THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS

It had been the warmest fall in New York City history and for the police, that meant that every "bad" guy around took advantage of the warm weather to cause mischief and mayhem. Jane and Sam had been busy for weeks attempting to catch a "serial" liquor store robber, but had not caught the shithead yet. They had even staked out several prime targets but no arrests had been made. Unless you counted the youth that Sam collared with a fake ID, trying to buy beer. Now it was almost Christmas and nothing was right. They had not caught the liquor store robber, Jane had rushed through her shopping, her tree was the ugliest ever and worst of all... Tarzan was upset with her. Jane sighed and re-shuffled the papers on her desk for the tenth time. Ordinarily Jane had great powers of concentration, but today it was all gone.

"Shit girl," Sam started from the next desk, "what is the matter with you?" Sam leaned back in his chair and studied his partner and the "kiss my ass" look on her face.

"Don't tell me that you and monkey man are still fighting? I have never seen Tarz hold a grudge, especially against you. What's up ?" Sam leaned way back in his chair, propped his feet up on the edge of the desk, scratched his ear, then laced his fingers behind his head. His eyes focused on Jane...and he waited...patiently...kind of.

Jane shuffled the papers again and avoided looking at Sam until she heard him clear his throat LOUDLY. When she finally looked up, her eyes were bright with unshed tears and she had to swallow hard to stop them from flowing down her cheeks.

Sam was on his feet in an instant. "Hey, hey, hey," he crooned as he rounded the desk to wrap an arm around Jane's shoulders. "I was there remember, I heard the fight, it was not that bad. What's wrong?"

Jane did not have an answer for Sam. She did not know what was wrong. She and Tarzan had a fight at a stakeout, it should not have been this big a deal, but somehow, it was. Jane and Sam had been watching the store from their car, when Jane spotted Tarzan on the roof of the liquor store. Jane and Sam climbed out of the car and walked casually across the street to the alley.

"Tarzan," Jane had cried softly.

" Jane," came the quick reply.

Jane looked up and saw Tarzan looking over the edge of the roof, his long hair falling around his handsome face like a golden scarf. He sent a huge smile her way, but she was in no mood for any of this.

Jane crossed her arms across her chest, dropped her head for a second, took a deep breath, looked up and said, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Uh oh, I know that look and I am getting out of the line of fire," Sam quipped, moving back a few feet.

Jane stopped breathing as Tarzan stood and dove off the top of the building, long arms out to the side like a cliff diver in Mexico. Halfway down the side of the building was a railing that appeared to be left over from renovations or a balcony that had fallen off years ago. Tarzan caught the railing and swung himself around it several times almost like a gymnast on the high bar...then he let go, flipped twice and landed beside Jane without a misstep.

Tarzan acknowleged Sam's presence with a nod of his head in Sam's general direction but his eyes did not leave Jane, who stood stiffly with her arms still crossed over her chest, a defiant look on her face. He had just scared the shit out of her with that dive off the roof.

Tarzan stepped closer to Jane until they stood toe to toe. Tarzan never acknowledged a person's personal space, he intimidated with closeness. Jane had to bend her neck back just to look up at him. But as far as she was concerned, two could play this game.

Sam rubbed his forehead as if a sudden headache had hit him. He knew what was coming and hoped Tarz could take it.

"I am here to protect you," Tarzan said loudly, leaning his face closer to Jane's.

"I do not need anyone to protect ME, I can take care of myself. This is my job!" Jane yelled up at Tarzan.

Sam dropped his hand and stared at Tarz. He had never heard Tarz raise his voice to Jane. The two of them reminded him of bulls butting heads out of sheer orneriness.

Tarzan's eyes blazed and he crossed his own arms across his massive chest. "I protect what is mine!", he yelled back.

"Who said I am yours?" Jane flung up at him.

As soon as the words left Jane's mouth, she regretted them, and quickly looked up to tell Tarzan she was sorry. But he was already gone.

Jane turned confused eyes to Sam, who simply pointed UP. Following the direction Sam pointed, Jane saw Tarzan disappear over the edge of the roof.

That had been two days ago. Jane had waited each night for Tarzan to show up, but he had not. She laid in her bed and could almost feel his warm hands touch her skin, his breath on her neck and his kiss on her lips. But it was a dream, because Tarzan was not there.

Sam knelt beside Jane's chair and spoke from his heart.

"Partner, you know I love ya, girl. But you are missing a point here. Look at how much Tarz has learned and changed since meeting you. What you are forgetting is that there was more to his life in the jungle than trees and animals trying to kill him. He had a family that loved and cared for him and he loved and cared for them in return. They may have been apes, but that family love was real. And in that family, it was his responsibility as their leader to protect the females and the young. For one minute, imagine how Tarz feels here in this concrete jungle. He loves you, Jane, and his natural instinct is to protect you from all the "animals" that roam our streets. Go talk to the man , Jane. Tell him what is in your heart."

"I will Sam, I will."

" When Jane ... when?" When Sam saw the confusion in Jane's eyes, worry and fear hit his heart. If two people who loved each other as much as Tarzan and Jane did could not make it, then there was no hope for his sorry ass.

Jane stood and walked to the front door of the precinct, hoping to spot Tarzan along the roof line. But he was not there. Her heart felt like someone had it pinched in a vice. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. If he did not come to her tonight, then tomorrow she would to go him. Turning, Jane walked slowly back towards her desk, feeling more alone than she ever had in her life.