A/N: OMIGOD I AM SO SORRY.

writer's block really really REALLY sucks. it took me so long just to crank this out. i apologize! but HOLY CRAP! THANK YOU! 300 REVIEWS! :DDDD

i'm gonna cry...*sniff*

"Hey, kid!" called Booth cheerily, lifting his hand.

Lily's head snapped up from her bowl, and when she saw Booth she attempted a smile, but even to Zack it looked pained.

"Happy birthday!" Booth wrapped the young woman in a bone-crushing hug. She squeaked in surprise. Once he had let go, he fumbled in his pockets. "I know it's in one of these—Aha!" He held out a small wrapped square.

Lily took it hesitantly.

"Don't look so scared," he said, laughing. "Open it."

She pulled off the wrapping slowly, feeling apprehensive. Her eyes widened. "Oh my God."

"It's a new music player." The FBI Agent grinned proudly. "I saw that your other one was dying really easily so I figured it must be the battery, and then I noticed it didn't hold very much data on it, so I got you a new one."

Lily put a hand over her mouth. Zack looked at her, confused, and said, "You told me you didn't want presents."

"I don't," she said hurriedly. "Booth, this is too much—"

"No, it's not. Just take it." He put his hands in his pockets. "Camille tells me you haven't answered yet."

"Oh, I…" She cast a quick look at Zack as his confused expression deepened.

"What question is she to answer?" he asked.

Lily looked between the two men, grinning Booth and frowning Zack, helplessly, and then flung the music player on the table and said, "Booth, this is bribery!"

Booth looked surprised. "What? How?"

"Because know I feel guilty saying no!" she exploded. Then she promptly stuck her head in her hands, inhaled sharply, and yelled into her hands.

Blinking, Zack asked, "What am I missing?"

"Booth wants me to take an FBI job," Lily said, her voice muffled. "I want to take it, but I don't want to leave you—"

"Lily," said Zack incredulously. "You live with me. We're together at the end of every day. Just because I find it enjoyable to spend work with you as well doesn't mean you reject a job you want because of me." Here, he paused, glancing quickly at Booth. He leaned forward and added in a conspiratorially low voice, "I'm emotionally tied to you, remember?"

"I can hear you, Zack." Booth raised an eyebrow. The other man turned pink. "Emotionally tied, Lily? Translate the Zack-speak for me."

"He means he loves me," Lily said quietly. She sighed, then turned to fully face Booth. "Alright. When do I start?"

Lily stared, her mouth agape. Booth looked at her expression with amusement, then chuckled.

"Seriously, Booth?" she asked weakly. "First thing?"

"Seriously, kid." He slapped the little handgun into her palm. "The target's right there. Have at it."

Her eyes widened comically in panic. "You haven't taught me anything! Shouldn't we be going over gun safety or something?"

He chuckled and said, "You've shot a gun once before, kid. I think you know not to point the business end at yourself. Besides, formal training makes you stiff; we need you limber. Just aim and shoot." So saying, he slipped earphones around her head.

Lily leveled the gun in her hands, gripping it tightly. The last time she had held one, Zack had just been shot. The last time she had held one, she hadn't thought about it, she'd just pointed and pulled the trigger. And even then her reaction time had been slow enough to allow herself to get shot first. She took a deep breath, squeezed the trigger. The bang echoed around. She winced belatedly. Booth nodded his approval and made a circling motion with his hand, gesturing for her to keep going. She pulled the trigger again, and, feeling the rush and ignoring the noise—even muffled as it was by the earphones—kept pulling until her round was empty.

"Reload," Booth mouthed.

Lily blinked, then stared down at the shiny black gun. Uh…How do I do that?

Booth laughed, demonstrated, and then popped the cartridge out for her to load herself. She fumbled with it for a few minutes, cursing, before successfully reloading and shooting her second round. Booth, who was leaning against the side wall now, hit the button beside her, and the little paper target came slowly towards her. She held her breath…and released it in a disappointed whoosh.

Simply put, her aim sucked.

Booth looked at her from the corner of his eye, then looked at the target. "It's not bad. Yes, you missed the bulls eye—"

"Booth," she said slowly. "Half of my rounds missed thee target completely."

"Well, this is just proof that no one's perfect." Booth grinned. "You've got writing, singing, parenting, relationships, and crime-solving down to an art. You can't be good at everything, kid."

Lily grunted and tilted her head to the ceiling. "I'm bad at art. Like, horrible at art. Can't you just take that and let me have shooting?"

Booth clapped her on the shoulder with a smile and shook his head, his expressive eyes shining with amusement. "We'll work on that, Lily."

At the Jeffersonian, meanwhile, Angela walked carefully into the medico-science lab, holding a square shape wrapped in tarp. Hodgins looked over at her and smiled.

"Back from your lunch break?" he asked.

Angela glanced around suspiciously. "Is Lily here yet?"

"No, why?"

Grinning broadly, Angela whipped off the tarp and held the uncovered shape aloft. It was a canvas, on which was painted a brilliant picture of two children, a boy and a girl, a sun setting on the ocean behind them. The boy had his arm around the girl's shoulders, a goofy smile in place, and the girl was looking at the boy with admiration.

"Wow, Ang," said Hodgins, exhaling slowly. "That might be one of your best."

"You think so?" Angela was practically bouncing, she was so excited. "I painted it for Lily. For her birthday."

"Ah." Hodgins put his hands in the pockets of his pants. "I see you have also ignored her insistence that we not give her presents."

Angela cocked her head a bit to the side, bouncy curls bobbing a little, and asked, "What'd you get her?"

Hodgins reached over near the computer screen and grabbed a little brown box as Angela rewrapped her painting in the tarp. "Crystallized Columbian emerald in it's uncut form."

He opened the box and showed Angela a brief view of a beautiful near-perfect rectangular blue-green gemstone, surrounded almost completely in black rock.

"I found it," he said, "when I went on my last trip overseas."

"It's beautiful," breathed Angela. "I suppose being rich has it's perks, huh?"

Hodgins rolled his eyes at her teasing. Just then, a very flustered-looking Zack rushed past them, going at a fast, frantic walk. "Hey, Zack," Hodgins called.

Zack whirled around, seeming lost of a moment, and then he said, "Hello, Hodgins."

He turned, obviously intending to leave again, but Angela said, "Whoa now, what's the hurry, Z-man?"

He looked at her with a strange expression, his lips in a thin line. "I need to find a place to hide."

For a moment, no one spoke. Angela and Hodgins merely blinked; that had to have been one of the strangest things the young man had ever said.

"Any particular reason why?" Hodgins asked finally, breaking the awkward silence.

"Lily will be coming back soon." Zack peeked around him. "Do you think the space beneath that desk is big enough for me?"

"Zack, what are you talking about?" asked Angela. She blinked again. "Are you talking about hiding from Lily."

Hesitating just a moment, as if afraid they would laugh, Zack nodded.

"Why?" demanded Hodge, moving his hands emphatically. "Are you mad at her?"

"No." Zack fidgeted slightly.

"If you're not mad at her, why are you shunning her?" Hodgins looked like he absolutely didn't comprehend.

Zack stiffened, saying, "She's leaving the Jeffersonian."

"So? You two still live together, don't you?! Or are you going to shun her at home, too?!"

"I'm not shunning her. I'm avoiding her. Obviously, she's upset with me," he said, looking at the floor.

"Oh come on," said Angela, exasperated, "she's not mad at—"

"If she's leaving, I've done something wrong." Something akin to pain flashed over Zack's features. "She's mad at me." He paused, and then repeated, "She's leaving the Jeffersonian, therefore she is angry with me for arranging for her to meet my family."

Hodgins rubbed his temples. How was it possible for one man to be so romantically inept? "I'm sure she probably just thought she'd be of more use with the FBI and whoa, whoa, whoa, my man, you're having her meet your family?"

A/N: sorry i left it on kindof a weird note. let me know what you think please!

i really don't know what to say...this story and the reactions of my readers has far surpassed my expectations. this is a much bigger hit than i would ever have thought. i'm so grateful to you guys.

:)