Thanks, guys, for all your support! I edited this chapter last night, so it's a little longer...not much. It's not really anything exciting though. Enjoy!

Chapter Four: Telling

One month later

Brennan walked out of Dr. Goodman's office dejectedly off in search of her best friend. Telling the director why she would be taking a leave for the next several months (although she had promised that she could do work at home, an offer which the director had readily agreed to, for lack of knowing the complete situation) had been a difficult task in itself. Telling Angela, she knew, would be one that proved to be even more difficult. She winced at the mere thought.

"Hey, Bones, we've got a case!" Booth's voice rang out from the other side of the Jeffersonian.

Brennan turned slowly, to face him, and watched as he came trotting over to her, a case file in hand. She sighed, and ran her fingers through her hair. "Can it wait until after lunch?"

"Yeah, sure, Bones," Booth said, his eyebrows knitting together as he looked down at his watch in surprise. He looked back up to the anthropologist, only to see her features laced with sorrow. He knew then, as he had suspected for the past month or so, that she had been hiding something from him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "You okay?"

"Fine," she replied, doing her best to force a small smile, but her eyes said otherwise. "I just need to talk to Angela," she said. Booth felt a small twinge of hope – at least she would be telling someone what was bothering her, he was sure of that. The hope was soon replaced with a small twinge of disappointment and…perhaps jealousy…that it wasn't him she was talking to. But then again…girl stuff, he shuddered as Brennan continued, "I'll meet you after lunch, okay?"

He nodded solemnly, his eyes searching her face for a truth. "I'll see you then," he said, nodding at her as she lifted a hand in a feeble wave and turned, heading towards her friend's office down the hall. He watched her retreating back as he tried to figure her out.

"Hey, Ange," Temperance said, waiting just inside the door of the office, watching Angela's fingers slide across the keyboard as she focused on something on the computer screen. "Do you want to go for lunch?"

Angela took in a breath of air. "I can't sweetie, Jack and I already made…" she stopped as she turned around to face her friend and saw the disappointment clearly strewn across her face. "But you know what?" she continued, "I'm sure he'd much rather have dinner instead."

"Are you sure?" Temperance asked, furrowing her eyebrows as she bit at the bottom of her lip. "Because I wouldn't want to…"

Angela got up, grabbing her coat from the back of her chair. Many times she had tried to get her friend to let her in, but each time Temperance had refused. If this was finally going to be her chance, she knew Jack would understand. "Positive," she said, draping her arm over Temprance's shoulders as the walked out of the room together.

As they passed the small lab in the center of the Jeffersonian, Angela paused to call out to her boyfriend, "Hey, babe, I'm catching lunch with Brennan today."

Hodgins swung around in his seat, his face masked with confusion and a few lines of hurt. "But, Ange," he began, but stopped at the sharp look Angela directed at him. Swallowing, he let his eyes wander to Dr. Brennan, who lately had been a source of worry for all of her friends. He looked back to Angela, who's eyes pleaded with him, and he nodded, "Have a good time," he said. I hope you bring back our Dr. Brennan, he thought.

"I will," she replied, blowing him a kiss. "I'll make it up to you at dinner, I promise." Hodgins grinned at the thought and Angela turned back to Temperance. "See, I told you he wouldn't mind," she said, grinning.

XxX

"So, Sweetie, is there something you want to talk about?" Angela asked after the waitress left with their order.

Temperance took a deep breath, thinking it was now or never. "I'm taking a sabbatical, for a few months," she said, grabbing her water and taking a sip to avoid Angela's gaze. Angela's face was a mask of shock. Before she could ask the question, Temperance pressed on, "Do you remember what I told you about New Years Eve?" Angela nodded, remembering strongly as her friend has called her up the next day, and Brennan continued once more, "How you said that even though we didn't use 'protection' that I'd be fine?"

Angela nodded once more, and then her eyes widened in shock, and her hand flew to cover her lips. "Oh, sweetie, you're not…"

Temperance looked down into her drink before looking up again. "I'm pregnant, yes."

"Does Booth know?" Angela asked, snaking her hand across the table to place it across Brennan's. Her mind was reeling at the very thought.

"No, and you can't tell him!" Temperance exclaimed, her eyes wild with fear at the thought.

"Sweetie…"

"No, he doesn't have to know! I know it's his right to, Ange, but I can't tell him," she said, and then paused. Angela gripped her hand in silence and allowed Brennan to go on, "I never wanted this…I…" tears were welling in her eyes, some of them sliding down her cheeks.

Angela got up from her seat across the table and moved to drape her arms over her friend's shoulders. "I know, sweetie," she murmured, patting the back of Temperance's head as she cried on her shoulder. "I know…"

I know it's a little sad...I'm contemplating adding maybe two more chapters? Where she goes on sabbatical (though I do cover it briefly in the chapter after) and Booth's reaction. Opinions? Anyone? Please? If you have any other suggestions, they would be extremly appreicated.

Also, I want to thank my anonymous reviewers:

Fanfictionmonster - Thanks, I'm glad you think so!

Ponies - Thanks, I'm glad you like it! I'm glad you like my style too! As someone who wants to write at least semi-professionally, that means a lot (even if it's just a fanfic and not a story that I'm writing!)

And thank you to Jen, my anonymous chapter 1 reviewer (sorry I never posted a thank you earlier!)!

Thanks for reading,

-Aria