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"What the hell is she doing here?" gasped Angela in outrage as she looked up and spotted Booth's main squeeze just entering the lab. Oh, this was bad. This was very, very bad. There were no words for how bad this was, Angela thought, watching with narrowed, hostile eyes as Booth walked out of Brennan's office and spotted the young woman, hurriedly making his way toward her. Taking her arm, he pulled her aside and bent his head as she began to speak. Leaving the platform quick as a flash, Angela made her way to where she would have a prime view and might actually catch a few words of the conversation but was also concealed from the couple's view, deciding it might be a bit awkward if the home wrecker spotted her.
Booth had been sitting in Brennan's office, whining, trying to convince her to go to lunch with him when security had called and informed her that a visitor had just signed in for her. Brennan had raised a brow in surprise at the visitor's identity and Booth had offered to go greet her since Brennan was deeply into a chapter in her next book and informed him that she couldn't stop while the ideas were flowing.
"Padme, is everything all right?" Booth asked, taking the young woman's arm and pulling her to the side of the main doors so they wouldn't be blocking the entrance.
"Everthing's fine, Seeley," she smiled up at him. "A bunch of the guys Jared used to work with here in DC wanted to take him to lunch so I decided to drop by and see if Dr. Brennan was free." Padme wanted the brothers to spend more time together in the future than they did now and she thought getting to know Brennan better was a step in the right direction. Besides, if she had read Booth's feelings right when she had seen him and Brennan together before, they were going to wind up being sisters-in-law if Booth had anything to say about it and girls had to stick together in a family of such strong males.
Anglea couldn't make out any words yet, she was close enough to see that Booth was being polite but he looked uncomfortable. Good, thought Angela viciously, she hoped he was burn in hell uncomfortable, bringing the floozy to Brennan's lab. What the hell was he thinking?
"I'm sorry but Bones is tied up at the moment so she can't have lunch with you." Booth made Brennan's excuses much more politely than she would have.
"What are you doing?" Hodgins whispered in Angela's ear, slipping behind the same plant she was crouched behind and peering in the same direction Angela was staring so intently. Anglea barely stifled a squeal of surprise but she didn't take her eyes off of Booth and Padme.
"Shh," she cautioned Hodgins, straining to hear what she could. Hodgins spotted the pair and his eyes widened.
"Is that her? The home wrecker?" he clarified but Angela already knew what he meant. She simply nodded, waving her hand to indicate she wanted silence from him.
Hodgins shut up and studied the pair, his eyes narrowing in concentration. The young woman was very pretty and looked relaxed in Booth's company but Booth sure didn't look relaxed in hers. Well, Hodgins supposed that was understandable considering the circumstances but he took a closer look and was puzzled by what he saw. Booth constantly had his hands on Brennan in front of everyone but he wasn't touching his girlfriend at all, he wasn't even standing all that close, not like he was always bumping up against Brennan. They sure as hell didn't look like lovers to him but he trusted that Angela knew what she was talking about.
"But I happen to be free for lunch and I promise that we'll all have dinner together," Booth offered gallantly, seeing Padme's crestfallen expression.
"I would love to go to lunch with you," Padme smiled up at Booth. Hodgins smothered a laugh as Angela made a gagging motion with her finger in her mouth then watched with interest as her expression turned from disgust to horror. And Angela was utterly horrified as the implications of Booth having lunch with the floozy hit her. She had no illusions that Booth wouldn't guess her identity when the younger woman told him about their early morning encounter but it was the knowledge that he intended for that woman and Brennan to have dinner together that made her decide she had no choice but to go through with a plan she had essentially talked herself out of. It was now or never because if she let those two meet the jig was up and she couldn't let that happen.
"Hodgie, you have to help me," she gasped, grabbing his arm.
"What's wrong?" he demanded, concerned by how pale she was.
"I don't have time to explain right now but I need you to send Booth to my office and distract her," the sneer in her voice told Hodgins who her was.
"Okay," he instantly agreed, as always, having her back. "How am I supposed to distract her?" he hissed as Angela began stealthily scooting backward, still in her crouched position.
"I don't know," she hissed back, "show her around the lab, whatever, until I give you the bat signal."
"Bat signal?" Hodgins couldn't help but laugh on that one.
"I'll call you when it's clear, okay?" she hissed. Her mind, focused on carrying out her plan, immediately threw up a road block. "Hodgins?" He glanced around. "Show her limbo first," she suggested and his eyes narrowed, wondering what the hell she was up to but before he could ask, she was gone. Sighing and not allowing himself to wonder what he was getting into, Hodgins scooted backward and stood, making his way toward the unlikely couple.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Booth, but Angela needs to see you in her office," Hodgins grinned at Booth and turned a polite smile on Padme, waiting for an introduction.
"Can't it wait, Hodgins? I was just about to go to lunch," Booth said impatiently.
"She seemed pretty impatient to see you, so I would have to say no it can't wait." Hodgins tugged on his earlobe in an unconsciously nervous gesture until Booth sighed and nodded. With an "I'll be right back" to his companion, Booth turned and strode toward Angela's office. Hodgins turned his attention to said companion and held out a hand.
"Hi, I'm Jack Hodgins, the resident bug and slime expert," he introduced himself with a self deprecating humor that Padme found charming.
"Hi, I'm Padme Dalaj," she returned with a warm smile, firmly shaking his hand.
"I'd be happy to show you around while you're waiting," Hodgins offered, not just because of Angela's request but because he saw the curiosity and wonder on Padme's face as her gaze wandered around the lab and his chest swelled with pride that he was a part of this place.
"But what about Seeley?" she asked, biting her lip in indecision, clearly wanting to get a better look around.
"I'm sure he won't mind and he can always track us down when he's ready," Hodgins laughed, jiggling his cell phone in front of her. With another smile, Padme nodded and Hodgins led her toward Limbo.
Booth stepped into Angela's office, looked around and found it completely empty. Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he stepped back onto the floor and looked around but didn't spot the artist. He automatically turned toward Brennan's office when he heard her voice raised in irritation and laughed out loud when he saw her exiting her office with Angela behind her. Angela had both hands firmly planted on Brennan's back and was steering her where she wanted her to go as if Brennan was a heavy piece of furniture that wouldn't move without putting some muscle behind it.
"I don't have time for this, Ange," Brennan whined over her shoulder. Angela kept pushing.
"Yes, you do, Bren. It won't take long then you can get back to your writing," Angela soothed, crossing the fingers on Brennan's back with some difficulty. "Let's go, Booth," Angela ordered, spotting Booth watching them with a grin.
"Where are we going?" he queried with a raised brow, casually falling into step beside them, reaching out to take Brennan's arm. Angela let her hands fall from Brennan's back and stepped up to Brennan's other side, wishing the home wrecker could see the partners together so she would just go away and none of this would be necessary.
"I need to show you something in the basement." Angela strode ahead and Booth and Brennan held a silent conversation, agreeing to just go with it and not ask too many questions, otherwise this could take all day.
Several minutes later, Brennan was looking around with interest. She had never been in this part of the basement and was curious about what treasures it might contain. "What do you want to show us, Angela?" she asked, excitement creeping into her voice.
"It's a surprise," Angela answered over her shoulder, not bothering to cross her fingers this time because boy, were they going to be surprised.
Booth looked around and found the place decidedly creepy despite the more than adequate lighting. He also found Angela's ushering them to a little used part of a deserted basement for something she had adamantly assured them that only they could help her with questionable but he held his silence for the moment.
"Crap," Angela sighed theatrically, patting her pants pocket in exaggeration, knowing that she had to act now. "I left my phone upstairs. Bren, can I borrow yours?" she asked, turning toward her best friend with big innocent eyes but Brennan didn't notice. She was too busy digging her phone out of her own pocket and handing it over. Booth did notice and his eyes narrowed as Angela began to fiddle with Brennan's phone and walk around, holding it up as if she was trying for better reception, his gut telling him the artist was definitely up to something.
"Do you think she's up to something?" Booth whispered to Brennan, eying Angela's back suspiciously. Brennan blinked in surprise at the question, her eyes narrowing as she considered the possibility.
"Damn, I can't get any reception," muttered Angela before Brennan could answer. "Booth, can I see your phone for a second?" she asked, holding out a hand. Booth hesitated and Angela huffed impatiently. "It's important, Booth, and I'll give it right back," she assured him, cringing inwardly at the lie. After a long, level look, Booth unhooked his cell from his belt and held it out, showing her a trust she didn't deserve and Angela cringed again. When she met the excited, trusting blue eyes of her best friend, she deflated completely and knew she couldn't do this.
No matter how much she wanted to help them, she couldn't lure them into the room she had prepared and lock them in until they were together. It had been an insane plan that would cost her the trust, respect and friendship of her best friend and possibly some jail time. At the moment, she couldn't even believe she had actually considered it a viable option. She was just beginning to realize how out of control she truly was but she couldn't help but wish this epiphany had hit her 15 minutes earlier so she didn't have to explain her behavior to the two people standing in front of her. They would never trust her again and she couldn't blame them since she didn't trust herself and hadn't for some time. Looking at Booth and Brennan with helplessness and regret shining in her eyes, Angela opened her mouth, having no idea how to salvage the situation, just as Booth's phone touched her fingertips. And began to ring.
"Booth," he barked into the phone, his narrowed eyes on Angela's face. Angela held her breath, afraid to hope for an interruption that would save her from her own idiocy.
"Yes, sir." Angela's attention was pulled from Booth's crisp, professional voice by Brennan stepping closer and laying a hand on her arm.
"Ange, are you okay?" she asked, her blue eyes awash with concern and Angela fought back tears, unable to believe she hadn't even considered that her recent actions might cause her to lose the precious friendship of this woman.
"No," Angela whispered, lowering her head in shame, "but I will be, Bren, and I'm going to be the best friend you could ever want," she promised, grabbing Brennan's hand and squeezing tightly, fervently promising herself that she would keep that promise no matter what.
"You already are the best friend I've ever had, Ange," Brennan returned sincerely, squeezing Angela's hand and Angela was torn between throwing herself into Brennan's arms and sobbing out her recent transgressions and coming up with a legitimate plan to derail tonight's proposed dinner and Brennan being introduced to the home wrecker. She was saved from having to make a choice when Brennan's attention shifted to Booth.
"I'll notify Dr. Brennan and we'll be there in 15 minutes," Booth finished his conversation and flipped his phone shut. "We have to go, Bones. We have a case." Turning to Angela, he didn't know what she had been up to but he knew it had been more than showing them something but, considering what he had just been told, he didn't have time to deal with it at the moment. "This will have to wait, Angela, but you can be sure we'll get back to it," he assured the wide eyed artist, warning clear in his voice. Angela nodded, pasting a bright smile to her face while silently thanking God and almost sagging in relief at the well timed interruption.
"What is it, Booth?" Brennan asked quietly, instantly in work mode.
"I'll explain on the way. We have a meeting with Hacker in fifteen minutes," he was already ushering her back the way they had come, Angela and what she had been up to completely forgotten. Watching them go, Booth's hand firmly on Brennan's back, his head bent close to hers, Angela couldn't help the flash of pleasure she felt that Booth had apparently completely forgotten that he had left his girlfriend up in the lab waiting on him to take her to lunch. She might not be proud of some of her actions lately but they appeared to be working, she thought happily, refusing to even consider what being so easily able to justify such uncontrolled behavior to herself said about her mental health.
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One last time, Daisy mentally reviewed her plan for flaws and still found it brilliant in its simplicity even if she did say so herself. She had spent several pleasant hours last night vengefully coming up with numerous ways to mess with the minds of the spawns of Satan but had finally come to the conclusion that she wouldn't enjoy life on the dark side. As much as she wanted to punish the four people responsible for her heartache, she just didn't possess the mindset to carry out a long term farce without giving herself away. She had needed something simple that could be achieved in one fell swoop and the idea that occurred to her had met all of her requirements. Plus, the irony of depriving the spawns of Satan of the one thing that they wanted so badly, were working so hard toward and had sacrificed her relationship with Sweets for was simply too perfect to pass up. Fortunately for her, she knew exactly how to do that. And she wouldn't even have to lie. Much.
She had carefully considered who she should approach with the information she had to impart and had swiftly discarded Cam because it was obvious that she had distanced herself from the group. She hadn't really considered Angela a viable option because the artist was very, very good at reading people and Daisy was afraid she would pick up on her nervousness and not believe her. Daisy needed them to believe her, she had one chance to pull this off and her window of opportunity was swiftly closing. Her choosing not to directly approach Angela had nothing to do with the fact that Angela sometimes scared the crap out of her, Daisy assured herself, Angela simply had a role other than confidant to play in the upcoming drama. That left Hodgins and Sweets and while Daisy would have preferred to use Hodgins, keeping her contact with Sweets to a minimum, it would be suspicious if she did that. Plus, she was certain that Sweets would be much easier to manipulate than the ever disbelieving Hodgins.
Yes, she knew that it was terrible of her to even consider it acceptable to manipulate her ex in this way but she considered that she was simply giving him his just deserves. She had been manipulated by him and Hodgins, however unintentionally and was hurt and angry that he had made no attempt to contact her after Friday night. Despite her telling him she didn't want to talk to him, she couldn't help but feel if Sweets really cared about her at all, he would have at least attempted an apology if not a reconciliation. Somewhat to her surprise, she didn't feel the slightest twinge of guilt that she was going to deliberately crush the hopes and dreams of Lance Sweets. In fact, the thought of how very unhappy four people would be this afternoon made her giddy with delight. Now, if she could just stop worrying about how it would feel to be face to face with Sweets for the first time since their breakup, she could make the call necessary to get him to the lab and get this show on the road.
Sighing and silently admonishing herself for her reluctance to speak to Sweets, she reached into her pocket for her cell phone just as the lab doors opened and Sweets walked in. Ah, even better, Daisy decided instantly, since she hadn't had to lure him here, he would have no reason to be suspicious when she burst his bubble. Now, she only had to locate Angela and set the stage.
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"So, Padme, have you known Booth long?" Hodgins asked casually, unable to resist prying while showing the young woman some of the lesser seen, less glamorous areas of the lab. To his surprise, he actually liked her, finding her pleasant and intelligent with a quirky sense of humor and he could certainly see how a man would find her physically attractive even thought he still couldn't picture her and Booth together.
"Not very long," she answered distractedly, stepping closer to a case containing a body that was being stripped by beetles in a sort of horrified fascination. "I just met him after Jared and I got engaged." She couldn't tear her eyes away from the contents of the case and completely missed the shock that flashed across Hodgins' face.
"What?" gasped Hodgins, flummoxed by this information. Telling himself to get it together when Padme glanced in his direction questioningly, Hodgins did his best to paste a congratulatory smile on his face. "I mean congratulations. I don't know Jared all that well but he really came through for us when we needed him." Hodgins' voice was calm but inside he was panicking, physically forcing himself to stand still and talk to Padme, to not arouse suspicion by running off to find Angela and stop her from whatever she had been up to that required him to distract Padme. Padme smiled and nodded, sensing this was high praise indeed from Hodgins.
"I kind of thought you were Booth's girlfriend," Hodgins burst out, barely aware of what he was saying, his need to find Angela and protect her even from herself battering away at him. He had no idea how Angela had so misunderstood the situation but he shuddered to think what her idea of fixing it would entail.
"There seems to be a lot of that going around," Padme snorted, the mingled disgust and anger in her voice gaining Hodgins full attention.
"What do you mean?" he asked candidly, surprised when Padme didn't hesitate to answer him. Padme was more than a little surprised herself but the anger she still felt over that encounter just couldn't be contained and Jared had talked about these people enough that she kind of felt like she knew them.
"One of Seeley's ex girlfriends showed up at his apartment this morning and made the same mistake. She didn't take it well," she summarized without going into details. Hodgins didn't need details, immediately knowing that it had been Angela and he could just imagine what she had said to this entirely innocent young woman.
"I'm sorry," he breathed sincerely, scrubbing a hand over his face, truly feeling awful that Padme had been drawn into their scheme. This was getting entirely out of hand.
"Not your fault," Padme assured him with a smile. "From the way she was acting, I honestly think she's unstable, maybe even dangerous," Padme confided thoughtfully and Hodgins cringed, fighting the need to explain and profusely apologize for all of them.
He was beginning to think maybe they had all gone a little crazy in their zeal to get Booth and Brennan together but he couldn't really deny Padme's assumption that Angela might be a little dangerous in her current mental state, having had the same thought himself. At the moment, he knew only two things without a doubt. Padme hadn't deserved Angela being completely horrible to someone who had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time and Booth was going to go apeshit when he found out what she had done. Make that three things because Hodgins knew that it wouldn't take Booth long to make the connection and know Angela was responsible, then all hell would break loose. And he couldn't let that happen no matter how much Angela deserved it, he realized with a sigh. God, he was whipped but he wasn't about to desert the love of his life, he would protect her no matter what it took.
"What did Booth have to say about that?" he asked, his instincts telling him that Booth didn't know yet or they would all have heard the yelling.
"I haven't told him yet." Padme turned from her study of the flesh eating beetles and looked at her watch with a frown, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable with sharing something Seeley might not want his colleague to know.
Although he was relieved that the crap hitting the fan wasn't imminent just yet, Hodgins was feeling uncomfortable himself, internally debating on the advisability of throwing himself on Padme's mercy, giving her the bare bones of the story and begging her not to tell Booth. No, he decided regretfully, even if she didn't immediately assume they were all psychotic and feel the need to inform Booth for his own protection, she would definitely tell Jared and Hodgins couldn't trust that Jared wouldn't pass it on. They would be busted, it would be his fault, Angela would never forgive him and he just couldn't live with that. There had to be another way.
Searching the recesses of his brain, he didn't even get a glimmer of a clue as to how to salvage the situation, ignoring the one thought that was persistent and crystal clear. Oh what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive. That sure as hell didn't do him any good. Noticing how fidgety Padme was getting, he was seriously considering simply asking her not to tell Booth without an explanation, surely an exercise in futility but he had nothing better, when his cell phone rang. Grateful for the interruption, Hodgins grabbed it without checking the caller ID.
"Hodgins," he barked, having picked up on Booth and Brennan's habit of answering the phone with their last name instead of a traditional greeting.
"Hodgins, it's Booth," barked Booth right back. "I need you to find Padme and let her know that Bones and I have a case and I won't be able to make lunch." Booth was feeling a little sheepish that he had entirely forgotten about Padme's presence. He didn't have her cell number so Brennan had suggested that Hodgins could be trusted with task of courteously informing Padme of the present circumstances. It never dawned on Booth to ask Hodgins to have Padme call him and Hodgins wasn't about to volunteer to let him speak to the woman standing at his side. In his opinion, any conversation between the two had the potential for disaster.
"I can do that," he told Booth eagerly.
"Thanks," Booth offered before hanging up on him.
"That was Booth. He wanted me to let you know that he and Brennan have been called out on a case and he can't make lunch." Hodgins tried to force a note of sympathy in his voice but had a feeling his relief was on full display when Padme gave him a strange look. Realizing he needed to come up with some way to convince her not to rat Angela out to Booth before Padme departed and he lost the opportunity, Hodgins eyes narrowed.
"Okay," Padme agreed. Noting the kind of creepy, contemplative way Hodgins was looking at her, she subtly began edging away from him and toward the door, suddenly recalling just how weird Jared had assured her that all of the "squints" were. "I'll just be going then. Tell Seeley that Jared and I will see him at dinner," she called over her shoulder.
Hodgins didn't bother to try to call her back, the way she was making tracks across the floor told him it would be pointless. Then her last words hit him. Crap. Hodgins had no doubt that she would tell Booth what Angela had done tonight and the already strained atmosphere in the lab would become explosive. He had to find Angela immediately. She needed to know that she had made a huge mistake about Padme and the time to pay the piper was fast approaching. Hodgins didn't have much hope that damage control could salvage this situation but he guessed, considering her single mindedness in getting Booth and Brennan together, he could be grateful that Angela hadn't done worse, he told himself facetiously. But it wasn't funny. It was sad and pathetic and becoming painfully apparent that they were messing up their own lives much more than they were helping Booth and Brennan. With a resigned sigh, he set out to find Angela, not at all hopeful that he could convince her to see reason.