castaway

pg-13 | incest

(Fact #1: She would probably get in trouble for using the DNA lab for personal reasons.)

She doesn't usually resort to using alcohol to forget about her problems, but this isn't exactly a usual situation. Two beers washed down half a bottle of red wine. She thinks it was supposed to be chilled, as it tasted horrible at room temperature.

She can taste him in her mouth, under the cold beer and warm wine, beneath the lingering flavor of leftover Chinese.

(Fact #2: Four separate DNA tests couldn't be wrong.)

The first one could have been operator error. The second, maybe someone was playing a joke on her. Four tests could be wrong if there was extreme negligence in the lab, but she knew for certain that these people were the best in the country. Running another test in a different lab would just confirm what she already knew.

Not to mention the fact that she didn't have the money to pay for it elsewhere.

(Fact #3: She was not her mother's first child.)

Her mother gave birth to her . . . brother, and decided to keep him. Then her mother gave birth to her and decided to give her away. Maybe it was for financial reasons, or maybe her mother just didn't like the shape of her nose. Maybe her parents felt that they couldn't give her a good home, or maybe her mother fucked the baker and she feared that her husband would question the fact that his 'daughter' didn't look like him.

(Fact #4: When you don't know that you are, in fact, kissing your brother, it doesn't feel any different from any other kiss.)

It didn't feel weird, or taste weird, and there was no trepidation when he cupped her breast through her shirt. The universe didn't explode, and she didn't feel dirty when it was over. She wasn't even sure that it would feel weird now, although she wasn't willing to test that theory.

He might be, maybe. Judging by the calls on her answering machine.

(Fact #5: There aren't any liquor stores within easy walking distance of her home.)

Which meant when the beer was gone and the wine bottle was empty, it was over to the gas station two blocks down, where they only had wine coolers and light beer. Four wine coolers later, she wished she had gotten the light beer.

Her memories weren't fading. She couldn't shake the image of him leaning down to give her a kiss, touching her arm when a case got to be too much, slipping two fingers inside her and kissing her stomach.

(Fact #6: Her mother - their mother - knew now, so even if they wanted to continue this, they couldn't.)

It had been awkward. Booth, still ashen, stumbling over his words. Mother, it turns out that my partner is my sister, and it would take too long to explain how we found that out.

But, of course, they ended up telling the story anyway. Her adoptive parents and the body and DNA tests with confusing results, which led to more tests and questions and shady doctors in prison, who didn't really care much anymore about protecting patient confidentiality. Sure, I knew your real mother, and that asshole just should have kept his mouth shut.

(Fact #7: She missed him.)

But she refused to answer the phone when he called.

(fin.)