Revised 12/8

One week later…

Friday, 5:10PM, Jeffersonian Institute Medico-Legal Lab

"Is not," Brennan muttered half-heartedly.

"Is too," Angela stage whispered.

Angela wouldn't give up, and Brennan was about worn out on the subject after being teased off and on all week. Just about the time she thought they'd forgotten about the shooting range 'date', one of the others would start it up again. Right now she was waiting for Booth to show up, trying to hide her eagerness. They'd only managed to meet for lunch a few times on weekends during his long training, given that what little free time he'd had was spent with Parker. They'd had to settle for calling each other, and their talks had grown so frequent that it had almost become a nightly ritual these past few weeks. However, she admitted, the telephone was a poor substitute for seeing him in person.

When he'd called five minutes before to say he was entering the parking lot, she'd offered to just come out to the parking area, but he insisted on coming inside. He said he actually missed the squints, something which normally would have pleased her, but not today. Still, she couldn't actually explain to him just why she wanted to bail out on them. So she was stuck. Here.

Hodgins had to get in one last shot too. "C'mon, I'm right, admit it. He wants to share his 'guns' with you", he made the quote signs with his fingers, "and you just can't wait to get your hands on them."

She didn't even bother replying to him because Booth had entered the far end of the corridor, his eyes already on her. She hadn't realized just how much she missed his subtle swagger, and it took a few seconds for the fact he wasn't in a suit to register. Instead he was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt with a leather jacket the color of dark chocolate with the FBI seal sewn on the left breast. She smiled to herself as Angela noticed too, if the elbow nudging her side was any indication. She tried to ignore the jitters she was feeling; after all there was no reason for them – he was just her long lost partner.

- -

Booth felt the stupid grin spreading across his face as he finally reached his goal, oblivious at first to the squints also gathering around. She sure was a sight for sore eyes. He hadn't thought about exactly what he was going to do at this moment, but he suddenly had the powerful urge to pick up Bones in a bear hug and swing her around, he was so happy to be back. However, he knew she wouldn't appreciate being pawed on, particularly in front of her colleagues, so he decided to follow her cue. He didn't think she did PDA.

"Hey, Bones."

- -

"Hi, Booth."

After vacillating for the last half hour as to whether or not she should give him a hug in front of the others, she had finally decided to go for it and do what she really wanted for a change. But apparently she hesitated just a second too long…

Angela innocently enough stepped in her way, "Hey yourself, Booth!" and gave the agent a big hug. Brennan was thrown off, suddenly made self-conscious, and she stood rooted as Booth met Hodgins' "Long time, no see, man", with a crushing handshake. When Zack said, "Welcome back, Agent Booth," and extended his hand, Booth started to shake it then apparently thought better of it and instead tousled her assistant's hair like a kid's with a big laugh, in his good humor oblivious to the fact Zack was mortified. But Booth was already ignoring the others, looking at her, his hands slightly extended in anticipation of a hug.

Brennan was frozen, her momentum gone, over-thinking as usual. The old negative voice taunted her, "Once a wallflower, always a wallflower, but at least your co-workers won't tease you." Shut up! she finally mustered, but it was too late, the 'spontaneous' moment had passed as he put his hands back safely on his hips. She didn't miss the brief flicker of disappointment which he tried to hide with a smile.

Hodgins took her off the hook, but not in a way she wished.

"So, Booth, what are you packing tonight?"

"A bit more than usual. Do you wanna see it?" He didn't see Angela's elbow to Hodgins, but couldn't possibly miss Zack's titter at his answer. He turned to Zack, his brow wrinkling in distaste as he vaguely realized he was the butt of some joke.

"Grown men don't 'tee hee', and anyway it's Friday night. Don't you have a date washing some test tubes or something?"

Chastised, Zack went back to preparing his specimens for storage over the weekend.

Blushing and desperate to change the subject, Brennan remembered the message she'd almost forgotten.

"Booth, Goodman asked if you'd stop by his office for some hardcopies he signed for Cullen. Why don't you go ahead and do that now so we don't forget?"

"Sure", he said.

Angela jumped in, "That is an awesome leather jacket you've got there, Booth. Much, much better than those tacky blue and gold 'FBI' windbreakers you guys put on at crime scenes. Can I see it?"

Sometimes Brennan truly envied her effortless forward manner with men.

"Thanks", said Booth. "Sure. Here ya go." He took it off to hand it to her. "Actually I wish I had a windbreaker tonight. It's not quite cool enough for this thing."

Several pairs of eyes widened as they saw that the jacket had been hiding not just his shoulder holster but another full frame automatic pistol in holster high on his right hip. Then as he turned around and left to go see Goodman they saw the grip of a revolver tucked into the back of his pants.

Hodgins spoke first…

"Well I guess that answers my question." He turned to Brennan, "Are you going to the shooting range or a gang war?"

Angela was already brazenly wearing the leather jacket, checking out the detail work. "This is really nice." She was working her way around the jacket and paused at a smaller gray and black badge sewn high on one shoulder that had a stooping eagle grasping a chain in its talons.

"Servare Vitas", she read upside down.

Zack translated, "To save lives."

"Holy crap, let me see that." Hodgins went and took Angela's arm to see the sleeve for himself.

He looked accusingly at Brennan. "You didn't say Booth was HRT."

She gave him a confused look.

"HRT, Hostage Rescue Team", he clarified.

"I knew he was on a hostage rescue team but it never registered that that was the actual name of a specific unit," she answered.

"HRT is the federal government's closest civilian equivalent to the Army's Delta Force, the big leagues. They're prepared to be called up and in action inside of four hours anywhere in the lower forty-eight states." He rubbed his hands together, the conspiracy buff clearly warming to his subject. "Did you know that?"

Brennan said, "Yes, but he's really just a backup; his main responsibility is here around DC."

"Well I tend to prefer the conspiracies of the left, and don't buy any of the far right's nonsense about the Trilateral Commission helping the UN take over the US, but they're right about HRT. This is real black helicopter stuff. Black clad government thugs with guns and no regard for civil rights. Get him to tell you about HRT's role in Waco or at Ruby Ridge."

"He has told me a little about them", she said quietly, but Hodgins was on a righteous tear, not really listening anymore.

"Booth's got the bloody skills they need; I just didn't know he would do it."

Brennan defended him, "There is no way, no way whatsoever, he would be part of anything like that. You're wrong."

Angela moved closer to her and joined in, "Jack, you know Booth's one of the good guys…"

Hodgins rounded on them both, his intensity a little creepy, voice rising, "Some of those wars he was in, overt and covert, required doing some pretty nasty things, perhaps even somewhat justifiably. But if he's capable of doing it over there then he's capable of doing it over here."

Just then Booth came back, clearly concerned by the raised voices.

"Is something wrong?" He looked at Bones intently.

"No, everything's fine, right Hodgins?" she answered, hoping he would take the hint.

"Like hell it is!" he responded. "Come on, Booth, tell 'em about Ruby Ridge and Waco and your fellow killers. How about the Rules of Engagement at Ruby Ridge 'If you see 'em, shoot 'em'?"

Booth replied evenly at first, "Yes, Hodgins, there were some horrible screwups, even some outright abuses, but we have actually been studying them in our training to prevent repeats in the future."

But the 'funny little man' was having none of it, overcome by his righteous indignation. He tapped Booth on the chest, "I wouldn't expect you to say anything else. You just joined the Rethuglican death squad, pal, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. Fascists are the same everywhere."

Booth flushed and started losing his cool too, "Hello! The Waco fuckup happened on YOUR guys' watch! And our transport choppers are no longer painted low observable black because of over-excitable idiots just like you!" He jabbed back, " Pal!" He said the last as scornfully as possible.

"JACK!" Brennan called, but he didn't hear, caught up as he was. She gave Angela a look pleading for help to keep Hodgins from ruining everything, but the artist looked back just as helplessly.

Hodgins kept going, perhaps not the wisest thing against a larger man wearing three guns, he would later tell her ruefully.

"Tell them, Booth, about Lon Horiuchi, the HRT sniper who killed Vickie Weaver at Ruby Ridge while she was unarmed and holding a ten month old baby! He murdered her with a perfect headshot and then claimed it was an accident even though he could routinely hit a quarter from 200 meters, the same range! Tell him I said hello at your next reunion!" he practically spat.

Brennan knew Booth was about to acknowledge the troubling case of Horiuchi when Hodgins punched one of his buttons, big time, jabbing old wounds only partially healed…

He practically shouted, "You bunch of killers can casually kill women and children overseas and just dismiss it as 'collateral damage', but there's something called the Bill of Rights over here!"

Uh-oh. Booth turned pale now, about as angry as she had ever seen him.

He leaned in and grated, "You. Have. No. Idea. What. You're. Talking. About."

Brennan stepped in and placed both hands on his chest. "Please", she implored.

She caught his eye and he nodded, trying to regain control of himself. He took in a deep breath and let it out raggedly.

At the same time Angela grabbed Hodgins by the arm and yanked him away forcefully.

Booth loudly announced, " I've had enough of this bullshit. I'll be outside." He walked out rapidly.

Hodgins had to yell at his departing back, "I'm just speaking truth to power, man!"

Booth's only reply was a raised fist with middle finger extended as he turned the corner without looking back.

Brennan's eyes stung. I will not cry. I don't do 'upset', I get angry. Her 'not a date' was ruined.

She gave Hodgins a look that should have turned him into ash wafting on the air currents of the lab's ventilation system, but he was impervious in his still roused state. She would give him a piece of her mind later, but she had more important things to deal with at the moment.

She sadly looked at Zack, who was speechless, then Angela who handed her the leather jacket. She hurried after Booth.

- -

Hodgins was still pumped on adrenaline, almost giddy. "…speaking truth to power man!"

Angela turned away from him, heartbroken for Brennan. "Keep up like this and you'll be speaking to nobody, least of all me."

A/N

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