A/N: Thanks so much for all your great reviews! Sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but school has started and it's harder to find the time to write. I hope you enjoy more belated holiday fluff.

Chapter 7 : Letting Go

A Santa suit, Jane found, was not very conducive to a passionate embrace. Still, he had no trouble ravishing Lisbon's mouth, which he did at his leisure, trying his best to get her closer despite his overstuffed belly. He was amazed at his own happiness at just kissing her, how she made him feel more powerful as a man than he'd felt even on Inauguration Day.

A few minutes too soon for Jane, she pulled away, breathless.

"I'm pretty sure Santa Claus doesn't even kiss Mrs. Claus like that," she said, holding tightly to his downy soft coat sleeves for support.

"Aw, Agent Lisbon, one never knows what really goes on in a couple's private moments. I'm sure Santa is quite the lover, considering what a giving kind of guy he is."

She smiled at the absurdity of their conversation. They looked at each other intently a moment, each beaming stupidly at the other.

"I should be very mad at you," she said, stepping out of his arms for her own self-preservation. "You aren't exactly respecting my wishes by coming here."

He raised a blond eyebrow. "Now you're lying, Teresa. A woman doesn't kiss a man like that who hasn't been wishing to see him again."

She frowned, though she couldn't deny it. "But your coming here doesn't solve our problems, does it? You're still the president—"

"Yes, I am. What do you have against US presidents anyway? You know, I don't like to brag, but some might say my job makes me quite the catch." He tugged on his fake beard for emphasis.

She shook her head at him, flabbergasted at his ability to overlook the major obstacles to a lasting relationship.

"I know how wonderful you are," she told him honestly. "And I'm honored that you have shown an interest in me, but—"

"An interest?" he repeated, frowning. He pulled her closely again and brought his mouth down on hers once more, kissing her so thoroughly she felt dizzy and disoriented. He pulled back to look at her, happy with how suitably dazed she appeared.

" I flew all the way across the country to see you, Teresa, and I'm only here for a couple of days. We can either waste it arguing, or take full advantage of the time we have together." He smiled his best vote-garnering smile. "Besides, it's Christmas. Let's do our own personal part to have peace on Earth, shall we?"

"But—"

He laid a gloved finger over her lips. "No buts. Grab your stuff and let's get the hell out of her. We'll have ourselves a little Christmas Eve adventure. Later, you can sit on my lap and tell me what you really want for Christmas." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, which seemed so incongruous with his costume that she had to laugh and blush at the same time.

"All right," she conceded. "But only because it's Christmas."

"That's a good girl. Now, if you're riding along with Santa, you're going to need this—" from out of thin air he placed a plastic wrapped candy cane in her hand—"and this—"while she focused briefly on the candy, he suddenly set a green and red elf's hat on top of her head.

She pushed it up so it wouldn't be in her eyes, looking up at him crossly. "You're kidding me."

"Not at all," he said with a grin, reaching out to adjust its fit upon her wavy hair. "All the most beautiful ladies are wearing them this year. There. Perfect. You look ready to spread all kinds of Christmas cheer."

Which was of course an ironic observation, given her frown of annoyance.

He planted a kiss on her scrunched up nose, his beard tickling her face. "Come on, Teresa, tempus fugit!"

With a heavy sigh (made only for dramatic effect), she went back to her desk and removed her bag from a bottom drawer, then took his proffered hand.

She was pleasantly surprised to see Charlotte waiting near the elevator landing, wearing an entire elf's costume. She glanced at Jane and shook her head in amusement.

"Agent Lisbon!" exclaimed the teenager in delight, trotting up to her in her ridiculous curling-toed slippers. "You're coming with us?"

Lisbon laughed. "It's very hard to say no to Santa Claus," she told her.

"Tell me about it. Try living with him twenty-four-seven."

She tried to avoid Jane's eyes. "I can only imagine."

And then Lisbon's eyes widened as she beheld Minnelli, and she knew her cheeks were flushing pink.

"Sir, I'll come in tomorrow and finish that report—"

"You most certainly will not. It can wait until the New Year. Have fun. One rarely has the opportunity to spend Christmas Eve with Saint Nicholas himself."

She grinned. "Thank you, sir. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Lisbon. Mr. President. Miss Jane."

His blue eyes sparkling, Minnelli strode down the hall leading back to his office, whistling his own rendition of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

At a nod from Jane, Jim pressed the down button on the elevator.

"So," said Jane, rubbing his gloved hands together in anticipation. "What kind of trouble shall we get into next?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm starving."

They'd just pulled away in the limo from the CBI when Charlotte looked pleadingly at her father.

"Hmm," said Jane. "Now that's a quandary. Teresa, where is the best place to get a burger?"

She didn't hesitate. "Charlie's, just down the road."

"Do they have a drive-through?" Jane asked, thinking of the logistics of eating with a fake beard, which he would have to wear unless he wanted everyone to know that not just Santa Claus was in town.

"Even better," she replied, shifting a little next to Santa's exaggerated girth. "It's an old fashioned drive-in. With trays that fit on the window and everything."

Jane laughed. "Well, by all means we must go to Charlie's, then."

The limo stuck out by two lengths in the drive-in slot, and Jim, the limo driver, placed their five orders, ranging from cheeseburgers to onion rings, thick milkshakes all around. Soon the posh vehicle was filled with the odor of fast food, and they ate where they sat, another agent, Daniel vigilantly keeping watch through the tinted windows while they shoved fries into their mouths. Beside them, their follow car, a black Suburban SUV with its two additional agents, sipped their milkshakes and scanned the area around the restaurant.

Charlotte was absently munching on her burger while looking at her smart phone.

"Hey, Dad, there's an outdoor ice skating rink here!" she announced excitedly.

"No," said Jane immediately. "No way."

Lisbon laughed. "You don't skate?"

"Roller skating, I can handle. Surfing is a breeze. Ice skating? I may as well just slide around the whole rink on my ass to save time."

She chuckled. "Well, I think we've discovered one more thing you're not good at," she said, and he caught her eye, their thoughts returning to their first night together.

"I told you I wasn't perfect."

But as she looked at him, she couldn't think of one thing about him that wasn't perfection. Her adoration must have been clearly written on her face, for his smile faltered, and his eyes took on a predatory glow.

"Does that mean we can't go skating?" asked Charlotte, ignoring the mating rituals of the old people.

He blinked and tore himself away from looking at Lisbon to address his daughter. "Charlotte, honey, no way I'm getting out on the ice in a Santa suit. I'd draw less attention as myself."

"Well, you could take some of your stomach padding and put it on your butt," she said, laughing.

"My little comedienne," said Jane, swatting Charlotte with his Santa hat. But his eyes were laughing. "Do you skate?" he asked Lisbon.

"I grew up in Chicago," she said. "Hockey was a way of life when I was a kid."

"Agent Lisbon knows how," Charlotte reasoned. "She could come with me."

Jane sighed, then called over the glass partition to the front seat. "You skate, Daniel?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. President."

"How about you, Jim?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. President, but it's been awhile."

"I guess we are going ice skating," Jane relented. "But I'm taking off this damn costume."

"You'd better leave on the beard and hat, sir," suggested Jim.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

No one recognized Charlotte in her elf costume, and fortunately Lisbon's brief brush with fame hadn't lasted long enough for anyone to take notice of her. The ladies tied on their skates and ventured onto the ice, along with their elfin Secret Service escorts. No one batted an eye—it was California, after all. It was a mild fifty degrees with no wind, and the lights of downtown Sacramento competed with the Christmas lights strewn around the temporary outdoor rink. White lights sparkling in the trees lent the scene a fairytale atmosphere.

In blue jeans, a white t-shirt and light jacket, Jane walked awkwardly on his bladed skates across the carpeted staging area, hesitating before he stepped onto the ice. He still wore his Santa beard and hat, and his top elf, Jim, followed protectively behind to lend a hand should he falter.

"You don't have to do this, sir," Jim whispered. "As a matter of fact, I'd feel much more comfortable if you didn't."

"I'm sure the only thing that will get hurt is my pride. Besides, I've faced down Vladamir Putin—this ice has nothing on him."

Jim shook his head. "Whatever you say, sir."

By then, Charlotte and Lisbon had made it full circle and were passing before him, both of them skating smoothly and easily.

"Hurry up, slowpoke," called Charlotte.

Jane waved her on in annoyance, and he could hear her tinkling laughter as she sped off. Lisbon slowed a little and skated to the opening where Jane stood. She stopped at the railing and held out her hand.

"Come on. I'll help you find your sea legs."

He grinned sheepishly and took her hand, then, with a deep breath, stepped out into the abyss.

He wobbled on shaky ankles, his free hand going to the railing.

"The things one does to impress a girl," he said with a grin, though the effect was lost beneath his snowy beard.

She laughed. "Oh, I'm thoroughly impressed already," she dryly assured him. "But I'm sure you're giving poor Jim and the others a heart attack."

Jim trailed behind them, dividing his attention between Jane and the flood of skating strangers around them. His earpiece connected him to the others of his team, interspersed throughout the rink. It was probably a security nightmare for all the agents, Jane thought in agreement. He'd have to put a little something extra in their Christmas stockings.

"All right," said Jane. "I'm going to let go of the railing, but you have to hold on tightly to me so I don't make a fool of myself right out of the gate."

She moved in closer, linking one of his arms with hers. "I got you," she said softly, looking into his beautiful eyes. "Trust me."

And he did.

They made slow and arduous progress around the oval-shaped rink, but Charlotte applauded and called words of encouragement every time she skated past. It was incredible, Lisbon thought, skating so close to him, breathing in his sensuous cologne, feeling the warmth of his body as he held on to her for dear life. She never dreamed she'd even see him again, let alone get the chance to touch him like this. He had her laughing with his funny and dry commentary, and it would have been one of the most romantic moments in her life had it not been for the absurdity of his fake Santa beard. A few small children even giggled to see Santa Claus so shaky on the ice.

"Isn't there lots of ice in the North Pole?" asked one little girl in passing, skating with much more skill than Jane as she held onto her daddy's hand.

"Of course," Jane said, deepening his voice in reply. "But I always travel by sleigh. I never have time to go ice skating."

The little girl's big brown eyes grew round as saucers. "Are you going to have time to come to my house tonight?"

"That depends. Have you been a good girl?"

The girl's father smirked and shook his head slightly.

"Well, most of the time," she answered sheepishly.

"I'll tell you what. You promise to be good all of the time and I'll give you a break and come tonight. Deal?"

"Deal."

When the little family skated past, it took all of Lisbon's willpower not to pull down that damn beard and kiss him passionately. He was so wonderful with children, even those who weren't his own.

"If you showed Putin this side of you, he'd be putty in your hands," Lisbon whispered.

"I would," quipped Jane, "but he's been a very bad boy lately."

Their third time around the rink without incident, he seemed to have found a more confident stride.

"Much as I love being glued to your side, I want to try going it alone for a minute," he said.

Lisbon looked skeptical. "You sure?"

He chuckled. "No. But I'll never be able to hold my head up in a Santa suit again if I don't at least try."

"All right…but take it slow."

She unlinked their arms and took his hand, then slowly moved away from him, still holding hands while their arms stretched between them.

"I'm letting go," he called, and she released him.

At first, everything seemed like it was going to be fine. Jane stayed upright, his ankles barely wobbling as he attempted to pick up a little speed. His long beard fluttered in the gentle breeze, his red hat bobbing comically with each tentative stride. Lisbon smiled in amusement, teasing and encouraging him as he skated steadily along.

From out of nowhere darted a speeding skater, coming up from behind them at Olympic velocity. He was headed right for Jane.

"Sir!" hollered Jim, several yards behind. Too late, Jane turned just in time to be clipped in the right arm, the force of the hit sending him spinning, then falling on his back, his head hitting the ice, hard.

"Smiley's down! Smiley's down!" Jim cried the president's code name into his mouthpiece. Daniel had seen what happened and was chasing after the offending skater, moving like a magic bullet around the glut of patrons. Lisbon rushed to Jane's side, squatting along with Jim, who was pulling aside the president's beard to better check his condition. A small crowd had gathered around the fallen man, who it would seem, was out cold. Then, one woman gasped and pointed.

"It's the president!" she exclaimed in shocked realization.

Twenty cell phones instantly came out.

Charlotte and the other two agents rushed over, the agents demanding that the skaters stay back.

"Jane," Lisbon said, patting his cool cheeks firmly. "Wake up."

Jim tenderly felt beneath the president's head, and more gasps followed when they saw the blood on his hands. He removed a white cotton handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to Jane's head.

"Daddy!" cried Charlotte, kneeling beside him and taking his hand in hers.

Lisbon's heart was pounding, but her emergency training kicked in, and she took his pulse, then opened his eyelids to check his pupil dilation. They seemed to take over the sea green of the iris.

Concussion for sure, she thought.

Distantly, she heard the witnesses talking, rehashing the accident, making various comments on the parties involved.

"Oh, God, I hope he'll be all right."

"That's his daughter, Charlotte, isn't it?"
"Do you think this was really an accident?"

"He's even hotter in person."

"Isn't that the CBI lady he was seeing?"

In the distance, they could already hear the sounds of sirens.

Daniel returned with the reckless skater, handcuffing him and taking him toward the exit. In this age of terrorism, the Secret Service didn't take any chances. The manager of the skating rink came rushing across the ice, sliding a bit in his boots.

"You need to evacuate and close down the rink," Jim instructed. "This is a matter of National Security."

The man looked into the familiar face of the president and blanched in surprise. "Of course." He turned to the crowd."Okay, everyone off the ice please," he yelled. "The rink is closed!" He spoke to Jim again in low tones. "I'll go make an announcement on the intercom. Can I do anything else?"

"Make sure the way is clear for the ambulance."

"I'm on it."

"Is he going to be all right?" asked Charlotte with tears in her eyes. Lisbon tried to forget her own fear. If something should happen…this would be the second parent Charlotte lost. Lisbon knew well how that felt.

"I hope so," she told the girl, not wanting to lay on the platitudes. "He just seems like he's unconscious from the fall. I'm sure they'll do some heavy duty x-rays, give him the best care in the world."

Charlotte reached for Lisbon's hand. "Please stay with me," she whispered.

"Of course," she said, swallowing over the lump in her throat.

The ambulance arrived and Jane still hadn't regained consciousness. Two paramedics got the surprise of their lives when they realized they'd been called to aid the President of the United States, but they were extremely professional, securing his head before lifting him onto a gurney. Charlotte insisted on riding to the hospital with her father, and no one said anything when Lisbon followed, since the anxious girl wouldn't let go of her hand. They had a police escort, and Jim rode in the front seat beside the driver.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane's first thought was that his head hurt like hell. His second was of Charlotte, and a fuzzy memory of her calling him Daddy. She only called him that when she wanted something, or when she was terrified.

"Charlotte," he said, though it only came out in a hoarse whisper that hurt his dry throat.

"Mr. President?" asked a voice that sounded tinny, as from an old radio. "Are you awake in there?"

He forced his eyes open, and felt a brief moment of panic when he realized he was encased in what he first thought was a coffin.

"You're in a CAT scan machine," said the voice again soothingly. "You had an accident and we're checking you out. Do you remember anything, sir?"

"Yes," Jane managed. "I remember being an idiot on the ice rink."

"But nothing about the accident?"

"No, though I assume I fell and hit my head. Where's my daughter?"

"She's fine, sir. She's waiting outside."

"What's wrong with me?"

"We'll know for sure after the CAT scan, but the fact you are awake and talking to us is a very good sign. Now Mr. President, please stay still and this will be over in a moment."

"You guys don't work for Congress, do you?" he joked, and the medical team on the other side of the glass window chuckled good-naturedly.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"It's a grade three concussion, Mr. President, and you'll have quite the headache for a few days. You'll have to take it easy, and you may experience some memory loss from the events surrounding the accident. But you have no internal bleeding, and the wound on your head is just a small cut. Not even worth stitching up, though you'll have a nasty, painful bump for awhile."

"Thanks, Doc. Now when can I get the hell out of here? Nothing personal."

The doctor laughed. "Of course not, sir. I think we should keep you overnight for observation, then you should be safe to travel, so long as you get some rest."

"Over night?"

He wanted to whine that it was Christmas Eve, but he didn't think that would sound too presidential.

"Yes, sir. And your chief of staff and the vice-president concurred."

"Aw, she just wants my job," Jane said wryly.

"He's kidding," Lisbon felt the need to say as she entered the private hospital room with Charlotte.

"Naturally. Well, let us know if there is anything you need, Mr. President. Everything we have is at your disposal."

"Thanks," Jane said, hoping he didn't sound too ungrateful. He hated hospitals.

When the doctor left, Charlotte's composure broke, and she practically ran to his side, climbing upon the bed to hug him and kiss him on the cheek. He cringed as the bed jostled and pain shot into his head, but he managed to hug her back with both arms. It had been just the two of them for so long, that he understood immediately what Charlotte must have felt, seeing him unconscious and bleeding on the ice.

"I'm okay," he whispered into her blonde hair. She'd changed out of her elf costume, but a bit of glittery makeup still accented her shining eyes. She smelled like peppermint and Juicy Couture, and he thanked the universe for being allowed once more to feel her small body clinging to his.

Over her shoulder, he met Lisbon's eyes. Hi, he mouthed to her, and gave her a grin.

Hi.

His stomach did a little flip at her dimpled smile and soft green eyes, and he wished he had the strength to rise out of this bed and kiss her smiling lips.

Sorry.

She shook her head at him, obviously meaning there was nothing for him to be sorry about.

"They said you don't remember the accident," Charlotte was saying.

"Not a thing. I remember letting go of Agent Lisbon's hand…but everything's a blank after that."

Charlotte took her smart phone from her back pocket and sat up on the side of his bed. She brought up a YouTube video and pressed the play arrow. There was shaky video of skaters, then the cameraman focused on a little boy skating near Jane and Lisbon. From out of nowhere, the speed skater barreled through. Jim's voice could be heard calling a warning, then Jane made a comical spin and fell, dizzy to the ice. It still didn't jar Jane's memory, but his cringed in embarrassment at the unceremonial way he'd fallen. Not presidential at all.

The cell phone camera had caught everything, including the chaos that followed.

"You've gone viral," Charlotte commented almost gleefully. "Look, there's about three other videos that show your crash from different angles. They're calling you President Wipeout."

"Great," said Jane wryly. "I'm sure Walter is apoplectic."

Charlotte chuckled. "You are so gonna get it He's already been calling Jim constantly for updates."

"They caught the skater," Lisbon added. "Scared the poor kid half to death, when your Secret Service agent cuffed him, but he turned out to be clean. Just a dumb kid wanting to be the next Apolo Ohno."

"Well, I'm glad it wasn't an assassination attempt," said Jane. "Walter would be really pissed off then."

"Hm," said Lisbon, smiling at his dry humor.

"Hey, sweetheart," he said to Charlotte. "Could you get me some water? My mouth feels like Death Valley."

She glanced from her father to Lisbon. "You could just tell me you want to be alone with Teresa," Charlotte said. "I'm not a kid, you know."

Jane rolled his eyes.

"Okay, young lady, get out of here for about ten minutes so I can kiss Agent Lisbon senseless. Can you do that for me?"

Charlotte gave a mischievous smile that exactly matched her father's. "That's all you had to say." She kissed his cheek again and hopped off the bed, being sure to close the hospital room door behind her with a quiet click.

Lisbon moved to Jane's bedside and took his hand. He looked so pale against the white cotton pillowcase. She hadn't expected to be so frightened when she saw him go down, hadn't expected the wave of emotions that had overtaken her when he hadn't awakened right away.

"Thank you for staying with Charlotte," Jane said, his face becoming serious.

She nodded. "I was glad your agents let me. But then, they would have had to physically pry her hand out of mine."

Jane felt his eyes go misty. It had to be post-traumatic stress or something. He squeezed her hand. "Well, I'm grateful."

"Remind me to never allow you on the ice again," she told him, trying to lighten the mood.

"You don't have to worry about that. Have you seen the video? President Ford had nothing on me. The late-night talk shows are going to have a field day with this one. So, has the rest of the world gone to hell? Women and children screaming? Fire falling from the sky? A gnashing of teeth?"

She grinned. "No gnashing, from what I've seen on the waiting room TV, but there have been serious discussions about the lax security, and whether or not you and I have a love nest here in California paid for with the taxpayers' dollars."

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "That's exactly what I wanted to avoid with my clever disguise."

Oddly enough, seeing the video of herself rushing to his side on the ice rink had only made her relive her fear, not make her question her the wisdom of a relationship with him.

"I'm okay. I've quickly discovered that hanging out with you is equal parts pleasure and pain."

He frowned at this, surprised at how much that assertion hurt, mainly because he suspected she wasn't completely kidding.

"Equal parts?" he asked tentatively, looking appealingly into her eyes. She'd never seen him appear so vulnerable, so lacking in confidence. She was surprised that she had this power over his emotions. But she couldn't lie to him; if she tried to have a relationship with him, it wasn't going to be easy.

"Eighty-twenty?" she offered, attempting to cheer him.

His face became much sunnier. "I guess I can work on that. But be warned; I'm well-known for my negotiation skills."

"I've heard," she said. "And nice move, by the way, getting a concussion to try to win me over."

"I hope now you can see how serious I am."

She smiled. "I can," she said.

She leaned down closer to him, her wavy curtain of hair falling forward around him. He reached up to tuck some of it behind her right ear.

"Now, where's that senseless kissing you promised me," she asked, meeting his amazing eyes.

"On the contrary," he whispered, "kissing you makes all the sense in the world."

And so he pulled her lips to his.

A/N: More as soon as I can manage it, I promise. I've also taken on a new collaboration with the lovely Hayseed Socrates, entitled "Precious Days." It's a future fic—set about 30 years in the future. It's a lighthearted look at Jane and Lisbon as senior citizens. I hope you'll give it a chance. It's posted under her name.

Thanks for reading!