A/N: Ok, rejoice! I lied. I said that there was only gonna be one more chapter (this chapter), but Branwyn had a different plan. After two thousand something words, I came to a great ending point...that isn't the end of the story. So, that means there'll be another chapter after all. I mean, I just couldn't leave you hanging, right? So look for another chapter sometime this week. No beta, mistakes are all Goldy's fault ::sticks out tongue:: See what happens when you're not around? You start getting blame for things.

Shout outs to: BonesDBchippie, Goldpiece, Siapom, 18lzytwner, and avaleighfitzgerald

UDATE 20 Dec 2006: Thanks to Corinna McDonald and BonesDBchippie for pointing out a couple of problems. They are all fixed.

Chapter Five:

Talking, Drinking and Nuclear Physics

Temperance Brennan stood in front of her full-length mirror in her bedroom slowly scanning herself for head to toe. She took in what Angela had helped her pick out. A black skirt that stopped just above the knees and a red sparkly shirt that draped down in the front. She also wore black leggings with black, mid-calf boots trimmed in fur. Her jewelry was modest but entirely her style- silver earrings that dangled and a silver necklace with a red stone hanging from it. Her hair was piled loosely atop her head, with small kissing curl-lets framing her face. Brennan had done her own makeup after Angela left, opting for a minimum versus the bright red lipstick Angela had brought. A smile touched her lightly painted lips as she gave herself an approving nod. Not over the top, she thought. But still festive. Her smile grew when a knock came at her front door. Brennan gave herself one last once over, before grabbing her small purse and head out of her bedroom toward the waiting agent she knew was in the hallway.

Seeley Booth counted to ten before raising his hand to knock on Brennan's door. His heart pounded in his chest. Calm down, Seeley, he told himself. It's just Bones. He drew in a deep breath and held it until he heard the lock turn, then he slowly expelled it. The sight before him stunned him, and for a moment, Special Agent Seeley Booth forgot how to breathe. His eyes carefully raked over Brennan's body until he had made it down to her feet and then back up to her eyes. "You look… gorgeous," he said, holding out a single lily.

Brennan smiled and took the offered flower. "Thank you," she said. "Come on in." Booth followed her into the apartment and watched as she went into the kitchen, found a glass, filled it with water and then placed the lily in it. She turned to him with a smile. "You ready?"

"Been ready," he said, offering his arm to her. Brennan picked her purse back up, linked arms with Booth and the pair left.

XxXxX

"So is there anything I should know about your friends?" Brennan asked, as they neared the house that the party was being held at.

"They're talkers," he said, glancing over at her. "And a few are drinkers, so if anybody messes with you…"

"I know, come and find you," Brennan finished with a roll of her eyes.

"Actually I was gonna say beat the crap out of them, but which ever you want to do." Booth flashed her a charm smile as he pulled to a stop. "One more thing," he said, turning toward her.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for coming." Brennan matched his smile as the both climbed out of the SUV. She waited for Booth to round the front and then took his offered arm and let him lead her up the walkway toward the door. The music from inside reached their ears as the front door opened.

"Seeley, ole dog, 'bout time you showed up," the man standing there called out.

"Tommy, good to see ya, man," Booth answered, and the two men shook hand and embraced briefly.

"And who's this hottie?"

"Down boy," Booth said. "She's got permission to kick your ass." Tommy held up his hands in surrender. "Bones, Thomas Jones. Tommy, Doctor Temperance Brennan."

"Nice to meet ya, Doc," Tommy said.

"You too," Brennan answered. Booth patted her arm as they entered into the house.

"Seeley," a few people called out, including a couple of women. Brennan felt her teeth clenched, but Booth only waved and lead Brennan through the living room. In the kitchen, they found a small group of people.

"Kevin," Booth called out.

"Seel, my man," Kevin said, coming around the table and hugging the agent. "I didn't think you were going to come?"

"I wasn't," Booth said. "But I finally found myself a date."

The man turned toward Brennan and smiled. "Ah, you must be Doctor Brennan. Seeley talks about you a lot."

"Oh, does he?" Booth felt heat creep up to his cheeks as Brennan looked over at him.

"All good," Kevin said with a smile. "And don't worry, the naughty bits are just for a few of us."

"Where's Susan?" Booth asked, giving the other man a punch on the shoulder.

Kevin laughed before answering, "She ran to the store. Should be back soon. Can I get you two something to drink?"

"Beer's good," Booth said and Brennan nodded.

XxXxX

"Having fun?" Booth asked close to Brennan's ear. The warmth of his breath caught her by surprised, but she was able to nod.

"It's not bad," she answered. Booth wrapped an arm around her waist as he leant in closer still.

"We can leave anytime you're ready," he said.

"Oh, no, after everything you did to get me to come, we're staying." Booth laughed.

"Why, Seeley, it's good to see you," a woman said, coming up to the couple. Brennan felt a sense of lose when Booth moved from her to wrap this new woman in a hug. "Merry Christmas."

"To you too," Booth said. "I'd like you to meet someone," he told her reaching out for Brennan. "This is Doctor Temperance Brennan. Bones, Susan Gibbons."

"Nice to meet you," Brennan said, relaxing a little. This was Kevin's wife.

"You too. Seeley talks about you quite a bit."

"Yes," Brennan said, tossing a glance at the agent. "I'm beginning to realize that."

"Is Kevin still in the kitchen?" Booth quickly asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Where else would that man be?" Susan said. "Why don't you go get you a plate of food while Dr. Brennan and I talk?"

"Please, call me Tempe."

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Booth half-heartily protested.

"Oh, go on," Brennan said, giving him a slight push on the shoulder. "And bring me back something."

"Men," Susan said with a roll of her eyes as Booth tossed a glance over his shoulder before entering the kitchen. "They worry too much."

"Especially Booth," Brennan said.

Susan laughed and nodded her agreement. "You've got that right, sweetie. So, you're the anthropologist that he works with? He does talk about you a lot."

"Should I be worried?" Brennan asked with a smile.

"Naw, not at all, Seel has nothing but respect for you," Susan said. "He's told us about a few of the cases you've worked on together. I'm not sure how you do it?"

"Work the cases, or with Booth?" Brennan joked.

"Both." The two women laughed and talked. Brennan finding that she wasn't uncomfortable with Susan at all.

"So, um, Susan, what do you do for a living?"

"Seeley didn't tell you? I have a Masters Degree in Nuclear Physics. I do work for the government."

"Booth didn't tell me," Brennan said, slightly shocked.

"I know, I don't look the role," Susan said, brushing a strand of red hair out of her eyes. "But neither do you. Hell, you look more like Brooke Shields than some scientist." Brennan drew her brows together at the comparison, but didn't say anything. "Anyhow, don't you just love this time of year?"

"This time?" Brennan asked.

"Christmas," Susan clarified. "I just love the feeling of peace and love that floats on the air."

"I'm, eh, I don't really celebrate Christmas."

"Oh? I didn't take you as Jewish," Susan said and then laughed. "A Jew and a Catholic, now there's an odd combination."

"Oh, no, I'm not Jewish, or anything, for that matter. I don't celebrate any kind of religious holiday."

Susan looked at her for a long moment before asking, "Why not?"

"You're a scientist," Brennan said. "How can you believe in something that has no facts?"

"But the Christian religion does have facts. For example, we know that Jesus lived and died. We even know for a fact that he died on a cross. We know that the three Shepards followed the Star of Bethlehem, although it was most likely the planet Jupiter. We know that Jesus lead people out of slavery. What else do you need?"

"But was he the Son of God?" Brennan questioned. "There's no proof, no fact to prove it."

"True," Susan said. "But sometimes all we have to go on is faith."

"That's not good enough."

"Say you have a skeleton laying before you," Susan began. "Everything about the skeleton points to the fact that it's a male." Brennan nodded. "Except you're missing the pelvic bone. Is it male?"

"The pelvic bone is the easiest way to tell," Brennan said. "But not the only. If all the other factors point to male, then yes, it's a male skeleton."

"You just used faith, Tempe. We have all these facts about Jesus and what he did. Not having a birth certificate with God's name listed as the father, doesn't mean it's not true. We look at what we know is truth, and we all take a blind leap of Faith for the rest. Just like you did with the skeleton."

Brennan was about to open her mouth when Booth reappeared. "Brought you some spinach dip," he said, holding out a plate.

"It was nice talking to you, Tempe," Susan said. "But I guess I really should go check on Kevin."

XxXxX

"You've been awfully quiet," Booth pointed out as he pulled to a stop in front of Brennan's apartment building.

"Just…thinking," Brennan sighed as she got out of the SUV.

"Bout what?" Booth asked, as he joined her and began to walk up the front walk toward the double doors.

"Something Susan said," Brennan told him as he held open the door for her to enter.

"What did she say?"

"You sure are being nosey," Brennan accused lightly as they made their way up the stairs toward the second floor.

"I'm just curious," Booth defended. "Ya'know, incase I need to go back and have a stern talkin' to her." Brennan smiled but shook her head.

"Nothing bad. She just explained how she could be a scientist and still believe in a God."

"Don't tell me she converted you?"

"Highly unlikely," Brennan said as she opened her door. "Since to be converted implies that I am a believer of something other than God."

"So if you're not a Christian nor a believer in something else," Booth began as he followed her into the apartment. "Then what are you?"

"I'm a scientist," she said simply. "I like facts, proof. I you could prove to be that there really is a God, a higher power that controls the world, then I would be hard press not to believe in it, correct?" Booth shrugged off his coat and then scratched at his head.

"I, um, think that made sense," he said. Brennan tossed her coat across the back of a kitchen chair before turning and facing Booth.

"What I mean by that is simple. Jesus lived. There's proof out there that confirms that. I can't deny it, but do I believe that he preformed miracles? No."

"Maybe you're looking at it the wrong way," Booth stated as Brennan went to the refrigerator and pulled out two beers.

"And what way should I be looking at it?" she asked holding out a bottle to him.

"Maybe you need to start small. You agree that a man named Jesus was born, lived and died on the cross, right?"

"Correct."

"You said that you're not sure about the miracles. Don't think about the fact that he walked on water, or gave a blind man sight. Think, instead, about the child he gave hope to. About the millions that he lead into freedom. Those were miracles."

"No, those are examples of what one man can do," Brennan pointed out.

"Ah, but why him? Where did he get the notation to do what he did?"

"The same place we all do," Brennan said.

"And where's that from?"

"We…it…it just happens."

"Kinda like a miracle," Booth offered. Brennan shook her head and took a drink of beer.

"We could talk about this all night," she said. "And not get anywhere."

"I know, which is why I vote to change the subject."

Brennan nodded her agreement and asked, "Who's Brooke Shields?"

"What? Why?"

"Susan said I looked like her, but I don't know who she is."

"She's a movie star," Booth said, cocking his head to one side. He studied her for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, I guess I could see that. Especially that new toothpaste commercial she's doing. What is it? Colgate, I think."

"I look like an actress who's doing toothpaste commercials?"

"Don't worry, she's done lots of other things." A silence settled over them as they drunk their beer. Finally, Booth asked, "What are you doing for Christmas?"

"Working," Brennan answered.

"Oh, come on, Bones."

"Don't start, Booth."

"Have dinner with me?"

"Don't you have Parker?"

"In the morning," he said. "I have to take him back to Rebecca at noon."

"I don't know, Booth." Booth put down his bottle and took a step toward her.

"What could it harm?" Brennan looked into his chocolate brown eyes and smiled.

"A lot," she whispered.

"Bones," he said, reaching out and touching her face. "Have dinner with me, please?" Brennan had to fight to keep her eyes from fluttering shut. His mouth was mere inches from hers, and his breath washed over her face like a warm breeze. "Just me and you. No squints, no work, just…us."

"A date?" Brennan questioned in a soft voice.

"A date," Booth confirmed. "Please?" Brennan searched his eyes and licked her lips, then nodded. A smile touched his lips and he leant down and brushed a kiss at the corner of her mouth. "Pick you up at seven," he said and then stepped back. He offered her a charm smile before picking up his coat and leaving.