"Dad! Come on in! Russ should be here any minute. Drink?" Temperance Brennan, hugged her father Max with genuine affection. It was Christmas and although she didn't subscribe to the religious connotations behind the world wide holiday, she viewed it as a good reason to gather her only relatives around her and spend some quality time together.

Max smiled indulgently at Tempe. "Is Booth coming?" he asked her. He had seen how much Booth had been influencing his daughters behavior recently. She had softened a little. Just a little. She had taken a while to warm to having him back in her life. He and Russ had turned up out of the blue and turned her world upside down.

She had pushed him away at first. He didn't blame her. But he wanted to have his daughter in his life again. The first breakthough came when she accepted her mother's ring. They then spent Christmas together, twice. This year, it was a quieter affair. Just him, her and her brother Russ and his wife and children.

"No, not this year Dad. He's spending it with Parker. He's missed Christmas with his son too many times and when Rebecca offered. Well you know Booth. He loves that boy. And I think it's a wonderful thing for him. He would never let it show, but it really hurts him that he can't see Parker as often as he wants. Rebecca can be, shall we say, difficult at times."

Max shrugged and sat down, and accepted the glass of champagne that Brennan handed him.

The doorbell rang twice and then a rapid succession of knocking started. "OK! Alright! I'm coming!" Brennan opened the door only to be confronted with Russ, his arms full of brightly wrapped packages. He pushed past Brennan and quickly deposited the packages on the couch. She stood looking up and down the corridor, finally turning to look at Russ "Where's everyone else?" she asked confused.

"Don't ask. The girls both have chicken pox!" Russ said flopping down next to his father. "Can I get one of these?" he said pointing at his father's empty glass. "And I'd love a top up!" Max added cheerily. The bubbly already starting to loosen him up. He was no good with champagne. Went straight to his head.

Brennan grabbed the bottle and poured herself and Russ a glass then refilled Max's glass.

"Well. Here's to us! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!" she said.

Glasses tinkled as they toasted and clinked their glasses together.

"I'm so sorry about the girls Russ" she said sadly. He laughed "Not as sorry as their mother is I can assure you. Look, it's one of those things. It has been going round the school and we have been on pox-watch for the last couple of weeks. It's just dumb luck that it hit now. Never mind."

"Well. Shall we do the presents now?" Temperance asked excitedly. She had bought her father something special. She just knew he was going to be excited.

She gathered up some parcels and put them near the door with Russ's jacket. These are for the girls." She came and placed an envelope wrapped with a large bright green bow on his knee. "For you and Amy" she said. She then turned and placed another envelope in Max's hands, similarly wrapped with a bright red bow. She stepped back and clasped her hands together. The men looked at each other and smiled and opened their envelopes. "Sis! WOW! You shouldn't have! I. I don't know what to say. Amy is going to flip." he jumped up and wrapped his sister up in a bear hug. He let her go and stared at the contents of the envelope. A weeks vacation in Hawaii for two. All expenses paid. "I don't know what to say" he said, feeling a little bad about his gift for her.

"Don't say anything. Just go and have a wonderful time. Oh! And I want the girls to come and stay with me while you are away. If you and Amy agree of course." she said. Russ nodded, unable to speak for the moment.

Max was staring at his gift. "Do you like it Dad?" she asked, unsure of his thoughts. "Like it? I love it! Look Russ! A Chartered Fishing Trip for four days! Honey, it's perfect. You know I've always wanted to do this! Thankyou. Thankyou so much!" he too wrapped his daughter up and squeezed her tightly, kissing her cheek.

Brennan grinned widely. She had agonised over what to get her family. She was very excited by their reactions and knew that it was well worth it to see the looks on their faces.

Russ handed Brennan a package, roughly wrapped with gift wrap with little Santa's on it. "The girls wrapped it themselves" he offered. She smiled, "They did a really good job!" as she started peeling off the multiple layers of cellotape holding the paper together. "It's a stick mixer! I need a new one!" she exclaimed when she saw the contents of the package "Thanks Russ. It's wonderful!" She had the top of the line of most appliances in her immaculate kitchen, but the fact that this came from her family, made it better than anything she already owned. She would use it over anything she had in her cupboards.

Max handed her a package "It's actually for you and Russ." he said. She looked at him quizzically. Russ came over and watched as she unwrapped it. "We're a little old for a joint present, don't you think Dad?" he joked. Max shrugged and said, well, it's just something I found and thought you both would want. Brennan frowned and lifted the lid off the box.

"What?" Russ started to say.

"They're letters from Mom" Brennan said quietly, staring at one of the envelopes. "They're letters from Mom aren't they Dad" she asked him. Max nodded. He felt guilty now, not sure if he'd done the right thing. "She wrote them years ago. She thought I had posted them, but I couldn't. It was too dangerous. For you and for us. I had forgotten about them, but I was having a clean out of the spare bedroom and found them. I thought it was about time you got to read them" his voice trailing off.

Brennan opened the top envelope, pulled out the sheet of lavender paper and started to read in a quiet voice.

March 13

My Darling Russ and Tempy,

This is the hardest letter I think I will ever have to write.

I know right now you probably don't want to hear from me. And I don't blame you. I truly don't. But you need to know that I love you both so much. So much that it makes my heart hurt to have put you in this situation.

Your father and I. We are... in trouble. We had to leave. And to keep you safe we had to leave you behind. I know it was cruel and hard and mean. But please, please understand. I did it for you both.

You deserve to grow up in a stable home. I am just praying that you are together and happy.

I can't tell you where we are or even where we are going.

What I can tell you is that I love you.

Please think of me kindly.

Love

Mom

June 22

Dear Tempy & Russ

I hope this letter finds you both well and happy. Your father and I have been keeping ourselves well, although sometimes I find that I am very lonely for you both.

You have no idea how much I miss you. I hope you are doing well at school. Kyle, how is the football going? Did you make the team this year? And Tempy, are you still running the school science club? I expect you are. You always were so organised.

I can only write a quick note. We are having to leave where we are . We only managed to stay here for a week. Things have been difficult at times. I don't like moving around so much, but your Dad says that its the best way. I suppose I have to trust him.

My love to you both. I wish I could hug you right now.

My heart, my dear children,

Mom

November 2

Darling Temperance and Russ,

I hope you are well. The weather has turned very cold here. We have snow already. Dad told me I shouldn't have told you that as you may try to work out where we are. I don't care.

I miss you my hearts. I miss you so much it hurts me every day. I want to see your faces, touch your hair, hold you in my arms.

You don't know how much this is killing me. If it was possible for a heart to shrivel from lack of love, I'm sure this is happening to mine.

I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry I have missed both your birthdays this year. You know I was thinking of you. You do know that don't you?

I think of you every single day. First thing in the morning, and last thing at night. Not a day goes by when I don't think , Oh Tempy would have loved seeing this! or Russwould have gotten such a kick out of that. But you aren't here. And my heart is broken.

Please be good. I know that being in foster care can be hard. But you can make it better by being the best you can be. And I just pray that if you know how much I love you, and can't wait to come home to you, it will make you do the right thing.

Please don't ever think I don't love you. I do. I do. I do so much.

I will try to phone you soon. I hope you are still at the same number. I will try.

I love you both so much

Love Love Love

Mom

December 25

Dearest Russ & Tempy

Merry Christmas my wonderful children. I hope you had a very happy Christmas and New Years celebration. I did you get the parcels I sent? I asked your father to make sure he got them into the post well in time. I hope they fitted.

We are in a new town. It's small and sweet. People seem friendly, well I think they are. Your father has told me not to talk too much to people in case they start asking questions.

I am so sick of not having any friends, or anyone to talk to. It can be very lonely on the road. Don't ever get yourselves into a situation where you have to do what we have done. It would break my heart to think of you living this way.

I want to see you both so badly. I almost left. Got on a bus and came back. Dad caught me at the bus station. He was very angry at me. I can't say I blame him. He knows what's best at the moment.

I'm sorry my sweethearts. Sorry that you have spent another Christmas without us.

All my love always.

Mom

May 22

Dear Russ and Tempy

It's been five years now. Five years. I hope you are both well. I suppose you would have graduated college by now. I often wonder about what kind of life you both have. Kyle, did you follow your dream of college football? You were always very talented. I'm sure you did. I just wish I had been around to come and watch you play.

And my beautiful Tempy. Always so clever, so smart. Once you realised you could use your brain to your advantage, I'm sure there has been no holding you back. Are you seeing anyone?

I expect there are a trail of broken hearts laying behind both of you. Both so smart, and talented and wonderful.

I hope you spend your time with good friends having lots of fun.

Do you have jobs? I would love to know where my wonderful, smart, beautiful children are.

I wish I could give you a forwarding address, but we move so often, it would be impossible.

Know that I dream of you every night and hold you close to my heart always.

Love

Mom

October 30

My Darling Russ and Temperance,

It's Halloween. I remember when you were little. Dressing you up in your costumes and taking you round the streets trick or treating. We used to have so much fun together. I think of those times more and more these days.

We have missed so much. You are adults now. Grown. Independent. I expect you are both working and in relationships.

It occurred to me that I could be a mother in law, or even a grandmother soon. Oh how I would love that. To see my children grown with families of their own. Russ, I know you would be an amazing father.

And my beautiful, sweet Tempy. I dream of you in a white dress, your hair curled and hanging over your shoulders, the veil masking your face as your father walks you down the aisle to the man of your dreams. To me you look so beautiful in your dress. I imagine you with children, running a house. Living the life I want for you.

I have told your father that I want to come home. He says he will think about it. For now I must trust him.

I love you so much.

I miss you so so much.

My heart

My love

Mom

January 3

My dearest children,

You're not children any more, but you always will be in my heart.

This will be my last letter to you.

I can't do this any more. I hope you think of me kindly and have forgiven your father and I for leaving you like we did.

I am saddened and regretful that I have never been able to come home. I don't think we ever will now.

I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry.

Please, please remember I have loved you both so much. I will miss you forever.

My darlings, my heart, my life, my Russ, my Temperance.

Your loving mother

I'm sorry.

Max sat listening to his children read the letters their mother had written. He knew how much she had suffered, not being able to be with her children. He regretted his lifestyle choices in the past every day. But what is done is done. You can never go back. He used to say that to Christine. To Ruth. His Ruthy. He hadn't spoken her name in years.

Three bodies sat together, their heads bowed. Each remembering the woman that had been so important to them at one time.

"Merry Christmas Mom"