After several requests, both in reviews and from others who read the story yesterday privately, I have decided to have three more chapters in this one that continues the essence of the first, but moves into prose instead of the journal format. The real action, and takeoff point into some likely AU territory is from this point on. I couldn't let them stay the way they were, of course. I hope that you all enjoy them. Gregg.
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Angela strode through the busy bullpen that housed Booth's section at FBI headquarters and marched right into his office. Booth looked seriously hungover, and she knew without a doubt that Jack had succeeded in cajoling the Special Agent into going out for dinner and drinks. She decided to make a point and stepped in, slamming the door behind her. That caught his attention! Booth nearly jumped out of his skin and pressed his hands to his pounding temples. She didn't hesitate to pounce.
"What the HELL were you thinking?!" she demanded loudly.
"Just kill me now so I can begin my time in Purgatory," Booth groaned. He hadn't been this horribly hungover since he'd been in college. He'd spent almost eight hours out with Hodgins doing Tequila shooters with beer chasers. He may have had a few Harvey Wall Bangers thrown in there, too, but he wasn't sure. Hell, he wasn't too sure about anything at the moment. How he'd dragged his sorry ass into work this morning was also a mystery.
"Oh no, you coward," Angela said heatedly. "You don't get to skip out of your mess that easily."
"I don't wanna talk about this Angela," he said with a wince. His head was pounding severely and her yelling wasn't helping.
"Tough shit, Numb Nuts," she shot back, just as loudly as before. "You created this mess, and now we're going to fix it. What the Hell ever possessed you to tell Bren you love her, and then add in some lame ass qualifier??? And why the HELL aren't you fighting for what's yours and making it DAMN clear to this loser that he has no business squatting in on your territory? And who the FUCK does he think he is? Everyone knows that the two of you are off limits."
Booth wanted to simply start beating his head against his desk. It would distract him from the near migraine proportions of his headache, but that would still leave Angela here ready to castrate him. He decided that some honesty would be the best way to get this raving loon off his ass. Ordinarily he liked Angela, but in this mood she was a loon. At least to him. He'd apologize for thinking such a thing later. He explained about his conversation with Cam to start with.
"That only makes sense, Booth," Angela pointed out. "What's the real reason?"
Booth sighed. "Sweets showed me some scans of my brain and told me that they indicated that I didn't love Bones before the surgery and now I do. He said that means that I don't really love her, so it would be a real mistake to get involved with her," he explained.
Angela wanted to scream. She wanted to hit someone and make someone scream in pain. "Stay right here," she ordered bluntly and stormed out of Booth's office. She made her way to the back elevators, not caring about the curious stares that were following her. She went down two floors and seethed the entire way to Sweets' office. When she reached it she saw that he was in a session with a patient, but that didn't matter to her. She flung his door open, shocking Sweets and the person he was in session with to no end. She angrily went right to him and grabbed him by the ear, dragging him to his feet.
"Session's over honey," she told the lady. She turned her head to Sweets. "As for you, we're going to Booth's office and have a little chat." As she said that she started dragging him out of the office by the ear and didn't let go even when they reached the elevators.
Sweets was in pain. His ear felt like it was being ripped off, and, to make matters worse, she was actually tightening her grip on him. He was being publicly humiliated and he knew that there was only one possible reason for this. Somehow she knew what he'd done. Now he was being taken to Booth's office where he was sure to be killed. He mentally reviewed his metaphorical house to make sure all was in order, and breathed a terrified sigh of relief that his will was up to date. He could at least go to his early grave knowing he'd been prepared.
Angela practically threw the poor young man into Booth's office where Numb Nuts was sitting holding his head looking for all the world as if he just wanted to take cyanide and end the suffering. She slammed the door again, once more pleased to note the cringe on Booth's face as she did so, and let it rip.
"Listen up you two," she began to rant. "I don't want to hear any excuses, or any lame ass attempts at rationalization. You, Numb Nuts, were just plain stupid. No ifs, ands, or buts about it." She whirled on Sweets. "And you, Dr. No Nads, were interfering with something that you had no business getting involved in. And don't give me any bullshit about scans. What you told Booth is like Bren's bullshit about love being simply a chemical reaction with a variety of hormonal influences thrown in."
"Actually..." Sweets started to interject.
"Save it, Dweeb," Angela cut him off instantly. "It's pure bullshit. Now give Booth the real reason you were trying to get him to tread lightly."
Sweets gulped. He took a look at Booth who was now beginning to suspect something and was looking as if daggers were about to come shooting out of his eyes. Quickly, and without taking his eyes off of Booth, he explained his reasoning.
As the explanation came out Booth began to feel an anger burn in him that was reaching a slow boil. He'd had problems with Sweets in the past, and had never really forgiven him for leaving Bones out of the look when his death had been faked, but his was beyond any semblance of proper. As someone who valued honesty and integrity, this was simply too far over the line to even consider having a decent response.
"Sweets," he said through grated teeth. "Get out."
"Huh?" Sweets asked since the request didn't have a closed fist attached to the punctuation.
"Get out before I hurl you through the fucking wall," Booth ground out slowly and with a very deadly tone. "And if Bones and I ever come to any more sessions with you, you and I will be having a little chat beforehand about what you can and can't discuss with us."
Sweets nodded and rushed out of there as quickly as he could, thinking that it was a pure, God given miracle that he'd left the office standing and not on a stretcher. As soon as he got to his office he intended on making an appointment to speak with his therapist.
Meanwhile Angela had calmed down and was talking with Booth instead of chewing his ass out. It was a different conversation.
"Now that you know what happened, I have only one question, Booth," she said to her friend.
"What's that?" he asked miserably. He couldn't believe that this was happening because he listened to Sweets instead of what he knew to be true.
"Are you willing to be patient and not give up on Bren?" she asked. That was her greatest fear. Bren had no idea how dangerous this latest fling really was. She may not have slept with Booth's supervisor on the first date, and for that Angela was eternally thankful, but this was possibly Sully all over again and Angela was doubtful if Booth would tolerate it for long. If Booth gave up, it would shatter Bren.
"I just don't know," Booth replied honestly. "I know it's selfish, and that this time, just like with Sully, it's my own damn fault, but dating my boss? I haven't been this hungover since I was in college, Angela. That should be a pretty good indicator of how I'm feeling right now."
"I know I came on strong a little bit ago, but I'm asking you, Booth. Don't give up just yet," she pleaded. "Just so you know, I'm going from here to have a little talk with Bren. It won't be pretty, and I'm sure that neither of us will be in a good frame of mind when it's over, but I intend on making her see reason. If I can set it up, will you sit down with her and talk to her? And this time be completely honest with her? I don't think you realize just how much damage you did to her emotionally when you lied a few weeks ago."
"I could see it in her eyes," Booth said quietly. "But what could I do? What if Sweets had been right? Can you imagine how much I would be hurting her if I got my head on straight and didn't still love her and we'd already started something?"
"I don't deny that she would be hurt, but at least she could accept it because you were being honest," Angela countered. "Or you could have told her that you love her, but before you can really have a full relationship, you need to make sure that you're all back together again. She would have understood that and waited for you."
"So you think this is salvageable?" he asked, clearly depressed. The conversation, and prior ass chewing, had helped, but he was still seriously down about this turn of events. He just couldn't understand how Bones could do this.
"My talk with Bren won't be pretty, but I think I can get her to see reason and sit down to talk to you about what's going on," Angela told him. She stood up and looked down on him. "But if you two do sit down to talk about this, you'd better be completely honest. No more dancing around this and if I find out either of you say anything about a line or any other such nonsense I'll send my dad after you. Got it?"
Booth shuddered. He remembered what Billy had done to Hodgins the previous Spring and had no desire to face that kind of revenge. "Got it," he told her with solemn intent. He watched her walk out of his office, closing the door hard, but at least not slamming it. He turned back to his desk to drink some more coffee and have another aspirin. He just wanted this whole fucking nightmare over with.
A/N: So there's Angela's "talk" with Booth and Sweets. Next up will be her "discussion" with Bones. I hope that you all enjoyed this one. Gregg.