This was a difficult chapter to write. Because of the various scenarios that peaked into the storyline in the second chapter, I have been wrestling with making this a five chapter story as opposed to the original three chapter idea. After some ideas that have floated to the surface and also some great feedback, I have decided to do five chapters. So, without further adieu, here is this third chapter, letting us see how Hodgins fared after his meeting with Booth. We get back to Booth in chapter four. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Hodgins was slogging through frame after frame of the Wonder Woman film while the computer was analyzing the audio for anything that could explain what had caused Dr. B to bring on such an out of character reaction and also bring on that dreaded of all dreaded conditions in Booth: impotence. If he found anything he was going to put a bug in Billy's ear and have that psychotic sadist have a little celebratory tequila chat with the sick fucker who did it. Maybe a few new pieces of body art would send a clear message that decent people were disgusted by any of that subliminal bullshit! As it was he himself was dealing with a new and decidedly unwelcome case of impotence! He knew that meeting up with Booth hadn't been a good idea, as he'd been blissfully ignorant of any issues on the home front. Now the crown jewels were tucked in and hiding from any view whatsoever, and the Royal Scepter had shriveled up, practically turned in on itself and gone into hiding. He was sure that it would take a pair of tweezers and some serious pain and suffering to get it out into the open again in all its REGAL glory!

All Angie had to do was one simple thing. Four simple words in reply to his heart felt, and downright scared out of his mind, question. Those words? You're the best, Hodgie! Followed, of course, by some serious making out! Nothing too dramatic. Just the truth! The King of the Lab deserved at least that! Or how about a simple, humble, heartfelt and seriously understated, yet loudly squealed, instantaneous exclamation of I can't live without you Hodgie! With, naturally, the serious make out session mentioned before! Was that asking too much? He didn't think so! He thought back to that horrifying moment the afternoon of the day before.

He'd rolled into the newly renovated lab, which had an incredible array of the latest in computer and scanning technologies, and made his way immediately to Angie's office. He'd gone home first and put on a fresh shirt, rinsed with mouthwash (make out sessions were a bust if bad breath was part of the mix!), spritzed on some seriously arousing cologne just to make sure that the total studly package was on display before giving Angie the Heaven sent opportunity to once more let her Hodgie know how Royally magnificent he is! He stopped for a moment before entering and just watched her as she worked on her BABY as she called the latest iteration of the Angelatron. It was still amazing to him how lucky he got with her. Granted, the psychotic father-in-law business he could do without, but he was confident that he would have that sick, demented, sadistic freak sitting in a solitary cell in a Super Max prison one of these days soon! He even had fantasies of seeing the nut bar being sentenced in court to such a fate. Of course he kept all that to himself as he didn't want to risk serious maiming at the hands of Angie, or, even worse, the sick freak himself. Taking a deep breath, offering up a silent, heart felt and fearful prayer, he rolled into Angie's office.

"Now that is a sight to behold," he said aloud as he took in her absolutely perfect figure, wrapped in a silk blouse and short skirt that hugged all her curves just right. If he didn't need to make damn sure that there were no troubles on the home front he'd be making a serious pitch to get right to the mind blowing make out session and forget all the preliminaries!

"You're incorrigible, Jack," Angela chuckled as she looked over at her husband.

"Just honest," Hodgins told her. "Are you happy?" he blurted right out. Better to get this done up front and then the frolicking could begin!

"Excuse me?" Angela had asked.

"Our marriage and life together," Hodgins clarified, giving her some perfect opportunities to give him some serious praise and adulation.

Silence. More silence. Further silence.

Hodgins began to sweat. What the fuck is going on? Where's the You're the best Hodgie? He'd even settle for a simple Yes, Hodgie.

"Uh, Ange?" he squeaked.

"Well, it has been a difficult year," Angela finally said. "It was really rough for a while, but things are getting better."

Hodgins' eyes bugged out, the blood left his face and he could feel the Royal Scepter and the Crown Jewels shriveling up and going into hiding. If Billy got wind of this he'd be fucked for sure! Damn Booth and his lack of stamina! Now the Hodgins' happy home was a sinking ship and Jack could see some more body art on his horizon for sure! He latched onto the one good bit of news.

"It really is getting better?" he asked, trying desperately to keep the pleading tone out of his voice.

"Of course," she assured him. "Just because it's taking time for me to emotionally get beyond what happened when you had so much difficulty dealing with your situation doesn't mean I don't love you. But you asked if I'm happy, and that takes time."

Hodgins about flopped out of the wheelchair and kissed her feet. He didn't, but it had been a close one there. At least she still loved him and things were improving. That still put his ass in a serious sling when it came to that freak Billy if Booth were to suggest he was making Angie unhappy, though. Well! No make out session today! It also meant he was stuck with all that film analysis bullshit that Booth was dragging him in on!

Hodgins brought his thoughts back to the present and shuddered at the memory. It had been a rough rest of the day and he'd done all he could to keep from breaking down and rushing to the nearest Church and praying for forgiveness and some Divine assistance in avoiding that Sadist Billy. He really didn't want to have to face the wrath of Billy any time soon. Especially seeing as he'd been really working on doing things right by Angie. He could see her point, and was so in love with her that he knew that with some work and understanding they would be back to the Happy Home 100% in no time. She had told him that things were really a lot better than when he had been depressed and it was more getting back her emotional equilibrium than anything else. Until then, though, Booth, that sexual wimp, had him by the balls. Cursing, he went back to working on the next set of film reel. It was going to be a long evening!

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this humorous look at Hodgins in the aftermath of his being dragged into this mess. I wanted the scene with he and Angela to be simple, not drawn out. I hope it worked. I should have another chapter in a few days. Gregg.