Lisbon jumped out of bed and followed the scent of the coffee. Jane wasn't in the kitchen so she poured herself and mug and joined Jane in the living room. He is sat on the couch with his cup of tea staring at the Christmas tree lights.

"Merry Christmas Lisbon"

Merry Christmas Jane. Thank you for the coffee."

Jane looked at her

"You're welcome. I presume you have some brothers to call so why don't you start on those and I will make breakfast"

Lisbon spied a big wrapped box under the tree.

"What's that Jane. We exchanged gifts at the office. You..

Jane stood up and raised his hand

"Hush Lisbon, you need it for today, so don't worry it's even rented."

Jane smiled at Lisbon's worried face

"Exactly what is it I am doing today?"

Jane hands Lisbon her phone

"Don't worry about that now, it's nothing awful, I promise - it is Christmas after all.

Lisbon takes the phone and relaxes a little:

"I guess I have to trust you."

"Yes you do!"

With a short bow and a twinkle in his eye Jane heads for the kitchen He quickly finds his way around and has a fruit salad made and pancakes cooking when Lisbon enters:

"How are your nieces and nephews? Happy with their Christmas I hope."

"Yes everyone seems to be having a wonderful hectic time and they wish you a merry christmas - especially Annie."

"That is nice of them. Sit down and let's eat we have a big day ahead of us."

"I want to thank you Jane these phone calls would be a lot harder to make if I was here on my own."

"Hey you're welcome. It has been great spending it with you. It has been a while..."

Lisbon looks at Jane's wistful expression:

"How did you spend Christmas morning, was it fruit salad and pancakes for breakfast?"

Jane looked at her and Lisbon knew he was debating whether to answer or not."

"You know you don't have to tell me if it is too hard." She said gently.

Jane gave a small grateful smile.

"Thank you but I think I want to. Once mom left we didn't do Christmas. Dad was always too busy with other things, other people. So I wanted Charlotte to have the best Christmas's ever! Not in gifts but in having fun and memories. We would open presents in the bedroom. Charlotte could have whatever she wanted for breakfast...you know kids can take jello and ice cream in the mornings better than adults can. Charlotte and I would make snowmen out of sand while Angela was getting breakfast ready. Charlotte didn't have a stocking we use to hide the small presents around the house for Charlotte to find, the last one was always hidden on me so I would have to hide and then I would bury her in kisses when she found me.

Jane stopped talking.

"That sounds lovely. When Mom was alive she would cook the big meal on Christmas Eve, She said that she wanted to spend Christmas Day with us - not stuck in the kitchen. I loved to set the table, she had some pretty Christmas things. I was able to attend two Midnight Mass's with her. I felt so grown up. Christmas morning we would read from Luke about the birth of Jesus before opening the gifts around the tree."

Lisbon fingers her cross

"This was the last Christmas present a received before the accident."

"It is nice that you have that to remember her by"

Jane looks at his wedding band. Lisbon takes his hand and rubs her thumb across the ring and looks up at him

"Shall we have those pancakes"

As he ate his breakfast Jane was studying how it felt for him to have shared his memories and he is surprised to find that it feels good. He and Lisbon have become very close over the years, he realizes that he has allowed Lisbon to get closer to him than anyone he has known besides Angela. He trusts her with much of his darkness, though he is not sure she could handle it all, and she has never pushed him away. He knows he would accept everything about her, it is like they are connected by an elastic band and no matter how far it is stretched it will never break, or at least he hopes it won't although one day he may need to test its limits. But right now it is Christmas and he is looking forward to sharing his day with Lisbon and he determines that he will share more of the light with Lisbon to balance the dark. After breakfast they go back into the living room. Lisbon goes to get the present under the tree. Jane stops her.

"Hey we've had some of my Christmas so let's do a little of yours. Read to me from Luke."

"There's no need for that Jane, I know you don't believe in such things"

"No I don't, but it is a good story, very magical.

"Okay"

Lisbon settles down with her copy of the bible and reads Luke chapter 2. She closes it. Jane's eyes had not left her face as she read.

"You told that so beautifully, you almost made me a believer, I could see that the words are very precious to you."

Lisbon voice cracked with emotion.

"Yes they are."

She swallows

"Now I want to see what is in this box"

Jane gets the box and hands it too her. He is almost jumping from one foot to another as he waits for her to get the wrapping off. Lisbon lifts the lid and moves back the tissue paper and she lifts up seemingly yards and yards of lace and taffeta.

"What's this Jane"

"You are to be Sleeping Beauty my dear"

Lisbon splutters

"and I am..."

"No don't tell me you're..."

"yes Prince Charming"

Jane ends with a flourish and beams. Lisbon looks aghast!