Brennan sits at her desk, her notebook open in front of her, her fingers tapping furiously on the keys as she updates her file notes. She feels Angela walk into the room but stubbornly refuses to look up from her current task, it isn't until Angela's hand pushes the lid of the notebook closed that Brennan finally sits back and acknowledges her presence. Angela sits down and starts to look at her nails, feigning a hurt expression, playing with a chipped piece of polish and mentally noting that she would need to fix it once back in her office.

"So…You go away for two days and don't call…Then when you get back and I call you say you are busy, and then you don't answer your machine because you are too busy cosying up to Marcus…..what gives sweetie?"

"I'm sorry Ange, I forgot to turn my ringer thing back on." Angela looks at Brennan and gives her a wide smile.

"It's ok, I forgave you last night…..So tell me..what happened with you and Booth? Cosy cabin up near the sea..just you, Booth and an open log fire.."

A panicked expression passes over Brennan's features quickly before she quickly corrects herself. "Nothing happened."

"Sweetie? Are you ok? You know people that lie, burn in hell."

"I don't believe in hell."

Angela rolls her eyes and folds her arms. "Ok, people that lie to their best friends about their encounters with particular hot FBI agents, upset their friends greatly, especially when said friends would not hold back on details with you."

Brennan smirks and shakes her head. "Nothing happened Ange. Besides, I'm dating Marcus."

Angela's smile disappears and she leans forward seriously. "Sweetie, how much do you know about Marcus?"

A confused expression passes over her features and she folds her arms defensively. "Enough….has Booth put you up to this?"

"No, I just wanna make sure that you are safe with him, that's all."

"I'm fine Angela. And I won't deny being surprised, I would have thought you'd be happy that I have found someone to connect with."

"Someone like David?...All I am saying is that you should try and get to know him before doing anything stupid."

"Define stupid!" Brennan was out of her seat and her defensive posture would have been evident to anyone walking past the office.

"Keep your voice down Bren. Something stupid like…I dunno, sleeping with him?"

"Then you're a little late with your advice Angela."

As he entered the office he cursed himself silently and wonders why now of all moments he had chosen to drop by, a couple of seconds later and he would never have heard the conversation. It was obvious what he had walked into and he can see by Brennan's face that his company is probably not number one on her list. Angela spins in her seat to see Booth standing in the doorway, her face falls as she realises that he has heard everything and from the expression on his face she's not the only one who wishes he hadn't. Angela stands up quickly to move to him but he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his keys.

"I just forgot, I've got a meeting with Cullen..I'll drop by again later." He turns on his heel and leaves just as silently as he entered. Angela walks forward, but he is gone before she is able to reach him. Leaning against the door jamb of the office she glares back at Brennan who is busy positioning herself at her desk once again.

"Are you satisfied Bren? Don't you care?"

"About what?"

Angela draws a deep breath and waves her hand in dismissal before exiting the office. On her exit Brennan takes a deep shuddery breath. Booth had heard everything, her stomach churns and the sudden notion to vomit overwhelms her. Laying her head on the desk she closes her eyes and waits for the nausea to pass.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth sits in the SUV in the Jeffersonian car park, the keys are in the ignition but he makes no effort to start the engine. His head rests against the back of the seat and his hands are stretched out in front of him gripping the wheel. She'd slept with Marcus Jones, he'd waited too long to tell her what he knew about her date, and now either way she would hate him for his knowledge. She'd hate him for telling her, and now she'd hate him for not telling her in time. He couldn't win, there was no way to win Temperance Brennan… she didn't want to be some prize, and that's not what he wanted her to be either. He just wanted her, that's all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Zack and Hodgins sit on the sofa in her office staring at her nervously, she glances over the file at them, silently musing to herself that they must have spoken to Angela already.

"Are you absolutely certain about these results?"

Zack nods. Hodgins just looks at his hands.

"So the DNA and fibres that I brought here all match the ambassador's son?"

Hodgins, having accrued some courage over the past five seconds nods. "One of the hair strands that you gave me matched Joseph Robinson's DNA exactly. There were two types of blood on that one strand, his mother's and his father's. Kid has long hair, it suggests that he leaned over the bodies, close enough for his hair to touch them. But that only leaves one question.."

Brennan nods and closes the case file "Yeah. Where's the kid?"

Zack and Hodgins nod in synchrony. Brennan gives them an approving smile and nods towards the door. "You can go, let me know what else you find…..Oh and Zack, I want you to call Booth and let him know what you found…"

Zack and Hodgins stop at the doorway and Zack turns to her with a confused expression "Don't you normally tell Booth these things Dr Bren-"

"Not a problem Dr Brennan, we'll get onto it."

Hodgins grips Zack's arm and leads him out of the office. Brennan watches them walk down the stairs to the lab, Hodgins harshly whispering something to Zack.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth jumps, startled by a sharp rap from the passenger side of the SUV. Looking across the space he sees Angela outside with a sympathetic smile on her face. She opens the door and climbs into the seat next to Booth closing the door behind her.

"I'm sorry you walked in on that."

"Not as sorry as I am." He chuckles bitterly and she reaches across the seat to squeeze his hand. "You know..seeing him leaving her apartment last night was bad enough, you don't even wanna know how long I was kept awake last night imagining what happened.. I can't do this. I can't work with her like this. I can't concentrate, she's always in my head. It's becoming too much."

"I know." Angela looks at his hand in hers and then back at his face. "Which is why we need to tell her what we know."

His eyes quickly meet hers and confusion creeps in. "What is it exactly that we know?"

"I know why you are too scared to tell her Booth. She won't blame you….. it's time to tell her about Marcus' other life."

Booth closes his eyes and wipes his hands over his face. "I can't Angela. Can't do it."

"If you don't then I will."

Booth turns to meet her eyes then and is about to speak when his cell phone rings. Pulling it form his pocket he flips it open and holds it to his ear. "Booth."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We are sooooo close to finding out what Marcus' secret is.