Chapter 3.

Booth suggested they take his vehicle which Emma didn't argue with since she didn't have one. She was happy not to mention why. If he did ask she was just going to say that she preferred to ride the subway because it was ecofriendly. Yep, that's what it is she said sarcastically to herself.

"Crap, I almost forgot, I have to stop at the store. I'm supposed to have picked up some stuff for Bones. That's my wife." Booth said changing lanes when something occurred to him. "Her name isn't really Bones, it's Brennan, well, it's Dr. Temperance Brennan. She's uh…"

"An anthropologist at the Jeffersonian."

"Oh, you know?" Booth asked surprised.

"I was briefed on where Dr. Sweets spends most of his time. I was told about his work with the Jeffersonian, as well as having access to his notes and records."

"Oh, what's in those?" Booth asked defensive what Sweets may have written about him.

"That's all classified Agent Booth, if I told you I would lose my job, and I need this job."

"Of course, sorry. I didn't mean…"

"There's nothing to worry about agent Booth." Booth realized she wasn't replying in regards to the apology and he smiled at her tact.

They arrived at the store and Booth began to get out.

"I'll be right back." He said.

"I'll go, I'd like to get something as well." Emma said remembering she had worked thru lunch but past dinner was going to be too late to not eat.

Booth left in the direction of baby supplies and Emma found a prepackaged sandwich. She was still waiting so she went by the cards and picked out a humorous get well card. While still waiting she went by the magazines and found a selection of puzzles. She found a couple books that she found amusing and took them to the check out and soon located agent Booth who was ready to go.

Emma noticed when they got nearer to Dr. Sweets hospital room that agent Booth had gotten considerably more quiet and tense.

When they arrived at Sweets' room he was asleep. Booth seemed irritated that he had missed something.

"I'll be back in a minute." Booth said and left looking for someone. Emma stood awkwardly in the room by herself with the man she hadn't met. Curiosity drew her closer to the bed and she took a look at Dr. Sweets.

She grinned at the fact he really was as young and as boyish looking as she had heard. Her grin faded however at the sadness that came from him. Though he was asleep he emanated a sort of desolation that made her sad. He still looked tired and thinner than she thought a person should be.

She took the two puzzle books out of her purse, the advanced puzzle and the Star Wars genius puzzle book and sat them on the table. She looked at the card but felt strange leaving a card for someone she didn't really know. She still thought the card was funny and a witty card she thought so she left it unsigned with the books. She was walking away when Booth came in.

"Oh, sorry to leave you, I wanted to find the doctor, I had expected him to call me earlier and he didn't."

"Is everything okay?" Emma asked trying to read Booth's expression.

"I think so. I don't always understand all of the doctor lingo. They uh, ran some tests." Booth paused as he wondered if he should be sharing this but she knew just about everything about everyone at this point so he figured why not. "His scans all came back clear." Booth said with a smile but he still looked worried as he added, "he just needs to start getting better."

He looked back at Sweets who was still sleeping but not in a restful sleep. It was a rigid and tense sleep that made Booth breathe heavily. He snapped out of it remembering that Emma was with him.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to meet him tonight. He uh…"

"I'm glad I came." She said interrupting him to put him at ease. "I'll be happy to meet him again soon."

Booth dropped Emma back at the bureau and despite her objections of taking her to her car she insisted she had left something inside. The protector that lived inside Booth didn't like anyone walking to their cars late at night but was pacified when she assured him she would ask a guard to escort her.

The next day everyone was still on a veritable high that Sweets tests had come back normal. Booth awaited news when Sweets could leave the hospital. Sweets told the doctors he promised to eat more if he could go home. The team agreed that without the threat of a brain injury Sweets would be better to leave for home. The doctors felt secure in the assessment that the poor nutrition and blood loss combined with the lack of sleep and good diet before the incident had caused the lack of lucidity.

The team continued about their day more relaxed that the news was good and was going to improve, despite their concerns about Sweets attitude.

Booth didn't know if anyone had told Emma the news. It would somewhat impact her work and the possible date of Sweets return but he got a feeling she was the type of person who was genuinely concerned about the people around her.

When he arrived at her desk she was absent. He came around from the front to leave her a note on a pad when his attention was drawn to an email on the screen.

"I regretfully inform you of my decision to sever this affiliation. The partnership was not the as amicable as I had…"

The words stopped there and Booth felt angry that she was leaving this job after only a couple of days. He heard footsteps returning down the hall and he abandoned the notepad figuring the news of Sweets health wasn't important to share with her anymore.

"Agent Booth?" Emma asked before he could be out of sight.

"Oh, hello Emma." He said as though he were surprised. "I was just stopping by, but I, uh have to go." He said obviously tripping over his words. Emma noticed he didn't look at her and that he was acting completely different from the night before.

"Agent Booth." She said stopping him. "I might be over stepping here, but is something wrong? I mean I'm not a profiler or psychologist like…" She motioned with her big blue eyes to Sweets office. "But it seems like…"

"No, it's nothing." Booth said still not looking at her while she walked to her desk. He was walking away slowly when she called to him again.

"Agent Booth, is it this email?" Emma didn't want to talk about it but she hated when people were unhappy about something.

"Look it's none of my business, I didn't mean to read it." Booth said somewhat irritated. "I was leaving you a note and I just, I thought you and Sweets would have worked well, and he would have relaxed a little knowing he had some help…"

"This email isn't about this job Agent Booth." She sighed and her happy nature seemed to fade for a moment. "I know it reads strangely, but it was on the advice of my lawyer, my divorce lawyer."

Slowly Booth nodded in understanding.

"I really don't want to talk about it." She said and looked at him with eyes pleading to drop it.

"I'm glad you're staying." He added. "Sweets can really use the help."