Home

by dart53

Home is a place of refuge, where you can let your guard down. Home is where you allow yourself the luxury of memory.

Home

Casino held the heavy drapery back and stood staring out the window of the large room the men used as their dormitory. He was alone, for a change. Everyone else was off on their own business. Actor was almost always to be found in the library reading, just as Goniff spent his free time down in the kitchens rummaging for something to feed his ever present hunger. Winnie was working today so, even though he wasn't quite as smooth as their elegant Italian confidence man, he'd probably conned her into fixing something special just for him. Chief would be outside, even in this weather, wandering the grounds, and the Warden was off in London at some meeting with Reynolds and a bunch of high hats.

Letting the fabric fall back in place he turned back to his bed with a dejected sigh. Picking up the papers he'd left strewn across the blankets he settled back on the cot, propped himself on his elbow and started to read. He was having to make do with an old letter, the regular mail had been held up. As he read he imagined the scene at his parents house with the whole family gathered around the table waiting to dig into the feast that Ma would traditionally put on at Thanksgiving. She'd put in all the details of what she had planned, and even with the rationing it looked like it was going to be quite a celebration. With his older brother Marcus finally out of the joint and Angie getting leave to come for a short visit from her new convent the whole family was finally going to be together…, well, except he hadn't been there… He'd missed too many of those meals he decided and made a vow to himself that if he got through this war alive he'd never miss another one.

After reading the letter through twice more he was up again staring out that same window… The rain had turned to sleet, slush was starting to build up in the corners of the panes as it slid down the glass that made up the window. Everything was grey outside, everything. He snorted a laugh, everything was pretty grey inside too,… inside his head. He dropped the drapes again and turned, heading out of the quiet room. What he needed was a little something to take his mind off the things he wanted but couldn't have…

g

Actor looked up when the safe cracker entered the room. Acknowledging his teammate's presence with a quietly raised hand he went back to his reading. The confidence man only made it through another page before his attention was reluctantly drawn to the French doors. Casino had pulled the draperies back and because of that, the temperature in the room dropped despite the small fire that crackled on the hearth. He watched as the other man stood with his hands jammed deep in his pockets and stared out through the frosted glass. He had a view of his profile and could tell that he was not seeing the landscape right outside the doors, but some other scene far away from their assigned base.

"What are you daydreaming about, Casino?"

"Me?… Nothin'."

Laying the book aside the con man got up from his chair and went to stand near the other man as he continued to gaze out onto the grounds. "Oh, come now. You are at least a thousand miles away from here." Closer to four thousand, he thought. "What are you thinking?" He asked, again.

It took a long time for him to decided to say anything. You didn't let people in if you were smart. You didn't let them know when something bothered you because they could use it against you… But the guys he was hooked up with now didn't seem to do too much of that. Oh, sure, they gave each other a hard time whenever they could, but if it was something that really was bugging you they usually left you alone about it, or did their best to help… And he usually did his share of spouting off too. If he was pissed off about a mission or the way things worked around the mansion everyone knew about it, but this, well, this was different, wasn't it? He took a deep breath, but he didn't turn around. "I guess I just thought I'd finally be there this year."

Actor reached out and patted Casino's shoulder, letting his hand rest where it was and they stood silently together for a moment before he turned and made his way back to his chair. It wasn't hard for the group's second in command to imagine where Casino's 'there' was. It was difficult being away from family, especially at this time of year. When they agreed to work for the government all of them believed they would be released after the first job and they all thought they'd be home, or at least free, by now. That hadn't turned out to be true as the Warden explained at the end of that mission. They were stuck, just like every other soldier who'd signed up to fight,… for the duration, Garrison told them, the duration and an additional six months. Over the intervening months they'd gradually come to terms with their new fate and settled in to survive until war's end when they would finally be released. Occasionally that lost chance of freedom came back to haunt one of them, this time it was Casino.

"It certainly doesn't help to have the mail held up, does it?" the older man commented. He knew the mail had been delayed by a major storm out in the Atlantic. He also knew how much this quarrelsome teammate of his relied on the letters he received from his large family back home.

"Lousy military mail!" Casino turned his back on the landscape and wandered over to take a seat on the sofa. "Crummy weather!" From the looks of the storm outside the delivery wouldn't come until after they'd taken off for the continent…. Jeeze! The way it looked, it probably wouldn't show up until after New Years. He slouched down and laid his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. Immediately visions of the family gathered together in the front room of his parent's house came to taunt him. He could hear their laughter, he could even smell the aroma from the meal that was coming together in the kitchen. Banishing the memory with an irritated sigh he pushed up onto his feet and started to pace.

Actor watched over his book as their demolitions expert stalked around the room. He stopped here and there, seemingly looking for something to occupy his mind, only to turn his back on the distraction and start off again with an agitated sigh. He wandered over to the brandy decanter, poured a drink and tossed it down as if it was the cheap bourbon he favored, but before the con man could open his mouth to comment Goniff clattered in the door hauling a tray along with him. At least the cockney second story man might keep Casino from guzzling his way through that excellent brandy, he thought, and possibly he could provide the distraction he needed.

"I thought you blokes might be tucked up in here by the fire." Goniff said with a grin as he sat the tray down on the low table that fronted the sofa. "Look 'ere what Winnie made for us. Cheese toast!"

"Big deal! Jeeze! Cheese and bread." Casino was ready to disparage the offering even though he was willing to take his share of it. He stalked over and picked out a piece, held it up for their inspection and asked. "Is this the only thing anybody eats over here, cheese and bread?!"

Goniff raised an eyebrow and jerked a thumb at the irritated safe cracker as he turned his question on their second in command. "What's his problem, then?"

"Problem?" Casino snorted before he bit into the bread he held in his hand. "I got no problem!"

The little man ignored him, he had a pretty good idea what was causing the man's mood, after all his mail had been held up too, but he continue to wait on the con man's answer, which Actor delivered with a sympathetic smile and one word. "Homesick."

"Blimey! Me too!" The cat burglar admitted as he folded himself into the corner of the sofa. He had a napkin with two or three of the bigger pieces of toast in his lap and he sat considering them for a moment over the cup of tea he held in his hand. "I thought I'd be home b'now and that I'd be sharing this with me Mum and Aunt Moll."

"This?!"

"Sure! Mum 'ud do up cheese toast for our tea." The little Brit shifted his gaze from the east coast thief back to the treat he held in his lap. "Whenever I get lonely for her I like to have it to remember."

Casino gave a short mirthless laugh, remembering all the times he'd seen plates full of toasted bread and cheese, or those cookies that Goniff insisted were really called biscuits. "Then you must be lonely for her a lot!"

Goniff didn't share the laugh. His eyes grew solemn and his face serious. "I am."

The comment finally pulled him out of his own mire of misery and he came and stood in front of their second story man, shoved his hand through is hair and tried for an apology. "Hey, man I'm sorry. I didn't… Well I didn't…"

"I know you didn't, mate." He looked up an smiled, instantly ready to forgive. "Look, Casino, I know you think it's silly, me doin' things we done when we was all together, but it makes me feel at little closer to 'em, that's all." Goniff gazed out through the window at their little slice of English countryside. "We're not very far from where I come up as a tyke, but almost everything that matters to me's just as far away from me as it is from you." He turned his attention on his teammate when he settled down next to him on the sofa. "And what about Actor, here. His family might as well be over there in the states with ours 'stead a just over in Switzerland for as good as his chances of seein' 'em are." He left out the fact that Leonzio and Katia were that much closer to the fighting and ran the real risk of not making it through the war at all, even if Actor managed to.

He was still homesick as hell, but bringing up the fact that other people were too sure took the mad out of him. Casino took another bite of the toast and it began to dawn on him how much it made him remember the sandwiches his mother sometimes made them… With her it was homemade bread layered with slices of cheese dosed with mustard that she'd heat in a pan on the stove top until the cheese would start to melt. She'd put one of those big green pickles on the plate too… He squashed the memory, still not convinced that was the right way to handle being homesick.

The last couple of weeks had been tough for the men. There was a mission on and just like all the others the training increased right before hand. The Warden was always determined they'd be in top shape to start off… they might not come back the same way, but starting out they'd bee in top form. So when their morning wake up call was a flash of lightening followed by long rolling thunder instead of the Sergeant Major's usual door crashing entry and shout of 'On your feet you lay-abouts!' The cockney thief, being the more optimistic member in the group, got the feeling that the day might follow a somewhat more relaxed course than the previous week, and he'd been right. The Warden was already gone when they did get shouted out of bed, and Rawlins told them that they were to work on their language lessons with Actor after they finished their morning meal and then try and find some way to stay out of trouble until Lieutenant Garrison got back. As it was early afternoon now, and they only spent about an hour going over the new words Actor wanted them to learn, they'd already had most of the day to do what they wanted. A lot of time to think about where they were, where they were about to go and what could happen to them over there…. And no mail to fill up the gap!

Goniff finished his toast and pushed off the sofa to wander across the room, ending up in front of the French doors. He pressed his hands to the window as he gazed out with a grin. "Blimey! That's a lovely sight, ain't it?"

"Are you kidding?!" Casino glowered at the scene outside the window as he sat on the sofa and finished off the last piece of bread. If Goniff was the optimist in the group Casino was certainly its pessimist and he easily dropped back into that mood. "All that looks like to me is we'll be runnin' that damn obstacle course in the mud tomorrow,… that's all."

The little pick pocket turned a disbelieving stare at their safe cracker. Casino never saw nothing positive in anything, he thought. "Aw, the Warden'd never make us go out in that…"

"Don't know why not, man. We'll be workin' in it over there." The attention of the three men was drawn to their youngest member as he made his way silently into the room. Chief had been out on the grounds most of the day as was his habit, his hair was still damp and his cheeks and nose reddened from the cold rain outside. He spent a moment in front of the fire warming his hands before joining Goniff at the window.

Casino abandoned the sofa and wandered over to stand in front of the French doors with the other two men. They watched as the rain's intensity increased and the wind picked up. "Jeeze! Will you look at the way that's comin' down?!"

"Think that'll get us out of going over there?" Goniff asked hopefully. That's what he was wishing for as he stood there and concentrated on the rain coming down.

"Not a chance." The east coast con snorted. "You know how stubborn the Warden is."

"It's not 'the Warden's' choice Casino." Garrison said as he came into the room. He'd hung his coat and jacket in the hall to dry but the rain had soaked his collar and he was still toweling it out of his hair as he walked across to join them. "Everything's on hold until this blows itself out."

"Blimey!" Goniff, who'd been mesmerized by the storm outside, jumped and twisted around to face the Warden. He hated being snuck up on like that, it left him all squirmy inside.

"How long do they think that will take?" Actor asked from his chair by the fire. The others could stand in cold emanating from the windows all they wished, if there was a more comfortable spot he was sensible enough to take advantage of it.

"Meteorology reports have this storm system parked over us for at least one solid week. So, it looks like the mission's a wash and you guys have some free time."

"What no obstacle course," The group's sarcastic safe cracker snorted. "No firing range?!

Goniff turned and landed a punch on Casino's shoulder. "Blimey! Don't give him any ideas will ya!"

"The obstacle course is under about three inches of water, Casino, and I stopped by the range… You can't see the targets from the firing line." He turned a serious face towards the group's demolition expert. "I thought about practicing some heavy weather water transfers, but all the subs that are in port are staying, and all the ones out to sea are going to remain submerged until this is over." Garrison shed the mock seriousness and laughed, "And most of the local fishermen have too much sense to take their boats out in weather like this."

"Oh, well, Jeeze! That's a shame," the safe cracker delivered his lines with a perfectly blank, poker face, 'cause I really hate to miss out on something like that.

"I thought you would be the most disappointed, Casino." The Warden commiserated, playing along.

"So what's the orders, then?"

"Well, as soon as they scrubbed the mission Colonel Reynolds and I started working on the brass and about an hour ago we finally talked them into letting you fellas' have a weeks leave in London."

"London!?" Goniff just stood for a moment with his mouth open. "A whole week to ourselfs? Christmas in London?!"

The little cockney's enthusiasm was infectious, even Casino caught it. "When do we leave?"

Garrison smiled at the men gathered around him. "Rawlins will drive you in tonight."

"Rawlins?" Chief asked with a slight frown. "He comin' in to ride herd on us?"

"No. He'll drop you in town and then, since he won't have to 'ride herd' on you here, he's going to take some time and visit his family."

"But I don't understand, Sergeant Major Rawlins' family is further north," the group's second in command puzzled over the arrangement for a moment before offering. "We can just as easily drive ourselves in so he won't have to waste any of his leave."

The Lieutenant rubbed at the back of his neck for a moment. "I'm afraid I couldn't swing an OK for you to take one of the cars…. They think having a car at your disposal might make taking off a little too tempting."

"Warden," Casino propped his fists on his hips and turned a stare on their leader. "Don't those jokers know the kind a work they got us outta prison to do for 'em?"

"Bloody Hell," Goniff laughed. "don't they 'member the kind a work what got us in prison in the first place?!"

Garrison laughed along with them for a moment. "I didn't think reminding them would work to your advantage." He fished a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Actor who had finally joined them at the windows. "I made reservations," and he watched the man's eyebrow arch up in appreciation. "I hope you approve."

"Most definitely! This is a wonderful hotel. I've stayed there many times." The confidence man's mouth lifted in a smile. "A young woman I knew kept a suite of rooms there…."

Casino rolled his eyes at the Italian. "Here we go!"

The travel arrangements and wording of the Lieutenant's announcement hadn't been lost on the group's scout. "How come you can't drive us in, Warden?"

Excited chatter from Goniff and the beginnings of a long recollection from Actor stopped abruptly as all of them waited for their commander's answer.

"Your part of the mission has been cancelled but I'm still going to take the time and go over for a few days…."

"What? Why?"

"To make contact with as many of the underground leaders as I can." he told them simply.

"What for? You playin' Father Christmas for them Warden?"

"No," Garrison chuckled, "but I am picking up their wish lists."

"They can radio those in." Actor considered their young leader for a moment. "Why do you have to go over in person to get that kind of information?"

"Because command wanted the personal touch… and I'm the one that talked a lot of them into working with us in the first place, so I got elected." He could see the worry for him quickly replacing the anticipation of a carefree week in London. "Look, this time of year it's going to be quiet over there and this storm is my insurance policy…." He grinned at their skeptical stares. "Besides it'll be nice to get out on my own for a change and not have to worry about what you four might do to screw up the job."

"Us!"

Before they could argue Garrison started grabbing shoulders and turning the men towards the door with a shove. "Go on up stairs and start packing. You know Sergeant Major Rawlins probably won't wait if you're not ready to go when he is."

They'd hit these patches before, usually out on a mission. Garrison would make plans that they didn't exactly agree with, but there was generally no way to talk him out of them. From the look in his eye, even though there was a smile on his face, this was another one of those times. The cons shared a look before deciding to give up and accept their unexpected bounty.

"Blimey!" Goniff turned on the group as they made their way upstairs to their dormitory. "You'r not gonna b'lieve what Christmas is like in London!"

"Jeeze! How good can it be?" Casino continued, true to form. "They got the curfew, and black outs… rationing…"

Goniff wasn't about to be done out of enjoying the idea now that he'd grabbed onto it with both hands. "Aw! It'll still be great! …. And it'll be a site better 'n bein' over there gettin' shot at by the ruddy Jerries!"

Actor's mouth lifted in a quick smile as he followed them up the stairs.. "He's got a point."

Only Chief was left down in the hall outside the library with the Warden. He stood silent and still, studying the man they'd accepted as their leader. Both of them knew he was willing to go with the young Army lieutenant as back up, just as both of them knew the request wouldn't be voiced.

Garrison considered his scout a moment. "You'd better get going," he smiled. "I'll be home just after Christmas…." The Warden gestured towards the dormitory with a wave of his hand. "See to it they are too."

g

London wasn't quite what Goniff had remembered from his childhood. The threat of nightly bombings still kept the city dark but the people did their best to keep to their traditions. The large animated displays still graced some windows even though they had to be viewed through a web of package strapping. Once they made it through the blackout curtains they generally found lively gatherings in the pubs and restaurants. Some establishments had moved their lighted Christmas finery down into the cellars where they couldn't betray them when the doors opened and closed and where the people would be if a bombing raid or rocket attack came.

Once they'd made the rounds and seen all that he had to show them they broke off on their own. There were always games of chance going on and liquor to be had, if you knew where to look… and they knew where to look. Actor still had his book of telephone numbers and the city boasted five royal parks that Chief could explore. Each night they'd meet up back at the hotel and as the time wore on they found themselves together earlier and earlier. It was Goniff who first brought it up…

"Be kinda nice to spend Christmas at 'ome, y' know."

"Home!?"

"Well,… yeah, back at the mansion." When they first got the word they had the time off Goniff was just as ready to get as far away from the place as the rest of them but now that he'd had his time, and won his money, he was thinking more about the people they knew back in that smaller town. "Eddie was goin' on about all the Christmas carols they was learnin'… They're gonna sing them outside the church the day before Christmas…

"…Mrs. Reid's havin' a party for the kids at her place Christmas Eve." Casino added. When she'd first told him about it and asked him if he would be able to come and play the part of 'Father Christmas', or Santa Claus, for her they'd already known about the mission and he had to tell her he wouldn't be able to come. When he first heard they weren't going over to the continent but had a whole week to do what they wanted in London he'd forgotten all about that little party, but over the last couple of days whenever he saw a kid bundled up and playing in the snow, or staring in one of those windows at the few toys that were on display…

The two of them turned on Chief to see what he'd have to say. The group's youngest member considered them a moment before his mouth lifted in quick smile and he shrugged. "We got grounds back there I can wander around… I already visited all the parks here."

"What about Actor? He's never gonna leave all those dames behind." And the safe cracker couldn't really blame him. They'd all benefited from Actor's little telephone book the first night they were in town.

"He can invite some a them birds out to the mansion, can't he?" Goniff had taken advantage of the con man's vast number of female 'friends' the first couple of days just like Casino and Chief had… And he'd found his own company when he broke off on his own, but he also had a little shop clerk that lived over in the next village that he was beginning to have 'feelin's' for… not that he'd said nothing to the guys, or even her about it. He thought how pretty she'd look all rosy from standin' about in the cold watching the children's choir sing…

When Actor wandered in the door an hour later it hadn't been as hard to convince him to go back as they'd thought it would be. The con man didn't mention it but as it grew closer to Christmas day his choice of female companionship had grown a bit thin as the women made arrangements to be with their own families for the celebrations. As thrilling as it was for them to be with him, he was hardly the type of man any of them wanted to take home and introduce to their fathers.

The last problem they faced was how to get back, and how to alert Sergeant Major Rawlins that they would not be in London after the Christmas festival as he expected without him finding out in time to come back to the manor himself and ruin their plans for a nice relaxing holiday. Several intricate plans were suggested but they finally settled on the simplicity of going by train first thing in the morning and then hiring a car to take them the rest of the way, and merely leaving a note for the Sergeant with the desk clerk… Actor had the telephone number of the Rawlins household and he gave the clerk a generous tip to put in a call on what would have been their last day in the city in time that the British NCO would not have to travel all the way into London to find out he could just as well have gone straight back to the base.

g

When they walked into the large house it was a shock to find it dark and cold. Chief flipped the switch on the wall next to the door, half expecting the power to be out, it wouldn't be the first time, but light instantly glittered from the chandelier that hung high over the main entrance hall. They split up, just like they would have done casing a place over on the continent, meeting up in the library when they completed their reconnaissance.

Until that moment they really hadn't realized that they were not the only ones who'd been given leave. Without them there to be 'looked after' most of the guards had been given several days off, and without the Warden there the clerks that populated in the mansion weren't required either. There was a skeleton crew of guards, luckily one that was sympathetic to the men was on the gate when they rolled through, but that was all.

Goniff grinned at the thought of having the large house all to themselves and his mind was already turning on what that could mean… free access to the pantry, layin' in till his own bones told him to get up 'stead a when some bloke shouted for him to be on his feet. Lazy days in front a the fire because there weren't no one to chase him over that bloody obstacle course. He'd get Casino to work his magic on the locked cabinet that held the good liquor too! The only thing that troubled him was the possible state of that pantry! With everyone who usually hung about the place gone there might not be enough for a proper Christmas tea… good thing he'd hit the black market before they left London, he thought.

"Jeeze! It's freezin' in here!" Casino dropped to his knees in front of the large fireplace and started laying out the kindling in preparation for lighting a fire. It wasn't much warmer inside than it was out.

Once they had the fire going and shared a glass of the good brandy they decided they wanted to have a tree for themselves, just like they'd seen in London. Chief talked them out of going out on the grounds and 'murdering' a perfectly innocent tree and they finally settled on bringing one of the small cypress that sat outside the library in, pot and all. They lashed two stout poles on either side of the stone pot and with a man on each end it wasn't too difficult to move the thing, still they didn't think they could hoist it all the way upstairs so it ended up in the corner of the library near the French doors.

The next task was to find ornaments for it. Somewhere in the house, probably up in the attics, no doubt, there was a box full of the things but they didn't have the time to go looking. They decided when they headed home that they were going to go over and see Eddie sing and then go off and help the kids at Mrs. Reid's place forget that they weren't home and with their own families at Christmas. Rummaging through the choices they found at hand they came up with an assortment of items to hang from the branches. Colored paper was quickly cut into shape, cotton wool from the first-aid kit dotted here and there, Chief turned up some things that Actor declared were napkin rings which they tied on with string, along with the silverware from the drawer in the dinning room, and the con man contributed his fairly extensive collection of cufflinks. Even though they didn't have lights when the flickering fire caught on all of that they didn't miss them. The overall effect was pretty good they agreed, but it lacked a star for the top. …until Goniff dug out a sparkling piece of jewelry he'd somehow managed to keep tucked away from the Wardens' notice. They even had a few small packages hung up on the branches, and a colored envelope for the Warden to open,… whenever he got back.

For once it was Goniff keeping an eye on the clock. "Hey! C'mon we gotta get all that stuff together if we're gonna get over 'n time to have tea at Winnie and Alf's before the singin' starts."

"Don't worry, Goniff I got it all right here." Chief hefted the duffle bag he'd borrowed out of the Lieutenant's room, it was already bulging with the things they'd purchased in town.

Casino checked the time himself and snorted a laugh. "We got lots a time before that little group a kids starts singin'! He just wants to get his usual three shares a Winnie's food!"

But it was Actor who supplied the real reason they needed to leave. "Chief still has to have time to 'hot wire' the car and we have to get out of here before that friendly guard goes off duty." He started herding them towards the door but before he could set his hand to the knob it turned on it's own and swung in….

"Blimey! Warden, you'll give a bloke a heart attack sneakin' in like that." Goniff clutched at his chest just to prove what a shock he'd just had.

"What are you doing here?" Garrison made a quick survey of the men. They weren't acting exactly like they did when they were up to something but they were here instead of still up in London, where they had every right to be… that had to mean trouble. "Who's after you?"

Actor laughed. "It's good to have you back Lieutenant."

He accepted their handshakes but kept a wary eye on them. "What's that?" he asked with a jerk of his chin.

"Jeeze! We finally tossed the place, this is the loot. Do you have to be so suspicious all the time?"

"What's that?" Goniff prodded the sack the Warden had dropped on the doorstep with his foot.

Craig turned and grabbed the cord that held the large pouch closed and started to hoist the thing off the step. "I stopped and got the mail, it finally came in."

"Mail!"

They left the duffle bag of children's gifts in the entry way. Chief lifted the sack of mail the Warden carried out of his hand and they drew him with them back into the library where it was warm. Untying the knot that held the sack closed the group's youngest member upended it and poured the contents out on the low table that sat in front of the sofa. They spent the next few moments sorting it all into individual piles. Several parcels were addressed to Casino, a few to Goniff and Actor but there was one for Garrison and even Chief. And there were stacks of envelopes for all of them. A quick survey revealed a good deal of the mail had come from the town where Casino's family lived. The safe cracker shrugged at their questioning faces… "Nobody gets left out at Christmas."

Actor checked his watch. "If we stay here and open these we will miss our time with the Marley's and the children's performance."

Blimey!" Goniff grinned at the Lieutenant. "S' a good thing you showed up, it'll save Chiefy 'ere time if he don't have to hot wire a car. C'mon, Warden. Eddie's singin' today and I promised him we'd all come."

"Goniff, I…."

"Jeeze!" Casino cut him off. "Any report you can think up can wait! It's Christmas, remember?"

"Come now, Lieutenant, we can't leave you here all on your own on Christmas Eve…"

"You're out numbered Warden."

And before he could muster an effective argument the men had him turned around and shuffled him out the door, back down the steps and into the back seat of the car he'd just driven up in.

g

"That was nice a your Mum to think of us, Casino." Goniff commented as he squirmed into a more comfortable position between Actor and Garrison on the back seat.

"Aw Ma just likes doin' stuff for people at Christmas." Casino grinned and closed his eyes. "She's got the house all decked out, and the tree all decorated nice. There's probably enough food for everybody for blocks around 'just in case' they come by…" but the smile dimmed a bit and he added. "Man, I wish I was there."

Goniff wasn't about to let him fall back into the depressed mood he'd been in days ago, not this close to Christmas. "How'd Christmas go at your house with all them kids?"

"Not very smooth," Casino laughed. "I don't know how they managed it, 'cause we didn't have a lot a money most a the time, but my folks always saw to it that there was something under the tree for everybody… And the food. Jeeze! Goniff, there was enough food even you'd a been satisfied! I got a lot of aunts and uncles, see, and they come from everywhere, so we had all kind a different food cause everybody brought somethin' along with 'em to help feed the crowd that showed up. They'd come late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve see and we'd all bundle up in our coats and stuff and gather out in the backyard at my folks place."

"Outside?" the little Brit shivered. "Why? You sing around a bon fire like Eddie's gonna do?"

"No! To watch for the star."

"The star?"

"Sure! Didn't you do that? You watch for the first star to come out on Christmas Eve… That's the Christmas star, the one that was over the manger…" Casino caught the skeptical look Chief shot along his shoulder. "Well, hey, that's what they told us when we were kids! Anyway we'd wait until we spotted that first star and then we'd take off for church…."

"You went to church?!" Actor laughed in amazement.

"A course I went to church!… I didn't have a choice, did I? The priest would keep us there too, clean past midnight. When we got home the tree was all lit up and the packages were there…." There was a break in Casino's story as he realized he never had found out who did all of that, considering they were all at church. "…and nobody felt like sleepin' so we'd have our Christmas 'morning' at about two! It was a good thing too, 'cause with all those people it took a long time to get through 'cause only one present at a time could be opened. After that there was breakfast with about every kind a bread there is in the world and eggs and fish and meat broth and…"

"Oh, don't," Goniff pleaded as his stomach grumbled loud enough for them all to hear. "I'm famished!"

"You're always famished….." Suddenly all the memories of the Christmases the family shared together crowded into his head and it was almost like he was sitting right in the middle of the room. It wasn't as good as bein' there with them, but it sure was better than pushin' the memories away like he'd been doin.' Casino turned on the group's little pick pocket, he was just as lonely for his family, he thought. "How'd you do Christmas?"

"It wasn't that grand a show. Mum 'ud do up her pudding a month or so ahead a time and we'd try and get a nice goose to cook…" Goniff leaned in and confided in a stage whisper. I pinched a turkey once and told her I won a lottery for it." Settling back in the seat he continued. "The old man would stir up a punch to serve to the carolers and he kept a bottle near the door, out a sight a me Mum, 'n he'd dose the cups a the fellas who'd come 'round…double if it was one a 'is mates. He'd be takin' 'is sip right along with the others and after the third or fourth group 'ee'd be singin' right along! There was a dish of hard candies and small coin to hand around if it was a bunch of kids, me 'n Bertie got to give that out…."

"And none a that small change stuck to your fingers?" Casino snorted a laugh.

"A course not! That was Christmas money!" Goniff huffed and glared at the safe cracker, it was a moment before he got started again. "We weren't much for church goin' so we got to sleep in our beds Christmas Eve. In the morning there'd be stuff hung on the tree, and in the stockings… little stuff mostly but that wasn't important…. It was the fun a taken a day to all be together. My Dad even played with us and told stories, to keep us out from under foot while Mum was doin' up the supper. " Until Bertie died he thought. Things changed after that…. But he didn't want to think of those changes, not now.

"When the meal was almost ready we'd 'ave to go up and get dressed in our best stuff and sit up at the table all serious 'n proper… 'til the crackers was pulled and then we could turn back into kids again. Mum'd make a right big show a bringin' the bird out and invitin' me Dad to do the carvin'. When we was done with that she'd bring in the pudding, Dad'd go and get 'is bottle and douse it, turn out the lights and set it afire!" Goniff hugged himself and smiled. "Cor! Mum did up a lovely pudding!"

Casino waited to see if there'd be any more, but Goniff seemed to be wrapped up in his own memories, and having too good a time to share so he turned on their Italian teammate. "Well?"

Actor smiled. "I'm afraid it's a rather long celebration…"

"Doesn't surprise me. Go ahead, give."

"The celebrations start on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we would put out the presepe, the crèche." the con man explained. "Each day leading up to Christmas my mother would add another figure until, at last, on Christmas Eve she would bring out the figure of the child and lay him in the manager. The family would gather for supper and then go to a midnight mass. When we returned my father would light the bonfire and for as long as it burned my mother would give food to anyone who came to the house."

The family had been wealthy when he was young and, unfortunately their fortunes changed but for as long as they had the money, and even after it began to dwindle away, he remember, his mother somehow managed to have small gifts of pasta and grain and large pots of broth to share.

"Gifts aren't exchanged until the 12th day, when the wise men found the Christ child and presented their gifts to him. It's celebrated as the Feast of the Epiphany on the 6th of January. And the gifts come by witch…"

"What!?"

"The wise men asked directions of a witch when they were looking for the Christ child, and they asked her to come with them and bring gifts to honor him but she told them she was too busy." Actor told them, repeating the story as his parents had told it to he and his brother when they were children. "She was interrupted many times as shepherds stopped to ask the way and they, too, invited her to come with them but she told everyone she had too many important things to do and that she couldn't be bothered. When she saw the great star shinning in the east she realized her mistake and she turned her back on all the things she thought were important before. She created a beautiful gift for the child and she set off to join the three wise men and all the shepherds. Unfortunately she got lost and even though she searched through the night she never found the manger the wise men told her of, she never had a chance to give the child her gift. So every year since that time La Befana flies and searches, and she leaves gifts for children in hopes of finally finding the infant Jesus."

"Hey! I like that!" Goniff grinned. "I never heard nothin' like that before."

"Jeeze! You never heard a pickin' out the Christmas star before!" Casino snorted a laugh. "How 'bout you, Warden? What's your story?"

Garrison pushed back in his seat a little, he'd been enjoying the recollections but really hadn't expected to be asked to take part. "Well, let's see… Santa Claus is called Nikolaus in Germany, Weihnachtsmann… Children leave their shoes outside overnight for him on the sixth and he fills them with sweets, walnuts and oranges. They've had decorated trees in Germany for hundreds of years, lighting them with candles, and hanging ornaments from the branches. Christmas is celebrated on the 24th, the shops close, the trees are lit and gifts are exchanged before going to midnight services at the church."

"Blimey! You got presents on the sixth and the twenty-fourth?"

But Casino wasn't satisfied. "That's how they do it in Germany. Jeeze!, how'd you do it?"

"Looks like you'r gonna miss out on that food at the Marley's, Goniff." Chief interrupted. He'd just pulled onto the street that fronted the village church and people were already gathered on the green outside. The fire was lit and the children were gathered in a knot near the kirk's covered gate. When the young man pulled to the side of the road and cut the engine, even through the closed windows, they could hear them as they got in one last practice session.

As soon as they pulled to a stop and got out of the car a bundle of wool coat, knitted muffler and mittens hurtled towards them.

"You came! You came! I tol' 'em you'd come back in time!" Eddie launched himself off the ground at Goniff.

The second story man shot a warning look around at the others. "What'd ya think! A 'course I come!" he choked out. Scooping one arm under the child's hips he settled him more comfortably on his side and reached up to loosen the boy's arms from around his throat. "Soon as we finished up it's the only thing I could think about, was comin' to see you do your singin'."

"Sure! Goniff's the one made out so we could wrap up our job early just so we could get back here." Casino's sarcastic tone was lost on the boy who was chattering non stop into the cat burglar's ear.

"…and I was real scared when the storm hit, did you see all a that lighting, and I thought you was out there on the water someplace or up in one them planes, but Alf, he said you were all smart enough to know how t' stay safe… but to miss Christmas, Goniff! I got to worryin' that you wouldn't be able to get the present I got for you 'cause it's a Christmas gift and you really can't give it for another time on a count a it's all wrapped up in Christmas papers see and, ….and next Christmas you might not want it, and…"

"Eddie…. Eddie, …. Eddie!" Goniff finally wedged a word in sideways when the little boy stopped a moment to drag air into his lungs. "Ain't that the Vicar shoutin' fer you?"

"Oh, Blimey!" The little boy scrambled down and started for the little group of singers at a run only to turn back and latch onto the pick pocket's hand and start towing him through the crowd that had gathered. "C'mon! The Marley's 'n Beryl are over here… It's up close so's you can see everything!"

g

The little green was crowded with people, and along with the large bonfire that burned up front where the children gathered around it, several other smaller fires were lit to help keep the audience warm. Ladies from the church offered hot tea from a table over at the side. For almost two hours the air was filled with carols. Sometimes the sweet simple sound of children's voices were joined by the adults in the crowd as they sang out a favorite, sometimes the children sang alone, and occasionally one achingly pure voice split the silence of the winter afternoon as they worked through the program and finally brought it to a close. The crowd broke into smaller groups as the children found their families and they prepared to go home…

"You missed the tea, but I've put enough by for you, will you come?"

Goniff hugged Eddie close to his side and smiled his regret at the Marley's. "We made it up with Mrs. Reid to go help them kids celebrate with a little party. I hate to miss your fancies, Winnie, but…"

"Of course you have to keep your word! They haven't got their own families around them so it's a kind thing your doing to go and help out." She gave the little man a broad wink. "I'll make you up a plate you can take back when you come tomorrow, shall I? There'll be enough for all of you, mind, so don't you take it all for yourself…"

Casino nudged Goniff in the ribs with an elbow. "Boy has she got you pegged!"

Goniff ignored him and dropped down on a knee to take his leave of the little boy. "I'll be back tomorrow to see what you got in your stocking and we'll open our presents. Then maybe we'll take ourselfs a walk around to tell all your neighbors a Merry Christmas. How'd that be?"

"Early right? You'r comin' early in the morning?"

"A course! Can't take the chance a Christmas slipping away… I wanna open that present you got me this year, not next!"

The men shook hands with Alf and got their Christmas kisses from Marion and Winnie and even collected a shy peck on the cheek from Eddie's friend Beryl. When Garrison took his leave of them Winnie gave him a hug and a kiss and then pushed him off and gave him a concerned stare.

"Why, Lieutenant!" she admonished. "You've got yourself a fever. You should be home in bed not standing here in the freezing weather." And she turned an accusing look on Actor. "Why ever did you let him come?"

"Because he never mentioned there was anything wrong with him."

Garrison met his second's appraising gaze for a moment and shrugged. "I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all." He turned back and gave Winnie another quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to call back to the house and have them send a car over for me and I'll go home… Will that do?"

"That's out of the question." Actor decided, taking charge because he knew the Warden wouldn't make a scene in front of the Marley's little group. "We can drive you back and then Goniff, Casino and Chief can go on to Mrs. Reid's."

"You'll all go."

"I'll stay at the house with him," Chief offered quietly. "Christmas ain't really my kind a holiday…"

"You'll all go." Garrison reiterated a little louder. He was just as capable of using onlookers to his advantage as Actor was. "Look, you promised those kids and Mrs. Reid that you would show up this evening and you can't break a promise on Christmas." He turned to Eddie for support. "Can you?"

"No." the little boy agreed. "You'r not s'pose to break any of 'em, but I think Christmas ones mostly."

"Blimey, Warden. That's low, usin' the little tyke against us like that." Then Goniff turned on the Italian con man. "You best watch it, mate, he's gettin' 'most as smooth as you."

"Well if that's the verdict we'd best be getting underway." Actor started shepherding them towards the car.

The Lieutenant raise his hand to object. "I told you I can call for a car. Now go on and get started or you'll be late."

"I hardly think driving back to drop you off will cause us to be late. Besides," Actor smiled and fixed his eye on the Warden as he rested his hand lightly on Eddie's shoulder. "I promised the men on duty at the mansion that they wouldn't be disturbed tonight… and we've just had a ruling on Christmas promises."

"Checkmate." Chief just loud enough for Garrison to hear.

g

"You are sure that's all it is?"

"I'm sure." The car sat idling at the bottom of the steps that led up to the entrance to the house. "Phillips checked me out when I got back. He just told me to get some rest."

"I still think that I should…"

"…go to that party just like you promised." Craig shoved the door open, climbed out and slammed it shut again. "I just want to get in there and sack out. I promise, but I'm not going anywhere until you guys get out of here."

Actor conceded defeat by tapping Chief on the shoulder and waving him on. The scout pulled the car around in a tight turn and Casino hung his head out the window as they rolled past. "No reports, got it?! Straight into the sack with you, Warden!"

"What are you going to do, Casino report me to Santa Claus?"

"Worse!… I'll tell Ma."

Garrison laughed and turned his back on them. Chief watched him trudge up the stairs in the rearview mirror as they pulled away.

g

It was late, early…actually, close to three in the morning, when they finally got back. The house was quiet when they walked in, warmer than it had been because the fire and furnace had been resurrected. I wasn't dark either, the Warden left a light in the hall and another in the library…along with a tin of biscuits on the table in front of the sofa.

"Lookit that! The Warden left somethin' out for Father Christmas!"

"I think those are for you, dummy." Casino snorted. "They're your favorite kind."

"He probably didn't want to be disturbed by you banging through the cupboards down in the kitchen when we got back." Actor reasoned as he warmed his hands at the fire.

"Then how d'you explain this?" Chief tossed a small item towards the con man who caught it and discovered he held a pouch of his favorite pipe tobacco.

"Or this!" Casino was over at the credenza and turned with a bottle in his hand. The mansion had a supply of pretty good booze but this was the bourbon he liked best.

"Blimey!, or this." Goniff held a roll of expertly dressed leather out to Chief. "You said you was runin' out of the stuff you brought from the states."

"It looks like Warden did a little Christmas shopping."

"He's gonna get it if he took off after we left last night."

"I hardly think that's possible, Casino. He certainly could have found the cookies and tobacco in town or in London but that bottle you're holding and the leather came from the states. He had to plan ahead to have them here in time for Christmas."

"Hey, I bet the stuff came in with the rest of the mail."

And Chief confirmed it. "There was a smaller sack inside the big one when I dumped it out. He picked that up and put it in his office while you were sortin' the rest of the stuff into piles."

"How bout that. You think we're spoilin' some kind a surprise by knowin' about 'em now?" Casino tipped the bottle he held in his hand to the light and looked at the label again.

"I don't believe so. He had to know we would come in here… the light was on."

"That's good enough for me!" Goniff pulled the lid off the tin and popped one of the morsels into his mouth.

Casino broke the seal on the bottle and opened it. "Me too!"

Chief watched as Actor tore the foil pouch open and inhaled the aroma of the shredded tobacco held inside. He smoothed the cut of leather over his arm and shook his head as he stepped out the door and headed upstairs for bed. "Don't use all that stuff up before the Warden sees you enjoyin' it."

g

Chief was an early riser. It didn't seem to matter how late it was when he went to bed, or how little time he had to sleep he just naturally woke up right before sunrise. When he went downstairs he was surprised to find Garrison already up because, at least to his eye, the guy'd been dead on his feet when they dropped him off the afternoon before. He was down in the kitchen preparing to go out, but he wasn't dressed the way he usually did for his run. "How'r you doin' Warden? You get enough sleep last night?"

Garrison looked up and smiled. "Almost. Did you have a good time at Mrs. Reid's?"

"It was alright."

Craig had never heard the young man use the word 'fun' and knew that 'alright' was just about his highest praise. "I didn't hear you come in, what time did you get back?"

"Almost three. Mrs. Reid let the kids that wanted to, stay up 'til midnight and go to church,… so we went with 'em."

"To church?!"

The young man shrugged and nodded. "I guess all the talk 'bout how they done Christmas when they were at home…"

"You went along?"

"Sure. I don't have nothin' against it… I like the stories they tell in church, long as they don't yell 'em at you."

"And you got Goniff inside too?" His second story man had good reason to be wary of churches.

"He stayed in the back like he usually does… I think goin' over to hear Eddie sing is wearin' him down. He doesn't fidget around as much as he used to, and he stuck around to shake hands with the padre after the services."

Garrison shook his head, as he gathered a medium sized sack off the table. That was progress, he thought, just a few months ago Goniff would have never stepped inside a church, much less willingly greeted the clergyman.

"What d'you got there, Warden?"

The Lieutenant glanced at the bag in his hands and then looked up at his scout. "I haven't decorated a tree in a long time and I didn't think anyone was going to be around so…"

"You doin' another one a the potted ones? You want me to help you bring it in?"

"No." Garrison laughed. "I found one out at the edge of the lawn that should do." He started off out the door.

"Want some company?"

"Sure. If you like."

The rain had let up but the temperature had dropped and everything, from the leaves that still clung to some of the trees to every blade of yellowed grass in the vast lawn was rimed with ice crystals. The air had a sweet flavor to it and their breath curled away in clouds of vapor that froze and dropped to the ground as they walked away.

There were a number of evergreen in front of them as they made their way across the expanses of frozen stubble. To Chief's eye they were all too large to decorate without climbing up into their branches and the sack the Warden carried didn't look large enough to do even the smallest of them justice. There were also a few holly spotted here and there but they didn't seem to be headed for any of those When they did stop they were standing in front of one that was only a little taller than the Warden and was made up of completely bare branches.

"I thought this one looked like a perfect Christmas tree." Garrison said as he walked around his chosen specimen.

"Uh… Warden. I know I'm not an expert or anything, but aren't they s'posed to be green?"

"Not the ones my mother picked out."

And the young man remembered the conversations in the car and heard Casino in his head again "That's how they do it in Germany. Jeeze!, how'd you do it?" "How did you do Christmas over there in that big house, Warden?"

"We didn't. My grandfather didn't celebrate Christmas. He didn't believe in decorating the house, or giving gifts, no special meals…" Garrison caught Chief's frown. "But he'd go away skiing and he'd take my cousin with him…. So up until Reiner died we had the place to ourselves and could do what we wanted. They were still around on the sixth so I never put my shoes out…but on the twenty-third they'd take off and be gone for eight days."

Chief watched and thought he saw some of the tension go out of the Warden's shoulders as he remembered.

"We couldn't risk bringing a tree in so we decorated one that sat outside the windows to the sitting room my mother used downstairs, I could see it from my bedroom window too." He dropped onto one knee and pulled the sack open. "He never left anything fancy in the house when he left so we didn't have the kind of game feasts our neighbors were sitting down to, but my mother made a delicious soup out of pork and sauerkraut and broth…"

Chief dropped down to help lift the decorations out of the sack and was a little surprised not to be dealing with bits of ribbon and tinsel and glass ornaments as he expected but slices and crusts of dried bread and nuts and a selection of dried and fresh fruit instead. There were two smaller sacks held within the larger one and pulling the strings on the first got him a sprinkling of seeds of several different varieties. When he opened the second he just stared for a moment before glancing over at the other man.

"I think you need to go ask for your money back, Warden. This stuff's wormy!"

Garrison laughed and took the sack. "Nothing doing. I had to look for that for a long time. The way stuff turns over so fast in the markets it usually doesn't have a chance to get anywhere close to this condition these days."

"Well, what d'we do with all of it?"

"Just break it up and poke it on the twigs. There's some wire to fix the fruit and bigger loaves to the branches."

g

It took almost an hour with both of them working before everything was arranged to the Warden's satisfaction. By the time they finished there weren't many branches that didn't have some kind of offering caught on the twigs or wired to them. The seeds and nuts were spread out underneath, almost like the skirt Mrs. Reid had around the bottom of the tree she put up for the kids, Chief thought.

They shook the last of the crumbs out of the sack and walked back across the lawn, stopping halfway to turn around and look. "What happens now?" the young scout asked.

"Now we wait."

But twenty minutes later they were still waiting and the only thing that had happened was their feet and hands had gone numb from the cold.

Garrison took a deep breath and let it out. "Maybe it's not going to work here." and he turned and headed for the house.

When they got back inside the others were still sound asleep upstairs. The Warden put on the coffee and Chief mixed up a batter from some supplies he found in the cupboards and cooked it in fat heated to a shimmer in one of Winnie's cast iron pans.

"Fry bread. My grandfather taught me," was his only explanation.

It was excellent. Far better than the coffee Garrison told him, and Chief had to agree. The Warden could do a lot of things, but make coffee wasn't really one of them. The aroma drifted up stairs and finally got the others started on the process of waking up. The first one down the stairs was Goniff, usually the last to roll out of his blankets.

"Blimey!" he said and wrinkled his nose when he got close to the coffee pot. "I thought somethin' 'd caught fire!" He looked over Chief's shoulder as he drizzled another portion of batter into the hot fat. "What's that,… food?"

"Fry bread."

"Does it go with tea?"

"Pro'bly better 'n the Warden's coffee."

"If you're going to insult me I'm going up stairs to my office." Garrison downed the remainder of the coffee in his cup and accepted the fresh offering of bread Chief held out before heading up the stairs.

"Don't go away mad Warden." Chief's response was a snort of laughter up near the top of the stairs.

g

Another hour into the day and Casino and Actor had finally gotten up. After a disgusted scowl into the pot Casino had another, far more drinkable, pot of coffee brewed and transferred into a carafe that sat on a tray waiting to be hauled upstairs. Chief's bread frying had evolved from hand size pieces to bowl shaped masterpieces and his repertoire increased to include a stew he concocted of onions, carrots and all the other vegetables he could come up with and a piece of mutton that Winnie cooked and left for them in the ice box. He said it needed decent corn and different spices but it came close to the stew his grandfather taught him to make back when he was a kid.

As they made their way along the hall towards the library Casino launched a shout at the Warden's closed office door. "Enough! You probably done every report twice already. Get out here, we're having breakfast by the tree."

The men were already settled into their chosen spots when he came across and joined them. He accepted the bowl Chief held out for him with a raised eyebrow. "What's this?"

"Just about anything I could find down in the kitchen with a piece of old sheep thrown in to flavor the pot."

Garrison found a chair and dug in, at the first bite he closed his eyes in appreciation. "This is great! Where'd you learn this?"

"Same place where I learned to do the bread." Chief told him simply.

"If you like that, you'll go crazy for the coffee."

"You make it?"

"Yeah. Jeeze! Stay away from the coffee pot, with ya Warden?" Casino grouched across at Garrison with a smile. "Every time you make a pot I have t' scrub another layer a metal off to get rid of the taste."

"You don't want me making the coffee, you better get up early enough to make it yourself."

The safe cracker sat and considered that a moment before he shook his head. "Nah. I'll just see if I can talk the Sergeant Major into ordering a few more pots to have around as back up."

"Blimey! It's the middle a the morning and we ain't even open our presents yet. We got a get to it 'cause I promised Eddie I'd be back over there for 'is breakfast tea."

None of them even bothered to question the little cockney's ability to consume another meal after eating a portion of the hearty stew that had been in his bowl… He seemed to be able to eat more than any three of them. Goniff scraped the last of the stew out of his dish and licked the spoon cleaned then rubbed his hands together and turned into the master of ceremonies. "Alright, Chiefy, you'r the youngest… you do the honors."

Chief gave the little man a frown before shoving his bowl aside and going over to retrieve the packages from the branches of the small tree in the corner. The ones that had come in the mail were clearly marked and he didn't have to look at any tags on the others to figure out who got what, they'd been together when they bought them, leaving each man behind while the others went off to find 'a little something' to wrap up and brighten the Christmas celebration. They hadn't been able to settle on the right kind of gift for the Warden so his was a compromise, ..or a stroke of genius, depending on who was telling the story.

"Right!" Goniff grinned around the room. "Everyone together…"

"Hey! That's not the way you'r 'spose to do it." Casino protested. "It's one at a time!" but his objection was lost amid the sound of paper being torn and he finally gave up and ripped the decorative paper off his small package...he'd keep the one from home for later in the day.

For the next few moments the room was filled with appreciative whistles and laughter as Actor tried out his new lighter, Casino tried to shuffle a stiff new deck of cards, Chief fingered a fine hone for his knife and Goniff gave the first toss of a pair of new, unloaded pair of dice.

Garrison watched them through it all before breaking the seal on the envelope he held. He pulled out four separate strips of paper that were slightly smaller than the size of the envelope and read each one in turn. Taking them up in his hand he fanned them out and held them up. "These for real?"

"Of course," Actor assured him. "An IOU is a promise, and you can't break a promise given on Christmas."

"And you can use 'em one at a time or all at once." Goniff chirped from his spot on the floor where he was still working his dice, trying to get a feel for them.

"Yeah! But you have to give us twenty-four hours notice." Casino cut in.

"C'mon, Pappy! We didn't put that down there on those things. Only thing we wrote on each of 'em before we signed 'em was…"

"Jeeze! OK! I know what we put on there I was just tryin' to buy us a little time is all, but if you don't want me to look out for you!"

Garrison slid the certificates back into the envelope and folded it carefully away in the pocket of the shirt he wore.

"You don't wanna put that away somewhere, like in the safe, do ya?"

The Warden patted the pocket that held the documents and he smiled across at the safe cracker. "No, Casino, I think I want to have these where I can get my hands on them at a moments notice. These are priceless." Craig smiled as Casino grumbled over his cards… What he had tucked away in his pocket was a hand lettered, signed certificate from each one of the men.

'The bearer is entitled to twenty-four (24) hours of uninterrupted peace and quiet combined with the same period of complete cooperation by the undersigned to commence up receipt by the undersigned of this IOU. There shall be no expiration to this certificate but it is understood by all parties that it can only be tendered once.'

He had no doubt the gift was agreed upon by all of the men before they made it up, and he had no doubt they'd honor their 'Christmas IOU's'. He also had no doubt that with Casino's talented fingers and sensitive ears around the most secure place for them was not in a safe. With Goniff's light touch it wouldn't be in one of his pockets either, he'd have to come up with something else. Garrison turned his wrist up and checked his watch. "Goniff you better get a move on."

What about the stuff your family sent, Casino? Can we do those at supper tonight?"

Casino glanced around the room at the others, "Sure, Goniff... And this time we'll do it right! One at a time."

The little Brit pushed himself up on his feet and started making his way around the room. Each one of them got a formal 'Merry Christmas' and a handshake. When he reached his youngest teammate he cocked his head to the side and considered him a moment. "Hey, Chiefy you never told about your Christmas. Who brought presents to you, mate?"

"Him! What makes you think he knows anything about where Christmas presents come from?"

"Oh, I know, Casino. They did Christmas at the school, they'd put on a play and we read all about it.… My grandfather told me all about why kids get presents at Christmas."

"Go on," Goniff urged. It wouldn't take him long to get changed and get over to see Eddie. "Let's hear his version, then."

"My grandfather liked to tell stories and he told a lot a ones that his grandfather taught him," The group's scout started off with a smile. "But I think he made this one up on his own, from bits and pieces he heard from the missionary people that came around…"

"Missionaries? Blimey! You got missionaries out there where you come from?"

"Who'd you think ran the schools, Goniff?"

"But, 'missionary'… that makes it sound like off in Africa somewheres, don't it?"

"Jeeze! Are you gonna let him tell this or not?!" Casino glared their second story man into silence and then turned on the young man. "OK, spill it before the chatterbox gets started again."

His grandfather's stories all started from the beginning of the first world and worked themselves up to whatever point he wanted to make. They didn't have time for that, Goniff still had to get over to the Marley's in time to share a little Christmas with Eddie so he decided to give them a considerably shorted version. Chief stood a moment letting the silence settle around them before he started.

"Well, the way he told it, the sun decided to give his child to the people as a great leader, but the war chiefs found out about it and didn't want to give up their power so they started to plan how they would kill the child when he came. The elders knew this was a bad thing but the war chiefs wouldn't listen to them so the elders chose three of the wisest of them and sent those three to warn the sun. When the sun found out he was so angry he threatened to destroy the world and all of the people in it but the three elders reminded him that he had turned his child into a human and that the child would be destroyed too.

So the sun found a man and a woman and he gave the baby to them and he told them to take him away into the wilderness where he would be safe. He told them to raise him and teach him all the ways of the people so that when he was grown he would be a great warrior and he would know all the of tricks the war chiefs would try to use against him in battle and he would be able to defeat them. But the man and woman were good people, simple people. The woman walked with beauty all around her and the man followed the straight path…. That means they followed all of the rules that made the people into humans. They did as the sun asked and took the baby away and they raised him as their own child.

When the child grew to be a man and returned he didn't come as a great warrior but as a powerful healer. The war chiefs never gave up searching for the sun's child and when they saw the healer they knew it was him and even though he didn't come to make war on them, even though he came to heal and help the people they killed him anyway. When the sun saw this he flew into a great rage and got ready to destroy the world. The sun's child was no longer a man, when they killed him he turned back into one of the spirit people and he could return to the sky to be with his father. When the sun saw him coming he thought he was coming to help him destroy the people who had killed him but he was coming to argue with his father to let them live.

For twelve days the sun and his child argued and for twelve days there was light in the sky, bright like day when the sun talked and soft like starlight when the child spoke. At the end of the twelve days the bright star that had shown at night disappeared and the world was not destroyed. So because the sun's child stopped him from destroying the world and gave the people the gift of their lives, every year at that same time, to honor him and to remember, the people give gifts to children."

They sat in silence and for a few moments and only the logs popping on the hearth and the ticking of the large clock out in the hall could be heard. Finally Casino took a deep breath and smiled. "Ma'd like that one." and he turned to the pick pocket. "Goniff, it was nice bein' home for Christmas."

"Home?" Garrison shot a look along his shoulder at the east coast con.

"Yeah,… well, it'll have t'do for now, won't it?"

"Goniff!" Actor warned from his chair by the fire. "You must leave now or you may as well call them and tell them you won't be coming."

"Bloody Hell! I'll never make it."

"Yes you will." Garrison took over. "Get up stairs and change and Chief will drive you over." Goniff could drive, they'd been giving him more time behind the wheel but he still tended to be slow and when he got nervous or rushed he got jumpy. If he tried to beat the clock, Craig thought, he'd probably end up in a ditch.

Chief headed for the French doors, he could cut across the terrace and get to the garages in back faster than going through the front, and Goniff took off for the door to the hall but stopped in his tracks when the group's scout pulled back the drapery and gave a low whistle.

"Jeeze! What in the heck's that?" Casino pushed out of his chair and went to stand next to Chief. He was soon followed by Actor and Goniff.

"My mother's version of a Christmas tree." Garrison said quietly as he joined them at the glass.

The bare branches of the tree the Warden had chosen were animated now by what appeared to be every type of bird that wintered in the area. They clung to the twigs and pecked at rock hard bread pinioned there, some probed the larger loaves for weevils and worms. There were a few working the oranges and apples they'd sliced and wired to the trunk and the ground below was alive with dozens, pecking and scratching at the seed he and Chief spread beneath the branches.

Chief was the first one to stop watching the activity outside and start watching the Warden as he enjoyed it. Soon they were all doing it. Garrison had never had the stiff formal posture with them that other, 'regular' officers seemed to have with their men. He could be stiff necked, stubborn and demanding… unreasonable at times, but they'd worked together long enough that he'd also drop his guard now and laugh and joke around with them. He didn't do it often, but he'd been down to the pub and shared a beer with them… This was the first time they'd ever seen him totally entranced, absorbed by something that didn't carry a death sentence if he got it wrong.

"You haven't done this in a long time, have you Warden?"

"Not since we left Germany." He leaned his forearm on the frame of the door and watched the activity around the tree.

Somewhere out on the property a twig snapped or a branch broke, in a whirlwind of wings the birds disappeared into the surrounding evergreens and the little tree stood barren, but for it's offering of food. Within moments the more daring of the gathering had darted back and the others followed enlivening every branch and twig again.

"You're right," he said quietly. "It's nice to be home at Christmas."