A/N: Many thanks to my amazing Betas from "Angiebc" on FF and known as Angie - "AVBCBONES" on The Lab and on FF "Nyre The Black Rose", truly talented in their efforts to make this be best possible story. Thank you!. If you haven't read their work, please take the time to check them out I promise you'll thank me.

Those of you who review often, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you. I appreciate the encouragement, your excitement (I'm excited too) and your continued anticipation for the next chapter. You fuel me and I salute you!

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Chapter 38 – Issie charms Angela

Angela and Bren had been tied up for hours, Angela presenting options, and a bemused Bones choosing between them. They'd already been to the executive suites, Angela had already staked out the beautiful hunter green and mahogany great room to have the ceremony in, choosing the great marble fireplace as the perfect backdrop for the ceremony. She'd been on the phone with the Jeffersonian caterers and florist as well as the WITSEC stylist. Now, they finally had a few minutes to relax before the barrage of deliveries descended on them. Each curled into the corners of the sofa as Angela sipped her tea and Bren her coffee.

Now that the excitement of planning was behind her, Ang asked, "Where were you?"

Bones sighed, she knew she'd be asked this question over and over and knew it would never get easier to answer. She replied, "Millis Pond, Texas."

Ang smiled, "so you've had three years to perfect that Texas drawl," she laughed and added, "remind me never to underestimate your undercover abilities. That was a pretty amazing job of acting, I was suspicious of Patty and Booth developing a relationship and trying to hide it. I never knew that it was you." She said and a sigh of regret slipped from her lips rather than an expected chuckle.

Bren reached over and squeezed her hand, "Ang, I never wanted to keep this from you, but we felt that the less people who knew, the safer that Issie and I would be." She paused, her voice full of regret, "I'm sorry, Ang, so sorry."

Angela shook off the melancholy and decided to dig around for some dirt instead, "Hey Bren," Ang arched a beautiful brow and asked, "Booth's as good as advertised."

A pretty pink blush moved up Bren's neck and colored her cheeks, but her eyes sparkled as she nodded emphatically, "Better." She'd let Ang stew on that knowing she'd never get away with a one word answer.

Ang sat up slowly toying with the handle of her cup, "As good as page 187?" Ang sighed that was Hodgins move but Bren knew exactly what she'd have meant by that.

Bren smirked, "You know I can't give you any details. Booth is much too private for that but, if you go to chapter 12 in the H.P. McKeenan novel," she paused dramatically, "that should give you a decent idea."

Ang's eyes widened, Booth had lent her the book the prior year and she'd enjoyed it. She blurted out, "You wrote that? How? When?"

"I wrote it flat on my back, I was bedridden with Issie the last few months," her eyes clouded momentarily. "I wasn't taking the separation from Booth well."

Ang pulled her close and told her softly, "Oh Sweetie, you were all alone and expecting, and no one to help you?" hugging her hard.

Bren held tears of remembrance back, those extremely difficult times. Her eyes filled but didn't overflow; she replied softly, "John was there, I wasn't alone."

Ang pulled back and stared at her in surprise, "John?"

"John Keller, he was and still is my WITSEC coordinator. He was with me in Millis Pond for the last three years," Brennan added plainly as though the thought of having an assigned protector would only be normal.

Ang's mind whirled, did Booth know? Was he okay with Bren living with a man for the last three years? She asked casually, "did anything happen with you and John?"

Bones looked at Ang a puzzled frown crinkling her forehead, "I don't understand, Ang?"

Shaking her head, she laughed, "Bren, did you satisfy any biological urges with John?"

Bones' eyes widened, "Ang, I may be sexually open, but I was engaged to Booth. I would never ever be unfaithful. I love him, I couldn't do that."

Ang nodded, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. That's pretty unforgivable on your wedding day, I'd say."

Bren nodded, "No, Ang. It's fine, you know me better than most, it certainly was a valid question."

"So have John and Booth met?" she sipped her tea curiously awaiting the answer.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, he's working as Booth's second on the Jack-Jack case right now. You'll meet him at the wedding," Bones answered.

"Wow, I certainly didn't expect that. What was your cover in Texas?"

Seeing the hesitation, Ang blurted out, "Oh God, don't even tell me that you were a married couple!"

Bren tried to explain, "Ang, it was necessary, I had to protect Issie. I was a few months pregnant when I went into the program, WITSEC was right, it would raise far less questions if we appeared married."

Ang nodded then asked, "Booth okay with that?" Clearly her expression said she seriously doubted it.

Bren sighed, "it was difficult, but Booth understood that I had to protect our child," she stood and began to pace agitated. "I left to protect all of us, and now, I feel as though all my decisions were wrong and useless." She turned a tear streaked face towards Angela. Her voice raw with emotion, "I hurt every single person I love and here we are back at square one. Still all in danger and nothing but pain was caused by this separation."

Ang wrapped her best friend into a hug and soothed a calming hand over Bren's back, "Bren, you did what you thought was right because you loved us all." She pushed her back wanting Bren to see the trust and love in her own eyes as she met Bren's. "Hind sight is twenty-twenty, you need to move forward and trust us to help you instead of following your instinct to run," Ang replied.

Bren nodded, a sigh escaped her lips as she added, "yeah, that didn't exactly work the first time, did it?"

Ang laughed at the understatement, "let's agree that you don't run unless Booth's with you. At least this time, we'll know you're alive and that's infinitely better than the last time."

Max had just walked into the Jeffersonian with his granddaughter safely ensconced in his arms, having just gone through the Jeffersonian's elaborate security check. Munroe walked a step or two behind them, her violet eyes watchful.

Issie's arms curled around her grandfather's neck and she asked, "Grandpa is mama here?"

Issie's new found shyness was a surprise to Max. He'd never met a more outgoing child, a credit to her Booth lineage. Heaven's knew that Tempe had been almost socially backwards right from the start.

"Yeah, she's here baby girl, let's go find her," Max said and he noticed Booth walking towards him. "Hey Booth, I think Issie's missing her mama."

Booth smiled, he knew Bones would be good at anything she tried, but she had really outdone herself this time. Issie's love for her mama had been plain to see from the start.

"Issie, why don't you let me hold you and give your grandpa a break?" Booth coaxed.

Hearing her father's voice, Issie's head swung around quickly. She automatically reached out for him to hold her, "Daddy, Grandpa brought me to see mama," she toyed with his tie and raised her eyes searching his, "Can you help me find mama?"

Booth chuckled, "sure, honey, but I want you to meet a friend of mine first."

Cam had been watching the exchange. The grin that she shared with Booth nearly caused her cheeks to crack with its intensity. She thought, my God, she's absolutely perfect.

Booth introduced Issie, "Cam, this is my daughter, Issie," he then turned to Issie and added, "Issie, this is one of my oldest and dearest friends, Cam. Could you say hello?"

Issie nodded quickly from the safety of her father's arms. Her shyness had melted away, and she beamed at Cam before asking, "do you know where my mama is?"

Obviously, Issie was fixated on finding Dr. Brennan, Cam smiled, "As a matter of fact, I do. I think she's with Angela finalizing the wedding plans."

Issie, confused, looked at her father, "Daddy, I don't know what that means?"

Booth laughed and kissed the top of her head and explained, "Aunt Angela is going to make sure mama looks beautiful for the wedding."

Issie smiled and turned back to Cam a dreamy sigh coloring her voice, "Mama's gonna be a princess today."

Cam nodded understanding that she needed to speak more plainly to a two and half year old, "Well, let's go find your mama then, Issie."

Cam led the way, anxious to see Angela's reaction. Issie was the best combination of Booth and Dr. Brennan, she smirked. Booth certainly was going to have his work cut out for him when she was old enough to date, that child was definitely going to be a knockout.

Cam noticed Dr. Brennan exactly where she expected, seated on Angela's sofa drinking a cup of coffee. Her soft knock was drowned out by Issie's excited shout, "Mama, mama!"

Booth set his daughter down quickly, she'd become a ball of energy the moment she'd spotted Bones. He smiled as he watched his daughter race into her mother's waiting arms.

Bren pulled her child high into the air and hugged her close as she said, "what did mama say about running?"

Toying with the turquoise beads sown into the bodice of her mama's western wear top, Issie looked up shyly and said, "I'm not suppose to run inside because I could fall and hurt myself."

Bones nodded and held her close, "good girl, now I expect you to do that next time."

Max had been watching quietly as he watched his little girl transform into a loving mother and wished Christine was here to see this, she would have loved it.

Bones angled Issie so she sat on her hip and turned to Angela, "Issie, I want you to meet your Aunt Angela. Can you say hello?"

Issie saw the beautiful woman in front of her with the soft ringlets of brown curls cascading down her shoulder. She reached out with a tentative finger as she raised her own brown eyes to meet hers, "my name's Issie." Angela was completely enchanted with the girl; she was the best of Bren and Booth.

"Well, hello there," Angela replied noticing that Issie was still toying with her hair and asked, "Issie, do you like my hair?"

Issie nodded, "It's pretty, my friend Sophia has pretty hair like yours."

Angela reached out to touch her baby soft auburn curls and said, "I think that I like your hair better, it's so pretty and I bet you'll look beautiful with flowers in it for the wedding."

Issie's eyes widened and she turned quickly to Bones, "Mama, mama did you hear, I'm gonna look like a princess too."

Booth took Issie from her mama's arms and leaned in to press a kiss to Bren's lips, "Both my ladies are going to look like princesses tonight."

Just then Angela's phone rang; she answered it as the others continued to chat.

Angela hung up the phone, her bright smile nearly blinding them, "Okay Everyone, I need all of you upstairs, everything's arrived, and I need all the help that I can get."

With that they all followed Angela like a horse to water, except Angela expected them to drink.

A/N: R&R is always appreciated!

Only Chapter 39 will be posted over the Thanksgiving weekend, it's a double chapter so I hope you enjoy it.

Warning 39 will be rated 'M', the warning will be issued at the beginning of the chapter and just before the "smut" starts (Wedding night – lol).

Chapter 39 – Twice in a life time (The Wedding)

Now remember… don't go running off after the wedding… There is after all a Scary Serial Killer to catch.

Booth's note cards will make their first appearance in Chapter 41.

Everyone celebrating the American Thanksgiving, I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday. Don't eat too much and enjoy the day. In my opinion it is our best holiday, its only purpose is to bring people together as we have over the centuries. A very time honored and noble event.

Enjoy and remember what you are truly thankful for.