Chapter 10.
Sorry, Daisy had to go-someone close to Sweets. I was also intrigued with the idea that Sweets was the only one that Pelant actually tried to physically kill as well as the fact that Sweets and Pelant could go head to head intelectually.
Sweets got back to his office and was surprised when he realized he was a little sad to see Emma wasn't there. There was something about her that made him smile a little. He wondered if it were because she didn't know anything about him, at least not that he knew. It was as though he had a clean slate with her, no past, it was nice.
He walked in his office and over to his computer. He sat down feeling tired and exhausted. The couch called but he ignored it as the possibilities of other bodies of friends showing up caused him to want to get back to work. Sweets noticed the later in the day it got the more stiff his hands would often become. Now he had a hard time typing Pelant's name on the keyboard and he grew frustrated and let a few choice words slip before he let his head drop to the table with a thud.
"Dr. Sweets? Are you okay?" Emma asked thru the open door.
Sweets looked up and wondered if she were real of if he had just knocked himself silly.
"Oh, hi Emma, I thought you had gone." He said noticing she looked tired but concerned.
"No, I must have been downstairs when you came in. I was picking up a bite to eat."
"Oh, well you know it's late, you should really go home." Sweets said looking back at his monitor with a feeling of defeat.
"If it's okay, I'd rather be here." Emma said and Sweets couldn't argue with that. He preferred it too and wondered what she might be trying to escape. The thought didn't sit well with him but Emma brought him from his thoughts.
"Can I help you with some files?" Emma asked.
"No, I can get it, thank you." Sweets said but waited till she would leave so he could struggle on his own.
"If you would let me help Dr. Sweets, I would appreciate it. I, uh, want to be helpful." She said and Sweets was about to decline again but she interrupted. "I really need this job Dr. Sweets. I'm not trying make you uncomfortable when I say that, but the bureau needs to see that I'm useful, and I'd like to help."
Sweets considered the thought for a moment and wondered who exactly he was trying to prove to that he himself were so useful and independent.
"Sure, I was going to pull up the case files from Pelant, Christopher Pelant. I want to see if there is something in there."
"I'll get right on it." Emma said heading back to her desk. She walked back in with a food container. "Dr. Sweets, would you like my sandwich? I'm allergic to oats and I didn't realize until I got back up here that the top of the bread is covered with honey oats. I'll have to throw it way, unless you want it."
She held it out to Sweets and he found himself taking it if not only for not wanting it to go to waste but her genuine generosity.
"Thank you." He said taking it and popping the lid open. He looked up to see Emma heading back out to her desk and Sweets looked back at the food. For the first time in a week food finally smelled good.
Booth approached Sweets office with a sense that he was unsure, lost almost.
"Agent Booth?" Emma asked setting her sandwich back in the container. Booth nodded to the agent across the hall whom he had placed there to watch over both Emma and Sweets.
"Yeah, hi, Emma. Is Sweets in?" Booth looked down at her sandwich which looked good, a honey oat bread with lots of meat and cheese on it. He was getting hungry and he had to tear himself away from the sight of it till his food arrived.
"Yes, he is going over Pelant's files." Emma said wiping crumbs off her pencil skirt.
"Okay, thanks." Booth said going in.
Sweets looked up at Booth with a near smile on his face. Booth relaxed, despite the ongoing danger, Sweets looked a little bit better.
"Booth," Sweets began and Booth was glad that Sweets had dropped saying "agent" so formal before his name every time. "Did Angela find anything?"
Booth came closer to his desk and spied the box of food and half sandwich inside.
"Glad you found some dinner." Booth said. "You guys like the same sandwich?"
"Oh, no Emma was allergic to oats, mix up in the order…" Sweets said but caught on to the fact that Booth said "same sandwich." He smiled a little broader as Emma had tricked him into eating. It was a sweet gesture and he appreciated the non-confrontational concern, like the puzzles and unsigned card.
"Sweets?" Booth asked and Sweets was brought back to their conversation.
"Yeah, uh, yes." Sweets said shuffling his thoughts. "Did you tell me if Angela…"
"No, I was getting to that. She says the signals are bouncing off hundreds of servers. It's not looking like we can locate the server he's running off of and shut it down. Not right away anyway. Any ideas on where he might be hiding?"
"He's not a person anymore Booth." Sweets said just clearing that fact up.
"I know, it's just so frustrating. I interrogate guys you know, I get in their faces. Bones sifts thru evidence. We have neither in the in case that we can touch."
"Interesting." Sweets said and Booth felt frustrated but glad at hearing Sweets say his catch phrase. It hinted that the young doctor might be finally getting back in the swing of things.
"What's interesting?" Booth asked playing along.
"Well, it's interesting because you and Dr. Brennan can't help with this case." Sweets said and Booth was irritated at that.
"Thanks Sweets, I feel a lot better now." Booth said sitting on the edge of the desk.
"No, it's just that normally you and Dr. Brennan would be making all the moves in a case. People like Angela and I would merely be helping."
"And now it's the other way around?" Booth asked, the strange feeling coming over him that he was not in fact in charge on this one. He wondered if Sweets felt like this all the time.
"Don't worry Booth, you'll be the lead man again soon." Sweets said sorting thru this folders again, his fingers finally exhibiting some dexterity and movement.
"Well, it's not that Sweets. You know we're a team right?"
"Yeah sure." Sweets said opening a folder. "The Jeffersonian…"
"No, Sweets, I don't mean the Jeffersonian." Booth sighed as he wasn't sure it was the right time but he went with his gut. "Yeah we're all a team, but Sweets, we're the only two FBI guys here. And you know, it's more than that."
"What is?" Sweets asked and it was painful to Booth that it was oblivous to Sweets what he was talking about.
"Sweets, yes, Brennan is my partner, my wife, but you-you know, you're the closet thing I got."
"Like a buddy?" Sweets asked with a roll of his eyes. Buddy felt to Sweets like 'pawn to use when needed.'
"No, friends come and go but Sweets, I mean, hell I see you a heck of a lot more than my own brother. We're family."
"Hodgins and Angela are great…"
"They're not the same Sweets. You're part of us. You're like an uncle to Christine which makes you a brother to me." Booth saw that Sweets had stopped shifting thru his folders and knew he had finally gained his attention, and that perhaps it was sinking in.
"With Derringer, I wouldn't have…"
"That's not important." Sweets said shuffling folders again, clearly uncomfortable with the topic.
"Yes, it is. Sweets, I wouldn't have picked. I don't know how, or what I would do, but I'm not letting any of my family go without a fight."
Sweets looked at Booth in shock. He had always looked up to Booth and sought his approval but now to hear it back, to have it validated, a great weight was lifted.
"Pelant!" Sweets said which caused Booth's brow to furrow.
"What no, he's not family, wait, what? I'm trying to be serious here."
Sweets jumped up, "Emma can you come in here?" He called to her thru the open door.
"Sweets, I.."
"Booth, thank you." Sweets said holding out a hand for a hand shake to say thank you with a smile Booth was glad to see return. He was so happy he had forgotten his own rule and pulled Sweets by the shoulder into a sideways manly hug. He followed it by slapping him on the back which Sweets smiled and pretended the cuts and broken ribs didn't hurt.
"Oh, sorry Sweets, I forgot." Booth said backing up.
"No, it's fine, I feel a lot better." Sweets said realizing he really did feel, a lot better.