AN: I don't own Bones. And can you believe we're now in the double digits for chapters...? UNbelievable!

- X -

- Chapter Ten : Messages in Silver and Eyes -

- X -

"Booth, can I take this blind-fold off now?"

"Not yet."

Sighing in annoyance, Haddon continued on with, "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see when we get there," Booth said, obviously not giving into her pestering.

They drove for a few more minutes before Haddon felt the car stop and then heard Booth get out, closing his door and then opening her own.

"Now, take my arm."

"I'm seriously going to rip this blindfold off," she ground through grit teeth, yet she obeyed and didn't do what she'd just threatened.

"I know you don't want to ruin it," Booth said in confidence as he lead her.

After a good ten minutes of careful leading, the blond heard Booth say, "Stop."

Complying once again, she didn't have time to think of why she had stopped walking when the bandanna over her eyes was taken off, her eyes full of lights and colorful decoration before,

"Happy Birthday Haddon!"

She blinked in shock as she looked at the small group of Bones, Angela, Cam, Hodgins, and Zack who had obviously just exclaimed the phrase. She almost lost her balance a few seconds later as something latched onto her legs, looking down to see none-other then Parker. Her eyes then wandered around the room that she recognized as Angela's office, yet it was decked out in garlands and balloons in every color.

"Wha-wha-" she tried to stutter.

"Silly Haddon," Parker said as he looked up at her, "It's your birthday."

Blinking as she picked him up (despite his slightly heavy weight), she gave him a kiss on his forehead before turning to Booth and saying, "Seriously?"

"Unless your birth-certificate is wrong," he grinned, at to which Haddon grinned widely before announcing, "I'd completely forgotten about it!"

"That's interesting seeing that when we first met you it seemed you were counting down by the day," Brennan said as she smiled lightly.

Biting her lower lip in embarrassment at being caught, Haddon said, "I got so comfortable here it didn't matter to me anymore."

"I think she just complimented us," Jack said with one hand on his hip, the other around Angela's shoulders.

"Whatever, whatever," Cam waved a hand in the air as if to disperse Hodgins' words (knowing they were embarrassing the blond because of her light blush), before she continued with, "Your brother has something to give you."

"Aw, Cam!" Booth whined, "I wanted to tell her that!"

The ex-cop raised an eyebrow to him before quirking one corner of her mouth into a hap-hazarded smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," Parker was oblivious to his Dad's half-fake down emotions as he reached into his zipped up jacket to bring out a light blue box.

Eyes widened in excitement and glee, Haddon placed Parker down on the ground again so she could grab the ribbon-box from his smaller hands, giving a wide grin to him as she did.

"Open it, open it!" her half-brother continued to squeal in excitement. Looking up from her crouch to the others around her, they all nodded their heads in agreement.

Straightening up, Haddon took a deep breath before undoing the white ribbon around the box, carefully putting it in her jacket pocket. She then greedily took the top off the box.

Everyone in the room stared at her for a few moments as Haddon herself stared at the item in the box. Then, to everyone's surprise, she promptly closed the box before closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. Booth, and a few others in the room, wondered if they should ask if she was alright at that moment. Yet she then took off the top the box again and opened her eyes to peer in once again before she re-closed the box and slapped a hand to her mouth.

"I can't accept this," she said as she stretched her arm out with the box to the small group.

"I do not understand," Zack said with a tilt of his head as he turned to Bones, "The clerk at the store said most girls would, I quote, 'kill' for their charm bracelets."

"It's too shiny, too beautiful," Haddon said as she had moved her hand from her mouth to her eyes, as if even looking at the box might blind her.

"Alright, enough melodramatics," Angela said as she took the few steps to first grab the box and then Haddon's hand that was covering her eyes. "We're going to be offended if you don't accept it."

A chorus of 'yeahs' came from everyone. Well, all accept one. As the others stared at Zack, he stuttered to say, "I-I won't be offended, just disappointed."

"So, Sweetie, for all our sakes, you're going to take this for your birthday present and wear it," Angela practically ordered.

As the artist informed Haddon of this, she had taken the bracelet from the box and had clipped it on Haddon's wrist. The now-eighteen year old looked at the faces around her before she looked down to the glittering silver charm bracelet.

"It was Bones' idea," Booth said as he watched her look at each of the eight separate charms.

"The chain represents you, while the charms represent each of us. We're all connected," Brennan explained her idea with a light smirk; she never had been good at idea gifts, but she was glad she had thought of something when Booth had been fresh out of ideas.

"I got you the doggy bone one," Parker said in glee as he clutched at her jacket, "Cause you and me like puppies."

"But they're not as cute as you," she said as she leaned down at his level to snap her teeth playfully before kissing him on the forehead and then the tip of his nose, causing the young boy to giggle and smile widely.

"I got you the one with the watch," Temperance spoke again as Haddon stood up, "I noticed you don't have a watch, it's practical. And stylish, as Angela said."

"Of course I got you the one that says 'Love' cause you can't have enough of that in your life," Angela said with a sly grin that Haddon returned.

"The dragonfly is naturally from me," Jack said with a grin, "Although it's not even remoniscent to one as it-" Angela cut him off with a hand to his mouth and said, "When he saw there was a bug charm, what do you think he'd choose?"

"The one with the 'H' is from me," Cam said as she crossed her arms, "I thought it was cute."

"And the one in the heart shape and 'XOXO' is from Dad," Parker couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Aw!" Booth whined out for a second time, although this was much more playful, so not to upset his son. "Everyone is ruining surprises for me tonight!"

"So that leaves..." Haddon said as she looked at her wrist again to see an airplane.

Turning to Zack, who had an uneasy smile on his boyish face, she asked with a quizzing expression, "You got me an airplane?"

"Well," he started off unsure, "One of the first things I remember learning about you, and relating to, is that you have a fear of airplanes similar to my fear of automobiles."

Haddon stared at him for a few seconds before she couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up. When she finally got a hold of her lungs and head, she said, "I seriously can't believe you guys got me this. It must have cost a fortune."

"It was actually only-" Zack was shut-up in the same method Angela had used from his best friend.

"With your Father refusing to not pay everyone for your lessons," Angela said with a roll of her eyes, "We were easily able to afford buying you this."

"But, onto the next event in your party!" Hodgins cheered as he removed his hand from Zack's face, allowing the genius to send him a slight glare as he rubbed his lips.

"Which would be?" Haddon asked with a wary eyebrow-lift. True, she had more then enjoyed blowing stuff up with him and Zack, yet she knew that gleam in his eyes all too well.

"A pinata!"

Haddon blinked at him in surprise before exclaiming, "I'm first! Where's the bat?!"

- X -

The blond hummed contently to herself as she munched on her third piece of cake as she exited the Jeffersonian with Hodgins, Angela, and Zack a few hours later.

"So unfair," Angela sighed as she envily eyed Haddon, "I remember when I used to have a metabolism and could eat that sort of stuff in plenty."

Haddon laughed at this, and also because Parker, who was currently seated on her shoulders, had reached down to grab some frosting to stick into his mouth.

"But really, Sweetie," Angela said as she turned out of Hodgins' grasp to turn to her taller junior (especially with Parker's help) to say, "Did you enjoy your surprise mini-party?"

Haddon, in turn, grinned so wide it seemed her face was split, before saying, "It was the best. I've never had one before."

"You've never had a pinata?" Zack asked, thinking that the birthday party had been fairly run-of-the-mill other then that.

"No, I mean, last year as a present I got thrown into a river."

The three squints stopped walking to stare at her, Parker oblivious to it all as he once again swooped down to score more sugar.

"I know, the guys back in Montana aren't as smart as people here," Haddon broke the silence as she attempted a strained half-laugh, scuffing her heel into the concrete.

"We're not going to do anything so juvinile," Zack said, as if in pride, as he began walking again, causing the other three to follow.

As they pushed the doors open and looked into the night, Haddon sucked in a deep breath of the icy air and smiled as it tingled her lungs. A car horn broke the silence as they descended the stairs, it obviously being from Booth as his large SUV was parked right at the bottom, no-doubt waiting for his kids.

"Well, see you 'round Haddon," Angela said as she waved, Hodgins doing the same as he turned with her. Haddon waved back before turning to Zack, who had yet to follow the couple even though they were his ride home.

As he opened his mouth and closed it again, it was all too clear that he had something he wanted to say.

"Spit it out Zacky," Haddon said with a light chuckle.

"I'm truely sorry if my choice didn't please you," he said as he clasped his hands behind his back, "I have some knowledge about what females of your age range desire from my cousins and younger sister, and so because of this know that-"

"I love it."

Zack stopped his babbling and looked up from his feet to Haddon who was grinning from ear-to-ear again. "Really, it's very sweet how you remembered something so small."

"I remember a lot of things," he said absently as he unclasped his hands, feeling relief flood through him at the knowledge she had accepted his choice in charm.

Haddon's lips opened, yet whatever words she was about to say were drowned-out by another loud honk, once again complementary of Booth.

"I should get going," she said as she turned to leave, her jacket fluttering in the wind with another gust.

"Don't forget that you have problems from me due tomorrow," Zack said as he began to jog in order to catch up with Angela and Hodgins who were barely still in sight.

"But it's my birthday!" Haddon argued as she was almost at Booth's car.

"I don't understand!" Zack managed to get out of the wind before he began his jogging once again.

"It means-" but Haddon stopped herself as she knew he couldn't hear her from the distance in between them anymore.

Huffing in slight annoyance, she opened the back doors and first allowed Parker to climb off her shoulders and get in first, the blond giving him the slice of cake before she got in herself. As she clasped Parker into his safety-seat, she thought about how although Zack had progressed a great deal thanks to her constant explanations, he still had a long way to go.

"So, tell it to me straight," Booth said as he pulled away once he saw both her and Parker were securely strapped in, "Did you have fun?"

Haddon grinned widely as she was now the one swiping frosting from Parker (who slightly whined in content even though it had been her piece), before saying just what she had a few minutes ago, "It was the best."

As she sucked her finger free of icing, she let her eyes linger down to her bracelet once again.

- X -

A week later, and Haddon was still staring at her bracelet like it was made of diamonds, and not silver, as she started to make her way to Angela's office.

"It's not going to dissapear anytime soon, Sweetie," Angela broke her staring as she sauntered to her side as the asended the stairs together.

"And another thing that's not going to dissapear?" she continued to talk; Haddon groaned.

"That's right, Zack and his final Calculus test you were suppose to take this morning isn't going to disspear either!"

"But-But-But-," she stuttered pathetically, "I'm going to fail and he's going to laugh in my face!" she said as her eyes darted around her in a paranoid fashion. She was almost grateful to the degree of yelling out in happiness some hours ago when his attention had to be placed on a charred body. Haddon had felt bad for the supposedly murdered man, but it didn't stop the skip in her step from forming for a few hours. Silver lining anyone?

"Zack doesn't laugh at people, in case you didn't pick that up in the time you've known him for," Angela said as she opened her door and ushered Haddon in.

Haddon sighed, "I know. He's too considerate to do that."

Angela raised an eyebrow at the unexpected compliment but before she had a chance to say anything, Haddon's eyes widened and she rushed to the Angelator where it seemed two packages were placed.

"Hey, one of them is addressed to me," the blond gasped in happiness as she grabbed the package with care, Angela coming to her side to see the other had her name on it.

"Open them at the same time?" Haddon asked with a gleam of teeth, at to which Angela couldn't help but grin back at before saying, "Sure."

"Alright," the teen said as she tore off the tape. When she was sure the flaps would come open easily, she looked over to see that Angela had hers ready too.

"Ok, three...two...one!"

The two females' eyes locked into what was inside of each of their boxes before screams of bloody-murder rippled from them both and echoed around the office.

Almost instantaniously, Booth, Bones, Hodgins, and Zack rushed into the office.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Booth was quick to question as he made his way further into the office and to where the two looked like they were near in tears.

Angela spoke first with, "It's a heart. A heart."

Haddon didn't seem to be able to say anything as her hands, that were clasped around herself in a make-shift hug, obviously shivered.

"What's wrong Haddon?" Booth questioned sternly as he grabbed his daughter by the shoulders and turned her to him, yet she shook her head as she rapidly blinked, no doubt trying to get rid of the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes.

Knowing she wasn't going to answer, he let her go to inspect the boxes.

Still shivering, Haddon looked around the room to see that Angela had stormed out with Hodgins following while Bones was already at the boxes.

Then she saw Zack.

He was just standing there, with his head slightly tilted to the side with a small furrow at the base of his eyebrows, no-doubt from confusion as to what was going on. Not thinking straight, Haddon suddenly grabbed for him. The air was knocked out of him a she literally plowed right into him, but he managed to hold himself up straight and catch his breath, even with her hands constricting around his torso quite tightly.

Booth loudly cursed, causing the genius to turn to him and Bones who were both peering into one of the boxes.

"That sick freak!" Booth yelled as his face began turning red in anger, "He dare do this to my daughter?!"

Zack suddenly understood. Howard Epps.

Yet his attention was drawn away from Bones and Booth as Haddon gave an extra hard squeeze on him, causing him to lightly cough from his lungs being constricted so badly before hesitantly reaching his arms around to pat her soothingly on the back. She seemed to initially stiffen at the contact, but soon she had at least relaxed a little.

Zack could feel the tears beginning to soak even through the thick material of his lab coat, but he knew enough, even without Haddon's helpful lessons about how to understand people, that this wasn't the time, or place, to be worried about anything like that.

- X -

Haddon sniffed as another errant tear escaped from her eye, it being quickly rubbed away with her sleeve before it made it down to her nose.

"That Howard Epps is one sick, sick person," Cam said as she paced in Bones' office.

After Angela had calmed down, and Haddon had stopped crying long enough to extract herself from Zack, Bones and Booth had ordered a meeting to discus just what was happening. After the initial lay-down of just who they were up against and how he loved to play games, it did nothing to lift anyones' mood, especially after Bones confessed he was targeting them because of their relation to her.

"It seems," Bones broke off for a few moments as she looked up from her crossed fingers to Haddon who was sitting on her couch. Although she didn't have her arms totally wrapped around Zack, she still had one of her hands grabbing around his arm in a needy manner, "It seems that Haddon is in especially crucial danger."

At the statement, Haddon's grip tightened on Zack's arm.

"Because she is both blond, young, and appealing?" Zack asked as he looked up from her to Bones. If this was any other instance, Haddon supposed she would have lightly blushed at the praise, but only a few more tears leaked out. She was ashamed that she couldn't stop the tears, but they just seemed to keep coming.

"And she's my daughter," Booth ground.

"It's obvious enough with his message to her from this morning."

"So," Hodgins warily interjected, "Angela got a heart with the article, what did Haddon get?"

"Eyes," the blond crocked out before Bones could.

"As well as a message saying 'I only have eyes for you' and at least two dozen pictures of her, ranging from when she first arrived to now," Bones extended.

At the explanation, Haddon did a soft groan as she brought her knees up to her chest to hide her face; yet still not letting go of Zack.

"I want you to be with me at all times but..." Booth drifted off.

"It would be more dangerous if she was out of the lab. She should stay here," Cam finished for him.

"Those packages still got in, it's still not completely safe even here," Angela said in exasperation and slight fear.

"Well then, she'll just have to be with someone constantly, as well as everyone else. Make sure you're never alone," Jack supplied.

There was silence for a few moments until Bones said, "I think that's the best we can do now."

"Fine," Booth snorted before turning to his daughter to say, "Let me get you a body-guard from the FBI to come down here."

"Please, no!" Haddon exclaimed as she snapped her head up, causing her father to slightly jump at the rawness of emotion in her voice that continued with, "I don't want a stranger around me!"

Booth sighed, knowing that that this incident really wasn't helping her overcome her problematic fright of strangers.

"I volunteer to keep sight of her at all times," Zack offered, even going as far as to raise his arm (the one that Haddon wasn't holding like a life-saver).

The others in the room stared at him and although some would have snorted at how odd this situation was under different circumstances, Booth sighed and gave in. "Swear that you won't let her out of your sight?"

"I promise," Zack said, again going over the top as he put a hand over his heart like it was an oath.

- X -

"You know, if there wasn't a phsyco killer out for our skins, especially Haddon's, I would find amusement in this," Hodgins said to Angela as they leaned on the railing of the cat-walk that overlooked the large lab.

Angela tilted her head to the side as her eyes continued to follow Haddon and Zack like Jack as they walked up to the platform.

"She's like a lost kitten and Zack gave her milk and now she won't leave him alone," Hodgins went on. "Did you know she hasn't let go of him ever since your office?"

The beautiful artist turned to him and raised an eyebrow before saying, "You're kidding. It's been three hours since then."

"No, seriously," he said in arguement as he pointed down to the two again, "See how she's holding the edge of his jacket?"

Angela saw just that and her eyebrow went back to its normal positioning. "I know I shouldn't really be saying this, but it's cute how she's gotten clingy on Zack of all of us."

"I think if Howard Epps said 'I only have eyes for you' you'd be hanging onto the nearest person for dearest life too," Hodgins said dryly.

"Booth was there," Angela pointed out as she continued to watch Haddon who dilligently stood by Zack as he examined bones, hand still tightly clutched to the dark-blue fabric.

"Well, I suppose they both are Star Wars geeks?" Hodgins offered with a tilt of his head as he absently scratched at his beard.

To this new information, Angela asked, "Really? She likes light sabers, too?"

"God, tell me about it," Jack said with a roll of his eyes, "She first discovered them when she slept over and in the time after that, she and Zack have re-watched the entire six movies three times, along with all of Firefly and whatever Sci-Fi shows they can get their nerdy little hands on."

Angela hummed in thought before saying, "You know, they're sorta similar."

At this, Jack couldn't hold back his bark of laughter before saying, "Yeah, she's energetic, sporatic at times, and blond. He's a genius, doesn't know how to communicate, and figures out mathmatical anomalies when eating."

"They both like comic books, and Star Wars like you just said. And hey, look at us, we don't have all that much in common," she pointed out as she rubbed shoulders with him.

"Well, she does come over mostly to visit Zack; not me."

"And they're always whispering to each other," Angela reminded.

Jack was silent as he watched his best friend work as if there wasn't a teen literally hanging off of him before grinning and saying, "Wouldn't it be just farcical if those two got together?"

Angela was silent in thought before saying, "Just like I said before, I know I shouldn't be saying this, but I think it's cute."

- X -

Zack looked across to Haddon who was seated right next to him, a hand holding onto the edge of his jacket as he crossed his own hands in his lap. With her always holding his jacket, or his arm, he had found it too tedious to continue working and so had gone in here for some relaxation. He had thought the blond would start some aimless chatter the moment they sat down but, as he looked at the clock, they had now been sitting here for twenty one minutes and not one peep.

He moved his brown eyes from his vacant view in front of him to the teen next to him and almost jumped as he saw just how full of despair she looked. Her shoulders were drastically slumped, making her half the height she should when sitting. Her eyes were open, but there were circles under them and her brown eyes seemed darker, blacker.

Making his extra-special brain pump out ways of comforting her, he thought of first chocolate and flowers, the universal gifts for females. But then he wasn't near a store. He couldn't rely on his barely non-existent empathetic skills to talk her to comfort, he couldn't relate to her experience this morning of being given human eyes even if he wanted to.

He then began to think of times he had seen her smiling the fullest, the truest. Star Wars, but he didn't have any of the movies with him and he didn't want to watch it on low-quality from Dr. Brennan's computer nearby. She always grinned when she was done with exercise, but he wasn't too keen to go running around with her dragging him along. He was a runner himself, but he didn't run as far or fast as her.

Then the memory of her smiling down at him when they were watching the (bogus to him) romance movies when she was running her fingers through his hair shone in his head.

At his sudden movement of her moving his body to lay down, and position his head right on top of her legs, it caused Haddon to jump a few inches in shock.

Zack looked up at her with a slight grin on his unsure face, but Haddon just stared back down at him before blinking in confusion.

"Massage my head," he said as he arranged his head a little for more comfort.

Her head tilted to the side before a ghost-of-a smile came onto her face and she said, "Did you just command me?"

"I used the grammatical form of commandment, yes. But I only did that because I really do desire it," he said as he closed his eyes. Her face was right in his view; almost too close for comfort.

"At first you didn't ask to put your head in my lap and now you're not even asking for me to scratch your head."

"I prefer the word 'massage.'"

If Zack didn't have his eyes closed, he would have seen her smile widen a little bit more as she raised the hand that wasn't still holding onto his jacket to his head.

"I don't like your short hair," she said as she felt the short hairs tickle her palm as she lightly ran her nails over his scalp.

"I do not either. But apparently it makes me look more professional, and in addition I save money on shampoo."

"I never would have thought that you'd be a cheapskate Zacky."

At the sound of her saying one of his numerous nicknames she was always using, a slight smile came onto his face. "Money isn't a pressing issue but it's always advisable to save when you can."

"To buy more Sci-Fi DVDs?" she asked with a under-drop of joking as her fingers played at the nape of his neck.

"In some cases, yes," he answered clearly.

There was silence as Haddon's fingers ran over his head, making both of them began to feel relaxation sink in.

"Are you alright?" Zack suddenly broke it, Haddon's initial answer being a sudden halt in her massage.

Cracking open an eye, the genius saw that she had looked away from his face and was biting her bottom lip.

"Do you with to initiate conversation about it?" he ventured to ask.

"No," she answered as her hand began to play with his hair again. While before she twisted the long locks around her fingers, she now simply ran her fingers over it.

"I've read that many people feel they are relieved after telling someone about their innermost feelings," Zack argued, glad she had continued scratching his head and hadn't got up in a huff for him asking something personal.

"I don't need it," she literally snarled, and Zack winced as he felt her nails scratch a little harder then necessary.

Feeling that if verbal comfort wasn't going to happen, he put a hand, palm face up, on his stomach. Haddon saw the action and raised an eyebrow in confusion which was gone when he asked, "Hold my hand please?"

Obviously taken aback, Haddon's hand darted from his head back to her side.

"You have been holding onto my arm or coat this entire time, what is the difference?" Zack asked as he opened his eyes to look up at her.

"I don't like holding hands. I don't do it," Haddon said with a slightly bitter expression.

"May I be an exception?" he asked earnestly as his hand flexed.

Haddon curled her upper lip back in uncertainty before giving in, gingerly taking the hand that she had been holding his coat with to place onto his hand.

She jumped again as his long fingers clasped around her hand. When she turned from the sight of their intertwined fingers to his face, she noticed that his eyes were closed again yet he had a somewhat peaceful expression on his face.

"Now, resume the massage?" he remembered to say it in a questioning tone.

Grinning, she moved her hand to resume her de-stressing touch.

Ten minutes of silence passed this time before Zack once again broke it with, "Are you absolutely positive you don't wish to talk about your dispiriting experience this morning?"

"Zacky," Haddon growled, "Why are you trying so hard to pry into my head?"

"I do not want to 'pry' into your head, just confirm that your physical and mental states are satisfactory."

"You really are sweet, aren't you?" she asked, understanding what he was said without even having to decode it. She had gotten to used to him talking with a different vocabulary and word choice, she didn't need to 'translate' for herself anymore. Booth told her she felt overly proud of this.

"Towards individuals who are close to me, yes."

At hearing that she was important to him, her heart painfully swelled and she almost stopped moving her hand from the overload of it. Maybe it was because she had been so damn down today from the most traumatizing event in her young adult life, or maybe it was because her Father was out trying to find a serial killer who may be targeting her, but she felt like she was going to cry.

Feeling her chest begin to tighten with soon-to-be sobs, she moved her hand from Zack's head to cover her mouth.

The genius, at loosing her touch again, opened his eyes to see her face twisted in one of sadness.

"Did I say something wrong? I said something insensitive! I shouldn't have-" he stopped his ranting as he saw her shake her head.

"Then what is it? Why are you almost shedding tears?"

"I-If I said emotional overload, would you understand?" she managed to get out without any sobs breaking free, although her body was beginning to shake with restraint.

"I would not, I apologize," Zack said as he looked down at their still held hands, hers limp in his. "But I would still attempt to understand," he added as he lightly squeezed her tanner fingers.

"Shit," she swore as she rubbed at her eyes, "I think I'm going to cry."

She looked over, and at seeing Zack's suddenly panicked face, like he was looking at an experiment ready to implode in a five seconds countdown, sudden laughter bubbled out from her mouth. As she looked once again, and at seeing his face twisted in even more worry, she felt herself double over in rejuvenated laughter.

"Haddon, I think you need to calm down and breath," he attempted to instruct as he took the hand that wasn't entangled with hers and moved her shoulders to make her look at him.

"I'm sorry Zacky," she said through giggles as tears leaked out, "I'm just really glad you're here right now I guess."

"You're laughing and crying in distress at the same time, something I've never seen before."

"Like I said, emotional overload," Haddon had stopped laughing as she said this, yet the tears continued.

"I think I may understand a little more now," Zack said as he began to rub her shoulders and back.

"Where did you learn to do this?" she asked, obviously connoting to his comforting gesture.

"I witnessed your Father do it to Dr. Brennan one day after she had learned the murder was the lover of the victim."

"That's sad," the teen sniffed as she rubbed her hand below her nose.

Wincing, Zack reached in his pocket for a tissue and handed it over to her, which she gratefully accepted with a smile.

"What would I do without you Zacky?" she asked before loudly blowing her nose.

Looking down at his hand over hers and then to her tear-stained face, he forced a smile and said, "I think you'd still be both physically and mentally fine."

"Well, I'm still really glad I know you," Haddon said with a light blush, chagrin at revealing something previously hidden.

"I also am glad to know you," Zack easily answered.

The blond turned to him, who was lightly grinning, before she felt a full on grin come to her own face. She was just positioning herself to give him a rib-fracturing hug when a knock suddenly echoed from the door. A few moments later, Hodgins' face appeared.

"I'm sorry for interrupting," he said as he noticed Haddon's just-finished crying face, "But I think we're onto something and we need your smart head Z-man."

"Well, come on then," Haddon said as she stood, "Duty calls."

Zack got up himself, and moved to take his hand out of hers, but Haddon's fingers suddenly tightened around his so that that action was impossible.

"Hold my hand a little longer?" she asked uncertainly.

"If you desire," Zack answered before the two of them moved to follow Hodgins.

- X -

AN: This chapter was so bi-polar it's kinda funny...for me at least XD And I'm sorry if the holding hands is cheesy/cliched, I seriously couldn't help myself *slap*

and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! this is my (coughlamecough) holiday gift to you all. I hope you have a great time with your family and friends just kicking back and relaxing. I, at the moment, am watching StarWars with my brother, LOVE!