Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, but I am obsessed!

Author's Note: Hello friends. I'm glad that you guys enjoyed the last chapter. Your reviews were incredible. There are only two chapters to go for this tale, after this one. Enjoy.

Chapter 38: Birthday

July 28, 2005 8:03 AM George Washington Hospital

Lucy woke to a throbbing hand and a heavy weight across her legs. Momentarily confused, she blinked against the harsh light of the hospital room. The events from the night before came flooding back and she had one anxious moment where she was back in the cabin with guns drawn all around her. And then she noticed what had made the subtle pressure on the rest of her body.

The gentle weight on her legs had been made by her Mom and Booth. They had fallen asleep on chairs on opposite ends of her bed, each with an arm extended over her body, grasping each others' forearms. It looked terribly uncomfortable to Lucy. Still, Aunt Angela would have called it adorable, and Lucy decided that the most appropriate word was right. She sat quietly watching the two adults. Both had fallen asleep facing Lucy, their heads resting on their shoulders. Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Lucy reached out her uninjured hand to touch her mother's face. Brennan did not stir and Lucy pulled her hand back, trying not to disturb the two adults who were even in their sleep, protecting her.

The sound of a squeaking wheel drew Lucy's focus away from her mother and Booth. Sitting in a wheelchair, bruised but smiling was Angela. Hodgins was pushing the chair looking exhausted but just as ecstatic. Lucy waved furiously after pressing a finger to her lips to keep the squints quiet. There were soon three awake people staring at the two sleeping ones until Hodgins cleared his throat. Lucy and Angela shot him a death glare, but he only looked slightly sheepish. At the noise both Booth and Brennan began to wake, their hands still gripping each others' arms. They blinked at the harsh lights and made eye contact. Their arms flew apart as if they were shrapnel and they each covered their embarrassment by turning their attention to Lucy.

"Hi Lucy."

"Hey Squirt."

Lucy turned to the partners, waving once again to the couple in the doorway. "Hi Mom, Hey FBI guy. Hi Aunt Angela, Hodgins." Booth acknowledged Angela and Hodgins with first a nod and then he walked around the bed to clasp Jack's shoulder and give Angela a gentle hug around her injuries. Brennan had focused solely on her daughter, but no one could blame her.

"How are you feeling, Lucy?"

"I'm OK, I guess. My hand hurts a little bit, but it isn't bad, not really. And I guess that my head is a little bit sore, but don't worry, Mom. I remember a doctor saying that there weren't any fractures." Brennan nodded slightly as she pressed the call button for a nurse, her daughter shouldn't be in any pain.

"I'll take a look at the scans when I get a chance. I'd like to see for myself."

Hodgins had wheeled Angela closer to the bed so that the hospitalized members of their group could properly great each other, before walking out of the room without explanation.

"Aunt Angela, I'm really glad to see you!"

"Me too, Sweetie. It's very good to see you." The two girls continued to chat merrily about mundane topics as Brennan and Booth observed. The nurse came in and administered a few medications and took a look at Lucy's more serious wounds and then left quietly, not wanting to disturb the little family more than was necessary.

Eventually Angela changed topics, "Sorry, I missed your birthday. It's probably better that we never got to that cake, anyway. We are terrible at baking."

"But excellent at frosting."

"That's the truth. Hodgins, that's your cue." Hodgins came in with a cart that he had commandeered from the gift shop and bribed a candy stripper into wheeling it to the outside of Lucy's room. Loaded on it was a vase of daisies, several wrapped presents, a silver bag with blue ribbon, and about a dozen cups of pudding.

Hodgins grinned at Booth, who returned the conspiratorial look. "Happy birthday, Squirt. Jack and I, we managed to scare up a few presents, and dessert."

"I love pudding." Lucy beamed at the men.

"See, Squirt. I knew that there was a reason that I liked you. Now, I picked out the flowers. The gift shop has very limited options at two in the morning, but I liked them. Oh, and open my present first. It's from Parker, actually. He was really excited about it. Hodgins, hand our girl the silver bag."

Lucy unwrapped the stuffed monkey and squealed. "He's awesome. What's his name?"

"Ringo."

She smiled. "So my monkey is a drummer. I like it. Mom, maybe when my hand is healed I can get a drum set. I never thought of learning a percussion instrument."

Brennan nodded, "I'll take it under advisement." Lucy smiled. She didn't really want a drum set, but a guitar would be an excellent compromise later.

"Tell Parker thanks. And I love his shirt. It's perfect. And the daisies were a nice touch, too. Mom and I both love daisies. Thanks a lot." Lucy kissed the monkey on the top of his head and then tucked it in tightly beside her. Angela beamed at the now blushing agent. The trip to the mall was worth every moment of embarrassment, then and now.

Angela piped in. "Me next, me next. Hodgins, the purple and orange box, please."

Lucy opened up the small box and moved from her bed to give her aunt a hug. Brennan gave a warning just in time, and Lucy slowed herself down before crushing the artist.

Angela had given Lucy a very funky necklace and bracelet that she had made herself as well as a pair of earrings.

"Does that mean I get to pierce my ears now?" She looked at her mother expectantly.

"You are ten years old. I believe that you are responsible enough to get your ears pierced." Lucy cheered and hugged her mother.

Hodgins handed over a thick package wrapped in newspaper. "Sorry about the wrapping paper. It's from Zack and me. Well I picked it out and paid for it, and wrapped it, but I signed Zack's name on the card. Which I also paid for, by the way." The adults chuckled and Lucy grinned once again, tearing at the paper and congratulating Hodgins on being environmentally friendly.

The book inside was an illustrated guide to local insects. Booth scoffed, "A book, Hodgins. Really?"

Lucy read her card as she responded to Booth. "No, FBI guy. I really wanted this one. It's the sixth edition, hardcover. Nice. Dr. Hodgins, are we really going to go do some field sampling when I get out of here?"

"Sure thing, gotta put a book like that to good use. Oh and next beetle race, first match, you and me. Five bucks to the winner." Hodgins winked at the girl, clearly he was going to be five dollars poorer soon.

The group fell into silence. Brennan stared awkwardly at the others, and Angela stepped in. "Sweetie, I have your gift to Lucy right here." Hodgins had handed Angela an envelope which she now handed to the anthropologist.

"Angela, where did you get this?"

"Sweetie, I know your hiding places. I just told Hodgins where to look in your office."

"Clearly, we need to have a talk about boundaries." Brennan stared down the entomologist, who raised up his hands in submission.

"Hey, blame your friend. I was just following orders."

Lucy wiggled her legs in impatience. "Mom, let it go, and give me my present." As an afterthought she added a rather whiny, "Please?"

Brennan handed over the envelope. Enclosed were two tickets to Japan. Lucy was speechless as she hugged her mother.

Booth whistled, "First class, too. Swanky."

Lucy looked at all four adults with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, everyone. It may not be the most fun location for a birthday party, but it's been the best birthday ever."

Brennan had started talking about the impossibilities of quantifying such a statement, but was stopped by a jab to the ribs from Booth. She frowned at him.

He just shook his head. "Squirt, who said this place isn't fun? We've got pudding!" He grabbed two off of the cart as well as a spoon, opening them both by somehow juggling them in a maneuver that even the Jeffersonian wouldn't be able to dissect.

"I'll take the chocolate one, please, FBI guy."

"I don't know what you are talking about. These are both for me." He grinned cheekily as Brennan swatted his arm and grabbed the chocolate pudding from his hand and handed it to her daughter. He was about to dig into his vanilla when she grabbed the spoon right out of his hand and also gave it to Lucy. Booth shrugged and stuck his finger into the pudding before scooping a large amount into his mouth.

Lucy shook her head, "Gross."

Booth stuck out his tongue, making Lucy laugh hysterically, the rest of the adults soon joining in, glad to just be having fun with each other.

They spent the morning together, chatting about the insects that Lucy was going to collect with Hodgins, about what shirt she owned that would go best with the necklace that Angela had made, and what cultural highlights were mandatory while in Tokyo. Booth, Angela and Lucy were in a heated debate about what Beatles song was the most superior when they were interrupted by a larger group. Several agents had popped in, armed with balloons and Caroline had walked in, armed with a small teddy bear and a large stack of papers.

Hodgins and Angela excused themselves in order to give the lawyer and the agents more space. Lucy gave her statement, holding her mother's hand the entire time. Booth had moved his chair next to Brennan, and while he never physically touched her, she could feel his warmth and was comforted. Lucy recounted everything that she remembered from her ordeal. She had managed to repeat verbatim most things that Miller had said, as well as Frank Costello and Patrick Reardon. She was calm as she explained everything that happened to her. She told about breaking the mirror and arming herself, getting Skylar free and safe under the bed. She recounted the final minutes of her hostage situation where she had stabbed Miller and how Booth had shot the man in the shoulder.

Caroline and the agents asked a few questions, but for the most part were satisfied with her telling of events. A doctor came by wanting to run one last test before releasing Lucy, and the agents took their cue to leave. Booth helped move Lucy into a wheelchair and watched as an orderly wheeled the girl away. Brennan grabbed her daughter's hand and followed the doctor.

Caroline looked at Booth pointedly. "That's one hell of a girl."

"I know."

"And her mother is one hell of a woman."

"Believe me, Caroline. I know."