Is it bad if I still dislike Hannah? I don't really think so, so I've put her in a supremely awkward situation.

Returns Never Go As Planned

The whoosh of the lab door was comfortably familiar as I hitched my shoulder bag further up wandering slowly into the space that I'd had a hard time forgetting in the two years since I'd left. It looked just the same as it had before with the stainless steel glinting gently in the sunlight that was coming through the vast sky light. I was in town for a story, just for a few days, that and I needed to get a new passport. I figured that this was a good as time as any to catch up with friends and see how Seeley was doing. I didn't quite of have the courage to start with him so I would start with those at the lab.

No one was on the platform as I crossed the sterilized air threshold. There were just a few people roaming around the different stations working on old reports, tying up loose ends, doing research of their own. I could see Cam at her computer in Autopsy and the lights in Angela's and Brennan's office were on. I could just see the back of Temperance's head on her couch. I figured that she was just working on her book or the next article she was hoping to publish.

I could start there. No problem, I told myself. Temperance was always the clear level headed, overly rational, and completely literal one of the group. She wouldn't read anything more into my visit than me just wanting to say hi because I was in town.

The door was open so I just paused on the threshold as I knocked on the door. She turned looking to me and smiled, "Hannah! Come in," she gestured moving her lap top to the coffee table and scooping a toddler, maybe an infant I've never been good with children, off the floor and settling the little girl on hip with practiced ease. Angela and Hodgins baby girl I assumed naturally and she pulled me into a one armed hug.

"It's so wonderful to see you! What brings you to DC?" she asked as she moved stacks of paper from the arm chair to the table making room for me on to sit. She did all of it with one arm with practiced art of someone with a baby fixed to her hip. Which didn't bother me it seemed logical that she would spend a lot of time with Angela's kid so I didn't think anything of it.

"Oh I'm just in town to get a new passport and do a few interviews for a piece I'm working on. Then I'm heading out on my next assignment." I told her settling down on the clear space as she sat back down and started bouncing the baby on her knee to the little girls delight.

"That's wonderful. I loved your series on the conditions in Iraq for soldiers it was very informative."

I didn't know what to say she wasn't exactly a person that handed out praise readily to anyone so I deflected and waved at the happy infant. "Thank you. And who's this adorable little girl?" I asked.

The baby was chewing on a toy while smiling. Temperance just smiled and brushed the child's hair to the side, "This here is Bella. Her nanny was sick today so she came to work with Mom."

I leaned forward to look carefully at the baby, there was no way she was old enough, but whom else's baby would it be. "Well Bella Hodgins you are just the prettiest little girl." Which earned me a giggle.

This however got a very different reaction from Temperance than I would have every expected. She laughed whole-heartedly wrapping her arm around the baby more fully. "Your mistake is understandable. Angela was pregnant for the duration of your relationship with Booth in D.C." She laughed again; meanwhile I was trying to figure out what on earth she could be talking about. "Angela and Hodgins had a baby boy, Michael, at the beginning of last summer. Bella here is my daughter."

Looking at the little girl an "Oh," escaped my mouth as I studied the little girl and I could see her mom's jaw line and auburn hair color coming in as she squirmed in her mother's lap.

Temperance was oblivious to my shock however and continued on, "Angela has however decided that they are going to grow up and get married. It will be, according to her, the perfect fairy tale…" She continue talking about the plans Angela had made for their children and gushing about Bella's latest accomplishment just like a normal mother would and took no notice of my attempt to glean who the darling girl's father was. All I managed to figure out is that some time in the two years since I left not only had she managed to have a baby but she'd also gotten married as evidenced by the simple sliver band wrapped around her ring finger.

It was nothing gaudy, or sparkly, in fact it was downright plain just a sliver band wrapped around her figure. Unmistakable in its purpose. The thought blipped through my mind that maybe after I left… but I immediately dismissed the idea. I'd only been gone two years there was no way in that amount of time her and Booth had gotten married and had a baby. Given their history that just seemed a little too fast for them. Plus we'd split after I'd said no to a proposal, that's not just a normal break up. But the thought just niggled as I looked at the little girls chocolate brown eyes knowing that they were too familiar.

Temperance had stopped talking momentarily and was rummaging in the bag at her feet pulling out a pacifier and a stuffed bear. "There you go. Dad should be here soon and then we can go to lunch."

"You have plans with your husband. I should really take off anyway get some work done and pick up so new clothes." I tried to make an excuse to disappear as quickly as possible. And as soon as I was out of the lab I was going to Google Dr. Brennan, surely one of her fan sites to tell me when she got married and who to, let alone when Bella was born. She was famous enough for that, right?

Brennan stood shifting Bella to her hip again, "Nonsense Booth should be here momentarily." I bit my lip trying to stop myself from saying anything I might regret and simultaneously crush my need to just bolt from the room. "I'm sure he'd love to catch up with you and hear about your work." She was managing to pack a bag one handed, and I was reminding myself that I was an embedded war journalist I should be more than capable of facing lunch with my ex-boyfriend and his wife or partner or possibly both and their perfect daughter.

"How are my girls?" I heard followed by his signature clap of his hand and he strode into the office not even noticing me. He just crossed to them and wrapped his arms around them both pecking the baby's head before leaning in for a longer kiss with his wife. At this point I'm trying not to hyperventilate, vomit, or faint, while reminding myself I can do this I've done things that are way scarier. "What have you been up to?" He asked Bella.

"Well I was just inviting Hannah to join us for lunch." Temperance answered him, for the first time in my life I felt like melting into the furniture would be the ideal situation as I watched his eyes go wide and follow his wife's line of sight.

"Hey Seeley." I managed to say.

"Hannah." He was still recovering from the shock of seeing me again. "What are you doing in DC?" It was almost accusatory.

I took a deep breath I've interviewed presidents my ex-boyfriend shouldn't be so hard, "Getting a passport renewed and a few interviews done… You look good."

Silence reigned for a moment and the only one that didn't seem uncomfortable was Temperance, "Thanks so do you." Another awkward pause, "Would you like to join us for lunch?"

I would like to believe that I am fearless and until that moment I thought I was. But as it turns out my greatest fear is having to interact with happy couples composed of my ex-boyfriend and what used to be just his work partner. "I was just telling Temperance that I really need to go run some errands before my interview this afternoon."

Booth looked relieved for a split second before he tried to school his features into a more disappointed look. "That's too bad maybe the next time you're in town."

"Hannah are you sure?" Temperance asked, "I would really love to talk to you for a little bit longer."

The look on the Booth's face was almost comical as he said, "She's a busy woman Bones, we'll catch up the next time she makes a pit stop in DC."

Relieved that he was helping me escape, probably as much for himself as me, I was quick to agree. "Definitely, the next time I'm in town we'll schedule a meal." I told her slinging my bag on and making my way to the door stopping to give her a hug. "It was wonderful to see you both and she's a beautiful little girl." I told them before I moved and quickly as I could out of the office and for the lab doors vowing never to just stop by again.

Luck wasn't with me as I practically collided with Angela, "Hannah!" She exclaimed, "It's great to see you!" Then she must have taken in my expression, "You already know? Ugh I wish I'd seen you first then I at least could have given you warning."

"I don't know that anything would have prepared me for finding them happily married with a baby." I told her honestly.

"Yikes, sorry. If it makes you feel better the married portion is only a week old. He only managed to talk her into going down to the courthouse last week." She told me reaching out to give me a comforting squeeze.

I shook my head. "No it doesn't really help. Look I would love to stay and chat but I think I just need to escape and wrap my head around the concept."

"I totally understand. Get out of here." She told me with a wave.

I started towards the entrance before I stopped, "How long after I left?" I asked her.

Angela had the decency not to tell me. "It doesn't matter. She wasn't the rebound girl or comfort sex if that's what you're asking."

"I didn't mean… you know what never mind. Are they happy?" I asked already knowing the answer.

She nodded and gave me a sad smile, "Really really happy."

"Ok. I'm going to leave it at that. It was nice to see you Angela." I with that I left the lab vowing never to come back.

Well what did you think?

Side note yesterday Baby in the Bough was on TNT and it made me soo excited for season 7. Is it September yet?

Babyrose