This story is purely fictional. Any resemblance to real persons or organizations are accidental and unintended, although some commonly known history is involved.
I don't own Ironside.

Sonoma County and Denver CO, Dec 1993* (phone call)

*I am well aware of the fact that Mr. Burr unfortunately didn't live to see December 1993. But as well as he lives forever in our hearts, his character may still live in this story.

"Yes, Eve, Robert is in perfect health...
Oh, my dear Eve, we would be so happy to have you and your little family with us over Christmas. Please try to convince your busy husband to take a few days off. He reminds me of Robert who had exactly the same tendency of working himself too hard. You must try and convince him that it is you who needs the holidays, otherwise he may not agree. At least that's what I would do with Robert in the same situation!"

"Katherine, I wish it was possible! Ed needs some rest badly, as he keeps going eighteen to twenty hours a day. I wonder if he subconsciously still tries to meet Robert's standards, and because he feels that he can't do it, that he compensates by working overtime and by perfectionism. Now that he has a deputy he could easily get away over the holidays at least. But I suppose unless Commissioner Fisette personally sends him away he won't take more than two days off. And then there's a second problem... is your house big enough for an autistic boy, his violin and the rest of us?"

Since Robert cared deeply about Eve and Ed he had read a lot about Asperger's Syndrome, ever since his friends had adopted a boy with this disorder. Of course he had discussed it with Katherine. They knew now that autistic children were very strength-sapping, even more so than most other handicapped children. It seemed as if you had to push your energy into these children. It was one of the reasons why Katherine wanted to invite the Browns: Because she hoped that she would be able to provide some respite for the parents. But a violin?!

"Yes, we became aware that Danny adores violin music. He never utters a wish, but when I asked him if he would like to learn how to play the violin, he beamed with joy. We have rented an instrument for him and he now takes lessons and practices about two hours every day, and his progress is amazing. I often accompany him on the piano. I am happy to have a hobby in common with him, because as soon as his beloved Daddy is around he wants to spend his time with him."

"It's really admirable how you two get this special boy to develop his talents! He could not have come to better people. And of course we will open our house and our hearts for him. I will prepare Robert to be patient. You just try to coax Commissioner Fisette into sending Ed away."

"I will. And Danny is much more at ease now. He doesn't need to scream so often now, he often vanishes directly under some piece of furniture." Eve had to smile thinking of her twelve-year-old autistic son's strange habits.

"Won't he be bored and miss his friends?"

"Danny doesn't have a single friend. He spends his spare time with us or alone. As a result he has a lot of time to indulge in his 'special interests' like reading about science or mathematics, or playing the violin."

"Well, actually my dear Robert isn't all that different from him. He spends most of his time engaged in his special interests too: viniculture above all. I'm confident that we will manage to keep them from going at each other's throats."

Same time, Dublin, Ireland:

John McCabe kissed the envelope with the ticket to San Francisco.

Why did he kiss it? Well, a kiss was a sign of love, wasn't it? John hadn't received many kisses in his life, and he hadn't given many either, due to the lack of opportunity. But he loved this ticket. It meant the world for him. It would enable him to free his soul from a weight which was almost as old as him – half a century. He had put aside every penny for the past two years now to buy this ticket. Well, almost every penny.

A few days before Christmas he would fly to San Francisco. From there he would see how he could get to a small town called Healdsburg. And then a certain bastard would be presented a long-overdue bill. It would be the most important thing John ever did in his life; his vengeance, his vindication, his purification, his salvation.

And that's why John kissed the envelope with his ticket.

Sonoma County and Denver CO, a few days later (phone call)

"Katherine! Wonders never cease. Ed had his medical routine check this week. He claimed that all was well, but it seems as if the police doctor has told the Commissioner that Ed needs a break. At any rate Fisette ordered Ed to take a two-week holiday over Christmas! My daughter Suzanne has been invited to spend the holidays with my parents in St. Moritz in Switzerland. She adores skiing. If your offer still stands we will fly to San Francisco and rent a car there. We would like to show Danny a few places where we used to live and work when we were young."

"Of course the offer still stands! Robert and I are already looking forward to your visit." She didn't tell Eve that Ironside still had a few connections to the Denver police, among others to the police doctor...

San Francisco, Ca:

John McCabe was standing in the middle of the rush-hour at the edge of a busy street of a huge town. Maybe rush-hour was 24 hours a day in this town. He didn't know the name of the street. He knew the name of the town though: San Francisco. But right now this name didn't sound as glorious anymore, not the way it had sounded home in Dublin. All John wanted was to get out of it. There was this small town in Sonoma County, Healdsburg, some 70 miles away, but where? How on earth should he get there with all these cars rushing around him and not one which would stop to pick up a hitchhiker needing a ride?

Ironside's vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County:

"No!" Ed shook his head more vividly than usually. "No, my son definitely won't learn to play poker, and that's final. I'm not rich enough to pay all the matches he would lose against you, Chief!"

"Who says that we will play for matches? It could be crackers, like way back in San Francisco!" bantered Ironside.

Ed knew that Ironside would be able to read Danny like an open book. "I want to spare Danny the humiliating experience you gave me. I prefer teaching him chess, where he may – one day – have a chance of getting a draw against you!"

Instead of the poker game Ironside cherished the spirited jesting with two beautiful ladies: his own wife and Eve.

Ed retired onto the couch with his son and a book about the Russian River valley.

Danny listened to the voices of the people who had become his family and their friends. His mother's sounded like a violin, warm and friendly. Mrs. Ironside's laughter sounded like pearls on a chain. Chief Ironside's – in his mind he simply called him "the Chief", same as his father did – the Chief's was different, like the Sea maybe, like big, mighty waves, and sometimes thundering against the cliffs. His father was quiet, as so often. To Danny he sounded like a firm, reliable tree. Once Danny had told Mum that his sister Suzanne sounded like an uneven seventeen. She had answered that she didn't know how a seventeen sounds. It seemed as if not everybody could hear the sounds of numbers or trees or rocks.

Two hours later Danny was still reading the book while Ed... was sound asleep.

"He has been working almost night and day for two weeks now, since he wanted to leave as little work as possible to his deputy," excused Eve.

Danny wanted to protect his Dad too: "Maybe he found the book a little boring."

Quickly Ironside teased: "And what about you, did you find the book boring too?"

Danny was by nature completely oblivious to the feelings of other people. Therefore his parents had taught him that he sometimes shouldn't tell whatever he thought, in order not to hurt people. This was such an occasion, and Eve gave him the "be-careful-or-you-will-be-out-of-line look".

Ironside saw that the boy was losing his composure. All too well he remembered his propensity to scream when this happened. He hastened to reassure him: "Don't worry, in this house you may say whatever you want!"

"Well," answered Danny, trying to be diplomatic, "the phone book might be even more boring, I suppose."

Ironside's roaring laughter awoke the sleeping father. He looked rather sheepishly around and mumbled: "I suppose I'd better take this kid to bed."

Since Ed was used to rising early in the morning, he couldn't sleep in, and Danny as a typical Aspie didn't need much sleep. Thus father and son went out for a run through the vineyards. In the early light this was a wonderful experience for both of them.

Danny felt close to his admired father, and Ed, who would have liked to spend more time with him in everyday life, was happy that his autistic boy was relaxed and at the same time built up his muscle tone. Ed's training with the juvenile delinquents had helped him stay in better shape than most men his age, but the police doctor had predicted troubles if he wouldn't reduce his working hours to a less crazy level. These prescribed holidays were supposed to help him recover. Now he felt the ever-present tension seep out of his muscles. He should do this every day, he thought... but where find the time?

A little while later Katherine, Eve, Robert and Ed were sitting over their second cup of coffee while Danny had taken up practicing the violin. Ironside had to admire his friend's nerves, knowing how overworked he was. How on earth could he stand this?!
Ed grinned mischievously: "Well, working overtime has its advantages: I'm never at home when he practices!"

Knowing full well how proud of his son Ed was, Eve still defended Danny, "You are so mean, you two! Actually he is doing remarkably well after having played for only such a short time!" – Which, of course, was very true.

The adults enjoyed their day off, the women exchanging recipes and a few other things the men didn't need to know and Robert and Ed playing a very serious game of chess which didn't come to an end.

The evening brought Danny's big performance. Eve sat down at Katherine's piano and accompanied him as he played all the old Christmas carols he had learned. The adults joined in whenever they remembered the words.

Healdsburg, Sonoma county, Ca:

Later the same night Robert and Katherine were walking through Healdsburg, the small town which lay some ten miles away from their home. The roads were almost empty this late at Christmas Eve. When Ironside was honest he had to admit that he enjoyed the quiet time with his wife infinitely. It was great to have a family with a child around, but Danny was a real challenge, especially his interminable violin playing.

In companionable silence Katherine and Robert moved through the streets. Sometimes they drew one another's attention to a particularly nicely decorated house. It was a Christmas gift of its own just to be together, while the Brown family had gone to the Christmas Eve Mass.

Outside the Catholic church St. Peter in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, Ca

A worn out John McCabe was standing in front of the catholic church of Healdsburg. It had taken a lot longer to get here than what he had expected. Motorists were not very friendly towards hitchhikers. But the only thing that really mattered was that he had made it. A blackboard announced that there would be a midnight mass. Actually this was the perfect occasion to carry out his plans. For the first time in almost forty years he would attend a mass...

Author's note:
If you don't understand the timeline please visit my profile.