The show had three Christmas episodes and this is the Christmas chapter in my story.

Have fun and Merry Christmas to you all, my dear readers.

Week 25-26

"Bones, we need a Christmas tree." Booth looked around their new living room. They'd just moved in six days ago. While most of their belongings had found a place they hadn't had time to do any decorating for Christmas. Work and unpacking had consumed every waking moment.

They were sitting on the couch, Brennan had her feet pulled up resting on Booth's lap while he kneaded them tenderly. She tended to have swollen feet at the end of the day and was always happy when Booth took care of her like that.

"A really big one." Booth beamed at the very thought of it. "Like tall, you know. I always wanted to have a big one but my apartment was too small for that." He lifted his arms and gestured with both hands across the room from where they were sitting. "We could put it there, in the corner between the window and the fireplace. It'll be perfect." He turned to her, waiting for her approval which didn't come.

She shook her head. "Booth, I don't know where we put your box of the decorations and I don't have any." She looked sheepish and turned away, letting out a long sigh. When she spoke again it was barely a whisper. "I never put up a Christmas tree." She looked back at him. "How will you decorate it?"

A soft grin spread across his face. "Oh, it's okay. I know where I put them and I have lots of decorations. Pops gave me all his decorations when he moved into assisted living. And tomorrow we're going shopping so we can get some more lights and ornaments while we're out." The more he talked the more excited he got. "Oh, and after our shopping trip we can go by the tree farm and get our tree." His eyes were filled with joy. "Parker will be thrilled."

It was shaping up to be the best Christmas ever. Booth still couldn't believe it. He would get Parker all Christmas day, from morning until late into the evening. Then Rebecca would pick him up. She was taking him on vacation and wouldn't be back until after New Year's Day. He would lose some days he normally got with his boy but it would be worth it to have him on Christmas day. They were going to have a big holiday dinner. Angela, Hodgins, Pops, and Max would all be there to celebrate with them. It would be their first Christmas as a real family and he could barely contain his excitement.

Brennan wrinkled her nose. "I know we have to go shopping because there are still some gifts we need to get but I am not looking forward to all the people who'll be there doing their last-minute shopping."

Booth laughed. "You mean people like us?" He started to rub her feet again. "Good that you bought all the presents for Russ and his family months ago and sent them to North Carolina already."

"Yes, months ago. But we still have a fair amount of shopping to do." Brennan pulled her feet from his hands and sat up to grab a notebook and pen that were lying on the coffee table then started to write down a list of people they still had to buy for.

"Hmm … let's see." She looked at Booth. "We need something for Parker." She pointed to Booth. "I hope you know what's on his wish list." Booth nodded.

"I talked to Becca about that. He wants some new hockey stuff so I told her I'd buy him a couple new jerseys and new gloves." He thought for a moment. "And he talked about this big lego city set with buildings and bulldozers and trucks. He said he absolutely needed it." Booth chuckled at the little boy's exuberance as Brennan wrote down the items on her list.

"I would like to buy him a book Hodgins recommended about flesh-eating beetles. Parker was very interested in them when I described how we clean the bones to him."

"Of course he was. He's an eight year old boy." Booth looked slightly horrified.

"I don't see what his age or gender has to do with anything." She was genuinely confused and he loved that about her.

"Do you really think that's a great gift for Christmas?"

"I might buy him a microscope, a really good one." She beamed at Booth. "He could have a lot of fun with that." Booth shrugged his shoulders, he would not argue with her about the gifts she wanted to buy for Parker. Experience had taught him that she was surprisingly accurate when it came to Parker and what his kid wanted. He'd let her have this one. Parker was way more into exploring gross stuff than he was.

"I was thinking we could buy sweaters for Pops and Max." She bit on the pen while thinking a bit about more gifts. "And I think Pops needs a new blanket for his sofa, the one he is using looks pretty shabby and Dad hinted that his aftershave was nearly empty." She turned to Booth. "It's a pretty expensive one. I'm not sure he could buy it on his own. And while we're there I can buy perfume for Angela too. She told me when we were shopping the other day about one she really loves."

She wrote down all the items she thought about. "And Hodgins gets a new scarf." She chuckled. "His favorite one was destroyed a few days ago. He had it in the office with him when an experiment went horribly wrong. Acid sprayed everywhere and now it has tiny holes in it." She chucked that beautiful low chuckle of hers and then looked over at Booth again, more serious this time. "And we're sticking to our agreement, right?" He nodded.

"Yeah, yeah … because we spent so much on the house, only one small gift for each other." He patted her hand. "I won't forget, I promise." She knew he wanted to do more for her, he always did, no matter how much he showered her in love and attention in whatever form, he always said it wasn't enough. He pointed to her list. "Put the Christmas decorations on the list too. We need some of our own."

§§§

The Christmas gifts had all been purchased and beautifully wrapped, the tree bought and gloriously decorated, and much to Brennan's surprise, she found it made their new home festive and cozy. She rarely felt the panic of the past creeping in and when she did Booth was there with his steadiness and reassurance to calm her fears.

They had cleaned the house and bought all the groceries necessary for their big Christmas dinner. Booth had insisted on a turkey and Brennan had finally relented under the condition that he would do all the handling and cooking of it. She didn't want to touch it, not even a little bit.

Booth watched every step Brennan took, which really annoyed her. He tried to control how heavy the things she lifted were, how long she was on her feet, and how often she took time to rest. He called to check on her throughout the day and if she'd reached a point of exasperation and wasn't answering his calls he'd call Angela or Cam. She'd hear their heels clicking as they walked briskly across the hard tiled floors of the lab to check on her.

"Booth," she'd whine his name when she finally relented and called him back, "you have to stop."

Truth was, now that she was twenty-five weeks she was past the point where she could ignore or forget that she was pregnant anymore. She became tired very easily and standing at the examination table became more and more logistically difficult and exhausting. Leaning forward to examine bones often made her back hurt, but she would never admit that to Booth. Never.

Secretly she found it endearing that he was so protective of her and the baby. It was comforting. She'd suffered through many years with no one to check on her or make sure she ate or slept. She had been all alone. Not any more.

It was Christmas eve and time for the Jeffersonian's annual Christmas gathering, of course. Their team had taken to ditching the extravaganza once the formalities were over and gathering at the Founding Fathers to celebrate together in a more intimate setting. The Jeffersonian would be closed from Christmas until after the new year barring any new cases. Brennen was pretty sure they would need that time to recover from the holiday rush. She wasn't used to this much Christmassing. She'd spent years effectively avoiding the holiday. Not this year. This year she was right in the thick of it.

Sweets had joined them at The Founding Fathers this year. They were happily chatting, exchanging memories of past Christmases, like when they were forced to quarantine over Christmas because of a potential lung fungus. Sweets had never heard the story and laughed as they regaled him with stories of Hodgins and Zach in the decontamination shower, Booth's delirium from the preventative shot they had to take, finding that rare expensive penny, and Angela's beautiful digital tree. The stories went on and on as did the laughter.

It was late when they arrived home, well past 11:00 pm. Brennan instantly laid down on the couch, putting her feet up while Booth started a fire in their fireplace. He had already lit the Christmas tree and started throwing cushions from the bench in front of the window onto the floor in front of the Christmas tree and fireplace.

"Booth," Brennan called to him with a questioning tone. "What are you doing?" He smiled at her as he collected all the cushions and blankets he could find from the couch and the chairs nearby.

"You'll see." He turned to her. "Maybe you should go to the bathroom. It was a long drive home and I know how often you have to, you know, go now that the baby is farther along." He winked at her. "And when you come back I'll be done with your surprise."

She pulled herself up off the couch and headed in the direction of the bathroom. Booth was right, she really needed to go. When she came back, he had turned off all the lights in the house, leaving the Christmas tree and a few candles in one of the living room windows to light the room. A glowing fire in the fireplace illuminated the nest he had created in front of the tree. He had just finished and lifted himself from the floor to greet her.

"Booth." She whispered. "It's beautiful." Her look of wonder faded into a worried glance. "I don't know if I can get up on my own once I'm down ... there." she gestured to the floor. Booth took her hand and helped her down to the floor.

"Don't worry about that, I'll help." She knew he would, he always did. Slipping in next to her, he pulled her down into his arms. "You know, since I was a little boy I always wanted to sleep in front of a Christmas tree, next to a fireplace." He chuckled. "Okay, truth here, I wanted to catch Santa. I never went through with it though. Pops insisted Santa wouldn't come if I wasn't in my bed."

"Santa Claus isn't real, Booth."

He drew her into his arms and shushed her. "Don't say that, Bones, not tonight." She pulled back enough to look at him skeptically. "Those who don't believe don't receive." There was a twinkle in his eye, a playfulness that made her smile.

"We agreed, just one small gift." He settled her back down in his arms ignoring her

response.

"Point is, my dream never really went away. I always wanted to do it with Parker. I thought that would be magical, you know. The anticipation and excitement, but since my apartment didn't have a fireplace and I hardly ever get him on Christmas eve, it just hasn't happened." He grinned at her, his hand rubbing her belly. "But now, I have the home, I have the fireplace, and the Christmas tree." Then his voice suddenly became very husky. "And I have the most beautiful woman in my arms and a baby on the way." Pressing a firm kiss on the top of her head, he continued. "I am the luckiest man in the world."

Brennan chuckled. "Booth, there is absolutely no way to quantify that … and there is no such thing as luck," a sweet smile lit up her face, "but I understand what you're saying." She snuggled deep into his arms. "I can honestly say, the feeling is mutual."

They lay there for quite some time watching the lights on the tree, enjoying the warmth from the fire. Booth pressed another soft kiss to Brennan's head and when she tilted her head to look at him, he peppered her with small kisses across her forehead, her temple, her cheeks, and finally her lips. Each kiss a little deeper and more intimate. He left her lips trailing kisses along her jaw and whispered in her ear. "Let me make love to you."

Brennan's eyes widened. "Here?" He'd already started to push up her shirt.

"Yeah." He slipped her shirt over her head and tossed it onto the carpet next to them. "Right here. Right now. New memories, new life together. " His lips were back on hers and his passionate kiss left her breathless. She quickly unbuttoned his shirt letting it fall next to hers, the start of a hapless pile of hastily discarded clothes. Pausing from his focused work, Booth looked down at Brennan. The light from the fireplace was dancing over her skin and the view in front of him took his breath away. "You're beautiful." His hands followed the flickers of the light, gliding over her skin. Tonight he would take his time, cherishing every inch of her creamy, pale skin, starting with the spot right next to her ear. He heard her soft moan, knowing as he did, how much she liked it when he sucked lightly right there.

Slowly his lips traveled along her neck and down over her collarbone. His hands soothed and caressed, his lips followed, chasing. Writhing with pleasure, her hums and moans got louder and less controlled. A whirlwind of emotions and passion swept over her and he didn't rest until she fell apart on his tongue, gasping to catch her breath.

When she had regained her composure and control she rolled him onto his back. It was her turn. She remembered that first night at his apartment. How crazy it drove her to feel his breath on her skin, waiting desperately for his lips to touch her. She leaned over him as best she could, hovering, barely touching. The light grazes of her fingertips over his well-muscled body, the warmth of her breath, the slip of her lips against his heated flesh. It wasn't enough.

She knew all the right places and was filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment with every breathless groan that escaped his lips.

When she sank down on him, tall and statuesque, the light of the fireplace formed a halo around her beautiful body. He was sure he'd never seen anything as gorgeous. It was damned near religious. They were one. She felt it too, though she'd never call it religious. It was science to her. She started to move, slow even swings of her hips and he answered silently, pushing up from beneath, setting a deep and escalating pace. Tonight they'd break the laws of physics. He was sure of it.

They lay there in sated bliss catching their breath. Neither wanted to break the peace and connection they felt with words. They had to speak eventually though. Searching for the right word, Booth finally spoke.

"That was …"

She laid back in the crook of his arm and beamed at him. "Yes, it was ..."

He pressed a kiss onto her head and laid one hand lightly over her pregnant belly, his fingers slowly gliding over her skin. He gasped when he felt their baby girl kick and press up into his hand.

"I love you," Booth whispered. She craned her neck to lock eyes with him. "You have no idea how much I love you." His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb stroking lightly her soft skin. He held her gaze, the depth of his feelings for her sunk deep into her heart.

"I love you too." Brennan's voice was rough with emotion. Booth held his breath, this was their moment, here in front of the Christmas tree, he just knew it.

"Do you believe in fate?" He'd asked her this question before, years ago. She swallowed hard considering how to answer.

"You've asked me this before." She hesitated and he felt his heart start to race in anticipation. "I told you absolutely not, as I'm sure you remember." She gave him a small smile which he found incredibly reassuring. "That hasn't really changed. I still have problems with the concept of fate," his heart sank, "but … but I can say that I'm thankful we met each other." She cupped his face, stroking his cheek with her graceful touch. "I can't … I … I don't want to imagine what my life would be like without you in it."

Tears filled their eyes as they both struggled to choke back the strong emotions that overwhelmed them.

"I never imagined I'd be in a monogamous relationship with someone or that I'd be a mother." She swallowed hard. "You gave that to me, Booth. You gave me that." Her gaze was direct, holding their connection, and filled with love. "And if all of this is anecdotal

evidence of fate, then I am willing to admit that fate is real." Her voice fell, becoming small and quiet. "I would have missed so much." He pressed a kiss to her lips, his heart beating wildly.

"I never want to miss another moment with you." His thumb was sliding lightly over her cheek, their eyes still locked. "Not now, not in the future. I want to have it all, Bones." He took a deep breath holding it briefly before letting it out. "I can't imagine my life, my future without you either. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He waited for his words to sink in. "Do you see it too, Bones? A future together. Our future." She was so touched by his words that she could only nod. Gathering all his courage, he took another deep breath. "You are the love of my life. I want you as my friend, as my partner, as the mother of my children, and I want you as my wife. Will you marry me, Temperance?" He heard her gasp.

Silence. She was silent. She just stared back at him, a tear slowly running down her cheek. His eyes were pleading with her. Please don't, please don't say no. He waited, desperation gripping his heart. Had he asked for too much, too soon?

Then she slowly started to nod. "Yes," and then again, "of course, yes!" He let out a long, relieved sigh, a look of relief and joy spread across his face but he hadn't said anything. "Yes." She repeated as he enveloped her in his arms, holding her tight.

"You said yes." His lips found hers in a long, loving kiss. When they finally parted he sat up on his heels and bent over to reach into the lower branches of their Christmas tree. Brennan followed his moves with interest.

Obviously, he found what he was looking for because he finally sat back holding a small box in his hand. Opening the box, he pulled out a small silver ring. It was different from other engagement rings she'd seen in the past. It had three small diamonds embedded in the surface of the ring. Because the stones weren't raised up she would be able to pull on and off her gloves without the ring being a hindrance. He'd put a lot of thought into the ring's design which made her feel his devotion to her.

He took Brennan's left hand and slid the ring over her finger. It fit perfectly and she stretched out her hand to admire it. "It's beautiful, Booth." She smiled at him. "I didn't expect this. You really surprised me." He gave her a smug smile.

"We agreed to one small gift, right? I had to make it count."

"I love my gift, Booth." She looked back down at her hand admiring the sparkle in the light from the fire. "My present is nothing compared to this."

He chuckled. "It's not a competition. I'll love anything you give me." He nodded at her. "I promise."

She reached under the tree and pulled out a small, flat package. "It's really nothing, Booth." She blushed with embarrassment. Booth shook his head and drew her back in his arms.

"Bones, you're so wrong. You have given me the best gift I could ever wish for." She gave him a questioning look. "Seriously. You gave me you." He knew how hard it was for her. Although she'd argue that faith was strictly a religious concept, she'd made a significant leap of faith. "You're giving me our baby. And our home, you gave me most of our home, right?" She gave him a bit of a scolding look. She didn't like it when he differentiated their contributions when it came to the price of the house. He got serious again. "And you agreed to be my wife. Really, what else could I ask for?"

She was touched by the words of this man who had turned her whole world upside down and made her happier than she could ever imagine.

"So maybe my gift for you isn't so bad after all." She smiled at him. "I just couldn't resist when I saw it and I know you'll like it."

She looked at the gift he still held in his hand and watched as he started to rip off the paper. pulling a little, soft pink onesie out of the package. Sparkly letters read: "Daddy's little girl!"

He smiled when he saw it.

"Bones, I love it." He bent down to her stomach and whispered. "And I can't wait to see you wear it."

AN: I have told you that I was going to be a grandma this winter. Our little grandson, Timo, arrived at the end of November. So we got our Christmas gift a bit early and we are so happy and in love with this little boy.

If you liked this chapter, you can give me another Christmas gift by leaving a review. Have a peaceful and happy Christmas, until next year.