***I don't claim to own the Adam-12 characters used in this story. I only write for the the enjoyment of it. Thanks to the creators of the show and allowing us to play in this world a bit.

Silver Bells and Sour Grapes

Pete opens his eyes and sees the sexy outline of his girlfriend, Jenny, just under the covers in front of him. He takes in her sweet fragrance from her hair then can't resist running his fingers through it and then along her bare skin of her exposed shoulder. With the gentle stroke she stirs and rolls from her side to her back. She turns to look at Pete with her sleepy eyes. Pete leans over to give her a soft kiss on her cheek. "Good Morning, Beautiful."

She licks her lips and says, "Morning to you, too."

He continues to gaze at her as he leans on his right elbow. Jenny rolls over onto her side to face Pete in the bed. "What has you so bright and bushy tailed this morning?" She covers her mouth when a yawn slips out.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the company that I'm keeping." Pete says with a grin.

After a wink she says, "I know just what you mean."

Pete chimes in, "So what is the plan for today?"

Jenny responds, "Well, I have to take care of the stable sometime today."

"Do you want some help? I don't have to be at work until three this afternoon."

"I can take care of it."

"Really, I would love to help out."

"I can't pass up on an invitation like that."

The sound of jingling tags dance around the bed. A moment later, a fuzzy white muzzle pops up along the foot of the bed. Then without warning a forty-pound Australian Shepherd cross jumps up and crawls between Pete and Jenny. The dog makes her way up toward the pillows hoping to get in a morning kiss of her own. Her docked tail is going a mile a minute. "Hey, Girl." Pete pets her, but is hoping to have a few more minutes alone with Jenny first.

"Sadie, off the bed. You know there's not room for three of us in here." As the dog slinks down, Jenny starts to sit up when Pete touches her arm.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She pauses and looks back at him. He is motioning to her to come back with his finger. She looks him over and his glistening green eyes cause her heart to skip a beat. "Is someone feeling a bit frisky this morning?"

"You could say that. Come here, Gorgeous."

She lies back down and runs her hand across his chest then places a peck on his lips. "Pete Malloy, you look like trouble to me."

He quickly scoops her into his arms and lays a passionate kiss on her. She responds instantly to him. She melts into his strong arms. Their nude bodies intertwine under the covers. Every part of him feels good to her as she does to him. The tick of the clock gets lost to the two lovers. They caress each other's bodies and their hearts race faster with each passing moment. Their body heat turns up and their breaths quicken as they near the lovemaking pinnacle. Pleasure filled groans follow shortly as their bodies go from taut to relaxed as an inner warmth saturates both of them. Jenny collapses on Pete's chest with her one arm draping over him. Pete lies there quietly with his hand stroking her back and her hair. After a soft kiss to her forehead he lies back and says, "This is the way to start every day."

After the passion he drifts asleep again. Jenny gets up and disappears into the bathroom. She reappears in gray sweatpants and a forest green sweatshirt with a park decal in the center. She quickly pulls her hair back into a ponytail. Pete wakes as she jostles the bed while putting on her running shoes. He sits up in the bed and asks, "Where are you going?"

I thought I'd get in a jog this morning. "Do you want to join me?"

"It's tempting, but I think I'll pass." A yawn escapes him before saying, "I'll get some coffee started while you're gone."

"Sounds good to me. Come on, Sadie, let's go." The Aussie runs to the door with great anticipation. Jenny grabs her worn leather leash and out the two go. Hooking up her leash Jenny can see her breath in the cold air. Even with the sun shining the early temperatures may only be in the low fifties in the mountains. Fortunately, there is no breeze to make it feel any colder. After a few stretches the two take off jogging down the nearby dirt trail, which leads to miles of paths throughout the forest. Sadie's tags jingle and Jenny makes a rhythmic breathing sound as they pace down the relatively even path. Forty minutes later and slowing to a walk, Jenny and Sadie arrive back at her cabin noticing the gray line of smoke rising from the chimney. The two step up on the porch then go inside. The smell of fresh brewed coffee is throughout the small cabin as well as the crackling sounds from the new logs burning in the wood stove. Pete sits at the table all showered and dress to go. He is sporting jeans and a flannel blue and green shirt. Following a sip of coffee, he sits down a National Geographic magazine and offers Jenny a cup. "Can I pour you a cup of coffee?"

"I'm going to jump in the shower first, but I'll join you in a few minutes. Can you feed Sadie for me?"

"Sure thing." He picks up her bowl and fills it with dry kibble while Jenny hustles into the bathroom. A few minutes later Jenny enters the kitchen to find Pete busy cooking up a couple eggs and toasting some raisin bread. "Have a seat, Gorgeous. I'll have some breakfast for you in just a minute." He pours her a cup of coffee to start with.

Jenny grins and says, "I kind of like getting spoiled like this," as she sits down at the table. She sips her hot coffee as Pete sets down a plate of scrambled eggs and buttered raisin toast for each of them.

"How was your run?"

"It felt good, and I didn't even run across anyone to rescue."

"That's good. I don't want you becoming anyone else's heroine. I like you all to myself."

The topic of conversation turns to the holidays. "So what do you normally do for Christmas, Pete?"

"I usually spend part of the holiday with the Reeds. I rarely make it up to Seattle to see my folks. Since I'm a bachelor, I often put in for double shifts at work. I would rather guys like Jim with a wife and kids have a chance to be home."

"How about you?"

"After my mom died, I have spent some time with some cousins I have in Anaheim or with my grandparents in the Midwest."

"Maybe, we can create some new holiday traditions this year together." Pete reaches out and rubs along Jenny's hand.

"That sounds intriguing to me. I would like to hear your ideas about that."

"When I was a kid my family had a tradition of cutting down a real Christmas tree over the Thanksgiving weekend. After finding the perfect tree we would get it up, put on the lights, and have it decorated before the end of the day. My dad was a perfectionist about hanging the lights just right. My mom would bake sugar cookies while we listened to our favorite holiday tunes like White Christmas."

"Did Seattle ever have snow at Christmas?"

"Normally, no, but there were a few times."

"That sounds like a nice family tradition to me."

"Jenny, would you like to cut down a Christmas tree and decorate it with me?"

"That would be wonderful," she says with a big grin.

Jenny could see Pete brewing up holiday thoughts. "We should get going to the barn."

Pete snaps out of his reverie then downs the remainder of his coffee and carries their dishes over to the sink.

"Thank you for making breakfast."

"It was my pleasure, Beautiful." He moseys over by the couch and front window then says, "This might be a good spot for a tree."

"Come on, Pete. We need to get going."

Both Jenny and Pete grab jackets and walk out to the cars. "Let's go Sadie." Jenny opens the Jeep door and Sadie hops across to the passenger seat looking excited to go. As Jenny climbs into the driver's seat she says, "No, Girl, in the back you go. This is Pete's seat." The dog then hops in back with her nose right between the two front seats. Pete grins as he watches the furry partner move.

"I don't think Sadie likes sharing you with me."

"I don't know if that's true. She loves you. She just likes the view better up front."

As Pete looks over at Jenny, he ponders to himself. I agree with that statement.

They drive the short ten-minute journey to the stable. As they pull up to the rustic big red barn from the gravel circle drive, they see the colorful herd of horses milling about in the paddock. Pete recognizes both Trooper and Duke on the parameter of the group by the fence.

"So how much longer are you going to be helping with the stable?"

"I'm not really sure. We have divided up the responsibilities between four of us so it's not too demanding. I live the closest to the barn so it's pretty easy for me to do my part. Besides I find it really relaxing to work with the horses. It's not a high pressure job as you can see." They all hop out of the Jeep. Jenny walks to the fencing, and Trooper hangs his head over. His long whiskers move as the horse lets out a snort. His lips smack together as he nudges his nose against Jenny's belt. "Ok, Troop, here is a sugar cube." She pulls out a couple small white granulated lumps of sugar from her pocket and feeds it to him. She rubs the forelock of her large hairy four footed friend while he savors the treat.

"Does this area ever have hazardous weather?"

"Some excessive rainfall or on a rare occasion snow can make for lousy roads, but that's why it's good to own a Jeep with four wheel drive."

Pete realizes that he found himself a very capable woman. He loves that about her, but also can't help but be a bit protective of her, too. Jenny heads into the tack room where large bins hold the daily grain for the horses. She starts to scoop grain into buckets for the five horses then mixes in a vitamin supplement too. "What can I do to help?" Pete asks.

"Can you hang a feed bucket in each stall? I'll start bringing in each horse."

Pete readily picks up a filled bucket. "No problem."

"After they eat their grain, I just need to brush over their coats and check their feet. If they dirty their stalls, we'll need to muck them out after we put them back out."

Jenny leads in each horse and puts each in a stall. It's not long before they are all done eating and she halters them up again and leads them one by one to the center isle crossties. She brushes them down and picks out their hooves. Pete tries to help by brushing too. After each horse is done she leads them back out to the paddock. When she finally gets to Trooper she leaves him tied as she finds a pad and saddle in the tack room. "So who am I going to ride?" Pete eagerly asks.

"I thought it might be fun to ride double. Trooper can be a handful at times, but I really want you to see what he's like." Pete's one eyebrow goes up as the idea settles in.

"Ok, I'm game."

Jenny slides the bit into Trooper's mouth and pulls the headstall over his ears. With the finally buckle done she leads him out front to the hitching post. She puts the reins up and over his neck then holds just below the bit. She says, "Go ahead and climb on." Pete mounts the big bay using the horn and saddle back. After adjusting the stirrups for Pete, Jenny says, "Pull out your left foot and slide your leg forward a bit."

Pete does what he's told and Jenny uses the stirrup to swing up and get seated behind him. She reaches around Pete's waist with both arms and squeezes tight. Her chin rests just softly on Pete's left shoulder. "Let's go, Cowboy."

Pete takes the reins and turns Trooper around toward the closest path. "Where do you want to go?"

"Where ever you want." A big smile spreads across her face.

With a quick snort and a bob of his head Trooper prances down the nearest trail. His long almost black ears are pricked high and alert to the sounds of the woods. A chorus of birds chirping is music to everyone. The horse loves getting out just as much as the two passengers. The time flies by as they travel the trails. Sadie is a companion to Trooper with the dog giving any warning of people or other animals approaching. Sadie stays near, but is not underfoot. They enjoy a mix of walking, short jogs, and even a nice lope. The air is still and a bit cool making it the perfect temp for a late morning ride. Not wanting to overwork Trooper with two riders after two hours, Jenny says, "We should be getting back."

As they walked back to the stable, the noontime sun beams down causing a beautiful array of colors through the shimmering leaves. Taking in a deep breath Jenny says, "How can anyone not love it here?"

"It is peaceful and gorgeous. Thanks for bringing me along." Pete twists around just enough to lay a soft kiss on Jenny's lips.

The two carefully dismount and lead Trooper back into the barn. They untack him and give him a good rub down. The barn is a second home for Sadie and she romps around freely while Jenny does chores. After putting Trooper back out with the other horses, Pete asks, "What else needs to be done?"

"I need to muck out a couple stalls then throw down some hay."

"Pete, do you want to climb up in the loft and throw down some hay for me?"

"Sure thing. How do I get up there?"

Jenny shows Pete the wooden ladder mounted on the wall beside the tack room door toward the front of the barn. Pete looks up the ladder to see dust-filled cobwebs laced across the dark opening. A two-foot square hole in the loft floor is about ten feet up. Jenny goes to muck out a stall as Pete climbs up the ladder. With one swipe of his hand he knocks down the majority of sticky webs. His head pops above the loft floor and he tries to look around. The darkness is only broken up by a couple small glimmers of light. Large stacks of baled timothy hay block his view of the area. After he pulls himself up, he goes to investigate the loft a bit more. Two very small, but high windows in the front and back of the barn shed a little light. He finds six openings in the floor above each stall where hay can be dropped into each.

I better watch my step. Over two-thirds of the loft is filled with stacked bales of hay. One area of the loft has a rather large pile of loose hay. "How much hay do you want, Jenny?"

"Can you throw down four bales for me?"

Pete slides over a bale from the one smaller stack. "Stay clear!" He tosses the first one down through the opening by the ladder. He grabs a hold of another one and does the same as the first. In the meantime, Jenny pulls aside the first bale. She loads it in the wheelbarrow and cuts away the twine. She takes the wheelbarrow out into the paddock and divides up the hay into individual feeding piles. She returns to gather up another bale to do the same with it. After finishing that she puts aside the other two bales for the next time. Jenny suddenly feels like she is being watched. She looks around, but doesn't see anything out of place. She spots Sadie lying under the front of the Jeep in the shade sleeping. Trying to dismiss the strange feeling she heads back over to the ladder.

"Hey, what are you doing up there, Pete?" She doesn't hear a thing so she climbs up the ladder to see for herself. She gets to the top and peers around, but can't really see anything. As she stands up she calls out, "Pete!" Jenny has a bad feeling that something is wrong. She makes her way toward the back of the loft through two larger stacks of hay. As she steps forward the old boards below her feet creak loudly. Jenny moves toward the center where the windows bring in some dim light. A hand on her shoulder causes her to jump and turn toward the person.

"Hello, Beautiful," Pete says.

Jenny lets out a gasp then loses her balance and starts to fall backwards. Pete reaches out to grab her and only manages to get pulled on top on her as they both land in the large pile of hay. "Are you ok, Babe?" He asks as he rolls to the side.

She quickly tosses a handful of hay in his face. "You scared me."

Pete sees some pieces of hay in her hair and reaches over to pull them out. He can't help but have a big smile on his face.

"What are you grinning about?" She says.

"You're so cute all covered in hay."

She begins to brush away the dust and hay off his shirt as he moves in closer to her. He runs his hand through her hair trying to remove some hay to start with then seems instantly memorized by the glow to her face and her deep blue eyes. A moment later he pulls her in for a tender kiss that turns passionate. They lean back into the soft hay. His hand moves to the buttons on her shirt as he kisses and bites at her ear lobe then whispering, "I love you." Her breaths quicken as he touches her. She can't hold back anymore and pulls his shirt out from his pants. In a second his shirt is open and his chest presses against hers. She kisses and softly bites on his lower lip. Then she moves to his neck for another taste. More clothes loosen. His body presses on her and she feels his excitement. The next few minutes they express their love for each other in this unexpected place.

Afterwards, he helps to redress her as she does for him. As the last button is redone she looks into his eyes and says, "I love you, Pete."

The emotion filled moment is broken when Sadie starts barking. Pete and Jenny look at each other and laugh. "I told you she doesn't like sharing you."

"She just is wondering where we are." Then it dawned on Jenny that someone else might be here. "Oh, my, I hope no one is here." She heads back to the ladder and looks down to see Sadie barking just below the ladder. "I'm here, Girl." Jenny starts down the ladder then is followed by Pete. The dog jumps up and greets them both. With a quick glance at his watch, Pete realizes it's getting late and he needs to head back to the cabin to clean up before leaving for work.

"Do you mind if we get going?"

"No problem. While you clean up, I'll make you some lunch. I don't want to you to be late for your shift on my account."

Sadie starts to bark again by the ladder. "Come on, Girl. Time to go." Jenny slaps at her leg to call the dog. She opens up the door to the Jeep and Sadie finally decides to come. She starts the car then pulls out of the drive heading back to her place. Through a small crack in the barn loft an eye peers out. A moment later someone begins to climb down the ladder.