Hi dear readers! Tomorrow it's Christmas eve and I decided that I wanted to participate in the Christmas cheer. So last minute, I tried to write a little Christmas one-shot. I wanted to go further with it and write about the actual dinner and even bring Hank in but I figured it might become too long then so I left it at this.

It's based on the idea from The Goop On The Girl, but there aren't really spoilers in here, probably since I haven't actually seen the episode myself yet, which I really have to do something about by the way!

It's not the best piece I've written, but I just wanted a little Christmas present for you guys and like this I can send you all my best wishes. I hope all of you have joyfull holidays, filled with happiness and laughter, shared with the people that mean the most to you. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and in case I don't post anything before the new year anymore, I already want to wish everyone a Happy New Year too! May all your dreams and hopes come true, may you stay healthy and experience a lot of joy and love! Possibly I might update 'The Bones And The Beautiful' before New Year's eve, but if I don't: see you all in 2010!

Disclaimer: I haven't had any Christmas presents yet, but I'm fairly certain that the rights over Bones won't be a part of it...

Brennan was putting the last things in order for the Christmas dinner she was organizing. A large amount of her supposed to be guests had already arrived to help her setting everything up, even though technically she was throwing the party. Booth, Angela, Hodgins, Cam, her father and of course her cousin Margaret were already there. Only Sweets & Daisy and Wendell, who promised to pick up Michelle as well, were still missing.

They were all chatting amicably when Brennan took a moment to watch them. She was glad she was there, glad to spend Christmas with her family and friends. And they seemed just as happy to be at her place for the event.

Her eyes fell on her partner then, for some reason he seemed unusually quiet. He had a small smile gracing his lips, listening to the stories the others were sharing, but he'd hardly said any word all day so far. Up until now it looked like she was the only one who'd wondered if something was up though.

He excused himself then, to make a phone call. Since Parker was away with Rebecca and her boyfriend, Booth wasn't able to spend Christmas eve with his son, like he always did. But Parker had made him promise to call. Booth sat down on her sofa, his friends' voices becoming nothing more than soft background noise.

Brennan shook herself out of her reverie and went back to decorating the table. When she was done and looked up again, she noticed Booth had ended his phone call, but he was still seated on her couch, staring through the window, pensive but she noticed he also looked sad.

Sighing mildly, she hung the other table cloth she was holding, over a chair and walked over to the living area, gently settling herself next to Booth. She pulled her legs up and crossed them on the couch, also dropping her hands in her lap before she spoke softly.

"You okay?"

He gave her a brief look, smiling a little. "Yeah, I'm fine."

She sighed. "You don't look fine to me. You know you can talk to me right?"

He nodded. "I know Bones. But honestly I'm fine, I've been better but I'll manage."

For a few seconds there was a pause. "Parker?" she questioned eventually.

"That too."

She frowned. She'd figured that the only reason he'd be sad on his favorite holiday would be the fact that he couldn't see his little boy but clearly there was really something on his mind.

"Did something happen? Is Parker alright? Or is something wrong with your grandfather?"

He shook his head. He knew he had to tell her, she wouldn't stop asking and worrying until he did and he wanted her to enjoy the evening.

He sighed deeply. "It's just…I just feel like I don't belong anywhere you know."

She wanted to protest already but decided on letting him finish.

"Parker's on a trip and Pops celebrates Christmas there and I'm just… alone."

"Booth you're not alone, look how many people you have around you." As to prove her point, she looked around, watching the rest of the group hovering around in her kitchen and dining room.

"That's your family and friends Bones… No one actually needs me to celebrate with, I'm the one who needs you guys cause if not I'd be all alone…I'm just pathetic!" he laughed ironically.

"Booth you are not pathetic! They are your friends just as well as mine. Parker needs you, if he could I'm sure he'd be here with you right now, he loves spending Christmas with you just as much as you like to share it with him. And all of us, we need you too, we wouldn't all be here if it weren't for you Booth. I think you know that. Without you, I'd be spending my holidays somewhere digging up ancient remains instead of celebrating with the people I care about cause you taught me this, I never did this before you came along, I never felt the need to."

She let her words sink in for a minute. She lay a hand down on his knee and soon his hand landed on top of hers, unconsciously rubbing light circles on it. "Booth, look at me" she requested softly and he did as asked. "I invited you because I really wanted you here, it wouldn't be the same without you and I think you know me well enough by now to know that I wouldn't say such thing if I didn't mean it."

A genuine smile, which she liked to believe he reserved just for her, spread over his face. He whispered "Thanks Bones, for inviting me. I love spending Christmas with Parker, but spending it with you…I really like that too."

She smiled at him, a smile he liked to think she gave only him and then they both turned to look out the window again at the exact same time.

Outside the snow had just started to fall, making both their smiles even wider. For a few seconds they watched the white dust fall. She turned her head then and kissed his cheek. "Merry Christmas Booth" She leaned in to him, resting her head on his shoulder, while he slung his right arm around her shoulders and nestled his head on top of hers. "Merry Christmas Bones."

They were oblivious to their friends and family, who had all dropped the work momentarily to watch the pair. They all smiled at the sight of them and soon Angela wanted to go over there and point out the fact that they were so obviously more than just partners. But Hodgins grabbed her arm to stop her and, after glancing at them once more, she decided that the picture was too cute to disturb anyway. It really was a magical Christmas, Angela thought, and the most beautiful gift they'd gotten this year was that they were celebrating it all together… as a family.

And that would be my tribute to the load of Christmas stories we get to read here these days. I've read a few already and so far I just love all of them! I hope you can say the same for mine. If you'd like to give me a little present, please push that review button, I'd already be really happy with that!

CherryXMe