"James Dempsey…" Good lord, he looks handsome in a suit. "You look good enough to eat."
"Are you seriously standing there in that dress telling me I'm the one who looks good?" It seems he can't help but stare at her. She's wearing a simple dress, dark green with a scoop neck, but he's looking at her like she's Cinderella in her finest ball gown. "You're always beautiful, Harry, but damn, you are knocking it out of the park tonight."
"I think I'm going to keep you." She smiles at him and leans forward to straighten his tie. "You're very good for my ego."
"You know...we could totally stay home tonight." There's a hint of pleading in his voice and actually she would love to stay home, but they promised to show up, she bought a new dress, and even though she's almost certain most people know they're together, they're going to the Christmas party for the first time as an actual couple. She's surprised by how much she's looking forward to that. "Nobody would notice, and the food in our fridge is definitely better than the crap they're going to feed us at this thing."
"Oh, I don't know. I'm sure poor Diana in Fraud would be devastated if you were to stay at home." She thinks about last year's party, about the stolen mistletoe and the kiss they shared in a quiet hallway after she decided to finally bite the bullet. She remembers the way he looked at her afterwards, and she remembers almost forgetting how cold it was as they stood outside and kissed like it was California in July. "I think she was rather disappointed that I got you under the mistletoe before she could."
"You know damn well she never stood a chance." He reaches for her hand and runs his thumb over her knuckles, nodding at the ring on her finger. "You sure about that?"
"Wearing it tonight or my decision in general?" She glances down at her hand, smiling at the sight of the ring that makes her so happy.
"I figure you'd have thrown it back at me long before now if you'd changed your mind." He's right. Being together hasn't stopped them from fighting, they still disagree, still rub each other up the wrong way sometimes, but the difference now is that there's an outlet for it and when they make up they do it in style.
"I would indeed, you're quite right." She slides her fingers between his and squeezes his hand. "We don't have to stay too long. I know the terrible buffet will mean you'll get hungry, and when you're hungry you're grumpy. When you hit that point we'll leave and go somewhere for some decent food. How does that sound?"
"Like music to my ears." He smiles at her, clearly more relaxed now he knows he doesn't have endless hours at the year's least anticipated gathering stretching out ahead of him.
"I know this probably sounds disgustingly soppy, but I really just want to walk in there tonight holding your hand." She feels like they've been the subject of gossip and rumour for so long, way before there was anything going on, and she likes the idea of strolling in, her hand firmly in his, and answering all of the silent questions in one simple move. "I want everyone to know you're with me."
"Alright, princess." His hand is still in hers and he squeezes a little tighter. "Let's do this."
She's three, perhaps four drinks down on an empty stomach and talking to Chas when Dempsey appears, proudly brandishing a plate of food.
"You know, some of the food this year looks pretty decent." He grins and puts some indescribable pastry covered thing in his mouth, totally missing the amused look on Chas's face.
"Yet this is your selection?" There's not a single thing on the plate that appeals to her, but she's hungry so she probably should just pick something from it.
"It's really not so bad." He holds the plate out to her and she spots a chunk of cheese, which she takes gratefully. "Better than cheap wine on an empty stomach."
"The cheap wine is so everybody can forget just how bad the food is." She waves her chunk of cheese at him, emphasising her point. "I mean, I've only had a couple of glasses and already this unidentifiable cheese is starting to look appealing."
"Just eat something, Harry…" He slides his arm around her waist and she leans into him. "Do you want me to have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here when the time comes to leave tonight?"
"That would certainly be one way to draw everyone's attention to something other than the terrible wine." She grins at him, realising that she really does need to eat something, so she takes a bite of cheese, aware of his eyes on her, as they so often are.
"I wasn't sure if you two would show tonight, if I'm honest." Chas says, taking a mouthful of his beer and not looking at all disgusted, making her wish she'd gone for beer instead of wine. Too late now.
"I'd have gladly stayed home but the Sergeant here bought a new dress and did...things to her hair." He shrugs and she feels his fingers curl into her side. "I'm in no position to argue with that."
"Right, and…" Chas stops and points to her hand, still holding the half eaten piece of cheese. "Harry, is that what it looks like?"
"Well, that would depend entirely on what you think it looks like, but if it looks like an engagement ring then yes, that's exactly what it is." She looks down at the ring on her finger and smiles.
"Wow, I, uh...wow. Congratulations. I had no idea." Chas grins widely at them both, clearly delighted. "I knew you two were...I mean, I'm pretty sure everybody knew you were together, but...when did this happen?"
"About six weeks ago, actually, but I just decided tonight...I don't know, I wanted to finally be able to wear it properly." She smiles at Dempsey who's standing beside her looking like the cat who got the cream. "I didn't really even know if anyone would notice, to be honest."
"I suppose you think nobody noticed the two of you at last year's party either?" Chas grins again and she suddenly realises she hasn't spotted any mistletoe this year. "Pretty sure if they hadn't then Diana's face as you dragged Dempsey away would have alerted them to it."
"That was the face of a woman who left it far too late, for which I absolutely cannot be held responsible." She smiles, knowing Diana never stood a chance, certainly by the time last Christmas came around anyway. By then she was sure she knew what Dempsey wanted and that he was just waiting for her to give him a sign that she wanted the same. "Actually, where on earth is all the mistletoe this year?"
"There isn't any," Chas replies, shrugging. "Apparently the commissioner was sent on a sexual harassment awareness course and is now convinced mistletoe is the gateway drug to all sorts of sackable offences."
"Well, bah bloody humbug to him." She frowns and Chas laughs. "I suppose he has a point though. A few little kisses under the mistletoe last Christmas, and this Christmas there's a ring on my finger."
"I like to think it had more to do with the kissing than the mistletoe." Dempsey leans down and brushes his lips against her ear, lowering his voice. "And it was more than just a few kisses under the mistletoe."
"Mm, that's true." She slides her hand over his, pulling his arm more snugly around her waist.
"Where's the chief tonight, Chas?" Dempsey asks, glancing around briefly. "Thought he'd be prowling around the place by now."
"He's…" Chas looks up and over Dempsey's shoulder. "At the bar, it seems. No doubt trying to persuade Mrs Spikings that at least one of the wines on offer is drinkable. Actually, I'm going to remove myself from his eye line before he decides that's a task for me. I'll catch you both later."
"Maybe we should do the same." She turns so she can try to peer discreetly around Dempsey to check that their boss is still occupied. "For all we know there's a room somewhere that houses the good buffet."
"Honey, if you're hungry we can leave and go get dinner somewhere. Or we can go home, order in, and eat dinner in our pyjamas." He runs his finger gently down her nose and smiles at her. "I'd be totally fine with either of those options."
"As happy as I would be to run out of here right this second I think we probably need to at least stay long enough to say hello to Spikings." She sighs and reaches for his hand before smiling at him. "If he doesn't see us then he'll insist we were never here and we won't hear the end of it."
"Yeah, you're right." He nods and squeezes her hand. "I can't believe there isn't even a single sprig of mistletoe for me to drag you under."
"And I can't believe you would underestimate me like that." She opens her clutch bag and leans forward so he can see the mistletoe peeking out just slightly before she closes it again. "Do you have absolutely no recollection of last year? I came prepared."
"You have the world's smallest purse but you managed to make room for mistletoe? You might be just the tiniest bit crazy, baby." He grins at her and she returns it. "I love that about you."
"Well, good, because I'd hate to have to drag someone else under it with me." She peeks again at the bar, relieved that they still haven't been spotted by their boss, and grabs his hand. "Come on, handsome, let's find a corner again and free up some space in this tiny bag of mine."
"You do remember we were collared by Spikings the last time you dragged me out of the party and into a quiet corner, right?" He lets her pull him out of the room, their boss still oblivious.
"Then surely you must also remember that I really didn't care at all?" She smiles as she remembers her attitude at last year's party, having set Dempsey in her sights and refusing to let anything derail her. "Hide out here with my mistletoe and me for a few minutes, then we'll say hello to the boss and get out of here. Deal?"
"Deal." He grins at her as she pulls the mistletoe out of her bag and waves it in front of him. "You know this year you don't need mistletoe, right? You can literally just kiss me whenever you want."
"Mm, that's true." She slides her arms around his neck and smiles. "The mistletoe does make for a nice festive kiss though, don't you think?"
"Yeah, but last year was a lot more than just a nice festive kiss." His hands are on her waist, his eyes on hers. "You were wild Christmas Harry last year and it was hotter than hell."
"You make it sound like wild Harry went into retirement the moment Christmas was over last year." She smirks at him and leans back against the wall, pulling him with her. "Which I know isn't the case."
"Oh, hell no, she's definitely made at least a handful of appearances since then." He returns her smirk and leans in closer. "And I love her."
"Dempsey?" She moves in, her nose almost touching his. "Kiss me."
He doesn't need to be asked twice, his lips are on hers instantly and his hands move to her lower back. She eventually pulls back and presses herself tightly against him, reminded again of last year and how much things have changed since then. Once they finally crossed that line there was surprisingly little hesitation, no tiptoeing around, just a simple acceptance that this was it, that they were it.
In February he told her he loved her, seconds later she smiled and told him she felt the same way. In April when the lease on his flat came up for renewal it wasn't even a consideration, they simply packed up the things that weren't already at her house and moved him in properly. In June they went to visit her father, who beamed at them and announced that it was "about bloody time", a point neither could really argue. At work they announced nothing but suspected they probably weren't hiding it as well as they liked to think, arriving together, leaving together, and being deliberately vague whenever the general conversation turned to weekend plans. He stands behind her and breathes her in way too often for anyone to believe it's the smell of the bad office coffee he's enjoying every morning.
Then there was October. With the autumn wind and rain came her birthday, a lunch, and a row of diamonds with a delicate sapphire nestled in the centre. A proposal that began with "You're it for me, Harry, you're everything", ended with "I thought you were never going to ask", and led to a Sunday afternoon in bed with her wearing nothing but her new jewellery.
"What are you thinking about, princess?" He strokes her hair and she sighs, contentment washing over her like a long hot shower.
"Oh, you know, just...you and me, this crazy year, your proposal, my beautiful ring, actually having Christmas off this year, when I'm going to finish the Christmas shopping, when we're going to pack, whether your family will like me, where we should go to eat when we do manage to escape from here." She shrugs and smiles at him, wondering if he's sorry he asked.
"Nothing much then." He grins and his hand slides down from her hair to settle on her shoulder. He rubs his thumb across her collarbone. "Why are you worrying about meeting my family? If anyone should be worried, it's me."
"What do you mean?" She would frown but she's way too relaxed under his touch to even try. "My father adores you and you know it, and he basically is my whole family."
"Nah, it's my family I'm worried about." His hand reaches for hers. "They're probably going to pull you aside and tell you how much better you could do than their scrappy little Jimmy."
"Mm, I'll just tell them they're probably right." She grins and squeezes his hand. "But that I have quite a thing for scrappy little Jimmy so I'm sticking with him anyway."
"For better or worse, all that jazz?" He returns her grin and she relaxes a little. If he isn't worried then she knows she shouldn't be, but she already feels responsible for making his stay in London more permanent so she really does want them to like her.
"Better, worse, sickness, health, all of those things." She can't resist leaning in to kiss him, thinking again about how much her father loves him and knowing she can only hope his family does feel the same way about her. "I'm really quite partial to having you around, even if you don't ever pick your clothes up off the floor or wipe the kitchen counters, or change the sheets, or-"
"But I'm good enough between the sheets that you forgive me for never changing them, right?" He winks at her and she rolls her eyes. Can't have him getting so complacent that he stops trying.
"You know, I'm really not sure I remember…" She bites her lip as she looks at him, remembering every detail. "It's been a long and busy couple of days."
"Then it's a good thing I plan to remind you tonight." He pulls her against him and his lips move to her neck, his voice so low in her ear she feels her knees wobble slightly. "In style."
"Tell me..." Another Christmas party, another stolen few moments in a quiet corner. Last year she had plans for him that she hadn't voiced, this year she wants to hear his plans for her. "Tell me what you're going to do to me when we get home."
"Oh honey, I'm going to start by peeling that dress off so slowly you're going to be begging me to go faster. Then I'm going to kiss my way down your neck, and your back, and I'm going to slide my hand into whichever crazily sexy little panties you have on tonight and touch you until you make those tiny moans that almost destroy me every time…" His mouth is still against her neck and as his voice rumbles low through her she can't contain the shiver that runs down her spine or the faint moan that escapes her lips. "Yeah, just like that…"
"Then what?" She reaches blindly for his hand, squeezing his fingers tightly.
"Then I'm going to lay you down and I'm going to switch directions. I'm going to start at your feet and I'm going to kiss your ankles, your legs, and...your thighs. You just wait until I get up there, baby." She feels him place a kiss just below her ear and she has to bite back another moan. "I think you know where my tongue is headed next and I'm going to stay right there until you're grabbing onto the sheets and screaming my name."
"Oh shit, Dempsey…" She pushes her hand into his hair and tries to pull his head from her neck, somewhat half heartedly because his lips feel so, so good against her skin. "You need to stop…"
"You started it." Her second attempt is more successful but she misses the touch of his lips on her neck almost instantly.
"And I fully intend to let you finish it, but not here." She takes a second to catch her breath and then glances quickly around them before she kisses him quickly. "I'm going to go to the loo, you're going to go and get us a drink. Then we'll say hello to the boss and get out of here. How does that sound?"
"Sounds like an all round solid plan." He grins and she squeezes his hand before she heads for the bathroom.
When she gets back to the bar he's standing next to Spikings, who looks remarkably jovial, and she guesses Mrs Spikings must have found something decent to drink because she looks happy enough too. She slides a hand onto Dempsey's arm and he turns to her.
"The boss here bought a bottle of something decent." He grins and hands her a glass of champagne.
"Oh, thank you, sir." She smiles at Spikings and takes the glass. "That's very generous of you."
"The stuff they're giving away would strip away the inside of a u-bend, so I'm certainly not going to drink it." Mrs Spikings speaks up, looking smug as she raises her own glass. "I'm sure you'd prefer to drink something decent too."
"Eh, the Sergeant here will drink anything." Dempsey grins at her and she smacks him lightly on the arm.
"Please ignore my partner. He's confused." She aims an exaggerated eye roll at him before turning back to their boss's wife. "And American."
"Enjoying the party, Harry?" Spikings raises an eyebrow and she clearly recalls last year when he caught them in a quiet hallway, clearly under the influence of mistletoe but, to his credit, never mentioned it again.
"Um, yes, it's very nice." She wonders if she's ever sounded less convincing in her life. "You?"
"I'm here only because I'm expected to be, Sergeant." No beating around the bush from Spikings, as usual.
"Well, that's...fair enough, sir." She hears Dempsey stifle a snort beside her as she lifts her glass and takes a drink.
"I hear you, boss. I'm only here because this one overruled my staying home suggestion and said we had to put in an appearance." Dempsey smirks at her and she narrows her eyes at him even though he's absolutely right. "She'd bought a dress already and gotten her hair done."
Again, not untrue so she says nothing, just smiles and reaches up almost unconsciously at the mention of her hair to push it behind her ear. And there it is, a slight widening of their boss's eyes as her engagement ring catches the light, just the way she loves. He covers his apparent surprise quickly, arranging his expression into a much more neutral one, only the faintest hint of a smile showing through.
"Well, well, am I to take that rather glittering rock to mean congratulations are in order?" Their boss glances at her hand again, then at Dempsey, who simply grins, and finally back at her.
"Actually, yes." She smiles and doesn't really see the need to say any more, but she's taken by surprise when Mrs Spikings reaches for her hand to take a closer look.
"Oh, this is beautiful." Mrs Spikings runs her thumb over the sapphire and then looks at her before turning towards Dempsey. "This stone is the exact shade of her eyes. Well done, Lieutenant, impressive work."
"This is quite a turn up for the books." Spikings speaks up, smiling faintly at them. "We've never had an SI10 wedding before."
"Well, with respect, sir, you've never had any other women in the department besides me, and frankly, who on earth would I have wanted to marry before he showed up?" She gently nudges Dempsey's shoulder and smiles back at their boss.
"Fair point, Harry. Although this isn't quite how I thought things would work out when I paired the two of you up." His satisfied grin suggests the exact opposite.
"Guess she just couldn't resist my charms any longer, chief." Dempsey grins at her and she would argue that point with him if it wasn't so completely and undeniably true.
"Apparently not, Dempsey." Spikings raises his eyebrows followed by his glass. "Well, congratulations. I have no doubt the two of you will still be disagreeing on everything thirty years from now."
"I really hope so." Dempsey's grin is even wider and he slides his arm around her waist. She feels her cheeks flush faintly when he drops a kiss to the top of her head.
"On that note, sir, I think we're actually going to call it a night." She finishes the last of her champagne and sets the glass down on the bar. "No slight to the, uh...lovely buffet, but I was promised a proper dinner by my fiancé and I intend to hold him to it."
"As well you should." Mrs Spikings pats her on the arm. "Start as you mean to go on, that's my advice."
"Merry Christmas, sir, Mrs Spikings." She smiles and slips her hand into Dempsey's, feeling his fingers squeeze hers, possibly in gratitude as much as for any other reason.
"Do you really want to go out for dinner or were you just ready to escape?" Dempsey asks as they head for the door, waving at Chas across the room.
"I really do want some proper food but the more I think about your suggestion of getting something delivered and eating in our pyjamas, the more I like it." It's not often she turns down a nice meal out, but the idea of the two of them curled up on the rug in front of the fire eating pizza is appealing to her more than anything.
"Sounds pretty much perfect to me, princess." He tugs lightly on her hand and she turns to face him. "Home?"
"Mm…" She looks into his eyes and realises that yes, there's nothing she wants more. "Home."