So here is the final chapter of our little Christmas story. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I liked writing it. Again a big thank you to my Beta Jazzyproz and all my readers for the nice reviews -You are awesome.

Disclaimer: This story is all mine, Bones still belongs to FOX

She just loved alpha-male Booth.

They collapsed on the bed, breathing heavily, their skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

"Oh, wow, that was just.." his voice trailed off as he tried to catch this breath.

"I think I need a shower, right now!" She laughed happily and winked at him, getting of the bed. Before she reached the bathroom, he called out to her.

"Hey Bones!" She turned and met his beaming eyes. "Merry Christmas!"

§§§§

After lunch they lit the Christmas tree and exchanged their gifts. She gave him tickets to a hockey game he'd been talking incessantly about wanting to see, and he'd purchased a bracelet for her. Four tiny pendants dangled at the dainty silver chain - a little scull, a book, a gun and a pair of hockey sticks.

"Booth, these are beautiful!" She admired the jewelry with a bright smile. She was deeply moved by the thought he'd put into the gift.

"It's kinda us, y'know!?" He looked down at the collection of charms as she held them. "You can add more pendants, but these are the four I liked the most!" He touched the hand that held her new bracelet as she leaned in.

"Thank you," she kissed him lightly on the lips. "I love my gift!"

"You're welcome!" Eagerly, he kissed her back. "I like my gift, too. Would you go to the game with me?"

"That was the plan." Another kiss, not as light as the first, as it quickly escalated...

"Bones, we have to stop, or we'll never get the dinner ready in time." With a small peck on her lips, he stood and pulled her up from the couch with him, steering her towards the kitchen.

For the next couple of hours, they work side by side to prepare dinner, finishing with just the right amount of time left to get dressed before the first guests arrived. They were careful over the course of the evening, not to give away any hints as to the change in their relationship status. Only Angela sensed that something had changed - there was a difference between the partners, a new easiness. She watched them closely, unsuccessful in spotting the elusive piece of evidence she needed to prove her theory, but the evening was not over 'until the fat lady sang,' she reminded herself.

The dinner went well, and when the hour grew late, Brennan's guests started to leave. Angela lingered, helping Booth and Brennan to clear the table and put everything back in place. Throughout the whole evening, she had been looking for something to materialize that would prove her suspicion. But, when she entered the kitchen, it hit her like a bus. It wasn't something they did, it was the absence of something.

When Angela turned around the corner, Booth was helping to put the food away and was reaching for a container. It was in a cabinet above the dishwasher, where Brennan was standing. To reach the shelf, he would have to move her to the side. Without hesitation, he placed his hands on her hips and shifted her position. He then stretched over her to get the container, after which, he brushed his fingers lightly along her back. She didn't flinch. On the contrary, it looked more like she leaned into his touch. They were obviously very comfortable with each other.

Oh, you two are so busted.

Angela smiled to herself. She planned to grill Brennan for details as soon as they were in the lab.

§§§

The next several days were busy identifying and finding the murderer of their victim. In the end, they found out that there had been violence in the family. A brother killed a brother. As they initially suspected was possible, he, too, had died many years earlier. As such, the case was closed just before New Year's.

Against her first impulse, Angela didn't confront Brennan about her observations. She knew Brennan too well and trusted the scientist would share the news when she was ready. Something inside the hopelessly romantic artist sensed that the pair would like to keep their secret a little longer.

New Year's Eve came and they all were invited to the Hodgins' mansion to celebrate the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

Booth and Brennan were at her apartment getting ready for the party. He was already dressed in his tux as he watched her slip into her gown. It was made of blue satin, was strapless and had a sexy, dangerously deep cut down the back. She looked stunning and he had to force himself to breathe as his eyes traveled the tall length of her. Standing in front of the mirror, she watched as he approached from behind, reaching out to close the zipper. She met his eyes in the mirror when he grunted.

"Breathtaking!" He growled and nuzzled against the back of her ear. "I'm not sure if I should just lower the zipper again and peel you out of this dress right here!" He pressed a hot, open-mouthed kisses to her shoulder. "How am I supposed to keep my hands to myself the whole evening when you look so alluring." His dark eyes roamed over her body. The dress showed off all of her lush curves in the most beautiful of ways. He growled again. "This is not fair!"

He splayed one hand across her stomach to hold her close, the other hand was cupping her, his thumb running along the edge of her dress, caressing the soft, upper swells of her breasts. She pressed back into him, enjoying the feel of his hard body against hers.

"We need to leave!" She sighed, turning in his arms and pressing a hungry kiss to his lips. "This has to wait, Booth..."

"I hate to go. And I hate that I have to stay away from you to keep our secret. I wanna dance with you all night. Instead, I'll have to let other men hold you in their arms while dancing. I'm not gunna let you out of my sight. And God help anyone who tries to touch you, they'd better behave." He let the unabashed threat hang in the air.

"Lucky for us, you are not allowed to bring your gun into the party." She smiled at his alpha male behavior. "But I'm sure you could just kill them with your deadly stare."

She would never admit it, but she liked his possessive side a lot. And, she secretly liked that he had always been like that, not just since they became a couple.

§§§

The events of the evening went easier than they expected. Angela had seated them next to each other. All of their friends from the lab were at the same table, too, and everyone had a good time together.

Brennan had danced with Hodgins, and with Sweets, as Booth shared the dancefloor with Angela and Cam. On the two occasions she granted the dance requests from their fellow guests, Brennan felt Booth's eyes following her every move. A warm feeling rushed through her body… It felt like he was softly caressing her.

Much to his satisfaction, he was able to dance with her more than once, and he enjoyed every second. He was able to hold his partner close, bury his nose in her hair to breathe her in. His hands could slide over her back without raising any suspicion. With a masculine grin, he hummed against her ear. He could live with dancing with her like that.

"I love you." He couldn't hold back, so he didn't even try.

She opened her eyes and gazed up at him. "I love you, too," her smile was radiant.

The people around them were counting down to midnight.

"Four! Three! Two! One! … Happy New Year!"

The champagne bottles were popped open, the party-goers were cheering, hugging and kissing each other.

Totally forgetting where they were, or perhaps, simply comfortable enough with their surroundings and company, Booth bent down for a long, passionate kiss. They didn't notice the surprised gasps of their friends or the strangled scream that Angela failed to stifle.

Booth pulled her closer, his mouth wandering over hers hungrily, possessively. Finally, a little short of breath, they parted and touched their foreheads together.

"Happy New Year, Bones!"

It was then that they became aware of their friends, surrounding them and asking questions, in chaotic unison, about the how and the when.

"I guess the cat is out of the bag," Booth whispered into her ear with a dark chuckle.

With a frown forming across her forehead, she looked at him in confusion. "I have seen no feline around, and to carry her in a bag would be very uncomfortable for her!"

He laughed and hugged her again. "Just a saying, Bones, just a saying!"

Their friends were growing impatient and the partners finally had to address them. Indulgently, they tried to provide some answers while not revealing too much. They only admitted that there had been a slight change in their relationship.

"You know, you have to spill all the tiny little details as soon as we are alone on Monday!" Angela hugged her friend tightly. She was so happy for them.

The party continued for three more hours. Brennan and Booth were relieved not to be forced to keep their distance any longer. They were allowed to hug, to touch, and to kiss. And that, they did… Not to the extent of becoming uncomfortable for their friends, but lightly, here and there.

§§§

In the early hours of the morning, they took their leave and headed home. Happy, but tired, Brennan sat on the side of the bed, massaging her aching feet. She had changed out of her gown in favor of pulling on an old FBI t-shirt of Booth's.

When he came out from the bathroom, clad only in his boxers, he was pleasantly surprised by her choice of nightwear. He loved seeing her wearing his clothes… In fact, he couldn't think of anything sexier.

He took her hands and pulled her up from the bed to stand in front of him. While gripping the hem of the shirt and slipping it over her head, he was pleased to find her gloriously naked underneath. He whispered in a husky voice.

"You gotta know one thing, Baby!" He slipped his hands under the waistband of his boxers and dropped them with one push down his legs.

"New Year's Eve means FIREWORKS!"

THE END

A/N: The last line is an original quote from my hubby. So I have to give him credit ;-)

Let me know if I should do another story. Take care.