A/N: Hoping this is still working for you. Trying to stay a chapter or 2 ahead here.

And there's a lot of emotion here. Be prepared, tempers are flaring!

Confrontation:

Hodgins grit his teeth and snapped the rubber band around his wrist again before leaning forward to look into his microscope.

Even though he was "off the case" he'd chosen to work near the platform instead of in his office. He wanted to hear what the team was finding. He needed to hear it, so that he had some assurance that someone was making sure Heather Taffet would be put away, even if he couldn't.

Booth had objected at his presence, of course. Cam had overruled the agent, saying Jack was still having to do his job. So Booth had resorted to sarcastic comments from time to time directed at Hodgins' back.

Jack snapped the rubber band against his wrist again. This was so unfair. After what that witch had put him through, he should be permitted to help put her away for good. But no, because he'd tried to find out who she was when no one else cared to, he was being punished!

He snapped the rubber band against his wrist as he heard Wendell speak. "I've gone over the stuff found in the storage shed a bit more thoroughly. There's some particulates on some of the clothing there I might be able to match up with stuff we found at her place…but to be honest, Dr. Hodgins would do a much better job of it…"

"Dr. Hodgins isn't going to be anywhere near this evidence," Booth growled. "He isn't going to get the chance to mess up this case like he did once before!"

The rubber band snapped in two, ricocheting off Jack's table and onto the floor.

His self control snapped at the same time.

He turned from his work and stalked over to the platform. "That's it!"

He saw everyone turn towards him, eyes wide, but he ignored them all except for Booth. He went right up to the agent, his rage giving him courage.

"Look, I'm sick and tired of you! I want to see the Gravedigger punished just as much as you do, and if you weren't being an idiot you'd use me to do just that!"

He heard the muted gasp from Angela, and Cam's sharp, "Dr. Hodgins!" But he kept his eyes on Booth. Ever since the Gravedigger had inserted herself back into his life Hodgins had been filled with a bubbling fury that cried for release. Booth had become that receptacle.

Booth's eyes narrowed. "You want to talk about idiots? If you hadn't let what happened to you get to you like it did, you'd never have stolen that evidence! And then I wouldn't have been kidnapped and left to die on some ancient sub!"

"Yeah?" Hodgins yelled back, "Well, it's not like anyone in your precious FBI was doing anything to catch her! And I'm sorry, Booth – not all of us can be unfeeling soldiers who walk away from traumatic experiences like nothing happened!"

The minute he saw the agent's face go white, Hodgins knew he'd said too much. He saw Booth's hands tremble before he clenched them into fists. Dr. Brennan, an alarmed look on her face, put a hand on Booth's arm.

"Booth…" she started, but her partner shook his head. He stared at Hodgins, then swallowed.

Jack didn't move. He didn't try to apologize or say anything in his defense. If Booth wanted to deck him, this might be one time he deserved the hit.

He couldn't help flinching when he saw Booth start to move.

The agent pivoted quickly, his fist going by Hodgins' face so closely he felt a breeze on his face. Booth kept turning, until his fist smashed into the metal post behind him with a clang.

For a minute, the only sound in the lab with Booth's harsh breathing. He stood with his back to Hodgins, his shoulders hunched slightly. When he turned, Hodgins flinched again, this time because of the pain that was plain on the agent's face.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Hodgins," Booth said, his voice hoarse.

Jack dropped his eyes. He couldn't help it.

"Booth, let's go to my office," Brennan said. Jack looked up to see Dr. Brennan cradling Booth's bleeding hand in hers. "I want to make sure you didn't fracture your hand and get some ice on it."

"It's fine, Bones," the agent muttered. He tried to pull away but Brennan didn't let go.

"Please, Booth, let me examine it," she said. With a sigh, Booth let her lead him off the silent platform.

The minute the pair were out of earshot, Angela turned to Hodgins. "Are you out of your mind? He could've put you in the hospital!"

"Look, I'm sorry, all right?" Hodgins sighed. "I just…I just want this over, okay? I want to be able to sleep again at night."

"It's affecting all of us, Jack," Cam said. "All of us want to make sure Ms. Taffet stays in jail a long time."

"Not like it's affecting me," Jack said. "You…it didn't happen to you, Dr. Saroyan. No offense."

"Yeah, well it happened to Booth and Dr. Brennan," Wendell observed.

"I know," Hodgins said in a low voice.

"You know?" Angela said. "Then what was with that last crack? Are you so wrapped up in yourself you can't see how stressed out Booth is?"

Hodgins bit his lip. He now wished Booth had hit him. It would have hurt much less than this.

Dr. Saroyan sighed. "Well, what's done is done. Let's get back to work, people."

Hodgins hesitated. "Look, I talked to Zack the other day, he's willing to give us a hand."

"Great!" Cam said with a sarcastic smile. "Letting someone in a mental hospital look at the evidence will go over well with a jury!"

"But we're not trying to get this to a jury, are we?" Wendell mused. "We just want to overwhelm the Gravedigger with evidence so that she'll plead out."

Everyone pondered that thought for a minute. Angela spoke first. "Cam, how about this? I supervise Jack while he lends a hand. I monitor everything he does. His help would make this go faster…"

Everyone watched Cam as she stood lost in thought. Then her eyes focused. Looking each of them in the eye, she said, "No one tells Brennan or Booth about this."

There were fast nods from the three of them. "Okay then," Cam sighed. She cast a wary glance in the direction of Brennan's office. "Let's get started before something else happens."