Sorry I've been MIA for a while, but here's some more fluff to warm us this holiday season. :)

"Okay!" Parker announced loudly, leaping up from the blanket. "It's time to pick teams for football." He paused for about half a second, before declaring, "I call Bones!"

"Hey," Booth said, not missing the way Hannah's face fell, "what about your old man?"

"Oh, um, sorry," Parker said, not looking like he cared at all. "C'mon, Bones! Let's go practice."

Brennan grinned as the little boy charged over and grabbed her hand, hauling her off to plan out their game strategy. Once they were out of earshot, Booth scooted over to Hannah and slipped his arm around her waist. "You okay?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Yeah," she said quickly, not meeting his eye. "I just wish he liked me more."

"He likes you," he insisted for the fiftieth time that day.

Hannah shook her head slightly, her gaze drifting over to where Parker was standing with Brennan, animatedly explaining something to her. "Not as much as Temperance," she said quietly.

"He's known Bones forever," Booth said. "They've got this weird bond over science and squinty stuff. I wouldn't get worked up over it."

—BB—

"Blue forty-two! Blue forty-two! Hut, hut, hike!"

Parker charged forward and tossed the ball to Brennan, who immediately began sprinting towards the end zone that had been carefully marked out using plastic cups. Booth took off after her and was surprised at how quick she was. She had taken off her heels for better mobility and was now flying down the field. He upped his pace and began closing the gap between them. "You better watch out, Bones," he said as he neared.

She glanced at him over her shoulder, grinning like a fool, and he felt a matching grin spread across his face as he reached his arms out and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to abrupt halt. She went flying backwards, but he quickly angled his body so that she would land on him instead of the ground. They tumbled to the grass, breathless and laughing. She landed with a thud against his chest, giggling and still clutching the ball in her arms. He let out a dramatic groan, but he was more than happy to take the hit. "You okay?" he asked as she rolled off him.

"Yeah," she said, turning her head to smile at him. "Thanks for catching me."

"My pleasure."

"Bones!" Parker yelled, sprinting over to the scene. "You let him catch you!"

"I did not!" she said indignantly, thunking him on top of the head with the football. "Your father is very fast."

Parker grinned at the compliment to his dad. "Yeah, I know," he said, smiling up at her. "It was a good try, Bones. This time I'll run the ball, though, okay?"

"That's sounds very satisfactory," she said, handing him the ball.

As Booth watched them walk away together, engaged in a very serious conversation about God knows what, he felt a familiar ache return to his chest. "This is happiness," he mumbled under his breath, remembering all those dinners, all those soccer games, all those afternoons at the park when he'd sat beside the two people he loved most in the world and felt like everything he'd ever wanted was within his reach. "This is happiness." And it was as simple as that.

"What?"

He turned to see Hannah standing beside him, looking at him expectantly. "Oh, nothing," he said quickly, shaking himself out of his reverie. "Ready for some more football?"

"Definitely," she said.

He smiled and took her hand, leading her over to where Bones waited with his son.

—BB—

"Bones, you gotta call the play," Parker instructed.

"What should I say?" she asked, staring at the football as if it would provide her with all the answers she needed.

"Just say something that sounds smart," Parker told her.

She nodded and bent into position. "Okay. Maxilla! Phalanges! Greater right cornu! Lower mandible! Um…"

"Hike," Booth whispered helpfully from in front of her.

"Oh, right." She took a deep breath. "Hike!"

Parker immediately charged away, calling for the ball, and Hannah went after him. Brennan took a couple steps away and cocked her arm. She was just able to throw the ball to Parker before Booth came barreling down on her. He grabbed her waist and pulled her to the ground. She fell to the grass and he landed on top of her, but managed to catch himself on his arms.

She was laughing beneath him, her face flushed and beautiful, her hair messy and more lovely than ever. "Sorry," he murmured. "I didn't catch you that time."

She smiled up at him, her hands pressed to his chest. "I can take it," she told him.

—BB—

Parker stood beside Hannah in the end zone, waiting for his dad and Bones to join them. They were doing their normal thing of staring into each other's eyes like they were looking at the most amazing thing ever. Parker was used to waiting for them. This kind of thing happened all the time when they were together. He glanced up at Hannah, who seemed to be extremely alarmed about what Bones and his dad were doing. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said and Parker was barely able to conceal his eye roll. She was a horrible liar. Dr. Sweets would be horrified.

"They always do that," he said helpfully.

Hannah turned her wide-eyed stare down to him. "Excuse me?"

Parker shrugged. "They always do that," he said again.

"What? Roll around on the ground together?" Hannah mumbled with barely concealed loathing.

"No," he said. "Just that one other time when me and my dad taught her how to play. But I'm talking about the staring at each other part. They love to do that. I don't really know why," he mused, frowning. "It looks kind of boring, don't you think? I mean, I've seen my dad's eyes and I've seen Bones' eyes and it's nothing special." He shrugged, tossing the ball in the air and catching it easily. "I don't know. Grown ups are weird sometimes."

Hannah nodded thoughtfully and watched as Booth finally rolled away from his partner. "Can I tell you something, Parker?"

"Sure."

"Staring into another person's eyes can be really exciting sometimes."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Like if you're in love with the other person, or you want to kiss them."

"Ew," Parker said, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "I don't think I'll ever like that."

Hannah smiled. "Someday you will, buddy. Believe me."

—BB—

Booth found her in her office, sound asleep on the couch. He shrugged out of his trench coat and wiped the rain from his face before walking over to her, bending close and kissing her soundly. She woke up slowly, her hands reaching toward him. She pressed her palms to his cheeks and held his face. She opened his eyes. "You're wet," she mumbled.

"It's raining," he said and kissed her again.

"Why are you kissing me?" she asked, still sleepy and disoriented, her lips brushing across his slowly.

"Because I want to," he said, wrapping his arms around her warm, languid body. "And because I can."

He watched her carefully. Her face was a breath away and he could tell that she still hadn't quite woken up. He saw the exact moment when she did. Her body tensed, her eyes widened. She pressed her hands to his chest and pushed him away. "What are you doing here?" she asked leaning away, the back of her hand pressed to her tingling lips.

"Hannah and I broke up," he explained calmly. "Three days ago."

She sat up straighter and pulled her knees to her chest. "So?" she said softly.

"So," he said. "I spent the first day feeling guilty, the second missing you, and the third missing you even more." He paused and brought a hand to her cheek. She didn't lean into him, but she didn't lean away either. "You make me happy," he told her suddenly. "You make me happier than I ever thought possible. Did you know that?"

She began to shake her head then seemed to think better of it and looked away. "I don't know if I…I'm not sure if I can do this, Booth."

He had to force the desperation from his voice when he asked, "Why?"

"Because you hurt me. You said you'd never betray me, and you did."

The words stung. They drifted across the space between them, falling like a weight, heavy on his chest. "I told you I had to move on."

"That's not what I mean, Booth," she said. "You said you had to move on and I understood that, but coming back here and brandishing your love for her in my face, ignoring me, cancelling plans with me to be with her…It was like you were a different person. It was like you couldn't stand me, like you hated me."

"I did," he said bluntly. "I did. Because I knew that the only person I could be happy with—truly happy with—was you. And by saying no you took that away from me. I could barely bear being near you, because every time I looked at you, I was reminded of what I could've had, what was possible."

He leaned towards her and reached out to wipe away the tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. "I tried so hard to convince myself that I didn't need you. Self preservation, you know? But I don't hate you, Bones. I could never hate you."

"You hurt me," she said softly.

He smiled sadly. "So did you."

She reached for him then and he let her pull him to her. He eased himself onto the couch beside her and drew her into his arms. "Let's not hurt each other anymore, okay?" he murmured.

She nodded. "Okay."

He smiled and kissed her, felt the shape of her mouth and the shape of her body, the way it fit against him, molding to him, soft and warm. She draped her leg across his hips, sighing softly as he pressed his lips to her neck and the hollow of her throat. She let him undo the buttons of her blouse, let him part the fabric and press his lips to the tops of her breasts. "God, Bones," he mumbled, feeling her hands work their way inside his shirt and press against his heated skin.

He lifted his head slightly, just enough to look into her eyes, dark and heavy-lidded with desire. "This is happiness," he whispered and kissed her and felt her smile against his lips.

I know I say it all the time, but I just love these two to bits and pieces. I could just hug the stuffing out of 'em. And speaking of stuffing: HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I know what I'm thankful. Yep, you guessed it—Booth's chest. Hehe.

Review please!