Just In Time
Temperance Brennan groaned in exasperation and hit the 'backspace' button on her laptop, effectively erasing the last three paragraphs that she had spent the last two hours writing and rewriting. Clasping her hands together, she leaned forward, stretching her back and rolling her head gently along the back of her neck.
It was New Years Eve, and she had declined Angela's invitation to attend a party at her apartment, despite the artist's insistence that, 'the way that you begin a new year is how you will spend much of it,' alluding to the fact that she didn't want her friend to be alone, yet again. Instead, Brennan had spent the better part of the evening attempting to make a dent in the next chapter of her novel.
Glancing at the clock on the bottom corner of the laptop screen, Brennan released an exasperated sigh and reached for the wine glass on the desktop beside her. It was after ten-thirty, and yet, for some reason, she was uncharacteristically high-strung, unable to relax and unwind. She was unable to maintain her attention on a scene that normally would have taken her only minutes to write.
Making a move to stand, Brennan moved to her stereo system, and, finding her iPod, turned it on, deciding that perhaps some calming music would help her to refocus. Once her speakers started to play a tune that she had selected, she took a step back to return to her desk when an item on the shelf caught her eye.
A small smile found its way to her lips, and Brennan picked up the snow-globe on a silver stand, containing a Christmas tree in the center, decorated with ornaments, complete with a star on top. Turning it upside-down, she shook it and then turned it upright, placing it back onto the shelf.
It had been a gift from Booth for Christmas the week before, picked out, he'd told her, with Parker, because the little boy had insisted that since "Dr. Bones" didn't have her own Christmas tree at home, it was their duty to give her one. Despite her momentary reluctance to accept an item that celebrated a holiday that she distanced herself from, Temperance instead had thanked Booth for his generous gift and asked him to thank his son as well.
"You're welcome, Bones. Now come on; let's grab a bite to eat. I'm starved, and I hear that the diner's got some really good pie today," Booth had replied after accepting her hug.
If she was really being honest, Brennan would admit that her partner was responsible for giving her much more than just a snow-globe at Christmas time. He was responsible for helping her to become more socially knowledgeable; he had helped her to rebuild relationships with her brother and her father. Booth was the one that had slowly helped her to trust in more than science. Somehow, in their four years of partnership, he had become the person that she turned to.
The chirping of her cell phone startled Brennan out of her reverie. She flipped it open without checking the I.D. "Hello?" she said as she moved to silence the music coming from the speakers before sitting on the arm of her sofa.
"Hiya Bones, sorry to interrupt your night," Booth apologized.
"Hi Booth, you're not interrupting anything. I've just been working on my novel, and I don't seem to be making any progress, so I actually welcome the distraction. What's up?" she asked.
"I just got a call from the Bureau, and it looks like we're going to need to go in tomorrow to get briefed on a new case," he explained before adding a quick description of the information that he had just received.
"Okay, I'll be ready tomorrow morning. Is eight o'clock early enough?" Brennan wanted to know.
"Yeah, that sounds good," Booth agreed. After a pause, he continued. "So how come you're not out celebrating the New Year?"
"I don't really see the point of marking the ending of another calendar year. I feel that it's a bit redundant to-"Brennan started to explain, but was cut off by Booth's chuckle resonating on the line.
"You know, you could've just said that you didn't feel like it, and it would have been a lot more succinct," he informed her, and Brennan could picture the grin that was certainly on his face.
"What about you?" she asked, choosing to ignore his minor scolding. "Why aren't you out tonight? I know that Angela invited you to her party, or you certainly could have gone to any number of establishments celebrating the occasion."
"Eh, I thought about it, but to tell you the truth, I'm not in the mood to deal with the crowds and the noise and the drunks, not to mention the-"
"You know, Booth, you could've just said that you didn't feel like it, and it would have been a lot more succinct," Brennan interrupted him, echoing the same words that the special agent had just uttered to her, smiling widely as she heard the rumble of laughter that came in response to her teasing.
"So, how was your Christmas with Parker?" she continued, scooting onto the sofa cushion and leaning against the back of the couch. "Did he enjoy himself?"
"Are you kidding? He was so excited about that chemistry set that you gave him. Ever since his 'science club' lesson with Max, he's been talking nonstop about the Jeffersonian and how cool all of you are," Booth admitted. "Tomorrow I'll bring the thank-you card that he made for you."
"Booth, you didn't have to get him to do that!" Brennan scolded him.
"It's not a big deal. I'm just teaching my kid to have some manners. It's the right thing for him to do," he insisted resolutely, and his partner knew better than to argue with him.
"Well, if he's giving me a thank-you card, then I'll have to have one for him as well, considering he helped you pick out my snow-globe," Temperance commented, glancing at the item as she mentioned it.
"You really don't have to do that."
"No, I really appreciated the gift, and so I want to express my thanks. It's actually a beautiful token," she said truthfully.
"Well, I'm glad that you liked it," Booth said. "And I'm sure that Parker will be, too. How'd you like the song?"
Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Song?"
"Yeah, Bones- the song. Didn't you turn the globe over? If you twist the knob, it plays a Christmas song," Booth told her, sounding both amused and incredulous over the phone.
Immediately rising to her feet, Brennan approached the shelf and picked up the snow-globe, turning it over, noting for the first time the knob in the center of the base. Twisting it, she heard the sounds of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" fill the quiet of her living room.
"I- I didn't realize that there was music in addition to the scene in the globe," Temperance said softly, listening to the quiet strains of the tune as it played.
"It's kind of what sold us on the globe, actually," Booth told her. "It adds a lot to the setting, right?"
"It certainly does," she admitted, watching the snow floating downward before setting it back gently onto the shelf. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Listen, I'll let you go for now, but I'll be by tomorrow a little before right to pick you up," he said, and Brennan heard herself agreeing.
"Night, Bones. Try not to work too hard tonight, okay?"
"All right. Good night, Booth," she said good-bye almost reluctantly, closing her phone slowly. Her eyes drifted back to the globe and she found herself studying it pensively while she pulled the edge of her lower lip between her teeth.
***
For the next hour, Brennan tried to keep busy, attempting to work on her novel briefly before turning her attention to some case files that she had been looking over the day before. Her attention seemed to be inconsistent, at best, and finally, she glanced at her cell phone screen, noting that it was a quarter to midnight, and without another moment's hesitation, she stood up, still clasping the phone, and picked up her bag before grabbing her coat on the way out the door.
The streets were practically deserted as she drove, making sure that she obeyed all of the traffic laws, yet routinely checking the clock on her car and speeding up slightly when the minutes seemed to be passing more quickly than she wanted to.
By the time she arrived at her desired destination, it was very nearly midnight, and she hurried out of the vehicle and slammed the door shut, walking purposefully towards the lighted front door still several feet away. Glancing at her watch once more, Brennan noted that there was only another half-minute remaining before the new year began, and she pressed the doorbell quickly, hearing it reverberate from inside. Almost immediately, her closed fist knocked repeatedly on the hard door, aware of the fact that she hadn't waited a sufficient amount of time for the door to open, but there was less than twenty seconds left before the official end to 2008.
To her relief, the door swung open, and the surprised expression of Seeley Booth greeted her in the entranceway. "Bones, what're you doing here?" he asked.
Bones took in his appearance as she tried to find her voice. He was barefoot and had on a pair of worn jeans and an equally worn Pittsburgh sweatshirt. His hair was slightly disheveled and looked damp, as if he had just recently come out of the shower.
His face revealed his confusion and when she didn't reply right away, he reached to take her arm and lead her inside. "Come on, it's freezing out here. We can talk inside," he instructed, taking a step back as he drew her in and closed the door.
Before he had a chance to question her again about the reason for the unannounced visit, Brennan turned suddenly and lightly pushed Booth back to the closed door. Seeley let out a surprised gasp as he hit the flat surface of the door, and before he knew it, his partner's lips were over his as she pressed her body against his.
Brennan didn't think as her mouth descended over Booth's. She detected his initial surprise by the stiffness of his posture, but as her lips increased slightly in pressure, she noted that he was starting to relax, and then felt his arms encircle her waist as he returned the kiss.
Her hands framed the sides of his face as he tilted his head to the side in order to change the angle, and they each reveled in the wet heat of their mouths and tongues as they tangled almost desperately. Booth tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her towards him and lifting her an inch from the ground so that she felt his growing arousal.
The kiss grew in intensity; Brennan brought her arms to his shoulders and bent her elbows in order to lightly scratch her fingernails along his scalp, and Booth growled low in his throat as she pulled his lower lip between her own, sliding her tongue over it.
Finally, practically gasping for air, they pulled apart as Booth set Brennan's feet gently back onto the floor. His mouth skimmed her temple, his hot breath sweeping damply over her skin.
Brennan's fingers clasped his sweatshirt tightly as she heard him struggling to find his voice in order to speak.
Tilting her head upwards, Brennan's eyes locked with his and she grinned widely at him, watching him until his expression mirrored her own. "Happy New Year, Booth," she whispered against his chin as she leaned in to capture his mouth again.
"Happy New Year, Bones," her partner mumbled against her lips before he closed his eyes and they lost themselves in another kiss.