Yay! There are still some readers out there! I was beginning to think I was the only one.

What She Knows: Chapter 2

Angela stormed down the hall at the Jeffersonian. She ignored the looks the techs were giving her. Today wasn't the first day they saw her upset; clearly it would not be the last. She walked into the glass office and stopped abruptly in front of the "L-shaped" desk.

"Good morning to you too Angela. Can I be of service?" Cam commented without looking up from her tablet.

"Have you seen her?" Angela asked bluntly.

"Who her?"

"Don't be cute. I'm seriously not in the mood for cute right now. And speaking of not being cute, where is that big stupid FBI agent? I think it is past time he and I have a little conversation."

Cam sighed softly and looked up from her work. "What do you want me to say Angela?"

Angela shifted in her heels. "Cam, have you even talked to her?"

Cam nodded. "I spoke to Doctor Brennan this morning when she arrived to the platform. She seemed extraordinarily…ordinary."

Angela raised one eyebrow but didn't speak.

"Okay Angela, tell me what is bothering you."

"They canceled the engagement."

This time it was Cam's turn to raise one elegant eyebrow. "She said that?"

Angela shook her head and moved to take a seat in front of Cam's desk. "I believe her exact words was she and Booth realized there was no necessity requiring them to apply for a marriage license. She said Booth agreed with her original statements that they did not need a piece of paper which only gave them certain legal and financial rights."

Cam said nothing but continued to watch Angela.

"Cam! You saw how excited she was yesterday. And him. Have you seriously ever seem either one of them so…so happy?"

Cam took a deep breath and leaned forward. "Angela, it really doesn't involve us."

"Screw that Cam. She's my best friend. No, you know…she's more than that. She's family. And if you haven't learned anything from Hodgin's run ins with my dad, if there is one thing you do not mess with in Texas is family."

"Angela, we aren't in Texas…this is D.C. Secondly, they are adults. This is their personal lives. They do not need us to interfere. In fact, when we do it seems to take them even longer to resolve their issues."

"It's wrong Cam."

"Let them deal with it Angela. We don't have the full picture. Let her deal with this in her own way. You know she will only become more stubborn the more you push. She'll share when she is ready."

Angela shook her head. "I don't think this is a matter of sharing." Angela stood and walked towards the doorway. She paused and turned back. "She doesn't seem to be holding anything back. I just don't understand why he would change his mind. It doesn't sound like Booth." She turned and walked slowly out of the office.

Cam watched her emotional artist leave her office. She turned and looked at her cell phone lying on her desk. She reached over and pressed it once.

"Hey, it's me. Have you got time for coffee?"

*B*B*B*B*B*B*

Brennan finished typing her final report on the identification of the latest victim. She sent the report to the printer and waited for the papers. Her desk phone rang.

"This is Brennan."

"Doctor Brennan, there is a Max Brennan here wanting to speak with you."

"Of course. He knows the way. Please send him on through."

Brennan stood and walked over to the coat tree in the far corner of her office. She shrugged out of her lab coat and took a moment to straighten her shirt and jacket. She smooth one hand over her hair just as she heard three brisk knocks on her doorway.

"Hey Honey." Max's eyes crinkled in pleasure at the sight of his daughter. Brennan smiled and stepped towards him.

"Hi Dad. This is a nice surprise."

Max folded his daughter in a warm embrace, then leaned back to look her in the eyes. "It shouldn't be too much of a surprise. You tried to call me yesterday and left me a message saying you had some news for me."

Brennan closed her eyes. She had forgotten trying to call her dad to inform him of her engagement.

"Of course."

"So what is the big news?"

Brennan extricated herself from Max's embrace and walked to sit on the edge of the sofa in her office. "Honestly, dad…it was nothing. My plans changed, so my news really is no longer prevalent."

Max sat on the opposite side of the sofa, turned towards his daughter. "Did they now? Well what were the plans?"

Brennan shook her head. "It really doesn't matter Dad. They no longer are important. Really Dad."

Max watched his daughter silently for a minute and then leaned back into the sofa cushions. "You know sweetie, you've always been a horrible liar."

"I'm not lying Dad. Please don't continue to harp over this."

Max held up his hands. "Harp? Who's harping? I'm just stating a fact. Since you were a little girl you've always been horrible lying to me and your mother. Russ could pull one over on your mom once in a while, but not you."

Brennan reached over and squeezed her father's hand with one of her own. "I'm fine Dad, really. There is really nothing to share."

Max eyed her for another moment before smiling brightly. "Okay then. You know I'm here for you if you change your mind…again, that is."

Brennan nodded. "Of course."

Max stood up and clapped his hands once. "Okay, then how about we go break Christine out of Baby Prison and take her outside to enjoy some of this sunshine?"

Brennan smiled. "I think I would really like that Dad."

*B*B*B*B*B*B*

Cam sat on the bench facing the Tidal Basin at the Japanese Pagoda. She watched the swans gracefully float by silently. A hand offered her a steaming paper cup.

"Coffee?"

Cam smiled and looked up at her new companion. "Thank you Seeley."

"You're welcome Camille." Booth sat down on the park bench next to her. He silently drank from his own cup.

"Rough night?" Cam asked.

Booth shook his head once, his mouth tight. "Nah, not really. You?"

Cam nodded. "My morning has been more challenging."

Booth risked a quick glance at his friend. He raised an eyebrow. "Trouble in the lab?"

Cam shrugged slightly. "Some challenges staying focused."

Booth nodded. He forced his breath to stay calm. "Any particular reason?"

Cam turned to look him in the eye. "It seems so, although I don't think we have all the pieces to the puzzle."

Booth nodded again. "That's the thing with puzzles, isn't it? Sometimes they take a while to put them together."

Cam thought about that for a second. "You're right about that."

They sat quietly watching the ducks and swans on the water. Cam reached over and placed one slim hand on Booth's knee. "You know where I am if you need help with the pieces."

Booth nodded. "Thanks Cam. I think I have it though." He stood and turned to look down at his friend. "I need to get back to the office. You okay?"

Cam smiled gently. "I'm fine. But I think I have a friend who needs some help."

Booth nodded. "Sometimes people need to work through things on their own. I'm sure your friend will ask for help when they really need it."

Cam nodded. "I hope so."

She watched him turn and walk away.