The snow drifted in the soft breezes even before it reached the ground in the Hollywood Bowl where a concert played in front of a crowded house.

Only the snow wasn't real, it was made out of tiny soap bubbles and the theme of the music, of life in a winter wonderland carved out an ironic picture during a warm spell in L.A. Uncharacteristic for the end of December, but the residents and tourists of this bustling metropolis took it in stride.

C.J. sat there dressed in a short sleeve silk blouse over some black pants and wearing low heeled shoes, surrendering herself to the music which wafted even to the box seats where she sat with Matt, Murray and Chris.

They had box dinners of Wolfgang Pizzas and wine which offered up a picnicking atmosphere to break up some of the formality of an evening at the Bowl. She glanced over at Murray and Chris who were sitting together and caught how Murray's eyes kept looking over at Chris when she wasn't paying attention.

C.J learned in the past month that the corporate president of Houston Enterprises had a huge crush on the office manager of the L.A. headquarters for both the company and the investigation firm. When she had suggested that to Chris, her friend had chuckled and said she were imagining things, before her voice had grown soft as she confessed to C.J. that she could do much worse than Murray.

So she had taken up Murray's invitation to check out the string quartet at the Bowl…as long as she could double up with Matt and C.J. so it'd look less like a date and more like a group of friends having a relaxing evening out after an arduous work week.

C.J. knew the feeling. Her feelings for her business partner and best friend were no more a secret. At least not to Chris and others in the office especially since Matt's broken engagement to Elizabeth six months earlier.

Another elegantly planned June wedding biting the dust, though she suspected most of the others weren't interrupted by vengeful psychotic killers.

Elizabeth had vetoed another attempt at matrimony and Matt had realized that the best thing for both of them would be to call it all off and go their separate ways. C.J. said a silent prayer of thanks because as long as Matt remained on the open market, she stood a chance.

Not that she told him that because he had picked up his dating habits where he left off after the busted engagement. A different flavor of woman every week, blondes, brunettes, redheads from all different kinds of backgrounds, he loved spending time with them all.

He flew them around in his helicopter to different places; he took them to social galas and wound up in the local newspaper columns. He drove them around town in his favorite sports cars.

She had learned once again the importance of exercising great caution when coming to work in the morning lest she walk in on him sitting in the hot tub buck naked with some woman doting on him.

Chris and she had this routine worked out that had worked out for them during his busy periods but then all of a sudden, the activity had come to a stop. Then again both she and Matt were coming off of a really tough year where their lives had been rocked by both the good and the bad. Both had their hearts broken in relationships and had lost close friends. She had been shot yet again on a case and had suffered amnesia on a business trip while he'd reunited with the cousin he thought had been killed in combat. The non-wedding with Elizabeth had struck about halfway through this turbulent period and they had felt exhausted by the but the rest of the year had proven to be jam packed mostly on the working side.

A mixed blessing for both of then, it turned out.

But she'd taken some time off amid the craziness to do some thinking. Soul searching about her life and where it had been going, which over many glasses of wine pushed her towards accepting some difficult truths.

That her professional life wasn't fulfilling all her needs, even as much as she loved her career. She needed more, like a life away from the office and more towards having a family. A dream she had most of her life since her parents died when she was quite young. Matt and his family had stepped in when she had needed them while growing up and she wanted to extend that security and warmth to a husband and children. But her frantic life made it difficult to make much progress in that direction,

What made it harder was that she had the guy picked out inside her head, and even though he sat next to her now, he hadn't a clue the role he played in her daydreams. But then it's not like she ever shared them with him. She had thought about it after they had barely survived a drug sting operation gone wrong that nearly cost them the life of their friend Hoyt. But when she'd gotten the courage to approach him with it, Elizabeth the flighty heiress blew back into his life.

That made sharing her feelings with him somewhat difficult. Besides she had tried to tell him before this when they'd been on the run before he'd hooked back up with his Uncle Roy. They'd been staring death in the eye, their last moments surely ticking away with bullets whizzing all around them and she'd decided to go for broke. Maybe it'd been too much to expect him to respond in kind especially given that they'd chosen to gamble on living longer only to discover she'd been shot in the process. Then he'd chosen her life over his own freedom.

Months later, after spending a quiet weekend sitting on her patio, it hit her just then that he did love her even if he weren't in love with her. After all, he had been finalizing the wedding arrangements before the day when he would take himself off the singles market. Six months later, he was still there, an eligible bachelor who now appeared to be on ice at least for a while.

C.J. didn't ask him why. She knew that he and Roy who handled the lion share of the fieldwork lately had been swamped with cases because Matt's firm was the hottest on the West Coast; in fact he had been discussed on Mark and Brian's radio show just that morning. She'd been doing a lot of litigation work helping out Murray until they hired a couple corporate legal eagles to replace a couple who had just retired.

A lot of time Matt and Roy had been out of town on cases lately and she had spent most of her evenings out with Chris taking some dance classes, just to loosen up after working hard all day. They'd cool off at El Coyote's afterward with margaritas and enchilada plates talking about anything but the office.

She looked over at Chris who had dressed up for Murray she noticed and that made her smile. After Chris' last boyfriend had been indicted for securities fraud, she had decided she needed a change of pace.

Murray would offer that having never even gotten a speeding ticket.

"Want another glass of wine?"

She broke away from her reverie and saw Matt looking at her in question. Dressed in casual slacks and a sweater, he just looked too impossibly handsome. She had always been attracted to his rugged looks and his combination of earthiness and urbanite that more often than not, made her weak in the knees. But she loved him for who he was inside that amazing physique much more. The guy who she loved spending time with even if it were just hanging out over after work drinks or for an afternoon barbecue with friends.

The friend who had eaten countless meals with her after she'd had her heart broken by Robert and who had been holding her hand in the hospital when she woke up. They were so tight as friends, had been since they met on an elementary school playground but their relationship had matured and ripened while they grew up rather than fading away.

She smiled at him now, feeling the delightful sensations stirring inside her.

"Sure…it's great vintage," she said, "But then Steve always did make the best wine."

That had been the man that had cost Matt one of his best secretaries when he had walked in the office one day as a client and swept Pam off of her feet. They had gotten married and opened up a winery up in Napa Valley.

She had sipped it slowly, savoring its succulent flavor and how it seeped into her muscles erasing the tension. She had kept in touch with Pam who sounded so happy in her new life and eagerly awaiting the birth of twins. It seemed like everyone around her was getting married lately. Slim had met up with some surfer god and had packed up everything to move to Maui, living on the beach in a bungalow.

Even Mama Novelli who lived with her son Vince in Chicago had been engaged to a rival restaurant owner there for several months. C.J. felt great joy in the happiness of her friends but somewhere deep inside of her, she felt more than a trace of wistfulness. But just thinking about it caused her to look again at Matt, sitting there sipping his wine looking too damn comfortable in his sexiness.

They engaged in more small talk during the concert as they often did during the pauses in between the melodies. But when the concert was finished, they'd be heading back to a party at the office, where champagne and catered desserts waited.

Where Matt's family and friends would gather to count down the final moments before the New Year began.

Matt linked his arm in C.J. as they followed Chris and Murray to the elevator inside the parking garage. The other couple chatted amiably and she could see that some of Chris' inhabitations with hooking up with the company president were slipping away. The way she chuckled at his not so funny stories and touched his arm as they waited for the elevator doors to open.

Matt noticed it too and turned to C.J.

"I think we might be hearing wedding bells by this time next year."

She tossed him an amused look.

"Houston, that'll be moving pretty fast for the both of them but they look like they really enjoy each other."

Matt stroked his jaw line with his thumb.

"I'm happy for them," he said, "Chris just had her heart busted up by that loser and she deserves some happiness."

C.J. smiled.

"She'll be great at smoothing out Murray's rough edges too," she said, "They really are perfect for each other. I don't know why I didn't see it earlier."

Matt cocked an eyebrow.

"Sometimes even love at first start isn't always so obvious," he said, "Us guys can be thick headed at times."

She glanced at him and realized that it hadn't exactly been love at first sight for him and Elizabeth but they'd figured it out quickly enough.

"Houston…"

But the elevator doors opened and they got inside with Murray and Chris, who leaned against her date after he slipped an arm around her shoulders. The elevator gave them a smooth ride to the suite and when the doors opened, they saw that the guests had already arrived and that Roy and his date Rosalind had already got the party rolling. Hoyt and his wife were talking with Randy and his fiancée. Even Peg English had shown up with her boyfriend Carl, the one that had helped him save C.J.'s life when they'd been kidnapped by that religious cult.

Matt had started a fund through his charitable foundation to help Carl complete his medical education and he had been accepted for a residency at UCLA. C.J. had caught up with Peg who was doing much better, studying psychology at the same college, totally liberated from the influence of the cult. She didn't have much in the way of memories of that time from the time she had felt the bullet slam into her to waking up in the hospital disoriented until her vision cleared and she saw Matt's face, her very favorite in the world.

"School's been great," Peg raved, "I've got an internship coming up in the summer to work with children at a special camp."

"Sounds wonderful," C.J. said, "It sounds like you've found your way."

Peg nodded.

"I have you and Matt to thank for it and you nearly died to save me," she said, "I can never begin to repay that."

C.J. knew that Peg was a very wealthy young woman; hence her attraction to Jesse Mercer and his cult but she knew what she was really saying.

"The important thing is to be happy," she said, "and I'm happy the two of you found each other."

"What about you and Matt," Peg asked, "Carl told me how determined he was to get you to a hospital before…"

C.J. nodded, having heard about it second and third hand but trusting in him enough to know that he'd do anything to protect her from harm. And if he couldn't do that, he'd fight to save her life.

"He's just had a broken engagement to a woman he met on a case," C.J. said, "but he's moving forward and he and his uncle have been busy on cases."

Peg smiled happily.

"Yeah and what about you," she said, "I heard you won an important case earlier this month, something about an orphanage."

That had been when bankers had threatened to foreclose on the orphanage that Murray had served on an oversight committee until C.J. had filed and won an injunction against that, buying the organization some much needed time.

Matt walked up to them just then and wrapped an arm around C.J. while looking at Carl and Peg.

"How are you two doing these days?"

Peg beamed.

"Just wonderful and we're so grateful for you helping Carl with his education."

Matt nodded.

"The world needs more doctors like him," he said, "Saved the life of a woman I know."

C.J. smiled up at him and put her hand on his chest.

"We're both glad you could come to the party."

They watched as Peg and Carl walked off together to refresh their champagne. C.J. smiled at how happy and carefree the two of them looked together.

"They look really happy Houston."

He looked at her.

"Yes they do…I think they found what both of them were looking for and it's brought them back together."

"Yeah, that must be really nice to reach that place."

He took a look at her, his eyes serious and then he gestured out to the helipad.

"Come on, let's take a walk and get some fresh air."

"Houston, the party…"

He looked around them at the throngs of people talking and laughing with each other while enjoying tasty cuisine and lively music.

"Is doing just fine," he finished, "They won't miss us."

He had a point, she thought as she followed him out to the helipad after he took hold of her hand. The air still hinted of summer instead of the beginning of winter, with soft Santa Ana's wafting through the air, keeping any clouds at bay. Not many stars could be seen where they stood but the moon shown full and the view around them from up high twinkled with activity.

"It's so beautiful…and peaceful."

"Yeah, as much as a city can be I suppose."

She heard the wistfulness in his voice and knew that the dashing urbanite in front of her was at heart a country boy, a cowboy who felt more comfortable on the back of a horse than anywhere else. She shared those deep roots all the way back to Texas but both of them had moved away from there to build new lives here. Neither felt any regrets about that but occasionally they thought about what they had left behind.

"You regret selling the ranch?"

Silence met that question as she watched him stare into his champagne glass.

"Sometimes…but the caseload got so high and the commute…"

"Houston, it's the price of your own success," she said, "but if you ever wanted to buy another one, you could do that."

He nodded as if considering that and then his eyes glanced back at her.

"I've been thinking about it."

Oh, she thought, but did that really surprise her? Maybe he'd been doing a lot of reassessing of his life after not marrying Elizabeth.

"What about you," he asked, "You want to remain a city girl?"

She pondered that question, surprised that he had asked it when she really shouldn't be. He had always read her well like she did him.

"I've never really been one Houston," she said, "I like L.A. but it's never really been my home."

He blinked his eyes at that. What was she saying?

"You're not planning on moving are you?"

She sighed, looking back over the glittering skyline.

"I've been thinking about it," she said, "Don't get me wrong. I love working with you. I've had the best time of my life but I want something more…like family."

"C.J…"

She put her hand up.

"I know you're my family and Uncle Roy and Will and I'm not downplaying that," she said, "But I want to build one of my own, you know meet someone and get married and have kids."

He just stared at her as she continued.

"And seeing Peg and Carl back there just reminded me why," she said, "I came so close to losing everything when I got shot. There were times I thought…well that I'd never have a family. And I don't want to be in that place."

She tried to keep the trepidation out of her voice but she knew he picked it up because he was just that astute about her. She expected him to flash one of his smiles and reassure her that her concerns wouldn't bear fruit that she would find everything she wanted in life and more.

But his face grew reflective instead and he reached out to caress a strand of hair off of her face. Then he tried to find the words to reassure her.

"C.J. I don't think you'll have any trouble attracting a fellow."

She sighed.

"I want the right fellow," she said, "not a guy doing 15 to life in the state pen."

He just looked at her.

"Look I know he's out there somewhere and I'll find him and we'll get married and live happily ever after," she said, "I just don't know how long it's going to take to find him."

He furrowed his brows.

"What's the rush?"

She bit her lip.

"Just been doing a lot of thinking lately," she said, "You know it's been a tough year for both of us."

He nodded.

"Yeah I do," he said, "and I've been doing a lot of thinking too."

That didn't surprise her because he was the one who had actually almost made it to the altar.

"And that's why…"

Chris and Murray came out with some champagne and party favors to tell them they needed to get inside because midnight approached and they had to celebrate the end of the current year and the arrival of the new one.

So C.J. and Matt walked into the office building with their friends as the countdown began.

In the final 30 seconds as the guests waited in great anticipation, Matt turned to C.J .and before she knew it, he had wrapped his arms around her and when his lips brushed against hers she thought that was all there'd be too it. But the pressure on her mouth gradually increased, and shivers of delight sliced through her then as she kissed him back.

He rubbed her back as his mouth continued to coax even greater sensations inside of her and when the clock struck midnight, both of them remained oblivious to their friends celebrating and tossing confetti around the office.

For them, the new year had begun and anything was possible.