I came up with this story because the show never touched on Angela apologizing to Booth for the way she treated him after he broke off the engagement. And whether you love her for defending Brennan, or not because she was awful to Booth (and I admit I'm on that side)-I think at the very least she should have recognized she completely misread the situation once the truth came out. In "The Woman on the List" she tells Brennan she should have trusted him, which is at least an acknowledgement she was wrong, but the person she really needed to say that to was Booth. It's been twirling around my head-and my muse got a little jump start by mphs95's story "Actions Speak Louder Than Words".

Also-got a prompt from DorothyOz when I said I was considering this story-the idea that it start with Brennan asking Angela to apologize.

I don't really NEED to say I don't own Bones, right?

Angela and Brennan were sitting in Brennan's office, waiting for Hodgins to finish up before they went home.

"So, I've got the dress under control, Sweetie. Talked to the seamstress-we've ironed everything out. All you need to do is show up for fittings. So-done deal. Score one for the maid of honor." She raised her hand as Brennan opened her mouth. "Sorry, matron of honor."

Brennan smiled and stood up to start gathering everything together to take home. "Excellent."

"So, I know you and Booth want to make your own plans, but are you sure there isn't anything else I can do?"

Brennan stopped suddenly. She turned and gave a long look at Angela. "I-" And she stopped.

Angela swallowed, suddenly nervous. Brennan generally just said what was on her mind-often whether someone was ready or not. That she was hesitant to tell her best friend wasn't good.

"What, sweetie?"

Brennan took a deep breath and then said "I would like you to apologize to Booth."

Angela took a step back. "What?"

Brennan frowned. "I am fairly confident that it was an easily understood comment. I could perhaps understand if I were discussing anatomy-"

Angela waved her hands. "I understood the comment. Not the point. I'm just curious why you're bringing it up."

Brennan sighed and sat back down. "I know that you were looking out for me. You've been my best friend for a long time. I know you hated that I was hurt-and Booth was the one who hurt me, so you lashed out. No doubt Sweets could use some of his psychobabble to go into more detail, but that is not my forte. I understand, Angela, I do. But knowing everything we all know now, you have to admit we all misjudged him. You told me earlier you should have trusted him. We both should have. But you continued being angry after I had decided to trust him."

"He crushed you, sweetie. And then he distanced himself from you. I suspect I got to see more of that than he did."

"And that was Pelant's doing."

Angela snorted. "Booth helped."

Brennan shook her head. "Pelant threatened to kill people, Angela. You have not seen how that affects Booth. I have. And for him to know he was the cause-I suspect that reminded him of when he was a sniper. If Booth had broken his silence, innocent people would have died because of him. He's a good man-and a good Catholic. The guilt of that would have stayed with him forever, Angela. As angry as you were at Booth, surely you can see how it would be difficult to live with."

Angela looked down and whispered, "Yeah. I guess I can." She looked back up. "I didn't help when I accused him of cheating on you, did I?"

"Neither of us treated him particularly well after he broke off the engagement, Angela. I have made my apologies. I simply feel that after all the years you and Booth have known each other-and as close as all of us have become, that perhaps you should consider doing the same. You certainly seemed happy enough when we said the engagement was back on-so I doubt if you that Booth was that bad a man you wouldn't have been. " Brennan walked over and took Angela's hands. "Please, Angela. At least consider it. I would hate to think my best friend and my husband hate each other."

Angela let go of Brennan's hands and reached out to hug her. "I don't hate him. I don't think I ever really did. But I was angry. I saw what it did to you-and I couldn't help. Plus, honey, I'm not you. I don't compartmentalize well-I just react. I reacted badly in this case I know. God, I should have just listened to Hodgins when he told me to butt out. And I will apologize, sweetie, I swear. I just-give me some time. I want to do it right. I just don't want to screw it up so he never forgives me."

Brennan smiled. "I believe he will."

"What, because of his religion? Which I know you don't believe in, but-"

No, Angela," Brennan said, shaking her head. 'Because he knows how good a friend you are to me-and no doubt why you reacted the way you did. He knows you, Angela-he's had years to get to know you. I suspect that's part of why your reaction hurt. He would have assumed you knew better than to assume he 'had a fling', as I believe you put it. That was hardly helpful to the situation, by the way."

Angela sighed. "Yeah, I know." She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. "One apology, coming right up."

Brennan smiled, then both women turned at the sound of Hodgins' voice from the doorway. "Um if I'm interrupting I can go sit in a corner or something."

"No, babe, you're not." Angela walked over to her husband and linked her arm through his. Before they left, she turned back towards Brennan. "I will do it, sweetie. I swear. OK? This will be like dress-it's something you don't have to spend any time worrying over. This matron of honor is all over it-and see this time I got the word right-just for you."

Hodgins and Angela walked out to the sound of Brennan's laughter.

Next-the apology.

For what it's worth, I think neither Booth nor Angela dealt with the situation well, Yes, Booth did things like not answer calls, not coming home and he seemed distant-which fueled the whole cheating speculation-but Angela jumping into the middle of the situation by yelling at Booth, and being mean even after Brennan decided to trust Booth, was not helpful to anyone except that Angela got to vent. Didn't help the situation at all. And she seemed more than fine that the engagement was back on at the end of "The Sense in the Sacrifice" (before there was any explanation)-so Booth's only OK if he's actually marrying her friend? As much I ordinarily love Angela, it seems a little hypocritical considering how much she jerked Hodgins around when he first proposed.

And to anyone who's read any of my other stories-I just can't seem to help these author's notes. Don't feel obliged to read them-it's just I like for people to know where I'm coming from when I'm putting these stories out there.