Disclaimer: I do not own Bones
Chapter Eleven
The next morning Seeley Booth tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as he pulled up in front of Brennan's home. He could tell no one else was there besides Brennan. The cars weren't in the driveway and the house looked so…lonely. Booth's stomach was in knots. He hoped Bones was okay. He always got nervous every time she entered that house.
It was Christmas Day. Today was the calm before the storm for the gang. With everything going on with Goodman, it was their break. Angela was spending Christmas happily with her dad and Hodgins, Zack was with his large family, and Cam was with her family in New York. That left Brennan spending Christmas afternoon with Sweets and the Booth family.
"Is Brennan even here?" Sweets asked from the backseat, peering through the backseat window. The young boy slept over the Booth family's house last night after the party. This whole thing had been an interesting experience for him, mostly because in a few moments Lance Sweets was about to have his first real Christmas. To say he was excited was an understatement.
"Let me go see," Booth told him, getting out of the car. He slowly approached the door and knocked on it. Luckily, he got a response moments later. Brennan looked stunning in a green sweater and jeans. Her hair was curled and some make up on her face.
"You look beautiful," Booth blurted out, causing Brennan to blush.
"Thanks. Ange let me borrow some stuff for today. I don't exactly have the biggest wardrobe," Brennan told him, shrugging.
"That's fine, come on now. Sweets is getting impatient," Booth said, his tone light as he held out his arm for his partner. Brennan chuckled and accepted it happily. The two then climbed into the jeep and headed out. The whole car ride there was spent listening to christmas carols and Sweets rambling about how excited he was for Christmas.
Brennan was secretly nervous and excited to spend Christmas with the Booth's. The last time she had a any sort of Christmas celebration was the year before her parents disappeared, so over two years ago. In all her foster homes they never emphasized too much on Christmas and she always received some small gift, like a puzzle or a book. Anyway, it never really mattered. Brennan didn't care. She doesn't believe in the holiday or the religious meaning behind it, so what's the point? But, this Christmas, even though she doesn't care about it, was not going to be spent alone. Maybe that's why the idea intrigued her a bit. It could be entertaining. She just doesn't want to mess it up for Booth or his family somehow. It happened with her brother and it even happened in some foster homes.
While Sweets was about to pee his pants from excitement, Brennan was worried.
"Why does Seeley get to have friends over?" Jared Booth complained to Pops as he watched his grandfather cook. The gifts around the tree were not opened yet and Jared was getting impatient. He was tired of waiting for his older brother to come home so he could open them. "It's not fair."
"Well, Jare, life's not fair," Pops remarked, eyeing his youngest grandson.
"I don't care, Pops. I just want to open my presents. Why does Seeley need to bring a stranger home to celebrate Christmas with us? And have that weird kid sleep over? Since he was in the room right next to mine, all night I could hear him singing 'lime in the coconut' in his sleep! It was irritating! I didn't get any sleep!" Jared whined.
"Jared Booth, be a nice person. It's Christmas for god sake! Didn't your grandmother, god rest her soul, and I teach you manners? Your brother is having people over who don't get to celebrate Christmas like us. It's called being a kind! That's what this holiday is about, so Jared Benjamin Booth you will stop mopping this incident and behave!" Pops scolded at him, placing his a roast on the counter. It wasn't like how his Elouise use to make it, but it would suffice. God, Elouise. Hank Booth was missing her a lot during this time of year. Having Lance and Temperance over for Christmas reminded Hank of something Elouise would do.
"Fine!" Jared rolled his eyes before dramatically throwing his body onto the couch, groaning and moaning. Pops sighed as he then finished up the mashed potatoes, trying to ignore his whining grandson.
"We're here!" Booth yelled out, opening the door for Brennan and Sweets. The entire home was decorated with Christmas decorations galore. Brennan was fairly certain there were more decorations for the holiday than any mall or store she's ever been to.
"Temperance! Nice to see ya again," Pops greeted her with a warm smile. "And I see young Lance here is ready to open up some presents."
"Really? I get a present?" Sweets asked, buggy eyed and excited.
"Of course you do, we're gonna open them up right now kiddo." Pops smiled, ruffling Sweets' hair. "All from Santa."
"Oh boy! This is great! I get a gift from Santa!" Sweets exclaimed, jumping up and down. Booth and Brennan chuckled at the child's antics as he followed Pops throughout the house.
"Ugh, it's Morticia!" Jared snorted once he saw Brennan enter the room. "Really, Seeley? This is the stranger we have to spend Christmas with? This holiday's going to be a bust! Go back home Morticia!"
Brennan stiffened, gripping onto her sleeves. "I'll just go.." She trailed off, not wanting to start anything. Brennan was about to leave, when Booth's arm touched her gently.
"Jared. She is my friend and she's spending Christmas with us, and so is Sweets. So shut up!" Booth snapped at his brother.
"I'll go. It's okay. It's your family time, I don't want to intrude," Brennan insisted, stepping back towards the door again.
"Me too," Sweets agreed, scurrying towards Brennan. She didn't mind as the young boy hide behind her legs. They were use to this and they knew when it was their time to run and leave. That was life as a foster child.
"No. You two are staying here. Be nice, will ya Jar? You're being a brat," Booth spat at him.
"Good! I don't care, Seeley. What's your deal anyway? Huh? Why would you even want these losers around you?" Jared questioned, frowning at him. "Huh Seeley!? What's your deal you big dufus-"
"Jared Booth, stop it right now!" Pops yelled at him, causing the boy to be silenced. "You don't even know Temperance! Or Lance! Listening to everything that Jacob Broadsky tells ya again, huh? You want to end up a jackass like your father? Because the way you're acting, you aren't too far from becoming a boy your grandmother would not be proud of! Now, clean up your act. It's Christmas!"
"Fine," Jared grumbled, sitting down on the couch. There was a moment of silence after that. The mention of Edwin Booth actually caused both Booth brothers to feel a small wave of panic. The thought of their father was terrifying enough.
"Now, presents," Pops announced, motioning to the bottom of the tree. "Let's have a good Christmas."
"Really, I don't want to be a bother," Brennan told him, shaking her head.
"No. Come on Tempe, we have gifs for you and Sweets. We're going to have a nice time. I'm sorry about Jared," Pops said, looking down at the young boy. Jared looked at the ground, arms crossed over his chest and looking angry as ever.
"Please Bones." Brennan looked at Booth who had a look of pleading in his eyes. She sighed, nodding in agreement, as she then sat down next to Booth on the couch. She gave them a small smile. Meanwhile Sweets grinned as Pops handed him a wrapped up gift.
It didn't take long after that for tensions to decrease. Soon they were all smiling and laughing as they passed gifts around. Everyone seemed to get something they wanted this holiday.
"I got you this," Brennan said, handing a rectangle wrapped in newspaper to Booth. "It's just something small."
"Thanks Bones. This was very nice of you." Booth smiled at her, unwrapping the newspaper to find a cocky belt buckle.
"You mentioned how you thought it looked cool when we passed by that store once. I asked Ange, and she said it would be a good gift. I wasn't really sure what to get," A nervous Brennan replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Oh my gosh, it's great Bones. It's perfect. I love it, this is so awesome. Thank you," Booth praised, giving his friend a warm smile. Before he could say anything else, Sweets interrupted them with a loud sequel of excitement as he opened up his gift from Booth.
"The newest batman comics!" Sweets shirked. "Thank you so much!" He cried out, hugging Booth by the leg.
"Glad you like it kid." Booth and Brennan chuckled as he ruffled Sweets' hair.
After that they kept opening different presents. Jared and Booth opened theirs from Pops, Pops opened up his from his grandkids and even one from Brennan, a copy of a Tom Clancy novel Booth told Brennan his grandfather would enjoy. Sweets got everyone a piece of arts and crafts he made at school. Even Jared Booth got something from Sweets, which did put a smile on his face.
The Booths ended up getting Temperance a book on forensics she mentioned she liked to Booth the other day. "You guys didn't have to get me this," She looked at the family in awe. "This was very sweet of you. I didn't even have the chance to get you anything..."
"It was nothing Tempe. We just want you to have a good holiday," Pops said, giving her a pat on the shoulder.
"Really Mr. Booth. This was all very nice of ya, having us over," Sweets said, looking down at his new toys and comics. "I don't get these cool things, ever."
"Yeah, thanks Pops," Jared said, being sincere. "These gifts were really great."
"Good. I'm glad all of you are happy. Now, Sweets and Jared, help me set the table. Temperance and Seeley, go get the napkins and soda out of the pantry. Let's have a good dinner," Pops announced, smiling at the kids.
"I got you something," Booth told Brennan as everyone else left. "Didn't have the chance to do it before."
"Oh Booth, you shouldn't have," Brennan said, shaking her head. "The book was enough. Perfect, actually."
"No. I just wanted to give you one more thing, a small thing Bones. Please," Booth begged, looking at her with his brown puppy dog eyes.
"Fine," She said, giving in. He chuckled as he handed her the small box, covered in green wrapping paper.
He watched in anticipation as Brennan slowly unwrapped the paper to reveal a necklace. It had two charms on it, a small silver dolphin and a little skull.
"Booth!" She exclaimed, wide eyed.
"Do you like it?" A nervous Booth asked, curiously.
"I do. Very much," Brennan said, touching the charms gently. "Booth, you shouldn't have."
"I wanted to," He insisted. "I saw them the other day and thought of you, the charms. The dolphin and the bone head. Your favorite animal and what you love. It's what makes you, you Bones," Booth replied, smiling at her.
"Thank you. Very much. All of this. Everything your family is doing. This is the kindest anyone's been to me in a long time," Brennan muttered, looking down at the necklace.
"It was nothing. I'm glad we got to spend Christmas with one another," Booth said as he then helped Brennan put the necklace on. "We want you and Sweets to know you're welcome here."
"Thank you," Brennan replied as he clasped the necklace together. She turned around and smiled at Booth. He smiled back and brushed a loose strand of hair.
"You're my friend, Bones. My partner. Thanks for being you," He simply replied before the two headed to the pantry.
After a nice Christmas dinner and helping clean up, Jared, Booth, Sweets, and Brennan gathered around to watch Christmas specials. Booth and Brennan were on the couch while Sweets and Jared laid out on the carpet in front of the T.V set. The movies were all the classics like Miracle on 34th street, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, movies like that. Pops meanwhile was doing some dishes, listening to the programs from afar.
"This is impossible? A talking snowman? Named frosty? Why is this even a thing?" Brennan questioned out loud. "I thought the movie about Santa working at Macey's was completely irrational, but the chance of that happening is better than this movie! This is ridiculous!"
"Of course, it's not real. There's no such thing as a talking snowman," Jared groaned, rolling his eyes.
"My point," Brennan said, motioning to the screen.
"Bones, it's a cartoon," Booth remarked, raising an eyebrow. "It's suppose to be for imagination. Make kids happy."
"Then why are we watching it..." Brennan trailed off, puzzled. "It's for children."
"Yes, but it's nice to watch," Booth explained to her. "I mean, I'll still be watching these till I'm forty."
"Yeah, but you're Booth. That's such a Boothy thing, I can see you doing." Brennan chuckled, smiling a little. "I just don't get what's so entertaining about it? Shouldn't the sun be enough to melt Frosty?"
"God woman, none of this is real. Frosty is magic because he wears magicians hat! It makes him talk, dance, and sing! And he won't melt because he'll go to the North Pole at the end of the movie, just before spring!" Jared blew up.
"Oh, I get it," Brennan said, smiling now. "It's entertaining because it's not real."
"Aren't you suppose to be a genius or something?" Jared questioned in a mumble.
"She is!" Sweets informed him.
"I just don't have time to learn and watch silly snowman sing and dance," Brennan told him simply. "I rather learn about why snow falls or the science behind it. What makes snow, snow. But, I already know that, and it certainly doesn't make a snowman real."
"Christ…" Jared mumbled, burying his face into his hands and groaning.
"Okay let's drop it before Jared blows a gasket." Booth chuckled.
"I think I'll just help your grandfather out with the dishes. You guys enjoy your mythical snowman," Brennan announced, getting up from the couch. "It isn't the best movie I've watched."
"I'll go with you," Booth offered.
"No, enjoy the snowman. You, Jared, and Sweets. Have fun," Brennan told him, smiling before taking off.
She headed into the kitchen to see Pops looking down at a framed photo of a younger Booth, a baby Jared, and a few strangers.
"Hi," Brennan said, catching Pops' attention.
He looked up at her, getting a little startled. "Watch Tempe, don't wanna scare an ole man like me," Pops said, chuckling a bit.
"Sorry. I just wanted to see if you needed help with the dishes," Brennan replied shyly, tugging at her shirt's sleeves.
"Oh, thank you, but it's okay. I got it from here. Go hang out with the boys. Enjoy Christmas," Pops ordered, shaking his head at her.
"No really, can I help? I would hang out with them, it's just they're watching a silly cartoon and I feel like I could be more help here," Brennan explained to him.
"You mean Frosty the snowman?" Pops chuckled.
"Yeah. I just find it very childish..." Brennan trailed off, heading by the sink.
"I guess he's a little ridiculous." Pops smiled. "You can help by drying them off, if you're okay with that."
"Of course," Brennan replied, grinning as she dried the dishes. "Thank you for having me over. It was very nice."
"It was nothing dear," Pops told her, placing a few glasses back in the cupboard. "We're glad to have you over anytime. Seeley didn't want you to spend it alone, and well if my Elouise was alive she'd want you and Sweets to have a good holiday."
"It was a nice thought, but I would have been fine spending Christmas alone," Brennan insisted. "I've spent the past few Christmases alone...I'm not even religious...I guess I agreed to coming because...I..."
"Let me guess, you didn't want to be alone anymore?" Pops said, raising an eyebrow at Brennan. "Temperance, I'm an old man, I know things. I assume you are in a situation that isn't a kind one."
"No, foster care is actually horrible," Brennan confessed to Pops. "I assume Booth told you my situation, and Sweets?"
"No. Not at all, dear," Pops said, shaking his head. "He just said he had two friends in need of a time to cheer up. Seeley respects your private life because he has a dark past of his own..."
"Yeah. I know about it," Brennan replied softly.
"My own son," Pops' voice got raw. "He's in jail right now."
"I figured that one out...You were a great man, not letting them go into foster care. Taking your grandchildren in..." Brennan said softly.
"I loved them. Elouise, Booth's grandmother, and I loved those boys more than anything in the world. After the abuse they were put through, we wanted a safe environment for them. One where they could be kids, so we moved to D.C from Philly as a way to start over."
Brennan nodded her head in understanding. The two then finished the dishes before going back into the living room to see the boys gathered around the T.V watching another movie. Outside they heard the soft music of what seemed to carolers.
"Oh, let's go see them!" Pops exclaimed. "Your grandmother loved the carolers!"
"Sure," Booth answered, looking at the others. They all smiled in agreement.
"Coming!" Jared replied, putting his coat on. Sweets followed as they ran after the elder Booth outside.
"We use to have carolers visit my family every Christmas," Brennan confessed to Booth as they walked together towards the hall closet. "I enjoyed them."
"So there was a time you enjoyed Christmas festivities?" Booth teased with her, opening the door.
"Yes. My mother loved Christmas. Most of my family actually," Brennan told him. She smiled, placing her coat on and wrapping it tight around her body. "Let's go, shall we?"
Booth smiled, taking Brennan's arm as they joined the others outside to watch the carolers sing.
After the singing and a cup of hot chocolate, Booth drove Sweets and Brennan home. By the time they got to Sweets home, he was sound asleep.
"Should we just carry him in?" Brennan asked.
"Probably," Booth concluded. He picked up the young boy while Brennan took the backpack he had filled with toys. They knocked on the door to find an elder women open.
"Hi, you must be Seeley? I'm Mrs. Janet, Lance's foster mom. Did he have a nice Christmas?" The woman asked as they came in. "Poor dear looks tired out, I assume he did."
"Yeah. He did." Booth laughed. Brennan observed the place. She could tell a lot of other foster children lived there too. The home was fairly big, can fit a lot of kids. It was one of those homes you only stayed in for a bit, kind of like a group home.
"Here's his room. You can place him here," she told the two teenagers. "Thank you for taking him today. I think he needed a day to himself. He's leaving in a few weeks. We hope he'll find a home soon…"
"We do too," Brennan replied as Booth set Sweets on the bed. She placed the gifts in the covers with him. Booth gave her a strange look, but Brennan knew how other kids were. They would either respect his property or try to steal it.
"Am I home?" Sweets muttered tiredly.
"Yeah. No go back to sleep kid, we'll see you soon," Booth told him.
"Thanks for everything, again," Sweets muttered sleepily. "And Merry Christmas…"
"Merry Christmas, Sweets," Brennan said softly, placing a kiss on his forehead. It wasn't something she did often, show affection, but she felt very affectionate at the moment.
Sweets smiled, falling sound asleep. Booth smiled at Brennan as they then scurried out of the house and into the jeep to drive Brennan home. She doesn't know why, but as she got in the car and thought of her home, the pit of her stomach tightened. She didn't want to go back there. Not right now, not after the great day she had.
"Here we are," Booth said, pulling up to Brennan's foster home. Brennan sighed, looking at the small, dark, house. There were no lights and no car, which meant John and Marge were not home. They probably are out somewhere, a bar probably, celebrating their Christmas.
"Thanks again for everything," Brennan told him, unbuckling her seat belt.
"It was nothing..." Booth trailed off as he noticed she wasn't moving. She just looked at the house from afar, her eyes seldom. "You don't want to go back, do you?"
"No. I'm fine. I'm gonna go now. I'll see you soon," Brennan said, her words in a rush as she got her purse and gifts.
"If you want, I could stay with you?" Booth blurted out. Brennan stopped before she could open the door. She turned to Booth with a puzzled look. "As friends, just stay with you for the night."
"No. It's fine. You should go back home to Pops. I'll be okay, really," Brennan replied, getting out of the car. "Enjoy your Christmas, spend some time with your grandpa and Jared."
"Bones, it's ten o'clock at night. Pops is asleep and Jared is too busy with his own stuff. I'm fine, you are not. I can tell something is upsetting you," Booth said, now noticing her expression changing. Her face was now very stoic. She didn't move. "Was it something I did? Said?" he asked, clearly worried about her.
"No. Not at all," She replied, shaking her head. "Look, I was just thinking about my parents...My brother..." Brennan, not wanting to show her weak side, ran out of the car.
"Bones, wait!" Booth called out, rushing out of the car and chasing her into the snowy air. "It's okay to be upset! Cry about them! I do it too, with my parents. I know how it feels. Just let it out."
"Fine!" Brennan muttered angrily. "I'm mad because of your nice and kind family. It's irrational, but I am! I'm mad because I wish my family stayed that way! I should've spent Christmas with them, under the tree, opening presents. Russ would be there. Nothing would be ruined! Your family was so nice…I just wish I had that still…."
Booth nodded slowly. He saw the tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I know. It sucks," he said, his voice raw. Booth's own eyes felt like they were beginning to get a little wet from tears. He thought of his mom, and even his dad. He had good memories with both parents, even though the bad tended to outweigh the good, Seeley could recall happy times with them. He knew Temperance felt the same, all the good memories rushing in at once.
"Merry Christmas, Bones. Even if you find this holiday dumb, I hope you had a good one," Booth whispered into her ear.
"I did...Merry Christmas to you too, Booth," Brennan muttered into his shoulder. The two stayed there for a very long time, just hugging each other.
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed! Sorry I haven't updated recently! Just finished school so hopefully I'll update soon! How about that B&B love? Hmmmm. Gotta love those two :) Anyway, thanks for keeping up with the story still! Hopefully I'll update sooner. Thanks again! -Butterflywhisperer