(Season 2)
A/N: this story is part of the Bonesology winter challenge for 2021. The prompt is to write a story about a minor character in a prominent role.
I don't own Bones.
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Alex Radziwill was a man of many talents. Most people underestimated who he was until it was usually too late for that naïve person to avoid trouble. Alex worked for the State Department and he was good at his job. His coworkers knew he was a hard worker and he helped with some of the tougher cases that the State Department had to handle from time to time.
When it came to the holidays, Christmas was Alex's favorite holiday. He and his wife decorated their house and their front lawn with yards of lights and several well known Christmas figures. It was a holiday that allowed him to be a free spirit and Alex tried to take advantage of that.
His wife always volunteered her time for charity work as did Alex. They felt like they needed to give back to a community that they loved.
Entering Booth's office, Alex noticed the tiny Christmas tree on the agent's desk as well as a string of purple garland hanging from the filing cabinet. He knew Booth loved Christmas and he knew he could count on the agent to help with holiday projects if it was required. The man was the spirit of the holiday. "So, do you have plans for Christmas Day?"
Looking up from a report he was trying to finish, Booth smiled. "Parker is coming over and we're going to have a little party with Bones and Cam on Christmas Eve. Cam was supposed to go home for the holiday, but her father called her and told her that he was going on a cruise with his sister and Cam didn't want to go. She says she's been on one too many cruises with her relatives and she needs a break."
Sitting on the chair near the door, Alex knew that he couldn't ask Booth to give up Christmas Eve plans, but Christmas might still be possible. "Me and Candy are going to be helping out at the hospital on Christmas Day. Handing out presents to the patients, giving Christmas cookies to the kids and we were wondering if you'd be Santa this year. You did a great job two years ago." He'd been unable to count on Booth the previous year when the man had been quarantined at the Lab because of some infectious lung disease. How that happened was still a mystery and he'd given up on ever knowing what that had been about.
Cocking his head to the side, Booth stared at his friend for a moment then nodded his head. "Sure, but I don't want to be Santa Claus. The uniform makes me sweat too much. How about I be the helper and you be Santa?"
"Me?" Alex guffawed. "Are you kidding me? Do I look like I could be Santa Claus?"
"Santa is an elf too you know. It says so in the poem." Booth really didn't want to be Santa Claus. He'd done it in the past and he'd hated the job ever since a kid had been so nervous sitting on his lap, he'd thrown up on Booth. "You know 'He was chubby and plump a right jolly old elf, I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.' I read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' to Parker every Christmas Eve."
Certain Booth was being sincere, Alex decided that the man wasn't making fun of his size. That wasn't something his friend did. "They don't make Santa suits my size. The poem may say he's an elf, but everyone thinks he's a big man like you. It's too late for me to get a suit made . . . come on, you can be Santa. Kids like you. You know they do."
Flattered, but still wary about the situation, Booth finally sighed. "Okay, I'll do it this year, but it's the last time. Either ask someone else next year or get a suit made for you. Fair warning. I won't do it next year."
"Great, that's the team spirit I'm looking for." Pleased, Alex slid off the chair. "Be at the hospital at three sharp on Christmas Day. I'll meet you in the parking garage."
"Alright, but this is the last time."
Alex took his victories when he could. "I get it. This is the last year." He'd worry about next Christmas when he had to.
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They met in the parking garage and Alex noticed that Booth wasn't alone. "Dr. Saroyan, have you come to help us?"
Wearing a Santa hat, Cam felt slightly foolish, but Booth had insisted she needed to look a little elfish if she was helping Santa. "Yes, I don't have anything to do today and Booth thought I'd like the experience."
The back of his truck open, Alex handed a bag filled with cookie tins to his wife. "Candy, this is Camille Saroyan. She's in charge of the Medico-Legal Lab over at the Jeffersonian."
"Glad to meet you, Camille." Candy loved Cam's sweater and said so. "I love your sweater. It's much more Chrismasy than mine."
"Please call me Cam and thank you." Cam took a bag of toys from Alex's truck and waited for everyone to move towards the hospital. The air was nippy and she was a little cold.
Once Alex and Booth had grabbed a bag of toys, they entered the hospital and made their way to the children's ward. Upon arriving, Alex checked in at the nurse's station and with one of the nurses leading the way, they all moved down the hallway towards the waiting children.
Before they'd entered a room, an alert went out on the PA system, telling everyone to lock down and remain on the floor they were on. Jogging back down the hallway to the nurses station, Booth asked what was going on and returned to his little group. "Okay, some nut job with a gun is in the Emergency section of the hospital. I don't know what's going on or how bad this is going to get, so we're going to close these doors and we're going to guard this ward." Booth moved to shut the doors and stood next to them staring through the small window inset in the door.
Her responsibility with the children, the nurse started going from room to room warning everyone to stay in their room. At the end of the hallway, she turned came back and stood a few feet from the stairwell, determined to stop anyone that chose to come in that way.
Concerned for the children, Candy handed her husband a canister from her purse and motioned for Cam to come with her. "Let's find a weapon. We're not going down without a fight."
Admiring Candy's courage, Cam pulled a gun from her purse. "We won't have to look far."
Amused, Candy laughed. "I just carry bear spray." Moving over to an empty cart, she moved it closer to the closed doors. "I can use this as a battering ram."
Cam was ready and she appreciated that Candy was preparing for the worse.
Not sure what Alex was holding, Booth pointed at the canister. "What's that? Pepper spray?"
"Ha, pepper spray is for amateurs." Alex held up the canister and grinned. "It's bear spray. No one messes with Candy. At least not twice."
Shaking his head, Booth glanced back through the glass in the doorway.
Not sure what else they could do, Alex leaned against the wall near the door. "Aren't you armed?"
"Of course, I am. I'm an FBI Agent you know." Booth kept his gaze down the hallway. "I have a gun in my boot. I'll pull it if I need it. No need to upset the kids and the nurses if I can help it. I'll it use if I have to."
"No one messes with you either." Alex smiled. His friend was reliable and that was what he admired the most about Booth. "We got this."
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Once the 'all clear' was given, Booth and Alex carried their goodie bags over to Candy and Cam and proceeded to visit the children's rooms. They found worried parents and children in each room, but before they left the room, the parents were reassured all was fine and the child had a toy and some cookies.
Their mission finally complete, Booth removed his white beard as he walked down the hallway. "As bad as this day was, it wasn't as bad as last year's Christmas. Being locked down with a bunch of squints wasn't my idea of a good time."
"About that, what happened?" Alex hoped he'd finally find out what had happened at the Lab. "Why did you go into lockdown?"
"A body was found in a fallout shelter and I guess the guy had been exposed to Valley Fever which meant everyone that came into to contact with the body was exposed to Valley Fever." Booth decided not to explain how they got exposed. Hodgins had felt bad enough about it and there was no need to beat a dead horse. "We had to get shots and wait it out."
Amazed, Alex shook his head. "Only you could find Valley Fever in the middle of Washington D.C."
"Yeah, I'm lucky I guess." Booth left the hospital and turned to face his friend. "Remember this is the last time I play Santa Claus."
"Oh, I'll remember." Alex knew if he really needed Booth's help, he could get it. He just needed to finesse the situation and he was good at that. After all, it was part of his job description. "Don't worry, I have other options."
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Let me know what you think of my story. Thanks.