A/N: This is a one-shot for now. I liked the latest episode, all the BB stuff made me ridiculously happy, but I felt super bad for Hodgins so I love in close second to Booth. Enjoy!

Brennan and Booth entered the Founding Fathers just in time to see Hodgins drop his beer and run for the door. Perplexed, they looked around to see what would have caused that particular outburst. They didn't have to look far. Angela and Wendell were sitting at a table, apparently thinking that they were somewhere much more private. As they pulled away from each other, Wendell looked extremely embarrassed while Angela looked very happy. It was obvious as to whose idea it was to be making out in public. Booth looked at Brennan,

"I'm gonna go check on Hodgins" He said before making his way to the door as Brennan nodded, her eyes unable to leave her best friend. Suddenly Cam and Sweets were next to her.

"Sometimes I really can't believe Angela" Cam said harshly.

"You mean because of what we have witnessed between her and Wendell?" Sweets asked curiously. Cam shot him a glare and he gulped, unable to look at her. He had never seen Cam act this way towards her friends. She simply grabbed her purse and headed for the exit. Sweets right on her trail. Brennan was about to leave also when Angela looked up and caught her eye and waved her over. Unable to make up excuses to avoid such social interactions, Brennan was forced to sit with her best friend and intern.


Booth didn't have to go far to find Hodgins. He was leaning against the side of the bar trying to collect himself, but the tears he was trying so hard not to release had their own plans. He honestly didn't think it would hurt as much as it did. He had seen Angela with Roxie and seen her flirt with Clark many times but maybe because Wendell was his friend, he couldn't take it. He barely acknowledged Booth's presence until he spoke.

"I'm sorry man" He said sympathetically as he laid a hand on Hodgins' shoulder. Hodgins didn't trust himself to respond. Booth took his place next to Hodgins and they stood in silence against the wall, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I didn't think it would hurt this much" Hodgins choked out, unable to hold his tears back any longer he let them fall freely from his place and simply congratulated himself for not sobbing.

"Ya, I know" Booth said gently. "Come on, we'll go back to my place and watch the game." He suggested he hated seeing his friend like this. Hodgins' nodded and let Booth steer him towards the SUV.


Cam knew why she was so upset, but she also knew that she should not have let it show, especially in front of Sweets.

"Hey Cam, slow down" He called after her. Cam ignored him and continued walking.

"You know you can always talk to me. There is obviously something that is upsetting you" Sweets continued as he caught up to her.

"Is it because you have developed feelings for Wendell? Is that why you are upset?" He continued to pester her. "It would not be hard to believe, and nothing to be ashamed of. Women tend to go for younger men because of their sexual stamina. Or perhaps, now that you have a teenage daughter, you are feeling a more maternal connection with Wendell and therefore being protective of him? Or maybe you think that Angela is taking advantage of him and you want to avoid any drama. Cause we all know there is going to be drama when Angela is concerned and we know what it was like when she broke up with Hodgins. I can see you wanting to avoid that happening with Wendell, it really wouldn't be fair to the guy since he doesn't even know everything that happened." Cam stopping abruptly.

"What is going on?" She gave him a look. "Totally just a friend question." Cam sighed in defeat.

"It's just Angela. And Dr. Brennan." Sweets looked at her confused.

"That they have the most amazing guys wanting to be with them and make them happy and yet they refuse to go with it. Seriously if someone loved me the way Booth and Hodgins love Brennan and Angela I would make sure that they never left. I would be so grateful that someone loved me and wanted to be with me and I would make sure that they knew that I loved them too."

"So you're jealous of Dr. Brennan and Angela"

"Yes. The worst part is that they know that these great guys love them and they still insist on torturing them" Cam sat down on a bench.

"I know that I am not the woman for Seeley. And I am ok with that. I have made my peace with that a long long time ago. It's just sometimes, like when decided to go on that date with his boss, that I feel like I would be better. Is that really selfish of me?" Sweets sat down next to her, amazed at what she had revealed.

"No it isn't. I think it is a perfectly natural response. You want to be loved like they are."

"Ya. I hadn't even been thinking about it, but when I figure out that Wendell and Angela….she is going to hurt him and he doesn't know. And I like Wendell, he's a good kid. And she is hurting Hodgins so much. I don't understand how she doesn't see it. She said that she and Brennan have nothing in common but they do."

"Ya" Sweets said softly.


"Sweetie I thought you were coming with Booth" Angela said as her best friend sat down.

"Oh I did, but he was called away last minute with an emergency." Brennan lied, hoping she sounded convincing.

"Is everything ok?" Angela asked concerned.

"Yes. It was Cullen calling him so he wasn't too worried but he figured he should answer." Brennan hoped that Angela would leave it at that.

"Oh ok. Well I wanted to tell you something anyways." Angela said, smile back on her face as she looked over at Wendell, who gulped. Brennan pretended to be clueless.

"Oh?"

"Yep. Wendell here and I have started dating" Angela said happily. Brennan tried really hard to be happy for her friend, but even Wendell didn't seem to be as happy as Angela.

"Oh, that's great Ange. Congratulations." She glanced at Wendell who refused to meet her eye. Angela smiled, oblivious to the awkward exchange.

"But don't tell anyone Sweetie." Angela said, suddenly serious.

"I think Cam knows." Wendell spoke for the first time. "And Booth definitely knows" Angela sighed

"Ok well don't tell Sweets, or Hodgins" Brennan nodded, inspiration suddenly struck her.

"How come?" She asked as innocently as she could.

"Well Sweets would make a case out of it and get all shrinky and Hodgins…" Angela trailed off.

"Hodgins what Ange?"

"Sweetie, come on, you aren't that dense, you know about my history with Hodgins."

"Well obviously I know that you were engaged to Hodgins Angela, I was your bridesmaid remember." As soon as it had left her mouth, Brennan knew it was the wrong thing to say. Wendell's mouth dropped.


Booth had finally managed to get Hodgins into his apartment.

"I'm angry" Hodgins spat out like a child who didn't know how to express his emotions.

"I know. And you have the right to be." Booth said reassuringly as he handed him a beer.

"Who does she think she is?" Hodgins continued as he gulped down his beer.

"She's a free spirit" Booth shrugged as he threw himself onto the couch and turned on the TV.

"Free spirit, sure" Hodgins snorted as he sat down next to Booth.

One hockey game and several beers later, Hodgins was in no better mood and Booth was running out of things to do and say. He looked around his apartment and his eyes fell onto the copy of Brennan's newest book that he had left on the coffee table and suddenly he knew exactly what to say.

"Angela is afraid of commitment. She doesn't want to be tied down because she things that it will hinder her artistically, and I'm sure Bones had convinced her that it would put a stop to her other freedoms to be 'chained' to a guy and all that anthropology crap." Hodgins nodded as if Booth was speaking the wisest words ever uttered.

"They are so scared that they are going to get hurt that they hurt us before they even give us a chance."

"Dr. B seems to be coming around" Hodgins said miserably

"Ya she is" Booth said, and couldn't stop the smile from gracing is face. "So Angela will too. She has to, I mean come on, like you said, Bones is coming around." Hodgins actually chuckled.

"So we just have to wait."

"Yep" Booth said, handing him another beer.