I don't think it would be Christmas for Booth without Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve...
Christmas Eve had arrived with a hint of snow in the air, and Booth shivered slightly as he strode down the quiet side street towards St. Vincent's Church. He glanced at his watch as he hurried along. It was 10:15, and the service would be starting soon.
Normally he'd be attending Christmas Eve services at St. Teresa's as he had in the previous years, but for some reason he felt the urge to visit St. Vincent's that evening. He'd realized the thought was irrational, and he'd tried to ignore it, but the feeling simply wouldn't leave him alone. Somehow he knew he had to be at the venerable old church for Midnight Mass.
Picking up his pace a bit, he soon reached his destination. He paused outside the old building for a minute, gazing up at the rose window once again. The colors were still as glorious as they were when he'd walked down that street with Bones several nights ago, but they didn't seem quite as vivid as they had on that memorable evening. Of course, he figured there was a reason for that, and it had nothing to do with stained glass and everything to do with who he'd been with and what he'd been feeling that night.
"Love makes everything better…", he murmured to himself as he walked up the steps that led to the church's front doors. "...and the world is definitely a better place now that I know that Bones loves me…"
He pushed open the heavy doors and stopped in the vestibule to admire the Christmas tree that had been set up in a corner...a tall, gorgeous spruce. A tree that size would've been expensive, and he wondered if the folks running the tree lot further down the street had donated it. No matter where it had come from, it had been decorated with care. Multicolored lights peeked out between the tree's thick needles, and several old fashioned ornaments hung from its uplifted branches.
"These decorations remind me of what Pops and Nana had on their Christmas tree when I was a kid." Booth reached up to gently tap a plastic snowflake. "They had snowflakes like this, along with white plastic stars and pale blue icicles...they all glowed in the dark when the lights were off…" He smiled as he noticed the bubble lights, the tiny metal bells, shiny faceted plastic balls, and the mercury glass orbs adorning the tree. "I bet the church has had some of these things for over fifty years." Sighing quietly, he shook his head. "I wonder what happened to all the Christmas stuff that Pops had. I guess he probably got rid of all of it when he moved to the retirement center. I wish I had a couple of my grandparents' Christmas ornaments to remind me of the good times we had all those years ago..."
His musings were interrupted by the sound of an organ prelude drifting through the nave's open doors. He turned and entered the sanctuary, genuflecting and blessing himself before finding a seat in one of the pews in the back.
He sighed happily as he took in the beauty of the candlelit altar and the soaring wall above it where the rose window was housed. Red and white variegated poinsettias had been placed on either side of the steps leading up to the altar, and evergreen garland entwined with tiny white lights had been festooned on the walls and the railing surrounding the choir loft.
An old fashioned nativity had been set up under the altar table, which was covered with a green and gold cloth that matched the banners hanging on the walls flanking the altar. Mary and Joseph sat on either side of an empty manger, waiting patiently for their baby to arrive.
Pleased as he noted the size of the crowd that evening, Booth smiled to himself. Given what Father Silvestri had said about the average age of his congregation's members, it looked like many of the elderly parishioners had been joined by family members who had come home for Christmas.
Good for them. Families should be together for Christmas. Too bad Pops and Parker aren't here with me in this beautiful old church tonight...but maybe next year, right?
Even though he was at the church by himself that Christmas Eve, Booth didn't really feel alone. It helped knowing that people all over the world were celebrating the Nativity of the Lord just like he was. That feeling of belonging to something bigger than himself had gotten him through some bleak times in the past, and he knew it would help him if he needed it in the future...although his future was currently looking much brighter. Me and Bones...we're gonna make a life together...I learned my lesson the hard way and I'm never gonna let her go...
Filled with a sense of peace, Booth knelt to pray, breathing in the mixture of spicy Christmas scents that filled the air...the combined aromas of cinnamon, pine, incense, and the pleasant odor from the slowly burning beeswax candles brought memories rushing to his mind...those same scents had always reminded him of serving as an altar boy for Midnight Mass at St. Ann's, his grandfather's parish.
How old was I that year...maybe 12? Pops and Nana were so proud that Father Tucker had asked me to help with the service. That was a long time ago, wasn't it? But I still remember it like it was yesterday...
"May I join you, Booth?"
His reverie interrupted, he turned toward the feminine voice in surprise. "Bones? What are you doing here?"
She laughed at his silly question. "That should be fairly obvious, Booth. I'm attending the Christmas Eve church service with you."
"Well, yes, I see that…and of course you can join me..." He rose from the kneeler and sat back in the pew, patting the space next to him so she'd sit down. "...but...I mean, I know you think the whole religion 'myth' is ridiculous, so…I'm just surprised you're here, that's all."
"Perhaps I don't believe the religious myths your church teaches, but you do...and I respect that. It's part of who you are..." She smiled as she looked around the beautifully decorated nave. "...and, anyway, I decided that I wanted to spend time with you this evening. It occurred to me that perhaps a good way to accomplish that would be for us to share an experience...something that we could do together...something that's important to you. It'll give us a common point of reference...another way for us to relate to each other.." She shrugged slightly. "I hope that's okay with you…"
"Well, yeah...of course that's okay. You know I love spending time with you, right?" He smiled happily. "But how did you know that I'd be here instead of at St. Teresa's"
"I know you, Booth. In the past, you've exhibited the tendency to attach emotional significance to old objects and old buildings, correct? I suppose in that way you're sort of an antiquarian. It seems you've become quite attached to St. Vincent's, so I took the chance." She giggled softly. "Besides, I asked Angela to track your cell phone…"
"An antiquarian? Really? That's a good thing, right?" Seeing her smile, he chuckled softly as he took her hand in his. "Well, I appreciate the thought, and I'm glad you joined me here. The Christmas Eve Solemn Mass is beautiful, although, since you're not Catholic, I guess you may not understand the significance of all of the things that happen during the service. As I'm sure you know, there's a reason for everything that takes place, and there's a lot of symbolism involved. All of the sections of the Mass have meaning when taken as a whole, and it's kinda complicated if you're not used to it, so you might not get what's happening."
She nodded as she thought over his statement. "Perhaps that's true, but it'll be interesting for me to observe the service from a cultural standpoint, much like watching a Japanese tea ceremony, or attending a bar mitzvah. I may not understand all the nuances, but I can appreciate that the ceremonies are meaningful for those who participate." She paused as she looked around the nave. "You were correct in your assessment. This is a beautiful church."
"Yeah, it is, and I'm glad we were able to persuade the diocese to find a use for it so it wasn't torn down. I don't want to think about what would've happened to this great old building if they'd sold the land to a secular real estate developer…"
"I'm glad, too." Brennan sighed softly. "It often seems that our society is always in such a rush to embrace new things and in the process we lose touch with our past."
Booth nodded, wondering if that was what had happened to his relationship with Bones. But we're past that now…thank God... "Well, at least we made a difference for this place, huh? And for the congregation and the neighborhood surrounding it, too."
"Yes, we did, and I'm very happy about that."
The prelude music ended, and the organist played a majestic chord. Pointing to the back of the church, Booth smiled. "It's starting…"
The choir raised the melodic strains of O, Come All Ye Faithful, filling the church with sound as a solemn procession made its way to the altar. A young man led the way, holding up a large silver cross mounted on a wooden standard, followed by a young woman holding a censer and then Father Silvestri, who was resplendent in his dark green and gold vestments. A small boy brought up the rear, holding a figure of the Christ Child.
After placing the Child in the manger, the boy rushed to join his very proud grandparents while the priest used the censer to waft incense over the altar.
"I've heard that the incense is a symbol of the prayers of the faithful.," Brennan whispered.
"Really? I mean, um...yeah...I knew that." Booth wrinkled his nose slightly. "I've never been fond of that smell…"
"I suppose the odor has some significance." Brennan grimaced as smoke filled the nave. "However, it is somewhat unpleasant…"
Father Silvestri extended greetings to the congregants and after a penitential prayer and the singing of the Gloria, a collect was spoken and the evening's lessons were read. The Christmas story from the second chapter of Luke's Gospel was recounted again, reminding listeners of the reason for their gathering.
The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.
Then it was time for the homily. Standing on the steps leading up to the altar, Father Silvestri smiled as he looked out over the crowd. "Good evening and Merry Christmas to all of you. We're thankful to have so many visitors joining us this evening as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord." Hearing the happy murmur from the pews, he continued. "As we gather here in this beautiful building, it falls to me to preach something uplifting, and I've given a lot of thought about what I want to say to you this evening."
He cleared his throat softly. "I know I haven't been with you very long as your priest, and it may seem as if we don't know each other very well, but here's what I've learned about you...and also about myself...over the last few weeks." He nodded resolutely. "We are a resilient group of people. We are a group of people that remains faithful to our beliefs in the face of adversity. We are a group of people that can acknowledge the roots which anchor us in the past as we grow in faith to face the future together. We are a group of people that never gives up in the face of overwhelming odds. We are a group of people determined to keep this church open so we can serve others from this place. We are people who trust our Lord to lead us and guide us as we live out our days."
He paused for a few seconds. "And we can do all of these tremendously difficult things because each of us has been given gifts to use for the betterment of the Lord's Kingdom." Smiling as he glanced in Booth's direction, the priest continued. "I know some of us may think our gifts aren't that important in the whole scheme of the world, but believe me when I tell you that the Lord is depending on each one of us to use the talents and gifts we've been given to make a difference for His people. When we use our gifts, great things can happen. Don't ever sell yourselves short, my friends. Do everything in your life as if you're doing it for the Lord, and He will bless your efforts. By using our gifts and by working together for the world, we will prove to be unstoppable. No matter where this congregation is housed, we will grow and prosper because we are dedicated to doing the Lord's work. Together we will continue to be successful for many years to come, until we see our Lord face to face. Keep up the good work, my friends. Amen."
The congregation responded with a hearty "AMEN".
The priest bowed slightly. "Let us continue with our Profession of Faith."
Rising as one, the parishioners began to intone the Creed. "We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty…"
Brennan sat quietly as she observed the worshipers around her. Even though she didn't believe in the Virgin Birth and the divinity of Christ, nor did she give credence to any ideas about a Supreme Being's intervention in the affairs of the world, there did seem to be a sort of serenity to be found in the congregation's corporate expression of faith in that myth. The parishioners were obviously glad to be a part of that group, participating together as they worshiped.
Glancing at Booth, she considered what that participation in that worship would mean to him as an individual. He was definitely an alpha male, and yet he had chosen to submit himself to the authority of his church for some reason. That seemed to go against what she knew about him and his personality. I believe further study is required in order to answer the question of why he does so…
She was glad she'd decided to join Booth at church that evening. He'd spent countless hours watching scientific documentaries with her, and had also attended some of her lectures and gone with her to hear others...even those that must've seemed quite uninteresting to him. He's always made an effort to involve himself in things that I find enjoyable, and while I've gone to watch him play hockey on occasion, or to one of Parker's school events, I'm not sure I've made the same effort as he has. Perhaps, since we seem to be converging into a permanent relationship, we can spend more time together, doing things he enjoys…"
Giggling softly, she stifled a yawn. I already have an idea of what activity he enjoys, and I think he'd prefer us to be sharing that activity at this time of night…but perhaps it's not appropriate to think about those things at church..."
While Brennan contemplated Booth's place in life's hierarchy, he was trying to focus on the Eucharistic prayer without much success. The atmosphere in the nave had been altered somehow...instead of being serene, it seemed charged, as if static electricity was building up, waiting to zap someone who touched a metal object.
He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and a cold chill ran down his spine. Why is she here? I thought she stayed outside asking people in...
The apparition of Sister Philomena stood in the shadows to one side of the altar, where Father Silvestri couldn't see her. She seemed surrounded in a golden haze, almost like a halo. Her gaze was fixed on the large crucifix suspended over the altar, and her lips were moving as if in prayer.
After a few seconds, the young nun turned to face Booth with a saintly smile. After making eye contact with him, she clasped her hands together in thanks. Tilting her head to one side as if she was listening to something, she pointed towards Heaven before she slowly faded from sight, leaving a hint of golden glow behind which slowly dissipated like a swirling echo of light.
"Booth? Booth, are you okay?" She reached out to take his arm. "Booth?"
Glancing at Brennan, he shook off the vision as he suddenly remembered where he was. Brushing away a tear, he nodded, even though he hadn't really heard her question. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine." He patted her knee as he rose from the pew to take communion. "I'll be right back."
"Okay." Brennan's brow furrowed in confusion as she watched him take his place in line. He certainly seemed distracted at the moment, and she wasn't sure why. "Maybe he finds this part of the service particularly moving…"
Mass ended a few minutes later, and the couple stopped to speak to Father Silvestri before leaving. Shaking the priest's hand, Booth smiled. "Nice homily...short and to the point."
"And I take it that you got the point as well, right, Agent Booth?" Chuckling, the priest shrugged. "After all, as I recall you are a man of many talents."
"That's true, Father, and because of that, I can tell you that Sister Philomena has finally found her way home."
Father Silvestri gasped in surprise. "You...you know that for a fact?"
"Let's just say I have first hand knowledge."
"That's wonderful. Well, Merry Christmas to her, I suppose." The priest turned to Brennan. "Thank you for joining us this evening. I'm sure Agent Booth was particularly glad you came."
"Perhaps." Brennan giggled as Booth squeezed her hand. "It certainly was an interesting experience. I enjoyed it very much."
Father Silvestri smiled pleasantly. "I'm glad. You're welcome to visit whenever you want, Dr. Brennan...even if Agent Booth isn't with you."
"Thank you."
"See you later, Father. Come on, Bones...we gotta go." Tugging on her hand, Booth led her outside to the sidewalk before giving her a passionate kiss. "Thanks for coming here this evening. It means a lot to me…"
"No problem." Brennan took his lapels in her hands and pulled him close so she could look into his eyes. "You've spent lots of time doing things I like, so it seems only fair that I reciprocate. However, I do have some questions…."
"Yeah, okay…" He kissed her again. "...but not tonight, alright?"
"Tomorrow at Christmas dinner then...you'll be there right? My apartment...say around 3?"
"Fine." He mumbled, gently nibbling her ear. "So...wanna go to my place?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"Oh, you know...our own little midnight celebration…" He waggled an eyebrow at her. "...and I figure it could extend into morning…you know, me and you having our own kind of Merry Christmas..."
Brennan grimaced slightly. "I can stay with you a couple of hours, but I can't stay until morning…"
"A couple of hours? C'mon, Bones…that's hardly enough time for what I have in mind for me and you tonight.," Booth whined. "We can sleep in late tomorrow…"
"I promised Max we could eat breakfast together tomorrow. It used to be one of our family traditions. We'd get up early on Christmas Day, open our presents and then have a big breakfast together. I know it's silly, since it's just the two of us, but he wants us to do that tomorrow…"
"Nah, it's not silly." Sighing softly, Booth stroked her hair. "Family traditions are important."
"Thank you for understanding." She caressed his cheek gently. "That's one of the things I love about you."
Grinning happily, he shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a great guy."
"That you are." Her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. "You know, I have an idea…" She quickly explained what was on her mind. "What do you think? Do you have time to make arrangements?"
"For you? Of course I do." He gave her another kiss. "After all, I am the Special Agent in Charge…"
She giggled softly. "True."
"And yes, I'll be at your place tomorrow for Christmas dinner. Do you need me to bring anything? Like maybe some real turkey?"
"No, you don't need to bring anything. We're having vegetable lasagna as the main course, but I'll be baking a small turkey breast for Max, so you can have some of both. I'm making an apple pie, too…"
"Sounds great." He embraced her tenderly. "I love you so much, Bones. You've made my Christmas so wonderful…"
Winking at him, she wore a crooked little grin. "And New Year's Day will be even better."
Thanks for reading. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Four more chapters to go... Laura
