M sat at her desk at MI6 putting the final touches on a last minute batch of paperwork before departing to the countryside for a long holiday break.
There was a soft knock on her office door. Knowing who her visitor was, she buzzed him in since Moneypenny had already left for the evening.
"Good evening, Bond," she said without looking up.
"Good evening, M," Bond returned her greeting. He settled into one of the chairs sitting in front of her desk calmly waiting for her to address him.
M looked up several minutes later. "I assumed you had left on holiday with some skimpy clad, nubile blond."
"I prefer brunettes."
"Touche."
Bond softly smiled. He always enjoyed their verbal sparring. "I brought you some holiday cheer." He placed a small gift bag on her desk.
M set her pen down and pulled the gift bag closer to her. She looked inside and smiled. "Thank you, James."
"You're welcome, Margaret," Bond replied as he stood up. "And, Happy Christmas."
M waited until Bond had left before she removed the bottle of bourbon from the gift bag and took it over to her mini-bar. She poured some into a glass and returned to her seat to savor it grateful that her willful double 00 had survived yet another year.