I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing them.
A/N: The third and final installation of my Christmas series, also known as the 'Calleigh's boyfriend gets stolen away in the middle of the night by the Feds' series. Figured I'd indulge my fantasies, seeing as how it's Christmas time. This one's a bit sillier than the other two, and I openly admit to playing fast and loose with the timeline to suit my needs.
Summary: He looked up and stared into Calleigh's eyes for the first time in over six years, silently begging her to give him a chance to explain himself. JC. No spoilers.
Many, many, many thanks to all the readers and reviewers, especially the great Miami crew over at Yahoo.
The mall had been transformed into a magical forest, each of its three hundred pine trees strung generously with twinkling lights and topped with a large star. Every available inch of railing was wrapped in garland, and mistletoe hung at the entrance to each store. More than one set of eight tiny reindeer soared overhead.
The over-stimulation wasn't limited to the visual. Christmas tunes blared from the mall's ubiquitous speaker system, while a temporary stage had been erected in the food court to showcase the caroling talents of the local schools' choirs. Many of the mall's finer department stores featured piano players as well, and there was no escaping the perpetual jingling bell of the Salvation Army Santa every time an exit door was opened. The forest of trees provided a fresh pine scent, which mingled nicely with the warm smell of gingerbread from the cookie stand and the crisp taste of peppermint from the candy store.
Although Calleigh and Horatio noticed each of these details, the two small children racing ahead of them were oblivious to it all. Their attention was focused solely on Santa, who sat on an opulent red velvet chair at the far end of the mall, surrounded by elves and encircled by a long line of shrieking children and bedraggled parents.
"Joseph!" Calleigh called out for the third time in as many minutes. "Stop running!"
Joseph and his red-headed female companion slowed to a fast walk, their arms pumping hard. Occasionally, they would glance at each other and giggle. It wasn't long before they were running again, and as they were now within 30 yards of Santa, Calleigh gave up on yelling at them.
"Maybe we shouldn't have given them all that candy in the car," Calleigh muttered wistfully, watching as Joseph and Madison screeched to a stop in front of the Santa display, their eyes wide with awe.
Horatio chuckled. "Maybe we shouldn't have told them three days ago that we were bringing them. Madison has been berserk ever since. She was in and out of bed all night last night."
Calleigh scoffed. "And I'm sure that having her favorite Uncle all to herself for a few days had nothing to do with it. Admit it, Horatio, that little girl has you wrapped around her finger."
Horatio shook his head. It was true; he could deny Madison nothing, no matter how many times she appeared at the foot of his bed in the middle of the night, claiming to be "so thirsty." With Susie out of town for a few days, he'd been left in charge of the girl, and had made the mistake of promising her that he'd take her to see Santa Claus. That had been several days previous, and when Calleigh had dropped by later that same day, Madison had wasted no time informing Joseph that she was going to see Santa Claus, which forced Calleigh into making a similar promise. The two children had been pestering the adults ever since, so Calleigh and Horatio had finally decided to brave the mall traffic and take the children to see Santa.
"Do you know what Joseph wants?" Horatio asked. Although the children had prattled non-stop in the backseat on the way over, neither Horatio nor Calleigh had heard either child say what they wanted for Christmas.
Calleigh sighed, her face suddenly sorrowful. "He wants a daddy." She shook her head. "What six year old asks for that? He supposed to be bugging me for a PlayStation, or some horrifically violent computer game, not a father. I didn't even know what to say when he told me."
"This is a new development," Horatio said quietly, his pale blue eyes as always displaying more emotion than his voice.
"Tell me about it," Calleigh remarked. "Everything was fine until one of his schoolmates told him that his mom had gotten married and now he had a new dad."
Calleigh continued. "And it's not like his mother was divorced. Her husband died too. How do you explain that to a child? Sorry, baby, your mother's not ready to move on? Your mother may never be ready to move on? Your mother only wants something she can't have? I can't explain my own grief to my child, much less compare it to someone else's grief process. And all Joseph sees is that his friend Danny has a dad now and he doesn't. They were the only two in his class without either a dad or a step dad, and now it's just Joseph. How do I tell him it's just not that easy for me? I hope he doesn't mention it to Madison. I'd hate to put Susie in the same predicament."
"You'll think of something," Horatio reassured her, a small smile on his face. "I know that doesn't help much now though. Are you sure there's nothing else he wants? Maybe another dog?"
Calleigh sighed. Last Christmas Joseph had asked for a younger brother, another item that Calleigh was unable to deliver. She'd managed to appease him – temporarily - with a puppy. Calleigh shook her head, thinking about her latest flowerbed that had fallen victim to Fletcher's insatiable need to dig. "One dog is more than enough. It doesn't help that his birthday is on Christmas either. Do you know what else he told me? He said that since it's both his birthday and Christmas and he's only asking for one thing that he should get it. Can you believe all that came from a six year old? There's just no sidetracking him once he gets his mind on something. He's his father's child, no doubt about it. He has that same single-minded determinedness that Jake had."
JakeandCalleighforever
Jake Berkley resisted for the tenth time the urge to rip off the ridiculously fake Santa beard he was wearing. It was hot and itchy, and all he could think about doing was taking it off and scratching his face raw. The Santa suit he was wearing wasn't any better. He had been sweating ten minutes after he put it on, and only got hotter the longer he sat in it. His tall, lean body was ill-suited for playing Santa, so beneath the red and white felt garb he was wearing padding as well, which only added to his discomfort. He eyed the row of kids that snaked around the exhibit. He was only supposed to be here for four hours, but his afternoon replacement had called in with the stomach flu, leaving Jake to handle the Christmas wishes of every child in Miami-Dade County for the next ten hours. It was by far the most ridiculous undercover assignment he'd had yet.
He'd been undercover for over six years now, slowly gaining the trust of a Miami-based organized crime group who specialized in kidnapping. They'd nabbed over fifty children in the last three years alone, extracting millions of dollars from distraught parents. It had been Jake who had devised the plan that he would pose as Santa in a local mall while the kidnappers blended into the crowd, waiting for the sign from Jake to make off with some dignitary's child. The plan was ingenious, if somewhat ridiculous. The FBI had been unsuccessful at luring the kidnappers out into the open so far, but Jake felt this scheme was their best shot. So what if he was stuck in a smelly Santa suit, being handed screaming child after screaming child? He was surrounded by a horde of Bureau workers dressed as elves, and the sight of more than one of his superiors in an elf suit, complete with pointy shoes, was enough to temper the worst of his anger.
Despite his irritation, Jake couldn't help but be somewhat enchanted by the sea of children that continued to swarm him hour after hour. The glee on their faces was contagious, even if the sight of them waving joyfully at their grinning parents snapping photos on the sidelines made his heart ache. He'd had a wife once, and they'd even begun to discuss having children when their life together was tragically cut short by the Bureau. Jake hadn't wanted to fake his own death, but he'd gotten too involved in a mob case, and soon the threat wasn't only against him, but against his wife as well. They could do as they pleased with him, but he'd be damned if they'd even think about laying one finger on her. The feds had shrugged, claiming the only way Jake could protect his wife was to leave her and go undercover. It was something they'd been trying to rope him into for years.
At the time, the logic had seemed sound; now, six years later, it seemed absurd. He'd reasoned then that his wife was still young enough to move on with her life and forget him. They hadn't been married long, about three years, and with her stunning looks and sweet-as-sugar personality she'd probably long since re-married and started a family. What Jake hadn't planned on was the fact that six years later, he was even more in love with her than the day he'd last seen her, and the mere thought of her with any other man was enough to tie his stomach in knots. Jake's job left little room for dating and no room for a relationship, but even if it had, it wouldn't have married. He'd been ruined for other women since the first time she'd smiled at him. In his mind, he was still married to her, and he'd remained as faithful to her as when they'd actually been married. Jake now knew that he hadn't made the wisest decision, but he'd been under intense pressure at the time, desperate to protect his wife, and unable to have her sensibility counter the Feds' influence. He'd always love her, but that part of his life was over – forever. His life with Calleigh existed now only in the memories he still carried with him.
JakeandCalleighforever
Madison and Joseph's impatience was only made worse by the line of children in front of them. "This is going to take forever," Joseph whined, clinging to his mother's leg.
"Good things come to those who wait," Calleigh said absently, peeling Joseph off her leg. She reached into her oversized pocketbook and pulled out two coloring books and some crayons. "Why don't you two color while we wait?"
She sighed with relief as Joseph and Madison dug into the crayons with gusto. Before long they would be too old for such distractions, but for now at least, the crayons still worked.
Forty-five minutes later, the foursome finally made it to the front of the line. Joseph ran up to Jake, but when he reached down to pick him up, Joseph suddenly grew shy and backed away.
"Don't you want to sit on Santa's lap?" Jake asked in his slightly deepened Santa voice. Joseph shook his head.
Jake decided to change tactics. After three days of playing Santa, he was an expert at cajoling even the most bashful child. "How am I supposed to know what you want for Christmas if you don't tell me? Don't you know you have to whisper it into my ear?" The argument worked with Joseph, because he re-approached Jake and allowed him to pick him up and sit him on his knee.
"What's your name?" Jake asked Joseph, unsettled for some reason, feeling that he should recognize this child. Perhaps it was one of the children on the kidnapper's list. Jake had watched them comb through hundreds of pictures in the past month looking for their next target.
"Joseph," the child answered, his bright green eyes meeting Jake's for the first time. Jake blinked and looked at his eyes again. He hadn't seen eyes that green since Calleigh…
"How old are you, Joseph?" Jake asked.
"Five," Joseph answered. "But I'll be six on Christmas."
"So you're a Christmas baby?"
"Yeah," Joseph answered. "But there's only one thing I want, even though it's my birthday and Christmas."
"And what is it that you want?" Jake asked, making a silent wager in his head. A computer game was his first pick, although the child was still young enough to possibly want an Elmo-type gift instead.
"A daddy," Joseph answered matter of factly, as if asking for a bike or baseball bat.
Jake faltered. He'd had some interesting answers to his questions over the last few days, but nothing as strange as this.
"What happened to your daddy?" he asked finally.
"He died," Joseph said, suddenly sad. "And my momma is still really sad, even though he died a long time ago, before I was born. Sometimes at night when she thinks I'm asleep I hear her talking to him, and then she starts crying. I don't want her to be sad anymore."
Jake managed to suppress a groan. He'd figured the kid to be the unfortunate by-product of a divorce. How the hell was he supposed to promise him anything? Jake knew it was beyond his power to ensure that any of these children received what they wanted for Christmas, but he still had a hard time flat-out lying to them.
"My momma's right over there," Joseph said, pointing into the crowd. "See? The lady with the long yellow hair? She's really pretty."
Jake followed Joseph's finger. At first he couldn't see anything, but eventually the crowd shifted to reveal a petite woman with light blonde hair who was holding a camera and waving to Joseph. Jake's blood ran cold, and he would have sworn that his heart skipped a beat. The camera might have been covering her face, but Jake would have recognized that figure anywhere. He'd long since committed every curve of his wife's body to memory.
Joseph waved back. "Hi Momma!" he called out. The flash went off and the camera moved, revealing the blonde's face. Her smile, though not meant for Jake, melted him just as it always had, and it took every ounce of his self-restraint not to run to her, pull her into his arms and beg for her forgiveness.
"What'd you say your name was again?" he asked Joseph, unable to take his eyes off Calleigh.
"Joseph Berkley," he answered, his attention still focused on his mother.
Jake peeled his eyes away from Calleigh and studied Joseph. Those green eyes were definitely Calleigh's. But as for the rest of Joseph…he could have been an exact replica of Jake at that age. No wonder he'd seemed so familiar.
Jake's mind raced as he considered the possibilities. That this child was his and Calleigh's son there was no doubt. The resemblance was too striking to think otherwise. But how? He and Calleigh had discussed having kids, but they hadn't actually started trying. And what the hell was Calleigh doing in Miami anyway? He'd left her in New Orleans, assuming that after his death she would either remain there or head home to Darnall. He never would have imagined that she'd end up in Miami, or that he would see her again, him decked out in a Santa suit, her with a child – their child, he reminded himself – in tow.
Jake glanced over at Calleigh again. She'd taken her eyes off Joseph and was now talking to an older man with bright red hair who was standing way too close to her for Jake's liking. Even from thirty feet away, the intimacy of their body language told Jake that they were close…perhaps too close. Jake knew that he needed to move on with the line and get Joseph out before he totally blew his cover, but he couldn't help picking for a bit more information. He also wanted to hold Joseph just a little while longer, knowing full well that it might be his one and only chance to interact with his son.
"What about that man's she's talking to now?" he asked. "It looks like she has a boyfriend to me."
Joseph sighed with the endearing impatience that only young children can have. "Horatio is not her boyfriend," he said slowly, as if Jake was hard of hearing. "He's here with his niece, Madison, over there." Joseph pointed to a young girl at the front of the line. "Momma works for Horatio. She says he's like my uncle, except not really because we're not related. But I call him uncle H anyways. I already asked Momma why Horatio couldn't be my daddy and she just laughed."
"So you want me to bring you a daddy?" Jake asked, making sure he'd heard this child – his son – correctly.
"Yeah," Joseph said. "But it has to be someone really good, because my Aunt Alexx says that Momma's too picky."
"And what does your mom say about that?" Jake asked, ignoring the hurry-up gestures his elves were giving him. They could go to hell for all he cared, and there was more than one that he meant to have words with afterwards.
"She says that she's still in love with my daddy, and that he's a tough act to follow." His last words were stilted, as though he were repeating a phrase he'd overheard without being quite sure of the meaning. Jake watched as Joseph paused, a contemplative look on his face. After a few seconds he perked up and asked, "So, do you think you can do something?" The belief in his eyes nearly made Jake's own eyes fill with tears.
"We'll see," Jake answered noncommittally. "You be a good boy for your mom now, okay?"
"Okay," Joseph promised before sliding off of Jake's lap and running to meet Calleigh. Jake watched with a heavy heart as Calleigh knelt to catch Joseph's tiny form when he catapulted into her arms, mother and son embracing tightly. Calleigh kissed Joseph on the head before ruffling his hair. Jake's heart was filled with an insatiable longing to be with the family he'd never known he'd had.
His sorrow quickly turned to anger. Someone at the Bureau had to have known about his wife and child, and whoever had let Jake lead this secret life unaware that he had a son and had left his wife to raise him as a single mom was going to pay. Jake would have marched off right then and there and demanded that heads roll, but at that moment the kidnappers appeared and Jake was once again all business. Calleigh and Joseph would have to wait just a while longer, but Jake was determined that they would soon be a family again.
JakeandCalleighforever
Calleigh stared into the mirror above her dresser and sighed. She'd always loved the antique necklace from her grandmother, but it was a pain to fasten. When Jake had been around, she'd always had someone to zip up her dress or fasten a jewelry clasp, even though Jake had been more liable to undress her than help her finish dressing. Still…
Calleigh chased away the thoughts. Maybe Alexx and Horatio were right. Maybe it was time to lay Jake's memory to rest, and tonight might be a good time to start. It was the 23rd of December, and Calleigh was about to leave for Alexx's annual Christmas party. She had finally given in and agreed to meet a particularly persistent detective at the party. It was the closest thing to a date that she was willing to go on at the moment, but it was a start. After nearly ten years, she didn't know where to begin, although she did wish that the sick feeling in her gut would go away. She already felt guilty enough as it was.
Calleigh looked down at her hands. She still wore the plain gold wedding band that Jake had bought her. They'd gotten married a week after they'd graduated from the Academy, and with little money to spare the matching gold bands had been all they could afford. Calleigh had never been able to bring herself to remove the ring, but figured if she was going to get back into the dating scene, she probably should. Wedding bands tended to be a real turnoff.
Calleigh looked over at a picture of her and Jake on her dresser. It was a candid shot, taken by one of her siblings at some point after graduation. Jake had his arms around Calleigh's waist, his chin resting on her shoulder, and the couple was laughing and looking at something out of the camera's sight. It had always been her favorite picture of the two of them.
Calleigh picked the photo up and kissed it softly. "I'm so sorry, Jake," she whispered, lying the picture face down on the dresser before sliding off her wedding band. She tucked the ring carefully into her jewelry box and then shut the lid, standing to leave the room before she could change her mind.
Calleigh was halfway down the hallway when the doorbell rang. Instantly, Joseph began to yell, "I'll get it; I'll get it," his words barely audible over Fletcher's barking. Calleigh could hear Joseph's footsteps pounding across the wooden floors, and the clickity-clack of Fletcher's nails as he ran behind him. The hullabaloo ended with a noisy crash, the result of Joseph reaching the front door and slamming into with his hands while Fletcher, unable to stop quickly on to the polished wooden floors, slid into him with a thud before both dog and boy fell to the floor in a tangled, giggling heap. Calleigh suspected that Joseph's enthusiasm had something to do with his infatuation-type crush on his babysitter, a local college girl. Calleigh rarely used Julie for evenings out on the town, but had frequently called upon her for late evening and overnight stays when she was tied up with a case.
"Joseph Berkley, don't you open that door until I get there. I have told you a thousand times that you have no idea who could be on the other side." The words fell out of Calleigh's mouth without much input from her brain. Joseph was a handful, and although he was generally a good kid, he had an impetuous streak (one that Calleigh attributed solely to his father) that necessitated her reminding him again and again about simple things like not opening the door without her.
Calleigh finally made it to the front alcove. Joseph was hopping up and down, first on one foot and then the other. Fletcher knew better than to continue to bark, but he was whining loudly and his long tail thumped rhythmically against the door. Both boy and dog were wired, and there was little hope that either would be asleep anytime soon. Fortunately, Julie always came armed with buckets of patience and unending reserves of energy.
"I can't wait to see Julie. Last time she promised that she would bring this really cool board game and that we could make banana splits and watch a movie and she would let me pick which one." Joseph paused to catch his breath.
Calleigh just shook her head, then threw the lock on the front door and opened it. She gasped loudly at the sight before her, and it took every ounce of her reserve strength not to slam the door shut. For standing on her stoop, wearing a ridiculous Santa Claus hat and a hopeful smile, was her supposedly dead husband.
JakeandCalleighforever
Jake had approached Calleigh's front door with an equal mixture of anticipation and dread, but by the time he rang her doorbell, the dread had fully won out. He was dying to see her, to pull her into his arms and never let her go, but he knew Calleigh was apt to do otherwise. She might have decided to mourn Jake for the rest of her days, but that didn't mean she was going to be pleased to see him.
From the outside, Calleigh's house appeared neat and orderly. The grass was cut; there were no weeds in the flowerbeds; the hedges had recently been pruned. In the spirit of Christmas, Calleigh had hung a wreath affixed with a red bow on each window facing the street, with a larger but matching wreath hung on the front door. Through one window he could see the pale white lights of her Christmas tree. Jake's heart filled with regret that Calleigh had had to do all this on her own.
The orderliness ended there, however. As soon as Jake rang the doorbell he heard Joseph yelling and a dog barking. He listened, captivated as Joseph and the obviously large dog slid into the door, unable to remain concerned when giggling followed shortly thereafter. He could hear Calleigh call out as well, although her words were muffled. Jake felt as nervous as he had picking up his first date for homecoming in high school. He ran his hand through his hair a few times, shifting his weight back and forth on his feet.
He belatedly realized that perhaps he should have thought this move through a little better. In his haste to reunite with his family, he hadn't stopped to consider what would be the best way to present the news to Calleigh without coming across an insensitive louse or an unwilling martyr. She had, for sure, suffered more than he had. Perhaps he should just start apologizing as soon as she opened the door. Calleigh had quite a temper, but she had never been able to hold a grudge. Jake hoped this fact was still true.
Jake's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the locks turning. A moment later, light from the hallway fell across his face. He looked up and stared into Calleigh's eyes for the first time in over six years, silently begging her to give him a chance to explain himself. A small smile appeared on his face; despite his anxiety, he couldn't have been happier. He knew that he was going to be in hot water, but he'd rather burn under Calleigh's inquisition than sleep alone one night longer.
Calleigh and Jake opened their mouths to speak, but the shock of seeing each other momentarily tied both their tongues, allowing Joseph to get in the first words.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Jake tore his eyes away from Calleigh and saw Joseph, his small figure concealed by the door with only his head visible. Before he could answer, the dog he'd heard earlier pushed his way out from behind Calleigh and Joseph and began to bark at Jake. The barking seemed to bring Calleigh back to her senses, because she blinked rapidly a few times and then looked down at Joseph.
"Joseph, honey, why don't you take Fletcher and go to your room?" It was asked in the form of a question, but the tone of Calleigh's voice indicated that it was a command – and one to be obeyed without question.
Joseph ignored his mother, too fascinated by the appearance of the strange man on his doorstep. "Where's Julie?" he asked, a whine creeping into his voice. "I want Julie." His face crumpled, on the verge of tears.
Calleigh crouched down and looked Joseph in the face. Fletcher, thrilled to have Calleigh at eye level, promptly ensued to lick the side of her face with joy. "Julie's on her way, honey," she reassured him, slicking back the thick curls from his forehead that instantly fell back into his eyes.
"Then who's this?" Joseph asked again, still doubtful.
Calleigh sighed deeply and looked up at Jake. She hadn't allowed her brain to process the fact that Jake was not only alive, but standing on her front door step. She'd gone into shock instead, concentrating on surviving the moment without falling apart. Later, much later, she'd consider processing his appearance.
"I can explain, Cal," Jake sputtered, alarmed at the glazed look in Calleigh's eyes.
"You'd better start with Joseph then," she said, gesturing at her son, who she then gathered in her arms and pulled to her chest. Joseph squirmed around in her grasp until he could see Jake, then stilled.
Jake knelt down as well, resting his right knee on the front step and propping his forearm on his other knee. "Santa told me that you needed a dad for Christmas."
Calleigh gasped audibly, her quick mind instantly connecting Jake's statement with the recent trip to the mall. Joseph wasn't as impressed.
"But I don't even know you," he argued.
"Well," Jake said, unsure of how to proceed with Joseph. He desperately wanted to get to know his son, but his primary concern at the moment was reuniting with his wife and earning her forgiveness. "I'm hoping that will change."
"So you're supposed to be my new daddy?" Joseph was still skeptical.
"I am your dad," Jake answered.
"That's impossible. My daddy's dead." Jake would have laughed at Joseph's belligerence if the moment wasn't so tense. As it was, he was having a hard time breathing, the air thick with emotion.
"Not exactly," Jake answered, his unease increasing.
Joseph spun around to look at his mother. Jake looked over at Calleigh as well, surprised to see a steady stream of tears flowing down her face.
"This is your daddy, sweetie," Calleigh said, her attention focused solely on her son.
"But you said he was dead."
"Momma was wrong, baby." Jake could tell from Calleigh's wavering voice that she was rapidly losing control. Car lights appeared in the driveway, interrupting Joseph's next question.
"Julie!" he cried out, bursting from his mother's arms when he recognized her car. Fletcher followed after him, barking.
Calleigh sat down on the stoop, burying her face in her hands. Jake sat next to her, wanting to put his arm around her, but not sure how she would react.
"Cal?" he whispered gently, leaning into her. "Cal?"
Calleigh shook her head fiercely. "Please," she whispered, "Please just get Joseph into the house."
Relieved to have something to do, Jake stood up and went to meet Julie. He walked over to the car, a beat-up silver Civic that had seen better days, and watched as his son hugged the young woman's neck fiercely, his face buried in her shoulder and his tiny legs clinging to her waist. Julie must have sensed Jake's presence, because she looked up and met his eyes. Her own eyes widened slightly, making it obvious that she recognized Jake.
"Calleigh's a little…indisposed," Jake said uncomfortably, shoving his hands down into his front pockets. "She told me to ask you to take Joseph inside."
"No problem," Julie said, instantly all business. She shifted Joseph to her other hip, his face still buried in her shoulder. "Calleigh asked me to stay until midnight, but I can stay overnight if you need me to. I do it all the time when Calleigh's on a case. Joseph and I are best buddies, aren't we kiddo?"
Joseph shook his head, refusing to look up. Julie slung her bag onto her shoulder and brushed past Jake, heading into the house. She paused at the front door to say hello to Calleigh, who by this time had stood up and was staring out into the darkened street, her arms wrapped across her chest in a classic defensive gesture. Calleigh nodded a few times in response to whatever Julie was saying and rubbed Joseph's back. Jake sighed. He was tired of watching his family from a distance. With renewed resolution he headed over to Calleigh, determined to fix the mess he'd created.
Julie had shut the door behind her, leaving Fletcher outside with Calleigh and Jake. The large black dog raced across the lawn merrily, the only member of the family not upset with the recent turn of events. He dug in one of Calleigh's immaculate flower beds, unearthing a large bone and several pansies in the process. Bone in mouth, he raced back to Calleigh, dropping the bone at her feet and whining impatiently. Calleigh ignored him. Jake reached down to pick up the bone, tossing it nearly to the street. Fletcher wasted no time running after it, his long pink tongue lolling to the side.
Jake rose and stood shoulder to shoulder with Calleigh. He pulled off the Santa hat he'd forgotten he was wearing and began to twist it in his hands. "I am so sorry, Cal," he began. Calleigh didn't respond.
Jake turned his body slightly towards her, opening his arms up as he pleaded, "I can explain."
Before he could however, Calleigh threw herself into his open arms, her hands balled into tight fists that rested against his chest. Jake hadn't been expecting this sudden contact, and he staggered back a few steps. Calleigh buried her face in Jake's shirt, and it wasn't long before he felt the tears soak through. He closed his arms around Calleigh, rubbing her back soothingly.
"I can explain," Jake said again, his voice tight with emotion. "I'll tell you anything you want to know –"
"Stop," Calleigh mumbled. "Just stop."
Jake pinched his lips shut and pulled Calleigh closer. He took a chance and buried his face in her hair, inhaling the citrus scent of her shampoo. Calleigh's body began to shake, her petite figure wracked with sobs. Jake dropped the faintest of kisses on Calleigh's head, continuing with another when she didn't protest. "God, Cal," he mumbled. "I missed you so much."
Calleigh still didn't answer Jake, so he stopped talking and let her cry. A solid five minutes passed before the tears began to slow, and after a few more Calleigh lifted her head and wiped at her eyes.
She looked up at Jake, and he took this as a signal to begin talking. "Cal, I am so sorry…"
"You bastard," Calleigh muttered, the sudden fury darkening her eyes. She began to pound her fists against Jake's chest. "How dare you do this to me, to us? What on God's green earth made you that think you could just waltz in and all would be forgiven, no questions asked? I thought you were dead, Jake. Joseph has spent his entire life thinking his father was dead. I've had to raise him myself, had to be both mom and dad to him, had to explain why he got a dog instead of a little brother for Christmas last year and why Santa can't bring him a dad this year. And then you just conveniently decide to show up two days before Christmas and turn our world upside down. I won't let you hurt him."
Jake let Calleigh rant without interruption, but caught her fists in his hands and held them fast when she refused to stop beating on his chest. Her tirade exhausted, Calleigh dissolved into tears again. Jake pulled her to him once more, her body stiff and unyielding in his arms. "Why, Jake? Why now?" Calleigh's breath was hot against his chest.
"I didn't know, Cal," Jake offered weakly. "I didn't know anything until that day you two showed up at the mall. But the instant I realized it was you, I decided to quit. My career isn't worth it. It was never worth it. Back then I didn't think that the Feds were giving me much choice. The group I was tracking started threatening you. I just wanted you to be safe, that's all. I couldn't stand the idea that something I'd done, a case I was too involved in, would put you in harm's way. And I didn't want you to live your life in fear, always looking over your shoulder. But god, Cal, I swear I never would have left if I'd known you were pregnant. Either way, I should have fought for us harder, should have made them come up with a solution where we could stay together. I've spent every day of the past six years regretting that mistake, Cal. And I've spent every day of the past six years loving you with my entire heart and wishing we could be together."
Calleigh sobbed harder. Jake finally stopped talking, bending his head down and pressing a kiss against her cheek. "I love you," he whispered in her ear. "I love you so much."
It was a long time before either one spoke. "I want to hate you," Calleigh whispered into his chest, her voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "I want to hate you so much for what you've done to us." Jake tensed. "But I can't stop thinking about how bad I've wanted you back in my life, how even just an hour ago I was wishing that you were still around. I've wanted what I couldn't have for so long, and now that I have it, I want to push it away? It just doesn't make sense." Calleigh leaned into Jake then, her body relaxing against his and her arms reaching around to hug his waist loosely. She laughed softly.
"I was supposed to be going on a date tonight," she whispered. Jake felt his heart drop to somewhere near the vicinity of his kidneys. Joseph had said that Calleigh wasn't seeing anyone. What had changed her mind? Did it have anything to do with that man she'd been with at the mall?
Calleigh continued. "Everyone's been telling me that it's time to move on. Do you know that I still wear my wedding band? Tonight was the first time I took it off. It's like – it's like you showed up just in time." Calleigh nuzzled her head against Jake's chest, amazed that he still smelled the same after all this time.
"Do you want to come in?" she asked, craning her head up to look at him. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her mascara had pooled in dark circles beneath her eyes, but to Jake she still looked beautiful. He smoothed a few loose hairs back from her face.
"You're beautiful, you know?" he said, gracing her with a full-fledged smile.
Calleigh closed her eyes and shook her head. "And you're still the same old Jake, relying on your charm to get you out of trouble."
"I'm serious, Cal. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Jake dipped his head down slightly. He wanted to kiss Calleigh, wanted to kiss her until her lips were as swollen as her eyes. He had six years to make up to her.
Calleigh smiled at him before slipping out of his arms. "Let's go in," she said, taking Jake's hand in her own and pulling him towards the front door. She whistled sharply, and Fletcher came running, his nose and face covered in dirt. Calleigh opened the door and followed the dog in, pulling Jake behind her.
"This is it," she said, gesturing around.
"You've done an amazing job, Cal," Jake said, taking her other hand in his own and pulling her to him. He dropped a kiss on Calleigh's forehead. As he pulled back he noticed that her eyes were closed and there was a look of contentment on her face. Jake wanted to kiss her, but he still wasn't sure where he stood with Calleigh. She'd gone from shock to anger to acceptance in less than ten minutes, and he was pretty sure she'd regress at some point.
"Jake?" Calleigh murmured, her eyes still closed.
"Hmm?" Jake responded.
"Are you going to kiss me or not?" Her thick accent caused her words to meld together.
Jake grinned, then dipped his head down and connected his lips with Calleigh's. He felt the last six years melt away and time stand still until only he and Calleigh remained. He released Calleigh's hands in favor of wrapping his arms around her waist, and Calleigh quickly followed suit, opening her mouth slightly as she did so to allow Jake to deepen the kiss. Distracted, Jake barely noticed as Calleigh pulled the long-forgotten Santa hat from his grasp and slid it back on his head. She pulled away from him then, resting her forehead against his.
"It looks good on you," she said simply.
"Good enough that I can steal another kiss?" Jake asked, unable to keep the smirk off his face.
"Mm-hm," she answered. Jake was just about to swoop in for another kiss when a thought stopped him.
"Cal? Not that I'm complaining, but how the hell did we end up with a kid?"
"Joseph?" Calleigh asked, her mind still foggy from Jake's kisses.
"Do you have another one tucked away somewhere in here?" Jake teased. He stroked Calleigh's hair, enjoying the feel of her silky tresses streaming through his fingers. "Yes, I'm talking about Joseph. I know we'd talked about kids, but…"
Calleigh opened her eyes. "There was a, ah, equipment failure, if you will. I was going to tell you, but you were so wrapped up in that case that I didn't want to add to your stress. I was worrying enough for the both of us. By the time I realized I'd missed my period, you were gone." She refused to say dead. She never wanted to say that word again. It had consumed her thoughts for the last six years, and had dictated most of her actions. Now, finally, she was free from it and determined to purge the word from her vocabulary.
Jake said nothing, unable to form a coherent thought. Calleigh continued in his silence. "I guess I shouldn't have kept it from you. If I hadn't, maybe things would have turned out differently."
"Don't blame yourself, Cal," Jake said. "All the blame lies solely at my feet. I never should have agreed to the Feds' idea."
"Right now, I'm just glad that you finally came to your senses."
Jake responded with a kiss, feeling his insides melt. He was about to guide Calleigh towards her couch when she pulled away from him, her body stiffening.
"What is it?" he asked. Calleigh's eyes were fixed at a point over his shoulder.
She cleared her throat and gestured with her head. Jake spun around and saw Joseph peering around the corner. "Momma?" he asked hesitantly.
"What, sweetie?" Calleigh asked, pulling away from Jake and walking towards their son.
"What's going on?" He looked suspiciously at Jake, his green eyes still dark with mistrust.
"Momma's just showing Daddy around, that's all. Don't you want to come say hello?" Joseph nodded, his face serious. Calleigh took his hand in her own and walked slowly towards Jake.
Jake knelt down. "Hey, Joe," he said, ruffling Joseph's hair.
"Are you really my Daddy?" he asked solemnly.
"Yup," Jake answered. "Is that okay?"
Joseph looked up at his mother. "Is it okay, Momma?"
Calleigh smiled at Joseph reassuringly before meeting eyes with Jake. "It is, baby," she answered. "It really, really is."
Joseph rushed into Jake's arms then, and Jake scooped the small child up into his arms, hugging him tight. He met Calleigh's eyes. "Thank you," he mouthed to her.
Calleigh smiled back at him, silently mouthing "I love you."
Joseph's head shot up suddenly. "I have to go tell Julie," he declared, squirming out of Jake's arms and hitting the ground at a run. "She's never going to believe it. I told her Santa would bring me what I wanted." Joseph dashed off, his bare feet slapping loudly against the wooden floors. Jake moved over to Calleigh and took her in his arms once more.
"Guess we'll have to finish that kiss later," he said, the regret heavy in his voice.
Calleigh smiled. "Welcome to parenthood, babe."
The End