A/N: I'm using two words from the list in this one, party and eggnog so the story will have 30 chapters instead of 31.

It was a week before Christmas and Brennan was getting ready for her and Booth's Christmas party with the squints and Aubrey.

"Bones, aren't you making too much food?"

"No, the kids are having their own Christmas party in your man cave. Christine wanted chicken fingers and ranch. Parker wanted macaroni and cheese. Max wanted pizza puffs and Gracie wanted peanut butter and jelly. I'm making it all plus a small veggie tray, fruit tray and cheese and crackers. I made peanut butter and jelly rollups. I'm giving them their own cookie plate too Michael Vincent didn't want anything special, but Angela said he'd be fine with chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese. I made them grinch punch too…."

"You're spoiling them…"

"Maybe, but we're having eggplant parmesan, salad and garlic bread. Veggie and fruit trays and cheese and crackers. Plus, desserts. I also got them small gifts to open. I got Christine the big box of crayons and a jumbo activity book. I got Max Christmas firetruck pajamas and matching socks. I got Gracie a set of paper dolls, I liked the ones I had when I was little and I thought she'd like them. I also got her a couple reusable sticker books. I got Parker a couple pairs of sunglasses for when he goes to Florida and a gas gift card since he's been taking the littles everywhere while we're working… I got Michael Vincent a few packs of baseball cards.".

"I love that you're letting them have their own 'party'…"

"Our party would be very boring for them and since Parker is here to keep an eye on them… he said they'd watch movies or play games." Brennan shrugged and took the chicken fingers out of the oven.

"They'll enjoy that. Do you need help?"

"You can finish the salad, but don't dress it yet. Then you can help me take the kids' food downstairs."

"Okay."

After their sit-down dinner the adults were talking and enjoying the night when Booth noticed Hodgins drinking a glass of the punch Brennan had made for the kids. "Hodgins, we have eggnog…"

"No thanks, Booth. I haven't drank eggnog since our quarantine Christmas in the lab. Every time I see it I have flashbacks of getting in the decontamination shower with Zach and it puts me off of it for another year."

"Yeah, I understand…"

"That Christmas sucked… and it was all my fault… I could have gotten us all killed…"

"That Christmas did suck, but it did have its good points…"

"Really, what?"

"I got to spend Christmas with Bones without having to make up a reason to. And then charm her when she didn't buy it. Plus, after we got out Becca let me have Parker until after New Year's."

"That was good for you. Actually, that was the first and only time I saw Angela's dad and didn't freak out."

Booth laughed, "Billy is so nice, I don't see why he still scares you after all these years…"

"He's nice to you because you aren't married to his only child…"

"True."

"What's in the punch? It's good."

"Green fruit punch, lime sorbet and lemon lime soda."

"Dr. B lets the kids have soda?"

"A few times a year… She made all their favorites for their own party in the man cave."

"I wonder how that's going?"

"I'd say good. I don't hear any screaming and Parker hasn't sent out an S.O.S."

"I can't believe he's spending time with them when he could be with his friends…"

"I got lucky; Parker is an excellent big brother who lives spending time with his siblings. I think it has a lot to do with growing up as an only child and only getting to spend a handful of days with them each month." Booth pulled out his phone and brought up the feed for his man cave. "You even have cameras in the man cave?"

"Yes, the only rooms that don't are the bathrooms. After Pelant I can't be too careful…"

Booth and Hodgins looked at the feed, "it looks like they're having fun watching the Grinch."

"That's good. tonight, was nice…"

"Yep…"

B&B

A few hours later Booth and Brennan cleaned up and went downstairs to get everybody ready for bed. Booth stopped Brennan at the bottom of the stairs. "They're all asleep."

"Should we just leave them down here?"

"Yeah, I'll sleep down here too just in case…"

"I'll join you; I don't sleep well without you anymore…."

"Bones, we can't sleep together…"

"I know, but being near you will be enough…"

"Okay…"

A little bit later Booth settled in to one of the couches and reclined it. Brennan settled into the other recliner. A few hours later Brennan woke up when Max climbed in her lap. "Hi sweetheart, do you want to go sleep in your bed?' Max shook his head and snuggled into Brennan's lap and went back to sleep. Gracie climbed into Booth's lap a few minutes later. The next morning Brennan and Booth woke up to Christine sleeping on the couch between them. "I guess everybody needed to be closer to mom and dad…"

"Yes. Even Parker…" Booth looked over and noticed that Parker had moved all the jumbo beanbag chairs closer to the couch and went to sleep.

"Mommy, can we have more party food for breakfast?"

"We don't have any more party food; uncle Aubrey was here."

"Oh…"

"You can have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast if you would like…"

"Okay…" Gracie yawned and snuggled into Booth, "You're comfy, daddy."

Booth laughed and kissed the top of Gracie's head, "love you, Gracie girl."