"Hey!" Bobby called as Sweets tried to slink away unnoticed. Sweets picked up his pace, so Bobby went into a full out run. Sweets tried to hide in a store, but Bobby cornered him.

"Don't hurt me!" Sweets shouted, cowering. Bobby stood there glowering at him. His fists clenched and unclenched. Yes, he wanted to slug this kid who thought that messing with people's hearts was a good idea, but Bobby wasn't a violent man.

"As much as you have it coming to you, I'm not gonna touch you," Bobby said evenly. Sweets lowered his hands and looked at him.

"You're not?"

"No. I'm leaving that up to Booth and Dr. Brennan. You had no right to do what you did," Bobby glared.

"I know, I know. It was for research. Sometimes we have to do things that don't seem right to get answers..."

"Oh, cut the crap," Bobby scoffed. "Research or not, you almost destroyed a relationship, if you haven't already!" Sweets paled.

"You don't think...?" he started.

"That Dr. Brennan might never speak to Booth again? It's highly likely," Bobby finished. "And all because of you."

"I gotta explain to them..."

"What? That you treated them like lab rats? No, that will only get you beat up," Bobby cut him off.

"I was trying to make Dr. Brennan see that she has feelings for Booth," Sweets said loudly. "The two of them dance around each other, and it drives me insane.

They love each other. Don't you agree?"

"I do, but why not just leave it to them?" Bobby asked. "Why meddle? You've made things so much worse."

"I see that now," Sweets said, wringing his hands. "I have to fix this."

"Stay out of it," Bobby warned. "You've already done enough." He turned to leave, not looking back to see Sweets wiping sweat off his brow.

Booth

"Bones!" Booth shouted, banging on her door. "Come on! I need to talk to you!"

"Leave me alone!" she shouted back. He rested his forehead on the door, frustrated. Damn it all to hell.

"I didn't do this on purpose!" he tried. "They were supposed to tell you..." The door being flung open stopped him in his tracks. Since it had been his support at the time, he lost his balance and fell face first into the apartment. Brennan dodged him, leaving him to land heavily on the floor.

"You could have told me yourself," Brennan said coldly. Booth got up on his knees slowly, rubbing his head.

"I wasn't allowed to," he argued. "Bobby promised me he would tell you..."

"Well, he didn't."

"Because Sweets took over the duty," Booth finished, finally standing up. "This is Sweets' fault. It's got his experimental game written all over it." He stared Brennan in the eye. "I would never intentionally hurt you like this." Brennan crossed her arms, trying not to show that she was caving. It was difficult to stay angry at Booth when he was giving her that look.

"Why would he do such a thing?" she asked after a few moments.

"I have no idea. To make you realize you love me or something? To make you deal with loss and grief? Who knows? I do know this, I love you, and I put you as number one on the list to know the truth," Booth explained.

"I want to see it," Brennan said.

"What, the list?"

"Yes."

"I'll get it from Sweets," Booth promised.

"I'll go with you," she said.

"Right now?"

"Yes, now."

Bobby

"The shrink did that?" Jack asked, horrified. He'd want to beat up the man if he had done that to him and Sue. Bobby nodded.

"Yea. He was doing it for what he thought was a good reason, but he shouldn't have done it," Bobby concluded.

"Do you think it'll break them up?" Jack questioned. He hoped not. He liked Booth.

"I don't know," Bobby answered quietly. He looked over at Tara, who was busy with work. She hadn't attended the "funeral" with him since she knew Booth had been living at Bobby's place. She felt his gaze and looked up, smiling at him. He could not wait to marry her.

Booth

They practically crashed into Sweet's office where they found him sitting there as though he had been waiting.

"Hi guys," he said timidly.

"How dare you," Brennan cut him off. "How dare you meddle with personal lives and feelings?!"

"I'm sorry," Sweets started.

"I'm not done," Brennan interrupted. Sweets pinched his lips together. "You used me for an experiment without my permission. When we said you could study us, we did not mean for you to play with our hearts and emotions. That was very unprofessional and very uncalled for." She stopped talking then, shaking with anger. Sweets watched her carefully.

"Can I talk now?" he asked.

"No, it's my turn," Booth answered. "I made a list, and I want to show her as proof that she was the first person to know what was going on. I trusted you with that information. What made you think for even a second that this was a good idea?!"

"I was trying to show Dr. Brennan that she had feelings for you," Sweets blurted out. "That's all."

"Well, that's one hell of a way to do it," Booth snapped.

"I did not care for the way it made me feel at all," Brennan added. "I find myself wanting to strike you right now."

"Please don't. I failed. I'm sorry. You're right. I shouldn't have done it. I just am so tired of seeing you two avoiding the obvious. I was trying to help," Sweets said, exasperated.

"That is up to us to figure out, not you," Brennan said firmly.

"The list, Sweets," Booth reminded him. "Now." Sweets opened his desk drawer and dug out the piece of paper. He handed it over to Booth, avoiding looking at either of them.

"Here, see?" Booth said, showing her. "Right here. Your name. Underlined twice and circled."

"I see it," Brennan said quietly. She felt her anger at Booth slipping away a little.

"Guys, I care about you both," Sweets piped up. "I only did this to help you. I'm sorry that it hurt you."

"Next time, follow instructions," Booth ordered. Sweets nodded meekly. They turned to leave.

"Are we still going to have sessions?" Sweets asked tentatively. Booth looked at Brennan.

"Not right away," she answered. "We're still mad at you."

"Fair enough," Sweets said, relieved. At least it wasn't a flat out "no."

"You saw the proof," Booth said once they were out of earshot. "Does that help you to not be so mad at me?" He saw a flicker of a smile on her lips.

"A little," she agreed. He stopped walking, taking her hands in his.

"Booth, what are you doing?" she asked. "We're at your office..."

"We're still partners," he dismissed. "Look, clearly the guy was trying to help us with something we already figured out. Can you blame him for trying?"

"His method was incorrect and damaging," Brennan argued.

"Agreed, but the intent was there."

"You're forgiving him then?"

"Partially. I'm still mad at him too," Booth grinned. She smiled back.

"So, what do we do from here? Do we tell people?"

"Nah. Let him sweat for a while thinking he ruined our chances," Booth winked.

"I like it," Brennan agreed. They continued walking out of the building.

"Coffee?" Booth asked.

"Sounds great."

A Few Weeks Later

Bobby

He sat in the back of the meeting, watching a newcomer stand on shaky legs and start telling her story. It reminded him of Booth all those years ago. Bobby looked around for Booth, but he hadn't arrived yet. Bobby hoped he would come. He knew how difficult things had been with Zack turning out to be an apprentice for a serial killer. Bobby knew that stress was a trigger for Booth.

"Hey," Booth said, sliding in beside him. "Sorry I'm late."

"Just glad you're here," Bobby replied. Booth sipped his coffee and winced.

"Are they ever gonna get the good stuff?" he complained.

"It's why I bring my own," Bobby said, jiggling his cup in his hand, showing off the logo.

"Damn, why didn't I think of that?" Booth muttered. They listened to the woman sharing for a while.

"How's Brennan?" Bobby asked quietly.

"She's taking this hard. She's gone to visit Zack a few times. I don't know if that's helping or making it worse," Booth replied.

"And you?"

"I can't bring myself to go see him right now."

"It might help."

"I doubt it. The guy helped another guy kill people and eat them."

"He was misguided."

"He's a freaking genius. He knew what he was doing."

"He was manipulated. Hasn't that ever happened to you?"

"Not by a serial killer!"

"Ahem!" the facilitator coughed, giving both of them a glare. They noticed that everyone was staring at them, and the woman up front was crying.

"So sorry," Bobby apologized. "Carry on." The facilitator gave one last glare before turning back to the woman and encouraging her to continue.

"I can't do this," Booth said, getting up.

"Where are you going?"

"For a drink."

"You're displacing..."

"I am SO sorry that my life is beyond uninteresting that you can't even stay and hear it," the woman finally snapped into the microphone. Bobby winced. Booth halted in his tracks.

"That's not it at all," Booth reassured her.

"Then what? What is it about me that makes you want to just take off and not even listen?" the woman asked, crying again.

"It's nothing to do with you," Booth said. "It's personal. I've suffered a loss, and I know I shouldn't have even come here tonight knowing that I couldn't sit and take on everyone else's troubles on top of mine just yet. I'm sorry." He went out the door then, and the woman went back to her seat. The lady beside her reached out and rubbed her back slowly. Bobby made a note to talk to her after the meeting. He also made a note to check in on Booth. He hoped the guy wouldn't do anything stupid.

Booth

"I need to see him," Booth insisted.

"Sir, it's almost nine at night. We don't allow..."

"I don't care. I need to see him right now," Booth said, getting worked up. "Just this once." The receptionist eyed him carefully.

"Fine, but just this one time," she sighed, letting him in. She led him down to a room, and Booth felt chilled suddenly.

"You wait here. I'll bring him to you," she said. Booth fidgeted with his fingers to pass the time.

"Here we are," her voice said, making Booth look up to see Zack standing there looking at him curiously.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. He sounded tired. He looked exhausted.

"I'm just out here," the receptionist said, gesturing. Then they were alone.

"I needed to see you," Booth said.

"Why?"

"Cos dammit, kid, I can't believe this has happened, and I'm struggling to not lose all progress I've made because I keep thinking that if I had just paid more attention to you, this whole thing could have been averted," Booth said, sighing heavily. Zack sat down across from him, resting his arms on the table.

"I don't think you could have changed anything," Zack said softly.

"What if I could have? Huh? What if I had involved you more in my life? Made you a friend? Instead, I kept you at arm's length and ignored your attempts of bonding."

"Have you been talking to Sweets?" Zack asked.

"Not really," Booth shook his head. "I'm still mad at him. This is just my revelation."

"I don't think it would have mattered, Booth," Zack said after a moment. "The man's logic seemed sound to me at the time. I already considered you a friend, and I still did it."

"Oh, God," Booth said, trying not to choke up. Zack reached out and put his hand over Booth's.

"None of this is anyone's fault but mine," Zack assured him. "Don't beat yourself up over something you had no control over. Dr. Brennan had the same concerns, and I gave her this same speech."

"She's heartbroken, Zack," Booth started.

"And she has you to get her through it," Zack finished. "She told me."

"About what?"

"About you two. I kind of sensed it anyway. She does love you, Booth, I can see it. Look, I'm in here. You can visit anytime. I've learned my lesson and am paying debt to society. I'm not who I was. Not anymore. Take comfort in that."

"Okay," Booth nodded.

"Go home. Get some sleep, and don't worry about me," Zack said.

"Did you really do it?" Booth asked. He had to know because he believed Zack didn't do it. Something in Zack's face told him that his hunch was right.

"I'd rather not discuss this anymore if that's all right," Zack answered. "I would like to go back to my room now." The receptionist came on cue, and Zack left the room without a look backwards. Booth didn't really feel any better than he had when he came in.

Bobby

He found Booth standing in the entrance of the pool hall.

"Staring addiction down in the face?" he asked, leaning against the door frame. Booth didn't answer right away.

"It's so easy," he said finally. "To go in there and forget about the world. To let the game take your mind off of everything. It was the one thing my Dad taught me to do that was fun. Pool."

"It's fine to play the game, Booth. It's not fine to bet on it when you're a gambler," Bobby replied. "We can play a game if it makes you think of good times. We don't have to place bets."

"It's hard to do that here with other guys around thinking they're better than me," Booth told him.

"Then I know a place we can go," Bobby said, punching Booth's arm. "Come on."

...

"Hey," Jack said, opening the door and seeing them standing there. "What's up?"

"Can we borrow your pool table?" Bobby asked. Jack gave him a questioning look but didn't voice anything.

"Sure," he agreed. "It's downstairs." He led them down to where it was set up. Booth waved to Sue, who was rocking in the living room with a baby in her arms.

"Wow," Booth whistled, seeing the table. "This is a classic."

"It's my Dad's," Jack answered. Booth felt something shift inside him then.

"We are gonna have a game," Bobby said, breaking into Booth's thoughts. "Cos it's going to take our minds off of stressful things. Right, Booth?"

"Right," Booth nodded. He held the stick in his hands, flashing back to when his father showed him how to take a shot.

"You break," Bobby gestured. And he did. And it all came rushing back, but at the same time, it cleared his mind from thinking about Zack and gambling. For once, he actually enjoyed the game of pool just as it was.


I wanted to add in the Zack piece because I feel like they would have needed to confront it more than they did on the show. I also thought it could be used as a trigger for Booth. I don't know if Booth's dad really did show him how to play pool, but I thought it would contribute to the addiction as well. Anyhow, thanks for reading and reviewing! I am doing a bit of a time jump in the next chapter.