Sweet's POV
stepping through the glass doors I saw that booth started to bolt up the steps to the platform, while Brennan headed towards her office. I stood at the entrance for a moment; I didn't know my place here anymore. The guards eyed me gingerly, the many interns wouldn't even say hello to me. At least before with the team, I was considered annoying but helpful with cases, but almost more importantly helpful to booth.
I considered going to cam and hodgins, but I saw hodgins leading booth somewhere. And an intern had caught cam's attention. So I decided to go to Angela's office.
Her office was filled with eccentric paintings (which in the beginning I had thought to be very morbid and scary but now very endearing in a creepy slasher kinda way) and bohemian styled furniture. How she was able to get that stuff certified I'll never know. Usually after a particularly taxing case Angela and I and sometimes hodgins and cam would go out and grab a drink or a burger at the diner. But ever since this whole ordeal started I began questioning my standing with almost all my colleagues and friends. Especially those of the Jeffersonian.

Taking quiet and deliberate steps I walked into the entrance of the room. From inside I could hear the brutal screams of music; screamo to be more specific. Since the case of the murdered screamo singer Angela had gotten hooked on the music, and every so often we would hang out and just listen to our favorite bands. Angela was clutching a small throw pillow on top of her burgundy couch, her head tucked under the crook of her arm. She appeared to be asleep or perhaps to just beginning to doze off. I walked towards the other couch (one of the many she had in the room) and even though the music could probably mask any sounds I would have made, I still made sure to make as little as possible.

Maybe I could do with some sleep I guess. Or maybe just a zone out would be nice. Just to fall into the trap of nothingness and forget even momentarily the troubles of my life. But even before I could lie down; the music stopped and from her seat Angela had stirred and was now sleepily rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Oh hello sweets I didn't hear you come in." She stated simply. Now with the music off the room seemed slightly empty. I guess Angela realized this too and began fiddling the remote. Subtle folk music flowed out.

"I didn't expect you too, what with the music drowning out just about everything".

"Good point. So how you doing sweetie?" Her casual endearment surprised me slightly. A small country accent was coming back into her voice again, probably from spending time with her dad.

"Fine I guess." A blatant lie. Even the guards outside could tell that something was off kilter with me, even if they didn't know about my biological-father.

Her eyes narrowed and her chin poked out slightly. "Yeah and my dad dances ballet. Tell me how are you really feeling?" Strange mental image ensued.

"Angela what do you expect me to say? I'm coping just fine, I'm just tired that's all" At this I laid down across the couch to emphasize my point more.

She huffed slightly and straightened her back just a minuscule bit. "Sure. Do you want to take a nap in here then?"

"Yeah can I?" Even though I knew the answer I still couldn't resist asking. Old habits die hard as they say.

"Sweets of course you can. Duh." Her voice was reminiscent of a teenager. "You want me to put on something on that you want to listen too?"

"No that's alright. Hey Angela?"

"Yeah?"

"Once this is all over will you guys still…you know? Want to be friends?" Oh god I sound so juvenile it's like I'm back in high school all over again.

"Sweets you're stuck with us even if you wanted to get rid of us." She smiled widely. "Come here." She gestured to the seat beside her.

Once I sat down she stared at me until suddenly she placed a pillow on her lap and tugged on my head until my head was lying over the pillow just over her knees. My face reddened and my body completely rigid.

"I'm not going to eat you sweets relax. Now you listen to me, and listen well. Once this is all over all of us are going to be friends whether you like it or not. None of this is your fault and none of us think so. So please just save yourself hours of worrying and just believe me, even if you don't want to" Her tone was entirely sincere and quiet motherly.

And even though my fears and insecurities were not entirely gone, I couldn't help but feel relived at the small speech Angela had made to me. "Thanks Angela, you don't know how much that means to me."

"You welcome sweets, any time." And with that I drifted off to sleep.

Hodgin's POV

Ok let me get point across, booth is a very scary person. Not to me, at least not any more but in general. And especially when he's mad. Like at this very moment.

His steps (more like stomping) were heavy and loud behind me; no attempts at conversation were being made. Should I try to talk? Sure why not.

"Hey booth?"

"Yeah?"

"You ok?"

"Just fine hodgins." Ok snappy much?

'Uhhh….So how's the weather?" Ok that is a horrible conversation topic.

"Seriously Hodgins? The weather. At least make up something a little better than that." He lightly chuckled.

"Hey at least I tried! And here's where they are." Finally reaching the room where Rebecca and parker were being held, I slide the key card through the machine and the door slid open. Inside Rebecca was what appeared to be dozing on the couch with parker curled next to her sleeping on the crook of her arm.

Booth brushed past me and started towards the pair. With slowness I'd never seen, he knelt down in front of parkers sleeping form. He gently raised his hand to finger parker's unruly blonde curls, but hesitated at the last moment. With what could only be described as an awfully pained look he got off his knees and sat down in the chair across the couch.

At this I turned and left without a word, feeling as if I had intruded on a private moment.

Holding up the beaker of burgundy looking goop my mind was not with my work. Since I left booth alone with Rebecca and parker I couldn't help but feel slightly depressed. Ever since this all started the entire team has been a whole bowl of emotions.

Angela and I have had so many fights I've kinda lost count. Lately she's been so stressed that's she's been snapping at the interns (which is just something she's never done before); and her art work is been taking a turn too; instead of the usually mellow and inspirational paintings and drawings, she's been doing a lot more somber scenes, and she's back to listening to screamo again. Even I can't focus on my precious babies; when working on other cases I've been non-consistent and at often times completely wrong (I know, king of the lab wrong? Blasphemy.)

Cam's been feeling the tension. After her and booth's kiss, the few moments that she's been in the lab and not out doing field work has been ignoring her; blatantly disregarding her authority and basically acting like when cam first came here. Doesn't help when the FBI has been looking over her shoulder trying to get other cases pushed forward; and if I wasn't mistaken I hear she's been having trouble with Michelle also.

The last time I visited Zach in the loony bin even he could sense the drastic change in "aura" in all of us lately (he's been reading meditation books again). And in his naiveté yet endearing way he got me to pour out my thoughts and feelings to him (kinda like sweets but less annoying; at least for me); quite lethargic really. Next time I go he made me promise to give him a copy of the official case file.

Snapping out of my inner monologue I set down the beaker; finally giving up any medium of work. Maybe I can visit Angie and see if she's in a better mood then before.

Walking down the corridor to Angela's room I could hear soft folk music flow out. That must mean that she's in a good mood right? Tenderly stepping through the threshold of her office I could see her legs tucked under her. She's asleep?

As I walked further in, I could see that she was very much Not sleep. Resting on her knees was our resident shrink. His knees were curled in and his head resting on a small pillow thing atop of Angela's knees. But Angela was definitely not asleep; she was slowly brushing her hand through the mane like thing sweets was beginning to grow. In her eyes were small pearls of tears, not yet falling but still there.

"He really doesn't deserve this hodgins" she murmured out slowly, careful not to stir sweets.

"No one said he did Angela"

"So then why is it happening to him? He is such a sweet guy, he's probably never hurt anybody in his life" a lone tear slipped and traveled down her check. I made no move to wipe it away.

"I don't know ang, I really don't." even to me that sounded a bit pathetic.

She finally tore her gaze from sweets face towards me. "You know he's going to be so traumatized from this once this all is finally over. Do you know what he just asked me?" Her hands are shaking.

"What sweetie?"

"Whether or not we would be his friends after this! Like it was his fault that all of this is happening to him" she spat the words like venom.

Poor sweets, a guy his age really shouldn't be dealing with all of this. If I were him I probably wouldn't be able to handle it. I never would have thought sweets to be strong but he is. Not like booth physically wise, but rather emotionally. I made a mental note to tell that to sweets one day.

"Then we just have to prove his thoughts wrong don't us? I can't think of anyone better to but us" This brought a small smile to her face.

"Yeah you have a point. But I just hope he'll accept it. He might retreat back into himself"

"Angela who do you know that has every rejected you? I mean you even got Dr.B to open up to you."

After a few silent moments she nodded. "Your right. I'm being over emotional again aren't I?"

"Of course I'm right, I'm always right. But you have every right to be Angela, there's a lot of tension around here lately."

"Your arrogance is unfounded jack. But thank you. I needed that. Now shoo I want some sleep." She waved her hand towards my direction.

"I don't know how I feel about leaving you here with a younger man Angela; I mean I'm not as young as I used to be"

"Oh go away hodgins you big numb nut" She laughed as she spoke. Ha-ha success!

I turned on the ball of my feet and marched outside the room in a much better mood then I had entered with.

Hey guys! I hope everyone had a good thanksgiving (I'm so late aren't I?) and to those who don't celebrate I hope you've had a nice November. I tried a more light hearted approach with hodgins this chapter; let me know if I succeeded! And thanks for reading. As always, have a good day/night.