He was lying on the couch, arm beneath his head, watching the ceiling. He'd changed from his suit into sweat pants and a t-shirt. He could have found something on television, but he wasn't really in the mood. He wasn't in the mood for much. His third drink was propped on his belly and his mind was all over the map. Typical Christmas.

He frowned at the knock on his door. Who the hell could that be? He wasn't expecting anyone, and who in their right mind would venture out in this snow on Christmas? He rolled off the couch, setting his glass beside the bottle on the coffee table, and went to the door. For a minute he just stared at her, watching the snow melt into her hair. Her face was red from the cold, and she looked...beautiful. He struggled with himself for a minute longer, until she said, "Are we going to stand in the hall staring at each other, or are you going to let me in?"

"Oh, sorry, come on in."

He stepped out of the doorway and let her pass into the apartment, taking her coat as she slid out of it. She turned to face him. "Are you going to tell me what's going on in that head of yours?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I don't understand you right now. Why'd you tell me to stay at my folks? We had plans."

"I...I just didn't think you needed to be with me tonight, that's all."

She noted the bottle on the table. "Bad visit?"

"You could say that."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, and she wasn't surprised. He never wanted to talk about it. "Look," she said. "I'm sorry you had a bad day, but why take it out on me?"

"Take it out...how am I doing that?"

"Sit down, Bobby. I need to talk to you."

Oh, hell...he hated conversations that began that way. They never turned out well. "Eames..."

"No, we are going to discuss this. Now sit down before I knock you down."

She was getting irritated now. He looked surprised, but he sat down. She sat beside him. He averted his eyes, refusing to look at her. She sighed. When he decided to withdraw, she had always let him go, respecting his need to remain in his own mind. But tonight, she wasn't going to do that. Tonight, she was going to get an answer. "I don't understand you."

"I've heard that before." Too many times...from every partner who left after not giving him a chance. She had at least given him a chance...

"So make me understand."

Make her understand? What could she possibly mean by that? "How am I supposed to do that?"

"You use words, genius. You're good with words. Find the words that can explain what's going on inside you."

"I have no idea where I would even start, if I was inclined to even do it."

Which he was not, she was certain. Time to change tactics and approach him from a different direction. "Ok, let's start with this: Why are you pushing me away?"

That one was easy, and he replied almost before he gave it any thought. "Because it's Christmas. You love the holiday. It's always been a happy one for you, hasn't it?"

She could only remember one Christmas that hadn't been...the one right after her husband had been killed. "Yes, but what does that have to do with you changing our plans? How the hell does that make for a happier Christmas for me? I was looking forward to it, Bobby."

"You were?" He risked a look at her. Her face was open, honest. She really had been looking forward to it. God, he'd screwed up again.

"Yes, you idiot. Look, you are going to have to get used to the fact that we are friends and I really do care about you. I enjoy spending time with you, doing things with you. That's what friends do."

Friends? He started to relax, realizing this wasn't an 'I just can't handle you anymore' speech. "I know, but...I just wasn't in a good mood and I didn't want to bring you down."

"Did it ever occur to you that I might bring you up?"

"Uh, no. It didn't." He knew he'd wanted to be with her, but it never crossed his mind that she would be the one to moderate his mood and not the other way around.

"That figures." She got up and went into the kitchen, saying as she went, "Am I right in assuming you haven't had dinner?"

"I guess."

She peeked around the wall. "Yes or no?"

"Yes or no what?"

She sighed. "'I guess' is not an acceptable answer, Goren. Do you want something to eat or not?"

"Didn't you already eat?"

"Don't make me come over there and smack you, dammit."

For the first time that day, he smiled. "I can make my own dinner, Eames. I don't expect you to cook for me."

"And it would surprise me if you did. I'm going to take that as a yes, then, and we're going to have something to eat."

"Another dinner? Where are you going to put it?"

"It's probably going to go right to my hips, which will mean an extra hour in the gym every day for the next month."

Disturbing as it was on so many levels to him, he was enjoying the pictures she was putting into his mind. He got up, picked up the bottle, and went into the kitchen with her. She watched as he put the bottle up in the cabinet. "How much did you have tonight?"

"Not much. I found something better to do."

"Oh? Like what?"

He leaned against the counter and smiled again. She was pleased to see the smile touch his eyes. "A friend stopped by for dinner."

"And a movie," she reminded.

"Ok. Have you decided what we're going to watch?"

"A traditional Christmas movie. Guess."

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas?"

She laughed. She knew he was playing, and she joined the game. "Guess again."

"What do I get if I guess it right?"

"A pat on the back?"

From her, he'd take a pat anywhere. His dark mood was gone, and he was feeling better now. "A Christmas Carol?" he tried again.

"You're teasing me," she accused.

He was. He knew which movie she wanted to watch. "It's A Wonderful Life," he said with certainty.

She looked surprised. "You say that like you know..."

"I do know."

"How?"

"Last year you told me every year you go to your parents' with all your siblings, have an afternoon dinner and exchange gifts. Once the little ones are in bed, everyone sits around and watches It's A Wonderful Life. Since they're probably doing that about now, I figured that is the movie you'd want to watch."

She was amazed. "You remembered that?"

"What I remember would surprise you."

He was right about that. He surprised her every day with what was in that amazing mind of his. She opened the refrigerator. A half gallon of milk, a bottle of ketchup, a quart of orange juice and a six-pack of beer. She opened the freezer. A pound of ground beef and a half gallon of chocolate ice cream, which she'd bought last week when they were working a case. "Geez, Bobby. How do you live on this?"

He shrugged. "I eat out a lot. There's a few cans of tomato soup in the cupboard behind you."

"Tomato soup for Christmas dinner?"

"There are crackers, too."

"Oooh, a gourmet meal."

"It is for a bachelor."

"Ok, fine. The movie is in my coat pocket."

"I have it, too, Eames."

"Really?"

He'd gotten a copy of it when he found out it was one of her favorites, just in case she ever wanted to see it. He'd made it a habit to do that with her favorite movies. "Really."

"I would never guess that as a movie you liked."

"Why not?"

She looked at him. "You strike me as more an adventure movie lover. Or maybe war movies."

He laughed. "You're stereotyping me, Eames. I'll watch any movie you want to watch."

"You will?"

"Yes. I will."

"Terms of Endearment?"

He smiled. "If that's what you want to watch."

She leaned against the counter beside the stove and studied him. She honestly believed what he said. She finally had someone she could watch any movie with, and he wouldn't laugh at her. "Would you watch something like Dr. Doolittle or The Little Mermaid?"

His eyes were bright with affection. "Sure." As long as I watch it with you...

She thought about that as she turned to the cupboard and pulled out a can of soup and a box of crackers. "You don't have much to offer in the way of drinks, either."

"Sorry I don't have chocolate milk and schnapps, but there's a six-pack of coke in the cupboard next to the sink and rum above the fridge."

She loved rum and coke, and again she studied her partner. She knew how observant he was. She just never imagined that his observations would extend to her and the things she liked. Now it struck her that there was every reason they should. It's what friends did. Like how she knew he loved veal parmigan and he'd developed a fondness for strong German beer when he was in the Army. She opened the can. "I still have to drive home."

"Not if you don't want to. You're welcome to stay. I...I would rather you did. It's still snowing, and I'd feel better if you stayed."

She smiled as she poured the soup into a pot. "All right, Bobby. If that's what you want." He tipped his head and looked at her. She glanced at him with a smile. "Get the movie ready. This will only take a few minutes."

He did as she asked, then came back into the kitchen in time to take the bowls from her. She got two cans of coke and the bottle of rum, which she noticed was still sealed. Retrieving two glasses, she filled them with ice, handing them to him with the coke when he came back into the kitchen. She grabbed the crackers and the rum and followed him into the living room, setting them on the table. She crossed the room to her coat and pulled a small package from her pocket. Sitting beside him on the couch, she handed it to him. He looked at it, then at her. "Eames?"

"I got that late in the summer, after your birthday, and it was torture to wait until now to give it to you. Merry Christmas."

He opened it and took out a blue stone, highly polished and carved into the form of a bear, sitting back on its haunches with its head tilted to the side in curiosity. He smiled and looked at her. She returned his smile. "It reminded me of you."

He laughed, turning the bear over in his hands. It was very well carved. Quietly, he said, "Lapis lazuli."

"What?"

"Lapis lazuli. That's what it's carved of. Do you know what lapis signifies?"

"I don't even know what it is."

"It's, uh, it's beautiful." He wasn't going to turn this into a geology lesson, though he easily could have. But he did want her to know what it meant. "It's a stone that symbolizes friendship...specifically harmony in friendship."

The wealth of information stored in his head never ceased to amaze her. "Then it was a good choice."

"A very good choice. Thank you, Eames." He rested his hand on her cheek. "Thank you...for everything."

She rested her hand on his, smiled, and pulled him into a hug. His arms encircled her and held her, and she marveled at how comfortable she felt in his arms. She loved her partner, and that was acceptable. She was certain he loved her, too. But her feelings were beginning to evolve beyond friendship and that troubled her. She was not going to do anything to risk their partnership and she worried that stronger feelings could create an undercurrent of tension between them; she didn't want that. Pulling back, though, she looked into his dark eyes and any thoughts of discomfort fled. No...there was no tension. He was able to put her completely at her ease.

He got up and set the bear on one of his bookshelves. She poured two drinks and picked up the remote, pressing play as he returned to the couch beside her. When they were done eating, he stacked the bowls, setting them to the side. He leaned back into the sofa, but he wasn't sure what to do with his arms. So he stretched them along the back of the couch, hoping she wouldn't think he was making a move, because he wasn't. Holding her drink in her hand, she tucked her legs under her and leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. He was surprised, but pleased. He let his arm come to rest around her, protectively. She was comfortable with him and she enjoyed being with him. She was his partner and his friend, and he couldn't ask for anything more. He wouldn't.

By the time the movie was over, she was sleeping. With little effort, he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Tucking her into his bed, he lightly kissed her temple and left the room. Cleaning up the remains of their dinner, he grabbed a pillow and blanket from the hall closet and made himself comfortable on the couch, flipping through the channels for something to watch until he was able to go to sleep.

Outside the window, the Christmas snow continued to fall over the city. Sirens punctuated the peace of the night and a new case was in the making for them, but for the time being, everything was quiet and peaceful in the apartment, and for a change, Bobby Goren was content.

fin.