Chapter 17: The Morning After

Amelia slowly opened one eye, the world materializing in front of her. It wasn't cold, but her entire body felt stiff and frozen. With a small yawn, she pulled the blanket closer to her chin, the scent of cologne wafting to greet her. Cologne? Amelia sat bolt upright, almost whacking her head of the ceiling of the car. Because she was in a car, not in a bedroom as she had, to her horror, momentarily thought. The blanket was actually a coat, one that she recognized as Fabian Prewett's. She lifted her head and before her loomed a great red-brick building; 146 Hardgrave Street. It all came back to her.

"We were keeping watch," she whispered, to herself as Fabian was no where to be seen, "Just keeping watch."

She must have fallen asleep, though she couldn't remember at what point exactly. The sky was a golden colour, the day just beginning. Amelia stretched and then looked around for Fabian, but he wasn't anywhere on the street. Overcome with morning grogginess, she pushed open the car door and swung both her feet around, placing them down on the footpath. There was a slight breeze and the early air was fresh, but the day promised to be nice. Reaching into her pockets, she found a cigarette and lit it.

"D'you want some caffeine with that nicotine?" Fabian's voice came from beside her.

He was carrying two large take-away coffee cups, one of which he handed to Amelia. She took it, but didn't take her eyes off him.

"You let me fall asleep?" she asked bluntly.

Fabian sighed and leant against the car.

"Gee, thanks for the coffee, Fabian," he said in a mocking voice, taking a sip of his drink, "it was really nice of you to think of me."

Amelia didn't laugh.

"You fell asleep of your own accord," Fabian said after awhile, "I just made the decision not wake you up."

"That's not your decision to make," Amelia said, throwing her cigarette on the ground and stamping it out, "It's my job, I can't fall asleep. I'm supposed to be keeping watch!"

"We're keeping watch," Fabian reminded her, his voice a little angry, "and I did. All night."

Amelia softened a bit. It was nice of him to let her sleep. She had a drink from her coffee cup; black, no sugar, exactly how she liked it. Had she mentioned it to Fabian before and he had remembered? Or was it something he'd picked up on his own? Either way, the drink was perfect and it made her feel extremely guilty for snapping at him.

"Did you see anything?" she said quietly, "On your watch?"

"Nope," Fabian said with a yawn, lifting his arms up above his head, "Unless you count the Shopping Channel, playing on the neighbour's television. A full set of kitchen knives for only seventy-five pounds."

"Really? And here I was thinking last night had been a complete waste of time," Amelia said sarcastically, "This isn't going to work. We need to get back to the office and do some serious strategizing."

"Can I drive?"

"Be my guest."

Frank and Dolores were already there when the pair arrived at the office. Gideon was around somewhere, they were told, and Alice had come visiting from her own work space. She sat, conversing with her husband and the secretary, on the edge of a desk. Her head turned as Amelia and Fabian walked in.

"Good God, Sweetheart," she said to her friend, "Whatever the amount of coffee you've drunk this morning, it hasn't been enough."

"I look that bad?" Amelia asked with a sigh, running her fingers through her hair.

"You've looked better," Dolores said, "Let's just say that."

"I was on a stake out all night," Amelia said flatly, "I'm sorry the beauty parlour doesn't open at 5a.m!"

"Apology accepted," Alice smiled, "Have you had breakfast?"

"I'm fine."

"A cigarette and an oversized coffee doesn't constitute a balanced meal," Dolores said knowingly, "Can I get you some toast?"

"No," Amelia said firmly, "I want to discuss a plan of action. The date for recruitment might have passed for all we know, in which case we're wasting our time and resources. There's no way we can keep watching that house night after night on the odd chance something will happen!"

"You didn't enjoy our little sleepover then?" Fabian said, pretending to be affronted.

At this remark, Dolores gave a small gasp and Alice's eyebrows went up. They both shot Amelia significant looks, to which, when she realized what they were insinuating, she mouthed "NO" and profusely shook her head. Fabian just grinned.

"Now there's a thought," he mused, knowing his tone would further infuriate his partner.

"What's a thought?" Frank asked, confused.

"Nothing's a thought!" Amelia said quickly, "Fabian, go and find your brother. Frank, go with him."

"Why?" Frank was still confused.

"Because I said so," Amelia snapped.

The two men went off in search of the third, Amelia watching them as they walked away. Then she spun around to face her friends, who now stood side by side, their arms folded, smirks on their faces.

"He didn't mean it like that," Amelia explained slowly, "He really didn't. He really, really didn't."

"Why so defensive, Bones?" Alice teased, "Secretly sleeping with a co-worker?"

"No!" Amelia protested in a scandalized whisper, looking around to check that no one was listening to this humiliating conversation.

"I don't believe her," Alice said to Dolores.

"Nor do I," Dolores said, "She smells like cologne."

"Oh," Alice gasped, her eyes wide, "she does!"

"Nothing happened," Amelia said, "I swear to God."

"Seriously?" Alice said, "You are seriously telling me that you, Amelia Bones, spent the entirety of last night in a confined space with him, Fabian Prewett, and nothing even remotely interesting happened?"

"Of course!"

"You are so disappointing," Alice moaned.

"We're just friends," Amelia said.

"That's what they all say," Alice said in a hushed voice, "And then someone ends up pregnant!"

"Who's pregnant?" Fabian asked, coming up behind the group of witches.

"Nobody!" Amelia said with an exasperated sigh.

"Are you pregnant?" Frank exclaimed in surprise as he sat down.

"No, I am not!" Amelia cried, throwing her head back in anguish, "I am not, nor will I be in the near future, pregnant. It is not physically possible for me to be so, nor will it be in the near future, because nothing, nothing, happened and nor will it. Do I make myself clear?"

"You're killing me, Amelia," Alice said with a sigh, "but fine."

"I'm still confused," Frank said, "Is anyone else confused?"

"Now," Amelia went on, completely ignoring Frank, "I would like somebody to bring the board over here, someone else to get enough chairs for everyone and, Jane, if that offer for toast is still going, then I would actually really like some."

She watched as everyone got about doing their jobs. They were all friends, but sometimes she needed to remind them who was in charge. Although, with some people, namely Fabian, it didn't work; he was standing next to her, looking like he was about to burst with laughter. Without turning to face him, Amelia aimed an elbow at his stomach.

"Hey!" he cried, bending over in pain, "I didn't say anything!"

"Oh, like Hell," Amelia hissed, "'Now there's a thought' Why would you say that of all things?"

"I was just playing along with their game," Fabian said, "Why so defensive, Bones?"

She elbowed him again.

"Shut up."