So you all seem to favor the short frequent chapters, and that's fine with me!

Chapter 13

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's believed to be schizophrenic."

"And that's going to help us, how?"

Booth ran his hands through his hair as he watched the witness from the other side of the one-way mirror. Sweets was next to him, because the guy was apparently, crazy. And Sweets could help decode anything he said that might not make sense otherwise.

His eyes flicked back up to the man in the interrogation room when he stood up from the table, and began to pace back and forth. The man looked as if he could be homeless. He was dressed in ripped jeans, with a tattered old jacket. His gray hair was matted to the sides of his head, and his bare feet poked out from the bottom of his pants. He had been mumbling to himself for the past twenty minutes, darting his eyes around the room suspiciously. As if it wasn't a safe environment.

"He witnessed the attack, Agent Booth. He will probably be of some use to us," Sweets said, while Booth put a microphone into his ear. "Even if he might be a little crazy."

"Alright, just let me know what you think I should ask him if I come to a dead end," Booth said, straightening his tie as he left the room behind the mirror. He opened the door to the room where the man was pacing, and closed it behind him. He noticed a strong, rank smell once he took a breath. This man must be living on the streets.

"Who are you?" The man, that Booth had been told was named Pete, asked.

"Special Agent Seeley Booth, please take a seat sir," Said Booth as he pulled out the chair for himself to sit in.

Pete eyed Booth suspiciously, squinting at him with bright green eyes, before he decided to take a seat. Once he was seated, Booth pulled out a folder, placing it on the table.

"Why do you got me in this here fancy room?" Asked Pete, scratching his nose, "And what's that piece of paper?"

"I'm just gonna ask you a few simple questions, alright?" Said Booth, as he opened the folder, pulling out several photographs and papers with information on them. He tried not to become distracted from his task when he saw pictures of Brennan, so he pulled one out, turned it around and pushed it towards Pete.

"You know this woman?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Pete looked at the picture, picking it up with his hands and holding it close to his face, a mere few inches away from his eyes. Booth figured he must have trouble seeing, and was in dire need of glasses.

"Well, I don't know her, I would like to... but you know-"

"Alright," Booth said, holding up his hand as a signal for him to stop talking," Stay on topic. You might not know her, but do you at least recognize her?" He said, holding the picture back up to Pete's face. He didn't wish to discus the woman that was currently living with him to a complete stranger.

"Uh, yeah, I've seen her 'round. Just a few weeks ago, actually. She looked a lot different then that she does in the picture though," He said, pulling on his short, gray beard, "What's she got to do with it?"

"Where were you when you saw her?" Asked Booth, tilting his head slightly to the right.

Pete scratched his head, ruffling his hair in the process, "I don't know, outside some apartment building in the city... I was sleeping, or, trying to sleep between some trashcans."

It must have been outside Brennan's apartment. If this man had witnessed the attack, why wouldn't he have tried to stop it?

"And, what exactly happened when you were trying to sleep?" Booth asked, bracing himself for the truth behind Brennan's terrible night. Who knows what this man would reveal? He wasn't even entirely sure he wanted to know what had happened, but he had to help Brennan by catching the man responsible, and this was the only way he saw how to.

"He's clearly hesitant to share anything he knows, maybe you should ask him about something else first," Sweets said through his microphone.

"Well, right before I was about to doze off, I hear them clip clops of lady shoes on the asphalt," He said hoarsely, "And I thought it was just a woman passing by, on her way home or such. But suddenly, the clicks of her heels just, stopped. I didn't think much of it until I heard a sharp scream. I assumed it was her, so I took a peek from between the trashcans I was behind. My eye sight ain't as good as it used to be, but I can still make out the basic picture of things. I saw two figures, close to each other, against the wall of one of the buildings. I didn't recognize the other one though. After a few moments, I heard the lady scream again, and saw the faint glimmer of a blade."

Booth swallowed. It was bad enough to deal with Brennan's side of the story, and that was barely anything. Now he had to hear to whole truth. He glanced to the mirror on his left, letting Sweets know not to make anymore suggestions until he had finished talking.

Pete looked off towards the side of the room, mumbling 'I know' a few times.

"What?"

"Anyways, I stood up, accidentally kicking a trashcan in the process. Which, attracted the attention of the other figure. I couldn't see very well, but she was against the wall. So I told the guy to leave the lady alone, and he threw something at me," Said Pete, rolling up his left sleeve to show a large scab that had yet to heal.

"It felt like a brick, but sharper. 'Cause it left a huge gash down my skin," He said, pointing to the scrape. "And I heard her shout help hoarsely a few times..."

"What happened next?" Booth asked, fearing the answer. This man could very well have witnessed the act that made Brennan pregnant. As much as he didn't want to hear, he knew he had to.

"I ran away. I thought best not t'get involved in something that would cause me more pain. I've already got arthritis-"

"Why didn't you help her?" Booth asked, dumbfounded. How could a crazy man have enough sense to run away from an attack on a girl?

"Son, I'm 66 years old, I don't think I could've helped if I wanted to. That other guy would've beaten me to a pulp, and then the lady," He said shaking his head.

"Well, maybe if he beat you up, she would have had a chance to escape!" Booth yelled, standing up from the table.

Pete's eyes got very wide, as he stared at Booth intently. Suddenly, he heard a small voice over the microphone that he had stuck in his ear.

"Agent Booth? I suggest you come back here for a moment," Sweets said, fear evident in his voice.

Booth sighed, and walked out of the room, and back to the area behind the mirror. As he closed the door behind him, Sweets leaned up against the wall, glancing up at Booth as he slowly entered the room.

"So what's the shrinky advice this time?" Booth asked, rubbing his stubble with his fingers.

Sweets looked into Booth's eyes, standing up straight form the wall. "I know you have feelings for Dr. Brennan. Strong ones," Booth groaned when he mentioned it, running his hands over his eyes. "And I know those feelings can control you sometimes. But you can't take it out on this man," Sweets said, pointing to Pete through the mirror, "How was he supposed to know what would happen? I know, I'm upset about Dr. Brennan too, it doesn't mean that you can-"

"You don't know the half of it Sweets," Booth sighed, looking at Sweets with anger in his eyes. "How could you know what it feels like? I was the one who dropped her off outside her apartment. I was the one who didn't walk her upstairs. I'm the one who caused this awful mess..." He said, slouching against the wall.

He felt Sweets stare at him with sympathy, but that was the last thing he wanted right now. He just wanted to catch who ever was responsible for hurting Brennan.

"Booth, there is no way this is your fault. And besides, everyone has trauma in their life. After I get her in for a meeting with me, I'm sure she will be better," He said, in a cheerful tone.

"You have no idea Sweets, it's so much worse than you could imagine. She had nightmares, awful ones from what I can tell. She wakes up crying, and screaming, and all I can do is hold her. She begs me not to leave her alone, and frankly, I don't trust myself to leave her alone anymore."

Booth left the room shortly after finishing his sentence. Leaving a confused Sweets pondering the situation. He went immediately back to his office, and sat down in his chair. He picked up a football he kept on his desk, and tossed it up in the air, again and again.

He picked up his cell phone, and dialed Brennan's number. As he heard the ringer go off several times, he thought about her fears, and hoped that she was doing well at work by herself.

"Oh Bones, I hope you're okay."