A/N: Thank you for the wonderful review. Here's the promised chapter. Hope you like it. Sorry for any mistakes I might have made about New York City. I've been there once (best time I ever had in my life) but I wasn't there long enough to know Manhattan by heart.

Day 4 - December 21st

They had decorated again this year. The Medico-Legal Lab was now buried under green and red sparkling garlands, white Christmas lights shined above their heads and Angela had even convinced both Cam and Dr. Goodman to put up a Christmas tree which had been set up in the artist's office. Another one had been set up in the administrative offices four floors up, all ready and waiting impatiently for the Christmas party.

Temperance groaned. With everything that had been going on lately, she had almost forgotten about the Christmas party. Booth had kept her so busy, she hadn't even had the time to get some work done here at the museum. Her editor was pressuring her for her new book, which she also hadn't had the time to work on. She sighed. She couldn't complain. Booth had awakened feelings in her she hadn't known she was able to feel anymore and, if she was honest with herself, she was having a lot of fun this year. Maybe Booth was right. Maybe Christmas wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Footsteps made her look up from the skeleton she was examining. She found her best friend walking towards her.

She watched as Angela scanned herself onto the platform and walked up to her.

"Hey Sweetie. What's up?"

"Nothing much." Temperance replied before dropping her gaze back to the body on the examination table.

"Who's that?" Angela asked, trying to be cheerful.

"Male. Aged between 20 and 25 years old. Cause of death is undetermined."

"Did Booth bring that in?"

Temperance shook her head.

"No. Booth isn't..."

She stopped in mid-sentence. She didn't know why. She didn't know why she didn't want her best friend to know that, for the past four days, she had spent some time with Booth and his son. There was something about the situation that made her feel like keeping that piece of information to herself. Anyway, Temperance already knew her best friend's possible reaction. She would squeal, grin, dance around and ask for all the minor details that, frankly, weren't that important. So she had been spending time with Booth. Who cared? They were friends, it was normal for them to see each other outside of work. Her mind told Temperance that it wasn't. She ignored it.

"Booth isn't what?" Angela asked, curious.

"He isn't working. He has Parker over so he took the entire week of vacation."

"Hmm... how do you know?"

"Booth's my partner." Temperance replied on a tone that told Angela she was stating the obvious.

Temperance looked up at her best friend and from the look on the artist's face, she immediately knew her friend had bought the reason. She went back to the skeleton.

"I tried calling you last night." Angela said, after a minute or two of silence. "You didn't answer your cellphone or your phone at home."

"I was out." Temperance replied evasively as she focused more than necessary on the back of the skull.

"Out? Where?"

"A play." Temperance answered, her eyes never leaving the body.

Temperance could feel her heart racing in her chest as she thought about the previous night. After the play, she had gone out for ice cream then had gone back to Booth's place. They had talked until past midnight when Temperance had said that it was late and that she should have gone home. Booth hadn't forced her to stay even though she was pretty sure she had seen the question in his eyes as he wished her a good night at the door.

She could feel Angela's gaze on her and she forced her expression to remain neutral.

"Sweetie, if you keep staring at the skull like that, you'll drill a whole through it."

Temperance looked up from the skeleton, annoyance flashing in her eyes.

"Sorry. So, you went to see a play?"

"Yeah."

"What was it about?"

Grabbing the skull in her hands, she examined it more closely, her attention back into professional mode. Something wasn't right about that skull.

"Christmas." Temperance replied as she twirled the skull in her hands.

"You went to see a Christmas play?" Angela asked, too surprised to say anything else.

"Yeah, so?"

"With Booth?"

Temperance's eyes snapped up to her friend.

"Why do you say that?"

Angela felt herself blushing. Her friend obviously didn't know about the bet going on between her and Booth.

"Oh, no reason. I mean, I just thought that if you went to see a Christmas play, it would be with Booth."

Temperance eyed her suspiciously.

"So what's wrong with the skull? You seem pretty interested in it." Angela said, hoping to change the subject.

The mention of the skull shifted Temperance back into professional mode.

"Yeah, actually, there's something weird with it. Would you mind drawing a sketch of the victim? I'd like to see if my assumptions are right before I jump to a conclusion."

"Sure thing, Sweetie." Angela replied.

"Booth, would you just let go of my arm?" Temperance said, exasperated. "I know how to walk, you know?"

But Booth didn't listen. Instead, he quickened his pace.

"Where are we going anyway?"

"It's a surprise."

Temperance sighed.

"Another one?"

Booth stopped in his tracks and spun around.

"This one I think you'll like."

Booth stared into her eyes for a second longer before breaking the eye contact.

"Come on. We don't want to be late."

"Late for what, Booth?" Temperance asked as Booth began to walk away.

"You'll see." Booth replied over his shoulder.

Temperance rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips, before going off after him.

"Why are we driving out of Washington? Booth, where are you taking me?"

Booth turned to his partner.

"Stop asking questions or I'll blindfold you."

Temperance's eyes narrowed in fake menace.

"You wouldn't dare." She said, trying to sound as menacing as she could.

Booth wriggled his eyebrows.

"Yeah? Try me."

The sun was slowly setting behind thick gray clouds, sending rays of pink and orange about the scenery. Temperance slightly shifted in her seat before slowly opening her eyes. She looked up to find Booth staring at her.

"It's about time you woke up." Booth said, teasingly. "I was starting to feel lonely."

Temperance straightened up in her seat and looked out the window. She immediately felt confused. Her surroundings were unknown to her. She frowned.

"How long have I been out?"

"Nearly three hours."

"Sorry."

Booth glanced at her.

"Don't be sorry, Bones. You were tired. You needed some sleep. It's normal."

Temperance shrugged.

"I guess."

She yawned.

"Where are we?"

"Bones, I'd like to welcome you to New York City."

Temperance's eyes grew wide as she turned back to the window.

Tall buildings greeted her view, buildings she hadn't properly noticed when she had woken up a few minutes earlier. Light snow was falling on the city and hundreds of people populated the sidewalks. Temperance looked in front of them. Cars were lined up on the street.

Yep, that's Manhattan for you. Temperance thought.

"You brought me to New York?" Temperance asked, surprised.

Booth chuckled but didn't reply.

"What about the dress you made me bring?"

"Oh you'll definetely need it."

"And my sweat pants?"

"That too." Booth replied as he took a right.

Temperance frowned.

Sensing her gaze, Booth turned around.

"You'll see when we get there."

Temperance rolled her eyes.

"Would you quit saying that?"

Booth chuckled.

Temperance stared out the window in silence as Booth drove through the different streets of Manhattan in search of only him knew what. Puzzled, she tried to make sense of this whole charade. She couldn't understand why she had needed to bring both sweat pants, a sweatshirt and a dress. And why had Booth brought her to New York on a Tuesday night? Did he plan to make them spend the night here? Impossible. He would have told her to bring PJs as well. Then what were they doing here?

On West 48th Street, Booth pulled up to a garage parking lot. Temperance frowned but didn't say anything as Booth paid for parking then drove around the lot to find a place to park the SUV. When he finally found a spot, he turned off the ignition and turned to her.

"We'll need to change because I doubt they'll agree to let us in dressed like this."

"What do you mean?"

Booth turned and opened his door.

"It's a pretty classy place."

Classy wasn't the word when Temperance laid eyes on the scenery of the restaurant. She barely even registered walking up to her table and even less sitting down. Her eyes scanned the entire room. Several other couples and families were already seated, all of them dressed really nice. Temperance looked down at her own dress. Now she could understand why Booth had wanted her to wear it.

"Like it?"

Temperance turned to her partner. She was surprised, when she look in his eyes, to find something she had barely ever saw before. He almost looked scared as he stared back at her. Temperance felt herself melt.

"It's perfect, Booth."

Booth let out a sigh of relief. Temperance stared tenderly at him.

"You deserved something nice, Bones."

"This is more than nice."

She turned to look out the window. From where they were, on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Center, Temperance was able to get a wide view of Manhattan. Millions of lights breathtakingly shined into the night. Cars, like little dots, slowly made their way down the streets. Yes, this was more than nice.

"I'm starving." Booth said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's eat, shall we?"

Temperance turned back to her partner and smiled. Booth smiled back.

"Now what?" Temperance asked as they waited for the elevator that would bring them back down to the main floor.

"Well, we have about forty minutes to get changed, go back to the car, drop our stuff off and head to our next destination."

"Which is?" Temperance asked as they stepped into an elevator.

"A surprise, Bones."

Temperance chuckled softly, shaking her head. Booth smiled at her.

The walk back to the SUV was quiet. Even when they reached the vehicle and that Booth threw their bags into the backseats and grabbed another one, no questions and no words were exchanged. Yet, neither one of them felt the need to fill it. Only when they left the garage that Temperance inquired about the bag's content. Booth simply told her to wait just a few more minutes.

She saw the Christmas lights and immediately knew what Booth had planned to end what she had to admit was a perfect evening. From where they were, she could see the tall Christmas tree standing proudly, casting light down to the skating rink under him. She smiled. Booth really did have a romantic side.

They sat down on a bench and Booth slowly opened the bag. A smile tugged at Temperance's lips as he took out the pair of skates. Her pair of skates.

"Where did you get those?" Temperance asked, slightly surprised.

"Angela." Booth replied as he handed them to her.

Temperance shook her head. She should have known.

"She said that you haven't been skating in years."

Temperance nodded.

"I can't even remember the last time I went. I think it was when I first started working at the Jeffersonian." Temperance replied as she took off her boots and pulled one of her skates on.

"I try to come here at least once a year. Last year, I brought Parker. He simply loved it."

"Why didn't you bring him today?"

Booth turned to his partner and locked eyes with her.

"Because I wanted it to be just the two of us."

Temperance swallowed, currently hating the effect Booth was having on her. There was just something about tonight. Usually, she would have been able to resist his gaze, resist giving him to the temptation of kissing him. Tonight, she simply didn't feel strong.

She broke the eye contact and brought her gaze back to her skates.

Seconds later, Booth was standing up.

"Come on." He said, holding out his hand.

Grabbing it, Temperance let herself be pull up.

"So why do you hate Christmas?" Booth asked as they began to skate around.

Temperance frowned.

"What makes you think that I hate Christmas?"

"Well maybe because you don't celebrate it."

Temperance sighed.

"Most people think that I don't like Christmas because my parents disappeared around that time. It's not the only reason."

Booth turned to her, surprised. What else could make her hate Christmas?

"That play we went to see last night brought back a lot of memories for me about my time in elementary school. I remembered stuff I had forgotten."

"Pushed down, you mean? Block out?"

"Booth, you know how much I hate psychology."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, I guess I've never really liked Christmas. Every time we'd do some Christmasie at school, I always ended up being rejected. In sixth grade, I really wanted to be in a play. I wanted to be Mother Claus. I really wanted that part. But Christina MacPherson got it. My teacher wanted me to play an elf. I refused. People laughed when my teached picked Christina. They mocked me.

In high school, it was different. We didn't have to do anything for Christmas so I started liking it again. Besides, I was with my family and that was all that mattered to me. Then my parents disappeared and I began hating Christmas again."

"I'm really sorry you had to go through this, Bones."

Temperance shrugged.

"Well it's not big deal, really. I got past it."

"Still. Well Bones, I'll make you like Christmas again, I promise."

"Why would you do that?"

She felt Booth's hand grab hers. Her heart skipped a beat as she forgot how to breathe.

"Because you're my friend and my partner and I really care about you."

Temperance looked up at her friend and smiled.

Around them, other skaters zoomed past them but Temperance didn't see them. A warm feeling began spreading through her and it wasn't until she climbed into her comfy bed, six hours later, that the cold feeling returned.

Someone's in looooooooooooove:-)