Happy early holidays everyone! :) This is my gift for thorteso for Biba's Secret Santa fanfic! I used two of the prompts and mixed them together - B&B/everyone with a look into the future/a family Christmas. :) I hope you all enjoy! Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and all the rest!
Rated K+. Very fluffy and happy! Special thank you to some1tookmyname for taking time to read through and help!
Disclaimer: *sings* All I want for Christmas is to own Booth and Brennan!
Continuously Falling
They walked hand in hand, enjoying the fresh snowfall that had started to blanket the city. The park was nearly empty, not surprising considering it was just past dusk. The streetlights sparkled like fireflies in the falling flakes, creating a dreamlike atmosphere around them. The sun had just set and the temperature was dropping quickly, causing her to shiver.
With his arm around her shoulders he pulled her closer against his side to help block the wind that was beginning to pick up speed. She smiled up at him in appreciation as he placed a kiss on her forehead. She wrapped her arm tighter around his waist, their steps falling together in unison as they made their way through the park.
They passed a closed coffee cart, reminding her of a warm Spring morning so many years before: jogging, an impromptu race, a cup of coffee, and a light brunch together before enjoying a lecture in each others company on the Peloponnesian War. Her memory played out the gruesome crime scene they had been summoned to immediately following the lecture, but she shook the memory clear of her mind. That's all passed, she reminded herself.
She knew he was watching her while they walked. He had mentioned once to her that it amazed him still, after twenty-five years of marriage, that she had chosen to be with him.
"Are you okay?" she asked. Since he had been so quiet, she grew curious as to what was going through his mind. She watched him for a bit, a smile shining brightly on his face.
"I'm fine," he replied softly, connecting his gaze with hers. Her eyes still shone blue-grey, as bright as they had been the first time he looked into them. She tightened her hold around his waist as they continued to make their way through the manicured grounds.
He loved her eyes. He had from the moment they met. They were clear like a summer sky when she dedicated herself in the lab, standing over remains, working to help a family find closure and peace. They transformed to the blue of an intense flame when she let herself relax, playing games with their children or enjoying a night out with their friends. Converting again into the soft color of a robin's egg while she held their daughter close, whether nursing or singing softly to her before bed; the images flowed freely through his memory. And finally a dark, storm-tossed sea when they were alone in each other's company, a color he knew no one before him had taken time to notice. He had mentioned it once to her shortly after they were married and she had amazed him – as she often did – by letting the tears slip down her cheek. It scared him at first; what man wants to make his new bride cry? But she quickly assured him that his words simply touched her heart in a way no one ever had.
"You're staring," she said, interrupting his thoughts. He laughed quietly at being caught staring at her, knowing she didn't mind it as much as she pretended.
"How could I not stare? You're beautiful." He watched the blush rise to her cheeks; he appreciated that after so much time together he was still able to affect her in such a way. His arm slipped from her waist, his fingers twining with hers instantly. She kept her eyes on him, still wondering what it was that had him so quiet.
"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked again. Experience taught her not to press him too hard for an answer – it would only anger him in the end – but the same familiarity told her that if he was silent, especially for the near half hour they had been walking together, there was certainly a reason. A reason she desired to know.
He touched his lips to hers in a chaste kiss, placing another against her temple. "I'm good. I promise." She saw a flicker of something in his eyes and knew he wasn't trying to hide anything from her. Although the scientist in her still questioned his silence, the woman, the wife, chose to not question her husband any further.
They exited the park, crossing the usually busy street with ease, slowing as a horse-drawn carriage passed in front of them, a young couple huddled in the seat beneath a red and green plaid blanket, perfect for the holiday season. They made their way down the sidewalk, pausing from time to time to view the window displays set out for the season. She stopped briefly to drop a few coins and a rolled bill into the bucket that stood beside a melancholy collector, the cling-clang of his hand bell monotonous with the others spattered around the city.
They made their way west of the city, the trees lining the street decorated with bright white lights, some twinkling in the twilight. Shops and stores gave way to apartment buildings and, finally, the historic row houses or brownstones that were popular within the city, the stoops decorated with garlands, wreaths, plastic Santas and small trees adorned with colored lights.
They arrived at their destination, the porch decorated in a similar manner to the houses nearby. He pointed to the two small chalkboards attached to the rail, one with a message of "Merry Christmas" printed in a child's scrawl, the other a countdown to Saint Nicholas's arrival written in similar script. He knocked, the sounds of small feet rushing towards him from the other side, the laughter of children filling the quiet. They both laughed at the sound, their presence always a source of excitement. When the door opened, the two small bodies rushed outside, their joy propelling them through the entryway.
"Bona! Gunpa!" the voices squealed as they threw themselves into their grandparents' arms. Christine stood at the door laughing, not surprised by her children's reaction to her parents' arrival. After sharing hugs and kisses all around, they made their way into the warm home, surprised to find they were the last to arrive. After placing their coats in the closet and handing the bottle of wine to their son-in-law greetings were exchanged and everyone split apart into groups, all catching up with one another.
Christine directed everyone into the living room with the promise that dinner would soon be finished. Booth sat in the recliner, his granddaughter fighting her way into his lap. His wife sat on the sofa, their youngest grandson James in her lap, enthusiastically telling her of every toy and game he had begged Santa Claus to bring him when they visited the mall several weeks before. Angela sat beside her, enjoying the little boy's story. Hodgins, his son Michael and Parker stood near the fireplace lost in scientific discussion while Parker's wife stood beside him. Booth watched them carefully, nudging his wife to look at the pair and the way their daughter-in-law's stomach had begun to round. He had talked with Parker a week prior and although nothing had been mentioned, his gut told him – as did his wife's knowing smile – that another grandchild would be added to their brood before summer's end.
He looked around the room at his friends and family. Caroline was in the rocking chair with Parker's son, enthusiastically reading him a book. Even in her late seventies, she was still as feisty and vibrant as she had been the day Booth met her. Watching her with his grandson he was reminded why he loved her dearly. A brief moment of sadness overtook him at the realization of this being their first Christmas without his father-in-law. His chest tightened with pride at seeing his family altogether.
He recalled a brief conversation from many years before: "I guess I'm one of those people who just doesn't get to be in a family." "There are different kinds of family." And it was as true then as it was now. After Pops had passed away, he and Jared had drifted even further apart. Not that they had been exactly close to begin with, but Pops had been the glue holding their tiny family together and without him there to keep them together, the brothers naturally followed their own paths in life. With both his father and mother gone, he had leaned on his partner and their friends for support. Together they created a new family, complete with grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters. Even the interns at the Jeffersonian had, over the years, become extended family, spread across the country and around the world; out of reach at times, but never out of mind.
"Dinner's nearly ready. About ten minutes more," Christine announced as she entered the living room, joining the rest of her family. He watched her walk in and sit between her mother and Angela, amazed at how much she favored her mother. Both women were tall, slender and athletic, with bright eyes that danced when they spoke. Their hair was the same hue of auburn brown, his wife's somewhat streaked with silver now. The only change being their smiles. Both of his children had inherited his smile, the bright charming smile that had a way of instantly encouraging cooperation.
He grinned at the two of them, talking together as only a mother and daughter could. His heart swelled in pride at them. Christine had a lot of her mother's personality in her, but had evolved into a more artistic personality like her godmother, just as Parker had chosen a career in Science like his stepmother. He remembered how it had bothered Brennan at first, watching their daughter dismiss logic for emotion, bypassing the scientific studies for art and writing. However it was the writing that eventually brought them closer and turned them into close friends. They had even gone on to publish a book together when Christine was first starting out in the world of fiction.
"Come and get it!" Their son-in-law bellowed from the kitchen as the distinct sound of a kitchen timer began to buzz. Everyone moved quickly, making their way into the dining room. Christine stopped, taking her sleeping daughter from his lap, carrying her upstairs. Lost in thought over the company he was in he hadn't noticed that she had fallen asleep in his lap. Caroline offered him a quick hug as she passed him by, the small boy tugging at her arm so he wouldn't lose her. He laughed a little at the sight of her being pulled along by a child.
Brennan sidled up next to him, hugging her arms around his waist. They watched together as everyone sat down around the table and began passing around plates of food. She watched him still, his arms loose around her waist.
"Hey," she said, his face turning to hers. "Please tell me what's going on in that mind of yours?"
He smiled at her concern, tightening his hold on her. "Just thanking God for our family. And trying to figure out how I got so damn lucky."
"There's no such thing as luck, Booth. Life is merely a set of choices …" He laughed at her, rolling his eyes at her response. No matter how long they had been partners, whether professionally or personally, she still refused to accept his gut over her brain. He looked down at her smiling back at him, knowing she was teasing him.
"I love you. Y'know that, right?" he asked.
"Of course. And I love you."
They stood in the doorway between the living room and dining room, still watching their meshed family. She poked him in the side, pointing a finger at the ceiling, her eyes dancing with laughter.
"Mistletoe," he said. Leaning down he placed a kiss on her lips, the spark between them lighting in an instant as it always did.
"Merry Christmas, Booth," she said when he pulled away.
"Merry Christmas, Bones."
Happy Holidays!