Thank you for your reviews. I read them all. Please keep in mind that Althy and Zach didn't have a lot of friends in High School. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones because if I did certain things that happened wouldn't have.


Chapter 17

Parents

Two weeks flew by with out problems. Those were two very boring weeks filled with drug overdose teens, a suicidal mother, sex, and boredom. Nancy and Betty had gone home about a week and a half ago. Betty was sad and excited at the same time.

Zach and I said good-bye to the Jeffersonian team and took a taxi to Dallas Airport. I would have liked to have driven to Michigan, but knowing Zach's phobias I decided against it.

"Zach?" I asked as we sat down in first class "Are you going to be ok?"

"Of course it is perfectly safe." he replied. I was not a fan of flying. As soon as I buckled in I grabbed Zach's hand really tight. "Althy, I know you aren't one for flying, but I do need mobility in my hand."

"Sorry," I told him and released his hand. He took mine and held it. A nice looking red haired woman came on the intercom and explained the safety policies and all that. The plane then took off. I decided to indulge myself in my ipod. I ended up watching most of My Cousin Vinny before the plane landed.

I rented a car for the week, a 2008 Mazda 3 and I drove us to our hotel. We parked and entered the hotel. Zach had insisted on making all the arrangements. He came up to the front desk carrying his bag.

"Reservations under the name Addy." instructed Zach. The man at the front desk nodded and began typing.

"Yes, three day stay in suite…567." said the guy "How many keys would you like?"

"Two will be fine." replied Zach. He came over just as I had gotten off the phone with Jack. I told him that we had arrived safely. "Room 567"

"Great, let's go." I grabbed my bag and we headed to the suite. It was a nice small suite with a single big bed, a TV, a desk, and a bathroom. "Flat screen, not bad,"

"You're starting to sound like Agent Booth." replied Zach placing his clothes into the second drawer under the TV.

"So?" He just smiled. I unpacked and lay down on the bed. "I want sleep."

"You need to call your mother."

"Do I have too?" he took my look "I hate it when you use my tactics against me. Fine I will call." I got out my cell phone and hit the speed dial button. "…Peter, hey its Althy…yes Zach and I have landed and we're already at the hotel, in our suite, room 567…yes one bed…" gees was it that big of a shocker? "No…just tell them we're here and we're ok and we'll see them for lunch tomorrow…yes tomorrow. We….dinner with Zach's parent…what is the big deal? Good now I'll see you later. Love you too." I hung up and dropped the phone onto the bed.

"I'm guessing it didn't go well?"

"You're a genius." I said and wrapped my arms around his neck. I was only two inches shorter than him. "Zach, how long do we have till we have to meet your parents for dinner?"

"It's almost three now and we have to meet my parents at eight." he said, the subject then changed. "Why didn't your sister go to the same high school as us? I had always theorized about that."

"Because I got a scholarship to PHH and Saph didn't. She ended up making more friends than I did."

"Oh…."

"But my friend was permanent." I explained. "Saph hardly talks to anyone from High School, except for maybe one person."

"She's in New York now?"

"Yup, studying to be an artist, she wants to be next Da Vinci." I laughed. "Will you be mad if I fall asleep?"

"I don't think I would be aggravated by your decision to get some sleep. Get lag is tiring."

"Ok," I lay back on the bed and took off my glasses. My eyes shut as if automatically and I drifted into la, la land.

Holly and Frank Addy were very nice people. They were very family oriented and never passed up an opportunity to see their sons, daughters, grandchildren or their children's girlfriends/ boyfriends. They were very fit people and Holly was a gourmet cook. She majored in culinary arts in college and just adored cooking. So it was very shocking to both Zach and me that they suggested we meet at a restaurant.

It was quiet and not very family oriented. We arrived and spotted his parents waving to us from a four person table. They sat on one side and Zach and I sat on the other.

Holly hugged both of us and a waitress arrived with drinks.

"I remembered what you guys like to drink. Water and coca cola." she said as the waitress placed the drinks in front of us. She left, promising to return in a few minutes to take our orders. The menus sat there and we opened it up.

"Thank you Mrs. Addy."

"It's Holly, I told you. You're practically family, one step closer now that you and Zach are seeing each other.

"How did you…"

"A mother can tell these things." she said. "How's work?"

"It's been….well it hasn't been boring that's for sure." said Zach.

"How so?" asked Frank

"It's an exciting and often dangerous job." I replied.

"Yes of course." replied Holly as the waitress came back and we ordered. "How long have you too been seeing each other?"

"Almost a month now." replied Zach.

"Do you guys have any plans for…Christmas?"

"As far as I know we have nothing going on."

"Zach, Althea, why don't the two of you spend Christmas here?"

"Um…"

"We'll have to think about it mom." said Zach. "There are so many things going on in D.C. during this time…"

"I understand." replied Holly.

By the time the dinner ended and we returned to our hotel room I was exhausted. I kicked off my heels and dropped into a chair. But before anything could be said a nock came at our room door.

"Are you expecting anyone?" I asked

"If I had I would have told you." replied Zach. I went to the door and opened it. In the doorway stood: Jonah.

"What the hell?"

"Althy who is at the…" Zach stopped when he saw Jonah.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"No," I replied "How did you know where we were?"

"I'm a Homeland Security Agent. I have ways of getting information. Now may I please come in I have news to share with you."

"You have five minutes." I said and let him in.

"Great," he came in glaring at Zach and stood in the middle of the room.

"Start talking." said Zach glancing at the clock.

"I have information that….if Althea remains in a relationship with you she will be putting her whole family in danger."

"That's a load of bullshit." I said. "My relationship with Zach is in no way connected to my parents."

"Ah, but it does." said Jonah. "His past…incidents have put you in danger and as a federal agent I must insist you accompany me to your parents house immediately."

"Um….no," I told him. "If Agent Booth didn't find anything wrong than I have no reason to listen to you especially since you do not like Zach."

"I am authorized to use force." he said and Zach moved infront of me for protection. Jonah lunged forward at Zach. He threw him on the ground, but Zach recovered quickly.

"Get off him." I ordered. He didn't comply. So I crossed behind Jonah and once again did one of my favorite moves. I kicked him from the back hitting his masculine parts. He fell to the ground wheezing in pain. I rushed to Zach. "Are you ok?"

"Fine" he replied as I helped him into a chair.

"You," I turned to Jonah "Get the hell out of here. I'm going to report you to your director. And I'll make sure that you lose that badge of yours. Now OUT!"

He crawled out of the room and I shut the door. "That stupid son of a…"

"Althy, question: How would he know where you live?"

"....That is a damn good question. I think I'll call Agent Booth and inform him of this…incident." But first I helped Zach into a chair and made sure there were no permanent injuries. He really was alright, except for a small cut on his forehead. I breathed a sigh of relief and called Booth.

I asked him to do a background check on Jonah. He agreed. "Done, now all we have left to endure is my parents and our high school class…I can't wait."

"I still do not understand your need for sarcasm." said Zach standing up from his chair.

"Let me check again." I said and looked at his forehead. There was a little blood. I grabbed my bag and took out a band-aid and placed it over the small cut. "Would you like me to kiss it and make it better?"

"How do your lips heal my small cut?"

"Just say yes." I told him.

"Yes." I kissed below the cut. "See, doesn't that make you feel better?" He nodded, but, I think he just did it to make me happy. "I love you."

"I love you too." he said "I'm hitting the bed."

"You mean….nevermind." he changed and I put on my night gown and in covered the blankets. I took the left, he took the right.

The world wasn't a perfect safe, I knew that. But, personally I wished it would be a little bit less complicated. I could only imagine what would happen with my parents. My father, the wonderful father that he was, had an image of what he wanted me to become. He wanted me to become a teacher and marry some fancy government agent or ex-military/marine core man, who could protect me and have four children. Three of them had to be boys and of course I stay home to take care of them and home school them.

Suffice to say he wasn't happy when I became an anthropologist, an archeologist and all the others. He was appalled by the idea of his eldest daughter looking at dead bodies, digging in the dirt, and all the other things I did that weren't correct in his eyes.

We had an ok relationship, but he was distant and never passed up an opportunity to criticize my work. Last time I was home was around the time Peter was having girl problems. I had told them that I was going to Egypt. He made the point that it was a waste if my time. He said I should be helping mold the future of the country instead of looking at old rocks.

Zach turned off the light and I closed my eyes, dreading tomorrow.


Another chapter has been finished. There is more to come and special thanks to all who suggested ideas and theories. As always more ideas are welcome.