"Okay kiddos, are you ready for some skating," Angela asked as she met Sarah and her kids at the Jeffersonian. Sarah smiled at the two children as they answered with enthusiastic cries, practically bouncing up and down on their feet.
"I can't tell you again how much this means to me. Thank you so much for all of this, you and Dr. Brennan."
"You're welcome, although it's certainly no problem. You've got a great set of kids here."
"You think so?" Sarah queried, unsure of her parenting abilities, in fact unsure of her self entirely.
"Absolutely." Angela assured, her sincerity evident to all.
"I guess they are. I am so proud of them."
"As they are of you." Angela began to smirk and Sarah turned to see exactly what it was Angela was so amused by. As she followed Angela's gaze and observed the object of her amusement, she sharply snapped her head back, training her eyes on the floor to avoid laughing.
"Zack." Angela called in a sing songy voice, trying to mask her amusement, "You look, um, well prepared."
"I'm not sure what exact environment to expect at the rink, so I wanted to have all possible scenarios covered." He frowned as he pulled off his ski cap.
"Well, that much is obvious."
"Hey dude, did you decide to wear your whole wardrobe in one go?" Hodgins chuckled as he rounded the corner, coming face to face with the well-prepared Zack Addy.
Before Zack had a chance to come up with a response, Angela rolled her eyes and flurried towards him. Taking him by the arm she dragged him towards her office. "Come on Zack; let's see if we can get a few of these clothes off of you!"
Hodgins watched, momentarily speechless as she dragged the young anthropologist off. Sarah suppressed a chuckle as she watched the scene, her kids unable to hold back the giggles. Finally Hodgins turned back to the nurse.
"As soon as Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth show up, we can get going. How are you doing today?"
"I'm a little nervous, but otherwise..."
"Good , good. Well nothing at all to be nervous about. I'm sure you'll do just fine." Hodgins assured her, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Do you think Zack is alright in there?" Hodgins asked, a little bothered by the images that kept filling his head involving Angela removing clothes from the young doctor.
"Maybe you should go check." Sarah offered, knowingly giving him the opportunity to go and keep an eye on the situation.
"I'll be back in a sec." Hodgins called, already half way to Angela's door.
"Mom, he's funny," Alex said with a little chuckle. She ruffled his hair and smiled down at the boy.
"He's a good man. I want the two of you on your best behavior today, okay? These nice people are doing this for us, so remember to be polite."
"Well yeah mom."
They both replied, in a way that suggested politeness was something well ingrained in their upbringing.
Their quiet moment was broken by the sound of something smashing and a shriek from Angela's office. Sarah was about to make her way over to check everything was ok when she heard Booth's voice behind her.
"What on earth is going on in Angela's office?" Booth asked Sarah, Sarah shrugged and with piqued interest followed Booth towards Angela's sanctum. They were closely followed by Haley and Alex who had been ushered along by Brennan who had Parker firmly planted on one hip.
They all stopped, stunned when they saw what had happened. Zack looked like he was scared to move from the corner, Angela was glaring at Hodgins, and the entomologist was gaping like a fish, incapable of speech.
"Jack, this has got to stop. I was just trying to make sure Zack would be more comfortable. I can't believe you actually thought... What is wrong with you?"
"Is everything okay in here?" Booth looked over the group with amusement. This was entirely too good to pass up.
"Be nice Tiger," Brennan whispered to him, earning herself an amused glare.
"Zack, are you Ok? You look awfully pale." Brennan asked, noticing for the first time just how worryingly scared he looked.
"I….I..." He began, the words not coming to his mouth.
"See Jack, do you see what you've done?" Angela chastised moving closer to Zack.
Again Jack tried to speak, but he was cut off by Booth's amused laughter.
"Oh, this is too good. Hodgins is jealous of the kid. Wow." The others looked at the situation and began to laugh themselves. It really was a ridiculous situation.
"I believe," Brennan said, "That we have a date with these kids to ice skate."
"I'm not jealous man." Hodgins hedged, no one believing him.
"You're jealous." Zach stated, in a non-provocative way, simply vocalizing the realization that had just formed in his head.
"Jealous of Zack? That's a ridiculous idea - I'm not jealous of you Zach." Hodgins countered hurriedly.
Before the banter could continue Brennan dragged Booth out of Angela's office, Sarah and the kids following close behind. After a second appraising the situation Angela too, made a hasty exit.
"Once the interview is over, Hodgins will take you to the rink. I'm sure Haley and Alex will have a great time today," Angela commented, glancing back into her office to keep an eye on the boys.
"I can't tell you how much this means to me, the attention you're giving my kids. Thank you."
"It's no problem at all, what's the Holiday season without having kids around anyway?"
Angela took Alex and Haley by the hand, Brennan quietly observing that Angela was very much a natural when it came to children.
"Ready to go guys?" Angela asked, raising their hands up high in her own.
"Ready." They said in unison.
"Ready?" Brennan asked Parker, to ensure he felt included.
" Ready Dr Tempe," he replied in a shy, hushed tone. He was somewhat intimidated by having older children around she noted. Haley looked over at the little boy, still in Temperance's arms and smiled. She offered her free hand to him. After a moment of hesitation, Parker reached out to take the hand. Brennan smiled at him and set him down to be with the other kids. Booth watched the scene, smiling at her efforts with all three kids. It was a side of her he rarely saw. Brennan turned to see Booth looking at her in an odd way.
"What did I do? Did I do something wrong?"
"No Bones, no you didn't. The complete opposite."
"Oh." She responded, not quite sure what else to say.
He threw his arm around her shoulder as Hodgins and Zack finally exited the office. Zack was shaking his head, and Hodgins looked somewhat contrite.
"Well, I think we can all get going. Sarah, good luck at your interview."
"Thank you." She was ushered away with Hodgins while the rest left for the skating rink. Booth gave Brennan another gentle squeeze and leaned in close to her ear. "You're doing perfect today Bones." Brennan shivered at the gentle caress of his words.
The team divided between cars and began making their way to their various destinations. Hodgins tried to be reassuring for Sarah despite the fact that he was more than a little perturbed by the events in Angela's office. Booth was in his element with Temperance and the 3 kids whilst Angela looked to the heavens for mercy as Zack explained why her vehicle was an unsafe mode of transport.
Arriving at the ice rink Brennan and Booth helped the kids out of the car. Brennan paid special attention to Parker, a fact that was not missed by Booth. They congregated by the bandstand where the small band was playing out classic holiday tunes.
Haley, Alex, and Parker sat still, but wiggling with anticipation as Booth went to rent skates for everyone. Brennan ran her hand through Parker's curls as he spoke shyly to Alex. He was in general an outgoing child, but today, shyness was taking over.
"Do you think the two of you can help Parker out today? Maybe show him some techniques?" Brennan looked at the kids as she spoke.
"Sure" Alex replied, slightly more in tune to what Brennan was really getting at. "Have you skated before Parker?" Alex asked, moving closer to Parker.
"Yep," Parker responded, slightly more assured, "Daddy's taken me skating lotsa times."
"Well maybe you can show us a few things." Alex offered.
"Can you go backwards?" Parker asked, starting to fidget even more with excitement.
"Nope," Alex lied, "will you show me how?"
"Yeah!" Brennan smiled as the shyness dropped. This was a good idea, bringing the kids with them to go skating. As Booth came back, his arms laden with five pairs of skates, Brennan rushed over to take some of them.
"Here, Booth, let me help."
"No, I don't want you aggravating your arm."
"Then I shouldn't even go out on the ice. If I were to fall, it would do a lot more damage than grabbing some skates."
"Good idea Bones, hows about you take your own advice and stay off the ice altogether." Booth teased, whilst handing out the skates.
"You know that is not what I meant Booth."
"So you do want these skates then." Booth offered, holding the skates just out of her reach.
"Booth, my arm in a cast or not I can still take you down."
"Is that a promise?" Booth challenged, quirking an eyebrow.
"Will you just give me the skates Booth?"
"What's the magic word Bones?" Booth pushed it further.
"The magic what? Booth I don't even know what you're talking about." Brennan was about to move towards Booth to inflict some serious bodily harm when she felt someone tugging at her sleeve. She looked down to see Parker motioning for her to bend down so he could whisper something to her. Booth watched on with a mixture of amusement and trepidation. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she rose and began to speak. "Can I have the skates please Tiger?" She asked, drawing out the word please in a childlike play.
Booth was about to respond when he heard Angela's voice from behind him. "Tiger?"
Don't even start with that Angela," Booth snarked as he handed the pair of skates to Brennan.
"Only Dr. Tempe is allowed to call daddy that," Parker added, looking at Angela. "And she's gonna call me Lion too, huh Dr. Tempe."
"Is that so?" Angela looked at her friend with raised eyebrows. This maternal side of her best friend was new, and she had to admit, it was nice to see. The adults each stood motionless independently acknowledging the pleasant changes that had occurred in the past few days. The children however were finding their patience wearing a little thin.
"Daddy." Parker nagged, "Are we going to skate yet?"
"Sure, um sure Bub." Booth responded, his mind pulled from inappropriate thoughts of his partner. "How about you three go ahead and I'll help Bones on the ice."
"I don't need your help Booth I'm perfectly capable." Brennan countered, although not fighting him as he placed his arm around her waist in preparation.
As the children skated ahead Haley asked, "Why does your Dad call Tempe Bones."
"Oh, that's his special name for her. Only he can call her that. She's his Bones."
The children's conversation was lost on Booth and Brennan but it most certainly elicited a smile from Angela.
"Come on Zack; let's see what kind of special moves you have on the ice." Angela linked arms with the young anthropologist as they stepped out on the ice.
Booth kept his hand at Brennan's waist, his other holding her hand as they skated around the rink, both watching the three kids as they moved. Once he saw that Parker was well taken care of, Booth spun Brennan in his arms so she was skating backwards. He pulled her a little closer and kissed her quickly on the lips before twirling her back into place. Brennan laughed at his behavior and glanced over at him.
"What was that for?"
"That's just for being you Bones." He laughed, pulling her a little closer.
"You know that makes no sense right? I can only by definition be me." She rationalized, her brow furrowed as if she was analyzing a case, an expression not missed by Booth.
"It makes perfect sense Bones, I'm glad that you are you, and that you are here, with me." He explained, hoping that she would understand his meaning.
"Well," she began, her voice pausing as she watched Parker fall lightly. She only began talking again once she had observed Haley and Alex help him to his feet. "Well Booth," She continued, turning herself around to face him, "thank you for being you and being here too."
She leaned forward, ready to offer Booth a small kiss of her own, but moved away at Angela's shriek of laughter. Brennan and Booth looked over to watch as the artist and Zack twirled around together on the ice.
"Well, it looks like Angela's having a good time," Booth grinned.
"Zack as well." As the band began playing another song, Temperance grinned and spun a little in Booth's arms.
"I love this song. It was always one of my favorites when I was a kid."
"So you've always had great taste then?" Booth questioned.
"Well I have to say my taste in men is slipping but other than that…" she shrugged to finish her sentence.
"Now that's not very nice is it now Bones?"
She simply smiled in response and pushed away from him, skating off at speed towards the kids who were all mastering the art of backwards skating. Booth shook his head and sped up, trying to catch the anthropologist. He was surprised at how quickly she could move on the ice, but caught up with her because of his longer stride. Just as she tried to get out of his grasp again, she tripped. Booth reached out, grabbing her by the waist and spinning her in his arms.
"You okay Bones?" She surprised him by bursting into fits of laughter, so much so that tears began to stream down her face.
"Bones?" Booth asked, his face covered with a wide, open smile, usually reserved for Parker.
"I'm sorry." Brennan offered, trying to regulate her breathing and avoid eye contact with Booth. "It's just when you asked if I was ok, I nearly said 'never better'. I'm sorry, that's not funny is it?"
"Not a joke I get." Booth agreed, his mind ticking over trying to fathom how on earth that could be funny.
"It's just, well that is so clichéd and romance novel like. I would never have Kathy come out with something like that in one of my novels. It's just so, so, I don't even have the words." She sighed, leaning back against the edge of the ice rink.
"So what you are really saying is that I make you feel like you are in a good romance novel?" Booth asked leadingly.
"I wouldn't go that far..." Booth trapped her with his arms against the edge of the rink.
"You wouldn't? I dunno, that's what it sounded like." He leaned in again to kiss her, but got diverted to her cheek when she moved to the side to look at the kids.
"At the hospital, I overheard Haley and Alex talking about needing something for a secret Santa..."
"Okay. And you're bringing this up now why?"
"I wonder if we can help them. There has to be something we can do for them."
"Temperance Brennan, you are a surprising woman, you know that?"
"Only because people underestimate me Booth."
Booth was about to argue when it dawned on him that what she had said was true. He did underestimate her and she deserved a lot better than that.
"I'm sorry for underestimating you Bones. I really should know better by now shouldn't I?"
"No Booth, logically, if I have understood correctly the behavior you were inferring was surprising, it is surprising. I have no knowledge of the rituals they are following. I am not engaged in a family unit, I have not been socialized to…" Her words were cut off by a stolen kiss from Booth. She was too shocked to find words as they both sneakily looked around to check no one had seen.
"So what do you want to do about it?"
"Do about what?" Whenever he did that, she had a difficult time thinking.
"The secret Santa thing."
"Oh, I'm not sure. It should be something low cost I suppose, but unique as well."
"I think I know just the thing," Booth said with a smirk.
"And what's that?"
Before Booth could answer their attention was stolen by shrieks on the centre of the ice. They both turned to see Zack spinning Haley, much in the way he had Angela earlier. Alex, Parker and Angela had paused to cheer, however Parker's focus was on his Dad and his favorite Anthropologist in the world. Noticing that his son appeared to want his attention Booth grabbed Brennan's hand and they skated over to Angela and the kids to join in watching the show Zack and Haley were putting on.
"The boy can really skate." Booth commented to Brennan as he took Parker's hand. Parker immediately moved to swap hands so he could stand in the middle. "No Bub, I need to stand next to Bones to make sure she is safe with her bad arm."
"Booth." Bones chastised, noticing the look of hurt flash across Parker's eyes. "Firstly I am perfectly capable of looking after myself." She whispered in a forceful tone, "secondly," she said louder, for Parker's ears. "Parker can help me, can't you?"
"Course I can Dr. Tempe," he said seriously. Temperance placed her good hand on Booth's shoulder for a moment, before taking Parker by the hand. He took the job very seriously, skating slowly until he was sure Temperance could keep up with him. "See daddy, I can do it."
"I see that Bub." Booth smiled in encouragement at his son as the little boy led Brennan around the rink. Angela skated up next to Booth and looked at him for a moment.
"So when exactly did the whole thing with you and Brennan start?"
"I don't know what you are talking about Angela, so don't you try any of your mind voodoo on me; it won't work."
"Mind voodoo Booth, mind voodoo?" Angela questioned, rolling her eyes for added emphasis.
"I'm not telling you anything Angela so stop fishing." Booth replied, a false smile on his lips.
"So there is something to tell Booth, duly noted." She teased, more than a little pleased at how how easily this was going.
"Angela you are twisting my words here." Booth tried ineffectively to back peddle.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave." She responded solemnly, before skating off laughing, leaving a worried looking Booth in her wake.
The next few hours passed uneventfully, though Booth was sad to say he was a little jealous of the attention Brennan was lavishing on his son. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate it, he did, but he'd hoped to have some of it on himself.
The group finally made it off the ice to take a lunch break. Near the rink was a small diner, and the group gladly went inside to grab a bite to eat.
Brennan eventually let go of Parker's hand and watched him rush ahead with Haley and Alex who were following an unusually keen Zack. Angela followed close behind Parker whilst Brennan dropped back to let Booth catch up with her.
"You shouldn't be jealous you know." Brennan teased, as Booth began pulling faces which she assumed meant that he was denying her accusation.
"Bones, I don't know what you're talking about." He hedged, placing his hand on her back.
"You do Booth and I think this is something you may want to discuss with your therapist." She said, with a little too much seriousness for Booth's liking.
"Bones, psychology is not your thing." He warned, all too aware that she had hit the nail on the head.
"No Booth, psychology is not my thing, but you are." She smiled, taking a seat next to Parker and turning her attention to the menu he was trying to share with her. Booth hadn't joined them yet, still trying to wrap his mind around what she'd just said. He was her thing? He was her thing? He broke out into a grin before sitting on Parker's other side giving his son the chance to interact with them both.
The couple would sneak glances at each other, smiling occasionally when they thought no one was looking. Angel watched the pair as she and Zack entertained the older kids. In reality, she couldn't be happier for them. Booth and Brennan had obviously worked through the initial kiss and now had something they were working on.
Soon the waiter bought their food to the table and chaos ensued in a way that can only be created by three kids after the highs of ice-skating. The children chattered about people that Brennan eventually deduced were characters from TV shows. She made a mental list of names and phrases to google later so that she would be more up to speed when she next got to spend time with Parker. As that thought crossed her mind panic began to come in waves through her body. Panic that she may not get to spend time with him again and an equal panic regarding the obvious implications if she was spending more time with him in the future. The ever-observant Angela noticed the shift in Brennan's demeanor and opted to try and bring Brennan back to reality.
"Bren, could you pass the fries?" The request was simple, but it had the desired effect; it got Brennan out of her head and into the world.
"Hmmm? Oh, of course," Temperance answered absently. She passed the basket of fries over to Angela.
Booth looked outside the diner and spotted Hodgins and Sarah arriving at the rink. As Hodgins turned to look around for them, Booth waved them over. They came inside, and everyone turned to hear the news. Hodgins said nothing, and Sarah's expression was unreadable.
"Well?" Angela asked, trying to read their expressions.
"Well what?" Hodgins asked teasingly, causing Angela to throw a fry in his direction "Hey, hey, no need to start assaulting me already," Hodgins laughed, raising his hands to indicate submission.
"How did it go Sarah?"
"Kids, I'm afraid we won't be able to spend Christmas in the Motel." Sarah began, turning to focus on her children. Both children's faces fell, as the adults began to smile knowing what was coming next, "Because I got the job!"
There was a general giving of congratulations as Sarah moved round to sit between Haley and Alex.
"Is this ok with you two?" She asked sincerely. "I've told Dr Hodgins that I will only accept the job if you are both happy with this."
"But before you make your decision…" Hodgins interjected, "I want you to know that you would have full access to the main library, the swimming pools, tennis courts even the fishing lakes."
"Really?" the kids asked, wide eyed.
"Daddy can I move in with Dr Hodgins too?" Parker asked hopefully. Booth laughed and ruffled his son's hair.
"No, but I'm sure we can go to visit anytime we want."