A/N It took me long enough but i give you Part 4...5 to follow...at some point!

Angela took a seat on the chair opposite to the partners and stared at them both, taking in the fact that apart from the brief look they had shared when she'd first walked in, they were doing everything in their power to avoid each other. The only way Booth could be further from Brennan was if he sat on the floor next to the couch...and if he shifted away once more that's how he may end up. Angela sighed to herself, for the first time really seeing how far their relationship had degenerated. She was so used to watching them gravitate towards each other...moving in sync without meaning to do so, that to see them so separated...both physically and emotionally... was troubling.

She was unsure where to begin. Being blunt and getting straight to the point would work on Brennan but Booth...he requires more delicate handling. Confront him face on and he'll shut up shop, meaning this entire thing would be pointless. The three of them sat in silence for a while, Angela waiting to see who cracked first. She knew these two...no way they could sit in silence for any real length of time. Eventually one would snap.

She smiled as Booth shifted once again, his hand reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out his poker chip, flipping it absentmindedly between his fingers. Her smile widened as she noticed that as much as Booth was trying to ignore his partner, he couldn't help but flick his eyes towards her frequently. His eyes widened suddenly before darkening, causing Angela to glance towards Brennan curiously. She couldn't help the soft chuckle that left her lips when she realised what had caught Booth's attention.

Her best friend had moved her body once more, one leg now thrown haphazardly across the other, her arms crossed in front of her which inadvertently pushed her breasts up, leaving her partner with a very 'distracting' view. At the sound of Angela's chuckle, Brennan glanced up at her. Angela smiled at her then returned her gaze to Booth. Booth had transferred his gaze to Brennan's legs, watching as she slowly rubbed one over the other absent-mindedly.

As if sensing her gaze, Booth glanced towards Angela, reddening slightly when he realised he'd been caught ogling his partner. He cleared his throat while reaching round to rub the back of his neck awkwardly, before glancing back at Brennan. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that she was looking at Angela, thankful that she hadn't noticed him...admiring her.

"So Booth" Angela said, having grown impatient waiting for them to break the silence.

Booth dragged his gaze away from Brennan and turned to stare at Angela.

"Angela"

Angela waited for him to continue and sighed to herself when he didn't. It was frustrating her. She now had the two partners sat staring at her and still...they refused to say anything even remotely meaningful.

"You don't want to know why I called you here?" she questioned lightly, directing it at both Booth and Brennan.

Booth shrugged.

"I figured you'd tell us when you were ready, right Bones?" he asked, turning his head to look directly at her.

Brennan jumped at the sound of her name, having been lost in her own thoughts focusing on the man beside her. She met his gaze briefly before returning it to Angela.

"That is correct...although I think I know why we're here." She stated with confidence.

"Feel like filling me in there then Bones? Not all of us are geniuses!" Booth asked, an edge of frustration working its way into his voice.

"It has nothing to do with me being a genius" Brennan said firmly, finally turning to face Booth.

"OK ok. Fine. But why do you think we're here then?...and on a Saturday! Some of us had things to do."

"Or people" Brennan said quietly under her breath.

Angela had been watching their exchange avidly but gasped at Brennan's whispered words. She knew that the chances were that Booth heard too, but that didn't stop her from glancing at Booth hopefully. Unfortunately, it was clear from the look on his face that he had heard exactly what she said...and was none too happy about it.

"What was that Bones?" he asked, his voice deadly quiet.

Brennan just shrugged, holding his gaze stubbornly, refusing to back down.

"Or people." She repeated "That's what you've been doing, right Booth? In your search for 'the one' to spend 30, 40 or 50 years with." She said, wincing at the flash of pain she caused to cross Booth's face as she repeated his words back to him.

She went to turn her gaze away from him but his hand shot out, gripping her chin as he forced her gaze back to his. When he was sure she was looking at him Booth smiled mockingly at her.

"But I found the one...remember Bones? The woman I wanted to spend 30, 40 or 50 years with...but she didn't want me. Remember that too Bones? She. Didn't. Want. Me!" he said, the pain clear to hear in his last few words.

He dropped his hand from her face and turned back to face Angela, who was watching this exchange with wide eyes.

"OK..." Angela began stiltedly "That was...well, it just was so..." she paused again, her eyes flitting between Brennan, who was still staring at Booth with a heartbreakingly sad look on her face, to Booth, who was staring almost manically at her refusing to glance at Brennan though she was sure he could feel her gaze on him. "You wanted to know why you're here...right, Booth?"

He gave a small nod of his head in agreement.

"Well" Angela took a deep breath, knowing she was going to reopen the floodgates. "This is why" she said with a wave of her hand between the two. Brennan glanced at Angela in confusion while Booth just stared blankly at her. "Oh for the love of...this! You two...the fact you no longer talk to each other...you no longer listen...or see. Two people that were so attuned are now so...disjointed. It's painful to watch...and I imagine it's painful to be a part of. What happened that night...after Sweets..."

"You told her?" Booth said accusingly, cutting across Angela and swinging round to confront Brennan. "You told her? How could you...?"

Brennan shook her head quickly.

"I didn't...I never...Angela?" she said pleadingly.

"Booth...yes she did tell me...but she was drunk and upset...and she needed to tell someone. It was eating at her..." Angela said softly to Booth, drawing his gaze back to her and away from a hurting Brennan.

Booth folded his arms across his chest and started at Angela, almost daring her to keep talking. The look on his face and the waves of hostility coming from him got to Angela, and she lost all tact.

"Oh grow up Booth...and think of someone else for once. You aren't the only one carrying emotional scars from that night...and if you could let go of your feelings of her perceived rejection for one god damn moment you might see that."

"Ange..." Brennan cut in but was shot down.

"You..." Angela said, not removing her gaze from Booth but pointing at Brennan "It'll be your turn in a minute." She warned before lowering her arm.

Booth meanwhile leant forward on his chair, and stared in disbelief at Angela.

"Perceived rejection? There was nothing perceived about it...she said no. That was that...what was I supposed to do...beg her to love me?" Booth demanded angrily.

"Booth" Angela said, sighing sadly to herself. "She already loves you...how can two intelligent people...one genius...be so stupid?" she said quietly, almost to herself.

"Hey" Booth and Brennan said together. They glanced at each other quickly before moving their gazes back to Angela.

"Booth...she did say no...but you didn't listen to why. Her reasons...they weren't to do with you. It was all about her...her feelings of inadequacy...her feelings that you deserved more that her...that she would hurt you. And you agreed..."

"I never..." Booth burst out but was ignored by Angela.

"Sure you never meant it that way...but that's how she took it...for god's sake that's how I took it...and I could have killed you for that. Luckily for you I've calmed down since then." she said with a wry smile "But that's my point Booth...you never listened. You heard one word you didn't like and ignored the rest...you're supposed to know her...better than anyone, even me. And telling her you had to move on...just like that? Well, in one sentence you proved to her that her feelings on love were right...and that you wouldn't be able to love her 30, 40 or 50 years."

Booth sank back into his chair as he took in all Angela was saying, his mind whirling a mile a minute and he thought back to that night...all she said...all he said...and all he didn't say. While Booth was processing this information Angela turned back to Brennan.

"You" she said, causing Brennan to turn from where she was watching Booth concernedly to face Angela. "For a genius you can be so...dim!" she exclaimed. "Everything you told me you said that night...it just blows my mind. That you could think so little of yourself...it just breaks my heart. You my dear, wonderful friend, have the biggest heart of anyone I know. Ripley...Andy...building the bridge so Andy's town would thrive again...letting your brother and dad back in your life...loving Parker the way you do...everything you have ever done for me...Jack...Booth...this just shows what an open heart you have. Temperance...you are not the same woman you were 6 years ago. You may think you are...you may even try to be...but you're not." Angela said softly, keeping her eyes locked on Brennan's to ensure she sees the sincerity in her gaze. "But Bren...you should have trusted Booth...what he wanted for you. He loves you for who you are sweetie...for what you are...and like me he wouldn't have you any other way. 5 years Bren...when has he ever lead you wrong?" she questioned gently, seeing from the look on Brennan's face that she needed to process this information but having one more thing to say. "And Sweetie...you have to stop nights like last night...it's not healthy...and it's not safe...ok Bren?"

Brennan nodded absentmindedly, lost in her own thoughts but Booth sat up at Angela's words.

"What about last night?" he asked, his tone making it clear he expected an answer.

"It was nothing Booth...Ange is overreacting" Brennan said, avoiding Booths gaze.

"Ange...what about last night?" he directed at her, his voice stern.

Angela sent Brennan an apologetic smile before addressing Booth's question.

"Bren has taking to going drinking on Friday nights...alone."

"Fridays? How many...Fridays I mean" Booth questioned Angela softly.

"Ummmm" Angela thought for a second, thrown by the seriousness of Booth's expression "The last three...why?" she asked but was ignored.

Booth turned towards Brennan, waiting for her to look at him. She glanced his way before looking determinedly away.

"Bones...look at me." He asked gently.

She continued to stare away from him and he sighed, before reaching out and turning her face softly to his.

"Bones...we need to talk about this."

Brennan finally turned her eyes to his but stayed silent. They both sat there, lost in one another.

Angela sighed to herself, knowing the partners had all but forgotten she was there. On the plus side, she was relieved to see that this much hadn't changed...they still had moments where they forgot anyone else existed. She stood up slowly and addressed the partners.

"I'm going to leave you two alone for a bit..." she said to them, getting a nod from Brennan and a grunt from Booth, neither one breaking eye contact.

She walked out of the room swiftly, glancing back once to see the partners still staring at each other before she closed the door lightly.

She hadn't taken two steps away from the door before Cam appeared from her office and made her way swiftly over.

"So" Cam said when she was in front of Angela, craning her head slightly to see if she could see in Angela's office. "How'd it go?"

"Honestly? I don't really know...I said my part and now it's up to them. They're doing their 'no one else exists but the other' thing at the moment so that's good."

Cam and Angela stood outside her office for a moment, both of them having turned to glance in her office. They watched as Booth and Brennan continued to stare at each other, noticing Booth was speaking lowly and quickly to Brennan who was answering but unable to make out what they were saying. They didn't know how long they stood there watching, but their eyes widened when Booth bridged the gap between him and Brennan, laying a gentle kiss on her lips.

Cam and Angela glanced away, realising they were intruding on a very private moment.

"Diner?" Cam asked.

"Absolutely!"

A/N Good...or don't give up your day job bad? LOL