April 2015
Booth was sitting in the poker game, and he knew he needed to walk away. He had the killer, but at the same time, the hand he had, it was a winner. He just knew it. His demons were wrestling with his conscience. What to do, what to do? He knew Brennan was watching. He knew she would be upset, so he did the right thing. He set his cards down, announced he was FBI, and he arrested the murderer. Walking away from that table was the hardest thing he'd ever done since watching Sweets die, but in his heart of hearts, he knew it was just the beginning.
Bobby
Two year old Charlie was running around, trying to keep up with the puppy. Bobby had received the little labrador as a birthday gift from Tara. A boy and his dog. It was like the country dream. Things had been going very well. Bobby was working as a carpenter, and Tara was staying at home to raise Charlie. They were happy. Bobby went to D.C. to visit a few times, but Booth hadn't come out there yet. Bobby had heard about Sweets dying, but he had been unable to attend the funeral as Tara's mother had been unwell. He had heard from Jack that Booth had taken it very hard, and Jack was worried about how Booth was coping with it.
"You seem worried," Tara said, coming up beside him. Charlie was now examining a bug on the windowsill. A ladybug Bobby thought.
"I think I should get in touch with Booth," Bobby said. "I think he's going downhill."
"You don't think he would..." Tara trailed off. She met his eyes.
"If he was really upset, yea I think he might."
"You should call him. Right now."
"I will," Bobby nodded. He stood. In his heart, he knew his friend needed him.
Booth
He hung up his phone, staring at it. Had he really just made a bet? Had he really just gotten himself a bookie? What was happening to him? His phone rang again, and he looked at it. He recognized Bobby's phone number. He watched it ring until it went to voicemail. He didn't want to talk to Bobby. Bobby had abandoned him. Bobby hadn't bothered to come when Sweets died. Bobby had a new, happy life. He didn't need Booth and his baggage. Booth didn't want to burden him either. He tucked his phone away and went back to the living room to find Brennan sitting on the couch.
"Are you all right?" she asked, noticing his face.
"Yea. I'm fine," he answered.
"I'm worried about you."
"Don't be. I'm fine."
"Booth, you just went through a hard case and gambled. I have a right to be worried," she pressed.
"I'm not going to gamble," he told her, lying. "I'm okay."
"I really hope so," she said, looking into his eyes. He leaned in to kiss her.
"I am completely, totally, utterly fine," he said. It was a good thing she couldn't read minds.
Bobby
Booth didn't answer his phone. Bobby stared at his for a moment. He contemplated calling right back, but he didn't. Maybe he was busy. He looked over at Tara and Charlie, and he knew he'd never fall into the trap of gambling again. There was too much to lose, too much at stake. He looked back at the phone. He hoped Booth realized this himself too. Brennan and Christine needed him. Bobby set the phone down and went back to join his family. He'd try again tomorrow.
May 2015
"I'm pregnant," Brennan said. Booth's eyes lit up.
"Seriously?!" he crowed. He rolled across the bed and jumped to his feet in front of her, pulling her into his arms and rocking her.
"I'm so happy," she smiled, hugging him back.
"This is so great!" Booth cheered. He kissed her.
"Have you spoken with Bobby at all?" she asked. "I'd love to tell them."
"I haven't really talked him, no," Booth said. "I think he's busy." Booth didn't tell her that Bobby had been trying to call him twice a week for the last two weeks, and Booth wasn't answering.
"Well, I hope you connect soon. I think he'd be excited too," Brennan smiled. She wondered why Booth hadn't been in touch with Bobby lately. She knew their moving away had been hard on him, but you could do long distance friendships. It wasn't hard if you didn't make it hard.
"Yea. I'll try calling later," Booth said, hoping she'd drop it. Then their phones rang. They had a new case.
Bobby
"Do you think you should go out there?" Tara asked. She stood beside Bobby as he watched Charlie sleeping. He liked to do this because sometimes he couldn't stop marveling at the miracle child they had.
"I'll give him another week, and if he still doesn't answer, then I'm going out there," Bobby replied. "I think he's up to no good."
"I really hope he's not gambling," Tara said sadly. "That will break Temperance's heart."
"Yea, it will. And mine," Bobby sighed.
"Well, I know you'll bring him back around," Tara smiled. "Just like he brought you back."
"Yea. Let's hope so."
A Week Later
"I paid your debt to Jimmy. All of it," Brennan said. Booth froze. He had been caught in his lie. She knew. Damn that Jimmy.
"W-what? You what? You paid Jimmy?"
"I need you to leave."
"No. No, no. Look, I'm sorry. It was a mistake. Just a mistake," Booth stuttered. "It was just one bet. Just one."
"No, it wasn't! Why are you still lying to me?!" Brennan cried.
"I'm not lying. Look, Bones...please, let me make this up to you, okay? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I messed up. I wasn't thinking. Please just hear me out on this. I love you."
"I don't believe you," Brennan said. "Not right now. Just go."
"Bones," Booth started.
"Get out of this house. Right now," Brennan ordered. Booth stared at her, his heart beginning to freak out.
"W-what?"
"Out. Get out. Grab whatever shit you need and get out," Brennan snapped. Booth waited a beat before turning to open the door and walk out. Brennan was left trembling in his wake.
Bobby
"Hey, mate," Bobby said as he approached Jack, who was holding a sign that said "Manning" on it.
"Hey," Jack grinned. They hugged quickly.
"So good to see you," Bobby commented. "How are things?"
"Kids are growing like weeds, and Sue is officially a stay home mom now. Things are not the same at the office without you," Jack lamented.
"I'm sorry, mate."
"Don't be. You look well. Vermont was a good decision for you."
"Have you seen Booth?" Bobby asked, getting to the point of his visit.
"He finished a big case where he went underground to a gambling group," Jack said slowly. He met Bobby's eyes. They were both thinking about Bobby's undercover gambling game and how badly that went.
"Oh boy," Bobby sighed.
"Yea. I overheard Aubrey talking about some guy named Jimmy who went to collect Booth's debt when Booth was overseas working a case," Jack winced.
"Oh God," Bobby moaned. He remembered Jimmy. This was bad.
"Last I heard, Booth was just getting home yesterday," Jack said.
"If it's okay with you, can you swing by their house? So I can say hello?"
"Absolutely."
They chatted as they drove. Bobby was feeling increasingly nauseous as they approached Booth's house. It had an air of sadness hanging around it.
"Something's not right," Jack said, echoing Bobby's thoughts.
"I'll be right back," Bobby said.
"Sure," Jack nodded. He watched Bobby go up to the door.
"Bobby!" Brennan cried, hugging him tightly.
"Hey, look at you! You're glowing," Bobby grinned.
"I'm pregnant," she beamed.
"What?! That's great!" Bobby cried. "Congrats!"
"Thank you," she said, still smiling.
"So, where's the big guy?" Bobby asked. Her smile fell.
"He's...he's not here right now," Brennan answered.
"Oh, all right," Bobby nodded. "Do you know when he'll be back?"
"I don't. I'm not sure of anything right now," Brennan answered. Bobby knew that look in her eye. He'd seen it in Tara when he had relapsed.
"He gambled," Bobby said, making her flinch.
"How did you know?"
"It's in your eyes. What happened?"
"I don't even know. I mean, I do know. Sweets died and left a hole in all of our hearts, and he didn't deal with it, and he stupidly went undercover as a gambler for a case, and I think that's when he started gambling again."
"Where is he?"
"In an apartment. Here, I have the address," she said, writing it down for him and handing it over. He folded it and put it in his pocket.
"I'll go see him. I'll make sure he's going to meetings."
"What if he doesn't get better?" Brennan blurted out, looking at him. Bobby sighed.
"He will. I know him, and he'll do what it takes to get past this."
"I know you're right, but it was still scary having his bookie come here and threaten me," Brennan said.
"I'm sorry you had to experience that."
"I just want it to be over."
"It will be. I'll go see him and get him back on track. Our old Booth will be back before you know it," Bobby promised.
"Thanks, Bobby," Brennan said, a hint of a smile back. He turned to go back to the car, feeling like this could have been him if things had been different.
Booth
He was staring at the wall. He figured he had ruined his life. He didn't know if Brennan would ever let him come back. He had blown it. Damn, how could he be so stupid?!
"Booth?" a voice called, along with knocking. Booth froze. He recognized that voice. What was he doing here? How did he know where to find him? He hesitated.
"Come on, I know you're in there," Bobby said. Sighing, Booth got up and went to the door.
"Hey," he said.
"What happened?" Bobby asked.
"You better come in," Booth gestured. Once inside, Booth spilled it all out. How he went to jail, how he lost Sweets, how he blamed himself for Sweets dying, how things snowballed from there, how he went undercover and got the buzz again, how he started placing bets...all of it. Bobby listened patiently.
"Are you going to meetings?" he asked once Booth was done.
"I'm going to my third one tonight," he answered.
"Let me come with you," Bobby said.
"All right."
...
Once the meeting was over, Booth headed for coffee with Bobby not far behind him.
"I think it would help if you shared," Bobby said.
"Just being here helps," Booth told him.
"Not really. You gotta work through some stuff."
"Come on. You've been my sponsor for years. You know me."
"I'm trying, Booth. I really am, but you and I both know that in order to heal anything, you gotta heal yourself. You gotta share," Bobby urged. Booth didn't respond. He knew Bobby was right.
"Next week, share," Bobby ordered.
"All right. Fine."
A Week Later
Booth was still thinking about his conversation with Brennan, how she said it was too soon to talk about him coming home. It scared him. So much. Bobby was next to him, nudging him to get up, but he couldn't. He couldn't do it. After the meeting was over, the facilitator called on him.
"Thought you were gonna stand up tonight," he said.
"Well, so many did, and I didn't want the meeting to go long," Booth shrugged.
"We're all friends here. We've all screwed up," he went on. Bobby was nodding along with him. Booth wanted to smack him.
"I know that."
"You think that if you don't talk, it didn't happen?"
"No, of course not."
"Then, get it out in the open. You need to tell us what you did."
"I...I gotta go take care of something. Next time all right?" Booth said, getting up abruptly and heading to the door. Bobby was on his heels.
"Booth..."
"Don't start, okay? I appreciate that you're here and living with me and trying to help, but I don't need a lecture right now," Booth snapped. Bobby held up his hands.
"I can go if you want."
"No," Booth said, his defenses lowering. "No, it's not that. I just...I just can't talk about Sweets."
"I know it's hard, but you gotta. Look, do you remember when I relapsed? What you did to help me?"
"I remember," Booth nodded.
"Then let me help you," Bobby urged. They stood there, looking at each other.
"Next time," Booth said finally.
"I will personally march you up there," Bobby warned.
"Okay. Deal."
The Next Meeting
Bobby watched as Booth stood up and went to the front. He knew his friend was struggling, but he knew this was going to help. He had been in touch with Tara, and she knew he was needed here and understood why he wasn't coming home right now. Bobby knew he'd have to go soon, but he wanted Booth to be better first. Living on his couch was starting to hurt his back, though.
"Hi, uh, I'm Seeley, and I have a gambling addiction."
It was like 2004 all over again. Bobby felt the flashback.
"I'm here today because I, uh, want to make things right. I want my life back. I've hurt a lot of people, especially my family. I put them in danger and betrayed them. I'm here to get a sense of resolution for that and to, uh, better understand myself."
Bobby nodded to keep him going. Booth spilled it all. He choked up a few times, but he kept going. At the end, he collapsed into the chair beside Bobby.
"Feel better?" he asked.
"Yea. I do," Booth agreed. "Thanks for making me."
"Don't thank me. Just don't mess up again, all right? I don't think Brennan will tolerate it. She might shoot you."
"You're probably right," Booth laughed.
"Do you need me to stay?" Bobby asked.
"Nah. I'm good. You've got a wife and kid at home waiting for you. You belong there."
"I'm a phone call away, Booth."
"I know."
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"Then answer me when I call you, or I will call your wife," Bobby threatened.
"Okay, okay."
They grinned at each other.
"I'll leave in the morning," Bobby said.
"I'll miss you."
"Come visit me. Take a vacation. Get your head out of work for a while."
"I think...I think I might. I've been thinking about getting out of the game, you know? Like you did. Live a different life, one that's not so dangerous," Booth said. "I haven't brought it up with Bones yet, but I think with the new baby and all, it's a good idea."
"You're welcome to stay with us for a bit if you want," Bobby offered.
"I think I'll take you up on that," Booth smiled. They bumped fists.
"All right. Now, let's go get some coffee. Some real coffee. This stuff is horrible," Bobby winced. Laughing, they went to find their favorite cafe.
I am on a roll with the ending of this story, so I will post again in a day or two. I'm noticing not a lot of interest in it anymore, and I have other ideas I want to start, so thank you all for reading, and I hope you still leave a review. Just one chapter left!