Disclaimer: Don't own nor profit from Bones.

A/N: This is a Secret Santa fic for BeaBB, whose prompts were all so good that it was difficult to pick just one. I went with pre-Christine BB but also threw in some Caroline and hot chocolate from one of the other ones on the list because everything is more fun that way. Hope you enjoy! And Happy Holidays to all!

Friday Night—Eric Paslay

"Seeley Booth…"

Caroline's autocratic voice nearly made him wince. As much as he liked the woman, it was never a good thing when she used that tone while striding into his office past end of workday on a Friday.

"I'm not here," he said immediately. "I'm walking out right now." Quickly, he powered down his computer and jumped up from the desk, grabbing his keys and swinging them meaningfully. "Out the door. See?"

"Oh no, cher, I still see you here." Unfazed, Caroline blocked his path, hands at her hips in a clear battle mode stance. "I need you to serve a warrant for me and oversee the evidence recovery."

He groaned. "Now?"

"As soon as it comes through," she said. "Judge is signing it right now. This jackass is going to skip town, Booth, and likely take a substantial amount of evidence with him so I need this done tonight. I want it done quickly and efficiently. You're the man for that."

"No, I'm the sucker that's still here at 6pm on a Friday," he muttered. "Caroline, I need to go pick up Bones. She's not going to leave that lab until I go get her and it's Friday night. We're supposed to go to dinner and then a movie that's starting at 8."

"Aw, that's cute," she smirked a little, but her soft spot for Booth and Brennan was evident. "Real cute. Have you two decided to make it official?"

Booth's eyes went narrow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," she shot back, sly smile in place. "I wasn't born yesterday, Seeley Booth. Something happened right around the time we had that case with the little deaf girl. You gonna fess up?"

Booth cleared his throat. "Caroline, Bones and I …we, uh…we are…"

"What?" She raised a challenging eyebrow. "Just partners?"

He'd uttered those words countless times in the past but right then, he couldn't get the lie out. It felt sacrilegious to say them only days after finding out they were having a baby. Certainly, they'd been keeping their relationship quiet over the last few weeks and he was pretty sure only Angela knew they were sleeping together but it was one thing to be private and another to outright lie.

"No," he said softly. "We've never been just partners." It felt freeing to finally say those words out loud.

"Oh, I knew it," she cackled gleefully before her ringing phone made her turn serious again. "That's my warrant, cher."

"Damn it, Caroline," he cursed in sheer frustration.

"I'm sorry, Booth," she said sincerely. "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. I'll owe you one, cher."

"Fine," he gave in, knowing that she wasn't bullshitting. "I'll call Bones."

He pulled out his phone and before dialing, Booth realized Caroline was still standing there, expectant smile on her face. "I'm having this conversation in private, Caroline," he said firmly, walking to the door of his office and holding it open in a not so subtle invitation to leave. Caroline grumbled but walked out and Booth closed the door behind her before dialing his partner.

"Hi, Booth." Her slightly husky voice greeted him and his stomach constricted pleasantly at the sound. "I'm almost ready to go. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm looking forward to leaving work." Her soft laugh was almost shy with a hint of self-consciousness. "I think I'm beginning to understand the allure of Friday nights."

Damn it. His fingers gripped the phone tightly, hating to disappoint her. "Bones…"

"Can we go get hot chocolate before the movie?" she said happily and he could practically hear her smile. "I find I'm having a craving, Booth."

Oh, that was so sweet. Damn it all to hell. "Oh, Bones, I'm sorry, baby. I got cornered by Caroline before leaving the office." Oh, she would definitely owe him more than one for this. "She needs me to go serve a warrant and oversee the evidence recovery. It might be a while before I'm done, Bones."

"Oh." There was a soft little sigh that made him want to tell Caroline to go find another idiot to serve her warrant. "It's okay, Booth. I understand."

"I know you do, but it still sucks," Booth murmured and he could picture her, sliding off her lab coat, packing up, all ready to go, looking forward to Friday night and hot chocolate. "I want to see you. I want to kiss you. I want to take you out and get you some hot chocolate."

"I want to see you too," she said softly. "Just come by when you're done, Booth."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know how late it'll be when—"

"Doesn't matter," Brennan interrupted firmly. "Come over. I'll make us dinner. I'm not very hungry right now, anyway. I can wait until you're done."

Booth frowned. "No, Bones, I don't want you to do that."

"Don't argue with me, Booth," she replied. "How does mac and cheese sound?"

Booth laughed softly. He always loved when she cooked him mac and cheese. "Sounds perfect, Bones." It was his own personal seduction. "Hey, I'll bring the hot chocolate."

"It's a deal, Booth."

-x-

Man, Caroline was always right on the money. They found the guy with his suitcases packed and calling a cab to the airport. Since Booth held the money-laundering jerk responsible for ruining his night, he took special satisfaction in slapping on the handcuffs and impounding every goddamn file and computer in the house.

The whole thing didn't take as long as he'd expected, but still not as quick as he wanted. A couple hours later, after a quick detour to the grocery store, Booth was knocking on Brennan's door.

She greeted him with a wide smile, which slipped just a little as her gaze traveled over him. "Where's the hot chocolate?" There was just a slight pout to the question. Clearly, she had her heart set on the sweet drink.

Booth gave her a charm smile. "Don't worry, Bones. I'm going to make you the best dang hot chocolate you've ever had. I've got everything I need right here." He lifted the bag in his hand to demonstrate.

"You're going to make it?" she asked, locking the door behind him.

"I sense doubt," he teased, stepping close and brushing her mouth lightly. "But I'll make you a believer."

He headed for the kitchen and Brennan followed after him with a slight frown. "You must be tired, Booth."

"Nah, all I did was babysit while a team went through the house and packed up everything." Setting the bag on the kitchen counter, Booth turned to Brennan and tugged her to him. "I'm sorry about our Friday night." His hands skimmed over her side, one pressed gently against her flat stomach. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Brennan murmured, her hand automatically rising to stroke over his face. "My appetite is a little off, but that's not unusual."

"No?" Booth pressed a kiss to her jaw, inhaling deeply. "Does that mean you don't want hot chocolate?"

Brennan chuckled. "I do, actually. I don't want food, but I do want chocolate." Her head tipped back to give him access to her throat. "What about you, aren't you hungry?"

"Mmm…" he nuzzled into the sweet smelling dip of her neck. "Not for food, Bones." Hands sweeping down her back, Booth cupped her bottom, pressing her into the hard line of his body.

She curled her fingers into his gray T-shirt, gasping as he rocked her into him. His mouth landed on hers, kissing her soft at first but then harder and deeper. They both broke apart, gasping for air and looking at each other with slightly glazed eyes.

Brennan blinked, not even trying to fight off the daze. Kissing Booth always left her incapable of thinking of anything but one more time. It was a highly addictive sensation that had panicked her the first couple times she'd kissed him. It still did somewhat, but she was learning to flush out the feeling. Usually, she did it by going back for more. Like now. She yanked up his shirt and crashed into him. Her hands roamed over his bare skin, making Booth groan aloud.

His fingers tangled in her hair, holding her head while his tongue responded to the assault of her own. She pushed him back against the counter and snapped open his pants. "Bones. Wait." Booth tore his mouth away and shook his head, trying to think. "Wait a sec, baby. I'm supposed to be making you hot chocolate."

"Later," Brennan breathed. There was one thing she was craving more than chocolate. "After." She buried her face against his neck and breathed him in. "You smell so good. You feel so good." Her teeth dragged against one perfectly formed shoulder and she bit in, slightly harder than she meant to. "God, Booth, I think I'm addicted to you."

Booth moaned, every thought of hot chocolate fleeing from his mind. "Jesus," he whispered hoarsely. "C'mere." He grabbed her by the waist and spun around, plopping her on top of the counter. Her shirt and bra disappeared, leaving Booth to groan in sheer appreciation. He rubbed his mouth over the silken skin, leaving sucking kisses as he went. "Addiction goes both ways, Bones."

When they were mostly naked, Booth scooped her up and her legs locked around his waist as he carried her to the bedroom. They kissed and stroked and managed to get undressed without barely losing contact. Wrapped up in each other, everything else disappeared. The long week and crappy Friday night and work and stress, all gone. In that moment, there was only them, lost in each other. Soft touches and hard kisses. Whispered words and husky moans. Pure pleasure and sweaty satisfaction.

When they were sated and spent, Booth brushed back Brennan's damp hair and smiled at her fluttering lids. "Don't fall asleep yet," he murmured, fingertips tracing the shape of her mouth which was curved in a small, satisfied smile.

"I won't." She gave a lazy stretch that inevitably made Booth's gaze track to the lines of her naked body. His fingertips practically itched to run over the curve of her breasts once more, trace one soft nipple until it peaked and budded in invitation to his mouth. He swallowed and nearly dipped his head to mouth a delicious nipple again.

With a soft curse, Booth attempted to shake off the sensual haze. The strict self-control he had employed for years when it came to his partner had vanished without leaving a trace behind and now he couldn't keep his hands off her. He dipped his head, but stayed away from her tempting body parts and brushed a kiss to her lips before rolling out of bed.

With a yawn, Brennan wrapped the sheets around her and snuggled in. It made Booth grin and wonder if she'd be able to stay awake after all while he made the hot chocolate. Even though he really wasn't hungry, once in the kitchen, Booth couldn't help opening the oven and taking a couple spoonfuls of the mac and cheese she left there before getting started.

The process wasn't terribly time consuming, but he was meticulous while he boiled the milk and then carefully added the Ghirardelli ground chocolate mix, stirring as he went, making sure that it was a perfect, thick consistency. He topped off the drink with large, fluffy marshmallows because he knew his woman and it didn't matter how much she lectured on sugar intake, she loved it.

When he returned to the bedroom, carrying the steaming mugs, she wasn't asleep but her voice sounded almost slurred when she said, "Mmm, it smells delicious."

"Careful, it's hot," Booth warned.

She sat up, keeping the sheets wrapped around her, and took the cup from him. Her eyes shined as she pressed a fingertip against one big, fluffy marshmallow.

"Marshmallows," she whispered almost to herself with a soft smile. "My mom always put marshmallows on top of the hot chocolate."

"I know." He got into bed with her and pressed a kiss to her temple.

Brennan blew into the drink to cool it and took a careful sip. It tasted as good as it smelled. "It's perfect, Booth. Just what I wanted." She leaned into him and kissed him softly. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Bones." He cupped her cheek, thumbed the skin in a sweet caress. "Hey, I'm sorry we didn't make dinner or the movie." It made him ache a little, remembering how she'd sounded so sweet over the phone, admitting that for once she was looking forward to Friday night. "I promise I'll make it up to you."

Brennan frowned a little as she sipped back some more of the tasty drink. "There's nothing to make up, Booth."

"Yes, there is, Bones," he replied with a small frown of his own. "We had a date. We had plans that I broke because of work. When a guy breaks Friday night plans with his girl, he needs to make it up to her."

"I'm hardly a girl," Brennan shot back quickly, unable to let the word pass without comment.

Booth sighed. "Bones…"

"Okay, I understand what you are saying. But can I tell you something?" Brennan took another sip of the chocolate before setting the cup aside and turning back to Booth. She pressed close, draping her arms around his neck, her mouth almost brushing over his as she spoke. "I'd like to remind you that I'm not terribly sentimental or likely to engage in romance but what I'm about to tell you is absolutely true and I want you to understand this one thing. You want to know the reason why I'm so happy right now even though our Friday night didn't go exactly according to plan?"

"What's the reason?" he breathed, closing his arms around her waist.

"It's you," she whispered simply. "You're my perfect Friday night."