Please let me know if you all would prefer longer chapters than the last two. Thanks to all my reviewers and please keep it up. A happy Musie writes more than an unhappy one.
Disclaimer: They're not mine.
Brennan peered quizzically into Angela's dark office, finally spotting her friend sitting on her settee staring blankly into space. Nervously stepping into the office she reached for the light switch.
"Don't," snapped Angela just as Brennan's hand touched the switch. Slowly withdrawing her hand, Brennan took a deep breath and made her way over to her friend. She might not be great at reading people but a pissed off Angela she could easily identify and she was royally ticked. Brennan couldn't imagine this was going to be a pleasant conversation but it had to be done. Sinking down beside her furious friend, she reached out and took Angela's hand, a little encouraged when she didn't jerk away.
"Ange, why are you sitting in the dark?" she asked softly.
"Because, apparently, that's where I belong, Brennan." Ouch, Brennan knew a metaphor when she heard one and the cold, decisive bite in Angela's voice as well as the use of her full name told her she wasn't going to be easily forgiven for this one.
"Ange, I know you're mad, but…," Brennan was cut off by Angela snatching back her hand and turning on her. She had no trouble seeing the glare on her friend's face even in the dark.
"I'm not mad," Brennan couldn't hold back the snort of disbelief at this very patent untruth, and Angela had to fight hard to keep her lips from twitching. "Well, yeah, I am mad," she admitted, "but I'm more hurt. You got married, Bren and didn't even bother to tell us. How could you do that, Bren? I thought I was your best friend. I thought we were family," she finished dejectedly, shoulders slumping.
"Ange, we are family and you are my best friend." She answered the charges earnestly. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but things were a more than a little crazy when we got back from Vegas and Booth and I overheard you saying we would never get married without our family there and we just didn't know how to tell you then." Angela saw the pleading look on her best friend's face and gave it up. She couldn't stay mad at her when there were all kinds of juicy details to ferret out. Turning to Brennan, she grinned broadly.
"Please tell me you didn't go through one of those tacky drive thru chapels."
"They have drive thru chapels?" questioned Brennan. Angela patted her hand, her question satisfactorily answered. "Bren, why didn't you at least tell me you were engaged?" Brennan winced at the residual hurt in Angela's voice.
"We weren't engaged until after we got to Las Vegas, Ange and it wasn't really news I wanted to share over the phone." Ok, she could forgive her for that one.
"So, tell me everything. When did he ask you? What did he say? What did you say? Why did you get married so quickly?" Her eyes rounded at the last question and her hand flew to cover her mouth. "Oh my God, you're pregnant," she gasped.
"What? No, Angela, I'm not pregnant," she assured her friend in a slightly offended voice. Angela frowned trying to figure out what exactly had offended Brennan when it hit her and her eyes widened.
"Bren, Sweetie, I'm so sorry. I never meant to imply that Booth asked you to marry him because you were pregnant. It's obvious to a blind person that man loves you to pieces and would take you any way he could get you." Angela was the one to reach out and grasp Brennan's hand this time.
"I know he loves me, Ange. I love him, too and that's why we got married." She said simply and Angela felt tears sting her eyes. Brennan had a way of breaking things down to their most basic level that surprised the hell out of Angela every time she did it. "I'm really sorry we didn't tell you, Ange." She added softly. Angela patted her hand forgivingly.
"I wish I could have seen it," she said longingly. Brennan grinned.
"You can. I have photographs and a video." She winced and covered her ears at Angela's squeals of excitement.
"Ange, please calm down. I don't have them here, but I will bring them in tomorrow," she promised at Angela's crestfallen expression.
"Ok, but you so owe me details."
"Fine, but can we do this tomorrow, please? I'm really tired and I still have to talk to Booth and Nathaniel before we can go home." Angela started to argue, but the obvious weariness on Brennan's face convinced her to let her friend win this one.
"Where is Mr. Temperence Brennan?" Angela asked giggling at her own cleverness.
"Ange, I don't think he would like for you to call him that. And he's in my office with Nathaniel and the boys." Brennan stifled a yawn and then noticed Angela was looking at her like she had lost her mind. "What?"
"Bren, do you really think it's a good idea for the two of them to be in the same room?" Brennan had no idea what was going on in Angela's mind and was too tired to try to guess.
"Who, Ange?"
"Your brand spanking new husband and your old lover, Bren, that's who." Now Brennan was looking at Angela as if she had lost her mind.
"What? Who are you talking about, Ange?"
"Booth and Nathaniel, Bren," Angela said with exaggerated patience, startled when Brennan burst into laughter.
"Angela, Nathaniel and I were never lovers." Angela looked at her friend disbelievingly, but knew Brennan wouldn't lie to her about anything, especially this.
"So you never spent any time in the sack with the guy who has proposed to you God only knows how many times?" Angela was having more than a little trouble getting her head around this one.
"Fifty-one," Brennan mumbled around a yawn. "He proposed to me fifty-one times and no, I never slept with him." Angela was completely baffled by the woman in front of her. A gorgeous hunk of manhood had proposed to her fifty-one freaking times and she hadn't even had sex with him.
"What the hell is wrong with you, woman? That is one fine specimen of manhood, in case you hadn't noticed. I can't believe you've known him for years and never jumped him."
"He is very attractive," Brennan said softly, "and I can't say I wasn't tempted. I certainly thought about it, especially when Booth was with Cam. I don't know what would have happened if Sully hadn't come along when he did but I cared too much about Nathaniel to use him just to satisfy my biological urges." Angela was stunned at Brennan's frankness. Oh, not about the sex, but about the feelings. She had never known her friend to be this open with her feelings.
"Does Booth know you didn't sleep with Nathaniel?
"I don't know but he never asked."
"Trust me, Bren, I saw the man's face when he overheard Nathaniel's proposal and he thinks you two were lovers. You should set him straight."
"Why? We've both had relationships with other people. Why should it matter if Nathaniel is one of those people?" Sometimes, Angela wondered how Brennan could be so smart and so dumb at the same time. With a sigh, she settled in.
"Bren, your husband overheard someone he thinks you had a past sexual relationship with propose to you yesterday and now that person is here, all up in his face. It matters, Sweetie. Just go with me on this, Bren," Angela insisted when she saw Brennan open her mouth to argue.
"Fine, I'll tell him." Brennan conceded, stifling another yawn and fighting the urge to close her eyes for just a minute.
"You might want to keep the stuff about how attractive you find Nathaniel to yourself," Angela advised with a grin. She was quite certain Booth wouldn't like hearing that. Glancing over at Brennan's lack of response, Angela saw that her eyes were closed and she was leaning to the side. Easing her friend down of the settee and covering her with a light quilt she kept in the office for just such purposes, Angela gathered her things and slipped quietly out of her office. She walked to Brennan's office and rapped smartly on the door, sticking her head in without waiting for permission, her eyes widening at the tension permeating the room. She barely repressed a shiver as five pairs of eyes focused on her. Damn, they were all gorgeous and if she wasn't with Hodgins she would definitely be getting to know one or more of them a whole lot better. She was with someone, not dead, so she gave them a highly flirtatious smile.
"What is it, Ange?" questioned Booth a bit sharply. Angela frowned at his tone but answered him anyway.
"Bren's asleep in my office when you get ready to go, Booth." Angela noted the soft smiles that drifted over all five faces at her words and would have loved to be a fly on the wall to hear what these five men were discussing. She was willing to bet it was the one thing they all had in common. Dr. Temperence Brennan or was it Dr. Temperence Brennan Booth now? She would be sure and ask tomorrow.
"Ok, Ange. Thanks." Booth offered her a genuine smile which she returned and then included the other four men.
"Ok, then, I'm headed home. I'll see you guys tomorrow." She closed the door on the chorus of goodbyes and reluctantly left the eye candy to get on with their night. She had her very own eye candy at home and, boy, was Hodgie in for a workout tonight.
"Is she seeing anybody?" Alex asked playfully, breaking the oppressive silence that had descended on the room when Angela closed the door. They had just dumped some heavy shit right in the FBI man's lap and Alex was actually impressed that he wasn't throwing punches or ranting and raving at all of them but he had a sneaking suspicion that the guy really wanted to do both.
"Yes, she's seeing someone," Booth snapped just as Nathaniel gave him a quelling look. Alex raised his hands in surrender.
"You can't blame a guy for looking. She's very pretty and I'm selective." Snorts from the other three soldiers made Booth highly doubt Alex's statement but he could easily see the other man was trying to give him a little time to pull himself together with this distraction. He was actually grateful and threw Alex a smile that said so. Alex just nodded.
"How bad was it?" Booth asked softly, actually afraid to loosen the tight reign he had on himself enough to even raise his voice. None of the men pretended to misunderstand the question.
"Bad," answered Gavin and Garrett in unison. Looking around the room, Booth saw all four men had their hands clenched into fists, absolute fury radiating from their faces.
"How bad?" Booth gritted out, barely able to force the words through his clenched teeth, but Nathaniel shook his head before anyone could answer him.
"I'm sorry, Booth, but I promised. You'll have to get details from her." Booth jumped to his feet, pacing the office in agitation, badly wanting to hit something or someone. Hell, who was he kidding? He wanted to beat the crap out of something or someone. God only knew what some sick bastard had put her through for three damned days. His gut twisted at the possibilities, the fear and anger roiling through him almost overwhelming. He stopped his pacing when Nathaniel stepped into his path and met his gaze squarely.
"Take a shot if it will make you feel better," he offered, pointing at his chin, "God knows, I deserve it after the way we let her down." Booth actually considered the offer, until Nathaniel finished the sentence. Well, hell, he just had to go and ruin the opportunity to release a little of the aggression he felt toward the younger man, Booth thought. He couldn't hit him now without feeling bad about it. It was beyond obvious that all four men were eaten up with guilt over what had happened. Stuffing his hands deeply into his pockets just in case, Booth resumed his pacing.
"What can you tell me?" Nathaniel ignored Booth's heavily sarcastic tone and took the question at face value.
"Since the day we raided Perez's compound, Red's services have been strictly those of a forensic anthropologist. She refuses to work with the CIA or the State Department but does occasionally do jobs for other branches of the government. She never leaves our sight when she's out of the country." Nathaniel wasn't quite sure why Booth's jaw tightened angrily over that statement. He was only trying to reassure him they were more diligent than ever in Brennan's protection.
Booth assumed that Nathaniel kept an eye on Brennan during the nights and didn't like that picture at all, jealousy roaring to the forefront of the emotional tangle seething inside him. Tamping his temper down with some difficulty, he decided he really was going to have to have Brennan's relationship with Nathaniel clearly defined by the woman in question or he might just wind up taking a swing at the guy for nothing. Booth turned away from the temptation and Nathaniel looked almost disappointed. Booth, who was familiar with the feeling of needing to be punished for past mistakes, almost felt sorry for the guy.
"Perez has recently taken over one of the smaller drug cartels and he is coming into some real power. Our government has finally decided they need to do something about him, but he is almost impossible to get to." Booth glanced at the quieter twin; this was the most he'd said all day.
"What do they want Bones for?" Booth was afraid he knew, but he needed confirmation before he blew his cool.
"Bait," spat Alex in disgust. The other three nodded in agreement. Damn, just as he had suspected, thought Booth. He wasn't really surprised but he was definitely pissed and determined that was not going to happen.
"Red is Perez's big embarrassment," Nathaniel explained. "She took us right out of the palm of his hand and then escaped his revenge. His competition won't let him forget that. He'll never get the respect he thinks he deserves as long as she's alive. At least, that's the way he sees things."
"So why doesn't he just send someone to kill her?" asked Booth, trying to figure out motivations which could be difficult with no real knowledge of the players.
"Because he doesn't want her dead," answered Garrett, "he wants to kill her." Booth got the distinction. The bastard didn't just want her dead, he wanted to use her as an example of what happened to people who crossed him, to make her suffer untold horrors then kill her himself. Well, that was never going to happen because she wasn't going near the freak, Booth reassured himself.
"Dad told me about General Hoods visit. They must be getting pretty desperate to throw him at her," said Nathaniel with a grin. "She really likes the old guy," he supplied at Booth's questioning look, "and I'm surprised he would have anything to do with something that stinks this badly but I guess orders are orders even for him." The five men shared a look of solidarity. Mostly they were fine with what they did to protect their country but every once in a while something came up that would turn the stomachs of even the strongest men.
"So they want to use Bones to lure this Perez out in the open where they can take him out?" Booth recapped.
"That would be my guess," agreed Nathaniel. Booth actually felt relief. That was easy then, all he had to do was keep her here and the bad guys couldn't touch her, but something Nathaniel had said earlier was niggling at the back of his mind.
"What did you mean when you said she might not be safe here anymore?" Booth demanded as the words became clear.
"Rodrigo was here this afternoon," Nathaniel sighed, leaning forward and rubbing his tired eyes with the heels of his hands.
"Here as in here in Washington?" Booth really, really hoped that was it, but greatly feared it was not.
"Here in this office. With Red. Threatening her, actually." Garrett informed him.
"And you let him walk out of here?" Garrett shivered at the deadly menace in the voice and eyes that turned in his direction.
"We can't officially touch him, Booth. He not only has diplomatic immunity, but he's also an official undercover operative for the CIA." Nathaniel said tiredly.
"We should have just taken him out two years ago," Gavin added his two cents and Booth fully agreed.
"Why didn't you?"
"Red made us promise. She said if we hunted him down and killed him in cold blood then we would be no better than him and Perez." Alex gave Booth his answer with a soft smile. "It's hard to say no to that woman when she really wants something," he informed Booth as if he didn't already know that.
Booth was struck anew at how amazing his wife was. She could have easily let her band of protectors hunt down the bastard who had willingly turned her over to suffer God only knew what atrocities, but she had refused to let two lowlifes or the experience break her spirit. She retained that inner core of strength, that belief in right and wrong and the consequences to her personally didn't sway her from her course. He had never been prouder of her or more afraid for her.
"What did Rodrigo threaten her with?" asked Booth.
"He said that I had 48 hours to either agree to help General Hood or he would personally deliver me to Perez and if I tried to run or hide he would kill my friends one by one." Brennan answered calmly from the open office door. All five men swung around, so intent on their conversation, they hadn't heard her enter.
"I hope you told him to go to hell," Booth told her firmly, rising from his chair and meeting her halfway across the office. He needed to touch her, he realized, to assure himself she was really here and safe. Reaching out, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling into her sleepy eyes.
"I didn't tell him anything. Nathaniel was choking him against the wall and I just wanted him to leave," she responded with a shudder. Booth pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.
"He'll never get near you again, Baby," he vowed. Neither noticed but four other heads nodded in agreement with his statement. Brennan leaned tiredly against him for several seconds, returning the hug, then stiffened her spine and stepped back.
"Booth, he was responsible for the explosion in the lab," she suddenly remembered to tell him.
"How would blowing up the lab benefit him?" Booth asked in confusion, leading Brennan to the chair he had just vacated and urging her to sit. Pulling her desk chair over he sat beside her, patiently waiting for her response.
"He wanted our partnership to be officially severed. He wants me to agree to help General Hood and he thought you would influence me to turn them down." So, the guy wasn't completely stupid, thought Booth. There was no way in hell he would allow her to agree to be bait for the any military operation, especially one where the target wanted her dead in the worst way.
"Well, he was right about that," agreed Booth. Brennan chewed on her lower lip and looked Booth directly in the eyes.
"I think I should agree to help General Hood," she said calmly as chaos erupted around her.
