The next few days were busy. "Seems like every crook in Vegas is in the holiday spirit," Jim told Gil Grissom. "I'll receive...you give." There were standing at the scene of Brass's third B&E that week. Neither he nor Grissom usually took the calls on B&Es but that's how busy things were. Even the senior guys were working the routine cases. Grissom began his pattern of nosing around. As Jim watched, he marvelled at his collegue's ability to focus so completely. Jim had never quiet mastered that. The ring of his phone interrupted his thoughts. "Brass," he said as he opened it.

"Yeah, okay...On my way."

"Hey, Gil...Gotta another call. You okay here?"

"Yeah...but you'll have to work it yourself, Jim. I'm all out of CSIs."

"Okay, I'll try to remember how to do it...I'm leaving a uniform for you."

"Thanks."

Jim headed to his next call. He began to fidget when he realized the location...just down the street from Jenny's place. Maybe he could still avoid her. Arriving at the scene he saw that a crowd had gathered. Two uniforms were already there. As he approached, he saw a man in cuffs. "Why am I here if you got the guy already?" he asked Officer Brinkman.

"Witnesses say he's the guy but I thought we should have a detective anyway. You know prints and all..."

"Yeah, but I don't do prints. Okay, let's get him down to the station and one of you will have to stay here until we can get a CSI over here to process. It's going to be awhile because they are all tapped out tonight." He looked around as he headed back to his car. Catching sight of her out of the corner of his eye, his heart jumped into his throat. Her eyes were boring holes in him that he was fighting to ignore. Even if he was ready to see her, he didn't have the time.

In the interrogation room he sat across from the suspect. The guy swore he was innocent, inspite of having $873 in his possession at the time of the arrest. Coincedentaly that was the amount taken from the register. "Look, it's a busy night and I really don't have time to play games here. This is the deal..." Brass was bearing down on the guy."We caught you with tainted money...'taint yours. We've got witnesses that say you are our guy. And when the CSIs finish their job, we'll have enough to send you to the Nevada State Penal Resort for a long time. So, why don't you save the taxpayers some money and just tell us what happened. I'm sure the DA will be happy with a confesion and cut you a deal and we can all sleep tonight."

The guy spilled his guts and Jim was able to close the case. He was silently celebrating when his phone rang again. Back in his car, he was headed to Green Valley. Seems someone attacked one of Santa's helpers and robbed them. Santa Jr. had been stabbed in the process. Gil was sending Greg over to process. They arrived in time to see the paramedics load the helper into an ambulance. "So much for the subordinate clause," quipped Jim to no one in particular.

Greg was standing nearby and winced when he heard the detective. "Augh, come on Brass, you can do better than that."

"Not tonight, Greggo. I'm running out of juice."

Brass hung around, questioning witnesses and keeping an eye on the young CSI. It was an unspoken agreement when Greg made CSI that he wouldn't be left alone for awhile. He was still green and would need guidence. Usually Gil or one of the other experienced CSIs was with him but tonight, Jim had to be the mentor.

Fianlly they wrapped up. Jim knew one of the others would have finished in half the time. But he gave the kid credit for being thorough. And he'd never get quicker if he didn't have the chance to practice his skills.

Finally his shift ended. Like a moth to a flame, he headed toward the cafe. Sitting in his car on the street, his knuckles were white from the strength of his grip on the steering wheel. A debate was raging in his mind as he watched the place. Finally he decided that if he had to think about it that much, he wasn't ready to talk to her again. Reaching for the ignition, he cursed his own weaknesses and drove off.

Soon it was the week of Christmas. As busy as his caseload was, Jim had still observed all the hustle and bustle of people getting ready for the holiday. Crime scenes were harder to approach for the crowds of shoppers in the retail areas. People's emotions seemed to run higher; either toward greater happiness and anticipation or greater stress. It was the ones with the stress that were giving him grief. But as he made his way through the holiday season, noticing the happy faces, couples holding hands, families out shopping together, he felt more and more like Scrooge. It wasn't that he didn't want them to be happy; it was just that seeing them so happy made him realize even more how empty his life really was. His thoughts turned again to Jenny...not that she was ever far out of his thoughts. Maybe she does know what she wants...maybe I'm a bigger fool than I thought I was. Maybe Catherine was right. But what if she wasn't? What if I'm right? What if...he was driving himself crazy. He wanted so much to see her, talk to her. Her kisses still tingled on his lips at night when his eyes were closed and the house was quiet. And his body ached for her. Now fear was invading his emotions also. It had been a few weeks since he'd last seen her and what if she didn't want to see him again? Stop with the what its, already. Buck up and either walk away for good or ...god Jenny, I miss you so much.

-------------------

Ready for a little Christmas story?