"You aren't going to panic on me, are you," Booth asked as he wandered into his living room at two in the morning. Brennan was sitting on the couch and looking at the Christmas tree. She turned toward Booth and smiled, motioning with her head for him to join her.

"No, I just have problems sleeping somewhere new for the first time." Booth moved around and sat next to her, admiring the way the lights twinkled on the tree and casting a soft glow on the room. Outside, snow fell, muffling the sounds of a city that was never quite silent. He turned his attention onto Temperance, noting the contemplative look on her face as she continued to watch the twinkling fairly lights.

"What are you thinking about?" Temperance sighed and the corners of her mouth quirked up in a small smile.

"Russ and I used to wait by the fireplace every year for Santa to show up. We'd sit and stare because we just knew that if we concentrated hard enough we'd see Santa come down the chimney."

"Let me guess, you always fell asleep, right?" Booth swung a leg up onto the couch, and Temperance settled against him, laying her head on his shoulder as she continued to stare at the tree. She glanced back at him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tighter against him.

"One year, when I was five years old as we sat by the fireplace we heard the sound of sleigh bells outside. My mom came in with a tray of cookies and mild and said that Santa wouldn't come down the chimney until we went to bed. Russ and I looked at each other and ran to our rooms because we didn't want him to skip the house."

"Sounds nice," Booth said, bringing his lips to the side of Temperance's neck. She let out a little sigh and tilted her head to allow him better access as he nibbled lightly along her skin.

"Mmmm, feels nice," she murmured. The speed at which they entered into their relationship felt both quick and completely natural. Ever since they began to work together they'd been moving toward this point. The attraction was always there, but it took some time before they were friends. By that point, their friendship overrode any attraction and it was easy to ignore the way they stirred up the other.

Maybe it was magic, like Angela seemed to think that brought them together. Something had changed the night they went to dinner and out shopping, but it was nothing tangible. It was just an overwhelming sensation that they were at a jumping off point and took that leap together.

Brennan ran her hands along his thighs, clutching at the muscle as she turned to meet his lips in a kiss. This new point in their relationship was exhilarating, and it amazed her to think of how Booth's mere presence was enough to comfort her when she was worried about something. There was one thing to her that meant more however. When she told him what she wanted to do for Sarah and the twins, he'd said he was proud of her. It seemed too long since anyone had been proud of her and her accomplishments. This man who could comfort her one moment and infuriate her the next also made her feel as if she belonged. He never seemed to judge her, and seemed to appear whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on. If she believed in protective supernatural beings, then she'd believe that he was her very own guardian angel.

Booth broke off their kiss, and as Temperance looked up at him in confusion, he stood and offered her his hand. She smiled and took it, following him to the bedroom and the safety of his arms.

XxXxX

"How long do we have to wait here Angela," Hodgins said as they stood just out of sight of the front door. He breathed hot air onto his hands hoping to warm them up a little bit.

"We'll wait here as long as is needed Jack," she hissed and then ducked back behind the side of the house. She, Hodgins, Zack and Temperance stood in wait for Sarah to leave with her children for midnight mass. The nurse and her two children exited the house, completely unaware of the group just around the corner.

"You know we could have just watched for them from Zack's apartment," Hodgins hissed at his girlfriend. She shot him a glare and held out a hand to keep him quiet as Sarah loaded her two children into the car and made sure they were strapped in properly.

"And we would lose valuable time because it's too far away. They're almost gone, and then we can head right into the house, no time wasted." Jack sighed and rolled his eyes at the somewhat warped logic. It would have only taken them a few minutes to get to the house once they knew Sarah was on her way out the front door, and they could have been warm in the process.

Angela peeked around the house again and gave a short wave to indicate that the coast was clear. Sarah was gone, and they only had about a three hour window in which to get all of their work done. She and Brennan picked up some boxes, while Zack and Hodgins dragged the tree that Angela had picked out. The artist was completely excited as they entered the house and bounced a bit on her toes.

"Oh this is going to be so much fun! I don't think I've ever made Christmas before. Guys, go ahead and set up the tree in the middle of the family room. Bren, let's get the rest of the boxes so we can start making this place shine." Angela set down her box and flounced out of the house for more supplies.

The four worked over the next few hours, Angela directing as the other three placed decorations on the tree, wreathes and garlands around the room, and even burgundy, green and gold decorations around the room along with some table settings. The Victorian feel of the house gave the entire arrangement a warmth that would have otherwise been absent. Temperance took a moment to pause and admire their work as Angela placed gifts around the tree just so. The artist turned when she felt her friend's gaze on her.

"Did you label all of these from Santa?" Angela held up another gift before putting it under the tree as well.

"Well I know that Sarah would think all of this charity, and I really want her to be able to just accept it as a gift."

"You know sweetie, when you think from the heart you blow people away. Not many people would go to this length to help out another person." Temperance shrugged as she looked at the tree.

"Sarah deserves it. She's had so much to deal with, and I think it's time she has something nice happen to her." Angela stood and gave her friend a hug.

"Well it's wonderful." She let go of Temperance and checked the time. Only ten minutes until they were expected home. "Okay guys we have to get out of here. They could be home any minute." Angela hurried away, picking up boxes and stray pieces of tinsel so the place would be spotless for the returning family. Brennan took one more moment to look at the work they'd done and smiled. Sarah and her kids were going to be so surprised.

XxXxX

"Mom," Haley said from her seat in the back of the car. "Do you think Santa's going to bring us anything?" Sarah glanced in the rearview mirror and sighed. Temperance and her friends had helped her so much over the past couple of weeks, but it was still a struggle for her to pick up anything for her kids. She thought about the meager pile of presents she'd scrimped to be able to give her kids. It wasn't much, and she hoped her children wouldn't be disappointed at the meager pile. Pushing the thoughts aside, she smiled at her daughter.

"I'm sure he'll remember to stop by. You just need to get right to bed so he won't…" She frowned as she looked at the house the Cantilever provided her. There was smoke coming out of the chimney and it looked as though lights were on in the living room.

"So he won't what?" Haley looked at her mom curiously and then at her brother who simply shrugged. Sarah stopped the car and turned around to face her children.

"Listen to me kids. Stay in the car until I say it's okay to get out."

"Mom, what's wrong?" Alex looked out the window and saw the smoke from the chimney. "Why's there a fire?"

"I don't know. I'm going to go in and take a look, but I need you to stay here, okay?" The two children nodded and watched as their mother got out of the car and headed toward the house slowly. Haley looked a little scared so her brother took her hand and gave it a little squeeze. As they stared at the light inside and the smoke coming from the chimney, Alex's eyes widened.

"Haley, you don't think that Santa's already been here do you?" His sister's eyes widened as well and both kids pressed their faces to the windows to get a better look at what was going on.

Sarah reached the front door and slowly pushed it open. Her heart pounded in her chest as she found the doorknob turning in her hand, the door clicking open. She couldn't hear anything inside the house and held her breath. If there was someone in here, they were being awfully quiet. She crept inside, wincing once as she stepped on a squeaky floorboard, but upon not hearing anything save the crackling of a fire in the other room, she proceeded forward.

When she reached the living room, she stopped in her tracks. Stockings hung on the mantle of the fireplace, chock full of goodies as a fire burned merrily in the hearth. A tree filled the middle of the room, fairy lights twinkling and reflecting off the colorful glass bulbs decorating its branches. It was what was under the tree however that caused her the most surprise. There was no way she was seeing this correctly.

Edging forward, she picked up one of the beautifully wrapped gifts and read the tag. She set the gift back as tears began to stream down her cheeks. Wiping them away with the back of her hand, she ran to the front door, unable to stop the smile that spread across her features.

"Haley, Alex, you've got to come see!" The two kids looked at each other and clambered out of the car, running for the house. When they reached the living room both of the kids stopped and looked around in awe. Haley turned a curious gaze to her mother, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Mom?"

"It looks like Santa made it after all." Sarah let out a small sob and gathered her children into her embrace, silently sending a prayer of thanks to god for the miracle before her.