Doggett walked the entire area of the hospital before finding his father. He was sitting
in a waiting room alone. He looked tired. Doggett sat down beside him.

"Ma's awake."

"What? You're serious?"

"Yeah, the doctors are with her now."

"Well that's one piece of good news I guess."

"How's Bobby?"

"You really care?"

"Yes I care. Jesus dad. You think it was easy for me to do what I did? He was gonna kill her."

"And you took the risk of killing him."

"It was a risk I was prepared to take."

"Well I hope you can live with the choice you made. I'm not sure I could."

"Well you don't have to, so that wont be a problem will it. Ma's asking for you, when you get a minute from acting like the best guy in the world just got shot you should go see her."

"Fine."

"I wasn't gonna let her die. You just have to live with that." Doggett got up and walked away from his father. He was angry and upset that his father had reacted this way. He did what he had to do.

He went back to Reyes' room and she was still sleeping. He went and sat beside her bed and gently took her hand into his own. He kissed her softly and she slowly opened her eyes.

"John..."

"Hey. How you feeling?"

"Good." She tried to sit up but couldn't manage it.

"Maybe not so good. Lie down. Got some great news. My ma's awake. She's gonna be ok."

"John that's great news. I'm happy for you."

"Yeah, we all thought we'd never hear her yell at us again."

"I bet your dad's over the moon."

"Yeah." Doggett's quiet response was no mask for what he was hiding. Reyes knew there was something wrong.

"What is it? What happened?"

"My dad's not happy with what I did."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"I shot Bobby. He was gonna kill you." Reyes looked away from Doggett and tears formed in the back of her eyes.

"My God. I thought I'd dreamt it."

"Well you didn't. It was real."

"But John..."

"Get some rest. I'll leave you in piece."

"John wait..."

"Look, I've explained myself to my parents, my dad's the only one with a problem. Don't worry about it."

"But he's your brother."

"Yeah, and I wasn't going to let him come between... Between you and me. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't lose you."

"John..."

"There's my big brother!" Doggett and Reyes turned simultaneously to the loud voice coming from the doorway.

"Kate?"

"Does your baby sister get a hug?"

"My God!" Doggett stood up and walked over to his sister, he hugged her and then introduced her to Reyes, Reyes was embarrassed. She looked tired and a mess, if she was going be meeting new family members she wanted to look a little more respectable.

"Hi, nice to meet you."

"You too. John and I should let you rest. I'm sure he's not left your bedside since you got
here. I've just spoken to mom."

"She tell you about Bobby?"

"Yeah. You did the right thing John."

"When did you get here?"

"About an hour ago. Jet lag is a bitch, it may be two thirty in the afternoon for you guys,
but for me it's seven thirty, and I'm so tired!" Reyes smiled. Kate reminded her of John when he was in a playful and happy mood. She looked like the kind of person that never stopped being happy. Doggett looked back at Reyes and smiled.

"You get some rest, I'll call back later."

"Ok." They headed out and Kate turned back.

"Really, lovely to meet you."

"Thanks, you too." They walked out and Reyes looked out of the window. It was snowing. She closed her eyes for just a second, and fell fast asleep. Doggett and Kate sat outside their mother's room and were really pleased to see each other.

"It's been so long."

"I know. I'm sorry I couldn't get back for... Well, for you, and Luke."

"I know. But you'd only been in London for like two months, you couldn't have left your job and flown back that soon."

"I felt terrible. And then you and Barbara divorced, I just wanted to be here for you."

"I did ok."

"Well, I'm sure that if Monica was here to help you then you did do ok."

"Kate..."

"I know I know, little sis keep your nose out. She's very pretty."

"Kate..."

"Alright alright. But you should know that ma's practically planning a wedding for the two of you in there."

"Oh gees, you're kidding me?"

"Nope."

"Great. You seen dad yet?"

"No. But mom told me he's pissed at you."

"Yeah. Just a little."

"Don't worry about it. He'll realise that you did what you had to do."

"I don't know. Maybe he's right."

"No John."

"Well what kinda guy shoots his brother?"

"It's not as if you were close! I mean before I left for London we didn't see him from one week to the next, and he was always in trouble with the police. You busted him once before. He didn't have a hope and you didn't have a choice. Look at it this way, if Monica had been killed and Bobby walked out of there in one piece, would you feel better now or worse."

"I couldn't have lived with myself. I could never have let that happen."

"Well than that's all you have to think about. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks,
besides you know mom and dad, when she gets a hold of him he'll be following her line of thought in no time."

Doggett smiled and turned to Kate who was grinning at him from ear to ear. He hugged her and was so glad that she'd come back. He almost asked her to stay for good but stopped himself and just held her. She was a grown woman now, he couldn't tell her what to do. As they pulled apart their father was standing over them he looked thrilled to see Kate and she leapt into his arms.

"Hey daddy! It's so good to see you!"

"Well it wouldn't hurt you to visit more often."

"Daddy. How's Bobby?" He looked at Doggett and then back to Kate.

"They say he's gonna be fine. The bullet went clean through. There's police all over the place, he's not going anywhere."

"At least he's ok. John obviously knew what he was doing, I mean that the bullet wouldn't have caused any serious or permanent damage."

"Yeah. I guess so. Well, I better check in with your ma. Kate sweetie, John'll take you home to drop off your bags and get something to eat, then you can come back here and sit with your ma, she'd like that."

"Sure daddy. I'll just go in and say bye." Kate went inside and Doggett looked at his father. He wouldn't look back at him and Doggett felt hurt that he was taking this so badly. He'd hated the life Bobby was leading for more years than he could remember, and now they had him, they could make him pay for his crimes and hope that he'd want to change. But Bobby had killed a man, had taken an FBI agent hostage and assaulted her. He was going to prison for a very long time.

"Ok John, I'm ready lets go."

"Sure." They walked off and their father went into his wife. She smiled at him and held out her hand to him. He went over to her and sat beside her. He kissed her and she smiled again. But then the smile went and she started to frown.

"Now you listen to me Frank Doggett, John did what he had to do to save that woman. He loves her, and your bone headed grumpiness about one of your boys being shot will not make anymore trouble for this family do you hear me? Let it go. Leave Bobby to the people that know best how to deal with him. We never could. John's a good boy, the best son we coulda hoped for. Don't hold this against him; don't let this lose you two sons in one day. We clear on that?" Frank smiled and then laughed at his wife.

"Boy. You think we could get you to sleep for a few days again? Cause I was getting used to the quiet and absence of nagging."

"You can joke Frank! But I aint goin no where, and you will tell your son that you are proud of him, and that you want him to be happy. It took real guts and balls to do what he did today. It's in his genes." Frank looked at his wife and couldn't believe she could possibly be paying him a compliment.

"On my side of the family of course." There it was, that was the wife he knew and loved.

The next day Reyes was discharged from the hospital on the condition that she was looked after by some one for a few days. She'd called Scully and arranged to stay with her over the New Year whilst she got back on her feet. She hadn't called Doggett or seen him since his sister arrived, and she was glad that things were working out for him and his family. As she packed her things at her motel, there was a knock at the door and she opened it to a frowning Doggett.

"Hi."

"Hi? All you say is hi? Do you know how much I panicked when I went to your room this morning and you weren't there?"

"Oh."

"Yeah oh. Gees Monica, don't do that to me." She smiled and laughed quietly.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea you'd be visiting. I was going to call you from the airport."

"Airport?"

"Yeah. I got a flight back to DC just before midnight."

"But it's New Years Eve, you shouldn't be alone on New Years Eve, and you need to rest, not be flying across the country."

"Ok John, calm down. I wont be alone. I'm staying with Scully for a few days. The doctor only let me leave on the condition that I had someone take care of me whilst I got my strength back."

"Oh I see." It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he wanted to take care of her,
that he wanted her to spend New Years with him, and his family. But he couldn't. She'd clearly made her choice and would rather go home. But Reyes was waiting for just one word from him; just to hear him say he wanted her to stay would have been enough for her to cancel her flight and stay. But as they stood looking at each other with an awkward silence between them nobody spoke.

"Well, I um. I'd love to say good bye to your family, if that's ok?"

"Sure. Yeah. I'll take you to the airport, and we'll stop by on the way."

"Thanks." Doggett picked up her bags and walked out. Reyes watched him go and sighed as she realised that he may never feel about her the way she felt about him.

At the hospital the time flew by. Reyes had a great time chatting with Doggett's mother
and sister. His father wasn't there, he was finding out what would happen to Bobby. Doggett felt awkward without his father there, it wasn't right, but he understood how he felt, and just sat and tried to not feel uncomfortable with all the stories that his mother and sister were relaying about his childhood.

"Wow John I'm learning about a whole other side to you."

"Yeah, well it's not exactly something I'd like broadcasting." They all laughed and then Reyes looked at her watch.

"Oh wow, I better get going. We need to leave enough time for you to get back here to see in the New Year with your family."

"Sure."

"It's really good of the hospital to let you all stay here until midnight."

"Yeah well, when you get to know my mother better you'll know that the hospital had no choice."

"Well! I told them, I said they either let me go home or they let you all stay."

"Ma you're weak."

"I could still take your father."

"Well, that's not the point." More laughter filled the room and Reyes stood up.

"Well, it was great to meet you both, Kate, Mrs Doggett."

"Don't Mrs Doggett me you make me feel old, Rosey will do fine."

"Well thank you for the wonderful stories Rosey. It was a pleasure."

"You too, get John to bring you with him the next time he visits."

"Sure, I'd like that."

"Bye bye dear."

"Bye."

The drive to the airport was a silent one. Neither of them spoke a word. It was only half
past ten when they arrived, and Doggett felt bad to just leave her there whilst he went back to the hospital.

"You sure you don't want me to wait until you get on the plane?"

"No, go. Really I'll be fine, I got a good book to read, the time will fly by. Go back to your family John."

"Well if you're sure."

"I'm positive." Doggett smiled and Reyes smiled back at him.

"I'll come see you as soon as I'm back in DC, probably be a few days."

"Sure, whenever you're ready."

"Well, I should get back."

"Yeah."

"Bye." Doggett leaned in to kiss Reyes and she more than welcomed it, but at the last minute he turned and kissed her cheek. She smiled at him weakly and turned into the airport. Another New Year they were both to welcome in alone. When Doggett got back to the hospital he went into his mother's room and both she and his sister looked passed him when he entered.

"You two expecting someone?"

"Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Monica! You two spoke to each other right?"

"Yeah, we said bye, and see ya in DC."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. What else were you expecting?" His mother rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Oh John, how you ever got married is beyond me. You've got about as much insight into matters of the heart as your father!" Kate stood up and took her brother's hands into her own.

"John, she adores you, and my God after what you did yesterday we know that you love her."

"What are you talking about?"

"You think that she just sat in here to be polite and pass the time? She wanted to be here, she wanted to be with you."

"I don't think so."

"Oh John! I swear if another stroke isn't the death of me you will be!"

"But she's just a friend."

"She's in love with you."

"Then why did she leave for DC?"

"Because you didn't ask her to stay!" Doggett looked from his sister to his mother and back again. How could they be right about this? How could he not have seen it himself.

"What do I do now?!"

"Go! Go after her! If you hurry you'll make it before the plane takes off!"

"Right." He turned to leave and then came rushing back.

"What do I say if I catch her?"

"Try I love you, will you please stay with me."

"Right." He ran out and his mother and Kate were giddy with excitement.

"Good luck!" As he ran out he bumped into someone and stopped to apologise. It was his father.

"Dad."

"You goin somewhere?"

"Yeah, I um, I gotta tell Monica something."

"I see. Well, I wont keep you."

"Right. Thanks." Doggett turned away and his father took his arm.

"I'm proud of you son. You did the right thing. And she's a good woman, very pretty. Go get her." Doggett smiled and hugged his father before running to his car and taking off faster than he ever thought a car could.

Reyes looked at the departure boards, as there was an announcement that her flight was
ready to board. She picked up her things and headed towards the gate with her passport and ticket at hand. She was desperate to get home; she just wanted to sleep in her own home in her own bed. As she handed her ticket to the woman at the desk she heard someone calling her name. She turned around and thought she was imagining things as Doggett came running through the departure lounge calling out her name.

"John?"

"Monica, you got a sec?"

"Not really, I gotta go, what is it?" Doggett was desperately trying to get his breath back and not let Reyes get on her flight.

"I have to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"Stay. Stay here. I'll take care of you until you feel better."

"What?"

"Please Monica, if you don't my ma and Kate will never forgive me."

"So they sent you after me?"

"Pretty much. But only because they made me realise something that I'd been too stupid to realise myself."

"What's that?"

"Monica. I um. I love you. I'm in love with you, and I don't want you to go back to DC without me. I've been in love with you for so long, and I've just been so wrapped up in other things, like not thinking about how much I love you, to actually admit it to myself. I couldn't live without you, I need you, you mean so much to me. Please stay. There's no one else I'd rather spend New Years with. Please say something so that I know I did this right and haven't done it wrong."

Reyes smiled and smiles turned to grins as she felt as if it were Christmas all over again. She dropped her bags and flew into Doggett's arms. They stood hugging and as they pulled back they could hear people around them counting down to the New Year. Doggett leaned in to Reyes to kiss her and this time he didn't chicken out. As the clock struck twelve, they struck each other's hearts and kissed. When they parted they held each other close and couldn't stop smiling.

"Happy New Year Monica."

"Happy New Year John."

THE END