Despite his inability to read people, Zach was pretty sure that the librarian was angry with him.

"That's the third audio book you've lost this month, Zach. Those things aren't cheap you know."

"I know. I apologize," he said, hoping he looked appropriately remorseful.

"I'll have to put this in your record," she sighed, "and I can't let you borrow anything else until you find them."

"I understand."

He left after that and went to his room. He sat on the bed and stared off into space, wrapped up in his thoughts.

When it came time for his session with Sweets, they started off talking about the usual. Things like how he had been that week and what he was feeling.

About ten minutes in, Sweets changed topics. "Your record says you've lost three audio books this past month. We both know you're much too smart to simply misplace a book, Zach, so what actually happened? Did someone steal them from you?"

"Does your file there list the books?"

"Yeah, they're down here some— They're all of Dr. Brennan's books."

"I'm aware of that. I didn't want to return them to the library."

"Why?"

"Because they're read by her."

"I'm not sure I'm following your reasoning."

Zach mumbled something at the tabletop.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

Zach repeated his previous statement more clearly, "It's the only time I get to hear her voice."

"But you get to talk to her when she and the others visit."

"You and I are both aware that such time is inadequate."

"Yeah." Sweets stood up and walked to the door. The time allotted for their session had finished. "I'm sorry." He swiped his key and exited the room.

"Me too," Zach whispered, barely hearing his own voice.

Later that night, after most of the orderlies had returned home and the patients were locked in their rooms for the night, Zach stood on his bed and slid back the ceiling tile above his pillow. He withdrew a CD and a small player with the headphones attached and slid the tile back into place.

Playing the disk and putting on the headphones, Zach felt his heart wrench as he heard the familiar voice begin to read.

That night, like many before it, Zach fell asleep to the sound of Dr. Brennan's voice, soothed by its smooth rhythm as she read of grisly murders and gruesome crime scenes.

And for a while he could pretend that he was with her, back at the lab that had become his home and the place he had found his family.