Thanks to those of you who have provided reviews. I read them all and really appreciate them.

One of my friends asked me to post Monday through Friday since my story is actually written. I think that should be ok barring something happening at work to prevent it. So here goes, the next installment.

I don't own Bones.

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The next day, Angela tried to call Brennan at Max's place.

Max, answering the phone, said, "It's your dime."

Smiling, Angela said, "Hey, Max, can I talk to Brennan?"

Smiling, Max said, "Well, actually she isn't here. She didn't stay here last night either."

Frowning, Angela said, "What do you mean, Max? You led me to believe that she was there last night."

Rolling his eyes, Max said, "Yeah, well, I didn't know what was going on so I just said that. I talked to Booth and he said Tempe went on a little trip. She'll be back to work in a week or so."

Very concerned, Angela said, "Max, Booth said Brennan was there now you saw he says she's on a trip. She didn't tell anyone she was going anywhere. She wouldn't just take off like that. Not without telling someone where she was going."

"She did tell someone Angela," Max said. "She told Booth and he told me."

Alarms going off in her head, Angela said, "Did they have a fight? Is that what's going on? Neither one of them is acting normal. Something is going on and I'm afraid I might know what it is. I didn't want to believe it; but, now I'm not so sure."

Sighing, Max said, "I can honestly say that nothing is going on Angela. Booth and Tempe are fine. They're happy. Why can't you leave it like that?"

Puzzled, Angela said, "You're confusing me, Max. If they're fine then why did Brennan go somewhere without telling me? I am her best friend."

"Best friends trust their friends, Angela," Max said. "If you really trusted Tempe then you would except the fact that you can't know everything that's going on in her life. She has secrets that she needs to keep. We all do. When she wants to tell them to you she will. Booth and Tempe are fine. If you take this further then you really are risking that best friendship you're so proud of. I will tell you that they may know more about what's going around them than you might realize. I'm not prepared to tell you anything else. I'm doing you a huge favor saying this much. I'm giving you this advice because I like you. Please, don't toss what I'm saying to you aside. I'm trying to help you."

Listening to what Max was saying, Angela felt like she was being tested and she might be failing. Sighing, Angela said, "They know, don't they?"

Smiling, Max said, "You were listening. Good for you."

Closing her eyes, Angela felt tears slide down her face. "I interfere when I shouldn't, I know that. I do trust Brennan and I do trust Booth. You're right. I don't know the full story and I've let my imagination run away with me. I know they're in love, I just heard something and I just got worried that it might be true. I knew it couldn't be; but, deep down, I was afraid it could be. They must hate me."

Shaking his head, Max said, "They're just disappointed, Angela. Very disappointed."

Wiping the tears from her face, Angela said, "Thanks Max. You're a good friend and a very good father. You could have let me make a fool of myself and you didn't. I want to thank you for your kindness."

Smiling, Max said, "I want you and Tempe to stay friends. She doesn't have very many. In fact, the only friends I know of are Booth, you and Hodgins. Well and maybe Sweets. It's just that she has to be able to count on her friends to be trustworthy and at the same time see that she is too. I love Tempe and I want what's best for her. Now, if you don't want me to be in hot water with my daughter and that crazy cop she's living with then please don't tell them you talked to me."

Nodding her head, Angela said, "I don't know what you're talking about Max. I just called to see if you were back in town."

Smiling, Max ended his call.

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After getting off the phone, Angela walked over to Hodgins office. Walking through the doorway, she saw he was bent over something lying on a tray in front of him. Walking over to Hodgins, Angela put her arms around Hodgins arms and leaned her head into the crook of his neck.

Reaching up with his hands, Hodgins put them on Angela's hands and said, "What's wrong Babe."

Sighing, Angela said, "You know, I have a very bad habit of butting into my friends lives. I listen to gossip and because I'm afraid it might be remotely true I let my imagination run away with me and I start to believe things that I know can't be true. You have the same bad habit. We have to stop doing that, Jack. We have to stop it before we lose all of our friends."

Standing up and turning around in Angela's arms, Hodgins put his arms around Angela and leaned his forehead against hers. "They know about the gossip don't they?"

"Yes and they're hurt," Angela said, quietly. "We've been through this more than once and we never seem to learn our lesson. We hear something that we know can't be true and we listen. We see something and we think it just proves what we heard; but, we don't find out what's really going on, we just believe the worst. We have to stop that. Someday Brennan and Booth are not going to forgive us and we're going to lose our best friends. It will be our fault too."

Nodding his head, Hodgins said, "So we're wrong? We were just being stupid again?"

Smiling, Angela said, "We're wrong. We are very, very wrong. I don't know exactly what's going on; but, apparently it's a secret right now. Booth and Brennan are fine. It's us that are so messed up. We should trust them."

Sighing, Hodgins said, "Ok, this is what we're going to do. First, we will probably still listen to gossip; but, from now on, we won't believe any of it until we get the facts. No more jumping into the pool without checking to see how deep it is. Second, Sweets is a busy body. From now on when he tells us something that sounds wrong, we're going to tell him that we have to have actual proof before we'll believe him. That means talking to people, not just watching them or following them. Sweets is a kid. He needs to grow up and so do we, Hon. Third, I think we should go talk to Booth."

Nodding her head, Angela said, "You're right. Let's tell Cam we're leaving for awhile and we'll go see him."

Oooooooooooooooooo

Max is a better friend than they know.