"Have a wonderful time okay, and Tempe?" Angela called to her friend, as she was busy sorting out her ticket. Bones looked up at her midway through her search, "Live a little sweetie."
Bones raised her eyebrows in question.
"I think what she means to say is if Booth makes a move on you, respond to it with as much enthusiasm as we know you hide behind that serious workaholic demeanour." Hodgins told her.
"If it helps, just pretend he is a rotting corpse of a five hundred year old dead guy." He added as an afterthought.
Angela glared at him. He smiled guiltily as pressed a kiss to her head.
"Okay Bones, we're all set. We are at check in desk 34, that is over there." Booth pointed over to their right as he pushed a trolley full of cases towards the small group
"Okay, so we better get back, Cam said we can't go on a Christmas break if we don't get all our work done. Who knew she could be such a scrooge!" Angela exasperated.
"Imagine what she would be like if she knew Booth was taking Dr. Brennan home with him."
"Okay Hodgins!" Booth cried pushing him towards the exit of the airport, "Thanks for the ride, I will see you in 2007. Merry Christmas Angela."
"Merry Christmas Booth." She said hugging Bones tightly, "Remember what I said!"
Booth transferred Bones' case onto the trolley where his were and led her over to the queue.
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"Well?"
"Still delayed."
"I can't believe this, we've been waiting three hours!"
"I know Booth but air travel can be unreliable." She said dropping down into the uncomfortable departure lounge seat next to him.
"Do you want another coffee or something?" He asked standing up and straightening his t-shirt, "I'm going anyway. I need to stretch my legs."
"Yes please."
Booth wandered round the edge of the lounge looking for a coffee shop, spotting a Starbucks in the corner he headed towards it when his cell phone started to ring.
"Booth." He answered.
"Honey, that's such a formal way to answer a phone."
"Mum?"
"Yes dear it's me, I was just wondering what time your father and I can expect you and your friend."
"I don't know the plane's delayed at the moment. We've been stuck in the airport for three hours already."
"Your friend is still coming isn't she?"
"Yes Mum."
"What did you say her name was?"
"Bones."
"Bones?"
"I meant Tempe."
"Oh."
"Listen Mum, I'll phone you when we get there okay?"
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Booth came back holding two coffee cups and an assortment of pastries and cakes. She eyed them hungrily. Before she could stop it, her stomach began to rumble by its own accord.
"Hungry Bones?" Booth asked with an eyebrow raised.
"A little." She admitted.
"Pastries and cakes aren't going to fill you. You want some Pizza or something?"
"Sure, I'll come with you."
They walked over to the pizza hut and ordered two slices of the Pepperoni special.
"What made you change your mind?"
"About what?"
"About coming to New York with me."
Bones looked up at him from over the salad bar and saw that he was deadly serious with his question. She thought about why she had said yes, part of her really had been trying to get rid of him so she could get on with her book signing, but another part of her, a part that she suspected was a lot bigger had wanted to go with him. She was fed up of spending every Christmas alone. She never really believed any of the nonsense that came out of her mouth about Jesus having not really been born on that day, it was just an excuse so she wouldn't get hurt on Christmas Day when nobody bothered to see how she was. She would tell herself that it was because they knew that she didn't believe in the festivity. She debated with herself on whether or not she should tell Booth the real reason.
"I was afraid of spending another Christmas alone." She settled on the truth.
"I thought you didn't believe in the holidays."
"I don't, well partly not. Christmas is a time for giving and sharing. That's what my mother always used to tell us at Christmas time. It's about love. I don't believe in that part. It's not, too many people are hurt over this time of year for it to be made special."
Booth looked at her and was shocked to see the truth in Bones' eyes. He knew she was really opening up to him and he was delighted that she was finally letting it out in the open but was also scared of the intimacy of it all. She was basically baring her soul to him and didn't seem too bothered about it, which he should have been thrilled about but in all honesty, he didn't know what it meant.
"Do you hurt over the Christmas period?" He asked her, selecting his words carefully.
"Sometimes." She told him truthfully, feeling the tears begin to well up in her eyes she quickly brushed them away with the back of her hand and went back to spooning pasta salad into the plastic pot for them to share. Sensing that it was a sensitive subject still Booth decided to leave it and go and collect their slices from the pick up.
As they walked back to their seats in the departure lounge he placed a hand on the small of her back and leant down to her ear.
"Just for the record Bones, I'm glad you did decide to join me."
'Me too Booth, me too.' She added silently.
A/N- I know this chapter is short but it is the second chapter in one day so I hope that makes up for it. I should be posting the next chapter early tomorrow, (well early in England) as long as I have all my last minute Christmas shopping done. :) Thank you again for the wonderful reviews, I will try to reply to them as soon as possible, I just wanted to make sure that I was able to post this.
To the reviewer who asked me what channel I was watching the repeats of Bones on, it is Sky One and they start on January 1st I think.
LJ
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