Chris Larabee stared out the living room window, at the gently falling snow as it hit the yard.

He and best friend Vin Tanner were going Christmas shopping and then help Mary with getting the house ready for that Sunday evening, when they had dinner with all their family.

He sighed, as he thought bout his new wife and step-son- no, son. No 'step' to it, they boy had won his heart from day one.

Mary came up and handed him a cup of coffee, "How does it look, Chris?"

"Not too bad. And inch fell in the night, but it's slowing down and the weekend looks good too."

"Good. Because you and Vin have some shopping to do and Billy will be home on Sunday," Mary said, gauging her husbands reaction. "Oh, and Chris," she added, before heading back to the kitchen, where the smells of pumpkin and apple flooded, "I'm out of that purfume that you gave me for my birthday; and there is only one place to get it."

His face turned red, just like she thought it would, "You look handsome when you blush, Mr. Larabee,"

"You know what strings to pull, don't you, Mrs. Larabee?"

"That's what makes me a good office manager and journalist."

Chris stuck his tongue out at her, causing her to giggle, "That's very juvinile, Cowboy," a man said, walking into the room, causing Mary to laugh out loud, and disappear into the kitchen.

"Don't you knock, ya stinkin' Texan?" Chris asked, throwing a pillow at the 'intruder.'

"I took a shower before I got here, so you must be smelling my calonge," Vin Tanner said, with a smile.

"Christopher Adam Larabee!" Mary's voice yelled from the kitchen, "you throw that pillow again, and I'll skin your hide!"

Tanner grabbed his best friend by the elbow, "Let's get you outta here before you get yourself killed."

"Thank you, Vin," Mary said, as they passed the kitchen, headed to the front door.

"Your welcome, Mrs. Larabee," he said, grabbing his hat from the table, and getting a glare from Chris, "That don't work on me, Larabee. Save it for Ezra," he added, as they went to Larabee's Chevy® Silverado®.

On their way to the mall, A Cowboy's Christmas Gift by Charlie Daniels filled the truck and Chris reached over to turn the volume up, "I love this song," he said, "especially the chorus. I never knew what to give until I heard this song, a few years back. Seemed like all God really wanted was me; not fancy words or something extravagant, just the humbled heart of some backwoods country boy."

Vin smiled, memorizing the words that Chris was refering to, getting an idea of what he was going to do, "Sounds like Josiah's gotten to you, Cowboy," he said, talking about the team chaplain.

"Maybe, but he's right," Larabee agreed, "Wish I knew where to find this song…" he added, quietly to himself, not realizing the man in the passenger seat heard him."

Vin laughed three hours later, as they got back into the truck. It was a Friday and not just any Friday, but the Friday before Christmas and the mall nd surounding stores, had been packed. "I see where you spent most of your time, Cowboy," he said, indicating the Victoria's Secret®, Claire's®, Talbot's®, Bath and Body Works® bags Chris had.

"Shut up, Tanner," he growled, "Look at yours, before you laugh at mine."

Orchelin's®, Home Depot®, Staple's®, Hasting's®, and Dollar General® covered the Texan's bags, "Good places to shop, and worthwhile," he said, proudly, "But I only have two women to buy for, and you have three."

"Your time will come, Vin," Chris said, pulling out of the crouded parking lot. "One of these days, you'll find the right girl."

Chris, Mary and Vin, who was spending the night, were setting in the living room watching the Christmas light and drinking apple cider, when the phone rang.

Chris turned on the speaker phone, "Tell Casey I love her and that I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to see each other before I died!" JD Dunne's voice came over the intercom.

Larabee laughed, knowing very well how Buck Wilmngton, Alpha Team 7's Casanova and JD's best friend drove, as Tanner answered, "Sorry, JD, cain't, we're busy."

"Awww, come on, now JD!" Buck's voice said, "I drive perfectly fine, and you know it."

Mary shook her head and went back to her knitting, listening to the friendly bickering that was going on.

"Umm, easy the yellow dotted line is pretty, but it doesn't scream 'Drive on me and I'll love you forever!"

Chris reached over and hung up on them, as a song came on the CD player, causing both men in the room to listen;

"I know it's Christmas time old friend, but I ain't got a thing to send some heartfelt words from this old pen, is best I can do makes no difference where you roam

I hope you'll never be alone, until the Big Boss calls you home that my Christmas gift to you."***

The sound of Charlie Daniels' voice filled the room, making them smile; Chris' one of a memory, and Vin's one of a secret.

The next morning, Vin looked out at the yard, as he pulled on his jacket to go check on the horses and smiled. 'The snow really does make things look prettier, he thought, as he headed out to the barn.

The air was crisp, and cold but he loved watching the birds and hearing the snow crunch as he walked across it.

Mary was pouring coffee into some cups when their guest walked in, " I have some coffee, here, if you want some," she said.

"That'd be great, Mary, thanks," he said, accepting the steaming cup, "I need to get out of here in a few moments, though and pick up some things."

"Okay, take some with you then," she said, getting a travel thermos from the cabinate, "I made plenty, knowing how you and Chris drink it."

Mary, herself, prefered hot tea or cocoa, but made the coffee for her husband when he got up in the morning.

Vin smiled to himself, as he leaned against the island, Chris had finally found someone that got up earlier than he did.

He took the offered thermos, as he finished his cup, "Thanks, Mary," he kissed her cheek and headed out the door as Chris came down the stairs in jeans and a t- shirt, "Tanner, keep your lips off my wife!" he yelled, with a grin.

Vin and Mary were more like brother and sister, and he knew it, he just liked to tease them.

He looked at the band that he wore on his right hand; Vin had one like it and so did two other people. The four of them had them made right after they had gotten back from Iraq, making a pact to take care of the other's family if something happened to one of them.

"Chris, honey," Mary said from the bottom of the steps, "are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine, honey. Just thinking about the past."

His wife smiled, as she headed to the den, to place a phone call, "Mrs. Malloy? Katie? This is Mary Larabee, Chris' wife, how are you? We're fine, thanks. Well, I was wondering if you could give Trent a message for me?"

Vin Tanner smiled as he held the door open for an older couple, before entering the shop, "Mr. Brown, how are you?" he asked, addressing the owner.

"I'm fine, Mr. Tanner, thank you," he pulled out a wrapped package, "Here's what you ordered. I believe you paid for it yesterday?" he asked, checking a book on the desk.

"Yes, sir, I did," he said, taking the package, "thank you, for taking care of this for me. I wasn't sure where to look, but I knew who to talk to."

Moments later, the former army sniper was on his way back to Larabee Ranch, to help with final prepareations. He was on an old dirt road, when a deer ran out in front of him, causing him to slam on the brakes and slide on the snow and into a ditch after flipping twice.