December 1

Andy pulled out her coat and slammed her locker shut. It had been a long night. She was seriously looking forward to a little liquid pick me up. She glanced over at Traci who was sitting on the bench pulling on her boots.

"So, is she really that good looking?"

Traci groaned. "How many times are you going to make me repeat myself? The bitch is gorgeous, it's insane. I mean I've got her beat on the hotness scale, I'm way hotter, she's too skinny to be truly hot, but she kicks my ass if we're competing for the cover of Vogue."

Andy looked at her thoughtfully. "Are we talking British Vogue or Italian Vogue, because Italian Vogue has some serious hotties on the cover, where as British Vogue goes more of the ethereal type, you know what I mean?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"What?" Andy shrugged in response to Traci's questioning look. "So, I've had a lot of time on my hands, I've been reading a lot of magazines."

"Italian Vogue?"

"I don't know, sometimes I just like looking at the pretty pictures."

Traci stood up and grabbed her coat out of her locker. "See, your problem is that you need to get laid," she said slamming the locker door closed.

Andy shook her head as they headed out the locker room. "And your problem is that you need to learn about personal boundaries. Anyway, my point is I'm sure this Allison person can't be more beautiful than you."

Traci reached over and hugged her. "You know McNally sometimes you know exactly what to say."

"And he's been hanging out with her lately?"

Traci playfully shoved Andy away from her. "And then sometimes you say exactly the wrong thing." They headed into the parking lot towards Traci's car. "They haven't been hanging out. He went to see her a few days after she popped up to the station to go over the arrangements for selling their house, and since then they've talked on the phone a couple of times. She moved into her new apartment last week and he played sick to avoid having to help her. It was really kind of funny."

"If you say so," Andy answered as she climbed into the passenger seat.

"Yes I say so. Come to think of it, it's pretty impressive how quickly she got an apartment; she just set her mind to it, found a place and moved right in. Funny how that works."

"It's a rental. I'm looking to buy."

"Did I say anything?" Traci asked innocently as she started up her car.

"You were implying very articulately. And it's not like I'm in your way, you are never home anymore. What you and Jerry can't ever stay at your place?"

"Jerry is still recovering from the time you saw him sneaking out of the bathroom damn near naked."

"He had a towel on."

"A very small towel."

"Well he has nothing to be embarrassed about. He's nothing to sneeze at. Have to admit, after that I gained a new appreciation for him."

Traci grinned. "I know, I have no complaints. Please just stop asking him 'how's it hanging?' You're killing him."

"The man has no sense of humor," Andy said with a laugh. "So what are you two up to tonight?"

"We're meeting up at the Penny for the Nash/Barber Christmas 2011 Planning Summit."

"Come again?"

"You know me, Jerry and Leo are spending Christmas together right?"

Andy nodded.

"Well, we've run into a couple of snags over exactly how the first Nash/Barber holiday spectacular is going to go, so Jerry and I are going to have a sit down meeting on neutral territory to negotiate terms."

"You're kidding me."

"Hey, Christmas is a very touchy subject with couples, people take their family traditions very seriously."

Andy scoffed. "What people?"

"People who weren't raised by wolves like you were."

"Surly drunken wolves," Andy corrected. "You can't leave out the drunken and surly part."

"Anyway, many a relationship has been destroyed by conflicting Christmas traditions, we're going to put everything on the table and reach a compromise before it gets to that point."

"What a load of bull. What couples do you know that split up over Christmas traditions? Name one, just one. What is there to fight over? What goes on the top of the tree?"

"An angel of course."

"An angel?" Andy looked at her in mock horror. "What kind of heathenness horde of barbarians raised you? Everyone knows you put a star on the top of the tree. It's like I don't even know you anymore."

"You aren't funny. This is serious, what if he wants an artificial tree? I can't picture spending one Christmas, let alone the rest of my life with a man who uses an artificial tree."

"The rest of your life, interesting."

"Or worse, what if he's a tree flocker?"

Andy shuddered. "Tree flocking is just plain wrong, I hate tree flocking, we get enough real snow, who wants to put fake snow on their tree."

"You really like saying that word don't you?"

"Flocking, Flocking, Flocking. Who the flock furiously and festively flocks a freaking fir tree. Say that three times fast, I dare you."

"Oh, I get it, you don't just need to get laid. You need to get laid repeatedly and well. Seriously, coming to an understanding as a couple about how you want to celebrate the holidays is very important. Everyone knows that the biggest tests of a relationship are sex, money, and Christmas."

Andy snorted. "Now you just made that one up. I don't think I've ever seen this side of you. You do know you are certifiably insane right? Were you this nutty last year? I don't remember all this craziness last Christmas, I really don't."

"I'm not crazy. I just want our first Christmas as a couple to go off smoothly. By the way, I've seen some fine flocking on festive flawlessly flocked firs."

"Oh flock off.

"Okay, midnight mass is non-negotiable," Traci said firmly as she took a sip of her Appletini.

Jerry nodded. "Sure, who am I to deny you your one chance a year to actually be a practicing Catholic."

"Not funny, and it's three times a year. You forgot Ash Wednesday and Easter."

"Oh that's right, I forgot. You are so devout, it's very sexy."

Traci grinned at him. "Shut the hell up. Maybe I'll be more religious this year. How about I give up sex for Lent?"

He took both of her hands in his. "I'll fully support you and I'll even give up sex with you for Lent also."

"You think you're funny don't you?"

"I'm absolutely hilarious. So what type of Christmas tree."

"Fraiser of course, or it doesn't smell like Christmas."

"Oh hell no, Scots Pine."

"Well at least you aren't an artificial tree guy."

"Artificial? Never. I'm actually looking forward to intensely vacuuming the apartment after the holidays and still managing to find stray pine needles until sometime in August. That's half the fun. Well maybe five percent of the fun."

"Okay, okay, we'll just split the difference, Douglas Fir."

"I can do that. My parents always did it the German way, up Christmas Eve down on the Epiphany."

"You aren't German."

"No, but my dad was shall we say frugal, I'm guessing he got some fantastic deals buying the tree Christmas Eve."

"How very nice for him. I'll give you December 14th, Leo likes the tree up for awhile, and we're on the morning shift, so we can get it a soon as we get off. We'll take it down on January 7th."

"You have a bit of a bossy side. It's oddly sexy." Jerry took a long drink from his beer. "I feel like we should be in Geneva or something having this discussion, it's like a peace negotiation. Why aren't you writing any of this down? Don't we have to sign a treaty?"

Traci tapped her head. "It's all in here buddy. This is going to be great. We'll have the perfect tree, well as perfect as it can get without it being a Fraiser. We'll hang the wreaths and put garland up. I'll make my eggnog."

Jerry looked at her suspiciously. "Your eggnog, as in you're going through life with a personal tried and true eggnog recipe? Oh man, are you secretly one of those people who go all Martha Stewart from hell around the holidays running around with a glue gun and a baking tray in each hand? I want you know, if I catch you making a Christmas village out of milk cartons and gum drops I'm breaking up with you."

"Okay, just tilt it a little more to the right." Traci said eyeing the large Christmas tree critically.

Sam leaned slightly forward on the stepladder and adjusted the tree while Jerry, who was squatting at the base of the tree held onto the trunk and shifted the tree stand.

"Like this?" Sam asked.

"No, No, back to the left just a tiny, tiny bit. Okay, now right. Now just a touch to the…oh, oh just like that just like…okay back to the right a little."

"Sam!" Jerry groused from his spot on the floor. "I just got stuck in, the eye with a frigging tree branch."

"What the hell are you complaining about?" Sam said. "You damn near knock me off the step ladder. Twice. How the hell did I get roped into helping you guys with this?"

"You had nothing to do after the morning shift and we needed someone to help carry the tree and a truck to transport it, plus you needed to feel loved and wanted. Love you, glad to have you here." Jerry quipped before Sam adjusted the tree again and he got a mouthful of pine.

"It looks perfect just like that." Traci said excitedly. "Hold it still Sam, Jerry tighten the screws."

Jerry muttered under his breath as he finished tightening the screws

Traci stepped back "It looks beautiful. I can't wait until we pick up Leo and decorate it tonight."

Sam came down from the stepladder and offered Jerry a hand up off the floor. Both men came to stand by Traci and admire their handiwork.

"Not bad." Sam said grudgingly.

Jerry wrapped an arm around Traci's waist and kissed her on the cheek. "It looks great. A Scots pine would have looked better, but this looks great."

"A Fraiser would have looked better, but what can you do." Sam said.

Traci gave Jerry an 'I told you so' look which he pointedly ignored.

"Would you guys like some eggnog?" Traci asked. "It's spiked. Oh and I made cookies"

"She made eggnog and cookies?" Sam asked in a whisper.

Jerry shrugged his shoulders. "It's her own nogging recipe," He whispered. "Whatcha gonna do? Actually it's pretty good, though there's a fruitcake in there I'm a little scared of. If she offers you some fruitcake run."

"I'd love some eggnog." Sam answered. "Just hold the nutmeg, and the rum and the eggnog and fill the glass with beer. Better yet, just give me the bottle of beer."

"You are such a Scrooge." Traci snapped.

"Yeah, bah humbug and all that jazz." Sam responded with a laugh. "You know the leopard print Santa hat is overkill." He added pointing to the hat she had been wearing since they left the station.

"You're just jealous that I didn't get you one." Traci shouted back over her shoulder.

"Yeah Nash, that's it exactly. You know me so well." Sam answered with a laugh as he slumped down into a chair. He looked over at Jerry and grinned. "So this is very cozy."

Jerry narrowed his eyes. "Don't start."

Sam looked at him innocently. "What starting? This is very cozy, quite nice, very domestic. Did she get you his and hers Christmas sweaters? You know, some nice red and green knit number with like Santa and the reindeer on the front. Oh, oh and that lights up and says Happy Christmas.""

"And plays jingle bells when you press Santa's belly." Jerry added unable to help himself.

The two of them started cracking up.

"Nah, no sweaters." Jerry said when he recovered. "She hasn't gone that far. I think it's kind of cute. I can handle this side of her once a year."

Sam looked around at the boxes of decorations waiting to be put up and the decorations that had already been expertly placed around the living room. "Well she's definitely going all out decking the halls. Plus the baking and the making of the nog. I didn't know she had it in her."

"Yeah, it caught me a little off guard too. I think she just wants to make sure that Leo really enjoys our first Christmas with the three of us together. I do too."

"Look at you Jerry Barber, family man. Shaw would be so proud."

"Shut up."

"Man you're in for it. She's going to have you going door to door and caroling or some crap like that."

"Very funny."

After Jerry finished explaining himself Leo nodded in appreciation. "That's a good gift Jerry. She'll really like it."

Jerry grinned. "I know. I'm the master, really I am. Now aren't you glad you didn't abandon me and decide to go with the paperweight. My gift just annihilates your little painted rock. I rule."

"I'm seven." Leo pointed out.

Jerry shrugged. "I don't care how old you are, you were going to bail on me, I get to gloat. My gift idea is better than yours was, na, na, na, na, na, na."

"That's childish."

"I'm okay with that. Why? Because I rule!" Jerry said flashing Leo the rock on sign.

Traci placed the last carefully wrapped gift under the tree and stood back to admire her handiwork. It looked beautiful.

"That was exhausting." Jerry said. "I think I got a papercut."

"Yeah, but it was worth it. Leo is going to be so excited when he wakes up in the morning."

Jerry looked at his watch. "You mean when he gets up in a few hours."

Traci nodded wearily.

Jerry kissed her on the cheek. "I'm going to hop in the shower."

"Want me to wash your back for you?"

Jerry looked at her in surprise. "Yeah? You're not too tired?"

"I'm not too tired to wash your back."

Jerry grinned and hugged her. "Oh God, you have no idea how much I would love for you to wash my back for me. My back needs to be washed so badly it isn't funny."

Traci laughed. "Yeah it's a dirty, dirty back."

Jerry started backing her towards the bathroom. "Filthy, it's a filthy back. You might have to scrub really vigorously, maybe lather it up a couple of times, but don't worry, I can take it."

"I bet you can."

"Good, and then I'll…I'll…Wow, way too tired to keep this euphemism going any longer. Let's go have sex in the shower," He said before giving her a long kiss and pulling her into the bathroom.

Several short hours later Jerry found himself attempting to ignore the sounds coming from the other side of the bedroom door, but they wouldn't go away. He shook Traci who rolled over moaning.

"Lemme lone." She muttered into the pillow.

"Wake up. Listen to that. I think it's your son. Why is the child scratching on the door like a cat?"

Reluctantly Traci cracked open her eyes. "Christmas morning. Gifts. Can't open without me. Rules."

Jerry groaned. "It's practically the crack of dawn has he no mercy? No sense of compassion?"

Traci lifted up slightly and glanced at the clock. "It's the crack of seven-thirty."

Jerry groaned. "Seven-thirty, what is he crazy?" He yelled out, "Thirty minutes, give us thirty minutes and we'll be out." He buried his head back under the comforter.

Traci pulled the comforter off of his head. "This is your fault." She said. "You were the one who wasn't satisfied and kept me up for another hour after we got out of the shower."

"I didn't hear you complaining." Jerry replied trying to pull the comforter away from her. He heard the sounds of Leo pacing back and forth from the living room to their door. "Trace, I want you to know that I really love Leo."

"I know that."

"I just want it to be perfectly clear so that if he knocks on the door again and I kill him you'll understand that it won't be because I don't love him or anything."

"Don't worry about it. I'll hold him down for you."

"Thank you for having my back. I don't think I've ever loved you more than I do right now. You're the best Babe. It's a shame that he doesn't believe in Santa anymore and I can't have the pleasure of being the one to crush his spirit and burst that bubble for him."

Forty-five minutes later Jerry sat on the sofa surveying the damage through hooded eyes. He was pretty sure that somewhere under the pile of torn wrapping paper and empty boxes Leo was playing with at least one of his new toys but at the moment he couldn't quite locate him. He looked up as Traci walked back into the living room holding two steaming hot cups of coffee. She handed him one and settled down next to him on the sofa.

"Thanks," Jerry said as he took a long sip. "You know," He whispered. We spent two hours sitting up, after work, after mass, wrapping that crap up and arranging it beautifully under the tree and he went through it all in what, fifteen minutes?"

"He's a kid Jerry."

"I'm not complaining, I'm impressed with his technique, I'm bowing before the master."

"Don't worry, the master will be cleaning it up."

"Oh, I know he will. This was great. I just wish we didn't have to work today."

"I know. Maybe the criminal element will take a break for the holidays and it will be a slow night."

"From you lips to God's ears. Oh man. Did I just say that? Maybe I have been hanging out with your Mom too much."

"See I told you, she rubs off on you. I caught myself telling Leo 'because I said so,' the other day."

Jerry laughed and reached over to pull Traci into her arms. "This is nice Trace. You did a great job, and I loved my presents."

"Thank you. I loved the earrings and the matching tennis bracelet. They're beautiful. And I love the fact that you had the top of my car repaired, and the watch, and the dress for New Years, though don't think that I don't understand that my wearing a dress on New Years Eve is more of a gift for you, but still, thank you. It's too much."

"Thank you, but there's one more thing, it's from me and Leo, wherever he is." He called out in the general direction he suspected Leo was. "Hey Leo, come up for air."

Leo appeared seemingly from beneath a pile of toy packaging, cardboard and wrapping paper.

Traci looked from Jerry to Leo. "Seriously, another gift? You're going a little overboard here Jer."

"You're so worth it. We were going to get you a spa day, but you went ballistic the last time I even suggested it."

Traci nodded and shivered. "Callaghan's post-infidelity guilt gift to Andy, no thank you. spas days are bad juju right now."

Jerry rolled his eyes. "I know, I know. Homicide's actions this year managed to ruin a lot of things for a lot of people, Jo's rep, McNally's trust, any chance of my ever liking plaid, but you shouldn't let Homicide ruin the joy of a sauna, a nice shiatsu massage and a facial for you, but I understand the sentiment. No, we got you this." He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a long jewelry box with a ribbon and bow tied around it. "Here you go." He said as he handed it to her.

"More jewelry? Seriously? Are you sure you aren't sleeping around?" She asked jokingly.

"Just open the box funny lady."

Traci opened the box and looked inside before looking up at Jerry in confusion. "A business card?"

"Not just any business card. That's the card for Regina A. D'Amico, only the best damn realtor this side of Lake Ontario, who Leo and I went and retained last week. Alli has already gotten a couple of offers on the house, it looks like we'll be selling soon. I mean you and I have had several non-conversations about moving in together, so I thought it was about time we actually had the talk and started looking. Regina can't wait to meet you. She and Leo have gotten very close."

Traci smiled softly at him before trying to hide her pleasure. "Wow, my big gift is a business card and promise of a talk. A free business card and a long talk at that. Way to cheap out Barber."

Leo shot Jerry an annoyed look. "Hold on one second Mommy, I have something for you in my room." He said as he jumped up and went to run past them.

Jerry grabbed him by the back of his pajama shirt. "Keep your rock Judas, she's just kidding. She loves our gift."

Traci grinned and leaned over and kissed Leo. "He's right, I love it."

Leo stopped struggling. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Traci said pulling him onto her lap. She gave him a hug. "It's a great gift. I'm so happy right now."

Jerry leaned over and ruffled Leo's hair. "Come on Leo, where's your Guitar Hero game, I'll play with you before you have to get dressed to go to your Dad's."

"I want to play Dance Revolution first."

Jerry flashed Traci a pained expression. "Okay. One round. Just remember, we are never to speak of this."

"Deal." Leo said as he dove into the Christmas wreckage pile to find his new games.

Traci leaned back and sipped her latte as she watched Leo and Jerry clear a space in front of the television and set up the game. She didn't think things could get any better. "Hey Jer."

He turned around to find her smiling broadly and expectantly at him. "Can I say it?"

Jerry shook his head. "No."

Traci gave him a puppy dog look. "Please?"

Jerry laughed in defeat. "Oh God go ahead. You can say it."

"Really?"

"Yes really."

"Are you sure? You said you'd hurl if I said it."

"It's fine, I can take it. Just spit it out before I change my mind."

"Okay, you asked for it." Traci said. "Are you ready?"

"Shoot."

"BEST CHRISTMAS EVER." Traci said giggling.

Jerry grinned back at her. "For me too," he said softly.