Title: Object of my Affection
Author: Shannon - shannyfish
Disclaimer: I do not own "Bones" or its characters, Fox does. This is merely for entertainment purposes only.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Booth and Brennan must struggle with not only the Grad Students trying to take Zack's old position, but also help get through a tragic end.
Warning: Post Season Three - "Pain in the Heart". Would take place during Season Four, probably mid to late. Warning! Do not start reading this unless you plan on reading all…like…one hundred chapters (it might be that many…might not…). This will be an epic/saga-type fic and shall include all kinds of fun plot twists. The rating of this story will most likely fluctuate, FYI.

Chapter 52 – "A Christmas Miracle"

Author's Note: In regards to hypothermia, since I have had it questioned. I always research several different resources before I use the information. On my wiki, I list all of my resource links and/or books used for each chapter. Also, this is fanfiction and there's a bit of leeway usually allowed...of course...miracles do happen ;) Without them, Booth wouldn't have a reason for his faith, right?

Trailer #1: h t t p : // www . mediafire . com / ?20w12iod0dd

Hopefully this all shows us, just remove the spaces : )

.......................

John Hopkins Hospital

Baltimore, Maryland

Three days now...and Booth didn't feel merry... One of his favorite holidays, especially when shared with Parker, didn't feel like it should. It had been a day and Brennan was still in the coma. Her body core temperature, as Cam had called it, had climbed only a degree. That only left four until she reached her normal core temperature, but Booth was still worried. Nothing was for sure when it came to hospitals.

Max and Russ were at his house with Amy, Parker, and the girls. They were baking cookies and wrapping presents. It was full blown Christmas at his house, but he couldn't face it. Angela couldn't even face it, she'd told him that Parker could go over to Hodgins' house, but that she couldn't step into the fake Christmas atmosphere at the moment. He understood her reasoning behind it. He didn't feel like he could deal with it either.

Jared had been released and was in Norfolk, which Booth hoped was for the best. Hopefully he couldn't be reached by the Gravedigger within Norfolk Naval Yard walls. He had already lost Rebecca...losing Brennan and Jared had made him feel sick. He didn't think that if the Gravedigger had taken away both of them that he'd be able to raise Parker. It threatened a lot of loss in only a few months. He didn't think he could bear all of that loss.

"You know, I don't think I can even do Christmas without you, Bones," Booth told her. Her hand was held gently between his as he stared at her. He wanted to hear her voice so badly. "The doctors say it's good for me to talk to you...and I really wish you'd at least speak to me... What do you want me to do? I don't know what you want me to say, so that you'll wake up." He felt absolutely helpless. Not knowing was the worst part of it all.

The whole day had consisted of random conversations. Booth had gone over everything from reasons for Brennan to wake up to the fact that it was now showing again outside. "Wake up," Booth whispered for the umpteenth time. It was getting late; it was about time for his walk to the hospital cafeteria. Although their version of coffee and sandwich from machines weren't impressive in any way, he still found himself hungry and in withdrawal from caffeine.

This part was the hardest. It was unpredictable. He had to leave her for whatever a brief time it was. So much could happen in that span of minutes. Brennan could wake up and be alone. Booth knew he could return and she may be gone. It was highly unsettling. Taking a deep breath, he got to his feet and then stared down at her lifeless form. "I'll be right back, Bones. I'm just going to get something to eat up here," he told her before reluctantly placing her hand back on the bed."

...............................

Hodgins Residence

"You sure, Angie?" Hodgins asked.

"I'm sure," she confirmed, tears still falling down her cheeks. "I'm not celebrating Christmas, not until Brennan wakes up."

"But the doctors said that Doctor Brennan may never regain consciousness," Zack said.

Hodgins glared.

Angela couldn't be angry with Zack. He didn't mean anything by it. "Look, just because I don't feel like celebrating doesn't mean you don't have to."

"I don't understand," Zack said.

Hodgins nodded in agreement. "She's right. You should go home. Be with your family. Go to Michigan."

"Oh," Zack said and then shook his head a few times. "No. I don't think they are quite over the fact that I was put in a mental institution for a murder, which I did not commit, but I plead guilty to."

"Well, I think we agree that it wasn't the smartest thing in the world that you've ever done," Hodgins admitted.

"Agreed," Angela added. After a moment of silence, she spoke up again. "I bet your mom would love to see you, Zack."

"She has called," Zack admitted.

Though Zack's hands were literally fried, he'd come a long way since physical therapy. "Then go home for Christmas." Angela felt that someone should have Christmas if she wasn't. "Going home to family always makes the holidays easier even when your life sucks."

"But I have family here," Zack said.

Hodgins smiled, "You always do."

"We normally spend some time together on Christmas Eve or the day before," Zack reminded.

It was their tradition, gathering at the Jeffersonian in their festive attire. They'd drink egg nog and eat cookies. They'd exchange presents while discussing where everyone would be heading to celebrate Christmas. And then, at the end there would be a picture that would be a perfect postcard picture.

"You're right," Angela said.

Hodgins smiled. "You do insist on it every year. Even when we were locked down in the Jeffersonian."

Angela couldn't hold back a laugh then. "That was a great Christmas." Then her smile turned to a frown and she went quiet.

"What?"

"That year Brennan wouldn't celebrate with us. This must be what it felt like to her for fifteen years." She remembered when Brennan had broken down and told her how Russ had tried to make Christmas for her after her parents had disappeared.

Sighing, Hodgins slouched back in the stuffed chair he was sitting in. "It currently sucks."

"Max Keenan seems to believe that Doctor Brennan will be awake and home by Christmas," Zack said. He didn't understand how Max could be so ignorant of the doctor, but he had a feeling it was just another thing that he didn't understand.

"He's hopeful," Angela tried to explain.

"Confidently so," Hodgins added.

Angela sighed. "I just can't be like that right now."

"I understand," Hodgins said honestly.

............................

Booth Residence

Russ and Amy had successfully gotten the girls into the Christmas spirit, even without their aunt present. Max was glad, but had to admit it felt wrong. Christmas Eve was fast approaching, and Max's faith in having his daughter there for Christmas was starting to fade as quickly as the days were approaching. He worried not for himself, but for those who would be affected by the loss of his daughter. He'd grieve, like he had with Christine...but there were others. She'd built herself a family in D.C. and sometimes he thought that her link with them was stronger than the one he and Russ shared with her.

Max found himself looking for Parker; he'd noticed that the boy hadn't seemed in the Christmas spirit either... He couldn't blame him, though. This wasn't exactly shaping up to be the Christmas that Booth had planned. With Brennan still in the hospital and Booth still at her side, it left little in the way of Christmas spirit. Max knew that Parker had been asking to go visit her at the hospital, but no one thought that was a good idea. They'd even agreed not to let Hayley or Emma go.

He found Parker in his room, curled up on his bed crying. It was muffled, but Max didn't miss it when he entered the bedroom. He really did like Booth's son, Parker did amazing things for his daughter. It gave him hope that she'd settle down and want a family... Max frowned and sat with his back to Parker on the edge of his bed. "Hiding out?"

"Yes," Parker responded and didn't cover his crying. "I don't want to do Christmas anymore."

"You know Tempe would probably feel horrible if she knew you felt that way," Max told him. "I made her feel like that a long time ago when she was younger...and she's just starting to accept Christmas again. I know it's one of your dad's favorite holidays."

"But we're all supposed to be together for Christmas," Parker said as he wiped tears away.

Max sighed, he had the same feeling. "I know. And I still think Tempe will be here before Christmas..."

"Dad said that the doctors say that she's sleeping..." Parker said. He sniffled. "I don't want the angels to take her away, too."

Turning, Max rubbed Parker's back. He felt really awful. He wanted to help to make this Christmas better for Parker, but so far he wasn't succeeding. "I have an idea, do you want to hear it?" he asked. He watched as Parker rolled onto his back and stared up at him. "How about if we sneak out of here? We can bring Christmas to the hospital; I bet that would help..."

Parker smiled a bit, "Maybe we can sing Christmas songs, so she knows it's time to wake up, so she doesn't miss Christmas."

"I think that's a good idea," Max agreed.

..............................

John Hopkins Hospital

Baltimore, Maryland

Max didn't have any problem sneaking Parker out. No one was apparently looking for them. It'd taken him some convincing, though, for the nurses to let him past and to his daughter's room with Parker. They walked along slowly and Max explained as non-scarily as possible about the ventilator that his daughter was currently on. He didn't want Parker to be scared just because he didn't expect it. "It's just to help her breathe until she's awake," he told Parker. It was partly the truth. It was the truth as far as Parker was concerned.

Parker held tight to Max's hand and tried to guess which room they would be going into. They all looked the same as far as he was concerned. He was excited about seeing his dad, though, and Brennan...even if she wasn't awake yet. He wanted to tell her it was Christmas and that she needed to be home in time to open presents.

They'd made a stop along the way to pick up some items that he hoped would make the hospital room more festive, some food for them, and a couple things he hoped would make his daughter a bit more comfortable. He didn't think anyone should be in the hospital during Christmas, he couldn't think of a less spirited atmosphere. The rest of the hospital seemed decked out, but since she was still in intensive care, there was minimal presence of Christmas.

Opening the door and allowing Parker to enter before him, he noticed Booth look over his shoulder at them. The first look he saw was one of surprise, which was followed by what he swore was happiness. He hoped that he wouldn't be too upset with him bringing Parker to the hospital. "We figured we'd stop in and check on you both," Max said.

"Hey Buddy," Booth greeted and gently set Brennan's hand back on the back before turning with his arms open for Parker. When Parker hit him, he wrapped his arms around his son's back and didn't let go. He buried his face into his shoulder and shed a few tears. He hated that it didn't feel like Christmas. He'd been so intent on making this the best Christmas ever. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Max told me about Bones...and how she needs that thing to breathe... It's not so scary," Parker explained. "It was scarier when she was in the car accident."

Parker had a point, Booth thought. Brennan did look far worse then. "You're right, Buddy. It's not. She's just sleeping. Her body is still recovering from being out in the cold for so long."

"Maybe she needs a warm bubble bath," Parker said. That's what he always liked when he was out in the cold and everything felt frozen.

Booth laughed, "I bet she'll want to do that once she wakes up." Booth noticed the bag in Max's hand. It looked heavy and completely full. "Doing some last minute Christmas shopping, Max?"

"Christmas shopping for here," Max said and set down the bag on the bedside table that was in the room not being used. He lowered it, so it was at an easy height for him to go through the contents of the bag. He didn't want to spill dinner. "I got some decorations, because let's face it...this place does not scream Christmas spirit," Max said and started to pull the generic decorations out. "I even remembered tape," he added and handed the magic scotch tape to Booth. "I got a few things for Tempe and then I brought us all food."

"What did you bring for her?" Booth asked. He figured that everything that Brennan needed was currently being supplied by the hospital.

Max separated a pair of festive Christmas socks that were not only festive, but were also fuzzy and warm. He stuck the tag and plastic pieces into the bag before walking over to place them on his daughter's feet. He removed the ones the hospital had put on. "These aren't even comfortable...they feel like they've been starched." He discarded them on the table and then pulled out the other item he'd brought for her. A warm blanket. He figured it couldn't hurt. "This has to be warmer than what they've got covering her," he explained and opened the blanket before spreading it out and with Booth's help; they made sure that she was completely covered.

"Dolphins," Booth observed.

"Tempe and Christine always loved them."

Booth just nodded. He remembered the dolphin belt buckle they had recovered with Christine Brennan's body along with the glass dolphin Max had left. "So, how's Russ?"

Max shrugged, "He feels it's important to make Christmas for the girls since this is the first year he's out..."

"Right," Booth said quickly. "I understand that and he's fully given my blessing to use my house for it. I'm just afraid we won't have the celebration that we had planned on having."

"There's always Christmas miracles," Parker spoke up. "Right?"

"Right," Booth said quietly and then looked over to Brennan. He wasn't so confidant or sure of it, but it was something to hope...to pray for. Surely if there was ever a cause for a Christmas miracle it was this... for two families to unite together in order to celebrate the season of giving.

"How about dinner?" Max suggested. "It's not fantastic," he warned. He turned to the bag and started to pull out containers. "I got some fancy sandwiches...hope that's okay. They're like supposed to be Thanksgiving sandwiches or something. I thought maybe it would cheer us up."

Booth grinned, "Good food seems to generally do that."

"And there are cookies!" Parker added with excitement.

"Even better!"

.................................

Lounge Area – Jeffersonian

It was Christmas Eve and Cam had called together the Jeffersonian staff in hopes that their small Christmas Eve party could help to bring up spirits. She'd talked to Booth and had invited him and Parker as well, but no one she talked to seemed the least bit jolly. Of course, it probably didn't help that she didn't feel jolly either. Shouldn't she have Christmas spirit? There was the fact that she was spending Christmas with her family, though. That was almost as depressing as their Christmas party, but not quite to that degree. Booth hadn't shown up yet, but she suspected he would. She'd passed it on to everyone that they'd be including Booth, Parker, and even Sweets. She felt the need to let Sweets into their circle since he'd been trying to cheer everyone up and had also become a source of information. He had been keeping everyone up to date on Brennan's condition. Cam had a sneaking suspicion that his ulterior motives were so that he could get Booth and Brennan back together, so his study could continue.

"It doesn't feel like Christmas," Angela complained. She'd even donned a festive Christmas sweater, and she still didn't feel cheerful or anything. "Christmas should be all about cheer. I don't feel cheery."

"I certainly don't feel merry," Hodgins agreed.

Cam frowned. She had been afraid of this. Depression, despair, and confusion had hit her people...their "fearless" leader as Sweets would most likely refer to Brennan had been incapacitated and was currently messing up their Christmas plans, not that it was in any way her fault. It just sucked. "Look, I doubt Doctor Brennan would want us all to be depressed at Christmas."

"She's right," Booth said as he and Parker approached with Sweets following closely behind them. He carried a bag full of gifts. He'd picked them out before Brennan had gone missing; he'd even had the foresight to buy something for Sweets.

"Who's with Brennan?" Angela questioned with concern. She hated the idea of Brennan waking up with no one there.

"Max is staying with her tonight," Booth informed Angela.

Cam waited for Booth, Parker, and Sweets to all find a seat before clapping her hands together. "Okay, look...I know we're all really concerned about Doctor Brennan... Maybe someone wants to say a prayer?" she suggested. She knew that at the very least Booth was religious. It was a nice thought, she thought and fitting considering it was Christmas Eve.

"You're right," Angela agreed.

"Booth? Do you want to?" Cam asked.

"Sure," he spoke up and laced his hands together and bowed his head down. "Blessed are You, loving Father, For all your gifts to us. Blessed are You for giving us family and friends. To be with us in times of joy and sorrow, to help us in days of need, and to rejoice with us in moments of celebration... Please look after our friend and a member of our family, Temperance Brennan. Please watch over her as she heals and recovers. Help us to discover the Christmas spirit even through these hard times. Amen." He heard an echo of 'amen's before he looked up around the circle. He felt like he should ask for so much more. To beg for her to be returned to them tonight, so that she could come home tomorrow, but he didn't feel that it was necessary. Booth especially didn't want to get Parker's hopes up only to have them crushed.

"Thank you," Cam told Booth with a small smile. She thought that it was perfect. They really were more than friends, they truly were a family. "Now I feel like we should be spending Christmas all together... I think it would be a lot easier than going home to mine."

"You're right," Hodgins agreed. "I'm starting to feel like Zack should have stayed here. I miss him."

"He went home for Christmas?"

Angela nodded, "I sort of pushed him there. I felt bad that we weren't really celebrating Christmas, so I told him to go home. His mom missed him."

"Well, I still got him something," Cam said and set it on the table between them.

"We'll make sure he gets it," Hodgins said with a smile. He appreciated that it was like Zack was still part of the team even though he wasn't.

"Me too," Sweets said and set it on the table. "I thought he'd be here."

Booth smiled, "It's good that he gets home, though," he said as he set his present for Zack on the table as well." He stopped and then looked around. "I have the presents from Bones, too. She had them in a bag at my apartment."

"I don't know if I want to open it," Angela admitted.

"What is it going to hurt?" Sweets asked them.

"Maybe we should just wait and do this when she's able to be with us," Angela suggested. "Brennan and Zack both."

"No," Cam said trying to bring order. "I even brought alcohol...we are going to have a party. Even if we're not jolly until after we've had a few glasses of egg nog."

"I love egg nog!" Parker exclaimed.

Booth patted Parker's shoulder. "You can't have this kind of egg nog, Buddy... It's for adults only."

"But I did get you sparkling cider," Cam told him. "You can have that." She pulled a present from the bag that she'd brought and handed it across to Parker. "Here, Merry Christmas, Parker."

"Thanks!" Parker said as he took the package. He grabbed the package and stared down at it. The Christmas print was beautiful, a foil type with trees and snowmen on them. "Can I open it?"

"Of course," Cam said with a smile. She handed out the rest of the presents she had brought and then started to put the presents for Zack into her now empty bag. She figured it would be easier for Hodgins and Angela to transport home. She watched as Booth handed her another, the present from Brennan. Cam smiled and just placed it in the bag before setting the bag on the floor.

"Cool!" Parker exclaimed as he held up the small robot in the box. "It's like a lizard!"

"Cool," Booth echoed as he watched how happy Parker was. He wanted that for him. A happy Christmas that was all he wanted for Parker this Christmas.

Presents were exchanged and Booth held onto all of the presents for Brennan. It seemed like everyone had cheered up at least a bit, especially after Cam had started to pass out the egg nog. She was glad at least there was some cheer. She watched as Parker played on the floor with various things he'd been given. Hodgins and Angela had given him another dinosaur with clothing. Apparently the dinosaurs came from Build-a-Bear and could wear clothing, whatever made Parker happy. She'd gotten him the lizard robot and Sweets had given him the Star Wars DVDs. She was pretty sure that Booth was still worried about Parker becoming one of them, but not as worried as he'd been at first. Booth was far more accepting now.

"You know, if anyone wants to come over tomorrow, Russ and his family will be at my house. Angela's helped to make it look like Christmas is actually here," Booth offered.

"Wish it just felt like it," Angela mumbled. She set her chin in the palm of her hand and let out a sigh. It was going to be a long thirty-six hours.

"Come over tomorrow," Booth said, but in his mind he was begging. We didn't want to be alone with Russ and his family. They were far too cheery. He needed a buffer. "It'll be better than sitting at home doing nothing."

"I'm up for it," Sweets said.

Normally, Booth would argue and try to dissuade Sweets from coming over, but right now he really didn't care. Sweets would even make Christmas better. For some reason he found that incredibly pathetic.

"I don't know," Angela said.

"We might as well," Hodgins said. "It has to be somewhat fun."

"I'll come over sometime when I'm not with my family," Cam added.

"Good," Booth said. "I'm counting on everyone being there then."

But it still wouldn't be the same, and they all knew that.

................................

TBC...