Thank you Kareneb for your review. I hope this chapter is as good as the last one. I try to weave the episodes in and out of each other, so I hope that still is working for this chapter. I'm enjoying writing more about their personal lives than just about work, work, work like the show did.

"How could you forget we were meeting Sweets?" Brennan asked as they made their way to his office.

"Forgive me, I was busy," Booth said. "After you." He held the door open for her.

"Ah, hello!" Sweets said. "Punctual as usual."

"Yea. Can we just get down to it?" Booth asked.

"Sure. If by get down you mean dig into the roots of your relationship with Dr. Brennan," Sweets replied. Booth coughed. Brennan shot him a dagger look.

"Am I missing something here?" Sweets asked.

"Nope. Just had a tickle in my throat, that's all," Booth said. They had just come from his place from having sex when they remembered their appointment. He wondered if Sweets could tell. He didn't appreciate the scrutinizing look Sweets was giving them. He started wiggling his leg anxiously while Sweets droned on about nothing. After a while, Brennan couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop!" she commanded.

"Look, you can't just dismiss this stuff...it's hundreds of years of psychological research," Sweets argued.

"I'm not talking to you, and I wasn't even listening anyway," she said. She grabbed Booth's knee to make it stop bouncing, and when he started the other leg, she grabbed it too.

"What?" he asked.

"You've been doing that since we started," she said. "You should have noticed that, Sweets."

"Well..." Sweets said, flustered. "I imagine he's just anxious to leave like always."

"No, I just really want the chair," Booth said, remembering suddenly.

"The chair?" both Sweets and Brennan asked.

"Yea. THE chair," he answered. "It's an amazing chair, and I want it. Hey, Bones, think you can write me a note?"

"No," Brennan said, outraged. "You will not abuse my position as a doctor to get a stupid chair. Besides, I'm not even a medical doctor."

"It's not stupid. It's the best chair there is," Booth argued.

"So it's a throne," Brennan said.

"No! It's back support..." His phone rang then, and he answered it quickly.

"Agent Booth we are in session..." Sweets trailed off when Booth ignored him.

"We got a case!" Booth exclaimed. Brennan jumped up with him. "See ya later, Sweets!"

Sweets sighed in frustration after they were gone. How were they ever going to have a break through if they kept ditching therapy?

Later

"What is with Mr. Depression?" Booth asked, referring to Fisher. They were on their way to talk with the coworkers of the woman who died, Patty.

"I'm not sure. I find his work to be efficient, but his drivel gets on my nerves," Brennan replied.

"He should take some Prozac," Booth muttered.

"He already is," Brennan told him. "So, Cam's really helping you get the chair?"

"Mmhmm," Booth grinned.

"Why is it so important to you again?" Brennan asked.

"Are you kidding? It's the best chair in the office. Do I need to explain it to you again?"

"Clearly because I'm not getting it," Brennan replied.

"Well, another time cos we're here," Booth said, approaching the woman at the front desk who was answering the phone as fast as she could and putting the people on the line on hold even faster. She stopped when Booth held up his badge.

"Has this woman come into work today?" Booth asked, holding up Patty's picture.

"Patty? Oh my God! It was Patty?! Chip! It was Patty!" she shrieked, clutching her collar and looking sick.

"All right settle down," Booth said. "Don't get everyone excited." It was too late for that. By the time Booth and Brennan got to Patty's desk, the whole office knew.

"Really hate these cubicles," Booth muttered. "I'd feel like a caged animal if I had to work like this."

"People adapt," Brennan murmured, going through Patty's stuff. "I'll need her computer for Angela."

"Yup. Yo!" Booth signaled Gary, who was helping them. He agreed to help with whatever they needed. They also tracked down Ted, who had smoked the joint they had found by the elevator shaft. Booth took him in for further questioning. Brennan went back to the lab. She was looking at bone fragments on her computer when Angela walked in.

"I don't know how to act around Hodgins," she said, sitting down with a sigh.

"I said it before, I can fire him," Brennan replied. "I don't know what else to do."

"It's sweet of you to keep offering, but no, I couldn't do that to him," Angela said.

"I'm not much help in this area," Brennan commented. She looked at Angela a little sadly.

"It's okay, sweetie. You are helping in your own, quirky way," Angela smiled. "But I should go now."

"Oh. Okay." Brennan watched Angela leave while giving Brennan the thumbs up to her. She never understood what that meant anyway. She went back to her work.

Zack

Zack was at the Royal Diner when he ran into Sweets. He had intentionally turned the opposite way so as to avoid him, but Sweets still saw him.

"Zack! My man," Sweets called, sitting down across from him.

"Hi," Zack said reluctantly.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay."

"I bet you miss the lab, huh?" Sweets asked.

"Of course. It's my life," Zack replied.

"Interesting. How do you feel when someone belittles your life's work?"

"I don't know what you mean," Zack said.

"You know, like they put your work down or disrespect you. Does that happen to you?" Sweets wondered.

"Only Booth does that," Zack told him. "Everyone else respects what I do."

"And how do you deal with that?"

"I ignore it. Why all the questions?" Zack asked him. Sweets blew air out between his lips.

"I'm just...you know, tired of being...dismissed. By Booth...and Dr. Brennan! They don't believe in what I do, yet I've spent years getting to where I am. I was the smartest person in my whole public school. I graduated super early, and you know what? I was the top of my class in my field," Sweets went on.

"Okay," Zack said, unsure of what else to say.

"I'm just sick of it, man! God! Why can't they accept that I know what the hell I'm doing?!" Sweets practically shouted. People shot a few glances their way. Zack was cringing on the inside.

"Booth doesn't like people being smarter than him," Zack offered, trying to make Sweets feel better. "He is intimidated by it. Dr. Brennan just doesn't believe in psychology itself, nothing against you. I wouldn't take it so personally, Dr. Sweets. It's just who they are."

"So you're just cool with Booth putting your work down and treating you the way he does?" Sweets asked.

"I have to. It's our relationship. I'm okay with it," Zack shrugged.

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely. If you don't mind, I really want to enjoy this sandwich now," Zack said, gesturing.

"Of course. Sorry, Zack, for interrupting," Sweets said, getting up to leave.

"I didn't say you had to leave. I just want quiet," Zack told him. Sweets hovered.

"Oh," he said. "Okay. I can be quiet." He sat back down and looked out the window while Zack ate. He felt a little touched by Zack's offer to stay. Maybe not everyone just dismissed him so quickly after all.

Two Weeks Later

"Are you still enjoying the chair?" Brennan asked. They were lying in her bed together on a Saturday morning. They were enjoying the moment of peace between murders.

"Oh, yea," Booth said, nodding. "It's epic." He felt his back twinge a little with pain from sitting in it, but he hid his grimace.

"Good," she said, snuggling into him further. She loved days like this where they could just stay in and do absolutely nothing.

"So Angela and Roxie," Booth said suddenly. Brennan laughed.

"I know. It was a shock to me too," she replied.

"Wow. Poor Hodgins," Booth said. "He must be feeling awkward right now."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. They've been apart for a while now," Brennan commented. Silence ensued.

"So, your birthday," Brennan started.

"Oh, no, don't do anything big or splashy. I'm actually planning on going to Hawaii," Booth said.

"Really?" Brennan asked.

"Yea. I need a holiday. So do you," he replied.

"Thanks, but I don't have time for a holiday right now," she said.

"Bones, I'm inviting you to Hawaii with me. You know, so we can act like a couple without hiding it?" Booth said.

"Oh. Ohhh," Brennan said, nodding. "I'd love that."

"Then it's a date," he smiled. She kissed him again. After they stopped, Booth remembered something.

"So, my brother is coming into town," Booth said, rubbing her arm with his fingers.

"Jared? I'd like to meet him," she responded.

"Oh, you will. He's...well, Jared," Booth finished.

"Why do you say it like that?" she asked.

"I dunno. He's just my brother Jared. That's all. Don't get sucked in," Booth warned her.

"Sucked in?" Brennan laughed. "How so?"

"He's charming. Let's just say that," Booth answered. He felt a little worried. After all, nobody knew of their relationship, so there was nothing stopping her from going out with him when he asked, and he knew Jared would ask.

"I'll keep that in mind," Brennan said, kissing him softly. Booth was reveling in this moment when his phone rang. He put a finger to her lips as a gesture to pause while he answered it.

"Booth."

Brennan continued to kiss his neck anyway, making him squirm.

"Yea. Ahh." He tried to duck out from under her while she pursued him.

"No, no, not busy," he said into the phone, giving her a look, which she promptly ignored. He covered the speaker and mouthed "stop it" at her, which she also ignored.

"Yes. I'll pick him up from school tonight and bring him home before bedtime. Yup. Thanks. Bye," Booth finished. He snapped his phone shut.

"You have Parker tonight?" Brennan asked.

"Yea. Next time would you not do that when I'm talking to Rebecca? She's very in-tuned to that type of thing," he told her.

"Oh all right," Brennan sighed.

"Now where were we?" Booth asked, rolling over on top of her, making her shriek with laughter.

The Next Day

"Please don't go with Jared to that thing," Booth said to her after Jared hung up the phone with them.

"How can I say no? We're not technically together, are we? To the others?" she prompted.

"Well, no, but still..."

"If I don't go, then they'll know," she said simply. "Jared will know."

"Maybe we should tell people then," Booth responded, gripping the steering wheel hard.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now," Brennan said. "Sweets will definitely look further into our partnership and maybe even split us up. You don't want Zack as your anthropologist, do you?"

"No. God, no," Booth answered quickly. "Okay, but just...be careful."

"I will," she promised.

Later

Brennan was still reeling from Jared kissing her that night. She had returned to the lab to do work as she couldn't sleep. She didn't want to face Booth either. He'd see it all over her. She had to lie to Jared and say Booth wouldn't take the risk when he actually had. She was mulling over the other things Jared had told her about Booth.

"Hey," Cam said, coming up to her. "You here all night?"

"I couldn't sleep," Brennan replied, not looking up from her work.

"I have some advice about Jared," Cam said. Brennan looked up at this.

"I'm listening."

"Good. He's trouble," Cam told her.

"That's it?"

"Yes..."

"Do not sleep with him," Angela said, joining them. "You can't. You can't sleep with a Booth without it being the real Booth."

"That's what I mean," Cam added, nodding. "Thank you for saying it for me, Angela."

"I didn't," Brennan said. "Why does me going on a date with Jared mean I'm going to sleep with him?"

"I don't know," Angela said. "But please just...don't."

"I won't," Brennan promised. They were standing there looking at her. "Can I get back to work now?"

"Yes, absolutely," Cam said. They left her in peace. Angela looked back at Brennan before turning the corner. She was worried about her friend.

Zack

"You know what sucks?" Hodgins asked, swigging his beer.

"Angela dating Roxie?" Zack asked back, having heard this before.

"Exactly! I mean, what the hell?! Did I make her a lesbian?" Hodgins asked.

"I don't think you can do that," Zack reasoned.

"Well, it was right after dating me! Am I that repulsive?" Hodgins demanded.

"Speaking as a male, I wouldn't know," Zack said.

"Right. God, it's just so...uugghh!" he cried. "I miss her so much. I can't believe she just moved on like that!"

"Hodgins, I think you have to let it go," Zack told him. "Getting angry about it won't fix things."

"Have you been talking to Sweets or something?" Hodgins asked. "You're sounding very psychology-y."

"We've had a few lunches," Zack replied carefully.

"So you're coming back to work next week, right?" Hodgins asked. "It'll be great having you back. Clark is driving me nuts. He is way too professional. He won't talk about anything personal!"

"Sounds like he's dedicated to his work," Zack pointed out.

"Zack! The guy is an emotional robot! He is all work, work, work and absolutely no play. You at least would play," Hodgins rambled. He had had one too many by now.

"I'm going to ignore that comment," Zack said. "I should freshen up for my return anyway."

"I seriously doubt you've forgotten how to do your job," Hodgins said sarcastically.

"It doesn't hurt to be on top of your game," Zack defended himself. He left Hodgins sitting there grumpy while he went up to his suite. The truth was he just needed to get away from him. Zack couldn't take the depression anymore. He had half a mind to speak to Angela the next time he saw her. He needed to practice what he was going to say.

Booth's Birthday

"I'm sorry," Brennan said, sitting down next to him. Everyone was at the Founding Fathers celebrating Booth's birthday. He had planned to go to Hawaii, but it all changed when he gave the credit to the State Police for the Rico Case. Brennan knew it was because he had saved Jared from getting a DUI.

"It's okay. I told you, he sucks people in," Booth said.

"No, I'm sorry that he tried to make me believe you were a loser," Brennan said. "When in fact, he's the loser. I pushed him off a stool the other day," she added.

"You what?" he asked.

"I pushed him off his stool at the bar," she repeated. "It felt really good. He was sitting there all pompous acting like he was the hero brother when I know it was you who bailed him out and lost your Rico case," Brennan said. "You need to stop bailing him out. If he has no consequences for his actions, he'll keep doing it."

"Bones, I appreciate where you're going with this," Booth said. "But we do things for family, right? Like you got your father off of a murder charge."

"Maybe, but I don't think he'll kill again," Brennan said. "Alcoholism is different. It's a disease..."

"Okay. I get it," Booth said, holding his hand up.

"Please just talk to him," Brennan begged. Booth sighed heavily. He looked over to Jared who was fawning over a woman and downing a glass of wine. He stood up.

"Thank you," Brennan said, squeezing his wrist. She watched Booth take Jared outside where they had a heated discussion.

"You told Bones I was a loser?" Booth asked angrily.

"Not in those words," Jared smirked.

"Look, you're the loser here, okay? You keep getting into shit then I have to bail you out, so you know what? That stops today. I am no longer bailing you out, Jared."

"Sure you will. You're the hero," Jared mocked.

"I mean it, Jared. I'm not saving you anymore," Booth warned.

"You know, Temperance is a great kisser," Jared said. "Did she tell you that? I told her you would never take such a risk like that." Booth wanted to punch him very badly in that moment. He had kissed Brennan? Why didn't she say anything?

"You don't know anything," Booth growled.

"Don't I? You're too scared to take that leap. I wasn't. End of story. Maybe I'll call her sometime," Jared joked.

"That's not funny. You can't just mess with her like that. She's...special," Booth finished.

"Nice speech. Save it for someone who cares," Jared said, downing his drink. Then Jared came back inside while Booth stayed outside, punching the side of a bus stop wall. Brennan met Cam's eyes, who nodded knowingly. Jared stopped in front of her.

"You picked the wrong Booth boy," he said.

"I don't know what that means," Brennan said.

"Sure you do," he said, passing her without another word. Brennan grabbed a piece of cake and went out to see Booth.

"At least you tried," Brennan said to him, passing it to him while sitting down beside him. He looked over at her, debating whether or not to confront her about Jared kissing her. She probably didn't ask for it or initiate it. Jared typically just did what Jared wanted. Booth knew Bones cared about him too much to hurt him. He hoped anyway.

"I just need some time," Booth said. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Okay," she nodded. He dug into his cake.

"My dad drank," he said suddenly. Brennan waited for more, but it didn't come. She left it at that. He had at least shared that much with her. She knew from Sweets that Booth and Jared were abused by their father. It broke her heart. For now, all she could do was wait for him to share it with her.

"Hey," she said suddenly. "I know we didn't get to go to Hawaii..."

"Don't remind me," Booth said.

"Sorry. Anyway, I have to go to China next week to help identify pre-historic anthropological remains. You wanna come with me?"

"China?" Booth asked.

"I know it's not Hawaii, but it's still going somewhere," she explained. Booth sat there for a moment thinking.

"All right," he nodded. "Let's do it. What could happen?"