Author's note: So they've changed the CBC from a challenge per month to one every two weeks. Crazy, I know! My muse was already going crazy because of all those other stories I'm working on so it took her a bit longer to come up with an idea for Redrider's challenge -- the Jealousy challenge. My take is different from everyone else's, but eh...you know me. Originality is key for me!


Pregnant?

Zach was finishing up the report of his last solo case and was doing some research while Hodgins and Angela entertained themselves with studying soil samples---well, Hodgins was doing that; Angela just liked watching him---when the dynamic duo came bursting through the doors of the lab. Brennan was dragging her typically heavy bag along with her and sported a very annoyed looking grimace. Booth, on the contrary, looked lost as he trailed behind her. They had crossed the lab and were hopping up the stairs of the platform in no time. Brennan didn't even take the time to swipe her card. She stormed towards her usual examination table, completely ignoring Booth who quickly had to shove his card at the scanner to quiet the alarm that had gone off. With avid interest, Angela, Hodgins and Zach watched him approach the table Brennan had thrown her bag on. As she rummaged through its contents, Booth calmly placed his hands on the table and gave her an expectant look.

"So Bones, when are you going to fill me in on whatever's got your panties in a twist?"

"Hands of my table," she snapped, continuing her rummaging undisturbed. Booth purposely leaned a bit forward. Realizing that he wasn't intending on budging anytime soon, Brennan turned her scowl on him. "What part of "hands off" don't you understand? Do you want me to say it in French? Bas les pattes!"

"Bones…" He narrowed his eyes to slits.

Brennan mimicked his stance. She put her hands wide on the table and silently stared at him after she had returned a very dangerous sounding "Booth…"

"It's just like in those Western movies," Hodgins whispered to Angela. "The big show down between the good and the bad guy."

Angela shushed him. "Keep quiet, will you? I want to hear what this is about."

Brennan clenched her jaw. Her gaze didn't waver, not for one millisecond. She first pursed her lips to a thin line, and then snorted quietly as she stared at her partner. Booth returned the fierce glare, but after a while his scowl softened. "Is this about that guy getting past you?"

"No," she curtly shot back.

"It is, isn't it?" Booth tried again, an amused glint in his eyes. She snorted again and returned to her bag, which indicated Booth was right. "Bones, that guy was in a hurry. He didn't want to be arrested. You can't expect criminals to go out of your way then, or at least don't wait for them to apologise when they run into you." Brennan pretended not to hear him so Booth continued. "That guy was twice your size, Bones. It would've been a miracle if you could've stopped him."

"You could."

"I'm bigger than you, Bones."

"He went down when you punched him." She flung her bag off the table and sharply said, "He didn't even flinch when I kicked him."

"Like I said, I'm bigger than you."

"Yeah, okay, sure," Brennan dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "You're the man here. Zach," she turned her attention on her younger colleague. "How's your research going?" She went over to him to take a good look at what was up on his screen. Since he didn't want to feel left out, Booth followed her. He positioned himself behind Brennan so he could peek over her shoulder. Brennan tensed up. "Booth, back off," she warned him. He ignored her and moved in even closer. His hand found its way to her lower back as he leaned forward to take a decent look at the screen. "Booth," Brennan snapped. "Don't touch me. My back hurts."

He glanced down and arched an eyebrow. "Maybe I shouldn't stop touching you. You know, give you a little massage to loosen up your muscles?" He rubbed her spine for a second to demonstrate his words. "I'm not kidding here, Bones. You took a nasty fall when that guy pushed you away."

Brennan gritted her teeth. "I'm fine." Without another word she swatted his hand away and brushed past him. "Zach," she threw over her shoulder, "would you mind if I tried some of that macaroni and cheese you eat every lunch?"

"Uh, no Dr. Brennan," the young scientist replied, confused to no end.

"Hey Bones, it's nearly noon. If you're that hungry, I'd be more than happy to take you out to lunch," Booth offered.

Brennan waved his offer away. "The diner's too far. I'm hungry now." She disappeared for a second and came back with Zach's lunch and a fork. Under the incredulous stares of her team she devoured the entire bowl in less than five minutes. Suppressing a burp and wearing a content smile, she put the empty dish down and happily returned to her work. Not half a minute later, she spun around again. "You know what would really go down well right now?" Booth, Angela and Hodgins shook their head. "A big bar of dark chocolate," Brennan stated confidently as if she had just proclaimed something that was undeniably obvious and true.

"Chocolate…You want chocolate?" Booth slowly repeated after her.

She began scowling at him again. "Yes, I want chocolate. Got a problem with it?"

"You want…chocolate," her partner articulated again.

"Yes, chocolate. Is that such an unusual request?" Upon seeing Booth prepare to say yes, she cut him off. "Are you implying I shouldn't have it because I'm fat?"

His eyes popped open wide. "You think I think you shouldn't have it because-" He frowned. "Bones, where the hell did that come from? You're not fat. Far from even. You could wiggle through a keyhole if you wanted to!" Satisfied with his answer, she went back to work. Booth glanced at Hodgins and Zach who were staring at the anthropologist while Angela mysteriously smiled.

"Bones," he quietly said as he hurried over to her. "What's gotten into you today? I know women have their quirks every now and then, but today…"

"Women have their quirks?" Brennan slowly turned to face him---a deep frown in her forehead and her hands placed defiantly on her hips. "You make us sound like mental patients who are ready for the asylum!"

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Booth retorted, also putting his hands on his hips and straightening to his full height.

"And we're back in the good old Wild, Wild West," Hodgins quietly announced. "This is better than a wrestling match. Dude, I wish I had brought popcorn or hotdogs!"

"Hodgins," Angela warned him. The entomologist pretended to lock his mouth and throw the key away. They went back to studying the more than amusing back-and-forth between Booth and Brennan.

"Fine." Brennan threw her hands in the air. "Fine! You really want to know what's bothering me?" Booth crossed his arms and nodded. She squeezed her eyes half shut and poked his chest. "I'm jealous of your manliness."

His arms fell to his sides---even his mouth hung a bit open---before he shot out, "You're what?" Brennan rolled her eyes, swivelled around and disappeared as fast as she could to her office. Booth was left standing there, blinking several times and even rubbing his ear to make sure he had heard her correctly. Then he shook his head and exclaimed, "Bones, wait up. Hey Bones!" He jumped off the platform and chased after his partner, shouting, "Get back here, Bones. I demand an explanation!"

Hodgins threw a look of disbelief at the pair's backs and then a questioning one at Angela. "What's up with the good doctor? Her back aches, she's got an appetite for two, she's moody, she's got a craving for chocolate, and now she's jealous of Booth's manliness? If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's pregnant!" Pause. "She isn't, is she?"

Angela smiled amused. She continued taking notes and kept her eyes cast downwards as she replied, "It's a female problem alright, just not the nine month long type."

Hodgins frowned. Then it dawned on him. "Why didn't you say so? Aunt Betty's obviously in town!"


I realise that everyone's a bit OOC, but aren't we all when it's "that time of the month"? he he