Dead Like Me is owned by Bryan Fuller, Showtime, and their affiliates.

Bones is owned by Hart Hanson, Fox and their affiliates.

No money what so ever is or will be made from this fanfiction.

Any recognizable quotes are taken from Bones ep "Pain in the Heart", all other dialogue is mine.

Unbeta'd

The Baltimore-Washington International Airport was a busy port on a normal day but the morning the Reaper and her charge needed to get to Michigan, it seemed to be particularly hectic. The unending lines to get into the gates seemed to be at a standstill with no progress being made. Alana had traveled enough in the past decade to know she had to get there at least two hours before the scheduled flight but at the rate they were going, it seemed that even that wouldn't be enough.

Alana felt worse for Zach because all he could do was wonder close to her and he was still in the phantom clothes that he died in; which did not include a shirt. So Zach just looked absolutely hapless and bored standing around in just his jeans.

Zach had already categorized all the features of the people in line. He knew their height, estimated weight, and morbidly wondered if anyone in line would die anytime soon. There was a Reaper going on board, after all. Plus there was the added fact that anyone could be a Reaper. The distrustful TSA agent, the ever cheerful flight attendant, the hostile cashier who hated his job at the Borders Express; any one of them could have been a Reaper and no one would be the wiser.

Zach idly wondered if Reapers could recognize each other.

Alana felt bad for Zach and decided that he didn't need to stick so closely by and be bored. She wasn't sure how she'd tell Zach that he could wander around a bit to stave off some boredom but then a thought popped into her mind.

The Reaper reached into her bag, searching through all the miscellaneous crap she kept and wasn't sure why. She found what she was looking for; a simple unassuming government issued Blackberry.

Her fingers quickly danced over the keypad as if she was making a call but the Blackberry's screen remained black. Alana always turned off her phone when she got to the airport so she wouldn't ever get yelled at by the flight attendants. Their eerily cheerful smiles hid a dark inner sadistic streak that Alana was all too familiar with. Once the flight attendant was pissed then the plane ride would be nothing but hit elbows from the drink cart and sans any pillows or blankets; no matter how many times they are asked for.

"Hey, Zach! How's it going?" Alana said louder than necessary into her nonworking Blackberry.

It was loud enough to get Zach's attention and he was a bit confused as to what she was trying to do.

"Yeah I'm in line for the gates so don't feel like you need to wait around for me and be bored, Zach," Alana continued on, looking straight at Zach.

The deceased didn't seem to be getting the hint and he also failed to understand when Alana widened her eyes or raised her eyebrows.

Alana wondered how someone so smart could be so clueless. She was trying to be nice and give him a reprieve from standing around when it was unnecessary. She trusted Zach to follow her to Michigan and not run away. He knew what he needed to do and he had proved that he was willing to stick around. It had taken over a week for his funeral arrangements to get settled. The former doctor could have run away a multitude of times, especially when she had to go and Reap other souls. She couldn't bring him along because he would question why the other souls got to their lights while he had to attend his own funeral. Alana wished she could just tell Zach he was to become a Reaper but saying goodbye to his old life was necessary.

She somewhat envied him. His funeral and family were several states away and the temptation to spy on them, haunt them as Reapers say, was removed. He didn't have to struggle with the heartache of having his family so close but still completely cut off to him. It was one of the hardest things Alana struggled with when she first died: staying away from her mother, not being able to let the grieving woman know that she was alright, and still with her in some form. The Reaper was more than happy after ten years had past and she was finally transferred somewhere else.

"Zach, feel free to hang out at Hudson News or the Borders Express while I'm in line."

When Alana emphasized his name, it finally dawned on him that she was talking to him and not someone else who happened to be named "Zach." Standing in line was tedious and while the bookstore or the news kiosk probably wouldn't be much more scintillating, it was still better than waiting around.

He smiled warmly at Alana and he was very happy that she was able to make the trip as painless, metaphorically speaking since he was not able to feel physical pain, as possible for him.

As Zach turned to find the closest bookstore past the gate he stopped and thought for a moment. He looked at Alana and something inside of him didn't want to leave her. It wasn't that she was one of the most patient females he'd come across in his lifetime, besides Angela and his mother; it wasn't that she looked really cute in her "fly ware" which consisted of comfortable yet easily removable shoes and a pink tracksuit. It was because she had done her best to make sure he was kept entertained all the while dealing with his death and he was sure many others. He didn't know why he felt the urge to return the favor but since she ingeniously figured out a way to talk to him without looking like a crazy person, he thought he ought to get to know the Reaper that was doing so much for him.

"I think I'll stick around and keep you company."

Alana was taken aback by Zach's proclamation and wondered why he didn't want to wander about a bit.

"Are you sure?" she said, still talking into her turned off phone. "You don't have to stick around, I know it's boring."

"Yes I am sure. I don't speak unless I'm ninety-nine point ninety-nine percent positive about the statement. Unless it's a question but even then I'm very positive I don't know the answer, hence why I ask. I would rather converse with you and keep you company than peruse what I'm sure are mind numbing political commentaries or biographies of famous people I don't care about. I am sure I would have a much more enjoyable time with you than trying to stealthily read "The Eleventh Victim" by Nancy Grace."

"Ugh I hate Nancy Grace. She's so obnoxious."

"I concur; she is not a particularly effective talk show host. Repeatedly she will interrupt her guests with her own opinion; even after asking them a question."

"I know! She totally steamrolls over people and doesn't let them talk. I'm not even sure why she even has guests; she might as well just talk non-stop for an hour because that's obviously what she wants to do anyway."

The two talked jovially through the entire line and even waiting at the gate. Alana found out that Zach was rather sweet when he wasn't talking condescendingly down to her over some trivial point. He was articulate and well versed in many areas and she could tell that he had a real passion in life and she hoped that he could find that same fervor in the afterlife.

It felt all too soon when they boarded the plane and Alana had to put away her electronic device. Zach was despondent that he would have to be bored again on a three hour flight. They were lucky because no one bought the unclaimed seat and at least Zach was able to sit next Alana during the flight.

The Reaper saw that Zach was already bored and the plane hadn't even taken off yet. She had really enjoyed their conversation and thought of how she could still communicate with the spirit. Her cell phone was out of the question; not only because it was forbidden on flights but it was extremely obnoxious and rude to talk on a cell during a flight. No one cared what she had to say about current events or hear her struggle trying to explain a pop culture reference to Zach.

Ever the problem solver, an idea popped into her head. She reached into her carry-on and pulled out a yellow legal pad and pencil.

Hey Zach! What's up?

She wrote neatly and poked him to get his attention as he was staring off into space, looking like the most bored person on Earth. Zach slowly looked at Alana, wondering what she wanted. He was again thinking about the paradox of sitting while incorporeal. It seemed as if his butt knew the secret to staying intact while the rest of his body always disintegrated when it came into contact with anything solid. When he saw the notepad and what Alana had written, he quickly figured out what she was doing and smiled.

"Oh I see what you're doing. Since you can no longer pretend to talk on the cellular, you are now employing pen and paper to communicate with me and not look insane. Very clever."

Alana smiled at the compliment because any mention of her intellect from a certified genius was very flattering. They were able to converse via notepad and had several cut throat rounds of tic-tac-toe while the plane prepared to depart.

On the other side of the tarmac

Dr. Temperance Brennan eyed the FBI forensics team like a hawk. She did not trust the agency's men that were handling Zach's remains.

An odd sensation welled up in her chest and stressed built up behind her eyes. She didn't know what was going on but if she asked Dr. Sweets, something she would never bring herself to do, then he'd say she was having an emotional response. She quickly disregarded the notion as absurd. She worked with bones on a regular basis. They were nothing more than rigid organs that produced red and white blood cells and stored minerals when the host was alive. Now that Zach was dead, his bones where nothing more than mineralized osseous tissue with no purpose or function. She did not think of them as all that remains of an amazing young man that she had worked with for years. She did not have a sentimental attachment to them because they were part of someone she deeply cared about. She knew that death was an undeniable fact of life so she was not irrationally upset about the loss of a member of her de facto family. She did not make illogical connections between her family leaving her and Zach's death.

Temperance Brennan was the paradigm of logic and rational behavior so she would never become a sobbing mess although she sometimes felt that was the more appropriate action. Angela and Hodgins appeared to have been marathon crying and even Booth had shown signs of lacrimation. Brennan was confused as to Booth's emotional response to Zach's death as she was certain the FBI agent was not fond of him. When she questioned Seeley's behavior she was shocked that he replied angrily.

"Bones, just because I wasn't BFF's with Zach doesn't mean that I don't care that he's gone," she remembered him saying in an offended tone.

"I don't know what that means," Temperance replied, unsure of herself.

"It means 'Best Friend Forever' and…"

"It's an irrational colloquialism as 'forever' is an impossible description of how long a friendship is to last. Studies have shown that friendship…"

"That's not the point Bones! The point is that just because I wasn't friends with Zach, doesn't mean I didn't care about him. He was weird and half the time I didn't know what the hell he was talking about but he was a part of our messed up pseudo-family. He was the weird cousin with the disorder that you don't ever talk about. You tolerate his weird behavior because he's family even though you'd rather not be around him but if someone messed with him then I would have stepped in."

"You knew about his Aspergers?" Brennan asked surprised.

"Bones, when are you going to learn that I'm not as dumb as you think I am?"

"I don't think you're dumb but you are vastly less intelligent than I am," she insisted.

Booth had to take a couple breaths and remind himself that Bones wasn't intentionally insulting him but merely pointing out a fact that she felt she had no emotional meaning.

"Yes, I know that Zach had Aspergers. No one is that clueless about emotions and OCD without something being up. One of the guys from forensics commented about it and how he thought Zach might have had it. I did my own research and came to my own conclusions."

"Why didn't you ever mention it?"

"I didn't think it was worth mentioning. Zach never did so I assumed he didn't want people to know or that he didn't think anything of it."

Bones looked pensive for a moment.

"What?" Booth asked, wanting to know what his friend was thinking.

"In most cultures, those with disorders are either stigmatized or overly coddled. I would have thought that if you knew of Zach's difficulties you would have been more sensitive to his condition; being that you are usually one to give comfort to others."

Booth gave a soft laugh at just how utterly clueless Bones could be at times.

"Bones, with Zach it was never an option to me to give him any kind of comfort. He led a very high functioning life despite or in spite of his condition. He didn't need me or anyone to feel sorry for him and I sure as hell wasn't going to give him crap for something he couldn't help; especially if it's something that probably helped him achieve so much and got him a job doing what he loved doing. I treated him like I would have treated anyone because he earned it. I wouldn't insult his intelligence by pretending to be friendly or lie about how I felt in a given situation."

"So you ignored his condition and treated him as anyone else with his personality and idiosyncrasies because you respected him?"
It was a small victory but Booth took them whenever they came about. He knew it was hard for Bones to understand the human condition and he was glad to get things cleared up.

"Yes, that's exactly it."

Brennan had her "I get it but not really and I accept it" pensive face on and Booth knew that he got through to her.

"Hmmm…Alright," was all she had to say about the matter.

The Jeffersonian got on their flight and took the long journey of grief.

Alana and Zach landed in Detroit with no hassle other than a little turbulence but nothing life threatening. They had passed the time playing game after game of tic-tac-toe, all won by Zach. After getting spanked repeatedly by Zach, she opted to get to know Zach instead. She found out the former anthropologist had two doctoral degrees, a Dr. Jack Hodgins was his best friend, and his favorite food was mac and cheese. Alana was surprised to find out that Zach's best friend was the Jack Hodgins of the Cantilever group.

"Well that explains the expensive digs," Alana thought to herself as she grabbed a bite to eat at the airport food court. She craved a Cinnabon that she would have had for breakfast but couldn't due to the long lines at BWI.

She dug into the gooey cinnamon piece and after that first sweet bite she was certain there had to be a heaven.

All Zach could do was stare at Alana as she made strange sounds and had what he would describe as a drugged out look on her face.

"You know that's nothing but refined sugar, lard, and probably almost a days worth of calories in one sitting?"

Alana took an extra big bite to spite the spirit and an idea came to her.

"It's one of the perks of being a Reaper. Eat all you want and not gain a pound."

She didn't think that Zach cared about his weight but she had to talk up being a Reaper somehow, might as well start with the obvious plus of food.

"How is that possible?"

"We have insanely fast metabolisms."

"Metabolism is a just a biological process of chemical reactions. It has no mind nor thought process to be insane."

Alana took another big bite of her confectionery to ease the frustration that sometimes came with talking with Zach.

"I mean, we have a superhuman metabolism that allows us to eat whatever we want. It does have its drawbacks though; it takes an incredible amount of alcohol to get us inebriated."

"Great, now I'm talking like him. Normally I would have said trashed."

Alana didn't know if she should be happy her vocabulary was improving or dismayed that Zach's inability to understand common metaphors or slang had beaten her down enough that she's subconsciously avoiding them.

"It's good for drinking games if money is on the line. I know I've thrown some challenges down and won quite a bit when I was in need of some quick cash. It's funny how much money some meat head frat boy will put down if challenged by a girl."

"Interesting. Your metabolism is efficient enough to out drink someone I assume is twice your size."

Alana laughed at Zach's wonderment. Most people would focus on the monetary gain aspect of being a Reaper and he focused on the biology of it all.

"Oh god, I hope he doesn't do any crazy experiments on himself to try to understand the physics of Reapers," the unwanted thought came to Alana.

She knew that working with Zach would be interesting. Still she needed to talk up having a body and living, even if it was on the fringes of society.

"But yeah, it's a perk of being a Reaper. We get to eat whatever we want, go to movies, read books...enjoy life basically."

"But you are no longer human, correct? You have a secret identity away from mainstream society."

"Yeah...like a super hero," Alana knew it sounded lame but she needed to gloss over the downsides of being a Reaper that Zach was annoyingly shrewd enough to observe.

"Hmmmm...there is something analogous with Reapers to the super hero paradigm. Although I can see anti-hero aspect of you all killing people..."

"Whoa whoa whoa. We do not kill people," Alana was used to the misconception but she wanted to set the record straight before he become corporeal. "What we do is pop souls and guide you through the afterlife. How and when you die is separate department."
"Interesting. I didn't see you when I died but there were some sort of ape like smoke creatures. Very frightening."

"You saw a graveling?" Alana asked shocked. She had seen the creatures a couple of times in her peripheral vision but she had never seen one dead on. She was shocked that Zach saw them at all.

"If that's what they are called yes, there were two; both were riding on the shoulders of my two murders. It seemed like they were whispering in their ears and had what I would describe as a malevolent look to them."

"Yeah, from my understanding they are what set Death in motion. They'll unplug your clock to make you rush in the morning and get into a crash. They'll loosen a screw to make something fall on you, stuff like that. Nasty little bastards."

"I concur but I find it interesting that these creatures are what set things in motion and not guided by some divine hand."

"Well we don't know that for sure; we don't know who gives the gravelings orders."

Zach sighed at the ambiguity that seemed to haunt the afterlife and he was through talking about it.

"I'm done, we can head out," Alana told the soul.

The Reaper finished her snack and they headed to the rental counter to pick up their car.

An hour later they were at a motel near the suburb where Zach grew up.

There was nothing Zach could do other than question Alana about her dress of choice. He understood that black was the traditional American color of mourning but he didn't understand why she was putting on a blonde wig and placing colored contacts in her eyes.

Such simple changes made a vast difference in Alana's appearance. The once demure brunette now stood three inches taller with short blonde hair and moss green eyes.

"Why are you in disguise? No one knows who you are regardless."

"I'm assuming your co-workers will be there. Normally people don't remember Reapers but since you work with geniuses who probably have a better memory and are more observant than most, I want to take precautions since I was there when you were Reaped. Also, your boss has proven to be able to acknowledge Reaper presence than the average person so any heads up that she's heading my way would be appreciated."

"That is a fair assumption to make. All together, we all probably had an IQ well over five hundred. Also, most of us had multiple doctorates so it's a good idea that you go in disguise; although I do have to comment that I prefer your normal countenance more than this one."

It took all of Alana's willpower not to blush but it wasn't often that males preferred her plain brown hair and everyday look over platinum blonde and hooker heels.

Alana wore a simple black pant suit that was appropriate for a funeral. Nothing too fancy or eye catching, her goal was the blend into the background and let Zach see all those who would mourn his passing. Normally she would have worn a dress but she knew there would be people there who had seen her before so she did everything she could to give the allusion that she wasn't who she was. Besides the wig and the contacts, she was wearing heals that she normally would never wear. The hooker heels weren't appropriate for a funeral but with the long pants, they hid most of the stilettos so unless someone was really looking, she gave off the illusion that she was taller than she was.

Alana gave herself one last look over before she headed to the church. She was satisfied that her disguised paired with the Reaper fog that no one would recognize her nor would they be prone to try to talk to her.

"Who exactly are you going to say you are?" Zach inquired. "I wasn't popular or had friends at any point in my grammar or high school career. I didn't even make my first real friend until I got into the doctorate program. My coworkers will be there you can't say you work at the Jeffersonian."

Zach made very valid points but this wasn't Alana's first rodeo.

"Zach, people are going to be grieving. They aren't going to pay attention to each and every person at the funeral. Even if someone does try to strike up a conversation, you have a huge family and according to the people I got on the inside, most if not all are coming. So I'll go with the ol' standby."

"Which would be what?"

"Claim I'm a second cousin of such and such. People are usually too embarrassed to admit they don't know who's in their family; so they'll either think I am who I say I am or play along because they don't want to look foolish. It works every time."

Zach didn't argue, despite the illogical assumptions she claimed. He would never blithely accept that someone was a relation with no proof but he could admit that when it came to human emotions and reactions, he wasn't in his element.

So they drove to the St. Dymphna's and parked among the many cars that lined the street. Zach wasn't surprised at the amount of people there, he did have a large immediate family and his extended family was accordingly large as well. What did surprise him was the reactions of those involved. He saw that many were crying or showing signs that they were upset. He knew everyone at the funeral as he had an eidetic memory.

He caught conversations as he passed by the congregation.

"I remember this one time he tried to make an actual rocket in my back yard..."

"He helped me balance my checkbook at age nine...really helped me get my finances on its feet."

"Helped me with my physics homework...saved my scholarship..."

Zach wasn't aware of how he had helped his various aunts, uncles, and cousins during his family visits. He thought that perhaps Alana was right; he got a sense of appreciation to know that his death meant something to those he left behind. He didn't think about most of these people on a daily basis but he remembered each experience with every person in attendance. He helped some and others he alienated with his vast intelligence, he was glad to know that even though he couldn't connect with them, he at least touched their lives in a meaningful way.

Zach made his way back to Alana and he was surprised that her ploy was working. She was talking to his Uncle Xander and his relative was at ease with the Reaper. As he got closer he overheard their conversation.

"It's such a shame, he was taken too soon."

"I agree. I remember when he came over that one summer, I was blown away by he was helping my older brother's homework. I thought it was the most amazing thing in the world."

"Ha! That was Zach alright. So how is cousin...Mirna doing?" Uncle Xander asked Alana hesitantly. The Reaper didn't miss a beat though.

"Oh she's fine. Complaining how hard it is to get out of bed these days but always finds the energy to chase after the cute pool boy."

"I bet, Mirna was always boy crazy..."

Zach was baffled at the exchange. Alana was absolutely right; his Uncle Xander completely fell for Alana's falsehood. There was no such person as Cousin Mirna but here Alana was, fabricating a person out of nothing and people went along with it. It was quite the sight to see.

The priest came out to the foyer and told everyone the service was starting. Alana held back and waited for Zach.

"Be prepared for a lot of tears and a long ass service. Damn Catholics and their need to make any service into mass."

"I thought you were Catholic?" Zach asked, puzzled that a supposed Catholic would make such a disparaging remark.

"I am so I know what I'm talking about. These things tend to take forever because they always add mass in with any rite. Marriage, baptism, whatever; they make it into a full mass along with whatever they're doing. How are you holding up so far?"

"I'm ambivalent."

"Really?"

"Yes, I feel like a lot of the emotional display is disingenuous due to my death. I know for a fact that half these people don't know me and the other half didn't care for me when I was alive."

Alana thought out her next words carefully. She'd seen a lot what Zach was talking about at a lot of funerals. How people only liked or missed a person once they were gone; or felt the need to praise the deceased even though in life the person was indifferent. She didn't know how to explain to Zach that just because someone said their feelings too late didn't make the sentiments any less true.

"Not to sound trite but 'you never know what you have until it's gone' rings truer than you think. With so many things that go on in our lives, did you stop and make sure everyone close to you knew how you felt about them?"

Zach pondered Alana's words and knew they were true. With his busy life he never told his family how much he loved them and how much they meant to them. He knew he was not good at relating his feelings and that his family felt that he didn't care for them. They had taken his move to D.C. fairly hard, but in the end they were supportive.

"I suppose that's true. It's just..." Zach didn't know how to convey what he was feeling. How he had regrets about his life in his death. He was never articulate with his feelings and half the time he wasn't even sure he had them but with his passing, he was bursting with emotions and he yearned to express himself. It was too late for him though and while he got to see how much he was valued in his life, those he left behind wouldn't get the same gift.

"It's ok Zach. We all have regrets."

"Even Reapers?"

Alana laughed softly and gave a gentle smile. She didn't want to admit that Reapers probably had the most regrets because they lived but weren't alive. They had to carry their regrets with them in the afterlife and weren't given the luxury of rectifying the mistakes they made when they were alive. Zach would know the burden of knowing all the things he left unsaid and never being able to say them despite his ability to walk among the living. So Alana kept that part to herself and told Zach what she could.

"Yeah, even Reapers."

They walked into the Sanctuary of the Church and Zach proceeded to observe his death rites.

Several hours later...

"I recall another reason why I didn't like this school. The masses were overseen by the most long winded pompous man I have ever come across...and I work in academia."

"Heh, yes I agree. That was one of the more lengthy masses I have ever been to. And the Father was kind of a douche. Did he really need to point out that you guys weren't Catholic?"

"Yes, I noticed that was well and thought it wasn't necessary but I'm not religious. I think it's all unnecessary. What is next on our agenda?"

"We see your burial and then the wake at your parent's house."

"I'm sure it will be most somber and depressing."

"Well it is a funeral..."

The day was bright and all too sunny. As illogical as it was to Zach, he wanted the sky to reflect the mood of the service. It seemed as if the world was a happy place where anything could happen, instead of the death of a beloved son, brother, and co-worker. He walked to the front of the crowd that surrounded his final resting place. It was a six foot deep hole and nothing more. Zach had an unreadable look on his face and Alana wondered what he was thinking. He was a hard man to read and everyone took their own death differently. Zach was definitely more stoic than most but he wasn't inhuman. She knew that that very moment it was truly real for Zach. He didn't have the words for it and neither did she. No one would have words for their own death; they scarcely had them for their life. Words fell short in that instance and all they could do was take it in.

Zach couldn't measure or describe the depth of mourning his mother experienced as they lowered her youngest son into the ground. She collapsed under her heavy sorry and wailed out her tears where words would not come. Even his dad, a man who seemed indestructible in his youth, knelt down to his wife, held her, and cried his own anguish.

They weren't as smart as their son, they didn't understand him half the time, but they loved him with all that they were. Without a doubt, Zach knew his parents loved him and a part of them died as they said buried their son.

Zach wished he had a body then so he could cry his own tears of mourning. He would miss his life. He wasn't sure why he looked back but he did. Something told him he needed to see the others who agonized over his passing. What he saw shook him to his very core.

There several people behind his immediate family was the Jeffersonian team. Angela was crying into Zach, unable to look at his mahogany casket slowly lower into the ground. Jack held the love of his life closely and looked as if he never wanted to let go. They were there for each other and held each other up. Tears ran freely from them both but were more subdued than his mother. Camille held herself, struggling to remain strong for her team but failing miserably. She had soaked through her handkerchief, leaving it salty and damp.

Even Lance Sweets was freely crying, someone Zach had never said more than a handful of sentences in his life. The psychologist had a comforting hand on Dr. Soroyan's shoulder, careful not to give her too much physical contact as she didn't want it but enough to know that someone was there for her.

What shocked Zach the most was Dr. Brennan and Booth. Both he had always thought of as these impenetrable and unstoppable forces; strong as steel and above such things as grief; especially Temperance. Of everyone, he would have thought that Dr. Brennan would be the most logical about his death. She would argue that his funeral was pointless as there was nothing they could do about his death. If anything, he would have thought she would stay back in D.C. to work on his case and not waste time on meaningless death rites.

But there she was with his friends and family, at his funeral to observe his burial. She was not merely an observer but a participant. She was not wailing like his mother. She stood tall and rigid, unlike Angela and Zach. She did not have a tissue to wipe away her years like Camille. She didn't even lend a comforting hand to others. She stood there motionless, still as a statue; the only movement where the tears that moved slowly down her face from her sky blue eyes. Beautiful eyes that were normally cool and sharp. That day they were wet with the tears of loss of someone she held very dear to her.

Perhaps it wasn't correct of him but he couldn't help but be more touched by the more restrained Dr. Brennan than his mother's uncontrollable sobs. It was expected of his mother to react in such a way. It didn't mean that he appreciated it any less but he knew how rare such a reaction out of his esteemed superior.

After his casket was laid to rest and the others had made their way to the wake, the Jeffersonian team had stayed behind. Alana made herself scarce as she didn't want to confront his coworkers even in her disguise but he remained with them. It disconcerted him a bit that it seemed as if Dr. Saroyan could see him as her eyes kept following where he walked but it was more as if she was looking through him. She had done the same thing at the Jeffersonian and he discussed it with Alana during the week between his death and his funeral. She told him it was very unlikely the forensic pathologist would actually be able to see or hear him but it was possible she was "sensitive" to other worldly presence, whatever that meant.

Still, it meant a lot to him that they all came and partook of his funeral.

They each took their own turn to say their personal goodbyes. Angela went first and knelt down over the fresh dirt, not caring she would get her clothes dirty.

"Zach...you were the sweetest and most honest man I've ever met. You deserved all the best in the world and I wish you would have met a woman who deserved you. I'll miss patching you and Hodgy up after your crazy experiments. I'll miss our lunches together and you asking such inappropriate questions about your love life. I'll miss your clueless questions about a metaphor that made no sense to you. I'll miss how genuine you were and how you didn't have a malicious bone in your body. You were a beautiful person and I just wish more people had known you as I did."

On his grave she placed a framed piece of parchment with a charcoal sketch of Zach in his lab coat. He was smiling and it was how Angela saw him. He wasn't the weird kid with the skull or the robotic scientist. He was a happy guy who loved his job, friends, and family.

Hodgins went next and held Angela as he had been doing at the service and what seemed like the past several days. He needed her close to him as she needed him.

"Zach, you were my best..." he stopped to catch his breath, as if his words of goodbye hurt him and left him winded. He shed a few tears and did his best to calm himself enough to get through his speech. "You were my best friend. I've never met a better man than you. You accepted me for all my conspiracy theories and sarcasm. You accepted me without judgment and understood me like no one else. I'll never have another best friend like you."

Jack could not say anymore as his chest tightened up and would not let him speak another word. He bent over on next to Angela's sketch he put a complex equation. Zach solved it within minutes but appreciated the sentiment. Jack knew him well enough that even in death, Zach loved a mathematical challenged.

Lance looked expectantly at Camille and she straightened herself up in defiance.

"I don't have anything to say. He's gone and there's nothing more to say."

Zach and Brennan were surprised to hear the head of the Medico Legal Lab say such a thing as it was more expected of the latter.

Lance saw Camille's statement for what it was. She was tired of being hurt and was trying to convince herself that the situation did otherwise.

"We all know that's not true," was all the psychologist said. He could have gone onto a speech about denial, how she was dealing with grief, and the like but he thought the less he said the better things would be.

Camille stepped forward and bowed her head. She looked to her side, the side Zach happened to be on and she felt comforted that he was near even if she couldn't see him. She saw her grandmother's ghost once and she could feel Zach in their presence. He was probably waiting for all of their goodbye's before he could move on and she would oblige him.

"Zach...Zacharoni. It shouldn't have been you. That bastard took the best of us and he knows it. We'll find him and make sure he gets what he deserves. I promise."

They all then looked to Temperance. They were glad that she cried and let some of her hurt out. They all knew how hard it must have been for her. She was still fighting her human instinct to mourn but they weren't going to let her.

"I don't understand why talking to a grave has any value. He's dead, he can't hear us," the forensic anthropologist coolly explained.

"Bones, it's like with your mother. It's not just about if they can hear you, it's about what you want to say if they could," Booth gently nudged.

Resigned she stepped forward and struggled with something to say. Underneath it all she was afraid to say what she was feeling. She was afraid that if she let her emotions out then they would overwhelm her to the point she'd never be able to function again. She didn't understand why the people she loved had to die or leave her. There were far worse people in the world than she, why couldn't death happen only to them? She knew that life was random and coincidental, that there was no higher power picking on her. Temperance wasn't good with words in these kinds of situation. She knew she should be kind but this was Zach; a male and slightly less talented at anthropology version of her. Then a question popped into her head that sounded suspiciously like Dr. Sweets.

"What would you want said about you from someone you respected?"

"I've always been proud of you, Zack. I've never met anyone more rational and intelligent"

It was a simple yet profound proclamation. One that Zach would remember for all his unlife.

All the insecurity that plagued him throughout childhood and his adult life seemed to have vanished.

He was loved, he was appreciated, he was mourned, and he would be missed.

Zach was glad that Alana brought him there.

The Addy residence...

The wake was much like before the service only with a ton of food and a lot of people squeezed into a smaller space. A legion of relatives had brought over dish upon dish of food. Alana explained to Zach it was traditional to bring the grieving family food to tide them over while they grieved. With the plans and mourning, most people didn't leave room to think of food so it was a gesture of kindness. Zach thought it was a bit of overkill but could appreciate people taking care of his family.

Looking at his Aunt Cordelia's oven baked mac and cheese, Zach felt a longing to be alive just for a few moments. If anything could convince him of the divine it would be his Aunt's family famous noodle dish.

From a distance, Alana smiled at Zach's sad face and how he longed for food. She made a mental note to do something that she thought would ease his transition to becoming a Reaper. The Reaper then mingled more with the guests and she heard the many family stories they had on Zach, mostly censored to be flattering she could tell but she knew that his huge family loved the genius.

Zach mostly hovered around his mother; he wanted to be as close to her as he could for as long as he could. He felt that she deserved to have him close even if she couldn't sense him. He even followed her to the Jeffersonian team. They each gave their condolences and his mother appreciated that they could come. She even embarrassingly told them how much he talked about them and work when he visited his family for the holidays.

"He really loved his job and all you guys," his mother told them, still unable to talk about Zach without crying. She was much more restrained than she was at his grave but she still needed to dab her eyes. Camille had an extra tissue and was happy to share.

"He was a vital member of the team. He will be greatly missed," Booth consoled Mrs. Addy. The others were too emotionally drained at this point.

"Could you all follow me to the library? It was Zach's favorite place in the house."

They all smiled and obliged Zach's mother. They followed her to the small room that was packed with books. It had more than just the classics, it was filled with physics and other applied science books. They could tell it was Zach's sanctuary growing up.

On the desk stood a white and red cardboard box.

"Here's a box of Zach things from his office at the Jeffersonian. I know you guys went through the trouble of sending it to us but I think he would have wanted you guys to have it. Feel free to look through it. If you would excuse me, I need to check on some other family members."

They politely said "Thank you" to Mrs. Addy and Booth was the first to sort through the various nick knacks that Zach kept.

"Oh, I got this form him," Camille smiled as she pulled out the custom trophy that awarded Zach "King of the Lab."

"Yeah thanks, he waved that in my face every day," Hodgins good naturedly ribbed at her. He pulled out a small book and laughed. "The pocket kama sutra. I gave this to him so he'd stop asking Booth sex questions."

They all got a good laugh reminiscing about their departed friend. Jack's smile faltered when he realized "Oh god, did his mom see this?"

That made the team laugh even harder.

The aforementioned Agent pulled out a harmonica and blew a few notes.

"I got Zach this before he went to Iraq."

Angela did her own exploring and pulled out an old white with gold bordered placemat.

"Hey, I drew this for him."

It was a caricature drawing done with a sharpie that boasted Zach "King of the Lab."

"It's interesting that all of his favorite things were objects you people gave him." Lance said with a smile. He was glad that he could help them through their grief this way; they weren't just mourning his passing, they were celebrating his life as well.

Temperance was silent as they each reminisced about how Zach touched their lives and how much Zach loved them. She was hurt that Zach didn't have anything of hers and she felt guilt that she never gave him such novelties.

"I never gave him anything."

"Sweetie, he totally loved you..." Angela said as she tried to console her hurting friend.

"But I never gave him anything."

She removed herself from the group to get a handle on herself.

She found the stairs that led to the second floor and decided they were as good of a place to gather her thoughts as any.

Booth followed her to the stairwell and sat down beside her. He had a white envelope in his hand and took out its contents. It was a single page letter and he began to read from it.

"Dear Mr. Addy, it is my pleasure to offer you the post of my intern in forensic anthropology. I chose you from hundreds of applicants because of your knowledge, your desire to learn, and I feel you will find a home here." Booth then put the letter back in its envelope and handed it to Bones.

She had looked on curiously as he read the acceptance letter she wrote several years ago.

"I think you gave him something great Bones."

She accepted the letter from Booth and leaned her head against his shoulder. They were a great comfort to each other. There was nothing more to say.

Zach was glad that Booth was there for Dr. Brennan. He had a way to articulate what Zach was feeling to the anthropologist that Zach would never have been able to.

He wasn't able to tell his friends how much he loved them but fortunately for him, the things he left behind told them all they needed to know.

Alana saw Zach watching his former coworkers and she knew he had seen enough. He had a peaceful look to his face that could only come with closure. She was glad that he was able to see and hear what he needed to move on. She just had to let him know that he was ready for his next step. She stealthily walked past him and grabbed his arm. She quickly walked past Temperance and Seeley as she was still paranoid that one of them would recognize her. Alana dragged Zach to the back of the house and they left through the back door.

Bones had watched them go and she had a pensive look to her face.

"What's the matter Bones?" Seeley asked of her.

"I think I know that woman."

"Who? One of Zach's million cousins?"

"I guess, I haven't taken the time to actually converse with any of them. I find them too numerous and feel it would be a waste of time to get to know Zach's obscure relatives. Someone should really educate them about birth control and the advantages of birth spacing."

"I wouldn't do that Bones, you do not want to tell a Christian family they have too many kids."

They argued the validity of over population and Brennan forgot where she had seen the woman's bone structure before.

Back at the motel...

Alana was glad to be in private quarters. She knew it was time to let Zach in on a big secret.

She had brought back with her a plate of the macaroni she saw Zach eyed at the wake. It was enough for several people and she thought the best strategy would be to just get the truth out there. She didn't want another fiasco like when she stalled on telling him he was dead.

So Alana placed the plate on the desk the motel provided. She unwrapped the dish, took a fork, and dug right in. She savored the perfectly cooked noodles with the several cheese baked on top. It truly was a masterpiece of comfort food.

"Wow, Zach this is really good."

"Yes, I know. My Aunt Cordelia is famous for her mac and cheese," he said as he inched closer to the food. He knew he couldn't eat it but he was drawn to the casserole.

"Here goes nothing," Alana thought to herself.

"Here, why don't you have some," she said as she offered him a fork.

Zach was confused as he looked from the mac and cheese, the fork, and to Alana. He didn't understand why she would offer him something he couldn't touch much less eat.

"Zach, take the fork," she insisted.

He was confused as ever but he compulsively reached for the utensil. Zach was afraid of what was happening. He had accepted that he was dead and incorporeal. It had taken him a while but he fully accepted it. He didn't understand why Alana was doing this to him and he almost refused but he couldn't help himself as he reached for what Alana offered.

When his hand encased the fork and he was actually able to hold onto it without going through it, he dropped it as if it burned him.

"No," was all he would think. This wasn't supposed to be happening. He was dead. He saw his dead body, he went to his funeral, and he saw everyone grieve for him. He shouldn't be able to hold a fork.

"How?" was all he could get out in his shell shocked state.

"You're a Reaper Zach."