Disclaimer: I still do not own Bones, even though I, and so many others, pray for it every night. Honestly, if I did, I would be pushing the writers to follow up a bit more on the Zack situation- Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond just left me hanging, and feeling kinda crappy. That's probably why I wrote this story.

'Kat, you are so going to love me.'

The young Anthropologist shook her head, smiling faintly. Sweets' voice was the cheeriest she'd heard all day. Today was the one year anniversary of the day when the Medico-Legal lab had been shaken to its foundations, and Zack had been taken away from them. Everyone else was miserable, remembering that day; she was miserable for not being there with them.

'Unless you're Zack disguised as a prat, I highly doubt it.' Kat replied, turning away from the remains of her first FBI case. It was unusual; a body found in solid tar. 'Though I must say, your undying hope is refreshing. What's up doc?'

'I just spoke to the AG's office—the charges are being dissolved, and Booth's gone to tell Zack.'

'Oh My God!' She shouted in jubilation, and nearly knocked over the slight Sweets, hugging him fiercely. 'Lance, thank you!'

'You're making it difficult to breath Kat.' He complained, and she let him go, still grinning like an idiot.

'It's just that when I came here, I thought it was hopeless. I was sure I'd spend the rest of my life loving a man I could only ever see once a week. But you and Hodgins gave me my hope back.' Tears were rolling down her face. 'I can't thank you enough for that.'

'You could always clobber me again,' Sweets suggested with a sly grin. 'I kinda like it.'

Kat couldn't help but give him a playful swat on the arm. 'You are such a bad little kid!'

'Sweets, are you annoying my assistant again?' Brennan called from the other end of the forensics platform. 'Because even if this is your last week, I will take away your pass card.'

Sweets held his hand's up in the air as if she were brandishing a gun at him. 'I come bearing good tidings.'

'Zack's coming home!'

Kat's exclamation of joy was met with a blank look. 'Legally?'

'Try again Dr. Brennan' Sweets coaxed.

'That's wonderful!' Brennan exclaimed. 'Kat, you must be thrilled.'

After receiving her boss' stiff hug, Kat turned to Sweets, 'You actually got a proper emotional response out of Dr. Brennan.' She said in amazement.

'Why is that so amazing? He didn't give the response, I did!'

The young psychologist shook his head in disbelief. 'Anyways… I'm supposed to go tell the others—'

'Tell us what?' Angela, Hodgins and Cam were all crowded together on the stair.

'Zack has been cleared.' Brennan said calmly, and Angela exploded into her characteristic shrieks of joy. 'I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT! It Felt Like The Day!'

Kat couldn't help but fall into silent giggles. This was the same woman who had nearly died a month ago. Angela had to be an insanely fast healer.

'He better be coming here,' Hodgins said after his fiancée had quieted down. 'Otherwise, he'll be locked out. I didn't leave any keys for him.'

'Booth promised to bring him here.' Sweets said, glad to get a word in edgewise.

'Of course he will.' Cam said, smiling wider than anyone had ever seen her smile . 'Zack practically lived here. I've seen him in here sleeping, eating, watching TV; all the things we usually leave for home, he did here. Zack loves it here.'

'He also showered in the decontamination shower.' Hodgins added with a chuckle. 'I don't know why…'

'You didn't see his bathroom when we cleaned his place out last week.' Kat burst out, and then mimed retching. 'That bathtub was disgusting! Though the rest of his place wasn't too bad. I'd almost say mildly OCD. Though it could very well just be a pattern of Asperger's—if you hang around Zack enough, you learn most of them.'

'All I learned was that he loved Kraft Dinner.' Angela mused, and then made a face, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Kat copied the expression, and set everyone off laughing.

'Kat, quit making fun of my fiancée.'

'Oh, are you gonna make me?' Kat asked, turning to face Hodgins in a boxer's stance, fists ready to strike. 'I'll give it to ya Hodge—Pow! Right in the kisser.'

Everybody was so entranced in watching this little charade, they didn't notice the arrival of two others. 'Kat, Hodge, quit fighting. You're both his best friends.' Booth joked.

In an instant, Kat was off the platform, and in Zack's arms. 'You're finally here…you're really here.' She whispered into his neck, and he nodded wordlessly. Just holding her as tightly as he could.

They were then both clobbered by Angela and Cam, who kept saying things like 'Oh my god!' and 'We missed you!' and were squeezing the life out of both of them.

'Could you please let go?' Zack asked, loud enough to be heard. 'I believe I hear my ribs cracking, and my lung capacity is being seriously compromised.'

'Sorry, sorry!' Angela dithered, letting him go. 'It's just, we really, really, really missed you around here.'

'Why else would be devote all our free time into helping you get out?' Hodgins added, pulling his best friend into a very guy-ish hug.

'I could have easily gotten out at any time—'

'We know Zack.' Cam said, trying to look serious, and failing. 'But that is completely illegal.'

Zack nodded. 'True enough, and it looks as if you found a very capable Anthropologist to take my position. I wasn't needed.'

'But now that you're back,' Brenna said quickly, finally finding the use of her voice. 'I want to rehire you. So long as you are willing to return to work.'

'Bones,' Booth seemed uneasy. 'Could you hold on—'

'I'd love to.' Zack replied swiftly. 'How would it be if I started Tuesday?'

'Tuesday's tomorrow.' Cam pointed out.

'What does that matter?' Brennan asked blankly, and Booth just sighed heavily. 'Now I have to spend most of my day tomorrow clearing his involvement with FBI cases. That's like, a mountain of paperwork.'

Kat had listened to this exchange with a growing feeling of sadness. She'd always known she wouldn't ever be a permanent fixture in the lab, but the idea had still been there. The thought of working in another department—it made her wish she was wrong. This place was just starting to really feel like home.

'I guess I'll be applying in Archaeology then.'

'Why?' Brennan seemed confused, but Cam understood.

'Honey, we aren't letting you go just because Zackaroni's back. Hell, I'd hire you as my assistant if I had to—and you don't have any training as a pathologist.'

Looking at Zack's smile, she realized he'd probably spoken to one of them before this. 'I told you they would let us work together.' He said simply.

'I just had to cover all my bases.' Kat replied, trying to defend her dignity.

'Bases?'

'Options, Zack, options.' Booth explained. 'It's a baseball analogy. Kat will explain it some other time.'

Somewhere, a computer beeped, announcing the results of some sort of test. They still had a case to solve; a body in tar to identify. Kat hated the idea that there was work to do, when all she wanted to do was take Zack home.

'I guess you should get back to work.' He said quietly.

'The rest of us, yes. Kat, I want you to take the rest of the day off.' Brennan instructed. 'According to Booth, there needs to be a balance in work and leisure, and apparently, you are lacking in the second. Personally, I think the idea doesn't—'

Booth clamped a hand over his partner's mouth. 'Do us a favour, and go you two. Go do… whatever squints do when they get to go home early.' Kat nodded, and started to pull Zack towards the door.

'Keys to his place are in the cupboard above to toaster!' Hodgins called after them. But Kat was sure he'd set them somewhere else after they had finished cleaning up. As to where, she had no clue. They would have to go on a bit of a hunt.

Brennan was just getting ready to leave when Booth entered her office. They had plans to go to dinner, and then see a movie that night. It looked scientific, which she liked, and it was an action movie, which he liked. This was probably going to be one of the few movies they could both enjoy.

'You know,' She said, shutting down her computer for the night. 'I really wish I could have gone with you to get Zack today.'

'So would the entire squint squad, but there's no way we would have all fit into my SUV.' Booth pointed out. 'Truth is Bones, Zack was kinda quiet when I got there; he hardly realized I was in the room at first. I don't think he would have made it a year without Kat, never mind another one.'

Brennan disagreed. 'Zack is much stronger than we ever would have guessed before this all happened. I think he needs to be given credit for that. He would have made it as long as it took to be with us again. He also knew that giving up would have hurt us even more—that's something I believe Zack couldn't stand to do, was hurt us more than he already had.'

'Kat still gave him a lot of strength. She's strong as hell— I counted up the number of visits she made to McKinley, and it totalled up to twenty-six times in six months. She's spent every Saturday since she got back with Zack. I sure as hell couldn't do that.'

It was true that it took a lot of mental and emotional strength to spend that much time watching someone you cared about suffer that way, and be unable to help them. 'If something happened to me,' Brennan started, turning to face her partner. 'Would you visit me every Saturday for six months, without a break?'

Booth blinked, a little stunned. 'I…I'd try.' He finally choked out. 'I couldn't promise, but I'd try.'

'That's all I would ask of you Booth.' She smiled, and headed for the door. 'We better get going, or we'll be late for our reservation, and then late for the movie.' She said over her shoulder. 'Oh, and Hodgins and Angela are joining us for the movie. Angela was babbling something about tonight being like a honeymoon night, and they didn't want to interrupt anything.'

'I wouldn't either Bones.'

All good things must come to an end eventually...