A/N: I'm back!! Hope you like it! This chapter has been edited because of a mistake with a person's name.

The smile was now back on Temperance's face and Jacob was pretty sure it was made to stay. He decided so as he watched her going about her kitchen, taking out pots, spoons and spices for the dinner tonight. So many things had changed in the past month that Jacob had trouble believing the woman in front of him was the same one he had known over the last year. She had put on the weight she had lost after her partner's death, the dark circles under her eyes seemed to have vanished forever and Jacob was pretty sure her doctor would soon be reducing her dose of antidepressants. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew Booth was the cause of the positive change. Since he had been back in her life, Temperance seemed calmer and at peace with everything. Even Seelia was benefiting from the return of her mother's former partner.

"Are you going to stare at me all night or are you going to help?" Temperance asked.

Okay, so many not everything had changed, Jacob thought to himself.

"What do you want me to do?" Jacob asked as he rubbed his hands together.

"Wash these." Temperance replied as she handed him tomatoes. "Then cut them up in little cubes. I don't want them too big because Gavin won't want to eat them."

"Sir, yes Sir." Jacob replied as he grabbed the tomatoes and ran them under water. "Is Booth coming?"

"He lives here." Temperance replied as she pulled a drawer opened and took out a knife. "Of course he's going to be here."

"It's just that it seems like every time I'm here, he calls and comes up with an excuse for not coming home until later that night."

"That's not true." Temperance replied, half-heartily.

"You know I'm right."

Temperance sighed.

"Just wash the tomatoes."

The sound of keys reached their ears and the two best friends exchanged glances. Seconds later, the door was being pushed open and a tall, brown-haired man stepped inside the warm apartment.

In an instant, Temperance was dropping the knife she had been holding and running towards her boyfriend. Before Booth even had a chance to know what was going on, he felt a pair of lips on his. Wrapping his arms around his girlfriend, he pulled her closer to him and kissed her more deeply.

Uncomfortable, Jacob cleared his throat. The couple broke apart. Temperance turned around, her face flushed.

"Sorry." She said, sheepishly.

Jacob simply shrugged.

Booth grabbed her arm.

"What's he doing here?" Booth asked under his breath.

"He's making us dinner." Temperance replied, taking Booth's hand off her arm.

"I see that."

Temperance kissed him quickly.

"Stop being jealous and go get changed."

Booth sighed.

"Is Gavin here this week?"

Temperance nodded.

"He's in the living room with Danny."

"Who's Danny?" Booth asked, confused.

Temperance turned around and joined Jacob back at the counter.

"Just go get changed."

Booth simply frowned. Glancing one more time at his girlfriend and her best friend, he left the kitchen. In the living room, his eyes fell on a stranger sitting on his couch, Gavin beside him.

"Hi Seeley." The young boy said.

"Hey Buddy." Booth replied.

Booth's eyes met Danny's. The stranger smiled politely at him. Booth simply frowned before disappearing down the hallway.

The door to Seelia's bedroom was closed. He stopped in front of it, turned the knob and quietly opened the door. From the door, he could see the little girl laying in her bed. Her head turned at the sound of the door opening. Booth smiled tenderly at her.

"Hey you..." Booth whispered as he stepped up to the crib. "Did your mommy leave you all alone in your room?"

Pulling her out of her crib, Booth kissed the top of her head.

"Oh I love you so much." He said as he kissed her once again.

Seelia squealed in delight at the attention.

"In two weeks, it's going to be Christmas. And I have the perfect gift to give your mother. Yes, the perfect gift. I just hope that she will be as excited as I am about it."

Booth looked down at the little girl in his arms and smiled.

"Do you think she'll be excited?"

Seelia smiled.

"Yeah, I think so too."

"What are you two doing in here?"

Booth turned around to find Temperance standing at the door.

"Nothing." Booth replied, innocently. "We were just chatting."

"Booth, she's five months old. She doesn't talk."

Booth chuckled.

"Give me my child."

"With pleasure Bones." Booth replied as he handed the baby to her mother. "Because I think someone needs their diaper changed and I'm not doing it."

Booth winked at his girlfriend before walking out of Seelia's bedroom.

Once Temperance heard the door to her bedroom close, she looked down at her daughter.

"It's too bad you can't talk. I know Booth and I know when he's planning something. You could have told me what it was."

Feeling slightly stupid for talking to a five-month-old baby, Temperance laid her daughter on the changing table and opened her diaper.

"This needs a little bit more garlic." Jacob said as he set down the wooden spoon and grabbed the bottle of spices.

The kitchen smelled of spices when Booth stepped inside the kitchen twenty minutes later, freshly showered and changed into comfy, home clothing. Temperance smiled at him, her heart racing mildly in her chest. She would never get used to seeing him like this.

"Well this is ready." Thomas said as he turned off the element.

"Okay. I'll set the table. You try to get Gavin to wash up before dinner. Booth, could you heat up Seelia's dinner? It's in the freezer."

"And what have you got planned for her tonight?" Booth asked as he looked on the fridge at the calendar Temperance had posted on it.

A detailed plan of Seelia's dinner for a month met his gaze.

"December 13th... Pork, carrots and asparagus."

Booth grimaced.

"Gross, Bones. Watch what you're feeding your child. She is a person, after all."

Temperance rolled her eyes.

"Stop complaining and just take the food out of the freezer."

"Man she's bossy tonight." Jacob said teasingly as he walked out of the kitchen.

Temperance shook her head as a smile spread across her face. One look at her boyfriend's expression washed the smile away.

"Would you stop being jealous?" She asked as she turned to the cupboard and opened it.

Taking out five plates, she began to set them on the table.

"I'm not jealous. I just can't help but think that this guy might have a crush on you, that's all."

Temperance rolled her eyes.

"Booth, you have nothing to be jealous about. Jacob is gay."

"I mean, he's spending way too much ti— Really?"

Temperance turned around.

"Yes, really. Now are you going to stop being jealous of him?"

Booth pressed the Start button on the microwave.

"So you mean that Danny is..."

"Jacob's new boyfriend, yes. And if you make one tiny comment about how not-Catholic their couple is, I'm kicking you out of my apartment."

"What makes you think I would make a comment?"

"Well isn't homosexuality forbidden by the Bible or something?"

"Can we not talk about this right now?"

Temperance glanced at Jacob who was staring at them from the living room.

"Just try to be nice. I know you don't like him very much."

Sliding her arms around his waist, she pulled him to her.

"So what were you and Seelia chatting about?"

Booth rolled his eyes as a smile tugged at his lips.

"Christmas."

"Christmas?"

Booth kissed her forehead.

"Yes, Christmas. I was telling her about how Rebecca has agreed to let Parker come down here for the holidays. I hope you don't mind that I took that decision without telling you first."

Gavin stepped inside the kitchen.

"What are we eating?" The young boy asked as he sat down at his spot.

"Spaghetti." Temperance replied, letting go of Booth.

Danny and Jacob, with Seelia in his arms, joined them in the kitchen and Temperance glanced briefly at her boyfriend.

"Is there vegetables in it?" Gavin asked, grimacing.

The microwave beeped. Booth opened the door and took out Seelia's tiny plastic bowls. Jacob set the baby in her high chair while Temperance tied a bib around her neck. A duckling watched as everybody took their spot at the table and Jacob began serving everybody.

"It's Jacob's special recipe. You like it, normally."

Temperance grabbed the bowl of asparagus. Bringing the tiny spoon to her upper lip, she tested it. As her tongue tasted the vegetable, Temperance was reminded of how much she hated asparagus when she was a child. Mentally, she told herself she'd erase it from Seelia's menu.

Booth lowered the volume of the TV and surfed through the channels in search of something interesting to watch, waiting patiently for Temperance to be done putting the children to bed so they could finally spend some quality alone-time together. The evening had been far from quiet and Booth was more than happy when Jacob and Danny announced they should heading back home.

Booth settled for re-runs of CSI. Bringing his feet on the coffee table, he leaned back in the couch and closed his eyes.

"Feet off the table, Booth." He heard minutes later.

"Jacob was right. You are bossy."

Temperance sat down beside him and slapped him playfully on the arm. Bringing him arm around her shoulders, he pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you."

Temperance sighed, happily.

"I know."

"Are you happy, Bones?"

Temperance looked up and their gaze locked. They remained still, staring into each other's eyes for a few seconds before Booth felt the need to break the silence.

"You haven't answered my question."

"I don't know what happiness is, Booth. I can't answer you. I know what it is scientifically but..."

Booth shook his head.

"I'm talking emotions here, Bones. Not science."

"Everything is related, Booth. Science and emotions are linked together. One depends on the other to work properly. Without a biological base, emotions are nothing."

"I thought you hated psychology." Booth said as he ran a hand in her hair.

"I do."

Temperance smiled tenderly at her friend.

"To answer your question. If being happy is how I'm feeling right now, then yes, I am happy."

Booth smiled before slowly leaning in and claiming her lips with his.

They kissed tenderly for a while until passion took over them. Booth's hands found their way inside her shirt and he was slowly pushing the material up when he felt a pair of hands on his chest, pushing him away.

"Booth, we can't. Gavin is here."

Her plea fell on deaf ears.

"Then don't scream as loud." Booth replied as he began sucking on her neck.

"I do not scream." Temperance said, indignantly.

Booth chuckled. Pulling her shirt over her head, he added:

"That's what you think."