Title: Snow Removal
Author / Artist:
callieachFandom: Bones
Pairing: Angela Montenegro/Jack Hodgins
Theme: #4 - Winter Wonderland/Snow
Word Count: 843
Rating: K+
Disclaimer / Warnings: I don't own 'Bones', or it's characters. Fox handles that sort of stuff. I just like to steal them and play with them :) Oh, and I don't own Christmas either, in case you thought I did. Spoiler-ish up to 210, though not really.
Summary: Brennan's knight in shining armor has a gun, Angela's has a snow shovel.
Author Notes: Enjoy! Feedback = telepathic gingerbread men!
“Morning, Angela, dear.”
“Good morning, Mrs. DeSilva.”
“There’s a little bit of snow of there today. You might want to take your shovel.”
“I will.”
As Angela found out only a few seconds later, ‘a little bit of snow’ was the understatement of the century. She’d been expected a few inches, at the most, and found the snow piled up to her knees. To make matters worse, it had drifted around her car so that if was up to the window on the doors.
Someone had cleaned off the front stoop of her building, and a few steps of the sidewalk leading away from her car. But, of course, everyone parked in the direction of the parking lot was enjoying their snow day. And, of course, Angela had left her folding shovel in her car.
Great, she thought bitterly as she stepped into the deep snow, just what I needed. It took Angela ten minutes just to clear enough snow away to open her trunk. After fifteen minutes of vigorous digging with her shovel, the only thing she’d accomplished was making her fingers numb, even through her thick gloves.
Annoyed, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket.
“Brennan.”
“It’s Angela. I might be late.” She told her shortly.
“Why?”
“Because it’ll take me another hour to dig my car out of this snow bank. And even then, the chances that it will start one of the first ten times I try are slim to none.”
“By the irritated sound of your voice, I find it hard to believe you might be exaggerating.”
“I’m not. I’ll be in when I can be.”
“Good luck, I suppose.”
“I’ll need it.” Angela flipped her phone shut and shoved it back in her pocket. She stomped her feet so that the feeling would return to her toes, and then went back to work on the digging.
Another twenty minutes passed, and Angela could finally get her front door open. Even if it did no good, she felt like she’d accomplished something.
“Hey Angela, heads up!” Angela looked up just in time to duck the snowball that went whizzing by her head. She straightened back up to see Jack grinning at her, his car parked on the plowed street behind him.
“What are you doing here?” She called to him.
Hodgins held up a shovel. “Brennan said you needed help.”
“I don’t.”
“Really?” He started to wade through the snow towards her. “How long have you been at this?”
Angela dug under layers on her wrist to see her watch. “Nearly an hour.”
“Then you need help.”
“You’re going to be late.” Angela said when Jack was standing beside her.
“So are you.”
“You really think Brennan wants half her team in late just because of a little snow?”
“This is more than a little snow, Angela, and we’re not half the team.”
“Who else has she got? Zach and Booth. Together, we make four. Half of four is two. Me plus you.”
“And Zach’s staying home. He’s got the flu.”
“Then Tempe only has Booth!”
“You’ve gone crazy, haven’t you?” Jack cast her a sidelong glance in between shovels.
“The cold has numbed my neurons.” Angela joked sourly.
Less than half an hour later, Angela’s car had a clear path to the road. She slid in and turned the keys in the ignition. It didn’t even turn over. Frustrated, Angela slammed the heel of her palm into the steering wheel. Jack opened the driver’s door.
“It not working?”
“No.” Angela said, barely resisting the urge to swear out loud.
“Try it again.” She did, with the same result.
“This may be a bad time to ask,” Hodgins said, leaning into the car, “But did you want a ride?
****
Angela held the coffee-filled paper cup tightly. “You know, Hodgins, you really didn’t have to come to my rescue.”
“And miss the chance to be your knight in shining armor? Never.” Angela could see the corner of his mouth lift into a grin.
“My knight in shining armor comes equipped with a shovel. Lucky me.” She laughed. “But really, thank you.”
“It’s no big deal, Angela. It was fun.”
“Fun?”
“Ya, I like shoveling, but never get to.”
“If you enjoy it that much, you can shovel in front of my place anytime you feel like it.”
“That sounds like a plan.” The two of them were silent as Jack pulled into his spot in the parking garage. His hand moved to open the door.
“Jack, wait.” In one fluid motion, Angela leaned across the car, placed her coffee-free hand on the back of his head, and pressed her lips to his. To her, the kiss lasted an eternity, yet only a matter of seconds. When she pulled back, they could only stare blankly at each other for a few moments.
“What was that for?”
Angela shrugged. “It’s a thank you.” For a second, she thought she’d made a mistake, until Jack grinned broadly.
“In that case, I’m shoveling every snowflake that goes anywhere near you.”