A/N: Hello there! I know, I know, I missed a few weeks. Somehow, I got demotivated to write and life just got in the way as well. Please enjoy this chapter.

Thank you Kareneb for reviewing.

Normally there wasn't anyone working out during their ungodly work out hour but with FBI physicals coming up it seemed that people had decided to get healthier. "So how was your family weekend?" Lilly asked as she and Booth walked around, trying to find two free machines of the same kind.

"Great. Parker loved it. He got Pops a 300-piece puzzle."

Lilly smiled. "That is cute."

"Yeah, it really was." Booth thought back to Parker smiling ever so proudly when Pops thanked him for the wonderful gift and had asked if Parker wanted to help him make a start with the puzzle. "By the way, you were right," Booth said as he plugged the pin into the right amount of weights before sitting down on the workout machine.

Lilly looked surprised as she followed Booth's lead, going for a lesser amount. "Right about what?"

"I talked to Jared and he told me he indeed doesn't want to keep working intelligence forever.

"Ah, it is a gift," Lilly said jokingly but ever so slightly cocky. "So, what is he going to do next?"

"He's taking the job anyway because he needs the money, but he told me that he wants to figure out what he really wants to do."

"Sounds like the smart thing to do and like a good plan", Lilly said, trying to keep her breath even as she pushed the handles together.

"Yeah, probably." Jared had always been very impulsive. Him figuring out his next career move could mean that he would quit this job next week and become a skiing teacher in Austria for the time being. That was something that Booth worried about as a big brother.

"If he needs help figuring out which way he wants to go, I know this amazing career coach my dad used to go to."

"Thanks, I'll let Jared know."

"Good. After serving your country people deserve help to get back on their feet." Lilly looked at Booth. "How did you get into the FBI?"

"Oh, that wasn't in my file was it?" Booth asked with a smile.

"Nope", Lilly said. "It only said you were a Ranger before going to Quantico."

"I was recruited. One of the guys I went to war with had gotten out before me and when I wanted out, he asked me if I would want to join the FBI."

"That is great. Knowing people always helps to get a job."

Booth nodded. "Sure does. Is that how you landed this internship as well?"

"In a way", Lilly said. "One of my professors in NY knew I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do with my degrees. Civil law or criminal law, become a lawyer or a prosecutor, in-house lawyer or work in legislation. Maybe get a Ph.D., start another study. She also knew I just happen to love all things knowledge and she knew about this internship. Most companies keep universities in the loop of job openings for starting and intern opportunities. So, she suggested I apply and she was willing to write me a letter of recommendation. The rest is history, I guess."

Booth nodded. "It is. The difference usually is that most military personnel doesn't have that many connections in the civil world. So that complicates things and that sometimes gets topped off with mental problems from having served. Lots of soldiers have problems getting a job and the career service the Army started is not really successful."

"I've heard about that. My dad tries to help whenever someone veterans apply for a job. He is part of this program that tries to ease the transfer. It usually is very successful in helping them find a job either within the company or at one of his connections."

"That is great", Booth said. "It's sad how many organizations aren't willing to give it a try. Military knowledge usually doesn't easily transfer to a civilian job so that makes it more difficult as well."

Lilly nodded." That is really weird. Especially considering that people are more than happy to thank everyone that is in uniform for their services but after they get out of the service that all seems to end." Moving to the next station, they passed the treadmill. "Hey, I've seen an ad for a mud run here in DC. It is for teams. Do you think it would be something the team would be up for?"

Booth laughed. "A mud run, huh? I thought you hated running."

"Yes, I still do, but I do like throwing mud at people so the running would be the necessary evil accompanying it."

Booth accepted her explanation. "Of course, you do. Well, Bones loves running, so do Angela and Hodgins. Cam probably only runs in the gym and she hates getting dirty."

Lilly nodded. "Yes, but she is always up for a team building activity."

"You know how I feel about running, but I would love to see you lose again and get all muddied up."

Lilly whined jokingly. "What about the squinterns?"

"Wendell runs," Booth added.

"Abernathy too", Lilly continued. "What about Daisy and Sweets?"

"I don't know", Booth said. "Considering Sweets muscles, I'd say he never works out."

Lilly grinned. "Why are you so mean to him? He is good at his job. He is very helpful..."

"Yeah but he lacks experience."

"Like what? Life experience?"

Booth thought back to what he knew about the kid's youth. "No, I mean professional experience, like years and years of sorting through a variety of psycho stuff."

The look on Booth's face told her that there was a story there, but the story was for Sweets to tell. "Wells?"

Booth snorted. "Doubt it. I think Arastoo runs too. Why are you so eager to get the team running?"

Lilly shrugged. "It is for a good cause and I think it could be fun. We always only all hang out at diners and when there is a birthday or something. I thought this would make for a nice change."

"Even when Angela will be around?" Booth asked, sneakily observing her via a sideways glance.

"Yes. She and I patched things up. Probably somewhere within that three-day period where you and Brennan were suffering from 'food poisoning'."

Booth smiled. Gracefully sidestepping Bones and himself by focusing on the first part of Lilly's answer. "So, Angela finally got the courage to apologize to you?"

"Sort off," Lilly told Booth about Hodgins forging the breakthrough. "I was so worried that she was so pissed off at me, but she turned out to not even be upset with me. She was ashamed for her behavior and not being there for me and that was about it."

Booth shook his head. "Oh boy."

"What?" Lilly asked.

Booth's head shot up, a crease of worry in his forehead. "You do know that of the two of you, you were the person who had the right to be pissed and upset with her, right? Not the other way around."

Lilly irked an eyebrow up. That came out a bit harsh... It wasn't usually that Booth was annoyed and snippy about one of the team members, not being one of the interns. "Why?"

"Because she was judging your, well actually she was judging our, sex-life. The choices made, the fact that we do things together outside of work, became friends, how apparently unlikely that is. She yelled at me for helping you out. Because she left you out to dry because she was afraid of us hurting Bones. I can't believe she calls herself your friend when she didn't even bother to check in on you, while she knew you were trying to keep your head above water. And then to top it all off, she chickened out of coming to you on her own peril. She waited until opportunity struck and only then she apologized to you." Booth didn't get angry in public easily, but family came first and he expected that at least some of Angela's loyalty to Bones would have carried into her other relationships.

Lilly stood there, listening with her mouth open. "Wow. You do have a point, obviously, since everything you just said happened and I know it to be true." Lilly rambled as she tried to get passed the lecture Booth had just given. "But have you considered that Angela is also only human and therefore is entitled to make mistakes? Yes, she crossed a line, but she apologized for that. The apology seemed sincere so I forgave her. Isn't that the right thing to do?" There was an uncertain tone in her voice, as Booth words were making her doubt the conversation with Angela.

"Yes, it is the right thing, but I wonder if your worries about Angela still wanting to be friends with you didn't cloud your judgment about how far off, she was. She, not you." Booth underlined his point.

Lilly looked at Booth. She could get why Dr. B. sometimes called Booth a traditional but modern warrior. His stance looked like he was just about ready to knock someone on their head for being a danger - or just very annoying. "I don't know", Lilly said. "Do you think it was wrong that I forgave her? Like; are you having a problem with me accepting her apologies?"

Immediately some of Booth's anger evaporated. Seeming less tense, he shook his head. "No, of course not. Forgiving is good for the soul. And I do believe that she was sincere. All I am trying to say is that you weren't the problem here, okay? It feels to me that you just needed to hear that, but I said it now, so do with that whatever you want." Booth rolled his shoulders.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." For a while, they focused on their work out. Lilly broke the silence. "Why do you think Angela hasn't come to see you to apologize?" Booth hadn't exactly told her that, but considering how he reacted to Angela's apology to herself, she doubted Angela had yet dared to face Booth.

Booth snorted. "Because Angela knows that if she comes to me to apologize either I won't react at all or I'll scream the same obscenities at her like last time. We're both strong-willed people. Well, actually, most of the Jeffersonian is rather stubborn. And with that, Angela and I have had more of these little fall-outs before. I hate her meddling with my private life, like she has the right to judge others and has always acted so superior."

Lilly nodded. "That is going to make working with her a lot more difficult, right?"

"Not really, as I said, we survived these fights before and we'll get over it again. Speaking of people meddling. I heard from a little birdy that you finally listened to me and spoke to Wendell.

A snort escaped from Lilly. "A little birdy? I'd say you're well over 6 ft and you and Dr. Brennan were both spying on us while Wendell and I were talking on the forensic platform."

Booth chuckled. "Yeah, you busted us, we didn't really do a good job hiding. So, did anything come from that conversation?"

Lilly shot Booth a look. "You do know that for every question you ask about Wendell and I, I am going to ask you one about you and Dr. B?"

He answered with a chuckle first. "Wouldn't expect anything else from you. Though, could you wait with your questions until we're not in a crowded gym?"

"Oh sure, Lilly said with a grin. "I hope you realize that postponing comes at a cost. But to respond to your question, Wendell and I went out on a date, there was a pub quiz about science and we won, definitely not thanks to me."

Booth smiled. "A pub quiz, huh? I shouldn't be surprised that both of you can make dating into something nerdy."

"Pub quizzes aren't nerdy," Lilly said, rolling her eyes. "It was a lot of fun, although, compared to your 'midweek' it might have been a dull night."

Snorting, Booth shook his head. "Come on, let's get out of here, it is only getting busier and I want to be out of here before you blurt your questions out here anyway." His tone light and jestingly.

A/N: Thank you for reading!