So, here's part 2 of the Sleepover...I hope it doesn't disappoint. Yes, there's not much action in it, but it was fun to write, so maybe it's fun to read too. Remember, this is completely light, fluffy and purposeless so...yeah...on with the show. Enjoy...or not...lol
Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, Fox does and...yeah I can't come up with something witty here.
Stepping to the living room, Temperance spied several DVD cases on the table, but neither Angela, nor her duffel bag were anywhere in sight. She walked over and picked one of the cases up, wondering what Angela had picked, when she was startled when an arm coming around her shoulders.
"So what do you think, sweetie? I bought it just yesterday, especially for tonight." Angela was sporting her broadest grin and a pair of outrageously short black boxers with a matching camisole.
Laughing Temperance nudged her friend playfully. "We are expecting men here, Ange."
"Exactly. That's why I bought you one, too. It's in a bag on your bed when you want to change."
Rolling her eyes the anthropologist watched her friend plopping down on the couch. "I don't think I have anything to drink besides wine and beer."
"Comes sit down, Bren. Wine and beer is fine as long as there are enough bottles," Angela said, before patting the couch next to her. "Let's pretend we're teenagers and start the girl talk."
"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Temperance asked, sitting down and mirroring Angela's position, crossing her legs Indian style.
"What else? Men! Let's make it boys, since tonight's theme is a sleepover." They both laughed at that and proceeded gossiping –Temperance had never indulged but it really felt good to call it that- on several ex-boyfriends. In Angela's case, the stories seemed endless and the information -especially on her current boyfriend- sometimes too much, but Brennan found herself laughing more and more as minutes went by. She had just started relaxing when there was a knock on the door.
She rushed over still laughing after a quip Angela had made and opened the door to find a shy-looking Zach and a somewhat apprehensive looking Hodgins standing there. "Hey," she greeted them with a smile. "Come on in."
They stepped in hesitantly, looking around the place curiously and she let them a few moments before she ushered them into the living room.
"Hey, boys!" Angela greeted in turn from her place on the couch, as Hodgins smiled and walked over for a kiss while Zach waved feebly.
"Uhm, Thanks for having us Dr. Brennan," the younger man mumbled and Temperance found that tonight she didn't particularly like the formality. When Hodgins opened his mouth, probably to second Zach's sentiment, she held a palm up to stop him.
"Okay, we have to lay some ground rules here." Both men looked at her apprehensively. "Tonight we're not working on a case, or talking about it in any way. Hence, you're Jack, you're Zach and I'm Temperance," she said, pointing at each man and then herself. The smiles she got in return confirmed her idea as a good one. "Besides, colleagues, we're friends, correct? Therefore I see no reason for the formality, especially tonight."
"You go, sweetie!" Angela looked gleeful from her seat.
"Sounds good to me…Temperance," Hodgins tried it out and smiled bigger.
"Zach?" she asked her former grad-student, who had been silently watching the exchange.
"I'm not sure I can manage the transition as easily as Hodgins but I will try."
"That's all I ask, Zach." She smiled in encouragement and asked the men what they wanted to drink, after telling them where to put their overnight bags.
"Boys, go and change into whatever you sleep in, before you sit down." Angela's voice drifted to the kitchen where Temperance was getting the drinks. A few low grumbles and stutters followed, and she pointed to Jack the bathroom when he asked about it.
As she placed two bottles and several glasses of wine on the coffee table a knock sounded and the nervousness that had abandoned her, returned with a vengeance. Straightening up she walked to the front door and opened it only to face a stack of pizza boxes.
In a second the boxes lowered, revealing the grinning face of her partner. "Hey, Bones!" Booth said cheerily, walking into the apartment and placing the boxes on the kitchen counter. "Where's everybody?" He dropped his bag on a chair and opened the fridge slowly to get a beer.
"Well, aren't you familiar with the place?" Angela's voice interrupted the answer Temperance had ready and made Booth whirl around and then grin.
"Nice outfit!" he teased the artist and twisted the lid off the bottle.
"Can't wait to see yours, handsome." She threw a flirty smile at him, as Hodgins appeared in the room clad in a pair of comfortable-looking sweatpants and a T-shirt which when Brennan read the front of, burst out laughing.
Hodgins grinned cheekily. "Like it?"
Temperance watched as Booth finally looked at the shirt when the entomologist twisted his way. Her partner started laughing as well, and she couldn't help but join in once again. "Angela's Love Bug? Talk about whipped, Hodgins!" Booth managed, after catching his breath.
"It takes a man secure in his masculinity to say so, but yeah I am." Hodgins replied cockily and Booth just shook his head chuckling.
"You just wish you were whipped as well, Booth. One way or another." Angela commented and had Hodgins being the one who was the one laughing now.
"Okay, okay. Let's all go to the living room." Temperance finally managed to get in, after watching the banter between her friends. It was true she didn't feel extremely comfortable with everyone around, and was slightly wary of all of them together. She felt like she had to be alert to prevent a argument, but she knew that even though they teased each other, everyone in her house at the moment would never get in a serious fight with another.
Walking towards the couch, she spied Angela perched on a corner while Hodgins stood next to her and shrugged. Crouching down she sat on the floor, leaning against one of her armchairs. It really felt better down there. She felt something moving behind her and turned to see Booth lying on the armchair she was leaning against, his legs dangling over the armrest, with his beer in hand.
"I didn't think you'd come," she stated bluntly, noticing Angela and Hodgins having a whispered conversation just a few feet away.
"Why not, Bones? This isn't such a bad idea."
"I hope we all feel that way tomorrow as well." She smirked at him. He opened his mouth to reply but his eyes shot up at something over her head and she turned to see what caught his attention.
There standing in the doorway was Zach Addy wearing something she never thought he'd wear. A tight, black t-shirt covered his torso and black sweatpants hung low on his hips. The strangest part was the t-shirt once more. In huge letters the phrase 'I'm in love with you' was emblazoned in red, and just below it in a very smaller font there was the specification 'Until I fuck you'. She along with every one else in the room gaped at the young doctor. Not only did he look a lot older in those clothes, but also the t-shirt was just…not exactly Zach.
"What?" he asked them a little self-consciously.
"Zach, I seriously think I've underestimated you." Hodgins said with a grin and waved Zach over to the empty seat on the couch next to him.
"Okay, now we need to get Booth to change into whatever he sleeps in –hopefully nothing- and wait for Cam." Angela threw a cheeky smile at the FBI agent's direction and he just rolled her eyes at her.
"I'll change later."
"No, it's a sleepover and we're all wearing our sleepwear and you will as well. It's a rule?"
"Who says? Bones isn't wearing pjs!" Booth exclaimed.
"No, she's not but she'll change as soon as Cam gets here." The determined tone in Angela's voice made Temperance open her mouth in protest. "You will!" the artist insisted, before their hostess could say another word and Booth snickered, getting up and crossing the apartment towards Bones' room.
A hesitant knock echoed and after a few minutes Temperance walked back in the room with Cam in tow.
"You never cease to surprise me, people," the pathologist said, shaking her head at everyone's attire. Temperance watched as Cam's eyes strayed beyond everyone and she turned to find Booth standing there with a similar outfit to Zach's.
However, in her mind, watching Booth standing there in similar clothes was very different from watching her former grad-student. Yes, he was her best friend, but she could really understand what women saw in him. Feeling a tingle spreading over her limbs and towards the center of her body, she carefully averted her eyes from him, only allowing a few seconds of indulgence. It was enough. These feelings had to stay hidden, especially tonight…it didn't help that he strutted around the room, with his muscles flexing under his wife beater though. Damn man!
"Hey Cam!" he said walking to his previous place on the armchair and stretching down on it so that a sliver of skin showed, where his shirt rode up over his midsection. "I really never thought I'd find myself here, you know." He commented casually.
Angela stuck her tongue at him as he smiled easily back, and then the artist turned to Cam, relaying the rules once more. The latter turned with a shake of the head and walked towards the bathroom to change.
"I'm still calling you Bones, you know."
"And, I'm not calling you by your first name either," Temperance replied rolling her eyes, and situating herself, on the floor, her back leaning towards his armchair. It somehow felt that she couldn't call Booth, Seeley. It was too…personal, and even though they were partners, she somehow felt that to call him by his first name would mean something else entirely. Shrugging her thoughts out of her mind, she settled back.
The minute Cam returned in a pair of shorts –thankfully longer than Angela's and a matching T-shirt, they all set out to picking a movie.
"Feeling extremely kind, I picked several movies so even if one of us has already seen one, we can agree on another one, okay?" Everybody nodded at Angela's suggestion and she mirrored the gestured as she moved on. "And will you all please keep in mind that whatever we watch is purely fictional? It's not reality and things happen in movies that don't usually happen in real life. Okay, sweetie?" She pointedly looked at Brennan and then at Zach.
Temperance just rolled her eyes. "I'll be good, Ange, I promise. I won't comment on anything that strikes me as impossible," she promised dutifully, and Zach nodded in agreement.
"Great, now that we know there won't be any interruptions, we have…Sin City, The Shining -the old one, of course- Ocean's Eleven –the new one- and last…Love Actually. What? Don't look at me like that, Jack. I did not want something that would make us think." She explained at Hodgins' smirk.
"And The Shining is supposed to be all light and fluffy?" asked Cam with a small laugh.
"I have no idea what those films are about so I can't actually pick," Temperance interjected, happily leaving the choice to others.
"Of course, you wouldn't, Bones," Booth said behind her and tugged at a lock of her hair playfully, so she turned towards him. "Essentially, Angela picked a movie from each of the main genres. So, it's either a fantasy movie, a horror one, action and romantic comedy. What do you wanna watch?"
"I say we go for horror." Hodgins winked at Booth, grinning and nodding his head towards Angela, everyone's attention was turned elsewhere.
Shaking his head at the man, Booth smiled back and glanced down at Bones who was still looking at him absently, no doubt thinking about her choice. Pausing for a few moments he turned again towards Hodgins. "Well, The Shining is a classic." The bug guy just shook his head in return which Booth chose to ignore for the time being.
Everyone else, quickly agreed and they soon were settled with the pizza in front of them watching the movie. Halfway through, Booth averted his eyes from the screen to look around him. Angela was curled on Jack's side, as he kept his arm wrapped protectively around her, while Cam had scooted from her position on the floor to lean on the armrest besides Zach's seat on the ground. Only he and Bones had stayed in the places they had started in, but he kinda wished that they hadn't.
His wish came partially true when the infamous twins made their first appearance. The moment they appeared on screen, Bones tensed and pushed her body back against the armchair he was lounging on. He looked down incredulously at the crown of her head and watched as she gripped her beer tighter.
Deciding that this wasn't something to draw the others' attention to he tugged at one of her locks again and leaned closer to her ear when she turned her head, unable to pry her eyes from the screen. "You work with decomposed skeletons all day and the sight of two little girls creeps you out?" he whispered disbelievingly.
Sharply she turned her head to him and whispered evenly, "Those little girls are much more scary than a dead body. They're…unnatural!"
He decided not to mock one of the few shows of normalcy he got from her and just smiled in reply. As the movie drew to an end, he realized his hand was still playing with her hair and made to move it but stopped. She didn't seem to mind it, or she just hadn't felt that it was there, so there was no harm in keeping it there, was there? Besides, he'd just take it back when the movie ended.
When the credits rolled, they all stayed in silence for a minute and then started stretching in their seats looking around at each other.
"Well…that was…nice," Zach offered uncertainly, making everybody laugh.
"It was entertaining in its own way I suppose," Bones agreed in turn, making Booth and Jack grin at each other.
"It's a classic," they said in unison, and Booth wondered briefly how on earth he got to be so comfortable with these people.
Looking around he could bring in mind several situations involving each of them that they had been there for him or vice versa. Even though the memories weren't always happy ones the conclusion was undeniable: Those people were his friends, and he simply couldn't do anything about it. They had crept in his heart so slowly and imperceptibly, were now part of his life and he found himself happy with that thought. He could depend on them, and they could depend on him. Grinning he suggested that they watch another film. The night was still young after all and they needed something to make them laugh. A thought crept in his mind as he looked at the top of Bones' head once more.
"Okay, what do you say we go for Love Actually?" he asked everyone.
"Man, I hate British accents!" Hodgins groaned in protest.
"I have four words for you: Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. British is sexy, Hodgy. Not to mention Alan Rickman's voice!" Angela replied with a cheeky grin.
"She does have a point, Jack." Cam supported the artist.
"Not you too!"
"What? I don't just read sex books!" She laughed at everyone's wide-eyed looks. "Don't ask. Inside joke."
"Okay, I'll just pretend I didn't hear that." Booth stood and grabbed the disc from Angela's hands, walking and replacing the last one in the player. "But ladies…you forget." He turned to grin at Hodgins once again. "Keira Knightley."
"I know her!" Zach piped in from his seat and everyone turned to look at him.
Well, wasn't this a night of surprises! Booth thought wryly. "Thank God, there's hope for you yet, doc." He shook his head and walked back to his seat.
This time, there was no tensing from Bones, just the occasional sigh or two, which made Booth grin like an idiot though he had no idea why. When the movie was over the short silence returned once more, but this time it was of a much different kind. Everyone had smiles on their faces, and somehow Booth knew that this movie had served its purpose.
"Liked it?" he asked no one in particular and replied in turn.
"It makes one think, doesn't it? Though in a good way." Zach offered, slightly smiling.
"Yeah, man. It definitely does." Jack agreed, kissing Angela's temple as she sighed happily.
"Thought it was really good, too." He looked over at Cam to see her nodding at her own statement.
"It was extraordinary," came Bones whispered opinion, and Booth stood up to retrieve the disc, knowing he had to look at her expression. She was staring off in the space in front of her, her eyes glazed over probably thinking, but what made him smile –though he tried to fight it- until his cheeks hurt was the small grin on her face. A grin speaking of memories, hopes and fears and wishes. He silently thanked Angela for her choice. Maybe Bones now could believe that not death, but love was all around her as well.
Especially his love for her.
"So, what do we do now?" Zach asked, making Booth's smile turn into a small laugh at the memory that question evoked, as he sat back down.
Angela stood and stretched, gathering the DVDs and putting them away. "Well, I don't think we're up for another one, but I for one am not sleepy and I can see nobody else is either, so since we don't have to work tomorrow…can I be naughty?"
"No!" Five voices replied at once, making the artist scoff at them.
"Oh, come on, guys. It'll be fun!"
"I'm positive my idea of fun doesn't match yours, Angela." Booth looked at her suspiciously.
In return he got a cheeky smile. "Wanna bet?"
"The man you are going to marry…well someday…is sitting right here!" Hodgins raised his arms, feigning irritation and making everyone laugh.
"Sorry, honey. I love you but I just couldn't resist." She winked saucily at Booth and laughed once more.
Clearing her throat, Cam interrupted the byplay, "Since apparently I'm the only person uncomfortable with these two, I'll be the one to break it. What did you have in mind, Angela?"
"Oh, you know…" The artist turned to look at everyone, smiling innocently. "This and that…maybe a game or two."
"What kind of game, Ange?" Temperance asked suspiciously, knowing from experience that some things Angela called games, involved extreme amounts of alcohol or public displays of nudity.
"How about Truth or Dare?"
Weeeell? Love Actually is one of my very own favorite films and if you haven't seen it I highly recommend it...what can I say? I'm a sucker for good romantic comedies and I believe it's one of the best and can actually make you feel things. So, yeah, not much stuff happening in this one, but it was fun. Btw, I love British accents and though it may seem like it from this chapter I'm not a teenager nor on a sugar high...If you think otherwise, please do not hesitate to click on the button and tell me so...I really want to know if this is meeting your expectations.