Chapter 1: Tag Episode 3x15

Special Agent Seeley Booth arrived home late after finishing up the paperwork involving Zach's confession and the Gormogon's shooting. He had also gone to visit the injured agent who the Gormogon stabbed while resisting arrest and had discovered he would make a full recovery. Unlocking and walking through his apartment door, he waited for the argument that would ensue.

Greeted by silence, Booth looked around his living room. There was no one in sight. Listening for any noises, Booth realized that there was a lot of slamming coming from his bedroom. Sighing, he made his way into the room without drawing his weapon.

Analyzing the situation, Booth's eyes narrowed. "You're leaving?" He asked quietly in a slightly disbelieving voice.

Dr. Lance Sweets looked up from the clothes he was packing into his suitcase. "You are more observant than most Agent Booth. What do you think?" Lance asked venomously. "Did you really expect me to stay?"

"Yes. No. I-" Booth stammered. "What do you want me to say?"

Sweets snorted derisively. "How about I'm sorry for thinking you were a serial killer even though we've been dating for three months, Lance! Or how about are you okay after I left you up in jail with guards who thought you had attacked one of their own, Lance! Or maybe I don't know what I was thinking Lance! No? What about I want you to stay Lance, I love you Lance! Can't say any of that can you, because you aren't sorry, you don't care, and you would do it all over again."

"I-I-"

"That's what I thought." Lance sighed and zipped his suitcase shut. "I'll get the rest of my stuff tomorrow."

"Lance, please I-" Booth started, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Sweets brushed past Booth on his way out of the bedroom. "I'll get it on my way out." He opened the door angrily and momentarily paused. "I should have known it would be you." Looking over his shoulder, he yelled "Booth you precious partner is here!"

"Sweets. What's going on?" Dr Temperance Brennan asked, confused.

"Really none of your business, Dr. Brennan." He maneuvered around her with his suitcase and added. "Our sessions are cancelled and if you need help on cases…" He glanced over his shoulder where Booth was still standing, too shocked to move. "Well, just get someone else."

As he stormed away, Booth was finally roused into movement. "Lance! Come back!" He ran to the front door, but Lance was no longer in the hallway. "Please?" Seeing that Sweets was gone, Booth hung his head and stomped back into the apartment, collapsing onto the couch miserably.

"You are an idiot!" Brennan exclaimed after a few moments of silence. Booth jumped and looked up at his partner. "You and Sweets are dating. Why would you arrest him?" Before Booth could answer, she turned on her heel and marched out the door.

Dr. Brennan ran out into the street looking for any sight of Sweets or his vehicle. "Damn!" She exclaimed and pulled out her cell on the way to her car.

"Hey sweetie." Angela answered in a sad voice completely unlike her own.

"Hey Ange. Look I know right now is a really bad time, but I have to ask you something. Well, actually at least two things and it may very well lead to more-"

"Sweetie! Just ask. It's fine." Angela replied in an exasperated voice.

"Do you know Sweets' address?"

"Um, hold on." There were muffled voices on the other end and then Angela's voice came back on. "Hey Bren, I don't, but I'm going to put you on speaker because Jack does."

"Hello Dr. B."

"Hi Hodgins. Can you give me Sweets address?"

"I can, but may I ask why?" Hodgins asked cautiously

"Um." Brennan hesitated. "I don't know if I should share this information. Gossiping has led to trouble in the past. That time Booth slept with his ex and-"

"I will not give you the address if you plan on interfering with their relationship." Dr. Jack Hodgins said sharply.

"Jack!" Angela scolded. "Brennan wouldn't do that! And who's in a relationship exactly?"

"I just want to make sure." Hodgins hissed back.

"I'm not planning on interfering. He just stormed out of Booth's place and I figured it out and he seemed upset. I think they were living together. He looked like he was about to cry and no wonder. Booth arrested him. What was he thinking?"

"So you just want to check on him?" Hodgins asked gently. "You aren't trying to get him to go back to Booth or anything?"

"No. I'm just worried and I want to apologize."

"I think that's a good idea since there was no proof and no reason for the FBI to arrest him." Hodgins replied sternly, and then added. "He asked if he could stay here because he was living with Booth and doesn't have anywhere else to go."

"Thanks. Can I come over and talk to him."

"No problem. He should be back soon."

"Wait! Booth and Sweets were dating?! How did I miss that?!" There was a sound of a large slap on the other end of the phone followed quickly by an indignant exclamation of "Ouch!" from Hodgins. "Why didn't you tell me?" Angela shouted.

"Bye guys!" Brennan said quickly, hanging up as she heard Hodgins say "Angela listen-".

Brennan waited half an hour before leaving for Hodgins' estate. She arrived there in less than twenty minutes and was surprised to see a car sitting outside the locked gate. Getting out of her car, she spotted Sweets leaning on the gate. "Sweets?" She asked cautiously.

"I can't get through." Sweets replied, slurring his words slightly. "It won't open."

"Did you call Hodgins?" Brennan asked. Instead of answering, he pointed to a shattered phone in his car. As she looked, Brennan noticed a half empty bottle of Vodka. "Were you drinking and driving?"

Sweets frowned at her. "Of course not!" he snapped. "I would never-I've been here for twenty minutes. After the first five, I started drinking."

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure. I'll call Hodgins." She pulled out her phone and dialed the number.

"He's not here yet." Hodgins answered.

"Yes he is." Brennan replied. "He's at the gate. His phone is broken and he's been here for twenty minutes. Also, you probably need to send someone to drive his car. I'll bring him up in mine."

"Damn. Tell him I'm sorry he had to wait out there. I just buzzed you in." Hodgins replied.

Brennan hung up and found Sweets staring at her. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"I don't want to hear anything Booth has to say. Couldn't he take the hint? I broke my phone after the twentieth phone call." Sweets replied, picking up his bottle of Vodka and climbing into her car.

She sighed and got into the driver's seat. "I don't know what Booth has to say. I left right after you did. Well, actually first I called him an idiot."

"You did?" He smiled slightly. "Then how come it took you so long to get here."

"I had to find out where you were. Then, I waited because I wanted to give you a chance to get here first." She explained as she drove up the winding drive.

"Oh."

Finally, they arrived at the house. Sweets stumbled out of the car as soon as it stopped moving. Brennan followed quickly, but it was Hodgins who caught Sweets when he almost fell on the steps. "Hey Sweets. You okay?" Sweets smiled gratefully and nodded.

"Did you-" Angela began, but at her accusatory tone, Brennan interrupted.

"He didn't drive drunk. He's been drinking at your gate for fifteen minutes." She explained.

"Good." Hodgins said. Looking at the bottle in Sweets hand, he gently pulled it from his grasp."How about I get you a glass?"

"Yea. Sure."

The group moved inside and took seats in Hodgins giant parlor room. Hodgins and Sweets collapsed on a large sofa, while Angela and Brennan did the same on the couch across from them. A butler came in and Hodgins introduced them. "This is Franklin. Franklin, this is Sweets and that's Brennan."

Franklin bowed slightly to them and asked."Can I get anything for you or your companions, Master Hodgins?"

Hodgins sighed. "Call me Jack, Franklin. We'll have drinks." He handed over the bottle and after everyone said what they wanted, there was an awkward silence while they waited for Franklin to return.

When the drinks came back, Sweets downed his quickly and the butler wisely left the bottle. To fill the silence, Sweets lamely commented. "You have a big house."

Angela burst into a fit of laughter, causing everyone to look at her. "That's is a gigantic understatement. If this house was any bigger, it would need its own continent." Noticing Hodgins frown, she added. "Come on Hodgie-poo. You have to admit that this place is enormous. I don't mind, but big. No. This place is much more than big."

Slowly, Sweets began to giggle too. Soon he was all out laughing with Angela while Brennan and Hodgins joined in. Finally the laughter died down, leaving Hodgins, Angela, and Brennan holding their sides. As Hodgins caught his breath, he looked over at Sweets and the smile fell off his face. Sweets' head was in his hands and he was shaking with silent tears.

Hesitating only for a moment, Hodgins pulled Sweets into a hug and his sobs became audible. "It's alright." Brennan looked over in sympathy, while Angela came over and put her hand on Sweets' shoulder.

Sweets pulled away after a minute or two as the sobs died down, tears still streaming down his face. He poured another drink and downed it again. "Sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Brennan replied. Angela resumed her seat and nodded in agreement.

"I love him." He said quietly. "Or I loved him. I don't know. How could he? Maybe if there was irrefutable proof, but for him to just- I don't understand."

"I don't know." Brennan replied quietly. Sweets looked at her questioningly. "Yes. I thought you might have done it, but there was nothing that should have made him arrest you. You explained where you were. I did not believe you, but he should have. He listened to Cam's gut instead of his own or the evidence. He knows better. I should have known better than to let him arrest you without proof. I wanted it over and I never wanted to believe it was one of the people I worked with. I let that overrule the evidence and I'm truly sorry. I'm sorry."

Sweets closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't blame you. It's easier to blame the newcomer than someone you know well. And we weren't dating." He opened his eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that Seeley wasn't dead. It wasn't an experiment. It was vindictive of me and I apologize. I wasn't on the list of people he wanted to notify. He didn't know I would be the one to receive the list, which means he didn't intend to let me know. I was angry and jealous of you and I figured that it wouldn't matter in the end because you would find out at the funeral. That's why I pushed you to go. I wanted you to know he was okay. Sorry."

Before Brennan could reply, Hodgins erupted. "You weren't on the list! What the fuck is wrong with him! You guys were dating! Booth is such a fucking moron!"

"Hodgins!" Angela scolded. "Calm down."

"I would never do that." Hodgins commented. "How could he do that?"

"I don't know. He obviously doesn't love me like he said he did. I should have known. Who could?" Sweets replied eyes still closed.

"Who could what?" Brennan asked confused.

"Love me. Who could love me?" Sweets' reply was almost inaudible as he slumped into Hodgins, unconscious.

"Aw. Poor thing." Angela said softly. Brennan just shook her head. As Hodgins picked Sweets up to carry him to the guest room, the conversation turned to Zach.

"How could we not have known?" Angela cried into Brennan's shoulder. Hodgins almost turned back to comfort his girlfriend, but decided Sweets needed him more at the moment. He made his way to the guest bedroom slowly and tucked him in gently. Before leaving, Hodgins leaned down and kissed Sweets lightly on the forehead. "I could love you." He said quietly, slipping out of the room as a small smile slipped onto Sweets' sleeping face.