So this shall be the last of my redemption chaps for today I think. Hope it's to your liking.
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He's overprotective as hell. But it doesn't really bug me. It's his way of showing he cares, who am I to stop him?
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They waited as April ran inside to pack a few things for school the next day and Booth turned to his partner, entwining their hands subtly.
"It's going to be good to have you back. Zack was driving me nuts." He muttered, even while a small smile graced his lips.
"Really? Because I was thinking of taking another week off to get some work done on my novel."
Booth's eyes slid over to hers, about to protest, but he sighed in relief. Her teasing smile gave her away.
"That's not funny."
Bennnan laughed quietly. "Why so serious Booth? Zack's a good forensic anthropologist."
Booth nodded. "I know. But he's…severely lacking in people skills."
"So am I. You can teach him."
"No, I can't." He stated.
"Why not? You taught me."
"That's different, Bones, it's…"
"How?"
Booth sighed. She wasn't even home for a day and he already wanted to pull his hair out.
God, I missed her.
Before he could answer the backdoor opened and April climbed in.
"Okay, all set."
Booth pulled away from the curb, glancing in the rear view mirror as he spoke.
"Toothbrush, toothpaste, socks and hair stuff?"
"Check check, check and check. And before you ask, 'yes' I have clean underwear and socks. I know how to pack my bags Seeley." She teased. He often babied her, especially if she was staying over somewhere which, granted, wasn't very often. It was annoying, but comforting. No one had ever cared to ask those things before.
Brennan watched with interest as the two interacted and felt a pang of jealousy at how much closer they seemed to have gotten in her absence. She shifted in her seat as she listened to them banter, wishing she hadn't had to leave right when she and April were getting close, the kind of close she'd always wanted with her mother.
Almost immediately she banished the thought, a twinge of panic touching the outskirts of her mind.
I'm not her mother.
Booth smiled. "Well, tell me you packed something besides black, Bug."
April sighed dramatically. "Of course I did Seeley…my socks have red stripes." She grinned and jumped out of the car as they pulled up in front of Angela's apartment.
Angela had just pulled up as well and was on her way to her door, arms loaded down with bags from Macy's.
"Hey you two!" She dropped her items and rounded the car to where Brennan was climbing out of the SUV.
Brennan stumbled backward at the rough hug from her friend but grinned none-the-less.
"Hey Ange."
The brunette pulled away and entwined their arms as they slowly rounded the car and Angela bombarded her with questions.
"Sweetie, how are you? How was the trip? How was the dig? Was it horrible, was it disgusting? Are you just ecstatic to be back?" They paused and found April and Booth standing at the front door, Booth's arms full of the bags Angela had dropped.
"Okay, he is just too sweet. If I wasn't an engaged woman we would so be fighting over him."
Brennan only grinned while her gaze traveled over her muscular boyfriend, who'd somehow located Angela's hide-a-key and had strode inside the apartment, brown-haired April in tow.
"Yeah, we would…and I would have to kick your butt." She grinned over at her friend and Angela's mouth dropped.
"That's my girl!"
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Gotta love her. Bold style, take-no-prisoners attitude and a helluva artist. I want to be her.
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Booth and Brennan made it back to his apartment in record time. Not only had they been away from each other for three weeks, meaning they were three weeks behind in a very new relationship, but Angela managed to supply them with enough sexual innuendoes that Booth was resisting the urge to put on the siren.
"Bones." He ground out, accelerating through a yellow light. "Hand, Bones."
Brennan glanced down to find her hand working it's way up his thigh to a very sensitive area.
"You know, if you let me drive we wouldn't be having this problem." She muttered, only moving her hand a few inches.
Booth grinned. "Oh yes. We would."
They made it two more miles in tense silence before Brennan felt like she was about to explode.
"Pull over."
"Way ahead of you."
A black SUV quickly exited the freeway and made it's way to a very secluded spot at the far end of an empty parking lot.
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I hate these pajamas.
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"Okay, those are the cutest pajamas ever." Angela nodded approvingly as April emerged from the guest bedroom in a dark purple tank top and shorts with little green aliens all over them.
"Angela, you bought me these." April tugged at the fabric nervously and smoothed a few imaginary wrinkles.
"Ahh…that must be why I like them so much." She shrugged and bounded down the hallway to grasp April's hand, carefully avoiding the still bandaged wrists which she had been filled in on, and drug her back out to the living room.
"I rented all the best chick flicks, we have 'An Affair to Remember' classic. 'Fried Green Tomatoes', heartbreaking, and 'Finding Neverland', just because Johnny Depp is hot." She sat down cross-legged on the Persian rug and leaned back against her overstuffed lipstick red couch, indicating for April too do the same.
Brennan and Booth did finally make it back to his apartment, several broken speed limits and one more unscheduled stop later. They even made it upstairs and to the bedroom without losing most of their clothes.
They did probably wake the entire building with the noise…but they definitely didn't care.
April listened half-heartedly as Angela gave the rundown of what they were going to do that night, catching every other word. Mostly she studied Angela's great apartment, a place so like what she wanted someday.
"…do hair…tons of nail polish…"
It was a studio set up, almost no walls, just one big room with high ceilings of exposed beams.
"…tissues…popcorn…vanilla ice-cream…"
A couple of the walls were just brick from where the plaster had been torn down and old fashioned radiators heated the large space, keeping it nice and toasty.
"…chocolate chip…such a hottie…"
Hardwood floors, flashy, eclectic furniture and huge windows. If there was ever a place April could feel at home, this was it.
"…midnight painting session..."
April's head snapped over in Angela's direction.
"Really?" Her eyes wide at the prospect of using some of Angela's beautiful art supplies.
"Yeah, I even got you your very own set, see?" From beneath the couch the artist produced a sturdy looking mahogany box. She opened it to reveal a perfect set of painters' brushes and at least a dozen tubes of the finest acrylic paint.
April was speechless and frozen for a moment. Finally, one hand on her chest, the other slowly reached out and touched the paintbrushes, feeling the smooth wood beneath her fingertips.
Angela dipped her chin when she saw tears shining in the girl's eyes.
"Are you okay sweetie?" Concern laced her tone as she put aside the box and took April's hand.
After a moment she looked up, her chin trembling.
"Angela…that's the nicest thing anyone's ever given me." She said quietly, "Thank you."
In seconds, Angela was also teary eyed and she nodded, unable to speak. April closed her eyes and launched herself at her, wrapping the woman in a tight hug.
"Thank you so much." She whispered.
Though she was momentarily startled, Angela immediately returned the hug, smiling broadly at the unexpected show of affection.
April pulled back and wiped her eyes.
"Can we paint now?" She asked shyly.
"Do Irish Accents make hot guys even hotter?" Angela grabbed April's hand, April grabbed her paint box and they scampered over to the other side of the room, giggling like little girls. In no time Angela had flipped on Lynard Skynard, tossed April a green poncho and they set to work splashing paint all over the canvases against the far wall, dancing and singing loud and proud to Sweet Home Alabama.
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If I'd known painting was this much fun, I would have taken it up a long time ago.
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The next morning came and found Hodgins and Zack in the lab, bright and early, and arguing over parking spots. A few minutes later Cam strode in, nodding at the boys before immediately locking herself in her office since she wouldn't be 'awake' until at least nine.
After her came Angela, Gucci purse in one hand, large Mocha Latte in the other.
"Wow Baby, looks like the kid wore you out." Hodgins said playfully, kissing her on the lips.
"We had a late night." She told him, sipping her coffee. That was obvious, her hair was thrown into a messy bun, she wore minimal makeup and was slumped into the nearest chair she could find.
"Well, I had a late night, April fell asleep around ten. I was cleaning up until two." She explained.
"I wonder where Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth are." Zach said, staring bewildered at the empty examination table.
Angela perked up. "Hopefully they'll be late."
Hodgins caught her eye and her drift, while Zach merely squinted harder at the table.
"Zack, buddy, just because you stare at it doesn't mean a body will appear." He clapped him on the shoulder and shook his head.
Before the young man could respond, two very loud, very familiar voices rang out in the lab.
"I just don't see why I couldn't drive."
"Jeez Bones, are we going to have this argument for the rest of our lives?"
"No, only until you give me an answer."
"I gave you an answer."
"Not a good one."
"Ha! You didn't say it had to be a good…"
"Okay, do you two even have normal conversations?"
Booth and Brennan stopped abruptly and looked up onto the platform where Angela stood, hands on her hips, eyebrows raised. In her black leggings, wide black belt, and white and black polka dot blouse, the artist looked like a force to be reckoned with. Especially at 7:30am.
"What are you talking about? We were having a discussion." Brennan swiped her key card and they both joined the rest on the platform.
"You were arguing." Angela retorted, noting with amusement that Booth was carrying Brennan's bag.
I've taught you so well Sweetie.
"We were not arguing. We were talking loudly." Brennan folded her arms and Booth stood beside her, nodding his agreement.
Angela just rolled her eyes and came to stand closer to her friend.
"Sweetie, I want to know everything. How was it, what happened and did you like it?" She grinned mischievously.
Just then, Booth's cell phone rang and Brennan could tell by the way he stiffened when he answered that it was Cullen. Brennan waved off Angela's questions, obviously distracted by Booth's conversation.
"Good, I think you know and yes." She answered with disinterest as Booth hung up the phone.
"Do we have a case?" She asked eagerly, blue eyes bright with anticipation.
Booth grinned at her enthusiasm. "We have a case." He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the stairs. "Let's go."
Angela's voice followed them out the door.
"When a girl chooses dead bodies over gossip with her friends, something's gotta be wrong!"
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Does knowing everyone is staring at you, but being unable to prove it, make you crazy? If it does, then I am certifiable.
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April kept her head down as she walked through the crowded hallways toward her locker. She often felt like a human pinball in these halls. It was very loud, very chaotic and she seemed to be in everyone's way.
Unconsciously she hugged her book closer to her and sidestepped a group of girls in stilettos before coming to a stop in front of her locker.
Just then a group of Varsity football players came careening down the hall playing catch. One of them dove to catch the out-of-control pigskin and slammed right into the lockers, squashing a thin girl dressed in black beneath him.
"Sorry, hey! Go long, Mr. Swope is comin'!"
April rubbed her shoulder after she yanked her locker open and threw an angry glare in the direction of the jocks.
She didn't notice a girl in super low rise jeans and an off the shoulder black top coming up behind her.
"Oh. My. Gawd. Apwril Wross?" A high pitched, heavily Jersey accented voice from behind made her jump and turn around.
"Yeah who wants to…Misty?"
Soooo, who wants to know who Misty is? haha. I'm not tellin! At least, not till the next chap. Review please.