Set a couple of days after chapter 4.

Danny sat, two hands around his coffee for warmth, in his mother's living room with the rest of his family. Coming back home usually made him feel like a kid again, but being here with his sister's nearly grown up kids was just making him feel old. Making him feel like he didn't want to be here. Not that he meant that really. Of course he wanted to see his family, but his head was still back in DC, with CJ.

He was startled from his thoughts by his cell phone ringing.

"Danny, is that your cell? Who would be ringing you at this time on Christmas eve?"

"I don't know, Mom. I'm just going to go take it in the kitchen." He accepted the call, noticing it was exactly who he'd hoped was calling.

"Hey." He said into the phone as he entered the kitchen and shut the door behind him.

"Hi. You weren't asleep were you?"

"Nope, we're off to midnight mass soon."

"Yeah, I figured you would be. I just finished work. How's home?"

"Home's good, Christmassy. Would be better if you were here with me."

"Is that so?" He could here her smiling as she spoke.

"Yeah, it is. I have an image of you in mittens."

"That's some odd fantasy you've got going on there. Am I throwing a snow ball at you, cos I feel that would be likely."

"Naw, I am the snow ball throwing king, you should be sure to get Will Bailey to corroborate that when you see him."

"Erm, okay?"

"So, what you doing tomorrow? Tell me you're not working."

"Nope, providing there are no national emergencies, I am taking a whole day off!"

"A whole day, how will you cope?"

"I think I'll manage okay. I'm going to Josh's, there's going to be a few of us who couldn't make it home, so it'll be good."

"Yeah, cos Josh is known for throwing a good Christmas!"

"Donna and I are going to cook, Josh is simply providing the place and some alcohol."

"That's probably for the best."

"When are you coming back?"

"I knew it, you miss me already."

"I didn't say that, I was just…making conversation."

"Akay, sure. I'll be back a couple of days after Christmas."

"So, I was thinking maybe we should go to a New Year's Eve party."

"That's what tends to happen on that night." Danny replied thinking it was an odd statement for CJ to make.

"Erm, actually I meant we should go together?"

"CJ, are you asking me out on a date?" He smiled as he heard her laugh whilst trying to not let him hear it.

His sister chose this moment to poke her head around the door. She smiled as she saw him smiling, her brother seemed a lot happier than usual and she had a feeling who ever was on the other end of the phone was responsible. "Danny, we've got to go." She whispered.

He nodded to her and spoke down the phone. "Hey, I've got to go and that sounds like a good plan to me."

"Good, well you better go. I'll talk to you soon."

"Yeah, soon." Danny shut the phone and put it in his pocket. He looked at his sister who was still grinning at him. "What?"

"What? Nothing. I was just smiling." She pushed the door further open and let him past.

"Good, well then, let's go."