A/N: This chapter is rated "M", folks. Enjoy.

"I still say I need an artificial tree or just a table tree. I don't have to worry about watering it and I don't have to dump it out after the holidays. Plus a table tree has less chance of falling over from an over curious cat."

Jessica turned to Aubrey as she drove. "No, Superman. This is the first year in your new house. Nothing makes a house homier around the holidays like a real tree. Table trees are just sad. Besides, if you had sprayed your tree last year, Skinner wouldn't have knocked it over when he tried to climb it."

"But-"

"Please….." Jessica begged. I'll help you decorate it. Besides, I had to owe my brother a favor to borrow his truck."

Aubrey looked over at Jessica and surrendered. "Fine."

"Yay!" Jessica yelled before steering the truck she was driving to the tree lot. "You won't regret it."

"I hope not."

Two hours later, Jessica backed into Aubrey's driveway. She stopped, parked, and turned off the motor. The two got out, but while the agent headed to the back, Jessica stood by the truck and looked around the neighborhood her friend moved into three months ago.

Some yards had white picket fences with and neighbors who decorated their houses for the holidays in a festive and fun way. It was quiet, but people seemed to mind their own. It was close to the Jeffersonian and the Hoover buildings. Yards were faded green with the change of the season.

It was the antithesis of what she planned for her life.

Suddenly, she looked behind her at Aubrey's house, formerly Doctor Brennan's and Agent Booth's home. It was barn style, but homey instead of the weird country-chic she usually saw. They had fixed it up with the plan to sell, but the couple couldn't do it, even with the bad memories of their last night in it.

Instead, they started to renting it to Aubrey a few months ago for a cheap price in return for having someone they trust live in their house. While going with the motif of the neighborhood, she and the agent helped make it his own. Instead of stiff and perfect, it was warm and comfortable.

A home she could live in…with Aubrey.

"Earth to Jessica!"

Startled, she turned to the man inside the truck bed. "What?"

"What world are you in?"

Embarrassed, she blushed for a moment before clearing her throat. "The world where Superman needs a woman to help him get a tree. Now give me your keys so I can unlock your door!" She said with a laugh.

After opening the door, the two unloaded the tree and carried it into the house. Knowing Aubrey was still sore from the bombing eight days earlier, Jessica took the lead. After shooing Skinner upstairs, they worked together to get the stand set up and the tree situated.

While Jessica worked on untangling the lights, Aubrey went upstairs and got out his ornaments. Coming down, he was punch in the gut with emotion with the sight in front of him.

Jessica wearing the lights while she was stringing them around the tree as she sang 'Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer'. He snickered because she looked so damn adorable at that moment, lamenting the fact he didn't have a camera.

Wanting to catch her by surprise, he tip-toed down the stairs.

Jessica had finally untangled the mess that was James Aubrey's Christmas lights. After several attempts to hold the massive chain without dropping them, she thought outside the box and wrapped them around her.

As she maneuvered them around the tree, she felt warm and secure in a way she had never felt. Relaxed, she started singing the first song that came to mind.

"Grandma got run over by a reindeer…walking home from our house Christmas Eve…you could say there's no such thing as Santa…but as for me and Grandpa, we believe."

Jessica continued to sing until something startled her.

"Grandma got run over by a reindeer!"

Jessica screamed. When she got over the initial shock, she turned and saw Aubrey barely holding onto the ornaments while laughing his head off.

"James Aubrey you're an asshole!" She yelled without much heat.

After a moment, the agent calmed down and put down the box. "Sorry. I couldn't help it. You were so cute singing."

Her eyes narrowed. "Trying to smooth talk me. Not working, Aubrey."

Aubrey walked up closer until they were face to face. "I'll make you a hot chocolate."

Jessica's mouth made a partial smile. "I want marshmallows, Agent."

"Deal."

Together, the two decorated the tree until it was a wonder hodgepodge of lights and ornaments.

A short time later, while Aubrey made the hot chocolate, Jessica lit the fireplace and turned off the lights. The two cuddled up on the couch and watched the lights flicker on the tree, enjoying the solitude.

Aubrey looked over at Jessica and was awestruck at how beautiful she was when the lights flickered on her just right. Remembering his brush with death last week, thoughts of love and lust washed over him at that moment. It was then he realized he didn't want to wait anymore.

"Jess."

The redhead turned and was taken aback by the look in Aubrey's eyes. His eyes were turning towards indigo, making her body heat up. She debated for a moment before deciding on a course of action.

"A-are you still sore from the bombing?"

"A little, but much better than a few days ago. I haven't taken the painkillers I was prescribed since Monday. The doctor said I could start running again tomorrow if I feel up to it."

"Good." Jessica said, inching closer.

"Are you tired?" Aubrey asked Jessica. "It's been a long day for both of us, with work and getting this tree home and set up."

"I was, but not anymore." She replied as Aubrey's face was inches from hers.

"Good." Was the last thing the agent said before the two came together in a kiss that grew heated quickly. After a minute, both needed air and they broke reluctantly.

"Jess, once this starts, I can't do this just once." Aubrey said, hoping she understood.

"I can't either." Jessica said, understanding exactly what Aubrey was telling her. She barely finished speaking when Aubrey pulled her close again and they came together in a passionate embrace. Before they knew it, the agent lowered her on the sofa before his lips moved to her neck.

He needed her now, right there.

As the agent's lips trained down to her suprasternal notch, Jessica's right hand held his close while her left moved down to the hem of his shirt before moving under it. She moaned when she found hot skin. Moving up, she found one of the new scars from the bombing and caressed it lovingly, earning a moan from the man on top of her.

Desperate for flesh, Aubrey's hands moved under Jessica's shirt. While one hand caressed her side, the other made a trail up her abdominal area until it found lace and silk encasing a soft mound. Feeling her arch in response, he caressed her breast while his tongue traced a trail from her ear to her chest.

"Oh God, Aubrey." Jessica whispered. "More."

His brain power traveling to his nether regions, he quickly pulled up the red head until she was sitting up and quickly pulled her shirt off her, being rewarded by her breasts encased by a dark bra. His control ebbing away, he pushed her back to the couch where his lips nibbled all over her left mound with his hand caressing the other. When his lips found her hardened nipple, he took it in his mouth, suckling it though the silkened lace.

"Aaaaahhh." Jessica moaned before she responded by tracing her nails down Aubrey's back. When she reached his belt area, she yanked the shirt up, only to be assisted by the agent, who threw the offending item on the floor near hers.

Aubrey continued to tease her nipples with his tongue until he reached his breaking point, quickly pulling down the cups and greedily taking one in his mouth while his hand teased the other. Needing more, he lifted her up enough to unclip the bra and remove it from Jessica before returning to where he was. After a few minutes he used his lips a make a trail down her silky abdomen until he reached the top of her pants.

"Jess, I am at the last vestiges of any control I can muster. Do you want me to stop?"

"Are you…shitting me? No!" She yelled before her hands moved down and grabbed his muscular ass.

"Thank god." He muttered before undoing her pants and slipping them off. Throwing them on the floor, he looked back at Jessica, looking wanton and beautiful laying on his couch only in a pair of panties. The lights from the Christmas tree glowed on her in strategic areas, only making her more stunning.

"You're beautiful, Jessica. More than I can ever tell you."

"So are you, James Aubrey." Jessica replied as she admired his lanky but muscular upper body before pulling him back on top of her. She wrapped her leg around his waist, enabling him to feel how ready she was for him.

"Oh my god, you're wet already, Jess." Aubrey muttered as he sucked her nipples one more time.

"Yes, I am, Superman." Jessica breathed before she reached for his pants and unbuckled them.

Pushing them off, she was assisted by her partner, revealing equally muscular legs covered by boxer shorts before she felt her panties being pulled off her. She could feel his kisses as they once again trailed down her stomach and down her right leg before switching to inside her thigh as it got closer to her apex. Jessica was awash in feelings she had never known before as she realized that she was making love for the first time.

Then she felt a fire in her body ignite as Aubrey's mouth found her bundle of nerves.

"Son of a—oh my God!"

Not wanting her to buck him off, Aubrey held her down with his arm while he tortured her with his mouth. Sure, he had sex before, but never was it ever this encompassing. He wanted all of Jessica…now.

He drove her intensely until she exploded. "Aaaaahhhh Superman!"

Aubrey watched as she came down from her high. When she opened her eyes, her eyes had darkened to almost emerald. It was then he decided he wanted them to turn completely emerald. Realizing he needed something, he turned to grab his wallet when Jessica spoke.

"Aubrey, I'm on the Pill and I take it every morning. I got myself tested a month ago as a precaution and I'm clean. I trust you completely, but if you prefer to get a condom, it's fine."

Her complete trust burst open the gates holding back the last of his fears. Quickly, Aubrey pulled off his boxers and tossed them aside. Moving back on top of her, he took one of her hands in his before pushing himself in, making him see stars. "Oh shit, Jess. You feel so good."

As Aubrey moved with confidence, he was encouraged by Jessica, who wrapped her legs around his waist and held onto his butt while she moaned. The louder she moaned, the more intensely he felt her walls encase him.

"Jess, I'm close. Oh God, I'm close."

"So am I, Aubrey. Ooooohhhh Goooooodd. I'm coming!"

Aubrey saw her face transform with her eyes turn a deep emerald as she had her second orgasm and it was the most beautiful thing he ever saw. Right as she finished, his end point was reached and he screamed as he released into her. After he gave her everything he could, Aubrey collapsed onto Jessica.

"Holy shit, Superman." Was all a heavily breathing Jessica could get out.

"Holy shit, indeed." Aubrey replied, equally out of breath.

Two hours later, Aubrey woke up from the best dream of his life. After taking a moment, he realized he was in his living room. Seeing the lit tree, he realized that it wasn't a dream.

He and Jessica made love.

Looking down, he saw a curtain of red hair and Jessica's head on his shoulder as she slept peacefully. Glancing over at the Christmas tree, he admired the work he and Jessica put in. Pulling her close, he covered them up further with the blanket off the couch. As he closed his eyes, he made a decision.

Screw fake trees. There will be a real tree in his living room every Christmas.