I'd like to say thank you to the lone person who reviewed my last chapter. Thank you Ciza! :) Also to my anonymous reviewers as well who I have forgotten to acknowledge. Thank you Annie and TJ! I really appreciate your kind words.
Big twist in this chapter that's probably going to get an arc for at least a few more chapters so be prepared!
No flashbacks in this one again :/ I know it made me unhappy too but I couldn't really fit anything short enough in that would still be relative to this chapter, but they will definitely make a return next chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bones blah blah blah...
"Daddy, how does the baby get out of Mommy's tummy?" Michael suddenly asked as all three of them watched one of Michael's favorite movies of all time.
Angela groaned out loud as Hodgins fumbled over his words, his face slowly turning bright red.
"Ummm… Well you see- When it's-"
Angela rolled her eyes at his clear embarrassment and listened to him blubber until she finally took pity on him. "Michael, as the baby grows, Mommy's tummy will get bigger too." She put her hand on her still flat stomach for emphasis. "When it's time I will go into labor. When that's done you will have a baby brother or sister."
Hodgins sighed next to her, taking her hand in his lap in thanks for sparing him.
Michael squinted his little eyes together and they could tell that he was processing the information. After a few minutes he turned to them from where he lay in his sleeping bag on the floor. "Why can't the baby be born now?"
Turning to her husband, Angela gave him a look that he knew meant that it was his turn to answer a question. He quickly ran over an idea in his head, satisfied that it would make sense to Michael. "Buddy, right now the baby's much too little to be born. That's why it has to be in Mommy's tummy; she's helping it grow. Just like how you're too little to sit in the car without a booster seat. Eventually you'll get bigger and you won't need it. Once the baby is bigger it won't need to stay in Mommy's tummy." He felt Angela lean into him and he smiled, knowing that this was a question he had successfully answered.
"Oh." Michael said simply, turning back to the movie.
Angela turned to Hodgins, a confused look on her face. Usually when Michael was curious about something or experienced something new, he was relentless with the questions. Two questions on a matter as complicated as pregnancy and birth seemed extremely unrealistic.
Hodgins just shrugged, content to let the subject slide by.
Angela, however, knew that it was important that her son at least grasp what was going to be happening in a little over six months. "Michael? Do you have anymore questions for me and Daddy?"
"Well… Are you going to love the baby more than me?" he asked fearfully, a sad look on his face.
"Oh baby, we could never love anyone more than you. I don't even love your dad more than I love you."
"Hey!" Hodgins interjected.
She just gave him a look, "Really? Honey, I know for a fact you love Michael more than you love me and that's okay. Anyways, Mikey we will love the baby as much as you but never more, I promise."
He accepted the answer but still seemed unsure. Hodgins saw this and knew that right now they needed to show him just how much they loved him and that no one would ever be able to take his place. "Come here buddy."
Once Michael was situated between the two of them, leaning against Angela with Hodgins' arm around the both of them, he seemed to relax a bit more.
"You are the center of Mommy and Daddy's world Michael. We love you so much," Angela whispered into his ear, pressing a quick kiss to the top of his head.
Hodgins just stared at her, his mouth wide open. Angela had gone from being a free-spirit to a suddenly pregnant wife all in a matter of months, but you wouldn't believe it now. She always knew just what to say to Michael to reassure him and always managed to put him first, time and time again. Jack admired the woman she had become, his wife, the mother of his children, Angela Montenegro-Hodgins.
It didn't take long for her to realize that he was staring at her, "What?" she whispered, careful not to disturb a now sleeping Michael.
"Tell you later," he shot back, easing himself off the couch, "Let's get him to bed."
She pulled Michael into her lap, standing up with him as she hoisted him onto her right hip as she used to do when he was younger. She grunted softly, not used to the extra weight, her casted arm flailing a bit.
"Here, Ange let me take him." Hodgins motioned for her to shift Michael into his arms.
"No, no I got him," she protested, refusing to admit there was no way she could carry him. She tried taking a few steps before coming to a halt, "Fine, take him. It's this stupid cast, I can't do anything"
Hodgins laughed softly, easily adjusting to the weight of his slumbering son. "It's okay Angie. You really shouldn't be carrying him around too much anyways, you're-"
"Yes Hodgins! I am aware that I am currently pregnant. You don't have to keep constantly reminding me. Trust me it is not something that just slips your mind," she replied in hushed tones, sounding kind of agitated.
"Sorry, I just don't want anything to happen to you or the baby."
"I know, but it's not like I'm going to tip over yet. When I can't see my feet anymore then I will stop lifting things."
"Deal. Come on, he's completely wiped out."
"You go on ahead. I'm gonna fold up his sleeping bag and put it away." She knelt down on the floor, grabbing for the sleeping bag.
Reaching down, he gently touched her shoulder, "Leave it. Let's put our son to bed, together."
She smiled, taking the free hand he offered her. "I love you."
"I love you too," he said, leading her up the stairs.
The next day at work
"Why are we here? It's a Saturday for God's sake. We haven't worked a Saturday in years." Angela complained to Brennan, "I should be at home, helping Michael get ready for his first day of school."
"Ange, we work whenever there's a murder, you know that."
"Yes Sweetie but since the kids we have not worked a single case on a weekend." She leaned up against Brennan's desk, "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Brennan looked up, fear written all over her face.
"Oh my god Brennan! What the hell is going on?"
"We have a copycat Gravedigger. The remains of a four year old boy were found buried in a box earlier today. He died just a few weeks ago by my account."
"This cannot be happening again!" Angela moaned, attempting to cover her face with her hands, practically punching herself in the nose with her cast, "Damn it! Do the others know?"
"Yes Cam is probably telling them right now."
Angela eyes suddenly got wide, "Hodgins!"
"What about him Angela?"
"He's probably freaking out right now. To this day, he still wakes up in the middle of the night crying. It takes all my strength just to get him to go back to sleep for the night. I need- I need to go to him." She leapt off the desk and began to walk out of the room.
"Wait Angela! Could you do the facial reconstruction?"
She turned back, "Yeah I'll get right on that after I talk to Jack. Just have Cam put all the details in my office."
She found her husband in his office, furiously pacing back and forth along the length of it, muttering to himself. "Jack!" she said forcefully.
"Angela!" He crossed the room in huge strides, taking her up in his arms, holding her tight.
"How- how are you doing?" She asked cautiously peering into his bright blue eyes.
"I thought this ended with her death, Ange. It's bad enough that I still get the nightmares every once in awhile but now there's an actual person out there burying people alive again. I just-" He broke down, his eyes releasing the tears.
She put one hand on his cheek, the other on his back, soothingly rubbing it. "Shhh. I know I know. But we're going to get whoever it is, like we did last time, like we always do."
He stared straight into her eyes, "It could've been Michael, Angela. It could have been our son out there on that table."
She sucked in a breath. The thought had occurred to her too, but she had pushed it away, certain that it would do nothing but eat her alive, as it was doing to Hodgins, especially with her hormones being so out of whack. "But it wasn't. Jack, Michael is fine. He's at home with the babysitter and that's where he'll stay until we go home later."
"Hodgins, you got anything for me yet?" Booth asked as he came strolling into the office, stopping short when he saw Hodgins' back to him and Angela comforting him.
She stared him down mouthing 'Not now Booth!' and he quickly exited with an awkward "Never mind."
Despite her words, her husband still looked absolutely scared out of his mind. Angela sighed, "How about we get Marci to bring Michael here? He can play in my office or yours when either of us isn't busy. I'm sure Cam wouldn't mind."
"That would make me feel much better." He gave her a slight smile.
"Okay, I'll call her. You get back to work to catch this son of a bitch. But if you feel overwhelmed please come and find me okay?" She kissed him gently on the lips. "We're gonna be fine."
He watched her retreating form walk out of his office and tried to pull himself together. But all he could think of was how horrible it had been to wake up and find himself buried alive. And he had had Brennan there for whatever comfort she could provide. That little boy had been all alone, trapped in a box like an animal, slowly suffocating. His shook his head. No, that's what this copycat Gravedigger wanted. He couldn't let his own feelings get in the way of solving this case. For the little boy's sake and for any other future victims, this psychopath had to be brought to justice.
An hour later
"Mommy Mommy!" Michael yelled, running up onto the platform with his babysitter Marci right behind him, out of breath.
"Sorry Mrs. Hodgins. I was going to take him to his dad's office, but he insisted on seeing you."
"Oh no it's okay and please Marci call me Angela." She smiled at the teenager before leaning down to address her son, "Why hello there Michael! I missed you baby."
"I missed you too Mommy!" He wrapped his arms around her neck, pressing his little body up against her, "Hey Mommy I've got more questions about the baby!" He was practically jumping up and down now, his blue eyes twinkling.
Angela could feel the stares of Wendell, Daisy, and Cam on her back and knew there was no way she was going to be able to weasel her way out of this one. She pursed her lips, slightly annoyed that she was going to have to tell the team without her husband. "Mikey why don't you go find your dad. We can go to lunch and discuss some more. Sound good?"
"Okay!" He happily skipped towards Hodgins' office, unaware that he had just exposed his parents' secret.
As soon as he was out of earshot Cam spoke up, "You're pregnant Angela?"
She put on a brave face and turned around to face them, "Yes, Jack and I are expecting our second child," she said, her voice coming off as very business-like and proper as she tried to keep her emotions out.
"Oh my god! That is absolutely amazing! Congratulations Angela!" Daisy whooped, throwing her arms around a bewildered Angela who did not at all look happy to be hugged.
"Ms. Wick…" Cam warned.
She dropped her head, "Oh right. I'm sorry Angela."
Angela shook her head, nervously laughing, "No no it's fine. This is good news after all."
Wendell looked at her knowingly. He had been the only one who had witnessed Angela and Hodgins break down when they received the news about the LCA. He knew for a fact that Angela was barely keeping it together.
"If you don't mind me asking Angela, was this planned?" Cam asked.
She sighed, "No not at all. But that doesn't mean we're not happy about it." She looked down at her stomach, placing a hand on it as if to reassure her unborn baby. "We always wanted more kids; it was just the LCA holding us back."
"Well then I guess congratulations are in order. I'll let Dr. Brennan know that you have completed the facial reconstruction. Now go enjoy a nice lunch with your husband and son. We'll hold down the fort here until you get back. Mr. Bray, Ms. Wick, back to work if you please."
Wendell gently touched her shoulder as he walked by, "You'll get through this Angela."
She nodded her head, "Thanks Wendell."
To this day it amazed her that they were still able to be friends and that he and Hodgins were still able to be friends. After all she had dumped him and then gotten married to one of his best friends just a few months later. They didn't have any contact with him while they were in Paris, but when they came back, suddenly the woman he had dated had a husband and a baby on the way. It would have been a lot for anyone to take, but Wendell handled it like a true gentleman. He could see as well as anyone else than once Angela had given her heart away to Hodgins, that is where it would always stay.
She entered Hodgins' office still deep in her thoughts, almost tripping over a stool positioned entirely too close to the door. "Phew! That was close!"
Hodgins looked up and she was happy to see that he was all smiles. The hint of fear was still evident in his eyes, but he seemed much calmer now that Michael was there. "Hey Ange."
"Hey Jack," she murmured, putting her arms around his neck, making him reach up to kiss her. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, much. Was he good for Marci?"
"He always is. But we may have a problem." She pulled the stool over.
"What?" he asked, his mind immediately going to the worst case scenario.
"Well it would seem that that son of ours is very inquisitive in public as well." She let him think for a second before making it clear, "He asked me about the baby in front of Cam, Wendell, and Daisy, so I had to tell them that I'm pregnant."
"Oh damn! Angie I'm sorry you had to tell them alone."
"Turns out it wasn't that entirely bad. Wendell and Cam were very understanding; they didn't ask too many questions."
"Good, that's good." He paused, smirking, "So I'm gonna assume Daisy had a major freak-out and hugged and congratulated you and all that in a very loud manner?"
She laughed, "Wow honey, you got it to a 'T.'"
They both laughed together, "Well at least that's one thing we don't have to worry about. Everyone knows now since I'm sure Daisy will tell Sweets."
"Very true. Now we can concentrate on getting Michael ready for school. Speaking of Michael where is he?" she asked looking around the office.
"I'm over here Mommy!" a little voice said as Michael peeked out from underneath a table.
Angela raised her eyebrows, "What are you doing under there?"
"This is my fort!" he exclaimed, crawling out, "Except you moved my guard tower," he said, pouting.
"I'm sorry Michael but I needed somewhere to sit unless you think I should sit on Daddy?"
He giggled, "Yeah! Sit on Daddy! Sit on Daddy!"
Angela situated herself on Hodgins' lap, her legs opposite of his, her casted arm around his neck.
"You act like sitting on my lap is such a rare occurrence babe," he teased, whispering in her ear.
"Shhh!" she whispered back, "It is when we're around Michael." She looked back at her son who was now standing in front of the table that had been his 'fort.' "So what questions did you have Michael?"
"More questions?" Hodgins asked, his eyes pleading with his wife to answer them herself without his assistance, but judging by the look he got back, he knew it wasn't going to happen.
Michael racked his brain, scratching his head, "Oh yeah! What's labor?"
Angela was taken about, surprised he had still remembered the word from yesterday's conversation. She sighed, shaking her head at Hodgins who was attempting to think of an answer. "Well labor is what happens when the baby is ready to be born. It's going to be pretty painful for me because contractions are necessary to get the baby out of my belly. Contractions are kind of like the Charlie horses you get in your feet sometimes, except they're in my belly. I'll be screaming and crying, but you don't have to worry, I'll be fine. When I'm quiet, you will have a baby brother or sister." Michael looked a combination of scared and a bit confused. "We'll talk more when the baby is about to be born," she reassured him. "Go pack up your toys, we're all gonna go get some lunch."
"Wow Angie. How do you know what to say?" Hodgins asked in amazement.
"I don't know, I just start speaking and I guess my brain simplifies it so that Michael can understand."
He shook his head at her, his mouth still agape, "You are amazing Angela. I hope you know that."
"Oh trust me honey, I figured that out ages ago," she teased, winking at him.
"Look I've done all I can do today. How about I see if Cam lets us leave early? It is Saturday after all and we still need to take Michael to get school stuff."
"Okay. Meet you at the car?"
"You bet babe." He quickly kissed her on the cheek before heading off to find Cam.
"You got everything Mikey?" Angela asked.
He looked around the room, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything, "Yup."
"Here do you want me to carry your bag?"
"No it's okay Mommy, I got it; it's not heavy."
She smiled, "Okay. Come on, we're going to wait for Daddy at the car," she said, taking his hand.
At the store
"Daddy! They have Cars everything!" he shouted enthusiastically, practically running in circles around his mother and father as they walked hand-in-hand.
Hodgins laughed, "I know buddy. Are you sure you want everything Cars? They have Batman stuff too you know."
Michael's eyes got wide, "Can I get two of everything? Please pretty please?" he begged, giving them the pouty look they found to be incredibly hard to resist.
Angela smiled, ruffling her son's hair, "Not gonna work this time baby sorry. How about this, you can get a Cars backpack and a Batman lunchbox, that way you have both your favorites."
"Cool!" Michael whooped, running down the school supply aisle.
"Michael! Michael, please stay where we can see you!" Hodgins called after him. He turned to Angela, "I can't believe he doesn't want everything Batman. Superheroes beat talking cars any old day."
Angela rolled her eyes, giving him a weird look, "Yeah and I can't believe the man I married is still obsessed with comic books and their superheroes," she teased.
"Hey you read comic books too!"
"But the difference is, I grew out of them, you didn't honey."
His face fell as if he actually thought she was being serious.
She laughed, "I'm totally kidding Jack. I love that you have something to share with Michael, other than bugs of course." She sidled up next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder, "Don't tell anyone, but I also love what a little dork you are," she teased playfully.
"This coming from the woman who still watches The Vampire Diaries, a show clearly intended for teenage girls. Yes babe I know your secret, you forgot to delete it off the DVR last week."
She punched his shoulder, forgetting she had a cast on.
"Owww!" he yelped, pulling his arm away.
"Oh my gosh, I totally forgot I had a cast! I'm so sorry Jack! Are you okay?"
He winced as she touched his arm but put on his big boy face, knowing that he couldn't show his wife that he wasn't nearly as tough as her, even though she already knew this to be true. "Yeah I'm good. Jeez Ange, how do you forget you have a cast on your arm?"
She shrugged, "I've gotten used to it these past couple of days I suppose. Just wait in a couple of weeks you'll have gotten used to being inadvertently hit with it."
He just groaned, glaring when he noticed the hint of a smile creeping onto her face.
"Mommy! Daddy! Stop being weird and come over here and see what I found!" Michael ordered from the other end of the aisle.
"Michael, can you ask us nicely?" Angela reminded him.
He sighed, "Can you puhhlease come over here and see what I found?"
Hodgins chuckled. He sounded exactly like Angela when she was cranky and annoyed, except less demanding and a bit more polite. "He is so your son Angie."
"Oh shut up," she told him, understanding what he was implying. "Come on let's go see what he wants to show us."
Like I said, obviously this copycat Gravedigger issue has not been resolved yet and I'll be exploring that some more. Who knows what'll happen... *evil laugh*
I'm actually kind of disappointed with the lack of reviews for the last chapter. I mean I'm grateful that I've got just one person telling me that they enjoy my story, but I know for a fact I've got WAY more than one person following this story. So please do review! I'm going to be busy this weekend so if you guys want a new chapter before the weekend, please review and I'll have it up on Friday. If not you'll have to wait until after the weekend is over and I get time to write.
Phew! Sorry for the whole speel. It's just a tad bit annoying for me as a writer, especially when I try my hardest to constantly review stories that I am following. Well I hope you all keep reading and that I haven't scared you off with my I guess you could say "whiny" behavior. What can I say, I enjoy being encouraged and even criticized :P
-Willie