A/N: A bit of a shorter chapter this time! The end is not quite in sight yet so the suspense continues. Psychology is not my thing so this chapter wasn't the easiest to write but I think (I hope!) I made it work. As always, please review and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones

A couple of weeks after Booth had come home from the hospital, Brennan found herself outside Sweet's office door. Booth was becoming more and more like himself and was well enough to be left alone for periods of time now, so she had left him at home. Even though he had been wonderful with Christine, she knew he wasn't well enough to look after her alone yet. He got tired too easily and she wasn't sure he could manage their energetic toddler for a prolonged period, so Brennan had left Christine with Max for a few hours. The last two weeks had been challenging for Brennan. She had taken a sabbatical from the lab so that she could look after Booth properly but she was missing her work as a means of escape, and even though Booth was making good progress, she was finding that he still didn't seem comfortable around her. She often caught him watching her, almost like he used to but whenever they made eye contact, he always seemed to look confused. He spent most of his time either playing with Christine, watching tv, or sleeping. Brennan knew he was still recovering but he didn't seem to want to spend any time with her and it hurt.

She paused for a moment outside Sweets' door before deciding that she was here now, she may as well go and talk to him. Brennan and Booth's relationship with Sweets had got off to a rocky start, but over the years, their relationship with him had evolved to the point where she had come to regard him as a very close friend. While she still didn't put much stock in psychology, she respected Sweets and his opinions, and she needed to talk to him. The way she was feeling right now couldn't continue and she knew Sweets would help her. The blind on the window at the side of his office door was open so Brennan knew that he wasn't in with a patient. She knocked gently before opening the door a crack.

Sweets was sitting at his desk. He was surprised and concerned when he saw who was standing in his doorway. "Dr Brennan! What are you doing here? Is Booth ok?"

Brennan nodded once and said "Booth is fine Sweets. Can I come in?"

"Sure! Of course, come in, sit down." Sweets gestured for her to sit on the couch while he got up from his desk and sat in the chair facing her. "What can I help you with Dr Brennan?"

Brennan perched on the edge of the couch twisting her fingers together nervously. "Things aren't good between me and Booth."

"Oh? In what way?"

"It's been weeks and he still doesn't remember me, Sweets! He remembers Christine, he remembers Cam, he remembers Angela, he remembers my father! But he doesn't remember me! I don't know what to do and I don't like it." She was on the verge of tears again, so she took a breath to steady herself. These last few weeks have made her feel like she has been put through an emotional wringer. She had already realised when Booth was in the hospital how much she relied on him to help her with her emotions and without his help, she was struggling. She felt like she was drowning, and she didn't know which way to swim to the shore. Her attempt to return to her old ways of putting up walls, disregarding her own emotions, and attempting to act only on logic and reason had been disastrous. It wasn't helping Booth and it wasn't helping her.

Sweets' heart clenched when he saw the obvious pain that his friend was in. Dr Brennan was usually adept at compartmentalising her emotions so for them to be so plainly obvious on the surface indicated to him that she wasn't dealing with the situation well. However, Booth was his patient and patient confidentiality meant Sweets couldn't discuss his situation, even with his wife. "Dr Brennan, you understand that I can't provide details of what Booth and I discuss in his sessions don't you?"

"I know that, Sweets." Brennan replied impatiently. "I don't want to discuss what happens in your sessions with Booth; I just want you to tell me how to help him, and I need you to help me."

Sweets blinked in surprise and concern. There was a hint of desperation in her tone and for her to ask for his help was unusual. She was usually knowledgeable on any subject and for her to sound so uncertain, so lost, was not like her at all. Sweets sat forward in his seat and gently asked, "Are you all right Dr Brennan?"

Brennan had been focusing on the floor trying to stop herself from crying. But Sweets' soft, gentle tone made her look up to make eye contact with him. When she saw how concerned he was for her, the tears that she had been holding back trickled down her face. "I don't think he loves me anymore, Sweets! He barely talks to me and he flinches when I touch him. It's like he's not the same person anymore. I miss him. Which is ridiculous, here's home and he's alive but I still miss him! I don't want to lose him."

Sweets was worried about his friends. He could see how hard Dr Brennan was finding her current situation and he knew just how difficult it was for her to admit to needing his help. In his opinion it appeared she had also attempted to return to a state of hyper rationality but the obvious pain in her face told him she had failed. He got up and grabbed the box of Kleenex he kept on a side table. He handed it to Brennan and sat back down in his chair. He waited as she took a tissue and dried her eyes before addressing her. He decided to begin with the facts "Dr Brennan, as you know, Booth is suffering from post-traumatic amnesia. His brain injury has healed which is good news, but the PTA can last for months. It can cause confusion, disorientation and changes in behaviour and emotion. It will get better. He will be the person you know and love once again; you just need to give it some time."

Brennan's eyes had dropped to the floor again. Sweets studied her for a moment then said, "But you knew that already, didn't you, Dr Brennan."

Brennan raised her eyes to meet Sweets' but didn't say anything.

"Your knowledge of the human brain is advanced, and you also have experience from when Booth had his brain tumour, don't you?"

"It was different when he had his brain tumour. We weren't a couple then and I left for a dig in Guatemala shortly after I knew he was going to recover. I wasn't there until he had been certified fit for duty. I had no part to play in his immediate recovery." Her tone was defensive, but she knew that Sweets had seen right through her.

"I remember, Dr Brennan. But my point is, you already possess this knowledge, so what's going on?"

A small rueful smile appeared on Brennan's lips. "I'm scared Sweets." She said with a raw honesty that shocked Sweets. "I thought I was doing the right thing when Booth was in his coma after the surgery for his brain tumour. I thought that by reading my story to him as I wrote it, that it might give him comfort hearing my voice. But it didn't help! It confused him and possibly hampered his recovery. I… I didn't want to risk the same thing happening again, so I didn't talk to him when he was unconscious. Then when he finally woke up, just like last time, he didn't know me! And I was scared. I am still scared. I thought I was doing the right thing last time, and I thought I was doing the right thing this time, and yet, both times the outcome was bad. I was becoming too emotional and I wasn't thinking clearly so I tried to subdue my own emotions so I was more able to help Booth but I think all I've succeeded in doing is pushing him away. I don't trust myself, which is something I am not accustomed to."

"Dr Brennan, you can trust yourself. The outcome of both of Booth's comas was not your fault. The human brain is too complex to be able to predict how a person will react to trauma."

"If it is so unpredictable, how do I know I'm doing the right thing for him though? What if I make him worse?"

Sweets shook his head and scooted forward in his seat. "You won't. You are smart and you are capable plus you know him better than anyone. I can think of no one in a better position to help him than you. You possess all the skills and knowledge required to help him.

"Hiding your emotions and doubting yourself though? That won't help him or you. I know it's distressing that he doesn't remember you, but please don't get too hung up on that. It will most likely frustrate him and make both of you feel worse. Try talking to him about the things he does remember like family or the sports he enjoys. You can also try going for walks, eating out, playing games, anything that will stimulate him without the pressure to remember. Just, be his wife and partner, Dr Brennan. Do the things together that you would do normally. He is still the same man with the same desires and needs. He's just a little confused right now."

Brennan was a little confused herself about what Sweets had just said and attempted to clarify. "Do you mean sex?"

"No." Sweets said with a smile "I didn't mean sex. I mean other things you would do as a couple. Eat dinner together or watch a movie. And if sex is part of that and it is what you both want, then fine."

Brennan nodded and smiled a small half smile "I can do that" she said, although she doubted that Booth would want intercourse with her when he still can't remember her.

Sweets returned her smile and said "Good. I know this is difficult for you, Dr Brennan. I want you to know that my door is always open to you, for whatever you need."

"Thank you, Sweets." She said with genuine gratitude. She left Sweets' office feeling lighter than she had when she had arrived. She knew what she had to do now and that reassured her that maybe they might make it through this.

0-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-0

Brennan made her way home, eager to try some of the things Sweets had suggested. He had clarified what she needed to do to help Booth and she wanted to get started. She wanted to get her life back. She wanted to get their life back.

She opened the front door of the house and walked in, expecting to find Booth on the couch but when she rounded the corner to the living room, he wasn't there. The house was quiet, so she wondered if he maybe he had gone to bed. She quietly tip toed upstairs so she didn't disturb him but when she looked in their bedroom, she found that was also empty. Feeling panic creeping up on her, she quickly checked all the other rooms upstairs and then ran downstairs to check the laundry room and the garage. But he wasn't there, all the rooms were empty. Booth was gone.