A/N: my apologies for not posting sooner, but this chapter refused to cooperate, and I had to do some rewriting to get it where I wanted it!
We're still meandering a bit as our favorite couple gets ready for Christmas, but such is life in a small town. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it.
Christmas Eve Afternoon, 2 PM
If someone were to ask Seeley Booth to describe the ideal way to spend a snowy Christmas Eve, he'd most likely come up with a very romantic scenario…one which, of course, would revolve around him spending some very personal one on one time with his Bones.
It'd be amazing…they'd be staying in a luxurious mountain cabin in rural Vermont…a cabin that had a cozy den with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree standing in one corner, surrounded by a huge pile of brightly wrapped gifts. They would've just come in from skiing down the powdery slopes of Stark Mountain, and after changing out of their snow covered clothes, they'd both be wearing fluffy white bathrobes, soft slippers, and nothing else…they'd relaxing as they sat snuggled side by side on an overstuffed sofa in front of a roaring fire, sipping glasses of champagne and munching chocolates, laughing and talking while jazzy versions of Christmas carols played softly in the background…they'd spend a quiet evening enjoying each other's company before adjourning to the bedroom and its glorious centerpiece…the king sized bed with a massive hand carved headboard…the bed would be mounded with pillows and topped with a cozy handmade quilt…they'd laugh as they nestled together under the covers…she'd giggle as he pulled her into his embrace…and then they'd engage in the most passionate sex imaginable…all night long…and then they'd sleep late on Christmas Day, rising in time to have a hearty holiday brunch before opening their gifts from each other…
He had to admit it, as he thought over his favorite seasonal fantasy…that'd be an awesome way to spend the Christmas holidays…and because he'd be so completely occupied with Bones, there'd be no thought given to a final frenzied few hours of Christmas shopping...and there'd definitely be no spending the afternoon in a big box store, waiting for the next available checker along with hundreds of other frantic shoppers who'd put off getting everything done.
He soon shook off his reverie and came face to face with the present's harsh reality. Instead of enjoying a pleasant retreat in a remote area of Vermont, spending time with his favorite anthropologist, he was stuck in the middle of Oklahoma on Christmas Eve afternoon, pushing a heavily laden cart through Guthrie's Walmart Supercenter. The store was packed…it seemed that half of the town's population was jammed into the space, rushing to finish their last minute preparations for Christmas Day.
Booth sighed quietly as he followed Sheriff Clymer through the crowded aisles. His original plan had been to pick up some extra provisions from the little grocery store down the street from the rectory so that the Bledsoes would have enough to feed their unexpected guests at dinner that evening and also on Christmas Day. That would've been so easy…he'd have been in and out in a few minutes, and on his way back to the rambling old house…maybe arriving in time to take a brief nap before heading to St. Mary's for the 5 o'clock Christmas Eve service.
Unfortunately, that simple plan had gone up in smoke as soon as he'd gotten the panicked text from Sheriff Clymer. "Of course he needed help with this errand.," Booth grumbled to himself as he picked up a box of candy canes and tossed it in the cart. "He comes up with good ideas…and, I'll admit, this is a really good idea…but then he can't follow through to complete the job…and then someone else has to bail him out…some poor sucker like me..."
It didn't help matters that the sheriff seemed to be distracted and out of sorts that afternoon, unable or unwilling to concentrate on the task at hand. As he picked up a box of building blocks from a shelf on one of the toy aisles, Billy Don frowned in annoyance. "Jesus! How the hell does anyone know what kids want these days? There's probably a million different kinds of Legos…all sorts of games…thousands of varieties of Hot Wheels…footballs…basketballs…Nerf balls…dolls in all shapes and sizes…costumes…plastic dinosaurs and lotsa other kinds of critters…action figures…bicycles and tricycles..."
Booth shrugged as he followed the sheriff down the aisle with the shopping cart. "I know you don't have kids…and so maybe you're not sure what they'd like, but I imagine they'll be happy with whatever they get tomorrow morning, especially since Sam told them that Santa Clause probably wouldn't be able to stop by the rectory tonight. They're not expecting anything, you know? They're gonna be so surprised when they see their gifts. I can't wait to see their faces..." He paused as he looked over a display of remote control cars. "Because I've got a son, I can probably figure out what toys to buy for the boys, but I'm not real sure about what to get for Janie." Grinning as he spied a sparkly plush unicorn sporting rainbow striped wings, he nodded before adding it to the cart. "I guess the more sparkles something has, the better she'll like it, right?"
"I guess." The sheriff laughed as he picked up a 'magic' wand and waved it at Booth. "Even big girls seem to like the extra shiny stuff…" He wore a faint smile as he added it to the cart. "Well, we've got plenty of money…I guess we can get the kids lots of different stuff. They're bound to like something we pick out, right?"
"Yep." Booth chuckled as he selected three small stuffed animals and added them to the cart. "So Hanlon came through big time, huh?"
Smiling, the sheriff nodded. "Yeah…the guy can be a real idiot on occasion, but asking the stranded truckers to pitch in so we could provide Christmas presents for the Nelson kids was a great idea. He collected almost five hundred dollars…so we can get some stuff for their parents, too, if we want…"
Booth quickly agreed. "Sounds like a plan. I'm pretty sure Sam could use a new winter jacket and some gloves, and Alice might like a nice sweater and maybe a pretty nightgown. Let's finish picking out stuff for the kids, and then we'll see what we can find for the grown ups."
After an hour of shopping, their cart was filled with toys, books, socks, shoes, underwear, and sweatshirts for the kids. "Are you sure the kids are gonna like these clothes?," Billy Don asked anxiously, pointing at a small hot pink sweatshirt emblazoned with a purple sequined butterfly. "I mean, how do you know what they want?"
"Well, part of it is guesswork, but I had a spy, too. He helped me gather some inside information." Booth chuckled at the sheriff's surprise. "While Sam and Alice were otherwise occupied this morning, Ed did a quick turn through the parish hall to check on clothing and shoe sizes and to see if the kids had any obvious preferences as far as cartoon characters go. It seems the boys are crazy about Batman and Spiderman, and Janie's favorite colors seem to be pink and purple. Anyway, I guess most kids like playing with Legos, and Janie's at the right age to enjoy baby dolls…and the boys will think the superhero action figures are cool…" He pointed to a toy dog with long, shaggy 'fur' that was perched on top of several books. "And I think all of them will like the stuffed animals…" He grinned as he looked through the cart again. "Some things never change, you know? Kids always like the classics…that's why things like that are still around, okay? Anyway, Bones says toys like these help kids learn to use their imaginations…"
"Amazing!" The sheriff pretended to regard Booth in awe. "Wow, when it comes to Christmas shopping for little kids, you really are a crack investigator, ain't ya? No wonder you're so good at your job with the FBI." Seeing Booth's confusion, Billy Don smirked slightly. "I did some investigating on my own, okay? I know your unit in DC has the best solve rate in the eastern half of the country, and that it's one of the top five units in the whole US. That's why you're a special agent in charge, right? Because you run your unit so well? You always get the bad guy, right? And so it seems you can also use your investigative skills for other things, too, like shopping for kiddie toys…and of course, it's even better if Dr. Brennan approves of what you buy…"
"Yeah, well…Bones helps a lot with my unit's solve record…and by the way, we're the top unit in the nation, not just on the East Coast…" Heaving a dreamy sigh, Booth smiled as he continued. "...and it's all because Bones is so…amazing…so wonderful…she really is the best, you know?"
Raising an eyebrow at Booth' rapturous praise of Brennan, the sheriff chuckled. "Yeah…I'm sure she is amazing…I mean, just look at her…"
Rolling his eyes, Booth continued. "I mean she's amazing at her job, okay? She's the best forensic anthropologist in the world, and as my partner, she's provided my unit with all sorts of important information we need to solve cases…and then the prosecutor can use it get a slam dunk guilty verdict in court…which makes my unit look even better…"
"And Dr. Brennan's just your partner? Nothing else? Not your girlfriend? Okay…right...whatever..." Smirking as he picked up a coloring book and some crayons, the sheriff nodded as he continued in a sarcastic tone. "If you say so, Booth…and I'm sure that's the only thing you care about, isn't it? That she gives you good information for your cases…not that she's really pretty…you're so busy being professional that you probably didn't notice that she's gorgeous..."
Uncomfortable with the sheriff's insinuations, Booth grunted in irritation. "Look, can we just finish up our shopping here? I've got other stuff to do this afternoon…"
"Whatever you say, Booth. Hey, let's go look at some gloves for Sam…"
After adding some gifts for Alice and Sam to their cart, it was time to check out. As the men waited in line for their turn to pay, the sheriff's demeanor slowly seemed to change. He was growing more restless as the minutes passed, pulling on his shirt collar and adjusting his jacket's sleeves, all the while keeping an eye on the man standing next to him. It was as if he wanted to ask Booth something, but he wasn't sure how to go about it.
The lines were long, and time was quickly ticking by as they inched the cart closer to their objective. "I'm gonna be late…," Booth mumbled, trying to keep his aggravation at bay. "The checkers are working as fast as they can…but I'm gonna be late…and I hate being late." He cast a sidelong glance at his companion. "And something's eating at the sheriff. I hope I don't need to get involved in another crazy project of his this afternoon…I've got things to do…and I'm gonna be late as it is…and I still gotta figure out how to get all this stuff into the rectory without it being seen…and I need to get to St. Mary's by five…"
The sheriff tapped his foot nervously as they waited for an open register, chewing his lip as he glanced at Booth. Finally, it seemed that his mind was made up. Clearing his throat, he began quietly. "So, um…Booth…can I ask your opinion about somethin'...you know, guy to guy?'
"Jesus…that's all I need…," Booth muttered to himself. Seeing the sheriff's nervousness, he shrugged. "What?"
"Well, um…you know…I think maybe you've had some firsthand experience in this sort of thing, so…I figured you could give me some advice…you know, about…women." Taking Booth's silence to mean approval, the sheriff exhaled slowly before launching into a meandering explanation. "So…suppose you realize you're crazy about someone…like madly in love with them…and that someone is someone you work with…you know, like maybe your partner or someone else you work closely with…and like maybe you didn't think that's really how you felt at first, but now, when you find out that she's maybe interested in someone else, you realize that you've made a really big mistake by not telling her how you feel…that you love her and you want to spend your life with her. Isn't it gonna seem kinda lame that you wanna make a play for her now, when it looks like she might be off the market? Or is it gonna look like you're real desperate when you make a move just cuz you think you may lose her? Am I gonna look like a goddamn fool if I say somethin' about that kind of romantic shit all the sudden?"
Sighing as he nudged the cart forward, Booth thought over the sheriff's situation. Shit…shades of me and Sully all over again, huh? Why am I always the one who has to give the 'guy advice'? Why does everyone ask me? "I assume you're talking about Deputy Long, right?" Seeing Billy Don nod, the agent continued. "So what happened? I thought you two were already an item…" He hesitated slightly. "Or does she think you're interested in Tina from the diner instead? I mean, Tina seems to be real interested in you, so maybe Debbie thinks you've got the hots for some waitress…and so maybe she's gonna cut her losses and look for someone new."
"Hell, no…I ain't interested in Tina like that." The sheriff scoffed in disgust. "She's my sister's best friend, and the only reason she pays any attention to me at all is because she wants me to set her up with my cousin Jimmy, the Highway Patrol officer…"
"Oh…I see." Booth pondered for a minute or two. "So up 'til this time, you've never said a word to Debbie about being in love with her…"
"Well, no…not really. We're supposed to be just colleagues, okay? There's not supposed to be that kind of fraternization among co-workers in the Sheriff's office, but we've spent a lot of time together over the last year or so…and we've gotten kinda close…or so I thought…and I thought she knew…that I was interested in more than bein' friends, but I guess I did too good a job at hiding it. At the very least, I didn't make my intentions real clear…"
"Yeah…I get that." Boy…do I ever get that…Jesus…
"And now…well, now it makes me feel like I'm so fuckin' stupid…because I just let things slide, thinkin' I could make my move whenever I wanted…takin' her for granted…I mean, sometimes I make Hanlon look like a goddamn genius, don't I?" Obviously embarrassed, Billy Don shook his head. "Anyway, it just hit me like a ton of bricks this morning…now I know I really do want something more with her, but maybe I'm too late…or maybe she'll think the only reason I feel this way is because I know she's got another offer. See, the problem is that she's been spending a lot of time over at the fairgrounds the last few days…more than necessary to help park the trucks, it seems. I think one of the truckers staying over there has been putting the moves on her…and I guess she likes it…at least that's what Hanlon says. He says that she's been eatin' up the attention from that new dude, you know? And I can't blame her, since I've been asleep at the wheel when it comes to that romance shit, but now I'm afraid I'm gonna lose her…and I can't imagine my life without her…and it looks like I've really fucked things up…so goddamn bad…so what do I do now, Booth? C'mon, buddy…help me out here….what do you think?"
Gripping the cart's handle tightly, Booth puffed out a heavy sigh. Great…just great. Now I'm stuck giving romance advice to a lovelorn sheriff in the middle of a big box store on Christmas Eve, when I've got a thousand better things to do…and I'm probably not even the right guy to ask about workplace romances, anyway, am I? It's not like I've been too successful myself in this situation…dammit! Why now?
After listening stoically for a few minutes as the sheriff rambled on about his suddenly intense feelings for Deputy Long, Booth finally interrupted. "I tell you what, Billy Don…if you really care about Debbie like that, then you'd better just tell her how you feel before that trucker gets too far with her, or you may regret it. Just be honest with her, okay? Tell her exactly what you told me. You might find out that she feels the same way about you…but if not, then at least you'll know you gave it your best shot, right?"
Billy Don seemed cautiously optimistic as he thought over the advice. "So I should just go talk to her? You really think so? No shit…just tell her straight up what I've been thinkin'?"
"Yeah…I mean, why not? What've you got to lose?" Easy for you to say, buddy…Jesus, you're such a hypocrite, Booth…why don't you just tell Bones about how you feel? Yeah, that's what I thought. It's because you're a coward…you're afraid she'd shut you down in a red hot second…
Clearing his throat, Booth shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. "After all, you gotta put your mind at ease, right? Might as well tell her the truth and see what happens. Could be she's just tired of waiting on you to do something…and anyway, maybe that trucker's just sweet talking her. He may already have a girlfriend somewhere else, right? You don't want her to get hurt when he takes off and leaves her behind, okay? So, yeah…state your business and let her know what your intentions are…that you're there for her if things don't work out with the trucker…"
"Yeah…yeah, I can see that. I gotta man up…I gotta take a stand and let her know what I think and how I feel, or else I might lose her. Yeah, that makes sense. You're right…that's exactly what I'm gonna do…right now, before I have the chance to chicken out." Reaching into his pocket, the sheriff pulled out a large roll of bills and a business card and handed them to the agent. "Here's the cash for the gifts…and here's the tax number so they don't charge you any sales tax…and if that ain't enough, just pick up the rest of it, buddy, and I'll reimburse you, okay? You know I'm good for it, right? Hey, thanks a lot for the advice, Booth. I'll see you later. Wish me luck!"
"Wait…where are you going? Hey, I could use some help with getting all this stuff into the SUV, pal…" Booth groaned in frustration as the sheriff jogged away. "Great…just great. Now I'm really gonna be late…"
As he started to unload his cart for the checker, however, he began to smile. "It is great, isn't it? Look at all this stuff! The Nelsons are gonna have a wonderful Christmas surprise…"
Oooooooooo
After having a difficult time finding a box for one of Booth's gifts, Brennan was about to affix the last piece of tape in place when her phone rang. Without looking at the caller ID, she picked it up and placed it between her shoulder and her ear. "Hello?"
"Hey, Sweetie! Merry Christmas!"
"It's not Christmas yet, Angela…" After she finished taping the box, Brennan shifted the box to the other ear. "However, Merry Christmas to you as well. How are you? Do you have plans for tomorrow?"
"My dad's in town for a gig, so I'm going to hang out with him all day at his hotel on Christmas and the day after, too...and then he'll get me a backstage pass so I can see the show before he leaves town. What about you? Are you surviving your stay in that tiny town, or are you bored out of your mind?"
"I've avoided boredom for the most part, because I've managed to stay fairly well occupied. I helped some children make a snowman this morning, so that was fun…"
"Um…okay…if you say so." Wanting some more details about what she hoped would be tales of her friend's romantic adventures, Angela gently prodded Brennan. "How's Booth?"
"Booth is doing well. He's also found several things to keep him occupied. At the moment, he's running some errands in order to help a family in need. I believe that his natural adaptability has made it possible for him to spend time in a small town such as Guthrie without having to make any major adjustments to his lifestyle…"
"No adjustments were necessary? That's too bad…" Angela chuckled softly. "So you two are stuck together in the same small town, staying at the same place, and nothing interesting has happened between you two…"
"I suppose it would depend on what you consider interesting. Guthrie has a well preserved historical district, with several Victorian era buildings to study, so it's been quite an educational visit. Several important events in the state's history occurred on city streets that are still in use today. We did go to a laundromat, which is a rather unusual occurrence for us as partners, but other than that, Booth and I have been spending time together like we always do…having meals together and talking about our most recent case…you know, things like that. It's actually been rather refreshing to be away from the stresses that normally come with life in a major metropolitan area." Brennan's brow furrowed in suspicion as she heard Angela's laughter. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing. I just thought…you know…maybe you two would spend some more time…together…in a more intimate fashion…you know, sheltering together during the storm like you were…stranded in a small town…with nothing better to do…besides laundry, that is…"
"I don't know what that means. Why would being stranded encourage us to become intimate?"
Angela puffed out a loud sigh. Bren is so clueless sometimes… "You know…I just thought being in close quarters might encourage the two of you to have a good time together…as in, you know…romance…or, to put it plainly, you having sex with that studly man…"
"Why would we engage in intercourse simply because we're away from DC? It's not like Oklahoma's atmosphere contains some sort of innate aphrodisiac!" Brennan was thoroughly disgusted with her best friend's ribald notions. "We're just partners, Angela! We're colleagues, nothing more! Besides, we're staying at a rectory, and our rooms are on the same floor as that of the priest and his wife. I'm sure Booth wouldn't want to disturb them by engaging in coitus with me. Any interaction of that sort could be quite noisy, and with Booth's Puritan sensibilities, he'd be horribly embarrassed if he thought the priest knew we were having sex, especially since we're not married to each other." She paused for a few seconds. "Not that I believe that we need to be married to have sex, of course, since marriage is an outdated ritual, but Booth believes it, and I imagine the priest does as well…"
"Okay, okay…I get it, alright? No hanky-panky in Oklahoma for you two. Fine." Sighing loudly, Angela decided to change the subject. "So how are you celebrating the holiday tomorrow?"
"The plan is to open packages early in the morning. We'll have a light breakfast afterwards and then a larger meal later in the day. I was actually in the process of wrapping one of Booth's packages when you called…although I've never understood the need to wrap packages, just so they can be unwrapped later…it seems rather wasteful..."
Angela couldn't resist one more attempt at matchmaking. "Well, I imagine he'd like you to help him unwrap his package…"
Brennan rolled her eyes in irritation. "Booth is a grown man, Angela. I hardly think he needs help unwrapping his package on Christmas morning…"
"Well, Sweetie…there's a difference between needing help and wanting help…and the fact that he is a fully grown man might be why he wants some help from you…"
"I don't know what that means." Hearing a buzz on her phone, Brennan interrupted Angela's explanation. "Oh...I need to help Booth with something. We should be back in DC by the 27th. I'll call you later that evening. Goodbye…"
"Bye…" As she ended the call and set her phone aside, Angela shook her head in disbelief, wondering once again how two very intelligent people like Booth and Brennan could be so stupid when it came to their relationship with each other. "Maybe someday they'll figure it out! I just hope it happens before they reach their eighties!"
Oooooooooo
Having joined Booth in the church's parking lot, Brennan was thrilled to see all the gifts that were piled in the back of the SUV. "This is wonderful! It looks like the Nelsons will have a fabulous Christmas!"
"Yeah, I think so, too." He grinned as he handed her some plastic shopping bags. "Okay, so we need to get everything out of the car and into the house and up the stairs before the kids start snooping around out here. If we want, we can wrap stuff later, but right now we need to be in stealth mode…as quick and quiet as possible, so we don't call attention to ourselves as we move the stuff inside. Ready? Let's go!"
Laden with several bags each, they hurried into the house, jogging through the rectory's kitchen and then scurrying up the old home's narrow staircase, laughing merrily as they carried the bags into Booth's room at the end of the hall. "Made it in one trip!," Booth chuckled as he dumped the parcels onto his bed. "That must be some kind of Christmas miracle…"
Tilting her head to one side, Brennan pretended to glare at him. "There's no such thing as miracles, Booth." Seeing his disappointed frown, she giggled. "However, we did manage to remain undetected as we quickly and successfully accomplished our designated task, triumphing against all odds…and that's certainly surprising…"
"Right…so in other words, it's a miracle." Chuckling at her exasperated sigh, Booth took off his jacket and began unpacking the bags. "So…I don't think we'll have to wrap the presents for the kids…we can just make a stack or a pile for each one, and then when we get back from church tonight, we'll put those stacks under the tree. It'll be late by then, and they'll be in bed over in the parish hall. Easy peasy." As he sorted the items, he continued. "We were able to buy some items for Sam and Alice, too, and maybe…" He gave Brennan a bright smile. "...maybe after dinner, if you have time…"
"You want me to wrap them.," Brennan grumbled as she stood with her hands on her hips. "I'm not really fond of wrapping packages, Booth. Why can't you wrap them?"
"Well, I could…but I bet you'd be so much better at it than I am." Seeing her doubts, he grinned sheepishly. "I mean, you probably take measurements to make sure you have just the right amount of paper and stuff like that…and then the packages look so good that nobody wants to open them."
"Fine." Rolling her eyes, she sighed softly, knowing that she'd given into Booth's charms again. "I don't mind doing it…just this once…since we're helping other people." She grinned as she picked up one of three floppy stuffed toys. "These toy dogs are really cute…but don't the Nelson children already have some stuffed animals?"
"Yeah, well…" He picked up another one of the plush dogs. "...I thought these would be fun…you know, they can each pretend to have their own pet this way." He sat on the edge of the bed and studied the toy. "See, I wondered if those kids weren't feeling kinda upset about having to leave their old house all the sudden…all their friends…everything they've ever known…and sometimes it helps if kids have a toy like this in that situation…to help them feel safe…"
Brennan's brow furrowed as she studied the fuzzy little dog in her hand. "I don't understand, Booth…it's just a toy…"
"Maybe it is…but a toy like this can mean a lot more to a kid who's hurting." He sniffled quietly. "It's like this, see…when me and Jared moved in with my grandparents, it took a while for me to adjust, you know? I mean, I was still so scared…scared that maybe they'd have second thoughts about taking me in…fretting that they'd make me go back to live with my dad…so I tried real hard to be perfect…to do everything I thought I was supposed to do…but it was like I was always walking on eggshells. I just couldn't relax…I couldn't be…happy…couldn't be myself…"
"I remember that feeling from foster care...when I had to move to a new situation." Brennan nodded as she sat next to him. "It's understandable that you'd be uncomfortable, but you know they loved you…"
"Just listen, okay?" Booth groaned softly as he fidgeted with the stuffed dog's collar. "About three weeks after we moved in with my grandparents, my Nana came upstairs to tuck us in for the night, and she had these two teddy bears with her…a brown one for Jared and a black one for me…"
Brennan was horrified. "But bears are so dangerous! They're not good gifts for children, Booth…not even as toys!"
He couldn't help but chuckle at her extreme reaction. "Well, maybe not, but that's what they were…stuffed teddy bears…but not your average stuffed teddy bears, okay? Nana said they were 'magic' bears…"
"Magic bears? That makes no sense…"
"Oh believe me…I agree...it made no sense, and I made sure to tell Nana that, too. After all, I was eleven, right? I thought I was almost grown and way too cool to have a teddy bear…but she said mine wasn't a 'teddy bear'…my bear was named Fred, but he was still magic…because I could tell that silly bear anything, and I'd automatically feel better. Well, I was being a bratty kid…and I said that it was stupid to talk to a teddy bear, and so I said I wanted nothing to do with it, and I tossed Fred into the bottom of the closet, but even though that probably hurt her feelings, she just smiled and kissed me good night." Booth chewed his lip slightly before continuing. "We were lying there in the dark…me and Jared…and I could hear Jared talking to his bear as he drifted off to sleep…and he sounded like he was happy…and relaxed...which I thought was weird, but I figured I didn't have anything to lose, so I got up and found Fred and brought him back to bed with me. After a few minutes, I just started talking, you know? I told that stupid bear everything I was feeling…about being sad…feeling so scared…about how my dad had treated us…everything…and pretty soon I was bawling like a baby…and that's when my Nana came back into my room to check on me. I was so embarrassed…and kinda worried, too, because my dad used to beat me for crying like that, but she sat down on the bed and hugged me close…and she said I should just cry it all out while she held me…and then she said that I never had to be afraid again, because I was gonna stay with them for good and they were gonna raise me as their own…and they'd love me no matter what, even if I cried…and…and that's when I knew I was gonna be okay…and it was all because I'd been talking to that stupid toy bear." He brushed away a tear. "I know it sounds crazy, but over the years, as I was growing up, I kept Fred the Bear hidden in a dresser drawer…and every once in a while, I'd get him out and tell him about something that was bothering me, and then I'd feel better. Of course, I couldn't take Fred with me when I went into the service, but I still thought about him…and I know it doesn't make sense, but it made me feel better to think that Fred might be listening back home." He offered a faint smile. "I still have Fred…and I still check on him occasionally…" Seeing her surprise, he shrugged slightly. "...and so anyway, I thought maybe the Nelson kids might like to have a toy puppy to talk to…that it might help them feel better, too…since they've had a bunch of big changes in their lives in such a short period of time…" Shrugging slightly, he continued in a whisper. "I guess that's really silly, but…"
Brennan sat quietly for a few minutes, thinking about Booth's story. "I actually think it's a lovely thought, Booth. It's just like you...caring for other people that way, and knowing what might make them feel better." She entwined her fingers with his. "I also think that with all the drastic changes that I endured as a youngster, I would've liked to have a Fred Bear to talk to while I was growing up."
She studied the toy dog she was holding before sighing sadly. "It's nice that you still have Fred…that you have something that reminds you of your grandmother's unconditional love. I wish I had something like that…something my parents had given me when I was a little girl. Unfortunately, I don't have any of my childhood toys…they're all gone…"
Booth looked at her in disbelief. "Why? What happened to them?"
"Well…when it was time for me to leave my parents' house to go to my first foster home, the case worker was in a hurry. She told me to pack my clothes and that I could take a few books…but I couldn't take anything else…none of my old toys. I guess she thought that since I was a teenager, I didn't need them any more." Brennan shook her head. "I had to leave my talking doll…my dollhouse…and my horses…" Seeing the surprise on Booth's face, she tried to smile. "Not real horses, of course. I had a collection of plastic toy horses, plush horses, and ceramic horse figurines. My parents bought my first toy horses for me as a Christmas gift when I was six…and I had amassed quite a collection by the time I was fifteen, but the case worker wouldn't let me take them…I had to leave them behind. I've often wondered what happened to them…" Blinking back a few tears, she held up the stuffed dog so Booth could see it. "This little brown dog is exceptionally cute. I think it should be Janie's pet…"
"I think so, too." Booth patted Brennan's knee, lost in thought for a minute or two. At least now I know what to get Bones for Christmas next year. I wonder where I can find toy horses like the ones she used to have…maybe I'll ask Max…he might remember…
Finally, Booth put his arm around his partner and pulled her close, so she'd lean against him. Rubbing her shoulder, he spoke softly. "That's really sad…you know, losing your childhood mementos like that, just because someone was in a hurry. I'm sorry that happened to you, Bones."
She shrugged as she nestled next to him. "It was a long time ago, Booth…and I still have the memories of the toys, even if I don't have the actual items. I suppose that's what counts…"
"Yeah, I guess you're right…and you can always make new memories, right?"
She looked up at him with her beautiful blue eyes, and for a minute he forgot what he had planned for the evening. She was so close…and he knew he could just take her into his arms and kiss her lips…and then they'd push the bags off the bed and he'd hold her close…he'd caress her gently and she'd cling to him, softly murmuring his name as his hands moved under her sweatshirt…
…but then he heard bells ringing from the carillon of the Methodist Church next door. Shaking off his carnal thoughts, he glanced at his watch. "Oh wow…what time is it?"
Brennan pointed to the clock on the nightstand. "4:45…why?"
"Geez…I gotta go. Church starts at five…" Suddenly embarrassed at where his imagination had taken him, he jumped up from the bed and grabbed his jacket before striding towards the door. "Don't forget…save me some chili and some cookies, okay? I'll see you later…about 6:15…and don't forget to wrap those packages!"
"Alright. Goodbye." Brennan was surprised to see such a sudden change in her partner's demeanor as he turned to leave, but she chalked it up as simply being one of his occasional bouts of religious fervor. "He does hold strong beliefs…and he often feels obligated to attend services to reinforce them..," she murmured to herself. "And Christmas is his favorite holiday, after all…"
She got up to gather the needed materials to wrap the packages for Sam and Alice when suddenly she had a flash of what seemed to be an ancient memory. She was six years old, sitting on the floor of the family room in her parents' house on Christmas Day, giggling as she pretended her ponies were prancing across the carpet into the 'corral' her father had helped her build from some old cardboard boxes. "I wish I still had my ponies. I loved those toys…but that was so long ago, wasn't it? Booth is correct. Perhaps it's time to make new memories."
Smiling as she ran her fingers over the soft 'fur' of Janie's new puppy toy, Brennan shook her head. "Imagine talking to a stuffed animal in order to feel better…but it seems to have helped Booth deal with the traumas from his childhood, so I suppose it's worthwhile for a child to do, even if I don't completely understand how it works. Perhaps it's enough to know that toys can provide a child with so many happy memories...memories that might last a lifetime..."
She giggled softly as she put the fuzzy brown puppy on top of Janie's stack of gifts, addressing it in a silly tone. "Are you a good dog? Yes, you are! You're a very good dog…and Janie is going to love you very much…"
Nodding in satisfaction, she went to get the wrapping paper and tape, glad to be a part of the happy memories they'd be making for the Nelson family on Christmas morning.
Thanks for reading. More soon...
