Well here goes, angst and anger, let me know what you think...

Chapter 9

Brennan saw Booth and Rebeca immediately. She wanted to turn around and run out of the diner, but that wasn't her. She never ran, well yes she did. Of course, this time Booth had already seen her and she couldn't just turn around and run. So she followed Angela to the table.

Angela felt like a dog for doing this to her friend. Judging by the look on Rebeca's face, she wasn't very happy about this either. She walked past their table and barely spoke. She sat down at the table that was diagonal from Booth's. Making sure that Bren could see what was going on at the table. That had been Booth's idea.

"Sweetie, do you want to go somewhere else?"

Brennan heard Angela, but she didn't answer immediately. Her mind was racing around with the images and feelings of her and Booth's encounters. She couldn't believe this was happening. After what they had shared the last few days, hearing the news of Booth and Rebeca's reconciliation had really blown her away. She was really hurt and so confused.

"Sweetie?"

"I'm sorry, Ange, I'm just a bit distracted. This is fine, though. We won't be here for long, so I'll be fine."

Angela knew she was going to lose it. Brennan was so hurt, she could not be a part of hurting her friend this way. She had never seen Brennan this distracted. She could probably tell her they found some ancient Egyptian remains and she would not even react. This would have to stop. She tried, especially for Booth's sake, but this was her best friend. She could not purposely hurt her.

"Bren, I have to tell you something."

Brennan could not pull her eyes away from Booth. He was smiling and saying something to Rebeca. He looked so happy, it broke her heart. She wanted to be the person he smiled at like that. She thought she was ready to tell him how she really felt, but now she would never get the opportunity. This was the story of her life. Everyone around her went on to find happiness, but she was always left behind. A lot of that was her own fault, but this time it was different. She usually compartmentalized and got over her emotions but this was Booth. She loved him and that confession was six years in the making and now she wouldn't even be able to tell him.

"Ange, I love him." Brennan felt the tears running down her cheeks, but there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.

Oh Lord, Booth was going to kill her but she could no longer sit and watch her friend suffer. Bren was one of the strongest people she had ever met and she was literally breaking down right before her eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, you're going to kill me. This was all an act to get you jealous."

Brennan sat there wondering if what she just heard was real or just her imagination. It was all an act? So Booth sitting there gazing at Rebeca was all an act? It was to make her jealous? That was just absurd.

"Bren, did you hear what I said? Booth and Rebeca are not back together. I helped him come up with this plan. This is partly my fault. Well, mostly my fault. He asked me to bring you here so he could be here with Rebeca and you would see them here."

This was not happening. Her best friend had been a part of this terrible plan? A plan that had just about tore her heart out. She had not felt heartbreak like this since she was fifteen and her whole family left her.

"Sweetie, I am so sorry. I understand if you never want to talk to me ever again. I should have never agreed to be a part of this. And playing with your emotions like this, there is no excuse. I am so so sorry."

Brennan tried to look at her friend. She really did. But right now, she had no idea what to do with her anger and her emotions. The two people she trusted most in this world had just betrayed her. How was this supposed to play out?

"Please, Bren, talk to me. Cuss or yell, whatever you need to do, just please talk to me. I hate myself for doing this. I just felt like I needed to repay Booth. I owed him a favor."

That statement got her attention and she finally looked at her friend. She saw the pain written on Angela's face. The tears that were running down her cheeks and she spoke.

"What do you mean, Angela? Why did you owe Booth a favor?"

"Can I get you ladies something to drink?"

Brennan had been staring at Angela and didn't even see the waitress walk up. She glanced away from Angela and looked at the waitress, noticing the woman was staring between the both of them. She wondered what kind of picture they were making.

"No, thanks."

The waitress could not get away fast enough and Brennan actually felt sorry for her. She knew the girl had been doing her job and very obviously had walked up on a very uncomfortable scene. Poor girl, she would leave her a nice tip.

"OK, Angela, why do you owe Booth a favor?"

"I told Booth about our plan. He knows that I put you up to the new look and acting like you were a dominatrix. He also knows that you knew it was him at the club. After he found that out and the way I felt about double crossing him, I really felt like I owed him a favor."

"This was how you repaid him? My feelings and my emotions were the way to get straight with him? Angela, what were you thinking?"

"Honestly, sweetie, I really don't know. All I saw was the hurt written all over Booth's face. I have wanted the two of you together for years and then this opportunity presented itself. I had a very weak moment and I just jumped. I really hope you can forgive me, Bren."

Brennan looked at Angela, the woman whom she had been friends with for years, and she saw the hurt written all over her face. She knew Angela loved playing matchmaker, but going to these extremes was just too much. She felt like she needed to scream and get this anger out but she couldn't. She knew Angela just wanted to get them together and this had obviously been the best way for her.

"Bren, I told Booth he had twenty-four hours to get this plan underway and he struggled with it too. We both thought about calling it off but we didn't. I was really going to give him a shot, but I could not continue to watch you struggle and hurt. I know you may not believe me, but I love you and you are my best friend. I am so sorry this little plan got so out of hand. I never meant for any of this to happen. Please forgive me."

Brennan had seen Angela cry many times, but not like this. She knew that Angela was truly sorry for this outcome. Things had gotten way out of hand but she wasn't totally innocent herself. All of this could have been avoided if she had met Booth at the reflecting pool and told him the truth. She reached across the table and took Angela's hand.

"Ange, I know you didn't mean for all of this to happen. Booth and I really need to be open and truthful with each other. All of this could have gone a lot differently if we had been that way from the beginning. I do forgive you. You are my best friend and I love you as much as I am capable of loving someone."

Angela felt the relief wash over her. She was so scared that she had ruined everything with Brennan. Thank goodness, Brennan was so forgiving. Thinking about that made her cry harder. She was truly grateful for this moment but there was a looming question.

"Sweetie, what about Booth?"

Brennan didn't know how to answer that, but she would think of something. She had to get out of here. She felt like forgiving Angela had been the right thing, but she also felt like a caged animal. She was angry at herself and at Booth. She just had to go. Pulling a twenty out of her pocket she laid it on the table.

"Angela, I appreciate our talk but I have to get out of here. Please make sure the waitress gets that."

"Bren, I'm really sorry. I do love you very much and I will never betray our friendship again."

Brennan grabbed Angela's hand and gave it a squeeze. She felt the tears welling in her eyes. "I know, Ange."

Angela was hesitant to let her friends hand go but she did. She turned around and saw the look on Booth's face. Brennan was headed right for his table. She didn't know what Brennan said, but it couldn't be good, judging by the look on Booth's face.

Brennan's words echoed around the room as she stormed out the door.

Booth couldn't believe the words she had just screamed out at him. He had never heard those words leave her mouth but after hearing his partner scream Fuck You, he had to go after her.