December 21- 5pm-

Temperance was just opening the oven to take a peek at the macaroni and cheese that she had made when she heard him shuffling into the room. She closed the oven just as he stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her securely, his head rested on her shoulder. "I like this." He whispered.

"What? Domesticity?" She asked.

"No." he replied. "Well, yeah. I guess if you want to give it a label." He chuckled into her shoulder, dropping a kiss onto her neck. She squeaked a little and turned around, pressing her hands into his chest.

"That tickles." She said, feeling his arms trying to pull her into him a little more, she resisted only so that she could look into his eyes more readily.

"I know." He said, leaning forward toward her neck again, she laughed and pushed at him.

"Stop!" She exclaimed, observing that charm smile on his lips as he held her securely and kissed her properly. "Okay." She said. "That's okay." She whispered, kissing him again. She smiled against his lips as he pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She just broke from the kiss and looked into his eyes when her phone on the counter started to ring.

"You don't have to get it." He said, smiling at her scowl, he let her go, and she smiled at him, flitting easily to the phone.

"Brennan." She said into the line, turning to lean on the counter, she watched Booth standing across from her with a smile. "Rebecca, no. It's fine." She said, noting the look of concern on Booth's face. "Thank you for calling me back." She said. There was a bit of relief in his features, but she could tell that there was still quite a bit of tension in his body when he mentioned Rebecca's name. "I understand that you and Parker will not be traveling for Christmas this year, and I would like to invite you to my home for dinner on Christmas Day. My father and brother will be in attendance, and..." She looked toward Booth and he put his finger to his lips to indicate that she shouldn't mention him. She nodded. "And his family. He has two children about Parker's age." She said. She turned her head to face away from Booth for a moment, listening to Rebecca speak for a moment. "Of course." She said, nodding. "Yes, that is my intention. I am looking forward to seeing him as well." She said, listening for a moment. She looked up at Booth, her smile dropping from her lips, she could see the concern in Booth's eyes return. "Oh, well that's too bad. Is he alright?" She asked, sighing as she watched Booth take a step toward her, she held her finger up to stop him. "I can see how a break in trust would be difficult for a child, but he is resilient. He will see in time that you only did it for his benefit." She said, letting out a small laugh at whatever Rebecca said in return. Booth stepped right up to her and she set her hand on his chest. "Okay, that sounds wonderful. I'll see you at noon on the 24th, and I can give you the address for dinner. Thank you, Rebecca." She said. "You too, goodnight." She said, pressing the off button on the phone, she set the phone on the counter. She looked up at Booth and smiled. "Parker and Rebecca will be joining us for dinner."

"And?" He asked, knowing that there was more, but hoping he wouldn't have to push too hard to get the information out of her.

"And she is looking forward to his excitement at my arrival." She replied.

"And?" He said again, shaking his head. "Come on, Bones."

"And Rebecca said that Parker has learned the truth about Santa Claus from a classmate, and has been extremely upset the last few days. Though I'm sure that being nine years old, it is about time that he learn that it was simply a myth purported by his parents as a means to get him to behave around the holidays."

"Bones. No, no, no." Booth said, shaking his head. "That's not why we told him. That's not why, and you know it!" He argued. "We talk about this every year!"

"You have your theories, and I have mine." She shrugged, moving away from him toward the cupboards. She turned around to see him leaning against the counter, his hand at his neck as he stared at the floor. "He's going to be fine, Booth. I mean, I know that you and Rebecca didn't mean to deceive him, possibly embarrass him, and make him feel foolish in front of his friends." She said, watching his eyes look up and meet hers.

"Thanks, Bones." He said, his tone full of a sarcastic lilt that even Temperance didn't miss. "Poor kid." He sighed. "I feel so bad for him."

"You don't have to feel bad for him, Booth." Temperance said, moving toward him, she placed her hands on his face, lifting his eyes to meet hers as she leaned against him. "He's a little sad and a little disappointed, but what was it that you say is the most important part of the Christmas season?" She said, tipping her head. "Is it the myth of Jesus' birth."

"Not a myth." He muttered.

"Is it the Santa Claus lie?" She asked, watching him roll his eyes, he let out a sigh. "What's the most important part of Christmas? What makes this time of year special? Come on, you said it yesterday." She said, tipping her head. He mumbled something and sighed, and she shook her head.

"What was that? Come on, louder..." She goaded, smiling at him, he couldn't help but feel the warmth of her smile, as she tried desperately to pull the information out of him, simply to make him feel better. "Come on..."

"Christmas spirit." He mumbled.

"That's right." She said. "Christmas spirit. I mean, I don't understand exactly how it works, and there is no scientific explanation for it, but I know that you believe in it. He's a little sad now, but if we can bring him some Christmas spirit, this whole situation will be wiped from his memory, and the only thing he's going to remember about this Christmas is..."

"How Bones has tons of money and spends way too much of it on him." He grinned.

"Ass." She said, smacking his chest, she pushed off him and moved to walk away. He grabbed her hand. "Why do you have to be such an ass sometimes?" She asked, allowing him to pull her toward him again, she turned and faced him, pushing against him again.

"Seriously, Bones. Thank you." He sighed. "Thank you for thinking of Parker, and being there for him, being his friend. Thank you for coming home because you didn't think I could. It means the world to me that you care about him that much. It just..."

"I love him, Booth." She said sincerely. "He's a good boy, and he deserves every opportunity for happiness, just like you do."

"You think I'm a good boy?" He grinned.

"No." She winked. "You are an ass." She said, letting out a laugh as she walked away from him, laughing again when she heard him coming up behind her. She let out a shout when he lifted her from the floor and spun her in a circle, reveling in the sound of her laughter.