The long awaited Christmas episode. Weeeeee. . . .

"On one condition," Caroline says.

"Booth said you'd say that," she sighs. "Did he say I'd ask you to kiss him?" Caroline's question throws her a bit and she laughs softly. "No." Then the idea the she's being serious hits her, "well are you?"

"No cheeks, no noses. Right on the lips." That throws her even more. "People kiss people on the nose?" she asks absentmindedly. Caroline doesn't seem to hear her, "I want you to kiss him. . .under some mistletoe."

She barely notices Caroline put her coffee back into the microwave as she gives a nervous laugh. "Kiss Booth?" "That's right cherie." Caroline replies smugly. "Why?" Very eloquent Temperance. "Because it will amuse me." "Why?" she asks again, personal amusement is not a valid answer at all.

"Because you're all 'Dr. Brennan' and 'Special Agent Seeley Booth' and it's Christmas and I have a puckish side that will not be denied." "Puckish?" she asks slowly, this is getting more and more confusing. "What's the matter?" Caroline sounds offended. "You don't think I can be puckish?" "Well. . ." she scrambles for an answer. "I never thought about it until now." The microwave beeps, distracting Caroline for a few moments, giving her time to try and figure out how this conversation got out of her control. Realizing that Caroline's left the faculty room she leaves and takes a few running steps to catch up.

"You want me to write that letter?" She nods. "Then you kiss Booth, on the lips, for no less than," she holds up her hand. "one steamboat, two steamboats. . .five steamboats." "That's blackmail," she sputters. Caroline nods, "that's right." "It's unethical," she says morosely. "That's the deal. Take it or leave it." She's been backed into a corner and Caroline knows it, might as well try to get more from the deal.

"What about a tree?" "No Christmas tree." She replies in a voice that brooks no argument. "No way. Not even if you squeeze his buttocks." She blushes (she's done much worse than that to him before) and pushes the down button on the elevator again. "Well I don't know," she hedges. "Can't I just take you out to dinner sometime?" Caroline rolls her eyes. "You kiss Seeley Booth on the lips and I'll makes sure you daddy has his dream Christmas, no tree mind you, but otherwise, as good as an accused murder can expect."

The idea of initiating intimate contact with Booth again is a slightly scary one. She doesn't even notice that Caroline's shoved her coffee mug into her hands and left.

"Well look at that!" Caroline says, a bit to loudly. Booth opens his mouth to protest but Caroline keeps on going. "You take a step to your right and you'll be right under the cute little sprig." Caroline gives her a raised eyebrow, as if to say 'well?'. Booth actually makes a sound of protest, but before he can form actual words she's kissing him, grabbing his lapels for support.

It's just as good as she remembers. Booth finally seems to have recovered from the shock and was kissing her back, his tongue invading her mouth and pulling hers (including the wad of gum) into his own mouth. This has the effect of shocking her back into reality and she pulls away as fast as she can. Her hormones cry out in protest (which is impossible because her hormones don't actually have the capacity to speak), or at least that's what it feels like. She's still panting slightly when she finally speaks.

"Was that enough steamboats?" "Plenty," Caroline replies, sounding stunned. "A whole flotilla."

"I don't know what that means," Booth says, clearly flabbergasted by the sudden display of affection. "But. . .uh. . .Merry Christmas." "It was like kissing my brother," she says suddenly, not wanting to give Caroline anymore 'puckish' ideas. "You sure must like your brother," Caroline says skeptically. "She does," Booth replies. "I do." "She does," Booth says again, sounding like a broken record.

"Well the trailer's all arranged. You're good to go cherie. Merry Christmas." And then Caroline's gone, leaving her to deal with Booth.

He turns to face her. "Just like kissing your brother?" He asks, taking a step forward. "Well what should I have said?" She replies, taking a step back. "I don't know," he answers, taking another step. "But you shouldn't have said that." She takes another step back but bumps into her couch before she can finish it. Automatically she reaches out to try and prevent her fall, grabbing his lapels again.

She manages to right herself, but as a result she finds herself standing far to close to Seeley Booth that she should be. The smile hi gives her is a mischievous one and before she can blink he's kissing her. This one sends her toes curling. One breathy moan later and his tongue is once again in her mouth. Suddenly there's a small lump being put under her tongue and then he pulls away. Her traitorous body tries to follow him to initiate another kiss, but she stops it before it does. Her eyes widen in surprise when she realizes that it's her piece of gum he's placed in her mouth.

"Just thought I'd return the favor," he says grinning madly.

Don't forget the Support Stacie auction is next weekend. So if you want a Bones fic by me just for you go and do it!

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