SORRY SORRY! There was a glitch that wouldnt let me post this until now :( Stupid stupid. I apologize!

This chapter was originally unplanned, but the idea of it suggested to me by Ponies. I hope you all enjoy it, and like I said in the last chapter, I know you'll enjoy the NEXT chapter, because that was the original next chapter. I hope you all followed me there. In any case, hope you like this one, know you'll enjoy the next one!

Chapter Four: Christmas
December – Five months later

Candy
Is dandy
But liquor
Is quicker.
-Ogden Nash

Seeley Booth nursed a tankard of beer in a lone corner of the tavern, oblivious to the cheering around him. He looked up with deadened eyes at a calendar next to him, where the date read December 23. Two days before Christmas. Yet another year spent without Parker…and Bones.

He tore his gaze away from the calendar before he stared counting the days until his return. He couldn't believe that it had only, and already, been a year. He took a swig of his beer and looked at the festivities around him. His lips quirked back into a smile as he remembered the incident at the Jeffersonian a few years prior, where they had all been locked down together. Even though it had been one of the worst moments of his lives…it had also been one of the best.

He sighed, wondering if Bones was maybe thinking about him at that moment in time, and what was Parker up to?

XxX

Everyone smiles in the same language.
-Saying

Temperance had just placed six month old Elizabeth on the floor on her blanket under the careful watch of Singer, who had his chin on his paws, watching the child with a careful, loving attention, when the knock came on the door. Making sure Elizabeth was settled, she got up and moved to the door, already anticipating the visitor.

"Dr. Bones!"

She smiled as Parker threw his arms around her waist before moving into her apartment. She turned her head to see him crouching down beside Elizabeth, shaking a finger that her hand had latched onto, a smile dancing across his face. Temperance turned back to the woman standing in the doorframe. "Thanks for bringing him," she said, smiling at her.

"It was no problem," Rebecca said, waving her hand. "Plus it gives me time alone with Drew," she said, raising an eyebrow and grinning suggestively. "I'll pick him up tomorrow around three?"

"Sounds good," Temperance said, sharing the woman's smile.

With a wave and a good-bye to her son, Rebecca disappeared down the hallway. When she left, Temperance sat on the couch near where Parker was – he having now turned his attention on Singer, scratching his ears. He patted the dog on the head, pulled a bone out of his pocket and placed it in front of him, and then got up, moving to the door to grab a bag that had been dumped there seconds before he had thrown his arms around her waist. He brought it back to the couch where Temperance was.

"Whatcha got there?" Temperance asked, watching the little boy curiously, pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Stuff," Parker answered vaguely, unzipping his bag and rooting around in it before triumphantly pulling out a brightly wrapped present. He blushed slightly as he handed it to Temperance, "For you," he explained.

Temperance hid her surprise as she took the gift. "What is it?"

"Not telling," Parker responded, a grin twitching on his face that reminded her so much of Booth. "Open it!"

Smiling curiously, Temperance unwrapped the gift. Her face lit up as the contents revealed themselves. "Parker, this is fantastic," she said, thumbing through a photo album that contained pictures of both her and him, him and Elizabeth, her and Singer, a few of just himself and then lastly, one of Parker and Booth. She smiled up at the boy. "Thank you."

Parker blushed, scuffing a toe on the carpet – a typical shy boy. He reached down again and extracted from his bag a bright pink, stuffed elephant. "An' this is for Beth," he said, sliding off of the couch to place it in front of the young girl. She blinked back from it, and then giggled, her fingers playing at its fur. "Mommy said I didn't have to wrap it 'cause she's too young to unwrap it," he explained as he walked back to the couch.

Temperance smiled at him. "I think she loves it," she said, watching her daughter interact with the stuffed elephant. She placed a hand on Parker's shoulder, turning him towards the tree that was in the corner of her room, and pointing to an object beneath it. "What do you think that is?"

She saw his face light up at the sight of the present, "Is it for me?" Temperance nodded and watched as he raced to the tree to pull the box out from underneath of it. He hesitated for a moment, "Can I open it?"

"Unless you think you can wait," Temperance said with a grin. Parker shook his head and began to dig into the wrapping paper. With a small sense of pride, Temperance realized that the tree was a nice touch. With pre-arranged dates for her to have Parker, she felt as though having the house void of the Christmas spirit wouldn't be the child's best stay ever. She moved to scoop up her daughter from the ground, bouncing her in her lap with the pink elephant near by, as Parker continued to wrestle with the paper. Singer hopped up on the couch next to her, and she scratched his head with her free hand.

She watched as his face lit up as the paper finally came away, revealing a robotic dinosaur. "Awesome!" he exclaimed. He looked up at her, his face alight with joy, and grinned, "Thank you, Dr. Bones!"

"You're welcome, bud," Temperance said, using the nickname that she had become so familiar with after Booth's departure. "Need any help with the box?"

"No, I got it," Parker responded, groping for purchase on the cardboard edges. His face fell after a moment, and then he looked up, his face twisted, "Well maybe a little."

Temperance laughed, and Elizabeth yawned in her arms. "Let me put Beth down and then I'll help," she said, smiling as she cradled her young daughter in her arms, carrying her into her bedroom and placing a kiss on her forehead before heading out to help her as-good-as-son with his Christmas present.

XxX

Love given away wholeheartedly, inclusively and unconditionally is inexhaustible.
-Anonymous

Later that night, after a long day of decorating the tree, baking cookies, watching cartoons and playing with Singer, Beth and the Dinosaur, Temperance tucked an exhausted Parker into bed.

"Today was fun," he said as he fought back a yawn, his eyes on Temperance as she tucked the sheets in around him and perched on the edge of the bed.

She smiled, gently pushing a stray strand of hair out of his eyes. "It was," she said, "But now it's time for you to sleep," she continued, and he nodded in sleepy agreement.

"Merry Christmas," he said with a smile as he fought of yet another yawn. It was with a startled mind that Temperance realized that the first time she met him he had said the exact same words.

She smiled, "Merry Christmas, Parker." Leaning forward, she kissed him gently on the top of his head before getting up to make her way out of the room. As she made it to the doorway and was about ready to flick off the light switch, Parker's voice called her back.

"Dr. Bones?"

"Yes?" she asked, turning around.

Parker sat up, propping himself up on his elbows. "Do you think my daddy's okay?" he asked, and she could hear his voice quivering.

Temperance felt a heartstring tug and she made her way back to the bed, sitting down beside Parker and wrapping her arm around him – he collapsed into her side, clutching at her shirt. "I think your daddy is a brave, strong man," she said, placing her head on his, "And I think he's safe and sound, thinking of you right now," she continued.

"He's coming home soon, right?" Parker murmured, his voice wavering. He sniffled.

"Sooner than you'll realize," Temperance said, and as soon as she said it, the words hit her as well. Booth was coming home in less than half a year.

Parker turned his face towards hers, and she could see small streams running down his cheeks. "I miss him."

"I miss him too, bub," Temperance said, wiping the tears off of the young boys cheek while trying not to let her own fall. Parker held onto her until he was on the brink of sleep, and then she slid him back into the bed, quietly making her way back to the door.

It was then that she heard his voice again. "I love you, Dr. Bones," his voice was soft and quiet, as that of someone half asleep already.

Temperance smiled and felt a tear slid down her face. "I love you too, Parker."

Quietly, she flicked off the light and slipped out of the room and into her own, where Elizabeth's crib had been temporarily moved to. As she entered, Singer looked up, his tail thumping on the ground. She patted him as she passed, and then reached into the crib and scooped out her sleeping daughter, moving with her to a chair beside the window. She looked down into Beth's sleeping face and smiled – her and Booth's daughter, who would have ever thought?

XxX

So what'd ya think? I know you probably wanted some contact from Seeley or something, but I figured that would be too much emotion and too hard to work in. Anyway, if this chapter want your favorite, the next chapter is the one I promised you'd enjoy! Hope this wasn't too fluffy or dramatic or anything for anybody! Besides, I must go about editing the next chapter, sprucing it up a little, adding stuff I forgot!

XxX

googleaddict - Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! Hope you liked this chap! Thanks for read/reviewing!

Ponies: Haha, subtle hint there, huh:P Well, I'm not sure exactly if I shot this up with an emo bomb. Hope you liked the chapter – like I said, you gave me the idea to throw it in XD

fanfictionmonster: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it - hope you liked this one Thanks for read/reviewing!

bayeelizabeth: Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! Hope yu thought this this one was just as cute Thanks for read/reviewing!