Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. This update is early today so I can reset that pesky 24 hour timer on Fanfiction. Otherwise, I'll be posting updates at midnight…

For the reviewer that said this was a little angsty for Christmas, you're right, it is. But Bones and Booth always get a happy ending.

Booth knew she was coming. Hodgins had warned him, after all. Besides, Angela couldn't get through security without a phone call from Booth giving her permission to come to his office. And she was escorted there by another agent. Who made small talk with her in the elevator. How that agent couldn't see Angela was ready to claw someone's eyes out, she'd never understand.

She was smart enough to wait until the second agent had left and Booth's door was closed behind her before she let loose.

"Arizona? You let her go to Arizona?"

Booth groaned. His headache was worse, and he was afraid it was from more than Bones leaving right before Christmas. "I don't think I let Bones do anything. She pretty much does what she wants to."

"Don't act all cavalier and unconcerned about this, Booth. This is Bren we're talking about here. Christmas is almost here and she's spending the holiday by herself. This is your fault," she said, pointing at him in anger. "Your fault you brought that girl home."

"That girl's name is Hannah. And I didn't bring her home," Booth said, wondering why the correction even mattered. "Hannah followed me to DC. I didn't ask her to come here." But it had been a welcome relief when she had. A distraction from the feelings he'd realized he still held for Bones.

Who had just flown across the country to take another job. This Christmas was shaping up to be one of his worst.

The tree at his apartment wasn't totally decorated. Parker was away with Rebecca and Hannah showed very little interest in the holiday. He'd always been able to count on spending Christmas day with Bones but even that wasn't an option this year.

It appeared, for the first time in a long time, he'd be celebrating alone. Even if Hannah was there, and not working on some story, it wouldn't be the same.

"And you didn't ask her to leave," Angela snapped, interrupting his thoughts of the holiday. But she'd noticed the sadness he hadn't tried to hide. "Why can't you just ask the women around you for what they want?"

"I did!" he roared, causing Angela to step back in shock. And he to wince in pain. She'd rarely if ever heard him raise his voice in anger or frustration. And he was clearly both.

Booth noted the step back and pushed the guilt down. He never wanted to scare a woman, no matter his frustration level, but this had gone far enough. "I asked her. I asked her for a lifetime and she turned me down flat. I asked her and she turned me down. I didn't walk away from the chance. She did. Were you aware of that, Angela?"

His eyes were as cold as his voice, daring her to argue with what he'd revealed.

"Oh, Bren," she whispered. Bringing her hand up to her mouth she closed her eyes for a moment and reformed every opinion and conclusion she'd made about what had happened between Booth and Brennan. "She never told me."

Taking a deep breath, Booth fought to get his emotions under control, angry at himself for revealing something he'd never told anyone.

God, he was so tired. And his headache just wouldn't go away. But he would finish this.

Waiting until her eyes reopened, Booth continued. "She didn't tell anyone, and neither did I. And I shouldn't have said it now. But I'm done being blamed by you and Camille and Brennan for choosing to move on with my life. I asked for what I wanted and I certainly would never force a woman to give me what I want." His anger fading, Booth slumped into his desk chair and leaned back. "She said no."

"Did you see her?" Angela asked. "Before she left?"

Booth nodded. "I gave her the gift I told you about. The one you helped with."

"The x-rays."

"I put them all in the back of the book and gave it to her." He left out the part about the handwritten note he'd included. Booth wasn't revealing all his secrets this afternoon. "There was an airline ticket in her bag," he said after a pause.

Knowing she hadn't been welcome before, and probably wasn't now, Angela did not sit, despite the fact her legs were just a bit shaky beneath her. "You know she loves you, Booth."

"Only as her friend, Angela. And you can't expect me to wait forever for her to decide that she wants more than that from me."

Cam said almost the same thing to her. "But you love her," Angela pointed out, not ready to give up.

Booth rolled his head toward her and back to stare at the ceiling, not confirming or denying what Angela had just said to him. "I'm not going after her." He'd given some thought to what Hodgins had said. And decided that bug boy was correct.

"So what are you going to do?"

"The ball is in her court this time. Not that she'd understand that phrase." The laugh he gave was sad. "Stay or go is on her. I won't be blamed for forcing her to make a choice she doesn't want to make. Not this time."

Taking it as a dismissal, Angela moved to the door before pausing. "Booth, I'm not afraid of you."

Confused by the statement, Booth stood and waited for her to continue.

"When I took a step back from you a few minutes ago, I'm not afraid of you. The news just startled me, that's all." She wasn't sure why she was trying to explain, but Angela trusted her instincts and somehow knew Booth needed to hear the words.

"I don't like to lose my temper," Booth said simply.

"But I'm not afraid of you," she repeated. "Not once. I've been afraid for you, like right now. But not afraid of you."

"Thanks, Angela," he said as he reached for the phone to have her escorted from his building.

She nodded and as she walked away from his office, prayed that two people she considered family would somehow get a Christmas miracle.