Don't Take Me For Granted

[whedonist]

Chapter 8 – Don’t Take Me for Granted

“When did this get so nerve wracking? They’ve done this lots of times before, why do I feel like I’m going to be sick?” I ask no one in particular as I pace the length of my office. I’m so tired of walking back forth and I think I may have worn a trail in my carpet. I throw myself into one of my chairs and glare at the smirk riding Jack’s face and the upturned eyebrow Sweets is giving me.

“Ang,” Jack’s voice is soft and teasing.

I stick my tongue out at him and fold my arms across my chest as my stomach does another somersault. Jack and I did it, we found what we hope is the last person involved with Gormogon. Three hours ago we managed to trace the signal on the bugs and tie it in to a masked IP address on the email.

A few minor violation of privacy law later and we had a name and an address, Chester Baxendale of Arlington Virginia. Such a ridiculously unoriginal name for someone who’s caused so much heartache.

Of course…

I really shouldn’t be surprised. Sweets told us to look for someone unobtrusive who would blend in. And he does! He’s a fricking elementary school teacher. Someone that…I mean he’s teaching children for God’s sake.

“So Jack,” Sweets asks softly, “How are you feeling?”

I roll my eyes behind my eyelids and then crack them open, actually interested in how Jack’s going to answer that particular question. “Uh, okay…,” he says cautiously.

I interrupt whatever Sweets was going to say next by asking, “Do you think we should call Cam and see how she and Zack are doing at the hospital?”

Jack nods and I pull out my cell phone. Hitting the four button, I wait as my boss’s cell phone rings and rings and goes to voicemail. I roll my eyes at my stupidity. We have to turn them off when we get to Zack’s floor. I drop the phone back into my lap and watch it, willing it ring with Booth’s or Tempe’s number on the display.

“Angela, maybe you want to talk about why you’re so anxious?” Sweets smiles at me as he asks the question.

Coming to my defense, Jack butts in, “It couldn’t be because our friends are out there risking their lives because of another person’s want and need for power and control? Maybe because if this doesn’t pan out we’re back to square one and we’re all still in danger?”

“While those are great observations,” the psychologist answers, “What I mean is what Agent Booth and Doctor Brennan are doing now is no different than what they’ve done before and yet Angela you’ve never been this anxious those other times.”

“Ah, so what you’re really asking is now that I’m sleeping with Tempe if that’s going to affect our working relationship?” I ask.

“Sort of,” he says looking between the two of us. “Listen, I’m not trying to be a jerk, I’m just trying to redirect the nervousness that we are all feeling. I think it would be healthy for all of us to have something else to focus on until we hear back from Agent Booth and Doctor Brennan.” Unsure of himself now, his eyes skirt between the two of us. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I look at Jack and shrug; he shrugs back. I know what he’s thinking and I’m sure he can read my mind too. Maybe this will help. If I have to sit and wait anymore without doing something, I may scream.

“Why not,” Jack answers for the two of us.

Sweets face lights up and he sits up on the couch, straightening his back. “Good. Jack, I think I would like to start with you. Angela has already talked some, but how are you adjusting?”

Jack looks to me and my stomach rolls again. I should hear this. I tip my chin and he says, “Truthfully, there are good moments and bad moments. I miss you, Ang, but I meant what I said. I want you happy. That’s the most important thing to me and if you can be happy with Doctor Brennan then I’ll accept it.” He smiles at me warm and soft, saying, “I don’t have to like it right away, but I will admit that the idea of you two together is pretty smoking.”

I grin back and shake my head, teasing him, “I’ll talk to her about making a tape.”

We both look at Sweets’ mouth drop open and I laugh, finally. An honest to God, real laugh that breaks the strangle hold of anxiety.

Furthering the joke, Jack says, “Just let me know when I can join.”

I falter for a second and then brush the idea off. Threesomes end poorly, I know this, I can’t go down that road. I just smile at him instead and say, “I love you too Jack.”

“You guys are just joking right? Because engaging in such behavior with a group of co-workers whose lives literally depend on each other doesn’t seem like such a good idea.” Sweets index finger vacillates between Jack and me.

“Engaging in what type of behavior?” Tempe asks from the doorway.

My head whips around and I look her over first. She still has on the bulletproof vest and her hair’s back in a ponytail, there’s a new cut above her right eye. I spring from my chair and have her in a hug before I say anything. Pulling back, I look at the cut a little more closely, it’s really just a scratch, but I still finger it lightly and she doesn’t even wince.

Without being prompted, she says, “He swung a lamp at me.”

I laugh a little. “So then…?”

She gives me another squeeze before letting me go and walking to the center of my office. “We found him and he tried to run. I got smacked in the head with a lamp and Booth elbowed him in the side of the head. I rode back with a group of techs that brought in a ton of evidence; Booth took him to processing.” She smiles at all of us and I finally, relax.

“it’s over?” Jack asks.

She nods and says, “I believe so.”

---

I yawn and stretch as Tempe carries on about a piece of bone we found in an evidence box that was brought in with yesterday’s raid on Baxendale’s house. While I may love the woman to pieces, she gets a little too excited about things that people just shouldn’t get excited about. I smile warmly and nod letting her go on.

Her passion for the truth is still unrivaled. Her passion in general is. I guess I’ll deal with it.

“Everyone,” Cam calls from the bottom of the platform steps, “Can I have your attention.”

I look around and realize that Jack, Booth and Sweets are with us looking through another box. Everyone directs their attention to Cam and waits.

“I’d like everyone to welcome back Doctor Zack Addy to the Jeffersonian Staff.” She smiles and Zack walks through the sliding glass doors on to the Forensics floor. His hands are still gloved but he may be able to use them. We’ll see.

We clap and wave and Cam makes a show of handing him his access and I.D. badge. He swipes it and bounds up the steps.

Jack’s the first one to speak, “So, does this mean that we get to work together again and am I going to have to kick out the new tenant?”

“The doctors have released me on a part time basis to start back to work,” Zack says smiling. “And yes, you will have to kick out the individual staying in my apartment.”

Jack smiles wide and claps his friend on the shoulder. I, instead, wrap him in a hug and hold on tight. He whispers in my ear, “Thank you, Angela.”

I let him go and hold him at arm’s length, blinking back tears and looking him over. “You need a haircut.”

He smiles at me and nods enthusiastically.

“Zack,” Booth holds out his hand and then thinks better of it. Instead, the agent wraps an arm around Zack’s shoulders and leads him further onto the platform. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Thanks, Agent Booth. It’s good to be back.” Zack says as Booth plants him right in front of Tempe.

They grin at each other and Temperance’s chin dips just a little. “Doctor Addy, it’s good to have you back.” They stop and look at each other, knowing that’s the most Tempe’s going to acknowledge his return.

I know how she feels. I also know that this is a lot harder on her than most would think. She’s more sensitive than people give her credit for.

I watch as Cam hands him a smock and a pair of gloves. He slips the latex gloves over the black cloth one’s he already has on and Tempe hands him the bone that she’s been inspecting. “Doctor Addy, if you can tell me what information can be gleaned from this?”

He holds it up and says, “I’ll run some tests and let you know.” With that he turns to head to his office while the rest of us follow.

He stops before entering and looks at all of us questioningly. “Is there more?”

There’s a universal shake of our heads and he shrugs, turns back and walks into his office. We step through and watch his reaction to the welcome home sign I put together and the two trophy’s sitting on his desk. One trophy is the smaller one Cam had made for him; the other is one that Tempe picked up last night before we went home. It’s a bit bigger and etched on the silver cup is his name and below it is another line of script proudly declaring him “King of the Lab”.

Cam allows a moment to bask in having everyone together again before she says, “Alright people, let’s get back to work, this evidence isn’t going to sort itself.”

We all nod and shuffle out to leave Zack to go back to work. Tempe’s hand ghosts over my upper arm and I wink at her before stepping on to the platform.

---

I juggle the three bags of groceries as Tempe unlocks her apartment and lets us in. Groaning, I set the bags down thankful that the day is finally over. Caroline picked up the rest of the evidence, Booth got a full confession out of Chester and Zack’s back where he belongs.

On my mental scoreboard it reads, Home – 3, Killers – 0. The audience in my head cheers wildly and then Tempe’s lips on my neck stop all thought. Her arms encircle my waist as she pulls me to her and I lean back against her form, laying my hands over hers.

I turn around and link my hands behind her neck, pressing our lips together. My tongue slides into her mouth and she moans as, I tease and caress her. I back us up until she’s against the kitchen counter and my hands develop a mind of their own as they sneak under her shirt and up her sides. I bring them around to cup her breasts and tease her hardening nipples with the pads of my thumbs.

Her knees start to buckle and I assist in raising her on to the counter to rest between her legs. Finally we break apart and she rests her forehead against mine as we catch out breaths. “Ang,” she says gently.

“Hmm?” is my articulate reply.

“Thank you.”

I open my eyes and meet her gaze. “For?”

“Not giving up.” She pecks me on the lips and as much as I want to carry her back to her bedroom or hell, have my way with her here, I get the feeling that she wants to talk.

I shrug and let her continue, “You saw what we didn’t. We all owe you.”

I laugh. “You really don’t.” I pull back and remove my hands.

“Well we at least owe you a couch.” She smirks and I groan.

I’d momentarily forgotten that I was homeless.

“What,” she starts, unsure, “are you going to do about that?”

“Look for a new place. It took me forever to find that one,” I pout.

“We can put in a call to my realtor. I’m sure he’ll help us look.”

“Us?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.

“Well, I just assumed you would drag me around looking at new places.” She plays with the ring on her thumb and says, “I was giving it some thought, Booth and I were talking and I do have two extra rooms. Of course one’s an office, but there is a spare here. If you would…”

I place my finger over her lips and shake my head. “Sweetie, that’s very generous, but I know you. I also know me. We’re two people who need our own space. Especially for now.” I look her over and see the uncertainty.

“There’s a certain practicality to it all,” she offers smiling.

I nod slowly. “Maybe, but we’ve only been together for less than a week and as much as I might enjoy the idea of having you around like that I’m really not ready for it. I don’t think you are either.”

She nods, conceding my point. “Then at least understand there’s no rush right now. Stay for as long as you need to.”

I lean in give her a small peck. “Thank you.”

“I do suggest getting something similar. I liked your apartment. It suited you well.”

I rest my head on her shoulder and pout a little more, “Yeah, it was pretty damn perfect.”

She squeezes my shoulder and her cheek rests on the top of my head. “We’ll find you a new one.”

I sigh and straighten up. “So dinner?”

Her hand sneaks up my shirt to palm warm flesh. “Sex sounds like the better option to me.”

Her wolfish grin is pretty much all it takes to send shocks down my spine and into my groin. I’m a pile of goo and she knows it.

She removes her hand and drops from the kitchen counter to sink to her knees. My jeans snap open and I look down at her, grinning idiotically.

Yeah, I’m toast.