New story: Life changing moments

Oct 22, 2010 12:23


I wanted to... I tried... I intended... I thought about... in the end I just couldn't stay away and had to write again. The way the last story ended made me want to know more, although the whole story is pretty much done already in my head. I hope you're still there, and I also hope some new readers will join us. I really appreciate your reviews and I hope you will send some my way, telling me what you think and what you like or don't like.

So here we go again, third installment in my Cadgins universe.

The story is set between season 5 and season 6.

I don't own anything.

Chapter 1: Devils

"Good morning, everyone, welcome to our first team meeting in this new constellation," Cam said and looked around at the people who had gathered around the table up on the mezzanine.

"For those who haven't met each other yet: Over here we have Dr. Edison. He will act as a stand in for our forensic anthropologist Dr. Brennan, together with the interns Mr. Bray, Mr. Fisher and Mr. Vaziri," she said. "Mr. Nigel-Murray is currently on vacation. Also of the old team we have the assigned FBI psychologist Dr. Sweets and Dr. Hodgins, our entomologist, geologist and botanist," Cam continued, but was soon interrupted by the one she had just been talking about.

"Bugs, soil and slime to sum it up," he shrugged and leaned back against the backrest of the couch again. He was the only one sitting on the couch. Not because there wasn't a chair free- there was- but because it was his way of making a point. He was the rebellious one; king of the lab and unofficial favorite of the boss.

"Thank you, for that helpful interruption, Dr. Hodgins," Cam said pointedly and with dangerously raised eyebrows. He'd known she would put him in his place, not caring that he was the father of their unborn baby. At that moment she was his boss.

"New on the team I welcome Mrs. Simmons, the forensic artist," she went on and pointed to the red haired, pale woman with the large gipsy earrings.

"Mr. Brown of the Georgetown University, faculty of informatics," she introduced next and Hodgins couldn't help but grin. The chubby, blonde man looked even younger than Sweets and even more of a geek- in the worst way.

"And the new liaison officers assigned to us Agent Perotta and Agent Mosse," Cam went on without interruptions, pointing with an open hand to each person while she was talking about him or her. The "old" ones all already knew Perotta, but the brown haired and blue eyed agent next to her was new.

"For those who don't know me yet, my name is Dr. Camille Saroyan and I'm the head of the forensics department here, as well as the Medical Examiner," she finished the introductions and then finally sat down on her chair at the head of the table.

She took the pen and the clipboard that were lying there and quickly read through the notes she had made before. "Any questions right away?" she asked and looked around. Slowly Fisher raised a hand and looked expectantly in her direction. "Yes, Mr. Fisher?" Cam asked guardedly, knowing that a question or comment from Fisher was rarely cheery or appropriate.

"Considering the gruesome and awe-inspiring darkness that surrounds us in this world, and especially in here, do you think it's wise to throw another helpless soul into it?" he asked in his usually gloomy manner. Cam hung her head and took a deep breath. She should have seen it coming. Although she had not yet officially announced her pregnancy at the lab, it was slowly becoming apparent. The small bump she was showing was getting bigger and more obvious and she was aware that the forensic anthropologists surrounding her would most likely be able to tell that her body was changing, even without an ultra sound or x-ray. Before she could open her mouth though to say something, Hodgins had already jumped into action, off the couch and by her side, like a protective bodyguard, while he glared at Fisher.

"Hey man, back off! This is my kid and it'll be more than welcome in this world," he told Fisher. Cam sighed loudly at the inappropriate turn this talk had taken and she exchanged a look with Agent Perotta who was barely able to contain her laughter, but looked sympathetically.

"Ok, then let's get this out of the way as well, since Dr. Hodgins has already started," Cam said, getting ready for the next much more personal announcement. "Yes, I'm pregnant," she confirmed unnecessarily. "As for the work here it's not an issue at the moment and hopefully won't be for another three months," she said.

"The devil has your souls already," Fisher shook his head sadly.

"And with that cheery thought let's focus back on work, now shall we?" Cam smiled too brightly at Fisher, a sure sign that he was pissing her off and the others all nodded. The first team conference of the Jeffersonian's new forensic department had started, year 1 after Dr. Brennan's leave.

"Have you heard anything from Booth or Dr. Brennan?" Perotta asked Cam when they were still up on the mezzanine one hour later. They had had to talk about some organizational things and had sent the others off. Now they were just chatting though, a cup of tea in front of them both since Cam couldn't drink or smell coffee anymore. She had very few problems with nausea or other typical side effects of pregnancy, but the smell of coffee was getting her every time.

"Seeley has called several times and I'll see his son this weekend, he's sure to have something new as well," Cam replied. She took another sip of her tea before she put the cup back on the table and placed a hand on her belly, covering the bump with her palm and rubbing it slightly to calm the flutters she felt, knowing her baby was most likely kicking up a storm in there again.

"Can I ask how far along you are?" Perotta asked with a small smile when she saw it.

"16th week," Cam replied and smiled back at her, showing her that she didn't mind the question at all.

"Wow, I thought you'd be at the end of the first trimester, but not farther along," the FBI agent said surprised.

"I've been lucky so far that I'm not showing too much, but it seems that for about a week now I get bigger every day. You can basically watch me burst out of my clothes. Another two weeks or so and I'll be huge," Cam sighed, still stroking over her baby bump.

"You know already what it is?"

"No, we're told week 18 is the earliest we can tell, since we decided against an amniocentesis," she shook her head.

"Dr. Hodgins seems pretty excited," Perotta said knowingly.

"Oh please, don't get me started. He's been jumping off the walls like a bouncy ball since he found out," Cam snickered. "But I'm happy he is happy, so we're good," she added then.

"I didn't know you two were together. Last time I was here he was still somehow involved with the artist, Miss..." Perotta couldn't remember the name.

"Montenegro," Cam helped her out. "She's in Paris now, sends us cards every week, mostly ones she drew herself," she went on, but didn't comment on Perotta's initial comment. "So how's that new guy you're training?" she asked to change the topic.

"Mosse? He's a good agent but an ass otherwise. Thinks he's irresistible and keeps hitting on every female he sees. You were on the list until he found out you were pregnant," she laughed when she said the last part.

"Damn, now the baby bump is ruining my chances," Cam joked.

"You don't even have much of a bump yet. Really, as I said, I never would have thought you were this far along," the agent insisted.

"All these years of hard exercise and diet for nothing," Cam sighed exaggeratedly and patted her belly. "I'll take revenge once you're Michelle's age," she promised.

"Ok, I gotta get back to the Hoover and report what we discussed. I'll take Mosse with me, otherwise I can't guarantee the safety of the females in here," Perotta said and stood up.

"And I'll go back to my dead bodies. Three still in the freezer," Cam nodded and got up as well.

"Gang shooting?"

"Family drama. Father freaked out and killed his wife and two daughters, then tried to kill himself, but didn't succeed," Cam elaborated and Perotta scrunched up her face in dismay.

"See you, Cam," the agent said and made use of their new found agreement to be on a first name basis.

"Bye Payton," Cam replied and walked off to her office.

"Sorry for blurting it out today," Hodgins said when he came up behind Cam and wrapped his arms around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder while she kept cutting tomatoes for the salad she was making for dinner.

"It's ok. It's not like I was trying to hide it. Not that I could, " she replied and smiled.

"How are you two today? We barely saw each other now that you have those three bodies to autopsy," he asked and stroked over her belly.

"I'm good, relieved now that the team is complete again. And I think little one agrees. From the flutters I felt all morning I'd say he was working out in there," she replied and her smile widened when his hand slipped underneath her shirt again. It had become a habit that he just couldn't stop these past few weeks.

"You always refer to little one as 'he'," he pointed out.

"And you always refer to him as 'she' so we're even," she grinned. "Besides, I'm still convinced it's a boy," she added.

"But I want a daddy's girl to adore me," he pouted playfully.

"Sorry, but I didn't come equipped with the 'chose gender here' button," she shot back a bit sharper than necessary.

"I wouldn't want you any other way," he grinned, knowing this was as far as her mood swings went up to this point. Just to be safe he placed a kiss on her cheek.

"And what were you up to today?" she asked him when he stepped back from her and turned his attention to the take out containers she had put on the counter.

"I showed our two newbies the lab and then hung out with Wendell and Arastoo for lunch. Oh, and I worked some more on my research," he summed it up.

"Bet you three were up to no good," she raised her eyebrows.

"Hey, we only talked about the next baseball game. Wendell wants to join us," he let her know. "Michelle not eating with us today?" he asked when he took out plates and silverware.

"No, she's out with Perry," Cam said and added oil to the dressing.

"Speaking of family… have you decided yet when we'll tell your family about little one?" he asked.

"After his tenth birthday?" she only half joked.

"Cam," he just sighed exasperatedly.

"Yeah, I know we should tell them... I just don't want to," she whined.

"A few more weeks and they'll be able to see it once you step into a room," he pointed out.

"I know. This kid is growing in warp speed now," she muttered.

"And that's a good thing, right?" he said and placed a kiss on her temple.

"Yeah," she admitted defeated and sat down at the table while he served their food. "I'm gonna call my dad this week," she offered and he nodded. "It's Felicia's birthday next weekend. We could go there," she added then.

"Face them all together at their place? I like the idea," he told her.

Through the large glass front of her office Cam had seen him entering the lab. She was out of her chair and into the lab a second later and stopped him just before he wanted to enter the office he had been hurrying to.

"Agent Mosse, anything I can help you with?" Cam asked him friendly but pointedly before he could enter the artist's office. She was still sitting in front of a skull working on a facial reconstruction, unaware of what was going on outside of her office.

"Just wanted to see if I could invite my new colleagues to lunch," he replied and put on his charm smile. He had a certain charm, Cam had to admit, but she also remembered what Perotta had told her about him and she wasn't too fond of having another ill fated romance between the FBI and someone of her team.

"How nice of you to invite us all," Cam grinned, knowing that wasn't what he had meant. "Sadly Mrs. Simmons can't join us, because she needs to finish what she's working on so she can leave for a night at the art gallery with her husband early this evening," she went on. "But why don't you come with me and we get the others." She had to bite her cheeks to keep herself from laughing when she saw the shocked look on the agent's face.

"Oh, uhm, ok," he stuttered, unaware that she had noticed him flinching when she had mentioned the husband. He followed her over to their new informatics geek, whom Hodgins had given the nickname "lab rat" after only a day. Cam thought that it was somewhat fitting, but had lectured him anyway when he had used it to the poor kid's face.

"Mr. Brown, Agent Mosse just invited us all to lunch. You want to come along?" she asked him and leaned into the ookey room where they had set up his equipment.

"No, I need to finish the IP search first," he replied without looking up from his screen. Cam waited another moment for the "Thanks for the invitation" but it never came.

"Ok, then let's see what the others are up to," she shrugged and led him to Hodgins' lab, knowing he was in there with Wendell, the intern of the week, and Clark. When she opened the door and stepped inside she found Clark holding a large spider in his hand, watching it in fascination.

"Holy crap," she exclaimed loudly and jumped back when she saw the hairy beast, placing a hand on her chest to calm herself.

"Uh oh," Wendell made quietly when he saw Cam's expression and Hodgins wide eyes.

"Hodgins, what is that... thing doing here in the lab?" she asked him and gesticulated wildly with her right hand while she started scratching her neck with the other.

"Dr. Edison brought it in. They rescued it at the airport today and it needs a temporary home," he explained and carefully took the spider from his colleague.

"This is not a zoo, Dr. Edison, this is the Jeffersonian Institute," she told him, with a whining undertone in her voice. Why did she always have to play kindergarten teacher?

"Hey, I have rats here and beetles that are far more dangerous," Hodgins replied and put the spider back in its terrarium.

"Rats are fluffy rodents and you perform scientific tests with those beetles . Do you perform tests with the spider?" she asked challengingly.

"I might," he shrugged, unwilling to lose this argument in front of the three other guys in the room, especially because Mosse was already grinning cockily.

"Hey now, this is not a toy," Clark disagreed this time.

"Get that thing out of here, with all its disgusting legs and hairs," Cam ordered and shuddered involuntarily. "And I guess it's just me you have to invite to lunch. Those three obviously have a task now," she turned to Mosse.

"Hey, you're not going to lunch without me," Hodgins protested and stepped closer towards her.

"Oh really. Why is that?" she shot back, raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Because...," he needed a moment to think of something that wouldn't sound too weepy, "You're carrying my baby," he finally said.

"Which you won't get to touch as long as you're cuddling with spiders," Cam had the last word. "Let's go," she turned to the agent, who extended his arm and led her outside, grinning in Hodgins direction.

"We should just put it in his bed and hope he gets bitten," Hodgins muttered when they had left and the doors closed.

"We better do as she ordered or you might have to sleep in the spider house," Wendell grinned teasingly and made him groan. He had a point after all.

"How was your date today with the sleazy agent?" Hodgins asked her later that day when she came home and found him sitting in the living room. He had already gone home to look after the renovations, while she had to sit in another board meeting.

"It wasn't a date, but lunch was nice," she replied and kicked off her heels, still looking at him from the hallway.

"Good for you. Took us four hours to find a new place for the spider and another two hours to take it there and then get back to the lab," he reported in a foul mood.

"Poor guys," she cooed and came into the living room. "If you had asked permission as it is ordered by protocol you could have saved yourselves all that work," she told him then and straddled his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, even though he was still pouting.

"I don't like this new FBI guy and I don't like it when you spend your lunch break with him," he told her seriously when she pulled back from the short kiss.

"I needed to teach him a lesson. Believe it or not, this lunch had nothing to do with you," she replied.

"What lesson?" he asked her, placed his hands on her hips and pulled her forward, closer to him.

"He wanted to hit on our new artist, so I made him pay for my lunch and told him at the end, that if he ever tries something like that again, I will make him pay again- only not for lunch," she grinned.

"The intimidation thing again, huh?" he laughed.

"I have to set some boundaries right from the beginning. He can fish in his own pond, but stay away from the Jeffersonian," Cam smiled back with a firm nod.

"As long as you are still biting when I throw out my rod," he said and wiggled his eyebrows.

"You are disgusting," she spoke slowly and pronounced every word carefully, underlining them with a stab to his chest with her finger for every finished word.

"Just disgusting enough it seems," Hodgins laughed and let one hand glide under her blouse, while he placed the other on her neck and pulled her head down to him. The kiss was slow and loving and just as slowly his hand wandered up, farther under her blouse, greedy to touch more of her soft, warm skin. He felt her weave her fingers through the short hairs on the back of his neck, then stroke through his curls while he let his tongue glide over her bottom lip and was granted entrance into her mouth. She moved even closer to him, her stomach resting against his, their groins touching. He took his hand out of her blouse and started to unbutton it, knowing it would be easier this way to get more access. Carefully he let his fingers wander over her necklace, traced its outlines, and then went further down to her cleavage. He grinned into the kiss, feeling the swell of her breast under his fingers, knowing they had become fuller already. With a moan Jack brought down his other hand and cupped her breasts, then massaged them through her bra.

"Ow, Jack!" she suddenly exclaimed and pulled back from him.

"What?" he asked shocked, not knowing what was going on, and placed his hands on her thighs to keep her from getting up.

"Awww... God..." she groaned uncomfortably and carefully rubbed her breast with both hands. "They hurt," she told him then, somewhat accusingly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," he apologized and stroked softly over her arm, while she still tried to rub away the pain.

"Me either until now," she admitted then. "But damn it, that really hurt."

"Because of the pregnancy?" he asked just to be sure.

"Yes, they're getting bigger, just like the rest of me," she told him with a small smile.

"Bigger but can't be touched? Where's the sense in that?" he complained and made her laugh.

"Read your 'What to Expect' book. The pain won't last," she said and kissed him again, careful to keep her chest away from his chest or his hands. "What is it with men and boobs anyway?" she asked him and pulled away, the question popping into her head.

"It's in our genes. We can't help it," he replied and sealed her lips again, silencing any more questions.

"Finally, I thought you guys would be quicker," Mosse greeted Cam, Hodgins and Clark when they arrived at the crime scene a few days later.

"We would have if you hadn't hung up the phone without giving us an address or directions first," Cam replied and wanted to take her bag out of the trunk of the car when Hodgins stopped her and took it out for her. She didn't say anything but looked disapprovingly at him, which he simply ignored. They were already dressed in the jumpsuits and heavy boots and found themselves in front of what looked like an old empty industry building.

"What is this here?" Hodgins asked the agent- also as a tactic to avoid a discussion with Cam.

"It's the rehearsal building of the Washington Theater. Or was until two years ago. Some rooms are still used for poetry slams and storage though," Perotta, who came out of the building, informed them. "I hope you have waterproof shoes," she said then and looked at Clark's leather shoes and slacks he still wore. Again he had refused to go out in the jumpsuits, putting fashion before everything else.

"Oh no," he just groaned, knowing that he hadn't even brought work-appropriate clothes or shoes. How could he know that "dead body in a theater" meant water and dirt?

"Told you, pretty boy," Cam teased him with a grin and followed the two agents into the building, Hodgins walking beside her, still carrying her bag.

"They found the body when they did a photo shoot in here for a CD cover. The photographer has a key because he used to work for the theater company," Perotta let them in on the details and led them down a corridor, with walls painted black. They walked around the corner and found themselves in a storage room which was full of shelves, which were all filled with caskets, big ones and small ones.

"Holy crap, what is this? The city morgue?" Hodgins wondered aloud.

"Could be," Cam nodded and pointed to the other side of the room where all kinds of body parts in every size and shape lay- from display dummies. The corridor got darker and they all turned on their flashlights, walking down some steps and found themselves in the basement. The floor was covered ankle deep with water and the room smelled like mold and death.

"Personal indoor pool. Kinda cool, huh?" Mosse grinned, but stayed on the stairs out of the water.

"The body is over here in the story in between," Perotta told them something more helpful and pointed to a story that sat in between the basement and the first story, about 5 feet high and painted in neon blue.

"What the heck were they doing in here?" Cam wondered because of the weird colors of the walls and the creepy atmosphere.

"No idea," Perotta shrugged while Cam and Clark tried to crawl into the small room. Clark was in first, cursing as he went in, ruining his trousers and shoes. Cam tried to crawl in next, but slipped and stumbled backwards.

"Hey, careful," Hodgins said as he steadied her. "Why don't you wait outside and look at the body once it's back at the lab," he told her and saw her features darken immediately.

"Hodgins," she started but he shook his head, not willing to discuss this with her.

"No, it's an unnecessary risk. Wait here," he told her, jumped and then pushed himself up into the room. Cam looked annoyed at her female colleague of the FBI. The blonde just shrugged though.

"I think it's cute," she said and made both Cam and Mosse roll their eyes.

"What have you got squints?" the male agent asked the two scientists.

"A second body if you call me that one more time," Hodgins shot back. He didn't mind Booth or Cam calling them squints to their faces, but that new guy was annoying him anyway so he was glad he had found a reason to fight with him.

"Pipe down, pal. I'm the one with the gun here," Mosse replied and put his hands on his hips, annoyed at Hodgins attitude.

"I'm not your 'pal'," the entomologist spat and stomped down his foot harder than necessary, the water on the ground splashing up and staining the dress shirt of the agent. "Oops, sorry dude," he grinned, knowing that if he'd done that with Booth he would have shot him.

"Ok, boys stop the chick fight and tell me what you've got," Perotta put an end to it, while Cam stood on her tiptoes, trying to get a look into the blue room.

"Male, in his twenties, very shiny teeth," Clark said, grateful that they could concentrate on work again.

"They're bleached," Hodgins knew.

"No clothes," Clark went on.

"Decomposed?" Cam wanted to know.

"No, more like... just naked," Hodgins shook his head and shone the flashlight onto the walls. "The water was up here as well, the body could have been washed in," he said and shone farther up. "How many stories are there?" he asked them. "I need to check where the water came from. Maybe I'll find the crime scene and the clothes," he asked.

"There are four stories, the elevator is over there," Perotta told him and pointed to the hallway.

"Ok," Hodgins said and jumped down to the others, leaving Clark alone in the blue room with the body. "You're coming with me?" he asked Cam, so she wouldn't climb in as soon as he was gone.

"It's not like you're leaving without me anyway," she grumbled, knowing him too well.

"This could easily be the set for a new Saw movie," Hodgins chose not to comment on what she had said.

"Who knows what we'll find," she replied and stepped into the elevator. Hodgins joined her and pushed the button for the fourth floor. The metal door closed and there was a loud noise.

"Whoa!" Hodgins yelled and jumped to Cam, steadying her again as two large grates fell down on each side of the elevator. "You're ok?" he asked her worriedly.

"You're the one who jumped," she pointed out calmly.

"That thing nearly knocked me out," he defended himself. "And I'm just worried."

"You're hovering and it's annoying," she complained.

"Because I'm worried. I don't want anything to happen to you or little one," he insisted.

"And I appreciate it, but I need to do my job, Jack," she argued back and stepped out of the elevator into a large room, that was completely dark, the walls painted pitch black as well as the floor.

"Your job is dead bodies, not climbing," he pointed out and took her hand as he switched on the flashlight. "This is like the house of horror at the fair... only it's real," he commented when he saw more body parts on shelves, rows with chairs and finally a large stage.

"And I think we just found the victims clothes and maybe something else," Cam said, shining her flashlight up a shelf, following maggots that seemed to rain down.

"I want light, a bodyguard and the ghostbusters, once I start working in here," Jack requested warily and gripped her hand tighter.

"What have you got?" Cam asked hours later as Hodgins walked into her autopsy room where she was working on a body with Dr. Edison.

"There was definitely human flesh up on that shelf, most likely organs," Hodgins replied.

"Makes sense, the heart and the lungs are missing," Cam nodded.

"Guess he bared his heart in this building," Jack grinned. While Cam only snorted, Clark looked disapprovingly at him.

"Dr. Saroyan there seems to be something gauged in the victim's throat," he turned to his boss instead.

"Let me see," she replied quietly, opened the mouth of the victim and slowly pulled out a folded paper with the tweezers. "What is that?" she wondered aloud and placed it in the Petri dish Jack held out for her. He took some tweezers himself and unfolded the paper slowly and carefully.

"O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou. That, notwithstanding thy capacity. Receiveth as the sea, naught enters there, Of what validity and pitch so e'er, But falls into abatement and low price
Even in a minute," Hodgins read. "See, told you he bared his heart," he grinned then.

"That's Orsino's opening meditation from Twelfth Night," Cam told him.

"You know Shakespeare, my lady?" Jack grinned and bowed to her, which made Cam chuckle.

"Uhm, can we please concentrate back on how the paper ended up in his throat and you save the rest for later?" Clark interrupted them, annoyed by their flirting.

"Dude! It's not like we're making out," Hodgins complained.

"Maybe I'll find some bruises on the remaining tissue," Cam shrugged and concentrated back on the body.

"I'll take this over to my lab with me. You'll let me know when we can go home?" Hodgins asked Cam.

"Sure. Not too late. I want to go and get something to wear for Felicia's birthday," she replied, only shortly looking up.

"Ok, then see you later," Hodgins nodded and walked off, but still heard the relieved sigh of Dr. Edison.

"Michelle, will you come with us tomorrow?" Cam asked Friday night when they were all sitting in Hodgins' living-room watching TV.

"To?" she wanted to know.

"New York, Felicia's birthday."

"Only if you kill me first and drag my cold, dead body there," the teen replied and made Hodgins laugh.

"Hey, she's still my sister," Cam complained. "And I'm a coroner so I just might," she added.

"I've been to her apartment one time and that was enough," Michelle insisted.

"Why? What's wrong with her apartment?" Hodgins now wanted to know.

"It's about the size of my closet at Cam's place, situated over a Chinese restaurant and looks like a clothes factory exploded in it," Michelle summed it up.

"It's kind of messy," Cam admitted.

"Hey, I don't mind messy apartments. Would give me the opportunity to do some field work on bugs and rodents," he shrugged unimpressed.

"It's not worse than the rehearsal house you told me about," the teen added.

"Hodgins seems to like it now," Cam said and raised one eyebrow.

"What did you do?" Michelle asked with a smile, knowing he must have done something if Cam looked at him that way.

"I followed Mosse to the restrooms, switched off the lights and then let my phone play the 'I want to play a game' quote from Saw. He jumped ten feet high and then ran off," he said and laughed.

"If he beats the crap out of you one day, don't come complaining to me," Cam said and grabbed the bag of chips from the table.

"You would stand by and watch as the father of your unborn child gets beaten into a pulp?" he asked with wide eyes.

"No, I'd save you and kick your ass later myself," she replied after swallowing a hand full of chips.

"Guess I have to wait for you to save me," he muttered and patted her stomach. Just then a phone beeped.

"Ok, that's Perry, I gotta go," Michelle announced.

"Ok, have fun," Cam said. "Just not too much fun," she added then.

"I'll behave," Michelle promised and hugged Cam goodbye and waved at Hodgins before she was out the door.

"Now whatever shall we do with this evening?" Hodgins smile got sultry and he moved closer.

"What about the hot tub? Haven't been in there in a while," Cam smiled back.

"Yay, let's take baby for a swim," Hodgins laughed.

"So not what I was thinking about," Cam grumbled and got up from the couch.

"Just joking, babe," Hodgins laughed warmly as he slung his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her neck.

"You really weren't joking about the part of New York her apartment is in. I'd feel safer if I were armed," Hodgins admitted as they walked to Felicia's apartment.

"I grew up a block over. They don't scare me. Old neighbors," Cam shrugged unimpressed and wrapped her arm around his waist while he tightened his hold around her shoulders.

"Are they doing what I think they are doing?" he whispered and nodded in the direction of the other side of the street where a group of men stood, wearing hoodies and ballcaps.

"Dealing drugs?" she asked him and he nodded. "Yup, you got that right," she confirmed his suspicion.

"It's three o' clock in the afternoon, it's not even dark out yet," he pointed out, but she just shrugged. When she felt him tense she looked at him, then followed his gaze to the guy who was walking over, coming straight towards them.

"Well, well, well, isn't that our fancy doctor and her newest boy toy. What happened to that FBI jerk?" the guy asked, stopping in front of them, blocking their way. He was taller than Hodgins, built and had an attitude. Hodgins looked at Cam when he felt her drawing circles on his waist with her thumb, while she looked completely relaxed and even smiled at the guy.

"Gomez, you've always been an idiot and I see you haven't changed a bit," Cam said, still grinning.

"Watch it Saroyan, there are bad boys out here," he warned with a grin, leaning closer and made Jack step partially in front of her.

"Playin' bodyguard, Richie Rich? Better leave that to us," Gomez barked at Jack.

"Hey, watch it or I'll kick your ass. Will hurt even more now that I'm wearing these heels," Cam said and pulled Jack back so he was standing beside her again. "Jack, meet Gomez, my former direct neighbor. Always played bodyguard for me when my brothers didn't want to have me around," she introduced them and the men eyed each other warily.

"So that's the rich guy, huh?" Gomez asked.

"We live together and we work at the same lab, that's all you need to know," Cam told him and raised her eyebrows, which made him step back a bit.

"O-kay," he dragged out. "I'll keep an eye on your car," Gomez promised.

"I'd appreciate that. You're not coming up for Felicia's birthday?" she asked.

"Maybe later. First have to take care of business," he replied and jerked his thumb in the direction of the other side of the road.

"I didn't see anything and I don't want to know," Cam said. "You know I'd have to get the cops on your butt," she warned him.

"I know Cami. Welcome back," he smiled, this time a warm smile and hugged her briefly before he was off again.

"Please tell me you just didn't hug the local drug lord," Hodgins gasped when they walked on.

"Nah," she shook her head. "He's been in prison too often. He's maybe the duke or so," she grinned.

"What a relief," he rolled his eyes and hoped they'd reach the building soon.

"That cake is really good, did you make it?" Cam asked her aunt after swallowing another bite of the creamy sin.

"No, my neighbor Mabel did. She makes great cakes," her aunt replied. "Jack, have you tried it yet?" she turned to him.

"No, I still have the apple tart to eat," he said and showed her his plate.

"And you should probably stop eating cake altogether. You gained weight," Felicia pointed out to Cam.

"Mind your own business," Cam told her and shoved another bite of the pie in her mouth.

"Just warnin' you. Your boyfriend might not think you're hot anymore when you look like Free Willy," Felicia went on anyway.

"Oh, dear God," Hodgins muttered, knowing Cam was already complaining about putting on weight. He didn't need her sister to feed those insecurities. "I'll find Cam hot no matter what, but thanks for your concern," he said to Felicia.

"Just wanted to be helpful," she said offended and held up her hands.

"You wanted to insult me and make me miserable for your own entertainment," Cam shot back and pointed her fork at her sister.

"Take that thing out of my face or I'll take the cake away from you," Felicia said aggressively and marched closer to where Cam and Hodgins were standing.

"I'll shove this cake up your..." Cam started and Hodgins did the only thing he could think of to shut her up- he kissed her.

"Calm down," he told her quietly when he pulled back. "She's just trying to get you all worked up."

"It's just... this chaos here, the noise, her comments," Cam sighed and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"You can go if you don't like it here," Felicia spat and walked off, muttering under her breath.

"How much longer do you want to stay?" Hodgins asked her.

"I just want to wait until my dad gets here, so we can tell him," she relied quietly so she wouldn't be overheard. Just then there was a knock on the door and Felicia went to open it. Cam's nieces and nephews together with her sister in law were standing in front of it, as well as her father who hugged the birthday girl.

"Uncle Hodgins!" Tallulah yelled when she saw him and ran past Felicia and the other relatives and jumped into Hodgins arms, who caught her.

"Hey Lullah," he grinned at her and kissed her cheek when she tapped against it with one finger.

"Hi Aunt Cami," Tanesha had meanwhile found Cam and hugged her around the waist, resting her head against her stomach.

"Hello princess," Cam smiled at the girl and picked her up as well, which made Hodgins give her a stern look. It was his "You're not supposed to do that" look, she already knew too well.

"Hi guys," Matt's wife greeted them after she had congratulated Felicia. They both returned the greeting and Cam put the girl back on the ground, knowing Jack would get really annoyed otherwise. "Oh my God, you're pregnant," her sister in law exclaimed as soon as Cam had put the girl down.

"What?" Cam stuttered surprised. She wore a wide blouse and she knew it wasn't that obvious yet.

"Don't you try to deny it. I have four kids and I know what a pregnant woman looks like. You surely got the glow, sister," she laughed and hugged Cam briefly. Cam still had the deer in headlights look on her face.

"Is it true Cami? You're having a baby?" her father asked quietly and came closer.

"Yes, we're having a baby," Hodgins replied while Cam still hadn't found her voice.

"That's what's different about her," her aunt exclaimed and hugged Cam tightly before she knew what hit her.

"Congratulations," her father was next and by then Cam had found her voice again.

"Thanks Dad. I originally planned on telling you myself," she apologized.

"That's ok," he smiled. "Just tell me, is everything ok?" he asked, knowing her history.

"Everything's great," she confirmed with a large smile.

"Uncle Hodgins, you didn't have to knock her up. I could have just come over and lived at your place," Tallulah said dead serious while Hodgins still had her in his arms. Now he was speechless, at least for a moment.

"That's a really nice offer Lullah, I'm sure we'll consider it next time," he replied then.

"Next time?" Cam asked him and he just shrugged.

"So when is the due date and when will you get married? You should do it soon, while it's not as obvious," Cam's great aunt said from the couch.

"I'm 18 weeks along now and there won't be a wedding in the foreseeable future," Cam replied honestly and pulled Tanesha against her, when she sought her contact again.

"You didn't propose to her? What is wrong with you son? First you live in sin and now this kid will be born out of wedlock? You should really be ashamed of yourselves! All that money of yours won't save you from the devil," her great-aunt fumed and waved her cane around.

"Guess we should be on the look-out for a tall red guy, with two horns, pointy ears and a tail then," Hodgins dead panned unfazed, because he had seen this argument coming.

"If I remember correctly the devil's dead. He got high and then electrocuted by his brother, you remember?" Cam grinned at him and then they both laughed, remembering the past case.

"You know this is just great, you just had to go and ruin my birthday," Felicia exclaimed then.

"Excuse me?" Cam turned to her sister, her niece still leaning with her back against her front.

"This is my day and you come in here with that perfect boyfriend of yours telling everyone that you'll have the perfect baby to make your great life even better. Thank you very much," Felicia screeched.

"Looks like Lucifer's sister just found us," Cam said to Hodgins who started laughing, despite the fury in Felicia's eyes.

"Did you hear that, Dad? She accused me of being the devil!" Felicia asked loudly, so the other relatives would know what Cam had just said. Great Aunt Ann gasped in outrage.

"Cam, really," her father sighed.

"That's all you're saying? That's all? She ruined my birthday, Dad, and now she's insulting me," Felicia complained again.

"What do you want him to do? Spank me?" Cam provoked her sister even more.

"That's enough now Cami!" her father ordered.

"I didn't do anything! Why are you turning on me now? It's not my fault she hasn't had a decent man in years," Cam protested.

"Here we go again," Hodgins muttered, while the other guests watched the argument like a tennis match. "You want to escape with me, Lullah?" he whispered in the girl's ear.

"Like when the prince saves the princess?" she asked him.

"Exactly like that," he nodded and walked with her into the kitchen, closing the door behind him. "You think there's some ice-cream in here for us?" he asked her.

"Aunt Felicia hides it underneath the frozen pizza in the freezer," the girl knew and pointed to the stack when he opened it. He took out two popsicles and handed her one.

"Good?" he asked and threw the wrappers in the trash.

"Mmh," she made appreciatively. "Can I come over when the baby is there and see if it's cute or wrinkly, like I was?" she asked him after a minute of silence.

"Sure," he nodded.

"Kay," she said and seemed content with that answer and her popsicle for the moment, while the yelling in the living room continued.

"I did not throw your first cell phone in the toilet," Felicia yelled at Cam. Fifteen minutes later they were still at it, yelling at each other. By now their argument reached back several years, digging out old stories and arguing about them again.

"They are crazy," Hodgins whispered to Tallulah when they came back out of the kitchen. Tanesha was still standing in front of Cam, looking up to her one aunt and then to the other standing across from her. She didn't seem to mind the screeching and yelling, while most of the other guests had gone back to their own conversations, not minding the two arguing sisters.

"You did! You even flushed, because you couldn't stand it that I had a cell phone and you didn't!" Cam replied.

"You two done yet?" Hodgins asked bravely and noticed how Cam kept rubbing her bump. "Everything ok?" he asked her quietly and stepped closer.

"The flutters are back," she told him, still eyeing her sister.

"Seems like baby doesn't like it when Mommy is yelling," he said and pulled her closer sideways so he wouldn't crush Tanesha.

"She is driving me crazy," Cam huffed and pointed at her sister who was staring at them.

"I can see that," Hodgins chuckled and earned himself a slap on his shoulder. "We could always just go home," he pointed out. "It's a three hour drive and I don't like it if she upsets you."

"She just wants me to leave, because she can't stand not being the center of attention," Cam grumbled.

"You're just feeding my theory again that you lose your mind when you're around family," he pointed out.

"Yeah, because you're always so sane, conspiracy man," Cam grinned.

"See, now you're smiling again," he said and smiled as well. "Oh and Tallulah wants to talk to you," he remembered.

"About?"

"She wants to warn you about the baby. Apparently she think that if we send it back now and take her instead it would be so much easier for us, because she can already talk, doesn't need diapers and promises to clean up her own room," he told her about the offer.

"I don't know if I should find that funny or sad," Cam sighed. "Maybe we should keep an eye on them while Matt is gone if we can find the time."

"Tomorrow Rebecca is bringing over Parker for his date with the pool," Hodgins replied.

"You're the one he should have asked back then when he wanted Booth to date someone so he could have a pool," Cam grinned teasingly.

"Oh, come on," he just groaned and made her laugh.

"Aunt Cami, I really need to talk to you," Tallulah interrupted them then, staring up with her large brown eyes.

"Here or in private?" Cam asked her with a straight face.

"It's a business deal, so in private," the four year old decided and led her aunt and her uncle into the kitchen, her sister following them.

"If I say Lullah is a smart ass, I mean that lovingly," Hodgins said as they stepped into their own house late that evening.

"I really don't know how a four year old comes up with her ideas. It's scary," Cam agreed and kicked off her heels.

"Didn't Michelle say she'd be at Paris' place?" Hodgins asked suspiciously and looked down the stairway to the basement, seeing light from down there.

"Yes, she wanted to spend the night there," Cam nodded.

"She's the only one with a key besides you and me," he thought out loud and silently walked down the stairs, Cam following him.

"What if someone broke in?" Cam asked him.

"And they stayed in the basement to rob the hot tub?" he doubted. As quietly as he could he opened the door and followed the light to the pool area where splashing could be heard. When they rounded the corner they both stopped, wide eyed and couldn't help but stare. In the pool Michelle was with Perry, heavily making out, while he had his hand in her bikini top and she was pressed up against the wall, her legs slung around his waist.

"Please tell me again why we want another one of those?" Cam asked Hodgins loudly and the teenagers jumped apart, only then noticing the adults.

"Delusion?" Hodgins asked her back and then turned to the teens. "You: go home," he said to Perry. "And you: go up to your room and wait for your trial," he then turned to Michelle, knowing that it was best for all of them if Cam had some time to calm down before she went into crazy mom mode again and killed the two teens. "And you: come with me," he told her and pulled her out of the room and up the stairs by her hand, so the teens had some time to get their stuff and leave.

"You know now why I want this one to be a boy?" she asked Hodgins after he had closed the door to his study.

"From now on I will refer to little one as 'he' until proven otherwise," he nodded and enveloped her in a hug.

TBC
Hope you like the continuation

fanfiction cadgins

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