"And what are you not supposed to do?"
"Tell Lucy who her mother is." Sweets and Zack replied loyally.
"I've never told her in the past." Zack pointed out.
"I know, but this is just to make sure."
"It's very likely that she will find out soon in any case." Zack added.
"I know." Hodgins growled.
"You're plan doesn't seem very thorough." he continued.
"Yes, Zack, I realize that."
"and..."
"Zack..." Hodgins interrupted warningly.
"I was just going to remind you that Sweets has already met Lucy when Parker introduced them earlier this week."
"What? Sweets, you didn't tell me?"
"It didn't really come up..." the psychiatrist muttered guiltily.
"You asked how she was doing yesterday."
"A lot can change in a week." Sweets said defensively, "I figured that you would get mad." He leaned forward in his chair, "Also – you were always closer to Booth than myself, why didn't you invite him to what you told Lucy was a 'dinner with old friends'?"
"I think that's rather obvious." Zack offered. They all turned to stare at him. Looking unnerved, he continued, "If Booth were to come, so would Brennan and Cam. Realizing that nearly everyone but herself and Parson were gone, she would ask why. Someone would tell her that they were having dinner with an old colleague, and she would be able to deduce that you were back in town, and she would wonder if Lucy was, and she may finally be compelled to meet her."
"Not quite." Hodgins said after a beat, "If Angela wanted to meet Lucy, she's had plenty of opportunity – I've even told her that Lucy goes to GWU. No, that's not my concern. I'm afraid that Lucy will find out because of how subtle Booth and Dr. B have always been, and then she will be hurt when she finds out that the woman Parker calls 'Aunt Angie' is the same person who tried to put her up for adoption. I mean, the two seem so happy together, I'd hate for the past to get in the way of that."
"You're a good father." Zack said, swirling the water around in his glass.
"You say that as though you're surprised." Hodgins said dryly.
"Aunt Angie, did you guys ever capture a bad guy named 'Hodgins'?" Parker asked, sliding into the seat opposite his non-biological relative. The reaction was instant. Angela froze, her face going pale as she clutched the edges of her chair as though it were her last hope of life, "Ange?" Parker repeated, worriedly.
"No, Parker… you know the name Hodgins, hon, remember?" Angela said, clearly attempting to sound normal, "He was the entomologist on your Dad and Bren's team until you were about 5." Parker frowned, clearly trying to recall.
"I don't remember him…" Parker said, "that's odd though, Lu said her Dad used to work at the Smithsonian, not here."
"Wait…. Lucy's last name is Hodgins?" Angela asked.
"Yeah, didn't I tell you that?" Parker said, distracted, "Anyway, I have to go, so I'll talk to you later – thanks!" he called as he strolled from the room. Angela stared at her desk in shock, her face paler than it was when he had first walked in.
Parker strode quickly from the building until he pulled out his phone. Something was suspicious.
"Hey Parker, what's up?" Jack asked in confusion as he opened the door. Parker looked around the entryway in awe.
"Woah, this place is huge!" he exclaimed, reminding Hodgins very much of Booth as his brown eyes flashed, "What sort of security do you have?"
"I don't really have anything fancy…" Hodgins started awkwardly.
"Really, is that due to a feeling that you do not need to protect it because you have no particular attachment to the elaborate property?"
"Parker, ask Sweets how many times I've slammed the door on him." Hodgins deadpanned.
"You are very much like your daughter, you know that?" Parker said, walking in further, "But that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about – why does Lucy think that you worked at the Smithsonian?"
"Well…" Jack started, "I mean… you remember me? You were, like, five when I left."
"Err, no – I didn't, but when my Dad and Bones met Lu, they acted all funny about her name so I asked aunt Angie about you, and –" at Angela's name, Hodgins froze – much in the same way Angela had when he had mentioned him. Parker filed this away for future reference as Hodgins formulated a response.
"To tell you the truth – I met Lucy's mother while I was working there." He sighed, running a hand through his curly mane, "It hurt me, a lot, when…" he paused, biting his lip, "Did Lucy ever tell you the story of her mother and I?"
"No, she says she doesn't like to talk about it." Parker said quietly.
"Well, come into the den – I'll grab you a beer." Hodgins said, closing the door behind him.
"Quite awhile back, Lucy's mother and I dated… and then we broke up after a controversy and emotions, and… all of that fun stuff." Hodgins started, "After the bad break-up, I took a… rather long vacation in Italy. But, luckily, I decided to come back after only 7months. I missed my job, and my coworkers…" he smirked, "I just wanted everything to get back to normal."
"You say… luckily?" Parker said in confusion.
"Yeah. Luckily because if I hadn't, I probably still wouldn't know about Lucy today." Hodgins said shortly, "Her mother was going to adopt her out, and had just given birth… hours before I got back to D.C., I got to the Jeffersonian, and Booth told me everything."
"My dad?"
"How many Booths do you – oh. Yeah." He said, "Well, anyway – I got to the hospital and confronted her…" he sighed, his trademark blue eyes going foggy with sadness.
"Well, what happened?" Parker asked after a moment or two.
"She yelled, I yelled, she said I had no right, I said I had every right." He paused, "and she said that she was still going to give her up, and I said that if she was going to give up our daughter, it would be to me."
"And she said okay?" Parker finished quietly.
"…yeah." Hodgins said with a sigh, "I mean, naturally there was a ton of legal stuff, and a few 'logic' fights between Dr. B and I when I told her I was leaving, but… yeah."
"Ahh, logic fights – I heard a lot of those in my childhood." Parker reminisced with a smirk.
"In short, Lucy had a tough time when I finally told her that her mother had given her up on her own accord.." he sighed.
"Well, have you tried talking to her Mom, maybe she'd be willing to meet with Lucy, maybe make things… less awkward? I'm sure Bones would flip if you offered to come back."
"Well, I've tried to keep her updated on Lucy's life, but… she's never responded." Hodgins sighed.
"Interesting; Well, I guess I can understand your reasoning… but you do realize that eventually Lucy will find out, right?"
"Everyone keeps saying that." Hodgins muttered.
"Dad. Where did you work when you lived here?" Lucy asked, storming into her father's house. She stood at the entryway to the den, where He, Zack, and Sweets sat drinking beer (well, Zack had water, but he's working on it). Lucy didn't seem to notice the fact that her boyfriend's closet thing to a role-model was there, or how they all knew each other. Her notice was only on her Dad; her Dad who now looked confused.
"I worked at the Smithsonian, sweetie," He said, "I've told you that."
"Yeah, but you were lying." She responded. Hodgins shifted awkwardly in his seat.
"Lucy –" he started.
"No Dad." She stopped him, "Where did you work?" Jack sighed, setting down his beer and running a hand over his face.
"I worked at the Jeffersonian." He said quietly. Lucy let out a frustrated noise and glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning.
"Why would you lie to me? Why would it be such a big deal that you know…" she trailed off, finally noticing the other people in the room. Uncle Zack was fine, but… "Sweets?" she said in confusion.
"Lucy…" Sweets said awkwardly, "…hey."
"Oh my God, you've known him this whole time, haven't you? That time when I'd asked you if you'd ever met Parker's Dad or step-mom through uncle Zack, you just lied!" Lucy was starting to get more and more upset, pacing around the room angrily, "Is there anything else I should know, huh? Is Brennan my Mom? Is Uncle Zack my biological father? Is Jack even your real name?"
"Lucy, calm down." Hodgins said sternly.
"I can't calm down, I got my temper from you!" she shouted before falling into a seat next to Zack.
"Look honey, I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Hodgins said placating, "but there's no reason for you to get so upset."
"Yeah, and to be fair – your Dad and I knew each other a really long time ago, we only started talking again last week when he got into town." Sweets assured her.
"Sweets…" Jack said warningly.
"Last week?" Lucy repeated, "So, like… after you met Parker?" she said, "So… after you met Parker, you decided to talk to a Psychiatrist that you knew when you used to work with his father and step-mom."
"They were more than just colleagues – Booth was actually the back-up best man at your father's wedding." Sweets offered. Both Hodginses shot him a glare and he sat down his beer, "You know, I'm going to go…"
"You were married?" Lucy asked with a growl. Hodgins pinched the top of his nose.
"Not… technically," he said.
"It turned out that she was still married to a man in Fiji." Zack informed Lucy from his seat on the couch.
"Who was still…?" Lucy started, "Wait, was the woman my mom?" she asked, her voice growing quiet. Hodgins didn't say anything, just wincing as it all came out in the open, "You mean you had an affair!" she exclaimed.
"Wait, no! Not… technically." Hodgins protested.
"Yes, technically." Zack corrected him, "but no in the practical sense, as she didn't even know her legal spouse's name."
"Zack." Hodgins growled once.
"I'm going to go as well…" Zack decided, standing and following Sweets out the door.
"Well I guess there's no point in telling you about dinner tomorrow so you can meet Dr. Brennan and Mr. Booth," Lucy said, frowning at him, "You guys probably exchange Christmas Cards!"
"Lucy, yo-"
"No! I just… I don't see why it's such a big deal." Lucy said quietly. Crossing her arms over her chest and looking at the floor.
"I didn't… I mean, you're…"
"So I guess you met my Mom when you were working there." Lucy said, starting to piece it together in her brain. Hodgins nodded after a brief moment of hesitation, "and she probably still works there?" another nod, "So… I guess you just don't want her to meet us?" she looked confused, "But you've normally shared a lot of our lives… sent letters and stuff."
"That's not it Luce. It's… her and Parker are close. I didn't want it to effect your relationship with Parker." Hodgins said quietly.
"Dad…" Lucy said, enveloping him in a hug.
"Hey Dad – are you and Bones free tomorrow?" Parker asked, shifting his cell as he typed.
"I think – Hey Bones! Do we have anything going on tomorrow?" Parker winced as the shout rang through his ear, "No, we're free. Why?"
"Lucy and I planned a little dinner so you and Bones could meet her Dad." As Parker expected, there was silence on the other line for a bit.
"Oh. Uh, well. How about your mom?"
"Mom's still out of town." Parker replied, "So can you make it? It's at 7:00."
"Uhh, sure. Yeah, we can do that. It'll be nice to meet – "
"Dad. I already know you guys knew Dr. Hodgins."
"Oh. Yeah... Well, it'll be great to see him again!" Booth said, obvious relief in his voice.
A/N: Chapter 2! Next up - a dinner of intense awkwardness!
Sorry for the wait, I was a bit disheartened after getting 6 alerts and 2 favs, but only two reviews. And I know, I know, I should be greatful for any input; and I know, I know, I suck at reviewing too. But still.
Anyhow! I think the story overall will be either 3 or 4 chapters, so we're on our way guys! :D