Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or anything other than the plot. Inspired by a line in an episode but I can't remember which one. Hehe. Just written for my own amusement but I thought I would share with you lucky people.

Stage 2

Brennan really did not know how Angela had persuaded her to come to this thing. She was never usually one for parties or drinking, but there she was. Beer in hand, listening to the pounding of the music over the crowds of the Jeffersonian team or 'squints' as Booth would call them. Brennan sighed wearily; she also didn't know when Booth had wormed his way into her thought. She just knew that one day she had woken up and the first thing on her mind was whether she and Booth would have a case that day. Thinking about that morning had her remembering something her mother told her when she was ten and she had asked her mother how she knew that she was in love. Her mother had looked dreamy then replied certainly.

"If he's the first thing you think about in the morning, the last thing on your mind before you go to sleep. That's when you know you're in love. When you can't get him off your mind"

Brennan shook her head at the thought; amazed at the places her brain could run away to sometimes. She didn't love Booth, the very thought was ludicrous. She peered at the drink Angela had passed her upon dragging her over the threshold to this party. Satisfied that it wasn't spiked and that her strange thoughts were her own she took another sip only to nearly spit it out again in shock as Angela popped out of nowhere at her side.

"Hey sweetie, enjoying yourself" she enquired

Brennan looked at her friend with a 'what-do-you-think' look on her face and Angela shifted nervously.

"Oh, ok" she said "Only…"

"Hold on" Brennan interrupted "Where's Jack? Aren't you two a thing, an item or something now?"

"An Item" Angela said, "Where'd you learn that one?"

"Oh Booth said it the other day" she didn't notice Angela grin "But seriously where is he?"

"Oh he'll be here in a minute" Angela replied "He had a errand to run first"

Suddenly they heard the door open again and as a blast of cold air hit their backs they turned to see who had entered. There stood Jack Hodgins looking very smug and a very disgruntled looking Booth. However as his eyes moved over the room and caught Brennan's eyes he gave his patented charm smile and Brennan gave a small smile back. Angela and Jack caught them smiling and looking over at each other gave a brief thumbs up.

Stage 2 complete. Commence Stage 3.