(The Doll in the Derby)

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I don't own Bones.

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He entered the house, walked into the kitchen and leaned over to kiss his Bones.

"What's that?" Brennan wiped her thumb against Booth's lips and stared at lipstick now on her fingertips. "Where did you get this?"

Puzzled, Booth removed a handkerchief from his pants pocket, rubbed it against his lips and stared at the result. "Oh . . . Angela kissed me. She was talking to Emily Kickinson . . . Susan something about the rink and Nick Bennett and she decided that she needed to kiss me to prove I was her boyfriend . . . Damn she was drunk as can be. It's amazing she could still walk."

"Angela or Susan something?" Brennan wasn't sure she liked the idea of Angela kissing Booth.

"I was talking about Angela, but they were both drunk." Booth placed the handkerchief back in his pocket. "I drove Angela home. No way she could have driven home by herself."

Brennan crossed her arms against her breasts and stared at her mate. "Angela was undercover, not you." She couldn't help it, she was a little alarmed that her best friend had kissed her partner. That seemed very inappropriate. "Why was it necessary for Angela to kiss you?"

He could hear the hurt in her voice and Booth didn't like it. "Look, Bones. You'll have to ask her. I went to the bar because Angela called me. I needed to make sure she was okay, but what I found was a very drunk squint who is terrible as an undercover agent. She kissed me in front of Susan, but Susan was passed out by then. Then she wanted me to arrest Nick just because he built the rink. She thinks that makes him the murderer . . . I don't think I'll allow Angela to go undercover anymore. She stinks at it."

"She kissed you." Brennan wanted to make sure she had her facts right.

Pulling her against his body, Booth looked into her worried bright blue eyes. "I didn't kiss Angela, Bones. She kissed me." He leaned over and kissed her. "I don't need to kiss other women. You're all I need and all I want."

Mollified, Brennan returned the kiss. "I don't approve of women kissing you, but since you didn't kiss back then I will forgive you."

Relieved, Booth smiled. "Thanks . . . I'm pretty sure Angela is going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow. She really is bad at undercover work. I only want to work with you, Bones. No one else can do the job like you can." He kissed her once more and felt her respond. "I love you. You're all I need."

"I love you too."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Angela couldn't believe how badly her head was hurting. Hodgins had tried to talk her into staying home, but she had work to do. Besides the bruises on her butt, legs and arms made sleeping painful and she would rather work than stay home and feel sorry for herself. She had known that going undercover in a roller derby might result in a few bruises, but she hadn't counted on so many on so many parts of her body and damn, her head wouldn't stop throbbing.

Standing in her office, sipping hot coffee, Angela was trying to call up some information on Nick Bennett when she heard footsteps in her office. Turning, she winced and placed her hand on her forehead. "Oh Honey . . . talk quietly please. I have the worst headache. I haven't felt this bad since I was 22 years old and I was dating Rocko Fairburn. He was a crazy artist that lived in Soho and we . . . oh never mind. My God my head hurts . . . I should have known better than to try to drink someone under the table. I did, but that's beside the point . . ."

Angela!" Brennan wasn't interested in Angela's headache and someone named Rocko. "Did you kiss Booth last night?"

"No of course not." Angela shook her head and regretted it. "Why would I do that?"

A little alarmed with the answer, Brennan stepped closer towards her friend. "He said you did while you were talking to Susan something."

"Susan Carroll not Susan something and now that I think about it, I do vaguely remember kissing Booth." Angela sighed. "I was trying to keep in character and Booth was supposed to be my boyfriend . . . if my memory isn't too faulty, I kissed him to assure Susan that I wasn't a policeman or a narc or something because I knew she knew Booth works for the FBI. I don't think I really care for undercover work. I have bruises on my bruises."

"Why was kissing Booth necessary?" Brennan loved Angela like a sister, but she was not willing to share Booth. "I don't see how kissing him helped sell your story to Susan."

As hungover as Angela was, she could see that her best friend was upset about the kiss. "Honey, I was so drunk last night, it was a miracle I didn't try to strip studly naked in front of Susan . . . When I say I was drunk I mean dangerously drunk. I even tried to kiss Booth again, but your boyfriend wouldn't have any part of it . . . He's a good guy, Brennan. He didn't take advantage of me even though I was trying to take advantage of him. You have no idea how horny I get when I'm drunk. As soon as I got home, I practically attacked Hodgins . . . the headache isn't worth it though."

Not sure how she should take that confession, Brennan shook her head and left the room. Angela knew she needed to talk to her friend to clear the air, but she would talk to her later. At the moment, she needed more coffee and aspirin.

Ooooooooooooooooo

"Bren, may I talk to you?" Angela stood in the doorway of the examination room and watched Brennan place a large bone down on the table before turning to face her.

"Yes, you may." Brennan had thought about Angela's inappropriate behavior all afternoon and she had come to the conclusion that she was feeling something that she didn't quite understand. "Why am I upset that you kissed Booth? I know that he is faithful to me and I know you are my best friend and would not do anything to hurt me? Why do I feel betrayed when there was no betrayal?"

Glad she had chosen to talk to her friend, Angela stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. "It's normal, Honey. What you're feeling is jealousy and perhaps some anxiety and it's okay to feel those things. You love Booth and you don't want other women kissing him. It makes you feel that the other woman is stepping over boundaries and is being disrespectful to you and yes to Booth."

Brennan had a hard time understanding what she felt sometimes. She understood, anger, love, hate even rage, but the other emotions so many other people felt comfortable with left her floundering. It had always been that way. Sometimes she was so confused she asked those she trusted about why she was feeling a particular way. She used to think that there was something wrong with her, but Booth had reassured her over the years that there was nothing wrong with her. Sometimes she felt Booth was wrong. "You are my friend and I don't like being angry with you . . . I know you were drunk and Booth felt you were not in control of your actions . . . but I still felt like you crossed a line . . . Do you understand? I'm not sure I am explaining everything like I should."

"No Honey, you're telling me what you feel." Angela stepped closer to her friend, but kept a respectful distant between them, at least for now. "I was drunk and when I'm drunk I cross a lot of boundaries. I'm a free spirit you know that and lowering my inhibitions just makes me even more open to things than when I'm sober . . . I would never have an affair with Booth and he would never have one with me. I'm pretty sure he'd never have an affair with anyone. He loves you so much and you know that . . . it's okay to be a little pissed at me, it really is, but I'm here to say I'm sorry and I want to make sure you forgive me . . . do you?"

Brennan stepped closer and placed her arms around her friend. "I forgive you Angela. You were under a lot of pressure when you went undercover and you weren't prepared properly. As a rule, Booth and I don't drink alcohol when we're undercover. It is important that we remain in full control of our actions. You didn't know that and that left you vulnerable . . . Kissing Booth seemed imperative at the time, I understand that . . . Don't do it again."

Glad that Brennan was being logical about their problem, Angela laughed. "No, I won't. I promise. I also promise to never go undercover again. I'm not meant to be a spy. It's too nerve wracking." Angela hugged her friend and released her.

"Good." Brennan was glad that Angela understood that Booth belonged to her. "Now, I have work to do and you should probably go home. I sense that you still don't feel well."

Angela stepped back and nodded her head. "You're right, but I feel better than I did a few minutes ago. I'm going home and soak in a very hot bath. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, you will." Once she was alone, Brennan resumed her examination of the skeleton on the table. "Bones are so much easier to deal with. There are no lies or subterfuge when I examine bones. I don't have to interpret the emotional side of life. There is only logic and truth."

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