Age 33- The Goop on the Girl (Christmas Eve)-

Temperance stood in her kitchen watching Max and Margaret string lights throughout her apartment. She had told them that the tree was enough, but could see that they were clearly not listening to her direction. In the haste of their case, Temperance had given her father permission to decorate, and was currently watching them as they sang carols and strung lights. Unfortunately, Temperance was not feeling as festive as she had hoped. Her thoughts were still on the mother of Holden Chevaleer, and on the unfairness that she would be spending her Christmas alone after burying her only child.

She had nearly begged Booth to help with the preparation for the dinner, knowing that her father and Margaret would only succeed in 'doing what families do'. Which, was having a knack for getting on her nerves. She watched as Margaret twirled a piece of garland around in a circle, and nearly knocked over one of her Mayan artifacts, and cringed with irritation.

"I need to go out." Temperance said suddenly, watching her two guests stop what they were doing, they looked to her.

"Did we forget something at the store?" Max asked.

"No." She said, bluntly. She turned without an explanation, and grabbed her coat. She grabbed a small package from the table near the door, and her purse, and quickly walked out the door. As soon as the door closed, she could feel the tension and relief of being out of the apartment. She took a slow, deep breath, and when the melodic sound of Margaret's carols rang through the door, she released the breath and quickly made her way toward the stairs.

She retreated to the sidewalk with a near frantic pace, and though she knew that her father wasn't following to question her, she felt like she needed to escape faster. When her apartment was no longer in view, she slowed her pace, allowing the cold wind to bite at her cheeks. She wondered for a moment whether she'd be better off in El Salvador where it was warmer, where she'd be alone with her thoughts, and quickly pushed that thought aside. She had promised her family and friends a Christmas dinner. She hadn't promised them that she'd like it.

Temperance's pace was slow, though she kept her speed steady and her eyes forward. Her mind, as usual was flickering at the speed of light, and pictures and thoughts sailed across like a film. She reached into her pocket for her gloves, and her fingers landed on the box that she had grabbed from the table by the door. Without a second thought, she hailed a cab, climbed inside, and immediately directed the driver to Booth's apartment.

As they neared Booth's neighborhood, she suddenly began to feel nervous. There was no reasoning behind this feeling, but it seemed to get stronger as they approached his apartment. When they were nearly four blocks from his building, she urged the driver to drop her off at the next corner. She paid him for the ride, ensuring that she provided a holiday tip and carefully climbed from the cab. At first she wasn't sure that being let out in this particular neighborhood was a good idea, but quickly pushed aside that concern. She was more than capable of dealing with any hoodlums if the situation called for it.

With a cleansing breath, she walked down the street toward her partner's apartment. She had a specific reasoning for her actions, and smiled as she walked past the sparkling Christmas lights that decorated porches and storefronts. She wasn't particularly fond of the large, blow up ornaments of snowmen and Santa clause. She preferred the traditional glow of Christmas lights, illuminating every surface it touched. She preferred the primary colors, and the dim brightness of older light sets, not the blindingly bright LED lights that seem to try too hard to outshine the rest. As she walked along the sidewalk, her fingers rolling over the small box in her pocket with bow, her mind began to slip into a darker place.

Temperance stopped at one light display, where a plastic angel sit illuminated on a high porch high above her. Its yellow wings and white body sent lights glittering all around it, and her brow furrowed. Any time she saw an angel, she thought of her mother. And every time she thought of her mother, she could feel her heart clench in her chest. Things had changed so much since she was a little girl. Her father was no longer the man she remembered, and her mother was dead. Russ had his own family and was spending the holidays with them. The thought of all of these changes made her chest hurt.

Temperance ground her teeth and looked away, feeling the sharp sting of tears in her eyes, and her feet carried her away from the angel. She thought of Holden's mother, of how all of her Christmas' from now on would be tainted with the memory of her son's death. She thought of her partner and how alone he must feel on Christmas Eve without his son, without his family. She thought of what Max had said, about how being alone at Christmas meant that nobody loved you.

She knew that he was wrong. She knew that being alone at Christmas was not always a choice that you can make. She knew that Parker loved his father, and if he could, he'd be there with him. She knew that Max was simply pushing his own agenda, his own way once again. It bothered her that Max could be so selfish, but if he hadn't been, she wouldn't be here for her friends, for her family, and they were the ones that mattered most.

Another block, and Temperance arrived at Booth's apartment. She took the stairs up to his door and knocked lightly. She waited a moment and began to have second thoughts. What if he was entertaining? What if he wasn't home? What if he was sleeping?

She knocked again, if only to stop her train of thought from thwarting her intentions.

When there was no answer, she listened and heard nothing. So without second guessing herself, she pulled the spare key he had given her from her pocket, and easily unlocked his door. Listening to the soft creak of the door, she instantly noticed that his apartment was in darkness. Well, it was in darkness except for the Christmas tree, illuminated in front of the far window.

"Booth?" She whispered, looking from side to side. She didn't want to startle him if he happened to be sleeping on the couch. She walked slowly across the room and focused her attention on the Christmas tree, it's beautiful lights calling to her. She could see that his coat was draped across the couch, so he had to be inside, and chastised herself when she took a step toward his bedroom. She closed her eyes and sighed, turning to look directly at the tree again.

What she saw, nearly made her heart jump into her throat, a set of feet beneath the tree. The lights of the tree illuminated the colorful stripes on the socks, and she was quick enough to recognize them as Booth's, without giving herself away. Her mind raced with possible reasons, and her heart quickened with the thought that he might be playing a prank, and that he might try jumping out at her.

She took the small box from her pocket, and let her fingers play at the sparkling bow. She watched the tree carefully, and waited for him to show himself. She took a step toward the tree, the darkness of the room not bothering her as she walked across the floor. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to the top of the tree, and focused on the beautiful angel at its top. Its beauty was entrancing, and she could feel a gentle shiver down her neck. She knew then, that if Booth hadn't shown himself, that he wouldn't be doing so at all. She silently hoped that he wasn't embarrassed, for she knew that for whatever reason he had for being there at this moment.

It was his.

Her eyes danced over the branches now, as she finally broke the gaze with the angel, and a small handmade ornament caught her eye. She smiled softly as she picked up the ornament, obviously made by a child, by Parker. She thought she heard a noise, her attention pulled away from the tree, and she quickly remembered that Booth was so much closer than behind his bedroom door. He was just an arm's reach away.

She breathed in a slow breath, smiling as she captured the scent of him, mingling in the spruce. She closed her eyes and captured that moment, feeling that familiar shiver down her spine. She sighed and wondered if she should leave the gift on the table, worried that it would get lost under the tree, before she decided that she knew he'd open it as soon as she stepped out. She knew he'd be too curious to wait. So she quickly bent down to place the gift below the tree, and smiled as she stood up. She looked through the tree, where she was sure that she saw a glimpse of her partner through its branches. "Merry Christmas, Booth," she whispered, turning from the tree slowly. A small smile graced her lips, and she walked toward the door. She walked out into the hallway and secured the lock into place. She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes as she paused. One day she'd tell him what Christmas means to her. Because of all of her friends and family, of all of the people she knew. He was the one person that understood the importance of tradition.