December 2009.

Running late, Dr. Sweets sat across the table from the two partners, this time in a Santa hat. Booth raised his eyebrows but said nothing, looking at his partner.

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan…sorry I'm late."

"That's okay…we were just sitting here." Brennan responded.

Sweets looked at them. "On the same side of the table?"

Booth shifted his seat an inch toward the aisle, "Well…we…what took you so long, anyway?"

"No, yeah, sorry, sorry." Dr. Sweets answered. "Traffic was bad. Thanks for meeting me though. I feel like I haven't seen you guys in a long time."

"It's only been like three weeks since our last meeting, Sweets." Booth licked a drop of syrup from his finger after fixing his pancakes the way he wanted them.

"Well, yeah…but…" Sweets blushed a bit and looked down at the table…then moved to pull a menu to distract himself.

"But what…?" Brennan wanted to know.

"He misses us, Bones." Booth grinned as he reached across her to grab a napkin from the tray by the window.

She looked over to the young doctor, trying to read his minute body language."Hmmm…averted eyes…maybe flushed skin due to embarrassment…" she observed scientifically, "I would concur, Booth…although it seems he is embarrassed by the fact."

Booth laughed. "Good job, Bones. Now, Sweets…" Booth raised his index fingers and moved them in a circle, 'this here's the truth zone, so give Bones and me the truth…you miss us…"

Sweets cleared his throat, but did meet Booth's eyes. "Well, technically, this isn't the 'truth zone', that's in the office, but…okay, yes…I did miss spending time with you."

Booth sat back in his chair, satisfied with his mini-interrogation."Is that what you came to tell us, Sweets?"

"Well, sort of, Agent Booth. You know of course about my book."

Booth and Brennan both feigned innocence.

"Book…hmmm…Booth, do you know anything about a book?"

"Nope, I don't Bones. Although it sounds like Sweets is finally old enough to check out his own books from the library! Aw…that's so nice."

Brennan smiled, then turned back to look across the table, waiting for Dr. Sweets to defend himself. She was surprised when instead of speaking, he got up and walked away.

"Booth…" she swallowed. "Did we…did we go too far?"

Booth considered. "Hold on, Bones…I'll go get him." He hopped up from the table to run after Sweets.

Brennan watched out the window as Booth caught up with Dr. Sweets. Booth tilted his head to one side as Sweets explained something to him. Booth then smiled at whatever he said next and Brennan could see the way his hand was open on Dr. Sweets' shoulder, a sign of affectionate approval.

She waited until they both sat down before speaking.

"Dr. Sweets…is everything okay?"

"What, oh, yeah, I just needed to make a phone call." He lied, obviously. She'd seen the entire scene played out in front of the diner. She turned to Booth to see his reaction, but it seemed he was going to let this one slide.

He picked up his fork to resume eating his pancakes. "So Sweets, the book."

"Um, yes…well…as you know…the book is a success."

Booth smiled at his partner. They'd sat through a fair amount of sessions over the summer, and had let Sweets tag along on a few cases for his research. 'Oh, yeah? How big of a success…maybe Bones and I should get a cut, yeah, Bones?"

"Why would I want to be cut, Booth? That hurts." She replied.

"No, Bones…a slice…a bit of the action…you know…Sweets wrote about us, so we should get some of the money he makes from it."

"Oh" she understood. "Well, I don't really need it. I write my own books. Bestsellers" she clarified unnecessarily.

"Uh, yes, Dr. Brennan. I'm aware of that" Sweets continued. "Anyways, Temple University has asked me to return and give a series of lectures on the book, and I…well, I was wondering if you'd both come along, as sort of 'visual aids' I guess."

"Temple University. In Philly, right?" Booth asked.

"Isn't that your alma mater, Dr. Sweets?" Brennan wanted to know.

"Um yes, well, for my master's degree, that is. In abnormal psychology.'

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute there, Sweets. I am not going to be a 'visual aid' for some abnormal psych 101 course. No way."

"No…that's not what it will be like, Agent Booth. I promise. It will be about the research from the book."

Booth looked over to his partner. 'Well, what do you think, Bones?"

She shrugged. "I'm okay with it, what about you."

"Sure, why not." Booth replied, "I mean, he did dedicate the book to us, after Han Solo, which was…very interesting, by the way, but…still pretty nice."

"Yes…" Brennan agreed. "That was nice. My first dedication."

Booth grinned. "My second."

Dr. Sweets observed their moment. This time though, he observed them not as a clinician but as a man, and he discovered he didn't really like the way he felt about that.

"Yoohoo…Sweets" He cleared his focus to see Booth waving a hand in front of his face "Are you listening?"

'What?" Sweets replied. "Oh, um sorry about that…okay…so it's a yes? That's awesome. Um…we would leave next Friday morning. Will that work for you?"

"Sure. I don't have Parker that weekend because I get him the entire next week before Christmas…what about you, Bones?"

"I'm free."

Sweets smiled. "So, we're set, then. Okay. Thanks. I'll send you over the itinerary soon."

"Sure, Sweets, sounds good. A road trip, Bones…" Booth smiled.

"Yes, what's the significance?" She wanted to know.

"Bones…road trips are always awesome."

"Oh…okay, well…can't wait." She smiled, and blushed a little when she saw Dr. Sweets looking at her and smiling.

This was not lost on Agent Booth, and as Dr. Brennan got up to go use the rest room before they left, Booth took the opportunity to question the man across from him at the table."What's up, Sweets?"

"Um…what do you mean, Agent Booth?"

"Cut the crap. I saw the way you were looking at Bones." He shrugged.

Sweets blushed and opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it, examining his straw wrapper with great detail. "She's very interesting…" he finally spoke.

Booth looked at him for a moment. "Yes, that's true. Are you saying she's interesting as in you are 'interested' in her?"

Sweets looked at him then as if determining whether or not Booth was a worthy confidant. He must have gotten some sort of affirmation, because he leaned in closer to the agent. "Okay, yes. I'm interested in her. I think I want to get to know her better. I know what you're going to say… "Oh, Sweets, sorry, but 'Bones' doesn't date guys in diapers'…"

Booth smirked and mentally jotted that one down for later.

"But…" Sweets continued, "She did mention on her last relationship questionnaire that she thought she'd be more likely to date a younger man than an older one."

This was news to Booth, but he didn't reveal his surprise. "So…what's your plan?"

"Well…" Sweets turned to see if she was coming, then turned back, "I was actually going to ask you about that. I…want you to coach me."

Booth's eyebrows rose. "Coach you?"

"Yes…Dr. Brennan, she seems to respond to you, not sexually or anything."

Booth pulled at his collar, but didn't respond verbally.

"And…you both say there is nothing going on, right? Oh God…there is, and you're going to kill me, aren't you?"

"What? No…Sweets…there's…there's nothing…we're just partners."

"Awesome…so, you'll help me?"

Booth considered his next move. This could be pretty funny… "Yeah, sure…I'll help you. On the road trip."

"Sweet"

Booth tapped his nose nonchalantly to indicate his partner was walking back toward the table. He stretched and grabbed her coat from the seat beside him, "Ready to go, Bones?"

"Yeah, sure Booth. See you, Dr. Sweets. Next weekend. I'm looking forward to it."

'Me too." He replied seriously, and Booth waited until Brennan's back was turned before rolling his eyes at his new protégé.