A/N: Well, here we are, at the end! I wanted to get this up before 'Santa in the Slush' tonight, cause I still don't have season 3 on DVD! Thanks for reading and for putting up with my fast paced updates. I can only hope that the quality hasn't taken a complete nosedive because of it. Please enjoy!

Chapter 3: December 24

Christmas Eve went by slowly for Brennan. Mostly because she was anticipating that evening. She hoped everything would go smoothly. She'd spent more time in the mall yesterday than she had all year, getting home at an ungodly hour and collapsing into bed, only to get up early and make her delivery before heading to work to finish the paperwork that, for some reason, she just couldn't seem to make a dent in.

Finally, she gave up and did something she rarely did, especially at work. Computer solitaire. It was horribly addicting and seemed to make time go a little faster. The screen began to grow blurry, then faded to black as her eyes closed.

When they opened again, it was due to her cell phone, ringing from its spot on her desk. She flipped it open noting two things. First, the number. It was Booth. Second, the time, displayed on the phone's menu. Her head snapped up. She was late. She jumped up and grabbed her coat while talking into the phone.

"I know. I'm late. I fell asleep. I'm leaving now." She closed the phone without waiting for a reply or saying good-bye. Her plan was set to take place at eight and she had wanted them to be finished with dinner by the time that happened.

Arriving at his building, she grabbed their gifts from the passenger seat, and walked quickly inside. She knocked quickly, and tapped her foot on the floor waiting for it to be opened. Parker answered the door, stepping aside for her to enter and closing it behind her. "Dad's setting the table," he explained, being the little gentleman and taking her coat from her, hanging it over a chair.

Brennan followed him to the kitchen, stopping to place her gifts in front of the tree. She noted the two stockings hanging from a bookshelf and cursed inwardly. She had completely forgotten to buy herself one. Well, there was always next year. She greeted her partner, and took a seat when prompted to do so, shooting him a thankful grin as her eyes took in the spread on the table. He'd gone to a lot of trouble.

After dinner they sat on the couch and talked while Parker sat near the tree, giving his presents a shake or two, and making guesses as to what was inside. Brennan glanced at her watch. A little after eight. Any minute now. She bit back a smile as a knock sounded on the door. She glanced at Booth, careful that her expression didn't give anything away.

"Were you expecting someone else?"

He shook his head and got up, creeping down the hallway and returning with his gun. "Parker, get in your room. Now."

Brennan rolled her eyes in exasperation as another knock sounded. "Booth, if someone was going to break in, do you honestly think they'd knock? It's probably a neighbor or something. It could even be Cam." She smirked when he glanced at the door. She knew exactly who it was. Before he could argue, she stood up and strode to the door, opening it and allowing the old man with the red suit and the bag over his shoulder inside.

She'd been a bit surprised that he had his own suit and bag, but figured that he probably did volunteer work during the holidays.

Booth's eyes shifted from her to the old man and back again. She gave him a knowing smile and gestured down the hall to where Parker had obediently gone to his room.

"Parker! Come out! You're never gonna guess who's here!"

The little boy opened his door. "Is it Grandma and Grandpa? Uncle Jared?"

"Guess again," Booth replied as his son appeared around the corner, stopping short when he saw the old man in front of the tree, emptying out his sack. Parker's eyes went wide.

"Santa?" He looked from his father to Brennan once then looked at the bearded man, who had finished and was now looking at the boy, his eyes dancing merrily. Parker squinted at him, taking in every detail of his face, anything that could tell him that this was someone he knew. Deciding he'd never met nor seen the man before in his life, he stepped closer. "Santa! You are real!" He looked over at Brennan and Booth. "You guys were wrong! Dr. Bones was wrong!"

Brennan grinned. "It does happen on occasion."

'Santa' wished Parker 'Merry Christmas' and winked at Brennan on his way out. Parker raced back over to the tree, going over the new presents and muttering, "I knew he was real. Deep down, I knew it." While the boy was busy under the tree, Brennan heard Booth whisper.

"Where'd you find Santa?"

"Mopping the floors of the lab last night."

"You realize the huge problem I'm gonna have on my hands when I have to tell him the truth."

"Yes, but then at least it'll be you telling him, and that's the way it should be."

He leaned closer to her ear. "Got that right. Thank you Bones." She felt a soft pressure on her temple and realized that he had kissed her there.

"You're welcome," she whispered back, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Can we open presents now? Please? I don't think I can wait til tomorrow! I'll explode!"Parker already had a present in hand, giving his dad a puppy face.

"I don't know. Bones? What do you think?"

"Well, I think I'd strongly prefer it if Parker didn't explode, so right now sounds good."

"All right. Go ahead buddy."

Needing no other encouragement, Parker unwrapped his presents from 'Santa' and Brennan found her smile growing larger and larger with each package as Parker's excitement grew.

"Santa knew just what to get me!" he exclaimed and Brennan thanked the stars for helpful sales clerks. She would have been lost otherwise. That made her a bit insecure about her own gift for the boy. Hopefully, it would meet the same reception as the others. After Parker had opened his present from Booth, Brennan went to the tree and handed Parker the gift from her. He tore it open and looked at it before beaming at her, showing his father the model dinosaur kit.

"Cool! Can you do it with me?" It took her a second to realize he was looking expectantly at her, not at Booth.

"You want me to help you?" she asked.

"Yea, you know all about dinosaurs and stuff, right?"

She looked at Booth for permission. He nodded, grinning at them both.

"Of course. I'll come over sometime and we can do it together." She returned Parker's smile and went to the tree again, this time, picking up Booth's gift and handing it to him.

He unwrapped it and held up a tie. "Thanks Bones. Can never have enough of these. And it's very…sensible and…it's great. Thank you." He smiled at her and put it, untied, around his neck.

"I'm glad you like it. Hodgins suggested it. I wasn't sure what you would want." She grinned back, pleased that he liked it, although she didn't think it was what he expected. What had he expected? She'd have to think about that. She had time before his birthday to figure that out.

"Parker, why don't you get Dr. Bones' gift and give it to her?" Parker retrieved Brennan's present and handed it to her. It was from them both. She opened it. It was a stocking. Red felt with little skeletons glued on it.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

"Hang it up. There's a hook there for you." He pointed to the shelf and she hung her new stocking up next to theirs, a feeling of belonging washing over her. It felt good. She was about to ask what they should do next, now that all the presents were opened, when Parker's voice called from the tree.

"Dr. Bones! There's another present here, and it's for you. From Santa."

A small frown creased her face. That certainly hadn't been part of the arrangement. She took the gift from Parker. It was a small box. She opened it and a sharp gasp left her mouth, the box and its contents dropping to the floor. Booth reached down and scooped up a necklace with a heart pendant, placing it in her open palm. "Bones? You ok? What is it?"

She looked down at the heart and flicked the small clasp, handing it over to him. Inside the locket there were two tiny photos. One of a girl, one of a boy. Both were smiling. They were obviously school pictures.

Realization dawned and he looked at her incredulously. "You? And Russ?"

She nodded, hands still shaking slightly. "I gave it to Mom for Mother's Day one year. I told her that whenever she wasn't with us, all she had to do was open the locket and there we'd be. She took it with her when she and Dad left. I never knew what happened to it." When it was placed back in her hand, she closed her fist around it, trying her utmost not to cry. What did it all mean? No way the old man could have known or had it in his possession. Unless…no, impossible. Wasn't it? Santa didn't exist, right?

She felt a hand on her shoulder and two sets of eyes looking at her.

"I'm fine." She gave them a smile and put the locket back in the box, putting it in her pocket and taking a few deep breaths. "So, what do we do now?"

"Now we watch 'A Christmas Story'," Parker supplied, taking the initiative and turning the TV on.

"What Christmas story?" Brennan asked, a little confused.

"That's what it's called," Booth explained, then raised an eyebrow at her. "You've never seen 'A Christmas Story?' Triple dog dares, Red Ryder BB guns? 'You'll shoot your eye out'?"

Brennan shook her head.

"Well, you're in for a treat. Get comfy." He settled into the cushion, grabbing a blanket off the arm of the couch. Parker settled in on the other side of Brennan, who found herself scooting closer to Booth to share in the warmth of the blanket, which fit over the three of them perfectly. They were about halfway through the movie when Booth's voice reached Brennan's ears.

"Santa didn't leave me anything. I wonder why?"

Brennan smirked at him. "Perhaps he thought you were naughty this year," she suggested before yawning and resting her head on his shoulder.

"What? No way! He needs to check that list of his more than twice if he thinks that. I'm always good," he protested before putting an arm around her, saying quietly, "Merry Christmas Bones."

And it was. A very Merry Christmas.

A/N: Hope you liked it! Merry Christmas!!