I hope everybody had a good Thanksgiving. I was out of town, so now I need to catch up, and start writing again. Enjoy the next chapter.


"Merry Christmas everybody," Trevor announces, as he and Alex walk through the door of the 1-6.

Turning around Cragen, and Elliot go over to wish them Merry Christmas as well. Trevor looks around the room.

"This is sure a nice crowd in here," he tells Cragen, as he helps Alex out of her coat. Alex goes over to where Olivia, and Melinda are talking and playing with the kids. Alex gives each of the ladies a hug.

"Merry Christmas," she tells them. Melinda starts to slowly get up from her chair, but Alex stops her.

"Don't have to get up," Alex tells her. "How much more time do you have."

"The baby is due on Valentines day," Melinda tells her, as she rubs her stomach.

Cragen slips away from the party, he goes into his office. A few minutes later he comes back out, and gets everybody attention.

"Folks, just a few words." Cragen tells them. "Looks like we are going to be stuck here tonight. The weather forecast on the radio, says we are in for harsh blizzard tonight, and they are advising everybody stay where they are at."

Looking around the room, Fin begins to wonder where they are going to put everybody.

"We can put some of the kids up in the crib, and I have room in my office," Cragen tells everybody. "We do have the vending machine, so we do have food."

Olivia, Alex, and Melinda get up, and start walking towards the crib.

"We are going to go up, and get the cots ready, for some of the kids to sleep," Olivia tells the group, as they walk up the stairs.

Elliot and Fin decide to go, and raid the vending machine. Fin looks at the machine.

"Some Christmas dinner," Fin tells Elliot. "Potato chips, corn nuts, candy bars," Elliot starts to laugh.

"I know the kids sure will be happy," Elliot tells him, as he and Fin grab food out of the vending machine.


Derek arrives at the Stabler home, he knocks on the door, but nobody is answering. He again knocks, but this time even louder.

"Maureen, andbody in there," he starts to shout. Overhearing the commotion, a neighbor comes over to the house.

"Hey, what's all the shouting about?" the neighbor asks Derek. Derek spins around.

"Have you seen the people that live here?" he questions the neighbor.

"They left over three hours ago," she tells him. "Said they were going to Elliot's work." Derek gives the neighbor lady a hug, wishes her a Merry Christmas, and heads back to his car.

After starting up the car, he picks up his cell phone, and turns it back on. He hears the messages that Maureen, had sent him. He starts driving towards the 1-6.


Elliot and Fin return to where the kids are playing. Fin looks around at the kids.

"Dinners served," he yells, as a mob of kids come running towards him.

"A little crowd control in here," Elliot tells the kids, as he and Fin start handing out the goodies." A few minutes later the ladies walk back down stairs, and see that the kids are eating. Melinda looks over in the corner, and sees that Madison is not eating with the other children. She walks over to Madison.

"What's wrong?" Melinda asks her. Madison looks up at her with her big brown eyes.

"Santa, won't be able to find us tonight," Madison tells her. Overhearing what the little girl just told her, Chris comes over.

"Can I talk with her?" he asks Melinda." I have a way with children. Melinda nods her head, and she steps away from Madison.

"I overhear you say, that Santa won't come?" Chris asks her. Madison shakes her head.

"Let me tell you, that Santa knows where you are at, because he lives right here," Chris tells her, as he points to her heart. Madison looks up at him.

"He lives in my chest?" Madison asks him, with a funny look on her face. Melinda starts to laugh.

"Well kind of," Chris tells her. "He lives right there in your heart. Christmas is not about getting presents, or how much food you can eat. Christmas is all about being with friends and family, and the one important event that night, when a little baby was born." Madison starts to smile. She gets up, and gives Chris a hug.

"Thank you," Madison tells him, as she runs off towards the other children. Melinda also gives him a hug as well.

"I just wanted to say thank you," Melinda tells him. "I don't know, what you have just done, but this is the happiest I have seen her, in the two years, that my husband, and I adopted her and her brother David." Chris shrugs his shoulder.

"Like I said, I am pretty good with children," he tells her, as he gets up, and joins everybody.

As everybody is eating, talking and having a good time, the door of the 1-6 opens up, and a snowy figure stands before them. Maureen looks up, and starts to laugh.

"If I wouldn't know better, I would think that Frosty the Snowman, is my husband." Maureen tells the snowy figure, as she gives him a kiss.

"Dada," Makayla tells him, as she runs towards Derek. Derek picks her up.

"Miss dada," Makayla tells him.

"Dada missed you to," Derek tells her, as he gives Maureen a kiss. " I'm glad that everybody is ok." Maureen looks at him.

"Did you get my messages?" she asks him.

"I had my phone turned off at the meeting today, and forgot to turn it back on," Derek tells her. "When I went to your dad's house, and nobody was there, I started to panic, but the neighbor lady told me where you were at.

"You shouldn't have been out there, driving," Maureen tells him. "I am glad that you made it here safe." As they are talking Cragen comes into the office with a book.

"How about a little story before the kids get ready for bed?" Cragen asks them, as he sits down in a chair. The kids gather around him, to hear The Night Before Christmas.


Sorry the chapter is short. I will try and write a longer chapter tomorrow. I have to go and get my son up for school, and take care of my younger ones.

Please review.