AN: I hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Christmas...thank you for reading my story. I have one last installment to go after this one. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I had fun writing it. Out of curiosity did anyone try to guess who the "ghosts" of Christmas past, present and future were as I wrote this and were you right or close?

ACT 4

As he returned to his office Mike felt like his mind was over loaded with images and thoughts of what he had just seen in his afternoon stroll with Father Scarne. He was somewhat relieved to see Lenny Murchison seated in front of his desk with an unreadable expression on his face.

"You look like you could either use a drink or someone to talk to," Lenny commented.

"Well, since I'm still on duty, I'll settle for someone to talk to," Mike replied, with a heavy sigh as he closed the door then practically threw his hat and coat onto the coat stand before he sat behind his desk. He brushed his hands over his face and up through his hair, feeling emotionally exhausted.

"What's on your mind?"

I think Steve is in love with my daughter. "I feel as though everyone around me can't talk to me anymore. Let's just say, I've learned a lot more in the last twenty four hours about the people I care most about than I have in God knows how long."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Well, I don't really quite know where to begin." Mike rubbed the back of his neck then leaned forward and rested his arms on his desk, searching the psychiatrist's face for the answers. As usual, Lenny's impassive look held more questions than solutions.

"How are you and Jeannie getting along?"

"Fine, just fine. Okay, maybe things are a little strained lately between us but nothing serious."

"Does it have to do with all those extra hours you've been putting in at the office?"

Word does get around, Mike almost grumbled but he cleared his throat and said, "Maybe."

"If you're short of man power, why don't you talk with Olsen about getting an extra hand to help out?" Lenny suggested as he drew out an apple from his lunch bag which up until now sat noticed on Mike's desk. He took a bite out of the apple and waited for Mike to answer.

"I would if I knew he wasn't struggling to pull men out of other departments to help out as it is."

"That new guy from robbery, what's his name?" Lenny snapped his fingers, trying to remember.

"Brennan? He's too green. He really blew it last night and I've written out a report to Rudy about him."

"You mean a report on how he saved Steve's life?"

Mike arched his eyebrows in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"You didn't know?"

"You see? That's what I'm talking about, right there! No one tells me anything anymore!" Mike sat back and crossed his arms, his anger surfacing but beneath the façade he was hurt.

"Did you give Brennan a chance this morning to tell you what happened before you wrote up your report?"

Dredging up a morning he would rather forget, Mike thought hard on Lenny's question and his shoulders sagged as he breathed out, "No, I shut the kid down. But why didn't Steve call me?"

"Maybe he didn't want to worry you about having to spend half the night in the ER to get his head stitched up. It's no secret you dozed off in the middle of the day at your desk."

"What happened to him?" Mike proceeded to question the psychiatrist, ignoring his comment on how he had fallen asleep at the office.

"After the two of them got back from questioning Steve's witness, someone followed Steve and it was a good thing that Brennan had eyes like a hawk and reflexes to match when he knocked Steve to the ground and saved him from catching a bullet. Steve hit his head on the curb but it could have been a lot worse had that new kid not been paying attention. Of course, Brennan was delayed for his stake out mission and lost that robbery suspect but he's been working hard to make amends. If you're wondering how I knew about this, it's because they were both in my office for counselling this morning."

"And here I was, too busy chewing him up. Too busy wrapped up in my own work. I didn't even notice Steve had been out of the office all morning. What am I becoming?" Mike brought a hand up to his mouth to reign in the emotions that threatened to pour out of his heart.

"Mike, Steve thinks of you as the paternal figure that has been missing for a great part of his life. He understands what you're going through but you need to talk to him. When was the last time you two saw a game together?"

"I don't know." Mike stared blankly at Lenny. "How do I fix things? Not just with Jeannie or Steve but Brennan and…and Bill. He's been pushing for an early vacation. I'm beginning to think he needed to take one to get away from me."

"Let's start with tearing up that report typed up on Brennan and then I really think you should sign Bill's vacation forms."

"Please tell me, Bill isn't thinking of resigning!" Mike wasn't sure if he could forgive himself if Bill resigned because of his attitude.

"No, nothing like that but his grandmother's dying. He wants to fly out to see her and spend what could be one last Christmas with her and the family. She's the reason why he became a cop, if you remember?"

"Yeah I remember, but I had no idea she was ill."

"No one does except for me. I guess he didn't want the guys to fuss over it when Christmas is supposed to be a time for joy and laughter."

"Done. I'll book the ticket for him right now. I'll make sure he gets on that flight in time for Christmas."

"He'll appreciate that," Lenny nodded with approval. "Listen, I better get going. There's a couple of things I need to wrap up before I head out of town for Christmas. My sister in-law has gone all out this year and I wouldn't want to miss it for the world." The psychiatrist gave Mike a wink as he rose from his seat.

"Merry Christmas, Lenny and thank you," Mike said with a smile that reached his eyes.

"Don't thank me. I'm just the listener. Take care, Mike and have a wonderful Christmas. Give Jeannie my best."

The door closed behind Lenny, leaving Mike feeling like every piece of the puzzle was beginning to fit into all the right places. He picked up the phone, dialled the airport and organized for a ticket to take Tanner to Chicago where he knew his grandmother resided.

…..

Tapping the Inspector on the shoulder, Mike was rewarded with a sad smile as Bill Tanner looked up from his paperwork. "Hey, Mike, I'm almost finished with the report on Delacruz. I'll have it on your desk before you go."

Mike shook his head and leaned forward. "Leave it. You have two hours to get the last flight to Chicago."

"Mike, I don't understand…" At a loss for words, the African American cop looked at Mike as if he had lost his mind.

"You heard me. I've already booked and paid for your ticket. If you leave right now, that'll leave you enough time to pack and get to the airport."

"I don't know what to say," was all that Tanner could manage.

"Merry Christmas, Bill."

With a broad grin, Tanner gave Mike a slap on the arm and climbed to his feet. "Merry Christmas, Mike."

Just as Tanner left the office, Mike's eyes caught sight of a young man heading toward him with an envelope in his hand and his eyes downcast.

Inspector Brennan approached Mike and looked him in the eye as he said nervously, "Sir, I just wanted to you to be the first to know that I'm going to hand in my resignation to…"

"What? Oh no, you're not resigning, kiddo!" Mike cut off the young man in mid speech and held up his hand to forestall him from continuing. "You know why I won't let you resign? Because I would look like a complete idiot when I walk into the chief's office and commend you for what you did yesterday."

Speechless, Brennan thought he wasn't hearing right. "Commending me? But I lost a suspect. I failed the department and I failed you."

"No, you didn't fail me or this department. You saved another officer's life. We can locate a lost suspect but Steve's life can never be replaced."

Mike's words struck a chord in Brennan as the young man extended his hand and thanked him fervently.

The Lieutenant gave Brennan a firm handshake. "Have you special plans tonight?"

"It'll be Helena's first Christmas. Jane and I so excited."

For a fleeting moment Mike could've sworn Brennan mentioned his late wife's name, Helen.

"Sir, are you alright?"

Realizing he was simply staring, lost in his own thoughts, Mike shook his head and smiled. "Everything's just as it should be. You go on and finish up so you can get home in time to be with Jane and the baby. Trust me, the first Christmas will always be special to the both of you and you wouldn't want to miss a minute of it. Oh and er…it's Mike. Please call me Mike."

"Thank you, Mike. Merry Christmas. Steve tells me you have a daughter too. Send her my wishes will you?"

"I will, I promise."

As Brennan departed from the office, Mike felt at peace with the world and all those that made his life complete. Even though Helen had left a gaping and painful hole in his existence, Jeannie and Steve more than made up for the aching loneliness that he thought could never be healed. His eyes wondered to the clock on the wall. It was time to call it a day and head on home to spend Christmas with the two people that he cared most about.