This is the next to last chapter on this one. The response has been fabulous and I thank everyone who has taken the time to read this story as it has progressed and also those who have taken the time to offer any reviews. Gregg.
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Sweets sat down at the dreaded console and put the headset on. His hair was just now growing back in splotches, but the doctors told him that he would grow it all back in the very near future. At least his eyebrows were now back. Strangely enough, though, he was extremely skittish around any kind of flames. He'd have to monitor himself to make sure he wasn't developing any kind of complex over the issue of fire. Reaching over, he pressed the connect button and Booth's face appeared on the screen.
"Hey, Sweets!" Booth said with a wide smile. "The hair's looking good! It should be back in no time!"
"My hair looks horrible, Booth," Sweets deadpanned.
"Nah, it just gives you a distinctive look," Booth joked. He really did feel for Sweets, but the boy had a mission to accomplish and he'd done what was necessary, accident or not. He himself had taken a bullet for Bones, after all, and you didn't hear him complaining, did you? Nope. Sweets was going to have to learn on his own that the important things in this world required sacrifice.
"Is there a point to all this, Booth, or have I done something wrong again?" Sweets asked. "After all we fly out of here tomorrow for DC."
"Actually, Sweets, I have a small little gift for you," Booth told him.
"Uh, oh," Sweets said immediately. This didn't sound good at all. There were only three people in the world that Booth gave gifts to on a whim, and he wasn't one of them. There had to be a catch.
"Hey, this is a nice gift," Booth protested. "I spent the money and had your tickets upgraded to first class."
"Excuse me?" Sweets almost swallowed his tongue. "You upgraded me and Daisy's seats to First Class?"
"What? Hell no! The hyped up Energizer Bunny can take care of her own seats! I got the tickets for you," Booth told him.
"Booth, I was supposed to sit with Daisy," Sweets argued. "You know. My fiancée? I'd kind of like to keep that state of affairs intact."
"Oh no," Booth told him. "I've got something better for your trip home. In fact, if I didn't have to be here instead of there, I'd be jealous as Hell."
The light bulb in Sweets head went off and he groaned. "Oh, nooo...," he drawled. "You mean..."
"Yep! You get the best seat in the house. Right next to Bones!" Booth revealed. He raised his hand before sweets could say anything. "Now don't thank me yet, because it comes with a job, Sweets."
"Uh, huh," Sweets moaned.
"You are to make sure that no one, especially any handsome men, or any man in general, strikes up a conversation with her on the flight home," Booth ordered. "That also includes at the airports in between flights and everything."
"But Daisy was wanting to join the Mile High Club!" Sweets protested vehemently. He was finally getting his Mojo back when it came to sex after the Viagra fiasco and now his plans for some fun on an international flight were going up in smoke!
"Thank you very much for that thoroughly nauseating image, Sweets!" Booth ground out from between clenched teeth.
"Booth, I have spent the last twelve months in Hell, and in that time I almost died from a raging hard on and had most of the hair on my body scorched off when a tiki torch fell on me," Sweets spelled out. "Dr. Brennan has remained celibate, and that is what you asked me to make sure of. When will it be my chance to actually have some fun?"
"Until Bones is back in DC safe and sound in Daddy's waiting arms, you're still on duty, Sweets," Booth let him know.
"You do realize that that could be pretty open ended if she isn't ready to actually be IN Daddy's arms, don't you?" Sweets asked, now very worried that his year of Hell was only getting started given the track record of those two and their feelings for one another.
"Hey now, none of that pessimistic BS, Sweets," Booth warned. "You should be thanking me. I get you away from the Energizer Bunny for the day and you get to sit next to an awesome traveling companion instead."
"You'll forgive me if I think that joining the Mile High Club is just a bit better than sitting next to Dr. Brennan on the long flight home," Sweets said sarcastically with a light smirk.
"Sweets, I told you talk like that makes me nauseous and I just had lunch, so shut up," Booth ordered with a glare. "The Mile High Club will have to wait until your next trip with Daisy. Now here are the ground rules while you're sitting next to Daddy's girl on the way home."
Sweets didn't mention the nightmare he could create for Booth if he simply let slip the rather possessive manner in which Booth was talking about Dr. Brennan. He figured that sooner or later the man would slip up and Dr. Brennan would mete out the appropriate punishment, though hopefully in the context of a strong relationship between the two and not the 'just partners' nonsense that currently reigned supreme. He got back to listening to Booth.
"First, talk up Daddy every chance you get," Booth directed. "No hero bullshit, just what a great guy I am and how fabulous it will be to have me back around again. I need to make sure that her attention is focused on what's important and not wandering in hopes of finding some willing schmuck to relieve urges with. Second, no psychobabble crap. Bones doesn't believe in it to begin with, and the absolute last thing I need when I see her and make the grand move is to have to talk her down from a tirade against all things related to psychology. Third, no talk about sex in any way whatsoever. If she brings the subject up do your damnedest to get the subject back to a more appropriate one, unless, of course she is talking about sex with me and in that case you do your best to convince her that being with Daddy is the real deal. Fourth, lay off the booze. You have a mission to accomplish, and hitting the sauce during said mission is a definite no no."
"Is it too late to ask for a transfer?" Sweets asked half seriously.
"Way too late," Booth said in a firm tone. "Buck up, Sweets. We're in the home stretch here."
"Joy," Sweets muttered.
"Okay, gotta go, Sweets," Booth said with a grin. "Remember the rules and what will happen if Daddy's girl gloms onto someone else to satisfy urges. See you in a few days, Sweets!"
The next day Sweets made himself comfortable in the First Class seat right next to Dr. Brennan. As he'd suspected, Daisy had been less than thrilled with the new seating arrangement. In fact she'd threatened rip the airline desk guys balls off if she didn't have her Lancelot sitting next to her on the flight home. Only when it was apparent that the flights were booked solid and no changes could be made had she settled down, but glared at Sweets the entire time as if it was his fault somehow. He'd thought that perhaps he'd escaped the nightmare when the plane took off and Dr. Brennan was reading a massive tome that looked daunting even to him with his very educated mind and vocabulary. But it wasn't to be. That's when Dr. Brennan spoke up.
"Dr. Sweets," she said in a formal manner.
Sweets almost gulped audibly. Whenever she called him "Dr. Sweets" it was usually when he had screwed up somehow. "Yes, Dr. Brennan?" he managed to say in a normal voice.
"I know what you and Booth have been up to this past 12 months, and I must say that I am not pleased," she began.
"Oh, crap," Sweets muttered.
"I know all about your so called assignment to make sure I remained celibate during this entire year on Maluku," she continued. "I also know all about the satellite conversations, and in fact listened in on most of them."
"You did?" Sweets squeaked out. The sweat was now rolling off of him.
"Yes, I did," she replied. "I believe it is time we have a lengthy discussion about the proper ethical roles that professionals have, and how you have seemingly ignored your professional ethics when it comes to myself and my personal life. Of course, I had no intention of breaking my self-imposed celibacy this past year, as I have spent the time pondering how to make amends for the dreadful mistake of rejecting Booth 13 months ago, but that does not excuse direct interference in my personal life."
"Just how long will this conversation take?" Sweets asked.
"I believe the entire trip home to DC should allow us enough time to cover the essentials in sufficient detail," Brennan told him.
If he had one, Sweets would have put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. He was finally leaving the Island of Hell as he now dubbed Maluku, and his Hell was continuing! On the entire flight home! He was going to definitely make sure Daddy paid for this one!
"Shall we begin?" Brennan asked politely, though the steel in her voice would brook no contradiction.
"Sure," Sweets groaned and slid down in his seat.
"Sit up straight, Sweets!" Brennan ordered. "You're not a little boy!"
Yep. He was STILL in Hell.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this little addition. Only one more chapter to go and this story will be complete. Thank you again for all the great reviews and comments. Gregg.