The Start of Something Beautiful
Introduction: Okay, I can't seem to decide what circumstances I want to have in my story, so this will be a fanfic all on its own, not part of a previous story like I had originally planned. ;) Also, this trilogy may not have as many bad guys as my other stories do, but there will be some; we'll just have to see how things develop. I just wanted to concentrate on this being a nice, 'relaxing' romance fic, lol. Again, this one is obviously A/U!
Disclaimer: Absolutely no portion of Nash Bridges belongs to me. When I Look Into Your Eyes belongs to Firehouse; thanks for letting me borrow it, event though I didn't ask for permission in the first place! I assure whoever cares that I am not making any money off of this story and that it was created only for the enjoyment of fellow NB fans. I have a nasty little habit of swiping pieces of dialogue/plot ideas from other places; if you happen to recognize something, it isn't mine either!
********************
Harvey tried to concentrate on the search Nash needed, but he couldn't. He pushed his chair back from his computer and looked around; Michelle was putting the finishing touches on a Christmas tree in the middle of the ferry and Evan was thumbing through a file cabinet, humming Christmas carols. Sighing quietly, Harvey tried for the hundredth time that morning to forget that it was Christmas Eve, but he wasn't having much luck.
Trying unsuccessfully to get back to work, Harvey let his eyes wander to Bryn's desk. Bryn was wearing blue jeans, a white cotton blouse and a green jacket with a Christmas pin on the lapel; her hair was pulled back into a short ponytail and it swung gently as she shook her head in frustration. Her forehead was wrinkled deep in concentration as she looked quickly from her computer screen to a file she held in her hand. I have never seen anybody so beautiful in my entire life. Bringing himself back to Earth before she noticed his staring, Harvey finished the search and clicked the print button.
Letting out a loud breath, Bryn typed a short command into the computer and sat back to wait. Satisfied with the result, she closed the folder and stood up, stretching the kinks out of her back. Walking over to the coffee maker, Bryn glanced over at Harvey in concern. He seemed unusually tired for this late in the morning, and also seemed to be concentrating on his work a little harder than he needed to.
Thumping Evan on the shoulder as she walked up to the filing cabinet, she laughed at his startled reaction. "Sorry about that, Cortez. Merry Christmas, anyway!"
Evan returned her laugh and closed the drawer. "Oh, don't worry about me. What's up?"
Bryn nodded in Harvey's direction and the twinge of worry she felt for him returned. "Is Harvey okay? You'd think for Christmas Eve he'd be in a better mood."
Evan walked towards the coffeemaker and Bryn followed. "Harvey met Bonnie on Christmas Eve, and she dumped him on Christmas Eve. Bad memories, I guess." Suppressing a grin at how Bryn's face darkened at the mention of Bonnie's name, he reached for a mug and began filling it. Everybody knows how those two feel about each other except for those two.
Bryn took a deep breath to control the anger she felt. "I can't believe how he let that woman treat him. Harvey is the last person in the world to deserve somebody like her."
"You're right, but you don't ask questions about your friends. You just love 'em anyw-" Evan was interrupted by a loud crash and both inspectors turned around in alarm.
Michelle was standing near the Christmas tree with her hands on her hips, glaring balefully at a box of shattered metallic globes. Dropping to her knees to sweep them up, she stopped at the sound of footsteps approaching. "Don't say it, Evan. The bottom of the box fell out."
Letting out a small chuckle, Bryn knelt next to her partner and held the dustpan still. "You'd better listen to her, Ev. She knows where you live and she's seen where you sleep."
Evan set his mug down on the table and joined the other two inspectors on the floor. "What was I going to say? That garnishing a tree usually goes faster if you can outsmart the decorations?"
Glowering at Evan, Michelle tossed the last fragments into the wastebasket and stood up. "Screw you, pretty boy."
Enjoying any chance he could get at egging her on, Evan raised an eyebrow as he gleefully accepted the opportunity. "Is that a threat or a promise, Chan?"
Knowing exactly what Evan was doing, but not about to be outdone, Michelle immediately reciprocated. "Oh, it's a threat. You couldn't handle the adrenaline rush."
Bryn stood up herself and rolled her eyes but clearly enjoying the exchange, said nothing. They better not ever say a single word about Harvey and I flirting with each other ever again.
Evan took a longer-than-necessary drink of his coffee as he tried to think of a suitable comeback, but he finally found one. "Ah, I'd love to try, but I'm afraid I don't have any cash on me."
Michelle knew she walked straight into that one, but had one last sarcastic retort up her sleeve. "It's just as well, Cortez. I don't think you could afford me." When Evan could not think of a retaliatory answer, she went back to decorating, confident that she had triumphed.
No longer able to contain herself, Bryn nearly doubled over in laughter at Evan's flabbergasted expression as they both walked away from the tree. "You fought bravely, little one. But when are you going to learn that she always wins?"
Evan gave an unconcerned answer as he finished his coffee. "It's like lottery tickets, Carson. You play long enough and eventually, you do win. I'll get her cornered on something one day."
"Whatever you say, pretty boy. So, have you figured out what to get Joe for Christmas yet?" The Secret Santa idea Michelle had come up with had lasted for all of about ten minutes.
"Yeah, I think I'll swing by the music store on my way home tonight and pick out a couple of things for his guitar. Did you have any luck with a gift for Harv yet?"
Bryn sighed as she sat down at her desk, careful to keep her voice low so Harvey wouldn't hear her even though he didn't seem to be aware of their presence in the first place. "Nothing. Maybe I'll follow ya to the music store. The only thing I know that he likes is the Grateful Dead. Maybe I can find something there he doesn't have yet."
Evan laughed quietly before answering. "Just let me know when you're ready to leave; we can ride together." Walking back to his own desk, Evan could no longer keep the grin off his face as he shook his head and sat down. Believe me, sister. If it's from you, he'll frame the gift tag and keep the bow under his pillow.
---
Walking back into the ferry after investigating a daylight robbery with Michelle, Bryn's eyes passed over Harvey's form as she returned to her desk. Sitting down, she chewed her lip in indecision as an idea began to turn itself over and over in her head.
Feeling someone watching him, Harvey looked up and met Bryn's eyes, but only for an instant before she looked away, flustered. "Carson, did you need something?"
Oh, great! I was staring at him, wasn't I? "Uh, no. No, it was nothing. I-I was going to ask you something, but never mind. It wasn't important." Bryn, just shut up before you make it worse.
Placing his chin in his hand, Harvey tilted his head to the side. "No, tell me, Bryn. What do you want to ask me?"
Bryn thought carefully for a moment before responding. She didn't want him to think she was feeling sorry for him, but Harvey was her friend and she didn't want him to sit at home by himself on Christmas Eve. "Are you doing anything tonight?"
Harvey immediately felt his heart leap into his throat. Did she just ask me on a date? Wow… Wait. No. It's too soon after Bonnie, tell her no. "I bought King a new chew toy. It's really pretty fun watching him ignore the squeaky-bone and eat the box it came in. I've been looking forward to it all week."
Bryn kicked herself when she saw Harvey balk, and she realized what she just asked him must have sounded like. "I was just going to invite you to my family's house for dinner tonight. It's nothing, though. D-don't worry about it, Harv."
"Yeah, King tears the house apart if I turn my back for more than ten minutes anyway." Way to go, Leek; you panicked for nothing. Now what's she gonna think of you? Harvey turned back to his computer screen, but saw Evan glaring at him, motioning for him to come over to his desk ASAP.
Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering why Evan would be mad at him, Harvey complied and left Bryn to the massive pile of folders on her desk. "What's wrong, Ev?"
Evan raised his eyebrows incredulously before answering. "Brother, I can't believe you even have to ask. Would you like to explain what just happened over there with Bryn?"
Harvey closed his eyes and sighed, not feeling like explaining at all. "I panicked, man. I didn't feel like going on a date; I really thought that was what she was asking."
"Well, it wasn't, Harv. She asked you to come to her parent's house. You're going to sit home on your can and watch TV with King. That's pathetic; you know it, I know it, and Bryn knows it. That's why she asked you. And besides, even if she was asking you out on a date, why didn't you say yes? I thought you'd jump at the chance for something like that."
Harvey leaned against the railing by Evan's desk and dropped his head onto his chest, looked back up at Bryn briefly before replying. "I would. I mean, I really like her. It's just that, I don't know. Bonnie kinda scarred me as far as love goes, you know?"
Evan's demeanor softened considerably, but he didn't back away from the point he was trying to make. "Those two have blonde hair. That's the only thing they have in common."
Harvey wrinkled his eyebrows again as he met his partner's gaze. "What are you saying?"
Evan shrugged matter-of-factly. "I'm saying that you need to go back over there and tell Bryn that you're going to dinner with her and her family. She's running a quick errand with me after work, but offer to come and pick her up after that. Bring that unicorn you found for her gift, too; this'll be a great time to give it to her."
Harvey smiled for the first time that day as he absorbed what Evan had told him/ordered him to go do. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he did want to accept Bryn's offer.
Evan looked over at Michelle and winked; apparently she had witnessed the exchange between the two men. She just better keep working on Bryn; I know I've held up my end with Harvey. Chuckling softly to himself, he returned to the report he had been typing up.
Bryn was concentrating on all the paperwork she had to get through before the end of the day and at the same time was trying to forget the conversation of just a few minutes ago. Maybe he did think I was pitying him. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Bryn looked up and smiled uncertainly when she saw that it was Harvey. "Yeah?"
"Uh, can I change my mind?"
---
Harvey knocked on the door to Bryn's apartment and waited. When she opened the door, he felt his breath catch in his throat and his eyes open slightly. Bryn had kept the green jacket and blouse she was wearing earlier, but the jeans had been replaced with a cream-colored skirt. Her hair was still pulled back, but Bryn had added a pair of silver earrings and a matching heart necklace. I think she gets more beautiful every time I see her. "Hi, Bryn. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Harvey. Come on in." She smiled warmly and opened the door fully to allow him to come inside. Swallowing quickly, Bryn realized how much warmer it suddenly seemed in the apartment. Harvey was wearing a dark gray suit jacket and slacks, with a pale blue shirt and a light gray tie. Bryn gratefully realized he had retained his armband and she noticed part of his black beret sticking out from the left pocket of his jacket. Harvey wouldn't be Harvey if he weren't wearing them.
Entering the apartment, Harvey offered Bryn the present he had been holding in his hand. "Here, Bryn. This is for you; I guess Nash told you that I was the one that drew your name."
Looking down at the small, red box and then back up at Harvey, Bryn smiled excitedly. She motioned for Harvey to sit on the sofa and joined him as she began to quickly untie the gold ribbons that held the box's lid in place. "He did. You think he of all people would be able to keep a secret."
Removing the lid and setting it on the cushion between Harvey and her, Bryn gently extracted the parcel wrapped in tissue paper. She looked up at Harvey again quickly and began to unwrap her obviously fragile gift.
Harvey laughed; enjoying how excited Bryn was about her gift. I just hope she's as thrilled about what's actually inside.
Bryn crumpled up the tissue paper and laid it beside the lid to the box. She gasped at the ceramic figure she now held in her hands. The body of the unicorn was white, the horn gold and the mane and tail were purple. Draped around the unicorn's neck was a green wreath, with purple and gold stones designed to look like flowers. The beauty of the tiny figurine forced Bryn to struggle for a moment to find her voice. "O-oh, Harvey. Har-Harvey, it's just beautiful. Thank you. Thank you so much!" Setting the unicorn on the end table so she wouldn't crush it, she wrapped her arms around Harvey's neck and hugged him tight.
Happily returning her embrace, Harvey breathed in Bryn's perfume deeply as he held her close. He wasn't sure if he would ever have let her go if Bryn didn't suddenly pull away with a start. "Bryn? What's wrong?"
Waving away his concern and laughing again out of sheer delight, Bryn stood up. "No, Harvey, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to give you your present. You wait here; I'll be back in a second."
After a moment, Bryn returned with a large, flat parcel in her hands. Grinning sheepishly as she returned to her spot on the sofa, she placed Harvey's gift in his hands. "I kind of cheated. Evan was actually the one that found it; we were helping each other shop this afternoon. I'm pretty sure you already have one, but I hope you don't have one quite like this."
Harvey gave Bryn a suspicious but humorous look as he flipped it over and gently undid the tape on the paper. Harvey grinned from ear to ear when he realized he was looking at the back of an old Grateful Dead LP, and from the list of songs on the back, he recognized it as the album Reflections. "Hey, thanks! This one's pretty hard to find, especially the LP-"
Turning it over to inspect the artwork on the front, Harvey gulped and nearly dropped the record on the floor. Blinking several times to make sure he wasn't seeing things, Harvey's jaw dropped in absolute shock as he recognized the handwriting: I have spent my life seeking all that's still unsung. "B-B-Br-Bryn! Do you realize who signed this? Oh man, this is incredible! Bryn, I can't believe I'm holding this LP in my hands; I can't believe this is mine! Bryn, thank you so much." He reverently set the album on the coffee table and hugged Bryn tight again, certain that his face would break if his grin stretched any wider.
Laughing as she received the reaction Evan had told her to expect, she returned Harvey's embrace. "I knew you'd like it. I don't think the owner realized what he had on his hands; it was in with a bunch of used records." Pulling away, Bryn stood up and reached for her coat. "We'd better get going now; my mom's food tastes awful if you let it get cold."
---
Sue Carson removed the pie from the oven and breathed in the aroma of baked apples appreciatively. "Ah, just perfect. Donna-" Looking around and realizing she was alone in the kitchen, Sue walked into the living room and bellowed for her oldest daughter above the din of nearly twenty other family members. "Donna? Donna! DONNNNNAA!"
At the third shout of her name, a woman with brown, curly hair appeared from the foyer of the Carson home. "Mom, Bryn just pulled in! And guess what?"
Sue placed an arm around Donna's shoulder and walked with her back into the kitchen. "I'll guess in here; I need your help with dinner. Why don't you get the drinks ready?" Still talking to her daughter as she turned her back, Sue retrieved a dusty black chest from a cabinet and began collecting silverware from it. "So, tell me. What's this big news about your baby sister?"
"Mom, she isn't alone. Bryn brought a guy! The guy is the one who drove here!" Donna laughed with incredulity as she reached into the dishwasher for some clean glasses.
Sue raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Well, well. She hasn't done that-" Hearing the sound of the front door open and her youngest daughter's voice shout hellos to everyone, she abandoned the silverware and ran into the living room with Donna not far behind her.
Both women stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and watched what was going on in front of them. Bryn was being hugged and kissed by every man, woman and child in the room. She reciprocated their affections, clearly happy to be home.
A curly-haired main stood beside her and apparently was not expecting the crowd who stood before him. A sympathetic smile lit Donna's face and she waded/shoved her way through the sea of family members to introduce herself to Bryn's friend and also to save him before he became completely overwhelmed.
Harvey accepted the proffered hand with a gracious smile. "Hi. I'm Harvey Leek. You are-"
Donna shook his hand and gave him a quick, welcoming hug. "Donna. I'm Donna, Bryn's sister. Can I steal her from you real quick?"
"Uh, sure." Harvey looked around quickly, not wanting Bryn to abandon him at all.
Noticing his terrified look, Bryn smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry, Harvey. Everybody's had his or her vaccinations, I think. By the way, make friends with the kids. They hold the real power around here." Carefully picking her way across the room, she turned around one last time and smiled at him before disappearing into the kitchen with her sister and mom.
Once certain that they were out of earshot of the rest of the family, Donna and Sue began peppering Bryn with questions. "How long have you been dating him?" "Where did you meet?" "Why didn't you tell us he was coming?"
Backing away and holding her hands up defensively, Bryn tried to explain what was going on. "Momma, Donna, I'm not dating him. We work together. I just didn't want him to be alone on Christmas this year."
Donna rolled her eyes as she got the eggnog out of the refrigerator. "Yeah, right, Bryn. You expect us to believe that you're around somebody that hot every single day and you haven't made a move on him yet?"
"Donna, I swear I would stick you with Evan in a second if you weren't fourteen years older than he was. You two deserve each other." Bryn was unable to keep from smiling as she imagined her sister in a relationship with the young inspector. They'd kill each other halfway through dinner.
Sue placed a gentle hand against her youngest daughter's cheek and smiled softly. "Honey, Donna's right. Sometimes you have to chase something if you want it to catch you."
"Who says I want Harvey to catch me?" A thought that Bryn would never have admitted to her mother or sister entered her mind and she vehemently pushed it out before it had a chance to develop.
An elderly, stooped man coming into the kitchen interrupted the conversation between the three women. "Dear ones, the natives are restless. Is everything almost ready?"
Bryn smiled and grabbed two pies off the counter. "Yes, papa Rodge. We'll be out soon."
Rodger Carson softly patted Bryn's shoulder with a gnarled hand. "He's a good choice, my girl."
Bryn furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she tried to figure out what her grandfather was talking about. "Who's a good choi- Oh, for the love of cake, will you people just drop it?!" Shaking her head with exasperation, she walked out to the dining room and set the pies on the table.
---
Bryn scraped the last chunks of turkey off of the platter into a Tupperware dish placed it in the refrigerator. Having finished the chores involved with cleaning up after dinner, she went back into the living room. Standing near the Christmas tree, she surveyed the gradually thinning crowd of relatives until she found who she was looking for.
Harvey was sitting in front of the fireplace, delimited by half a dozen children. He had discarded his jacket, loosened his tie and his beret had ended up on the head of a squealing toddler. He had clearly followed her advice about making friends with the kids and Bryn stood there for several minutes, enjoying how much her nieces and nephews adored this man.
Noticing that Bryn was in the room, he looked up and grinned at her. "Hey. Do you need anymore help cleaning up?"
"No, you kept these munchkins out of our hair; that was more help than you realized. You ready to go?" Bryn picked up her coat off of the back of a recliner as Harvey stood up, looking around for his own jacket.
Noticing it underneath the bouncy seat of a snoring infant, Harvey shrugged philosophically. "Yeah, I'm ready. I'll just get my jacket some other time." Taking his beret back from the little girl who had been wearing it since dinner ended, he gave the child a quick hug. "Thank you for a most wonderful evening, Chantel."
"Otay, Hobby! Tank you fo shaywing yo hat." Leaving Harvey's side, she ran over to Bryn's and grasped her leg. "Night-night, Aunt Bwyn! I lobe you!"
Bryn bent down and kissed the top of her niece's head. "I love you, too, Chantel. I'll be back tomorrow and you can show me what Santa brought you." As her niece released her aunt's leg and ran off, Bryn looked up and smiled at Harvey. "I think you've played this game before, Harv. Chantel's usually not so big on strangers."
"I love kids. I'd like to start my own collection someday." Still looking into Bryn's eyes, Harvey remembered with a start what Evan had said earlier in the day. Those two have blonde hair. That's the only thing they have in common.
"You should. You'd be a great dad." Slipping on her coat, she called over her shoulder into the kitchen. "Momma, daddy, we're leaving now!"
Sue Carson came into the living room carrying several foil-wrapped packages. "Here, Mr. Leek, you take some of this pie home with you. And I wrapped up some of the meat, too. Will would never forgive me if I didn't send home some of that fried turkey with you; that recipe is his pride and joy."
Harvey gratefully accepted the left-overs. "Thank you. But please, it's Harvey."
Will Carson shook Harvey's hand and smiled. "Well, if you're Harvey, then we're Will and Sue. We're glad Bryn brought you along; you're welcome in this house anytime. Bryn, you two have a safe trip home."
"We'll be alright. Thanks, daddy." Bryn kissed her father's cheek and walked out the front door; Harvey following.
Once the two inspectors were back inside the Ranchero, Harvey started the engine and backed out of the driveway. He drove in silence for several minutes, lost in thought. Bryn means so much to me. She's pretty - okay, she's gorgeous. She's smart, she makes me laugh, and she's one of the best cops I've ever met. Why am I still so scared of her? Evan said she's nothing like Bonnie, and I know that. Maybe I'm worrying about this for nothing. Maybe Bryn couldn't care less about being with me outside of work. Man, my head hurts.
Bryn looked over at Harvey, a slight trace of nervousness dancing across her features. She didn't want to seem like a backseat driver, but Harvey didn't appear to be paying the slightest bit of attention to his driving. Breathing a sigh of relief when the Ranchero pulled into the parking lot of her complex, Bryn laid her hand on Harvey's. "Leek, are you okay? You seem kind of distracted."
Harvey leaned back against the headrest and closed his eyes, enjoying Bryn's touch. At length, he turned to look at Bryn and answer her. Her eyes are so blue… "Sorry, Bryn. I was just thinking about something."
"About what?" She squeezed his hand gently as an act of encouragement, hoping that he would feel he could tell her the truth.
Seeing the genuine concern in her eyes, Harvey wondered if maybe there really was something there besides the friendship they had shared for three years. Still not able to find the courage to tell her what he had really been thinking about, though, he offered Bryn the next best thing. "Just that I'm glad that I didn't have to spend Christmas Eve by myself this year. I really mean that, Carson."
"Nobody should have to spend Christmas alone, Harvey."
---
Michelle set her sandwich back down on the plate and pouted her lips in thought. Evan was right. It was her turn to make some progress with Harvey and Bryn, but she wasn't sure exactly where to start. Ah-ha. New Year's. That's perfect. "So, Bryn, you're going to be at the ferry tomorrow night, aren't you?"
Bryn set her glass down on the table and laughed. "Yeah, I'm gonna be there. Didn't know you were such a party planner. First Christmas, and now New Year's. You gonna set up a fireworks show for us this July?"
Michelle shrugged, but there were already ideas for the next big holiday bouncing around in her mind. "Well, it's nothing elaborate. Besides, I really enjoy putting stuff like this together."
"Just as long as you don't let Evan plan anything. We'd end up celebrating at a strip club."
Michelle looked down quickly and bit her lip to keep her face expressionless. Sister, Ev is going to have more to do with this party than you know.
---
Evan looked around the ferry in disappointment. As far as matchmakers went, he and Michelle had been apparent failures. It was nearly midnight, and Harvey and Bryn hadn't even danced with each other yet.
"Cortez, you okay?" Michelle leaned against the table holding the stereo and looked over at her co-worker inquiringly.
Evan shrugged as he began to thumb through the CDs in a bored manner. "Me? I'm fine. It's just that nothing's happened yet."
"Well, we could always spike the punch. Nash and Joe are practically the only ones that have been drinking it." Michelle set her own drink down on the table as a fit of mirth threatened to make her spill it.
Evan set the CDs down and joined in her laughter. "We could get some beautiful ammunition if we ever needed to blackmail those two. But no, that's not what I meant. I'm talking about Harvey and Bryn."
Michelle glanced thoughtfully out towards Harvey. "Well, it's not over just yet. Give it some time, bubba. We can't push them too far too fast or they'll spook and treat each other like the plague. I don't want to wreck what we've already worked on here."
Evan laughed again as he cast a look towards Michelle. "What we've worked on, huh? You know, if we're not careful, we might start getting along."
---
Bryn sighed deeply and looked up at the stars from her position on the fantail. She wasn't sure how long she had been out there when she saw Harvey standing beside her out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, Leek."
Harvey swallowed hard and looked back towards his desk. Evan was leaning against it, silently daring his partner to come back inside without talking to Bryn first. "Hey, Carson."
---
Michelle threw an armful of plastic saucers into the trashcan beside Harvey's desk and looked up. "I thought you went home a long time ago. What are you looking at, anyway?"
Evan motioned towards the fantail and grinned. "Those two, sister. I think we might finally have something with those two."
Michelle grinned broadly as she noticed her partner leaning against the railing talking to Harvey. "See? I told you all we had to do was wait. Let's go; I think they can take it from here." Turning towards the door, she stopped and faced Evan again, giving him a devilish grin. "Turn the stereo back on, though, okay?"
---
"So what are you doing out here on the fantail by yourself, Bryn?"
Bryn chuckled softly before answering. "It's boring in there. Michelle said she'd get Nash to wear a lampshade and start dancing on top of his desk. It never happened."
Harvey laughed out loud at the thought of his boss doing something like that in public. "Nash knows there are too many people with cameras in this building."
Turning around and realizing that they must be the only partygoers still in the ferry, Bryn sighed ruefully. "Not anymore. Everybody went home; I guess I was out here longer than I thought." Shrugging unconcernedly, she turned around and watched a tugboat slowly make its way across the water.
Harvey began fidgeting with his ear as the conversation came to an obvious stall. He looked at Bryn as she stared out over the water and thought he heard music playing. I really must have fallen harder than I thought if I'm hearing things when we're alone together. Realizing that the music was real and not imagined, he looked back inside and saw only the front door swinging shut, as if somebody had just walked through it.
I see forever when I look into your eyes
You're all I ever wanted, I always want you to be mine
Let's make a promise till the end of time
We'll always be together, and our love will never die
Harvey couldn't tear his eyes away from Bryn; he just couldn't get over how beautiful she was as she lifted her head up to the dark sky, turning her attention to the stars. The moment finally got the better of Harvey and he closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath; not really knowing why he was still so nervous around somebody he'd known for so long. "Bryn, will you dance with me?"
Standing up straight and looking around quickly, Bryn noticed the music for the first time herself. She glanced down at Harvey's outstretched hand and smiled automatically. Accepting the offer, she placed her other hand on his shoulder, her smile growing by the instant. "Harvey, I'd love to."
So here we are face to face and heart to heart
I want you to know we will never be apart
Now I believe that wishes can come true
'Cause I see my whole world, I see only you
Bryn looked from Harvey's hand up into his face and felt her heartbeat begin to quicken. He was smiling down at her with an untainted adoration and she instinctively moved nearer to him, wondering if maybe her family was right after all.
When I look into your eyes
I can see how much I love you, and it makes me realize
When I look into your eyes
I see all my dreams come true
When I look into your eyes
Harvey squeezed Bryn's hand and stepped closer when she did, closing his eyes and willing the song to never end. Bryn felt so good in his arms, like she had belonged there all along.
I've looked for you all of my life
Now that I've found you, we will never say goodbye
I can't stop this feeling, there's nothing I can do
'Cause I see everything, when I look at you
Bryn laid her head against Harvey's shoulder and smiled again, wanting to remember the feeling of his arms around her forever. They were strong but still so very gentle and tender, and Bryn fondly remembered the conversation she had with her mother and sister the other night. Maybe I do want Harvey to catch me after all; it would be absolute Heaven to feel like this everyday.
When I look into your eyes
I can see how much I love you, and it makes me realize
When I look into your eyes
I see all my dreams come true
When I look into your eyes, ohhh
As the song continued, Harvey felt himself fighting a losing battle with the desire to kiss her. Holding Bryn and dancing with her felt like the most natural, comfortable thing in the world; his initial nerves had vanished some time ago. I never felt like this with Bonnie. I feel like I'm home right now; I feel so safe with Bryn.
Pulling away from Bryn slightly, Harvey placed a hand against her cheek. "Bryn…"
Bryn grinned softly as she leaned into the warmth of Harvey's touch. "What?"
Harvey moved his hand along Bryn's cheek, a grin spreading across his face as well, and gently traced the outline of her ear with his index finger before whispering a response. "I don't know."
Almost in a trance, Harvey kissed her. Tentative and slow at first, it deepened as Bryn melted into his embrace. Now, more than ever, Harvey knew that Bryn was nothing like anything Bonnie had ever been.
Bryn wrapped her arms around Harvey and returned the soft, exploring kiss. The tenderness and caring mingled with the intensity inside Harvey at that moment created an impenetrable fog in her brain and she happily surrendered to it, abandoning all efforts at forming a logical thought.
When I look into your eyes
I can see how much I love you, and it makes me realize
When I look into your eyes
We will always be together, and our love will never die
When I look into your eyes
I see all my dreams come true
When I look into your eyes
When I look into your eyes
---
Evan walked into his apartment and set his cell phone and car keys on the kitchen counter. Tossing his coat onto the sofa, he flicked a glance towards the answering machine. Absentmindedly pushing the play button as he headed towards his bedroom to change, he stopped in his tracks at the sound of Harvey's voice. "Thanks for all your help, coach. Just wanted to let you know that I think I'm ready to work without a net now."
Evan clenched his fist in triumph before reaching for the phone to call Michelle. After several rings, she finally picked up the phone. "I just got into bed. You better be either partially dismembered or on fire. Now who is this?"
Evan snorted and bit his tongue firmly for a moment to maintain a serious attitude. "Team Cupid, stand down."
"Huh? Is this Eva- Hello? Evan, hello?" Michelle took the cordless away from her ear and looked at it annoyingly as the four words Evan had said before hanging up sunk in. Grinning, she hung up the phone and lay back down on the bed, bringing the comforter up to her chin and closing her eyes. Oh, man, I am going to have a long talk with that girl in the morning.
---
Nash hung up the phone with dispatch and waved a post-it note in the air. "Okay, folks, I got a kidnapping, who wants it?"
"Nah ush." Evan swallowed his donut and tried again. "Not us; Harvey and I have to go testify against that Coletti murder in a few minutes."
Michelle snapped the fluorescent piece of paper from her boss's hand and read the information Nash had written on it. "We'll take it. Come on, Bryn."
Bryn slipped on her shoulder holster and came over to where her partner was standing. "Okay, let's go. We'll check in when we've got something interesting, Nash." Turning to go, her eye caught Harvey's and she smiled amorously at him, suddenly wishing that they didn't have to be apart for the rest of the day.
Michelle continued to walk out of the ferry and suddenly realized that Bryn wasn't alongside her. Rolling her eyes, she turned around and grabbed the daydreaming inspector by the hand, dragging her out of the ferry. "Come on, sister. You two can make eyes with each other after work."
Harvey sat there for several minutes, the same smile on his face that Bryn had on hers, before he realized his other three co-workers were watching him with amused grins on their faces. Clearing his throat, Harvey tried to act as if nothing had happened. "What? Why are you guys staring at me?"
"Leek, you've got it bad." Joe made kissing noises at Harvey as he laughingly returned to his paperwork.
Nash held his hand to his mouth and tried to cover up the laughter, but his efforts were wasted. His hand slipped to his forehead as his head dropped against his chest, his body shaking silently. "He's right, bubba. You both are completely hopeless."
Evan licked the donut sugar off of his fingers as he put on his suit jacket. "Well, not completely. We haven't caught them making out in a holding cell yet."
Harvey was unable to keep from laughing himself even as the sarcasm dripped from his voice. "Thanks for your help, man."
Evan smiled sweetly, pretending to be bubbly and naïve. "Think nothing of it, brother. What are partners for?"
---
The black-robed judge looked evenly at the jury as he sat down. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"
A tight-lipped, elderly woman stood up and answered him. "Your honor, we the jury find the defendant guilty as charged with a single count of second- degree murder."
Glancing over at the defendant sadly, the judge nodded his head. "I see. Councils, we'll reconvene at five for sentencing. Everyone else, you're free to go."
Harvey and Evan were walking out of the courthouse and had made it halfway down the steps when they were stopped by a man running after them. "Leek! Leek, wait!"
Harvey turned around to see what the man wanted and recognized him as Sam Coletti's brother. "Yeah?"
Now face to face with Harvey, this man fixed him with a cold glare. "You put my brother in prison. How could you do this to our family?"
Harvey narrowed his eyes and regarded Mark Coletti with absolute detestation. "Your brother put himself in prison. He murdered his ex-wife so he wouldn't get stuck with alimony payments."
"You didn't see him pull the trigger. You don't know that he did it. Don't think I'm going to forget this day."
Evan stepped between the two men, immediately on the defensive for Harvey. "Let me offer you some advice, pal. Don't threaten a police officer; especially my partner; it can really ruin your afternoon."
Mark stepped back, smiling smugly. "I didn't threaten anybody. I just told him that I wasn't going to forget what he did for my brother. Have a nice day, inspectors."
Evan looked over at Harvey in concern as they continued walking down the steps. "You alright, man?"
Harvey rolled his eyes and looked back over his shoulder to see Mark stomping back into the courthouse. "Yeah, I'm fine. That's not the first time I've heard an empty threat like that."
********************
Well! I was looking at this story, trying to decide what scene to put in next and it appears that this chapter is finished. I wasn't incredibly thrilled with the ending, but I think it will end up growing on me. I know the next scene I want to use and it just wouldn't fit in this chapter, no matter how I pushed and shoved, so I think a premature ending will end up being for the best. Thanks for reading; the next installment is on its way!
Introduction: Okay, I can't seem to decide what circumstances I want to have in my story, so this will be a fanfic all on its own, not part of a previous story like I had originally planned. ;) Also, this trilogy may not have as many bad guys as my other stories do, but there will be some; we'll just have to see how things develop. I just wanted to concentrate on this being a nice, 'relaxing' romance fic, lol. Again, this one is obviously A/U!
Disclaimer: Absolutely no portion of Nash Bridges belongs to me. When I Look Into Your Eyes belongs to Firehouse; thanks for letting me borrow it, event though I didn't ask for permission in the first place! I assure whoever cares that I am not making any money off of this story and that it was created only for the enjoyment of fellow NB fans. I have a nasty little habit of swiping pieces of dialogue/plot ideas from other places; if you happen to recognize something, it isn't mine either!
********************
Harvey tried to concentrate on the search Nash needed, but he couldn't. He pushed his chair back from his computer and looked around; Michelle was putting the finishing touches on a Christmas tree in the middle of the ferry and Evan was thumbing through a file cabinet, humming Christmas carols. Sighing quietly, Harvey tried for the hundredth time that morning to forget that it was Christmas Eve, but he wasn't having much luck.
Trying unsuccessfully to get back to work, Harvey let his eyes wander to Bryn's desk. Bryn was wearing blue jeans, a white cotton blouse and a green jacket with a Christmas pin on the lapel; her hair was pulled back into a short ponytail and it swung gently as she shook her head in frustration. Her forehead was wrinkled deep in concentration as she looked quickly from her computer screen to a file she held in her hand. I have never seen anybody so beautiful in my entire life. Bringing himself back to Earth before she noticed his staring, Harvey finished the search and clicked the print button.
Letting out a loud breath, Bryn typed a short command into the computer and sat back to wait. Satisfied with the result, she closed the folder and stood up, stretching the kinks out of her back. Walking over to the coffee maker, Bryn glanced over at Harvey in concern. He seemed unusually tired for this late in the morning, and also seemed to be concentrating on his work a little harder than he needed to.
Thumping Evan on the shoulder as she walked up to the filing cabinet, she laughed at his startled reaction. "Sorry about that, Cortez. Merry Christmas, anyway!"
Evan returned her laugh and closed the drawer. "Oh, don't worry about me. What's up?"
Bryn nodded in Harvey's direction and the twinge of worry she felt for him returned. "Is Harvey okay? You'd think for Christmas Eve he'd be in a better mood."
Evan walked towards the coffeemaker and Bryn followed. "Harvey met Bonnie on Christmas Eve, and she dumped him on Christmas Eve. Bad memories, I guess." Suppressing a grin at how Bryn's face darkened at the mention of Bonnie's name, he reached for a mug and began filling it. Everybody knows how those two feel about each other except for those two.
Bryn took a deep breath to control the anger she felt. "I can't believe how he let that woman treat him. Harvey is the last person in the world to deserve somebody like her."
"You're right, but you don't ask questions about your friends. You just love 'em anyw-" Evan was interrupted by a loud crash and both inspectors turned around in alarm.
Michelle was standing near the Christmas tree with her hands on her hips, glaring balefully at a box of shattered metallic globes. Dropping to her knees to sweep them up, she stopped at the sound of footsteps approaching. "Don't say it, Evan. The bottom of the box fell out."
Letting out a small chuckle, Bryn knelt next to her partner and held the dustpan still. "You'd better listen to her, Ev. She knows where you live and she's seen where you sleep."
Evan set his mug down on the table and joined the other two inspectors on the floor. "What was I going to say? That garnishing a tree usually goes faster if you can outsmart the decorations?"
Glowering at Evan, Michelle tossed the last fragments into the wastebasket and stood up. "Screw you, pretty boy."
Enjoying any chance he could get at egging her on, Evan raised an eyebrow as he gleefully accepted the opportunity. "Is that a threat or a promise, Chan?"
Knowing exactly what Evan was doing, but not about to be outdone, Michelle immediately reciprocated. "Oh, it's a threat. You couldn't handle the adrenaline rush."
Bryn stood up herself and rolled her eyes but clearly enjoying the exchange, said nothing. They better not ever say a single word about Harvey and I flirting with each other ever again.
Evan took a longer-than-necessary drink of his coffee as he tried to think of a suitable comeback, but he finally found one. "Ah, I'd love to try, but I'm afraid I don't have any cash on me."
Michelle knew she walked straight into that one, but had one last sarcastic retort up her sleeve. "It's just as well, Cortez. I don't think you could afford me." When Evan could not think of a retaliatory answer, she went back to decorating, confident that she had triumphed.
No longer able to contain herself, Bryn nearly doubled over in laughter at Evan's flabbergasted expression as they both walked away from the tree. "You fought bravely, little one. But when are you going to learn that she always wins?"
Evan gave an unconcerned answer as he finished his coffee. "It's like lottery tickets, Carson. You play long enough and eventually, you do win. I'll get her cornered on something one day."
"Whatever you say, pretty boy. So, have you figured out what to get Joe for Christmas yet?" The Secret Santa idea Michelle had come up with had lasted for all of about ten minutes.
"Yeah, I think I'll swing by the music store on my way home tonight and pick out a couple of things for his guitar. Did you have any luck with a gift for Harv yet?"
Bryn sighed as she sat down at her desk, careful to keep her voice low so Harvey wouldn't hear her even though he didn't seem to be aware of their presence in the first place. "Nothing. Maybe I'll follow ya to the music store. The only thing I know that he likes is the Grateful Dead. Maybe I can find something there he doesn't have yet."
Evan laughed quietly before answering. "Just let me know when you're ready to leave; we can ride together." Walking back to his own desk, Evan could no longer keep the grin off his face as he shook his head and sat down. Believe me, sister. If it's from you, he'll frame the gift tag and keep the bow under his pillow.
---
Walking back into the ferry after investigating a daylight robbery with Michelle, Bryn's eyes passed over Harvey's form as she returned to her desk. Sitting down, she chewed her lip in indecision as an idea began to turn itself over and over in her head.
Feeling someone watching him, Harvey looked up and met Bryn's eyes, but only for an instant before she looked away, flustered. "Carson, did you need something?"
Oh, great! I was staring at him, wasn't I? "Uh, no. No, it was nothing. I-I was going to ask you something, but never mind. It wasn't important." Bryn, just shut up before you make it worse.
Placing his chin in his hand, Harvey tilted his head to the side. "No, tell me, Bryn. What do you want to ask me?"
Bryn thought carefully for a moment before responding. She didn't want him to think she was feeling sorry for him, but Harvey was her friend and she didn't want him to sit at home by himself on Christmas Eve. "Are you doing anything tonight?"
Harvey immediately felt his heart leap into his throat. Did she just ask me on a date? Wow… Wait. No. It's too soon after Bonnie, tell her no. "I bought King a new chew toy. It's really pretty fun watching him ignore the squeaky-bone and eat the box it came in. I've been looking forward to it all week."
Bryn kicked herself when she saw Harvey balk, and she realized what she just asked him must have sounded like. "I was just going to invite you to my family's house for dinner tonight. It's nothing, though. D-don't worry about it, Harv."
"Yeah, King tears the house apart if I turn my back for more than ten minutes anyway." Way to go, Leek; you panicked for nothing. Now what's she gonna think of you? Harvey turned back to his computer screen, but saw Evan glaring at him, motioning for him to come over to his desk ASAP.
Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering why Evan would be mad at him, Harvey complied and left Bryn to the massive pile of folders on her desk. "What's wrong, Ev?"
Evan raised his eyebrows incredulously before answering. "Brother, I can't believe you even have to ask. Would you like to explain what just happened over there with Bryn?"
Harvey closed his eyes and sighed, not feeling like explaining at all. "I panicked, man. I didn't feel like going on a date; I really thought that was what she was asking."
"Well, it wasn't, Harv. She asked you to come to her parent's house. You're going to sit home on your can and watch TV with King. That's pathetic; you know it, I know it, and Bryn knows it. That's why she asked you. And besides, even if she was asking you out on a date, why didn't you say yes? I thought you'd jump at the chance for something like that."
Harvey leaned against the railing by Evan's desk and dropped his head onto his chest, looked back up at Bryn briefly before replying. "I would. I mean, I really like her. It's just that, I don't know. Bonnie kinda scarred me as far as love goes, you know?"
Evan's demeanor softened considerably, but he didn't back away from the point he was trying to make. "Those two have blonde hair. That's the only thing they have in common."
Harvey wrinkled his eyebrows again as he met his partner's gaze. "What are you saying?"
Evan shrugged matter-of-factly. "I'm saying that you need to go back over there and tell Bryn that you're going to dinner with her and her family. She's running a quick errand with me after work, but offer to come and pick her up after that. Bring that unicorn you found for her gift, too; this'll be a great time to give it to her."
Harvey smiled for the first time that day as he absorbed what Evan had told him/ordered him to go do. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he did want to accept Bryn's offer.
Evan looked over at Michelle and winked; apparently she had witnessed the exchange between the two men. She just better keep working on Bryn; I know I've held up my end with Harvey. Chuckling softly to himself, he returned to the report he had been typing up.
Bryn was concentrating on all the paperwork she had to get through before the end of the day and at the same time was trying to forget the conversation of just a few minutes ago. Maybe he did think I was pitying him. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Bryn looked up and smiled uncertainly when she saw that it was Harvey. "Yeah?"
"Uh, can I change my mind?"
---
Harvey knocked on the door to Bryn's apartment and waited. When she opened the door, he felt his breath catch in his throat and his eyes open slightly. Bryn had kept the green jacket and blouse she was wearing earlier, but the jeans had been replaced with a cream-colored skirt. Her hair was still pulled back, but Bryn had added a pair of silver earrings and a matching heart necklace. I think she gets more beautiful every time I see her. "Hi, Bryn. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Harvey. Come on in." She smiled warmly and opened the door fully to allow him to come inside. Swallowing quickly, Bryn realized how much warmer it suddenly seemed in the apartment. Harvey was wearing a dark gray suit jacket and slacks, with a pale blue shirt and a light gray tie. Bryn gratefully realized he had retained his armband and she noticed part of his black beret sticking out from the left pocket of his jacket. Harvey wouldn't be Harvey if he weren't wearing them.
Entering the apartment, Harvey offered Bryn the present he had been holding in his hand. "Here, Bryn. This is for you; I guess Nash told you that I was the one that drew your name."
Looking down at the small, red box and then back up at Harvey, Bryn smiled excitedly. She motioned for Harvey to sit on the sofa and joined him as she began to quickly untie the gold ribbons that held the box's lid in place. "He did. You think he of all people would be able to keep a secret."
Removing the lid and setting it on the cushion between Harvey and her, Bryn gently extracted the parcel wrapped in tissue paper. She looked up at Harvey again quickly and began to unwrap her obviously fragile gift.
Harvey laughed; enjoying how excited Bryn was about her gift. I just hope she's as thrilled about what's actually inside.
Bryn crumpled up the tissue paper and laid it beside the lid to the box. She gasped at the ceramic figure she now held in her hands. The body of the unicorn was white, the horn gold and the mane and tail were purple. Draped around the unicorn's neck was a green wreath, with purple and gold stones designed to look like flowers. The beauty of the tiny figurine forced Bryn to struggle for a moment to find her voice. "O-oh, Harvey. Har-Harvey, it's just beautiful. Thank you. Thank you so much!" Setting the unicorn on the end table so she wouldn't crush it, she wrapped her arms around Harvey's neck and hugged him tight.
Happily returning her embrace, Harvey breathed in Bryn's perfume deeply as he held her close. He wasn't sure if he would ever have let her go if Bryn didn't suddenly pull away with a start. "Bryn? What's wrong?"
Waving away his concern and laughing again out of sheer delight, Bryn stood up. "No, Harvey, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to give you your present. You wait here; I'll be back in a second."
After a moment, Bryn returned with a large, flat parcel in her hands. Grinning sheepishly as she returned to her spot on the sofa, she placed Harvey's gift in his hands. "I kind of cheated. Evan was actually the one that found it; we were helping each other shop this afternoon. I'm pretty sure you already have one, but I hope you don't have one quite like this."
Harvey gave Bryn a suspicious but humorous look as he flipped it over and gently undid the tape on the paper. Harvey grinned from ear to ear when he realized he was looking at the back of an old Grateful Dead LP, and from the list of songs on the back, he recognized it as the album Reflections. "Hey, thanks! This one's pretty hard to find, especially the LP-"
Turning it over to inspect the artwork on the front, Harvey gulped and nearly dropped the record on the floor. Blinking several times to make sure he wasn't seeing things, Harvey's jaw dropped in absolute shock as he recognized the handwriting: I have spent my life seeking all that's still unsung. "B-B-Br-Bryn! Do you realize who signed this? Oh man, this is incredible! Bryn, I can't believe I'm holding this LP in my hands; I can't believe this is mine! Bryn, thank you so much." He reverently set the album on the coffee table and hugged Bryn tight again, certain that his face would break if his grin stretched any wider.
Laughing as she received the reaction Evan had told her to expect, she returned Harvey's embrace. "I knew you'd like it. I don't think the owner realized what he had on his hands; it was in with a bunch of used records." Pulling away, Bryn stood up and reached for her coat. "We'd better get going now; my mom's food tastes awful if you let it get cold."
---
Sue Carson removed the pie from the oven and breathed in the aroma of baked apples appreciatively. "Ah, just perfect. Donna-" Looking around and realizing she was alone in the kitchen, Sue walked into the living room and bellowed for her oldest daughter above the din of nearly twenty other family members. "Donna? Donna! DONNNNNAA!"
At the third shout of her name, a woman with brown, curly hair appeared from the foyer of the Carson home. "Mom, Bryn just pulled in! And guess what?"
Sue placed an arm around Donna's shoulder and walked with her back into the kitchen. "I'll guess in here; I need your help with dinner. Why don't you get the drinks ready?" Still talking to her daughter as she turned her back, Sue retrieved a dusty black chest from a cabinet and began collecting silverware from it. "So, tell me. What's this big news about your baby sister?"
"Mom, she isn't alone. Bryn brought a guy! The guy is the one who drove here!" Donna laughed with incredulity as she reached into the dishwasher for some clean glasses.
Sue raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Well, well. She hasn't done that-" Hearing the sound of the front door open and her youngest daughter's voice shout hellos to everyone, she abandoned the silverware and ran into the living room with Donna not far behind her.
Both women stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and watched what was going on in front of them. Bryn was being hugged and kissed by every man, woman and child in the room. She reciprocated their affections, clearly happy to be home.
A curly-haired main stood beside her and apparently was not expecting the crowd who stood before him. A sympathetic smile lit Donna's face and she waded/shoved her way through the sea of family members to introduce herself to Bryn's friend and also to save him before he became completely overwhelmed.
Harvey accepted the proffered hand with a gracious smile. "Hi. I'm Harvey Leek. You are-"
Donna shook his hand and gave him a quick, welcoming hug. "Donna. I'm Donna, Bryn's sister. Can I steal her from you real quick?"
"Uh, sure." Harvey looked around quickly, not wanting Bryn to abandon him at all.
Noticing his terrified look, Bryn smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry, Harvey. Everybody's had his or her vaccinations, I think. By the way, make friends with the kids. They hold the real power around here." Carefully picking her way across the room, she turned around one last time and smiled at him before disappearing into the kitchen with her sister and mom.
Once certain that they were out of earshot of the rest of the family, Donna and Sue began peppering Bryn with questions. "How long have you been dating him?" "Where did you meet?" "Why didn't you tell us he was coming?"
Backing away and holding her hands up defensively, Bryn tried to explain what was going on. "Momma, Donna, I'm not dating him. We work together. I just didn't want him to be alone on Christmas this year."
Donna rolled her eyes as she got the eggnog out of the refrigerator. "Yeah, right, Bryn. You expect us to believe that you're around somebody that hot every single day and you haven't made a move on him yet?"
"Donna, I swear I would stick you with Evan in a second if you weren't fourteen years older than he was. You two deserve each other." Bryn was unable to keep from smiling as she imagined her sister in a relationship with the young inspector. They'd kill each other halfway through dinner.
Sue placed a gentle hand against her youngest daughter's cheek and smiled softly. "Honey, Donna's right. Sometimes you have to chase something if you want it to catch you."
"Who says I want Harvey to catch me?" A thought that Bryn would never have admitted to her mother or sister entered her mind and she vehemently pushed it out before it had a chance to develop.
An elderly, stooped man coming into the kitchen interrupted the conversation between the three women. "Dear ones, the natives are restless. Is everything almost ready?"
Bryn smiled and grabbed two pies off the counter. "Yes, papa Rodge. We'll be out soon."
Rodger Carson softly patted Bryn's shoulder with a gnarled hand. "He's a good choice, my girl."
Bryn furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she tried to figure out what her grandfather was talking about. "Who's a good choi- Oh, for the love of cake, will you people just drop it?!" Shaking her head with exasperation, she walked out to the dining room and set the pies on the table.
---
Bryn scraped the last chunks of turkey off of the platter into a Tupperware dish placed it in the refrigerator. Having finished the chores involved with cleaning up after dinner, she went back into the living room. Standing near the Christmas tree, she surveyed the gradually thinning crowd of relatives until she found who she was looking for.
Harvey was sitting in front of the fireplace, delimited by half a dozen children. He had discarded his jacket, loosened his tie and his beret had ended up on the head of a squealing toddler. He had clearly followed her advice about making friends with the kids and Bryn stood there for several minutes, enjoying how much her nieces and nephews adored this man.
Noticing that Bryn was in the room, he looked up and grinned at her. "Hey. Do you need anymore help cleaning up?"
"No, you kept these munchkins out of our hair; that was more help than you realized. You ready to go?" Bryn picked up her coat off of the back of a recliner as Harvey stood up, looking around for his own jacket.
Noticing it underneath the bouncy seat of a snoring infant, Harvey shrugged philosophically. "Yeah, I'm ready. I'll just get my jacket some other time." Taking his beret back from the little girl who had been wearing it since dinner ended, he gave the child a quick hug. "Thank you for a most wonderful evening, Chantel."
"Otay, Hobby! Tank you fo shaywing yo hat." Leaving Harvey's side, she ran over to Bryn's and grasped her leg. "Night-night, Aunt Bwyn! I lobe you!"
Bryn bent down and kissed the top of her niece's head. "I love you, too, Chantel. I'll be back tomorrow and you can show me what Santa brought you." As her niece released her aunt's leg and ran off, Bryn looked up and smiled at Harvey. "I think you've played this game before, Harv. Chantel's usually not so big on strangers."
"I love kids. I'd like to start my own collection someday." Still looking into Bryn's eyes, Harvey remembered with a start what Evan had said earlier in the day. Those two have blonde hair. That's the only thing they have in common.
"You should. You'd be a great dad." Slipping on her coat, she called over her shoulder into the kitchen. "Momma, daddy, we're leaving now!"
Sue Carson came into the living room carrying several foil-wrapped packages. "Here, Mr. Leek, you take some of this pie home with you. And I wrapped up some of the meat, too. Will would never forgive me if I didn't send home some of that fried turkey with you; that recipe is his pride and joy."
Harvey gratefully accepted the left-overs. "Thank you. But please, it's Harvey."
Will Carson shook Harvey's hand and smiled. "Well, if you're Harvey, then we're Will and Sue. We're glad Bryn brought you along; you're welcome in this house anytime. Bryn, you two have a safe trip home."
"We'll be alright. Thanks, daddy." Bryn kissed her father's cheek and walked out the front door; Harvey following.
Once the two inspectors were back inside the Ranchero, Harvey started the engine and backed out of the driveway. He drove in silence for several minutes, lost in thought. Bryn means so much to me. She's pretty - okay, she's gorgeous. She's smart, she makes me laugh, and she's one of the best cops I've ever met. Why am I still so scared of her? Evan said she's nothing like Bonnie, and I know that. Maybe I'm worrying about this for nothing. Maybe Bryn couldn't care less about being with me outside of work. Man, my head hurts.
Bryn looked over at Harvey, a slight trace of nervousness dancing across her features. She didn't want to seem like a backseat driver, but Harvey didn't appear to be paying the slightest bit of attention to his driving. Breathing a sigh of relief when the Ranchero pulled into the parking lot of her complex, Bryn laid her hand on Harvey's. "Leek, are you okay? You seem kind of distracted."
Harvey leaned back against the headrest and closed his eyes, enjoying Bryn's touch. At length, he turned to look at Bryn and answer her. Her eyes are so blue… "Sorry, Bryn. I was just thinking about something."
"About what?" She squeezed his hand gently as an act of encouragement, hoping that he would feel he could tell her the truth.
Seeing the genuine concern in her eyes, Harvey wondered if maybe there really was something there besides the friendship they had shared for three years. Still not able to find the courage to tell her what he had really been thinking about, though, he offered Bryn the next best thing. "Just that I'm glad that I didn't have to spend Christmas Eve by myself this year. I really mean that, Carson."
"Nobody should have to spend Christmas alone, Harvey."
---
Michelle set her sandwich back down on the plate and pouted her lips in thought. Evan was right. It was her turn to make some progress with Harvey and Bryn, but she wasn't sure exactly where to start. Ah-ha. New Year's. That's perfect. "So, Bryn, you're going to be at the ferry tomorrow night, aren't you?"
Bryn set her glass down on the table and laughed. "Yeah, I'm gonna be there. Didn't know you were such a party planner. First Christmas, and now New Year's. You gonna set up a fireworks show for us this July?"
Michelle shrugged, but there were already ideas for the next big holiday bouncing around in her mind. "Well, it's nothing elaborate. Besides, I really enjoy putting stuff like this together."
"Just as long as you don't let Evan plan anything. We'd end up celebrating at a strip club."
Michelle looked down quickly and bit her lip to keep her face expressionless. Sister, Ev is going to have more to do with this party than you know.
---
Evan looked around the ferry in disappointment. As far as matchmakers went, he and Michelle had been apparent failures. It was nearly midnight, and Harvey and Bryn hadn't even danced with each other yet.
"Cortez, you okay?" Michelle leaned against the table holding the stereo and looked over at her co-worker inquiringly.
Evan shrugged as he began to thumb through the CDs in a bored manner. "Me? I'm fine. It's just that nothing's happened yet."
"Well, we could always spike the punch. Nash and Joe are practically the only ones that have been drinking it." Michelle set her own drink down on the table as a fit of mirth threatened to make her spill it.
Evan set the CDs down and joined in her laughter. "We could get some beautiful ammunition if we ever needed to blackmail those two. But no, that's not what I meant. I'm talking about Harvey and Bryn."
Michelle glanced thoughtfully out towards Harvey. "Well, it's not over just yet. Give it some time, bubba. We can't push them too far too fast or they'll spook and treat each other like the plague. I don't want to wreck what we've already worked on here."
Evan laughed again as he cast a look towards Michelle. "What we've worked on, huh? You know, if we're not careful, we might start getting along."
---
Bryn sighed deeply and looked up at the stars from her position on the fantail. She wasn't sure how long she had been out there when she saw Harvey standing beside her out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, Leek."
Harvey swallowed hard and looked back towards his desk. Evan was leaning against it, silently daring his partner to come back inside without talking to Bryn first. "Hey, Carson."
---
Michelle threw an armful of plastic saucers into the trashcan beside Harvey's desk and looked up. "I thought you went home a long time ago. What are you looking at, anyway?"
Evan motioned towards the fantail and grinned. "Those two, sister. I think we might finally have something with those two."
Michelle grinned broadly as she noticed her partner leaning against the railing talking to Harvey. "See? I told you all we had to do was wait. Let's go; I think they can take it from here." Turning towards the door, she stopped and faced Evan again, giving him a devilish grin. "Turn the stereo back on, though, okay?"
---
"So what are you doing out here on the fantail by yourself, Bryn?"
Bryn chuckled softly before answering. "It's boring in there. Michelle said she'd get Nash to wear a lampshade and start dancing on top of his desk. It never happened."
Harvey laughed out loud at the thought of his boss doing something like that in public. "Nash knows there are too many people with cameras in this building."
Turning around and realizing that they must be the only partygoers still in the ferry, Bryn sighed ruefully. "Not anymore. Everybody went home; I guess I was out here longer than I thought." Shrugging unconcernedly, she turned around and watched a tugboat slowly make its way across the water.
Harvey began fidgeting with his ear as the conversation came to an obvious stall. He looked at Bryn as she stared out over the water and thought he heard music playing. I really must have fallen harder than I thought if I'm hearing things when we're alone together. Realizing that the music was real and not imagined, he looked back inside and saw only the front door swinging shut, as if somebody had just walked through it.
I see forever when I look into your eyes
You're all I ever wanted, I always want you to be mine
Let's make a promise till the end of time
We'll always be together, and our love will never die
Harvey couldn't tear his eyes away from Bryn; he just couldn't get over how beautiful she was as she lifted her head up to the dark sky, turning her attention to the stars. The moment finally got the better of Harvey and he closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath; not really knowing why he was still so nervous around somebody he'd known for so long. "Bryn, will you dance with me?"
Standing up straight and looking around quickly, Bryn noticed the music for the first time herself. She glanced down at Harvey's outstretched hand and smiled automatically. Accepting the offer, she placed her other hand on his shoulder, her smile growing by the instant. "Harvey, I'd love to."
So here we are face to face and heart to heart
I want you to know we will never be apart
Now I believe that wishes can come true
'Cause I see my whole world, I see only you
Bryn looked from Harvey's hand up into his face and felt her heartbeat begin to quicken. He was smiling down at her with an untainted adoration and she instinctively moved nearer to him, wondering if maybe her family was right after all.
When I look into your eyes
I can see how much I love you, and it makes me realize
When I look into your eyes
I see all my dreams come true
When I look into your eyes
Harvey squeezed Bryn's hand and stepped closer when she did, closing his eyes and willing the song to never end. Bryn felt so good in his arms, like she had belonged there all along.
I've looked for you all of my life
Now that I've found you, we will never say goodbye
I can't stop this feeling, there's nothing I can do
'Cause I see everything, when I look at you
Bryn laid her head against Harvey's shoulder and smiled again, wanting to remember the feeling of his arms around her forever. They were strong but still so very gentle and tender, and Bryn fondly remembered the conversation she had with her mother and sister the other night. Maybe I do want Harvey to catch me after all; it would be absolute Heaven to feel like this everyday.
When I look into your eyes
I can see how much I love you, and it makes me realize
When I look into your eyes
I see all my dreams come true
When I look into your eyes, ohhh
As the song continued, Harvey felt himself fighting a losing battle with the desire to kiss her. Holding Bryn and dancing with her felt like the most natural, comfortable thing in the world; his initial nerves had vanished some time ago. I never felt like this with Bonnie. I feel like I'm home right now; I feel so safe with Bryn.
Pulling away from Bryn slightly, Harvey placed a hand against her cheek. "Bryn…"
Bryn grinned softly as she leaned into the warmth of Harvey's touch. "What?"
Harvey moved his hand along Bryn's cheek, a grin spreading across his face as well, and gently traced the outline of her ear with his index finger before whispering a response. "I don't know."
Almost in a trance, Harvey kissed her. Tentative and slow at first, it deepened as Bryn melted into his embrace. Now, more than ever, Harvey knew that Bryn was nothing like anything Bonnie had ever been.
Bryn wrapped her arms around Harvey and returned the soft, exploring kiss. The tenderness and caring mingled with the intensity inside Harvey at that moment created an impenetrable fog in her brain and she happily surrendered to it, abandoning all efforts at forming a logical thought.
When I look into your eyes
I can see how much I love you, and it makes me realize
When I look into your eyes
We will always be together, and our love will never die
When I look into your eyes
I see all my dreams come true
When I look into your eyes
When I look into your eyes
---
Evan walked into his apartment and set his cell phone and car keys on the kitchen counter. Tossing his coat onto the sofa, he flicked a glance towards the answering machine. Absentmindedly pushing the play button as he headed towards his bedroom to change, he stopped in his tracks at the sound of Harvey's voice. "Thanks for all your help, coach. Just wanted to let you know that I think I'm ready to work without a net now."
Evan clenched his fist in triumph before reaching for the phone to call Michelle. After several rings, she finally picked up the phone. "I just got into bed. You better be either partially dismembered or on fire. Now who is this?"
Evan snorted and bit his tongue firmly for a moment to maintain a serious attitude. "Team Cupid, stand down."
"Huh? Is this Eva- Hello? Evan, hello?" Michelle took the cordless away from her ear and looked at it annoyingly as the four words Evan had said before hanging up sunk in. Grinning, she hung up the phone and lay back down on the bed, bringing the comforter up to her chin and closing her eyes. Oh, man, I am going to have a long talk with that girl in the morning.
---
Nash hung up the phone with dispatch and waved a post-it note in the air. "Okay, folks, I got a kidnapping, who wants it?"
"Nah ush." Evan swallowed his donut and tried again. "Not us; Harvey and I have to go testify against that Coletti murder in a few minutes."
Michelle snapped the fluorescent piece of paper from her boss's hand and read the information Nash had written on it. "We'll take it. Come on, Bryn."
Bryn slipped on her shoulder holster and came over to where her partner was standing. "Okay, let's go. We'll check in when we've got something interesting, Nash." Turning to go, her eye caught Harvey's and she smiled amorously at him, suddenly wishing that they didn't have to be apart for the rest of the day.
Michelle continued to walk out of the ferry and suddenly realized that Bryn wasn't alongside her. Rolling her eyes, she turned around and grabbed the daydreaming inspector by the hand, dragging her out of the ferry. "Come on, sister. You two can make eyes with each other after work."
Harvey sat there for several minutes, the same smile on his face that Bryn had on hers, before he realized his other three co-workers were watching him with amused grins on their faces. Clearing his throat, Harvey tried to act as if nothing had happened. "What? Why are you guys staring at me?"
"Leek, you've got it bad." Joe made kissing noises at Harvey as he laughingly returned to his paperwork.
Nash held his hand to his mouth and tried to cover up the laughter, but his efforts were wasted. His hand slipped to his forehead as his head dropped against his chest, his body shaking silently. "He's right, bubba. You both are completely hopeless."
Evan licked the donut sugar off of his fingers as he put on his suit jacket. "Well, not completely. We haven't caught them making out in a holding cell yet."
Harvey was unable to keep from laughing himself even as the sarcasm dripped from his voice. "Thanks for your help, man."
Evan smiled sweetly, pretending to be bubbly and naïve. "Think nothing of it, brother. What are partners for?"
---
The black-robed judge looked evenly at the jury as he sat down. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"
A tight-lipped, elderly woman stood up and answered him. "Your honor, we the jury find the defendant guilty as charged with a single count of second- degree murder."
Glancing over at the defendant sadly, the judge nodded his head. "I see. Councils, we'll reconvene at five for sentencing. Everyone else, you're free to go."
Harvey and Evan were walking out of the courthouse and had made it halfway down the steps when they were stopped by a man running after them. "Leek! Leek, wait!"
Harvey turned around to see what the man wanted and recognized him as Sam Coletti's brother. "Yeah?"
Now face to face with Harvey, this man fixed him with a cold glare. "You put my brother in prison. How could you do this to our family?"
Harvey narrowed his eyes and regarded Mark Coletti with absolute detestation. "Your brother put himself in prison. He murdered his ex-wife so he wouldn't get stuck with alimony payments."
"You didn't see him pull the trigger. You don't know that he did it. Don't think I'm going to forget this day."
Evan stepped between the two men, immediately on the defensive for Harvey. "Let me offer you some advice, pal. Don't threaten a police officer; especially my partner; it can really ruin your afternoon."
Mark stepped back, smiling smugly. "I didn't threaten anybody. I just told him that I wasn't going to forget what he did for my brother. Have a nice day, inspectors."
Evan looked over at Harvey in concern as they continued walking down the steps. "You alright, man?"
Harvey rolled his eyes and looked back over his shoulder to see Mark stomping back into the courthouse. "Yeah, I'm fine. That's not the first time I've heard an empty threat like that."
********************
Well! I was looking at this story, trying to decide what scene to put in next and it appears that this chapter is finished. I wasn't incredibly thrilled with the ending, but I think it will end up growing on me. I know the next scene I want to use and it just wouldn't fit in this chapter, no matter how I pushed and shoved, so I think a premature ending will end up being for the best. Thanks for reading; the next installment is on its way!