A/N : I was planning to post this yesterday, which was actually a few hours ago for me, but unfortunately I got distracted and here I am finishing this monster of a chapter at 4 in the morning. I should be asleep, and would be if not for the amazing people who have been a writer's dream come true when it comes to reviewing and the constant ego boosting feedback.

Again 206, you've got my gratitude and a Booth hug. To bookwormlady - you wanted to see more fight from AQ, you got it. To RoMaNTICThoughts - thanks for the suggestion, sorry it took me awhile to use it. To tansypool - you might want to get the pinking sheers out or something vicious looking. To mustanggirlz07 - your first rental is free since you've been with the series since the beginning and you asked so nicely. And for the rest of you wicked awesome people who have been with me since Honesty, and you know who you are, I truly love you all.

Unless things have changed without my knowledge I still don't own Bones or any of it's characters. If things have changed and I didn't know about it, wow that would suck.

Fate's Prophesy Realized

"Angela!" beamed Max. "What are you doing in my neck of the woods?"

"I'm here on league business." she nodded, sounding very professional.

"Oh, did you have something you needed me to do Lady Fate?" asked Max, his smile slipping when he realized what she was really there for. "Ange, are you sure about this? I mean, I thought we pretty much neutralized Talia last night. And I think that I managed to get through to Booth about Talia, so maybe we don't-"

"Max, you know that I wouldn't do this unless it was absolutely necessary," Ange reassured him. "And believe me, it is. I hate the idea as much as you do, but Talia isn't done yet. She's a gorgeous woman who's made a name and a fortune for herself in a cutthroat industry. She's probably used to being underestimated and discounted because most people don't think a beautiful woman can also be intelligent. In fact, I'm betting that's what she was counting on us to do from the beginning - just dismiss her. She's going to do something, something big and we need to fight fire with with a blazing inferno."

"Don't you think that what you're doing might be overkill?" Max pointed out. "If Booth and Tempe find out about this...."

"I know Max," she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and letting them fall with a smack against her legs. "I know how this would look to them, but I just don't want them to get caught without ammo when Talia starts firing."

"What do you think she'll do?" asked Max, getting a little worried. He's never seen Ange this concerned.

"I know what I'd do," shrugged Ange. "I'd let the enemy think they have the upper hand, that they've practically won. I'd wait until they think that they could stand back and do nothing while I flounder. As they're reclining, leaning back and waiting for me to give up with my tail between my legs I take out the biggest weapon in my arsenal and fire at the poor unsuspecting bastards."

"Wow, you're vicious," noted Max with a chuckle and a shake of his head. "And to think that I used to know some brutal people while I was a criminal. They could've taken lessons from you."

"Hey, when it comes to protecting my family I make sure that I'm prepared." said Angela in a steely voice. "So, where's.....

She got her answer when a familiar face appeared in the doorway.

Later that day, Booth dropped Brennan off at the Jeffersonian so that she could go over the evidence that they had while he accompanied Talia to her meeting. Brennan went straight to work, but didn't seem unduly upset over anything. When Ange pressed her about any of the people they talked to looking like the killer. Brennan of course replied that since they don't know who the killer is, she couldn't possibly know if anyone they spoke to was visually comparable to the murderer.

"What I mean was, is there anyone that stands out as the possible killer?" Ange asked, preparing to lead into the line of questioning she really wanted to get at.

"Booth says his gut is telling him that it's Talia's assistant," Brennan replied, her main focus still on the pictures on her monitor. "Although he checks out. Talia said that she was so busy with the launch of her company's latest project that he never left her side. There were so many late nights that he ended up sleeping in her guest room. There are other staff members who have verified this information. Booth however, still feels that Greg is still the most likely suspect. He says that the assistant - Greg Cherak- is far too intelligent and educated to be satisfied being nothing more than Talia's whipping boy. Although, to be honest a large percentage of people who are involved in sadomasochism tend to be those in white collar careers as well as high ranking occupations."

"He doesn't mean that Talia actually whips Greg," Angela said amusedly. "Whipping boy is a term for a personal assistant. Someone who doesn't get paid a lot but has the responsibility of ensuring that all the tasks his employer assigns to him is done perfectly - whether it's making sure that his boss' chihuahua gets her manicure to being the filter between her and everyone else. He arranges her schedule and determines how her day will go, and he has to know her well enough to know how many meetings in a day she could handle, and who gets a piece of her precious time and how much of it. The personal assistant's are usually called whipping boys because they're so close to their bosses that they're usually the first ones that their employer take their displeasure out on if something goes wrong. Remember Naomi Campbell?"

"Ange, I can't remember the names of everyone that works at the Jeffersonian." replied Brennan. Ange was about to explain the whole raging supermodel incident, but then she'd have to explain about supermodels and why someone would feel the need to throw their cell phone at someone else...and Angela didn't have the patience for that discussion. Angela ushered the conversation in different direction.

"Hey, was Booth mad that we all invaded his home last night?" Angela asked, seeming chagrinned. "In hindsight maybe we should have given him some advance notice. He might have had some sexy romantic plans in mind for you."

"I doubt it," she murmured, focusing on the pictures of the bones in the box. "If he did, he would have waited until the case was over and we didn't have any overnight house guests."

"Good point," murmured Angela, wanting to squeal again at Brennan even obliquely referring to Booth's place as home. "So, you two lovebirds mind if we have movie night at your place again? You can go home with Booth and we'll bring over the food. I can cover you if you two need to duck out to do some quick 'paperwork' again."

"Thanks Ange," Brennan blushed at the thought of her and Booth sneaking off to their bedroom while their friends watched a movie in the living room. "Unfortunately we have plans. Talia has invited Booth and I out to dinner to thank us for all we've done to solve Preston's murder. I informed her that we've not yet solved the case, but she says that she appreciates all that we've done and wants to treat Booth and I for dinner. Also, she has a business dinner and because Booth is assigned to protect her he has to be there so she invited me to join them as well."

So that's how she's doing it, mused Ange.

"She didn't invite the rest of the team?" Ange asked, trying to sound hurt.

"I asked if the rest of the team were invited, but she said no," Brennan paused, as if she were troubled by this fact. "She said that there was no way that she could get a reservation at Sariette for so many people last minute. She claimed that she also felt that she got to know Booth and I better than she knew the rest of the team and didn't feel comfortable inviting the rest of the team to dinner yet. She suggested that a large group dinner with the squint squad as well as Booth and I would be more appropriate once the case is solved. Should I not go Ange? Am I disloyal for going to a dinner to thank everyone for their efforts thus far when not everyone was invited?"

"Not at all Brennan. You should go sweetie," advised Angela. "Booth has to be there because of his job, and as it is - you know that he hates upscale snotty places like this-"

"I tried to bring that to Talia's attention," Brennan cut in. "He hates going to restaurants where the menu is in a different language and he doesn't know what he's ordering."

"What happened when you told Talia this?" Angela asked, slightly curious.

"Booth interrupted me, said that it was fine and that it was rude to decline a dinner reservation," Brennan replied. "He said it was one night and that at least he had me to order for him and keep him company when the business dinner inevitably got boring."

"It's true, he needs you there," nodded Angela. "Call me later and tell me how dinner goes."

When Brennan nodded her agreement, Angela casually asked what time the dinner was.

"I believe our reservation is for eight o'clock." Brennan muttered, staring at her monitor.

With a smile, Angela noted this new information and headed back to her office. She made a few calls, including one to Sariette and another few to the league members to update them on tonight's operation.

A few hours later, Sweets and Angela were situated as comfortably as possible in Hodgins vintage 1968 Silver and Black two toned Chevy Camaro. Before they got into the car, Hodgins had them take off their shoes and constantly harped on about his 'baby'. He even talked to the vehicle with a mixture of reverence and love. Sweets, excited at his first stakeout brought snacks - which Hodgins made him leave behind. There was to be absolutely no consumption of food or drink in his baby - not even gum. He recited his list of rules for being allowed in the car - which Angela recalled from when they were together, although she was told the rules in a far less harsh tone back then.

When they got to the restaurant, he parked across the street and he seemed visibly pained when he positioned his beloved vehicle close enough for them to see with their binoculars, yet in an area dark enough so that people wouldn't really notice two people sitting inside and spying at the restaurant. Before leaving them he went over the rules one more time and handed Angela the receiver for the listening device he was going to plant at Booth and Brennan's table. Shocked, Sweets asked where Hodgins got the bug.

Hodgins simply smiled and said "No, sorry buddy. Tonight you're not FBI, you're JustUs league. Anything for family remember?"

With a sigh, Sweets just shrugged and agreed. They sat back and watched Hodgins enter the restaurant. Twenty minutes later Booth's Sequoia rounded the corner. They watched as Booth hopped out of the drivers side and rushed over to Brennan to help her out of the SUV. Booth handed his keys to the valet and went in to Sariette hand in hand with Brennan.

Inside the restaurant, Jack sat with the CFO and the CEO of the Cantilever group. He had an elbow on the table, his hand propping up his drooping head and his eyes glazing over. He didn't bother to pretend to be interested in whatever the tweedles - his nicknames for the jerks who ran the family business - were saying. He understood, he did have an MBA in his educational history after all. His father insisted, and he acquiesced as if it would make his father suddenly shower him with love and affection. Hodgins father never understood his son's fascination with science, or his resistance at the idea of inheriting the throne and controlling the Hodgins empire. Jack couldn't understand why his father couldn't accept him the way that he was. Jack had spent a great deal of his life either rebelling against his father's expectations, or trying desperately to be worthy of his love. When he tried to confide in his mother about his feelings, the family matriarch would dismissively say that he was being silly. His father loved him and only wanted the best for him.

He wished that he could believe that. When his parents died and left him everything, Jack wanted to believe that it was because his father loved him and wanted to ensure that Jack had the best future possible, especially if he wasn't there to guarantee it. Jack really wanted to believe it, unfortunately he knew better. Jack knew that by willing the controlling shares in the Cantilever Group to him, his father was guilting him into taking the reigns of a family empire even though he knew that his son wasn't the type to thrive in a boardroom. Jack could have and maybe should have sold his shares and lived happily ever after in the lab, but guilt wouldn't allow him to do such a thing. He maintained his position as Chairman of the Board, went to as few meetings as he could get away with and kept his identity as heir to a fortune as far away from who he felt he really was - Dr. Jack Hodgins.

For the longest time, no one at the lab except Zack knew that he was rich - and he liked it that way. He was just the bug and slime guy, and that suited him fine. He was afraid of being teased, being set apart from others, or even worse - receiving special treatment just because of the family name. As it was the people at work showed him the acceptance and respect he sought but was never able to garner from his own parents. When Angela and Booth found out, Jack thought it was the beginning of the end.

That was it - he wasn't going to be the bug and slime guy any more.

He was going to be known as the rich guy, Mr. Moneybags and other such derivative epithets. He was strangely surprised to find that they didn't treat him any differently, and their dysfunctional makeshift family seemed to grow closer. Brennan he was forced to tell while they were trapped underground. She was the one that he was most afraid to tell because of his immense respect and admiration for her. He couldn't take it if she started to treat him differently or if she saw this secret of his as a betrayal of some sort. Instead she simply shrugged this information off as if he told her he didn't like bean sprouts. When he and Brennan were pulled out of that hell hole, he saw himself surrounded by people that embraced him for who he was. These people who were now so much more than just friends were there for him when he needed him, showed him the trust, acceptance, and love he'd never known before. Just as he and Brennan fought to get out from that car, Booth, Cam, Angela and Zack had fought to free them. That moment he realized that he had something he never thought he would have - a real family. Their little family had grown a little over the years, but one thing remained - Hodgins would do anything for them, just as he knew without doubt they would do the same for him.

Which was why he found himself sitting at a table in a pretentiously French not to mention overpriced restaurant with two of his least favorite people. The tweedles - usually had to drag him to meetings. When Angela convinced him to call them for an impromptu business dinner, Jack could hear them sputtering in joy. He hated to be deferred to, and these two could take first prize in an ass kissing contest. Tweedle Dee was still desperately trying to hold on to his job even though he had 3 more years on his contract, and Tweedle Dum was just as desperately attempting to brown nose his way into Tweedle Dee's job.

Jack nodded absently at them, welcoming the waiter's distraction when he noticed Brennan enter the restaurant hand in hand with Booth. The host showed them to their table and they whispered and giggled while they waited for the rest of their party. They didn't have to wait long, because soon enough along came Talia.

Suddenly Jack realized that Angela was totally bang on, and she was right to prepare the secret weapon. He could tell from the looks on Brennan and Booth's faces that they were as taken aback at Talia's date as he was. Jack excused himself from the table, leaving the tweedles to sulk until his return. He made his way over to the table that was half occupied by his friends and plastered his best fake smile across his face.

"Booth, Brennan, Talia, what are you guys doing here?" Hodgins exclaimed.

"We're here for dinner," Talia replied with plenty of tension behind her friendly veneer. "What brings you to Sariette? I wouldn't have predicted that you had a penchant for French Food."

"I don't," Jack shrugged, hiding a smirk at Talia's veiled attempts to see if the rest of the league was there with him. He thumbed at the table that he had just left and said "I'm in a dinner meeting with the Tweedles."

"Ouch," hissed Booth sympathetically. "I know you hate sitting in with the Cantilever Clones. Talia, Hodgins here is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Cantilever Group."

"Yeah, I'm one of those Hodgins," Jack replied to the question in Talia's eyes. He then surreptitiously attached the button sized listening device to the back of Brennan's chair. "Actually, the only one of those Hodgins left. Cantilever is the family business."

"Then why would you be working in a lab?" Talia asked incredulously.

"Because he's a gifted scientist," Brennan replied for him. "His knowledge of particulate matter is invaluable and he is one of the top entomologists in his field..."

"And because he's a part of our team." Booth added.

"Our family." Brennan corrected with a smile.

"That's true." Booth agreed.

"Hey," Hodgins suddenly exclaimed, turning to the surprise guest at the table. "Didn't expect to see you back in DC. When did you get back?"

And when the hell are you leaving, Hodgins wanted to ask but didn't.

"Just got here, for this meeting." he answered.

"So, since you all know each other, no introductions are needed?" Talia asked smugly, watching Brennan and Booth's reactions.

"No, we all know Sully." replied Hodgins, smiling tightly at the man sitting beside Talia.