7.
Still don't own Bones. I was being a little silly in the beginning here. I have to have fun sometimes.
Booth catches up to the kid, finds out the kid choose the gang over Sweets help. Sweets wakes up in colossal pain. Booth figures out the gang is still after Sweets since he can ID them.
"Dr. Lance Sweets, a profiler with the Federal Bureau of Investigation died last night at 2 a.m. after injuries sustained in an attack by gang violence. Dr. Sweets leave behind no family." Caroline Julian read out loud. "That's what you want it to say Booth?"
"Yeah. I know this isn't going to last long but it will buy us some time." He said pacing the halls.
"Who knows he's alive, besides us?" Caroline asked.
"The cops from last night, I told them as far as anyone know Sweets is dead." Booth said it then cringed inwardly at it. He didn't like saying that sentence, even if it was just for a cover up. "Otherwise it's just us and the hospital staff. They understand the protocol. Right now Sweets is under another name, Francis Daley."
"Francis? Really? I thought you liked Sweets." Caroline asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I do."
"Really, then why Francis?" Caroline asked, eyebrow still arched.
"Well it was that or John." Booth said shrugging his shoulders.
"Alright, I'll get this out there but you'd better tell the FBI or they'll be cleaning out Sweets desk. And then you'll have to answer to Sweets for a lot more than why you put him under the name Francis." Caroline said leaving.
"Hey Booth." Brennan said walking in with a bag.
"Hey Bones." Booth said kissing his wife. "I was going to be back home but…"
"I know you wanted to stay Booth." She said, a gentle smile on her face that suggested she wasn't going to implore for more. "Christine is at daycare. I stayed at Max's last night. How is Sweets this morning?"
Booth opened the bag with delight and searched for a nearby restroom.
"He was sleeping so far this morning. I stepped out to talk to Caroline. You got the plan right?"
"Yes. When will you be going to interrogate the suspect?" Brennan asked.
Booth was scanning the halls to locate a restroom. "This morning, soon as an agent shows up to take my place."
"Well I think you should go, I can stay until an agent arrives." Brennan said and at first Booth was reluctant to agree but he knew that Brennan would have little issue with shooting anyone who came to cause harm.
"Okay Bones. I'll be back soon." Booth said kissing her goodbye when his phone rang.
He paused and listened, his features changing slightly as Brennan watched them. Booth confirmed what he had heard on the phone and hung up.
"What is it?" Brennan asked, it couldn't be good news based on what she had seen.
"The kid, Barry, he was found dead this morning." Booth said and Brennan nodded, a mix of emotions flowing around her. "The gang got his cracked up mom to come and vouch for him. Brides and Stalcup found him about a block from where we found Sweets last night."
Brennan wasn't sure if she should say she was sorry to hear it, because the anger in her wasn't sure she was.
"He should have let Sweets help him." She said instead.
"I know Bones." Booth said. "All this stuff, with Barry and picking that gang, it makes me realize how much Sweets needs a family. And you know we're all not perfect, Hodgins is weird with the bugs, and Angela, she hates me half the time, Cam is a little stiff sometimes but…"
"I know Booth." She said knowing what he was trying to say. "We're all a little broken but better when we're all together."
Booth smiled at her candor as he left to quickly change clothes but then he had someone's ass to ream.
Brennan gently pushed the door to Sweets room open. She was taken aback when she saw his eyes open and looking around.
"Dr. Sweets, you're awake." She said and then chastised herself for it. Of course he was awake, she knew that. She had been feeling a bit off since hearing that Sweets was in critical condition and hadn't been reacting as rationally as usual. She cleared her throat as though it would help reset her focus.
"What is I mean is, how are you feeling?" Brennan asked coming closer.
Sweets seemed reluctant to move even the slightest inch. He was lying a bit crooked on the bed, presumably from his restless sleeping the night before and his involuntary movements while he slept. He was now partially elevated on the bed to help with his breathing but squished to one side. Brennan's neck hurt just looking at him.
"Perhaps I can help you." Brennan said reaching forward but stopped when Sweets eyes widened with terror.
"Sweets, it's fine it's just me." Brennan said. "Can you see me okay?" She asked as Sweets eyes relaxed some. His eyes were surrounded in bruises and she had a genuine concern if his vision was intact.
"Yes. I can see you." Sweets said in a grovely whisper.
"Good, I was concerned there was damage to the orbital…" Brennan stopped as Sweets looked away. He wasn't interested in what she was about to say.
"Would you like me to get the doctors to help move you? You look quite uncomfortable." Brennan said sitting down so that they were eye to eye.
Sweets didn't answer.
"Are you in any pain? I know last night you were…" Brennan said until Sweets interrupted her.
"You were right." He said in a voice that hardly sounded like him. "I am stupid."
Brennan sat back, she had no idea Sweets could hear her last night. She felt bad for saying what she had, despite it was in a different context.
"Sweets, what I said last night, I was angry to see you so hurt." Brennan began.
Sweets seemed to not be listening to her apology, his mind elsewhere.
"Psychology is a waste of time, you were right, it's stupid."
Brennan realized Sweets wasn't referencing her comment last night that actually had nothing to do with her usual comments. This was about all the comments she had made in the many years she had known Sweets. Maybe at one time would she have seen this as a triumph and a chance for Sweets to put his intellect to something more useful. But now she knew it was for all the wrong reasons but she wasn't the right one to do have this conversation. She knew Angela, maybe even Cam could help more than she.
"Sweets, I uh…" Brennan struggled for the words. "I'll get a doctor." She said leaving the room feeling a bit defeated.
Three cups of coffee and Booth felt only slightly energized. He was still heavily weighed down from the lack of sleep the night before. He was now jittery and angry as he headed to the interrogation room. He was stunned for a moment when he arrived at the door only to find a dozen agents at the door, agents who had worked with Sweets and were grateful for his help and expertise, eager to help interrogate the interrogation. Booth had to remember that as far as they all knew, Sweets funeral was being planned.
"Thanks guys, but let me have a go first okay?" Booth said.
They stood back and gave Booth space knowing how closely the two agents had worked together, the friendship they had forged.
"Brian Robinson." Booth said sitting at the table with a folder in his hands. "Or what's that cute little name you have, Pretty Dog or something?"
Booth was playing to irritate the guy as much as possible and it seemed to be working though he kept his cool.
"It's D-Dog man, D-Dog." He said it slow as though Booth was slow to catch on.
"Right, so Brian, I see you are a member of South East 8. That been going on long?"
"I don't know what you are talking about man." D-Dog said sitting back confidently.
"Yeah, well you can skip the lack of association. We all know you are. And you're, well, goody, you're 19 so we can prosecute you for the murder of an FBI agent to the fullest extent. Good thing I'm good friend with the prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's office. She's also very fond of the man you killed last night."
"Man, I don't know who you're talking about. I was at home last night."
"Yeah and what were you doing last night?"
"Oh, I was just playing some video games. I got some people who can vouch for me." He said smiling. Booth knew about 7 other people who came to mind.
"Thing is Brian, we can link you to that crime. It also seems another member of your gang turned up this morning, Barry Jones, know him?"
"I knew him." Brian said. Booth could tell he was busting at the seams to gloat. "Yeah that kid, he wanted in with some of the guys but he messed some shit up man."
"So why did he die?" Booth asked.
"He had a job to do man, he couldn't do it. But," DJ-D said stretching. "Not everyone can do what's needed and others need to know it."
"Who shot him?"
"He was shot?" DJ-D asked in an all too unconvincing tone. "I had no idea. Not the style of anyone I know."
"I would imagine someone would want it to look that way."
"Look man, all sorts of crazy stuff goes on at night."
"Why don't you give me the names of your associates and maybe you don't get the death penalty." Booth suggested after looking at something on his phone briefly.
"Man, I don't think I need to do that. In fact, I think it's time for me to get going." DJ-D said standing up.
"Sit down!" Booth instructed the punk.
DJ-D said putting his hands up and laughing. "Okay, okay man, don't get so upset."
Booth motioned for someone to come in. One of the other agents narrowed his eyes as he looked down at DJ-D. He tossed a bat ensconced in a plastic bag on the table and left.
"Found this an hour or so ago. At your place. Funny thing, your finger prints are right here." Booth said pointing. "And this blood stain here, well that belongs my good friend."
"Man I think someone borrowed it. I can't remember where I put everything." DJ-D said, still unrattled.
"Well it's enough to hold you for now." Booth said getting up. "We might find a couple more friends who might be willing to remember where you were last night."
"Implicate one, implicate all." DJ-D said still smiling. He knew by ratting him out they'd get evidence they were all there.
Booth walked out of the interrogation room tired, exhausted and not feeling any farther than he was a few moments before. That changed when a group of suits closed in on him.
"Agent Booth!" Agent Landry said approaching. "We got a call, they found cocaine there as well as an arsenal of weapons, all with his finger prints on them."
"Well we can go ahead and charge him on drug and arms trafficking then." Booth said glad they had something more concrete to hold him on. Possession of the bat wasn't going to be enough without Sweets having to ID him. If Sweets did, the price would be back on his head again. Booth wanted to keep Sweets out of it as long as possible so they could round up the rest of the gang as well. All without anyone knowing Sweets was alive.
"We need to get something on the rest of them." Booth said. "We need to get the other 7 of them."
The dozen agents from earlier had multiplied. Booth hadn't realized until now how many people Sweets worked with, and how well they thought of him. He almost felt bad lying to them about Sweets being dead but Booth knew for one they would understand later and two, it was still a grave possibility.
"We're on it Agent Booth." The group promised using one phrase or another as they left. Booth felt a slight sense of relief having help on the case, now he could go and visit Sweets again. Still, he wanted to take the bat by the Jeffersonian first, he wanted them to take a look, maybe Hodgins could find some weird infestation that would solve the case.
"Landry!" Booth shouted and Junior Agent Landry came running like a faithful pup.
"Yes Agent Booth?"
"I need you to take that bat to the Jeffersonian okay? They should also have Sweets clothes there too. Don't leave them with anyone, take them straight to Dr. Hodgins. I'm going to tell them you're bringing them to him."
"You think they can find something to link them to Dr. Sweets?"
"I hope so." Booth said with a yawn and was then distracted by his ringing cell phone. "I don't want Sweets to have to testify."
"Testify?" Landry asked and immediately Booth realized in his drowsiness he slipped up. "Is, is Dr. Sweets…"
"Shhhhh!" Booth said looking around. "Alright, yeah, he is but keep quiet okay?"
Booth could see how relieved the junior agent was.
"I'm just so glad Agent Booth. Dr. Sweets, he really helped me. I was a little too…"
"Yeah, I got it." Booth said not wanting a full back ground. "Now take that to the Jeffersonian and just keep that quiet okay?"
"Yes, yes sir!" The agent promised as he bounced away.
Booth returned his missing call.
"Hey Bones. What's wrong? How long ago? Stay there. I'm on my way."