After the war came the time apart, and that was worse than what had come before. Warning for PTSD and angst

Immediately post-Vietnam. There are some things that can be faced alone. Christmas isn't one of them.

janet Ingrim is back in King Harbor and this time she is determined to keep Cody. Will Nick be able to forget his fears and feel happy for the best friend he ever had?

After a life threatening injury to one of the detectives, the other two men have to make decisions

The detectives spend the Christmas holidays at Cayce's ranch. No longer guests they are treated like family by everyone - especially her cousins Dan and Josh.

The McKennas, the Riptide detectives and a slew of volunteers put on a Christmas concert at Fort Irwin where Colonel McKenna is currently stationed.

Nick likes hot peppers. So does Cody. But Melba's peppers aren't any ordinary peppers...

There are things that have always been known...

Post-Echoes, What happened on Cody's first day in the sun... Read as preslash or gen smarm

A few minor problems, and one scary incident, as the Riptide detectives vacation at the Lazy M and visit Cayce's wildlife refuge in Nevada.

Vietnam's a long time in the past, but Cody needs downtime to keep it there. When the agency's busy, the past creeps closer than anyone's ready for... Read as slash or gen smarm

After a long day flying, Nick goes looking for Cody set after MPs but before the Riptide: 1979/80

A picture's worth a thousand words. Read as pre-slash or gen smarm

Cayce McKenna celebrates her 25th birthday with her family - blood kin and adopted - with a day at the fair and a barbecue.

Where it all began...

Even a heartbreaker like Nick could use some helpful advice to improve his dating strategy!

1973. Being alone isn't always easy...

Sort of a follow up/tag/What happened next to The Bargain Department. Cody's looking out for Nick who was slightly wounded when he went - too late - to Hub Wheeler's rescue.

Cody's sick and Nick's gotten himself in a little scrape so Murray has to be the Mother Hen this time.

Some dreams are shared...

There's only so much a guy can do alone...

It's easier to make it through the night, if you're not alone... 1972, Vietnam

When Colonel McKenna becomes lost in a snowstorm, enroute to the Lazy M for Christmas, it's up to the senior Riptide detectives and Cayce's hired hands to find him. Nick and Cody reminisce about a prior Christmas when they first met Cayce.

Drabble based on Smiles We Left Behind

Girls came and girls went until Nick lost count. Slash implied