Someone asked me when this story takes place, and it's a good question because I haven't really made it clear. This takes place in the present. So I hope you enjoy this chapter and if anybody else has any questions or want me to clarify let me know. So enjoy and review.


Chapter 8

Booth had convinced Brennan to come over to his house every day that week. He kept challenging her with different types of locks. Telling her she needed the practice if she wanted to get into a little trouble, she responded that she didn't want to get into trouble, Booth told her that as a teenager it was her job to get into trouble.

He was driving her home Thursday when she asked him the question he dreaded.

"Your grandfather is quite pleasant. I feel bad every time I refuse to stay and eat dinner."

"Well, you know what would make you feel better?"

"What?" She turned to him completely serious and he chuckled before answering.

"You could say yes and stay for dinner."

"Oh." She turned to look at the window before looking back at him. "Booth, why do you live with your grandfather?"

Booth flexed his grip on the steering wheel. "I don't talk about it." He meant to say it calmly but that was not how it came out at all.

"Oh." Her small 'oh' caused Booth to hit his steering wheel in his frustration with himself, but Brennan misinterpreted him. Brennan hadn't meant to upset him, but she had wanted to trust him with her own living situation. It didn't seem that he was willing to talk about that, however.

They were silent for the rest of the ride. Booth didn't know how to fix it without revealing his past. The awkward vibe seemed to spread through the Charger. And when she arrived home, Brennan could not get out of the car fast enough.


That Friday, Booth decided he could stand a little trouble himself. He'd dropped Andy off at Brennan's house before his football game and he now had the whole night free, just the way he liked it. This week Evelyn Sims' parents were going out, so the party was at her house. When he got there the party was already in full swing.

The music was pounding through the house, and people were everywhere. Booth made his way to the kitchen where all the booze was. Besides beer, it looked like Mr. Sims' liquor cabinet had been broken into and laid out on the kitchen island. Booth usually stuck with beer, but looking at the glass bottles arrayed before him, he decided trying whisky wouldn't hurt. He took a shot, and felt it sear his throat, his sputtering cough had him reaching for a beer out of the cooler. Once he'd stopped coughing like a spaz, he took his beer and went in search of his friends.

He found some of them smoking outside. They were standing by the pool, that him and Sharay Bellapini had once jumped in fully clothed. Booth wondered if Sharay had come, maybe she'd like to do it again.

"Hey, Sully. Nak. Kenton."

"Hey Booth."

Booth turned to Ken Nakamura, "Hey, can I bum a smoke off you?"

He nodded and took out his cigarettes for Booth. Ken Nakamura didn't talk much, he didn't find the use of wasting words. Booth lit up and looked out on the quiet pool as he took his first drag. "So anything good going on?"

Sully was the one to answer, "Nah, same old, same old. Kenton keeps striking out with every chick he hits on, so we came out here." Kenton shoved a laughing Sully towards the pool but Booth grabbed him before he could perfect his swan dive for the Olympic team.

Sully didn't seem to care though, "Aww, did I make Kentie Wentie mad? Maybe it's past his bed time. Does lil Jamie want to take a nap?" Booth and Nakamura laughed at the look on Kenton's face, he really did seem like a kid having a tantrum.

Kenton chuckled but in reality he was irritated, but knew he shouldn't try anything more physical. Nakamura wasn't the type of guy to stand for that, and Booth might have laughed when he'd dangled that nerd last year, but Sully was one of theirs. So instead he decided to go for another easy target.

"So rumor is you knocked up Morticia."

The smoke from Booth's cigarette blew up into his nose and out again as he started sputtering. This of course made the guys burst into laughter, even Nakamura was wheezing with laughter.

"What? Who the frick is Morticia?"

"Oh you know who Morticia is." Sully said through his giggles.

"Maybe he's knocked up so many girls he can't remember which one it is." Ken quipped.

"Oh ha ha, you too?"

"I'm sorry, Booth, but the opportunity was too good."

"What kind of name is Morticia anyway? And when was I supposed to have knocked her up?"

Ken took pity on Booth and answered, "Kenton's just teasing you about your Econ partner."

"Her name's not Morticia."

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed how much that freak likes dead things?"

"Don't be like that, Kenton."

"Oh man! You did get it on with her!"

"Shut up." Booth was barely holding on to his patience.

"Did she take you to the cemetary and do naughty things to you?"

"Stop being an ass, Kenton!"

"C'mon Gomez, spill, was she good?"

Booth's cigarette was in his mouth when his patience snapped. Dropping his can of beer, he shoved Kenton full force. Neither Nakamura nor Sully stepped forward to catch Kenton and he fell arms flailing for balance, into the pool. His beer can and cigarette floated on the surface as he came up sputtering. Dropping his cigarette to put it out, Booth turned and walked back inside to the party. Sully and Nakamura followed.

When he walked back into the kitchen Booth grabbed the bottle of whiskey and served himself another shot and taking a beer went back to join the party. He was here to have fun and getting into a fight with his friend over his Econ partner was not fun.

Booth had no problem getting girls to dance with him and afterwards a pretty heated make out session. He looked around the party for the perfect candidate. His eyes landed on Evelyn Sims, the entire school knew she had the hots for Brad Benson, but Booth wondered if she wouldn't be up for making a little time with the school's football star.


Angela walked into Evelyn Sims' house, clearly ready to party, she was wearing a mini and thigh-high boots to die for. Hodgins trailing behind her on the other hand looked like he was ready to die himself. Hodgins hated these parties; bad music, lame conversation and drunken idiots, not his idea of a fun Friday night. But Angela had wanted to come, and what he wouldn't do for her. As long as she didn't expect him to dance.

Angela dragged him around the house as she did her social butterfly thing and said 'hi' to people. That was until a good song came on. Britney Spears' voice began to command people to 'dance until the world ends' and Angela was all for it.

"Dance with me, Hodgie."

"Uhm, that's okay. I'll just stay here."

"Come on, dance with me." When Hodgins still wouldn't budge, she put her lips to his ear. "It's no fun by myself."

Hodgins didn't dance, not ever, he was likely to break some toes with the Doc Martens he always wore. But he didn't know how to refuse, so he found himself dragged to the center of the room. Just as it looked like he'd have to develop some dance skills quick, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Relieved he took it out of his pocket and read the text.

'Get your ass to my house now. This thing is crying again and I have no idea what to do. -Cam '

Hodgins looked up at Angela and the bumping and grinding bodies around her and then back at his cell. Angela or Cam, dancing or baby, humiliation or boredom. Which to choose?

"I'm sorry Ange, Cam needs help with the doll, I'm gonna have to go."

"Well, I guess it's not fair that she do all the work."

"Do you want me to take you home?"

"No, that's okay. I'm not ready to go yet. I'll catch a ride with someone."

Hodgins felt a tug of doubt, maybe he should stay. But then a wildly exuberant couple bumped into Angela and she burst out laughing. No, this wasn't his scene.


What's going on with Booth and Evelyn? Maybe she deserves to get hit with a tennis racket by Brennan? And what do you think about Hodgins and Cam?