"No Efraim this year?" asked Amanda looking around the room where the Agency Christmas Eve party was in full swing.

"No, he took the morning off to drive his parents to the airport and since he's on duty tomorrow, Billy told him to take the rest of the day unless he really wanted to come to the party." Francine was busy loading her plate with the very best goodies from the table.

"You seem to know a lot about his movements," teased Amanda. "But it sure will be a duller party without him providing the usual entertainment."

"Oh we don't need Efraim here to have fun," smirked Francine. "Not when we have Lee ready and able to put his foot in it again."

It was true – the story of how Francine had been invited to Christmas dinner as, in Lee's words, his "backup", had flown around the Agency and he'd spent the week laughing it off through gritted teeth. Amanda had come in for her fair share of teasing as well, with questions about whether Scarecrow thought her old Arlington Bombers jacket meant she was in cahoots with a gang of bad guys, but Lee had definitely borne the brunt of it. It didn't matter how much he explained it away as a slip of the tongue, it was the fact that he'd invited an ex-girlfriend to his current girlfriend's house that caused most of the merriment – especially since it was painfully obvious to everyone that he was still deluded enough to think no one knew he and Amanda were dating at all.

"I'm not even sure he's coming downstairs," Amanda answered shaking her head. "You know what he's like."

Francine nodded. "Better than he used to be, though."

"Oh he's showing up," said Billy at Amanda's elbow. "He's under orders."

"You've ordered him to come and have fun?"

"Something like that," Billy chuckled wheezily. "I told him Santa was coming with the bonus checks and he had to be here in person to get it."

"He fell for that?" said Francine. "He thinks our ever-decreasing tiny budget is going to extend to bonuses?"

"I'm sure he didn't. He just likes to get to grumble about it." He shot a grin at Amanda. "You know what he's like."

Amanda smiled serenely and didn't answer. Billy had told them months ago that he was fine with them having a relationship and then he had stepped back and left them to it without another word. If memos about senior positions at State Department happened to find their way to the Q Bureau more often, or if she found herself pre-approved for training that more and more paved the way for her to gain seniority… well, who knew why? She still felt bad that they'd kept their marriage a secret from him, but if there was one thing she'd learned from being a spy – the fewer people who were in on a secret, the less chance it would get out.

"Ho ho ho!" boomed a voice from the doorway to the bullpen. "Merry Christmas, boys and girls!" They all turned in time to see Santa Claus himself walk in.

"Bet you're glad you're not stuck with that job this year," Francine nudged Billy with her elbow.

"Yes, but who is?" he asked in confusion. "I thought it was going to be Samuels from Cryptography but he's over by the punch bowl."

Santa was working his way through the crowd, shaking hands and handing out small packages. Amanda smiled to herself, certain she knew who it was, and waited for him to come closer. The jolly old elf took his time getting close to them, stopping to joke with the girls from the steno pool, and making them blush, before finally turning to greet the trio of friends.

"Well, Merry-" Amanda stopped dead. She'd been sure it was Lee under all the padding, but it was dark brown eyes that twinkled out at her from under the bushy white brows.

"Why, Amanda Jean King, have you forgotten how the rest of it goes?" Santa teased her in a gruff voice.

"Of course not, Santa, I just… Merry Christmas," she answered, still studying him. It was obviously a younger man – the rosy cheeks that peeked out over the beard and the laugh lines around the eyes were enhanced with make-up but she couldn't shake the feeling she knew who it was under all that.

"I should hope so – I wouldn't want to have to put you on the naughty list," teased Santa.

"Oh I'm pretty sure she's on that already," said Francine, cheerfully. Amanda noticed that she was also studying him carefully. "I've learned the hard way you shouldn't underestimate a housewife."

"Now, now Francine. You're going to slip off the nice list if you're not careful. And Santa was so impressed that you'd finally made it on there this year."

"Well, as delightful as that may be, I don't think it will be good for my reputation in our circles if anyone were to think I would stoop to being nice."

"Don't worry – your secret is safe with me," chuckled Santa. "But maybe you should get your present now, while you're still on there." He lifted his sack onto the table and began to dig through it, amusing his audience by setting aside packages that were tagged with things like "For Leatherneck – please open outside for everyone's safety" and "Fred – who has narrowly missed getting coal - again". With a grunt of satisfaction, Santa pulled out a golden box and handed it to Francine whose face had lit up. "No need to tell you what this is."

"Oh Santa Baby! You know you can hurry down my chimney anytime if you bring me the Ecstasy Assortment!" exclaimed Francine, with a smile. She leaned forward to give him a kiss on the cheek, then stepped back with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Something wrong?" asked Santa, mischievous look in those dark eyes.

"Of course not," she answered promptly. "What could be wrong with Santa Claus?"

"Indeed. And right now, Santa needs to go finish handing these out," he heaved the sack back onto his shoulder.

"Wait a minute – don't you have anything for Amanda?" Francine asked.

"Of course I do – but I always save the gifts for the nicest boys and girls for last," winked Saint Nick as he walked away and approached another group of people with a loud "ho, ho, ho!"

"Can you figure out who it is?" asked Amanda, still watching him.

"No – I thought getting in close for that kiss would help, but he just smells of cheap aftershave and mothballs – or at least the costume does."

"You know, just for a minute, I was sure it was Lee," Amanda admitted.

"Me too," confirmed Francine. "Four years ago I would have laughed at that idea but you have your own magic, Amanda King – I don't know what you did, but somehow you made it possible to believe that Scrooge could turn into Santa."

Amanda was blushing scarlet now. "He was hardly Scrooge..."

"Well, maybe not," Francine acknowledged. "My vast collection of scarves says there was always some of the young Ebenezer in there."

"I think I've steered him away from those this year," dimpled Amanda.

"Any chance you've steered him toward the jewellery counter?" asked Francine with a pointed look at Amanda's hand.

"I'm pretty sure Lee is allergic to that part of the store," Amanda answered with an innocent air. "I think this year he might have moved on to funny coffee mugs."

Francine stared at her, trying to decide if she was serious, before shaking her head and turning to watch Santa move around the room. It was obvious that everyone was doing what they were doing and trying to figure out who it was, but for now, it seemed that Santa had stumped them all.

"Do you think it's possible we've been infiltrated?" asked Amanda, doubtfully. "Maybe he's a spy."

"Amanda, we're all spies," Francine pointed out.

Amanda gurgled with laughter. "You know what I mean!"

"I do, but no, I don't think he is… there's just something so familiar about him."

"Paul Barnes maybe?"

"No – too tall," Francine answered.

"But he's wearing boots – maybe they have lifts," Amanda commented.

Francine considered that for a moment. "No, his nose is too narrow. You can fake a fatter nose but you can't make a broad one skinny."

"Efraim, then."

"He'd have walked into furniture by now. He can't see without his glasses – and that's a nice pair of wire rims that Santa's wearing but they're nowhere near thick enough for his prescription."

"He could be wearing contact lenses," offered Amanda.

There was a moment of silence, then they both gasped with realization.

"Magda!" they said simultaneously.

They turned to stare at Santa, who was across the bullpen handing out the last of the packages, and had moved perilously close to the mistletoe Leatherneck had hung across the doorway.

"I dare ya," said Francine with a grin.

"Oh no, not me – if it's him, it'll just confirm what everyone in here already thinks," said Amanda wrinkling her nose.

"But what everyone already thinks is true, Amanda!" scoffed Francine.

Amanda turned to gaze at her. "Is it?"

"Well, you're not fooling…" started Francine, then stopped. "Oh. I see what you mean. They all think…"

"That Scarecrow's just whiling away the hours with me? Yes." Amanda looked around the room, then back at her. "You and Billy are probably the only ones who understand him well enough to know that's not true."

"Efraim's onto you too," replied Francine. "But he got to know Lee later than most of them so he's really only seen him post-housewife."

Amanda nodded, then began to grin. "So I can't go over there but you could…"

Francine gave an unladylike snort of glee. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Mind? I'm asking! He thinks he's so smart!" Amanda complained. "Look at him! He thinks he's fooled us – let's torture him just a little bit, make him suffer."

"Well, that's my kind of Christmas spirit! And this is turning into my lucky week for taking men down a peg or two!" Francine caught Amanda's questioning look and went on, "I'll tell you all about my date last night later, but for now, sit back and watch this." She handed Amanda her box of chocolates for safekeeping and set off, sashaying across the room like a lioness after an antelope.

Santa saw her coming and even through the make-up, Amanda had to giggle at the hunted look that came over what little of his face wasn't hidden by beard. She moved up closer so that she could make sure to hear everything that happened.

"You know, I have always had such a thing for older men," cooed Francine, walking her fingers up Santa's chest.

"Really?" asked Santa desperately. "I heard you were pursuing someone younger." There were a few muffled guffaws from those within earshot.

Francine's fingers stilled then twisted themselves in the front of his coat. "Oh no," she said sweetly, but her eyes had hardened. "A younger man has enthusiasm… and imagination… and, unlike an old man like yourself… stamina…"

Santa gulped.

"But there's still a lot to be said for age and experience," Francine continued. "The generosity, the years of practice… and of course, let's not forget familiarity…"

"Familiarity?" croaked Santa, as her hand caressed his thigh and he twisted to get away.

"Well, of course," said Francine with a perfectly arched brow. "Who could be more familiar than Santa? I feel like I've known you for years…" She ran a hand up the side of his face and pushed the fuzzy hat up, just enough to fully reveal his left ear. Amanda stifled a giggle at the sight of that extremely familiar, pointed ear.

"Elf ears for a jolly old elf" she smiled to herself.

"I don't think a nice little girl should be doing what you're doing with that hand right now," said Santa desperately.

"Everyone knows I'm not nice," answered Francine. "Or a girl," she added forcefully.

"My mistake," squeaked Santa, forgetting to maintain the gruff voice for a moment.

"Oh that wasn't your only mistake," growled Francine. "Look up."

What Santa hadn't realized – but everyone else in the room had - was that Francine had been slowly moving him backward until he was directly under the mistletoe. He looked up as ordered, then back down with an expression of sheer panic.

"Santa Baby," drawled Francine. "I really need to thank you properly for my present, don't you think?" She wrapped her hand around the back of his head and pulled him down forcefully, and pressed her lips against his while he struggled to get away – again, much to the amusement of an attentive audience. When she suddenly finally released him, he staggered back, almost falling onto his backside, but catching himself in time.

Now scarlet, he looked over at Amanda who was watching it all with a wide-eyed look of innocence that he interpreted correctly immediately. He looked back at Francine who was grinning at him with pure glee.

"Why, Santa, I would have thought a man of your years would be a much better kisser," she teased.

Santa shook himself off and rocked on his heels gently. "Well, you know, I'm just out of practice. It's been a long time since I've kissed anyone but Mrs. Claus."

"That would explain it," smirked Francine. "Domesticity ruins all the best men for the rest of us."

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," murmured Amanda, lips twitching. There was a bark of laughter from Billy who had walked up behind her and heard the quiet utterance.

"Desmond!" he called. "Release that poor elf and let him get on with his business."

"If I must," she sighed, turning to join Amanda. "Turns out a good man isn't hard to find at all – it's just that they're just so boring when you do find them."

"Oh that reminds me," said Santa, bravely re-entering the fray. "There was one more present for you in the bag."

"For me?" Francine's brows snapped together in confusion.

"For you," confirmed Santa, holding it out, a small narrow box.

"From you?"

"Oh no," smiled Santa. "I just found it in there. I can't imagine who it's from."

Francine took the proffered package suspiciously and slowly unwrapped it, while Amanda crowded in to see. It was a bracelet, silver with lapis lazuli stones that were almost the same color of blue as her eyes.

"I… what?" she stuttered, looking up.

"Very pretty," commented Santa. "Blue and silver and eight jewels? I feel like that must mean something."

Francine looked up to meet his laughing eyes. "How did he do this? He isn't even here."

"I'm guessing he snuck in this morning and put it in with the others," smiled Santa.

"That's the problem with good men," teased Amanda quietly. "They tend to surprise you with not being boring just when you least expect it."

"Well now that you've helped silence Francine so effectively, Santa," laughed Billy, "I have a little something for you, too. But you might want to wait until you get home to open it. You know, back at the North Pole." He handed Santa a slim package and walked away, chuckling.

Santa turned to look at Amanda with a raised brow.

"Nothing to do with me," she said, shrugging. "Maybe it's really a bonus?"

Santa and Francine gave her identical eye rolls.

"What can I say? I'm an optimist," she grinned.

"Well, I guess I better head back to the North Pole and find out for myself," said Santa, tucking it inside his jacket. He turned to Amanda and tapped his lips. "Wanna give Santa a kiss under the mistletoe before I go?"

"Oh no," Amanda shook her head. "I wouldn't want to upset Mrs. Claus. She's probably the one who does all the paperwork and maintains the naughty list, you know."

"You'd be right about that," agreed Santa. "So I guess I should head back to her." He turned to walk out of the bullpen before he heard Amanda call him back.

"Santa?" She tapped her lips and started to smile. "You've got lipstick on your face"

"I do?"

"Mm-hmm. It's really not your color," she went on.

"Well, I'll make sure to deal with that before Mrs. Claus sees me."

"Or the subclauses," cracked Francine. "You wouldn't want to have to explain why it wasn't Mommy kissing Santa Claus."

Lee was waiting for her in the Q Bureau when she came back upstairs, back in his regular clothes and scrubbed clean of all the make-up as he relaxed in his chair. Amanda marched over and took his chin in her hands, heaving a sigh of relief when beautiful hazel eyes twinkled up at her.

"Thank goodness you took those out," she sighed. "That was creepy!"

"Fooled you for a while though, didn't I?" he laughed.

"For longer than you should have," she admitted. "Did Efraim help you?"

Lee tapped the side of his nose and chuckled. "It's always good to have friends with an old career in Fabrications. He was in early dropping off that present for Francine and I press-ganged him into helping me."

"Did he tell you what happened last night?" she asked. "Oh, wait until you hear," she went on when he shook his head. "Francine just told me the whole story."

"Okay, but hang on," said Lee. "We still have that mystery parcel from Billy."

"You didn't open it yet?" she asked in surprise. "I don't think he meant you really had to be at home before you opened it."

"That's not why," said Lee, pulling it across the desk. "I waited because it's addressed to both of us."

"Oh, that's sweet," said Amanda. "Well, I'm here now, go ahead."

"You don't want to do the honors?"

"No, he gave it to you, not me, no matter what it says on the tag," she replied. "Go on." She went to perch on the side of the desk, squealing with amusement when Lee pulled her into his lap instead and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"We can do it together," he said and picked it up to begin pulling off the paper. Inside there was a plain white envelope and with a shrug, Amanda reached for the letter opener and handed it to him, watching as he slid it along the seam and pulled out the papers inside. Lee unfolded them and then they both stiffened, Amanda giving off a small gasp.

"Oh my gosh."

It was their annual security clearances, everything checked off and in order as it always was but with a single glaring amendment, carefully highlighted in bright yellow. Under marital status, in plain print, each sheet now read. "Married February 13, 1987, Marion County Courthouse, Virginia." The Post-it note said "Little Boy Blue-note, please blow your horn and make sure Jack Horner and his Sugar Plum get this registered with Personnel like a good little boy and girl. I wouldn't want to have to put them on the naughty list. A.S."

Lee finally noticed the small card that had fluttered out when he'd pulled out the papers. He flipped it over and read it Billy's handwriting out loud. "Merry Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Stetson."

"Oh my gosh," Amanda repeated.

They turned to stare at each other wordlessly, then back at the paper.

"What do we do now?" whispered Amanda.

Lee continued to stare at the paper, deep in thought. "Well," he said finally. "We fill in the paperwork as ordered and hand it in. It's not like we can hide it now."

"But…"

"Amanda, we weren't going to be able to keep this up indefinitely. Hell, we never meant to keep it up this long," said Lee, firmly. "We've been busted – now we face the music."

"Do you think Billy's mad?" she asked, tracing her finger along the card.

"I doubt it – if he was mad, he'd have hauled us up on the carpet, not wished us a Merry Christmas," said Lee, reasonably. "But it probably couldn't hurt to drop by and visit him and Jeanie over the weekend – away from all the ears in this place."

"Yeah," she agreed. "And then what?" She twisted in his lap to rest her forehead against his. "We've been getting a lot of hints from my family…"

"I know," Lee sighed. "And I hate lying to them."

Amanda gurgles with laughter. "Hey, that's my line!"

Lee chuckled and pulled her in for a kiss. "Maybe you can take over mine then: "we're not involved!""

"We're not?" she teased.

"We're not," he replied. "We're intertwined, in sync, incredible…"

"In love?" Amanda added.

"In love," Lee agreed. "And it's time we make that clear to everyone."

"I like that idea," she said, softly.

"Me too." He swung his chair sideways and gave her a push off his lap, then stood up too. "And we have all of Christmas to figure it out. But right now, we have people waiting for us. Let's go home."

Amanda reached up and cupped his cheek. "I love to hear you say 'home', you know that?"

"I like saying it – never had one until I met you, not one I could remember anyway," he answered, kissing her again. "Come on, Mrs. Stetson – we have some new traditions to start."