Chapter 20

Agent Booth didn't hear his phone ring; he was too busy chatting to his son in the car. Parker on the other hand did hear the phone.

'Daddy, daddy! Your phone went off!' He shouted.

Booth quickly pulled the car over and took his phone out of his pocket. He wondered why he hadn't noticed it ringing, but the realised that he always pays more attention to how he drives when Parker was in the car with him. He flipped open the phone, worried as to what he might find.

1 Missed Call from Cam and a message on the answer phone.

'That can't be good...' He whispered to himself. Parker glanced up, assuming that Booth was talking to him, but Booth shook his head and waved Parker away as he held his phone to his ear to listen to the message. His face was serious, scared even as he listened to Cam's voice on the answer machine.

Booth quickly broke into a smile, he hung up the phone and addressed Parker.

'Okay listen up Buddy, slight change of plan okay? We're going to go to mom's instead and I'm going to let you spend the evening with her!'

Parker looked disappointed.

'Why?' He asked childishly.

'Because Sweets is awake and I need to go check on him.'

'Can I come?'

'You can come by tomorrow, I'll get mom to drop you off, hey! Then you can give him the card!'

Booth ruffled his son's hair, Parker grinned.

Twenty minutes and several phone calls later Booth had collected Dr Brennan from the Jeffersonian and had arranged to meet Angela, Hodgins and Wyatt outside the hospital. They would then go in and check on Sweets (openly ignoring hospital policy of two visitors to a room, but they were sure they could argue around that somehow.)

'Do you think he'll be... any different?' Booth asked as the car approached the hospital entrance.

'Different? Why?' Brennan asked.

'You know, because he got beat up and maybe he'll be sort of scared...' Booth explained. 'Oh no, you don't think he's gonna cry do you?' He added.

Brennan laughed.

'No I don't think he's going to cry! I like Sweets, and over time I have come to trust that, although the psychology he uses doesn't work, it does seem to work for him. Empirically speaking, if he could get over the abuse before, it should be easier to handle second time around. And at least now he can apply a logical mind set to it and control it.'

Booth winced.

'You don't need to be so clinical about it!'

'Well, what he's been through and...' Brennan sighed, '... and the whole experience that we've had along side it, has go to me for some reason. And I don't like that we've been acting on emotion...'

'rather than science?' Booth finished for her.

'Rather than science.' Brennan agreed.

Both the FBI officer and the Anthropologist opened their car doors at once, and chatted as they strode towards the hospital entrance.

Hodgins was already standing at the entrance with Angela and Wyatt, he smiled as he saw the two approaching and lifted his hand in a wave of recognition. Booth returned the gesture.

Angela was holding a get well soon balloon that was tied to a small cuddly rabbit. Brennan noticed this before reaching the group by the entrance and felt a slight pang of guilt.

'Booth!' She whispered. 'Should we have got him anything?'

'I've already given him a card!' Booth exclaimed.

'As have I. As has Angela but she seems to have bought something else!' Brennan explained.

'Sweets won't mind Bones!' Booth smiled; he was oddly excited about seeing the young psychologist again.

The two groups met and walked happily into the hospital.

They arrived at Sweets' room and Booth knocked on the glass door, trying to peer through the blinds.

Cam opened it, smiling.

'He's a little dopey at the moment. They've given him a lot of pain relief and it seems to be taking effect.' She whispered warningly.

Booth grinned playfully at Brennan.

'Sweets is on drugs!' He whispered jokingly.

'Behave Seeley; he still has a long way to go.' Cam joked.

'Yeah, but he's okay!' Booth whispered back, grinning.

'We're not out of the woods yet.' Cam whispered, quieter than before.

The group wandered into the room.

Sweets was propped up slightly on pillows, not quite sitting, but so he wasn't lying flat. Although the bed spreads around him were arranged to be as comfortable as possible, something about his position seemed awkward. His eyes were closed, but fluttered open as the group walked in to see him. Both arms were heavily bandaged and there was still a dressing across his cheek. But he looked a lot better. He looked alive.

'Hey Sweets…' Brennan said gently as she walked into the room. She was the first in and walked straight to Sweets' side.

'Dr Brennan!' Sweets croaked. His voice was understandably husky and strained. He smiled with the un-injured side of his face.

Booth was behind Brennan. He seemed less sure of himself than he had done before, though luckily Sweets was in no condition to psycho-analyse him.

'Hey hey Sweets!' Booth laughed, fake-punching the air next to Sweets' arm in a friendly, manly manner. Sweets winced even though the fist never made contact. Booth felt awkward.

'How you feeling?' Booth tried to remain upbeat even though Sweets' appearance was weaker than he'd expected.

'Been better.' Sweets admitted honestly.

Angela ran forwards, she moved as though about to hug Sweets tightly, but thought better of it and patted his head. He smiled dopily.

'You gave us a fright sweetie.' She said, putting the rabbit holding a balloon on Sweets' lap. The psychologist beamed, then, as the muscles on the injured side of his face pulled at the stitches, the smile became a grimace. Angela smiled sympathetically.

'Good to have you back man!' Hodgins said, elbowing his way to stand around the bed as well.

Wyatt was last into the room.

'Dr Sweets! A pleasure to see you looking well!' He announced, and then quietly retired from the room, knowing full well that there was limited visiting time in Sweets' state and also that the rest of the squints would want to spend as much time as possible with him.

Everyone watched Sweets' expectantly. Happy to see him awake, and unsure really what to say or if there even was anything that they could say.

Sweets on the other hand was exhausted. His brain was fuzzy, he could hardly remember a thing and his thoughts were few and totally disorganised. The pain medication really was a good a god-send. It numbed the mental pain as well as the physical. Dopey and surrounded by friends, he slipped into a deep sleep.

Hodgins watched him.

'Well, that was an anti-climax.' He whispered, jokingly.

'He must be tired.' Angela whispered back, watching Sweets' face with an almost motherly-loving expression on her face.

Brennan slid her hand over Sweets' hand, gently stroking the back of it to reassure Sweets that he was not alone.

'Brennan and Booth, if you two want to stay here, we'll see you again tomorrow. Afternoon probably. He needs his rest.' Cam said with authority, suggesting that Angela and Hodgins leave. Although no-one wanted to leave, they understood that it was necessary. Besides, tomorrow he'd be stronger and they could stay longer.

When they left, Boot grinned at Brennan.

'Sweets is back!' He whispered.

* * *

The next afternoon, Sweets was feeling a little stronger and the group had gathered around his bedside again. He couldn't sit up on his own, let alone stand, but he was gradually getting better, but he couldn't be in a room on his own, and the dark was making him jumpy. The pain he was in was a lot, but it wasn't unbearable. He was recovering quickly, and he was talking nearly incessantly; his words confused with obscure trains of thoughts from the mind-addling pain killers, but his voice painful and croaky. The Nurses were trying to persuade him to eat with trays of food, but they remained uneaten, resting by the side of the bed.

Hodgins eyed the food on the tray besides of Sweets hungrily.

'Yo... dude... you gonna eat your pudding?' The entomologist asked.

Sweets looked up at him, his eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

'I uh... no.' He shook his head as much as his strength would allow.

Cam stepped in as Hodgins reached out for the chocolate pudding.

'Why not?' She asked.

Sweets smiled bravely.

'Everything hurts.' He admitted.

'Ah, except talking.' Cam teased. Sweets paused and considered it.

'No, no talking hurts as well.' He said.

'Well you're doing it enough!' Booth joked.

There was a knock on the door and Rebecca poked her head round.

'Hi. Parker wanted to...'

Parker ran into the room and over to Sweets' bed.

Rebecca mimed that he had five minutes at Booth.

'Dr Sweets!' Parker exclaimed, sitting on the bed.

'I made this for you!'

He handed the card over to Sweets. The psychologist tried to raise an arm to take it, but Cam jumped in faster, putting the card on the bedside table.

'Wow Parker! That... that's excellent! Thank you!' Sweets thanked the child.

'What happened to your face?' Parker asked, eyeing the padding attached to Sweets' cheek.

'Well, my uh...' Sweets started. Booth interrupted.

'He got hurt.'

Sweets shot Booth an odd look.

'Hey, you know Parker, the adults need to talk, so why don't you run along little man, and I'll see you later.' Booth suggested, lifting Parker off the bed and putting him on the floor.

'Ohhh... but I wanted to play with Sweets!' Parker moaned.

Sweets smiled.

'Well you can play with Dr Sweets after school tomorrow, providing he's up to it.' Booth promised.

'Okay!' Parker smiled. 'Bye bye Dr Sweets!'

Sweets laughed gently as Parker ran from the room.

'Bye Parker!' He called. Then when the door was closed, turned to Booth.

'You're not telling him what really happened?'

'I just, you know. Don't think he's old enough to hear about all the child abuse stuff.' Booth explained.

Sweets couldn't help but laugh a little.

'Agent Booth, I hope you realise the irony in what you just said.'

'Yeah well... I just think it would damage him for life if he thought that could happen.' Booth justified.

'I don't know why. I turned out okay, and you, you had an abusive father and you're absolutely...' Sweets started.

'Look Sweets. Just because you're in a hospital bed and you're all bashed up and hurt, doesn't mean you can talk about my father!' Booth snapped.

'Well as far as abusive fathers go, I can sympathise you know!' Sweets said cheerily. The combination of pain medication and all his friends around was making his head delightfully fuzzy and he wasn't at this point worried about anything.

'Sweets! You do not mention my father now!' Booth hissed.

'Well, okay. Maybe some other time.' Sweets relented, disappointed. He tried to shift himself so he was sitting more upright. Cam jumped in and prevented him from sitting up.

'No. Don't do that or you'll tear out your stitches. Be careful; you're still fragile!' She explained.

Sweets looked confused.

'But I don't feel any pain...' He said.

'That's probably because you're so drugged up on pain medication.' Brennan explained. 'Oh, and you won't be able to feel how weak your muscles are, so you might want to just ask one of us to help move you in future.'

Sweets wasn't paying attention. His brain was too light from the pain meds.

'Wait, I have stitches? Cool!' He exclaimed. 'What colour?'

Cam looked at Angela, confused. Hodgins grinned.

'Ummm... The usual colour Dr Sweets!' Cam said.

'Oh.' Sweets looked disappointed. 'Last time they were purple.' His voice went quiet and contemplative. 'I like purple...'

Cam smiled and shook her head. She and Booth helped Sweets into a more upright position.

'Better?' Booth asked, he was still grinning because Sweets was okay.

'Much better.' Sweets agreed. He scratched at the stitches in his chest absent mindedly, Cam was about to stop him but he had already stopped dead in his tracks.

'Something doesn't feel right...' He said, his face pale.

'Oh, you're missing your two lower ribs.' Brennan explained.

'Right.' Sweets nodded. His eyes narrowed in scared confusion as he looked up at Brennan. 'I don't need them do I?' He asked.

'Um... no... and strictly speaking you only have three of your actual ribs left. They re-constructed most of your ribcage from metal because it was so badly damaged.'

Sweets looked shocked.

'They couldn't finish the bottom two because you crashed. Twice. It's up to you if you want them or not.' Brennan finished.

Cam shot her a warning look.

The room was silent. No-one had expected to have to explain Sweets' injuries to him. At least not while he wasn't really thinking straight.

'Hold on... I... I died?' the psychologist asked quietly.

Tears filled Brennan's eyes as she remembered. She breathed deeply.

'Yes. Several times.' She said semi-robotically.

Booth stood on her foot as a warning.

'I died?' Sweets repeated.

Cam put an arm round his shoulders.

'Yes, but you're here now which is all that matters.' She said reassuringly.

Sweets turned to her, his eyes watery.

'And I have metal in my chest?' He whispered. This was hard to take in. The smiling faces in the room had fallen.

Sweets turned his head to Hodgins.

'Does this mean I'll set off security in airports? Because I don't like airports...'

Hodgins smiled, partly to reassure Sweets, partly because the psychologist was very childish when drugged up.

'No. No you won't set off security.'

'Good.' Sweets closed his eyes as he lost the strength in his neck to support his head. His head rolled to one side in an almost comical manner. He was suddenly extremely tired. Cam reached out and she and Booth very gently moved Sweets so that he was lying down again.

Sweets looked up and smiled. Booth smiled down at him. The psychologist would be alright. Booth was sure of it.

'Thank you.' Sweets mouthed, beaming in a dopey drug-addled manner. He gradually went cross eyed and his eyelids shut.

Booth smiled and patted the psychologist's shoulder gently.

'You rest up Sweets.'