Squinty Sleepover

Chapter 2

Stepping to the living room, Temperance spied several DVD cases on the table, but neither Angela, nor her duffel bag were anywhere in sight. She walked over and picked one of the cases up, wondering what Angela had picked, when she was startled when an arm coming around her shoulders.

"So what do you think, sweetie? I bought it just yesterday, especially for tonight." Angela was sporting her broadest grin and a pair of outrageously short black boxers with a matching camisole.

Laughing Temperance nudged her friend playfully. "We are expecting men here, Ange."

"Exactly. That's why I bought you one, too. It's in a bag on your bed when you want to change."

Rolling her eyes the anthropologist watched her friend plopping down on the couch. "I don't think I have anything to drink besides wine and beer."

"Comes sit down, Bren. Wine and beer is fine as long as there are enough bottles," Angela said, before patting the couch next to her. "Let's pretend we're teenagers and start the girl talk."

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Temperance asked, sitting down and mirroring Angela's position, crossing her legs Indian style.

"What else? Men! Let's make it boys, since tonight's theme is a sleepover." They both laughed at that and proceeded gossiping –Temperance had never indulged but it really felt good to call it that- on several ex-boyfriends. In Angela's case, the stories seemed endless and the information -especially on her current boyfriend- sometimes too much, but Brennan found herself laughing more and more as minutes went by. She had just started relaxing when there was a knock on the door.

She rushed over still laughing after a quip Angela had made and opened the door to find a shy-looking Zach and a somewhat apprehensive looking Hodgins standing there. "Hey," she greeted them with a smile. "Come on in."

They stepped in hesitantly, looking around the place curiously and she let them a few moments before she ushered them into the living room.

"Hey, boys!" Angela greeted in turn from her place on the couch, as Hodgins smiled and walked over for a kiss while Zach waved feebly.

"Uhm, Thanks for having us Dr. Brennan," the younger man mumbled and Temperance found that tonight she didn't particularly like the formality. When Hodgins opened his mouth, probably to second Zach's sentiment, she held a palm up to stop him.

"Okay, we have to lay some ground rules here." Both men looked at her apprehensively. "Tonight we're not working on a case, or talking about it in any way. Hence, you're Jack, you're Zach and I'm Temperance," she said, pointing at each man and then herself. The smiles she got in return confirmed her idea as a good one. "Besides, colleagues, we're friends, correct? Therefore I see no reason for the formality, especially tonight."

"You go, sweetie!" Angela looked gleeful from her seat.

"Sounds good to me...Temperance," Hodgins tried it out and smiled bigger.

"Zach?" she asked her former grad-student, who had been silently watching the exchange.

"I'm not sure I can manage the transition as easily as Hodgins but I will try."

"That's all I ask, Zach." She smiled in encouragement and asked the men what they wanted to drink, after telling them where to put their overnight bags.

"Boys, go and change into whatever you sleep in, before you sit down." Angela's voice drifted to the kitchen where Temperance was getting the drinks. A few low grumbles and stutters followed, and she pointed to Jack the bathroom when he asked about it.