A/N: Okay, I'm sorry about this but there is just one more chapter before the big moment. But I need to know what you guys think: after this little fast-forwarding bit, do my readers want an angst story line or a fluffy story line? I'm taking a vote so it's up to you! Thanks!
First week of classes (spring semester of senior year)
"Angela, I have a question for you."
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Do you know anyone that would be willing to make a few extra bucks tonight? We need extra people for the club event?" her boss said.
Angela nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure I can find someone."
She was sitting a table in the Campus Events office, working on flyers for upcoming events for the rest of the year. Angela was a fan of working, even if it was something sort of artsy, but she needed the money for some weekly glug glug woo hoo.
Jack walked into the Events office and immediately saw his girlfriend, her back to the door, sketching out some flyers.
"Hey, Angie. How's it going?" he asked, standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her.
"Hey, there. I'm exhausted. And I still have to work tonight," she half turned in the chair and in his arms to kiss him.
"I don't want you to work tonight. I want to hang out with you," Jack told her.
"Well, you could! We're short a person tonight for the clubs event. You wanna help out? You'll get paid too," Angela told him, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Ooh, that sounds good! What exactly is the clubs thing anyway?"
"Most of the clubs on campus set up booths in the event center and kids come to see if they want to join any of them. It's kind of boring if you're just working at it but its practically free money so why not?"
"I'm in, but only because you'll be there."
Angela smiled. "Meet me at the event center at six."
"I don't care if I don't get paid. You couldn't even pay me enough to stay here and work! This is just the government's way of roping young, naïve kids into their grasp, but not me, baby! No way!"
Jack stormed out of the event center, almost knocking over Brennan on his way out. Brennan cautiously made her way in and found Angela apologizing profusely to her boss.
"I am so sorry! I had no idea he was going to freak out like that."
"Angela, what's going on?" Brennan asked.
"Ugh, sweetie, I have no idea. We needed help with staffing tonight and I asked Jack if he'd help out but as soon as he walked into the main room, he flipped out and started rambling on about how the government is all about spying on us no matter where we are," Angela told her as they walked into the main room.
The booths said it all: Young Republicans, Northwestern Democrats, and dozens of other political groups that had been present in campus life for years. Brennan was still confused.
"So what made him freak out? All of these clubs have been approved by the Office of Student Life and haven't done anything wrong," Brennan reasoned.
"I know, sweetie, but ever since he took that class last semester on the history of American government and politics, Jack's constantly yelling at the chick on CNN or FOX News. He's fine, otherwise. I'm just not sure why he's like this all of a sudden. But, who cares, really. He's still fabulous in the sack," Angela grinned.
"Ange, I do not want to hear about that. But Booth's been acting strange too. I'm not sure what's going on but he won't tell me and it's kind of scary."
Angela noticed Brennan looked sad and upset, something Angela had never really witnessed from her friend before.
"You don't think he's cheating on you…do you? Because if he is, I will whoop his sorry little ass to next Wednesday," Angela vowed.
"I doubt that. We spend most of our time together and I would know if something was that bad between us. He's just acting…jumpy. It's weird," Brennan said quietly.
Angela nodded. "Have you just talked to him?"
Brennan shook her head. "I've tried. But Booth just makes some excuse or changes the subject. It's quite odd if you ask me. And he's always fiddling with something in his pockets. I've noticed that, lately, when he's nervous or something, he shoves his hands into his pockets and starts to sweat."
"You don't think he's trying to break up with you? Because if he is, I'd beat him to it so you're less likely to get hurt."
Brennan's face paled at the idea of losing him.
"I, uh, I'm gonna go talk to him," Brennan said, standing up and running out the door.
"Booth! Seeley Booth, we need to talk!" Brennan shouted as she burst into their apartment.
"Bren? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Booth stepped out of the bathroom, steam flowing out from behind him and a towel hanging loosely around his waist.
The sight made Brennan weak at the knees but she wasn't about to let him change the subject.
"What's going on with you?"
Booth sauntered over to where Bren was standing and slowly unzipped her winter coat and pulled her shirt off. She was doing her best at not staring at the perfect specimen of a man standing in front of her but when he started kissing her neck and let the towel drop, she completely forgot about the question she had just asked him and pulled him to the bedroom.
Booth chuckled just a bit when he woke up. He was lying next to Brennan, who was still sound asleep after a few satisfying go-rounds. She was snoring lightly and to Booth, it was incredibly cute. He looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was telling him it was way past dinner time and he had class in a few hours. He slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Brennan.
He waited until he had the bathroom door completely shut before flipping the light on. Booth opened the bottom drawer of the vanity and rummaged through his travel bag of toiletries. He had been keeping her ring in there, knowing she never went though that drawer.
Booth stared at the ring for a few moments and practically jumped out of his skin when Brennan knocked on the door.
"Booth, are you done in there? I need to go too," she said from the other side of the door.
Booth quickly put the engagement ring back into its hiding spot for the night. He normally carried it around in case an opportunity arose but every time he thought he should ask her to marry him, he chickened out.
He closed the drawer and walked out of the bathroom.
"Are you okay?" she asked, noticing a worried look on Booth's face.
"I'm fine, babe. Come back to bed soon."
She nodded and walked into the bathroom. After shutting the door, she quietly rummaged through the drawers. Brennan was puzzled when she found nothing out of the ordinary, despite having heard Booth shutting a drawer and not using the bathroom.
Assuming she was hearing things, she went back to bed, to the man she loved, hoping she would do this for the rest of her life.
