Temperance walked through the doors to the medico-legal labs the next morning, her brow knit together in confusion. She looked around, taking in the details as she wound her way over to Angela's office. Camille was on the examination platform, frowning. When she looked up at Brennan, an incredibly sour expression overtook her visage. Deciding to take Angela's recent advice to "just breathe and smile" Temperance did just that. She sucked in a deep breath of familiar, sterile, Jeffersonian air and sent a beaming smile in Cam's direction. As Brennan entered Angela's office, Cam's expression turned from sour to utterly confused. Brennan walked decidedly into Angela's office and stopped directly behind the artist, who was recovering some images from a computer.
"Just a sec sweetie," she began only to be cut off by Brennan.
"Booth kissed me last night, but I don't want to talk about it." Angela turned and looked at her best friend, the recovered image immediately forgotten.
"Well, good morning to you too, and why did you tell me if you don't want to talk about it?"
"I'm confused, Ange. Why did he kiss me? It's not like we were on a date or anything." Tempe sighed and flopped down into a nearby chair.
"Well..." Angela began, her voice soothing, her excitement tempered by genuine concern. "Why don't you tell me exactly what happened."
"Angela," Temperance chastised, "I did not come here to brighten your day by giving you a dissection of events." Angela just pouted, shifting closer to her friend and waiting patiently for her to begin. Temperance rolled her eyes. This was how her best friend did it. She could coerce someone into saying anything just by looking at them.
"Fine. We were discussing Christmas rituals, had dinner, then went shopping for Parker. Did you know that there are huge stores dedicated entirely to toys? I had no idea of the variety of things you could find."
"Stay on topic, sweetie," Angela directed.
"That was on topic." Tempe complained, "You asked me to tell you exactly what happened, this is exactly." Angela simply adopted the breathe and smile approach, a tactic not missed for a second by Temperance. "Well we were shopping, we headed back to the car, it was snowing..."
"It was snowing." Angela sighed, resting her head on her hand a dreamy expression written across her face.
"It was snowing," Temperance repeated "We got to the car and... and he kissed me for no good reason. Ok, that's it. That's what happened. I have to go." Tempe stuttered making a move to bolt out of Angela's office. Angela wasn't going to let her friend go that easily. She bolted up from her seat and grabbed the forensic anthropologist's arm, effectively stopping her.
"Whoa, hold on there. That can't be all. He doesn't just kiss people for no good reason."
"How would you know?"
"Because I know men, and Booth is too much of a gentleman to just spring it on you. Now, what happened to the lead up? There had to be something. You said it was snowing." Again, the dreamy quality returned to Angela's voice. Tempe looked at her, unsure of what her friend expected her to say.
"Ange, I, I don't know what to say."
"Just tell me what happened right before he kissed you." Temperance hesitated, she searched Angela's eyes for reassurance and cast her mind back to the night before.
"Well, we had been talking about the weather. I said I liked winter weather and then it started to snow..."
"As if by magic." Angela sighed. Temperance ignored Angela's blatant romanticization of the situation and pressed on. After all, she really did need advice.
"So we ran to the car and once inside, Booth wiped some snow of my cheek that I couldn't see. Then he kissed me."
"Oh, that's so sweet, just like a movie," Angela began to grin, and seemed to be looking off into space. "Two people realizing they were meant to be..."
"Booth and I are hardly meant to be. We're partners."
"It's like fate giving you a little push."
"Angela, what do I do? This isn't like it was with Michael. Why isn't it like it was with Michael?"
"Because you love him."
"I most certainly do not." Temperance asserted almost before Angela had finished her sentence. Noting her slight faux pas in terms of the way in which she had explained things to her friend, Angela grabbed her hand and guided her to sit down before she tried again.
"Sweetie with Michael it was all lust and power, with Booth you, well you're equals."
"Michael and I were equals. I am equally as qualified. In fact, I think our most recent encounter would suggest that I am superior in terms of professional ability."
"Honey, that wasn't what I meant. I mean you and Booth you are like Ying and Yang, you just fit - you are complimentary."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you and Michael, you're all about what's up here." Angela pointed to her head before she continued. "Booth, he's all about the emotions, you know, how people feel. He's your opposite, and you know what people say about that. He's your complementary component. Understand?"
"I think so. But what about Cam?"
"Bren, don't even take a moment to think about her. If Booth is interested in you, then that's all that matters."
"But it's not what matters Ange, who said he was interested in me anyway?"
"I think the whole romantic shopping trip in the snow and the kissing thing may be a slight indication."
"Angela it was not a romantic shopping trip. It was a practical one. And the kiss thing doesn't have to indicate any long-term intention. We all have urges."
"Urges Bren? Urges? Seriously do you have to phrase it like that?"
"Like how? I'm just saying that higher primates are driven by their biological urges, and last night seems to be an indication of that."
"Does it now? So, if people are driven by their urges, then why didn't you two sleep together last night? I'll tell you why, because between the two of you, it would be more than just sex, and I'd be willing to bet you aren't ready for that, and he knows it."
"But..." Brennan began, "Hang on a second you said you."
"I said you?" Angela questioned, placing her hand over her heart.
"Yes, you said you."
"Well you," Angela said stressing the you "are making no sense."
"You said you are not ready for sex, not you both that implies that you think he is. He is?" Temperance questioned.
"Excuse the crudity with which I'm going to phrase this, but I see no other choice. That man has wanted to jump your...bones almost since the moment he met you. You, however, have made that quite a difficult task."
"I have not, and why do you think I'm not ready for sex?"
"Are you?" Angela crossed her arms and looked at her best friend. Temperance stared back for a moment before focusing her thoughts inward.
"Sex, yes Booth...no" she uttered shaking her head as she focused on a spot on the floor. "There is a difference isn't there?" Temperance half stated, half asked. Angela just smiled and moved closer to rub circles on Temperance's back.
"The difference, sweetie, is that you care a lot about him, and don't want to ruin a good thing, am I right?"
"Why am I so bad at emotions? I can't even tell what I'm feeling half the time."
"It's like I said before, you care too much. That's why you distance yourself. Whether you believe that or not is up to you, but just about everyone else sees it. Now, knowing that, I'll be kind and change the subject." Angela reached into a drawer of her desk and extracted a box. "I got inspired, so here are those cards you asked for."
"Oh Angela, they're beautiful," Tempe enthused, running her fingers along the detail of the cards. Each seemed to be totally unique and radiated a certain happiness and hope that Angela radiated on a day-to-day basis.
"Are you going to tell me who they're for yet?" Angela pried, hoping to get some indication as to why her best friend had been acting so evasive. Though, she rationalized, it may well have something to do with a certain FBI Agent. Temperance paused before meeting the eyes of her best friend. She still wasn't sure if she should tell anyone, and definitely didn't want Booth to know, but should she keep it from her best friend?
"They're for...a friend's kids. My friend is a little short on income currently and I wanted to help out a little."
"Well wonders never cease. Temperance Brennan is getting into the holiday spirit."
"I wouldn't go that far, Ange."
"Well if you're trying to help out, do you need any help?"
"I think I just might."
"Good, then we can discuss it over lunch, unless of course you've made plans with Booth."
"Lunch sounds great." Angela promptly stood and linked arms with her friend guiding her out of the office. "Ange, where are we going?"
"Lunch." Angela smiled as she danced her way towards the exit.
"Angela it is not lunchtime yet!" Tempe exclaimed tugging on her friends arm to get her to slow down.
"Oh, brunch then, whatever!" Angela laughed, amused by the look of worry on Temperance's face. "It'll be fine." she soothed rubbing Tempe's arm, but maintaining a steady course towards the outside world.
"But what about..."
"Would you ladies like to explain where you're going? I thought I made it quite clear that all work must be done by the twenty third," Cam said, walking down into their path. Angela looked at her best friend, who seemed to be battling with something. Finally, a grim smile came onto the anthropologist's face.
"I'm using a get out of jail free card. And rest assured, you've made your point quite clear."
"Dr. Brennan, I'm afraid you can't do that."
"But..." Tempe began, brought to reality by Angela strongly pinching her arm. "We had a deal Cam."
"Deal or no deal I am still head of this department and I am making the decision that we do not have time for your antics this time of year. The rest of us want to be able to go away and enjoy our Christmases. Just because you are happy to play scrooge does not mean this department will be dragged down with you. Have I made that clear?"
The two women stared at each other, neither wanting to back down from their position. Finally, Angela couldn't take the tension anymore and leaned over to whisper something to her best friend.
"It's not worth a fight, sweetie. We'll just go at lunch. Be the better woman, Bren." Tempe nodded her head and turned to her office. Angela caught the triumphant look on Cam's face and only shook her head in response.
Brennan stormed in to her office, flouncing down in to her chair sending a pile of files cascading onto the floor. Brennan simply groaned and let her head fall in to her hands. Things were getting far, far too complicated she decided. Her introspection was promptly interrupted by the ringing of her cell.
"Brennan," she said when she answered it, not bothering to look at the caller id.
"Morning, Bones. I just wanted to know if you had any lunch plans. I thought maybe you'd like to join me?" Tempe smiled at the sound of Booth's voice, even though he was the inadvertent cause of her current frustration.
"Sorry, but I've already agreed to meet Angela."
"Oh, okay, well what about dinner?"
"I doubt Cam will allow that!" Brennan stated, her bitterness evident.
"Why, what...what has Cam said?" Booth asked, trying to calm himself and discern enough information to figure out how to get out of the mess he was certain he was in.
"Well you know, she wants everything done 'by the 23rd'" she started, mimicking Cam's voice in a very un-brennan type action that only served to make Booth chuckle. "I'd better stay. It's that or be labeled the Christmas scrooge."
"Okay, then how's about a compromise?"
"What kind of compromise?"
"Why don't I bring over some take out and we can eat dinner over an autopsy table." Booth shook his head. And to think I accused her of doing that before. There was a long pause, and Booth wasn't sure if she was still there. "Bones?"
"Well if you're going to do that, then you'd better bring enough for everyone. Get Thai," she added as and after thought.
"Bones, Cam hates Thai. It might not be…"
"I know." Brennan cut him off, a distinct blush creeping across her features.
"Remind me never to make you mad Temperance."
"If I do that, then I'd be telling you all the time." Booth laughed at the blunt statement.
"All right, I'll see you this evening." As they both hung up the line, Temperance sighed a bit in relief. If there was one thing she could always count on, it was Booth's ability to put her in a good mood. With a lighter heart, she got up to retrieve the scattered files.
Lunchtime soon rolled around and Angela trotted spritefully up the steps towards her dearest friend. "Come on sweetie, get your coat and we can paint the town red!"
"I've never understood that expression.. Do you know its derivations?" Temperance asked stalling for time as she finished her examination of Zach's latest skull reconstruction.
"Quit stalling Bren, chop chop, time to go." she nagged in a sing song voice.
"Okay…" Brennan sighed, rolling her eyes. "Good work Zach." she reassured patting his shoulder with an open palm as she left.
"So... where are you taking me?" Angela asked, toying with her keys as she stood in the doorway to Brennan's office.
"We have to stop by the hospital to drop off the cards, and after that, if you have somewhere in particular you'd like to go..."
"No, nothing in mind, yet. Come on, before someone changes her mind and makes us stay for lunch." Brennan offered her best friend a smile before they left the building, cards in tow.
The trip to the hospital took less time than Brennan thought, and when they entered, the receptionist recognized Brennan and pointed vaguely down a hallway. Brennan and Angela shared a look and wandered in the vague direction in which they were pointed. There sat two little kids engrossed in a hushed conversation.
"We can't let mommy know, she'll be really upset."
"But we have to Alex. Teacher says everyone is going to bringing a present for secret santa - that means us too."
"No it doesn't we can't you know that."
"I know," the girl conceded. Brennan watched the children's body language, noting the slumped shoulders. These boys seemed so sad, clearly felt isolated. It reminded her hugely of time spent in the foster system.
Sarah rounded the corner, and Tempe noticed an immediate change in the body language of the children. "Have you two been behaving yourselves?" she asked the kids. They both nodded vigorously. The nurse smiled at them and jumped slightly when she became aware of Temperance and Angela. "Tempe, I didn't expect to see you so soon."
"Well, I just wanted to give you the cards I promised." Tempe smiled as she passed them to Sarah.
"Oh my," Sarah gasped, raising her hand to her chest. "Oh I can't accept these, they're too much, just too beautiful - little pieces of art." she pondered.
"They're for you." Tempe insisted. "Sarah, I'd like you to meet Angela, she's the one who created the cards." Angela smiled at Sarah and watched as she lovingly ran a hand over the faces of the holiday greetings. Without saying a word, she showed the cards to the two children.
"I felt so inspired by the season, you know, so each one is different." Angela smiled and shrugged when Sarah looked up at her, beaming.
"This truly is too much."
"Not at all. I was happy to do it." Sarah swiped at her eyes to stop the tears building there and placed her hands on her children's shoulders. "Haley, Alex, I'd like you to meet Tempe."
Haley and Alex immediately stood and stepped forward to greet the women before them. They may not have been rich in terms of material things but these children were rich in spirit and in manners. This fact was lost on either Tempe or Angela, who both stepped forward to shake the children's hands.
"These cards are for you." Sarah said, crouching down to show their splendid detail. "Angela made them especially for you. Isn't that awfully kind of her?"
"Thank you Angela," the two children said in unison, almost as though greeting a teacher in a classroom.
"Well, you're entirely welcome," the artist beamed. Tempe watched the scene, wheels turning in her head. If these two didn't want to tell their mother they needed secret santa gifts, then maybe she could help them.
"Sarah, are these two with you all day?"
"Yes." Sarah replied, slumping her shoulders and a distinct look of shame crossed her face. "The babysitter she.. well."
"Would they perhaps like to come and see a tour of the Jeffersonian?" Angela piped up
"Don't they have Dizzy Gillespe's trumpet there," Alex asked, excited.
"Yup, and a lot of other things as well. Would you two like to go?" Angela looked at Sarah, who seemed to be thinking it over.
"Well, if it wouldn't be too much trouble..."
"Of course not. We wouldn't have offered otherwise." Tempe replied. Haley looked just as excited as her twin.
"Can we go?"
"Are you sure?" Sarah asked, looking from Tempe to Angela and back to Tempe again.
"Positive." Tempe assured as Angela swept forward in a flourish to grab the hands of two, now very excited, children.
"We'll have a great time." Angela gushed, half for the children half for Sarah.
"What time do you finish your shift?" Tempe asked.
"Not until 9, is that too late? That's too late isn't it?"
"Not at all," Tempe smiled. "Can you pick them up from the Jeffersonian?
"Of course. Thank you so much, this means the world to me."
"No, it's our pleasure." Tempe looked down at the kids.
"Well, are you two ready to go?"
"Yeah!" With a grin, Angela and Tempe left the hospital, ready to baby-sit two excited eight year olds, not caring that Cam would most certainly be annoyed by that fact. In fact Temperance realized that she was feeling a certain sense of amusement at having found another way to irritate Cam. Since when had she become a vindictive person ? She smiled to herself.
"She deserves it." Angela said, leaning towards Tempe.
"How did you know what I was thinking?"
"Sweetie you are my best friend. I know you better than you think." Angela concluded, with a suggestive wink.
That evening, Booth showed up with loads of Thai food. As he walked into the Medico-legal lab, he was shocked to hear the laughter of children, as well as the sexy sound of laughter coming from Temperance. He was utterly shocked to find her on the examination platform with two children as they raced a couple of Zack's beetles.
He hung back in the shadows silently watching the beautiful smile that graced his partner's face. He watched her eyes dart between the children and the affection that resided in the gentle way in which she patted their backs or stroked their hair. Suddenly the laughter stopped and Brennan had turned and seemed to be focusing on a bone fragment. Angela was ushering the children away in silence. Booth looked around to see the cause of this action. He noted that Cam was descending the stairs and heading right for Brennan.
"What is going on here, Dr. Brennan? Why are there children in the lab?" Temperance stood up to her full height, the smile gone and replaced with her usual look of cool indifference.
"They were learning about dermestes maculates with Angela."
"Fine, if you're going to play the game that way. Why did you bring children into a secure lab, and I know it wasn't to look at beetles."
"Cam, hey.." Booth called, cracking his charm smile and bounding up the steps towards her.
"What Booth? Can't you see I'm in the middle of an important conversation?"
"I can see that Cam, but I would really like to talk with you, alone," he said, pulling her away from Brennan. Cam smiled happily in Brennan's direction and waltzed towards her office.
"Food's in your office." Booth mouthed to Brennan, winking at her over his shoulder.
"Thank you." she mouthed back with a smile, not sure whether to be grateful for his rescue, annoyed that he felt he had to or concerned at the jealousy that was coursing through her veins knowing he was with Cam. Brennan stood still, watching as her partner walked away with Cam. Angela looked at her best friend, then glanced at the door.
"I'm sure it has to do with the case, or something."
"I'm sure you're right," Tempe replied before turning toward the kids. "I don't know about the two of you, but I'm starving."
Booth shut the door to Cam's office after ushering her inside. He looked at the smug smile on her face and crossed his arms defensively. "Well, have you changed your mind," she asked, stepping closer to him. Booth backed off, and kept his distance from the pathologist.
"You want to tell me why you're being so hard on the team?"
"Seeley my managerial methods have zero to do with you."
"Camille," Booth stressed through gritted teeth "it has a lot to do with me when you affect the performance levels of the expert advisory team to the FBI."
"My effect on performance, Seeley is only positive. However you seem to pose a certain distraction for the good doctor. Maybe Cullen would like to hear about that."
"Distraction? If I recall, she's not the one being distracted of late. You on the other hand have done nothing but torment this team since Brennan got in that car accident. My gut tells me that has everything to do with me, and nothing to do with her."
"Don't flatter yourself, Agent Booth."
"And don't make idle threats, Dr. Saroyan." Lust in her eyes, clearly enjoying the exchange, Cam advanced towards Booth backing him up against the wall.
"What's taking Booth so long." Brennan whispered to Ange as they refereed the distribution of food.
"There's nothing to worry about Bren, it's you he wants." Angela reassured, handing Bren a plate full of food. Brennan scooped somein to her mouth and muttered "I'm not worried." She was certain Angela new otherwise. Booth entered her office and slumped down next to her. She noticed that his tie was disheveled and her stomach flipped.
"The things I do for you." he laughed, rolling his eyes as he leaned forward to grab a plate of food.
"What did you do?" Brennan asked, in a tone that neither Booth nor Angela could decipher.
"Nothing," he muttered, then stuffed a bite of food in his mouth to fend off the need to answer for the moment. Brennan looked up and out the glass of her doors to see Dr. Saroyan leaving with a satisfied smile on her face. Brennan looked from Cam to Booth, her mind working a mile a minute. When it reached the conclusion of her thoughts, she turned to Angela, her expression grim. "You're wrong Angela. You're completely wrong."