A/N: I am so thankful that I can finally continue posting this story. It was driving me nuts trying to figure out a way around the bugs in the system. A HUGE thank you to Elvawen for her help! If you're having trouble posting shoot me a message and I'll tell you how I did it. I've reposted chapters 9/10 on seperate pages. Chapter 11 is NEW and Chapter 12 will be up as soon as I hit 85 reviews. I know it's bribery but I've missed getting reviews so, ha. Review and you'll get another chapter today.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones. Sigh. Thanks for reminding me, again.

Chapter 11 The Drive Home (Friday)

The team had just barely finished securing the samples and canvassing the area when fat raindrops began to fall. Booth helped Temperance into the passenger's seat and then assisted Zack as he loaded their kits in the back. After a final call to the local police department, the SUV headed back to D.C.

The rain only increased in intensity and, combined with gusty winds, hit the car angrily. The inside of the car was quiet. Both doctors were tired; they had several hours of squatting and squinting in the dirt to thank for that. When they stopped for dinner at a small diner, Booth took the opportunity to call home and check in with Angela, who was again watching the boys while awaiting the arrival of her own baby.

Flashback

"Bones! How can you ask Angela to baby-sit Sam and Parker when she's pregnant? Maternity leave is given so the mother can relax, focus on having a baby. Not watch our sons after school!" He was pacing her office, trying to keep his voice to a low yell in case Hodgins or Angela was within earshot. Temperance sat behind her desk, sipping from a water bottle calmly.

"Relax, Booth. She wants to do it. There's nothing that says a pregnant woman can't still be functional." Her glare caused Booth to pause, and rephrase his objection.

"What if she goes into labor? What'll happen then?" Booth was annoyed by Temperance's light laughter.

"Hodgins has Jeevers on call. He'll take care of her and bring the boys to us if she goes into labor."

"Jeeves, baby, it's Jeeves." Booth sighed, recalling Hodgin's nickname for the elderly, rarely utilized chauffer that was going to be responsible for their two active sons. Great. Just great.

End Flashback

So far, Booth thought with pleasure, things had worked out well. Jeeves even drove Angela to the boys' school to pick them up after classes. Of course, now the boys wanted a limo ride home from school every day. Dinner seemed to rejuvenate the three and when they were back on the road their conversations returned to the case.

"Cullen called while you guys were working. Turns out Beed's car was found outside Charlottesville, about an hour from Lynchburg. We passed it about thirty miles ago."

"Are they bringing it in for analysis?" Temperance asked, hoping for more clues.

"Yeah. But it was doused with gasoline and torched. No remains--human or otherwise--seemed to be present. They don't think they'll be much to go on. However, they ran her VIN and financial records. Our victim had her oil changed the day before she went missing. In Richmond, almost four hours from where the car was found."

"So she drove from D.C. to Richmond for an oil change? That's odd," Temperance said, frowning.

"Even stranger, the car was only two years old. But, get this, had almost 80,000 miles logged on it. This woman did some serious traveling and not for work."

"Maybe Angela was right, maybe she had a secret life in another town. The neighbor mentioned Beed wasn't home many weekends and came and went at all hours of the night."

"No, there's something else we're missing." Booth concentrated on the road, willing the answer to come with the pounding rain.

"There are no other clues, Booth. Maybe we'll find something with the second body but there's nothing to indicate a connection between the victims."

"Let's just get home." Booth was looking forward to the weekend.

"Um, Agent Booth? Do you think we'll be back by eight?" Zack inquired from the back seat.

"We should be back pretty close to eight. Why? You got a hot date?" Booth's grin gave away his easy teasing of the scientist who Booth had come to know like a brother. Like a smarter, socially awkward younger brother. The young doctor's cheeks flushed immediately and Booth sputtered, "No kidding? You have a date?"

Temperance turned in her seat to observe Zack's response. He was trying to deny the accusation, but no words escaped his mouth.

"Zack, that's great. Who is she? Someone from the museum?"

"Yeah," he managed, uncomfortable with the interrogation that was sure to follow. He wasn't disappointed.

"C'mon, details, Zack. If I'm going to get you back in time for your date, you better tell us who, where and how this happened." Zack knew better than to bullshit Booth so he answered honestly.

"It's Katie. We're going to dinner to discuss the Jeffersonian's role in ongoing FBI cases. She wants to work with the lab full time, especially if Angela decides not to return after, you know…" The car fell silent as the Booth's absorbed the news.

"She's cute. You'll have a good time… but Zack?" Booth caught his eye in the rear view mirror.

"Yeah, Booth?"

"Don't spend all your time talking about dead bodies and work. Right, Tempe?"

"Right," Temperance repeated quietly, suddenly wanting to be home more than ever.

------------------

The house was unnaturally quiet when Temperance unlocked the front door, leaving her husband to drop off Zack for his date. I feel like the kid's father. Like I should sit behind them during a movie and drive them home afterward, Booth had grumbled quietly. But Temperance had insisted on getting home to her boys before their bedtime.

"Angela?" she called out carefully, fearing the worst. Booth has Jeeves's cell phone number; I don't know where I put it… maybe I should just drive to the hospital and call Jack on the way.

"Hi, Sweetie!" Angela's voice from the living room stopped Temperance's plans to rush out the front door.

"How were they today? Give you any trouble?"

"They were fine, already in bed. But they do have me wishing for a girl."

"Really? Last month you wanted a boy, something about a girl's unnatural love for bugs might weird people out?" Temperance hung up her coat and settled next to Angela on the couch.

"Yeah, but I think we're getting outnumbered pretty quickly here." Temperance smiled at her best friend and laid her head back with a sigh. "Long day, sweetie?"

"The usual." Temperance thought about her book, the unwritten chapters and upcoming editing sessions. Usually she looked forward to the process; now it just made her tired.

"You know you're going to have to face the facts pretty soon." Angela tried to sound positive, afraid she'd push Temperance back into her shell.

"What facts?"

"Honey, you're six and a half months pregnant. That's a pretty long time to be in denial. At this rate you'll get around to acceptance when the kid's turning two."

"I'm not in denial. I can tell what's happening to my body."

"Sorry, Bren, but you're in denial. There are only a half dozen people who know the news: Booth, Jack, Zack, Sid, Cam, and me. Sid only knows because he provides most of your meals and Cam because she had to approve your maternity leave."

"Booth told Cullen," Temperance said squirming, obviously uncomfortable with the line of questioning.

"Sweetie. Listen to me." Angela reached for her friend's hand. "You cannot keep working long hours, wearing your old clothes and pretending like this isn't going to happen."

"I'm not pretending anything, Ange. I've been busy."

"You haven't bought anything for this baby yet. The room upstairs--the nursery--is empty. You haven't even let Booth paint it. Pretty soon you'll be wearing Booth's clothes because yours will not fit anymore. Trust me."

"Ange, are you saying I'm getting fat?" Temperance attempted a joke, hoping to distract the artist.

"No, I'm saying you're having a baby. With your husband. Which is more than I can say."

"Oh, Ange. You said you didn't want to marry Hodgins until after the baby was born." Temperance was confused by her friend's indecision.

"Yeah. I know what I said about fitting into my perfect wedding dress and waiting until the perfect moment," Angela said as she sniffed. "But now I just want to be in that delivery room holding my husband's hand and holding our baby. Ahhh! I hate these hormones!" The women smiled at each other. Temperance took a deep breath and broke the silence.

"I hate when I'm trying to focus on the case and the baby kicks. At first it was soft, like I was being tickled from the inside out. Now it feels like the fetal Olympic gymnastics."

"I know what you mean. This little one has an aversion to spicy food and letting Mommy sleep. I can't get more than three hours at a time anymore." Angela smiled; she was so proud of her best friend for finally accepting, at some level, the inevitability of her situation. The women continued to chat until Booth returned home and took Angela back to Hodgin's estate. It was also passed Jeeves's bedtime.

END Chapter

A/N: So I tried to make Angela and Hodgins' relationship a little clearer, sorry for any confusion. I think it's totally awesome that Temperance is married and Angela isn't. Just seems like things have been turned upside down. I wish the show would follow suit and Booth would finally get Bones.