Author's Note: So I really didn't realize until I was writing today how very sweet this story is becoming. That's what I'm enjoying about writing about it, there's a lot of very real emotion coming out. Anyway, that sweetness totally infected this chapter. Enjoy and review and have a very merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 4: Christmas Cat

"Mom," Julie whispered sitting on the couch, her phone pressed to her ear. She was trying to keep it down, it was early in the morning, and she didn't want to wake the guys up. "I know, I love you too, and I'm really sorry." She paused, "I miss you too, I want to be home, but I can't," She sighed, "I know. I wish I could," She stopped and her eyes started welling up. Goldberg walked in, "I love you too. I'll see you soon." She wiped her eyes and hung up.

"Everything OK?" He asked. She looked at him and tried to smile. "What are you even still doing here? Weren't you flying out this morning?"

"I um," She sighed, "They needed me at work on the twenty sixth," He looked at her, "I can't go home for Christmas."

"God," He said and sat down. It was December twenty second. And since Thanksgiving Julie had been going on and on about how she couldn't wait to go home to Maine for the few days

"I'm sorry," She wiped her eyes, "It's just I'm always in Maine for Christmas, and my mom and I decorate the tree, and then my brothers fight over the turkey legs," She shook her head, "And we don't even have a tree. Which you know, was all on me, because I said I was going home, so," She stopped, seeing his eyes wide and a little scared, "Connie and Guy do though, and I'm going to spend the day with them. So it's OK," She stood up, "I'm just going to go um, I have work."

"Sure," He nodded, "Good luck." She smiled sadly and walked out.

"Hey man," Averman walked out, "Listen, I was thinking we should like totally guy out this week, with Julie gone. Maybe even get a stripper."

"They need her at work," Goldberg said, "She's not going home. She's completely devastated."

"Something new and different for her," Averman shrugged. "Dude, what do you expect us to do? She's probably just going to hang out with Connie and Guy. The three of them always get weird and Catholic around the Holidays."

"Come on," Goldberg stood up.

"Come on where?" Averman looked at him.

"We're gonna get a Christmas tree," Goldberg said. Averman started laughing. "What's funny?"

"Do you know what your mother would do if she walked in here and saw a Christmas tree?" He raised his eyebrows, "What my mother would do? We'd both die because the amount of guilt heaped on us."

"Look," Goldberg said, "Just because Julie lives here doesn't mean that she shouldn't have Christmas. She was really patient during Hanukah."

"That's because on Hanukah, she got to eat a lot," Averman nodded, "And your mom even let her light the Menorah because she likes her that much!"

"Do I have to spell this out for you?" Goldberg sighed grabbing both their coats and throwing Averman's at him.

"You think that if you get Julie a Christmas tree," Averman added in his head, "That she'll have sex with you?" Goldberg looked at him, "She's done it for less. I mean, not with you, but with lots of other guys."

"Hey," Connie said popping her head into Julie's work cubicle, "I was in the neighborhood. I got your message. Honey, that sucks. But we'll still have a good Christmas, I mean, my parents are going to Bermuda and Guy's are going to Key West, but it'll be fun anyway. Do Averman and Goldberg want to come to dinner?"

"Maybe," Julie shrugged. "Midnight mass too?"

"Always," Connie sniffed confidently. Julie laughed. "I think you'll like it. Maybe a little bit bigger than you're used to." Julie nodded. "You seem better."

"I am," She nodded. "I'm off one night stands."

"Ugh, finally," Connie groaned. "Anyway, you can sleep over after mass too, if you want like Christmas morning."

"No," Julie shook her head, "It's your guys first Christmas as a married couple I'd rather not be there for that thanks." Connie nodded. "Any surprises this Christmas?" Connie smiled, drumming her hands against her stomach.

"Not yet," She sighed, "We're working on it. I just want to be one of those hot young moms you know?" Julie laughed, she knew this wasn't the real reason that Connie and Guy were trying to have a baby, they had just always been on a different time table than everyone else. Having a baby when they were barely twenty three made sense to them.

"Go before you get me in trouble," Julie smiled, "And thanks for having me."

"Of course," Connie nodded, "I mean, it totally sucks that you don't get to go home an you're living with the Hebrew Twins," Julie laughed, "Come over tonight, you can help decorate our tree."

"OK," She nodded again. "See you."

"Bye," Connie waved and walked away. Julie went back to work feeling a little better, although not a whole lot more.

"Worst Christmas ever," She mumbled, typing as fast as possible.

Julie sighed walking back from the bus towards the apartment. She glanced at the shopping bag in her hand, it was just a little hostess gift for Connie, but she couldn't resist buying a tiny little poinsettia, just to keep next to her bed. She walked over to the door of the building and smiled touching the wreath. She had a brief memory of the Christmas before.

"Mm," Dean whispered waking up Christmas morning, Julie had already been awake and had curled herself into a ball snuggled into the space between his arm and his body. "Good morning."

"Morning," She whispered, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," He smiled. She kissed him. "Come on babe," He sighed, "Not right now."

"Why not?" She frowned. He looked at her and pushed her hair behind her ears. "I know exactly what you want for Christmas." She kissed him again.

"Uh, all four of your brothers are probably awake already," He raised his eyebrows, "I don't want to incur their wrath."

"You can take my brothers," She rolled her eyes. He laughed.

"Not all four at once," He whispered. She kissed him again.

She stepped into the building and then walked up to the apartment, she walked in and gasped for breath seeing the large and perfectly shaped tree in the living room.

"Oh," She smiled and covered her mouth.

"Surprise," Goldberg smiled. "I hope it's OK. I didn't decorate it, you were saying that was your favorite part." She ran over and hugged him.

"Thank you so much," She whispered. He held her close. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He nodded as she pulled away. "You bought ornaments too! Oh Goldberg, you didn't have to."

"Eh," He shrugged, "You were so upset this morning and you've been happy lately, so I wanted to keep that going. Plus I always wanted a Christmas tree growing up and my mom wouldn't have it. Open this one," He offered her a box. She opened it and giggled, "Two goalies, I thought it was appropriate." It was a small ornament of a hockey goal with two sticks crossed in front of it.

"It's perfect," She nodded, "You hang it up." She handed it to him. He smiled and hung it up, and looked at her, her face all lit up. She threw her arms around his neck again.

"Come on Catlady," He blushed, "You're being embarrassing." She kissed him on the cheek and picked up another one of the ornaments he'd bought and hung it up. Maybe it wouldn't be the worst Christmas ever.

Review Please! And once again, Merry Christmas!!