I'm so sorry it's taken me a while to update this one! But I finally got up chapter four!
Enjoy!
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Brennan and Angela sat at the bar, each with a glass filled with a colorful drink. Brennan was tapping her foot in beat with the song now echoing throughout the room from the speakers located in every corner and various other places. She scanned the room looking to see if she could fine anyone else she knew. She recognized a few people from the Jeffersonian, including Hodgins, Zack, and Cam, and some people who she was pretty sure she had seen walking around the FBI building in the large area that Angela had claimed several minutes ago.
"Is Booth here?" Brennan asked Angela casually.
Angela straitened up on her stool to look in the direction of their area. "Nope," she said. "And that's good. I haven't gotten you nearly drunk enough yet."
"Drunk enough?" Brennan questioned. "Ange, I'm not drunk at all."
"Hey," Angela held up her hands in defense. "I'm working on it. Give me a break." She then gestured towards Brennan's martini. "Drink up; I got another one of those coming for you."
Brennan laughed and sipped her martini. "You're lucky I like you, Ange. Other wise this drink would've been in your face by now."
"And I thought you didn't know how to party," Angela teased. "I'll be right back." Angela headed off towards Hodgins and Brennan watched her leave before turning her attention to the atmosphere of the club.
She was actually enjoying the music that was filling the club and flashing colors of the lights on the dance floor filled with people laughing and having a good time. Brennan found herself wanting to go join the group on the dance floor. She looked at the drink in her hand. Was she drunk? No way, she hadn't even finished her first drink, grant it was a big glass, but she wasn't that sensitive. Maybe it was Angela getting to her. Oh well, she was having a good time, wasn't she?
Brennan spotted a man walking towards Angela and Hodgins. It was Booth. She hopped off her stool to make her way over. He looked good in his jeans and a sleek dark blue collared shirt that had a few buttons at the top left fashionably open.
Of course he knows how to look perfect, Brennan thought with a slight smile forming and then vanishing just as quickly. Again, she stared in bewilderment at the glass in her hand. What the hell did that bartender put in my drink?
"Hey Booth," she said as she reached where they were standing.
Booth spun around, turning from Angela and Hodgins as Brennan came into view, intending to greet her. But the complexity of saying the word 'hi' faltered as he looked at her. Apparently looking at her for the first time that night and properly functioning at the same time was too big of a task. When the initial shock of just how good she looked wore off a little he figured he should say something.
He cleared his throat slightly. "Hey Bones," okay good, you sound calm, now keep going. "You look…"
"Hott," Angela supplied with a grin.
"Well I was going for 'great' to be less blunt, but yeah, that definitely works," Booth said, and was relieved to see Brennan smile at him. "So already hit the bar?"
Brennan looked down at her drink again. "Yes, Angela is trying to get me drunk."
Angela rolled her eyes. "Way to give away the plan, Bren."
"It's not like it would be a secret once I was drunk," Brennan pointed out. "It's somewhat easy to tell."
"Stop being logical," Angela complained. "Drink more."
"When I wake up with a headache tomorrow I'm going to call you and whine about it."
"Fine, whatever, just drink."
Brennan eyed Angela before taking a big swig of the colorful martini, downing the last of it and then placing it on the tray of a waiter who walked by. "Happy now?"
"That depends. How are you feeling?"
"Slightly giddy and wanting to dance."
"Then yes, I'm very happy." Angela gave Hodgins a peck on the cheek and then took Brennan by the arm and led her out to the dance floor.
"I'll talk to you in a bit, Booth!" Brennan called behind her to Booth who had looked quite amused throughout Angela's and her conversation.
"Alright," Booth responded, watching Angela pull Brennan so that she turned around, and he felt his mouth go dry when he saw the back, or lack thereof, of her shirt. He frowned when Angela steered his partner through a group of men (which he couldn't help but to think was purposely) and the men's appreciative stares follow them.
"Bar?" asked Hodgins, noticing where Booth's attention was focused, and did his best not to grin at his girlfriend's much too obvious to him (but apparently not to Booth) plan to keep Booth's mind on a certain partner.
"Yes please," Booth said and followed Hodgins over to the bar.
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"So…" said Hodgins casually, sipping on his cosmopolitan, "who are you going to plant one on at midnight?"
"Excuse me?" Booth asked.
"Kiss at midnight," Hodgins said. "Who?"
"Oh…" Booth did his best to appear to be caught off guard. "Well, I didn't give much thought to that…" what a big fat lie.
Hodgins eyes him skeptically. "Sure, man. Seriously, though, it's a New Years tradition."
"Yeah, I guess it is," Booth agreed, tracing a finger around the edge of his glass. "I was thinking maybe Bones…"
"Ah, good choice. Angela would approve," Hodgins smiled. "As would everyone else…"
"Do you think I should ask her?"
"Who, Angela?"
"No. Bones."
Hodgins started at Booth. "No way, you don't ask for permission. Half the fun is allowing it just to happen!"
"You just asked me who I was planning on kissing!" Booth said loudly, confused. "What's that, then?"
"Different." Hodgins shook his head. "I mean having an idea, but it's not like you discuss it ahead of time. Plus how embarrassing would it be to ask her?"
"Not as embarrassing as what I said yesterday," Booth mumbled, unfortunately, Hodgins heard him.
"Why, what did you say to her yesterday?" Hodgins asked curiously with a sly grin.
"I don't want think about it," Booth said taking a long swig of his mojito. Another lie, you just don't want to talk about it… now that would be embarrassing.
"Hey!" said a voice from behind them. The two men turned around to see Angela and Brennan both slightly flushed from dancing.
"Hi," Booth said as Brennan sat next to him on the couch. "You two have fun?"
"Yep!" Angela said before Brennan could open her mouth. "You guys should see Bren dance out there. If she wasn't such an important and accomplished forensic anthropologist, I'd say she should be a professional club dancer, if there is such a thing…"
"Please, I'm not that good," Brennan said smiling at Angela. "Besides, I'd miss being with you guys and having Booth as my partner.
"Oh, he could still be your partner," Angela said. "He's a hell of a dancer too! We're all going to go dance after we play our games."
"I need a drink first," Brennan looked around. "What do you have?" she asked Booth.
"It's a mojito," Booth held the glass in front of her and the straw to her mouth. "You can have some of mine."
"Thanks," Brennan leaned forward and took a sip. "I like that. I've never had one before."
"You've never had a mojito?" Booth asked her. "You've been missing out."
"Okay you two," Angela interrupted, getting out her back and putting it down in front of her. "Game time!"
Booth and Brennan eyed the bag warily.
"I don't know, Angela," Brennan sighed. "Don't you think playing games is a little childish and weird at a club?
"Hell no!" Angela said enthusiastically. "Besides, this is a New Years party. It's supposed to be wild."
"I guess I'm in," Booth said sitting up a little straighter on the couch. "So, what's up first?"
"Good spirit," Angela grinned as she pulled a stack of cards out of the bag. "We'll start light and work our way up. How about some Strip Poker?"
"Angela!" Brennan exclaimed and Angela laughed.
"I'm only teasing!" she said. "Plus, we might get thrown out of the club if we're seen walking around in a thong!"
Brennan blushed as Booth nearly choked on the last sip of his drink.
"I'm going to go get another mojito," Booth mumbled as he got up and went to the bar, leaving a mildly confused Angela and an embarrassed Brennan.
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The talk of thongs now thankfully left alone and forgotten, Booth found the "warming-up-card games" to be rather enjoyable. There was an intense game of B.S with the whole group (Cam, Zack, Angela, Hodgins, Brennan, and some other scientists and agents), several fun games of Poker with the guys, and an extremely competitive game of Spit with Brennan, which somehow wound up rather painful as she'd occasionally slap his hand instead of a deck.
"New game!" Angela said loudly over the group.
"Good," Booth said. "My hands are going to fall off."
"Sorry," Brennan apologized, though not looking it at all since she won.
"Next game is Truth or Dare!" Angela exclaimed.
"No way!" Booth said, matching Angela's volume. "Angela, we're not in High School."
Angela looked innocently at him. "I'm aware of it, thanks. But this version is so much more interesting, trust me."
Booth watched doubtfully as Angela beckoned for them all to sit around a table while she put a stack of cards in the center and a bottle of vodka. Each person had in front of them a shot glass.
"Uh oh," Booth muttered.
"Alright," Angela began. "Here are the rules: you pick a card that has both a dare and a question on it and you ask someone 'truth or dare.' You then read them whichever they picked. If they refuse the dare or to answer the question, they down a shot." She gestured at the little glasses. "Got it?"
There was a collective "yes" around the table and Angela took her seat, picking up a card. "I'll ask first. Let's see…" she looked around the table, "Bren, truth or dare?"
"Didn't see that coming," Brennan said sarcastically. "Truth."
"If you had to chose between the person on your right or left, who would you kiss?"
Brennan stared at Angela, who happened to be on her left, and then at Booth who was on her right. "No offense, Ange, but I'd have to go with Booth on this one. I just don't swing the other way."
"None taken," Angela said as Booth smiled and she pushed a card toward Brennan. "You're turn to ask."
Brennan picked up a card and the game continued. A half-hour later, there had been some major shots and some great truths and dares. Angela finally got Brennan to sing a verse of a song that gave Booth a pleasant chill; some FBI agent had been dared to request the Hokey Pokey from the DJ; Booth had to tell about his clumsiest work moment; and everyone got a kick out of Zack (who had way too many shots) attempting to belly dance.
"When does this game end, Ange?" Brennan asked her friend.
"When the vodka is gone," Angela replied. Luckily, the bottle had enough for about two more shots. "What are you complaining about; you've barely had any shots."
"Yes, and I'm starting to think I would've had a better time with this game if I had more," Brennan said.
"Vodka's gone," slurred Zack, holding the empty bottle.
"Don't you dare come into work for the next two days," Cam ordered Zack, patting his shoulder.
"Twister time!" Angela shouted gleefully.
"You've got to be kidding!" Booth groaned when Angela held the colorful box above her head.
"Now why would I do that?" Angela asked. "This is only one of the best party games ever."
"And slightly awkward at times," Booth added.
"Exactly, now you get it," Angela started to unfold a couple of Twister mats and laid them in various areas where there was room. "We can't all play on one mat, so I brought a few. We should split up into groups."
The group of people did so and Booth and Brennan instinctively moved closer to each other.
"So this is…" Booth began, looking at her.
"Odd," Brennan supplied, giving him a smile.
Booth returned the smile. "Yeah, odd would fit."
Brennan laughed, "So I guess I'm going to be facing you in a game of Twister."
"You're on," he accepted the challenge.
"I'll be the spinner," Angela offered as Booth and Brennan took their places on opposite sides of the mat. "Let's start."
It started fairly easy for the most part. The two managed to stay in painless positions and use mainly their feet. It was when Booth was forced to get into a crab position that things started to get interesting. Brennan was standing while Booth was in the crab position, stomach up and back down to the ground, supported by his hands and feet, and Brennan had to put her hand down, unfortunately for her the color she needed was across her on the other side of Booth. She had no choice but to lean over him, so her stomach was almost laying on his.
"So how you doing?" Booth asked casually.
"Not bad," Brennan laughed, making a few strands of her hair fall loosely into her face. "You?"
"Can't complain," Booth said. "I have a nice view of your stomach."
"Having fun, Bren?" Angela asked, grinning at her best friend.
Brennan, whose rear was to Angela, did her best to look through her legs at her. "Ange, spin the wheel before I fall on Booth."
Angela laughed and muttered, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind." She then proceeded to spin the wheel. "Alright, Booth, right hand yellow."
"Easy," Booth scoffed and shifted his right hand down one dot, closer to his body. "Next."
Angela spun the wheel again. "Left hand yellow, Bren."
Brennan scowled at the color dot that was back across Booth where her legs were. "Great," she said sarcastically, "you have to place yourself on the end of the mat so that I have to reach all the way back across you." She balanced herself carefully on three limbs while she moved so that her arms were now straddling Booth. "Okay, done."
Angela spun the wheel again. "Left foot red."
Booth stretched out his left leg slightly to read the color.
"Why does he get all the easy ones?" Brennan complained.
"The wheel likes me, Bones," Booth grinned at her.
Brennan rolled her eyes. "Yes, Booth, feeling the love from a piece of cardboard."
Booth's grin faltered a fraction as he playfully glared at his partner.
"Okay children," Angela said, stopping the bickering. "Your turn, Bren," she flicked the spinner. "Right foot blue."
Brennan glowered at Angela. "You're kidding."
"I do not kid when it comes to Twister, sweetie," Angela said. "Now do it."
Brennan originally had two feet on one side of Booth and her right arm over Booth's stomach. She had to move her right leg so that she was now completely straddling Booth, legs, arms, and her face above his chest.
"Well this is a blast," she said sarcastically.
"Yep," Booth said, voice rising up an octave, very much aware of the position they were in, and not exactly comfortable with it.
Brennan did her best not to laugh at Booth's reaction, how he had stiffened and his voice went higher. She may as well have fun with this game while at it. "Booth, if you look down my shirt, when this game ends I will kick your ass."
Booth hadn't even noticed before that the particular view was available to him since he had been preoccupied with trying to ignore their current positioning. Thanks to Brennan, he now had to ignore two things… well three if you really think about it. Damn, why did you think about it?!?!?!?!
"Your turn, Booth," Angela said in a strained voice, clearly, like Brennan, attempting not to laugh. "Left foot yellow."
Booth glanced to his left where the color was, closer to the upper end of his body than the lower end. He maneuvered his left leg so it bended up under himself and just managed to touch the toe on the yellow dot. "This is not comfortable," he said through gritted teeth.
"Ha ha," Brennan gloated.
"Oh please!" Booth said. "Your position is just inappropriate, not uncomfortable," he observed their position once more before adding, "…physically."
Brennan smiled mischievously at him. "Not for me, anyway."
It took Booth a minute to understand what she could have meant, and when he came to the possibility, he gaped at her, mouth opening and closing like a fish. Brennan, on the other hand, looked thoughtful.
"I think I've had more to drink than usual," she said observantly.
"You think?" Booth choked.
"Yes… eh, oh well, just a little much," she looked over at Angela. "Continue."
"With pleasure," Angela spun the wheel.
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Well that was fun to write.
I like reviews... just in case you wanted to write one... but no pressure. D