Spoiler alert: If you haven't watched the most recent episode ("The Murder in the Middle East"), this is your spoiler warning. Also, for those of who like me to give tissue warnings … well, that wasn't exactly the happiest Bones episode, now was it?

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

She had stood frozen in place for nearly a full minute, silent and unwavering as she stared at the back of the door that Booth had just closed behind him. Thoughts raced through her head:

"Why didn't he fight me longer on this?"

"Where is he going to stay tonight?"

"Did he say he was sorry?"

"Why wasn't he upset about our safety?"

"Why hasn't he tried to come back?"

As she heard his car pull out of their driveway, she swallowed hard and caught herself issuing a follow-up to her last question: "Do I want him to come back?"

She stood still for another minute or so, halfway waiting to see if Booth's car would reappear in the driveway. When her cellphone buzzed, startling her from her reverie, she was fully prepared not to engage in an angry texting war; however, instead of Booth, it was her father giving his support: "Say the word and I'll come over."

Brennan let out a bitter laugh at the fact that she actually believed the man she had fought for so long to trust – while she no longer trusted the man who, up until a few weeks ago, had her complete trust. She returned her father's message with a thanks and said she would come get Christine in the morning.

For a few minutes, she remaining quiet, fighting the urge to do something or make herself busy. Deafened by the silence of house, and emotionally spent from the tension and stress of the last week, she finally caved and did what any normal woman would do – called up her best friend.

Angela knew full well that tonight was the night Booth was due to arrive home, and the fact that Brennan was asking her to come over with no explanation could not be a good thing. She figured Booth was unharmed since Brennan hadn't seemed completely wrecked on the phone, but she knew something wasn't right. Her suspicions raised by Brennan's reactions in the last 48 hours were confirmed when she pulled into the driveway and didn't see a familiar vehicle. "Oh Booth, what did you do?"

She took a deep breath and grabbed her purse and the grocery bag from her driver's seat. Armed with her years of experience and a gallon of ice cream, she knocked on the front door, then tried the knob, which immediately opened.

"Bren?"

"In the kitchen."

"Lock the door behind me?"

"Yes."

Angela slid the deadbolt into place and approached the kitchen, where Brennan was seated at the bar, gazing intently at her glass of water.

"Sweetie?"

Brennan was quiet, but glanced up at Angela.

"Is Booth here?"

"No." Brennan sighed. "Not anymore."

"But he was?"

She nodded.

"Alive and in one piece?'

"Yes."

Angela walked over to Brennan and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Before we launch into this, have you eaten?"

Brennan nodded.

"Good. Then should you absolutely help me with this ice cream that I brought to share." Angela held up the carton and reached across the counter for the silverware drawer. She settled herself on a barstool near to Brennan and held out a spoon.

Brennan gave a small smile. "Thank you."

"Of course. This is the best alternative to wine." Angela peeled back the plastic sheeting and promptly stuck her own spoon into the dessert. "You take all the time and ice cream you need."

"Booth is gambling again." Brennan watched Angela's reaction, noting a look of disappointment, not shock. "You knew?"

"No, but I think we all suspected something was up, didn't we?"

"Yes." Brennan took a small bite of the cold dessert. "But it's worse than I imagined. He owed 30 thousand dollars."

Angela nearly spit out her first mouthful of ice cream across the countertop. "What?"

"A bookie showed up while he was away, threatening to make Booth's debt my problem."

"Showed up here? To your house?"

"Yes."

"He threatened you?"

"Indirectly, yes." Brennan sighed. "And he met Christine. She ran to the door to answer, thinking it might be Booth."

"Did she hear anything?"

"No." She dug her spoon into the carton. "I sent her out of earshot while I spoke to the man."

"Brennan, are you safe here?"

"Yes. I arranged to have someone pay him tonight."

Angela took another bite. "Does Booth know?"

"I told him tonight. I asked him if he'd been gambling, and he lied to me."

"Oh Brennan."

She shrugged. "Then I told him the bookie had come here while he was away to collect on his debt. He seemed genuinely surprised, but he was angry. He didn't apologize for putting us in danger." Brennan's hand reflexively went to her abdomen. "He didn't even seem concerned about that part."

"That's why Max had Christine instead of you taking her to daycare, isn't it? And that's why you were so short with us at the lab?"

"Yes." Brennan sighed. "It's ironic that I trust my father, but I know he would do anything to protect Christine."

"Is that where she is tonight?"

Brennan nodding, bringing another spoonful of ice cream to her mouth.

"You cut off access to your bank accounts, right?"

Brennan nodded. "I'm having my financial advisor look over our accounts and assets to see if I need to account for anything."

"Good." Angela paused. "30 thousand?"

"Yes. He told me it was only one bet."

"Do you believe him?"

Brennan shook her head. "I know the 30 thousand was for one bet, but I have no reason to believe this was the only bet he's placed. He probably started out smaller."

"Have you noticed any money missing?"

"No, but if they were smaller amounts, I potentially wouldn't notice. I don't check all of our accounts regularly. I don't have any reason to. I trusted him." Brennan's fingers went to her neck, where she fingered her newly acquired necklace. "This makes me think he started out smaller."

Angela was a lover of almost everything pretty and shiny, and therefore had noticed the new item Brennan had been favoring for the last two weeks. "He doesn't buy you jewelry often."

"He never buys me jewelry," Brennan correctly softly. "He's always worried I won't care for it. The last piece he bought before this necklace was my wedding band. I was suspicious when he showed up with this, but I thought he bought it because we knew we were pregnant."

"It's still pretty."

"And he bought it with his wins."

Angela tried to redirect the conversation. "What else did he tell you tonight?"

"He said he was sorry and that he loved me."

"Of course he is." Angela didn't try to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"I told him I didn't believe him." Brennan gazed at Angela sorrowfully, noting her best friend's surprised reaction. "I didn't really mean it."

"Sweetie, I know." Angela laid down her spoon to place a hand on Brennan's arm. "It's OK."

"I told him to leave." Brennan was finally teary. "He didn't want to, but I told him to get out. Ang, what am I going to do?"

There is so much more that could be done with this piece, but alas, I've got an early morning tomorrow! Has anyone else written a follow-up to this episode? Drop me a note – I'd love to see your take on it. As always, thanks for reading!