Chapter 1-Shock

It was Friday night and everyone at the Jeffersonian Institute was eagerly getting ready to go home and enjoy the weekend after a tough week at work. They had solved an emotional case that involved a child's remains but thanks to the FBI's top crime solving duo, the sick man who killed the child had been put behind bars.

One person though, who did not seem ready to leave yet, was carrying on with her paper work. Temperance Brennan had a habit of staying longer than anyone else. She would work into the early hours of the morning on some nights, especially when they had a particularly puzzling case. But after years of solving cases with the FBI, after years of working with her partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth, she had come to learn that she wouldn't be working much longer because now that they had solved the case, Booth would be coming to pick her up and take her to the diner to celebrate.

As Brennan sat in her office thinking about her partner, in the office at the other end of the lab, Angela was rushing around. The artist was one of those people who would usually rush home on a Friday night but for some reason she had stayed longer than usual. It didn't bother Brennan. Why would it? But when her pleasant thoughts about her hunky FBI partner were interrupted by a loud, "DAMN!" she knew it was time to check on Angela.

"Hey Angela, are you alr-" She stopped when she realised that her best friend was all dressed up, "How come you look so nice?"

Angela looked up to see her best friend in the door way, "Oh, hey sweetie, I'm just getting ready for my date...well, I was until I..." She was cut off.

"You've got a date tonight? Who with?"

"Uh, well, you see that's the thing...I don't know."

"Angela, how can you not know who you are about to go out with?" Brennan knew her friend was a little wild but this was a whole new thing.

"Okay, well, you know how it's been a while since I've been out with anybody, ever since Wendell and I broke up-" she saddened a little at the thought of her most recent failed relationship. "-well I decided to give this new dating website a shot, and well, they've matched me up with this guy, and we've been e-mailing each other and he really sounds sweet Bren, so we've arranged to meet up in person." She braced herself for her friend's response.

"Ange-do you even know this guy's name?" Brennan was starting to get concerned.

"YES...kinda...his username is B-GUY23."

"ANGE! You don't even know this guy's name! And now you're meeting up with him! What if he's nothing like he appears to be? What if he's a mass murderer who lures his victims in through dating websites? Or-" Angela cut her off before she became hysterical.

"Sweetie! Relax, I know what I'm doing, I'm a big girl, not a teenager. I know about the risks and I've decided I'm willing to take them. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I'm going prepared" Angela reached into her purse and pulled out a can of pepper spray.

"Ange-" Brennan was softening.

"Sweetie, you've just got to trust me, okay?" She smiled a reassuring smile.

Brennan was defeated, "Okay"

"Thanks sweetie, okay, well I better get going, don't want to be late. Bye sweetie!" Angela called as she walked through the door.

"Bye Ange!" Brennan called after her.

As Angela pulled into the car park of the restaurant where her date was taking place, she took a minute to collect her thoughts.

Okay Angela, it'll be okay. You know what you're doing. You've always got your pepper spray.

She took a deep breath, and then checked her makeup in the side view mirror. She had to admit, she looked pretty fantastic, considering she got ready at work. All she'd had to do was pack her dress, accessories, makeup and hairbrush before she'd left for work that morning. Her dress was strapless, knee length and dark purple. Her hair was curled and her makeup made her eyes sparkle. She was going to make a very good first impression.

She took a deep breath and opened the car door. She slowly approached the restaurant. Her heart was pounding inside her chest.

What if this goes wrong? What if he doesn't like me? What if he's a total creep? No-it'll be fine!

She reached the front doors and made her way over to the reservations desk. What should she say? What name? She thought for a moment and then remembered.

"Reservation for two, table 3" She told the waiter.

"Right this way ma'am" The waiter replied in an over-polite way.

She sat down. Her date wasn't here yet, which gave her time to think about what to say.

She went through conversations in her head.

"Hi, I'm the random girl you've been e-mailing for the past few weeks" No. "You look different to what I hoped" No. "Did you use the dating website because you're as desperate as I am?" No.

It seemed like she had been waiting for hours. She checked the restaurant wall clock. 7:15. He was 15 minutes late! Her mind started racing again (that seemed to be happening a lot lately)

What if he changed his mind? What if he stands me up? Stop panicking Angela! He's probably just stuck in traffic. Get a grip!

After another five minutes of waiting, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Sorry, I'm late, traffic was terrible." Her back was facing him, she hadn't turned round to see his face yet but his voice sounded familiar-very familiar.

She wasn't prepared for what happened next because when she turned round, she saw all too familiar blue eyes, all too familiar curly hair and an all too familiar shocked face when he realised who she was .

After a minute of shocked silence and staring, Angela finally broke the ice...

"Hodgins?"