Disclaimer: Bones and all recognizeable characters and locations belong to someone else. Not me. No profit is being made. Please don't sue me.
Zach had never thought before about what he would do if he did not like his work. He had never needed to consider it—at first because he knew logically that employment was necessary, later because he did enjoyed his work. He loved the Jeffersonian. Dr. Brennan was an incredible boss; she respected him and, most importantly, didn't care about his personal life. In fact, Cam and Hodgins were the same and based on job descriptions he considered them bosses, Cam more obviously than Hodgins but nevertheless.
Now Zach did not like his work, but he was so accustomed to being content at the Jeffersonian, it hurt to come into work and feel out of place. While he worked he felt eyes on him, but he turned and there was no one there. When Hodgins handed him a bone, Zach couldn't help but analyze their brief exchange, and wonder if Hodgins had looked a little too long, and what that meant.
These were the only people he had ever felt comfortable with, and now he felt completely the opposite. Every time they looked at him he felt stung. It hurt. Worse, it crippled his concentration.
His lunch break was more than a relief. The slightly lumpy macaroni and cheese in the cafeteria was as good as ever; Zach was almost surprised. Everything had changed. This hadn't. The cafeteria was like the only steady point in an otherwise spinning world. Zach settled at his usual table in the corner and concentrated on the macaroni and cheese.
"Hey, Zach, can we talk?"
As Zach raised his eyes, Booth pulled over an empty chair and sat. Zach winced at the sound of metal grating across linoleum. "I thought you weren't speaking to me," he said.
"Well, why would you think that?" Booth asked.
Zach bit his lower lip. Though Booth spoke kind words, his face suggested displeasure and disgust. Zach was quite certain of this; he had a photographic memory and knew Booth did not look that way when happy. Answering the question literally, Zach explained, "Because you haven't spoken to me."
Booth scoffed dismissively. "Well, you know, we're both busy guys. We've both been working, haven't had a chance to talk."
"I… don't trust you," Zach said slowly, instinctively drawing away. "It doesn't follow your patterns of behavior."
"Woah! Zach! Are you analyzing my behavior?" Booth asked, pretending to be shocked.
Zach shook his head. "No…" From his tone it was clear that he had taken this inquiry seriously. "It's not logical. You have never shown any interest in me before and have no reason to change your behavior now. Except what I told you, and you've already altered your behavior to accommodate that knowledge."
Booth sighed. "It's because of what you told me, Zach," he admitted. "And I'm worried about you."
Again Zach recognized Booth's expression. He wasn't lying, which made Zach very uncomfortable. "You told Angela that I was going to hell."
"That… those weren't my exact words."
"But you do think I'm going to hell."
"Well…"
Zach squinted in concentration. "If you believe I'm going to hell, in your dogma doesn't that make me beyond help?"
"It's not dogma, Zach," Booth snapped, "okay? And it wouldn't hurt you to look at, either. You could be happy."
"Hey!"
Both men looked toward the noise; Hodgins and Angela were making their way over, both smiling very forcedly. Hodgins set his tray on the table; Angela wasn't carrying a tray but, Zach surmised from the contents, probably sharing Hodgins'. "Mind if we join you?"
"Actually, I was just leaving," Zach said, starting to stand.
"Sit," Hodgins replied. "Why don't you just stay with us?"
Zach bit his lip. He had that slightly constipated look he always adopted when he didn't understand what was going on around him. "You're not asking because you want my company, are you?"
"Yes and no, sweetie," Angela replied, smiling to reassure him.
Understanding, Booth pushed his chair back and stood, hands raised in a gesture of peace. "You know what, this really isn't necessary. I was just leaving—really. I was. Zach, if you want to talk more about, uh, what we discussed—"
Hodgins took a quick step forward, intentionally too close to Booth for comfort. "He doesn't," he said.
"It's his choice, Hodgins."
"Really?" Hodgins asked. This was his version of satire, this mocking rhetoric. "Did he ask you to sit down? Did you even ask permission?" As he asked, he shifted closer. "Or did you assume that certain people and certain beliefs are welcome everywhere?"
Booth was not intimidated, not physically or mentally. Had he realized that Hodgins was making a veiled reference to the Christian history of conquer, he might have been offended, but Booth did not realize this and managed to reply in a low, even tone, "It's not your business, Hodgins."
Angela sighed. Men! Yes, she was deeply in love with this one, but testosterone made him do stupid things sometimes. She laid a hand on his shoulder. "Jack. Don't."
"What did you say to him?" Hogins asked.
"We were just talking about Booth's belief that I'm going to hell," Zach supplied, matter-of-fact as always. When the others turned to glare at him, he winced. "Is that something I shouldn't have said?"
Hodgins turned around and slugged Booth in the jaw. It wasn't the strongest of moves; Booth was clearly physically superior. But Hodgins was angry. He wasn't thinking about logic. He was reacting to someone intimidating Zach and fighting back because Zach didn't know how.
"Hodgins!" Angela cried. He should have been smarter than that. He should have been above that.
Booth reeled. He had not expected that. He rubbed his jaw, stared at Hodgins, then punched him.
"Booth!"
Hodgins groaned. He responded, though clearly outmatched, and within seconds the two were grappling despite Angela's protests. She sighed, grabbed the tray and pushed the food off of it.
"It's high school all over again," Angela murmured. "Booth, let him go. That's enough, boys."
They ignored her.
Booth grabbed Hodgins and slammed his fist into Hodgins' gut.
Angela broke the lunch tray over Booth's head.
to be continued
Sorry for taking so long with this chapter; next one shouldn't take nearly as long! (About a week, probably)