Bones: The Weird and Wonderful

Aubrey #3: I'm not in love....

Dedicated to  @Totalstratusfaction

James Aubrey had a strange fascination with the way the world worked. Whether it was because he believed in God (giving him a way to try and figure out why God made things work the way they did) or because he was just a curious soul, Aubrey found a way to love the little things in life.

And at that very moment, without realising he was being watched, he was watching Heidi work over the body Cam had to to up for her to work over.

Angela, Hodgins wife and fellow Smithsonian employee, had an amused look on her face as she watched Aubrey watch Heidi. It was the little things she could pick out. And as Heidi's best friend, Angela knew it was her duty to create an intervention.

Or in her mind, create the perfect scenario. Get results. Really, she just needed to play an epic game of mental dodge ball and get the answers she required. It was her duty as best friend and local match maker.

Okay, the match maker thing had all been Heidi's words but in some cases, it had turned out really well for some.

"Hey, Aubrey. What's going on?" Angela approached the agent, cradling her slightly swollen belly. Aubrey turned to watch her, a smile playing on his face.

"Eh. Not a lot. Well, I'm thinking about Sushi. And maybe a pizza. Or pie..."
"I have seen the way you eat and I envy your metabolism." Angela laughed. Aubrey chuckled.

"Good metabolism now, big fat jelly belly later." He patted his stomach. Angela rolled her eyes.
"So, why does Heidi and Cam have a body in there when I 'very literally just finished a case?"

Angela smiled. "As her intern, Heidi needs practise determining the time and cause of death. I mean, she's pretty good but not Cam or Brennan level."
"I honestly don't think anyone can get to Doc B's level. Mainly because she is on her own level. That's beyond mastery."
"Thats true. But Cam gets body's sent here occasionally to test her interns so that she can see where they are at in their internship." Both were now watching Heidi as she scratched her forehead with her wrist, attempting to avoid cross contamination of her own skin and the cadavers.

******

Heidi was consciously aware of the fact that her best friend was talking to Aubrey. And even though it wasn't anything to be concerned about, they talked often, the look on Angela's face when she had come to the where she was now was one of determination.

"Heidi? Are you alright?" Cam had noticed Heidi wasn't doing a anything except for staring at the open body. Heidi looked up at her mentor and nodded, blowing a strand of stray brown hair out of the way.

"Sorry, Cam. I was just thinking."
"You're distracted."
"I'm fine." Cam chewed her bottom lip for a second.

"If you need to take a break-"
"I appreciate the concern but you told me that in the real world, you don't leave until you can give the answers needed." Cam smiled.

"Continue then. What's the estimated time of death?" Heidi smiled.

*****

Heidi left the Smithsonian after spending several hours answering questions after question that Cam provided. Some were simple, some caused her to have to dig for her answers and occasionally, there was the odd question that made no sense whatsoever.

"Heidi Jane Mulligan!" Angela yelled from the doors of the Smithsonian. Heidi froze and turned around, waiting for her friends to catch up to her. It took a little while longer for Hodgins to catch up to them, but that was mainly down to him trying to do a wheeley in his wheelchair.

"Hey, Ange." They two embraced. "What's up?"
"I have something I have to ask of you and I don't want you to say no so I have come to bribe you into saying yes with pizza and the prospect of ice cream." Magic words, pizza and ice cream. Those were the magic words that grabbed at Heidi and pulled her into her happy place. And made her completely incapable of saying no.

"What is it?"
"We need you to babysit. Please."
"We haven't had a night to ourselves in sooo long since," Hodgins had caught up to them now and was motioning to his immobile lower half. "And it would be nice to leave our only child for at least another 5 months with his favourite Aunt Heidi?" Hodgins was really trying to lay it on. Heidi chuckled and looked at the two with a contemplative look. Angela's face semi dropped when Heidi started talking again.

"Well I did have plans tonight in which I was going to go out but..." Angela's face turned into an excited smile again.

"Thank you, Heidi! You am really the best."
"Eh well, as long as you remember that when I have kids and all I did for you." Angela and Hodgins both laughed. Pushing her keys into her hand, Angela nodded.

"Yes, yes. Go, go. Please." Angela nodded enthusiastically. Heidi raised an eyebrow as she slowly turned around to continue walking towards her car, a quiet murmur in her head suggesting that there wasn't something right...

"Is it going to work?" Hodgins looked up at his wife as she smirked. Looking down at him, Angela shrugged.

"It's all down to him now. I've done what I need to do.  I just hope that she doesn't kill me tomorrow." Hodgins grabbed Angela's hand and kissed her wrist.

"She loves you. As her best friend, it's your job to ensure that her love life gets at least least a little bit of attention from time to time."

******

Heidi unlocked the door to Angela and Hodgins large house just as their son, Michael, barreled into Heidi, almost knocking her off her feet.

"Michael Staccato Vincent. What would your mother say?" Heidi laughed as she picked the younger Hodgins up.

"Uhmmm.... don't run with scissors?" Michael gave her a toothy smile.
"OR maybe, let Aunt Heidi get inside before you run her over." She gave Michael a kiss on  the cheek before letting him down and following him to the kitchen.

"Where your nanny?"
"She heard your car pull up and left when you opened the door. She does that when mommy and dad get home." Michael shrugged nonchalantly. Heidi smiled and moved into the kitchen as the kid climbed onto the stool and continued to colour in.

"So how do you feel about ice cream?" She asked. His cheer in response was a decent enough answer to lead to a pre-dinner dessertathon.