Four hours later, the Jeffersonian lab and family sat in the waiting room with Hodgins surrounded by Brennan and Booth. Cam and Arastoo were nearby with the other interns and Sweets wanting to give Dr. Hodgins his privacy.

Hodgins was shaking. "My God, how long does this testing take?"

"It takes at least three to four hours. They want to be sure before putting her through the process of gastric purging, enemas, and an antitoxin." Brennan drank from her cold coffee, not noticing the temperature change and continued. "Then they have to ascertain the nerve damage from the ptosis on her—"

"He gets it, Bones" Booth interrupted as he looked at the scientist sitting across from him pale as a ghost with red rimmed eyes staring at the floor. "Believe me, he gets it"

Brennan looked up from Booth's gentle rebuke. Seeing his eyes pointing towards Hodgins, she understood and maintained her silence.

"Hodgins, do you know when Angela's father is arriving?" Booth asked

"Billy said he is trying to get a flight out, but there is heavy fog in Copenhagen. He tried to get a car, but there were no more to rent and he doesn't speak Danish to get directions. I'm keeping him updated as we know anything. God I have to find someone to watch Michael Vincent."

Booth turned to him. "Hodgins, we can take him for as long as you need us to. He will be with Max when we are not there."

"Booth I don't want to be a burden"

"It's not Jack. It's what friends are for. Concentrate on Angela right now. She's going to be fine. Come on, man she's the daughter of rock royalty. If she has half as many balls as Billy Gibbons, she's going to be okay."

Booth didn't realize the significance of how he addressed Hodgins, but Brennan did. She smiled in spite of herself.

Hodgins laughed, letting Booth know that his intention worked. "Thanks, Dude."

Before Booth could respond, the ER doors opened and Doctor McIntyre came out. "Jack Hodgins?"

Hodgins stood up and almost ran to the doctor, almost running over the interns in the process. Booth and Brennan stood up in attention. "Yes, yes, how's Angela?"

"Well, we were right. The testing I conducted after you told me about what she had eaten the night before confirmed my suspicions."

"What happened to my wife, Doctor?"

The doctor looked him in the eye. "Dr. Hodgins, your wife is suffering from botulism poisoning. Getting her here when you did and telling me about the tomatoes she ate saved her life. If you would have waited one more hour, chances are she wouldn't be here now."

Hodgins swayed for a moment, supported by a fast acting Wendell who moved right behind him. "C-Can I see her?"

"She has just been given the antitoxin and she's sleeping, but you can see her. Follow me." He turned to the others. "Family only for now."

When Hodgins left, everyone sat in the ER in shock. Unconsciously, Brennan leaned into Booth for support, forgetting about the recent upheaval in their lives. "Booth, what if Angela dies? What happens to Hodgins…what happens to Michael?"

Booth's heart swelled at the body contact, but he knew that she needed reassurance now more than he needed her. Tentatively he put his arm around her and was silently grateful when she didn't push him away. "Nothing is going to happen to Angela, Bones. She's tough and has people who love her. God is looking out for her."

"There is no spiritual being that helped Angela. It was all Hod—" Suddenly Brennan looked up as a thought came to her. "The tomatoes! Booth, I have the same tomatoes in our refrigerator. You ate them two days ago!"

Frantic, she ran to the Nurses station where Doctor McIntyre returned. "Doctor, my mate ate the same tomatoes two days previously, but he isn't sick. How do you know Angela didn't get sick somewhere else?"

"All of Ms. Hodgins' other food sources were not from home and there are no botulism outbreaks reported. If others in your home report eating from the same source, we need to examine the individuals. Bring him here."

She turned around, seeing that Booth had joined her. "This isn't necessary, you guys I feel fine. Besides, I have to brief Agents Shaw and Sparling when they get here."

"That's fine Agent Booth. You have thirty seconds to text a message then we are going back." Knowing he was beat, Booth did a quick text before the doctor pointed towards the door. "Now come with me, Agent Booth"

The men, followed by Brennan, disappeared through the doors. Wendell watched the scene, and then turned to the rest of the group assembled. "Pelant. When is all this going to end?"

"When the son of a bitch is dead"

All turn to see Agent Genevieve Shaw. She looked at all the interns, lingering for a moment on Wendell before joining the group. "Where is Agent Booth?" She suddenly felt a vibration from her phone and looked. "Oh, he's in the back."

She went up to the desk and announced herself. After a moment, she returned to the group. "I have to wait a few minutes." Seeing Sweets' expectant look, Shaw directed her gaze at him. "Doctor Sweets, she is still at the house helping with a canvas."

Sweets suddenly blushed. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Shaw rolled her eyes at him. "Sure, Doctor Sweets, whatever."

Trying not to appear too excited, Wendell replied. "Doctor B is having him examined to rule out botulism since he ate the same stuff Angela did. Did Pelant leave any clues at their house?"

"No trace of outside entry. No way to connect Pelant"

"We all know he did it, Genny—Agent Shaw."

"I agree, but we can't do anything without proof. We all need to work together as a team. Agent Booth taught me that."

Her phone rang. "Agent Shaw….hello Dr. Brennan. I'm in the lobby, what do you need from me? Okay I will be ready."

She ended the call and turned around. "We're gonna get him everyone." she said as a nurse opened the ER doors. At the nurse's motion to follow, Agent Shaw followed her to the back.

When she was out of sight, all the interns turned to Wendell. "I'm in Big Brothers Big Sisters and I hang out with her son Danny." His phone beeped. "Saved by the beep"

Wendell looked at his phone. "Hodgins said Angela is resting now and everyone else should go. I have to run to their house and bring stuff for Michael to Dr. Brennan."

Cam stood up. "Okay everyone it has been a long and insane day. I want you all to go home and get some sleep. I need you all tomorrow morning." Seeing everyone's hesitance, she continued. "Now. I will stay and keep everyone posted."

Everyone turned to get their things and walked out. Arastoo saw Cam sit on a nearby couch and start staring at the door. Waving goodbye to the others, he sat next to her.

Startled, she turned to her boyfriend. "Arastoo, we all have a long day tomorrow. Go home and get some sleep."

"I'll be fine, Cam. I'm much more worried about you."

"I'm fine, Arastoo." She said with a small crack to her voice.

Arastoo took her hand. "Ms. Montenegro, Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, Dr. Hodgins…they're not just your colleagues….they're your friends. I know you are scared. If you're staying then I'm staying. That's what you do when you love someone, Camille."

He put his arm around her followed by gently moving her head to his shoulder with his other hand. "You can act all 'pissed and focused head of the lab' with the other scientists but not with me."

A tear fell down Cam's face as she sat with Arastoo in the lobby. "You're right…I'm mad as hell….but I'm also scared."

A few hours later, Brennan came into Angela's room in the ER. Seeing both Hodgins and Angela sleeping, she turned to leave, but was interrupted by an awakening Hodgins.

"Come on in, Dr. B"

"I'm sorry, Hodgins, I can come back."

"Get in here so you can see Ange, Dr Brennan." When she got closer, Hodgins asked her "How's Booth? I heard they are checking him out, too."

Resigned and emotionally spent, she sat in a nearby chair. "Currently he is having a nerve conduction test and a brain scan and won't be back for a while. Agent Shaw is waiting for Booth to return. Mr. Bray is also there because he dropped off items for Michael, however it was just too quiet, so I left to take a walk around the hospital. Any updates from Agent Sparling?"

"She was here a while ago. She did an extensive canvas but turned up nothing….big surprise." Trying to maintain control, he continued to talk. "Did you know that she and Agent Shaw graduated from the FBI Academy together? She's also staying with her because her building's plumbing went…Sweets told me last week. Did you also know…"

Brennan was scared, but knew Hodgins had to be terrified if he was babbling about an acquaintance while his wife was in the hospital. Feeling a sense of dread, she looked to Angela. "Jack…how is she?"

Hodgins exhaled before looking to his wife. "She has ptosis with both eyes, which the doctor says will eventually clear up. She is breathing on her own, but her right side may have nerve damage. It's really weak…"

"Her right side? Oh no….."

Hodgins grabbed Angela's hand while she was sleeping. "We won't know the extent of the damage until she wakes up. Any therapy will take weeks, if not months. The doctors said she may or may not gain full function of her right side, but she's going to be okay."

Brennan saw through his forced smile as she heard his words and understood. Both knew how much Angela's art meant to her. Physically, one can survive nerve damage, but emotionally….a different matter. Both knew that this is due to a menace they are all in danger from….and a danger to. Her thoughts were interrupted by Hodgins.

"Booth's going to be okay you know. That asshole Pelant didn't win today."

Conflicting emotions threatened to drown her but she compartmentalized everything. "How do you know that?"

Hodgins smiled. "A hunch."

"A hunch can't help to know if Booth will need a spinal tap. We need the results before we can say he will be healthy" She looked at her watch. "He should be back in a while from his tests. I'm going to go. Keep me in the circle about Angela."

Hodgins laughed for the first time since he got to Angela's side. "That's keep me in the loop, and I will do that. Thanks for coming, Temperance."

"You're welcome, Jack"

Brennan maintained composure as she walked out of the room.

After a walk in the hospital and its beautiful gardens, she went out to the lobby to update Cam and Arastoo who were sleeping in a chair. After sending them home with a promise to keep them updated, she returned to the ER. By now stress and fatigue were taking over her as she noted the time on a nearby clock….2:00 am.

When she entered one of the hallways, she saw the doctor walking to Booth's room. "Dr. McIntyre, do we have the results back?"

"Yes, we do. Come in and we can talk."

Both entered the room. She saw Booth in bed talking to Wendell and Agent Shaw. Moreover, she saw the nervousness in his eyes. Any anger she felt at the moment was consumed by fear of what could happen to him as she found a stool. "Does he have botulism?"