Plot Twist

1

"Angela, do you think I'm in over my head with this store? First, that flood ruined a tenth of our stock before we had even opened. Then those kids egged us, and now we're missing a whole order of books. It's too early in the week for this." Bones groans laying back on her couch, head in her hands.

"Hey don't worry, I'm sure nothing else will set us back." Angela says sweetly.

*Ding dong*

"Uh, did I just jinx it?" She asks worried.

"Angela, jinxes aren't real." Bones says standing up and walking towards her front door. "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Temperance Brennan?" A lady in a neat uniform asks.

"That is me." She says nodding.

"Good." The lady says with a tight smile before it falls and is replaced with an apologetic one. "I'm sorry to spring this on you but it appears you may have a brother."

"Of course, I have a brother, his name is Russ." Bones says confused.

"Ah..." The lady chuckles. "Yes of course. We know that I meant a younger brother. Lance, please come here." She says turning and waving down someone.

A young boy with curly hair walks up to the door with his head down. He stands next to the lady clutching a backpack.

"Right sorry. I'm Miranda from CPS, Child Protective Services. This is Lance Sweets, a 16-year-old who was in and out of foster homes until an older couple took him in when he was still little. They've however passed quite recently. Checking his file again it seems his DNA has matched with yours. Not sure why it didn't before." She says kinda uncomfortable.

"Is this your first day? You don't seem like you're used to this." Bones asks.

"Y-yeah, sorry. I'm still new. Could we come in and discuss this?" She asks as the boy beside her shakes.

"Of course you can. Come on in darling." Angela says softly, popping into the door frame. "I'm Angela, a friend. Come sit down." She says mainly to the boy, gently guiding him to the couch.

Miranda follows him in and sits beside him. Bones takes a seat across from them on the armchair and looks at them confused.

"Sweetie ask them gently." Angela says quietly to Bones before turning to the guest. "I'll be in the kitchen, give you some privacy. Would you two like a drink?"

The young boy shakes his head. "No, thank you though." Miranda smiles and Angela walks off to totally not listen in.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure how I can help." Bones states.

"All we ask is for temporary placement. We've seen your record, clean as far as we can tell. Unlike your older brother's. We would send him to a home..." The boy shivers at the idea. "But he doesn't have the best memories of those. It's just until we find a place, although preferably we'd like children to be with family."

"You want me to accommodate this boy? Someone I've never met? No offence, I'm just not comfortable around strangers."

Miranda sighs. "I know it's hard to imagine since I just sprung it on you but please, it's only for a few days."

"How are we related?"

"We know that your parents disappeared when you were nine. We believe your mother was pregnant with him during that time and he was left at a safe dropoff point a few months into his life."

"Oh, that seems plausible. Can I have someone else help me? I don't know how to take care of a child, especially one his age."

"Of course, we will have to run a check on them, however. Angela, I'm guessing will be your help?" Miranda asks.