A/n: If you remember what Logan said about what true happiness is for him, you will understand this.
The feline wielding the keys fled down the hallway to the open elevator which instantly had the lobby button pressed.
The doors closed before they could reach it in time. Grabbing their coats and other essentials, they took off. Taking the other one, they went down to the lobby where the cat stood at the entrance, enticing them to follow.
They followed the cat and Logan stopped in his tracks, causing Barek, Eames and Goren to stop as well.
There before the Major Case detectives stood a thing of beauty.
There stood an emerald green/candy apple green 1968 Pontiac GTO convertible with plush leather-twine upholstery and up-to-date sound system with iPod connection wire, cd player, surround stereo and am/fm radio, complete with built-in CB radio.
The cat perched itself on the hood, dropping the keys on it before perching itself back on the front of the hood, transforming back into the still-form hood ornament, it's toothy grin intact. "Ok, what's going on with that car?" Alex exclaimed. "I don't know." Bobby said as he turned his gaze to Logan and Barek, who seemed to think nothing of the occurrence.
Looking up at Logan, Barek couldn't't believe what was in her partner's eyes. "Logan, does this bring back something to you?"
"The one time when I never had a care in the world," he started as he approached a long lost friend, "was when I rode down the streets of Manhattan in this car with beers in hand and blankets wrapped around me."
"I guess that's what the note said about 'the key to true happiness'." Carolyn said in realization.
Taking the keys from the hood, Mike saw that the note had changed. Now it was addressed to Goren and Eames. "Look in the trunk."
Reaching inside, he pressed the switch to open up the trunk.
Upon opening said compartment, they found several gift wrapped boxes and two big bags, one with Goren's name on in and the other with Eames' name on it.
Reaching for them, Logan presented them to the ones the bags were assigned for. "I believe these are for you two. Have fun, kiddies." Mike said with the classic Cheshire cat-that-ate-the-canary-and-the-cream grin. Alex and Bobby tried to laugh it off, but it was clear what they planned to do.
"Do you two need a ride?" Carolyn asked.
"Yeah. You wouldn't't happen to be headed near Rockefeller Center, are you?"
Opening the side doors, she grinned. "Hop in the back. I'm riding shotgun."
With Bobby and Alex snuggled up in the back seat of the car and Carolyn at his side, Mike finally found the happiness he thought was void from his life.
"What are you waiting for, Mike? The second coming? Let's hit the town!" Carolyn exclaimed as she reached over and gave Logan a kiss on the cheek.
The winds sent a cold chill but it didn't bother Mike. A kiss from Carolyn kept him warm all through. For once, the cliché stood true.
Placing the key into the ignition, he reveled in the feel of the moment before starting the engine.
Despite the shock-absorbers that could take the shock of an earthquake, the roar of the engine sent a shock through all four detectives, though the sound of the black cat hood ornament resonated over the engine's roar.
The cat's toothy jaws opened wide and let out a shrieking meow, catching Mike in the mood. When the cat's eyes glowed, Mike knew it was time to let loose on Manhattan one more time.
With that, he threw the car into gear, slammed on the gas and off into the night they flew.
Alex shrieked as they tore through the snow-laden streets without pause, but then found a greater surprise when Bobby wrapped his large arms around her, pulling her close to her.
Bobby held her close to him as if the strong winds would sweep her out of the car.
Carolyn watched as Alex snuggled up to Bobby and then looked at Mike, who seemed to have become 20 years younger in spirit.
Inching closer to him on the front bench seat of the car, Carolyn soon found herself with one of Mike's arms around her, drawing her closer to him.
Within moments, the sight of the grand Christmas tree came into view.
Upon first sight, Alex and Bobby would have been speechless. Instead, they screamed the moment Mike silently decided to parallel-park while sending the car into a 360 degree spin.
To their surprise, they parked precisely in place on a dime without any casualties.
"It's been two decades since I've ever done that."
"Is that the only thing you've done in twenty years?" Carolyn whispered seductively into his ear.
"In this car?" Mike countered slyly.
Carolyn smirked, amused at this flirtation show-down while Alex and Bobby just enjoyed watching the show until they cleared their throats loud enough to get their attention.
"If you're done trying to see who has the upper hand on sexual charisma, Bobby and I have somewhere to do and 'things' to do." She said with a glance up to Bobby, causing his face to turn red like Rudolph's nose.
Taking their bags, Bobby and Alex got out of the car.
Before they could do anything else, Carolyn jumped out of the car, pulled Alex to the side and hugged her. Whispering to each other, they both made some statements to each other.
"Bobby's heart's in the right place. The right motivation will help him open it up to you."
"When you get Mike cooled down enough, perhaps you can see if you get what you want for Christmas. Maybe he does have a heart to give."
Pulling back, Carolyn jumped back into the convertible with Mike and waved to the two snow bunnies before she and Mike drove off into the night.
"Alex, are you sure about this? I'm kinda nervous. It's not exactly something that I remember ever doing so frequently every year."
"Bobby, don't worry. I've been doing this for quite a while. I know how to do this and enjoy it."
"You have?"
"Sometimes by myself and sometimes with those I love. Don't worry. I'll help you through it." Alex said, touching him on the arm.
"Are you sure you can? I don't want to mess up with you."
"You won't. I'll be with you the whole time and guide you through it."
"All these people are going to see us."
"They're doing it too in plain view of the public. They won't think anything about it."
With that, Bobby and Alex had laced up their ice skates and started their way onto the ice.
Bobby attempted to walk as best he could on ice skates, with Alex trying to direct him how to skate. Several passersby looked amused to see a rather large man being guided by a petite woman. The scene almost looked like the child who befriended the Frankenstein monster for the first time.
Just then, the PA system played Sugar Ray's 'Little Saint Nick'
Moving to the rhythm, Bobby soon found himself skating with more ease. It helped of course that Alex had took him by the hand, sending a current of warmth over him despite of the gloves they wore. Turning to his side and seeing Alex with a gleam in her eye and a million-watt smile directed at him made him feel something he thought he would never feel again since his mother's death.
He felt happy.
In a moment that he would never be able to understand or question, he took Alex's hand in his and together they skated through the crowds of people, who parted so they could skate in peace.
Tearing through the streets, Mike and Carolyn drove up into Central Park where they walked down the pathways to a bench nearby the lake.
"Mike, this is wonderful." Carolyn said as she looked up to him as Irish eyes smiled down upon her.
"Say the words, Mike. Tell me that there's something of your heart you can give me."
Looking at Carolyn, he took a deep breath and looked down into her eyes.
"Carolyn Barek, I'm crazy for you. I thought every woman who I got saddled with would see me as nothing but a sarcastic womanizer or as the hothead cop the brass regards as a pain in their collective ass. Despite it all, you cut through all those pre-conceived notions and stuck it out with me. I'll always be thankful for that."
"Say it, Mike."
"My heart belongs to you. I think it always has belonged to you. Carolyn Barek, I love you."
With an eternal smile on her soul, Carolyn led Mike back to the convertible.
"Why don't we do something we haven't done since we were teenagers?"
Mike only answered with the trademark Logan grin that only he could produce.
A few cups of hot cocoa later, Bobby and Alex laughed at how they seemed to be the stars of the ice ring.
"Alex, I have to admit that I never would have imagined skating at Rockefeller center and feeling so…so…free." Glancing at Alex, he looked back on the first day he met her and every day since then.
At that time, he decided to say what he always wanted to tell her.
"Alex, I do not know what I've done to deserve you. Whatever it is, I'm the luckiest man in the world to have you stick by me through my worst and my best. I….I…" His voice wavered as he wrestled with what he was trying to say.
"I love you, Alexandra. Come what may, I want you to know that I'll always be there for you as you have always been there when I really needed someone."
He would never know how fast it happened or how it led to it.
All he can recall is Alex kissing him and his arms holding her close to him.
Across from them, they heard a sidewalk band singing, 'Merry Christmas, Baby'.
"You sure do treat me right, Alex." Bobby said as they sat looking up at the tall Christmas tree.
Lying in the backseat of the convertible with the hood up, Carolyn and Mike lay there still in each other's arms, thankful that the beat cops that work the park were off on Christmas Eve.
In the silence, Carolyn got shocked when she heard the radio come on.
The soft melody of 'Blue Christmas' lulled her as she kissed Mike. "Merry Christmas, Mike."
Resting her head on his chest, she could feel his heart beating while his lungs expanded and contracted with every breath.
"Did you get everything you wanted this year, Caro?" Mike whispered.
Raising her gaze to him, she smiled. "Everything I wanted and more than I could imagine."
"Me too."
There they lay with each other as snow fell down from the night sky.
A/n: I said it would be done before 2008, so that means there's one last chapter to go before the grand finale. Stay tuned and please, as always, review. Thanks.
A/n: The songs used are not mine. They belong to their respective owners, whoever they are.
