Mind Games

Chapter 1: Recruit

AN: Hi everyone! I know it's been over a year since I last updated this, but rest assured, I haven't given up on it. I'm going back through old chapters and re-writing them for grammar, length, and continuity. I'm also changing the whole story to third person, but it will mostly follow Morgan. I still plan to make it thirty chapters, as before. I'll also note that this was written pretty much immediately after The Pain in the Heart, so anything that happened after that (including Jack and Angela breaking up) won't be included.

Thanks for your patience!

(Morgan belongs to me. Everything else belongs to FOX.)

"What do you think of Brennan's new grad student?"

Angela looked up at the sound of Sweets' voice in her doorway. She rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"You didn't answer my question," he replied impatiently, stepping into her office. "What do you think of her?"

Angela shrugged. "I don't know." She thought for a moment. "She seems nice. She's no Zack, obviously, but she's all right."

Sweets leaned against the wall, watching Angela with a contemplative expression. She looked up.

"What?"

Sweets began talking excitedly. "It just seems to me like you're comparing Morgan to Zack. You'll never be able to accept that she's replacing him—"

Angela leapt up from her seat. "Look, I don't need your psychobabble crap. Get out of my office."

Sweets didn't move.

"Sweets. Get out of my office."

"I need to ask you something."

Angela heaved an exasperated sigh and sat back down. "What is it?"

"Look, I need your help with something. You need to promise that you won't tell anyone about it, though."

"Fine. Whatever." She waved a hand. "Go on."

"Well, I can't exactly give you the details right now…" Sweets looked slightly panicked at the murderous expression on Angela's face. "But the gist is that I'm going to try to get Zack out."

Angela stared at him for a long time. When she realized that he wasn't joking, she scoffed. "Sweets, he's been given a life sentence. How the hell are you going to get past that?"

"I've been doing some research, and apparently, the charges of murder are irrelevant now that he's been placed in the 'Loony Bin.' If I can prove that he's no longer insane, we may have a chance."

Angela looked skeptical. "It's not going to happen," she said finally.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sweets caught a glimpse of bright red hair just outside Angela's doorway. He turned to see Morgan, standing behind the door, a stunned expression on her face. Angela had seen her, too.

"Morgan?" she said softly.

"I-I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…" Morgan stammered, unable to speak.

"Did…did you hear that?" Sweets asked.

"I…yes." She looked apologetic. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay," Sweets assured her. "How much did you hear?"

"Everything," she murmured, looking away. "But…I don't really know…who is Zack?"

Sweets looked from Morgan to Angela, deliberating. "I'll explain that later." He looked up to Morgan. "Do you want to help me save an innocent man from unfair imprisonment?"

Morgan blinked. She said nothing.

"Sweets, I told you. Give it up. It's not going to happen."

Sweets ignored Angela, looking straight at Morgan. Finally, the young woman answered him.

"I do like to help people…" she said slowly. "What exactly will I have to do?"

"All you need to do is help me gather the evidence to prove that Zack is innocent. We'll talk more about it later. Do you have courtroom experience?"

"…some," she replied nervously. "Mostly what I learned in school, though."

"All right. We'll probably need a lawyer. We can talk to—"

Before he could finish, Dr. Brennan called Morgan back to the work station.

"I have to go," she said unnecessarily. "I'll…talk to you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. See you then." He smiled at her. Morgan smiled back weakly.

As she left, Angela rounded on Sweets. "What do you think you're doing? Recruiting Brennan's new student to help you with your ridiculous plan? It's not going to work, Sweets."

Sweets sighed. "Look, I know you don't believe me. But Zack is innocent. He doesn't deserve—"

"He killed someone, Sweets."

"You know he didn't mean to!" Angela looked away guiltily. "If I can prove that he wasn't in his right mind, maybe we have a chance."

Angela said nothing for a long time. Finally, she looked back up at him.

"Call me if you get anywhere."