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Chapter Text

Temperance had met Angela at an art showing a few weeks prior- Temperance had been fascinated by Angela’s work- a flurry of colours and brushstrokes that had something stirring in her chest the second she saw them. The only time she’d been able to keep her eyes off of Angela's paintings the whole night was when she was staring at the artist herself, catching glimpses of her whenever she thought she wouldn’t be caught.

The two had exchanged numbers at the end of the night. For some reason, Temperance was fascinated with the other woman. The two hadn’t stopped talking since they exchanged contacts. Angela’s life was riveting- Tempe always found herself either on the edge of her seat or trying to hold her laughter together with every story about the artists childhood or wild art school days.

They’d finally found time to meet up for dinner- Temperance had a tight schedule, between her work and her writing, but she found time. Or more so, she made time, but she was not about to tell Angela that she’d cancelled an important meeting just because she just desperately needed to hear the artist talk without the barrier of the phone between them. The restaurant was cute- a nice, outdoor patio with lots of string lights and soft folky music playing over speakers Brennan couldn’t seem to find. It’d been Angela’s choice- but Temperance really didn’t pay attention to their surroundings, as she’d much rather spend her time trying to pick the brain of the woman across the table from her.

Angela seemed to go along with Brennan’s desire for constant conversation- Angie loved to talk, and would take any excuse to tell a story, even when she wasn’t sure if it was her first or thousandth time saying it aloud. Brennan didn’t care if she'd heard it before- she just wanted to listen. Despite the usual distance she forced between herself and others, she couldn’t help but be drawn toward Angela. She was magnetic, and Brennan couldn’t help the attraction she felt toward her. She didn’t put much stock in psychology, but she found herself infatuated with Angela as she spoke. The woman across from her seemed so… free. Angela never worried about rules or constraints- she just… was. She allowed herself to just be in a way Brennan had never dared to dream of allowing herself.

It was awe-inspiring.

Angela suggested continuing their date after dinner was finished- there was a park by the restaurant, just across the street. She’d even convinced Brennan to stop at the ice-cream stand by the park entrance.

What was Angela doing to her?

As the two walked around the park, discussing everything from life, to work, to a passionate argument where Angela insisted on cereal being a cold soup, Brennan noticed her date beginning to shiver, and realized that the sticky summer evening air had given way to a coolness that was biting in comparison.

“Do you want my jacket?” Brennan asked, and Angela looked at her like a deer in headlights despite the innocence of the question.

“No, it’s fine-” Angela laughed while goosebumps raised on her tanned arms. “I’m not that cold. Besides, I don’t want you to freeze without your coat.”

Brennan looked at the other woman like a crazy person, before it dawned on her that Angela was turning down her offer out of politeness, rather than a genuine dismissal. “Don’t be ridiculous,” Brennan assured her, already wrapping her jacket around the slightly shorter woman’s shoulders. “I’m wearing a long sleeved shirt, and I run warm. You’re the one who’s going to freeze without it.”

She chose not to add that how pretty Angela looks in her coat was another driving factor in her sudden urge to share with her.

Angela blushed as Brennan wrapped the coat around her arms, her face heating up as Brennan’s soft hand brushed against her curls. In the silence, the two shared a smile that made Brennan feel warmer than the coat ever did.

As a conclusion to their date, Brennan walked Angela to her building. Their apartments weren’t too far from each other- Brennan was surprised they’d never run into each other before. However, she wasn’t quite sure what she would have done if she’d seen Angela on a regular basis before though- she was already hooked after meeting the woman twice . A weekly run-in would have her losing it.

She must’ve been standing there staring into space like an idiot for at least thirty seconds before Angela spoke, pulling her back into reality.

“Thanks for letting me borrow your jacket,” she said softly, and despite the scientific inaccuracy of the phrase, Brennan could’ve sworn she felt her heart skip a beat. “I really was cold.”

“It’s no problem-” Brennan assured her, ignoring how her heart sped up as she watched Angela pull the jacket off her shoulders. “Tonight was incredibly enjoyable. I hope to spend more time with you in the future.”

Angela laughed at her overly academic phrasing, and it was the brightest, most beautiful thing Temperance ever heard. “I hope so too, sweetie. Call tomorrow?”

“It’s a date,” Brennan quipped, and Angela laughed again, loud and uninhibited. To Temperance, it felt like a gold medal win to hear that laugh so many times in one night.

After Angela retreated back into her house, Brennan pulled her coat back on. She could smell Angela’s perfume on it, soft and spicy, despite the fact that she’d worn it less than an hour. She inhaled deeply, never wanting to forget this moment.

Why was she so hung up on this woman after this little time?

Deep down, she knew- she was lonely. She'd spent so long on her own, but she wanted someone to want her- to hold her, to make her feel important. Make her feel wanted. And she desperately wanted that someone to be Angela.

But there was nothing she could do. It wasn't like Angela was hers- and she surely had other interests. She was the most captivating person Brennan had ever met, with the most beautiful brown eyes and talent beyond recognition. The chances Brennan was the only one in the line of people falling head over heels for this woman were practically zero.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she headed back towards her apartment, pulling her phone from her pocket as it vibrated with a text message.

‘Angela: “Tonight was really great- next time I’ll be sure to remember a jacket ;-)”’

Smiling as she walked through the cool, dark DC streets, Temperance hoped to whatever God was out there that she wouldn't.

Chapter Text

The week had been stressful- God, every week was stressful with this job, no matter how much she loved it- but this week had managed to be even worse than usual. Angela had had a rough week as well- multiple long art showings without much payoff, with plenty of personal drama sprinkled in between. She’d told Brennan all about it over the phone, before suggesting that the two have a night out to relieve their tension . Brennan choked on her drink a little at the innuendo in Angela’s voice. She was not, by any means, a shy woman, but Angela had… an effect on her.

“Bren, all my dresses are just so boring ,” Angela complained over the phone. “I have literally nothing to wear.”

“I’m sure you can find something,” Brennan chuckled at her friend’s dramatics. “What about that black one? The one from your date last week?”

Angela sighed into the phone. “I wore it last time I went out. Besides, it’s boring . I’m in a fun mood. Can’t I just borrow something from you?”

“What about my wardrobe screams ‘fun’ over yours, Ange?” Brennan laughed, and she heard the other girl giggle on the other end.

“I’m sure you’ll have something. Please, Bren?” She could already imagine Angela’s puppy dog eyes- the woman had a gift, she had to admit. Brennan gave in almost immediately after the image took up residence in her head.

“Fine,” She sighed, making sure she didn’t actually sound annoyed. Angela giggled again, so she took it as a good sign. “You’ll come here to get ready?”

“You got it! Thanks, sweetie. I love you, seriously.”

Brennan swore up and down that Angela would be the death of her. And yet, it would never even cross her mind to say no to her about anything .

--

Angela arrived a few hours after their conversation, and Brennan found it impossible to keep her eyes off of her. There she was, no makeup, hair undone, casual clothing. Angela, in her natural state. And she was beautiful . Brennan wasn’t one to use metaphor, but Angela lit up the room like the sun itself as she fluttered through Brennan’s apartment, immediately searching her closet.

“I can’t believe you said you don’t own anything fun! This is so hot, Bren- you need to wear it,” Angela insisted, holding up a tiny little red thing Brennan had never worn in her life.

“I don’t even know why I own that, Ange- I’m not wearing it,” Brennan laughed, and Angela rolled her eyes playfully, holding it up to her body in the mirror.

“If you’re not going to, I sure as hell will. Do you think it’d look good on me?” She asked. The two made eye contact in the mirror, and Brennan’s mouth went dry at the thought of Angela in that pretty red dress. That very short pretty red dress. Dancing. With her .

“Hello?” Angela laughed. “Earth to Brennan?” It took a second before Brennan remembered that she was supposed to be answering a question.

“Shit- sorry, Ange,” She stumbled. “You’d look gorgeous. It’s much more your colour than mine, anyway.”

“Thanks, sweetie!” Angela grinned and Brennan felt her heart begin to race. “Now let’s find something for you .”

---

They did their hair and makeup together in near silence aside from the music playing from one of their phones, but Brennan snuck a peek at Angela in the mirror at every chance she got. She was just… radiant. Her features were glowing like the sun had suddenly taken up residence in Brennan’s bedroom. Her dark hair looked impossibly soft, and her warm brown eyes were like pools of honey and gold. Her skin was glowing bronze like the most beautiful sunset Brennan had ever seen.

Was this what people meant when they described themselves as lovesick?

Somehow she managed not to get caught staring. She wasn’t one to believe in luck, but she sure felt lucky that Angela somehow hadn’t glanced over at the same moment as her. She was sure she would have just melted into the floor on the spot.

She came out of the bathroom wearing the dress Angela had picked out for her, and she thought she must’ve been hallucinating when she saw a slight blush tinge the artist's amber skin.

“So?” Brennan asked, and Angela grinned wide at her. “Is it pretty?”

She did a little turn, trying to show off the whole dress- it was black, and form fitting, and made Brennan feel like everything she was not in the best way possible.

“No Bren, it’s not just pretty . It’s hot .” Angela laughed, and Temperance felt heat crawling up her chest and neck.

“We’re both hot,” Angela added, wrapping an arm around her best friend’s waist and eyeing the two of them in Brennan’s full-length mirror. “I’d do us.”

Brennan laughed and rolled her eyes. “Of course that’s exactly where your mind went,” she teased. “You’re incorrigible .” Angela rolled her eyes right back, sticking her tongue out teasingly.

“I don’t see you complaining!” She jested back, and the two ended up in a fit of giggles before Angela leaned over and kissed Brennan’s cheek. It wasn’t anything special- it was a friendly kiss, not even a party kiss, just… a kiss. But if it weren’t medically impossible, Brennan’s heart would’ve burst right through her ribcage and out of her chest right in that very moment.

Instead, she leaned into Angela’s warmth, wanting more than anything to keep touching her.

Angela swiped a finger across Brennan’s cheek, turning her head to show the right side of her face in the mirror. “See!” Angela cheered. “The lipstick’s even kiss-proof. Might come in handy for tonight, y’know?”

“What?” Brennan raised her eyebrows quizzically- who was Angela planning on kissing tonight?

“Oh, sweetie,” Angela laughed. “For a genius, you really are clueless sometimes.”

Brennan, who was incredibly confused, would’ve asked just what she meant by that, but Angela got the text that their car was there right as she opened her mouth, forcing them out the door and into the night.

Chapter Text

The two took a cab back from the club that night- they’d both been right to assume they would not be able to drive home. Angela was certainly more drunk than Brennan, as was to be expected, but there was no way in Hell either of them would be waking up headache free the next day.

“Your hair is so pretty, Bren. You should wear it down more.” Angela mumbled into Brennan’s side. Within seconds of entering the car she’d curled into the taller woman’s body, and had spent most of the ride twirling Brennan’s hair between her fingers. “It’s so nice.”

“I work with dead people Ange, I don’t think I’m gonna be rocking this style too often,” Brennan joked, and Angela mumbled something unintelligible into her shoulder. She silently fidgeted with Brennan’s fingers on her lap for the rest of the ride, while Brennan desperately tried not to spontaneously combust right then and there from the touch.

The car dropped them off in front of Brennan’s building, and Brennan was now faced with the olympic-level task of trying to get Angela into the apartment. She was floppy and not at all going where Brennan was trying to pull her, giggling each time the two of them stumbled. With a fair amount of effort, Brennan was able to get the two of them into the elevator, where Angela leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

Brennan was sure that she’d never seen someone so beautiful, even in the godawful fluorescent lighting. Angela had to be some kind of angel. Brennan was far from religious, but Angela’s beauty could only be described as otherworldly . Her soft, sleepy smile illuminated the elevator as it creeped up to the sixth floor, and Brennan didn’t even notice she was staring until the bell dinged, reminding them that they’d made it to her level.

“C’mon, Ange, we gotta go. My apartment’s this way,” Brennan tried to pull the more inebriated member of the pair down the hall, but Angela was determined to move at her own very inconvenient pace.

“You’ve gotta loosen up, Bren, c’mon. Your apartment isn’t going anywhere,” she giggled.

“It’s two in the morning, Ange,” Brennan pleaded, trying to avoid waking her neighbours with their antics. “Let’s go.”

“But you’re going so fast ,” Angela whined, and Brennan rolled her eyes teasingly. “I can’t keep up.”

Brennan laughed at her best friends dramatics, and hooked an arm under hers. “C’mon, lean on me. I’ll get us there,” She assured. It was slightly difficult, pulling most of the artist’s weight while she wasn’t quite steady on her own two feet, but eventually the two got to their destination. Brennan tried to make sure her neighbours didn’t hear them attempting to get down the corridor, but was certain that she’d be getting some eye-rolls when she left the house the next day.

Angela sighed as Brennan let go of her to unlock the door. “You’re so strong , Bren. It’s hot. And you’re so, so pretty. It’s not fair .”

Brennan’s whole face flushed red, and not from the alcohol. “Don’t say that, Ange, you’re the prettiest person I know.”

Her friend made a face at her that Brennan could only interpret as confused - she tilted her head and squinted at the anthropologist. “I know I’m hot, Bren. That’s not what’s unfair right now.”

Now it was Brennan’s turn to be confused- she shook her head at Angela and lowered her brow. “What’s not fair about the situation if you find us both equally attractive?”

Angela laughed at her, as if she’d said the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. “What’s not fair , Bren,” she leaned in, and Brennan was sure she’d never been so close to Angela before- she could feel the warmth radiating off of her skin, heating Brennan’s flushed cheeks even further. “Is that I’m not allowed to do this .”

Angela’s mouth was on Brennan’s before she even had time to think. Brennan wasn’t sure if her heart continued beating the entire time Angela was touching her. She was so soft, and so warm, and it was so right that Brennan kissed her back without a second thought. The two of them were like the sun and moon, and Brennan couldn’t help but be pulled into Angela’s orbit.

She had been living for 28 years, but surely, this was the most alive she’d ever felt.

But before long, she tasted the alcohol on Angela’s breath and remembered just how drunk she was. She pulled away, trying to be gentle, but Angela pouted and leaned back in for another kiss the second their lips parted.

“Ange, no , we can’t-” Brennan tried to be stern, but Angela’s puppy dog eyes pulled on her heartstrings like a life rope.

“But why not ?” Angela pleaded. “I just wanna kiss you, nothing else. You’re so pretty.” Her voice was small, and half an octave higher than it sat when she was sober, and Brennan wanted nothing more than to wrap her in her arms at that very moment.

“Angela, you’re drunk. I’m drunk. This isn’t happening like this,” she explained, and Angela continued to pout and lean further into Brennan.

“But I’ve wanted to kiss you forever ,” Angela dramatically whined, and Brennan laughed. “And I know you wanna kiss me too. I saw you looking at me in the mirror, and I saw how you stared when I was dancing. Please?”

Brennan laughed softly, holding the drunk girl tight. “Angela, no matter how badly I want to kiss you right now, you’re so very drunk. We’ll talk about it in the morning, okay?”

Angela nodded into Brennan’s chest. “Fine,” She sighed with teasing dramatics, and Brennan knew she wasn’t really mad. “But can we cuddle?”

Temperance Brennan must have been a saint in a past life, because that question would be the first thing she heard as she entered the gates of heaven.

“Yes, Ange. We can cuddle,” she smiled, and she felt Angela grin sleepily into her chest. “You need to change into something more comfortable first though, okay?”

Angela nodded wordlessly, and a few minutes later she was lying under Brennan’s covers in a borrowed hoodie and sleep shorts, snuggling into her chest while Brennan absentmindedly ran her fingers through her hair. Tomorrow they could talk, but tonight they were warm, comfortable, and finally in each other’s arms. That would always be enough.

Chapter Text

In the months since they’d started dating, it wasn’t an unusual occurrence for Angela to be in Brennan’s apartment before Brennan herself even got home. They weren’t… living together, per se, but Angela had a key and Brennan let her know that she was free to be there whenever she pleased. So when Brennan entered her apartment to the smell of freshly baked bread and pasta sauce, it wasn’t a surprise to her.

What was a pleasant surprise, however, was seeing that Angela hadn’t noticed her coming in. She was dancing around the kitchen to the cheesy pop song playing from her speaker, twirling while moving between pots and checking on whatever she’d placed in the oven. She sang along to the song Brennan didn’t recognize- softly and ever so slightly out of tune, but it may have been the most endearing thing Brennan had ever seen.

That was, until she noticed what Angela was wearing.

It was an old sweater- Brennan had forgotten she ever even owned it. She was pretty sure it was from college. The dark red had faded into a more muted burgundy, and the sleeves were long enough that Angela had them bunched up around her elbows. Now that was the most endearing thing Brennan had ever seen.

Angela still hadn’t noticed her entrance, so she snuck up behind her girlfriend as she stirred the pot of pasta sauce on the stove.

“You’re wearing my sweater,” Brennan commented with a kiss to Angela’s cheek. She wrapped her arms around the shorter woman, her hands clasping at Angela’s front, and she placed her chin on Angela’s shoulder. Her chin rested on the soft red fabric and Angela’s dark curls tickled her cheek. “I forgot I even owned that.”

“Oh!” Angela exclaimed, laughing nervously. “Yeah. I spilled sauce on my own while I was cooking, so I just grabbed one of yours. I hope that’s okay, it felt like a better option than cooking shirtless.”

Brennan rolled her eyes playfully at her girlfriend, twirling her so that they’d face each other. Angela smiled warmly, and every bit of stress and tension from Brennan’s long day melted from her body as she looked over her girlfriend’s face. Her skin was lightly freckled from the summer sun, and she wanted to kiss each mark that scattered across Angela’s fine face.

“I definitely wouldn’t have minded coming home to that, either,” Brennan quipped, and it was Angela’s turn to scoff and roll her eyes.

“And somehow everyone thinks that I’m the one with a dirty mind?” Brennan laughed at Angela’s joke, leaning in and letting their lips brush ever so slightly.

Brennan sighed softly. “You love it.”

Angela giggled again, and Brennan didn’t think it was possible for her to feel more content than she did at that very moment. “You look cute in my sweater. You should wear my clothes more often,” she commented, leaving a soft kiss on Angela’s forehead.

“Should I?” Angela teased, but Brennan didn’t catch the joke. Instead, she sighed a soft mhm before leaning in further, letting their lips meet. The two kissed lazily in the light from the setting sun coming through Brennan’s kitchen window. Hands softly tangled in hair, stroked down arms and up sides. The air was warm and smelled like a good meal, the beams of light that danced across the linoleum floor and wooden cabinets were shades of soft pinks and gold. The two kissed for as long as they liked, silent apart from the occasional contented sigh and the soft pop playing through Angela’s phone speaker.

As they separated, Angela’s chocolate brown eyes opened slowly to meet Brennan’s piercing blue. The two smiled and pressed their foreheads together without a worry or stress in the world.

“I want you to move in with me,” Brennan stated matter-of-factly, and Angela’s eyes widened in surprise at the taller woman’s sudden confession.

“If me wearing your clothes is that much of a thing for you, I’ll be sure to do it more often-” Angela joked, but Brennan clearly didn’t catch her tone and a look of panic washed across her face. She looked down, suddenly focused on the simple pattern of her kitchen tiles, and her hands dropped from Angela’s.

“I’m sorry- do you not want to move in with me? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, it’s okay-” Brennan began to nervously ramble on, but Angela swooped in and hushed her with another soft kiss, one that surprised Brennan but gave her brain a full-system override.

“Hey, hey. Don’t freak out! I was joking, sorry- baby, I want nothing more than to move in with you. Here?” Angela asked, and Brennan’s face softened as she realized that Angela was not upset with her for her question.

“No,” Brennan explained. “Our own place. Somewhere new.” She was rewarded with a toothy grin from Angela as she clarified.

“Yes. God, Brennan, a million times yes,” she replied, kissing Brennan with fervor, but struggling as she was smiling too much into the kiss.

The two parted, and Brennan looked nervous again. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Angela’s voice was soft and loaded with concern, but Brennan looked back down at the floor. “This is good, right? Talk to me.”

Brennan took a deep breath- what was wrong?

“This isn’t something I take lightly. Relationships have never been… my greatest strength, let’s say. I’ve never moved in with a partner before. I’ve barely had any long-term partnerships to begin with,” Brennan explained, and Angela nodded in understanding, a hand resting on Brennan’s arm.

“Bren, this is serious for me too. I would never doubt how much love you have for me. I know how big this is for you, and I’m so proud of you every day for managing to open up your heart after everything you’ve been through.”

Brennan squinted at her girlfriend. “The human heart physically could not open, in fact-”

“Metaphor, Bren,” Angela laughed softly and leaned in closer. Brennan smiled and leaned her head against Angela’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” her voice was nearly a whisper, and Angela couldn’t help but get teary. “I love you.”

Instead of responding, Angela wrapped her arms around Temperance and kissed her softly. The two swayed as they held each other in a warm embrace. In that moment, the world was a bubble, containing nothing beyond the walls of Brennan’s kitchen. What felt like hours of holding each other passed before their trance was interrupted with a shrill beeping that caused Brennan to flinch and cover her ears.

“Fuck!” Angela exclaimed. “My garlic bread!” 

Brennan giggled as her girlfriend swatted a hand towel at the smoke alarm that was producing the offending noise, and tried to pull the bread from the oven. Yeah , she thought. Things were definitely going to be okay .

Chapter Text

The two woke up, tangled in their sheets and each other’s limbs. This was it. Tonight they’d be falling asleep in their home. Most of their things had already been moved to the new apartment- there were a few boxes to drive over today, but otherwise, they were ready to go.

Neither of them had ever been so excited in their lives.

Angela murmured something into Brennan’s shoulder, barely even half awake. Brennan smiled- the mid-morning light was filtering through their bedroom window, and she stretched in bed, her spine popping softly as she flexed. “Good morning,” she whispered sleepily to Angela, who was currently wrapping herself tighter around her girlfriend.

“Mm,” Angela acknowledged, and Brennan laughed softly.

“Our last morning here,” she reminded the artist, who burrowed her head deeper into Brennan’s neck, sighing softly.

“Mhm,” Angela repeated herself, squeezing Brennan’s hand as she drifted back off.

Accepting defeat, Brennan, sank back into the bed. Never one to sleep in, she stared at the ceiling while she listened to her lover’s breathing even out again, looking back on the times they’d shared since they met. It amazed her to think that a year ago, she hadn’t even known Angela- she could hardly imagine her life without her anymore. Angela was like the sun- a world without her light and her warmth was so genuinely unimaginable. She pulled Brennan into her orbit all those months ago and hadn’t let her go- not that Temperance would have it any other way.

She allowed herself to get lost in the memories- sure, it was sentimental, but Angela had taught her that sometimes, sentimentality was okay, Good, even. She remembered that first night they met, at that art gallery- Angela was a wild child, a summer storm. Brennan’s complete opposite. And it had captivated her. She was colours, she was light, she was joy itself. She was love.

She remembered their first date- how Angela didn’t let her go more than a minute without laughing, how it lasted hours longer than they’d intended. How adorable Angela looked in her jacket. Angela was soft, and sweet, and replaced every definition or idea of beauty Brennan could have thought up over a million years- none of them could ever even come close to comparing.

She thought about that first kiss they’d had- intense, alcohol fuelled, and flavoured like Angela’s cherry lipstick and overpriced cocktails. How Brennan had imagined the moment more than a million times before it actually happened, but it never felt like that. Angela was electricity- she was hot, and fast, and unpredictable. She thought about the conversation they’d had the next morning- how Brennan had felt guilty, worrying Angela wouldn’t remember. How Angela confessed her adoration for the other woman, and Brennan had done the same with tears in her eyes. How the following twelve hours were spent between Brennan’s bed and drinking tea on her balcony, making up for the months they’d spent yearning for each other.

Brennan had never had a best friend growing up. She didn’t experience gossip sessions or face masks at middle school sleepovers. She also hadn’t experienced much in the dating department- boys were never more than a distraction to her, and girls hadn’t been much of an option in her teen and young adult years.

Angela was Brennan’s best friend, her partner, and more. She was her confidant. Her cheerleader. She was her future. Angela Montenegro was Temperance Brennan’s sun, her moon, and all of her stars.

Just then, the other woman began to stir. She stretched out, nearly pushing Brennan off the bed, and made a soft little noise that made up for the fact that her girlfriend had nearly ended up on the floor.

“Good morning,” she mumbled, still stretching out her arms. “You ready for today?”

Brennan smiled at her, reflexively running a hand through her hair. “Always.”

---

The two were getting ready to pack up the last of their belongings as Angela came to the most ridiculous realization of her life- not only had she already packed all of her clothes up, but she’d brought the box over to the new apartment yesterday afternoon.

“Bren!”

Brennan came running into the room- “What’s wrong?” she asked, immediately concerned.

“Well- y’know how you told me to label all of the boxes so I didn’t end up sending something to the new place that needed to stay here?”

Brennan raised her eyebrows, both amused and intrigued. “Yes, I do remember telling you that. And I also remember you telling me you’d already done it.”

“Well,” Angela laughed nervously. “I definitely labelled some. Like… one or two. And then I got incredibly bored and gave up, and now we are here and literally all of my clothes may or may not be at the new apartment.”

Brennan made a face at her, surprised and incredibly amused by the situation, and the two burst into a fit of giggles.

“Jesus, Ange!” Brennan laughed. “This is why everyone should listen to my organizational advice. It’s clearly superior!”

“Hey!” Angela defended through the giggles. “You absolutely cannot blame me for this one, the blame is definitely going on my absolute noodle of a brain this time.”

Brennan rolled her eyes playfully. “Speaking of which, you did remember not to send your meds to the new place, correct?”

Angela laughed again. “Yes, we’re all good. Angela Montenegro one, ADHD zero!”

“I mean, you did send a very important box away because you got distracted-”

“Fine, we’re tied! I’ve got a leg up though- and if you’re going to keep teasing me about it, can I at least borrow something to wear?” Angela replied.

Brennan procured an outfit for her to wear- a t-shirt, long pants, and a worn denim jacket that was familiar to Angela.

“Hey-” she remembered. “That’s the jacket you wore on our first date.”

“I believe it’s the jacket you wore on our first date, Miss ‘let’s get ice cream in the freezing cold’”, Brennan teased.

“Hey! You loved being the one to lend me your jacket. Made you feel protective and all that,” Angela jested right back. Brennan’s head fell back in a throaty laugh, her cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment.

“Fine,” she admitted, rolling her eyes. “Are you gonna put the clothes on or not?”

“Do you wanna know what I thought of you that first night?” Angela asked, and Brennan cocked her head in curiosity.

“I’m gonna be honest, I fell in love with you right then and there- in fact, I think it was the moment you handed this jacket to me. I seriously had to stop myself from kissing you goodbye when you dropped me off.”

Brennan kissed her, softly joining their lips. “I wouldn’t have complained. I knew what I felt for you the moment we met, I just didn’t know how to put words to it.”

“You aren’t even going to correct me on the ‘love at first sight’ thing?” Angela teased. “You must really love me.”

Brennan, ever missing the joke, responded genuinely. “I used to not believe in love at all. Before we met, I thought it was just chemical reactions and biological urges that people put a name to because they weren’t smart enough to understand its purpose. I thought it was fake, made up for the movies and the poets to go on about. I never… connected with any of it.”

Angela’s eyes softened, urging Brennan to continue.

“But then I met you and… Angela, my whole world became brighter when we started talking. I couldn’t get you out of my head. I’ve fallen for you more than I ever thought possible, and if I was proven wrong there, who’s to say love at first sight isn’t real?”

Angela’s lips were on hers before she could think, kissing her passionately as the two moved back. Brennan’s arms reflexively wrapped around Angela’s waist, and Angela’s tangled in her hair. “I love you,” she whispered over and over in between kisses. “God, I love you.”

“Just Temperance is fine,” Brennan joked, and Angela silenced her again. The kiss softened, and when they pulled apart, both were flushed and starry eyed.

“Thank you,” Angela whispered.

“For what?”

“For loving me. For being here. For being you.”

Brennan’s eyes crinkled at the corners, and Angela pressed a kiss to her temple. The two sat there, taking in every bit of joy, every memory this apartment shared. Preparing to move into the next stage of their life- together .

Chapter Text

Temperance Brennan was sick.

She vehemently denied this, of course- it was simply just seasonal allergies, she would just pop a couple of Benadryl and be just fine to head into the lab.

Angela, of course, reminded her that she did not get seasonal allergies in winter, that a fever, exhaustion, and muscle pain were not allergy symptoms, and that going in while sick would only make her feel worse.

“But Ange-” she pleaded. “I have so much to get done. Please, I promise that it’s nothing.”

“The French skeleton can wait!” She argued, and Brennan rolled her eyes. “You aren’t going in. It’s not allergies, you probably have the flu- I’m not having you work yourself until you pass out at your desk.”

“Ange, please-”

“Bren. You are sick. You are going to stay home like a normal person, watch some crappy movies, eat some soup, and sleep .”

“I’m not sick-”

“Tempe-” she pleaded with her girlfriend, who was stubborn as a bull. “Please, just listen to me. You need to take a break, or your body is going to take one for you, and it won’t be convenient. It’s easier on you this way, when you can just call in instead of needing to leave in the middle of a workday. Take the day off and get some rest- you have more than enough sick time. It’s going to be fine.”

Angela gave Brennan her famous puppy dog eyes to finish her little speech off, and that was it for her. Brennan sighed with frustration and sank back into the pillows. “Fine. One day.”

“And no working from home either, Bren.” When she looked at her with indignance, Angela defended herself. “Hey! You can’t say you weren’t thinking about it.”

Brennan pouted, and her girlfriend kissed her head. “I’m sorry, honey. I hope you feel better soon. I still have to go in, but I’ll make us some breakfast before I have to go, and I can pick you up some stuff from the pharmacy on my way home. Does that sound good?”

“Okay,” Brennan gave into her girlfriend’s spoiling. “I love you. Thank you for taking care of me.”

Angela smiled down at her, gently brushing the hair out of Brennan’s face. “Oh honey, I wouldn’t trade taking care of you for anything. You just have to learn to accept it.”

Slightly flustered and not exactly knowing how to respond, Brennan instead opted to burrow deeper into her partner’s touch, initiating an impromptu cuddle session. It was rare that she was the one being held- but Angela wrapped around her so sweetly, her warm body fighting off the chills that had wracked Brennan’s body since the night before. They stayed like that for some time, neither of them having the heart to remind the other that they couldn’t just stay like that forever. Eventually though, Angela pulled herself away, reminding Brennan that she had breakfast to make.

“I’ll come,” Brennan replied, receiving a disapproving look from the shorter woman. “Ange. I have influenza, not the plague. I can move about the house just fine.”

Angela gave in, and the two made their way into the kitchen, where Brennan promptly returned to her half-asleep state upon sitting down at the table, clearly not as well as she believed. Placing a bowl of oatmeal in front of her, Angela softly rubbed her shoulder to wake her. “Please try to eat something. You’ll be okay while I’m at work? I’m sure Cam would give me the day to stay with you if I asked.”

Brennan would have rolled her eyes were she more aware of her surroundings. “I’m fine, Ange. I promise.” Angela placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head, and Brennan smiled softly. “Have a good day at work, mhm?”

“I will. Call if you need me, okay? I love you.”

“Love you too,” Brennan mumbled sleepily, slightly muffled by the hand she was using to prop her head up as to avoid face planting into her oatmeal.

---

When Angela arrived home at five thirty that evening, she was relieved to see that her girlfriend was resting instead of working away on her laptop. Not that she had much of a choice- she wasn’t sure Brennan was coherent enough to type a single sentence, let alone reports for the lab.

Tip-toeing into their shared bedroom (a thought that still made her smile like a fool every time it popped into her head), careful to not wake her slumbering partner, she noticed something so sweet it nearly brought tears to her eyes- her girlfriend, the stoic, intimidating, and so-called “cold” Temperance Brennan, was wrapped in one of Angela’s old college hoodies, her body curled around Angela’s pillow as she slept soundly. She snapped a picture, deciding to savour the moment forever- Brennan would kill her if anyone got ahold of the image, but it was certainly her new favourite in the ever- growing folder of photos she kept of her girlfriend.

Brennan woke to a dip in the bed and the feeling of Angela’s fingers running through her hair, her lips pressing butterfly-soft to her cheekbone. She made a soft, slightly indignant sound at being woken- she’d been having a fairly pleasant dream. All she could remember was rose coloured bubbles and a creamsicle coloured sunset, but her mind immediately translated that to mean Angela . Shielding herself from the light, she curled into the warm body beside her, her face resting against her hip. 

“You look cute in my hoodie,” Angela giggled, and Brennan mumbled something indecipherable against her hip. “What was that, sweetie?”

“I’m not cute,” Brennan defended, attributing the red flush she felt in her face to her feverish state.

Angela giggled again, continuing to play with her girlfriend’s silky brown locks. “I brought home your favourite takeout, so I could take care of you without a repeat of this morning’s near oatmeal-face-plant disaster. You feeling up for Thai?”

Brennan rolled her eyes teasingly. “I’m not dying , Ange. I survived the day without round-the-clock supervision.”

“Can’t you just let me spoil you?” Angela asked teasingly, and Brennan smiled softly. She’d never been spoiled. If anyone had tried before, she certainly wouldn’t have allowed them. “I just like taking care of you. Let me do this, alright?”

Warmth cut through the chills she’d been battling all day. She felt completely and utterly loved- Angela wanted to care for her. She’d never be a burden as long as she was around.

“I can accept that,” she acquiesced, and Angela leaned down to kiss her on the lips. Brennan immediately leaned into it, but after a few seconds, remembered her current state. “Ange-” she pulled away, but her girlfriend just leaned in closer. “Ange, you’re gonna get sick!”

“Worth it,” Angela whispered before fitting her mouth against Brennan’s once again. Brennan gave in, and she supposed that it was worth it in the end. Not getting Angela sick, but everything else. Every single rule, every lifelong belief she’d held to protect herself, all of those walls had been worth breaking down in order to get to Angela on the other side. Hell, she’d tread through Hell itself to get to the love of her life if she had to.

Had you asked her a year ago where she’d be today, sweetly kissing her best friend while the sunset came through their window and takeout went cold on their kitchen table would have been so far out of the question that she’d have concern for your sanity had you even brought it up. Never in her life did she think she could have all of this- and yet, here she was.

Angela was right. In the end, it was worth it.