Dear readers,

let's find out a bit more background, shall we?

Thanks to everyone who is reading, favoriting, following and most especially reviewing! You keep this story going. And now without further ado...

Enjoy!

The phone call ended and Booth finally lowered his gun. Sweets slowly took a step forward, but the look in the older man's eyes was enough to make him feel a smidgen of fear. Booth was predictable in the ways that counted. He followed his heart. His gut. His instinct. The young psychologist was very aware however how strong Booth's instincts had to be by now, to lash out, to demand answers, to get to his partner.

From the start, Sweets had protested this. He'd gone against Hacker, against Max, trying to protect both Dr. Brennan and Booth from the impact this decision would have. Caroline had been the only one in his corner, but Max was more manipulative than ever before. And with Booth gone to Afghanistan? Sweets and Caroline simply didn't have the pull necessary to divert the events as they unfolded. When Dr. Brennan had woken up without her memory (after the accident), and even she didn't object to the plans of having her stay with her father, well... there was nothing else Sweets could have done. However, things were different now though. Not only was Booth back, but he'd figured it out. Sweets spoke, not eager to make unexpected movements in front of the sniper with some of the sharpest reflexes he'd ever encountered. "I'm going to get my coat and then I'll drive you to her, okay?"

Sweets finally spoke up and irritated by the way he was being spoken to, Booth snapped. "I'm not a goddamn kid, Sweets. And I'm driving." To his consternation, the other man actually had balls and contradicted him.

"No, I'm driving. You are in no shape to drive. Besides, you need to prepare for this, Booth. There are things you don't know." And with that Sweets turned around, grabbed his jacket and his keys, knowing that the other man would follow.

Booth cursed, put his gun back into its holster and followed the younger man out. Silence enveloped them as they rode the elevator down to the garage. They walked to Sweets' car and got in. As he buckled himself in, Booth turned to Sweets. "You better start talking, Sweets, what don't I know?" He turned to look at him. His eyebrow went up when he noticed Sweets' outstretched hand.

"Your gun, Agent Booth. And your badge. You are officially off duty and you are going to take a month off."

Booth sighed deeply, irritated by the games Sweets seemed intent on playing, but did as he was told. "Start talking, Sweets."

Sweets removed the bullets from the gun and put them in the glove compartment and the gun behind them on the backseat, along with his badge. He started the car and opened his mouth. "While you were still on tour in Afghanistan, Dr. Brennan started receiving death threats. Without you here, she simply hid them, not telling anyone but her father. The first few threats were rather generic and when they didn't stop coming, Max moved in with her. That seemed to work. The threats stopped and a few weeks went by without another threatening letter. And then, it got worse."

Sweets went silent as he remembered the pictures of Dr. Brennan's mother, taken moments after her death. The bits of hair and nail clippings that had been taken. Genetic testing had proved they had belonged to her mother. And then the pictures had started. Freshly taken of Dr. Brennan. In her apartment, out on the streets, even some from inside the lab. That's when Max had finally contacted Sweets.

"When Max finally contacted me, I told them to stay where they were and that I would meet them. Max was at home and as I left the Bureau, I tried to contact Dr. Brennan. She was already in her car on her way home." He glanced at Booth. "They hit her car, Booth, while she was on the highway. The only reason she survived is that an ambulance saw the traffic accident and they immediately stopped and got her out of the wreck. She had severe head trauma and when she woke up a few hours later, she was diagnosed with amnesia."

Suddenly Booth understood why he wasn't behind the wheel of the car. He would have fucking wrecked it. Slowly, he turned to the psychologist. "What? She's alone with Max with no idea who he is or who she is? She doesn't..." Oh god, he realized, she doesn't even know she's in danger. That thought alone was enough to send him into a tailspin of panic.

Noticing the slight increase to his breathing rhythm, Sweets spoke again, making sure to keep his voice as soothing and calming as he could. "She is in a secure, remote location. She is safe, Booth. I promise. Max is on his way now. And you'll be with her for at least the next month, okay? I will leave your gun with you and there should be enough food to support the both of you for a while. Your son is with Rebecca, you can go off the grid as well for a little while. The real danger now is..."

Booth finished his sentence for him. "All of the fucking uncommon traffic to and from this disclosed location. If anyone is watching..."

Sweets nodded, "Exactly. They will have more reason to search there. But it's late at night and Max has forbidden anyone else from coming for a visit. And he has strict rules about where to leave your car when you can and can't use your lights... He has been careful."

That knowledge did very little to reassure Booth though. "Back to the amnesia." He swallowed and started to play with the dice in his pocket. "How bad is it?"

Sweets winced internally but remained honest. "It's 'She-doesn't-even-know-her-own-name-bad, Booth." He confessed honestly. "As far as she knows, she is a run of the mill woman who still lived with her caring and loving father, whom she helps support."

Booth gritted his teeth for a moment. 'Son of a bitch,' he thought. Even now, Max was once again taken advantage. And that reminded him of the fact that he as well, had once again been taken advantage off. "Why the fucking charades, Sweets? You know I would have gone undercover with her. Heck, you know as well as I do, that she would have chosen me over her father. So what gives?"

Sweets took another deep breath, before coming clean. "It's Max's old gang, Booth. They are after her. To get to him."

The rest of the car ride was spent in silence, the only sound were the dice in Booth's pocket as he furiously shifted them around, desperate to find an outlet for his fury, despair and deep all-encompassing worry for his partner.

Another short chapter, dear Readers!

Hope you enjoyed it, looking forward to seeing your responses!

WHAK (with hugs and kisses)

EmberAbsynthe