Usual notes and disclaimer: I don't own any of the original characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC. I have borrowed the characters from the TV-Show and solely own the ideas of my stories and the developments I've let them go through.

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Author's note: This is another Christmas story. Tommy shares Barbara's Christmas tradition.

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New Traditions

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They stood in the office and checked the last things before the final shift was over. Tomorrow was Christmas, they had no duty and so DI Lynley and DS Havers were as relaxed as one could be.

"You don't have to work during the holidays, do you?" Lynley asked.

Havers happily beamed. "No, Sir, finally I have some spare time until the 2nd of January."

"What are your plans?"

His DS told him about her traditional way of spending Christmas. This evening she would make herself some pasta and then go to a pub in Acton where she always went - when not on duty that is - at Christmas Nights. It was called The Sparrow and the Nightingale and she and some old friends would be sitting there, chatting, having a pint or two.

"And at midnight and every following half hour we sing Christmas songs and will be rewarded with a little alcoholic surprise afterwards. That's why I need the next day for doing nothing." Barbara winked.

"That sounds nice." Tommy returned her smile. "I've wondered if you perhaps-"

"No, Sir." she interrupted him.

"Huh?"

"I said no, Sir. I won't give up this tradition to attend some, excuse the word, boring function at Howenstow where I have no place in. I'm not belonging to your family-"

"Oh, Barbara, you are so much a friend of mine, it doesn't count that you're not my sibship. In fact..." He pensively watched her. In fact it's better that way. "Umm, well, I simply thought if I-"

"No, Sir. I won't come with you to Cornwall, whatever you say."

"But-"

Right in that moment DC Nkata, with a red and white fur cap, rumbled into the office and laughed with DC Carter.

"Merry Christmas, Barbie! Umm, Sir..." Then he held out an arm and Barbara took it. Earlier Winston had offered her a lift home so she wished Lynley a happy time and left the office.

That hadn't gone like planned. Tommy thought.

Barbara had spent her evening like she had planned it. She had decorated her little tree with the few red bulbs she still has from her parents, she had put the fairy lights on it and illuminated her little lounge with colourful light. Then she had made herself some pasta with tomato and creamsauce and a gammon steak and watched the usual show on TV.

The pub she always went to at Christmas' Eve was in Acton so she needed to go there with the tube. The event started at ten with open end.

At twelve o'clock some chiming church bells coming from tape announced the first round of songs. The landlord played Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and the whole pub - with or without the text sheets - sang in unison. During the afterwards played Oh Come All Ye Faithful Barbara could have sworn that she heard her Inspector's baritone in the crowd. She looked around but did not see him.

Barbara could not have known that he had seen her in the second he entered the pub, that he had approached her but then waited behind a column when the music started, that he had been fascinated by her clear and beautiful voice, that his heart beat faster because he suddenly felt like an intruder in her world. She looked so relaxed, so happy. Obviously the people around all know each other somehow and the people around Barbara were close friends of her.

I should not be here. Tommy thought and was about to turn to leave but right in that moment her eyes catched his at last and after the shortest of a happy smile her face fell. He could not just turn and leave anymore so he stepped closer to her table and took off his thick woollen coat.

"Good evening, Barbara. Merry Christmas to you." He tried a disarming grin.

First when she catched his eye she felt a little happy shiver but then thought that his presence could only mean there was an emergency at work. When he had stepped closer and beamed at her she knew that it was no emergency and she only felt embarrassed.

"Sir. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Howenstow?"

"That's what I had wanted to tell you but you've interrupted each and every sentence. There is nobody at Howenstow this year and I had not intended to go there on my own. Or with you that is. I had not wanted to invite you, instead I had wanted to ask to be invited to this round, invited into your evening." Tommy told Barbara that he had sat alone at home until now and pondered if he just should come around. He already had had two Whiskys and now he would slow down a bit if the evening would go on a while.

"That is, if you allow me to stay, Barbara."

"Yes!" she quickly answered. Too quickly for her own liking. He did not need to know that she wanted him to stay with her as long as he wanted to. She waved a hand around as if she offered him the whole pub. "Of course, feel yourself at home."

Barbara thought of scooting a bit to the edge of the bench where she sat to give him space to sit next to her but then decided it would be better that he sat on the chair. She would not bear his closeness. In fact she was too happy to have him here tonight. Though it's only just because there's no event at Howenstow.

Exactly in this moment Cate plonked onto that said chair and cheekily eyed the DI "Hey, Barbie, who's that?"

"That's DI Lynley. My boss. Sir, this is Cate."

Cate nodded appreciatively and greeted him. "Hiya, mate."

Tommy did not sit down next to Barbara but left for a new round of beer.

The tow-haired woman watched his behind walking through the crowd.

"Hmm!" she said to Barbara. "My specs nearly fog. Such a cutie!"

When Barbara blushed Cate grinned. "Ah, I see, I have to keep off."

"Cate, you're married!" Barbara scolded her.

"It's allowed to look at handsome men, isn't it. Ah, if you speak of the devil. Hello, Darling." William bent down and kissed her.

When Tommy came back to the table Barbara introduced more of her friends and people around.

"There's Yanick, over there that's Sam, speaking with Louise Hobson, a German teacher. The father of her children unfortunately has to sit them tonight, otherwise he would be here too. Ah, here comes Roberta. Hi, Hobbs, how's your farm?" They air-kissed and Tommy raised an eyebrow. He would not have thought his earthy DS would do such a society gesture.

Barbara continued. "That's Mr. Lynley, my boss and very good friend." After a short introduction Hobbs went on to talk to Sam.

Barbara, Tommy, Cate and William talked a bit about this pub, the tradition and soon the next round of songs started with the usual church bell chime. The First Noel was followed by Oh, Christmas Tree and Silent Night during which Barbara closed her eyes and concentrated on Tommy's voice. He sounded as if it wasn't the first time he had sung. Besides it was his voice and she could listen to it the entire evening.

Sipping on the second alcoholic surprise she asked if Tommy had sung at school or church and he told her a bit of his youth. He was not so much of a church-goer but constantly had to for social and family reasons. But at school he actually had sung in the choir.

"You've got quite a voice yourself, Barbara." Tommy pointed out askingly.

"Oh, umm, well, no choir singing, I'm just a shower star. Oh, and I got some practice during one or the other karaoke nights." Barbara laughed a bit sheepishly. "Oh, look, there's Dotty."

Her chin discreetly pointed to an elderly lady sitting at the bar, sipping graciously at her gin and smiling politely into the crowd. Some guests greeted her and exchanged a few words. Barbara whispered "I believe nobody knows her full name. She comes once or twice a month, drinks a gin and exchanges a few polite words, then leaves again, I suppose she has Scottish or noble" at that she winked at Tommy "ancestors. And I think- ah, hey, Rese, you're late!"

Another couple entered the pub and a broad grin appeared on Barbara's face. "There come Rese and Animal."

"Animal?!" Tommy turned his head to have a better view and then grinned. "Ah, I see."

"Yah. He's a drummer in a rockband and she simply enjoys their lottery win. They live in the Yorkshire Dales. Except those two nearly everybody I introduced to you had lived here once and now lives somewhere else. But we all come together in this pub and celebrate Christmas."

Barbara happily beamed at Tommy who simply enjoyed her babbling. While he still drinks a glass of water between his beers she was already quite tipsy and did not notice that she was constantly talking and telling him every little detail.

Louise was equally tipsy and extremely jolly. She hopped around and held a little mistletoe above couples. Tommy had seen it and hoped that she would not come over to their table. He also hoped she would.

She did. Suddenly her face appeared in front of them, gleefully grinning, motioning her eyes to the mistletoe above their heads.

"Oh leave us, Louise!" Barbara grumbled. Tommy just smiled deeply embarrassed but Louise insisted on a kiss.

"It's tradition, Barbie, you won't escape. Go on, just a little kiss, you coward." Louise did not know what kind of dilemma she initiated. Barbara would have loved to be kissed by her boss but she knew there were worlds between them and they were just friends.

Then Louise turned to him. "Tommy, I believe you are a keeper of traditions. Go and convince her that this one has to be kept!"

Tommy turned to Barbara and she suddenly was lost in his dark eyes. If only with the help of a mistletoe - she thought. I don't care...

"It's tradition, Barbara!" he smiled lovingly. He did not need to convince her at all.

Louise watched the two getting closer. Their eyes were locked and she could tell that neither of both breathed. Their lips met in a brief but nonetheless intense kiss. When their lips parted they still looked into each other's eyes. A small enchanted smile graced Barbara's face and the love Tommy's face emanated was obvious. Electricity seemed to sizzle between them and she was sure they would be going to share another kiss so she decided to leave them alone.

"I better... umm... be gone." she mumbled and left.

Unfortunately her place was immediately taken by Yannick and Sam who - totally unaware of the tension between Barbara and Tommy - loudly and merrily offered a new cocktail they just had mixed.

The two detectives ripped their eyes apart and turned to her friends to taste the mixture. Tommy softly squeezed her hand but the sizzling moment was over and he did not dare to keep holding her hand.

Rese had sat at the bar and watched the whole scene.

Church bells chimed through the room and the next round of songs were sung. Deck The Halls enlightened the already joyful mood and finally they all sung We Wish You A Merry Christmas. After those two last songs and the obligatory surprise the music turned modern with one or the other Christmas pop song. Barbara started to wander around, have a chat here and a shared drink there, left the pub with a smoking friend to keep company and warmed her ice cold fingers at the open fire when she was back in. Tommy constantly searched her proximity. Partly because he knew no one else but also because he simply had wanted to be near her. Mostly because he would have loved to find himself under another mistletoe with her.

However he did not follow her onto the dance floor where Cate had dragged her while a disco song was played both obviously enjoyed not for the first time. Tommy stood at the bar and sipped at a still water when Rese and Animal appeared in front of him. They exchanged some polite chat, Animal left for another friend and then the short red-haired woman eyed Tommy warily.

"You know, she has a crush on you..."

"Pardon?"

"You know whom I mean. And one can tell that you have a crush on her."

"Umm..." Tommy blushed. In fact I think I love her.

"Or even more." Rese continued. "But I tell you something, Sir, and I mean it: If you hurt her - I will hurt you!"

"I'd never!" Tommy fervently swore. Both clinked their glasses to seal it.

Rese grinned again. "Alright, now, good hunting!" she laughed and left him standing there alone.

Later that night the hard core of the community started to sing some karaoke inbetween the songs from tape and Tommy, at that moment in a conversation with Hobbs about horses, saw Barbara being nudged onto the stage. Obviously she did not want to sing and Rese and Cate gave her two shots of some of the surprises' leftover and the same red and white hat they already had on their heads. Grinning Cate pressed the play button on the karaoke machine and Barbara sang Santa Baby, accompanied by the two scheming women dancing ridiculously saucy in the background. At first a bit embarrassed and shy Barbara soon had some enormous fun singing this song full of innuendos and flirting with the boys in the pub. She did not dare to flirt with Tommy. She just shot him a few glances and made him entirely jealous of all other men around.

He swallowed when Barbara finally addressed the last words to him. "Hurry, tonight!"

Barbara did not know where that came from and was surprised about herself. A flash of an image of them both under the covers of her bed made her blush deeply and left her with a warm comforting feeling. Giggling like teenagers the three women left the stage in the direction of the bar.

After a few more drinks they all were quite tipsy or even more. Tommy and Barbara, as well as Cate, William, Rese and Animal left the pub and squashed into a cab. Barbara's friends were the first to be dropped off until Tommy and Barbara stood in her flat. She had invited him in to have another drink though she already had had enough. Tommy just wanted to make sure that she safely gets to bed.

Barbara made him sit on her sofa and turned to vanish in her bedroom to put away her winter coat.

"Sit down, don't leave, just wait a second. I'll be right back!" she said.

Tommy did as told and soon fell asleep on the sofa, still fully dressed, not aware of the fact that Barbara already had been sound asleep herself.

A beeping sound from her night stand woke her. Her mouth smelled and felt like the sole of a fisherman's shoe and her head was pounding heavily. She downed the glass of still water that she obviously had put there before she went to bed. She did not remember. She did not remember some of the evening's events. She read the message from Cate.

[ Grats you little lucky one. William is pleased too ]

"Huh?" Barbara asked herself. Congratulations? What for? Another text already had reached her one hour ago. Rese had texted that she hoped that everything went well.

Barbara shook her head and went to the loo. Coming back she saw that a Christmas stocking hung at the key at the door of her cupboard. Then her eyes fell onto the neatly folded blanket on her sofa. Usually it laid around somehow crumpled.

He has slept there! Barbara finally remembered more of the evening. Nothing had happened and the congratulations had been superfluous. What a pity.

Curiously she peeped into the stocking where she found some expensive pralines. While one of those sweeties melted in her mouth there was a knock on her door that made her startle. Nobody she knew would knock today, except...

"Sir!"

"Morning Barbara! Merry Christmas!"

Barbara mumbled something slurred and watched him still a bit drowsy.

"Sorry I had to knock. I was looking for your chimney, but..." He shrugged apologetically then he realised the innuendo and blushed. "Umm, well, I just came back because I haven't thanked you yet."

"For what?"

"For letting me spend Christmas Eve with you. I... I'd have been alone otherwise, probably drinking too much... oh, well, in fact drinking more than I actually did." He winked at Barbara who nodded, motioned him to follow her and turned.

"Coffee?"

"No, thank you."

"A tea then..."

"No."

"Then what? Another pint?" She chuckled. Barbara turned and suddenly found herself pressed against Tommy's chest. She stopped breathing. His left arm surrounded her and the other waved Louise's little mistletoe above her head.

"Another kiss." he said and kissed her without further ado. It was all different to the kiss on the previous evening. Barbara melted in an instant and closed her eyes. Tommy soon threw away the mistletoe and wrapped his other arm around her too. They shared a deep sensual kiss with nibbling and soft moaning and a playful, tender fight of their tongues. Eventually they had to come up for air.

"Happy Christmas, Barbara." he breathlessly wished.

"Very happy Christmas indeed, Tommy." Barbara closed her eyes again.

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Author's note: Any potential similarities are made on purpose, everything else is fictional. No offence intended. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading, thanks for reviewing.

And a very merry and happy Christmas to everybody!