The Progeny in the Parting

Chapter 12 - Mojito Madness

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Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with BONES. Not even a decent spoiler!

A/N: Please excuse my poor French in this chapter. Je suis 'extremely rusty'. If any offended French speakers want to correct my faux pas, feel free to PM me & I will make corrections. Merci beaucoup to HannahTaylor1 for 'la Beta Francais' - if you haven't read her work yet, I seriously recommend that you do so! C'est magnifique!


Friday September 3rd 2010, Montemartre, 18th arrondissement – Paris

Hurrying out to the terrace, juggling her smartphone and a freshly made pitcher of Mojito, Angela Montenegro-Hodgins grimaced at the unwelcome feeling of being put under pressure. After months away from the often frantic pace of work at The Jeffersonian Institute, living the life of an artist at leisure, she felt pulled between annoyance at competing demands for her time, and excitement at being knee-deep in something juicy again. She had received yet another e-mail from Booth, while she was pouring a generous measure of rum into the pitcher on her kitchen bench, which was littered with the accoutrements of Mojito-making, including lime carcasses and the remains of fresh mint. Seeley Booth had jumped into their conspiracy with both feet, and proven yet again that he was a man of action. Reading the message, she gave a little squee of delight at the development that the e-mail outlined.

It was literally only 30 minutes prior to the time that Brennan was going to call, and she had to do some serious consultation with the 'Gods of Google' so that she could sow the seeds of the Babymoon Conspiracy. On a recent weekend trip to San Tropez, noticing that she was one of very few women drinking alcohol, she had made a comment to Jack over dinner about the large number of pregnant women, and their significant others, strolling around the cafés and lounging around the pools in the resort. Jack had informed her that the resort offered 'Babymoon Packages' apparently a very de rigueur thing for upwardly mobile parents to be doing; the concept involved, sand, sun and a last chance at a little secluded loving for couples, before the whirlwind of advanced pregnancy and birth became reality. It was taking advantage of the honeymoon period prior to parenthood.

Angela had put two and two together, added a dollop of sexy fun times to her version of the concept, and hatched her plan to get Bren and Sergeant Major Studly some quality time together before baby Booth made an appearance. The master plan required the input of three stakeholders; Hodgins, who predictably capitulated to the idea immediately, his private jet and resources placed at her disposal, indulging his bride in anything; Booth, who would have to provide the motive, timing and venue; and Brennan, who would be largely unsuspecting, and required to eventually suspend her dislike of surprises under the conditions of this once in a lifetime scenario.

The Babymoon conspiracy was all about family, something that Bren had begun to attach an inordinate amount of importance to since departing the Jeffersonian. Angela had been privately delighted that the jagged social progress that her best friend had made in the past couple of years had become smoother and softer under the influence of a bout of hot lovin' from Booth, and the consequent impact of pregnancy hormones.

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Angela poured her husband a tall glass of the Mojito cocktail. He was in low-riding cargo shorts and deliciously shirtless, working in the late afternoon heat on the cornucopia of growing things that he had cultivated on their garden terrace. He knew what she liked, and this was her preferred view of him when he was working in the garden. Jack Hodgins had employed his considerable knowledge to ensure that their love nest was cloaked in nature's most beautiful scents, night and day, the rooftop garden varied in its olfactory charm depending upon which plants and flowers were producing their perfume.

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"Is it time to call Bren yet?" asked Hodgins, coming over to take the proffered glass from her hand, and planting a kiss on her proffered lips.

"Not yet…you're all sweaty!" Angela commented throwing a hand towel at him.

"Shall I go inside and get cleaned up?" asked Hodgins as he wiped the sweat from his face, with a quirk of his lips. Getting cleaned up was a code for sex.

Angela leaned in and kissed his cheek chastely as she snaked a hand around to grab his ass and squeezed. As she pulled away with a grin, Angela waved her smartphone in front of his face.

"As hot as you are right now my hunky garden slave, I've got work to do before I talk to Bren. Booth just e-mailed. He's got a key player in on the conspiracy, and it looks like we have a contender for the Babymoon holiday spot."

Hodgins wiped his hands on the towel and slung it around his neck. Hatching a conspiracy was almost as good as a little afternoon delight.

"Ooh! Do tell" crooned Hodgins in his 'this conspiracy is turning me on' voice.

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Angela Googled Monkey Mia and they clicked on the resort links. For the next ten minutes they scrolled through dozens of pages displaying white powdery beaches, natural unspoiled reefs, amazing aquatic wildlife, including a community of wild dolphins. The location was remote, private, and picturesque in its natural beauty. It was certainly wild and remote enough to appeal to Brennan as a place to take a short break and the dolphins would hopefully be the deal breaker.

"Wow Angela, we could hire a yacht and go too. You could paint…" began Hodgins.

"Some other time Sweetie, if we say we're going along, Bren will suspect. Besides, Booth has found another way around our problem. Just wait until she calls, you'll see" said Angela.

"You know, Booth is a lot smarter than people give him credit for" remarked Hodgins.

"I'll drink to that!" agreed Angela, clinking her Mojito glass against his.

Angela glanced at the laptop and noticed that the icon for Brennan indicated that she was online.

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"Okay Hodgins. Get your game face on and be ready to play along. It's conspiracy time" said Angela as she sat down at the table to make the connection.

"Oh, love it when you get all conspiratorial, baby" murmured Hodgins, eliciting a saucy chuckle from his wife as the video connection was made.

Brennan appeared on the screen, she looked healthier and happier than her friends had seen her in, well..., ever.

"Hey Sweetie! You look really…content" said Angela in greeting.

"Hi Ange. Hi Hodgins. I am not sure what contentment looks like, but I am in good health" said Brennan with a smile for her friends.

"I've put together the preliminary video package from the scans that you sent to me, Bren. Wow, a little boy! Are you pleased?" gushed Angela.

Brennan looked a little perplexed at the question, but answered anyway. "Booth is actually responsible for determining the sex of this baby due to his contribution of the Y chromosome. However, the baby is healthy and developing appropriately, which I do find pleasing."

Hodgins gave a hearty chuckle at that response. The conversation was interrupted by a loud shout from across the street.

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"Hé là Sexy. Ici! Placer ceci dans votre ceinture!"

"That, is Jack's fan club" said Angela with a smirk, by way of explanation to Brennan.

"So what is it that she wants Hodgins to put into the waistband of his pants?" asked Brennan, translating what she had heard.

Angela made a show of looking at what their neighbour was waving out of her window. "It looks like a twenty Euro note Sweetie. Jack, don't even acknowledge her until she waves a fifty at you" she quipped, which made Brennan laugh out loud.

"Do you see what our Parisian experience has reduced me to Dr. B.? I'm King of the Peep show" said Hodgins self-consciously hitching up his low riding cargo shorts.

Angela rolled her eyes and returned to the conversation with her friend.

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"So are you okay to do some final footage for this video package?" asked Angela.

"Yes. Do you want to see my baby bump Hodgins?" said Brennan, already standing up and turning side on for her webcam without waiting for an answer.

Angela and Hodgins made all of the right noises as Brennan took delight in demonstration of her procreative party trick.

"I've made a cut down video for Parker, so all you need to do is record a message for him. Booth e-mailed me" said Angela.

"Oh. Did Booth say anything else? We won't be talking until tomorrow" asked Brennan.

"No, just that he had spoken to Parker and told him that he was going to be a big brother. Booth thought that a video message from you and some pictures would help him to adjust to the idea," said Angela, covering her white lie about the other things that Booth had told her.

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Brennan simply nodded in agreement. "The organising committee of the Maluku Project have requested that all non-Indonesian personnel leave the project for a minimum of ten days within the next three months in order to facilitate our academic visa re-processing with the Indonesian Government. I was considering coming to Paris in six weeks time, but my colleague Dr. Haynes has invited me to accompany her to a remote resort in the North West of Australia, with her husband and their five children."

"That would be a lot closer Sweetie" said Angela in a benign tone, praying that Brennan had taken the bait. As the face of her friend took on an expression of excitement, Angela knew that Booth's call to Dr. Haynes had gained them another conspirator.

"The resort is in a World Heritage Listed area and has wild dolphins…it would be an excellent opportunity to visit while I am working in the region. I have been to Paris many times. I hope that you are not too disappointed Ange," said Brennan with a genuine tone of regret.

"The snorkelling would be outstanding there Dr. B" chimed in Hodgins.

"Getting up close and personal with wild dolphins would be fantastic Bren! Be sure to get plenty of photos and footage, imagine the care package that we could send to Booth for Thanksgiving…" added Angela in a flash of inspiration as she crossed her fingers behind her back.

"I hadn't considered that possibility Angela, but your suggestion is excellent. I will inform Dr. Haynes that I will accompany them to Monkey Mia" decided Brennan, who failed to notice the synchronised exhalation of breath on the Parisian end of the conversation.

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The tension was broken by another call of 'Hé là' from across the street.

Hodgins groaned and refilled their Mojito glasses. Angela glanced at the window of the building across the street and gave a laugh, toasting her neighbour with her cocktail. The waving fifty Euro bill was replaced by a salute with a glass of red wine, accompanied by raucous cackling.

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"Don't encourage her Ange!" protested Hodgins, tossing back his Mojito in mock frustration.

"Has your neighbour returned with a better offer?" asked Brennan with a grin.

"Yup, she's waving a fifty. Maybe you should go inside, and either put on your gold hotpants, or maybe go clean up instead Jack" said Angela.

Hodgins stomped off, wondering exactly when he had become so contented with being whipped.

"Why would Hodgins wear gold hotpants?" asked Brennan.

"Don't worry Sweetie, it's a code" replied Angela. "Now you really need to record these messages with me, so I can finish up these videos for Booth and Parker. So how is your chocolate addiction Bren?"

"It is not an addiction, it is a craving" stated Brennan decisively. "Interestingly, I have discovered that it is possible for chocolate consumption to provide a facsimile for sexual pleasure."

"Now this, I've got to hear" said Angela, as her fingers flew across the keyboard preparing to record the messages.

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Only Booth and Brennan could be separated by 10,000 miles and get it on over a bar of chocolate.