A/N: Well I'm back after a HUGE writer's block and a very stressful and emotional week. I'm so sorry I made you all wait. I really hope that you like this chapter and thank you A LOT for the ideas for Booth's gifts. I got pretty good ideas, I know it was tough and I appreciate your help. Now, on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: I totally didn't come up with the ideas for the show. Got them all at dltk-holidays . com

Day 3 (December 20th – Monday)

As Temperance stepped out of the SUV, she felt as though she was part of one of the many Christmas movies. A few snowflakes twirled in the air, dancing to some kind of silent music, the sky was clear and stars shined brightly. A soft wind was blowing as many parents slowly made their way to the entrance of the school. Temperance was pretty sure that, if she listened close enough, she would hear the soft sound of Christmas music and tiny bells ringing. She shivered.

"You okay?"

Booth's voice brought her back to reality.

"Yes. Why?"

"You shivered. Are you cold?"

Temperance shook her head.

"No. I was just thinking." She replied as they climbed the stairs to the school.

"About?"

Booth opened the door and Temperance stepped inside the warm building. Taking off her mitains, she replied:

"Just how being in the parking lot reminded me of Christmas movies."

Booth frowned, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Christmas movies?"

"Yeah. You know, in Christmas movies, there's always a scene where the parents go see one of their children starring in a play. It's what we're doing right now and I just thought it how ironic it was that it was like in the movies."

She turned to her partner.

"Alright, Bones. You're getting in the Christmas spirit." Booth replied as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him.

Temperance rolled her eyes but didn't move away.

She let her gaze wander around. She examined the decorations. Guirlands and various paintings of Santa Claus, Christmas trees and snowmen hung on the wall. In the window of one of the classrooms, Temperance noticed a snowflake glued to it. She let her gaze linger a moment longer on the snowflake as her mind brought her back to her fourth grade art class.

"Alright, class. Settle down." Henrietta Bennett said as she stared admiringly at the overexcited children in front of her.

Their cheeks were red from playing outside and their eyes sparkled. She sighed. How she loved to see them like this, all happy and smiling.

The class fell silent and Mrs Bennett took it as her cue to start talking.

"This afternoon, for art class, we're going to learn how to make snowflakes."

The children cheered in agreement.

"First, take out your scissors. Then, I will hand out two sheets of paper for each of you."

The students did as they were told. Mrs Bennett turned her back on her students while she went to fetch the white papers in the cupboard.

"Have you ever made snowflakes?" Laura Madison whispered.

Temperance looked up from her desk.

"No." Temperance replied, honestly. "You?"

Laura nodded proudly.

"My mother showed me how. I'll make the most prettiest snowflake in the class."

Temperance snorted.

"No, I'll make the best snowflake."

"Nuh-uh. And you know why? Because you suck in art."

"No, I don't." Temperance replied, offended.

"Yes, you are. You might be the best in the math or science or english and you might be teacher's pet but you're not good at art. You suck."

Temperance was about to reply when her teacher set down two sheets of paper on her desk. She thanked her.

"Teacher's pet." She heard Laura whisper.

She simply ignored the child.

Minutes later, Temperance stared in amazement at the most beautiful paper snowflake she had ever seen. She watched as her teacher held out the fruit of her labor proudly in front of her.

"Okay, class. Now it's your turn. Show me what you can do."

Inspired by the beauty of her teacher's snowflake, Temperance hurriedly grabbed her paper and folded it the way her teacher had just showed them. Grabbing her scissors, she carefully began to carve her snowflake.

Every now and then, she glanced at the girl sitting beside her. Laura didn't seem to have any difficulties carving her snowflake. Temperance stared at hers and wondered what it would look like the second she unfolded her paper. She carved more shapes.

Soon, Temperance was finished. She looked in sweet anticipation at the carved paper in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she slowly unfolded it.

Two strands of paper stuck together. Temperance frowned. Carefully, she freed one of them from its prison.

"Tempe, look at my snowflake!"

The voice of Laura startled her and Temperance ripped the fragile paper.

"Look what you made me do." Temperance said, accusingly to her comrade.

"Hey, I didn't do anything." Laura replied before glancing briefly at the broken snowflake. "You destroyed it on your own."

Laura snickered quietly as she turned back to her own snowflake.

And when her teacher had asked the whole class to hang their snowflakes on the window, Temperance had refused. Her second attempt at making a beautiful snowflake had failed once again and, embarrassed, she had thrown them in the garbage while her teacher had her back turned.

Too lost in her mind, Temperance barely even registered sitting down in the school gymnasium. The voices of the hundred of parents gathered is what startled her back to reality. She heard her parnter chuckle beside her.

"What?" She snapped.

The tensing of Booth's jaw told her she had hurt his feelings. She apologized as the lights in the gym dimmed.

"Let's just watch the show." Booth replied, staring ahead of him.

The gym was plunged into the darkness before a spotlight illuminated the stage. Two children of about eight stepped out from the backstage.

"A long time ago, in the town of Nazareth, lived a young woman named Mary. Mary did her chores, was kind to others, and loved God very much. She was engaged to be married to Joseph, who was a carpenter." The young girl started.

A young girl stepped out from behind the curtain and began sweeping around the stage. Booth smiled. This was cute.

"One day, while Mary was at home cleaning her room, an angel suddenly appeared. Before Mary could say anything the angel told Mary that she was favored by God, and that God was with her." The young boy continued.

An angel appeared and pretended to talk to young Mary.

"Mary was surprised. She was trying not to be afraid, but she had never seen an angel before. After all, Mary was just a regular lady like you or I. Why was this angel visiting her? What did the angel want?" The young girl added.

"The angel quickly tried to reassure Mary."

"Do not be afraid!" the angel said. "God has found favor with you. You will have a baby boy, and are to give him the name Jesus."

Booth glanced over at his partner who seemed lost in her thoughts. He was pretty sure she was analysing everything the children were saying so, when they would be back in the SUV, she would be able to pinpoint every incorrect detail of the story. He sighed, convinced it was what she was going to do. Couldn't she just enjoy herself?

The sketch eventually finished and Booth clapped loudly. Temperance turned to face him.

"Why are you clapping? Your son wasn't even in this play."

Booth sighed.

"Because, Bones. It's what people do when they go see a play. Even you should know that."

Temperance simply shrugged.

The spotlight illuminated the stage once again as a whole class of what seemed to be like the fourth grade stepped into the light. Four children stepped up to microphones who had been added to the stage. The music started and a young girl began to sing.

"Amazing grace

How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see."

Temperance stared in amazement at the little girl. She couldn't believe that, at such a young age, the child was able to sing that well. She felt the hair on her arm stand and goosebumps appeared. Her eyes never left the little girl even after her solo was over and a japanese girl began to sing Rudolph in her native tongue.

"Wasn't the little girl amazing?" Temperance whispered, turning to her partner.

"I know." Booth replied. "I got goosebumps."

"I know. Me too."

Booth raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Temperance turned her attention back to the choir.

It was after Feliz Navidad, the german version of Oh Christmas Tree and a choir version of Holy Night that the fourth grade class of Mr. Binns exited the stage.

The fourth grade was immediately followed by the sixth grade class of Ms Lucy White with the play: The Crossword Puzzle.

Temperance stared as a girl with brown hair, green eyes and freckles appeared on stage. Braids fell on both side of her face and Temperance guessed that the eleven-year-old was supposed to play a young child. The ressemblance between the young girl and herself at eleven was apparent and left her shocked.

"I need some help with my homework." The boy said, letting out a long sigh.

"Sure honey, what do you need?" The girl playing his mother replied.

"I have to finish this Christmas crossword puzzle but I'm stuck on one question.

How many reindeer have pulled Santa's sleigh?"

"That's an easy one -- eight." Another boy replied,

"Eight?" The sister replied.

Temperance shivered. Even her voice sounded the same as hers.

"You all know that this school, the school has decided to organize a Christmas play to raise money to give to families who are not as lucky as we are. Now, every class in the school has to come up with a little skit, a play or some kind of presentation for the show. Any suggestions?"

Temperance listened quietly as shouts erupted from around the class. Some wanted a play, a few wanted a choir, one even suggested they make a short movie. Temperance said nothing. Nobody would like her idea anyway.

"We'll vote. Who wants to do a skit?"

Hands shot to the air. A smile tugged at the teacher's lips.

"Who wants to do a choir?"

A few hands were lifted.

"Then a skit it is. Now, I kinda already knew what you would want to do so I took the liberty of searching for a play you could all play in and I found one. It's called "Party in Santa's Workshop." Paul, would you like to pass the pile around?"

Paul grabbed the pile of paper his teacher had picked up from her desk and grabbed the first copy, passing the rest of the pile to his neighbor. Seconds later, everyone had a copy.

"Now, there's enough part for everybody and I don't want anybody fighting over a character. If two of you or more want the same character, we'll just have to play "Pick a number" to decide who gets the part."

"Temperance should play the nerdy elf." A young boy shouted from the back of the class.

The students laughed and Temperance felt herself blush.

The teacher frowned.

"David, that wasn't really nice. Please apologize to Temperance right now."

"Sorry." David said, only glancing briefly at Temperance.

Temperance rolled her eyes.

"Now, as I was about to say, we'll read through it once and then we'll decide who plays what. Agreed?"

"Yes." The entire class replied altogether.

"Mary, please read Mother Claus' lines."

She hadn't played the nerdy elf after all. In fact, she hadn't played any part at all. She had snapped at her teacher when she had asked her which part she wanted to play. And so, on the day of the show, she had watched from the backstage as her class stepped out under the bright spotlight and played the best skit of the evening. She had held back her tears when she had seen the standing ovation the play had caused. That night, she had gone home feeling sad and lonely.

She felt something slap her arm and she turned to her partner.

"What?" She mouthed, annoyed.

Booth simply pointed at the stage. Temperance followed his gaze. The other class had been replaced by a single blonde boy. Temperance found herself smiling proudly at Parker as he walked to the front of the stage. She turned to look at her partner. A smile had spread over his face and his eyes were sparkling.

Temperance smiled herself before turning back to the stage.

"Long ago in the forest there were 3 beautiful Fir Trees. These 3 fir trees hoped that someday they would be Christmas Trees. They were very patient and each day they grew and grew." Parker said in his cute little voice.

Three children dressed as trees stepped out from the backstage. Temperance chuckled softly.

"This is too cute." Booth whispered.

Temperance nodded.

Then, to the air of "Little Tea Pot", the children began singing.

"I'm a little fir tree growing tall

Someday I'll be the best of all.

I'll go home with a family and

A Christmas Tree is what I'll be!"

"So the trees waited excitedly for a family to come and pick them for their Christmas Tree and then one day it happened! A family came to the forest!" Parker continued.

Temperance didn't know how long the play lasted. She watched in fascination as more children appeared on stage, dressed as trees and stars. She stared admiringly at Parker who was standing so courageously at the front of the stage and repeating the long script he had been given. She was amazed at how much the child had been able to memorize.

Every now and then, she threw glances over at her partner. His smile had been replaced by a grin.

She smiled as the children began to sing, once again, a song to the air of "Little Tea Pot."

"I'm a little Star from in the sky

I'll sit on the tree top way up high

I'll shine for you in my special way

And twinkle brightly on Christmas day."

"The star looked just beautiful on the little tree and now the tree felt just like a Christmas tree! In fact, he thought he was the most beautiful Christmas tree ever! Don't you think so too?"

Booth shot to his feet as he began clapping loudly. Other parents joined him and soon the entire gymnasium had gotten to their feet. The children bowed proudly on the stage, some of them jumping in happiness.

Temperance clapped. She clapped like she hadn't done in years, like she would have liked to be clapped to if she would have been in the skit in sixth grade. She grinned proudly at Parker. He looked so much like his father, she realized as she looked at him. The little boy was beaming, just like his father.

"Did you see, Dad? Did you see what I did on stage?" Parker asked excitedly as he twirled and jumped ahead of his father as they walked back to the SUV.

"Yes, Parker." Booth replied, chuckling. "I saw you and you were really good."

"Mommy said that too." Parker replied. "What about you Tempe? Did you think I was good too?"

Temperance chuckled.

"Yes, Parker. You were good too."

She turned to her partner. Booth smiled and winked at her.

"Okay, who's up for ice cream?" Booth asked.

"Me! Me! Me!" Parker replied, jumping up and down.

"But Booth, it's freezing out here." Temperance said.

Booth wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

"I'll warm you up if you're too cold."

Temperance felt herself blush. She turned to face her partner and their eyes locked. Out of the blue, her heart began to pound against her chest.

"I guess we can go for some ice cream." She said in a small voice.

Booth released her.

"Then ice cream it is!"

Hope you like it. See you soon in the next chapter! Romantic Booth in motion in the next one!