Cop Shop

Andy gave an exasperated grunt and picked up the remote to turn the TV off. "If I see one more Christmas commercial I may explode! We just had Halloween and now it's all Christmas shopping and Christmas specials and Christmas music and Christmas cooking shows and Christmas crafts. It's still eight weeks away! I don't get why everybody isn't just sick of it all. I sure am."

Sam had looked up from the book he was reading and had watched and listened to this rant with a bemused expression on his face. "Want to talk about it, McNally?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Andy snapped and stomped out to the kitchen where the banging and slamming were a pretty clear warning that perhaps it would be safest not to follow her.

Sam turned back to his book, but his concentration had been disturbed and he couldn't get back into it. He put it down on the coffee table and reached for the remote control. With any luck he'd find something totally un-Christmasy before Andy came back. As he began channel surfing his attention was caught by something on the History channel. The program guide said it was about the recent discovery in Mexico City of a platform where it was believed that dead rulers had been cremated. "That's about as far from Christmas as I'm likely to find," he muttered to himself as he settled back to watch.

He was disappointed to find that the program was a pretty dry discussion by some archaeology professors, all talk and very little on-site coverage, so it was almost a relief when Andy came back and sat down beside him.

"Sorry to interrupt," she began as Sam switched off the TV.

"No problem – it wasn't nearly as interesting as I thought it would be," he answered as he reached his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I just get so sick of all the marketing at this time of year. I have been wondering though - what are we going to do about our first real Christmas together?"

Sam looked up quickly, startled by the question. "Do? What do you mean? Do we have to do anything? I usually try to ignore it unless I go to Sarah's. She makes a fuss for her husband and kids. But this year I think they are going out west to visit his family, so I thought we would just lie low here."

"You don't enjoy the holiday season either?" Andy asked. A look of dismay crossed her face. "Oh, Sam, of course you wouldn't – it must bring back memories of when you were a kid, and the way your dad treated your mother, and the cops being called. I'm sorry, I should have remembered."

"No, that's OK," Sam reassured her. "I usually just try to shove all those memories back into the past where they belong. But if you want to have a Christmas celebration that would be fine with me."

"No, that's not what I want at all," Andy said quickly. "My Christmas memories aren't all that great either. My mother left us a few days before Christmas Eve, so that year was pretty messed up even though there was already a tree. And then it just became the excuse for the annual holiday binge, with my dad 'celebrating' by consuming all the liquor he could get hold of. It's definitely not my favourite time of the year."

"Well, we don't have to do anything at all, then. I'd suggest we get out of town for a few days but I saw the new schedule on Oliver's desk and we're both working right through from the 20th to the 27th."

"Perfect. Nothing says holiday season like cruising around watching for drunk drivers and thieves targeting parked cars loaded with gifts in plain view."

"You know what, McNally? I think you need something to take your mind off the whole Christmas thing for a while," Sam said thoughtfully.

"Did you have something in mind?" Andy asked.

"Oh, I don't know – maybe a nice relaxing bubble bath? I'll even volunteer to wash your back."

"Sounds interesting, but I think I'll conserve water and have a shower instead. It'll be quicker."

"Are you in a hurry, McNally? A quick shower doesn't sound very relaxing."

"Kind of a hurry, yeah – I just thought we should make it an early night tonight."

"Why is that – you need some extra sleep?"

"I do need something, but it's not sleep," Andy responded, looking back over her shoulder as she headed towards the bathroom.

"I like the way you think, McNally," Sam called after her as he followed her. "I could still wash your back for you."

"I don't know, Sam – if we shower together it might not be very quick at all," Andy's voice was muffled as she pulled her sweater over her head.

"Sure it will – come on, get out of those clothes and into the shower." Sam had shucked off his t-shirt and jeans on the way into the bathroom and was already turning on the water. "Do you need any help? No buttons or zippers? I could unfasten your bra…"

"That's OK, thanks, I can undress myself."

"But it's so much more fun when I help, isn't it?"

He grabbed Andy's hand and pulled her into his arms. "I guess it is," Andy laughed as she looked up into his face. "You are nothing if not fun."

Sam reached around and undid her bra, then slid his hands down her sides to reach her snowflake-patterned sleep pants. "Let's just get you out of these," he murmured into her ear, sending little shivers all over her skin.

"You're not going to stop until I'm naked, are you, no matter what I say?" Andy asked thoughtfully.

"Oh, I'll stop if you really want me to," Sam said, raising an eyebrow. "Do you want me to?"

"No, I think maybe you're right," Andy sighed, lifting her face up to his. "Why don't I just postpone that shower until morning? "

"Good idea," Sam replied. "I'd better go turn off the water."

When he came back into the bedroom he paused for a moment, just to look at her lying across the bed. He never grew tired of that sight, especially when she was naked. When she turned her head towards the door and saw him looking, she blushed and tried to pull the sheet across her body.

"No, don't do that! I didn't mean to embarrass you – and why would you be embarrassed anyway? Not like I haven't seen you naked before," Sam protested.

"I know, but..."

"But nothing," Sam replied as he lay down beside her. "I like to look at you. Don't you want me to like looking at you?"

"Of course I do," Andy admitted. "It's just – I don't know what it is exactly. I've never really liked the way I look – I still feel like the skinny awkward gangly too-tall kid I was in high school."

"McNally, I gotta tell you – that is definitely not how I see you," Sam protested.

"Oh, I know, but when you've seen yourself a certain way for a long time, it's hard to change."

"Well, come here and I'll see if I can't find some way to convince you," Sam murmured as he gathered her into his arms.