When Sweets opened his eyes his vision was blurred and he felt numb and light, like he was floating but he couldn't move. He heard muffled voices but they were so distorted that he couldn't make anything out. Suddenly everything started to pull into focas and he was now in intense pain. His head was pounding with wave after wave of mind searing pain and his right arm was burning with white hot pain. It was at this point that he screeched in agony.
"What'd he say?" The doctor said, sounding confused.
"Uh, i think he yelled 'Cheese.' But it could have just been a scream." The nurse answered wearily, stepping closer to Sweets. "Lance? , can you hear me?"
"My head!" Sweets howled, arching his back as he was hit with more pain. "My head! Make it stop! Make it STOP!" Tears were starting to run down his face now. "A-arm. Head! Ow! MAKE IT STOP!" Sweets screeched again.
"Restrain him!" The doctor ordered, and soon nurses swarmed and held him down. The doctor injected a pain killer into his veins.
"What's wrong with him?" Angela asked, rushing over with Daisy and Jack.
"We won't know for certain intill we do more tests." The doctor said gruffly. "You people need to get out of here!" He made a 'shoo' motion with his hands and then went to examine the arm of a now sluggish Sweets.
"I think it's a grade three concussion, ." A nurse mumbled, cleaning up the puke that had escaped Sweets' mouth.
"I might have to agree with you on that." The doctor gave a heavy sigh, shaking his head as he looked over Sweets' medical files. "Poor kid, he's been through the runner. No one should have to go through this much pain by his late twenties."
That was the last the group heard before they retreated into the waiting room. Angela and Daisy were visibly distraught by the coming of events and Jack was sad and angry all at the same time and little Michael Vincent, who was safe in Hodgins arms was very confused and upset.
"He's right, Sweets should never have had to go through all this." Hodgins grumbled, holding the baby closer. "It's stupid, he's a good guy."
"He'll be fine." Daisy said, tears at the corners of her eyes. "He's strong."
"Daisy is right." Angela nodded quickly and looked to Michael Vincent. "You hear that? Uncle Sweets is going to be okay." Angela whispered sadly to the small child and kissed him on the forehead.
"Sweets." Michael Vincent replied, playing with a toy dinosaur. Hodgins laughed at his word because it sounded more like 'Seets'. Angela gave Jack a sharp look before looking back the child.
"Yes, Sweets." Angela smiled at him. "He's hurt but he's gonna be okay." The baby smiled his approval and stuck the dinosaurs in his mouth, lying his head on his fathers shoulder.
"Brennan and Booth will be here in 20, with Cam." Hodgins informed the two women, looking up from his phone.
"Good." Angela nodded and sat down next to the still very upset Daisy.
"This whole situation stinks." Hodgins huffed, sitting down next to her.
"I just wish the world would leave Lance alone." Daisy coughed between her sobs.
"This can't last forever, eventually it'll stop." Angela said softly, putting a hand on Daisy's shoulder. After about 20 minutes the others showed up and it wasn't much longer intill the doctor showed up.
"Family of Lance Sweets?" The doctor asked as he walked out and the team nodded. "He broke his right arm and he has a serious concussion. We are keeping him here for observation overnight. We are going to need your help keeping him awake so he doesn't slip into a coma."
"Right." Booth answered, hugging Brennan close.
"You can see him whenever you are ready." The doctor nodded. "He's in room 13." With that the doctor was gone.
"Let's go see him." Daisy stood up. "Before anything else bad happens." The group gave noises of agreement and off they went. They cautiously entered Sweets room to be met with a very loopy psychologist.
"Hey there, guys!" Sweets waved at them with his left arm. "I broke my arm. And my head has a boo boo. I- I just want to apologize in advance for anything stupid I say or do... While- while I'm in the hospital, 'cause the last time I was in the hospital I said a lot of stuff that- that hurt your feelings and stuff a-and you don't deserve thaaatttt. Because- 'cause your awesome." Sweets ranted on, sounding sorta far off before laying his eyes in Christine and Michael Vincent. "You brought the babies! Hi babies!" Lance waved at the small children. "Did ya notice? I'm in room 13 and its a Friday! That's funny. Is it funny? Why is it funny?" Sweets giggled, actually giggled, like a schoolgirl, and flopped his head to the side in question.
"Why don't you just relax." Booth said, walking up to and patting him on the head.
"Hiiiii, Agent Booth." Sweets flopped his head to the side. "I'm sorry I worried you- by falling down the stairs." Sweets looked at the girl in Booths arms. "Hiiiii, Christine, hi. It's me, Sweets." Sweets cooed at Christine, reaching up and poking her cheek."Have you ever done that? Fallen down the stairs I mean. It was like I was falling into a black hole!" He smiled at the baby then spun a finger near is temple "totally loopy."
"Sweets inhibitions seems to be lowered by painkillers." Brennan stated, walking up to Booth.
"You think?" Booth asked, pointing at Sweets with his eyes. Sweets was making silly faces at Christine.
"Now would be an excellent time to talk with Sweets and get honest answers from him, he will be less likely to try to hide things from us in his medicated state." Brennan said, gesturing with her hand towards Sweets.
"Thats kinda playing dirty, don't ya think?" Booth asked, raising his voice with worry.
"I don't think so, I'm super calm. Usually I'm all tense and GRAGH and walk around diagnosing everyone I see on the street with illnesses. It's suuuuuper stressfull." Sweets smiled, bouncing the baby. "But I'm chill now, so we should talk."
"See, he thinks it's okay." Brennan crossed her arms with her 'I was right' smile on her face.
"Sweets, are you sure your not going to regret that later when you off painkillers?" Angela laughed a little bit, walking up to the bed.
"Prolly, but I can't really be bothered with caring about that right now." Sweets said before looking at Christine and cooing at her and giving her a bunch little kisses on top if her little head.
"I dunno guys..." Angela mumbled, looking at the floor.
"It's okay." Sweets nodded quickly. "I'm an open book, limited time only man. Ask me anything. Do it. I dare you."
"Okay...what's the strangest way you've insulted someone?" Angela asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
"Told a woman she smelled like a baby prostitute once?" He offered, a bit perplexed by the odd question.
"Why would you do that?" Brennan asked, cocking a brow at him.
"I was drunk. It was... A few days after I ran off... The second time I ran off I mean." Sweets nodded slowly and looked back down at Christine.
"What does a baby prostitute even smell like?" Hodgins huffed, raising his eyebrow.
"She smelt like beer and cigarettes, but also cotton candy and like really pungent flowers." Sweets shuddered at the memory, gagging.
"Ew." Angela stuck her tongue out and wrinkled her nose up.
"Yeah." Sweets smiled and nodded before looking at Brennan. "What about you? I know you'll ask me a REAL question."
"Do you want to be part of our team when you get back to the FBI? I'm sure we will be reinstated." asked, tilting her head.
"I'm... Not sure. I'm still thinking about it." Sweets lolled his head to the side slightly. "I'm not sure if it's a good idea, I'm still not sure if... I'm going to stick around after I'm cleared. I seem to cause you all a lot of trouble and... I'm not sure if I want to stick around and cause more pain, then I already have. I just... Want what's best. I'll make sure the team gets reassembled though, for sure." Sweets nodded slowly, looking up at the ceiling while Christine started looking at his arm cast. "Hey, wait, did you guys ever wonder: Is an orange named after the color, or is the color named after the orange? Same with the plum!" Sweets' head shot up right as his disjointed thoughts jumped around, barely seeing the disappointed faces around him. Sweets looked around at the group carefully for a second. "I said something bad didn't I? I'm sorry."
"You have a point about the colors." Hodgins replied, dismissing the disappointment he felt.
"No... No your all disappointed." Sweets looked at the group, examining them with his eyes. "I need you all to talk, or we can never fix this. I was honest with YOU. It's your turn. Spill."
"Sweets you know why we fell apart right?" Booth asked, and Sweets nodded. "You know it was because we all argued and fought. It was because we had no one to tell us why we were being ridiculous, or spurt random psychobabale that made everything make sense. We didn't have our glue, our rock, the person who kept us from breaking. It's you, you are the reason we stay together so well, now. We fell apart because we didn't have you."
"I'll make sure my replacement is better then the last one." Sweets tried to assure him. "I might stay! I'm still thinking about it!"
"That's not what I-" Booth groaned, pulling a hand down his face. "Fine, alright, okay!"
Sweets bit back a groan. "I- it's just uh, you don't you realize, but the reason you were all acting so foolish was because of ME. I got shot and run away. It's my fault. All of it." Sweets looked down at Christine. "I think she's getting tired."
"No it wasn't!" Angela nearly shouted, her hands in fists at her sides. She stamped her foot and took a deep breath, looking down at the stunned Sweets. "It wasn't because of you! It was because of the LACK of you! It's because we didn't realize we needed you, and when we finally did we realized we screwed up! It was OUR FAULT. Not yours."
"I don't get that!" Sweets blurted out. "You all were fine- well fine-ish - BEFORE I came here. You were a team for years before I came. Why would it matter if I left?"
"Are you serious?" Booth stared at him, trying to spot something to say he was lying. "We were a team without you, but we are better with you! You made us better."
"I-" Sweets suddenly looked down when he heard Christine yawn. "Awwww someone tired." He cooed at the baby before handing her off to Bones. "There you go."
"Sweets." Booth groaned, covering his face with his hand.
"What? Right, focas." Sweets nodded. "That might be true-"
"Might!? It's completely true!" Angela groaned.
"Don't yell at me!" Sweets splayed a hand out across his chest. "I'm just trying to get better here, not that you care."
"What?" Angela asked with wide, angry eyes.
"Yesterday, you gave me beer that I wasn't supposed to have and when I threw up my lunch you said I shouldn't tell my shrink. You know why that is?" Sweets pointed at her. "You don't WANT me to get better! Because if I get better you think that I'll leave you again!"
"Why you little-" Angela glared and stomped over. And that is when all hell broke loose. Screaming, tearing, foot stomping chaos.
"I hate this!" Angela yelled, collapsing against Hodgins. "I can't do this. Any of this! I can't help you all with your emotions or give you advice anymore! I'm an artist, and I'll never be him!" She pointed at Sweets and looked at the floor.
"You were trying to-" Sweets mind then starting going through the past few days. "Ohhhhh I see."
"We're going." Angela huffed tearfully and began dragging Hodgins away.
"Wait, Angela-" Sweets started, but then she was gone. "Well that's just great." Sweets groaned, flopping onto his back from his seated position.
"She loves you. You told her she didn't care and was being selfish. I'm surprised she didn't punch you." Brennan replied, looking a bit annoyed.
"You're not helping." Sweets groaned and pulled his blanket over his head.
"I'm upset. I'm sorry." Brennan said, her voice softening slowly.
"I know." Sweets vioce sighed from the blanket. "Just... Just go away. All of you. I-" Sweets' voice cracked and when he started talking again his voice was tearful and broken. "I don't want you here. Go away."
"Hospitals are cursed!" Booth shouted, and stomped out mumbling profanities in what Sweets thought might be Polish.
"I know we've hurt you. I know we've been rude. But...do you know what it's like? Seeing you in a hospital bed again and again?" Brennan's breath was ragged, and her voice seemed to be coming from near the door. "It's...not good." With that she was gone, and he heard the faint noise of choked crying.
Sweets peaked out from underneath the blanket with teary eyes. Everyone had left the room. Everyone. He sighed and leaned back onto his pillow and stared at the ceiling. He felt himself getting tired with sleep. He knew he wasn't supposed to sleep with his concussion but two minutes of shut eye won't hurt right? Sweets let his eyes shut.
###################################################################
He was in the hospital, alone. The air was heavy with the smell of rot, and the doors hung on their hinges. Dust spiraled around his ankles. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but something cold was wrapped tightly around his arm. He took a step forward, looking around a vacant hospital. His eyes fell to the skeletons in the waiting room, it was unnerving how they all stared at the room behind him. Room 13, his room. What the hell?
"We waited for you." Angela voice ghosted over his skin, and he whipped his head around to find her. Nothing.
"Why didn't you tell us you were done with us?" Daisy this time, her words cold and disembodied. "Were you bored? Weren't we interesting enough for you?"
"No..." Sweets tried to say, but it came out strangled and raspy.
"You left us." Brennan cold clinical voice came. "You left us! You keep leaving us, hurting us. Why? Don't you like us?"
"Why do you hate us?" It was Hodgins voice this time. Sweets continued to look around frantically forthwith source of the voices. Suddenly the skeletons started to move, and then they stood up and looked at him with there empty eyesockets.
"We waited for you, Sweets." They said in unison, but it was his friends voices.
"Oh...Oh GOD!" He nearly screamed, falling backwards against the dusty wall behind him. The tattered clothes said it all. Each skeleton sported the remnants of Jeffersonian lab coats, except the last one, which was clad in a rotting suit. "No...you...why?!"
"Because you are a member of the team." Booth's skeleton turned to him, it's jaw unhinged and gaping. Booth's thick voice was filling the room, echoing from all angles. "And you wait for the people on your team."
"NO! Get away!" Sweets held a hand out to wave them off, but saw that it was skeletal. He looked at himself again and saw that he was now a skeleton. A tattered suit hung off his scarred bones. He screamed again.
###################################################################
He opened his eyes with a gasp, he was in his hospital bed, looking at the ceiling with tears running down his face. He looked at himself and saw he was normal now, his arm was is a cast and he was back in his hospital gown.
" ?" A frightened sounding young woman asked. She looked him over, and gave a sad smile. "Do you want me to get ?"
"No... No." Sweets shook his head through his gasps. "I... I need you to call my therapist, Dr. Heartfilia."
"Okey Dokey!" The girl smiled, brushing her mouse brown hair out of her eyes. He smiled back, and she turned on her heels and nearly skipped down the hall.
"I never understood how some people are so naturally cheerful." He sighed, shaking his head.
Sweets waited and waited and just as he was about to doze off he heard the British voice of his shrink in the doorway.
"Hello, Dr. Sweets, what is it that you wanted to talk about then?"
"Nightmare." Sweets replied. voice thick with sleep.
"Having a lot of those, then?" The doctor sat beside the bed, tilting his head. "A bit concerning, isn't it?"
"Yes..." Sweets shuffled into a seated position. "And um... Also you should know that... Yesterday, I drank beer and then when I ate lunch, I threw it up." Sweets hung his head and held his not broken hand out. "Okay, take me away."
"Do you want me to arrest you?" Gary asked, trying to smother his smile. "You're not underage, but if you want me to make a citizens arrest you'll have to make a better case."
"B-but you said if I continued with my bad patterns you would send me to the looney bin." Sweets looked up at him. "I ran all my friends off, again."
"Um...I'm not one to keep good on my threats. Wait you did what?" Gary tipped his head back and groaned. "You lot are going to be the death of me. Right when I thought you were all getting on again. Well..." He waved his hand at Sweets, who raised an eyebrow. "Text them! The longer you leave things, the worse they'll get."
Sweets shook his head rapidly. "No! Their mad at me! I don't want to make it worse!" Sweets covered his face with his hand.
"Mad or hurt?" questioned, leaning back in his chair.
"Both I think." Sweets whined, pushing a hand threw his hair. "I don't want to make it worse, I'll just leave them alone."
"That worked so well last time." The doctor quipped, and Sweets hot him a glare. "Fine, whatever happened in the nightmare, then?"
"I was in the hospital and it was dusty and abandoned and there was skeletons!" Sweets said with a shudder. "And then their vioce came from no where! And skeletons started moving! And they were the team!"
"Wait wait wait, who were they? And what were they saying?" Dr. Heartfilia pressed.
"The skeletons, they were the Jeffersonian team. They said they waited for me, they waited and I never came! They died waiting!" Sweets gasped, feeling his panic attack growing.
"Calm down, Dr. Sweets, it wasn't real. It was just a dream." Gary sat a hand on his shoulder. "Now, can you tell me, what were they waiting for you to do?"
"I... Think they were waiting... For... For..." Sweets sighed. "For me to come back." Sweets looked down and continued in a low voice. "Get me my phone, please."
"Here." The doctor handed the phone over, and glanced around the room before standing. "Shall I go?"
"No. Stay." Sweets stared down at his phone. "I... I can't do it! I can't call them! Or text them. No." Lance sat his phone aside.
"So they keep waiting?" Gary asked, taking the phone in his own hand. He flicked it open, Sweets didn't have a password, and opened the pictures. He set up a particular picture on the screen and handed it back to him. "How much longer?" The image was of all of them. Hodgins with his arm around Angela, she held onto Brennan's arm and Brennan was nearly being picked up by Booth. Daisy was kissing Sweets' cheek as they sat in two chair in front of the others. Cam laughing next to them, a piece of cake in front of her. Wendall had taken that picture, it was from Cam's birthday party. Sweets felt like puking and crying at the same time. "Don't keep them them waiting too long, Lance, or you might just loss them." Gary tapped the top of the phone with his finger. Sweets flicked through his photos. Their were lots of photos of him and Daisy, some of the entire team and a few of him with individual members.
"I don't...I can't loose them." Sweets croaked, staring at the photos. "But I thought it was better for them if I left."
"Do you still think that?"
"Oh, God, no." Sweets breathed, smiling at an image of him with Christine and Michael Vincent, all three of them asleep.
"When was that taken?" Gary asked, pointing at the screen.
"It was few days after Christine was born. I came over with some baby clothes I bought for Christine, I couldn't help myself. Angela brought Michael Vincent over and they let me play with them." Sweets shook his head softly. "We fell asleep."
"It's...well adorable." The doctor laughed, shaking his head. "Good with kids? You never told me that."
"I'm not, really." Sweets blushed. "But Michael Vincent and Christine love their 'Uncle Sweets'." Sweets chuckled.
"You lot are really like some sort of crazy family, aren't you?" The doctor laughed, studying the next few pictures.
"Yeah, we are... Or... We were at least." Sweets frown and flipped his phone off before sitting it aside. He looked at his lap in sadness.
"Angela called me. She was crying and screaming, when I finally got her to calm down do you know what she said?" Gary asked, and Lance shook his head. "She went on and on about how badly she messed up, and how she hurt you. Said the entire team was mentally kicking themselves, and hoping you didn't hate them. She said she didn't want to ruin your family."
"H-hate? Why would think that I hate them?" Sweets asked with wide eyes. "Why... I don't..."
"Because they said things they regret. People jump to conclusions with no facts far to often." Gary smiled, leaning back a bit.
"You can go now." Sweets said quietly and Heartfilia nodded an walked out. Sweets picked up his phone and created a message to send to the team. He typed in 'I'm sorry." And then after a second 'I love you.' Before hitting send.
Booth was collapsed on the couch, still muttering curses. Hodgins held Angela, who had been crying on and off for hours. Cam and Brennan sat on two chairs, talking absently about work. Everything was quiet when their ringtones all went off.
"What the?" Booth said questioned, looking around. "That's freaky."
"It's Sweets!" Angela squeaked, opening the message.
"Sweets?" Booth asked, sitting up a bit. "Sweets and his freaky voodoo."
Angela eyes glazed over when she read the message and she covered her mouth and started crying again.
"Woah, why are you crying?" Hodgins asked softly, trying to comfort her.
"He...I...How did we function without him?" She asked, looking to her husband.
"We didn't." He breathed, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Look." Angela showed him the message.
"Oh..." He breathed out, staring at the message. It was at this point the others checked the message.
"Sh-should we respond?" Brennan asked, looking down at her phone.
"I...think so, yeah. Maybe 'I love you too, and want a burger?'" Hodgins asked, giving a shrug.
"Hodgins!" Angela groaned. "I love you but now is not the time for joking!"
"I wasn't joking!" Hodgins shrugged again.
"Burger sounds good to me." Booth shrugged, typing something on his phone and sending it. "I said 'back at you.' Good enough?"
Suddenly his phone beeped again. "Annddd he called me a smartass."
"Sweets can read your mind through the phone." Angela snickered before shaking her head and starting to text Sweets back.
"I...do not know what to say." Brennan mumbled, watching everyone type out their simple messages. All of which were something like 'love you too, can't wait to see you'.
"That's okay, Brennan, I'm sure he understands since we all responded." Angela smiled at her.
"I will just send a smiley face." Brennan said, cringing at the very thought but typing it out. "He will probably think it's odd..."
"Oh dear..." Angela shook her head. "Don't do that. You'll scare him. Just... Think. And write what you feel, okay?"
Brennan nodded, and deleted the smiley face. She bit her lip and typed out 'I miss you.' and sent it. Temperance wasn't sure why, but that's all she could think of.
"There." Brennan breathed out.
"Good girl." Angela smiled at Brennan. Suddenly Brennan's phone started ringing.
"Sweets is calling me." Brennan's eyes darted around the room rapidly.
"He's not a murderer Sweety." Angela laughed.
" ." Brennan said into the phone.
"Dr. Brennan?" Sweets voice came from the phone. It sounded like he had been crying. "I-I just got your message and- and I'm sorry that I kept you waiting so long."
"Are you alright?" Brennan asked.
"N-not really." Sweets voice sniffled. "But I am very sorry. I'm sorry."
"It's..." Brennan swallowed back her own tears, closing her eyes. "It's alright. It really is."
"No. It's not. I never should have raised my voice at you all." Sweets voice stopped and crying was heard in the background for a second. "I never should have kicked you not. I can only imagine how mad Angela is after I yelled at her."
"She's not angry, none of us are angry." Brennan replied instantly, and she knew it was true. "It isn't rational not to be angry, but we aren't. Feelings are rarely rational."
"Sh-she's not?" Sweets stunned voice came. "But she seemed mad. And she should! I was grade A jackass to her, she doesn't deserve that."
"I told you, sentiment doesn't follow much logic." said, feeling herself smile. "We aren't angry, don't do that ...thing you do. Please."
"What thing?" Sweets now only sounded confused.
"You do that, you get all upset at yourself for no reason. We aren't upset, and it's all fine." Brennan said, knowing her words didn't sound quiet right. "You should have called Angela, I'm very bad at this."
"No... No you did a good job. See you soon." You could almost hear his smile but then he hung his phone up.
"He hung up." Brennan put her phone away slowly.
"That sounded like... Quite the conversation." Angela said slowly.
"It was. Though he sounded very happy at the end." Brennan felt a smile pull at her lips. "I think I got through to him."
Twenty minutes later...
"Someone's at the door!" Brennan hollered from the kitchen.
"I got it!" Angela shouted and went up and opened the door.
"Hi." Sweets waved with his good hand.
"Eek!" Angela yelled, wrapping her arms around him, carefully avoiding his injured arm.
"Who was at the door?" Brennan popped her head out of the kitchen and her eyes went wide when she laid eye on Sweets. "Dr. sweets!? Why aren't you in the hospital!?"
"My concussion should be fine with someone waking me up every hour if I sleep and this is just a broken arm. I have pain killers." He smiled.
"I'm glad your here!" Angela squeaked, still hugged him.
"Angela... Angela your starting to hurt me there." Sweets gasped out as she hugged him tighter.
"Right. Sorry!" Angela smiled, releasing him. Sweets then swooped her into a hug of his own.
"I'm really sorry for yelling at you." Sweets whispered in her ear.
"What? Oh that! Its no problem." Angela smiled.
"No, it's really not." Sweets gripped her tighter. "I shouldn't have said what I said. I need to learn to not say every thought that pops in my head before I know wether it's true or not. I shouldn't have said you didn't want me to get better... Or call you selfish. Or even imply that you don't care because you do. I talked to Heartfilia, he told about your phone call. You didn't screw anything up, this one is on me. You guys shouldn't kick yourselves because I'm being stupid. You didn't wreck my family and I love you guys." Sweets squeezed her a little tighter in his good arm and rested his head briefly against hers before letting her go and straitening himself out. "I hope you guys don't mind, I told Daisy I was coming here and told her to come over." Lance slid past a stunned Angela and into the house.
"It's okay, man, just try not to make us all sick when she gets here." Booth smirked at him.
"I'll try." Sweets rolled his eyes and looked around. "The babies are at nap?"
"Yes, or Hodgins turned them into tiny experiments." Booth said, walking into the kitchen to talk to Brennan.
"Hey there, how's dinner coming?" Booth asked, strolling into the kitchen.
"Good, how is Sweets?" Brennan asked, looking up from her cooking.
"I think he may have broken Angela. He hugged her and said something I couldn't hear and now she's frozen in the doorway."
"I will check on her. Stir the noodles." Brennan said, walking out of the kitchen. "Angela?"
"Hm?" Angela mumbled, still staring blankly at the door.
"Are you okay?" Brennan asked softly in her still clinical voice. "What did Sweets say to you?"
"Everything. He said...and...He's like a broken angel, dammit." Angela threw her hands up, and smiled at Brennan.
"I am not sure what that expression means and I do not believe in angels so I don't quite get your meaning." Brennan tilted her head at Angela. "So... That's good right? Do I need to speak with Sweets?"
"Good? Honey, it's great!" Angela grinned at her, pulling Brennan into a hug. "He sounded like him, he sounded right!"
"Okay..." Brennan said slowly but before she got anything else out Angela had voomed off. With in second a loud yelp was heard, Sweets' yelp. Brennan walked towards the living area and saw that Angela had Sweets in a tight embrace. Temperance smiled and returned to the kitchen.
"You really gotta stop doing that." Sweets laughed, patting Angela's back as she let go.
"I'm sorry. Your just... Look at you!" Angela smushed Sweets check together.
"Ca' you m'ke 'er stop?" Sweets said through his squished cheeks, glancing at Hodgins.
"Hey, I've never had control over her." Hodgins laughed, watching the small spectacle going on before his eyes.
"I swear, four years ago someone should have told me they were sending boy wonder!" She smiled, kissing both his cheeks and leaving red lipstick marks behind. "Look at you! A doctor and all that! It still impresses me, even now."
"Awh, Angela, you got lipstick on my face!" Sweets whined, trying to rub it off. "Are you trying to make me blush to death?" Sweets blushed reddish from ear to ear.
"Blush to a coma. Death wouldn't be good, my best black dress is at the cleaners." She joked, hugging him again. "I love you, and so does Jack."
"What?" Jack blinked at her with widen eyes.
"Someone, please, make her stop." Sweets blushed deeper, squirming in Angela's grasp. The doorbell rang. "Daisy! I got it!" Sweets broke free of Angela and dashed off to the door.
"Oh stop staring, you know it's true." Angela grinned at Hodgins.
"Well yeah but guys don't- guys don't just blurt that stuff out I mean-" Hodgins huffed and crossed his arms, a pink blush on his cheeks. Sweets led Daisy in and they sat down in the same largish chair. Sweets sat down and Daisy sat close against him, her legs resting over his own. She rapped her arms around his neck and snuggled up to him.
"Well I'm just getting all the attention today..." Sweets blushed slightly but he still gave Daisy a kiss.
"I'm sorry I didn't text you back..I didn't know what to say." Daisy mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder and nuzzling his neck.
"That's okay." Sweets murmured softly into her hair, kissing the top of her head.
"How's your head, baby?" Daisy asked softly, straitening up slightly and looking up at him. She freed up a hand and brushed done hair from his face.
"Fine, a little scrambled, but fine." Sweets smiled down at her and kissed her again, but this time they didn't break apart right away.
"Hello, earth to shrink!" Angela laughed and threw Christine's plush duck at them.
"Shut up!" Sweets smiled, tossing the duck back.
"You two are so sweet it's giving me cavities." Angela rolled her eyes.
"My Lance-a-lot is just very attentive." Daisy smiled as Lance showered her with little kisses along her hairline and jaw.
"I think horny might be a better word." Angela snickered and pointed at Sweets. "And don't you think I don't see where that wandering hand of yours is going!" Angela laughed.
"Ah! I feel like it's meet the family!" Sweets groaned, and laughed.
"They are your family, baby." Daisy smiled and kissed his cheek.
"True." Sweets said quietly. He pressed his forehead against hers.
"I guess I can't be your little human sleeping pill anymore huh?" Daisy giggled at him.
"Not unless you want me slip into a coma, no." Sweets snorted at her and nuzzled her forehead.
"My God, it hurts." Angela groaned, covering her eyes.
"Shut up." Sweets glared playfully at her before turning his attention back to Daisy.
"I'll just have to find a way to keep you awake." Daisy smiled before seeing the mischievous look that spread across Sweets face. "Lance, you stop that!" Daisy swatted at him but he just laughed and kissed her again. Before the couple knew it, Booth had walked in and pored a glass of cold water on the couple.
"Oi! Hey!" Sweets shouted, throwing his hands up, splashing drops of water everywhere.
"My blouse!" Daisy whined, looking at her soaked shirt.
"Here, let's go get you dry, Miss Daisy." Sweets helped Daisy up and started leading Daisy away from the group of laughing people, but not before giving Booth a firm but playful shove. "Your all jerks!" Sweets said in almost whining tone of voice before leading his soggy girlfriend up the stairs.
"C'mon, the bathrooms over here." He smiled, pushing the bathroom door open.
"Thank you, Lance-a-lot." Daisy smiled as Sweets dug a towel out and started to try and dry Daisy off.
"It's nothing." Sweets smiled at her as he dabbed the towel at the wet spot on her shirt.
"Your so sweet." She smiled, poking his nose.
"Nah, just helpful." Sweets blushed and continued to dry her off.
"No, you really are the sweetest." Daisy smiled and gave him a peck on the lips.
"I guess..." Sweets shuffled slightly. "I kinda can't believe Booth did that, I mean I CAN but I can't, you know?"
"Its a very big brother thing to do." She laughed.
"That's one word for it." Sweets huffed.
"Don't you be like that, Lance." Daisy frowned and pointed at him.
"It wasn't nice!" Lance complained.
"Oh he was teasing. Its what family does. Take it from me, I know." She smiled, taking his face in her hands.
"I know you know." Sweets smiled a little. "But I think I have had a rough enough of a day without having ice cold water thrown on me. It's mean."
"Lance." Daisy said with a firm look.
"Sorry." Lance bit the inside of his lip. "I've just had a bad day and I have a lot on my mind."
"What's on your mind, baby?" Daisy asked softly, concern slipping into her features.
"Angela. I'm really worried about her. I think my brain is finally processing her words and..." Sweets looked down and sighed.
"What'd she say? Well...what'd she mean anyway?" Daisy asked, slipping on top of the counter to sit.
"It's not any one thing she said." Sweets shook his head. "I think her words from last few days are just... Sinking in. I'm worried because she seems to be carrying a lot of guilt for thing she shouldn't be guilt about and just... I'm worried about her. I know how crazy that sounds." Sweets looked down and blushed.
"Angela has been acting a bit funny..." Daisy agreed, crinkling her nose in thought.
"Really?" Sweets looked up at her. "You see it to?"
"Yes. And may I just say, it's very sweet how much you care about Angela's well being." Daisy smiled at him.
"We need to help her." He smiled, leaning against the counter and kissing Daisy's cheek. "How?"
"You should just talk to her." Daisy nuzzled into his neck.
"When?" Sweets wrapped his arms around her.
"Tonight. Whenever you can get alone with her."
"I don't know if I can...do it right." Sweets admitted.
"You can do it baby." Daisy smiled and kissed him.
"Right. Yeah. I have two doctorates, I can do this." Sweets nodded, giving a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Your mouth says yes, baby, but your eyes are telling a different story." Daisy said softly, putting a hand on his cheek and rubbing a thumb over it.
"I'm just worried...can I do my 'shrink thing' right anymore?" Sweets whispered, looking at the floor.
"Lance-a-lot... Why would say that?" Daisy asked, getting up closer to him. "Your brilliant, sweetie."
"I don't know...I just feel like...I'm missing something." Lance sighed.
"Your still brilliant." Daisy tried to assure him. "You just need to... Get back into practice is all. I'm sure once everything with the team is worked out you'll feel better."
"Yeah. Sure." Sweets mumbled, leaning against the wall.
"Baby-" Daisy started.
"Hey love birds, it's dinner time." Booth poked his into the room. "Is everything okay?" He looked between the two.
"Yeah, we're good." Sweets put on his regular smile and stood upright.
"Well all right. C'mon, I don't need either of you getting any skinnier." Booth grinned, leaving the room.
Sweets smile fell slightly and he looked to Daisy. "Let's go." Sweets grabbed her hand and they left the bathroom.
"Hey!" Angela grinned when they walked in.
"Hi, Angela." Sweets smiled at her.
"Your still a little soggy there, baby boy shrink." Angela chuckled and shook her head and pointed at his soggy shirt and hair.
"Well...hmph." sweets crossed his arms and pouted in a chair.
"Someone is cranky." Angela said, raising a brow at him. "Did I miss something?"
"No." Sweets huffed, crossing his arms.
"Yes." Daisy said and Sweets glowered at her. "He is upset that booth pored the water in him and... He's just had a rough day." Daisy patted Sweets shoulder.
"No, everything's fine and dandy." Sweets nearly growled.
"Lance, calm down." Daisy tried to sooth him.
"I'm fine, Daisy." Sweets said before starting to whisper. "They don't need to know everything, Daisy, let's just eat dinner."
"Fine, but I don't like it." She huffed, crossing her arms.
"Daisy, come on." Sweets whined, getting closer to her. He didn't want her to upset. Especially upset with him.
"What's wrong with you two?" Angela asked, looking between them.
"Apparently everything is FINE." Daisy huffed, pouting. Sweets sighed.
"I'm having a bad day. I fell down the stairs and smashed my arm and scrambles my brains, me and Angela fought and yelled at you all, and then once that was over SoMEONE pored ice cold water on me!" He shot Booth a glare. "I have a lot on my mind and it's all just making me very cranky." He looked to Daisy. "Happy now?"
"Yes." Daisy smiled and hugged him and kissed his cheek.
"In my defence, I've already seen you two get hot and heavy in Sweets' office. Didn't need that view again." Booth smiled.
"Exactly how much self control do you think I have?" Sweets glowered at him.
"Do you really want that question answered?" Booth smirked at him.
"Probably not." Sweets slumped his shoulders and Daisy giggled at him. "But water was really cold man." Sweets complained.
"Wait, you said you have a lot on your mind." Angela looked at Sweets with a questioning look. " what's on your mind?"
"Nothing important." Sweets glazed over the question. "Who is going to be staying up with me to make sure I don't slip into a coma?"
"I volunteer!" Daisy raised a hand.
"Kay thanks Katniss." Hodgins laughed.
"I don't think so, I don't want to have to burn Parker's sheets." Booth joked.
"Your mean." Sweets pouted.
"Its my job." Booth smiled.
"We can take shifts." Angela offered.
"Nooooo because You, Hodgins and Cam have to go HOME after dinner." Sweets reminded her. "And we are all a little old for sleepovers."
"I never had sleepovers as a child." Brennan piped in. "I always wanted to but...I didn't have any 'girlfriends' to spend my time with."
"We are all adults. We are too old." Sweets pressed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You aren't." Hodgins teased.
"Oh ha ha." Sweets rolled his eyes. "Very funny, Hodgins. You all aren't seriously considering having a sleepover, so you can make sure I don't slip into a coma?"
"We are now." Booth snickered and Sweets groaned.
"I would enjoy it." Brennan hid her smile by taking a drink of water.
"Come on, Lance, cheer up. It could be fun." Daisy cooed at him, kissing his cheek before looking at his food. "Do you need help eating?"
"I still have one hand." Sweets smiled at her.
"Then eat. I don't want you to loose all your muscle." Daisy giggled.
"Make it stop." Angela laughed, covering her eyes.
"We aren't even doing anything!" Sweets laughed while he shook his head.
"The flirting. It hurts."
"I feel like its highschool again." Hodgins groaned.
"You suck." Sweets laughed and took a bite of the pasta. Suddenly the sound of a baby girl sounded through the house, closely followed by the sound if a baby boy crying.
"Oh looks like the funs over kids." Hodgins smiled, pushing off the chair to stand
"They must be hungry. Hodgins, you go get them and I'll get their food ready." Brennan said before standing up and swooshing off. Hodgins got up and rushed off. Brennan started warming up Christine's milk and got out Michaels baby food. Soon Hodgins returned with two babies in his arms.
"Look who wanted the join the party." Hodgins grinned. Christine smiled then her eyes locked on Sweets and she squirmed, nearly jumping towards him.
"Woah! Let's not do that." Sweets laughed and took Christine. "Heeyyyy there. Are you hungry?" Christine opened her mouth and stuck tongue out.
"She clearly needs to be feed." Brennan said, taking Christine up into her arms. Christine smiled at her mother and reached for the bottle she held. Brennan paused a moment. "Dr. Sweets, would you like to feed Christine?" She asked, gesturing with the bottle.
"What?" Sweets asked, looking up at her, a noodle hanging from the edge of his mouth.
"I'm sure she'd like it." Brennan smiled.
"I don't think-" Sweets started before Christine was sat in his arms. "Well okay." Sweets took the bottle and looked down at Christine. "Um here you go." Sweets went and put it up against her mouth and she went to town on it nearly immedaintly.
"Did you join a babysitting club while you were gone?" Booth smiled, shaking his head.
"Shut up." Sweets smiled.
"Your so good at this." Daisy squealed. "And you look so CUTE with a baby!"
"Yeah...thanks." He smiled at her. Sweets continued to feed Christine and Angela started feeding Michael Vincent. After Sweets was done Brennan took her up to burp her and he went back to eating.
"He's making quite the mess out of himself isn't he?" Sweets smiled at Michael Vincent, who had string pea baby food on his face.
"Ah, yes but it's adorable." Angela grinned, poking her baby's belly, forcing a giggle from the boy.
"Awwhhh, it really is." Sweets laughed.
After feeding the babies they went and put them to bed, by that time everyone was mostly done with dinner.
"Alright, so now we are... Going to have a sleepover?" Sweets questioned, quirking a brow.
"Well we have to go get clothes but then yeah, pretty much." Angela giggled, poking Sweets chest.
"This is ridiculous, I hope you know that." Sweets smiled.
"It's been ages since I had a sleepover!" Angela smiled, looking over to Daisy. "Can I do your hair later?"
"Yes!" Daisy squealed, clapping her hands.
"What about me?" Brennan smiled.
"Definitely!" Angela said and her and Daisy squeed. The men all rolled their eyes.
"Stop that or we will be painting your nails." Angela chided, still smiling.
"Please, no." Sweets laughed, shaking his head.
"Don't worry, Sweets, we'll watch a movie or something while they do their girl thing." Booth said.
"Don't sleepovers usually only include one gender at a time?" Sweets asked in a last ditch effort. "That's what I read."
"What are we, ten years old?" Angela snorted. "We are adults, we can have boy girl sleepovers."
"Fine." Sweets grunted.
"Read about, oh c'mon man. Tell me you had at least one sleepover!" Hodgins asked, and Sweets looked at his shoes. He shook his head slowly, hiding his blush as best he could.
"Seriously?" Hodgins asked, gaping.
"Well there was foster care then once I was adopted I started advancing through grades so I was always that weird little genius kid sooo... Um." Sweets blushed harder and cleared his the throat awkwardly.
"We are going to have the best sleepover ever. Just for you two genius's who didn't know how to be kids." Both said, looking between Sweets and Brennan.
"Thank you." Sweets said flatly.
"This is going to be fun." Brennan smiled, looking at Sweets.
"I'm going to go get party foods." Booth said, grabbing his jacket before heading out the door. Soon the the others left to get clothes and stuff and Brennan and Sweets where left alone.
"This can't actually be happening." Sweets said to her, his face pinched like he'd swallowed a lemon.
"I think it will be fun." Brennan defended, crossing her arms and looking for all the world like a 12 year old.
"Well, yeah but... We are adults! It just seems... Silly." Sweets said with a shrug.
"Booth says he is a child at heart, but I don't really understand that. Is his heart that of a child? Because that wouldn't be healthy." Brennan began rambling, thinking it over in confusion.
"It's a saying that is just the nice way if saying that he's childish." Sweets chuckled. "It sorta makes sense for him to want to do something like this."
"Yes." Brennan smiled. "You seem to be in a very... Cranky mood today. You said you had something on your mind."
"It's nothing."
"I see. You don't want to tell me, that's fine. I understand." Brennan nodded to him.
"It's Angela. I'm just worried about her." Sweets admitted, looking down at his shoes.
"Why?" Brennan tilted her head.
"She seems to be holding onto a lot of guilt and I'm not sure why. I'm just... Worried, okay?" Sweets blushed.
"She just seems very happy to me." Brennan gave a small shrug.
"It's superficial. She keeps saying things and they are setting my shrink alarms off." Sweets said. "I can't really explain it..."
Brennan laughed a little, shaking her head. "Shrink alarms?"
"Please don't mock me." Sweets snorted. "So... First sleepover for us both."
"Yes, it should be fun." Brennan smiled, but she sounded uncertain.
"You don't sound to sure on that. You nervious?" Sweets asked with a simpathetic smile.
"What if I do it wrong?" Brennan whispered.
"You can't do a sleepover wrong, Brennan." Sweets laughed.
"Yes, I suppose you are correct." She gave a small smile. "I feel the urge to hug you."
"Well come here then." Sweets chuckled and opened his arms open to her. Brennan was hesitant for just a moment, then she wrapped her arms around him. She smiled when she felt him hug her back, his bulky cast poking into her back.
"This is nice." Sweets said as he gave Brennan a squeeze before letting her go.
"Hugging is...good." She agreed, grinning.
"Yeah." Sweets grinned back.
"We are going to be fine." She said. "Sleepovers are suppose to be fun. We will have fun, even if it is ridiculous."
"You...might be right." He smiled at her, giving a wide and happy grin.
"You look happy." She smiled back it him. "It's real happiness. I like it."
"So do I." He smiled back, giving her one last quick half hug.
"It's very refreshing." Brennan smiled, looking to the ground. "To see you truly happy again."
"I'll try and do it more often." He promised, giving her another true smile. It was at this point Booth stumbled in, carrying several bags.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
the next chapter will contain the sleepover :P There is fluff and serious. It's nuts XD lol