ASC: I don't know if I like "new" characters but I'd like to see Sweets a) for once have a real story line instead of just standing around and agreeing with Booth and b) find someone who isn't annoying. So we'll see how this work out. Who knows. I don't even know!

Chapter 4.

"Good news Moody." Booth said walking into Sweets' room. Sweets gave him his usual new look of disdain and threw the book and pen he had on the table.

"Moody? Really?" Sweets asked. Booth was growing used to his sarcasm but at least his was back to talking despite the low and gravelly tone it now had.

"Well if you're not going to be Sweets, I'll call you Moody."

Sweets rolled his eyes and fidgeted in bed. Booth picked up the book Sweets had thrown down and flipped thru the pages.

"You finished the puzzle book?" He asked surprised.

"Yeah, I'm kinda bored!" Sweets said in his now usual mood. "I should say thanks for the book."

Booth noticed it wasn't actually a thank you. "I didn't get it for you." Booth added.

"Oh." Sweets said surprised. "Where did it come from?" This curbed his mood as curiousity took on.

"I don't know." Booth said putting it the advanced book back next to the genius puzzle. Booth didn't recognize most of the words in the crosswords and was reminded how smart Sweets was, despite his new constant foul mood.

"That reminds me." Booth said trying to get Sweets attention who was busy fussing with the sheets. The tension that emanated off Sweets was intense, he was becoming a caged animal despite the fact he still wasn't recovering all that well, perplexing the doctors despite the number of tests they ran on him.

"What reminds you of what?" Sweets asked giving up on finding a comfortable position.

"Your foul mood reminds me, you get to leave here."

Sweets immediately stopped what he was doing and stared at Booth for what seemed like forever.

"Sweets?" Booth asked. "Did you hear me?"

"Yeah." Sweets said in what could have been a shadow of a smile but the grumpy clouds still lingered. Sweets looked like he was getting ready to stand up and leave.

"Whoa, not this second." Booth said pausing further motion. "The doctor just told me like a second ago. He's getting papers ready but we've got to make some plans."

"Yeah, I get dressed and go home. Plans are done."

"Well speedy, we've got to work out a few things I'm not so sure you're ready to go home by yourself. I was thinking…"

"Agent Booth, I appreciate your concern," the tone of Sweets voice did not so much emanate 'appreciate' in a way that meant 'appreciate'. "But I'm a grown adult, I want to go home, alone." Sweets looked at Booth that suggested this was going to be a no argument situation. Booth hadn't noticed such a look of resolve on Sweets before. "If they hand me my discharge papers there's nothing you can say about it." Sweets added and Booth was gritting his teeth in regards to what a pain in the ass Sweets was becoming. If it hadn't been so unlike him he might have walked out of the room.

Me, he picks me rang out to Booth again. Booth looked away for a moment thinking of how close to death Sweets had been.

"Okay, but let us help you get there." Booth said and Sweets sighed relenting some. "Unless you want to go home in a hosital gown." Booth said before leaving the room.

"What do you think his problem is?" Hodgins asked Booth as they headed back to the hospital in Booth's SUV.

"I don't know." Booth said exasperated. "It was bad, I get that, but…"

"Well whatever it is it's been going on a while." Hodgins said.

"Yeah, we're going to have a talk to him about this." Booth said putting Sweets keys in the console.

Booth & Hodgins walked in Sweets room to see the flowers Cam and Angela had brought boxed up along with the books and cards that had been sent to him. Booth was surprised Sweets kept the finished puzzle books. He figured they would have been trash once they were done.

"Good, papers are all signed, I can go." Sweets said ready to get out of bed, albeit slowly.

"Hold up there a second." Booth said as Hodgins set a plastic store bag on the bed. Sweets peered in to see some casual pants and tee shirt, socks and tennis shoes inside.

"Yeah, we had to go to the store because when we went to your place we found out you don't live there anymore." Hodgins said.

"You went to my place?" Sweets said and Booth held out the keys and set them on the table.

"Yeah, you want to tell us when you moved?" Booth asked incredulously.

"Six months ago." Sweets said pulling the socks out of the bag and sorely put them on. "How much do I owe you for the clothes Hodgins?" Sweets asked.

"Dude, that's not really the concern, I'm kind of curious why you moved and didn't mention it. I mean, didn't you need some help moving?"

"No." Sweets said pulling the pants out of the bed but realized he didn't want to get any more dressed with an audience. He decided if he answered their line of questioning maybe they'd leave and let him get dressed.

"My roommates were done with the lease, one was getting married, the other took a job in Maryland. I didn't want to find two new roommates so I found a one bedroom apartment. It was furnished so I moved in. What's the big deal?"

Hodgins and Booth looked at each other in defeat.

"Where's the new place at?" Booth asked rolling his eyes.

"Why, I can just get a…" Sweets began but Hodgins interrupted.

"Angela, Brennan and Cam were going to do a welcome home dinner." Hodgins said irritated with Sweets. He didn't want to spill the secret but Hodgins, like Booth found it irritating when it came to a conversation with Sweets.

"Look, it's not necessary. I'll be fine." Sweets said trying to lace up the new shoes but his hands still lacked positive reflexes making the small motor skill task difficult. Hodgins took the shoes away from Sweets angry.

"I can tie my own damn shoes!" Sweets shouted leaning forward and grabbing for them. The lunge forward brought him off the bed and the quick movement was faster than his regular practice had allowed. Sweets stumbled and fell into the wall.

The impact was his left arm and side into the wall which was an intense pain against the stitches from his cuts and the broken ribs. Sweets sat on the floor looking up at Hodgins and Booth standing over him with worried faces.

Sweets was trying to figure out how he was going to continue his argument about his shoes now.

Booth said nothing but extended a hand out to Sweets to help him up. Sweets knew he wasn't going to get off the floor without some help and after a moment reluctantly put his hand up to accept the help. Booth kept a close eye on helping Sweets up as he leaned against the bed. Booth was wide eyed with concern but said nothing. Sweets looked tired from this small amount of activity, something that did not get past Booth and Hodgins. Booth thought about it a moment before speaking.

"Hodgins and I are going to go outside, let us know when you are ready." Booth said and he and Hodgins went to the hall and closed the door behind him.

Once they were out in the hall Hodgins looked at Booth in surprise.

"You really think, after that, he's ready to leave?" Hodgins asked.

"No, I don't but he thinks he is. But if he's going to act like a kid and not accept our help then maybe a few falls will fix it."

"Unless he ends up killing himself because he won't ask for help." Hodgins said setting the shoes down on the nurses station so he could tie them.

Booth nodded his head and went to find the doctor. He was intending to ask the doctor to check Sweets over before he left. He suggested he tell Sweets is was standard but to look for anything from his recent stumble.

The doctor was concerned with what had happened but Booth insisted he and Hodgins had drawn him into it. The doctor reluctantly agreed and moments later walked in Sweets room.

They had been gone ten minutes and had figured that Sweets had been dressed though they wondered why the doctor had not come out yet. They saw why when the doctor opened the door. Sweets had the shirt over his head and one arm in. However, he seemed to be struggling with getting the white tee the rest of the way on. What Hodgins and Booth saw before it was on was a clear view of Sweets chest and arms, covered in bandages from Derringer's cuts. Hodgins could almost hear Booth grind his teeth down to the gums.

While Sweets was getting a few stitches replaced by the doctor Booth had gotten a call from Brennan as to where Sweets new apartment was. Sweets pretended to be too busy with the stitches to answer.

"I'll call you back." Booth told Brennan. He ended that call and began a new one. "Hi Emma, yes this is Booth. Can you pull up Dr. Sweets new address?"

Sweets eyes shot towards Booth were irritated. Booth smiled back.

"Yeah, thanks Emma."

Booth jotted down an address and Sweets decided he did not like this 'Emma'.

Sweets insisted he could walk out of the hospital so Booth left to get the car. Thirty minutes later Hodgins and Sweets arrived at the door. Booth wondered what took them so long but Hodgins only rolled his eyes at the snail pace Sweets who of course refused any help. Sweets looked ready to pass out from the exhaustive "trip."

They knew of course that Sweets wasn't 100% health wise. That didn't bother them, they supported that. What was becoming a pain was his refusal to allow anyone to help him because of it.

Once loaded up they stopped at a pharmacy to pick up the pain killer prescription that the doctor had called in. Sweets seemed less than enthused to get them but Booth had stopped listening to what Sweets wanted at this point.

They arrived at Sweets place to find their female counterparts inside Sweets apartment. He heaved a heavy sigh when he saw them all in his kitchen when he came in.

"Does everyone have keys to my place now?" Sweets asked eyeing the couch with more than desire- it was a necessity. The recent marathon of walking (marathon to him) was completely draining.

"No, we did not have the keys, however, Booth showed me how to pick a lock some time ago. He got me my own kit for Christmas." Brennan said from the kitchen. She, Angela and Cam were putting a number of items away.

"You've really lived here six months?" Hodgins asked looking around the apartment that was sparsely decorated nor did it even have much in it. The furniture was very bland, personal items were few and far between.

There was a mumble from the couch and Hodgins looked over to see Sweets sitting and half asleep with his head slumped over on the back of the couch against the cushions. His eyes were heavy and he was almost out. Booth noticed too.

"Hey! Sweets!" Booth said sitting next to him trying to wake him up. Sweets head shot up though his eyes were practically still closed. "If you're tired, how about laying down in your bedroom."

"Tired of beds. Just need a second." Sweets said trying to fight the tiredness but he was losing.

Angela came in the room and sat on the coffee table across from Sweets. Her presence caught Sweets attention as he tried to sit up and be alert, playing off the tiredness. "Sweets honey, we got some stuff for you. Brennan found a lot of tea that does a lot of, stuff." Angela said remembering the painful trip to the store in which Brennan listed off all the healing properties of the various herbal remedies. "We also got some meals you can pop in the microwave easily. Have you ever even bought groceries since you moved in?"

The shelves and fridge had been empty aside from about half a dozen items. The kitchen like the rest of the apartment looked hardly lived in. Booth wondered why Sweets had never 'moved in' here and he felt like he knew the answer, Sweets lived at work, more than just in the physical sense.

"Been busy." Sweets said answering Angela's question.

"Okay, well, we put it all away. Do you want something to eat now?" Angela asked.

"No, maybe later." Sweets said uncontrollably nodding off again.

"Dr. Sweets," Cam said coming over. "Would you like some water with the pain medication?" Cam was looking at the label on the orange bottle.

"No. Not right now." Sweets answered again, more tired still.

"Dr. Sweets, not taking prescribed medications…." Brennan began in her logical tone.

"Not, right, now." Sweets said trying to contain his irritation.

"Look, maybe Sweets needs some rest, maybe we'll leave him alone for a while." Booth said standing up and moving everyone towards the door. "I'll make sure he gets settled in."

"I'm fine." Sweets said standing up now as though to prove the point. "I'll do jumping jacks if you guys want. I don't want to take the pain meds on an empty stomach and I just ate before leaving the hospital. Okay?" He asked clearly tired and more than irritable. "I'm really fine, I just need some time alone okay? No one needs to stay, I'll be fine. Really, go."

They all looked at him and hadn't realized the answers he had given them, mostly because he hadn't communicated them to them.

"Okay." Booth said speaking for the group. "But keep your phone nearby. It's charged up." Booth said picking it up off the counter and handing it to Sweets. Sweets realized he hadn't seen it since Derringer had taken it off him.

"Fine." Sweets said agreeing to their terms.

After a few more 'hope you feel better' and 'see you tomorrow' they left. Sweets collapsed back on the couch completely drained now. He reached over to set his phone down on the end table and felt the prescription bottle. He picked it up and looked at it. He threw the bottle across the room. His stomach grumbled because it was empty. He had just lied to them about everything he had said. He knew what he thought of that as a psychologist but he didn't want to hear it right now. Not even from himself.