Author's Note: This fluffy little ficlet came to me while I was working on the next chapter of my longer story,"Tough Decisions," and not making much progress. I hope you don't mind the detour. This should be pretty short. No more than three chapters (I hope). As always, Bones and the gang belong to Fox, Hart Hanson et al. No infringement is intended. Reviews are nice. They let me know if you're still reading.
Temperance Brennan was bent over a partial skull, carefully measuring the left occipital arch and making notes in a file for comparison to the database of missing persons. As often happened, she was so intent on her work, she didn't hear anyone enter her office. Suddenly a voice came from right behind her shoulder,
"OK, sweetie, it's 'Tell Auntie Angela' Time. What happened between you and Booth at Christmas?" came the voice of her forensic artist and friend, Angela Montenegro.
At first Brennan's brain didn't even register what Angela said, but when it did she came upright so fast she almost clipped Angela on the jaw.
"What?!!! How did you kn. . . I don't know what you mean," she finally managed. "I went to Peru. What could possibly have happened?"
Angela grinned in delight at the tell-tale signs of evasion and deflection coming from Brennan. She had learned a lot about subterfuge from Booth during the past few years, it was true, but she was no match for a master of interrogation like Angela.
"So, something DID happen between the two of you! I thought so! The way both of you have been acting around each other since you came back from Christmas break, it was obvious," she exclaimed gleefully. "Come on, sweetie, tell Auntie Angela. You know you won't feel better until you do."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Angela," Brennan again took refuge in her usual non-answer. "I was in Peru for my vacation."
"Bren, how long have we known each other? What on earth makes you think you can get away with all this denial? I'll figure it out eventually, even if I have to hang Booth up by his thumbs to do it."
"Angela, if you ask Booth, he'll tell you the exact same thing," Brennan began in exasperation.
"I know, sweetie. Have you ever noticed how murder suspects' stories match 'exactly'? You can always tell when they have rehearsed their answers because they're always 'exactly' the same. Word for word."
"This badgering won't do you any good, Angela. There's nothing to tell. What makes you so sure, anyway?" Brennan asked, trying to look calm, logical, and not guilty.
"Well, an adorable little bird called here this morning. He was looking for his daddy, but his daddy's cell phone was out of range, and his work phone went to voice mail, so Parker called here. I picked up the phone when it rolled over to the lab from your office. When I asked him if he had a nice Christmas, he told me this really cute story about how he and his daddy got a Christmas tree and took it to you and your daddy for Christmas," Angela said dryly. Brennan was so cute when she was trying to look like she didn't know what you meant, when she really did.
"He also said that when they were buying the wires to hook it up to daddy's car, some lady said 'MISTLETOE!' really loud behind them and his daddy jumped like you do when you've done something bad and the teacher sneaks up on you. Apparently Daddy turned really red too, and when Parker asked him why he was scared of someone yelling 'Mistletoe!', he told him, in Parker's words, 'Daddy said I wouldn't understand 'cause I'm not a grownup.'" Angela noted with satisfaction the pink tinge now creeping into Brennan's cheeks. The bait was taken and the frog was in the pot of water. Now it was time to turn up the heat.
"Now to my knowledge, the only woman Booth even had time to see before Christmas was you, because you were both working so hard trying to close the Santa case before the break. Not to mention, I can't imagine Seeley Booth being even the slightest bit bothered by being caught under mistletoe by just about any woman I can think of." Angela paused. "Present company excepted, " she guessed, enjoying the incipient look of panic in Brennan's eyes.
"Of course, I suppose it could have been Caroline Julian, because when she says 'Jump!' Booth says 'How high?' But somehow I doubt it," she continued with a skeptical smile. At Brennan's even guiltier flush, Angela smiled even wider. "OK, fine. If you won't tell me, I'll ask Caroline. I bet she'll tell me. I'll use the Freedom of Information Act, if necessary."
With that, Angela turned on her heel and walked out of Brennan's office so fast Brennan couldn't believe it. She also couldn't believe that Angela had figured something out correctly from the very little she actually knew. For a stunned few seconds she stood there waiting for her brain to function. That didn't happen to her very often. The last time had been after The Kiss ended. Brennan didn't know why, but she always thought of It in capital letters. And she thought about It a lot more often than she felt was acceptable, but somehow she couldn't help herself, because her mind went off on a tangent when she least expected it. In fact, she dreamed about It too, much to her chagrin, but now was definitely not the time to think of that.
"Damn it," she thought as she finally hurried after Angela, "why am I always surrounded by people who can read my mind when I can't read theirs. It's not fair."
"Angela, wait! Angela!" she said more loudly, hoping that none of the others had heard her. She was walking fast, but when she thought about Angela talking to Caroline Julian, she began to run. It would be better to tell Angela the truth, logically and rationally, and swear her to secrecy before both their lives became a living hell. She could only imagine the smart remarks and teasing from Angela about The Kiss. She cringed at the thought. And Booth--he'd never forgive her if the truth got out!
She gasped as another, even worse, thought occurred to her. If Angela knew, Jack knew, and if Jack knew. . . The teasing and snide comments had just begun to multiply like virulent, drug-resistant bacteria. She shuddered at the thought of Jack's comments, not to mention the looks they'd get from Cam and Zack. And the awkward questions. At that thought, she ran faster. "Angela!!!!"