A/N: The next chapter is finally ready.

5:30 PM Christmas Eve

It was still bitterly cold as the sun set over Guthrie on Christmas Eve, but the warmth and happiness of the holiday season seemed to emanate from the brightly glowing windows of the little town's cozy homes, as if the light was determined to overcome the darkness, even in the chilly depths of winter.

The cheerful rectory at Trinity Church was buzzing with activity that evening. Large pots of chili were bubbling on the stove under Phyllis' watchful eye. Wearing a Christmas themed apron over her jeans and festive sweatshirt and armed with a well worn wooden spoon, she gently stirred the various concoctions, tasting them occasionally to make sure they met her exacting standards. "Nothin' but the best chili for my guests!," she crooned as she took in the spicy aromas. "This one's perfect…not too hot…not too mild…just enough to make our tongues tingle a bit but not too much heat…perfect for Alice and me and the little ones as well…there's a vegetarian version of that one for Temperance…and also pot with lotsa extra chili powder, paprika, tabasco, and cayenne to please those silly men! You've outdone yourself this time, Mrs. Bledsoe…"

As she tended the chili, she smiled to herself, taking in all the pleasant hubbub surrounding her. It always made her happy to have a houseful of company for Christmas, even if it wasn't her own family who were visiting this year.

The Nelson children were laughing happily as they ran through the rectory's downstairs halls, playing hide and seek among the nooks and crannies of the old house. Alice had valiantly attempted to get them settled down before dinner, but Phyllis wasn't at all concerned with their slightly rowdy behavior, waving it off with a chuckle. "Kids are supposed to be noisy at Christmas, my dear! That's part of the fun! No worries! Let them be…if my grandkids were here, they'd be doing the same thing!"

Sam had recently returned from running an errand for Mrs. Bledsoe and was now sitting in the living room with Ed as they watched a football game on television. The two men were keeping up a running commentary about the coach's sorry game plan and the referees' inability to call the appropriate penalties. After hearing a particularly salty comment from her husband, Phyllis left her post at the stove and stepped into the front room. "Now, Ed…you need to watch your language around the youngsters!," she admonished. "And you need to think about your blood pressure, too! It's only a silly game, even if it is your precious Cowboys…"

"Aw, Honey…c'mon…I'm just tryin' to help'em out. You know that's God's favorite team…"

Standing with her hands on her hips, Phyllis glared at the husband. "Then perhaps you should leave it in His hands. Shouting at the television won't do any good, will it? It just makes you look foolish…"

Sam laughed as he sat back in his seat. "Oh, I don't know…as loud as he's yellin', the referees might actually be able to hear him all the way down there in Dallas. Maybe then they'll start paying attention to the game!"

"Don't encourage him, Sam!" Pretending to be annoyed, Phyllis shook her finger at the ornery men. "Now behave, both of you! Dinner will be ready soon. We'll eat as soon as Agent Booth gets back from church…whether the game is over or not!"

"Okay, Honey." Groaning as Kansas City intercepted the ball and ran it back for another touchdown, Ed grimaced in disgust. "Oh boy…not again. Looks like the game is pretty much over already…"

Rolling her eyes at him, Phyllis returned to the kitchen to finish making dinner. As she sprinkled a liberal amount of hot sauce into the 'real man's' chili, she mused over her present situation. As unhappy as she'd been about her children's decisions not to visit over Christmas that year, she also understood their predicaments. Both of her children had chosen careers in which they served others, just as their parents had, and often the schedules that went with those careers meant they had to work on Christmas Day. I suppose we raised them so they'd share their talents and skills with the rest of the world, didn't we? And they're doing a wonderful job of that, too. Besides…it's not like I never get to see them…and this is a busy time of year for them and their families…but still…part of me is selfish enough to want them here with us for Christmas Day…and I tried not to be upset with their choices, but I'm not sure I succeeded in that…I'm afraid I sounded like I was scolding them the last time I discussed Paula's plans with her…I should've been more understanding…and it's not Phil's fault that he had to fill in for someone at the firehouse…

As she continued to stir the chili, she felt guilty about being so self-centered. After all…Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan made the decision to stay in Guthrie with us over Christmas…even though they most likely had other things they'd rather be doing. I'm sure they could've gotten a flight out of the City tomorrow morning if they'd wanted to…but instead, they chose to remain in town so Ed and I wouldn't be alone in this big old house for the holiday…and it was a very thoughtful thing to do, choosing to celebrate Christmas with us…two complete strangers doing that for us old folks…just so we wouldn't be lonely…and I'm very grateful for that. If they can be so kind towards us,...people they didn't even know before a few days ago…I can extend the same sort of empathy to my kids…and I'll tell them that when I call both of them tomorrow afternoon…

She smiled to herself as she thought about her visitors. Although it's possible that Agent Booth might not have a completely altruistic motive for wanting to stay here in Guthrie…I think he wants to spend as much time with Temperance as possible over the holidays without any distractions from work! Not that I blame him…she's a lovely girl.

A 'lovely girl'...laughing quietly as she tasted the chili again, Phyllis figured that a strong willed person like Temperance probably wouldn't like being referred to as a 'girl'. Phyllis shrugged as she adjusted the burners on the stove. I know she's an intelligent, responsible adult, but at my age, anyone under forty is still a 'girl'…

Wanting to help Phyllis get dinner ready, Alice was busy setting the table in the dining room, and Brennan was arranging fresh vegetables on trays, shredded cheese in large bowls, decorated cookies on platters, and stacks of saltine crackers in baskets. "This looks like a wonderful dinner.," the anthropologist commented as she munched on a carrot stick. "I think Booth had a good idea when he suggested chili."

"He really did. It's easy to adapt chili to please almost everybody.," Phyllis agreed with a sly grin. "So it seems Agent Booth is smart…thoughtful…and he's so handsome…the perfect combination to have in a man…"

"He is that!" Alice grinned as she winked at Brennan. "You're a lucky gal, havin' such a smart, nice, good lookin' man like him for your work partner…"

"Well, yes…although he's not as intelligent as I am, he is quite brilliant in areas that make him an excellent FBI agent…" Focusing on cutting up the vegetables, Brennan nodded slightly. "...and I suppose one might consider him handsome. His facial features are quite symmetrical…and very masculine…and he has perfect acromia and an excellent shoulder to hip ratio, all of which means he'd be an excellent choice for a mate…but he also has many other fine characteristics in addition to physical attractiveness. He's compassionate…brave…loyal…he has excellent problem solving ability…and his understanding of human behavior is far superior to mine…"

"Yeah, right…I suppose if you added that all together, that'd still mean 'he's hot', right?" Alice giggled at Brennan's slight discomfort. "Oh yeah…you bet I noticed. Believe me, you can't miss it. Even for a guy his age, bein' older like he is…he's definitely hot…"

"He's in his thirties, so it's not like he's actually 'old'…I'd rather refer to him as 'mature'…" Brennan paused as she considered Alice's statement. "...but, yes, I've been told by several unbiased females that Booth is an outstanding male specimen. In fact, my best friend assures me he is quite 'studly', whatever that means. Anyway, given the overwhelming anecdotal evidence from a wide variety of reliable sources, I suppose that must be true…." Seeing Alice's broad smile, the anthropologist finally admitted, "Okay…yes, I will admit that I find him to be very attractive…but we're simply colleagues…nothing more…"

"Oh, we understand that, don't we, Alice?" Realizing that Brennan was feeling unsettled because of their topic of conversation, Phyllis patted the anthropologist's shoulder. "It's okay to acknowledge that your partner is a fine looking man, Honey. That doesn't mean you have any romantic intentions towards him." The older woman smiled sweetly. "As my mother used to say: you don't have to own a work of art to appreciate it…"

"And that little saying is definitely true when it comes to good lookin' guys.," Alice added with a friendly smile. "Me and Sam have been together since eighth grade, but that didn't keep me from noticin' that our high school quarterback was real cute…and it doesn't keep me from noticin' that Agent Booth is one hot property."

"Well…" Feeling herself blush, Brennan fidgeted with the paring knife she'd been using. "I do find him to be…quite enjoyable to look at…"

It was at that exact moment when Booth chose to step through the back door and into the kitchen, with a middle aged priest following closely behind "Hey, I'm back…" He stopped suddenly when he noticed that the three women were obviously giving him 'that look'...the expression a woman usually wore if she was checking him out. It wasn't that he minded…and in fact, in some weird way, he even sort of liked it, having the three of them look him over that way…but it was still kind of awkward to have all eyes focused on him as he stood in the kitchen's doorway. He also had the distinct feeling they'd been discussing him right before he arrived, but he decided to ignore that gut instinct for the time being. "So…er…I hope you don't mind, Phyllis, but I brought Father Spearman with me…he wanted to see Ed this evening…and I thought maybe he could have dinner with us…"

"Of course, I don't mind!" Pointing towards the stove, Phyllis laughed merrily. "We've got plenty of chili. How are you, Louis?"

"Fine, thanks!" The priest strolled over to check out the concoctions simmering in the pots. "Wow…that smells great! But are you sure you have enough? I don't want to intrude on your Christmas Eve plans…"

"Nonsense. We always have enough for you, Louis, no matter how much you eat." Laughing as he pretended to pout, Phyllis reached out to pat his shoulder. "You know there's always room for one more around my table. Alice, please get out another bowl for Father Spearman…and you'd better make it a big one..."

Chuckling at Phyllis' teasing, Father Spearman bowed slightly. "Thank you! It'll be nice to have something different for dinner. I usually just pop one of those bland frozen entrees into the microwave for my evening meal...unless one of my parishioners takes pity on me and invites me to dinner, that is." The priest rubbed his hands together in anticipation as he grinned at Ed, who had just walked into the kitchen with Sam. "I do love a good spicy chili, and sharing it with friends makes it even better. How are you, Father Bledsoe?"

"Just dandy, Father Spearman." Ed chuckled as they shook hands. "Now that we have the formalities over, why don't you say a blessing for us so we can have dinner, okay?"

"You got it." As everyone gathered in the kitchen, Father Louis made the sign of the cross before bowing his head. "Heavenly Father, as we celebrate the birth of your Son, we thank You for this wonderful meal and for the hands that prepared it, and for all the blessings of this life. Amen."

"That's the way I like it…short and to the point." Ed gestured towards the stove. "Okay, everybody…help yourselves to the chili. Let's eat!"

Oooooooooo

After dinner was over, Alice and Brennan attempted to shoo Phyllis out of the kitchen so they could clean up. "You've cooked all day, Phyllis.," Brennan stated in a no nonsense tone. "You need to rest. Alice and I will take care of the leftovers and the dishes."

"But…it's a lot of work…," Phyllis began. "...and I don't mind helping, since I made this mess…"

"No 'buts'. We've got this.," Alice added. "I tell you what…why don't you round up the kids and have them watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas? They've been asking me about watching that movie all day, and this is as good a time as any. That'll help them wind down before we go to the service tonight."

Realizing that the 'girls' would not be swayed from their plan, Phyllis finally agreed. "Alright…if you insist…"

"We do." Brennan smiled as she began rinsing the bowls and flatware. "We have everything under control. Go on…enjoy spending time with the children."

"That does sound like fun." After thinking things over, Phyllis untied her apron and set it on the counter before calling to the kids. "Josh…Jake…Janie…come into the living room, please…we're going to watch The Grinch…"

"Yay!" Three pairs of small feet came running down the hall and into the living room. "The Grinch!"

As they worked together, Alice and Brennan bustled around the kitchen, loading the dishwasher and putting the leftovers away. Giving Brennan a furtive glance, Alice coughed softly. "So…um…Temperance…Phyllis says you're a doctor…"

"That's true, but not in the way you may think." As she ran some water into the sink, Brennan explained. "I'm not a medical doctor. I'm addressed as 'doctor' because I have a doctoral degree in forensic anthropology from Northwestern University. That education has allowed me to work with the FBI as Booth's partner. I'm a scientist…I study human skeletal remains for any evidence that might assist us in solving serious crimes, such as murder."

Having received much more information than she'd anticipated, Alice shrugged slightly, pretending to understand what her companion meant. "Oh."

Brennan smiled pleasantly as she squirted some soap into the water. "Why do you ask? Are you interested in anthropology, Alice?"

"Well…no offense, Temperance, but I'm not even real sure I know what anthropology is. Sorry. I mean, I'm not trying to ask a bunch of dumb questions to bother you. It's just that I thought if you were a medical doctor, you might be able to tell me about what I'd need to do if I wanted to go to school to be a nurse. I know I'd probably have to take a lot of science classes, but I'm not sure about which ones or for how long…like how many years it'd take." Alice grinned shyly. "I want to go back to school in a couple of years, when Janie starts first grade. I've always wanted to be a nurse, but my plans changed when Sam and I got married right after high school. He got a good job as a plumber's helper right after he graduated from Vo-Tech, so we just went for it, you know? I was planning to go to nursing school, but I got pregnant right away…and it made more sense for me to stay home with the twins, since Sam was making good money. We were doin' real good for awhile, and pretty soon he was bein' paid as a journeyman plumber…until his last boss skipped town and left us high and dry, that is."

Brennan nodded as she scoured the pot. "I know plumbers receive excellent compensation since their skills are so highly prized." She giggled softly. "Agent Booth once complained about a plumber charging 300 dollars for a service call to his apartment. Because he thought that price was excessive, I gave him a book about plumbing repair so he could avoid paying someone else to do the work. He was sure he could repair the pipes after reading the directions. Of course, when I tried to help him fix the leak, we caused enough damage to the pipes that he had to call the plumber to come put everything back together correctly."

"Just like a man! Never call for a repairman when you can mess it up yourself, right?" The women laughed together before Alice continued. "And you're right. Plumbers do make good money, and their skills are always in demand…unless they're unlucky enough to work for a crook." She exhaled slowly, gathering her thoughts. "Anyway, with Sam bein' out of work right now, it occurred to me that maybe I should get some more education so I could help support our family if I needed to…you know, to share our financial responsibilities so he wouldn't have so much stress being the sole breadwinner…or maybe I could work part time and we could save some money that way…or I could work to support us if for some reason Sam couldn't…like if he got sick or somethin'. He's all for me going back to school, if it's what I want to do. In fact, I was all set to apply for the nursing program at the Canadian Valley Vo-Tech Center in Chickasha. The twins would be at school, and my mom was going to watch Janie while I was in class…but then we had to move away so Sam could get a better job…"

"Yes…those were unfortunate circumstances. However, don't let that setback deter you. It's always desirable to obtain new, in demand skills and thus be able to support oneself, even if one has a spouse who's working." As she scrubbed another pot, Brennan nodded while she listened to Alice's plans. "Attaining more education sounds like an excellent plan. I imagine there will be several avenues available to you for studying nursing if you so desire, especially if you're going to be living in a city the size of Wichita."

"Yeah, I suppose so." As she wiped down the counters, Alice was silent for a few minutes before asking, "Why did you decide to be an anthropologist? Is that something you'd always wanted to do? And what exactly do you do? I don't mean to pry, or to be nosy, but I've never met a real scientist before, and I guess I'm just curious."

"It's quite alright to ask me questions if you're curious about my career. Many people are confused about what my work entails, and I don't mind explaining what I do." Brennan rinsed the pot and handed it to Alice so she could dry it. "As a girl, I wanted to help people in some way, and my father, being a science teacher, encouraged my interests in the various aspects of science, but as I grew older, I began to think that perhaps I didn't have the correct temperament to be a healthcare provider…not as a primary care physician or as a nurse involved in one on one care, anyway. I suppose I could've been a surgeon, but I wasn't really interested in dealing with patients or their illnesses. Since I prefer to focus strictly on facts and evidence, I felt that I'd probably be too 'clinical', or what some people might describe as 'cold', in my bedside manner, so I decided that it'd be more practical to concentrate on a branch of science other than medicine. As it turns out, that was an excellent decision."

"But if you work with bones and skeletons, you must've studied some of the same things that medical doctors study…"

"That's true, but anthropologists can study many different things, like ancient human remains or ancient civilizations. I decided to focus on forensics, and in that capacity, I study the bones of deceased persons to see if there are marks, scars, or other evidence left on them from a crime, an injury, or an illness. In my current position at the Jeffersonian, I often do research on better methods to look for evidence of crimes on skeletal remains, and I also help Agent Booth solve murders, which helps people in a different way…so instead of seeing people before they die, as a physician does, I see them afterwards, and I look at their bones. Sometimes, if we find a skeleton and we don't know who it is, the people I work with and I run a series of tests in order to find the person's identity. When I discover who someone was…what their name was when they were alive…I find it to be incredibly fulfilling. I like knowing that I've helped someone reclaim their identity…and then their families can get some closure, knowing what happened to their loved ones. I don't think being a physician would satisfy me nearly as much as the work I do now."

Alice studied Brennan with awe. "Wow! So you must be a genius to learn so much from a heap of old bones. It must be a real interesting job…"

"It is…and I'm very good at it. As a matter of fact, I'm a well known expert in my field. I'm actually considered to be the best forensic anthropologist in the world, according to Booth." Brennan shrugged as she started to wash the next pot. "Booth says all of us have different skills and different ways to help people, and when we figure those things out for ourselves, that's when we're the happiest in our work. As a forensic anthropologist, I tend to be more focused on the evidentiary aspect of crimes, and he focuses more on the human components…the motives for crimes and how people react in certain circumstances. He says that because our skills are so compatible, that's what makes our partnership so successful. That's why his unit has such an outstanding success rate."

"You know what?" Alice giggled as she put the pot on the counter next to the stove. "I think you're right…Agent Booth is really smart. He must be an exceptional guy…and I think you're lucky to be so compatible with him."

"You're correct, Alice. I am very lucky that we're so compatible." Brennan laughed as she rinsed the soap suds from the sink. "And Booth is quite exceptional."

Oooooooooo

The dinner table had been cleared except for a large platter of sugar cookies and some coffee mugs. Father Ed, Father Louis, and Booth were enjoying themselves as they laughed, told tall tales, and reminisced about past Christmases.

As he sipped his coffee, Father Louis nodded. "I think you've got a great idea, Booth. My parish usually looks for a way to help out a family around Christmas, and I think you've come up with an excellent plan for us to help the Nelsons, especially since Ed thinks Sam is such a good guy. The head of our parish council will be at Mass later this evening, so I'll talk to him about it to confirm everything, but I think he'll agree wholeheartedly."

"Great…that's great." Booth grinned happily. "The Nelsons are gonna have a memorable Christmas, that's for sure."

"So, Ed…" Snagging a star shaped cookie, Louis took a bite as he turned to the older man. "How's Father Art doing? When is he expected back?"

"I don't think he's gonna be able to return to his position here at Trinity." Shaking his head sadly, Ed sighed as he explained the situation to Booth. "The priest that was assigned here…Father Art Jones…was on his way home from seeing a parishioner over in Coyle when his car was t-boned by a drunk driver, over on Route 33. The guy ran a stop sign at high speed and hit Art's car on the driver's side, and Art's legs were crushed, but he still did better than the other guy, who was killed on impact. Anyway, I was assigned here to take Art's place while he's been in rehab" Ed took a sip of his coffee, hoping to remain composed. "Art's doing better, Louis, but he's probably not going to recover to the point where he can handle having his own parish. The damage to his legs was too severe…he'll always be permanently crippled."

"That's terrible! Art's a good guy as well as a good priest! It's hard to understand why this would happen to such a good man, isn't it?" Louis frowned as he considered the problem. "So…what happens now? What's Art going to do?"

"The bishop called me this morning to say that Father Jones is gonna work in his office in an administrative capacity, so the diocese is going to assign a new priest for this parish, and he'll be here by March 1." Seeing Father Spearman's sad expression, Ed shrugged slightly. "Yeah, I was upset at first, too, since it's gonna be such a quick transition, but like I told Booth the other night…maybe at our age, it's time for Phyllis and me to quit our wandering and settle down, and so maybe this is the Lord's way of saying that's a good idea. You know, I really like Guthrie, but maybe we should move closer to our kids…"

"Maybe so. Well, let's pray that you receive some guidance in that regard…and for the new priest who'll be working here as well." Father Louis glanced at Booth. "What about you? Are you ready to trade in the big city for a small town? I think St, Mary's could use a member like you…"

"Not yet…" Booth smiled as he stared into his coffee mug. "...but maybe someday, when I retire, I might look for a small town like this to live in…"

"And maybe you'll take Dr. Brennan with you, right?" Ed chuckled at Booth's shocked expression. "Oops…I guess the fact that you're crazy about her is still supposed to be a secret, right? I'm not supposed to say that out loud…"

"Based on the way he's blushing, it won't be a secret very long.," Louis chuckled.

"Can we change the subject, please?" Booth picked up a cookie and dunked it into his mug. "Geez…now I've got two priests tag teaming me about Bones! Have you guys been talking to my Pops? Did my grandfather put you up to this? He's always after me to make it permanent with her."

"Nah…I just like givin' single guys like you a hard time." Ed drained his mug and set it aside. "That's what a good priest does…makes a guy think about the stuff going on in his life…and sometimes they embarrass him into taking the plunge…after all, that's why I harass Billy Don the way I do…"

"Well, being celibate myself, I can't give too much advice on the 'making it permanent' part, okay? But I will say that you should at least consider it if you're that 'crazy' about her." Laughing at Booth's annoyance, Father Louis checked his watch. "Oh…look at the time. I need to get back to the church. Father Torres is celebrating his first Christmas Eve Mass tonight, and he's a bit nervous. He was pacing the sacristy like a caged tiger when I left this evening, worried that he'll embarrass himself by botching the Lord's Prayer or something silly like that." Seeing Ed's amusement, Louis rose to leave.. "I gotta get going. Oh, and Phyllis put some chili aside for him, so I'd better pick that up and be on my way." Selecting a half dozen cookies from the plate, he grinned at Ed's pretend scowl. "For St. Nicholas, of course…he'll be sliding down the chimney at St. Mary's rectory, you know…"

Ed laughed merrily. "Of course he will. I'll see you later, Louis…"

"Good night, Ed. Good night, Agent Booth."

"Good night." As Father Spearman left, Booth stirred some more sugar into his coffee. "Do you need me to help you get things ready over at the church, Ed?"

"Nah…I sent Sam over there to do that stuff so we could talk to Louis about our idea. What time is it, anyway?"

Booth glanced at his watch. "8:15…"

"Good. That means I've still got a few minutes to relax." Ed selected an angel shaped cookie from the plate. "Yep…I think this'll be the last Christmas Eucharist I celebrate, Booth. I think it's time to let the younger folks take over. They've got a lot more of the energy needed for running a parish…and they're up on all the newest computer stuff and that social media jazz…"

"Well, if that's true, that's too bad, but I completely understand, Ed…and as many years as you've worked, you deserve the time off. Any idea where you'll settle down?"

"Nah…with everything going on right now, Alice and I haven't had a chance to discuss it yet. I think we'll take a bit of a vacation first…you know, just relax and enjoy each other's company for a week or two, without anything special to do…and that'll give us a chance to talk things over."

Booth nodded. "Sounds good. I might like doing that myself when I retire from the FBI. "

"Yep…yep, it does sound good." Sighing softly, Ed set his mug aside. "Okay, then…I'll see you all over at the church in a little while then." Pushing himself out of his chair, Ed smoothed his black shirt and adjusted his collar. "Wish me luck…I don't want to mess up tonight, either, especially if it's my last hoorah."

"Yeah…break a leg, alright?" Seeing Ed's consternation, Booth laughed. "I didn't mean it, okay? Good luck…we'll see ya soon."

"Right."

Watching as Ed left the room, Booth smiled as he ran his fingers around the rim of his mug. "Maybe someday…," he said to himself. "...maybe someday me and Bones will be like Ed and Phyllis…we'll be married for a long time…and we'll go away together…we'll take a trip to somewhere remote when we retire, just to enjoy each other's company for a while."

His reverie was interrupted by a childish squeal of laughter coming from the living room. "In the meantime…I guess we'd better get ready for church."

Oooooooooo

It was ten o'clock in the evening, and a contented silence had settled over the darkened rectory. The Nelsons were comfortably ensconced in the parish hall, and the Bledsoes had also retired for the evening.

Brennan sat on the couch in the dimly lit living room, sipping a cup of hot chocolate and watching in amusement as Booth carefully arranged the stacks of gifts for each of the Nelson kids around the table that held the tiny 'Christmas tree'. "Why are you so concerned with how the packages look, Booth? They'll be askew five minutes after the children see them…"

"Yeah, well, I want to make sure they know exactly what they got, that's all." He stood back to check his work. "Besides, that's how my Nana did it. I had my own stack and Jared had his." He picked up some wrapped boxes and placed them next to the toys. "There we go…presents for Sam and Alice, too…" He stopped suddenly and turned to Brennan with his hands on his hips. "Hey, wait a minute…I don't have any presents under the tree yet! I thought you got me a gift when we went shopping the other day…"

"It's not Christmas yet, Booth! Why would I put your packages under the tree beforehand?"

"That's what you're supposed to do, Bones! You put the packages out early so people can check them out and try to guess what they got…"

"But you didn't do that for the Nelson children…"

"C'mon, Bones…that's different. The kids are getting stuff from Santa, so that stuff gets put out the night before, after the kids go to sleep, so they can see it first thing in the morning."

Sighing loudly, Brennan rolled her eyes. "Why are there so many rules for giving Christmas presents?" Seeing his annoyance, she giggled. "I'm sure your gifts will appear at the appropriate time tomorrow morning…if you've been good, that is…"

"Of course I've been good. I'm always good." He gave her a Boothy grin as he joined her on the sofa. Picking up his cup of hot chocolate, he pretended to toast his partner. "Cheers. So what's the plan for tomorrow morning?"

"Phyllis told Alice that we'd have breakfast at 8 o'clock, but I'm sure we won't eat anything until everyone opens their presents."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Booth nodded with satisfaction as he studied the presents. "I'm looking forward to that. The Nelsons are gonna have so many surprises. I can't wait to see how those kids react when they see what Santa brought them.""

"Speaking of presents…" Brennan narrowed her eyes at him. "Where are mine? It seems like if you expected your gifts to be out early, mine should already be available as well…you know, as if you were setting an example for me…"

"Oh…well…" He shrugged slightly as he took a sip from his cup. "I…um…I haven't had time to wrap them yet…"

"It's getting kind of late, isn't it? Are you sure you're going to have time to do that?" Brennan gave him a questioning glance. "Maybe you should just give them to me now and save time. After all, it's rather wasteful to wrap gifts in paper that will just be thrown away a few minutes later…"

"Nope…that's not gonna happen. You have to wait until tomorrow morning to get your gifts, just like everyone else."

"Fine. Stay up late wrapping presents if you want." She crossed her arms over her chest and pretended to pout. "I was just trying to help you use your time wisely."

"Sure you were." He grinned at her frustrated sigh. "You're as bad as a little kid, aren't you? Admit it…you're excited for Christmas…and you don't like secrets…and you don't like waiting until Christmas morning to open your packages!" He held up his hand to interrupt her protest. "No use to deny it, Bones. I know you're looking forward to seeing your presents, but you won't catch me spoiling the surprises. You have to wait 'til tomorrow. That's part of the fun! Just enjoy it, okay? And no snooping!"

She smiled sheepishly. "Oh, okay…if you insist." She giggled as he waggled an eyebrow at her. "But it's not because I'm eagerly anticipating tomorrow morning. I'm just going along with the expected holiday celebration norms to make you happy…"

"Right." He gave her a sidelong glance as he sat back on the couch. "So…it was nice of you to attend the church service this evening. I mean, I know you don't believe in the Christmas story…"

She shrugged slightly as she studied her nails. "You're correct…I do find that particular myth to be quite ridiculous. However, I decided to attend the service out of respect for Ed and Phyllis. After all, we've been guests in their home, and as such, it seemed like the appropriate way to show our appreciation for their hospitality. That's why you went, correct? You'd already been to church, but you wanted to show up for Ed…"

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm glad we did, too, since the crowd was kinda sparse, with the bad weather and all." Gazing at the pile of presents, Booth smiled. "I liked Ed's homily a lot."

"You mean the part about celebrating Christmas all year long?" Grimacing at the thought, Brennan shuddered slightly. "I'm not sure I could tolerate that much 'yuletide cheer' on a regular basis. I think it would be exhausting."

"Yeah, I can see that. A lot of people go all out for Christmas, and it would be hard to keep up that effort, but I think he was referring to the way that people seem to want to help others around the holidays. I think the point he was trying to make is that we need to help the less fortunate all year long instead of just around Christmas."

"That's a lovely thought, Booth, and I completely agree." Taking another sip from her cup, she nodded. "It seems like even a small change can make a big difference in someone's life, and the opportunities to help people present themselves on a regular basis, if someone is open to them."

"Yeah, you're right, Bones. I guess we just hafta keep our eyes open and be on the lookout for people who need a hand."

"I agree, Booth, although it seems as if you already do that…you always seem to know how to help others…and I admire that about you."

"Thanks, Bones. That means a lot." He wore a silly grin. "Okay, now…tell me the truth…were you girls checking me out when I got back from church this evening?"

Surprised by his question, she felt herself blushing. "Perhaps a little bit. Both Alice and Phyllis seem to think you're quite attractive, and of course, based strictly on anthropological considerations, I had to agree with them." She giggled as he puffed up a bit upon hearing her sing his praises. "So perhaps you can consider those compliments to be an early Christmas gift."

He gave her a wink. "Perhaps…"

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Booth took Brennan's hand in his. "So…I know you wanted to stay home over Christmas…and I know you probably had some work to do on some journal article or on one of your books…and I'm sorry I dragged you all the way out here to Oklahoma and we got stranded by the weather. I know it messed up your plans…"

"Booth…" Leaning against him, Brennan shook her head. "I didn't have any work that needed to be completed. That wasn't why I wanted to stay home."

"Really?" He was surprised. "But…you must have had an overseas expedition to go to, some Incas to dig up, or a speaking engagement to attend…or chapters to turn in..."

"No…I wasn't planning anything like that." She studied her nails for a few seconds before continuing. "I wanted to stay in town because…well, for one thing, because given your past experience with Rebecca, I realized that you probably wouldn't be able to see Parker over Christmas and I knew you'd miss him...and that you'd be annoyed and upset. I also knew you'd be by yourself on Christmas Eve…and that you'd be terribly lonely…"

"Well, that's true, but…"

"And…" She pursed her lips slightly as she considered her words. "...I was also slightly concerned about your continued recovery after your brain surgery. I know you're doing really well in your rehabilitation, but sometimes excessive stress, such as that associated with the holidays and all of the events surrounding them, can trigger lapses in memory, and I didn't want you to have to deal with that by yourself, so I decided that I'd stay in DC, in case you needed my assistance with something. Of course, given some of my circumstances…things that are beyond my control…I've been under some stress as well, so I'm not sure I'd actually be much help to you, but still…I wanted to be available…just in case…just in case you were lonely…or frightened by a memory lapse. I wanted to be there for you. I didn't want you to be alone…unless you wanted to be alone, that is…"

Stunned at her admission, it took a few seconds for her words to register in his brain. "So…you planned to stay home over Christmas…just in case I was missing Parker…and just to help me out after my surgery…just in case I needed you? Just in case I didn't want to be alone? Wow…"

She misunderstood the awe in his hushed tone. "I know it sounds silly.," she said softly. "As a responsible adult, you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself without my assistance…and you have enough things to occupy your time, so you probably wouldn't be all that lonely without Parker, but…"

"No, Bones…it doesn't sound silly at all. It actually sounds pretty wonderful." He pinched his lips together, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. "In fact, I think that's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me…ever." He put his arm around her and pulled her close. "I've always known you have a big heart…that you're such a caring person…but to think that you'd give up your normal plans…your trips…your work…all of those things that are important to you…just to help me out…just in case I needed someone… Well, I can honestly say that's the best Christmas gift you could ever give me."

"Don't tease me…you know I don't like sarcasm." Brennan moved her hand away from his grasp. "I'm just trying to be a good friend, that's all. You've often said that friends should be there for one another. That's all I was trying to do…"

"I'm not teasing you." He put his arm around her and pulled her into an embrace. "I'm…so happy…that you think enough of me…that you want to do that for me. It makes me feel so…I don't know…amazed? Blessed?"

She studied him intently for a few seconds. "Really? Just me offering to spend time with you makes you that happy?"

"Well, yeah…of course it does, Bones. I always enjoy spending time with you. I mean, other than Parker and Pops, there's no one else I'd rather spend time with than you…and you know, spending time with the three of you would be the ultimate trifecta, but spending time with you…it's...it's a wonderful thing."

Seeing that he was serious, she relaxed enough to snuggle against him, with her head on his shoulder. "It's good to know that you enjoy my company." She looked up at him with an impish grin. "Since you're so pleased that I'm spending time with you, I suppose that means I can return the rest of your gifts."

He chuckled at her teasing. "No way! I can't wait to open my gifts. I want to see what you got for me!"

"I hope that reality lives up to your anticipation, Booth.," she giggled. "I must admit…I can't wait to see what you think of them…"

He felt his heart race as he looked into her beautiful eyes. "I'm sure it'll be great…"

They sat silently for a few minutes more, until finally Booth made up his mind to give in to Ed's suggestion. It was time to say something…it was time to tell Bones how much he cared for her…that he loved her... "Bones? Um…there's something I've been wanting to say to you…"

He waited for her to respond, but nothing happened. Glancing down at her, he couldn't help but smile as he heard her softly snoring. She'd fallen asleep in his arms. After watching her sleep for a few minutes, he kissed the top of her head before gently jostling her.

"Bones…hey, Bones…wake up."

"Hmm? What time is it?"

"It's after midnight…so Merry Christmas…but now it's time to go upstairs, okay? Time to go night-night…"

She gave him a drowsy smile and nestled closer to him. "But I'm too comfortable to move…"

I get that…boy, do I get that… "Well, maybe some other time we can cuddle up together on the sofa and take a nap, but not tonight, okay? Come on…wakey-wakey…you need to go get in your bed so Santa Claus can come by the house…" In your bed…by yourself this time…but someday soon…maybe I can join you…

"Oh, alright." She yawned and stretched, rubbing her eyes as she tried to get her bearings before rising from the sofa. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

"I'll be up in a few minutes, so help yourself to the bathroom." Seeing her wave, he called after her. "Good night."

He sat alone in the darkness for a few minutes, listening as she moved around upstairs while she got ready for bed. He was somewhat disappointed that he hadn't been able to tell her how he felt, but on the other hand…

"On the other hand, she wants to spend time with me.," he murmured to himself as he made his way upstairs to his room. "Now I know she cares about me…a lot. I mean, I guess I knew that, but maybe now there's something more…at least I hope so…and maybe when I tell her how I feel, she'll be open to hearing it...and maybe…just maybe…she'll feel the same way…"

He smiled as he got ready for bed. She'd just given him something precious. He always knew he had her friendship, but now he had hope as well…hope that their relationship could evolve into something deeper…and that gift…the gift of hope…would make this Christmas one of the best he'd ever had.


Thanks for reading. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. More soon. Laura