Benny and Lynn had given her a spa certificate to some little place in Boston. From Sierra she got an ugly green sweater and Katie got her earrings. She thanked them politely. Jared and Sarah had gotten all the females a picture album, hand stitched with delicate flower embroidery. Hers however was a darker shade with little flower and a big skeleton in the middle. She laughed and thank him.
"No problem Tempe, you saved him from that ship remember?" He joked. She blushed and looked down. Damn hormones were getting to her.
"Well, let's save that story for another time. Thanks for the tickets bro" booth interrupted. Joe laughed as he opened his candy striped box.
"Thank you Tempe, this is a very thoughtful gift" He pulled the shirt on over his white shirt. Parker's smiling face stood out on the shirt. Booth smiled at her.
"Thank you Joe" She told him as she unwrapped the picture frame. Someone had obviously snapped the picture of her =, Booth and Parker sledding together two days earlier. She loved it. "i love it" She told him honestly. He smiled and nodded. The tag said it was from Ellie and Joe, but she knew it was Joe's idea. That just left the present from jenny and her husband to open. It was a small box, wrapped in gold with an envelope on top. She opened that first.
"Dear Temperence,
Thank you for whatever you did for Joey. I have hastily scribbled this letter because of the drastic change in his attitude between church and dinner. When I asked him what had changed, he replied Dr. Tempe. His smile was the largest I have seen in awhile. I cannot help but wonder what you told him, what has changed. However, it doesn't matter. He is almost back to his old self, and for that I am forever grateful. I want to apologize for the coldness I have shown you, it was rude and undeserved. I wish you and Seeley well, and a very Merry Christmas.
Gratefully,
Jenny
She unwrapped the box to find wooden earrings. They were beautiful. She smiled at Jenny and nodded. She smiled back and nodded as well.
A screech filled the air.
"Look what I got mommy" Sang Ellie Jr. Lynn looked up at her young daughter. In her hands was the delicate Tiffany bracelet.
"Oh, it's beautiful baby, did noni give that to you?" She asked.
"Noooo" Ellie sang, "Tempe did!" Lynn looked at her shocked. She opened her own blue box and gasped.
"Temperance, thank you. This is too much" She stated. Temperance shook her head.
"You're welcome" She replied. Everyone else started opening their own blue boxes now. All the little girls were estatic, even Sierra, Meghan and Katie couldn't find an insult.
"Thank you" Katie even said. She just nodded in response.
"Thank you so much Tempe, this is an amazing gift" Jane told her as she rocked her baby in her arms.
"You're welcome" She replied again, uncomfortable with all the attention. Booth wrapped his arm around her.
"I like the tie clips" He whispered. "And my mother loves the frame, the family one" He told her. She smiled.
"Sandra got the same one, along with a cross pendant" She whispered.
"You spent too much Bones" He gave her a look. She frowned.
"I don't understand"
"You're just, so kind, so compassionate, like buying the baby stuff for Jane, and for my mother, who has all but hated you from day one. You're the best Bones, you really are" She smiled now.
"I love you" She whispered.
"I love you t-" His statement was cut off by Parker.
"Oh My Gosh!" He was screaming. "Thank you Bones. Thank you thank you thank you" He ran over to her and wrapped his little arms arm her shoulders. He kissed her cheek and hugged her again. "You are the best Bones!" He yelled again before running off to his toys. "Love you!" He yelled as he disappeared. Bones had near tears in her eyes.
"What did you get him?" Booth asked curiously.
"A skeletal remain play set, complete with a murder case" She replied casually.
"Oh Bones, you really are the best." He hugged her close again. Everyone was done opening their gifts now. Ellie Jr and Marie were asleep on the rug, and Parker was sharing his new play set with his cousin Jesiah. Joey was curled up in Jenny's husbands arms, sound asleep. Jane's baby was already upstairs in his crib. Nathan, Leah and Joe were playing video games downstairs.
"Well, we best get to sleep so Santa can come" Joe announced. Jared and Booth laughed at their father. Jared grabbed Marie for Benny, while Benny carried Ellie Jr. Jesiah and Parker cleaned up his kit and stowed it carefully in the corner. Joey was carried off to bed by Jenny. Jane bid everyone goodnight, hugged Tempe for a brief second, and then disappeared. Leah, Nathan and Joe, all older then the others were allowed to have a sleepover in the movie room. That left Sierra, Meghan, Katie, Ellie Sr., Joe, Booth and Bones by the fire. Jack the cat wandered in and sat himself in front of the flames.
"So, Tempe, I for one am very curious about this job you have" Joe started. Booth groaned.
"Pops" He was faintly red.
"What?" He asked. Bones laughed.
"It's okay Booth" She replied. "I study bones and can determine causes of death and such. I work with others who determine how long they were buried, what they looked like, stuff like that. Seeley and I are partners for the FBI, I'm a liaison of sorts. We get a case, I figure out who it is, and Booth lets me tag along to track down suspects" she explained simply.
"Ah, and what school did you go too?" He asked.
"Northwestern" She answered.
"Nice, good school" He replied.
"I'm also a bestselling author" She said plainly. Ellie and the other girls looked up shocked.
"I was wondering when you would mention that actually" Joe replied. "I have your whole collection in my library, I love those books" He said with a smile.
"Why thank you" She replied.
"Which books dear?" Ellie asked her husband.
"The Bones books, the one you're reading now. You're always saying how much you love Kathy and Andy" Joe reminded his wife.
"Oh" Was all she said. Booth was angry with this.
"Whatever you have against Bones mom, you need to drop it, okay?" He said carefully. "Because I love her. She is the only woman for me mom. I'm not getting back together with Sierra or Katie or Meghan or Becca. I love her. I want to spend the rest of my life, with her. I would die for her. Do you get it mom?" He asked angrily. She looked abashed.
"Seeley, I just want what's best for you. I want to see you married, and having an active role in your child's life. I just want you to be happy" She said quietly.
"I am happy mom. I love this woman. Parker loves her. I am going to marry her, if she'll have me of course" He said looking at her. He brought out a small velvet red box. He got down on one knee. Ellie gasped and Joe laughed. Booth continued, undeterred.
"Bones, I was going to do this later, and I know this can not compare to the gift you gave me, but I love you so much that it hurts. Whenever you go to Swahili or Thailand or Africa I am lost without you. It hurts to wake up and know you're not there. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and only you. Bones, will you please marry me? Please?" He begged with a smile. She smiled back and brushed away tears. She looked at the ring. It was antique, made in white platinum maybe gold. Instead of having a diamond, it was like a laurel wreath of diamonds and metal, going throughout the whole ring.
"Of course" She whispered. He smiled. He picked her up and spun her around, both of them laughing, not caring who was watching. He placed her on the ground and kissed her smiling lips, while sliding the ring onto her finger. They broke apart to a smiling Joe, a scowling Ellie and three angry women.
"Congrats you two" Joe hugged them both.
"Thank you Joe" Bones replied.
"Yeah, thank dad. And thank for grammies ring" He said. Bones gasped.
"This was your grandmothers?" She asked.
"And her mothers before that, and so it goes for about a century or two" Joe explained. She kissed Booth again.
"Thank you" She told him.
"No, thank you" He smiled. Joe laughed.
"You two will make it, I can tell" He replied. "Now since the marriage is all set, when can expect some more grand-babies?" Joe asked playfully, kidding.
"Six months, give or take a few days" Bones answered without thinking. Her eyes went huge and she covered her mouth. The damage was done though. Booth was laughing, poor Joe seemed shocked, and Ellie stormed from the room. Sierra, Katie and Meghan all glared, and followed Ellie. Bones looked to the ground.
"Wow, congrats again" He said, shocked.
"Sorry pops, she's kinda literal" Booth said with a smile.
"You two are going to make great parents. And that kid is gonna be pretty damn cute" Bones and Booth both smiled. Joe hugged them each, promised to talk with Ellie, and then he bid them goodnight.
"Let's go tell Parker" Booth decided.
"He's alseep" Bones argued.
"No he isn't" They were at the attic now. Parker was sitting in his bed, starring out the window.
"Hey Parks?" Booth called. Parker looked up and smiled.
"Yeah dad?" He asked.
"We gotta tell you something buddy" Bones told him. "Come sit" She patted Booth and hers bed, which was bigger.
"Well, first, Bones and I are going to get married, like mom and Drew are going to do" Seeley explained.
"Awesome, so I can call Dr. Bones Momma Bones?" He asked. Booth looked to Bones for the answer.
"Of course Parker" She replied. He smiled at her.
"Is that it?" He asked.
"Well no" Bones began. She looked to Booth for help.
"Parks, you know how Jimmy Jones got a new baby sister you were telling me about?" Booth asked. Parker nodded. "Well, Bones is going to have a baby soon as well" He said. Parker started squealing.
"So I get a baby brother?" Parker asked.
"It could be a sister" Bones told him. He frowned.
"With bows and stuff?" Booth laughed.
"Parker Booth, you are going to love this baby, boy or girl, understood?" He asked. Parker nodded.
"If you get a sister Park, she's going to need someone to take care of her, make sure no one is mean, you get to be the protective older brother, it's a big responsibility" Bones stated. "I'm not sure you could handle it" She trailed off. Booth looked amazed, when had she learned these tatics. Parker started to protest.
"No! I can I can!" He said. "I'll be just like daddy" He proclaimed. Bones laughed and ruffled his hair.
"I know you will honey" She said. "Now, it's time for bed, or Santa won't come in the morning" Parker looked horrified. He quickly jumped into bed and closed his eyes. Bones and Booth watched him in silence for a few minutes.
"He's a great kid Booth" She told him.
"So will this new baby" Booth replied. "He'll have his momma's blue eyes, and curly red brown hair"
"With his daddies smile and charm" She replied.
"He'll be smart, and protective"
"Handsome"
"Or Hot" Bones said. "It could be a girl"
"She's never dating" Bones laughed and playfully hit his arm.
"How about names?" He asked.
"I like Cecilia for a girl" Bones told him. "Cecilia Christine Booth"
"I like it" Booth replied, touched by her thoughtfulness. "And for a boy?" He asked.
"I was thinking Joseph, but your family already has a Joey and Joe Jr, so maybe Zachary Joseph Booth"
"After Zach?" He asked. She nodded.
"I love them" He replied. "Merry Christmas Bones"