Double Dating

Brennan glanced around the brightly lit room she was in and wondered for the hundredth time why she had allowed Angela to drag her there. She had never been a big fan of parties – especially ones like this – and as of yet, had found no reason to change her opinion on them.

She was practically bored out of her mind and was itching to go back to the latest skeleton that had been brought in to the Jeffersonian Institute.

Angela seemed to sense her mood, because she suddenly appeared by her side and offered a cheery smile. "How are you doing, hon?" she asked. "You look like you'd rather be digging up corpses. Pardon the pun."

Brennan smiled and her gaze flickered to the door as someone entered. Booth. "No, no. I'm fine. Really," she protested half-heartedly. "Although Booth thinks I'm here with a date thanks to your comment earlier."

At that exact moment, Booth spotted her – no, them – in the crowd, and began to head towards them. He threaded through the mass of people like he'd done it many times before and Brennan watched the way his muscles ripped under his shirt as he moved.

Of course, it was purely due to anthropological interest. Or so she told herself.

Angela grinned openly at Brennan and patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry about the date thing," she told her. "I've got it all worked out."

Booth finally made it to them, and they all swapped "hello's" and "how are you's?" before heading into the kitchen to grab drinks. It was then that Booth asked the question Brennan had been dreading.

"So, where's the date, Bones?" Booth enquired, a little too casually.

Brennan opened her mouth to tell him the truth, but shut it again without a word when Angela interrupted, pulling at the first arm that brushed against hers.

"This is Brennan's date," she said, smiling. She glanced up and realising it was a girl who she'd grabbed, laughed. "Uh, sorry. No, there he is."

Zach nodded and went to stand beside Brennan. "Here I am," he agreed. He clearly hadn't heard their conversation clearly.

Booth's eyes widened and he choked back a smirk. "You!?" he asked incredulously.

Zach shrugged. "Yes. Angela asked me to go as her date, so here I am." He spotted Hodgins in the crowd and before Booth could protest, headed off.

"I…what?" Booth's gaze darted back to Brennan and then on to Angela. "I thought Zach was Bones' date."

Again, all Brennan could do was shrug. "Ask her," she said, turning to Angela.

Of course, Angela had another great cover-up planned. "Well, actually," she began, "we're both Zach's dates." She nodded in confirmation, grimacing slightly at the look on Brennan's face, but at the same time trying to look convincing. She was so going to have a lot of making up to do after this! Years and years of making up.

Booth collapsed into laughter, patting both of them on the back with one hand for each. "You don't have to lie, you know. If you don't have dates, there's nothing wrong with that." Smirking, he followed Zach, leaving a frustrated Brennan and Angela alone.

Brennan looked about ready to execute her friend and perform an autopsy just for the fun of it.

"Sweetie," Angela soothed. "I don't think he bought it."