Happiness for H: Once Upon A Christmas

(Thanksgiving Dinner in Miami – Horatio & Emily's home)

Emily glanced up from gathering up the plates and cutlery to see her husband watching her. With just a barely perceptible nod of his head in the direction of the patio doors, he beckoned her over. The gesture was not lost on Grandma Estin who shooed Emily out of the dining room in the direction of her husband.

"Go spend a few minutes with Horatio, Em," she murmured. "Tara is with Calleigh. Eric can help me with the clearing up. Now go before Horatio gets impatient." With a bemused smile, Emily wiped her hands on a near-by dish towel and hurried over to where her husband stood. He grinned and slid open the glass door. Before they could exit, a white streak with big ears sped past them as Ghost saw his chance to escape the little hands that were equipped with the bristle-y things that the groomer had used on him just two days ago. Turkey tidbits or not, Ghost was tired of being the pony in the "My Pretty Pony" game.

"What is it Horatio?" Emily asked, her question ending with a squeak of surprise as he swung her into his arms and out of sight of their guests inside.

"I wanted to tell you I love you, Sweetheart." Horatio's eyes were bright as he bent and kissed his favorite spot on her neck. "Dinner was wonderful, and I know how hard you worked on it." His lips wandered farther up her neck causing Emily to slide her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders.

"Hmmm, keep that up Lieutenant and I'll ask Grandma to take over hostess duties. Calleigh and Eric can watch Tara for a bit." She smiled, her dimple winking at him. "Do you think we can sneak IN our bedroom window?" His mouth hovering over hers, Horatio murmured,

"No more windows, Em, in or out, remember? I think," his breath feathered her lips, "I can make do with a kiss for now, but, as soon as our guests go home and Tara is in bed, we make excuses to your grandmother and call it an early night."

"I'm sure Grandmother will be happy to put Tara to bed, Lieutenant," Emily sighed as his mouth at last settled on hers.

He's making a list and checking it twice,

Gonna find out who's naughty and nice...

"Ho, ho, ho! Ho, ho, ho!" The jolly old elf smiled and put his hands on his ample belly made of pillows, turning this way and that as he regarded himself in the full-length mirror.

"Ho, ho, ho! Meeeerrrry Christmas!" A movement beneath one of the fully decorated Christmas trees, this one with a Disney theme, caught his eye.

"HO, HO, HO there little doggie! What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas?" The dachsund looked at him sleepily, then after a moment, rolled over in her basket. Her soft snoring could just barely be heard above the strains of Jingle Bells that drifted through the apartment.

Turning back to the mirror, he tried a few more 'HO, HO, HO's' for good measure. On the calendar tacked beside the mirror, a large red X stood out on November 23. In less than 24 hours he would be back doing what he loved to do – playing a role that brought happiness to children, if only for the few moments they sat on his lap and whispered their hopes of what they longed to find under the tree on Christmas morning.

"It always troubles me, Clarice," he said to the sleeping dachsie, as he slipped off his heavy black boots, 'that so many children go without on Christmas Eve and there are so many who have more than they need. I think it's time to share some milk and cookies while I check my Naughty list!" The small dog's ears wiggled with interest at the word cookies and considered if it was worth leaving the coziness of her warm bed in the ice cold air-conditioned apartment.

"I'll get the coffee Grandma," Emily murmured as she reached for the tray to assemble the various creamers, cups and saucers. "Why don't you go relax in the living room? Tara is doing her best to charm Eric into reading her The Poky Little Puppy again. Horatio was going to see about getting a fire going in the fireplace. I know, it's not a real one like the lodge, but it gives the illusion."

"Where are Willow and Frank?" Calleigh's southern drawl announced her arrival in the quiet kitchen. Pouring the coffee beans in the coffeemaker, Emily answered without turning around.

"I would imagine they should be here any minute. Detective Tripp was taking his girls back to his ex-wife's. I'm glad they were able to come for dinner. It was fun for Tara to play with them, too." She closed the lid and pushed the button. A loud whirring sounded, followed by the aroma of freshly ground coffee. "Actually, I was kind of surprised he invited Willow to go along."

"Because he was going to his ex's and he was taking his new girlfriend with?" Calleigh's smile was wide, matching Emily's. "Or, because he asked Willow when Horatio was within earshot?"

Emily handed a platter to the other woman, and opened a container of sugar-cookies in the shape of turkeys.

"A little of both, I guess. Oh, dear," Emily picked up a cookie that suddenly became naked as several teaspoons of colored sugars and jimmies slid off the treat onto the counter. "I think Tara may have been helping Grandma with these. Maybe I should just put out the Pumpkin cheesecake bars and Mama Estin cookies."

"Is the Boss Man upset about Frank and Willow seeing each other?" Calleigh asked nibbling the feet off one of the naked turkeys. "I thought he'd be glad she was seeing someone like Frank. I mean, we know Horatio can be a bit … over-protective."

Emily threw the blonde CSI a look that said "you don't say?" and added a raised eyebrow for good measure.

"Not exactly," Emily grinned, biting the tail off one of the broken cookies. "For now, I think he's adopting the 'Don't ask, Don't tell' policy. And that includes ME asking HIM about it."

(Several hours later)

"Good-bye Grandma Estin, good-bye Tara." Eric and Calleigh's voices chimed from the front door. Horatio's mouth curved into a smile as he watched his daughter throw her arms around her "Aunt Calleigh" and "Uncle Eric". The toddler had her mother's dimple and long, blonde hair. But her eyes were the same blue as Horatio's, and according to Emily, the she inherited the same little upward tilt to her pert nose.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Tara," Calleigh hugged the little girl before handing her over to Horatio. As they turned to go out the door, the CSI couldn't help but be glad for her friend. Horatio had a family now, a wife who loved him, Emily's grandmother who had welcomed him into the family with open arms and now, a darling daughter who was the apple of her father's eye. The young people disappeared out the door amidst a chorus of good-byes and thank you's before Emily shut the door.

"I think we'll be going as well, Horatio." Emily turned around quickly to see her sister-in-law gathering up her bag. "I'll be around tomorrow at noon to pick up Grandma and Tara. We're meeting you at the Book'n'Bean at 12:30?

"Yes," Emily couldn't keep the surprise from showing on her face. "I … thought you were going to stay with us, Willow?" The dark haired woman and Frank looked at each other before Willow answered quietly.

"That's okay, Emily. Grandma Estin is staying with you and you have Tara. Frank," she looked at the man beside her, who suddenly seemed to find something interesting to stare at on the floor at his feet, "has graciously offered to let me stay with him." Horatio shifted Tara to his other arm.

"It's no trouble Willow," he said, not sure how he felt about his sister staying at his best friend's house.

Frank looked up then. "Nah, Horatio. I've got room." A look passed between the two men that Emily couldn't quite read, then was gone.

"Can you give your Aunt a hug?" Willow asked the little girl, who was looking from one adult to another with large eyes from her perch in her father's arms.

"Auntie!" the child cried enthusiastically. "I love you!' The almost-tension was broken then and the adults continued with their good-byes.

Later, Horatio and Emily glanced around their daughter's semi-darkened room, while Tara splashed in the tub under Grandma Estin's watchful eye. It seemed that several more toys had been added to the shelves and toy chest – spilling out from beneath the lid. "You know, Horatio," she said thoughtfully, "I hope Eric and Calleigh don't ask Tara what she wants for Christmas."

"Why is that Sweetheart?" He looked at his wife, an amused smile on his face.

"Because the other day Tara was absolutely sure she wanted a pony," Emily answered him, her eyes widening meaningfully.

"No, they wouldn't buy her a pony." But he didn't sound so sure of himself, Emily noticed with satisfaction.

"All I'm saying, Lieutenant, is you might want to find some plans to build a barn," she grinned, patting him on the arm. Horatio looked stunned for a moment, then recovered, pulling her into his arms and pinning her against the wall.

"Hmmm, I think I'll have a little talk with Eric, just in case." Emily felt his hands in her hair, pulling the clips out of it. The long blonde tresses cascaded down her shoulders, over his long fingers.

"That's better," he breathed, his moonlight blue eyes smiling at her. "I've been wanting to do that all day."

"I didn't think it would be too appetizing to have it falling in the gravy," Emily grinned, sliding her fingers through the ginger hair at his nape. "But now, dinner is done, Tara will have Grandma to spoil her tonight and I'm very much looking forward to a long snuggle with my husband in our bed." Emily didn't quite make out what Horatio mumbled about snuggling before his mouth covered hers in a kiss that left her in no doubt that her husband had more than snuggling in mind before the night was over.

TBC