Author's Note: Final chapter. It will be kind of a short one, but I hope that it's still enjoyable.

I do not own Bones or any of its characters

Thank you again to everyone who read/followed/reviewed this. It was greatly appreciated. :D

206: Thank you. :D I think Wyatt was definitely onto something when he said that Sweets was looking for a family...and I think he found one with Booth and everyone at the Jeffersonian. :)

Peanutmeg: I'll be even happier though once this semester wraps up in about three weeks. Hope you enjoy how I finished this.

Lives in the now: Thank you. :) This was a fun one to write...it was great to revel in so much fluff. I'll admit that I almost don't want to end it...But then again, there's always the next fic.

Nertooold54: Thanks for the review. With this new season, I sometimes think that the only family that is left on Bones is between B&B and Sweets since only the three of them still hang around each other. I hope that will change soon...

Chymom: I too love the little family the three of them have formed...they kind of waver back and forth between occasionally being somewhat paternal to more often like an older brother and sister to a younger brother. It is endearing to watch. :)

Dukefan1982: I firmly believe that Brennan has it in her to be a great mother...And I often picture that Booth is more gruff than actual snark in relation to the family he's gained here of late...

Lessthansign3: Ah, thanks for the info on the name change. :) And I am with you in being very disappointed with the Booth of late. Especially in the last episode. But I agree with the theory floating around that Booth is battling some demons of his own and is very hesitant to involve Brennan and the others. The fact that he still associates with Sweets is a hopeful sign, and I like to think that Sweets will continue to keep an eye on Booth and will try to be ready when the time comes where Booth will probably need him.

D: No, as I've discovered, more bacterial based pneumonia tend to be less severe than viral or chronic pneumonias...As for the take-out, I imagine that they are mainly trying to entice Sweets to just eat since he's probably not eating as much as he should...I totally agree about Booth being a softie at heart. :) And as for Mr. B...I had that bear in my The Heart of the Family fic too. He's a reference to both Booth and Brennan (Mr. for Booth and B like the nickname that Hodgins sometimes uses for Brennan...with B also being in both of their last names). It was no coincidence that that was a very beloved toy of Lance's when he was growing up. :)

The Anxiety in the Illness—part seven

Even though Sweets ended up sleeping peacefully for most of the night, the next day was mostly spent in a haze. Although his coughing was no longer as severe, the psychologist became increasingly tired. He ended up spending the entire day in bed.

Throughout the day, the Jeffersonian staff came back to visit him again, but Sweets could remember very little about what was said or done during these visits.

Brennan continued to tend to him. She set up the humidifier that Cam had brought over and had spent some time reading about other natural remedies that could ease Sweets' symptoms, trying a few of them out here and there with mostly positive results. When she wasn't doing that, she continued to make sure that the psychologist took his medicine and continued to keep a close eye on his temperature and other vitals.

Booth also tried to do his part. He frequently sat with Sweets to keep him company, often providing cooled washcloths to give the therapist some relief from his fever. The agent also made several meals that his Pops had taught him to make including his famous grilled cheese and soup. But most of all he tried to find ways to keep Sweets' spirits up.

"I know it's pretty bad now, but it's not going to last forever, Sweets," Booth told him while he watched over him during evening. "It probably seems like it, but I'm sure it will get better soon."

Booth's words turned out to be prophetic because sometime during that night, Sweets' fever finally broke, and the therapist ended up sleeping for most of the next day. He ended up staying at Brennan's for a couple more days after that until he was strong enough to get around the apartment on his own. By that point, Sweets begged them to let him stay at his own place for the rest of his recovery. Booth and Brennan relented only when he promised them that he would not try to go into work for at least another week and after they set up a schedule for everyone to stop by his apartment to check up on him periodically.

Once he had settled in his own place, Sweets ended up spending a lot of his time on his couch in the front room, napping and reading books. He enjoyed having time to himself again, but there was still a little twinge of regret at not having his friends so close to him while he recovered.

He did not have much time to dwell over this though for his new routine was frequently broken up by the many visits from Booth, Brennan and the others. Thus there were many more days filled with homemade meals, numerous stories from work, and evenings spent watching movies with one or more of the Jeffersonian staff.

Fortunately, the doctor's predictions for Sweets' condition turned out to be accurate and after a week of resting at his own place, Sweets' pneumonia had begun to clear. The psychologist soon felt ready for work, but agreed to only working for half-days for the first week back and waiting to see patients again for a little while after that so as to be sure not to spread his illness around the office.

On his first day back to work, he decided to start paying off his debt to Booth and had met him and Brennan for breakfast that the Royal Diner. While Booth ordered himself a full and hearty breakfast, Sweets decided to stick to a light meal to be safe. Despite the impending bill, the psychologist found that he relished being able to spend time with his two favorite patients while in a more coherent state of mind.

"I'm telling you Bones, nothing tastes better than a free meal," Booth smirked as he took another bite of toast. Brennan rolled her eyes; Booth had been ribbing her ever since they arrived at the restaurant for not holding Sweets to the same agreement the agent was.

"What we know as flavor is a result of the food triggering receptors on the tongue combined with minute particles reacting with olfactory sensors in the nose," she countered. "Whether the food tastes good or not depends on the proprieties of the food itself and your ability to sense them. Not on how much it costs."

"Then why is this one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time, hmmm?" Booth said as he scooped up some eggs onto his fork. "It's not like any of the recipes have changed…And I'm pretty sure Aaron is still running the griddle back there."

"Perhaps Doctor Brennan is implying that your enjoyment is not derived as much from the food as it is other factors," Sweets piped in. "Like maybe your feelings about not having to pay for it."

"I hate psychology," Brennan replied. "So no, I wouldn't imply that at all, Sweets."

"But Agent Booth does have a valid point," Sweets said as he sipped at his coffee.

"Ha, see that Bones," the agent grinned. "I have a valid point…Thanks Sweets."

"It's probably only valid if you give psychology credence beyond its limits as a subjective soft science," Brennan said between bites of oatmeal. "Otherwise it's only based in opinion as opposed to actual facts."

"Ah, but there's no way that you could know that for sure unless you knew what that point was," Booth responded.

"I will admit that it's impossible to make any sort of reasonable judgment without knowing more about your line of thought," the anthropologist said. "So what is your point?"

"My point is….um….what is my point, Sweets?" Booth said, turning to the psychologist for help.

"Your point is that the experience itself can enhance any enjoyment that you get out of this meal," Sweets answered. "The pleasure one feels, the sense of calm that one can have, the gratitude one can get for being able to have these moments…It heightens a person's awareness past the usual grind of daily rituals and routines. Thus, while he is eating, Agent Booth is better able to appreciate the meal because he is actively relishing the food and the mood surrounding it."

"That was…." Brennan paused and took a bite before starting again.

"I cannot find a flaw in your logic," she conceded.

"Looks like I won this argument," Booth said proudly. "Mark that one down, Sweets."

"But I am curious to know how you knew that that was what Booth was referring to," Brennan told Sweets. "After all, his language didn't seem to head in that direction."

"It's because….because it's true for me right now too," Sweets smiled, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks. "This has been one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time as well."

"But you had to pay for yours and all you had was some coffee and eggs," Brennan said. "How can you be enjoying it as much as Booth?"

Sweets blushed again and looked down at his plate, making a show of trying to stab at his eggs. But even though he didn't say a word, Booth quickly realized what the psychologist was thinking and responded with a grin.

"Thanks Sweets," he said softly. "And…you're welcome."

Brennan watched them for a couple moments, confused at first by Booth's words. But as she continued to think about it, a flicker of understanding finally passed through her mind, and she was also warmed by what the psychologist had said.

"Over the past couple of days…I have realized that the experiences common to families are often very rewarding and pleasant despite any possible inconvenience," she said. "So thank you for letting us share that with you…and for further illustrating that truth today."

"You're welcome, Doctor Brennan," Sweets grinned.

After they all finished what was on their plates, Booth pushed away from the table.

"I should get to the office," the agent said. "Work is starting to pile up on me again."

"And I need to get back to the lab and start cataloging those new remains that we just got over the weekend," Brennan said as she stood up.

"So…same time tomorrow, Agent Booth?" Sweets said as he picked the bill up from the table.

"Same time tomorrow, Sweets," Booth said as he got up. He and Brennan began to leave, but before reaching the door, the agent turned back toward Sweets.

"Oh…and don't worry about the tab tomorrow," he said. "I've got that one covered."

Sweets could not stop smiling as he watched them leave. And it had very little to do with the fact that he was off the hook for breakfast tomorrow.