Come Around

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or there would be more chemistry between Angela and Hodgins. I don't own Rhett Miller's 'Come Around' or Black Crowe's 'She Talks To Angels'.

The team is stuck spending New Years Eve at the lab due to a case.

Pairings: Booth/Brennan, Angela/Hodgins and Zach/OC

(-X-)

Angela sighed as she sat sketching in her part of the 'lab'. She didn't even know if she could call that part a 'lab'. She looked down into the pad, at what she had sketched. It was a picture of people counting down to New Years. It was simple pencil and paper sketching. She snorted at how impossible it would most likely be. Someone, some where had once told her that the way you spend New Year's Eve is how you are going to spend the rest of your year. Well, she was going to spend the rest of her year working without a date. She might end up like Brennan. With now disrespect or anything, she loved her friend, but her tendency to over-work would not work well in her favour.

She could have been out partying . . . but sadly, no. Instead she was stuck in the lab working. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy her job, it was just that she had been stuck her Christmas Eve and most of Christmas too. And nothing killed the holiday season more than that. Quite depressed, she decided that this was a good time for some mood music. And a little snack from her sweet stash. She took out a pack of 'Chip's Ahoy', her favourite cookie brand, while she put a CD into her CD player. Well it was more of a Hi-Fi. Hodgins had installed it from his part of the lab; wherever that was. The given reason was to raise the holiday mood. She sighed as she popped in one of the unlabelled CDs. She switched on the holographic simulator. She programmed an image of a party, or mostly parties she was missing.

As she did so a song started to play. But it seemed to echo through the entire lab. She remembered that Hodgins and Zach had wired it so that music would play through the entire lab. Well since it was just their team, she hoped no one would notice. As she thought to herself she did not notice herself unconsciously swaying to the music. She was starting to like the beat, especially the opening guitar chords. As the lyrics started to play she found herself relating to them.

I'm dressed all in blue and I'm remembering you
And the dress you wore when you broke my heart
I'm depressed upstairs and I'm remembering where
And when and how and why'd you have to go so far
Am I gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

-X-

Hodgins was bored. He had processed everything that Brennan had given him. He had left the report on her desk, and was now doomed to wandering around the lab out of endless boredom and frustration. He would have preferred spending New Years at a party. Unlike many people working at this lab, he had a normal life. He had tried talking to Zach but the concept of and he quote " … celebrating the ending of a year and the beginning should not require much celebration as it is merely a time to evaluate what you have accomplished and where you have yet to develop…" end quote. Quite ironically, someone had told him that the way you start the New Year was how you would spend the rest of the year; it could have been Angela. Or maybe it was a conspiracy. The proverbial 'they' made him work on all national holidays just so that he had no additional time to think about a conspiracy. Or may be it was nothing. Either way he was bored again.

So automatically he went in search of the only other people who would understand: Angela or as he admitted to himself quite reluctantly, Booth. Either one would be with Brennan, no doubt about that. It was a question of which one. Or maybe both of them. But judging from the music pumping through the speakers that he had installed in Angela's part of the lab which in turn were connected to the speaker system which could be interrupted for important announcements, he had deducted who was free. And if he was correct it was his CD that was playing. He hurried to where Angela was and found her staring wistfully at her hologram. She seemed to be swaying to the music. Almost as if she liked it.

"You like the song?" he asked shyly.

Angela snapped out of her reverie. She turned to face Hodgins, whom she was surprised to find had good taste in music.

"Yeah," she said with a nostalgic smile, "I do."

"So had plans, huh?" he gestured to the hologram.

"Yeah," she offered him a cookie.

Am I gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

"How'd you know?" he asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"Know what?" Angela asked, quite curiously.

I'm gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

"That these are my favourite cookies . . ." he stated as if that information was public knowledge.

"I didn't, and didn't it occur to you that others may like this brand as well," she countered.

Unless you come around so come around

Hodgins suddenly noticed that she had hung the picture he had given her, and commented on it.

"Yeah," said Angela, still depressed, though slightly distracted thanks to him. "I couldn't decide if I should hang it here or at home. It's just so lovely."

Hodgins felt warm inside after hearing that. Slightly scared by the feelings, he looked back at the hologram in order to distract himself. As he did so he noticed that Angela looked down in the dumps. She was now on the couch. He steeled himself to ask her what he was about to,

"What's the matter?" he sat next to her and faced her as he asked.

"Nothing . . . you wouldn't-" Angela realised who she was talking to and stopped short. "I should be at a New Year's Eve party, dancing, drinking, and getting my New Year's kiss, and quite possibly getting laid." she explained as she faced him now. She had never noticed what blue eyes he had.

"I know the feeling," and the two sat in comfortable silence for the next five seconds.

I'm dressed all in white and I remember the night
You came on to me and opened up my heart
I was hollow then till you filled me in now I'm empty again
I should have never let it start
Am I gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

"It's just that- Never mind, it would sound stupid," she interrupted but caught herself before she embarrassed herself.

Hodgins felt a little stung that she couldn't be frank with him.

"It's okay, I won't laugh," he said, trying to convince her to tell him, his boredom quite forgotten.

Angela started, "Well, someone told me that the-"

"-way you spend New Years Eve . . ." Hodgins finished. "I got the memo," he commented with a sparkle in his eye.

"You know about that?" Angela asked surprised.

"Yeah, you told me," he told her.

"No, you told me," she answered. "Well now you know. I'm going to be lonely for the rest of this year." Angela declared with conviction.

"Not unless I come around," Hodgins answered.

"What?" Angela asked slightly confused.

"I was attempting to be funny," he explained pointedly. The twinkle was back.

Both of them looked at the hologram wistfully. Hodgins jumped up. "If we can't go to a party, we make our own party," he declared.

Angela giggled. "You sure you're not drunk?"

"Oh ha ha," he answered. He became more serious, "Seriously, there might be left-over eggnog here."

He hunted around the room until a minute later he found some in a cupboard where he had hid it. He opened the bottle and sniffed it. "It's good," he muttered to himself. Not finding any glasses, he took a long swig and handed the half-empty bottle to her. She shot him an odd look but took her swig anyway. "That was technically French-kissing," Angela pointed out.

Hodgins chuckled at the irony. "It's a two in one offer, now come on, lets dance." He held his hand out to her. She giggled some more. This was a new side to Hodgins. And quite honestly, she liked it. She took his extended hand.

Am I gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

As they slow danced to the song, they each felt a little better. She rested her head on his shoulder. They were the same height. They just didn't notice it. Angela's hair smelt a little like coconuts, Hodgins noticed, in that pina colada sort of way. Hodgins smelt of Morning Glory, Angela thought. The only way she knew that was that she used bubble bath that was scented like that. But Hodgins didn't seem like a bubble bath sort of man. Neither was going to comment how comfortable this felt. Hodgins felt like he had been working out, Angela noticed. He seemed mostly muscle. Angela was lighter than anticipated Hodgins thought. And though neither would admit it, they wouldn't have minded spending the next year like this.

I'm gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

"Umm . . ." murmured Angela unconsciously. One of her fingers was stuck in one of his curls. They were so soft. She kept twirling it. This felt so nice. It felt nice to sink into someone who understood what she did everyday, though his job was considerably harder. As for Hodgins, he couldn't believe this. Angela was twirling one of his curls. He wouldn't trade his job for the world. She seemed so fragile in his arms. He didn't want to let her go.

Unless you come around so come around

As Angela noticed the clock she pulled away from his shoulder and moved her arms around his neck. As she pulled away, both of them noticed the cold void left behind. But as Hodgins moved his hands to her waist he too saw the clock.

No one else can fix me although sometimes my heart tricks me

"10 . . ." he whispered.

Into thinking someone else will do

"9 . . ." Angela whispered, both gazing deep into each other's eyes.

But you're the only one you are the only one

"8 . . ." It was Hodgins turn.

Am I gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

"7 . . ." Angela continued.

Am I gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

"6 . . ." whispered Hodgins.

I'm gonna be lonely for the rest of my life

"5 . . ." whispered Angela.

Unless you come around so come around

"4 . . ." He whispered.

So come around so come around

"3 . . ." It was her turn.

I'm dressed all in blue and I'm remembering you

"2 . . ." whispered Hodgins.

And the dress you wore when you broke my heart

"1 . . ." whispered Angela.

With that they leaned in for their New Years Kiss. As his lips brushed hers, it was the single sweetest kiss either of them had ever had. They pulled away a few seconds later. Each had a smile plastered on their face. "That's two of your goals accomplished," Hodgins told Angela, neither had let go of each other yet. Angela smiled in response. "What about the last two?" she asked flirtatiously.

"Well you almost got laid," he declared. At her confused look, he explained, "We drank from the same bottle. As you said so nicely, it's like French-kissing. And then we kissed again. It was sort-of like making out, which would in turn lead to getting laid."

"You spend too much time round Zach," she muttered with a smile. "Anyway, that doesn't count."

"Well then, I'd better make it then, shouldn't I? Would you like to get a drink some time?" he asked with a grin.

"Definitely," she answered. "But that's just three, and I'm curious. You know, unless you come around, Am I gonna be lonely for the rest of the year?"

"Well it is often said - and quite wisely, might I add - the way you spend New Years is how you spend the rest of the year." Hodgins smirked as he replied.

And to that Angela just giggled.

(-X-)

There I go. Added a story to Hodgela. Anyway, R/R please?