AN: Spoilers for Santa in the Slush
Chapter 2 All I Want for Christmas
Christmas morning a light snow began to fall on the nation's capitol. Inside her D.C. apartment, Temperance Brennan snuggled down under her comforter and recalled, with fondness, the events of the past twenty-four hours. Christmas, which had always passed like any other day, with the exception of the year of the Christmas Lung Fungus and Careful Lionel, had suddenly become a major event this year.
While the Jeffersonian staff gift exchange had gone well and everyone went off in their separate directions for the holiday, it was the hour that Temperance spent preparing the mistletoe and chewing half a pack of gum that stuck in her memory. More specifically, the eight steamboats that she and Booth spent under that mistletoe.
As much as Temperance detested interference in her personal life and Caroline Julian's self describe "puckish" nature, it had been one of the highlights of her Christmas Eve. And December 24th would be the day she would remember from this holiday, the first Christmas with her father since she was fifteen, her brother coming back all the way from fictious Burma and giving presents to her nieces.
Again, it was Booth's presence outside the prison standing beside a beautifully decorated tree that made the night special. Booth had made Christmas exceptional for her, gave her something that time and circumstances had taken away, another chance for Christmas Eve with her family. Burrowing down under the blankets, Temperance drifted off into a restful sleep, thankful for the first time she'd postponed the trip to Peru with National Geographic until after the New Year. She slept, dreaming of those eight steamboats when she was lip to lip and hip to hip with her partner.
I
don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I
don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
Rationality persisted in the dark recesses of Temperance's sleep and dreams and she felt more than a little jealous of Parker, spending Christmas morning with his dad. You don't know how lucky you are, she thought, an image of the two playing in her head, a father who loves you, is not in prison, all your own.
I
just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make
my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is...
You
Seeley Booth was watching his son, who objectively was growing up entirely too fast, open the last of his presents from under their tree. He looked up at the seven foot Douglas Fir and made a mental note to get some pictures before he took it down. Parker decorated it, as always, so the bottom half was heavy with ornaments, the top half sparse. His son loved to manipulate the lights, changing the controls so only the blue lights would be on, the next night only the red. Sometimes they blinked in rapid succession, flickering brightly off the glass ornaments.
Now, as Parker opened his last gift, all the lights were on and steady. Seeley sipped at his coffee, snapping another picture as Parker ripped at the paper in excited fury. The next hour passed quickly, Seeley making Parker special green Christmas pancakes while Parker wrote a thank you note to Santa, some of their many traditions. Seeley packed up Parker's bag, putting a few of his new toys in for the trip to Vermont.
As father and son drove to meet Rebecca, Seeley was struck by a pang of sadness. He remembered how his cynicism had turned to joy when Parker showed up in his office and the unexpected gift under the mistletoe with Dr. Brennan. But now, in just a few minutes, he would be alone again. Back home he had nothing planned no one to visit and a long, lonely day ahead. The cynicism was back and only the memory of Bones on her phone, staring out the window of a conjugal visit trailer at the prison looking at her tree saved him from true despair.
I
don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I
don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
Booth hugged his son goodbye, reminding him that Santa had filled two stockings this year, one at both his mom and dad's houses. Parker kissed his cheek and ran inside to Rebecca and Booth watched with pride. Turning, Booth contemplated the traditions he loved, the day he would be spending alone and, in the light of the last twenty-four hours, how little of it mattered anymore.
I
don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa
Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just
want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my
wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby
Temperance woke an hour later to the cheerful chiming of her doorbell. Tumbling out of bed she realized how cold her apartment truly was as she wore just a sweatshirt. Yanking open a drawer, she found a pair of sweatpants in her dresser and pulled them on. Hopping down the hall she managed to put on her slippers and run her fingers through her wild hair before checking to see who was at her door.
Her breath caught in her throat.
I
won't ask for much this Christmas
I don't even wish for snow
I'm
just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
Outside Booth leaned against the opposite wall, wondering if he was as much of a fool as he felt. The lock clicked and the door slowly opened. At the first sight of Temperance, Booth knew he was meant to be here.
I
won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I
won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeers click
Seeing Booth dressed in jeans and a bright red Christmas sweater, Temperance opened the door, cooler air from the hall rushing in. She crossed her arms and leaned against the frame, waiting for Booth to explain his unannounced visit. Booth, for his part, was speechless. She looked so sexy even in her rumbled sweats and wild hair, her face free from makeup and somehow peaceful, as if all her worries had been swept away in the night. For her sake, he hoped they had. But as much as Booth knew he wanted to be here, with her all day, he wasn't quite sure she felt the same.
"Want to come in?" Temperance invited, taking charge in her no nonsense manner.
'Cause
I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What
more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
Booth smiled charmingly, the images of Christmas invading his senses. All the traditions fell away, all his customs became unimportant. All that mattered on this most important day was the woman standing before him.
All
the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound
of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me
the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me...
Temperance
waited, a little impatiently, for Booth to make up his mind. He moved
quickly, before she was ready, and his cool hands were cupping her
jaw and his warm lips descended on hers. Once again her hands came up
on their own accord, pulling him closer by the fabric of his sweater
until they were both short of breath.
They pulled apart, but only slightly. Booth pointed a single finger up to the sprig of mistletoe he'd placed at the top of her door frame in answer to her unasked question.
"You could have warned me," Temperance insisted weakly, even as she granted him another soft kiss.
"Hmmm, no professional courtesy here, Bones. This isn't for work, this isn't for Caroline." Booth muttered against her sinfully delicious lips.
Temperance wrapped her arms solidly around his body, moving him inside and shutting the door with her toe. They found themselves on the couch, neither with any recollection of how it happened.
Oh
I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I
just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door
"Then what's the occasion, Booth?" Temperance asked, even as she wondered how a kiss under the mistletoe had progressed to making out in her living room.
Oh
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make
my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is...
You
"Bones,
it's Christmas and," Booth pulled back, his hand still caressing
her back, to gaze into her beautiful blue eyes, "I realized I don't
want to be alone anymore. I want to be with you."
Temperance was silent as Booth peppered kisses down the column of her neck and whispered,
"All I want for Christmas is you... baby…"
After another minute of his ministrations, Temperance melted to the moment and the feelings that threatened to overwhelm her.
"Okay."
"Okay?" Booth confirmed, seeking out her eyes again, testing them for honesty.
"Merry Christmas, Booth."
End Chapter
AN: Merry Christmas all, I hope you have a wonderful holiday. Thanks for the lovely reviews, I considered them a great Christmas present. I do have more chapters planned that should be posted this week.
