On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me…

Ten Mistletoe-a-Hanging

Things were getting murkier and murkier between her and John. There were only four more days until Christmas, until she got to go to his place and experience the holiday that wasn't alone. Oh, she spent time with her son and he was all that she ever needed. But with him all grown up it was nice that she would get to spend the holiday with someone. And what made it even better was that someone was John. She had his presents wrapped and ready to go. Shaw seemed pretty sure of her gift that she had been noticeably absent from following her around, thankfully. Joss was tired of having Shaw hounding her every move.

Although she hadn't seen John since the day they went skating, the same day that a little girl took John down like a sexy domino and tumbling her down along with him, but also it was the same day she had thought he was going to kiss her until they were rudely interrupted. John didn't seem to be actively avoiding her because he had called her for help for a new number but to make sure she was going to call him for lunch.

Joss sat at her desk, sipping her coffee, procrastinating on her paperwork, much preferring to think about the almost kiss with John on the ice.

"Don't look now Carter, but Mr. Fabulous is here," Fusco announced as he looked up from his computer to see the bane of his existence enter the set of double doors to the bullpen. He looked like a fish out of water as he stuck out in his fancy clothes and coat.

Joss looked up and gaped as sure enough John was walking towards her. Sure there were no active warrants for the man-in-the-suit as he was more or less a non-entity to police, but it wasn't good for her mental health having a man that lived on the outskirts of the law, who she cared very much about, in her precinct.

She got to her feet and motioned with her eyes to the interrogation room which John simply nodded and walked to it. She followed him inside, shutting the door behind her with a slam.

He turned and she glared at him as she spoke; "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I need your help," he answered simply.

She folded her arms over her chest. "Haven't you heard of a phone call or text, John?" she demanded. "This isn't the best place for you to be at." Joss would do whatever it took to keep John out of the police's sights but he could help her out by not strolling casually into the closest precinct like he owned the damn place.

He shrugged. "There isn't an active investigation into me anymore. Unless you know something I don't, Carter,"he murmured.

"No, because the investigation into you closed when Moss decided Snow was who Donnelly was investigating and not you. But that doesn't mean that your moniker of the–man-in-the-suit hasn't come up once or twice since. It just gets buried or ignored," she muttered. "But you need to be careful, John. We barely escaped the first time and I think you caused me enough gray hair."

He smiled. "I don't see any," he commented as he eyed her dark hair.

She puffed out a loud exhale through her nose. "John…"

John nodded, deciding not to tease his annoyed detective further. "I'll make this quick; as you know my clean alias works on Wall Street; well they have an annual Christmas party, last couple years I've just declined going."

"Okay…?"

"I would have done the same this year but we just got a new number last night and it's a co-worker of mine. In fact it's my assistant, Leslie." he explained. She was a wonderful person and was a great mother and wife; he couldn't think of anyone that would want to kill her.

Joss arched a brow. "I still don't see why you needed to come here to tell me or what this has to do with me?" she murmured.

She watched with interest as John shifted from foot to foot and appeared to be a little nervous. "The Christmas party includes a plus one. I was hoping that you'd attend the party with me," he explained, relieved that he got the words out without stammering.

Joss frowned, feeling like she was missing a piece to a puzzle. There was more to this request than merely wanting an assist on a case to keep an eye on his co-worker. He could have just texted or called her up. But John took the time to come here and ask in person, presumably wanting her to say yes, and figured a face to face meeting would make her accept. Joss should just tell him no and see what he'd do. But then, she didn't want to say no.

"Alright, I'm game but there better be no saunas this time!"

He smiled. "Thanks Carter, just so you know the party is tonight and its formal attire."

"Tonight! Thanks for the short notice! Fine, now get out of here before someone realizes you don't belong here." she grumbled and he nodded before exiting the interrogation room.

She couldn't believe she had gone out and bought a new dress for this party with John. It wasn't like it was a date or anything but she was John's plus one in front of his co-workers. But the emerald green gown with a peek-a-boo cleavage spoke to her. And spoke to John too judging from the way he gaped at her when she answered her door. Joss smiled as she thought about his mumbled 'you look beautiful' and felt incredibly warm at the compliment. But then he seemed to have been preoccupied with her curly hair after finishing staring at her body; who knew John liked curls!

They arrived at the party about a half hour after it began just about the same time Leslie, John's assistant, arrived. But it became abundantly clear as to why John had asked her to be his plus one at this little office party and it had nothing to do with the number they received.

Joss watched as the buxom blond who was glaring daggers her way made her way towards them. The moment they entered the woman was watching John like a hawk and mentally disrobing him.

Joss heard John's exhale as he saw blondie moving close and John's hand that rested at his side move to rest on her hip and pulled her closer to him. She hid her surprise at the possessive touch and so she used her newfound freedom to touch him to rest a hand on his hip.

"John, you came to one of these finally," the woman spoke with a breathless quality. Her neatly done hair had about ten pounds of hairspray in it and had an obviously fake smile on her face as she eyed Joss. "And you brought a friend."

"I'm not his friend," Joss returned with a smile before reaching a hand out. "I'm Joss Carter, his date."

"Becca," the woman replied as she took her hand in a weak shake before hastily giving John his full attention. "You never said you were seeing anyone, John."

Joss narrowed her eyes on the blond, as she was blatantly ignored, feeling her patience wan. "Well he is; we've been friends for a while but just recently decided to begin dating," she explained.

"Oh," Becca murmured nodding her head. "Say no more, I understand perfectly."

Joss felt her temper flare as this woman seemed to be fluffing her off as if she figured John was dating her out of pity. "Surprising you can understand anything." Joss said scathingly.

John looked between both women and winced. Perhaps not telling Joss the real reason why she was here was ill-advised. He pasted on a smile as he focused on Carter. "Let's dance, Joss; excuse us, Becca." he murmured before leading Carter out to the dance floor with him feeling Becca's eyes on him as they went.

The sweet little dance floor, was in the middle of the room, with tables lining the walls where people were milling around the square dance floor. A Christmas tree decorated the corner near the door, several waitresses and waiters were carrying trays of champagne and different appetizers. The large banquet hall where they were in was darkened and lit up with candles and white icicle lights lending an intimate yet holiday feel to the room.

And just as they took the dance floor a slow song called Happy New Year by Nat King Cole began to play. John smiled softly. "I love this song," he murmured as he pulled her into his arms.

She returned the smile. "Me too," she agreed as she slowly wound her arms around his neck as they began to dance closely. His hands rested on her hips with his eyes on hers. They both were silent as they listened to the music and were enthralled with each other.

"Did I tell you that you look beautiful, Carter?" he asked quietly. If he hadn't then he should.

"You did, back at my house, you kind of mumbled it, but it's always nice to hear again," she murmured warmly.

John stared at her. "Well you look beautiful," he said, making sure there was no mumbling before taking a quick look around to find Leslie and found her still with her husband standing with a few other co-workers talking and drinking champagne. He scanned the room and didn't see anyone that looked remotely like a threat so he relaxed in Carter's embrace and enjoyed a dance with a woman who was a dream come true.

"Thank you, John," she purred, tucking away the compliment as she let her fingers tease the hair at the nape. It was so soft, as soft as she always suspected. "So now I know why you asked me here. It's because of Becca."

He sighed. "Becca has asked me to dinner several times and I decline but I thought maybe if she saw me with a date tonight that she'd stop."

"Just tell her you're not interested."

He laughed. "Tell Becca I'm not interested?—she believes she's every man's dream. Becca is a nice woman but very confident in her attractiveness."

Joss made a sound. "Ah, one of those," she grumbled. Those women always annoyed Joss. But it was cute that John felt the need to have her come, pose as his shield, so he could get out of this party without fending Becca off. John could easily look down a barrel of a gun and not panic but looking in the eyes of a woman interested in him he froze like a deer in headlights. She noticed the mistletoe that hung over the dance floor, the same mistletoe that John hadn't seen as he had his back to it. She watched as a couple shared a sweet kiss beneath it before dancing their way out from underneath it. Joss couldn't help herself as she slowly helped drift John that way.

"Well there is one way to show you're disinterested," she conspired as John slowly danced his way under the mistletoe.

He eyed her perplexed and she looked up which he followed before looking her back in the eyes in surprise. "Mistletoe," she purred before pulling him down for a soft kiss. She sucked in a breath as their lips met. Their last kiss she hadn't even been able to fully enjoy, not with the threat of HR arriving to kill them, but this time she was going to bask in it.

John pulled back after a brief kiss and she swallowed her disappointment that once again she'd barely get a taste, before John dipped back down and kissed her hungrily. She moaned as her arms slid around his neck and kissed him back eagerly. Where they were, what they were supposed to be doing melted away as pleasure and the feel of John's mouth against hers took precedence. She shivered as sensations threatened to overwhelm her as she felt the warm brush of John's tongue against the seam of her lips. Joss readily opened her mouth wide and was rewarded when John's tongue slid across hers.

"E-hem,"

John snapped back and stepped away from Joss, leaving her bereft, as he looked at his co-worker who was smirking at him as he danced with his wife. "Hey, John, me and the wife would like a go under the mistletoe too," he said teasingly.

"Yea, sure, Ron…" he said quietly as he stepped out from under the mistletoe and gently pulled Joss with him completely off the dance floor.

Joss nearly grinned at the look on Becca's face as they walked past her but didn't because she much preferred kissing John again over gloating to some buxom blond.

John grabbed a glass of champagne off a tray of one of the waitresses walking by, as he moved close to Leslie, and let go of Carter's small warm hand as he sipped his alcohol.

She licked her lips liking the feel of his lips still on hers. "John," she whispered.

"Carter, not now," he responded tersely.

"When then?" she demanded. "We didn't talk about the morgue kiss and now you want me to not broach this one." Joss had determined the one in the morgue was about human connection during a perilous situation but this one…this one was about a man and a woman being attracted to one another.

"Please Carter, not now." he asked again, sounding strangled.

"Why?"

He looked at her. "Because I want you," he growled and with that he stalked off leaving her to watch him. Joss watched him, not wanting to push, but yet wanting to talk about it, and frowned as her cell phone rang. She really wasn't in the mood to talk, not when the one she wanted to talk too was off brooding away.

Joss opened her clutch and removed her phone angrily. She made a face as she saw it was Shaw. She answered quickly. "What do you want?" Joss demanded.

"Nice to talk to you too, not my fault Reese kisses you and then flees."

Joss went rigid. "What?! How the hell do you know John kissed me?" she demanded as she looked around the room in search for Shaw.

"Meet me in the ladies' room, Carter." Shaw said sounding very much smug.

Joss angrily hung up. After watching John, who had gone up to Leslie to talk with her, she whirled around and stormed her way towards the restrooms. Joss was going to wring that puny ex-operative's neck! She pushed the women's room door open and stormed into the bathroom and came to an abrupt stop as both Shaw and Root were waiting for her.

"Hi detective, you look amazing." Root greeted, with a cheesy grin on her face.

Joss set her hands on her hips. "Best to explain what the hell you two are doing here before I make you regret the decision," she declared. Her mind and body were still on that kiss John just laid on her. It wasn't often she was kissed with that amount of passion.

Shaw and Root shared a look before Shaw muttered; "This was yours and Reese's Christmas gift."

Joss furrowed her brows. "You two snooping around us is our Christmas gift?—more like our Christmas nightmare!"

"No. We gifted you each other. This whole thing is a setup; Reese's co-worker's number isn't up but we needed a way to get him to this lame Christmas party." Shaw explained. "I knew that the blond version of Jessica Rabbit wanted to be up in Reese's business and he wouldn't set foot in this Christmas party unless he had a plus one…you."

Joss arched a brow but otherwise didn't show any emotion. "Let me get this straight; your idea of a gift is coming up with a scheme that makes John believe his co-worker's number is up and has to come to this party he doesn't want to be at and bring me along because of Becca."

"Oh come on; I saw you two on the ice rink! You two practically were about to make out there. You just needed a shove in the right direction which I gave," Shaw explained.

"We helped! SHE gave Leslie's number because SHE knows John really cares about her. And I helped by being the decorator and putting the mistletoe up everywhere." Root chimed in, before giving a sappy little sigh. "I do so love fairytale endings."

Joss made a face. "I don't do fairytales, Root," she assured her with a dejected tone. If there was anything to happen between her and John they were going to go into it with eyes wide open.

"You don't think you and John are a fairytale?—he has more issues than People and Time magazines put together yet you are slowly putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. Sounds like a fairytale to me," Root said as if that made perfect sense.

Joss frowned. "I hate that what you just said actually makes sense to me," she grumbled, supremely disgruntled at the moment that she even understood anything this woman said to her. But John was kind of like Humpty Dumpty, emotionally speaking, and the idea of being what pieced his heart back together made her stupidly happy. But just because she understood them didn't mean she appreciated what they did or like it.

She turned to leave. "Where are you going, Carter?" Shaw demanded.

"To tell John that Leslie isn't in any danger," she replied simply. "Be forewarned: I suggest you both run as far and as fast as you can possibly get," she stated before opening the door.

"I'm not scared of Reese," Shaw retorted.

Joss stopped to look back at Root and Shaw. "I didn't say you had to run from John; if I lose him because you two butted your noses where they don't belong I'll be coming for you two." she vowed darkly before exiting, leaving them to watch her.

AN: I can't get it out my head canon that a.) John loves curls and gets a little awed by Carter whenever she wears them, and b.) that Carter would scare the ever loving shit out Root and Shaw. Had they not stupidly killed her off the show I would have loved to see Carter and Root interact LOL.

Now they've kissed now the real fun begins ;D Thanks for reading!