The Perfect Christmas

(A spin-off to the story "How He Got Him and Lost Her")


A/N: Hello, folks. I know, I promised that this would be posted on Dec. 21? I think…I can't remember it anymore. The following events in my life have kept me busy enough to forget this! My sincerest apologies everyone…Anyway, Happy Holidays and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Love you guys!!!

About this story: Hmm…This is mainly a recollection of Booth…This could probably fit into a sequel to the story mentioned above. I wish…If I could ever finish that….Oh, yeah, and about that artificial Christmas Tree…Well, I know it's crap but I used it as a symbol. So I hope nobody comments about that, okay : ) That is all I could think of at the moment…I really hate to admit it but it may take a long while for me to finally update my other stories, as you see I am now a victim of severe writer's block! Sorry guys….Anyway, I think you've had enough and here you go…Enjoy…

If you have never read my story, it is better you do…But the story goes like this anyway, Tempe dies after giving birth to Lance, their son, and Booth is still grieving even after four years.

Oh, yeah, if I ever messed this one up, sorry. Spin-offs are really meant to be awful (TV said that)…But I hope this isn't…

Disclaimer: If I own Bones, you'd see this on TV…No infringements….

Booth made his way to the attic. There lay many boxes which contained some forgotten things and there was one particular box that he cannot dare to open. Just one sight of it breaks his heart. Seeing it makes him reminisce the moments they had spent together. But he had to learn to accept the whole truth no matter how heart breaking it was. For many years, he had spent his life in denial. Acknowledging that he forever lost the only person he had loved that way tears his world apart. He would never learn to admit to himself that he would never be able to see her again nor hear her beating heart just like in the old times when he used lay on her chest. He knew that the pain in his heart was unbearable but ignoring the living was just as painful as losing a loved one. He really had to open his box.

"Daddy!", a small voice called for him. It was his son, little Lance. The little boy excited because for the first time in his life, they were going to set up the Christmas tree, together.

"You know what the best part is? The part where daddy carries you and you put the star on the top" Parker exclaimed as he followed Lance. He too was thrilled at the idea of putting the Christmas tree together. He missed him very much as his little brother did.

"I'm coming! Lance, don't run in the hall!" Booth shouted. He was afraid that his son would hurt himself again just like the other day. He could hear the footsteps racing towards him. Although it was a little hard for him, he picked up the box and went down. Together with his sons, they opened the box and inside it, lay an old, dusty Christmas tree.

After they had put the pieces together, the Christmas tree stood still just like before, as if time never passed at all.

"Wow, it's beautiful daddy, just like when we set it up with Mommy Bones" Parker said as he watched the old and still undecorated, seven foot tree stand by itself. For him, it was the most beautiful artificial Christmas tree he ever saw.

Booth also agreed. It was indeed good-looking and probably the most gorgeous tree he ever saw, even prettier than real ones. Its leaves were almost identical to that of a Grand Fir tree, needle-like and flattened, and in fact it was greener than the real ones. It was almost perfect except that it was missing a branch.

Booth gathered all the accessories they had and soon the tree was even lovelier. The Christmas lights were flickering on and off, giving a dramatic effect. Decorations like Christmas balls, Santa and Christmas angels were hanging on it, but still, no matter how Booth tried, no decoration could cover the missing piece. Perhaps if they bought more, could it hide that portion of the tree? He doubted it.

It was almost finished and only one more thing was missing: the star. Although Parker wanted to put it, he decided that his little brother should do it, after all, this was his first real Christmas with his family. He spent his first Christmas on the hospital, there had been a complication in his respiratory system due to his prematurity. The second was spent on his godparents' house. Angela and Hodgins decided to take him because Booth was still as miserable as before. His third was spent on Russ and Amy's together with his grandfather, Max.

Booth lifted his son so that he could reach the top of the tree. Lance carefully placed the star so that it wouldn't fall down. Lance smiled as his father put him down. He had never done that before and he was absolutely thrilled that he could help bit giggle. As soon as Booth saw that grin in his son's lips, it reminded him of the day he, Temperance and Parker put up the same Christmas tree years ago. It was that same smile that he saw on Temperance's lips as he lifted her so that she could reach the top. This would be perfect if she was only here to celebrate this with us, he thought. He couldn't help but recall what he concluded the worst Christmas that turned to be the perfect one among the others years ago.

Flashback

It was the 23rd of December 2008. The temperature outside was just a little above zero. It was morning and Booth was still lying in his bed, asleep. When he opened his eyes, he found that Temperance was missing. She, again, headed to the Jeffersonian without informing him.

Temperance was the first one to arrive at the Jeffersonian. It was way too early for everyone to come to work as it was only 6 o'clock in the morning. She headed for her office and then to the platform to work on the bones of a female victim. She took small portions of the bone and looked at it under the microscope. She knew there as nothing to see but she had to preoccupy herself. She wanted to escape from reality. She was too upset at what was going on with her life that she broke down and cried while looking at the bones under the microscope. She knew she had to stop because her tears were all over the eyepiece lens and she couldn't see what she was doing. Also, she didn't want anyone to see her crying. She wanted everyone to believe that she was strong. But she couldn't take everything anymore and no matter how she tried to stop herself, it never worked.

Angela arrived and saw her crying. She quickly went to her best friend to console her. She knew that this was the worst Christmas for Temperance and yet she could do nothing to help things become better, she could only hug her.

"Everything's going to fine, Tempe" Angela told Temperance. The copious, salty tears were beginning to wet Angela's back so Tempe detached herself from her and wiped her tears with her hands.

"No it's not, Ange" Temperance contradicted. She knew things were not going to be any better at all. She didn't want to rely on false hope as she had been clinging to that when she was a kid. The feeling of being let down was unbearable and accepting the fact that life won't ever be the same made more sobs came out of her.

Angela held Temperance tighter. She just knew her best friend was now too hormonal and to upset. The moment was interrupted when Booth showed up.

TBC…


Please tell me what you think. I just rushed this one so that I could submit it today so I didn't have time to review the flaws. I'm not exactly satisfied with it and I still want to write some more but I'm too exhausted. And you won't like it anyway. Now, I must take a quick nap because the holidays have left me physically and mentally drained. Be back in a jiffy. Also, I have no idea how to write a flashback so go easy on that one pretty please. Constructive criticisms are most certainly welcome.