So here is the continuation of Brennan's dream, it picks up the next day after the previous chapter but it is still all happening whilst she is sleeping!
Thanks once again to my reviewers and the people who have alerted me, with special thanks to MaliBearsBuddy.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!
As always nothing is mine.
The Anthropologist in the Dream
Chapter Nine: Dream – Part Two
"Grangran, Pops where are you?" Two small voices called as they bounded through the house, their small feet echoing on the wooden floor beneath them, "It's Christmas."
She looked up from the mountain of apples that she was cutting as her two grandchildren bounded into the kitchen; their blonde curls bouncing around their adorable faces.
"Grangran," the oldest little boy said, happiness crossing his face, his arms wrapping around her tightly, "You're making pie."
"Indeed I am Mitchell. I hope you are hungry."
"We are very hungry Grangran," the youngest boy piped up, also throwing his arms around her.
"Boys," called a female voice as she breezed into the kitchen, "I sure hope you aren't annoying Temperance,"
She smiled at her daughter in law, disentangling herself from her grandsons as they raced back towards their mother, "They could never annoy me Kate," she said with another smile as she kissed Kate on the cheek.
"See Mom, we told you," the oldest boy said as he high fived his little brother, "We are exceptionally awesome."
Brennan laughed as the two boys began to wrestle one another for who was exactly the most awesome.
"Mitchell and Max that is quite enough for today," called another familiar voice as Parker entered the kitchen, his arms laden with presents and what looked like an appetising desert.
"But Dad," the two boys said together their mouths pouting, "It's Christmas."
"And have you said Merry Christmas to your Grangran?" Parker asked as he placed everything down on the table before hugging Brennan tightly.
The two boys looked sheepish, before they smiled cheekily, "Merry Christmas Grangran,"
"Merry Christmas Mitchell and Merry Christmas to you Max," Brennan said as she left the apple cutting and squatted ready for the double hug which was soon thrust her way, she ruffled the youngest boys curls and then dropped a kiss on each of their cheeks.
"Now what is all this noise?"
"Pops," two small voices screeched together as they left her arms and raced over towards Seeley who had entered the room.
"Boys," he said as he high fived the both of them, "Are we ready for a fun day today?"
Max looked towards his brother eagerly and as Mitchell nodded, Max copied, both of them then jumping on their toes in anticipation.
"Dad," Parker began as he thumped his father on the shoulder, "What have you been planning?"
"Nothing son, nothing." Seeley explained as he leant over to kiss his daughter in law, "I'll tell you when we are away from the women folk."
"Seeley Booth that is incredibly sexiest, this leads me to ascertain that you have planned something quite inappropriate for your grandsons to do today." Brennan said warningly.
"Something dangerous no doubt." Kate added as she wriggled her finger towards the four now sheepish looking males.
"Cool." Mitchell said, "Come on Pops let's go."
"Booth," Brennan called warningly as she watched the four of them leave the room, reverting to the former name she had once called her husband.
Four pairs of eyes turned back to look at her and one voice answered her, the youngest voice, "Grangran we are all Booth's," Max said innocently, "Which one?"
The Booth whose attention she had been seeking laughed loudly, "See that's why you now call me Seeley,"
"I guess it is, that and book reviewers thinking that your name was Booth Booth," Brennan replied as she made her way over to her husband, "Now you take care of these three. I am making a huge pie and someone has to be around to eat it, I am certainly not giving it to Kipling," she told him firmly, kissing him softly. Hearing his name and as if on cue the dog bounded into the room leaping onto the children and sniffing at them excitedly sensing that something fun was about to happen. "Please take him with you," Brennan added as she watched the four of them leave the room, leaving her and her daughter in law alone in the kitchen.
"They are very excited this year," Brennan began as she returned to the apple cutting once more, each piece adding to the ever-increasing pile.
"I know," Kate replied as she smiled towards her mother in law, "We've been counting down the days from 50, I think Max nearly fainted today when he realised that it was finally here."
Brennan smiled, her head tilting to the side, "His namesake was always fond of Christmas himself," remembering her Dad and the love he had for the holiday season.
Kate smiled back, "Parker told me about some of the Christmases he spent with your dad, he really loved them. I think he learnt quite a bit from him."
"Yes, there was that one time that they made an exploding cracker that really did explode," a new voice answered from the doorway, "I remember jumping six feet into the air, so did you Mom."
"Isabella," Brennan said with a huge smile, turning to see her daughter smiling towards the two of them, a small bundle swathed in her arms.
"Hi Mom, Kate, Merry Christmas,"
"Merry Christmas," Brennan replied as she left the apples and walked quickly over to her daughter, kissing her on the cheek and lifting the small bundle from her arms, "Merry first Christmas to you gorgeous girl," she whispered as she lifted the blanket from over her granddaughter's head.
"Oh Issy," Kate cooed as she peeped over Brennan's shoulder, "She's so beautiful."
"She takes after me, it's a Thomas thing" called another voice from the doorway, as Brennan's son in law Miles wandered into the room, almost a mirror image of what Parker had been when he entered the room a little while ago, his arms laden with presents and food.
"She looks like a Booth to me Miles," Seeley answered as he returned to the kitchen, his shirt slightly dirtier than what it had been only a few moments ago.
Miles laughed as he shook his father in law's hand warmly, "I sense I am not going to win here,"
Seeley laughed as he walked over to his daughter, wrapping his arms around her, "Have I ever told you that you get more beautiful every time I see you?"
"Yes Dad you have and the way I am feeling now that is exactly what I needed to hear," Isabella answered from within her father's arms. "Your granddaughter has an amazing set of lungs and she isn't afraid to use them."
"She takes after her mother then." Parker said with a laugh as he re-entered the room, followed by his two sons, who had smudges of what looked like car oil on their cheeks.
"Hey now, that isn't fair." Isabella protested as she left her father's arms and headed over to her brother, punching him roughly on the shoulder.
"Little sis, you could yell for hours, I remember," Parker replied knowledgably, as he threw one of his arms over her shoulders, punching her back.
Brennan looked down as she felt someone pulling on the seam of her shirt, it was a smiling Max, "Grangran, can I see the baby?" he asked quietly.
"Of course you can," she answered, squatting on to her haunches, she couldn't help but smile, as little Max's face lit up, even his eyes seemed to smile.
"Hi Lauren, remember me, I'm your cousin Max," the little boy whispered, "and guess what, it's Christmas today and my Mommy and Daddy and my big brother Mitchell and me have bought you a present, I think it might be clothes," he added at the end, as he poked out his tongue at the thought, "But I got some toys from Santa, you can play with them."
"I think she's a bit too young for your toys just yet Bub," Parker answered his son, ruffling at his hair.
"Next year she'll want to play with you for sure sweetie," Isabella added, coming over to her nephew and hugging him.
"Okay Aunty Issy," Max replied as he hugged his aunt tightly, smiling out towards his father and mother.
"So boys," Brennan began, "I am sure that your Pops has many other activities planned for you," she added as she stood back upright, as her granddaughter opened her small blue eyes and stared intently at her.
"Is this something I can join in on?" Miles questioned as he left all that he had carried inside on the table and went over to join his brother in law and father in law.
"Of course you can join in son," Seeley answered, "I've got plenty organised," he added with a smile, "I've added a new motor to Parker's first pedal car, care to try it out Miles?" he asked, slapping his son in law on the shoulder with an open hand.
"You bet," Miles answered excitedly, "although the snow might prove to be a challenge."
"I think that is supposed to be part of the fun," Parker explained, "Right Dad?"
Seeley nodded, before he questioned, "Men are you ready?" Miles and Parker nodded, "Boys are you ready?"
"You bet Pops," Mitchell answered for himself and his brother as the two of them began to jump on one leg once more.
Brennan watched as the now five males began to walk from the room, "Now you boys be very careful," she called after them, "You know that I will know exactly which bone you have broken before you do,"
"That's because you are the bone lady," Max said as he turned back towards her, leaving the rest of them to continue to the garage, "That's why Pops calls you 'Bones' Grangran," he told her as he disappeared from sight, joining his grandfather, father, brother and uncle.
Brennan smiled once more, it always amazed her how much love she could feel for her grandchildren and as she turned her attention back to her daughter and daughter in law, she realised how truly blessed she was to have such a beautiful family. She leant down towards the gurgling baby and placed a small kiss on her forehead, "You will always be loved, my sweet sweet granddaughter, Lauren Temperance Thomas."
[-]
Later that night after lunch had been eaten, presents had been exchanged and dinner had been picked at, Temperance Brennan-Booth stood in the doorway of her lounge room. She watched the two small boys who were both sound asleep in the middle of the floor, their faces marked with dirt and the remainder of mud that they had discovered when the pedal car had hit one of her flowerbeds that had been covered with snow. Despite their mother's best efforts both boys had refused to wash their faces, claiming that it was still Christmas and that the mud showed that they had had a great day.
She looked towards the other people in the room, Parker and Kate were on one sofa, Parker with his arms wrapped tightly around his wife as he stared at the television. Brennan could see that Kate was almost asleep herself, her breathing was slowing and her eyes flickered open and closed with every breath. Opposite Parker and Kate were Miles and her precious daughter Isabella, Isabella had been asleep longer than anyone else, she'd barely been able to keep her eyes open whilst they had all been exchanging presents. Brennan smiled as Miles dropped a kiss into Isabella's hairline, she knew her daughter was exhausted but at least she had found a good man to take care of her, a man that had never hurt her, a man who Brennan was happy to call her son in law.
Finally she looked towards the last person in the room, he was half curled up in his favourite worn armchair, the same armchair that she had been carefully encouraging him to replace for the last three years, but Seeley Booth was nothing if not stubborn, he'd blamed this on his wife over the years, that he had inherited her strength of stubbornness. He turned as she stepped into the room, smiling at her warmly as he patted his lap, she smiled as she slid onto his knees and his arms wrapped around her, one of his hands taking hers tightly.
She leant up to kiss him on the cheek as he whispered, "Today was an amazing day Bones, that pie was delicious."
"Indeed it was, the day of course. I cannot make any comment about the pie." Brennan whispered back as she pressed her forehead against his before she tucked her head in and underneath his jaw.
Booth laughed and then whispered, "I love you Bones," before he kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too my Seeley," she whispered back to him, snuggling into his familiar body, allowing her eyes to close.
So there we have the dream life, don't worry though this dream is the theme of the story so it will of course be revisited. I hope that you enjoyed it, Merry Christmas!
