Title: First Impressions
Characters: Angela and Temperance
Written For: inmyriadbits in Yuletide
"Dr. Brennan? May I have a moment of your time?"
Temperance didn't even look up from the microscope she was hunched over. "Sure, Dr. Goodman. What can I do for you?"
He cleared his throat and waited until she finally looked up and realized he wasn't alone. "I'd like to introduce you to Ms. Angela Montenegro. She's going to be joining your team."
The two women sized each other up. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Montenegro," Temperance said, too aware of the lack of title. "What exactly will you be doing on my team?"
"Ms. Montenegro is an artist," Dr. Goodman explained. "She's an expert in facial reconstruction."
Temperance didn't look impressed. "Welcome aboard," she said cooly.
***
"God, she hates me and I don't even know why," Angela complained.
Zach and Jack exchanged a glance. "Dr. Brennan isn't exactly friendly," Jack shared. "But she's extremely intelligent and excellent at doing her job."
"She doesn't seem to want to even give me a chance though."
"She's the kind of person that makes you prove yourself," Zach said.
Angela looked thoughtful at that. "Well, then I guess I'll just have to prove myself."
***
Everyone in the lab had their own rituals when a new case rolled into the Jeffersonian. Temperance was a big picture person and she liked examining every single aspect of the skeleton to get an idea of what happened. Zach was a details man. He found the hairline cracks and minute anomalies that helped form Temperance's big picture. Jack was the self-proclaimed bugs and slime guy and was more than happy to spend his time with whatever muck turned up.
Temperance would never admit it, but she was incredibly curious to see her new team member's reaction.
"Oh, god, that's gross," Angela said, wrinkling her nose at the remains.
"If you're going to puke, leave the lab," Temperance said. "We can't risk compromising the evidence."
Angela swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "I'm fine," she said. "Please let me know when I can have the skull so I can reconstruct the face."
"We have some tests we need to run first. Zach, please get the bone saw." Temperance smirked when she saw Angela's face go pale.
***
"So we know what killed her and where she died," Temperance said a few hours later.
Jack nodded. "I can pinpoint the kill spot within a ten foot radius thanks to these babies," he said, pointing to some rare spores he had found embedded in the femur.
"We just don't know who she is," Zach said.
"Yes we do." All three heads turned to Angela. She tossed a folder on the table in front of them. "Ellen Metzger, twenty years old from Bethesda, Maryland. Reported missing four months ago."
Temperance opened the folder and picked up the head shot on top. "How do you know?"
Angela smirked. "I did my job."
The two shared a tentative smile. It was an auspicious beginning to what would become a wonderful friendship.