Bones brushed fine auburn hair, easing the few tangles with skill combined with a touch of telekinesis to encourage the knots to untie themselves.
"Bones?"
"Hm?"
"I was reading about Christmas. The book said traditionally, people get one another gifts. Is that true?"
"Yes," Bones replied, finished brushing and beginning to braid.
"Will we buy gifts for Christmas?"
"Yes. In fact, do you know that my leather jacket is the first gift your mum bought for me?"
"Oh? That's why you wear it all the time?"
Bones' lips curled, and he nodded with a sound of assent, pleased that she had made the connection so quickly. Sentimentality was foreign to her in most instances.
Katie was quiet for a time, then signaled her intention to speak both by her in-drawn breath and a new, nervous scent. "Could we get Cat a gift?"
Bones heart soared, though he held himself very still. This was the first time she had asked for a non-essential item. "Certainly. What did you have in mind?"
"I don't know." Katie tilted her head. "Perhaps a new silver knife?"
Bones barely kept his surprised snort inside. There was the Katie he knew. All practicality. "I don't know, she has plenty of knives. Perhaps she would like something that reminds her of you."
Katie looked at him quizzically. "Why does she need reminded of me? I'm right here."
"Yes, luv, but one day you'll be grown. Mums like to remember how small their children once were."
Katie looked confused by that, but said nothing.
"Would you like to see what I've gotten Cat?"
Katie nodded.
"You promise not to tell? Part of Christmas is the surprise of opening a gift when you don't know what's inside."
She nodded again.
Bones took his phone from his pocket and navigated to a screen that he showed Katie. It was a photograph of a gold, heart-shaped necklace. Half of the heart was hollow, and half had individual gold bars with a small colored stone and a word etched on it. One read Bones, one read Cat, and one read Katie.
"It's very pretty," Katie said.
"I think she'll like it. You think about what you'd like to get for her, and then we'll go shopping."
XXXXXXXXX
Katie sat at her laptop, finishing her day's schoolwork. She looked up at the sound of footsteps. "Hello, Bones."
"Afternoon, luv," Bones replied, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "All done?"
"Yes. I've decided what I want to get Cat for Christmas."
Bones listened to her outline her idea, a grin spreading across his face.
