It was 1pm when Brennan knocked anxiously on Booth's door. They had agreed 1pm as Brennan had wanted to get some work done beforehand on account of Christmas being an 'over commercialised holiday' and 'people still [need] to know what's happened to their love ones, more so on Christmas'. Booth had agreed knowing this would be the only way that he could spend Christmas with her.

"It's open." Booth yelled from his kitchen. Brennan turned the handle and walked in. She looked around Booth's apartment in awe. He had decorated every inch of it. The tree stood tall in the corner of the room, covered in tinsel, baubles and lights. She walked through to the kitchen to see Booth.

"Hey Booth."

"Hey Bones." Booth said turning to kiss her on the lips, his arms wrapping around her waist and hers linking around his neck. "How was work?"

"Good. I got an identification from Limbo done and completed several pieces of paperwork." Booth smiled at the pride in her voice. It was one of the things he loved about her. Her dedication to her work never failed to amaze him. "How was your morning?"

"Boring. Parker rang me at 10 to say 'merry Christmas' and then Pops came over for an hour. He left around 30 minutes ago. He's having Christmas dinner at the home."

"How is he?"

"He's good. I think he's enjoying it. At least I hope he is." Booth said sadly. As much as he knew he couldn't give him the care he required, he wished he could stay with him. Brennan wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned in.

"He loves you Booth. You couldn't look after him and he knows that. He knows you would do anything for him." Although Brennan couldn't understand why, she knew he was thinking about the few days he stayed with him. She knew he felt guilty and hated that there wasn't anything she could do for him.

"Thanks Bones." Booth responded and pulled her closer. He kissed her hair before pulling back. "Let's eat." He said with a gleam in his eye. He grabbed some plates of food, Brennan doing the same, and they both laid it down on the table.

"This looks great Booth."

"Let's hope it tastes as good as it looks then. But it'll probably have nothing on your Mac 'n' Cheese." Booth flashed the famous charm smile and Brennan blushed. She never was one for blushing but this man did amazing and incredible things to her. Things she would have never imagined feeling.

"Booth, you cooked. Let me wash up."

"No! I invited you over. I'll wash up. You go and relax on the sofa."

"Booth. Please. Let me help."

"No Bones. Just let me do this."

"No. Booth it's not fair. You wash up for me when I cook for you, no matter how much I protest."

"Bones. Go and get 'Elf' out. You'll love it. It's great."

"Not until I've helped."

"Fine." Booth finally gave in, knowing she wouldn't. "You wash, I'll dry."

"Thank you." Brennan reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then began to wash the dishes. Booth just looked at her in awe. How he managed to be lucky enough to be allowed in her life, he would never know.

"Dinner was nice." Brennan stated as she washed. "I really like the roast potatoes. Most people can't make them like that. There's only one person that I've met that could cook them like that."

"Thanks Bones. Who was it?"

"My mum." Brennan had managed to let herself talk about her family around Booth. She couldn't do it with others, but she trusted Booth. "She was a great cook. She taught me how to make the most amazing Shepherds Pie. If you want, I'll make it for you sometime."

"I'd love it." Booth smiled at her. She smiled back, but Booth sensed something else in her eye. He wasn't sure what it was until she splashed him. Wiping the water from his face, he looked at her and saw the most mischievous grin he'd ever seen from her. She turned the tap on and positioned her finger on it in such a way that the water managed to spray right in his face. He reached into the sink and grabbed a bunch of bubbles. Leaping towards her, he pushed them down her back and watched as she squirmed as the bubbles slowly made their way down her back. The next thing he knew was her flinging herself onto him. Stumbling backwards he somehow managed to make it to the sofa with Brennan attached to him. She lay on top of him as he got his breath back. A strand of hair fell down by her face and Booth reached up and tucked it behind her ear.

"Thanks." Brennan whispered as she put her lips on his. No matter how many times they kissed, where it was or how long it lasted, each kiss made her feel like a lovestruck teenager and breathless. And she wouldn't change it for the world. She'd never had any feelings like this before and, although sometimes uncomfortable, she liked having them. Just like she liked being with him. Today. On Christmas. It meant so much to her. Her eyes started to fill with tears. "I'm happy." She said, before Booth asked her what was wrong. "You make me happy." This time it was Booths turn to get teary eyed.

"You make me happy to Bones." He smiled up and her and placed his palm on her cheek. She leaned into his touch. They stayed like this for several minutes until Booth decided to give her her present. "I'll be right back Bones." With that he carefully removed himself from under her and scrambled into his bedroom getting her present. He walked out of the room with the goofiest smile she'd ever seen. Seeing the present, she decided to go and get hers.

"I'll go and get yours Booth." With that she all but ran out of the room. She walked to where she had put her coat and picked up the two presents. Walking back into the room she said "Booth, Parkers is at mine. I thought I could give it to you at a later date?"

"You didn't have to get him anything Bones."

"No. But I wanted to. I want him to like his fathers partner. In all sense of the word."

"Equal." Booth said, brushing his nose over hers softly, giving her an Eskimo kiss.

"Yeah." She replied breathlessly. They pulled apart at the same time and Brennan placed the two presents in front of him. He opened the larger one first. "I know how much you like hockey."She simply said as he stared in awe at his present. It was a new hockey stick, signed by all of the players from his favourite team.

"How did you get this?"

"Their manager likes my books and quite a few if the players do too. Is it OK?"

"OK? Bones its.... its.... amazing. I love it. Thank you." He placed the hockey stick down and removed the wrapping of the other one. He smiled as he looked down at the wacky tie.

"Turn it over." She urged. He complied and in gold stitching, near the top, the words 'Love Bones' were carefully stitched. He couldn't form words. He kissed her, hoping it would convey all the things he couldn't say to her. Hoping it would convey how much he liked it. How much he loved it.

"Open yours." Booth said. Brennan took a look at the present and guessed the size to be around 1mx1m. She carefully took the paper off, careful not to rip any and folded it up neatly before she turned her attention to her present. It was a collage. A collage of her life. The top left had a few pictures of her parents and her as a child stuck on, but the rest of it was made up of her new family. The one she knew wouldn't leave her. A couple of photos stuck out. The ones with captions. In the centre there was one of her team including Booth. 'There's more than one kind of family' was written just underneath it. They were sat at the Diner probably just after having closed a case. Hodgins' hand was clasped firmly with Angela's, Zach was having a conversation with Cam and Brennan had her hand in Booth's.

"Zach."

"I didn't think you would want him excluded. You still love him, you still visit him. He's still part of your family Bones."

"Always."

"Yeah baby, always." Booth seemed to prepare himself for the worst when the endearment came out. She simply shifted towards him a bit and whispered in his ear.

"Not in public." She smiled at him and continued to look at his present. She read through the captions until she came to the last photo. It was him and her. Booth had been messing about with his camera 2 days ago and had managed to take a photo of Brennan kissing him. She couldn't remember it being taken, but she knew when it was. 'Booth and Bones. As it should be' was written next to it. Booth had been anxious to do this particular caption and photo, but knew it was the right thing to do when he saw the smile spread across her face.

"I love my gift Booth." She said turning and kissing him softly and showing him exactly how she felt.