A/N: Wow, this week flew by so fast! I'm really trying to keep up a one chapter/week policy (already failed with BBE D:), but I'm not making any promises on that. I have a math retake and crazy weekend ahead, so I won't get back to writing until Thursday and also Christmas vacation starts at the end of next week, so no chapters to be expected before next Friday...

Amy - Welcome and great thanks for your amazing amount of reviews (11)! It was constructive criticism, which I thought was great. I'm afraid you missed the cookie ceremony by like one day, but I'm afraid I'd have to bake you a cake ;D But here's a new chapter for compensation.

Katerina-Evasivi - Hi to you as well! it still hasn't properly snowed here, though a few little flakes have made an appearance. Honestly I'm greatful that it's not slippery since I travel in the dark and it's impossible to see the ice. Maybe for Christmas, maybe not :) And thank you for the compliment on my writing. It made me float on cloud nine for quite a bit 3

thump3rs - The end of your wait :) Enjoy

BelieverofManyThings - For you too. Here it is. (If you want that cookie come get it on Sunday, b/c I am making gingerbread cookies ;))

#####

Chapter Twenty-One – Light

James woke the next day when Louella climbed onto his bed and jumped on the free space on the matress. He groused and pulled the covers over his head since it was only six am and still dark outside.

"Daddy waaake uuup!" she half screamed half laughed, jumping onto him and tried to pull the blanket off of him with little success.

"What's going on here?" Mary-Jo yawned in the doorway, having woken from the noise.

"I wanna buy pwetty lights." Louella exclaimed, leaving her father alone for the moment as she went to jump around the nanny instead.

Mary-Jo picked her up, "The shops don't open for another three hours, silly. You've got plenty of time. Besides you have to eat and get dressed before buying anything at all. You don't want to go buy Christmas lights in your PJ's, do you?"

Louella shook her head at the thought and visibly calmed down before a question popped into her mind, "How much is thwee houw?"

"When this little stick" Mary-Jo snatched James' alarm clock from the nightstand, "points here."

"Hmm" The girl frowned just trying to think about it. In the mean time James had forced himself awake and out of bed, still looking tired as ever.

"Let's get you some breakfast Lou." He smoothed her messed up hair down a bit before taking her into his care while Mary-Jo went back to sleep.

Louella's enthusiasm made up for a lot of his leisurely movements and together they managed to get her dressed, clean toothed and her hair detangled. James even managed to dish up a proper breakfast instead of cheerios, but he was convinced that a street packed with crazy Christams shoppers would prove to be over whelming and so he decided to call for some back up.

"James, what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you're free at lunch. I need some help." He drew out the last word both because it was so reluctant for him to say out loud and Louella was about to knock her juice mug from the table.

"Help with what?" Eve got suspicious.

"Nothing like that. I'll buy you lunch."

"It's a deal if Bill can come as well. Prior arrangements are not to be rescheduled as M likes to point out so often." The woman chimed at the other end of the phone, which made him wonder if she was sitting at her desk at that moment.

"Fine." He glanced over to his daughter that was nearly bursting in anticipation, "Anything you want really."

"That desparate, huh?" James could almost hear he trying to contain a chuckle.

"Oh shut it Eve. Twelve o'clock at Harrods" she seemed to get only more amused at his sterness and so he hung up on her when she started laughing.

#####

Around noon Louella was at last getting the chance to hit the shops for the little lights she wanted so badly and James was let out of the agony of her asking if it was time yet every two minutes. She was so excited that she jumped up and down just to release some of the bubbly energy as they waited for Eve and Tanner.

"Eve!" the little girl screamed when she finally spotted the familiar woman in the crowd.

"Hey little one." Eve laughed as Louella took both her hands and continued jumping, "You really have a lot of energy."

"Bond." Tanner greeted the agent with a nod.

"Tanner." James returned the gesture. Slipping out of formality wasn't easy and so they simply stuck to it.

"So what is this great task you need help with?" Eve asked him with a playful grin playing on her face. Bond wasn't the kind of person to ask for help unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Christmas lights. I need to buy Christmas lights and by no means did I want to tackle all these crazed Christmas shoppers alone with Louella who has an attention span of four seconds." He grumbled, the loath he felt for these busy department stores growing larger all the time. He was so used to being alone that crowded places only attracted him if they provided cover during a mission.

"And why do you so badly need Christmas lights?"

Louella who had been listening to the conversation discreetly decided that this was a question she could answer, "Because my wish is Daddy's condamd."

"What?" James was utterly stunned, which made Eve burst out into laughter while Louella beamed like the sun.

"I think she means command." Tanner said, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Mary-Jo teached me that." Louella said nonchalantly, poking a stack of fluffy, white towels next to her.

"Marvellous." James mumbled, looking even grimmer then a moment ago.

"I have to give your nanny some credit James." Eve managed to calm down to a point where she was merely trying to suppress a wide smile, "Now let's make sure your Dad doesn't change his mind about those lights.". She took Louella's hand and let them to the right department with an expertise only a woman who had spent countless hours there could possess.

Louella surprised them all by wanting to take a close up look at all the options before choosing instead of just grabbing the first pretty strand of glowing plastic.

"They're just so cute together, aren't they?" Eve whispered to her lover as they stood a few feet away from James who had Louella perched up on his hip and showed her some of the colourful lights on the top shelves.

"Sweet indeed and quite odd really." Tanner whispered back, "I mean that is Bond after all."

Louella had decided on wanting two lights: yellow ones for outside and pink one's for inside the house. James condescended to buy them, despite the fact that he wanted to cringe at the mere thought of pink lights hanging on his walls. But he would light the world in all colours that existed if it would make her happy and so he let some light into his own dark soul.

#####

A/N: Please leave a review as they are highly appreciated and I promise to reply!