December 12th

"Great! So we'll see you at 11?" Caitlin ticked her list, "And you're bringing?" she twirled the pencil in her fingers while she listened. "Yum, sounds delicious! Can't wait. Bye now!"

She put the phone handset down, clapped her hands together and squealed.

Dominic, clutching a wrench, glared out from behind the Ranger's tail rotor. "I don't know what String will think of all these plans you're makin'." He scowled at her. "Last year I didn't see him from Christmas Eve to January 3rd. Nobody did." He tightened the bolt and scowled at Cait again, his brow furrowed. "He just ain't a people person." He shrugged his shoulders. "That's all."

Cait poured a coffee and took it over to Dom standing on the stepladder. "Dom we've had more for dinner before."

Dom descended the ladder and took the coffee from Cait. "But we ain't had so many stayin' overnight before.." he took a sip of his coffee, "...and invitin' Michael? Really, Mr Action man in a Motown suit? An' you expect me and Elaine to stay overnight with him in the same…" he shook his head. "Mamma Mia, you'll be expecting us to be friends next…"

"Dom," she sneaked a look at him, his face set firm, bordering on angry. She needed to tread lightly, or he'd ruin her plans. "Dom, it's different this year, String and I have talked all this through." She sighed. "It's Le's first Christmas with us and he deserves it to be special." She poured herself a coffee from the percolator and glanced at Dom. His face softened.

R"Yeah kid, I know. It's the first Christmas for you and String as a couple." His shoulders sagged as he realised this was an argument he wasn't likely to win.

"It's Ali's first Christmas in the US too." She continued, looking Dom directly in the eyes. "Regardless of what you think, Michael has done more for all of us this year than he had to, and that makes him a friend whether or not you like it." She put down her coffee and sidled up next to the big bear of a man that was Dominic Santini, giving him her best puppy dog expression. "Besides, it's Christmas and it wouldn't be fair to leave a friend on his own now would it?"

Dominic frowned and sighed. "I guess not." He answered gruffly.

"Well, I'm glad that's decided!" She gave him a quick and unexpected hug. "I knew you'd understand! See you later, I'll pick up those parts on the way back." She turned on her heels and headed for the hangar doors.

Dominic's eyes widened as a thought struck him and he called after her. "Cait?" She turned toward him, still grinning.

"Yeah Dom?"

"Why can't Mr Clean spend Christmas with Marella? I mean she's more his type ain't she?"

Cait giggled. "Marella won't be at home for Christmas. We've invited her to the cabin, and she's accepted." With that, she climbed into the jeep.

Dom's brow furrowed, then his eyes widened as the reality of her words sank in. He opened his mouth to speak, but she was already driving off. He grinned. She'd got him and got him good.

*****AW*****

December 25th 12:05am

Le and Hawke were both asleep. Hawke stretched out on the couch and Le curled up in front of the fireplace, his head resting on Tets flank. The fire in the fireplace had died down to a few embers. Her boys would be getting chilled soon.

She picked up the throws on the back of the couch, wrapping one around Le and laying the other over Hawke, trying not to disturb him.

Hawke opened his eyes. Only half focussed, he saw her and smiled. "Come here." He whispered, grabbing her hand and pulling her to him.

"Hawke, I still have things to do." She muttered, afraid to wake Le.

"One kiss," he reached up and pulled her to him.

"Alright," she smirked. "Just one." Her lips brushed lightly across his. "There, now I need to finish the…"

"That's no kiss, Caitlin." His lips found hers, fingers combing her hair, pulling her to him, his tongue parting her lips and tangling with hers until they both pulled back, gasping for air. "That's a kiss." He swung his feet onto the floor.

Standing up, he glanced down at her and grinned lecherously. "I'll get Half-Pint to bed. Don't be long, I want to give you your Christmas present." He bent to touch her lips, winked and whispered, "right now."

String roused Le from his sleep and guided him up the stairs to the loft. At the top of the stairs he turned and looked at the cabin. He had never known it look like this.

Cait had transformed it into a warm and inviting festive space. The tree stood over 8 feet tall, fireplace festooned in holly wreaths, and lights twinkled in the windows.

How she had got two pull-outs in was a mystery.

His curiosity piqued, he needed to know. "Cait!" He called.

She was in the kitchen cleaning the sink. She looked up "Yeah?"

"How did you get the pull-outs up here?"

She grinned. "If you take the rear seats out of a Long Ranger you can fit two in." She didn't mention that she'd fallen in the lake trying to unload them on the dock. Or that Marella laughed until her sides hurt before pulling her out.

"Cait?" He called.

"Uh, huh?" She grunted while stacking glasses on the counter.

"How the hell did you get a tree that size up here?"

"I didn't. It was a gift from Michael. I came up last week, and it was here."

His eyebrows raised. He hadn't expected that.

The tenuous links that bound the agent and Hawkes strained friendship together would remain unvoiced unless something, or someone, forced their hand.

Michael hated Christmas as much as he. Hawke knew the reasons, but couldn't understand why this year would be different. The possibility that Cait was implicated in Michael's about face where the festive season was concerned hadn't entered his head until now.

He glanced down at her, her back to him with the light bouncing off her red hair. She had chosen him, but something had happened between her and Michael. Something Cait wouldn't share. He saw it in the way Michael looked at her, and he didn't like it. It wasn't the right time to open this Pandora's box, not now. Not tonight. He closed the metaphorical lid with two words.

"Nice tree."

It wasn't the words, but the way he'd said them. Stringfellow Hawke, the master of understatement, had infused those two words with such anger. She turned to see him heading back up to the loft.. What had she said or done? She looked up toward the loft area and saw it. The tree. She sucked on her lower lip and sighed. Why did she tell him it was from Michael? Shaking her head, she finished the dishes, hoping Hawkes mood wouldn't cast a shadow over the day to come. Once finished she turned out the lights and slipped softly up the stairs.

Sliding into bed beside Hawke, his back was toward her. She spooned herself around him, slipping her left arm over his waist. He wasn't asleep, but nevertheless didn't move. "I love you, you damn fool." She muttered.