So this chapter is a little late, but better late than never...

Brennan rolled over in her half-awake state and snuggled into Booth's chest. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, her fingers playing with the frayed hem of his tattered old college t-shirt. She slipped her hand beneath it and dragged one of her fingernails across the sensitive spot just below his navel.

Booth twitched, but stayed asleep, sighing, a small smirk on his face.

She slid her hand upwards and lightly caressed his warm skin. She was more than slightly awake now, enjoying the feel of his hairless chest beneath her palm and fingers, as well as the way his muscles were contracting and then relaxing again with each stroke. Wanting to kick things up a notch, she moved her hand down, pausing briefly before she slipped below the waistband of his green and red plaid pajama pants.

He bucked his hips and let out a strangled moan when her nimble fingers reached their desired destination and began to work their magic. "Bones," he growled.

She froze and glanced at his face. As far as she could tell, he was still asleep. She was about to wake him, reminding herself that this would be a lot more fun and satisfying if he was conscious, but her arousal was suddenly zapped by the sound of little feet slapping against the floor just outside the room.

"Mommy! Daddy! It's Christmas!" Christine shouted, turning the knob and pushing the door open. She skipped into the room and ran over to the bed, climbing up onto the mattress and scampering up towards the headboard. "Wake up! It's time for presents!" She leaned over her Dad and pried his eyelids open with her fingers. "Are you awake, Daddy?"

Booth groaned. "Angel."

"Santa came!" Christine bounced up and down and clapped her hands.

Brennan swallowed. "Sweetheart, no bouncing, okay? Mommy doesn't feel well." She pulled back the covers and stood up. She put on her slippers and grabbed her robe.

Booth let out another groan as he started to get up, his muscles protesting the movement. "Go wait in the living room, Princess. We'll be right there." He paused. "And no opening presents until we're there. Got it?"

Christine sighed. "I got it, Daddy. No presents." She jumped off the bed and ran out the door.

"You okay, Bones?" he asked, finally standing up.

Brennan nodded. "Yes. I'm a little nauseated, that's all." She disappeared into the bathroom and returned a few minutes later.

He was just tying his robe as she emerged. "Y'know, I had the best dream last night."

She looked over him. "Hmm?"

"Well, I'm sure it would have been the best dream, but I woke up before the really good part." He sighed in frustration. As he reached for the camera, he noticed the slight rosy color of her cheeks and the small smirk on her lips. "Oh." He laughed. "Pick up where you left off at nap time?"

She quickly agreed and the two of them shared a kiss at the doorway before they both went into the living room.

Booth and Brennan rounded the corner and could clearly see that Christine had managed to find all her presents; the four year-old was sitting on the rug surrounded by them. As they got closer, Booth stifled a laugh, now noticing that the little girl was practically salivating, her eyes wider than he'd ever seen them.

Christine whipped her head around when she heard them approaching. "Can I open my presents now?"

"Hold on." Booth went into the kitchen to grab a large black garbage bag and returned to the living room, where Christine was now bouncing up and down again, a present already in her lap. He settled on the couch beside Brennan and powered on the camera. "One second." He got the camera situated and nodded. "Go ahead."

Christine didn't need to be told twice. She ripped at the paper, it going in all directions as she tried to get to the gift.

"Turn it around so I can see it, Angel," Booth said when she had finally discarded all of the paper.

Christine held it up, beaming. "It's a toolbox. Look, it's even got a level." She pointed to the tool in the little boy on the cover of the box's hand. She put the gift aside and moved onto the next one. By the time she was finished, there was wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows everywhere. Her presents, which included a few new headbands, a rainbow-colored sparkly purse, an American Girl doll, the toolbox and the workstation that went with it, a play oven, a stuffed animal that she could draw on, new coloring books and some scented crayons and markers, three new reading books, and a bike, were in a neat pile (thanks to Brennan) off to the side. She had kept one of the coloring books and the colored pencils and was currently lying on her stomach, kicking her legs back and forth as she picked a picture in the middle of the book to color.

With his daughter occupied for the moment, Booth set the camera on the side table, stood up, and went over to the tree. He kneeled down and grabbed two small presents he stuffed under there last night. He carried the boxes over to the couch and handed one to Brennan. "Merry Christmas, Bones."

Brennan shook her head and took the box from him. She carefully removed the wrapping paper, which was covered with pictures of Micky Mouse tangled in Christmas lights, only to reveal a plain white box. She lifted the lid and smiled, fighting the urge to laugh out loud. She was about to comment on the handgun ornament tucked inside when he held up another box in front of her face. "What? Booth."

"This is your real gift." He sighed. "It's not, it's nothing like a trip to Switzerland or a new baby, but I hope," he shrugged, "I hope you like it."

She, once again, removed the paper with care and opened the box. Inside, she found a gift certificate for a spa. She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"It's a, um, good for one, one hour massage, but it's uh, it's one of those special massages for pregnant woman, so it's safe for, I mean, it won't hurt the baby or anything. It expires next December, so you can use it whenever."

She smiled at him and scooted closer to him. When her hip was touching his, she turned her upper body and pressed her lips against his, effectively stopping his rambling. She pulled away and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you."

He licked his bottom lip. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yes. This gift certificate will become quite useful in my third trimester when my increased weight is likely to put strain on my lower back, ankles, and feet."

He smiled, exhaling. "I didn't know what to get you."

"You didn't have to get me anything, but this was a very thoughtful present." She paused. "As for the other gift," she started, glancing down at the box she opened first.

He shook his head and cut her off before she could continue. "Should we?" He tossed a look over his shoulder.

She nodded. "Yes."

He snatched up the camera again and powered it on. Once he pressed the record button, he got their daughter's attention. "Christine, Honey, there's one more present for you."

Christine flipped onto her back and sat up. "Another present?" She bent down and looked under the tree, though she was sure there weren't any other gifts left unopened.

"It's not under there; it's too big."

Christine's face lit up. "Too big?" She pushed herself up to her feet. "Where is it?"

"We didn't have a chance to wrap it."

"That's okay. Where is it?" Christine asked again.

"In Parker's room."

"Why'd you put in there?"

Booth smiled. "Because it's closest to the Christmas tree," he explained, trying to appeal to Christine's logical side; hopefully she'd buy it.

Christine nodded. "That makes sense. Can I open it now?"

"Go ahead." Booth stood up and followed behind Christine, camera in hand. He glanced behind him briefly to check if Brennan was there and then continued towards his son's room.

Christine skipped down the hallway, humming along to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," which was currently blasting through the speakers. When she reached Parker's door, she didn't waste any time. She pushed open the door and stepped inside. She looked around the sports' themed bedroom and sighed. "Where is it, Daddy? I don't see nothing." She checked behind the door, under the bed, and in the laundry hamper, but came up empty. Suddenly she got an idea and ran over to the closet. She pulled opened the door and screamed.

"Boo!" Parker jumped out and scooped his little sister up into his arms. "Merry Christmas, Bugga," he said, using the nickname he gave her when she was just shy of two years old for no real reason other than it just kind of popped out of his mouth one day.

Christine threw her arms around his neck, hooking her legs around his waist. "Buggy!" Wanting to be just like her older brother, she had tried calling him Bugga, but mispronounced it; both nicknames stuck.

Parker spun her around before depositing her on his bed. He sank down next to her, making her bounce up with his added weight, and tapped her on the tip of her nose.

"I missed you, Buggy."

"I missed you too." Parker gave her another hug.

"I got you a present. Wait here." Christine took off to her bedroom and came back holding the gift. She beamed as she handed it to him. "I wrapped it all by myself."

Brennan cleared her throat.

"Okay, Mommy cut the paper, but I did all the wrapping."

Parker smiled, pulling apart the beautiful giftwrapping job his little sister did. "Oh, no way! A new basketball." He squeezed her to his chest. "Thanks, Bugga." He paused, setting the package on his bed and standing up. "I've got something for you too." He went over to his desk and pulled something out of the top drawer. He carried the box over and bent down to give it to her.

Christine didn't bother asking for permission to open the gift. She attacked the paper and lifted the lid, tossing it to the side. She squealed. "A new charm for my bracelet!"

Brennan walked over to the two of them and peered down at the box to get a closer look at the charm.

"Look, Mommy, it's a ladybug." Christine thrust the box into her mother's stomach. "Can you put it on my bracelet, please?"

Brennan nodded. "Of course. Go get it."

Christine thanked Parker and kissed him on the cheek before she ran out of the room again.

"Guess she really missed me," Parker commented.

"You have no idea, Bub." Booth put the camera on the dresser and walked over to Parker. He hooked an arm around the teenager's torso and pulled him up to his feet. He gave him a one-armed hug. "We all missed you."

Parker pushed at his dad and managed to pull away. "So what's for breakfast?"

"I got it!" Christine came running back in and held up the bracelet for Brennan. "Daddy, are you making pancakes?"

"You bet, Princess." Booth looked from his son to his daughter and smiled. "C'mon. I'll make breakfast while the two of you set the table. You guys and Bones can start a movie until the food's ready."

"Santa Buddies?" Christine asked, her voice raised a bit.

Parker rolled his eyes. "Not again."

Christine tilted her head and pouted her lips, her eyes wide and glassy; she knew exactly what she was doing. "Please, Buggy?"

Parker looked at his dad for help.

"Don't look at me. She's good," Booth grumbled.

Parker groaned. "Okay, fine, but after breakfast we're watching something I pick out."

Christine smiled and skipped out of the room.

Parker followed her, grabbing his new basketball so he'd have something to keep himself entertained while they watched the movie.

Booth waited for Brennan to finish putting the charm on the bracelet and the two of them headed for the living room. As he flipped the pancakes and listened to Christine, Brennan, and Parker laugh at the movie in the other room, he smiled. Every Christmas he told himself that next year couldn't possibly beat this year, and every year he was proven wrong. He didn't think next year's Christmas could even come close to this year's, but then he caught a glimpse of the ornament Brennan had gotten him and Christine and he laughed. Already proven wrong; that's gotta be a new record.

The End