13.

Hope this is still working. It's much more involved and longer than I originally imagined and am constantly concerned this is really getting away.

The group heads back to the Jeffersonian and at this point even Sweets' inner doctor self is figuring out that things are bad despite his efforts to ignore every important sign. The team discusses what to do with Sweets while Sweets discovers he is an active case at the Jeffersonian and the reason being the gang is still looking for him. His desire to not remember anything about that night is forced when he comes upon his clothes in evidence and the video rendering of his near life ending beating.

Sweets reached for his pocket and holding the prescription bottle to his lips took an unknown amount of them, his attention fixed on the images on the screen. He knew he had watched the depiction more than six times but he couldn't swear it was under a dozen. Every time the two minutes ran out he started it over, and each time it came back clearer than the last time. Each virtual strike reminded him too acutely how much every bone and muscle burned and stung with agony, in present time.

"Oh God." Angela said as they approached the room, stopping to place her hand over her mouth as she watched Sweets sit with his back to them, engrossed not in a Star Wars flick but in her computer rendering. Sweets had yet to notice them.

Booth stepped ahead of them and motioned for them to give them a moment. They obliged but only a few feet, they felt a need to be close still.

Booth slipped in the room and peered at the near empty prescription bottle in Sweets hand. It was a full bottle they picked up less than 24 hours ago, further deepening the crease in his forehead.

Booth tried to gently clear his throat but Sweets' connection to the images on the screen were intense. Booth put his hand on Sweets' forearm causing Sweets to turn to him, breaking the gaze.

"Agent Booth." Sweets said in a dry voice. "I was uh…" Sweets looked at the prescription bottle with an embarrassment and put the lid on it. We went to put it in his pocket when Booth took it out of his hand.

"You know we need to talk right?" Booth asked and Sweets looked away rubbing his forehead.

"You never want to talk, what's changed?" Sweets asked sarcastically.

"You've changed dummy."

Booth couldn't stand the images on the screen replaying and hit pause after a few irritated tries and fails.

"Look at you! You look like hell, you don't eat, you're eating pills like they're damn candy, you're up, you're down, you obviously can't use your hands and you're hiding all of this from the people who care about you. I think you know how cruel and damn small this world can be Sweets - don't shut these people out." Booth's voice had gone from angry to yielding at the end.

"It's not your burden, I can handle this." Sweets said, garbled as Sweets had a funny taste in his mouth.

"Sweets I don't think you can even make it to the car on your own right now, let alone to the doorway." Booth challenged him.

Sweets felt angry and hot. The room felt a little strange like it was becoming a Tilt-a-Wheel he hadn't planned on riding. He had a feeling he must have been swaying as well or Booth wouldn't have challenged him.

Still, he was filled with pride. "No, no I'm fine, just give me the, uh, the pills back and I'll go back to work or wherever I'm supposed to go."

Sweets genuinely couldn't remember what he was supposed to be doing, was he going somewhere? Did they have a case? Was the day over?

"Sweets I think we should go back to the hospital, a doctor at least."

Booth's suggestion caused Sweets to stand up and shake his head.

"No, I'm fine Booth." Sweets said though the crowd outside the door was about as convinced as someone trying to sell them a live wire. "I just need my pills and I'll be fine."

Oh Jesus Booth thought to himself Sweets is turning into a junkie. He looked at the emaciated, shaky, confused, swaying man standing in front of him reaching out for the bottle of pills. It killed him to see Sweets like this and he knew he had to stop the kid before he started begging for them.

"Sweets," Booth began calmly inching towards Sweets. Sweets was near the corner of the room, taking on the look of a caged animal. "Sweets listen to me. How about we go someplace and we get you different pills, better pills."

Booth knew that merely forcing Sweets to the doctor wasn't going to work. But apparently Sweets saw thru this plan as well.

"Forget it Booth." Sweets said turning towards the door. "I'll get it myself."

He didn't get far as the rest of them had moved in, trapping him in, installing a wild and ambushed look on Sweets face.

"No, you don't get to do this crap!" Sweets yelled. It took everything Angela could muster not to break out in tears. She held her resolve. Sweets was about to try a "hey look over there" approach and run when they collectively moved closer making a direct escape possible.

"Sweets we care…" Cam began when Sweets slapped her in the face.

Five eyes widened as large as their sockets would hold them and Sweets took the pause to rush past them. Booth's face was a mass of emotions as he chased after the doctor, nearing the doors when Booth pulled on Sweets jacket pulling Sweets to the floor. Sweets barked a deep cry as he fell, the crack muffled under the scuffle.

The wrestle was no contest, Booth may as well have been struggling with a handkerchief. Still Sweets lay on the floor and reached his broken fingers up towards Booth's breast pocket where the pills lie. Booth's eyes enlarged in disbelief, seeing how badly Sweets still wanted them.

"Here!" Booth said letting Sweets go to crash back on the floor and took the pills out and threw the bottle at him. "You just hit one of the people who cares most about you and you want your damn pills!"

Sweets rolled to his side and struggled to open the bottle as the rest of the group encircled them.

"Oh crap Booth, he might actually need it." Angela said upon seeing Sweets leg from the knee twisted in an unnatural position.

Cam and Brennan having forgotten the slap immediately looked at it while Angela pried the bottle from Sweets hand. It wasn't too difficult but Sweets still tried to get away. Hodgins held him down by the shoulder while Booth looked down at the scene, running his hands thru his hair. He hadn't heard the crack until he thought back to it. Shit, I was angry, I didn't mean to, I just wanted to stop him, shit, shit, shit. He repeated over and over to himself.

"The fibula may be broken." Brennan said moving her hand over it. "Or at least a fracture to the tibia."

"I didn't mean to pull that hard." Booth said still in a subdued panic mode.

"I would say that the other injuries and Dr. Sweets weakened health had more to do with it." Cam said examining him as well. "Someone of his age and normal health should not have even more than a bruise from that."

"We need to get him medical treatment to set this." Brennan said.

"I'll get the car. It's faster than an ambulance." Booth said anxious to leave and be helpful, not hurtful.

"Okay, let's get him to do door." Brennan said and they collectively began to scoop Sweets off the floor, the violence of before forgotten as the current situation superseded it. As they raised gather up Sweets however he sucked in air exhibiting signs of great pain.

"Hodgins!" Angela nagged.

"What?! I'm not doing anything, I don't even have the keg, I'm carry his shoulders." Hodgins said defensively.

"Wait." Cam said and they sat Sweets back on the ground. With deft fingers she moved her hands across Sweets chest and every light touch caused a wince to a near yelp in pain. Brennan followed suit and checked him as well with similar results.

Brennan's eyes widened, "Dr. Sweets is not taking the pain killers because of an addiction, he is truly in constant pain."

"Let's go." Hodgins said now anxious to get Sweets help. "Sweets it's gonna hurt but we gotta move you."

Sweets seems practically unresponsive at this point as they neared the door. Angela put her fingers on Sweets neck.

"Guys, his pulse is pretty erratic." She announced.

"It's the pills in his system." Cam announced. "Dammit, we should have acted sooner."

Booth pulled his SUV to the doors and together they put Sweets in the back seat. Booth cringed as he had seen this play out only a month before.

"It's getting late, I think the doctor is out." Booth suggested shutting the door.

"I think the hospital is going to be the best." Brennan said getting in the front door.

"County is nearest." Booth announced and he left for the driver's seat.

The other three left in the direction of their own vehicle.

"Yeah man I lost them at a light after they left that diner." Tinker said in the cell. "How they hell do I know where they are? I'm heading home. I'm hungry."

"You ain't gonna be hungry when that guy ID's you, he's back at work, he probably spent the day going all sorts of evidence. The longer we wait the more screwed we are." Big-D, shouted. "DJ-D is still in the clink man, the only way we're getting him out is if that guy doesn't testify, or we'll all gonna be jail birds."

"Hey!" The driver behind the wheel announced to his hefty passenger Tinker. "Aint' that the SUV?"

"We're on it man." Tinker said hanging up.

Booth was almost to the onramp when a black Lincoln pulled up in front of him and slammed on his breaks, another car stopping by Brennan, the man quickly exiting pointing his gun at her head.

Booth was stunned, unable to do anything and risk Brennan being shot.

"Unlock the doors man." Tinker shouted. He knew this was a bold move and one he would be legendary for. "We don't want you or the lady, but what's in the back seat, I know he rides around with you everywhere man, I know he's back there."

"No." Booth mouthed to the punk.

Abruptly the back door opened on its own and they all turned to see Sweets roll out of the car on the ground having let himself out. Unable to stand or do anything on his own he merely crumpled to the ground.

Tinker approached Sweets as the other three kept their guns trained on Booth and Brennan, powerless to do anything but watch Sweets be dragged across the pavement and thrown in the trunk of the Lincoln. After it was far away the other car and driver gunman left as well in a different direction.