Author's Note: This three chapter fic came about as I was watching and re-watching the recent The Prince in the Plastic episode. I wondered about how Sweets trying to get certified to carry a gun would have played out behind the scenes and within the characters' minds and thus this story was born. I hope to have it all up before the next episode airs.

I do not own Bones or any of its characters.

Thank you to everyone who reads/follows/reviews this. It's always appreciated.

The Shift of the Perspective

As Booth quickly walked over toward the center of the room where Sweets was standing, one thought persisted in his mind.

'This wasn't supposed to happen. I shouldn't have allowed it to happen.'

When Sweets first mentioned his intention to become certified to carry a gun in the field a couple of days ago; Booth balked at the idea.

'Sweets is a squint…and a kid. He shouldn't be carrying a gun.'

Booth only listened half-heartedly while the psychologist explained why he felt that he needed one, his final argument being his assertion that he would "have his back". Booth had to admit that he was touched that Sweets was concerned enough about his safety to want to help him in this way, but that did not quell any of the uneasiness that he felt about the idea.

Unfortunately what started out as a discussion quickly turned into bickering as it became clear that Sweets was determined to do this with or without the agent's blessing.

"Look, I don't need to ask your permission. I'm going to get certified to carry a weapon and I don't want to talk about it anymore."

At the time, Booth had been irritated at Sweets' defiant attitude and how the therapist had managed to distract Brennan into talking about their living arrangements instead of staying on the topic at hand. In the end, no real progress was made other than the two of them developing some brittle feelings for each other. Soon afterwards, they were given a new case to solve, but Booth's thoughts about the idea of Sweets carrying a gun did not stray too far from his mind at any point as they worked.

He thought again about what the therapist had said, and Booth started to consider the possibility that Sweets had a point. He had come to rely on Sweets more and more these days in the field, partially due to the fact that Brennan's pregnancy necessitated her to stay in the lab more often. Over time, however, Booth came to the conclusion that this was also the natural result of him relying on Sweets' skills as a profiler and an interrogator at an increasing rate during his investigations. The psychologist was a great sounding board for Booth as he tried to work through possible scenarios and lines of inquiry of each case. Unlike Brennan and the rest of the squints, who were usually unwilling to speculate or theorize without concrete evidence, Sweets was willing to analyze the crimes and suspects while still injecting his own viewpoint, providing Booth with an invaluable perspective.

'Even so, Sweets doesn't need a gun,' he continued to tell himself. 'If there is any shooting in the field, I can take care of it. Sweets doesn't need to worry about stuff like that.'

As the case progressed, Booth continued to mull over the situation and as he did, he found it harder and harder to hold onto that rationale. Brennan's words about Sweets possibly "drawing fire" kept coming back to him, and it forced him to contemplate the idea that Sweets could get shot at even if he didn't have a gun. Booth knew that he was an excellent shot and could handle just about any hostile situation, but he had to acknowledge that he was not superhuman. There was always the possibility that he could get hurt in the field.

'And if that happens and Sweets doesn't have a gun…who is going to protect him then?'

This question disturbed Booth, and that feeling only intensified when he ended up taking Daisy out into the field with him.

The agent was able to ignore a lot of what she said as he worked to rein in her exuberance at being allowed to go into the field with him, but when she mentioned how disappointed she was that he was not being "a better friend" to Sweets, he not been able to let that completely slide past him. Thankfully Daisy had chosen that moment to heed Booth's request for silence and thus, he was able to keep his feelings in check, but that didn't stop her words from gnawing away at him.

It wasn't something that Booth liked to speak about aloud. After all, he was far less comfortable with discussing his feelings than just about everyone else on his team. The truth was though that over the years he had grown very fond of Sweets and had come to consider him a close friend. Booth was certain that the psychologist understood and reciprocated that sentiment, and he was grateful that Sweets usually did not ask him to spell out his affection into words.

Still, Booth wondered if the psychologist was actually aware that part of the reason for his reluctance was because of his concern for Sweets' safety and well-being.

'Using a gun is not like interrogating suspects or holding therapy sessions. It's dangerous…and there's a lot more to it than just defending yourself or coercing people with it.'

Booth reflected back to when Sweets had watched someone die right in front of him during a subway accident and then to when Taffet had been assassinated right next to him. Booth times, Sweets had been severely shaken. Booth did not hold that against him. He knew that the therapist felt things deeply and that Sweets was sensitive to and concerned about the people he encountered. It was a quality that Booth admired about him and thus, he did not want to do anything to discourage or demean it.

But Booth was also all too aware that there was a tremendous burden and cost that went with taking someone's life. Considering how affected Sweets was by those other events, Booth did not want to think about Sweets carrying that kind of burden.

It did occur to him, however, that the psychologist might have taken his words badly during their original discussion, causing Booth to heave a deep sigh when he was alone at one point. He hadn't meant to hurt Sweets' feelings, and was uncomfortable with having to explain himself in a more emotionally direct way, but he hated the idea of Sweets holding these bitter feelings even more.

Later that even, while on a stakeout with Sweets, Booth tried to explain his concerns for the therapist's welfare, but Sweets was having none of it.

"Yeah, because you think I'm incompetent. Well guess what? I aced my last practice round at the range."

Booth quickly became frustrated at himself and at Sweets as he realized that the psychologist was still angry at him for his flat refusal earlier and the bickering that had ensued.

That night while he tried to sleep, Booth reached the conclusion that trying to talk Sweets out of this was not the answer. This was about more than being able to carry a weapon. It was about respect, it was about trust. It was about Sweets trying to grow into the responsibilities befitting a member of Booth's and the Jeffersonian's team.

It was then that the agent decided that he would have to take more proactive measures. He knew the agent who was in charge of the range assignments, and Booth remembered that that agent owed him a favor.

The next morning, Booth reported in to be Range Master for the day's evaluations which mainly included Sweets' certification test.

As Sweets walked up to him and realized that Booth would be running this test, the agent could see the irritation and disappointment clearly written on the psychologist's face. Booth, however, did not care. He might have been able to reason rationally that another agent could give Sweets a fair and rigorous test, but that was not good enough for Booth. If Sweets was going to go through with this, Booth wanted to be sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that the psychologist could handle himself.

But even more than that though, Booth wanted to be the one here no matter how this test turned out. He just hoped that Sweets was as good as he professed to be. Otherwise, he would have to face a moment when he would have to explain some hard truths to Sweets. A moment that he knew could very well damage their friendship.

Watching Sweets during the test itself, Booth could not help but be impressed, as well as more than a little relieved. Sweets was good. His shots were concise and accurate, and the therapist showed superb judgment and steady nerves. As much as he did not like to admit it, Booth could see that Sweets possessed solid gun-handling skills. There was really no way that he could not allow the psychologist to pass his certification, despite his continued misgivings about Sweets having a gun in the field.

Booth was about to turn the machinery off when he heard the sound of a bullet hitting metal, and Sweets crying out seconds later. The agent felt his heart jump into his throat.

"Sweets, you hit?"

Booth immediately left the control panel and briskly made his way over to the psychologist. He could see Sweets holding his arm and knew that he had been hit. The question now was how badly Sweets was hurt.

"Let me finish the course."

Booth felt a small surge of pride at that. He knew that Sweets had been hurt and yet the psychologist still wanted to tough it out and finish rather than give up just because he was in pain. It was something that Booth could relate to and he was pleased to see this quality reflected back at him in Sweets.

That did not change, however, the sick feeling he had at Sweets getting hurt during his test. He walked over to see Sweets still holding his arm and gingerly reached over to examine the wound himself. He was relieved to see that it was superficial, but in the back of his mind, that one thought still persisted.

'This wasn't supposed to happen. I shouldn't have allowed it to happen.'