Chapter nine

Angela and the partners arrived to the Jeffersonian half an hour late. The party had already started and people were standing in groups holding cocktail glasses and little pieces of snacks. They were laughing and talking.

It didn't take long to find rest of the team. Hodgins looked pissed; Brennan knew how much he hated those kinds of things. Cam, on the other hand seemed to be enjoying herself, laughing along with a man Brennan recognized, but didn't really know.

"Dr. Brennan!" Cam greeted once she was spotted. Brennan managed to keep her mouth shut, and sighed in relief as Booth seemed to get the point. Cam then turned to the one she thought was Booth.

She seemed... surprised. "Seeley! Didn't think I'd see you here."

Brennan wanted to laugh. If Cam only knew. "Brennan wanted me to accompany her," she said.

Booth snorted at that. Cam smiled. "Oh really?"

"Yes."

"What? As her date?" Hodgins shot in, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"No, Boo... Bones and I are not dating. There is nothing strange with a man and a woman just being friends. We are in fact doing it very well," she clarified. Hodgins stared.

"Dude! You've been around Dr. Brennan way to long; you start to talk like her."

Angela laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

Booth cleared his throat. "Drinks, anyone?" he flashed a nervous smile.

"Sure," Brennan said, welcoming the interruption. "I'll go with you."

Once the partners were out of sight, Hodgins turned to Angela. "There is something going on with those two," he mused. "You think they're dating but keeping it a secret?"

Angela shook her head. "No, it's not that."

"Whoa! You know something, don't you?"

"No." Angela squirmed, she was dying to tell him, but she had promised Brennan. She sighed, thinking that maybe her friend wouldn't be too mad if she broke the promise? This was just too good to keep a secret.

Angela hesitated.

"Come on, tell me?" Hodgins had now forgotten the dismay of being forced to a party he didn't want to go to.

"Okay, but you have to promise you won't tell anyone. Brennan made me promise the same thing."

Hodgins nodded, eagerly.

"Have you seen the movie Freaky Friday?"

He nodded. "Yeah, mother and daughter switch bodies. What does that have to do with..." his voice trailed off and he stared at Angela. "No," he shook his head. "No way, it can't happen in real life."

"Apparently it can," Angela said, "It has. Brennan and Booth have switched, that's why they've been acting so weird," she whispered.

"No way," Hodgins repeated. He stared at Angela, wide eyed and stunned. "Are you serious?"

She nodded. "Don't tell anyone."

"Okay, wow this is... so cool," he grinned.

Just then, Brennan and Booth came back carrying a glass each. Brennan frowned as Hodgins kept on staring at her.

"What is it?" she finally asked. He just shook his head, trying, but failing to stifle a grin.

Booth narrowed his eyes, glaring at the man. "What do you know?" he asked.

"He can't know," Brennan whispered.

"I do know, baby," Hodgins grinned. "And... I didn't mean to call you baby."

Brennan immediately realized what had happened. She glared accusingly at Angela. "You promised!" she said. "How could you tell him when you knew I didn't want this to come out?"

"I'm sorry," Angela looked regretful. "But sweetie. This is too good to keep to myself. It's just Jack, no one else knows."

"And it stays that way, okay?"

Both Angela and Hodgins nodded. "But you have to admit, this is incredibly cool." Hodgins grinned.

Brennan and Booth scoffed simultaneously.

"What? Come on!"

"Mostly we just find it awkward," Brennan finally said.

Hodgins grinned. "I can imagine. You showered yet?"

"Yes, why?" Brennan frowned, not understanding why he'd ask such a private question just like that.

He laughed. "That must have been... an experience, owning different body parts and all that."

"They shower together," Angela shot in.

"It happened once," Booth defended himself. "And it wasn't even my idea."

"Epic," Hodgins laughed. "Totally epic."

"What is?" Cam suddenly asked.

XxxxX

TBC