A/N: Again, probably a little OOC and I have done what I really hate doing and given this a rather quick resolution, but I have tried to leave it open to show that it might not be completely smooth sailing...

"DR. BONES!"

Brennan jumped slightly as the silence of her office was shattered by Parker who came rushing into her office and bounced into her lap.

"Parker, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Dad and I came to ask if you wanted to come and have some hot chocolate with us and maybe watch a movie? Please?" he added as he sensed her hesitation. "Hannah won't be there, she left," he added by way of further inducement.

Brennan's eyes widened, "What?"

Parker immediately looked contrite, "Oops, I wasn't supposed to say anything yet," he apologised as Booth stepped into the room.

Booth took in Brennan's slightly shocked expression and Parker's guilty one and sighed, "Parker…" he began warningly.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry!" Parker apologised, climbing out of Brennan's lap and coming over to his father.

Booth nodded out the door, "Go wait outside for a moment, I need to talk to Bones, ok?" Parker nodded and scampered out of the office, "But don't touch anything!" Booth called after him before turning his attention back to Brennan. "Hi," he said, suddenly feeling incredibly awkward.

"Bringing Parker was a dirty trick, Booth," she replied.

Booth tried to look contrite, "I know," he looked up at her, "did it work?"

"Did Hannah really leave?" she asked, ignoring his question.

Booth nodded, "We had a talk this morning and I came here because…because I thought you might like to reclaim your place in my family," he said quietly, edging towards her.

"So I did lose it."

"No, I was just too stupid to realise that I was trying to replace you when in reality no one ever can or will," he told her. She cocked her head to the side as she considered his words, "Please Bones," he pleaded, "I never meant to hurt you but I did and I was…hoping we could try again?"

She shook her head, "No."

"No?"

"No," she confirmed, "I don't want to try, Booth, or gamble on this…trying and gambling imply there's a chance we would fail and I couldn't handle that," she took a steadying breath, "I would like to make this work," she stated baldly.

Booth's grin almost split his face in half, "So would I, Bones, so would I."

Brennan smiled as she stood up, pulling her jacket off the back of her chair as she did so, "Then we are agreed."

Booth nodded, still smiling, "Yes we are."

As they turned to leave her office he took her hand, heartened that she didn't pull away.

"This doesn't mean I forgive you," she said, shattering Booth's contentment.

"Oh."

She squeezed his hand and leaned up to whisper in his ear, "But I intend to let you make it up to me," she told him before favouring him with an impish grin and sauntering out of her office.

Booth watched her go, his eyes straying down to the sway of her hips, "Believe me, Bones, I intend to," he promised as he found his voice before following her out.

He found her near the entrance, helping Parker fix his scarf, "Come on, let's go home," he said.

Brennan smiled as she took one of Parker's hands and watched as Booth took the other and as they all walked out together she reflected that perhaps this wouldn't be such a bad Christmas after all.