Conventions.

A Bones and NCIS crossover, just a short story focussing on the characters. Brennan and McGee are both pressured into going to a crime writers convention by their shared publicist. It is shorter than the rest of my fanfics, and is more character driven. Sorry about the annoyingness of Tony, I know he's a little OOC, as well as Ziva, but sometimes on the show i want to hit him when he;s teasing McGee, and i just upped the nastyness of him a little. It is set in series 4 of Bones, and the end of series 5 for NCIS.

Janine, the publicist, had organised a meeting. She led the attractive brunette to the room, a small hotel conference room.

"So, I thought you two should meet..." Janine said as she opened the door, leading the woman in. A man was within. He had brown hair, and was wearing a turtleneck sweater. He spun around as the two woman entered. "I have to go and 'network', so I'll just leave you two to it. You should get to know each other as best as you can, get ready for the discussion panel, you know."
"Wait, I don't know what that..." The brunette said, as Janine left. "Discussion panel? I don't know what that is." She turned back to the man.

"I'm Timothy McGee," He held out his hand and the woman shook it. "A discussion panel is when we sit at a table on a stage and answer questions from the audience."

"I'm Dr Temperance Brennan. Pleased to meet you. What questions are we supposed to answer?"

"You're an author, right? I write under the name Thom E Gemcity." Tim told her. "I guess we answer questions on our books."

"Right. We discuss writing?"

"I suppose so."

"Wait, Gemcity? Did you write that book, 'Deep Six'? The adventures of L J Tibbs."

" That's right! You've read it? What...uh...what did you think?"

"I found it to be an accurate representation of a Naval Investigative Service investigation. The characterisation was interesting, but the storyline was slightly predictable in places."

"Oh. Thank you? I enjoyed the Bones series you wrote. Kathy Reichs is an interesting character."

"Thank you. What do you do in the real world?"

"I am an NCIS Special Agent."

"NCIS? I have worked with them. I'm a forensic anthropologist. Director Shepherd has called me in to work with various teams who have discovered bodies too badly damaged, usually by the sea, to identify them."

"You worked with Jenny?"

"Yes, on occasion. She would contact me when a team needed me."

"Then I am sorry to say that she passed away recently."

"Oh, I am sorry. Were you close?"

"I... fairly close, yes." McGee sighed. "Forensic anthropologist? That sounds interesting?"

"It is. I work mainly in conjunction with the FBI, solving murders."

"Wow. Maybe that is another reason we've been put on the discussion panel together. As well as working on the same genre of books, we both work at solving real crimes every day." McGee smiled.

"What...what are those?" Bones pointed to a pair of bags on the table.

"I, they must be the our convention packs." He said and the two of them walked over to the bags on the table.

"What should I call you?" Brennan asked as she opened the bag with her name on.

"Tim is fine, or McGee if you prefer. I don't really mind, but when we are on the panel tomorrow, Thom or Mr Gemcity." He responded. "My readers don't know my real name, and I'd like to keep it that way. Complications happen when people know."

"I'll just call you Thom all the time if I may. I don't want to accidentally slip up." She told him as she pulled a map out of the bag. It was a plan of the convention centre.

"Dr Brennan," He smiled. "Feel free to call me Thom."

"And Temperance is fine for me." As well as the maps of the convention centre, there were copies of each of the two books, permanent markers to sign books with, and several free passes for friends and family.

"Temperance is an unusual name." McGee put forward as a conversation starter.

"Yes it is." She replied, examining the map of the convention centre. He frowned at her response. Did she not want to talk about it? he opened his mouth to try a different topic....The phone rang. It was Brennan's cell.

"Brennan." She answered. "Yes. I'm at the hotel. You're outside? Booth! Fine, I'll be right there." She hung up. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Alright. Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow." McGee told her. "Shall I meet you outside the convention centre at 9 am tomorrow?"

"Sounds fine." She replied as she breezed out the door, on the way to meet Booth.

The FBI agent and the forensic anthropologist sat in the SUV.

"Booth?" Bones asked, unusually tentative.

"Yeah?" He replied turning to her as he drove to the crime scene.

"Tomorrow, I have a discussion panel at a convention. I was given free passes and I was wondering whether you would like to go with me."

"Yeah? A convention, huh? You giving a talk on your new book?"

"Me and this other writer Thom or Tim, are going to be answering questions on crime writing and our books, I believe."

"Sure, I'll come. How many of these free passes do you have?"

She rummaged in the bag.

"Erm...10 passes."

"Can I bring Parker? He loves comics and stuff."

"I don't know if there will be many comics and things there, it is primarily a crime writers convention, or so have been led to believe." She pulled out the map and looked at the different exhibits.

"Who else are you inviting?" He pulled up to the kerb.

"Angela, Hodgins, Cam. Can you get Zack out of the hospital for the day?"

"Bones, I... I don't know. He's in a criminal psychiatric ward for murder."

"Maybe you could accidentally let him clone your visitors pass again."

"No! Bones, he is not coming, I'm sorry."

"What about Russ and my dad?"

"Good idea. What about inviting Amy and the girls?"

"Yeah, I could invite them. But I don't know if it will be suitable for the children." They got out and headed over to the body.

"Are you inviting Sweets?"

"I guess I should..."

Meanwhile, McGee arrived at NCIS headquarters.

"Boss, I'm not going to be in tomorrow morning, I have an appointment." He said to Gibbs, his superior. He walked through the bullpen to the elevator. He walked in and rode down to Abby's lab.

"Hey, Abby."

"McGee!" The lab tech exclaimed, turning to the man, she hugged him, for no reason at all. She's like that, thriving for human contact.

"Um, can you keep a secret?"

"McGee, what have you done?"

"Nothing! It's...it's not that kind of secret. Tomorrow, I'm going to be speaking at a convention, on a panel about crime writing."

"That's great. That's a big deal! Why don't you want me to tell?"

"One word: Tony."

"Right. Yeah, maybe we should keep it between us."

"Anyway, I told you about it because... I've been given free passes."

"And?"

"Well, I was wondering...hoping...that maybe you would want to use one of the free passes."

"McGee!" she squealed. Again with the hugging!

"I'm going to invite my sister too."

"So, what time should I be there? What should I wear?!"

The next morning, Tim and Temperance met outside the convention centre. They walked in together, using the back entrance to avoid the crowds. A man still came running up to them, trying for autographs. He got the signatures, and then pestered them with questions. McGee told him to bug off, but he kept trying to force answers on random scenes from their books from them. They walked away, telling the man to leave them alone, becoming more and more firm, yet still polite. Then the man grabbed Bones' arm. That was a mistake. The next thing McGee knew was that the bothersome man was on the ground, bleeding from the nose and mouth.

"I don't like to be grabbed." Temperance explained. "Thom-or-Tim, are you coming?" she added as she moved off. He stared at the man and then hurried after the forensic anthropologist. They made their way in to the building, heading over to Janine, who seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Ah, there are my wayward authors! Right this way, darlings. So, how did you two get along? Good, good. Anyway, you both have a room at the back of the centre, but we don't have time to go there now, so follow me." She grinned, not leaving time for a response, she moved off. "And we're walking."

She led them past tables, filled with characters, authors, fans. They went into a smaller room off the main corridor. There was a large table on a stage, but only two of the seats had name tags in front of them. Obviously, it was to be used for other, larger discussions during the day. The room was already full, standing room only, and barely that. Brennan picked Booth out of the crowd, he was holding a video camera above his head, filming their entrance. Angela was cheering and Hodgins was waving. Parker was not present, Booth having taken Bones' advice. Sweets was dressed up in cos-play as a great detective, no not Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes. Russ was standing with their father and both looked on with love and pride.

McGee spotted Abby instantly, stood with his sister. They whistled and Abby jumped up and down in her over-excitement.

There were many people waiting to speak to the authors in the question queue.

"Dr Brennan, Mr Gemcity, both of you have been criticised as your books have led to imitation murders. Do you feel guilty at all, and is that why you haven't written anything in a while Mr Gemcity?" a tall man asked.

"Guilt is a wasted emotion, but I do feel bad that those lives were wasted. Anyway, intellectually, I know that those murders would have occurred no matter if I wrote a book or not." Bones explained. Sweets listened interestedly, storing the information for their next session.

"I agree with Dr Brennan. As for my lack of new releases, the future of my writing career is uncertain at this time." Tim said.

"And can I just point out that I, with the help of my team and my good friend Agent Seeley Booth, caught the killers who used my book!" Tempe added.

"Dr Brennan, is it true that you used real experiences from your work, such as your experience with the Grave Digger to inspire your novels?" a woman asked.

"Yes." Was Tempe's reply. There was a seconds pause. Booth mouthed at her and motioned her to continue. "What I mean to say is that my experiences do affect my writings. I only create crimes that I know could be perpetrated in real life, and I know of that through my own experiences."

"Mr Gemcity, same question."

"No, I do not put real life in my books." He answered. He saw Abby and his sister roll their eyes and put hands on hips.

" I always read the dedications in your books, and I thought it was sweet that you dedicated one to you partner, Agent Booth, but this latest one was dedicated to Dr Zack Addy. After the recent events, I was wondering how you could dedicate a book to him." The oily little man who was next in line asked. Tempe swallowed.

"Dr Zack Addy is a very dear friend of mine. Yes, he was involved in some unfortunate events, but that doesn't change the years he's worked with me and my team. We all care very deeply for him."

She met the eyes of her team. Booth nodded to her. Angela started clapping. Hodgins merely smiled and Cam folded her arms in some discomfort and sadness. Her dad and Russ were obviously pleased with what she just said (her father quickly applying the same logic to himself). Sweets looked oddly uncomfortable. Booth panned the camera around to catch everyone's reactions.

The next questioner stepped up slowly.

"Mr Gemcity, I'd never heard of NCIS before I read your book, where did you first hear of it and why did you decide to raise its profile?"

"Ah, that's a good question. I was recruited by NCIS for my computer skills. I've worked with them for a while now. I was fed up of always being asked what NCIS stands for and whether we are a real agency. The amount of times we've had people say 'is that like CSI?' or 'I've never heard of it. that's not a real agency, is it?' One time, we almost got shot by a rent-a-cop who thought that we were faking!" there was a ripple of laughter through the room.

"Mr Gemcity!" the next person in the queue was a man. He had brown hair, spiked with gel and he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Next to him was a woman of eastern origin. She was dressed rather more stylishly in a black trouser-suit. "Are any of your characters based on real people?" he smirked.

"Tony! Don't do this." Tim half stood.

"I want this settled once and for all. And I think you lied to you fans, Probie."

"Tony, not here, okay?"

"Is everything alright?" Bones asked him.

"Yes, everything is fine. Tony was just leaving. Right, Tony?"

"No, we thought we'd stay awhile, right Ziva?"

"Yes, Tony. I have some questions of my own for Thom E Gemcity." They exchanged a small smile. The people in the line behind them began to complain. Booth handed the camera to Hodgins and pushed his way through the crowd.

"Sir, you asked your question, and it had, in effect, been answered earlier. I suggest you move aside and allow the next person to ask something." Brennan told the NCIS agent.

"Certainly." He responded and stepped to the side, motioning Ziva forward.

"Well, 'Thom?' Who did you base your Agent Lisa on? And what is with the unrequited love for Agent Tommy? She would never sleep with him!"

"What, never?" Tony asked her distracted.

"Well, maybe. If we were both very drunk." She replied and then patted his cheek at his puppy dog expression.

"Okay, guys, let's move it on. F.B.I." Booth said flashing his badge to the two agents.

"Abby, I can't believe you told them!" McGee called out into the audience.

"I didn't!" Abby yelled back. "McGee, do you actually think that I would do that?"

"No, I suppose not. I'm sorry."

"Bad move, McGee." Ziva shook her head.

"You don't want Abby mad at you, Probie. Anyway, we found out from the adverts all over the internet. You didn't really think that we would stay away, did you?"

"Hello?! Can you hear me? I said I was F.B.I! Now move along!" Booth told them.

"NCIS."Tony replied and he and Ziva flashed their badges.

"Look, that's my friend up there and I will not have you ruining her special day. So, are you going to move or am I going to move you?" Booth's voice was dangerously quiet. The two male agents stared each other down.

"Booth! I can handle this. They were just leaving, right?" Brennan climbed down from the stage (causing a whole room full of "Brennanites" to go into hysterical excitement) and hurried across the room to her partner's side.

"I know that you can handle it Bones, but this is your day. I wanted to give you the option of not handling it." Booth explained.
"This is just fascinating interpersonal interaction. I may have to add a chapter to my book." Sweets said as he observed his subjects.

"Look, I just wanted to have some fun with 'Gemcity' up there." Tony explained. Ziva put a hand on his shoulder, sensing that they had maybe gone a little too far with their little joke.

McGee climbed down from the stage as well, almost falling off, and walked over to join the fray on the side of Booth.

"Look, Tony, Ziva, please, can you just leave."
"What, McGee? Are you not pleased to see us?" Ziva asked.

"If you'd just showed up, I wouldn't have minded so much, but I want you to leave now, or shut up and sit down." He replied.

"Why, Probie Wan Kenobi, is that the way to speak to the senior field agents?"

"Tony, look, please, I'm begging you." McGee begged.

"You'd better listen to him, sweetie." Angela said to Tony. She and the rest of Brennan's team had gathered behind Booth.

"I like it when you call me sweetie." Tony replied. Hodgins frowned and moved possessively towards Angela, even though they have split up. The rest of the fans were also turning nasty, and Abby and sister had joined the crowd opposing Tony and Ziva.

"DiNozzo, David!" Gibbs' voice came from the behind them. This was followed by a joint head-slap.

"Boss!" Tony was shocked.
"Gibbs, about time! I was beginning to wonder if you got my text!" Abby exclaimed.

"McGee, get back on that stage. Do what you have to do."
"Yes, Boss." McGee replied.
"You two are with me." He marched the two of them like recalcitrant children to the back of the room.

"Bones, you get up there too." Booth pointed to the stage.

"Yeah, sweetie. Knock them dead!" Angela grinned.

The two authors climbed up onto the stage and got back in their seats. They exchanged a small smile.

"Next question!" McGee called.

"Yeah, Mr Gemcity, what the hell was all that about?!"

A man in a plain black suit was sitting in a chair at a small plain table. His suit was indistinguishable from hundreds of other plain black suits, but he personalised it with a colourful tie, belt buckle and socks. He set a camcorder on the table as a man, hardly more than a boy came in. He sat opposite the man.
"Agent Booth." Zack said. They spoke for some minutes about all sorts of things about Hodgins and Angela, Brennan's new book, and Sweets' latest psychological observations. Then Booth played the film.

"I always read the dedications in your books, and I thought it was sweet that you dedicated one to you partner, Agent Booth, but this latest one was dedicated to Dr Zack Addy. After the recent events, I was wondering how you could dedicate a book to him." The oily little man who was next in line asked. Tempe swallowed.

"Dr Zack Addy is a very dear friend of mine. Yes, he was involved in some unfortunate events, but that doesn't change the years he's worked with me and my team. We all care very deeply for him."

She met the eyes of her team. Booth nodded to her. Angela started clapping. Hodgins merely smiled and Cam folded her arms in some discomfort and sadness. Her dad and Russ were obviously pleased with what she just said (her father quickly applying the same logic to himself). Sweets looked oddly uncomfortable. Booth panned the camera around to catch everyone's reactions.

"She dedicated it to me?" Zack asked.

"Yeah, she did. She cares about you, Zack, we all do. Hang in there, alright?"

"Thank you, Booth." Zack smiled. "Could you thank her for me, too?"
"Yeah. I can do that."

Abby squeezed Tim tightly, hugging him.

"I am so sorry!"

"It's alright, it wasn't your fault."

"Tony is just, you know, Tony. He didn't mean it."

"I know."

"Still, he ruined your big day!"

"Gibbs soon sorted him." McGee smiled.

"Yeah, I thought that head-slap would put a dent in even Tony's thick skull!"

They shared a complacent smile. She was still annoyed that he thought she'd told, and part of her wanted to hear him answer the questions that Tony had posed, but she cared about him too much to force the issue.

He handed her a caff pow and they explored the rest of the convention together.

the end