Just a random Christmas/Recent Spoiler (not really) inspired one-shot...

Hope you like it ;)

Brennan was sitting on the couch in the living room, her feet curled under her and a blanket draped over her lap. There was a fire blazing in the fireplace and soft tunes blasting from the speakers. It was mid-afternoon on a Saturday and she was content to just sit here with the book she picked out to read months ago but had been too busy to read anything other than the blurb on the back cover.

She exhaled, setting the book down and taking a sip of her lemon-infused water. Just as she leaned forward to place the glass on the coaster, Christine came bounding out of her room and into the living room.

"I'm ready to go, Mommy." Christine smiled, walking over to the couch.

Brennan looked her daughter over. The little girl was dressed in black boots, leggings, and a red and white sweater dress with Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer stitched into the soft fabric. Her hair was clipped back on either side of her face with red sparkly barrettes and draped across her body was a small white purse. Indeed, she was ready to go; however Brennan had no clue where her daughter was planning on going. "Ready to go where, Sweetheart?" she asked, sitting up a little straighter and planting her feet on the ground.

"The tree farm! C'mon, Mommy. You gotta get dressed so we can go." Christine tugged on Brennan's arm and shuffled backwards, trying to pull her mother off the couch. "Daddy says there's one with our names on it and I don't want nobody to steal it, so we gotta hurry."

Brennan concealed a yawn behind her hand and closed her book after slipping a bookmark into the page. "Where is your father?"

"He's putting on his shoes," Christine answered, opening her purse and pulling out a dollar bill. "Look what Daddy gave me."

Brennan smiled. "Did you say thank you?"

"Course, Mommy."

Brennan stood up and stretched, the hem of her shirt riding up a little. She quickly pulled it down, covering the sliver of abdomen it exposed, and then kissed her daughter on the top of her head. "Let me go get changed. Do you have to use the bathroom before we leave?"

Christine shook her head and opened her mouth to answer, but then pursed her lips. "Mmhmm," she mumbled before running off.

Brennan shook her head and headed down the hallway and around the corner towards her bedroom. Her book would have to wait until later. She had completely forgotten that they were supposed to get their Christmas tree today, but then again, she had a lot of things on her mind at the moment, so it didn't surprise her.

Booth pulled into the gravel parking lot and glanced in the rear-view mirror at Christine, who was bouncing up and down in her booster seat staring out the window. "Someone's excited," he said, killing the engine and pocketing his keys. He hopped out and opened the back door, the four year-old flying out and making a run for the entrance. He was quicker, though, and scooped her up into the air, eliciting a few high-pitched giggles from her. "Hold on, Princess. We have to wait for Mom."

"She's taking too long. I wanna find the tree with our names on it." Christine pouted, crossing her arms over her chest when her feet were back on the ground.

Booth ran his hand over her head and rested it on her shoulder. "We will soon enough."

Brennan rounded the car and joined the two of them on the other side.

"There you are."

Christine squeezed her small body in between her parents and grabbed hold of one of each their hands, linking their fingers.

Booth glanced over at Brennan and raised an eyebrow. "You okay?" he whispered as they began to follow another family towards the entrance.

Brennan nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired, that's all. Let's just find a tree so we can go home."

Booth knew Brennan had once been a real Scrooge this time of year, but ever since Christine was born, she enjoyed Christmas; he'd go as far as saying it was one of her favorite Holidays now. They still didn't agree on the whole Santa Claus thing, but she'd always help him and Christine decorate the tree and last year she even agreed to go caroling with them around the neighborhood. Her rotten attitude today and if he thought about it, during the whole month of December so far, was unexpected and it worried him a little. She honestly looked like she didn't want to be there. "You sure?"

"I said I was fine, okay?" Brennan snapped.

Booth held up the hand that wasn't grasping Christine's. "Sorry I asked." He shrugged it off, not wanting Brennan or her bad attitude to ruin his or their daughter's Holiday spirits.

Christine looked around and gasped. "They're taller than me, Daddy."

Booth nodded. "They sure are." He smiled, breathing in the fresh pine-scent.

Christine let go of their hands and ran up to a tree. She moved some of the branches around and then squatted down to take a look at the trunk. She popped back up and shook her head. "This tree doesn't have our names on it. I'm gonna see if that one does." She pointed to another one a few feet away and skipped off.

Booth and Brennan followed close behind, apologizing on behalf of their daughter when she nearly ran into someone.

"What?" Brennan asked, sensing Booth was staring at her.

Booth shook his head. "Nothing." He sighed and reached for her hand, but she pulled it away at the last minute.

"Can you lift me up, Mommy? Maybe our names are up at the tippy top."

"Honey, you're not going to find our names on any of these trees."

Christine's eyes filled with tears and her lower lip trembled as she asked, "Are we too late? Did someone steal our tree? Daddy, someone stole our tree!" She ran into her father's legs, wrapping her arms around them.

Booth glared at Brennan and then turned his focus to Christine, scooping her up and holding her to his chest. "It's okay, Angel. Nobody stole our tree. It's here somewhere. You'll know which one is ours when you see it." When she calmed down, he put her back on the ground and grabbed her hand. "Let's try over here."

Christine sniffled and wiped her eyes with her free hand. "Okay," she said, her voice lacking the excitement it had moments before.

"I'm going to go inside." Brennan announced. Her feet hurt and all the screaming children running around was giving her a headache. Besides that, she was feeling guilty for her earlier comment. She hadn't meant any harm and she didn't think it would have upset Christine the way it did.

Booth nodded and leaned in for a kiss. He half expected her to dodge it, but she didn't. They shared a quick peck on the lips and then he went off in search of the perfect Christmas tree and she went to go sit down. It didn't feel right without her there, but if she was going to be a sourpuss, it was better that she go wait inside for them.

Booth had texted Brennan when they found their tree, a 12-foot monster, and again when they were waiting in line for it to be bundled.

Brennan came outside and looked around for Booth and Christine. She found them under the awning and headed over to them.

Booth saw her approaching and noticed that she seemed to be in a better mood.

"There's hot apple cider inside. It's delicious," Brennan announced, resting her hand on Christine's head. "I see you found our tree, Christine."

Christine nodded. "Daddy used his big muscles to cut it down. I helped." She puffed out her chest, proud of herself for helping. "He said he couldn't have done it without me."

Brennan smiled. "It's rather large. Are you sure that tree is going to fit in our living room, Booth?"

"Yes, Bones. Just have some faith in me, will ya?"

Christine looked at the man who was wrapping up the tree. "Hi, Mister."

The man glanced down at Christine and smiled. "Well, hello, there. What's your name?"

"Christine Angela Booth. I helped my Daddy cut our tree down."

"Whoa, you must be strong."

"I am. See?" Christine flexed her muscles and leaned into her father's side. "Our tree is the biggest one here."

"Eh, I've seen 'em much bigger," the man argued playfully.

Christine shook her head, hands on her hips. "Nuh-uh."

They went back and forth until the man gave up, no match for Christine's iron will. "Okay, okay. Your tree is the biggest."

"Told ya!" Christine laughed and then got serious. "Mister?"

The man nodded. "Yeah, Small Fry?"

Christine wrinkled her forehead. "I'm small, but I'm not a fry, Mister."

"It's just a nickname."

"Like how my Daddy calls my Mommy 'Bones'?"

It was the man's turn to look confused. "Uh, yeah, sure, like that."

"Okay. I give you permission to call me Small Fry if you want."

The man laughed. "She's funny." He paused. "What's your question, Small Fry?" He winked at her and she smiled.

"Do you only sell Christmas trees here?"

"We sell all sorts of stuff. Trees, wrapping paper, ribbon, ornaments, hot chocolate, snacks, apple cider, pie."

"Nothing else?"

"Nope, that's it."

Christine sighed. "Oh, okay."

The man finished wrapping the tree and moved away from the machine to crouch down in front of Christine. "What's it that you're looking for?"

"A baby brother."

Booth and Brennan glanced at each other and choked on their own saliva.

The man chuckled and looked up at them. "Uh, Sorry, kiddo, but that's a question for Mommy and Daddy. We don't sell babies here unless of course you're talking about baby Jesuses; in that case, we've got plenty."

Christine sighed. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Small Fry."

"Thanks anyway, Mister. I guess this wasn't the baby farm Emma C was talking about."

The man blinked. "Excuse me? Baby farm?" He laughed.

"It's true. Emma C says that her Daddy said that babies come from farms. They get grown in the ground and when they're all done, they get picked and the Mommies and Daddies bring them home. Her Daddy said they got her baby sister at one of these farms. You sure you have no babies here? Maybe over there?" She pointed to a spot just behind her.

The man shook his head. "I'm positive, Munchkin."

Booth shook his head, beginning to get over his shock. He swallowed and cleared his throat. "Okay, that's enough. C'mon, Princess, let's get this tree up on the roof and get going. We'll have to hurry if you want to decorate it tonight before it's time for bed."

Christine waved goodbye to the man and reluctantly followed her father towards the car.

Brennan stood frozen in her spot.

Booth clapped to get her attention. "Chop, chop." When that didn't work, he whistled and called to her again, "Bones, c'mon!"

Brennan jerked out of her daze and jogged after them. She watched as Booth, with a little guidance from Christine, secured the tree to the roof. Her mind drifted back to the conversation her daughter had with Rick, the man who helped them bundle their tree, and her hand automatically came to rest on her stomach, a ghost of a smile forming on her lips.