Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, because if I did Zach would NOT BE IN THE LOONY BIN!

Chapter 5

A Chance

Saturday arrived to my annoyance and I woke up bright and early. I had a full day today. I had to visit Zach, I had a date with Jonah, something I wasn't really looking forward too. I stretched and went for a morning run, which turned more into a walk with my ipod.

I got back just as Jack was pouring coffee into his cup. I poured myself some as well and after adding the sugar made us breakfast.

"Full plate today?" asked Jack.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"You always make breakfast when you're in a hurry." said Jack.

"I do not; you always take forever to make the simplest of foods." I said back.

"Fine, fine," said Jack as he received one of my infamous glares. I gave him his stack of French toast and we started eating.

After breakfast I showered, got dressed and high tailed it out of there before Jack said something else, not that he would say something bad. It's just that I had a feeling something…very interesting was going to happen today.

I arrived at the loony bin and once again I found Zach outside in the fresh air, he looked a bit better, but he looked as if he hadn't been out in his entire life. It saddened me.

"Hey Zach" I called as I came toward him.

"Hi, Althy, what brings you here so early?" he asked after my usual hug.

"I missed you." I replied.

"You shouldn't spend so much time here. It's not healthy for you." said Zach.

"Not having my morning cup of coffee is unhealthy for me; spending time with my best friends is just what the doctor ordered." I said. "Besides it's not like I have anything else to do?"

"Althy," tried Zach.

"That's the end of the discussion." I said and playfully hit him in the arm.

"What was that for?" asked Zach.

"For saying stupid things," I said back "I love spending time with you, whatever the conditions."

"Thanks Althy." said Zach.

"No problem," I replied.

"So, what is new with you?" asked Zach,

"Jackie and Angela, along with Cam dragged me to a club." I said and Zach laughed.

"Sorry, Althy." sad Zach cracking up, "You at a club…."

"Yeah, I know. I met this guy there. He works for Homeland Security. Kind of weird for a Government agent to be at a club, don't you think?"

"Well he has to meet women somehow." replied Zach.

"I know, but it was still weird, then he asked me on a date….today at this Chinese place…"

"You should go." said Zach.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you really haven't dated that much." said Zach "not in high school and you only went out with two, maybe three guys in college."

"Gee I wonder why?" I asked myself mentally. "Zach, are you sure I should go on this date?"

"Yes, trust me Althy, you'll have a great time." said Zach.

"It wouldn't feel right." I said "You in here and me having fun, while I'm supposed to be helping you get out."

"Althy, one day more won't really change anything for me." said Zach.

"Well if you're sure." I said kind of disappointed he wasn't trying to stop me. Of course he wouldn't. To him love is a hormonal reaction to a sexual attraction between to people. Oh well. "Alright, I'll go on this date." I finished un-enthusiastically.

I was already home around six and got ready for my date with Jonah. At seven I pulled up infront of the restaurant wearing a purple top and jeans. Jonah was already waiting for me and stood up as I arrived.

"Hello Althea." said Jonah and pulled out the chair for me to sit.

"Hello Jonah," I replied as a waitress came over with our menus.

"Althea, what is your last name?" he asked "such a beautiful name must follow an interesting last name."

"Oh…it's Calloway. Dr. Althea Calloway. I got my doctorate after I finished my studies in psychology."

"Oh, so what can you tell about me?"

"You're an only child; unlike me…you grew up always getting what you wanted. Not a lot of time for a social life. I can't really tell anything else. I haven't spent much time with you. What do you do in your spare time?"

"What spare time?" was his answer, "how about you, any hobbies?"

"I'm a huge comic book geek." I replied.

"Really, I never understood comic books."

"I like the idea of a world where you don't have to worry about robbers and murderers as much when you've got super-powered heroes to help out. It takes me to my own little world." The waitress came back and we ordered drinks.

"Well you know I'm an only child, what about you?"

"I am very far from being an only child." I replied. "I have an older brother in Iraq; I have a younger sister in College, a brother going to college next year and twins, sister and brother as high school sophomores." The waitress came back with our drinks and we ordered our food.

"To be honest, I didn't think you'd come." said Jonah

"Honestly, I wasn't sure I wanted to." I replied. "I'm not exactly the poster girl for dating." This was such a big mistake….but then again I probably should start dating because it's not like Zach's gonna wake up one morning and say: hey, I'm in love with Althy. It'd be nice…..The dinner went fine, we ate, we laughed, we exchanged funny stories, but to say that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him would be a gross overstatement.

"Well this was fun." I said as we finished our meal.

"Althea, I really think we have the start of something wonderful. There's a carnival coming to town next week, would you like to come with me?"

"Uh, sure," I said and wrote down my cell number on a napkin and handed it to him. "I better go now, I…um….have to work tomorrow." I added seeing as he was about to kiss me and I ran out of there. I sat down in my car and headed home.

As I pulled out of the driveway of the diner my cell rang.

"Hey Althy, how was your date?" she asked. "Did it end with anything?"

"Nothing happened. I ran out of there before he tried anything." I replied.

"Why?"

"I don't know…" I said, yes I do. I thought "I just did, not like it matters." It matters… that little voice in the back of my head told me."Look Angela, we're meeting for lunch tomorrow, why don't we talk about it then….great, bye." I said and hung up. Uh why is it so damn hard? Why can't it all be nice and simple, but no I have to go and make everything two times more complicated than it needs to be.

I drove home and thought I'd bring Jack back his favorite Pizza, but when I got home I heard very interesting noises coming from Jack's room. I want up there and the door was open and what did I find? I found my cousin in bed with Angela.

"AH" I screeched. "I'm blind. I'm blind. My eyes have burned shut due to the horrors I just saw."

They jumped up and Angela dived underneath the covers.

"Althy what are you doing here?" asked Jack.

"I live here." I replied. "But I think it'll be best if I don't sleep here tonight. I need a night to get over this." I added pointing to the bed while wiggling my finger back and forth. Of course that wasn't the only reason I couldn't sleep there that night. I needed to be alone and I knew Jack would start hounding me about my date, which would lead in me confessing to another person that I'm in love with Zach, something I definetly didn't need. I just wanted ot be left alone. To escape to my own world where smart sane people don't go to prison for crimes they didn't commit.

"Althy," called Jack, but I was already getting my stuff and heading over to….well where else. I was exhausted and I wanted to sleep. SO hotel is out of the question. But then I thought of Zach again and remembered his little apartment above the garage. I went up there. It was definitely Zack's place. My room was decorated with Marvel comic book posters; he simply had artwork plastered on the walls. It wasn't bad art work. He even had the picture Angela drew for him for Christmas framed.

The kitchen was spotless and his fridge….definitely needed a cleaning before he got back. I changed into my Tweetie Pj's and fell asleep on the couch as I looked through one of his photo albums I had given him for Christmas. It felt weird. I felt like I broke into someone's house. But by morning I felt better.

I went back to the house took a shower and sat down for breakfast.

"Did Angela leave already?" I asked.

"Yeah, she came over shortly before she called you. We talked. Then she called you and then we…." started Jack kind of disappointed by something.

"Go at it like rabbits?" I asked

"No, we…I don't have to tell my cousin this. She had to go home and change and she had some things she had to finish before your lunch today." said Jack being very protective.

"I have my own things to finish before that." I added. After breakfast I disappeared into my room to work on some files. I started reading up on Zack's case file and I found a lot annoying little things that were overlooked. At around twelve, in my jeans and spider-man shirt I drove to the diner.

Angela and I by coincidence arrived at the same time at the diner. We sat down and ordered a couple burgers.

"Um…about last night." started Angela.

"I don't want to know." I said, "What I want to know is why this morning he was all gloom and doom."

"He wanted to get back together." said Angela "But Jack's the marrying type and I like living in the moment, but I…I…I don't know. It was just frightening…and well I don't know I need help, please help."

"You want my advice?" I asked and she nodded. "On relationships?" she again nodded. "Ok do you want a best friend answer and a psychological answer?"

"Psychological would help." said Angela "as long as you don't tell me the same thing Sweets did when I went to him for advice some months ago."

"Don't worry my IQ is higher than his." I replied. "Ok well it seems to me that your heart-metaphorically speaking-is ready for a long term relationship, in other words your heart wants a long term deal, it's longing. Your brain on the other hand is in denial. So do me a favor and put your brain on mute and listen to that metaphoric heart of yours and get back together with my cousin cause he loves you and you love him…"

"That was a very brilliant answer." said Angela.

"What like your surprised?" I asked "This is Moi we're talking about."

We both started laughing at my comment as our food came.

"Althy, your right," said Angela. "I need to talk to Jack…."

"And you can….after we finish our lunch. No sense in you wasting a good burger." I said. She nodded and we finished off lunch.

After lunch Angela hurried to talk to Jack while I met up with Jackie at a coffee shop for some coffee, some poetry, and some major planning. Jackie was already waiting, her black hair in a couple buns and a black burette. She had a black top in with a skull at the bottom.

"Nice outfit." I told her.

"Thanks I was going for dark Paris in hell." she replied,

"That explains the red platted skirt and the red leg warmers, along with the black high heel boots." I said.

"Yeah," said Jackie and pulled out a chair. "Sit, we've got work to do."

"Really, I had no idea." I said as I saw down. "I wrote down a couple anomalies that we discussed before you arrived." I added handing her my notepad.

"Our first step has to be to talk to Caroline." said Jackie "She was the prosecutor on this case." I nodded and we got to work.

That was my weekend: Angela and Jack getting, or hopefully getting together. My lack of a better word: date with Jonah and my meeting with Jackie, what next.


Ok this is it. I won't be publishing anything next week because I'll be in Pennsylvania visiting a friend of mine and some family. But I do have questions for you. WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NEXT!!!!

A. Another case relating to Gormagon which leads to Jonah and Booth working together and Althy having to talk to Zach about the case.

B. A simply joint investigation where it seems like Jonah is a little to interested in Zach.

C. I bring back the Gravedigger which causes a lot of tension and argument between Althy and Dr. Sweets.

D. You have your own ideas. Which ARE ALWAYS welcomed.

PLease review. Yu know how much I like reviews.