I posted chapters 5 and 6 of this like, less than a week ago. I checked my email a few days after I posted, and there were like, 10 reviews from all you guys. I had no idea this fic was so popular! :-D

2300 ZULU

THE ROBERTS' RESIDENCE

OUTSKIRTS OF DC

Clay swallowed a bit before ringing the doorbell. The Roberts may have invited him to the party, but how was he to know how well things would go? The door opened, a little too quickly for Clay, and he swallowed once more and took a breath to greet the door-opener. He let the breath back out, disoriented, as he saw that no-one was at the door. Clay looked down.

"Mommy?" Little A.J. looked up at Clay, half in curiosity, half in fear. Clay smiled down at him uncertainly. A.J. grinned back bashfully as Harriet hurried over. Clay noticed that there was almost nobody there yet.

"Mr. Webb!" Harriet pulled A.J. out of the doorway and gestured for Clay to come in, smiling cheerfully. "Please, come in!" Her face shone, either from cooking or excitement, Clay couldn't tell. He stepped in, and A.J. slammed the door shut. Clay jumped. "Can I take your coat?" Harriet spread her hands.

"Uh, yes, please." Clay took his coat and scarf off, and handed them to Harriet, smiling a tad hesitantly. Harriet didn't notice, and hurried to the master bedroom with Clay's coat.

"Honey, will you take Mr. Webb to the living room?" Clay didn't quite get that until he felt A.J. tugging on his pant leg. Clay took another breath as he followed A.J. into the living room. Bud was there, talking with Harm over some beer. Bud smiled, a little less cheerfully than Harriet, and walked over to Clay.

"Hello, Mr. Webb," Bud said formally as he held out his hand. Clay smiled back (or tried to).

"Hello, Lieutenant. Merry Christmas." Clay shook Bud's hand.

"Merry Christmas to you too, sir." Clay decided not to say anything about off-duty-ness, or telling Bud not to call him sir. Harm grinned as Harriet called to Bud from the kitchen. Bud, seeming glad for the interruption, hurried out. Harm nodded to Clay.

"So, you decided to come after all?" He smirked. Clay merely nodded back. Harm sat down in a chair, a little disappointed with Clay's response. Clay followed his lead and sat down too.

"Well.?" Harm leaned forward.

"Well, I've been discharged, and I'm supposed to take it easy for a few days." Clay leaned back. He looked around. There were quite a few presents piled up on the floor. For some reason, Clay really hoped none of them were for him. Then the doorbell rang again.

"Mommy?" Both Harm and Clay looked out to the door as A.J. opened it. Mac walked in, and Sturgis managed to make it before A.J. slammed the door again. Bud hurried out to get their coats, and A.J. led them into the living room too. Mac smiled as she walked in; Clay and Harm both stood up. Harm shook Sturgis' hand heartily, and gave Mac a hug. Clay just stood there, feeling a little self conscious. Sturgis smiled and shook Clay's hand.

"I presume you are Mr. Webb?" Clay grinned.

"Your presumptions are correct, Commander Tuner." Sturgis smiled wider.

"Thank you. For the watch. It was extremely thoughtful of you." Clay kept from scratching his neck.

"You're quite welcome," he swallowed imperceptibly. Sturgis grinned and stepped back as Mac walked over.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. Clay shrugged.

"I'm fine, as long as I don't see peanuts." Mac laughed and hesitated a second before hugging him. Clay stiffened, then relaxed again as Mac stepped back.

"I'm glad you're alright." She told Clay, her forehead creased in a slight frown.

"Thank you." Clay meant it, and hoped she could see that. Harm licked his lips.

"What was it with the whole peanuts thing?" he asked curiously. Sturgis began to look interested. Clay shrugged.

"Uh.I think I ate something earlier that had something to do with that. Possibly the ice cream." Harm shrugged as the doorbell rang again. The Admiral walked in; A.J. had opened the door again. He had also slammed it again. The Admiral strode over to Harm and the others, shaking hands and smiling.

"Well, I see we are up and about?" A.J. couldn't help but smirk at Clay. Clay just shook his head.

"Yeah," he said, simply. One thing Clay hadn't noticed before was that more presents had piled up in the corner. Once more, the doorbell rang.

"Mommy?" Another slam. Tiner hurried into the living room as well, carrying a platter of vegetables. Bud and Harriet followed, carrying drinks and a fruit bowl; they put them on the table with the veggies. Little A.J. carefully placed a stack of napkins on the table, and Bud turned on some music. Clay sat down in a chair as the others began to mingle with one another, and talk. He overheard Harriet say something about Commander Manetti not being able to make it. He looked around, hating himself for feeling left out.

Clay sat in the same chair most of the evening. The others had tried to hold conversations with him, and he had tried to be polite and talk with them, but after a while, they all went back to talking with each other. Harm had played cards with him for a while, and little A.J. had even played a board game with Clay; A.J. got bored faster than Clay did. Clay looked at his watch. About 8 'o-clock. Harm and Mac looked over at Clay as his cell phone rang. Clay answered it.

"Hello?" he asked softly. He listened for a few seconds. "Alright." Clay hung up. Standing up, he put his phone back in his pocket.

"Who was that?" Mac looked at him questioningly.

"Classified," Clay responded automatically. Harm frowned at him. Clay looked up. "It was my boss," he amended. He walked over to Harriet. "Would you mind getting my coat? There's a matter at the office that calls for immediate attention. Specifically, my immediate attention."

"Of course," Harriet hurried to the bedroom. In less than a minute, she was back. Clay shouldered his way into his coat, and wrapped his scarf around his neck. Harm walked over and shook Clay's hand.

"Well, Merry Christmas Clay. Next time, you'll have to stick around longer." Clay shrugged.

"Guess so." Clay was about ready to go out the door; Mac caught him first. She gave him a quick hug.

"Merry Christmas, Clay." Clay half smirked/half smiled at her.

"Now, just so you know, I don't bond very well, Colonel." He opened the door. The rest of the people in the living room called a few muffled and distracted good-byes. Clay walked out on the porch and closed the door. It was snowing again. He got in his car, shaking the show off of himself, and drove off.

0200 ZULU

PRIVATE AIR FIELD

OUTSKIRTS OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

"Mr. Webb, are you ready?"

"Yes. Where is it?"

"Here," the operative handed Clay a manila envelope and closed the door to the personal jet. Clay began reading as the plane took off.

"Mr. Webb, we won't be arriving there for quite a few hours." Another operative poked his head out of the cockpit as he addressed Clay. He tossed Clay a single serving-sized carton of egg nog and a package of store bought cookies. "You may want to enjoy what's left of your Christmas, sir."

"I'll take that into consideration." Clay opened the egg nog and took a sip as he began reading through the files.

".should use extreme caution." Clay popped a cookie into his mouth.

"This is a dangerous one. Is there any chance we won't be coming back." The operative looked at Clay curiously. He retreated back into the cockpit quickly as Clay glared at him. Another newbie? Clay flipped his head back and drained the last of the egg nog as he began cleaning and loading his Glock determinedly. Hopefully, if Clay had anything to say about it, a few more people would be able to sleep peacefully tonight.

End