The Arizona State Museum actually exists and does have a bioarchaeology department. If you are a researcher, you can apply for access to their Human Skeletal Collection. I borrowed that information for my smaller museum Brennan has decided to work at.

Thanks for all the reviews.

The ding of simultaneously received emails echoed through the quiet rooms of the Jeffersonian. It was the day before the long Christmas weekend and the faces of Brennan's closest friends were relaxed and friendly as they looked forward to the time with friends and family.

Until they opened the email.

Angela and Cam were the first to exit their respective offices, heels clicking in the disappearing quiet of the facility as the email spread like wildfire. Their eyes, reflecting a combination of shock and disbelief met as they crossed the room.

"Did you…," Angela asked, her voice trailing off as Cam nodded her head.

"The Arizona State Museum? Bioarcheaology department?" Cam asked. "Did she mention anything?"

"No, nothing," Angela said. "She wouldn't come to my house for Christmas. I invited her, encouraged her to come. Said she was going to a conference or a dig or something." She waved her hand in the air. "Does it matter? What she was going on was a job interview."

"Why now?" Cam asked. "What did we do wrong?"

"I know why now. And so do you," Angela said. Her voice was rising, her frustration and annoyance with the situation clear.

"Ladies," Hodgins interrupted, cautiously joining the two women. "Perhaps we should take this conversation behind closed doors?"

Cam nodded and began moving, before stopping again. "Not yours. You have spiders. We'll go to mine."

The clicking of their heels was louder as the disappeared behind the quickly closed door of Cam's office.

"She left because of Booth," Angela exploded.

Hodgins sighed, knowing Angela would go to that conclusion immediately. "Maybe what she needs isn't here anymore. Maybe Maluku reminded her of how much she enjoyed working with ancient remains." Even to him, the argument sounded weak, but he felt it was important to try and talk the women down before Booth inevitably showed up.

"Really, Hodgins?" Angela snapped, pacing away from him. "I love you, but really?"

Cam sighed and turned to stare out the windows of her office. "She's been distant lately. It was so gradual, you could almost miss it if you weren't looking."

"She's protecting herself," Angela said, coming to stand next to Cam. Both knew the other was watching for the same person. "What will you say to him when he gets here?"

"What can I say? He has a right to his own life Angela, despite what you think."

Angela gave an unladylike snort of derision. "He loves her, she loves him."

"Sometimes, Angela, that isn't enough. With Dr. Brennan," she shrugged, "it would take a monumental amount of courage for her to take that step. It could take her a lifetime. Is it fair to ask him to wait for her?"

"Is it fair that she thinks her only choice is to leave? Just once, I wish she'd talk to us."

Cam gave Angela a glance. "And what would you say to her? Would you counsel patience, with the hope that he and Hannah would break up? She would never wish him pain. Or would you wish her pain instead, by having her stay while he moved on? Neither path is easy, or one I would choose for them."

"Damn," Angela muttered. "Why do you have to be the sensible one?"

"I'm trying to keep my lab together," Cam said, despite the fact her heart was breaking for her friends. "If everyone leaves again, I'm definitely getting fired this time."

"He gave her a book for Christmas," Angela said after a pause. "Added pages to the back to represent all she'd done for us. I helped him, even though I wasn't sure I could get past my anger to do so. It was so like him, like them, to turn something general into something that had great meaning. If they can't settle whatever is between them, we are going to lose one or both of them."

Cam remained silent, not wanting to admit to Angela that she agreed with her.

Both turned when the doors to the lab slip open and Booth entered. Angela stepped back to head toward him, when Cam put a hand out to stop her. "Hodgins beat you to it," she said.

Turning, Angela watched him motion Booth toward his office. "That's okay," she said, her voice making Cam wince in sympathy, "I'll catch up with Booth later."

"What do you want," Booth said. Despite the cool tone to his voice, he followed Hodgins into his lab. "How do you work in here?" Booth asked, stopping to watch a snake slither its way up a branch.

Hodgins ignored the question, knowing it wasn't what Booth really wanted to ask. "No, we didn't know she was leaving. No, we don't know when she's coming back. If you want a somewhat peaceful day, I suggest you go back to your office and hide there. Refuse visitors. If Angie finds you, you'll regret it."

"I'm not afraid of Angela," Booth said. He stood straight again, and wandered toward another corner of the lab.

"I am," Hodgins admitted. There was no humor in the short laugh that followed. "She's very protective of Dr. B."

"Are you suggesting I'm not?" Booth asked, moving so he had a clear view of Hodgins's face.

Hodgins held up his hands in surrender. "Of course, not. But I've been where Dr. Brennan is. Watching someone move on can be difficult. More for people who have trouble with emotions to begin with."

"We weren't dating, Bones and I," Booth argued.

It was close, but Hodgins managed not to laugh. "I'm not sure there's a name to what you two were doing. She needs her space, Booth. Give it to her."

"She had almost a year of space."

"She had a year of space, when you both were single. Now you have Hannah. She just needs time to adjust again. You've told people it takes her time to get used to an idea. Give that to her now. She'll be back."

There was a headache building behind Booth's eyes and he rubbed at his head in irritation. "You want me to let her go?"

"Think about it, " Hodgins encouraged. "And go back to your office. It isn't safe for you here."

Booth nodded, his headache growing in intensity with each step. His eyes burned as he exited the Jeffersonian, something he attributed to the bright sunlight. Squinting, he sat for a moment in the driver's seat of his vehicle, before putting it into gear and heading toward his office.