Disclaimer: Since I haven't had one in a while, I thought I'd update you. I own nothing. I don't even own the computer I'm typing this on

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews and for being so patient with me! As promised, this took forever to post. :-) Thanks for waiting on me. I hope you like this one--I realize that there is a lot I still want to do with this fic, and I'm going to try to move it along because I have an idea for a new one in my head and I don't want to work on two at the same time, lol. Oh, and some info is revealed in this chapter...there is at least one person who, when they read it, is probably going to be dissappointed, but I just want to let you know that I think I'm saving what we talked about for another fic ;-) Thanks for reading! And now, at long last, enjoy :-)

Booth sped down the highway at about fifteen miles per hour over the speed limit. Rock music blared angrily through the speakers as he rode. He hit his steering wheel with a frustrated thump of his left hand. 'What were you thinking, man? You just tried to kiss your work partner in a parking lot.' Shaking his head in disgust with himself, he hit his blinker signaling a lane change.

'It's not a big deal,' a second part of his brain rationed. 'It's not like you started making out with her. It was a kiss on the cheek. Nothing exciting, just a quick peck. Friends do that all the time.'

He shook his head as the first part of his brain jumped back in. 'C'mon, man, face facts. It's Bones. It's a big deal.'

'You only kissed her because you were happy about having your car back. Hell, you didn't even technically kiss her. Well, I mean, you kissed her, but she didn't kiss you back so it's not like it was a kiss kiss.'

'Right. You kissed her because you were happy that your car was fixed. That's the dumbest excuse in the world. That's not why it happened and you know it.'

'Okay, so maybe it's just because you were worried about her. She hasn't been sleeping well. It was just a friendly good night thing.'

'And you think that kissing her will make her sleep better? What, you think your lips are made of Tylenol PM?'

'It was just a good night thing between friends.'

'When was the last time you kissed one of your friends?'

'Shut up.'

'Face it, man. You kissed her because you wanted to.'

'It wasn't like that…'

'But you wanted it to be. You wanted to kiss her for real, didn't you?'

'God, what could she be thinking right now? How should I act when I see her tomorrow? Pretend it never happened? Yeah…pretend it never happened, because actually, that's the truth. Nothing happened. It was nothing. Not even worth remembering.'

'Man…you're screwed.'

Temperance's mind was still running over the last few minutes of her interaction with Booth when she pulled up at Angela's. Climbing out of her car and tossing her keys into her bag, she did a last minute rationalization as she walked up to the door. 'It was nothing,' she said. 'Just an innocent, friendly exchange. Friends kiss one another all the time. It just shows that you care about each other and that you are comfortable with one another. In some societies kisses are used as greetings. There was nothing strange about it.' And, with that, she gave herself a quick nod and knocked on Angela's door.

"Hey, Sweetie," Angela said, pulling the door opened so that Temperance could enter.

Temperance walked in and dropped her bag onto the couch. "Hey, Ange, how are you feeling?"

Angela gave her a weary smile. "Tired. I don't know why, I actually fell asleep for like an hour a little while ago, but I just can't seem to wake up."

"That's normal. There's a lot going on in your body right now, Ange. You have to expect that it's going to wear you out somewhat."

"I know, I know," Angela said, nodding dismissively. "It's just kind of a pain, that's all." Temperance nodded and Angela dropped onto the couch.

"Do you want me to get you something to drink?" Temperance offered.

Angela gave her a sideways smile. "It's my house, shouldn't I be offering that to you?" The women shared a brief laugh. "But yeah, I'd love some tea."

Temperance nodded, pulling off her jacket and heading for the kitchen. "Where are the tea bags?" She asked over her shoulder.

"In the cabinet over the stove," Angela answer, padding along behind her.

Temperance busied herself with the tea kettle as Angela gathered mugs and spoons. "So, how was your day?" Temperance asked.

Angela walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk. "It was okay. I made some progress on one of your faces, I should be able to finish it tomorrow."

Temperance nodded as the water started to boil. "Great, thanks." She poured the water over their teabags.

"Green tea?" Angela asked, accepting her cup. "I was kind of thinking you'd make us some Earl Grey."

"Caffeine, Ange. Green tea is better for you."

"We sound like an old married couple."

Temperance and Angela paused after this statement, and then started laughing, taking their cups back into the living room.

Once they had made themselves comfortable on the couch, Angela spoke. "Okay, so are you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Why you've been half smiling ever since you got here. What's up?"

"I have not been half smiling," Temperance defended.

"Yes you have. Where were you?"

"Nowhere. Nothing."

"Convincing. Who were you with?"

"No one."

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"You were with Booth!" Angela squealed.

Shocked, Temperance just stared at her. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh my God! He kissed you!"

Truly shocked and amazed now, Temperance's eyes grew wider. "What is this, some kind of pregnancy ESP?"

Angela was grinning with childish delight. "I knew it! I knew it! Okay, tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened. We had the interview with Ophelia, then the garage called to tell him his car was fixed so we picked it up and grabbed some dinner."

"Who paid?"

"I don't see how that's relevant." Angela grinned and Temperance's attempt at hiding the truth. Seeing this, Temperance sighed. "Okay, so he paid, but it was just because he was thanking me for letting him use my car."

"So, when did he kiss you?"

"When we were done we went outside to get in our cars, talked for a few minutes, and he kissed me on the check when he left. It wasn't a big deal."

Angela smiled. "Aw, that's so sweet!"

Temperance groaned. "It was just a friendship thing, Ange! It didn't mean anything."

"Sure. I bet you were telling yourself that the whole way over here."

"Can we drop this?"

"You should tell him how you feel, Tempe."

"Speaking of telling people things…"

Angela shot her a warning glance. "We're talking about you here."

"I know we are, but we should be talking about you. Have you told the father yet?"

Angela sighed. "No," she mumbled.

"Don't you think you should?"

"It's not that easy, Tempe."

"I never said it was easy. But he deserves to know. It's his baby, too."

"Somehow he doesn't strike me as the type of guy whose going to be excited about the idea."

"What kind of guy does he strike you as?"

Angela was distracted when she answered, "the type of guy whose going to think this whole pregnancy is just some kind of conspiracy to take away his freedom."

Upon registering what she had said, both Temperance and Angela momentarily froze.

"Ange…"

Angela didn't say anything.

"When you say 'conspiracy', do you mean…?"

Angela still didn't speak.

"Oh my God. Hodgins?"

"Shit."

"You slept with Hodgins? You're having a baby with Hodgins?"

"Do you want some more tea? I want some more tea," Angela said, quickly standing up from the couch and moving into the kitchen.

Temperance followed her at her heels. "No, no, no, you need to talk to me here. Since when are you involved with Hodgins?"

Angela sighed, dumping the still warm remains of her tea down the drain. "We weren't. I mean, we aren't."

"Um, you're pregnant with his baby, so I'm thinking you're at least a little involved with him…"

"No, I mean…no, we aren't involved. It wasn't like a relationship thing…"

"Then what was it?"

Angela sighed again. "It was…a momentary lapse of judgment. An alcohol induced momentary lapse of judgment."

"When?"

"About six weeks ago; a couple of weeks after I broke up with Ryan. I went to this bar and I saw him there with another girl and, I don't know, I guess it just kind of depressed me. It's not that I wanted him back or anything, but…I broke up with him, you know? I should have been the one who was there with somebody. Anyway, after I had been there for a little while, Hodgins showed up. He was alone, so he came and sat with me, we had some drinks, and then…"

"Hodgins just happened to show up by himself at the same bar?"

Angela hesitated for a second. "Well…I might have called him." The side of Temperance's mouth tilted in a slight smile, and Angela rushed on. "It was just because I didn't want Ryan to think that I was pathetic and alone, and it's not like I planned for this to happen!"

"Okay."

"I'm serious, Tempe, I didn't call him because I wanted anything to happen. It was just to save face!"

"I'm not arguing with you." Angela sighed, and Temperance continued carefully. "I just think that it's…interesting that he was the person you called, that's all."

"Why is that interesting?" Angela snapped back.

"Just because of the way you are around him. The way he is around you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Temperance put her hands up in faux defense. "Hey, it's none of my business."

Angela sighed. "What?" she asked, her tone now more calm and controlled.

Temperance shrugged. "Well…it's just that you've had feelings for him for a while now, right?"

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm a scientist. I observe."

Angela sagged back against the counter. "Do you have a point?"

"I just think that you need to talk to him. You two care about each other; he has to right to know about this."

Angela pointed her eyes toward the floor. "How am I supposed to tell him? 'Morning, Hodgins, beautiful day isn't it? Oh, by the way, I'm having your baby!' How is he going to react?" She put a hand on her forehead. "This is such a mess."

"It's going to be alright, Angela."

Angela sighed. "I want tequila."

"If I were you, I'd lay off the tequila. After all, that's what got you into this."

Angela shot Temperance a warning look, and Tempe couldn't help smiling slightly in response.

Temperance left Angela's and got home around 2:30am. She flipped on the light as she entered her apartment and dropped her coat and her bag onto the couch. Glancing around the apartment, she sighed. It had been a long day, but although she was tired, she was having a hard time convincing herself to go to bed. The thought of being tortured by another night of gruesome dreams was not appealing. Shrugging out of her clothes, she changed into a well worn tee shirt and oversized sweatpants. Not her most flattering outfit, but who cared? It's not like she was expecting company. She padded into the bathroom and washed her face, pulling her hair back into a loose pony tail. She then walked back out and plugged in her computer, resting it on top of her table. She booted up the machine and positioned her hands. Then, staring at the blank screen, she tried to think of something to write.

Anything.

It didn't matter if it was good or not.

She didn't care if it even fit with the storyline.

Really, any words would do.

By 4:30am, Temperance was dozing softly on her arm, her head beside the blank screen of her laptop.

Temperance was lying on her back in a small boat. A canoe, perhaps? A rowboat? Wooden, most definitely. She wasn't entirely sure, as every time she turned her head to examine the sides of the boat, the lines wavered and faded. Oh, well, it wasn't really important. She closed her eyes as the water gently rocked her, but yet even though she knew her eyes were closed, she could still see. This phenomenon did not strike her as abnormal, however, and she smiled as she was carried along with the current.

The boat came to a stop and Temperance climbed out. She was now standing in a field that sloped downward. At the base of the hill she saw a house, looking as though it were newly built. Curious, she walked toward it and entered.

The house had no furniture and all the walls were white. The floors were hardwood. Other than the light brown and clean white, however, there seemed to be nothing of any color.

Wandering around, Temperance heard footsteps. Pausing, she looked behind her to see who they belonged to.

Her eyes fell on Booth, dressed in his normal work suit, who was standing behind her and smiling. "Do you like it?" he asked.

"It's wonderful," Temperance answered.

Booth's smile grew wider at this. "They say we can move in soon. Maybe in a week or two."

Temperance smiled and nodded. Her house. Her house with Booth. Their house.

Looking around again as Booth walked beside her, Temperance began to hear footsteps again, although this time they seemed more distant, as if they were coming from outside. Looking out a window, Temperance saw a large group of people running toward the house. Their faces were stern and angry, and they all carried guns.

Booth looked out the window as well. "Oh my God," he said. "They've found you." Temperance looked at him and saw the fear in his eyes. "Come on," he said. "We have to go. Run!"

And, with that, the two began running from the house.

The footsteps of the mob pounded behind them as they ran. "Why are they after us?" Temperance asked. In the distance, she saw a car. If they could just make it to it…

"They must have found the bodies," Booth answered.

Temperance nodded and the two continued to run. Eventually, they made it to the car.

Temperance jumped behind the wheel. "Get in!" she shouted to Booth, who was now standing frozen in front of the vehicle.

"Go!" he yelled.

"You have to get in! They'll catch you!"

"They don't want me," Booth said, his voice calm. "I'm already dead."

"What?"

"They need you, Dr. Brennan. They've come for you."

The mob was extremely close now, and Temperance gunned the engine. With a sickening thump the car lurched forward and hit Booth. Temperance saw the pain contort on his face as the front bumper began to obscure him from view. Closing her eyes, Temperance wrenched the wheel and pointed the car toward the mob. She then hit the accelerator, flying forward and cutting a path through the people. She looked back and realized that somehow Booth had ended up in her backseat, but she kept moving. The faces of the mob flashed past her—her mother, Dr. Goodman, Zach, Cullen…one by one they fell victim to the car.

"Go to them, Temperance," Booth voice cackled from the backseat. "You've killed them all now. Go to your dead."

Temperance jerked awake, slamming her arm against the tabletop as she did. Jumping back from the chair, it took her moment to reorient herself in reality. 'Just another dream.' She breathed slowly and looked at the clock. 6:37. With shaking hands, she closed her laptop and walked toward the bathroom where she turned on the shower. She tried to calm herself as she let the hot water spill over her and as she went about her normal routine of getting ready for work. 'It was just a dream.'

This is a good time to voice your opinions in the form of a review, should the mood strike you to do so :-)