A/N: Happy 4th of July!! Here's my piece for this awesome holiday. I tried to take this a little different from my last 4th of July piece. Oh, and I mean no harm or disrespect to any American with my Star Spangled Banner version. It's all in good fun. This piece has NOT been beta. Sorry bout that. Hopefully you'll over look any mistakes.
Title: Red, White and Boom
Summary: It's the 4th of July. Lets party.
Rating: T (for drinking)
Disclaimer: I don't own BONES, but I'm plotting. This plotline is © WolfMyjic 2007
Angela Montenegro looked over her creation with a happy smile. Before her, spread out over the length of two picnic tables, was a Fourth of July banquet worthy of kings. Or at least the money she had talked her boyfriend out of. With a careful hand, Angela buzzed over the plates of chicken, the bowls of potato and pasta salads, and platters of watermelon lined with strawberries. She moved things an inch this way and then moved something else that way, until again she stepped back, gave a contented nod, and then smiled as the first of the guests began to arrived. "This is an excellent location," Susan Whitehouse, a lab tech at the Jeffersonian, said as she approached.
"Thanks," Angela replied. "From this hill, we'll be able to see every single firework."
"Nice."
"Yup." A steady stream of squints arrived over the next half hour, filling the hilltop with festive sounds. Angela was just reaching for her glow in the dark jewelry, when she spotted a black SUV pulling to a stop. Booth, she thought with a smile. Her smile grew, when she saw both doors open and the slender legs of Temperance Brennan emerge from the passenger side. "So glad you could make it," Angela called out as the duo made their way to her.
"Wouldn't miss it," Booth replied as Angela slid a glowing green necklace around his neck.
"And you," the artist said, turning to Brennan. "I thought you said you couldn't make it?"
"Well," Brennan began, casting a glance to Booth. "I kinda got kidnapped."
"Whatever the cause," Angela said. "I'm glad you made it." She slid a purple necklace around Brennan before heading off to meet some new arrivers.
Twilight had just settled in completely around the party when Angela gave the word that it was time to eat. Slowly, a line was formed and the food began to disappear. "Where's Hodgins?" Booth asked, as he filled his plate with pasta salad.
"I'm not sure," Angela answered honestly. "He promised he would be here, but…" she let the sentence drop.
"I'm sure he just got held up somewhere," the agent replied before moving on to the next platter of food. Angela watched as everybody settled in on the many blankets that she had brought out, and her happy smile began to fade. Where is that boy? She asked herself, then squinted as the headlights of a car fell on her then quickly shut off.
"Sorry I'm late," Hodgins called out, as he got out of his car. Angela gave him a wave, and then watched as he pulled a few bags from the back seat. "Sorry I'm late," he apologized again as he came closer.
"What's all this?" Angela questioned.
"Just a little feel good," the entomologist answered, setting down the bags and pulling out a beer.
"I guess you're forgiven then," Angela said, taking the bottle from his hands.
"It feels odd not having Zack here," Angela sighed some time later, as her and Hodgins sat together. "We should have a drink in his honor."
"I totally agree," Hodgins said, rising up a plastic glass.
"What are you drinking now?"
"Mister Daniels and Coke," was the answer.
"Should you be drinking so much?" Angela asked.
"I'm good," and to prove his point, he drained his glass. "See?" Hodgins smiled as he stood up, stumbled, and then made his way to his stash of alcohol.
"Seems like your boyfriend is on his way to being plastered," Booth said from his and Brennan's blanket. Before Angela could answer, however, a loud explosion went off behind her, causing her to scream. She turned an evil eye to Hodgins who was doubled over laughing.
"Screamed ya," he said, and held up a pack of firecrackers. "They go boom."
"They aren't the only thing that go boom," Angela replied as she made to stand.
"Easy there, Killer," Booth said. "The fireworks are starting." Angela turned in time to see the darkened sky illuminated with bright colors. One look over at Hodgins, confirmed that he was pouring himself another drink, and not lighting things to throw at her. The firework display was coming to an end, the sky was colored in red, white and blue, when the drunken voice of Hodgins began to fill the air. Everybody turned and found him standing atop one of the picnic tables, glassed raised to the sky, his left hand crossed over his chest.
"Jose, can you sing," his voice called out. "By the Donnorly light. What so proudly we inhaled, as the twilight's gas steaming?"
"I think," Booth began. "He's singing the Star Spangled Banner."
"Can we make him stop?" Angela asked, hands over her ears.
"Who brought stripes and fried stars thru the perilous flight. And the ramparts we watched were so gallantly screaming. And the Rockettes red hair, love bombs burst in mid-air. Babe Ruth through the night and our flag was still there." Hodgins threw his hand up in the air and continued with his version. "Jose, does that star-spanking banner give way. Or the lamb of the free and the home of the Braves." Hodgins gave a quick salute, and then jumped from the table.
"I think he's done," Brennan said, tapping Angela on the shoulder. Angela breathed a sigh of relief, and then looked over where Hodgins sat on the ground, after having fallen from his jump.
"I think he's drunk," she said, pointing out the obvious.
"You think?" Booth and Brennan replied at the same time. Angela gave a heavy sigh and then stood, making her way to the drunk.
The night ticked by, and as midnight approached, people began to say their good-byes. Brennan and Booth stayed and helped Angela clean. As Booth came back from his fourth trip from the car, he laughed as he saw the artist struggle with Hodgins to get a plastic fork and knife from his hands. The scientist won, and with a triumph grin stuck them in his shirt pocket. Angela simply shook her head, before catching Booth's eyes. "You need any help with him?" the agent asked, jerking his thumb toward Hodgins.
"Naw," Angela answered. "You go ahead and get Brenn home, I've dealt with drunk guys before."
"Well, if you're sure."
"I'm sure, now get going. And thanks for the help." Booth gave her a wink and then headed back toward the SUV where Brennan was waiting. Angela smiled at the retreating back, waved bye and watched them drive away. "Now, as for you," she said, turning to Hodgins, who was sitting on the ground plucking grass blades. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeppers," Hodgins agreed, trying to stand, and finding it impossible he reached out for Angela. Once she had him standing, they began the walk to her car. Hodgins pulled from her grasp and started away from her.
"Where are you going?" Angela called after him.
"I've gots to pee," he tossed over his shoulder, and wandered out into an open area. Angela stood and watched him and when he didn't move she started toward him.
"Are you okay?" she asked, causing him to jump and spin around.
"Angela," he cried. "Oh Angela, I was so scared."
"Scared? Of what?"
"I got lost," he said. "I couldn't find my way back."
"You got…lost?"
"Yes, and I was so scared."
Angela held back her laugh as she reached out for his arm. "Well, I'm here now." Hodgins smiled, allowing himself to be pulled in the direction of her car. Suddenly, Hodgins let out a scream and fell to the sky. "Now what?"
"The sky," he said, pointing to the sky. "It's falling." Angela glanced up and saw nothing but stars.
"It was a shooting star," she said. "Now come on."
After twenty minutes, she finally had Hodgins in the car, and they were on their way home. She looked over at her boyfriend who was on his knees in his seat, face pressed to the window. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"It's following me," he whispered.
"Who's following you?"
"No," he replied. "It's following me."
"What then?"
Hodgins turned from the window, but brought his finger up to point. "That yellow line," he said. "It's been following me this whole time." Angela rubbed her forehead, as Hodgins turned back to the outside world. Soon, she pulled to a stop in front of Hodgins house, and before she could make it around the car, the passenger side door opened and a drunken entomologist half fell out.
"Jack," Angela whined. "I told you to stay put."
"Shar-re," he said, as Angela unhooked his safety belt, and drug him out. "I'm good." He said, standing straight and walking--somewhat staggered, to the front steps. Angela watched him go, and then pulled the basket of left over chicken from the back seat. After closing the door, she walked to where Hodgins still stood.
"Are you going to go inside?"
"I don't know how."
"What do you mean, you don't know how?" Hodgins turned large blue eyes to her.
"I forgot how to walk up steps."
"It's simple," Angela said. "Put one foot on the step and then the other." Hodgins watched her walk up the steps, and then nodded and tried to follow. The first foot worked okay, but he couldn't get the second foot. Finally, he fell to his knees and crawled up the stairs. "Guess that works," Angela said with a laugh, as she let them both in. She put the chicken in the kitchen and then went to look to where Hodgins had gotten off to. "Jack?" she called out. "Jack?" She looked in the living room, his bedroom, the pool out side. Nothing. Finally, she found him kneeled on the bathroom floor, arms folded over the toilet, fork in one hand, knife in the other, puking. "Are you okay?" Hodgins nodded as another round came over him and he threw up again. Angela walked into the bathroom, and grabbed a washcloth. "What's the fork and knife for?" she asked, as she ran water over the cloth.
"The big chunks," he said solemnly.
Happy 4th of July! Party Hard People!