. It was nice talking to you."

"Wait! Wait!"

"Yes, Dr. Swan?"

Chelsea moves the phone back mouthing "Fuck" before bringing it back to her mouth. " Dr. Saroyan."

"She tried to remove the bulb with forceps. But it was too fragile. It snapped."

"Yes, that's exactly what happened. Now will you tell me the poison?" Chelsea lies.

"The body knows what the head can't say."

Chelsea paces again, "Caroline's body or your mother's body?"

"My mother?"

Chelsea nods realizing her plan was getting to him. " Yes. We have her in custody. Didn't you know?"

"On what charges?"

Chelsea shakes her head. "What poison, Howard?"

" You had no right. My mother's not part of this."

Chelsea continues. "You tell me about the poison and I will tell you about your mother."

"You don't run the game. I run the game. You're gonna be sorry." He Hangs up.  Just as the Agent re-enters.

"Cell phone downtown. There's a team on its way."

Chelsea shakes her head. "He's already gone."

- Cam is in her bed, intubated, eyes closed. Booth is sitting in a chair to the left of the bed looking anxious. Chelsea walks in with an agent behind her.

Booth Sees Chelsea and stands. " Hey, Hodgins find the poison?"

"Not yet." Walking toward the bed. "How's Cam?"

"It's worse. She can't breathe on her own. They- Uh- Cherry, I need you to find out what she inhaled." He says panicked.

Chelsea nods. " Epps called and left me a clue."

"What is it?"

"He said, "The body knows what the head can't say."

Booth nods. " Caroline's body."

" I think so, yes. You were right. He was pretty upset when he found out that we had his mother."

Booth chuckles, " You told him? That's good. Make the bastard sweat."

Chelsea sighs, "He said we'd be sorry." Chelsea begins turning to leave. "I'll call you as soon as we have something to go on,"

"Cherry, I'm coming with you, alright? Hold on, alright? This is gonna take all of us." Booth kisses Cam on the forehead and brushes the hair back from her face. "Okay, I'll drive."

Zack breaks down the message about Parker and finds a Parker Parker Leather good store,

Parker & Parker Leather Goods. The swat team opens the door. Booth is behind them. Followed by Chelsea and Zack. Caroline's headless corpse is on a table in the center of the room.

"Okay. Uh-"  putting his arm out to prevent Chelsea from approaching the body. "Come on. Knowing Epps, how do we even know that's Caroline's body there."

" If it isn't, it'll still be a clue."

"Okay, let me do this, alright?" Moving to examine the table. "Alright. No, uh- " Into a receiver on his jacket. " Jam all the frequencies."  he turns To Chelsea. " If he's got a remote detonator, it ain't gonna work now. No sign of trip wires."

Chelsea points. " There it is. On her stomach, the poison, just like Epps said."

Zack begins Moving toward the table. "I'll just–"

"No, Zack, no!" A switch clicks and something beeps. " Don't hesitate! Put your palm on the stomach and press down." A switch clicks.

"What?"

"That was a pressure trigger. " Zack hands the bag to Chelsea. " Body's booby-trapped. Everybody out!"

The swat team exits.

Zack wet his lips and panicked. "What do I do?"

"Don't be scared."

Zack shakes his head. " I'm not scared. I just need to know what to do."

Booth grabs Chelsea and begins pushing her out of the room. " Out. Out."

"I want to help!"

"Out! Now." Booth tilts a wooden dining table in the corner over onto its side. Booth exhales loudly.  "Zack, uh . . . This, uh . . ." Coming up behind Zack and placing his hand on Zack's. "This is gonna hurt?"

"You or me?"

Booth shrugs. " Mostly you. Okay. On three, I want you to jump back as high as you can."

Zack sighs, " I'm not a good jumper."

Booth nods. "Be a good counter."

"I-I am a good counter."

Booth pats his shoulder. "Right."

"On three."

Booth and Zack begin counting, ": One, two, three!" They jump backwards. From the exterior the fire erupts from the front windows of the store, blowing out the glass.

Dr. Chelsea's Office at the Jeffersonian. A television report from Channel 2 WPKV News is playing. A female reporter is standing in front of a firetruck and the debris strewn in front of Parker & Parker Leather Goods.

"The explosion occurred as FBI agents searched the shop for escaped serial killer Howard Epps. At least one person was Killed in the blast. Dr. Zack Addy, a forensic anthropologist who was working with the FBI,  Died at the scene. Special Agent Seeley Booth remains in critical condition."

Booth is sitting on the couch watching the TV. He has Bruises on his face.  He Chuckles." Okay, that's creepy. Zack dead and me in critical condition, right?" Zack is sitting next to him. He has cuts on his face and he is holding his right arm. Chelsea is sitting on the arm of the couch next to Zack.

"But why? It's not true." Chelsea turns off the TV with the remote.

Chelsea turns To Zack. " You gonna be alright?"

Zack Shakes his head yes. " My doctor said most of my injuries didn't come from the explosion but from being slammed into the floor." he turns To Booth. "You're extremely strong."

Chelsea: turns to Booth. "Did you have to be so rough on him?"

"It was a bomb. I was being, you know, heroic."

Zack turns To Chelsea. "I was heroic too."

Chelsea pulled him close to her chest which was a little exposed due to the tanktop she was wearing and patted his head like a child. "Yes, you were." she snuggles his head close.

"Somebody saved somebody. That's all I'm saying." Booth grouches

"Well, I got the poison."

Chelsea pulls Zack up from the hug and Booth can't help but feel the need to lay his head on her chest too. "Which is good because Caroline's body was blown to pieces."

" That was good thinking, you know, you keep your wits. But I mean, what I did was, uh..."Looking at Chelsea and Zack's incredulous looks. "I guess if you have to explain to yourself why you're a hero, I guess you're not a hero."

Chelsea's office at the Jeffersonian. Booth is standing, and Zack and Chelsea are on the couch. Hodgins enters.

"Methyl bromide mixed with plaster dust. That's what made it so hard to isolate." Hodgins explains.

"What's the treatment?"

"Racemic epinephrine. I called the hospital, they're starting an I.V." He explains as Booth sighs in relief.

Chelsea points to Booth, "Shouldn't you be there for that?"

"Hey, priorities in life, man. One, be there when someone you love comes back from the brink of death. Two, catch the serial killer. Everything after that is unimportant."

Booth nods. "I'm gonna go see Cam at the hospital." He turns to Chelsea "And you are gonna go home and get some sleep?"

"Why can't I go home?" Zack whines.

"Didn't you just hear what they said on the news? You're dead."

Chelsea stands "What about Epps?"

"I got an entire surveillance team outside your home, watching you. Why does everybody question me, right? I'm the hero."

Chelsea's apartment. An agent is opening the door, and Chelsea and another agent are behind him.

"Everything is secure. Agent Holtz will stay in the hallway and there'll be another agent in the lobby."

"Thank you." Agent hands Chelsea her keys Good night.

"Good night." the Agent Exits. Chelsea closes the door.

Chelsea's bathroom. The shower running, the mirror fogged up, and music was playing. A piece of drywall is pushed in and Epps crawls through and pushes open the closet door, holding a crowbar. He rounds the corner looking toward the bathroom. At the front door, Booth is looking in, gun in hand, and Agent #1 and Agent Holtz are behind him.

Booth Whispering. "Check the apartment next door."

Epps approaches the bathroom. Chelsea rounds the corner, dry and dressed, gun in hand. The hammer clicks into place. Booth's gun clicks as he walks toward Epps. "Dead end."

Chelsea turns To Booth "You won't let me shoot him, will you?" sweat was dripping from her head.

"You knew he was gonna be here, didn't you?"

Chelsea rolls her shoulders back. "It's the only scenario that made sense."

Epps turns to go towards the balcony. "Oh. What, you heading for the balcony, Howie? Hope you can fly, 'cause that's about a fifty-foot drop," Booth Turns to Chelsea "right?"

Chelsea nods. " Yeah."

"How did you know?"

Chelsea wobbles a bit. Her gun was still aimed at Epps. "Plaster dust in the poison."

"Renovations to the apartment next door."

Chelsea glares at him. " You're not all that smart, turns out."

"One minute. All I want is one minute alone with you."  Epps smirks.

"Fine with me." she shrugs.

"Don't provoke the lunatic, alright?"  Booth turns To Epps. " You got nowhere to go."

"I'm not going back to jail."

Booth nods. "You see, that's not your decision, Howie. Get your hands up. Drop the crowbar." Epps throws the crowbar at the lamp, breaking it and casting the room into darkness. He dashes out the window.

"In the line of fire, Cherry," Epps jumps off the balcony and Booth grabs him by the arm. " You're not getting away, Howard." Chelsea appears and leans over to look.

Epps Panting. "Look who the killer is now, Agent Booth."

"A little help here, Bones? I got nothing but dead weight here. Help me."

Chelsea: Trying to reach but not being able to. " Sorry. Can't reach."

"Grab the railing."

"You're gonna drop me anyway. Just get it over with." Epps says.

"You son of a bitch."

"Are you saying you don't want me dead?"

Booth nods. "Yeah, I'm not you."

"Oh? You're not thinking of the world with me still in it? Going after Dr. Swan, your son-"

"I'm not you." Booth and Chelsea are grunting, both straining to reach. Epps, scared, whimpers, gasps, and Booth loses his grip. Epps falls to the pavement. Sirens wail, and police radio chatter sounds.

Chelsea's Apartment. Booth, Chelsea, and Agent #1 are sitting at the dining room table.

" Unit on the ground saw what happened. So did the sniper across the street. You tried to save him."

Booth just stares off. "Yep."

Chelsea begins to cough. " No one could've helped him."

Booth Nodding  Yeah.

"You can take off now, Booth. The department might want to assign you a shrink- on-the-job death like that." He exits

Chelsea's Dexcom beeps. " You didn't have your full strength. Your wrist was hurt from pulling Zack away from the explosion."

" My wrist wasn't hurt, Cherry."

Chelsea scoffs. " I wish you'd let me shoot him."

"No, you don't," he says Getting up and walking out.

It's the next day at Hillside Park. Booth is bending over Parker in front of the merry-go-round.

" Up. Up. There you go. Alright?" Strapping him into the ride. Chelsea enters, watching silently. Booth kisses Parker on top of his head. " Knuckles." Booth and Parker bang knuckles. Booth walks away as the ride starts. Sees Chelsea. "Hi. How'd you know I was here?"

Chelsea walks with  "Saturday morning. How's Parker?:

"Yeah, I'm afraid I freaked him out the other day. He's really scared of this place. Now I gotta put that right." Bith says Sitting down on a bench.

" That's you all over putting things right." She sits down next to Booth. Exhales. " Cam gets released from the hospital today?"

Booth nods. " Yeah."

"What?"

Booth leans back " You know, what happened to Cam happened because...we had a personal relationship."

Chelsea furrows her brows. "Had?"

Booth nods. "Yeah. People who work in...high-risk situations can't be involved romantically because it leads to things like what happened."

Chelsea nods. " High-risk situations."

"Every single day it's with us. There's this line, and we can't cross it. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yes. I understand." she takes a deep breath. Parker waves from the merry-go-round. Looking at Parker.  " He seems okay now."

"Yeah, you know, it's important to make things right. I just don't know how. I don't know how."

"Oh stop that you've done enough."

"No, I haven't."

Chelsea rolls her eyes arms pressed firmly together, " When I was ten I was told by my doctor that I was obese, I didnt look obese to myself, I just assumed all bodies were different and they are, I wasn't twig skinny but I wasn't fat either at least according to me, he explained how being Obese wasn't a bad thing then he broke it down that I had Diabetes and that everything was  going to be different and I accepted that and I embraced it, but then Highschool happened and I realized I wasn't like the other girls, and I needed to change myself so I wasn't fat and so I did and from then on it was like I needed to make things perfect and right and perfect from then, I had to be perfect and proper the perfect weight and everything had to be right and a certain way and now looking back on that life I want to yell at myself." she looks at Booth who hadn't taken his eyes off of her. "The point I'm making is you can do everything right and bad things still happen, I had blamed myself for having diabetes when it was never my fault to begin with, and now you're doing the same and it's not going to change the outcome."

Booth nods sitting back now on the bench he places his hand on his leg intertwining it with Chelsea's they both nod letting the park consume their anxiety and blow away into the fall breeze. Because nothing mattered anymore. Just the park, Parker, and them, and boy did it feel good.

Word count: 7500

Bones 02x12: The Man in the Cell