Hello all! This is my attempt at an original fanfic. It skips ahead almost four years into the future and some storylines (such as Vincent's death) are followed, while others (Booth and Brennan having one baby) are not. This is more of an introduction-type chapter and I'll warn you now, it's going to take me a bit to get to the actual plot. Also, there will be numerous flashbacks seeing as I completely skipped over almost four years. Booth, Brennan, and the rest of the Squint Squad will appear, but Angela and Hodgins are the focal point of this fanfic. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!
Angela busied herself in the kitchen, making a batch of pancakes like she always did on Monday mornings. Humming quietly to herself she heard a familiar thumping as someone came down the stairs and turned to see her husband dressed in one of his favorite plaid button-down shirts and a pair of jeans.
He made his way over to her, kissing her cheek as he slyly dipped a finger into the batter. "Good morning Angie."
"Morning Jack," she replied seeing him put his finger in his mouth, "Hey! Don't think I didn't see that mister."
He chuckled and moved to start the coffee maker.
"Where's Michael? Is he getting ready?" she asked.
"Yeah he'll be down in a minute. He insisted that you be surprised by his choice in outfit."
She rolled her eyes. Her son had no idea how to match his clothes. It didn't help that he was only four years old, but he was definitely his father's son when it came to that department.
"What?"
"Nothing. He's just so like you. Thinks he knows what style is and whatnot," she teased, flipping the first pancake.
"Hey!" he protested, "I'm not that bad."
She turned to look at him, "Honey you pretty much wear the same type of shirt to work everyday. They do look amazingly hot on you but still."
"I blame Michael," he said and she laughed, waiting for the explanation sure to follow. "When you were pregnant with him you could not keep your hands off me. I had to wear something that you could take off easily and quickly." He smirked at her.
"Oh right, I was the one who couldn't keep my hands off you. I seem to recall that you absolutely loved me being pregnant. God only knows why because I looked like an absolute whale." She turned off the oven, setting a plate of pancakes down at the table.
Leaning her head around the stairs she called, "Michael! Come down, breakfast is ready!"
She turned around to see Hodgins staring at her, "What?"
"You are incredibly beautiful," he replied, catching her in his arms as he kissed her passionately.
Neither of them noticed the soft thud of someone else coming down the stairs.
"Mommy, Daddy whatcha doing?" a curious voiced asked, startling Angela and Hodgins out of their moment.
"Daddy was just showing Mommy how much he loves her, Mikey," Hodgins recovered quickly.
Angela looked her son up and down. His dark brown curls were in a mess that resembled her own and the piercing blue eyes that matched his father's looked up at her filled with curiosity. He had on a little ZZ Top shirt his grandfather had given him for his fourth birthday last week and his favorite pair of cargo shorts. Billy had made quite a scene at the party but nonetheless, the party was a success.
Flashback
"You're going to get the cake and everything right after work right?" Angela asked, pacing around his office like a maniac.
He stopped working for a minute and turned to face her, "Yes. I even got permission from Cam to leave a little early. Just calm down okay. Let the rest of us handle it. All you have to do is pick Michael up from preschool and bring him to the house around 6."
"I just want everything to be perfect for him. It's his special day."
"I know babe and it will be. Why don't you go check to make sure everyone knows that the party is today?" he asked, clearly wanting to get back to what he was doing.
"Oh right. You're trying to establish time of death. Sorry babe." She quickly kissed him before running out of his office to find the others.
He just shook his head, getting back to his bugs.
"Brennan!" she called out just as the worn out looking anthropologist was about to head into her office.
She turned around surprised, "Angela, what is it?"
Angela came over to her, slightly out of breath.
"Why are you breathing so hard Ange?" she asked, a bit concerned.
"Oh I just spent the last half hour running around reminding everyone about Michael's birthday party tonight. You, Booth, Rissa, and Kev are coming right?"
"Of course we are," Brennan assured her, patting her back.
"Right. Okay, well I'll see you guys there then," she called, backing out of the office.
"Wait where are you going now?"
"I have to run by the FBI building to see Sweets," Angela called back.
"Couldn't you just-," Brennan started to say but Angela was already gone, "Call him? And never mind."
"Sweets!" Angela yelled as she burst into his office.
He looked up startled, "Angela, what are you doing here?"
"You and Daisy are coming to the party tonight right?"
He looked confused, "Uhh, why wouldn't we?"
She sighed in frustration, "I'm just making sure no one forgot."
"Angela do you want to talk?" he asked, motioning to the couch.
"No I do not want to talk Sweets. Can't a mother just be worried about her son's birthday party without people thinking the worst?"
"Of course. I'm sorry Angela. I'll see you later then."
Angela looked at her watch quickly before dialing home to her husband. "Hey, is everything almost ready?" she asked. "Okay, I'm at the preschool right now so we should be leaving in five or ten minutes. Yeah, love you too Jack" She hung up the phone and pushed open the door to the school. Michael immediately noticed her and stopped what he was doing to run over and hug her.
"Hey birthday boy. How was school?" she asked, ruffling his hair.
His bright blue eyes shined with excitement, "It was awesome. Everyone sang to me and i got to wear the birthday hat and and…" He chattered on, his words running together.
"Whoa, slow down there buddy." She laughed, "Ready to go home and see what Daddy and I got you?"
"Yeah!" he yelled, running towards the door.
Angela said a quick goodbye to the preschool people and took her son's hand as they walked to the car. She helped him into his 'booster seat' (he didn't like it to be called a car seat anymore) and prepared for his jabber on the ride home. Finally they reached the roomy condo they called home.
"Look Mikey. Daddy beat us home," she told him, spotting the red Mini Cooper he still chose to drive after all these years sitting in the driveway. No other cars were seen as Hodgins had arranged for limos to pick everyone up and drop everyone off so that Michael wouldn't suspect anything.
He laughed and struggled to undo his seatbelt, finally popping it off.
"Maybe he's already making dinner for us. Wouldn't that be nice?" She allowed him to run to the front door, knowing that he couldn't get in without a key.
"Mommy hurry up!" he whined.
"I'm coming, I'm coming! Not everyone is as young as you kid, remember that." She unlocked the door and opened it to reveal a banner with 'Happy 4th Birthday Michael!' written on it and all of their friends with silly party hats on, throwing confetti at him.
He smiled a huge grin, turning around to look at his mom, "Did you plan all of this, Mommy?"
Hodgins came around and put his arm around his wife, "She sure did kiddo."
"Don't listen to him. Your Daddy helped too." She paused, holding back the tears, "Happy Birthday baby, we love you so much." She picked him up, ignoring his protests and she and Hodgins placed wet kisses on either side of his face.
"Ewww!" he complained as she finally put him down.
Hodgins laughed, "Michael all your friends are in the backyard. Why don't you go play with them?" he suggested.
He was more than happy to comply, running as fast as his little legs could carry him to a group of boys from his preschool class playing on the swing set.
"Are you gonna cry again Angie?" Hodgins asked, remembering last year when she had bawled her eyes out, frightening their son a little bit.
"Well yeah! Our son is four years old! But I'll try to keep it on the downside this time."
He nodded, silently, knowing that it wouldn't be until they were in bed together that night that the waterworks would really start.
She looked around their house to see all the members of their Squint Squad and wondered where the time had gone. Booth and Brennan were finally together, although not married, and had a daughter and a son: 3 year old twins Karissa Christine Booth and Kevin Gerard Booth. Cam had finally agreed to marry Paul last year after dating for 3 years and they were as happy as could be. Sweets and Daisy were still together, engaged to be married in the fall. All the interns had gotten their doctorates, but only Wendell and Daisy had stayed on at the Jeffersonian, with Arastoo, Clark, and Fisher finding positions elsewhere. And then there was her husband of five years, Dr. Jack Hodgins, the only man she had really ever loved.
She laughed as she watched him try to round up all the kids, knowing that Michael could not have asked for a more perfect father.
"Alright everybody, it's cake time! Behave or no cake!" She brought out the huge chocolate oreo cake, "Babe, that includes you," she scolded, slapping his fingers away from the cake.
He pouted for a minute and then went to go find a lighter and knife. Once all five candles were lit, everyone began to sing Happy Birthday. Some were surprisingly on-key (Sweets), while others (Booth) were not so much.
When the singing was over Michael just sat perched at the table. "Honey, aren't you going to blow out your candles?" Angela asked.
He turned to look at her, "Mommy why are there five candles. I'm turning four."
She smiled at his cleverness, "Well you always get one just for good luck baby. Ready? One, two, three, make a wish!"
It took him three tries to blow out the candles, but he managed.
"Alright, let's eat!" Hodgins yelled enthusiastically.
"At least let Michael and the kids get their pieces before you devour the thing Jack," she hissed in his ear, her tone teasing yet serious.
He laughed, "Of course."
After everyone had had their fill of birthday cake, it was time to open presents. Angela pulled a makeshift blindfold over Michael's eyes as she and Hodgins let him outside where their present for him was waiting.
"Now Mikey there are going to be rules that come with this present, so don't think you can do whatever you want okay?" Angela warned.
"Okay," he replied, practically running in place by now.
They took of the blindfold and there in front of him stood his very own miniature four-wheeler.
"Wow!" he whooped as he ran to it but quickly ran back to his parents to hug and thank them. "Thank you for my present Mommy and Daddy," he said throwing his little arms around each of their necks.
"You're very welcome buddy. Now you can't ride it in the streets, but you can ride it in the backyard after everyone leaves. Maybe if you're good we can take a trip to the estate next weekend and you can ride all around there." Hodgins said. Even though he and Angela had their very own place he had kept his mansion simply because of the fact that it had been in the family for years and he didn't want it to end up in the wrong hands.
"So you'll let him ride that thing but you won't let me take him on tour with me?" a familiar voice questioned.
"Grandpa!" Michael yelled, running into none other than Billy Gibbons' arms.
"Dad, I didn't think you were going to be able to make it." Angela was next to give him a hug.
"You kidding baby girl? I wouldn't miss my grandson's birthday for the world."
"Grandpa Grandpa!" Michael tugged at the sleeve of his jacket, "Where's my present?"
"Michael, manners," Hodgins scolded his son.
"Sorry Daddy. Do you have anything for me Grandpa?" Michael tried again.
Billy scratched his head for a minute, "You know what? As a matter of a fact I do Mikey." He pulled out a custom made t-shirt that said ZZ Top on the front and had a picture of Billy on the back with the phrase 'Grandpa's Boy' written underneath it.
"Wow Dad, that's really nice," Angela said, "Mikey what do you say to your Grandpa?"
"Thank you Grandpa! It's so cool!" He rushed over to hug him again.
Billy laughed, "One more thing for you boy." He fished in the trunk of his car and pulled out a child's guitar, carefully handing it to Michael.
The look on Michael's face was priceless, "Whoa, my very own guitar. Look Daddy I have my own guitar!" Hodgins smiled. "You're the best Grandpa ever!" Michael declared.
The rest of the gifts were given out soon after. Booth and Brennan got Michael a firefighter set; complete with the hat, the suit, and the boots. Cam and Paul had grabbed a brand new pair of limited edition Nike kicks while vacationing in London. From Sweets and Daisy he received a superman watch and shirt. Wendell got him a skateboard and the kids from his preschool class had all chipped in (well their mothers had chipped in) for a gift card to the ice cream place.
By the time seven o'clock came rolling around, Michael could barely keep his eyes open. Angela knew that it was time to end the party. "Okay everyone, thank you so much for helping us celebrate Michael's birthday. We'll see you guys later."
Hodgins escorted the remaining guests (most of the preschool kids had already left with their parents as dinner approached) to the door, thanking them again on their way out.
Once everyone was gone he came back into the house to see Angela standing in the doorway just staring. "Babe what are you doing? He whispered.
"Look at him," she gestured to a sleeping Michael, sprawled out on the couch with a slice of pizza still in his little hands.
Hodgins smiled and kissed his wife's cheek, "Thank you."
She looked up confused, "For what?"
"For finally marrying me. Without you we wouldn't have our son. I love you Angela."
Her eyes were glistening, "I love you too Jack." She kissed him sweetly, her tongue soon begging for entrance, which he surprisingly denied.
"He's waking up," he offered, pointing.
Angela sighed, "I'll put him to bed. Meet you in bed?"
"Okay. I'm just gonna clean up a bit first."
She made her way over to the couch and removed the pizza slice from Michael's hand, throwing it into the box sitting on the end table. She ran her fingers through his curly hair as he began to wake up. "Hey sleepyhead. Did you get enough to eat?"
He looked around, confused as to why there were no people anymore, "I fell asleep at my own party?" he questioned.
"It's been a long day Mikey. Everyone was tired too, that's why they left a little early. Come on let's get you in bed." She lifted him into her arms, amazed at how big he had gotten. He didn't even try to protest when she put his pajamas on for him and tucked him into bed. "Goodnight Michael. Your daddy and I love you so so much." She kissed his forehead and shut the light off as she headed out of the room.
She smiled, kneeling down to his level. "Honey, it's pretty cold outside. Why don't you go change into some warmer clothes okay?"
He frowned slightly, clearly thinking about something, "Okay Mommy. Be right back." He said turning to head back up the stairs.
"Do you need any help?" she asked hopefully. She missed dressing her baby each and every day, helping him brush his teeth and such.
He turned back and looked at her, "No thanks Mommy I'm a big boy now."
Angela turned back towards Hodgins who was leaning against the counter, an amused smile on his face. "Jack, he's growing up so fast," she almost wailed, sniffling a bit.
He took her in his arms and kissed the top of her head, "I know I know. But think of what an awesome little man he's becoming."
"I remember just yesterday finding out I was pregnant with him." She sighed, grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting down at the table.
He sat down with and didn't say a word, simply taking her hand.
After 5 minutes Michael still had not come back downstairs so Angela figured he might need some help. "Go see if your son needs any help," she told her husband, "And make sure he has a jacket while you're at it. We really don't need him getting sick."
When Hodgins and Michael still hadn't reappeared, Angela trudged upstairs herself to see what was going on. She peered into Michael's room to find her son and her husband engaged in a tickle battle, one that Hodgins was clearly winning.
"No fair Daddy, you're bigger than me!" complained Michael.
"How about you and I gang up on Daddy?" Angela suggested from the doorway.
Michael giggled as she joined in, holding Hodgins down while Michael sat on his chest, tickling his neck.
"Alright alright. That's enough, I give up. You two win!" Hodgins was practically crying from all the laughter and his face was beet red.
"Okay Mikey, let's let Daddy up now. We're going to be late. Go downstairs and eat some pancakes," she instructed, watching the retreating form of her son before turning to look at her husband.
"Am I in trouble?" he asked, putting on a brave face.
"Far from it," she replied, leaning in to kiss him.
"Wow!"
"Don't get used to it. You make us late again and you will be in trouble. Now go find your son and make sure he has everything while I freshen up. I'll be down in five minutes so no horsing around."
She went down the hall to their bathroom, sighing as she fixed her hair and makeup. Next thing she knew she was kneeling down by the toilet, emptying her stomach of the pancakes she'd eaten that morning.
Sooo? Like I said, I'm making use of flashbacks lol. Sorry about the cliffhanger, but you all can probably figure out why she's throwing up if you read the summary. Well I'll try my best to update this as often as I can, but I won't promise anything, especially since these chapters are going to have to be quite lengthy and I'm still in high school. Leave me a review, let me know what you thought of it.