Oh Ren, It's been ages, hasn't it? I've had this short story red flagged to read ever since I got the notice, and today, I actually carved out time to enjoy it. Yes, completely enjoy it, even though I don't watch this show. I've always loved your writing and the way you sculpt your prose. There's a suspense to it that comes naturally to you, and I love, love suspense. You did a wonderful job here, and I sincerely applaud you for being creative enough to not use those not so nice words that make me cringe. This story was so cute and the banter between these two flowed smoothly. Completely believable. I miss your Dr. Quinn fanfiction, but I am happy just knowing that you continue to write. You have a gift and it's nice to see that you are still exercising it. I hope life is treating you well - take care now. :)

Tess

PS: I too want just my old flip open cell, not this new touch screen stuff. I'm also on facebook and twitter, but only occasionally, if you care to connect there. ;)

Haha, this just rocked! Love me some Booth and Brennan banter, and this was that at it's best.

Hehe...mention a christmas present and his face lights up. Booth is such a kid...I'd roll my eyes if he wasn't so adorable with it! :P

Oh, this is LOVELY. You do action so very WELL...and the fluidity of your sentences and the structure with which you show how QUICKLY things happen as someone comes through that door is even more skilled than Booth's physical fluidity. GORGEOUS work there. I love the way you show Brennan pushing for time at her place (I understand the "why build 3 sets for the season" concept...but I miss her place). I love the way you show Brennan watching him, evaluating him, giving him space, then demanding he get treatment-for good reasons which she gives him-once his condition shows sufficient symptoms to require it. I LOVE that you mention how glad she is to be able to recognize what he needs...and the "Christmas Eve Day" as a reminder that things may not have gone smoothly on Christmas, especially not in the "mess of the past two years," but THEY are still there, still in synch, finally together without restraint. LOVELY throughout!

Well, I loved it. Start to finish. I could leave it at that, but you know that I won't.

From the get go you grab me with with the bit about the little girls who will never experience Christmas the same way again. As a mom, may I just say: Ouch.

I love this: "...and then Booth shifts abruptly.

Fluid. It's the best way to describe the way that he moves. His everyday motions are coordinated and full of quiet (and not so quiet) confidence, but in moments like these there's raw power and her heart thumps in automatic, anticipatory response to something he sees which she does not." Because YES! That's exactly what it is. Confident and cocky most days, but in those moments, raw and instinctual and you've got described that here, brilliantly.

Nice use of parietal ;D

I adored this bit. It's so them:

"Booth, I think you may have a concussion."

"What? No. It's Christmas Eve."

"There is no correlation between those two things."

Funny!

This is so Brennany and sweet that it made me "awwww": "Brennan has come to appreciate holidays mainly because Booth appreciates them so wholeheartedly, and seeing the delight triggered by these small things causes happiness to bubble up inside of her. But at the end of it all, it's just a day. She has spent holidays with Booth before but now she spends all the other days with him as well (without any pretense of work) and this – to her – carries a far greater weight."

I love how easy he is to appease by the idea of getting is gift. He's such a child sometimes and I love that she is pleased that she knows how to do that for him.

"Booth nods. Stands. Kisses her quickly. It's been months and the expansions on their previous routines feel natural (now), but he suspects that there will always be moments when his gratitude for these new privileges - privileges which allow him to touch without restraint - overwhelms him." I know that feeling and it's...awesome. You've got it just right.

And they are indeed spending another not-quite-normal Christmas together...but I bet that somehow, this year, is better than ever.

Well done, Friend. :D

A lot of fun. Spending Christmas eve in the hospital is awful. The bickering is great.

Bitch, can you ever write!

The whole thing was amazing. I love how you can say so much about them, about their relationship, their emotions, their thoughts, in so few words. You always choose exactly the best way to phrase something, and it hits me in the gut each time.

Favourites:

By now they've reached his office. He settles behind his desk and she pulls up a chair and they pass files and a sheaf of documents back and forth, and there's that easy rhythm so deeply ingrained between them in these situations, even the absolute mess of the previous two years hadn't been enough to eradicate it completely.

Booth nods. Stands. Kisses her quickly. It's been months and the expansions on their previous routines feel natural (now), but he suspects that there will always be moments when his gratitude for these new privileges - privileges which allow him to touch without restraint - overwhelms him.

Fucking beautiful. You won't be a barista at Starbucks with talent like this, don't worry.

After a fair bit of discussion about this fic, I'm not going to go on at length because you absolutely know how fabulous I think you are and how your writing consistently makes me feel all fuzzy inside in a really, really good way.

What I will say is that this *felt* Ren. Your grasp on these characters is undeniable and I will forever fangirl at your writing.

Also:

"Fluid. It's the best way to describe the way that he moves. His everyday motions are coordinated and full of quiet (and not so quiet) confidence, but in moments like these there's raw power and her heart thumps in automatic, anticipatory response to something he sees which she does not."

Action!Booth is HOT. I loved the way you depicted it all here, even if he did end up getting bashed in the head a little bit.

You're my favourite. Always.

*happy sigh* That was such a lovely story - and made my ongoing season 7 woes so much easier to bear! You brought back the balance, the partnership, the fact that those two have always understood each other and were always able to find common ground among all the bickering. This was the perfect fic to make Christmas last a little bit longer :-))

Awwww this is so awesome! And totally what I wanted too :D

Thank you so much!

-Mckenna

First of all, I just want to make clear... THIS FIC IS NOT LAME!

Second, I really enjoyed it. So it doesn't have a plot, it was just as awesome as always.

Loved that they ended up at the hospital, even if he didn't want to go because it was Christmas Eve.

I'm sure that Brennan will make this Christmas even unforgettable. And come on, I'm sure Booth loves when she takes care of him. I know I do. haha.

I loved it, like always. ;)

"Merry Christmas Eve Day"

I loved the way you snuck that in there. They do have a history and it's nice when they both remember what it took to get them to where they are.

This was beautiful.

Lovely!

This was very good. I love christmas stories and yours was very interesting.

Great story! And so in keeping with the typical mishaps they encounter at Christmas! Love it!