A/N: This is my Secret Santa 2014 for Sheytune. One of the things she wished for was a milestone event with Booth, Brennan, and Christine. Lots of things ran through my mind, but I chose this one. I hope you like it.

The Booth family was sitting down to dinner something that took an effort to do most days due to Booth and Brennan's schedules, but they attempted it at least 4 nights during the week and weekends it was a given. Tonight Booth and Christine where having individual chicken pot pies and Brennan was having vegetable pot pie.

"Looks good, Bones."

"Thank you. I thought it'd be good tonight since it is unseasonably cold for the end of May."

Booth nodded and turned his attention to Christine. "Christine, how was your day?"

"Good. Ryan asked me to go as his date to the eighth grade farewell dance."

Booth's fork hit his plate with a clank, "NO! Absolutely NOT! No!"

"Dad I'm fourteen! I'm not a little kid anymore!"

"I do not care you are not going on a date at fourteen!"

"When can I?"

"I'll think about letting you when you graduate high school…."

"Dad!" Christine threw her fork onto her plate and pushed her chair back before getting up and running to her room.

"Booth!"

"What?"

"You'll THINK about letting Christine date when she graduates high school? Be reasonable!" Brennan stood up and went over to the counter, grabbing a tray from the cabinet and came back to the table and sat Christine's dinner and glass of milk on it.

"I am, she'll be 18 then and that's old enough to date!"

"So you were 18 when you went on your first date then?"

"No, I was 16, but I was in high school and I had my license."

"Then why are your 'rules' for Christine dating different from those you grew up with? She'll be 16 her junior year of high school."

"Because I know how teenage boys are, and Christine deserves better than that."

"Booth, a teenage boy is still a teenager at 18, many have not fully matured mentally at 18-"

"Not really helping me out here, Bones. I know a lot of boys aren't that mature at that age, some never are, but I'd like to think the guy Christine falls in love with will be."

Brennan picked up the tray and walked past Booth, laying a hand on his shoulder, "I'll be back."

She walked to Christine's room and knocked on her door, "go away!"

Brennan chuckled and opened the door a little, "I thought you'd like to finish your dinner." She walked all the way in to the room and over to the desk and scooted Christine's backpack over and sat the tray on her desk.

Christine rolled off the bed and went over to the desk." Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Dad's being so unfair! we're not going on a real date or anything. It's not like I'm going to kiss him or something like that. The farewell dance is more like a party where we all hang out and talk and stuff like that. Some people dance, but you don't have to if you don't want to. This is the last time some of us will see each other, some kids will go to the public high school… I want to go, I've never been to a dance." Christine pickled at the crust on the top of her pot pie.

"I know. I'll talk to your dad. He knows that it isn't real date, but the date and the dance remind your dad that you're growing up. He is having a hard time with that fact. If he does change his mind you'll have to do it his way."

"I know that's okay. We're supposed to get dressed up, not really fancy, but kind of. Can I get a new dress?"

"If you get to go then yes, we can go shopping for a new dress."

"Okay."

"Don't pick at your food, eat it." Christine broke the top open and took a bite.

"Thank you. I love you." Brennan kissed the top of Christine's head.

"Love you too, mom." Brennan kissed Christine's head again and let the room, closing the door behind her. She found Booth picking at his food, "Stop picking at your food and eat it. You're just like Christine."

Booth looked up and grinned a little, "Chrissy okay?"

Brennan sat down and broke open her pot pie. "Yes, she says you're being unfair."

"I am not being unfair, fourteen is too young to go on a date!"

"I agree, however this isn't a real date like you and I have and you know it."

"But I don't like the idea of her being around a boy with raging hormones!"

"Booth, she's around dozens of boys with raging hormones every day at school!"

"I know, but theirs teachers and people around watching that nothing happens!"

"Booth, there will be teachers at the dance providing the same measures as they would during the school day. She wants to go, she's never been to a dance. We should let her go, she hardly ever asks to go anywhere or hang out with classmates."

"Yeah, I'm sure this Ryan kid has everything to do with her sudden change of heart on social interaction. Do we know him?"

"I know of him if it's the same Ryan, they've had summer band camp together for the last three summers. I believe he plays the tuba. They also have most of their classes together, again provided that it's the same Ryan. "

"You know all about him Bones?"

"No, not all about him, but Christine has mentioned him during our conversations on occasion."

"She hasn't to me…" Booth stabbed more of his pot pie.

"Booth, it's normal for her not to confide the same things in us. I told my mother things I never told my dad and vice versa. I'm sure you did too."

"Yeah. Bones, does our little girl have a crush on a boy?" Booth looked a little pale as he finished the sentence.

"I would say yes, she does have a slight crush on a boy. It's fine I was infatuated with a boy once, I was a bit older than Christine in fact. "

"I know. Have you met him?"

"Briefly when I picked her up from band camp last time. He was polite and said hello."

Booth nodded, "Are you sure she really wants to go and this isn't something she's doing to drive me crazy and then change her mind?"

"She wants to go Booth, if she didn't she wouldn't have ran out of here."

Booth nodded and fisted his napkin, "She can go, but I am dropping her off and picking her up. Plus I'm getting her a prepaid cellphone just in case."

Brennan smiled, "those are reasonable conditions. Christine will be very happy."

"I guess I over reacted didn't I? "

"Yes."

"I didn't meant to. One of these days she's going to fall in love with a boy and they'll want to go on a real date, and that scares me. I don't want her to get her heart broken by some hormone crazed sixteen year old."

"I don't either, but it's going to happen and we're going to have to let it. It's part of growing up. She'll always be your little girl no matter how old she is, Booth."

"I know. She can date when she's 16, but we have to meet the guy first, and approve."

"I agree."

"Thanks, Bones."

"You're welcome, Booth."

Booth finished his dinner and got up and went over to the freezer and got the carton of ice cream out.

"There's a bag of chocolate chip cookies in the pantry." Booth smiled a little and got the bag. He put two cookies in a bowl and warmed them up in the microwave and topped the warm cookies with vanilla ice cream and added a little chocolate syrup. With bowl in hand he headed Christine's room. He knocked lightly on the door, "Christine?'

"Go away, dad!"

"I just want to talk. Plus I have ice cream…"

"Okay." Booth opened the door and went in, Christine was at her desk doing her homework. The tray was on the floor. Booth put the bowl down, Christine smiled and picked up the spoon.

"You can go to the dance with Ryan, but let's not call it a date because it isn't. I will be dropping you off and picking you up. I am also getting you a prepaid cellphone that you will have on you at all times just in case."

"Thanks dad. I love you." Christine threw her arms around Booth's neck, he held on a little longer than necessary.

"You're welcome, Christine. I love you, too. I'm sorry I sort of flipped out earlier, it's just you're my little girl and the thought of you going on a 'date' real or fake scares me a little."

"Dad, it's not a real date. We'll probably dance and talk. I'll always be your little girl."

"I know. Do you like him?"

"Yeah, but I don't like him like him, we're just friends. We like a lot of the same things. We have almost all the same classes, he's really smart like I am. We're in band together. He plays the tuba."

"So he is 'band camp Ryan'."

"Yeah, he said hi to mom when she picked me last summer."

"Well at least he was brave enough to say hi."

"Yeah, I don't know why some of the kids in my class are intimidated by mom…"

Booth chuckled, "it's the 'squint speak' that gets them….I've seen her make grown men shake when she really gets going."

Christine laughed and finished her ice cream, Booth took the bowl and staked it on the tray picked it up and left the room. Booth found Brennan putting their dinner dishes in the dishwasher, he hurried over and wordlessly put Christine's dishes in, adding the soap.

"Did your talk with Christine go well?"

"Yeah, she's excited. She does have a crush on him, but she says they're just friends." Booth shrugged.

"We were just friends at first…"

"Really not helping, Bones…"

"I'm just saying…"

"I know, but I don't want to think about it. She's too young…."Brennan put her arms around Booth from behind and pulled him to her kissing his cheek. "You made Christine very happy Booth, thank you."

Booth nodded, "I can't believe she'll be in high school in three and a half months, it doesn't seem possible."

"I know. Remember her first day of kindergarten? She wasn't even phased. You and I on the other hand were a mess."

Booth chuckled, "don't remind me." Booth went to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer.

The next weekend Brennan took Christine shopping for a new dress.

"Nothing too short Bones."

"I know. The school sent a letter home about proper attire for the dance. Not that I need a reminder, I know what is proper for a fourteen year-old to wear to a dance. The letter is on my desk if you'd like to read it."

"No, Bones, I trust you."

'Thank you. I don't know how long we will be gone, after we get the dress I'm going to take Christine out to lunch."

"Sounds good Bones. Have fun."

"We will." Brennan went over to the stairs and called up them, "Let's go Christine!" Brennan grinned when 30 seconds later Christine hurried down the stairs. "I'm ready!" She skipped the last two steps.

"Slow down Christine if you fall down the stairs and end up in the ER we won't be able to get your dress today." Christine slowed to a normal pace, "bye dad!"

"Bye Christine have fun with your mom and don't spend all of our money!"

Christine laughed, "I will and I'll try not to spend all your money." Christine headed to the door. Two hours later Brennan walked into the house followed closely by Christine who was holding a garment bag in one hand and a shopping bag in the other, Booth looked up. "Hi Christine, did you find a dress?"

"Yeah and shoes, but you can't see them till the dance."

"Why not?"

"Because I want it to be a surprise." With that Christine went upstairs to her room. Brennan came and sat down next to Booth. "Is her dress that bad that she doesn't want me to see it until the dance?"

"No Booth, her dress is very tasteful, it goes beyond the school's minimum requirements for length. You will like it, but it does make her look more grown up. I think that's why she doesn't what you to see it. I can tell you that the dress is a dark purple."

"How grown up looking are we talking about here Bones?"

"The dress doesn't make her look like an adult, but she doesn't look like a little girl anymore."

Booth sighed, "She's growing up Bones! She likes a boy!"

"I know. Booth it will be okay. She likes Ryan, but it isn't anything to worry about."

"I know."

A few nights later after Christine was in bed, Booth sat down next to Brennan and handed her a jewelry box. "Will this go with Christine's dress?"

Brennan opened the box to reveal a purple pendant on a fine silver chain and matching bracelet. "Booth, it's beautiful, she'll love it. It will go perfectly with her dress."

"Great! Since it's her first dance I thought she might like some more grown up looking jewelry."

"Christine will love the necklace and bracelet, Booth." Brennan leaned over and kissed Booth's cheek.

The night of the dance Brennan left the lab earlier than she usually did to go home and help Christine get ready and get dinner on the table before Booth took her back to the middle school. Brennan put the casserole dish in the oven and set the timer for 45 minutes. Once dinner was taken care of Brennan headed upstairs to Christine's room. "Honey, dinner will be ready in 45 minutes, after you eat I'll do your hair and help you with your dress."

"Okay. Can you do my nails for me? I want them to be perfect." Brennan smiled, she hadn't seen Christine this excited in a while. "Sure, go sit down I'll be right back."

"Okay." Christine was at her desk when Brennan came back with a bottle of purple glitter nail polish. "Angela got this for you, she said you needed some sparkle for your first dance."

"Cool! I love it!" Thirty-five minutes later the Booth family was sitting down to vegetable lasagna and salad. Christine started shoveling her food in. "Christine, slow down, you have plenty of time to eat without choking and still get ready." Christine nodded and slowed down a little. Once everyone had eaten Booth elected to handle clean up while Brennan helped Christine get ready. Forty minutes before the start of the dance Brennan came downstairs and sighed, "She's just getting her shoes on. After much consideration she decided to wear her hair up so, please be careful when you put the necklace on her."

"I will." Booth headed up the stairs to Christine's room and stopped in the open doorway, Brennan was right; the dress did make her look more grown up.

"Dad! Is my new dress pretty?"

"Baby girl it's beautiful and so are you." Booth went in the room and went to stand beside the bed.

"Thanks, dad."

"You're welcome. I got you something." Booth handed Christine the jewelry box, she opened it. "A real necklace and bracelet! I love them dad, thanks!"

"You're welcome, Christine. I thought you'd like something a little grown up for your dance."

"I do."

Booth smiled, "let me help you put them on then we can go."

"Okay."

Booth took the necklace out of the box and carefully fastened it around Christine's neck avoiding her hair. Once the bracelet was on her wrist, Booth handed Christine a prepaid cellphone. "This in case you need to call me or mom for anything tonight. I also programmed in Angela's number in case you can't reach either of us."

"Okay, thanks dad. Christine took the phone and put it in the small black sequined purse Brennan was letting her borrow for the night. "I'm ready."

"Okay, let's go." Booth followed Christine down the stairs.

"Mom, dad and I are going to go." Brennan walked over and kissed Christine's cheek, "bye sweetheart have fun."

"Bye mom I will. Come on dad!"

"All right, I'm coming! See you in a little bit, Bones." Brennan nodded and watched Christine try and pull Booth to the SUV.

Booth got to the middle school right at 6 O'clock. He turned in his seat before Christine could get out. "Have fun. Be safe. I love you."

"I will I love you too, dad." just then a tall skinny boy with brown hair, blue eye and a mouth full of braces dressed in a button down shirt, tie and dress pants approached the SUV. 'That's Ryan, can I get out now?"

"Once you introduce him." Christine opened the door, "Dad this is Ryan. Ryan, that's my dad." Ryan stuck his head in the door, "hi, Mr. Booth."

"Hello Ryan."

"Thank you for letting Christine go to the dance with me."

"You're welcome." Christine got out of the car. "Bye dad." Ryan took her hand.

Booth tried not to wince "Bye Christine." He waited until Christine was in the gym before pulling away.

Once he got home Booth tried to keep his mind occupied until it was time to go get Christine at 9:00. On his third pass through the channels his phone rang, he listen to the call and hung up. Then he took the stairs two at a time to Brennan's office. "Bones, I'm going to go get Christine…"

"Booth, she's been gone a little more than an hour and fifteen minutes! Let her stay until 9:00 like everyone else…"

"She called, she wants to come home…"

Brennan looked away from her computer, "is she okay?"

"She said she was…"

"Okay…"

Booth hurried down the stairs and out to the SUV. He made it to the school in ten minutes, killing his lights and siren two blocks before the school. Christine was waiting for him as he pulled up to the curb. Christine yanked the door open and climbed in. Once her seatbelt was fastened, Booth spoke. "Are you okay, Christine?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Wanna talk about it?"

"Nope." Booth nodded and headed home. "My jacket is on the seat if you're cold."

Booth smiled a little when he heard the rustle of his nylon FBI windbreaker as Christine slid her arms in the sleeves. The ride home was silent; once Booth parked Christine bolted from the SUV and into the house, thankfully Brennan was waiting for them and had the door open. Booth came into the house and kissed Brennan. "What happened?"

"I don't know, she didn't want to talk about it. When I got there she was waiting for me. Ryan wasn't there that I saw."

Brennan nodded and waited five minutes before going to Christine's room. She knocked," Christine?"
Not getting an answer she went in the room and found Christine on her bed trying to take her hair down. "Stop, let me do it before you get it more tangled." Brennan grabbed the brush from the dresser and a hair tie, before going to sit behind Christine. Once her hair was down Brennan began to brush and braid it. She was halfway through the braid when Christine sighed and said, "We danced for two songs them Stephanie came over and asked him to dance. I said it was okay, it was because we weren't on a date. They never came back, they danced by me twice, that's when I called dad. I didn't want to stay there, none of my friends came." Brennan finished the braid and secured it with the hair tie.

"Aw, honey, I'm sorry."

"It's okay we were just friends. I should have stayed home and played Scrabble with daddy!" Christine tried to blink away her tears before Brennan saw them.

Brennan scooted back on the bed and pulled Christine close. "I know it may not seem like it now, but it's good that you went to the dance. You had fun didn't you? At least for a little while."

"Yeah, it was fun getting dressed up and getting grown up jewelry from dad."

"Your father has excellent taste in jewelry…."

"Ryan and I had fun dancing for two songs. He's a good dancer…. "

"That's great that you had fun dancing with Ryan. I just wish it could have been for more than two songs."

"Me too. Stephanie said she only wanted to dance with Ryan for one song. That's why I said it was okay. The best part was the look on dad's face when Ryan held my hand when we walked into the gym. I thought dad was going to puke!"

Brennan chuckled, "your father has a hard time with public displays of affection. I imagine it was hard for him to see you involved in one. He'll get used to it of course, but to him you'll always be his little girl."

"I know. I want to take this dress off…" Brennan nodded and unzipped the dress before getting up and leaving the room, allowing Christine to change. Brennan went downstairs and sat next to Booth. "Christine okay?"

"Yes, she's upset, but she'll be fine."

"What happened?"

"Another girl asked Ryan to dance. Christine said it was fine with her, they both said it was only for one song, but they never came back. Christine said they danced by her twice before she called. None of her friends came and she didn't want to be alone. "

"I'm going to talk to that kid! I knew we shouldn't have let her go to the dance with a boy!"

"Booth calm down!" Brennan put a hand on Booth's arm. "Christine is fine, there were a few tears, but she's fine I promise. I wouldn't have left her upstairs if she were crying."

"Still I should-"

"No. Stay here in case Christine comes downstairs. She said she should have stayed home and played Scrabble with you instead of going to the dance."

"She should have!"

"Booth, going to the dance was good for her, she danced with Ryan for two songs and had fun. That's what's important-"

"But now she's heart broken-"

"Booth, she's upset and I don't think she'll speak to Ryan for a while, if ever, but she'll be fine. Give her a half hour then go up and check on her. I'm going to work on my book."

"Okay." Brennan kissed Booth's cheek and headed back to her office. A few minutes later Christine came downstairs dressed in Bugs Bunny pajamas and headed over to the couch, sitting next to Booth, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. "I'm sorry baby girl." Booth kissed the top of her head.

"Thanks dad."

"There will be other boys."

"I know."

"But not until you're 16."

"Fine with me!"

"You want me to go beat him up for you?"

"No! Dad! I'm going to make him do most of the work in our science lab on Monday and it will be fine. We're dissecting a frog, and since I did it with mom when I was 7 I don't really need to see the inside of one again to know what they look like. That image is imprinted on my brain forever!"

Booth laughed, "I told your mom you were too young to do that!"

"Maybe, but it was cool!

Booth laughed and turned the TV to a movie he knew Christine liked. She snuggled in to his side more, and he threw a blanket over her absently rubbing her back.