Disclaimer: The concept, canon, and canon characters belong to Forever creator Matt Miller and Warner Bros. Studios. All other characters, the plot for the story, and Henry's flashbacks are my own creation. I have posted my story here, and I don't profit from it. (Translation: I don't own Forever, but if I did, we'll have at least one holiday-themed episode in which Adam isn't a Grinch.)

Author's Note: This story is inspired by a tweet from ForeverCloisJenry to me about Mike and Lucas setting Henry and Jo up for a round of singing together. My apologies to her for any similarities between several chapters in "Nouveau Depart" and this story. I had no intention to copy any elements from it.

I hope that you will enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 1

"…So fairly to be seen.

Love and joy come to you

And to you a Wassail too….

Jo closed the program on her computer and swiveled toward Mike. Whistling, he stapled his report, inserted it into a folder, and slid it in his lower desk drawer.

"…bless the master of this house

And then the mistress too

And all the little children

That round the table grew…."

She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head as he ignored a pair of their fellow detectives pass between them. He had been miserable for two entire weeks before and during Thanksgiving. What had gotten into him? Based on what she had heard him telling Bert Darnell at the bullpen's coffee pot, it certainly wasn't some alone time with Karen.

"Glad the in-laws left New York last night?"

He gazed ahead for a moment before twisting his chair around to her. "I've already forgotten about them, and good riddance. The boys enjoyed their grandparents' visit from Arizona, but Karen and I thought that their week-long stay would never end. I don't know how much longer it would've been before I finally snapped at them."

Jo nodded slowly. Karen's parents had always hated Mike's blue-collar roots. From what he had told her, they almost ruined their daughter's wedding with their complaints about the quality of Mike's contributions to the ceremony. The only thing that had halfway salvaged Karen's parents' relationship with their son-in-law was the births of their grandsons.

"Then why are you singing? We don't have a karaoke night planned any time soon." Then again, they hadn't had a team karaoke night in weeks. It was about time for another one.

He arched his right eyebrow. "You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

He grinned at her. "Sgt. Lior from white collar crimes is hosting a Christmas caroling party at her place near Second and First in December. Whoever is interested is supposed to report there Wednesday evening."

Jo returned his grin with a smile of her own. "You want to prove your vocal prowess to everyone but us."

"I resent that." He squared his shoulders. "You know I used to sing…"

She waved her hand between them. "I know, I know. You and The Crainiacs used to play at The Trash Bar and several other bars before you joined the NYPD." She smirked at him. "Remember, I've heard all your stories." She crossed her arms and leaned on the corner of the desk. "Are you doing this to get out of paperwork for a few weeks?"

"Are you thinking about going?" He trained his gaze on her. "I don't see why not. You sang before."

"Mike!" As she hissed his name, heat surged from her chest to every part of her body. She lunged toward him as far as the desk would allow her. "I haven't done that since grade school." At least not in public. "In fact, I'm not that good—."

He ignored her glare. "When you were a kid, you were good enough to land the part of Eliza Doolittle. Your voice shouldn't have changed much since then. Even if you're a bit rusty, it would take a lot for people to cringe at your singing."

Settling back in her seat, she stared him down. Right now, she could kill Henry—twice—for sharing that piece of information with Mike and the pair of colleagues accompanying them to one of their scenes two years ago. She had disclosed that tidbit after the three other men had asked her what Henry had meant by her "musical theater days" and My Fair Lady. She was sure that everyone but Henry had forgotten about it. But now, Mike insisted on letting everyone in the precinct know about her ability.

Mike waited for her reply. She squirmed in her chair, and her eyes landed on a spot on the corner of the desk. The past year and a half had brought a tremendous amount of upheaval in her life, and things were finally starting to get back to normal. Maybe she could do something fun to take her mind off of everything.

Jo huffed and met his eyes. "I'll think about it." She held his gaze. "No guarantees."

He grinned. "It'll be fun having you in the group." Matching her posture, he peeked at the hallway leading to the elevators. "Maybe we can get Doc and Lucas to join us."

She muttered, "Maybe." If it were open to the OCME as well, Lucas would jump at the chance. Henry, on the other hand….

Jo swallowed. He had spent the past two and a half weeks nursing his broken heart following his breakup with his girlfriend, Erica Livingstone. She wasn't sure if he would feel like doing something with them right now.

Then again, even if he wanted to forget about his fellow immortal for a little bit, he wouldn't think of going caroling. As far as Jo knew, Henry had never done it before. Given his slowness in keeping up with the times, it might take him another century before he went on his first one.

Mike gave her a curious look before turning back to his desk. "Here we come a-wassailing among—."

"Please don't sing that song in my presence."

Jo looked up at Henry in time to see a scowl cross his face. He cradled a manila folder in his hands.

She looked over at Mike. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. "Why not, Doc?"

Noticing Jo, Henry met her eyes. His expression softened. "I suspect that the beverage in question might have had something to do with my conception."

Mike arched his eyebrow again. "Really?" He smirked. "Your parents got drunk before, well, you know?"

Jo gaped at her official partner. Were Henry's mannerisms rubbing off on Mike? In the past, he could say it in her presence without batting an eye. What gave now?

"My…" Henry's Adam's apple bobbed as he bowed his head and let his eyes dart across the floor. "My dad wasn't an affectionate person." He met Mike's eyes again. "I rarely saw him express his love for my mom or for me. The few times that he had, it was more verbal in nature. I have difficulty imagining him kissing my mom, let alone being more physically intimate with her, without some kind of assistance."

Her heart breaking, Jo found a spot just beyond Henry and hoped Mike didn't notice her reaction. Henry's upbringing—including a natural tendency to call his parents "Mother" and "Father"—was the product of an era relegated to the history books. A time which Henry refused to share with Mike given her official partner's skepticism about the supernatural. If only Mike could suspend his disbelief long enough for them to tell him the truth about their ME, maybe things would be different.

Mike unfolded himself, scooted toward his desk, and folded his hands over its surface. "He sounds like my old man. He gave Anthony and me as little affection as possible growing up. It was too girly for him." He scoffed. "I don't think I ever heard him say that he was proud of me as an adult, come to think about it…."

Henry turned to Jo. She gave him a small smile and a slight nod to let him know he could talk to her about this later. He returned her expression with a slight lopsided smile of his own.

A hum escaped from Mike's throat. His eyes widening ever so slightly, Henry twisted his head toward the other detective. He studied Mike for a moment before looking around the bullpen.

When his attention returned to the pair of investigators, his lips quirked into a small smile. "Are you rehearsing for Sgt. Lior's Christmas party?"

"I—." Mike's right eyebrow rose faster than the rest of his words could leave his mouth. "How do you know about that?"

Jo shifted in her seat, leaned forward, and rested her chest on her crossed arms. This should be interesting.

Henry ran his hand over his hair. "I overheard a couple of my fellow medical examiners discussing their participation in her party while I was on my way up here. Apparently, she had come to the OCME and invited us to join in the festivities." He chuckled. "As far as I know, Lucas hasn't heard about it yet. Something tells me that he will be there once word reaches him."

"What about you, Doc?" Mike's voice shot through Jo before she could speak. "I've wanted to see you on stage during our karaoke nights since the first time I heard you hum. If you're any good at singing—" He maintained his gaze on Henry. "—and I'm not saying you aren't—this could be right up your alley."

Jo opened her mouth to warn Mike to not pressure Henry into making a decision. Henry's unusual silence, though, forced her to look up at him. Her jaw fell open at his narrowed eyes which peered through Mike instead of focusing on him. He rolled his tongue in his mouth as his lips parted.

A glint of light then shined in Henry's eyes. "I think I will take you up on the offer." He huffed. "It'll be good to forget about my worries for a little while. Anyway, I haven't been since Ch…."

His pupils expanded, and his jaw slackened. Jo swallowed. If Mike caught that….

Henry shifted his gaze away from Mike, moved his folder to his other hand, and inserted his free hand into the pocket where he carried his watch. A moment later, he turned to Jo and smiled. "Are you going also, Detective?"

Jo's cheeks warmed at his nickname for her. "I, um, I…."

Her eyes danced in his brown ones. She had nothing better to do during her spare time. Besides, someone needed to prevent Henry and Lucas from blurting out Henry's secret to everyone in the room.

She turned to Mike and then back to Henry. She huffed. How did he always managed to talk her into doing things like this?

"Okay. You've talked me into it. I'm going."

A splash of light beige entered her vision. She nodded toward it. "So, what did you bring us?"

Henry startled for a moment, peeked back at the folder, and extended it toward her. "Boris Farley's death certificate. Toxicology took longer than I had planned, perhaps because I had somehow managed to offend someone in the department. The results, however, confirmed what I've—." He glanced over at Mike. "—suspected."

Jo took the folder from him and opened it. Her eyes landed on his findings. She pulled her lips together. How was she going to explain this to internal affairs if they ever examined her cases? She and Abe were nervous about, but overall okay with, Henry injecting himself with Boris' blood to determine which poison had been used in his death. IA, however, would never understand how Henry's sixth sense of death led to his impatience for toxicology's results.

She closed the file and slipped it into her lower desk drawer. Expecting to hear Henry and Mike's conversation, she twisted toward them. Mike sat at his desk, giving Henry a worried look. Henry, in the meantime, stared into space, his forehead furrowed and the corners of his lips turned down.

Sensing he needed to talk, she pushed herself out of her seat. "Henry."

He blinked rapidly and slowly turned to her. "What?"

"You're coming?"

He opened and closed his mouth. "I—."

She stepped behind him and to his right, took his elbow, and directed him toward the bullpen's entrance. "Looks like you need some coffee." She pivoted back to Mike. "If Lieu asks where I'm at, I'm in the break room."

Mike smirked. "I'll let her know you talked Doc into taking a rare break."

Jo squeezed Henry's upper arm and nudged him away from her official partner. She grinned as Henry moved with her. She had no idea how or why, but his body always seemed to readily obey her silent orders whenever she touched him.

Once away from the bullpen, she joined his side. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and kept his eyes on the ground. She pulled her lips together. She hated seeing him like this. She wished that she could take away whatever pain he was experiencing now.

"Your father, huh?"

Henry pulled his lips together, and his Adam's apple bobbed. "Less about my father and more about myself." He blew some air out of his cheeks. "I sometimes wish I didn't have to hide my condition like I do. Life would be far easier if more people knew about it…."

Memories of Henry's relationship with Erica downed out the rest of his words. Jo shoved them back. Sure, once she had discovered Erica's secret through an arrest for indecent exposure, the woman who was old enough to be Jo's great-great-great-grandmother had been an excellent friend and confidante, and Jo was missing her as well. But, there was something about the woman who stole Henry's heart for almost a year which had made Jo clench her jaw for a moment every time she had seen the pair together.

Jo bit back a growing laugh. She had no idea why they broke up or whose decision it was to end their relationship. Maybe it would explain why Henry was taking it so hard.

She peeked at the floor. That was a pair of mysteries which she would have to leave alone for the time being. It took Henry seven months to confirm what she had suspected since she had first seen the scar on his chest. If he wanted to talk about his current heartbreak, he would come to her when he was ready.

He laid eyes on her. She smiled at him. "When was the last time you went caroling? You've never said a word about it until now."

"A long time ago. Back when…."

A pair of unis strolled by them, escorting a suspect to one of the interrogation rooms. Henry peered over his shoulder and nodded to her colleagues. Jo's eyes and mouth widened.

She mouthed, "Dickens' time?"

Henry nodded. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and gave her a lopsided smile. "Shortly after my return to England from…." Noting another pair of detectives, he smiled and dipped his head at them. "Several doctors and nurses at the hospital where I worked at at the time were infatuated with his novella, and it inspired them to hold a caroling party. They begged me to join them. I was reluctant to go, so they used an emergency call to trick me into accompanying them. The entire time, I was terrified that, well, you know."

She leaned her head back. She could imagine that much.

His eyes roamed her face. "What about you? You haven't sung since your youth."

She considered shooting him a dirty look but decided against it. "I don't like showing it off, but I still sing a bit when I'm alone. Mostly, at this time of year."

"Nothing like the music to get you in the holiday spirit?" He grinned at her.

"You could say that." Even during her rough times, the music almost always lifted her spirits. The only two occasions when it hadn't were after her father's arrest and trial and after Sean's death.

"I can't blame you." His voice wrapped itself around her like a warm blanket. "Somehow, this time of year tend to make most people more cheerful and peaceful."

Henry slowed down just before Jo did. As they neared the break room door, he stepped back to let her in. She smiled as she headed over to the coffee pot and poured them two cups of its contents. Maybe going caroling wouldn't be so bad after all. Who knew? Maybe she would enjoy herself.

What on Earth was he even thinking?!

Henry picked at the pierogies that Abe had prepared for dinner that evening. Ever since his youth, he had always chosen to occupy his time with a small group of close friends. But being around an untold number of people for a particular length of time? He would rather attend one of his father's tiresome dinner parties again than to face the crowd in the present.

"Hey, Pops." Abe's voice sliced through Henry's thoughts. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not very hungry." He speared a pierogi and nibbled a corner. Truthfully, Abe's choices in filling tantalized the older man's tongue and tempted him to shove his thoughts aside until the dish was finished. He, however, felt as though he would barely make it through the morsel on his fork.

Abe lowered his own utensil, pushed his plate aside, crossed his arms, and rested them on the table. "It's not like you to be this quiet. Judging from your appearance and energy, you're not ill or slowly dying from another poison. You're clearly not thinking about Mom or how she died. And you haven't received a message or a call from Adam for several months now."

"Abe…."

Henry set his fork on his plate. A wave of cold air lifted the hairs on his arms as though he was in the East River again. When had his son learned how to accurately read a person's subtle body cues? And how did he know his father's so well? "I would rather not talk about it."

"Is it about Erica?"

"It most certainly is not." When he had joined Jo in the precinct's break room, he had briefly mentioned his and Erica's relationship and the ease which he could discuss his worries with his fellow immortal. Yet, Jo's gentle, unspoken reminder of her own knowledge and acceptance of his condition had put his mind at ease for the remainder of the day. That was, until Lucas had informed him of his acceptance of Sgt. Lior's invitation while the two men were finishing their final autopsy for the day.

"It's been two and a half weeks…."

"I was with her for a year." And he felt that his emotions still hadn't untangled themselves from his memories of her.

Abe met Henry's eyes. "I'm just saying that, since you two ended the relationship amicably, maybe you should consider moving on. Erica comes across as the type who wouldn't want you to be unhappy forever."

Abe's Antiques, New York City, Two and a Half Weeks Earlier

"You want to stay here because of Jo?"

Erica's eyes pleaded with him to tell her the truth. Henry sighed and buried his hands in his pockets. His right one found his watch, and his fingers caressed the cold, smooth metal.

He gulped. The last two times that he had been in this situation, he and Jo—mostly Jo—had argued about her ability to continue their friendship and their professional partnership because of the lies which were necessary to conceal his condition from the world. If they hadn't worked on understanding each other….

"I deserve the truth."

He broke his gaze and studied the space between them. Like Jo had then, Erica deserved the truth now.

He peered over her shoulder at the light rain streaming down the window panes. There had never been an easy way to admit what he was feeling. He had struggled to keep his emotions in check while he had ended his relationship with Molly Dawes before the seeds of love had sprung up. Now would be no different.

Henry summoned his courage and met Erica's gaze. He drew in a deep breath. She might feel betrayed by his heart, but, at least this time, the full truth would be known to both parties.

"Not exactly." He swallowed back his tears. He didn't understand why, but, this time, the idea of leaving New York pained him more than he had assumed.

"Then what?"

"I—." He inhaled again and gathered his thoughts. "Since my return to the city twenty years ago, I had built a life here. And, yes, that life now includes my friendship with Jo." His eyes roamed the golden specks in Erica's eyes. He drew his strength from them. "I, however, don't want to lose what I had built. If I were to flee with you…."

Henry inwardly cursed Erica's former beau. If the cad wasn't intent to expose Erica's condition to the world through a YouTube video—whatever that was—of her most recent death, she would have been free to continue her own life in New York beside the man who loved her. Now….

Erica bowed her head and bounced it several times. Henry's heart sank within him. She had opened up his world more than he had imagined. Abigail had begun to bring his former nature back from the dead, but Adam's contribution to her death had killed his soul as readily as Nora and the asylums had centuries ago. Erica, though, had fully awakened his true self, and, for that, he would always be grateful.

"Erica, don't get me wrong. I still love you, and a part of me always will. It's just…."

She stepped closer to him. "So, this is it?" She offered him a small smile. "Perhaps we can try again in another five hundred years, provided that we still don't have families by then."

He wrinkled his eyebrows. He hadn't considered that before.

Erica wove her way around the coffee table and laid her hand against his cheek. Henry closed his eyes and soaked in her warmth and her touch one final time.

When he opened them, he found Erica gazing at him. "You've found yourself a good woman in Jo. Whatever you do, do not lose her."

"Let her know that I will miss her as well." She huffed. "Too bad she wasn't immortal also. The world always need more women like her."

Erica leaned over and kissed him before strolling through the French doors separating the living room and kitchen. As Henry watched her pluck her purse off the island, take the handle of her suitcase, and walk out of the apartment without looking back, tears soaked the corners of his eyes. He wiped them away. He didn't want to wait five hundred years. He would rather be with her now.

"You've found yourself a good woman in Jo…."

His eyes darted to the side. He furrowed his forehead. Whatever had possessed Erica to say that? He had assumed he had made it abundantly clear that he and Jo were merely friends. Why would she believe otherwise?

Abe's Antiques, New York City, November 28, 2016

Henry peered down at his plate, but the food wasn't in focus. He stuck his fork in an empty space between several dumplings. Perhaps he should have made other arrangements for him and Erica during karaoke night or their nights out at McSorley's. Perhaps she wouldn't have gotten the impression that his heart wasn't entirely hers. Perhaps he wouldn't feel as though he had betrayed her in one of the worst possible ways.

He glanced back at Abe, who had dove back into his meal. His son was right, though. When they would eventually reunite, Erica would be displeased to learn that he hadn't sought out another chance at love and happiness with someone else. Maybe he should reconsider his position on the matter.

The smell of the pierogies grew very faint. Realizing his meal was growing cold, he reluctantly plunged his fork into a pierogie and began to move it toward his mouth.

"You still haven't told me what is wrong."

Henry lowered the fork onto his plate, huffed, and took a sip of his wine. Abe wasn't going to leave the matter alone any time soon.

He set the glass down, picked up his pierogi again, and locked eyes with Abe. Perhaps he should unburden himself of this. Dwelling on it all night wouldn't help him any.

He ate his morsel, and, for once during the meal, he savored the filling's flavor. Abe had really outdone himself this time.

He peered at his son and summoned his courage. "I had somehow agreed to participate in a caroling party."

Abe's eyes lit up. 'And?"

Henry broke his gaze for a moment. "I should have declined the invitation. Although I'm becoming more accustomed to being out and about in public for longer periods of time than I had when your mother was alive, I don't think I can do it now."

Abe found his wine and drank it. "Why not?"

Henry leveled a look at his son before taking a dumpling from the edge of the plate. "Not everyone is as accepting of immortality as the seven of us who know or have known it exists. I cannot predict who might be in the audience or their intent if and when they surmise the truth about me. I…." His voice broke, and he swallowed back tears. "If someone found out, then I would be taken away from everyone I care about for who knows how long, and I don't want that to ever happen."

"Then, if you're worried about it, why did you decide to go?"

Henry thought it over for a moment. He blew a huge puff of air out of his nose. "I want to forget my guilt of my role in my and Erica's breakup. I want to forget that I momentarily considered abandoning the people I care about for the sake of love. I want to do something with Jo, Lucas, and Hanson outside of our usual activities. I…."

He lowered his gaze. "I figured that, if Jo was going, maybe we can spend some time together afterward and talk. I've enjoyed our conversations to and from scenes, the few minutes that we had to ourselves when she comes to the morgue or I had gone upstairs, our meals together before I started dating Erica, and the few times we have talked during our group nights out. Yet, they always seemed to be too short for my personal liking. I…." He picked up his wine and tasted it.

Abe's eyes danced. "So, Jo talked you into it?"

Henry spat out his wine. He hastily replaced his wine glass, yanked his napkin off his lap, and dabbed his lips. As he laid the napkin back in his lap, he glared at the younger Morgan.

"She most certainly did not. I decided to go before she said anything about her acceptance of Sgt. Lior's invitation. In fact, for a couple of moments, I had feared that she would have refused to go." To his relief, she had quickly agreed.

Abe's question rolled in the immortal's mind and mingled with Erica's. Henry studied his son. 'Why do you believe that Jo had been the one to convince me to attend Sgt. Lior's party?"

Abe trained his gaze on him. "Because she always does. You wouldn't have considered splitting your time between the OCME and the NYPD if she wasn't the lead investigator in the train crash which killed you and fifteen others. You wouldn't have started going to McSorley's or out to karaoke bars with the rest of the gang if you didn't want to hang out with her. You—."

"Abraham." Henry's cheeks warmed. "You are not suggesting that I might be more interested in Jo than as a friend and a professional partner."

"I'm not saying that you have a thing for her, but it seems that she has more of an effect on you than almost any other woman outside of Mom."

Henry's eyes widened. "What about Erica?"

"Oh, she had. Even I have noticed you coming out of your shell over the past year, and I'm surprised to see you doing some things that you've said you hadn't done since your mortal life. But it's nothing like the way you act every time you're around Jo."

"Name one instance where that is the case."

Abe met Henry's eyes. "You wouldn't have stayed in New York if, at least on a subconscious level, you didn't feel that there may be more to your and Jo's relationship than just a friendship."

"I…."

He huffed as Abe defiantly stared at him. He did not see a way to argue himself out of this one.

Henry turned back to his plate and decided to finish his meal. His mind flipped through the pages of his memory. He grimaced. Abe was right in one respect. Jo had easily convinced him to reconsider his position on many things since the moment that she had walked into his autopsy room for the first time. If it weren't for her, he would have never summoned the courage to do things outside of work again. He would have never found himself making friends and becoming part of a group again. Nor would he have never opened himself to the idea of starting over after Abigail's disappearance and death.

He grimaced and hoped Abe didn't notice. Besides, even if he had a thing for Jo, he wasn't ready for another romantic relationship just yet. If he pursued one with her now, he might not give his whole heart to her, and he would hurt her if they were to break up. She deserved better than that.

"What time is the party?"

Henry snapped his head up and looked at Abe. "We're supposed to be at Sgt. Lior's apartment in the East Village Wednesday evening. As she is the second in command of the white collar crimes division, I suspect that several of her detectives will be there. Of the other divisions…."

"How about Hanson and Lucas?" Abe finished off the last of his pierogies and wiped his mouth.

"They'll both be there." He cringed at the words on his tongue. "As well as Dr. Washington, two more medical examiners, and a couple of assistants."

"Oh, great." Abe rolled his eyes. "You have to deal with that jerk who thinks he's better than you."

"Abra—."

"What?" Abe stared down his father. "Unlike you, I'm entitled to give my opinion of Dr. Washington." He then smiled. "Maybe your group of friends can keep him away from you until after the party is over."

Henry studied Abe for a moment and then smiled. "That would be a relief. He is rather unbearable to work with."

Henry plucked another pierogi off his plate and enjoyed the bite. He smiled as Abe's words turned over in his mind. Perhaps he had made the right decision after all. He had always enjoyed his time with his friends at the Diogenes Club and with his friends in the present day. Perhaps, even with the risks he would be taking, he would performing in front of people for the first time in centuries.

And if he had the opportunity to spend some time with Jo, it would be wonderful.

Author's Note: All songs quoted in the story are in the public domain (at least in the United States). If I include any copyrighted songs, I'll either give a short summary or mention the title.

The changes in Jo's life and whether Lt. Reece knows about Henry will be mentioned in the next chapters. I think you will be pleased with one of the changes. I'm taking Mike's use of the past tense when talking about his father from the scene where the team discovers the taxi Henry's in at the end of "The Man in the Killer Suit" and the beginning of "Skinny Dipper". For story purposes, Mike and Anthony had buried their father a few years before the Pilot. Lucas learns that Henry is immortal a year and three months before this story starts. How he finds out it is not relevant to the story, but, let's just say his fascination with the horror and sci-fi genres leads to his discovery. And, no, Adam will not be a part of this story.

The information on the revival of Christmas traditions in the Victorian era comes from "A Christmas Carol" on Wikipedia.