A/N: Well folks, here is the final chapter. I'm sad about having to finish the story but I at least gave it a happy ending. Thanks for all the joy I got from the reviews and thanks for sticking with this story. Faithful readers win my respect and hugs. It was a pleasure to write for you guys. Enjoy!
Angela decided the time had come. Her friends had come in from the party yesterday, holding hands. And they hadn't let go all day unless there was something important to be done.
She felt now would be the right time. This would ultimately bring them together in her opinion. Angela decided first however, that she would go talk things over with Hodgins.
"Hodgins!" she hissed, beckoning him away from Zack. The young anthropologist shot the pair a funny look. Maybe they wanted to discuss his new hairstyle without his hearing, he contemplated, flicking his side fringe out of his eyes.
She dragged him into her office and shut the door. " I was thinking…" she started.
"Since when are you not?" Hodgins asked playfully.
"Oh be quiet. This is serious. I have a plan for getting our little experiments together," she said, going to sit at her desk.
"I'm listening," he said, hand cupped round his ear.
She was riffling through the papers in one of her drawers before finding what it was she was seeking. She pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to Hodgins.
"These are the symptoms?" he asked, looking up at her. She nodded her confirmation.
"Bit squashed isn't it? What were you trying to do, make it into a wish penny?" he joked with her.
Angela laughed. "If only. And I wrote it in red pen, just to make it more romantic."
Hodgins rolled his eyes and said, "Well I dunno if you want to just go straight up to Brennan and hand her this. Or…"
"Or…?!" Angela said, hanging on the edge of her seat, waiting for his response.
"You could type it up in an email and send it to her. Then she can read it and decided if she wants to share it with Booth or not," Hodgins finished, coming to stand next to Angela.
"You're a genius," she grinned, opening up her inbox before clicking the 'Write New' button.
"Thanks baby," he grinned. "Now, what time should I make the reservation for? Half six? Seven?"
"Reservation?" she inquired, staring questioningly at him as she began to type.
"Yeah for dinner. Say seven," he said, smiling at her.
"Dinner?" she asked, now totally confused.
"Yeah, for the bet, remember?" he said, giving her a strange look.
"But…" she stammered. "You helped me out with getting the two of them together. Surely that means the bet was off."
"Nope and you won," Hodgins disagreed. "I'll ask for a booth at seven ok?"
"Ok," she grinned. " Can I ask just one question before you go though?"
"What's that?" he quizzed, turning back to face her.
"I said I would have done anything had you won the bet. What would you have asked for?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Hodgins grinned. "Well that's an easy one."
Angela arched an eyebrow while he continued, "I would have requested you have dinner with me."
"Seriously?" she said, touched. She got up from her seat and stepped up to Hodgins.
"Yeah, so either way it was a win/win for me. I just prefer this way, with Booth and Brennan getting together is all," he smiled at the artist.
"Thanks Jack," she said, kissing him on the cheek.
"Be ready for half six," he shouted back at her, moving across to Zack.
Wow, Zack thought. That must have been one really long discussion about my hair.
Brennan was typing up her latest chapter for her book when a sign flashed up. "One new message from Angela Montenegro," she read out. Booth was outside on a platform, talking to Zack and Hodgins.
She clicked the pop-up and began to read.
She read the email Angela had sent her and laughed. She wasn't in love with Booth! Her friend must have been feeling in a matchmaking mood. But then, something inside Brennan told her she should read over the email again.
She took a second look at it and this time, she didn't find it quite so funny. She printed it off before rushing off to find Booth.
"Booth!" she called, racing up to the FBI agent. Hodgins saw the paper in her hand and sent her something close to a knowing smile.
"Whoa. What's up Bones?" he said, giving her the once over with his eyes..
She grabbed his hand. "We need to talk. Now."
"Ok," he said, allowing himself to be dragged away.
Hodgins sprang away to get Angela, offering Zack no explanation.
My new haircut must be really good if Booth and Dr Brennan are now talking about it, Zack mused.
Angela and Hodgins raced to their usual spots. They lay there, silent as the grave, watching the scene unfold.
"What's happened that's so urgent?" Booth said, a hand on Brennan's shoulder.
" I want you to read this," she said, handing Booth the printed off email.
"The Symptoms of Love," he said aloud and began to read.
Booth was a fast reader and was done in under a minute. " To coin a phrase of yours, I don't know what that means," he commented.
Brennan smiled at his jest before turning serious again. " Angela sent me that, saying it described us."
"Really?" Booth looked interested, reading it over again.
"Well I can see her point," Booth stated. " We have done all of those things."
Brennan moved right up into Booth's personal space. "Are we in love then?"
Booth thought it through and reasoned, "I suppose we are."
Brennan draped her arms round his neck. " I don't believe in suppositions. I believe in facts. And these," she indicated the paper, " are facts."
His arms wrapped around her waist. " You believe in us then?"
"With my whole heart because…because… I love you Booth," she finally managed.
Booth knew it was hard for her to put her feelings into words, so he knew she was being honest.
"That's good then cause I love you too," he whispered before claiming her lips in a kiss.
A celebratory cheer went up outside the office. But Booth and Brennan didn't care. They were too busy enjoying the experience.