A/N: The rules for the Bonesology 12 days of Christmas challenge was to select a couple - figuring most people would choose Booth/Brennan (and who blames them), I went for a couple formed by friendship, rather than a romantic couple. Which I think means I broke the rules...sorry. I haven't posted this over at Bonesology, just in case it doesn't belong in the contest because I chose to do it this way.

I did get Bones for Christmas, but it was Season 10 on DVD, so I guess I still don't really own Bones, at least not the way we mean when we write this disclaimer.

Booth stormed into Sweets' office and closed the door behind him. Without a word, he slumped into one of the available chairs, nervously adjusting his tie. He'd been second guessing making this visit the moment the idea had popped into his head. Why would he think the twelve year old psychologist would be able to help him?

Sweets looked up in surprise from the file he was reading. He could count on one hand the number of times Booth had come to his office of his own volition. The current case they were working was approaching a successful conclusion and Sweets was not aware of any issues between Booth and his partner.

Closing the file, Sweets looked at the man sitting across from him. He looked stressed and kept nervously glancing at the ceiling, as if afraid something was suddenly going to appear over his head.

"Can I help you, Agent Booth?" Sweets finally asked.

Even with the question, the silence stretched on so long, Sweets was sure the agent was going to get up and leave without saying a word. Finally, Booth sighed, but still refused to shift his eyes from his tie. "I think I've developed a new phobia."

Of all the things he expected to hear, that was not one of them. "Is this fear the level of clowns, Agent Booth? Are you in danger of shooting someone?"

"Caroline, maybe," Booth grumbled. "But she's not what I'm afraid of."

Intrigued, and more than a little confused, Sweets moved from behind his desk to a chair directly across from Booth. In his hand, he held a notepad, something he always kept ready. It helped him to think and reflect on what his visitors said to him. "So what is it you've developed a phobia to?"

Another deep sigh and nervous fidgeting commenced until Booth finally worked up nerve to mutter an answer.

"Mistletoe."

"Excuse me?" Sweets asked, sure he didn't hear the agent correctly. "Did you just say you've developed a phobia to mistletoe?"

"Yes, that's what I said," Booth replied. He jumped to his feet and made a move toward the door. "Just forget I said anything."

"Sit down, Agent Booth," Sweets ordered, surprised at the tone of authority in his voice.

Booth, apparently also surprised at the tone, turned slowly and returned to his seat like a child being punished. "It's not really a phobia," he tried to explain.

"Agent Booth, I'm not judging you," Sweets reassured him. "I am however curious at what brought about this new disdain for mistletoe?"

As the silence again stretched out between them, Sweets began a list of all the indicators Booth gave of being nervous or uncomfortable.

Readjusting of his tie? Check.

Running his hand through his hair? Check.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose. Check and double check.

"I kissed Bones, under the mistletoe," Booth said in a rush. He looked up briefly to assess Sweets' reaction to his declaration before looking back at the floor again.

Because the glance was so fast, Booth missed the raised eyebrows and shock clearly visible on his colleague's face before Sweets managed to recover. Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan had kissed? And from Booth's half muttered comment about Caroline, Sweets would guess she had something to do with it.

"Was the kiss not what you expected it to be?"

Booth snorted and Sweets immediately made the leap to what had caused this new phobia.

"No," Booth said softly. "It was exactly what I expected it to be."

And there was the problem. It was everything he'd hoped it would be, even if the kiss had been orchestrated by Caroline.

"Are you afraid of the mistletoe because you are afraid of kissing Dr. Brennan again?"

Booth shrugged. "I'm not sure if I'm looking for it to avoid it, or looking for it to get another chance."

Setting the notepad aside, Sweets considered the agent. The psychologist in him wondered if he would ever have the right words to push Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan to admit their feelings to each other.

"You know that's not a phobia, Agent Booth."

"Yeah," Booth agreed. "Listen, Sweets, I really do have to go." This time, when he got to his feet, Sweets didn't try to stop him.

But he did get him to pause with his next words. "Agent Booth, I know how you feel about her. Even blind, I think we all know how you feel about her. Everything with Dr. Brennan takes time. Time and evidence. Consider the kiss one more piece of that evidentiary puzzle."

"So you think I should kiss her again?" Booth asked. But there was no hope in his voice. He seemed almost resigned, as if he knew or assumed the next kiss would end with Brennan running away from him at Christmas.

"I think, Agent Booth, that if you both happen to be under the mistletoe, you should use your knowledge of Dr. Brennan to make the best judgement. You push her beyond her comfort zone, but you always seem to know when to pull back. Trust that if the opportunity comes again, you'll both say and do the right thing."

Pressing his lips together, Booth left the office without another word, leaving Sweets to pray to whoever was listening that Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan would find their own Christmas miracle.