By 8pm the party was in full swing. It was just a small party of mostly friends. Ryo's aunt and uncle (Ryo's parents were killed when he was 18) went to their vacation home in Spain this year and Dee's Mother Maria Lane (Dee's real parents had abandoned him when he was a baby) was going to hold a holiday party at her orphanage on Christmas Day. Most of the guests too were from the 27th Precinct. The mood was light and happy especially when baby Grace was brought out in a black sparkling baby dress, white tights, and shoes, and two little pigtails held together with black bows.

It was even cuter when Dee and Ryo each held one of her hands and helped her as she started walking a little towards the crowd of open arms.

"Oh little Gracie looks like a Christmas Angel!" Sniper JJ Adams said as he scooped the infant in his arms. "Doesn't she Drake-sempai.?"

"She sure does." Drake said as he let her play with his tie. Ryo and Dee smiled as they wrapped an arm around one another.

"You know." Ryo whispered to Dee as they headed back to the kitchen to grab dinner. "Lately, I have been noticing Drake and JJ spending more time together."

"Well they are partners." Dee said as he checked on the ham in the oven. "It usually comes with the territory."

"I know." Ryo answered as he grabbed a second cheese and cracker platter from the fridge. "But I dunno...it's just this vibe I have."

"You think JJ and Drake could be more than just partners?" Dee asked. "Hmm…I dunno…I always thought Drake was always straight as an arrow and I always wondered if JJ could go for anyone besides yours truly."

Ryo smiled.

"So was I before you entered my life." He said. "Stranger things have happened."

Just then the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Ryo said.

Ryo walked to the front door and opened and was greeted by the piercing blue eyes and striking blonde hair of Commissioner Berkeley Rose and next to him a sweet hazel eyed man.

"Commissioner! Mr. Holdman!" Ryo said with a smile. "So glad you could make it!"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Hotel owner Evan Holdman said as he presented a bottle of wine to Ryo. "Thank you for inviting us. Berkeley told me you and your husband usually has lovely parties. And for the last time Mr. Maclean-Laytner, it's Evan; you've known me for how long now?"

Ryo grinned as he took their coats.

"As long as you call me Ryo then Evan it is." Ryo said extending his hand. "How are you tonight Commissioner?"

Rose smiled lightly as he shook the hand of his fellow officer.

"Quite well Detective, I hope you didn't work too hard on the road barricades today. Evan was quite annoyed that you were put on second shift."

Evan mocked glared.

"Even I don't make my hotel employees work too hard on Christmas Eve if I can avoid it."

"I got you to take the day off didn't I?" Rose said with a smile that made Evan blush. "You have a tendency to over-work during the holidays."

Evan cutely pouted and Rose put his arm around his boyfriend and placed a light kiss on his cheek. Ryo's heart melted. He was so glad the Commissioner who had once pursued him was now happily involved with a good man.

"Hey whosever hanging out in the hall, get your butts in here." The voice of Dee echoed through. "It's dinnertime!"

Berkeley cringed.

"Ahh the sound of your husband, even if I become old and senile that voice will never escape my memories." Berkeley said as he and Evan walked into the living room where Dee and Ryo had set up a buffet. They had always liked buffet style when they hosted a party, especially because a dining table wouldn't fit too well in their apartment. Plus, they noticed everyone was more comfortable being able to walk around and eat.

"Looks great!" JJ said.

"You can say that again!" Drake said as he started piling his plate with food. "Man, I am starved. I think all Ryo and I had to eat was a few doughnuts and coffee when we were on shift."

"I know, we had to grab it from that gas station." Ryo said as he looked to see where his baby was. She was on the couch happily in the arms of Ted and his new girlfriend who were playing kindly with her. Grace was squealing and laughing as Ted blew raspberries on her belly. On the loveseat Marty and his fiancé were watching a Christmas Eve football game. Rumor was part of the reason he wanted to marry her was because she was a big Giants fan. Bikky and his girlfriend Carol were sitting on the floor also watching the game. Berkeley and Evan were standing and admiring Dee and Ryo's Christmas tree.

"Yeah and those sucked big time, the coffee was like mud and the doughnuts were stale." Drake said.

"I know…OH I just remembered something!" Ryo exclaimed. "Dee, are Marilyn and Jack coming?"

Marilyn Specter was Dee and Ryo's custody attorney who had become a good friend of the family and Jack McCoy was the Executive Assistant to the District Attorney, another good friend who had stood by Dee and Ryo during their custody case with Grace and was also a common face in the 2 7th's second branch. Seven times out of ten he was there because one of Smith's officers caused some infraction during a criminal investigation and Jack had to straighten it out in order to make sure it didn't botch his case. Usually Dee was at the center of those infractions.

"Marilyn called about an hour ago and said she and her family will be here in time for dessert. They had a prior party to go to. Jack called earlier today, regretting to inform us that he can't make it. Believe it or not, he's sick!"

"Jack McCoy sick!?" Ted said as he brought Grace over. "That's a first!"

"Is he okay?" Ryo asked worriedly.

Dee took a bite of a roll as he went to sit down on the couch.

"Yeah, he just has a cold on top of laryngitis." Dee said. "Sounded pretty bad too when he called."

Drake took a seat next to Dee and cocked an eyebrow.

"You didn't make him feel worse did you? EVERYONE at the 2 7 knows that you are his least favorite detective to deal with."

Dee glared but also flushed.

"NO!" Dee argued. But then added a "maybe."

Ryo heard that as he balanced Grace on his hip.

"Dee what did you say to him?" Ryo asked tensely.

"I said nothing."

"All in favor of calling Jack McCoy to make sure he is still alive!?" Marty said.

"ACK, no don't!" Dee yelled. "Alright…I might have said that I guessed one of his dates must have given him an early Christmas present?"

Everyone in the room froze.

"Oh dear lord Dee you did not!" Berkeley said covering his eyes.

"Hey I was just trying to cheer him up!!" Dee argued. "The guy sounded really bad, especially when he started yelling at me."

"And he probably blew his voice box to the point of no return thanks to you!" Ryo said while Grace tugged on shirt.

"And he is probably going to kill Dee-sempai when he gets better." JJ added.

"IF he gets better!" Ted said.

Ryo shook his head.

"Here hold this." He said handing Dee his plate of food. "I am going to call Jack and make sure he's okay."

"You sure you wanna take the kid?" Dee said as Ryo walked into the kitchen to grab the phone. "He did have some pretty choice words for me that was for an adult's ears only."

"Not surprised, we all do." Bikky whispered. Dee of course heard and smacked him on the head.

"Just be thankful the chief's visiting his daughter in Ohio instead of being here or you'd really be in some deep shit Dee." Ted said.

"Count your blessings I am in a jovial mood Detective." Rose added. "If I do get a call from that lawyer, I will take some sort of action."

Dee nodded but then started chuckling. "But you really should have heard him though…it was pretty funny."

Everyone just shook their heads.

Ryo emerged fifteen minutes later with the baby and a relieved look on his face.

"You are lucky." Ryo said to his husband as he finally sat down. "He was pretty angry with you and pretty sick too. Your daughter was able to calm him down by babbling on the phone to him for a couple of minutes. He accepted my apologies."

"AWWW LITTLE GRACIE IS ALWAYS GOOD LIKE THAT!" JJ said as he took the baby to give Ryo a chance to eat his meal.

"Saved by the baby!" Dee said as he stared at his daughter who JJ was balancing on his shoes.

"I said we would stop by tomorrow before heading to Mother's to bring him some leftovers and his Christmas present. I also promised that you wouldn't speak unless spoken too." Ryo gestured to Dee!

"Ooohh…what do you say guys…wanna make a bet on that one!" Drake said.

"I'll put in a ten!" Bikky yelled.

Dee glared as he stabbed a fork into his mashed potatoes and took a bite. His husband could only chuckle.