Booth was the first to stop coming. He never liked the place. He never liked talking to someone who had betrayed him, betrayed his family, betrayed his friends. But for a time he would go and talk about nonsense, make sure he was ok and leave. That wouldn't last long and they both knew it. Eventually Booth started to ignore the appointments on his schedule until they stopped being scheduled. In truth he felt guilty for what he was doing to his once friend. As time went on though it became easier and both parties were secretly happy that the other had stopped.
Dr. Saroyan was the next to stop. She lasted only slightly longer than Booth, though she never knew that. She saw him and could only see failure, not in him but reflected back onto herself. How could she have let this happen. It was painful for her to visit, and eventually it became too painful. Unlike the others she was direct. In their last meeting she came up with a flimsy excuse, too much work, too little time. They both knew it was a lie, and they were both a little relieved to see the other go.
Angela lasted for a while, longer than she thought she would. She hated that place. Hated seeing her friend there. Hated driving there. Hated waiting in the room with everyone else. She hated it all, though she loved him. Still she went and talked about life and love and work. But after the wedding in jail it got harder and harder to make time. It went from once every week to every month to every few months and so on. One day it would dawn on upon her that it had been months and months since she last saw him, and by then she was too ashamed and racked with guilt to go back. For how do you tell someone you completely forgot about them.
Dr. Brennen was rational. After Christine was born she knew what had to be done, she simply didn't have enough time. And she said as much to him. They both understood in their own way. They ended things on good terms, and over time it became all too easy for Dr. Brennen to forget him.
Hodgins always tried to make time. Through the ups and downs of his life he always made time to see the "King of the Looney Bin." He didn't have the most consistent schedule and that's why it took so long for him to realize what had happened. In a way Hodgins can't be blamed, he had a new kid at home, Pelant was still at large, and he had just lost his fortune, his life was truly busy. And so he forgot, and he continued to forget until someone in passing mentioned him. And he felt guilt and anger surge through him, but more than anything else he felt hesitant to go back. What would he say, what would he do? Eventually much like his wife before he accepted the fact that he couldn't face going back. He couldn't face him.
Sweets was the last. And it wasn't his choice. He had kept on as a consulting psychologist through the years, he had felt a need to be there for him, even knowing what he knew. He kept visiting up until the day he was shot, until he died.
He was told by another doctor. That was when he knew he was alone. The last of his family had left him, he had no one else. He was truly alone. And in that moment for possible the first time in his life Dr. Zack Addy didn't know what to do.
