Author's note: all usual disclaimers apply.

Well, it seems this is the 150th Cats story (a few more if you count some Sistersnorfl). I have written on average two chapters per week, or 4000 words, for the last 4.5 years, a figure that surprised me. I thought it would be a good time to pause and thank you, loyal readers, for following my stories, and to explain a bit of my rationale.

I started writing because at that time I needed an escape from some serious health issues and other real-life problems. I had stopped writing many years before but found I had missed it more than I thought. Once I started, I couldn't stop. Then, through comments and PMs, I discovered other people also needing the escape that Tommy and Barbara offered. Some were fighting poor health, some had family worries, others were lonely or depressed, and many just enjoyed five minutes every few days to escape somewhere. I get pleasure from knowing that my stories touch people whether it makes you laugh, wonder, try to guess the plot, get frustrated by a cliffhanger, and even occasionally cry with the characters. And most importantly, I have made some good friends through this site.

But do I ever seriously think Tommy and Barbara would get together? Probably not, but there were enough moments in the TV show, and chemistry between the actors, to believe it could have happened. I have enjoyed thinking of ways to make it so and helping to explore the characters as I saw them in the series and extend them in hopefully credible ways. I am aware that one or two of you - no, actually only one - would like Barbara to be stronger or reject Tommy because he wants to own her. I don't, and won't ever see them that way. I will never write a story where they don't love each other in some form. This is partly because the majority of us like a nice feel-good piece of escapism. Romance fits that bill because it gives us hope for a better world. Also, I believe Tommy does love her, he just had no reliable reference points for love in his youth and so often fails to understand what love should be. He is scared of losing her because she is the only person with whom he can truly be himself, and that comes out as possessiveness and selfishness. And the only way Barbara knows how to love someone is through loyalty. It is not a weakness for her to stay, it's just who she is. She understands him and knows he has flaws, big ones at times, but she also knows he needs her as much as she needs him. If she didn't need or love him, she could easily move on.

I don't know what the future holds or how many more storylines will come to me. If you had said then I would have thought of 150 ways to bring them together, I would have laughed, but they constantly plop into my head, sometimes at the most ridiculous moments. So who knows whether there will be another 150, 15 or 5? But I hope you continue to enjoy any that I write.

This one is a little out of season but never mind. Oh, and seeing so many have asked for an M rated story, I thought I would oblige...

Tommy was not in the mood for Christmas or the office party. He and Barbara had delayed their return from interviewing a suspect in Richmond for as long as they could without drawing undue attention. Now, after an hour, Tommy was looking for an excuse to leave.

"When can I escape?"

Tommy turned to Barbara and smiled. "Now, I think. I was just about to head off myself. Would you like me to drive you home?"

She nodded. "Yeah, that would be good but the traffic will be bad..."

He smiled. "I insist." A traffic jam in Barbara's company was much more appealing than a room full of cheap decorations, raucous music and drunken officers pretending they loved their job and their colleagues.

"Okay, great. I'll get my coat. I left it on a chair over there somewhere."

"Meet me by the door."

Tommy pushed his way through the crowded room that generally functioned as the Met's dining room. After being stopped by a few intoxicated officers wishing him a wonderful Christmas, he reached the door. Barbara was making her way down the opposite side. Winston was standing with Stuart. They were both grinning stupidly at him. He gave a quick wave, but instead of going away, they came towards him. Tommy groaned. He did not want frivolity. Barbara reached him first. "Ready?" he asked.

"Sure."

"Not so fast you too," Stuart called out as he pointed above them.

Tommy looked up to see that they were standing under a spray of mistletoe. He groaned. Barbara looked up and saw it too. He looked at her expecting her to push him out the door. Instead, she looked hurt. Her face betrayed nothing, but he could see it in her eyes. She had mistaken his groan and thought he hated the idea of kissing her. In reality, the opposite was true. He had dreamt a lot about doing that lately, but in private, not as part of some office prank.

They stared at each other. Barbara recovered first. "Let's go," she urged, placing her hand on his side as emphasis.

Tommy did not budge. Instead, he bent down to kiss her on her cheek. Whether she turned slightly, or whether his body disobeyed him, he would never know, but his lips landed softly on hers. He expected her to push him away. Barbara did not move. When he released a fraction of pressure, her lips followed him. She was kissing him back. Tommy wished the world could stand still so he could savour the feeling of peace that had replaced his anger and fears.

Neither of them moved until Stuart thumped him on the back. "Come up for air you two."

"Just giving you the show you wanted," Barbara said. "Now we're off. Merry Christmas."

Tommy followed Barbara outside. Had that just been show? Or had they just revealed their true feelings? He was unsure. Would Barbara kiss him to spite others? He doubted it, yet she seemed unaware that his feelings had changed, or at the least had become confused. He vowed to tell her tonight.

"I hope they enjoyed their show."

Tommy smiled. "I did."

"You would."

"Why?"

"Now everyone will think I am about to become another notch on your belt. Well, that won't happen. Ever."

"You would never be a notch on my belt. I respect you, Barbara. I..."

"Sir. Wait!"

Tommy wheeled around angrily. "What Winston?"

"The suspect... at Richmond. He's been found dead."

The night had ended with the arrest of the man's wife and details of the whole murder conspiracy. They had worked hard to tidy everything up before Christmas Day, but they still had paperwork. Tommy had decided to go into the office and finish most of it. He did not tell his sergeant because he knew she would insist on joining him, and he did not want to spoil her day. He had not fancied his family's company this year so had used the case as an excuse not to go to Cornwall. After ringing them at nine, he had grabbed his only concession to the season, a small Christmas cake, and walked to the office.

He had been working for about an hour when the sensor lights in the squad room came on. He opened his office door to find Barbara turning on her computer.

"Merry Christmas."

Barbara jumped. "Bloody hell. What are you doing here?"

"I thought I would finish the paperwork on the case."

"Your car wasn't downstairs."

"I walked."

"Oh. Er, yeah, Merry Christmas."

Do you want to bring your laptop in here? We could work together. I have Christmas cake."

Barbara grinned at him. "Sure. I have pudding and custard that I was going to heat in the microwave."

"That covers morning tea and lunch. Then we could give ourselves a treat and have dinner somewhere."

"Not much open on Christmas Day."

"We'll find something."

She frowned then shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"

Working together, the day and the reports went quickly. It was just after five when they finished. Tommy looked at his watch. "It's a bit early for dinner. Would you like to come back to my place for a drink first?"

Barbara hesitated then smiled. "Yeah. That sounds good. I caught the Tube, so I don't have my car."

"Well, we will have to walk then."

It took them twenty minutes to reach Belgravia. The wind had picked up, and sleet had made the footpaths so slippery that Barbara had stumbled and fallen a hundred metres from his house.

"Are you okay?" Tommy bent down and helped her to her feet.

Barbara felt her leg and back. "Yeah, just wounded pride."

Tommy laughed with her but gripped the back of her jeans under her coat. "We don't want you falling again," he said when she glared at him.

Safely inside his townhouse, they shed their coats. Tommy noticed her jeans were saturated at the back. "I can lend you some track pants while you dry your jeans if you'd like."

Barbara felt her thighs. "Yeah, ta. Don't want to stain the antique lounge."

Tommy bristled. "I was thinking of your comfort, not my furniture."

Barbara touched his sleeve. "I know. It was a joke."

"Come on then. Up to my bedroom."

Barbara stared at him before smiling. "I bet you say that to all the girls."

Tommy felt his ears go red. "Sorry, that was indelicate."

Barbara grinned at him. "I don't know. It's the best offer I have had all year."

Tommy found some pants that had a drawstring and elastic cuffs. "You might look like a pirate, but you'll be warm and comfortable. I wait downstairs. Beer or spirits?"

"Something nice."

"I'll light a fire too."

Tommy smiled when Barbara came into the lounge in his oversized pants that drooped around her ankles. "Better?"

"Yes, thanks." Barbara walked over and stood by the fire.

Tommy handed her a dark drink. "Black Russian, a double."

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"No, I just thought we could have a nice evening here. I can cook pasta if that's enough for Christmas dinner, and we can watch a movie on TV."

Barbara smiled at him in a way that she rarely did, completely free of her inhibitions. "I'd like that."

"Well, you wait here and warm yourself. I'll put the pasta on."

Five minutes later, Barbara wandered into the kitchen. "What's up?"

"Nothing, I thought Cook might like some company."

Tommy put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her head. "I always like your company."

"Even when we argue?"

Tommy pursed his lips as if in thought. "Even when we argue."

They ended up eating the pasta in the kitchen while they talked about past Christmases and how they had grown to hate the day. "It might be different if I had children," Barbara said, "but without them, the day is just a nuisance."

Tommy stood and began to clear the dishes. "Well today was productive, and instead of being alone, we were together. I think that makes it pretty special."

"Yeah, it was." She gave him a sentimental smile.

Tommy leant over and kissed her. Half expecting her to pull away, he put his arm around her waist and held her close. Their lips seized each other in a series of exploratory soft kisses. When Barbara hesitated, Tommy let her go. "Merry Christmas."

"Yeah, you too."

"I'll stack the dishwasher. Why don't you find us something to watch?"

"Barbara?"

"Ah, sorry."

Tommy walked into his lounge and tilted his head as he watched his sergeant standing on one leg with her hands outstretched. He cocked one eyebrow then smiled. "I give in. What are you doing? And why are you doing it in my lounge room?"

Barbara did not move from her pose. "My Aikido strengthening practice."

"I see. You are doing this now because...?"

"You were in the kitchen."

He folded his arms and leant against the doorframe. "Do you use my lounge for this every time I go to the kitchen?"

Barbara lowered her leg back into the ground. "Not always."

Tommy smiled. "Well, don't let me stop you."

"I was trying to stretch my back. I hurt it when I fell."

He moved into the room. "Is it bruised?"

"I don't know. I'm not like that woman in The Exorcist. I can't spin my head around to see."

"I'm grateful you're not. Would you like me to look? I have some liniment upstairs if you would like me to rub some on."

"Um, do you think that's a good idea?"

"Why not?" Tommy knew he had gone as red as her. "It will ease your soreness and minimise bruising."

Barbara hesitated. "Mmm..."