Disclaimer: Bones and its affiliated characters do not belong to me. I mean no copyright infringement. All characters and places are meant to be fictional.

Author's Notes: I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I woke up today and knew what was missing. I must have been dreaming about this fanfic. Does that make me insanely obsessed? This is a more serious chapter but necessary to move the story along to its eventual ending.

Responses to your reviews are at the end.

Sweets' Plan for the Truth

Chapters 28: Cam

From chapter 27:

Angela continued. "I'm glad that she hasn't holed herself up in her office or in Limbo. If she did that, she could have possibly left behind everything she learned about herself while she was gone. But Booth, no man will ever hold a candle up to you in her life."

"Maybe not," he admitted. "But it's too late for us. We missed our chance. How is she supposed to believe that love isn't ephemeral? How does she not look at me and Hannah and believe love can last?"

"Booth, can you honestly tell me that you fell out of love with Brennan?" After a few quiet moments she added, "Think about it before you make anymore rash decisions."

Booth let out a sigh and palmed his neck before leaving the SUV to catch up with Angela inside the diner.

She broke my heart once. Do I really want to risk it again? Hannah was easy and look where that got me? I thought I wanted easy after years of constant effort helping Bones open herself up to me. Do I really want all that sacrifice to be for some other guy?

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Booth hadn't even walked into the diner when Booth noticed Brennan and Hodgins were already there. But they weren't alone. Booth couldn't help but groan. Angela had been waiting at the entrance around the corner and noticed the problem right away when she looked at Booth. "He's not a threat, Booth."

"Right," he grumbled.

Angela held his arm before he could open the door to the diner. "Booth, did you honestly think Brennan should just sit back and hope your relationship would end with Hannah?"

"Of course, not." But he also didn't think she would trust anyone else that soon. That's what he'd been telling himself since Hannah started her plans to hook Brennan up on a date. "It took a long time to get her to open up to me. She wouldn't work with anyone else."

"Your ego is bruised. But it shouldn't be." He glared at her. He wasn't going to show her she was right in that assessment. "Without you, Brennan would still be living behind the wall she built. Watch her. She's really happy. And it's not just with Chase. It's with everyone. You did that Booth."

Booth took a deep breath and opened the door. Sweets immediately stood up and pulled another table up to theirs while Booth grabbed a couple of chairs. Booth sat at the end of the table facing the window. To the right of him were Sweets, Brennan, and Cam. To his left were Angela, Hodgins, and Chase.

Cam chuckled at how tired Booth looked. "By the looks of Booth, you must have done a lot of damage," she directed at Angela.

Angela laughed and Booth growled. "I'm never going shopping with her again. I think I was forced to model 100 different things."

"I can hardly believe it would be…"

Cam smirked at her, Booth rolled his eyes, Angela laughed, and the others just smiled. Booth did'nt like the way Agent Richardson smiled at his Bones. It didn't go unnoticed by Cam.

"You were being facetious," stated Brennan.

Booth nodded. "Does she get to pick out your clothes, too?"

"I can dress myself, Booth."

"No way are you letting me out of this fun. What time do I need to be at your apartment tomorrow?" asked Angela.

"Ange," Brennan warned.

"No Sweetie, I need some fun in my life."

"Hey," whined Hodgins and they all laughed at him.

"Are you going to be playing the pregnancy card until you deliver?"

Booth, Sweets, and Chase looked confused. "Of course," said Angela smugly.

All throughout dinner, Booth watched Brennan liked Angela had suggested. Angela had been right. Brennan was happy. Her smile was genuine, her eyes were bright, and she was even laughing from time to time… not at all the right times, but he wouldn't expect that. What he discovered was that her happiness wasn't directed at only Angela or him because they were her best friends, but she was happy with everyone including Sweets. He regretted missing so much time with her. He didn't know how Angela could be giving him credit for so much when he clearly missed her evolve to this socially confident woman.

Cam couldn't help but watch Chase, as well as Booth, as they ate and talked.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

*Flashback*

Cam and Chase arrived at the diner and were waiting for Sweets to join them. They had been working on the museum case together ever since a suspect was found murdered. They were making small talk when Chase surprised Cam.

"How attached do you think Brennan is to Agent Booth?"

Cam's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Why do you ask?"

Chase shrugged his shoulders. "I like her. She's easy to talk to despite what other agents have said about her."

"Oh, Brennan can be quite intimidating when she wants to be." Cam laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were many agents who have seen her wrath and wish they hadn't."

Chase laughed, too. He had seen her defend herself on a couple of occasions and she made a habit of arguing.

"There was a time that Dr. Brennan wouldn't work with any other agent. Although, there was Sully..." She said the last thought more to herself than to Chase.

"Who's Sully?"

"He was an agent that Brennan worked with a few years ago when Booth was on medical leave. It wasn't pretty at first, but she ended up dating him. He even asked her to take a sabbatical for a year and sail the ocean with him."

Chase was shocked. "I can't see Brennan just leaving her work behind."

"She was actually considering it. Booth even encouraged her even though he really wanted her to stay. He loved her enough to let her go. He wanted her to be happy. They've spent years trying to convince themselves they are just partners."

"And that's why Brennan was standing back and letting Booth be happy with Hannah. She loves him that much," admitted Chase.

"I know that's not what you wanted to hear. It was hard for me to admit, too."

"Oh," said Chase in surprise.

"Booth and I were together before he was with Rebecca, the mother of his son, Parker. Shortly after I came to work at the Jeffersonian, we resumed that relationship although it was discreet."

"And you can still work with both of them?" he asked.

"It was hard at first. I'll admit that I wasn't always the easiest to work with. But then, Dr. Brennan was a new experience just being her." She laughed at the memories it conjured up in her mind. "But Booth and I have a special bond that is based more on friendship. When Booth realized it was more of a 'friends with benefits' type of relationship, well, he sort of started pulling away. Booth will always be the romantic. He doesn't like to lose the people he loves."

"Then how did it end. Did you break it off?"

"No. There was a serial killer Booth was hunting. During that case, the whole team was in danger and I ended up in the hospital. I almost died. He said he didn't want to put anyone in danger so he ended it. But that's not all. He drew an imaginary line between Brennan and him. It's a line they've been dancing around for years."

"It all makes sense now," said Chase. Chase decided again that he would step aside. "I hope Agent Booth comes to his senses. I don't know what I'd do if he breaks her heart."

"Crushes," stated Cam.

"Excuse me?"

"Crushes. Dr. Brennan says that hearts can't be broken but they can be crushed."

They had a good laugh.

"Hey, what's so funny? Looks like I missed something good," said Sweets.

*Flashback Over*

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Cam switched her attention to Booth. She knew he was struggling with his emotions. As they were getting up to leave, Cam pulled him away from the others.

"Hey, why don't we head to Founding Fathers? We need to talk." At his skeptical look she added, "You've been making yourself scarce."

Booth palmed the nape of his neck and sheepishly replied, "Yeah. Sorry about that."

"You can make it up to me by buying me a drink," said Cam with a genuine smile that said she really wasn't upset with him.

Booth was glad that she knew him so well and didn't hold a grudge for long. "Sure. Did you drive?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

After catching up on the case and all that was going on in her life, Cam decided it was time to help Booth get on the right track with his personal life.

"So… you and Hannah are done?"

He visibly tensed up. "Yes. And I have nothing to say about it."

"I see." Cam took a deep breath and pushed anyway. "I was surprised when you came back with a girlfriend. I thought you and Brennan would finally see that you were meant to be together."

"Cam," he warned.

"You don't scare me, big guy. This is me. You can talk to me and not be judged."

Booth dropped his head forward in defeat.

"What happened between the two of you before you left for Afghanistan?"

He looked back up at her. "What makes you think something happened?"

"You both started dating other people… at the same time. I don't think that's a coincidence. And you no longer put you hand at the small of her back. Instead, you kept more space between the two of you."

"You noticed that?" She gave him a knowing look and he sighed. "When Sweets finished his book about us and we stopped meeting with him, well, I asked Bones to give us a shot."

"And she turned you down," she stated rather than asked. He nodded. "And you expected something different?"

"Well, yeah. I tried explaining to her that I wouldn't leave."

"What kept you from telling me after it happened? I could have helped."

He took another swig of his scotch before answering. "How do you think you could have helped, Camille?" Booth was getting irritated. He really didn't want to relive that night.

"I could have talked you into being patient."

"It was too late."

"Too late? Seeley, you're going to have to be more specific."

"She asked if we could remain partners. I said we could but that I needed to move on."

"Oh my God!" The silence that hung in the air was thick. "Did you not hear anything I told you when you were recovering from your brain surgery?"

He looked at her in confusion.

"Seriously, Seeley?"

"Don't call me Seeley."

She ignored his comment. "I told you to be absolutely certain that you loved her because if you broke that shell she would never recover and trust anyone again. Instead, you told her you had to move on? You didn't give her anytime to think about it? You know how she has to rationalize everything."

He laughed sarcastically. "Yeah. And you can't rationalize love. Besides, it doesn't look like she's crushed to me. She ran to Mapoopoo, and now that she's back, she's as happy as ever."

"You don't like seeing her happy?"

"Of course I do. What kind of question is that?"

"You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself. And you need to forgive yourself."

"Maybe," he grumbled into his scotch glass.

"You've both made mistakes. Stop dancing around the truth. Start showing her that you still love her. And keep showing her. If she runs, run after her. You're both single. You've been given another chance. Don't live with regrets, Booth. The "what ifs" in life are a tremendous burden to bear."

"I know. I've been living with them for months."

"I can tell you that she loves you. Angela can tell you. Damn, even Chase can tell you that much."

His eyes shot up to look her in the eye. He only saw certainty in her expression.

"But it doesn't mean much if you don't feel it, know it, and live it. Stop settling for second best. Go after her. Seek the truth from her. And then enjoy the rewards."

"You were never one to pull any punches."

"I'll take that as a 'thank you'."

He couldn't help but chuckle.

Thank you for your reviews! (NCISaddict77, jmbatt, SouthunLady, mendenbar, Barb, and Aching Bones)

Aching Bones & SouthunLady: He won't be a prude in the next chapter *u* They'll be dancing at the club. I wish I could see it on screen, too. It would be very hot!

Barb: Thank you for the well wishes.

Humor: I'm glad it worked! It's fun to read what parts and lines you liked.

Agent Chase Richardson: So we learned that he won't be making a move on Brennan. I hated crushing his heart. Did you like that Booth found out that Chase understands he and Bones belong together? He'll need to remember that in the next chapter.

Mendenbar: LOL! You pointed out reasons why Booth shouldn't be having a problem learning to grind.

Jmbatt said: "Ange is like a pit bull - once she gets ahold, she won't let go until she's all the way through... and good for her!" And then he ended the night with Cam. LOL! You think Booth will take his chance now or later?