Booth woke up early. Brennan was laying on her side, curled up like a child. She looked so beautiful. He smiled at the wet patch on her pillow. One day he was going to take a picture of her sleeping to prove to her that she did drool like everyone else. But if you asked her? Of course she doesn't drool!
He snuck out of the apartment and jumped in the car. He hit the connect button on the car phone and punched in a speed dial. He hit the ignition and started driving towards Sweets home.
"Hello?" A croaky voice answered the phone. "Sweets! It's Booth." Sweets voice, still croaky responded "Yeah, I got that. Why are you ringing me so early, and why are you ringing me at home?" Booth looked at his watch and sighed. It was 6.12am. "Ahhh yeah. Sorry about that Sweets but I need to talk." He could hear Sweets coughing on the line then, in a clearer voice, "Can't this wait until I get to the office Booth?" Booth answered curtly "Sweets, if it could wait, would I be ringing you now? No. So I'm just about at your place. I suggest you get up and get a pot of coffee going. I'm going to need it, and I suspect so will you" and with that he hung up. He had completely gone against what he and Bones had agreed upon. Not to tell anyone else, but he needed some perspective and Sweets was the only person he trusted with this.
Sweets flopped back onto his pillow letting the phone drop to the floor. "Great!" He rolled out of bed, stuck his feet into a pair of slippers and padded out to the kitchen. "If Booth says he wants coffee, I better make coffee", he thought to himself. He went into the bathroom and washed his face and pulled on some sweat pants and a t-shirt.
By the time the coffee was ready, Booth was knocking on the door. He dragged himself across the floor and opened the door, staring at Booth with an expression that could only be described as irritated. "Your coffee is ready" he said as he turned his back on Booth and walked to the kitchen to pour two cups. Booth closed the door and followed him "Good morning to you too sunshine" he quipped grinning at the younger man.
They sat facing each other. Booth was wide awake, alert and ready to talk. S weets was slumped over his coffee, hair dishevelled, unshaven, still bleary eyed. He raised his eyes to glare at Booth "And what was SO important that it simply could NOT wait until we got into the office?" he asked exaggerating his words. Booth smirked at him "still a little sleepy-weepy Sweets? Ooh, poor baby. Look, I needed to talk to you privately, and here is as private as I could get. Bones doesn't know I'm here, and I don't want her or anyone else to know I saw you today. Get it?" he was pointing directly at Sweets.
Sweet slurped his coffee and nodded. He knew Booth well enough now to recognise that tone in his voice. Something was going on. "OK, I get it. Sorry, but you woke me up Booth and told me you were coming over with about 5 minutes notice. I'm awake. I'm awake. So what's going on? He asked.
Booth took a long draught of coffee, then pulled a face and looked at Sweets. "This is coffee?" Sweets looked defiantly back at him "Yes. It's what I drink. It's decaf." Booth rolled his eyes and barked back. "Sweets its 6.30am. I need an actual cup of coffee. Can I stir an extra spoonful of ground coffee into it or something? Oh well, never mind. " He pushed it aside and folded his hands on the table.
"OK, Sweets." He paused thinking "Hypothetically speaking. Do you think it's possible for people, us, or, a random person, to have a double?" Sweets was staring at him, his mouth dropped open just a fraction as Booth was speaking. Booth continued "Like, for example, you go out one day, and out of the blue you meet someone who looks exactly like you. And I don't mean pale, pasty faced, skinny with messy hair and puppy dog eyes, like you. I mean identical twin, doppelganger, down to the mole on your face and the scar on your hand, exactly like you." he paused. "So, is that possible?" Booth sat expectantly looking at Sweets.
"You're kidding me, right? You woke me up at 6.00am, come over here, criticise my coffee, call me pasty faced, and ask me that?" Sweets was somewhat annoyed at this moment. But Booth remained firm "Yes, that's what I'm asking you. Sweets, look. I'm asking because, Brennan has met someone. Well, I've met him too, and. Sweets the man is my double! I mean he's exactly like me. It's weird! He has the same mole next to his eye like I do" Booth pointed to his mole, then at his scar "and he has a scar just like this one on my forehead. And he smiles just like me and he sounds just like me. Sweets, the guy even stands like me, walks like me. It's ridiculous! I know I sound like a crazy man right now, but I'm telling you the truth!"
Sweets recognised that Booth was becoming agitated now. He reached across the table and grabbed Booths arm. "OK. I understand what you are saying. But I have to say Booth, it's out of my realm of expertise. I'm a psychologist. If this man is real, and from what you are telling me, Brennan has met him too? Then it's not in your head. Booth, that's what I deal with. You know that. What's in your head." Booth pulled his arm away "Sweets I just need your opinion, not a clinical assessment. Is it possible for people to have a double? It's a simple question." He stared at Sweets taking another swig of coffee and grimacing "Geez, I gotta buy you some actual coffee."
Sweets stood up and paced for a moment. He turned and looked at Booth, who was peering into his cup still unconvinced that it was coffee. "Booth, can you forget about the coffee for a moment. Look. I suppose, there is a genetic possibility that two people with the right mix of genes could produce someone that closely resembles say, you or me. That, I can sort of understand. But you are saying that he has scars in the same place as you? And his physical stance and expressions are the same as you? That just doesn't seem possible." Sweets stood rubbing at his eyes. "I just don't know Booth. Are you sure it's not just a coincidence, and he just seems a bit like you? Booth shook his head, "No, there are no coincidences like this. He IS me Sweets." Sweets nodded and replied I'd have to do some research I suppose, check some medical journals. But you understand, this is not my area. So anything I find, will just be other peoples findings and opinions. Can I get back to you on it? How urgently do you need to know?" Sweets stood facing Booth not believing that he was actually going to follow up on Booths question.
"Great, that's all I ask Sweets. I just want to know if it's possible, and what are the odds of it happening." Booth stood up and shoved the coffee cup across the table "And while you are at it, can you please buy some actual coffee so that next time I'm here, I don't have to drink your dirty dishwater."
With that he turned and walked to the door calling back over his shoulder "I'll see you at the office, and remember, not a word t E." spelling out the word and left the apartment.
Sweets stood staring at the door with his mouth hanging open. "The next time you're here? You're coming over again?" he called out weakly.