This is a sequel to chapters 19 and 20. I couldn't resist.

This takes place in season 4 and is AU. Come to think of it, most of my stories are AU.

I don't own Bones.

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Sweets was running late and didn't realize anyone was in his office until he'd made it to his desk. Catching a glimpse of Booth out of the corner of his eye, Sweets turned, "Agent Booth, I have a patient coming in. In fact, I'm surprised he isn't here right now."

Wiggling his right foot on his left knee, Booth shook his head, "Larry said he'll call you this afternoon and reschedule."

Frowning, Sweets responded, "Reschedule? What's going on? Why would Larry want to reschedule?"

Staring at Sweets, Booth replied, "I told him I needed to talk to you."

Shaking his head, Sweets protested, "Agent Booth, you have no right cancelling my appointments just because you have the patience of a . . . "

Interrupting the psychologist, Booth snarled, "Sit down and shut up!"

Startled Sweets felt his body turn rigid, "What did you say to me?"

Pointing to the couch across from his, Booth ordered, "Sit your ass down now!"

Afraid, Sweets moved towards the couch and sat down, "What's wrong with you? Why are you talking to me like this?"

Booth moving his right foot on to the floor, leaned forward, "Bones told me why you did what you did when you didn't tell her that I wasn't dead last year, when Pam Nunan shot me."

Suddenly pale, Sweets swallowed hard, "I. . . I told you why I didn't tell her. It was a matter of national security, the fewer people that knew you were alive the better. I knew she could compartmentalize."

Slowly shaking his head, Booth glared at the younger man, "Bullshit, she said you were performing a damn experiment on us for that damn book you're writing."

Suddenly standing, Booth loomed over Sweets, "You used me and Bones like lab rats."

Filled with fear, Sweets suddenly felt faint, "No, no, that's not it at all. I . . . I wouldn't do that, I wouldn't. She misunderstood."

Barely controlling his anger, Booth responded, "You're a dick you know that? We trusted you, I trusted you and then you betrayed me, betrayed us. You wanted to do some experiment and you didn't give a damn whether anyone was hurt or not. You're a cold self-centered bastard."

Feeling like he couldn't breathe, Sweets slowly shook his head, "You've got this whole thing wrong. You're my friend, I'd never hurt you like that. I didn't tell her because it was a national security issue. I wasn't experimenting on you."

Straightening, Booth pointed his right index finger at the frightened young man, "Don't you ever come near me again you hear me. Never!"

Leaving Booth's office, Sweets watched as Booth slammed the door shut.

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Booth was sitting in his office, working on a report he needed to hand in to Cullen by the end of the day, when he heard someone walk into his office. Looking up, Booth noticed Gordon Wyatt standing in front of his desk.

"How are you, Agent Booth?"

Placing his pen down on top of his report, Booth stood up and leaned across his desk, extending his hand, "Gordon Gordon, I thought you were in Europe?"

Shaking Booth's hand, Gordon sat down on the chair in front of the agent's desk, "Oh, I was and I have to go back tomorrow. I just came back for a few days. My sister was in the hospital and I came back to check on her."

Concerned, Booth asked, "I hope it isn't anything really serious."

Shaking his head, Gordon replied, "A little plumbing work. She's going to be fine."

Nodding his head, Booth smiled, "That's good to hear. I was getting ready to go to lunch, would you care to go with me?"

Frowning, Gordon held up his hand, "I'd like to talk to you if I may."

Sitting back down, Booth smiled, "Sure, what's up, Doc?"

Snickering, Gordon replied, "Yes, very funny. I think I laughed the first dozen times or so when I heard that one. I would like to talk to you about Dr. Sweets."

His demeanor becoming cold, Booth responded, "I'd rather not."

Shaking his head slowly, Gordon sighed at Booth's recalcitrant attitude, "I stopped by Dr. Sweets' office to talk to him about the book he's writing and he told me about your misunderstanding."

His eyes flashing, Booth leaned back into his chair, "It wasn't a misunderstanding. It was a betrayal."

Curious, Gordon asked, "Have you had a chance to read his book yet?"

Shaking his head, Booth asked, "No, why? Is he mean to me and Bones?"

Glancing at the pictures on the credenza behind Booth, Gordon returned his gaze to Booth, "No, not at all. Did you know that Dr. Sweets was in Foster Care when he was very young? He was abused by his parents, actually tortured would be more like it and was rescued and put in to Foster Care. He was adopted by an older couple when he was six years old. They both died just before he came to work here."

Crossing his arms across his chest, Booth asked, "So?"

Studying Booth, Gordon replied, "His obsession with you and Dr. Brennan stems from the fact that you two were also abused as children. He has no family in this world Booth. He's been trying to correct that problem by adopting you and Dr. Brennan as part of his family."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth remained silent.

Studying the agent, Gordon crossed his legs, "I really don't think he was performing an experiment on you and Dr. Brennan like Dr. Brennan thinks. I believe that he was trying to get her to admit that she loved you. Sweets deliberately withheld the information that you were alive so that Dr. Brennan would finally break down those walls she erected when she was in Foster Care and at least admit to herself that she was capable of loving someone, of loving you."

Sighing, Booth leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk in front of him, "That sounds like an experiment to me. He risked my partnership. She was so angry with me that I was really afraid that she was going to ask for a new partner. You didn't see how angry she was with me. She didn't blame anyone about my pretending to be dead but me. I got the brunt of that shit, not Sweets."

Chuckling, Gordon asked, "You don't seriously think she would have ever considered asking for a new partner, do you? The thought is ludicrous at best. You absolutely know that wouldn't have happened."

Pursing his lips, Booth cleared his throat, "It could have happened."

Shaking his head Gordon adamantly disagreed. "Bull. You know that isn't true. I don't care how angry she may have been, she would never have entertained the thought of severing your partnership. You're just misplacing your fear onto Dr. Sweets. You're using him as a scapegoat. The fact that this occurred ten months ago is another point. Your partnership is as strong as ever with Dr. Brennan, why go after Dr. Sweets now, ten months after the fact?"

Tapping his index finger against the top of his desk, Booth responded, "Because I just found out about it four days ago. He hurt Bones. There is no statute of limitations when it comes to shit like that."

Uncrossing his legs, Gordon leaned towards Booth, "You want to protect Dr. Brennan; but, since you couldn't do it ten months ago, you think it's ok to do so now. Regardless of the fact that you've been getting along quite well with Dr. Sweets for the last ten months and have actually started to become friends, that's right?"

Leaning back in his chair again, Booth asked, "What do you want from me?"

Smiling, Gordon replied, "I want you to forgive him. You're all the family he has in this world Agent Booth. Whether you consider him family or not doesn't matter. To Sweets, you're the older brother that he's always desperately wanted. I might even venture that in his way, he loves you."

Sighing deeply, Booth responded, "Shit"

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Sitting at his desk, staring out of his office window, Sweets heard his door open and close. Not turning, Sweets informed the intruder, "I'm not taking patients today. Please see Alice and reschedule."

Hearing the intruder sit down on one of the couches, Sweets turned his head to see who it was. Startled, Sweets stood up, "Agent Booth, what are you doing here?"

Leaning back on the couch, Booth crossed his right ankle onto his knee, "I've been having a really bad dream lately, Doc. I, uh, I'm a kid and my Dad is beating the shit out of me; but, every time he hits me I just tell him that it doesn't hurt. He keeps trying to hit me harder and I keep telling him that it doesn't hurt. I mean he's killing me and I don't give a damn. What do you think that means?"

Slowly moving over to the couch facing Booth, Sweets sat down and swallowed, "How long have you had this dream?'

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth replied, "Since I was a kid, if you're talking about lately then about two months."

Calmly, Sweets nodded his head, "So about when you were kidnapped by the Gravedigger?"

Nodding his head, Booth pulled his lighter out of his pocket and started to flip the lid open and closed.

Watching lid on the lighter move, Sweets crossed his legs, "It's possible your near death experience in that ship may have triggered a memory from your childhood when your father was so out of control you feared for your life. Do you ever remember telling your father that his blows didn't hurt?"

Guffawing, Booth stopped moving the lid on his lighter and placed the lighter back into his pocket, "No way, Sweets. That would have got me killed. I wasn't stupid."

Studying Booth's face, Sweets explained, "Your mind probably can't come to grips with you being kidnapped and almost killed; so, it's trying to solve that problem by reminding you when there was a time in your life when your life was in danger and you understood your enemy."

Rubbing his brow, Booth leaned forward, "Maybe." Standing, Booth remarked, "You look like shit, Sweets. Go home and get a good night's sleep. I don't want you to be late for our appointment tomorrow. You know Bones hates for people to waste her time."

Puzzled, Sweets asked, "You're keeping your appointment?"

Nodding his head, Booth smiled, "Of course."

Frowning, Sweets had to ask, "Aren't you mad at me?"

Snorting, Booth replied, "I'm mad at you all of the time kid. You're a real pain in the ass. That doesn't mean I'm going to be a jerk about it. Bones and I will be here on time, just make sure you are."

Nodding his head, Sweets smiled, "Of course."

Walking over to the door, Booth stopped and stared at Sweets, "Don't ever play games with my life like that again."

Shaking his head, Sweets placed his hand over his heart, "Never."

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What do you think of my story? Any good?