Chapter 5.

The Meeting In The Elevator.

Angela caught up with Booth as he got into the elevator.

"Going down or up?" He asked, surprised to see her hurrying towards him.

"I'm going down too. My office is on the ground floor."

Booth pressed the button for the ground floor.

He and Angela stood side by side, the only ones in the elevator.

Angela knew she only had a few seconds and wondered how to start but Booth spoke first.

"So... working with Bones must be..." He struggled to find a word.

"Hellish?" Angela supplied after a moment, smiling at him.

Booth returned her smile. "I was going for 'difficult' but we can use your word."

Angela laughed. "Does that mean you've decided you don't like her?"

"I never said that..." Booth said quickly. "I just think she's very..."

"Difficult?"

Booth smiled. "I was going to say 'stubborn' but again we can use your word."

Angela laughed again. "You've only just met her though, haven't you?"

"Yes. How long have you known her?"

Angela smiled. "Forever..." She paused and looked at him, grinning. "She's my best friend."

Booth was visibly shocked. "Really?"

"Don't look so surprised." Angela scolded him lightly, still smiling.

"I'm sorry... it's just your so... so-"

"Different?"

Booth smiled. "Yes. Right word again. Different."

"Yeah we are but once she knows you Bren's very loyal. She's a really good friend."

There was a second of silence.

"I'm sorry if I offended you." Booth apologised.

"Don't worry about it." Angela said, sincerely. "Lots of people think the same when they first meet Bren. She's not good at making friends. The job doesn't make it any easier though. I mean looking at dead bodies isn't exactly fun."

"So you don't like working here?" Booth asked.

"It's not that. I'm an artist. Not a scientist. I still see the person in the bones. Bren doesn't anymore. She's told me lots of times. It's never the worse thing she's seen."

"Is that why she's like that? So... so..."

"Unique?" Angela supplied, smiling.

Booth cocked an eyebrow. "I can think of a better word." He replied wryly.

Angela laughed at this, but paused, choosing her next words carefully.

Brennan was a very private person and would hate for her best friend to blab her secrets but Angela also knew if he and Brennan were going to get along Booth would have to know a few things Brennan may not want him too.

Any second, the lift doors would open and Booth would be gone. Angela decided desperate measures were called for.

Reaching out, she jabbed the button for the emergency stop on the lift and it immediately shuddered to a halt.

"Hey!" Booth cried, shocked. "What are you doing?-"

Angela cut him off, turning to face him.

"Look Booth, I'm going to cut to the chase. I know what Bren is like and I also know she has a habit of starting off on the wrong foot with people, mostly because, Bren isn't like most people. She's ten-times smarter than most people for one. She can be difficult. I won't deny that. She can be hard-headed and stubborn and infuriating too, at times, but none of it is her fault. She wasn't born this way. She was made this way."

Booth frowned. "What do you mean?"

Angela took a deep breathe. "Okay... here goes... you're a cop aren't you?"

Booth nodded, greatly puzzled. "Yeah so?"

"Then put your cop's badge on and maybe do a little digging in your own database."

Booth's eyes widened. "Are you suggesting I look up-?"

Angela interrupted him. "All I'm saying is that once you've discovered a few things about Brennan, you may understand why she can be so hard-headed and stubborn and infuriating at times and it might help you get along. It may also help you solve this case. Despite what you think of her, all Brennan cares about is the truth. She cares that Sarah gets justice, which is something you should both have in common."

Angela turned and pressed the lit display for the ground floor and the elevator started moving again. She sighed. "Just do me a favour and give Brennan a chance okay? Once you get under the surface you may find that none of the other stuff matters anymore."

The elevator shuddered to a stop and the door's opened.

Angela stepped out of the lift first, turning back to Booth, she added. "Oh and just so you know..."

"What?" Booth asked.

"This conversation never happened." Angela said sweetly. "If you mention what I said in there I'll lie worse than Pinocchio."

She smiled broadly at him, then walked away, down the corridor but she didn't forget to call back over her shoulder.

"It was nice meeting you."