A/N: Sorry for being a slow updater – again. The flu caught up with me and it is having a hard time leaving me alone. Top that off with some final exams and you can imagine why writing is going a lot slower than anticipated.
Thank you Mphs95 for reviewing the previous chapter. Also, a big thanks to all the readers that put my story on alert since the last chapter. Amazing that you find this story worthy enough to keep up to date with it!
This chapter is inspired by Mphs95 as it is a continuation of Angela's path to forgiveness XD.
Please enjoy this chapter & WARNING for swearing and just being a mean and grumpy Gus!
As soon as her friend and the unofficial boss had entered the lab, Angela knew that the whole food poisoning thing had been a ruse. Bren could be as closed off as she wanted, but Angela knew what an after-sex glow looked like. Especially an after-sex glow on Brennan. Bren's glow was a subtle one but to Angela, it was absolutely obvious. So obvious that Temperance might as well have put on a shirt saying I got laid again and again and again for three days straight. Avalon would probably have described it as an aura somewhere from bright pink to an intense rose red.
The only mystery to solve now was who Brennan's bed partner had been and since it was Angela's occupation to solve mysteries, she was certain she would be able to crack this one as well. Her bestie deserved some happiness, either short or indefinite, both were acceptable by her, but naturally, she wished eternal happiness for her best friend.
Standing in the doorstep of Dr. Brennan's office she observed her friend; Bren's eyes were glued to the screen. Oh yeah, there was definitely an aura. Angela smirked to herself. Maybe Sully had come back for an extended weekend of some hot sex with the ex.
"Angela!" Bones exclaimed. "I hadn't seen you standing there." Brennan had almost jumped out of her chair when she noticed Angela standing there.
"Sorry, sweetie", Angela apologized as she walked to the visitor's chair and took a seat. "How are you feeling?" Angela asked, feigning concern.
"Very well, thank you. I just have a lot of work to catch up on from being ill."
Angela nodded. "That is what I wanted to talk about with you. Because I don't think that you were out of the lab because of food poisoning. If anything, I would say you stocked up on vitamin D."
Brennan's brow furrowed. "Why would I be away for three days to pick up a vitamin supplement?"
"You wouldn't. It is a euphemism for sex and from the looks of it, it was hot, steamy, bone meltingly sexy."
Bones' expressions went from surprised to cringing and then her mouth curved into a smile before keeping her expressions neutral. "Bones can't melt, Angela. You should know that."
"I know sweetie, but sex can be so good it makes you feel boneless. So, who is it? Did you go out clubbing without inviting me?"
"No, I didn't go out clubbing. I was in fact in bed for three days. If that is all, I have a lot of work to do."
"Come on Bren, I am your best friend and that you finally got back on the horse is worth both of our time to do some girl talking," Angela whined.
Bones knew from experience how nearly impossible it was to divert Angela's attention from this subject. She and Booth hadn't yet discussed if and when they would tell people they were seeing each other socially and sexually. So whatever questions Angela wanted an answer to would have to wait until after that discussion with Booth. "Yes, you are my best friend and since you are my best friend you should respect my privacy until I decide to share details. If – I decide to share those details."
"Awh, Bren... this is so unfair I have so many questions."
"Still not as unfair as your recent behavior to Booth and Miss Johnson. Have you already owned up to your mistake to both Booth and miss Johnson?"
Immediately the happy sparkle in Angela's eyes disappeared, her attitude getting tense. "Sort of but don't change the subject." She tried to regain the upper hand.
Not at all impressed or deterred by her best friend's attempt, Bones continued with her line of questioning. "What does sort of mean?"
With a deep sigh, Angela responded. "I talked to Lilly but not to Booth."
Bones rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she looked at Angela. "Okay, Let's make a deal. I'll play 20 questions with you after you apologize to Booth."
A knock on the open door interrupted his workflow. "Do you have a second?" Angela asked as she walked into Booth's office.
"What do you want, Angela? Do you have a breakthrough from the case that you couldn't just email?"
His voice sounded cold and his facial expressions were even more distant, but she guessed she deserved that. "No, I haven't been progressing with the case. I wanted to talk to you, well apologize really."
Annoyed and tired from running into to walls all day, Booth pushed away his keyboard and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Angela, I am really not in the mood to hear your half-hearted excuses. I am busy. There is a killer on the loose and we have the wonderfully impossible task to find him."
Angela's mouth was unhinged. "Why would you say half-hearted? I know I said some things but I am trying to apologize here. It's really unfair that you won't even let me."
Just like you didn't give me a chance when I was trying to help Lilly, but okay. His face a stern mask, he gestured for the artist to continue. "Fine, go ahead."
"Thank you. I am sorry I overreacted when hearing about you and Lilly. I was unfair and I shouldn't have said what I said."
The conversation stilled, Booth as he just stared at Angela. "Oh, that was all you wanted to say?"
"Yes", Angela said.
"Seriously? That is all you're sorry for? For overreacting and saying some not further specified over the line things?"
Angela looked down, knowing that this glint in the agent's eyes meant the war wasn't yet over. His death stares continuing it was like he was looking straight through her.
"Okay, so if tonight I end up with... I don't know... Cam, again you'd be all okay with that?" Immediately he saw the disgust in Angela's eyes.
Angela kept silent, looking like she was counting to ten to keep herself calm. "So, you're basically willing to sleep with everybody except Bren?"
"Yeah, that was exactly the point I was trying to make here. Booth rolled his eyes. "Don't bother apologizing when you don't mean it."
Angela looked at him. "Hey, I am trying to make this right. If you were to get together with Cam you wouldn't hear a beep out of me about it. I know I went too far when I barged into your apartment and told you off for getting into bed with Lilly. It isn't just my worries for Brennan. It's like... Ugh... No one seems to see that you and Temperance belong together. Before you both left the rumors and whispers about you and Bren having a relationship was rampant and with Hannah that all changed. I just see what you and Bren could have and I wish for the both of you'll have it." She saw the fire in his eyes at the mention of his ex-girlfriend.
"See you're doing it again. Sorry for the overreacting?! The real problem with you isn't in the over, it is in the reacting. You always do this, overstepping and becoming overbearing about people's private life. Every time you disagree with me you just start screaming at me without considering my side of things. You always butt in into other people's private lives. You should take a page from Bones' book, to not judge without having all the facts. I can't believe you're so short-sighted.
Unlike Lilly I am not worried about us ever being friends again or what you think of me. Frankly, I am at the point where I much rather have you stay out of my fucking way entirely. I'll keep working with you and be a professional but don't expect anything more from me, okay? You crossed some serious lines and apparently you can't even see that you did."
"No that isn't true. I do see that I was wrong. You're right that I shouldn't have jumped in with my unfunded conclusions. Lilly was lucky that you were there for her to help her deal with the aftermath of that lawyer. And I shouldn't have said that you only wanted Lilly to stay at your place for convenience."
"I think Lilly let you off the hook too easily. Friends don't judge friends or drop them when things get though. But you somehow managed to judge Lilly, Bones and me like there was some sort of discount package deal."
"Okay, I get that you are still very angry with me. What can I do to fix this?"
Nothing if you haven't changed your opinion about me or your attitude. The way I see it you're still standing by what you said. Let me ask you this, what made you come over here? It's been weeks and now all of a sudden, you're here. Did Hodgins pester you into apologizing again?"
Angela gasped.
Booth didn't even care that he was being mean, maybe even cruel. "I am taking your silence as a yes."
Refinding her voice, Angela was quick to respond. "No Hodgins didn't. He actually gave up on trying to get me to apologize."
He rolled his eyes and muttered; "Well I wonder what that says about you." The sarcasm dripping from his voice.
Angela looked at him. "God, why are you making this so difficult?"
Booth got up from behind his desk, standing tall. "Because I've had enough of your egoistical interference just for the sake of, I don't know, your amusement. Your misguided feelings of knowing what is best for everybody. Based on your apology today I still stand by every word I said last time. You cross the same lines over and over again but somehow you feel entitled to people accepting your apologies just so you can feel better. Maybe it would be best if you leave until you change how you deal with people." With his eyes, he gestured for the door as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
She opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. "Okay fine." And she walked out. Again, she had been told to leave by Booth.
Booth looked at the artist leaving his office, crossing the bullpen on her way to the elevators. Shaking off this unpleasant conversation, he sat down again in his seat and continued with his work. The murderer was still on the loose and for now, he was happy with that distraction.
A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope I wasn't to mean to Angela... I'd love it if you let me know what you think :). I had actually planned a more romantic chapter (Wendell & Lilly this time) instead of this one for now, but it wasn't exactly ready. Who knows if it will be really in time for the next chapter?!