DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CSI:NY OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. I DO HOWEVER OWN SAMANTHA FLACK AND BABY KIERAN

Never judge the present by the wrapping

"The season is upon us now
A time for gifts and giving
And as the year draws to its close I think about my living
The Christmas time when I was young,
The magic and the wonder,
But colors dull and candles dim,
And dark my standing under
O little baby, shining light
You've set my soul to dreaming
You've given back my joy in life
And filled me with new meaning."
-A Baby Just Like You, John Denver

Neither of them spoke. Or moved. They stared at each other unblinking. That sly smile curving her lips and a feeling of utmost dread coursing through his entire body. It was the last thing that Flack needed, or wanted. A run-in with the crazy ex-girlfriend that would just explode into something catastrophic when his wife happened upon the scene and saw who he was conversing with. Because his wife would eventually show up. It was inevitable. She would wonder just where in the hell he and the baby had gotten to for the last hour and come looking for them.

And the end result for Devon would not be a pretty one.

"So…" Devon said, breaking the proverbial ice.

"So…" Flack echoed for the lack of anything better to say.

"This is your son." It was more a statement than a question.

He nodded.

"The baby that your girlfriend or fiancee or whatever was pregnant with at the nine eleven event last year?"

"His name's Kieran," Flack told her. "He's almost a year old now."

"Time flies," Devon said, almost sadly. "He's beautiful. He looks just like you, you know."

"I know," he told her, pressing a kiss to the top of his son's head. "We hear it all the time."

"We?" she asked, reaching over to pull an empty child's chair towards her before standing up and settling into it. "Meaning you and your son?"

"Meaning me and my wife," Flack replied. Barely making eye contact with her as he went back to helping Kieran with the cookies in front of him.

She nodded slowly. She caught sight of the thick white gold band on his left ring finger. "You're married now, too."

It was another statement.

"A year on Christmas Eve," Flack told her.

"Same girl?" Devon inquired. "Tiny, fiery brunette with the killer curves and the vicious red head of a body guard?"

Flack smiled. "Samantha," he responded. "And yeah…that's my wife. You weren't expecting me to be with her anymore?"

"I wasn't expecting to see you as family man," his ex responded. "You know, considering your aversion to commitment."

"I was never against committing," Flack told her. "I had just never met someone I would consider committing myself too. What we had Devon…it was a joke. Plain and simple. You were just slumming and I was just…I don't know…bored."

"You always were a firm believer in honesty," she said with a sigh, flipping her wavy strawberry blond hair over her shoulder. "But I was never slumming, Don. I was with you because I genuinely liked you. You were handsome and charming and you didn't act like a pompous jerk that was only with me because I had money. You didn't treat me like some damn trophy to parade around. You treated me like a normal girl. We did normal things together. You weren't impressed by my social class or my friends. You were just…I don't know…I guess you were just you."

He shrugged. "I'm not the type of guy to pretend I'm something I'm not, Devon. And it's not that I didn't like you. I mean, I was attracted to you. No red blooded male could resist being attracted to you. But I wanted something more than that. And I hated being your trophy."

She gave a small smile. "I'm sorry. That you felt that way. I was just proud of you. I liked showing you off."

"Well I felt like a complete ass. And I wasn't selling myself out for you. Or anyone else. It never would have worked between us, Devon. We're just too different. It was fun while it lasted. Didn't last long but it's not like our time together was horrific or anything. And I probably should have dealt with things between you and I better. In a more mature way."

"I think we both handled it pretty badly," she told him. "It wasn't all your fault. You weren't happy. I could see it. And I wasn't going to force you to stay in something you were uncomfortable with. I saw you sitting here, with your baby on your lap and I couldn't resist coming over. You just look so happy, Don."

He smiled and combed his fingers through his son's hair. "I am," he told Devon. "Happier than I've ever been. I have an amazing wife and a great kid. Things aren't perfect but we love each other and our tiny family."

"That's good," Devon said. "You're a great guy, Don. You deserve to be happy. Mind you, I never once pictured seeing you making gingerbread and covered in sprinkles and icing."

He laughed. "Neither did I. It's amazing what we won't do for our kids."

The cookies finished , Flack wrapped them in the wax paper the ladies in charge of the craft table had given him and packed them in a small cardboard box on top of the hand print they had made earlier. He struggled however, to balance a cranky Kieran on his lap while bending down to scoop the Bob the Builder knapsack up off of the floor. The baby was pissed off that his attempts to eat everything in sight had been thwarted and whiny because it was past his afternoon snack and nap. All Flack wanted to do was get out the wipes to clean the sticky mess off of himself and his son, and was having a hell of a time doing it.

"Here," Devon said and held out her hands. "I'll take him."

Flack eyed her sceptically.

"I won't drop him." she promised. "And I love kids."

"Since when?" he asked, passing his son over and praying to God Kieran didn't decide it was an opportune time to throw up all over Devon's designer sweater and jeans or pitch a massive temper tantrum. He felt relief when Kieran took to the red head easily and comfortably. He stopped whining and reached out to play with the expensive looking diamond circle pendant around her neck.

"He's just adorable," Devon gushed, holding Kieran by his hips as she stood him up on her thighs and bounced him playfully. "You are just the cutest thing in the whole wide world," she informed the baby in a high pitched, childish voice. "Yes you are. You're just so handsome with your big blue eyes. You look just like your daddy. Yes you do."

Flack smirked. He never thought he'd see the day when the girl who panicked when she chipped a nail or the toes of her Jimmy Choo's became scuffed handle a child with such ease and confidence. He was actually impressed at her apparent natural mothering skills.

He unzipped the bag and took out the travel package of wipes and used a handful to clean off his hands and sleeves of his shirt and his lap and Kieran's equally as messy hands and face.

"So what are you doing here, Devon?" he asked, standing up and tossing the used wipes in the trash can by the end of the table. He slung the bag over his shoulder and picked up the box of cookies and the clay hand print and motioned for her to pass Kieran to him.

"I can manage him," she said, rising to her feet.

"I don't doubt it. But I kinda need to get him back to his mother before she thinks we've dropped off the face of the earth. Not to mention he needs something to eat and drink. And if she sees you with him…"

"She'll pitch a fit," Devon concluded with a knowing nod. She passed the baby back to his father, watching as Flack expertly and carefully embraced his son with one arm, tucking Kieran tightly to his side, his hand under the child's diapered bum. "You're a natural," she praised. "Were you always this good or is it something you grew into?"

"Fatherhood came easily to me," he admitted. "What are you doing here, Devon?" he repeated. "At an NYPD Christmas party. For families."

"I'm here with my fiance," she replied, and held out her left hand for Flack so he could get a look at the sparkling, decent sized pear shaped diamond on her finger.

He was surprised to say the least. "Congratulations," he said. "Finally found the one, huh?"

She nodded and studied the ring proudly. "He works out of the 133. Major crime."

"A detective?" Flack asked. "Can't stay away from us gumshoes, huh?"

"I do seem to have a weakness. Tony DiCenzo. Do you know him?"

"Doesn't ring a bell, Dev. But the detective bureau employs a lot of people. So why are you two here? Among all these crazy, wild children?"

She pointed in the direction of a table by Santa Claus. Where two young women sat laughing and gossiping as they people watched. Young, pretty things with flowing blond hair. The youngest confined to a wheelchair.

"That's Tony's girls," she told Flack. "Gracie is the oldest. She's fourteen. Smart as hell. And a fantastic ballet dancer. The one in the chair…that's Lyla. She's eleven. Severe CP. Her mother took off when she was six and couldn't deal with the pressures of having a child that wasn't normal." She made air quotes around the word normal.

Flack wasn't sure what surprised him the most. The fact that Devon and him were having a mature conversation and that she'd gotten herself engaged, or the fact she was settling down with a man that was obviously much older than her and who came with a lot of baggage. Or maybe what shocked him was the peace and compassion and utter love and pride that was on her face as she studied the two young girls across the room.

Devon had grown up. It was nice to see. And he realized than and there that he'd grown up too.

"You want to come and meet my wife?" he asked. "I mean, really meet her? Not like the nasty incident last year."

Devon smiled brightly. "I'd really like that, Don," she replied.

It was nice to just sit back and relax with friends. To talk and laugh and have virtually no other cares in the world at that moment. Conversations steering clear of shop talk and focusing on the holidays and plans with family and memories of Christmases past. Danny had everyone in stitches over his tale of Santa Claus rebellion when he was seven. He and his brothers had always been real handfuls. Hellions, was his exact word. His mother was constantly telling them, from the time he was old enough to remember, that if they didn't smarten up, Santa Claus wasn't bringing them anything and they were going to be damn sorry when they woke up to nothing under the tree.

And that was exactly what happened. On Christmas morning, the Messer kids had run down the stairs in their drafty old house in Staten Island, boisterous and excited about what awaited them under the Christmas tree. Only to find there wasn't a present to be had. And their stockings stuffed with nothing but lumps of BBQ charcoal.

The younger kids who'd still believed it Santa had been absolutely devastated. Until, after hearing their crying and ranting and raving, their old man had come downstairs with two massive garbage bags full of wrapped gifts and a warning from Ol' Saint Nick. He wasn't putting up with any more shit and disrespect and had asked Mr and Mrs Messer to keep the presents back to teach their kids a lesson.

"And did it?" Sam asked curiously.

"You kidding?" Danny laughed. 'Louie was back to beating the crap out of me two hours later and three days later we were all back to mouthing off to our mom and breaking windows all over the neighbourhood with snowballs. And that New Years Eve," he shook his head and snickered at the memory. "Louie and I and a few of his older buddies went down to this old lady's house at the end of our street. She was a nut job through and through and we knew she was out with one of her other nut job friends for the evening. So we grabbed some shovels and she had one of those old fashioned boxes by her side door, you know, where you could open it from the inside and either the postie could leave mail in it or the guy who delivered milk could drop of their goods?"

Everyone nodded.

"Us guys, we stuffed as much snow as we could into this box and into her house. She came home the next morning and the snow had melted and she had a river flowing down her basement steps."

The team laughed. More at the childlike exuberance in Danny's voice and the playfulness sparkling in his eyes than at the story itself. Lately, with the stresses of home life hanging over him like a looming dark cloud, it was rare to see Danny laugh or hear him share a funny story or offer up some kind of smart ass comment that had you in stitches for hours. And for a guy that had just found out he was going to be a father, he should have bee a hell of a lot more upbeat.

"I remember this one time when I was five and Sammie was ten," Adam spoke up, excitement in his own voice. "It's my favourite Christmas memory from growing up. All the rest are more nightmare than anything. Because our dad, well he was always drunk or stoned on something and usually Christmas to him was spending whatever money was left over on booze and passing out on the couch while we ate fried baloney sandwiches."

Sam cleared her throat and sipped the china cup of tea in front of her. She wondered how much Adam had had to drink to get him going about their real father. She felt uncomfortable. And saw, by the looks on their faces, that her mother and Sarge felt the same way.

"It's a good memory," Adam assured everyone.

"Go ahead, Peanut," Sam said gently. "No one is stopping you from telling it."

He smiled at her. His sister's approval meant more to him than anything else in the world. And he wouldn't have continued had she been dead set against it.

"Like I said, I was five and Sammie was ten," Adam went on. "And it was this really, really, really horrible blizzard outside. The wind was so bad it rattled the windows and we kept getting these rolling black outs. I was terrified by this time so Sammie and I pulled all the blankets off of her bed and went and hid in the closet. That was our hiding place, when things went bad. Anyway, we were lying in there whispering and giggling with our flashlights and that's when we heard it. Footsteps above our head. Loud footsteps and than the faint jingling of bells."

The way Adam told the story, with wonder and awe in his voice, made the entire table smile at the warmth and magic he created.

"Santa, right? We knew it was Santa right away stomping on the roof. And the bells were coming from his reindeer. We were pretty damn stoked because most years, Santa skipped right by our house. So Sammie and I, we jump up and go tearing out of the closet and we run to the window and throw it open and lean out as far as we can and look up towards the roof in hopes of seeing him. We must have stayed there for half an hour and nothing. We were pretty bummed about it but still all psyched from hearing Santa, you know? We went back to bed and couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. In the morning, I swear to God, we couldn't see the living room floor for presents."

The entire table smiled.

"You remember that, Sammie?" Adam asked. "You must remember that."

She nodded. It was the only good memory she had of her birth father. The ones that remained embedded in her mind were the horrific ones. Of suffering beating after beating and trying to protect her baby brother and clean up his bloody noses and split lips. Or enduring torment after torment and the cruel, vicious words that were tossed their way. And of the near nightly trips her father would make into her bedroom from the night she turned six years old until she hit ten.

She forced those thoughts out of her mind. She'd never told anyone save for her husband what had gone on in that bedroom And that's the way it was going to stay. For her own sanity.

"Turns out it was just our dad," Adam said in conclusion. "Getting the presents our mom had bought from money she'd won at Bingo. It was a lot of small stuff, but to us, it was like hitting the jackpot."

"And it gave you something wonderful to remember," Gus added, reaching out to comb her fingers through her fiance's unruly hair and then leaning forward in her seat to press a kiss to his cheek.

"What about you, Mac?" Danny asked, sipping black coffee. "What's your favourite Christmas memory?"

"I have a few," their boss replied with a slow nod. "Mostly from when I was younger and my parents were both alive. I remember going to my grandparents, on my father's side, and having these huge feasts and seeing relatives I hadn't seen for an entire year since the holiday before. It was never about presents. The memories I cherish most are the times spent with family."

"You're lucky to have had that kind of thing with your folks, Mac," Danny said. "Not many of us at this table can say the same thing."

Samantha and Adam nodded in agreement.

"And this Christmas…" Mac said, and smiled lovingly at Stella and picked up her hand and kissed it gently. His free hand resting on her slightly protruding stomach. "…will no doubt be the best yet. A beautiful wife, baby on the way. There's not much more I could ask for."

The couple kissed softly while the others at the table smiled warmly.

"I remember the massive blizzard of the Christmas Eve of eighty-two," Angell said. "I was seven. My older brother Ray came running in to me room to tell me that it was nothing but snow as far as the eye could see. Said it was up to his knees almost. God, it had to be close to midnight and I remember my mom letting us all put our snowsuits on over our pyjamas and bundling us up good and warm and watching from the living room window as we had a ball in the front yard. Making snowmen and snow angels. That's definitely the room I remember most."

"Only good memory I have of my foster father was him putting wet footprints leading from the fireplace to the Christmas tree and back again," Stella joined in the story telling. "Man, that made me a true believer in Santa Claus. What about you, Hawkes?"

"I'm a lot like Mac," the soft spoken ME turned CSI said. "Moments with my family I treasure most. Carmen?"

"When my brother was still around, Christmas at home with my family was a lot of fun," the red head said. "As soon as he died…parts of my parents went with him and nothing was ever the same again. So I guess, as an adult, I can say that my best Christmas memory was last year. Sam and Flack getting married on Christmas Eve and going to Rockefeller Centre afterwards and than to Tavern On the Green. Just spending that night with the people that matter most to me."

"Sam?" Stella asked. "What about you?"

"I only have the one good memory of my childhood," she said. "But as an adult…last year was by far the best Christmas I ever had. For obvious reasons. And this year…well hopefully with it being Kieran's first one, it won't be as stressful and painful as I'm imagining it's going to be."

No sooner did those words escape her mouth, Samantha's eyes widened as they, and her brain, feasted on a sight she hadn't expected to see in a million years. Except for maybe in those crazy ass dreams she had from time to time that involved finding out her husband was having an affair with an ex-girlfriend. And now, it seemed at least those dreams were coming true in some sort of context as she watched her husband and Devon Maxford approaching the table together. Laughing and talking as if they were the best of friends.

Stella was the first to notice the utter look of dread that passed over the petite brunette's face. And as she glanced over her shoulder, she heard Carmen's angry voice mutter "What the hell is that bitch doing here?"

"Excuse me," Samantha said, not knowing if it was anger or sheer curiosity that had her getting to her feet and intercepting Flack and Devon before they could reach the group.

"Oh here we go," Danny mumbled, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest as he watched the entire confrontation unfold. "Ten bucks says Brooklyn knocks rich girl on her ass in less than five minutes."

"You're giving it that long?" Carmen snorted. "Mood Sam's been in, Devon will be lucky if she lasts one minute."

"Mom-mee," Kieran gushed and reached out his tiny arms when he saw her.

"Come here, sweet pea," Sam said to her son, letting him curl his arms around her neck before Flack passed him over the rest of the way.

She had to clasp her hands underneath Kieran's ass and let his weight rest on her forearms he was getting that heavy to lug around. And the fact that he just wouldn't sit still and insisted on yanking on her earrings or the chain around her neck or grabbing a hold of her hair and popping it into his mouth to chew and suck on made it even harder to control him.

She couldn't hide the utter disdain in her eyes she held for the svelte strawberry blond in front of her. A little over a year ago, Devon was calling both her and Flack non stop and trying every trick in the book to get back an ex-boyfriend that had made it painfully clear over and over again that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with her.

And now here they were laughing like old friends? What the hell was that shit?

Flack stepped beside his wife and laid a hand on the small of her back and pressed a light kiss to her temple. "Devon, this is my wife, Samantha…Sam…this is Devon Maxford. You remember Devon, don't you?"

How could I fucking forget? Sam thought. She put on a pleasant smile despite the fact she wanted to throttle the other woman. Or her husband. She wasn't sure exactly who was on the top of her list.

"Nice to meet you," Devon said, offering a hand. "At least in a friendly, proper way."

Sam looked at the perfectly manicured hand extended her way and wanted nothing more than to just turn her back and walk away. It's Christmas, she reminded herself. Peace and good will to all men. And unfortunately, that included spoiled, brattish, filthy rich daddies girls. She shook Devon's hand in favour or smacking the girl out.

"So what are you doing here?" Sam asked, hoping to God she at least sounded pleasant. "Just hanging around the NYPD Christmas party hoping to meet an eligible bachelor or do you just like clinging to other women's husbands?"

"Samantha," Flack said with an agitated tone. "Be nice, okay?"

"I'm here with my fiance," Devon explained. "He's a detective with major crime out of Staten Island. He's got two daughters so we're here as a family."

"That's nice," Samantha said. "Congratulations."

"Wedding's in the spring," Devon told her, than proceeded to all but shove her left hand under Sam's nose so the other woman could get a good close up of her diamond ring.

"It's lovely," Sam told her. "And I have one, too!"

Juggling Kieran on one hand, she forced her own left hand into Devon's face. So that stuck up, self-centered bitch could get a look at her much bigger and far more expensive rock. Sam wasn't normally like that. She wasn't the type to care too much about materialistic things. But Devon just seemed to bring out her evil bitch side.

"Whoa…" Devon grabbed a hold of the hand in front of her and eyed the rings on Sam's finger appreciatively. "Very, very nice, Donnie. When it was time, you just went all out. Tiffany's right?"

Sam nodded.

"They have a look and sparkle all their own," Devon gushed. "You're a lucky girl. You must have been very good."

"Best damn sex he's ever had!" Sam declared. "I earned every last cent he spent on it."

Devon smirked. Unsure of what to say in response to the brazen woman in front of her.

"Sweetheart," a tall, athletically built gentleman with thick, curly jet black hair and mysterious grey eyes suddenly appeared at Devon's side. Curling an arm around her slender waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I wondered where you'd gotten to. Gracie said you were over here talking to some friends."

"This is Detective Don Flack and his wife Stephanie," Devon introduced. "And this is my fiance, Tony."

"Her name's Samantha," Flack corrected his ex, although he highly doubted it was an innocent mistake.

"I've heard a lot about you," Tony said to Flack as he shook both of their hands. "Devon's talked about you on more than one occasion. Homicide, right? Out of the twelfth precinct? Caught you in the papers last year when you hijacked a yellow cab to chase down Batman and Robin."

"They were these spy types," Devon gushed. "And it was so incredible. The whole thing was just exhilarating from start to finish. I mean, I would have much preferred to just be able to finish off the activities taking place before Donnie just went rushing on out after them…"

"On that happy note," Sam interrupted Devon before she could continue. "Don, we really need to get Kieran home. Has he had his milk and his snack yet?"

"He didn't want anything," Flack told her.

"Yeah…leave it to me," Sam said snottily. "It was nice meeting you, Tony. Good seeing you again, Devon. I hope the two of you are very happy together. Can we go soon, Don? Like after he has his drink and something to eat? Because he'll be massively bitchy if he doesn't nap and end up falling asleep at supper time and than be up all damn night."

"I'll just go and have a smoke and grab our coats and we can leave," he told her, following her as she carried Kieran back to the table and sat down with him on her lap. 'Please be nice," he said, setting the cardboard box down on the table top before unzipping the knapsack and pulling out a sippy cup of milk and a small container of dry frosted cheerios.

"She's sticking around?" Sam sounded mortified as she handed the cup to Kieran and snapped open the container of treats. "Don't leave me alone with her."

"You'll be fine," Flack assured her, leaning over to kiss her.

"You are so dead later," Sam muttered against his lips.

Flack had no sooner slipped out the front entrance of the convention center and lit up his cigarette when Tony DiCenzo stepped out into the frigid temperatures, nodding at the younger detective in greeting and sidling up to him.

"You wouldn't have one I could bum off of you, do you?" Tony asked, clasping his hands together and blowing on them to keep them warm. "Left my pack in my coat in the ballroom."

Flack held out the pack clutched in his free hand.

Tony took it, shook a cigarette out and placed it between his lips. Using the lighter tucked inside the pack to light his smoke. He took a long drag and exhaled slowly. "Thanks," he said, passing the half empty pack back to the younger man. "So how old's your boy?" he asked curiously.

"He'll be one next month," Flack replied.

"Just got the one?"

The homicide detective nodded. "So far."

"Hoping to have another already? That's brave."

"We want a couple more. Nice and close together. So they have each other to play with and what not. Family is pretty important to us. We're just hoping to raise them better than we both were."

"Your old man's Donald Flack Sr?"

Flack smirked. "The one and only," he said dryly.

"Hell of a legend. Never met him myself but I've heard stories. Amazing career. Great cop."

"Shit ass of a human being," Flack said. "But you'd have to grow up with the man to realize just how bad. You got two girls?"

Tony nodded. "Gracie and Lyla. My baby girls. Devon's been amazing with them. She's a natural mother. And wife. I know it's not official yet but we've been living together for five months so she's as close to a wife you can get without signing anything."

"It's okay," Flack assured him. "I called Sam my wife from the time I proposed. We lived together too before hand. I didn't need a licence to tell me she was my wife. Know what I mean?"

"Absolutely," Tony said. "How long you been married?"

"Almost a year. She was pregnant when we got married. Things were a little…what's the word? Unique. Between us."

"Nothing wrong with that"

"So how'd you and Devon meet?" Flack asked.

"Charity football game. NYPD versus Jersey PD."

Flack coughed noisily to hold back a snicker. Hearing that just proved his long time theory that Devon trolled those kinds of events just looking for a cop to sink her nails into. "And you guys are getting married in the spring? Big thing, little thing?"

"Medium size. Mostly my friends and family. Colleagues. Seeing as her folks disowned her and cut off access to all her money when she announced she was marrying a guy almost twenty years older than her and who had two kids. To be honest though, I think me being a cop pissed them off the most.

Flack smirked. "Why does that not surprise me? I think being away from the high brow types she's used to has done her some good. She seems different now. I mean, she's actually, I don't know….nice."

Tony laughed at that. "She's changed a lot since we first met. Your wife a stay at home mom? Career girl?"

"She works for the NYPD. Crime scene investigator."

"That must be rough. Working with your spouse."

"It has it's moments," Flack said. "Good and bad. It's a major adjustment to go through, but we managed."

"You guys have a big wedding?"

"Six guests. Christmas Eve. In a judge's chambers."

"Smart man. Trust me, planning a wedding is hell on earth."

"I don't doubt it," Flack said. "My wife helped her best friend plan hers. It was a lot of hard work," he finished his cigarette and butted it out on the wall next to him and tossed it into the snow. "Look, I gotta get going. Get the little guy home. It was nice meeting you."

"You, too," Tony said, shaking the hand offered to him.

"I hope you and Devon are very happy together," Flack said, and headed for the door.

"You being sincere about that, Detective?" Tony asked.

Flack doubled back. "Come again?" he responded.

"I just want to make sure that there's nothing for me to worry about. The way she ran off to say hello to you and catch up on told times. Seemed a little…seemed like maybe there was still something simmering underneath if you know what I mean."

Flack smirked. "I'm a married man. You've seen my wife. No offence, but do you really think I'd screw up my entire life with someone like that with someone like Devon. Thanks but no thanks. She's all yours. I'm not interested."

"Doesn't bother you that she seems still mildly interested in you?"

Flack shrugged. "That's her problem. And if that's true, she can keep dreaming. Because I'm not into her in any way shape or form. I've got my own life. A wife and a kid. I'm not messing all that up for Devon. Or anyone. I'm sure the two of you will have a great marriage and a family and everything else that comes with."

"So there's nothing for me to worry about? I don't need to be concerned about her running around with you?"

"Okay," Flack gave a small chuckle. "Let's go over this one more time because apparently you're a bit hard of understanding. I'm married. I love my wife. We have a son together and for the most part a happy life. I'm not interested in Devon. At all. She's a nice girl but me and her are way too different. It's the reason things didn't work the first time. So go and marry her and have a wonderful life together. With no worries. I'm not going to be on your doorstep waiting to poach your girl."

Tony nodded slowly. "That's good to hear."

"Now other men…" Flack shrugged as he headed for the door once again. "…that's what you really have to worry about."

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Tony called after him.

"Exactly what it sounded like," Flack responded, and disappeared inside.

The two women sat next to one another. Neither spoke. Samantha ran her fingers through Kieran's hair and softly stroked his forehead as he leaned back against her and guzzled his milk. He was cranky and tired and the simple act of having either his forehead or bridge of his nose stroked was enough to completely relax him, and every so often, send him off to sleep.

"He's beautiful," Devon commented, reaching out to run a fingertip down Kieran's cheek.

"Thank you," Sam said in response. "We're proud of him. I think we'll keep him."

"Looks just like his daddy. I bet you hear that all the time."

Sam nodded.

"I never thought of Donnie as a family man," Devon said. "I never thought that one woman could make him happy. Not that he cheated on me or anything. But when he was with me, he wasn't all with me. If that makes any sense."

"I guess he just wasn't that into you," Sam concluded. "Or you'd be the one with the wedding band on your finger and the baby on your lap."

Devon sighed. "I guess I deserve that. Considering the slight grief I put you guys through last September."

"You were going the obsessive stalker route with all those phone calls," Sam told her. "But I've been with guys that I wasn't able to let go of that easily either and I did the whole harassing the new girlfriend thing a couple times. So I'm not going to sit here and shit all over you for it."

The red head gave a small smile. "It's nice to know you're not as perfect as you look."

"Me? Perfect?" Sam couldn't help but laugh. "Honey, I am far from it. What would ever make you think that?"

"Look at you. This petite little thing with killer curves. All that beautiful hair and those golden eyes. Men just look at you wherever you go I bet."

Sam shook her head. "I'm just the plain Jane girl next door. You're the vibrant red head that personifies walking sex."

"You seriously underestimate yourself, girl," Devon said. "Either you don't look in the mirror or you haven't been complimented near enough. You're the girl that guys bring home to mom and want to marry and have babies with. I'm the one they want to cheat on their wives with. I mean, you got the guy, didn't you? The one that seemed impossible to nail down?"

"I guess I just arrived at the right time in his life," Sam reasoned. "He was looking for someone to settle down with and there I was. And you don't look like you're doing too bad yourself. Your fiance is a very attractive man and he seems really nice. And he seems like he cares for you a hell of a lot."

Devon smiled and looked down at the ring on her finger. "He's everything to me. Him and his girls. I've lost everything that ever mattered to me just because I want to be with him."

"That's what being in love with someone is all about I guess," Sam said. "Sacrificing. And that goes both ways. It's not a one way street."

"Do your parents like Donnie?"

"My mom hates him. She always will. She doesn't think he's good enough for me because he only has a grade twelve and he's a blue collar kind of guy. My step-father…well things were a little strained at first to say the least. But he came around and him and Don get along great now. Kieran's birth really helped bringing them closer together. My step-dad is possibly the proudest, most sickening grandfather on earth."

"Well he's a beautiful baby," Devon told her again. "He's going to be breaking a lot of hearts one day. And Donnie seems really, really happy. That's why I couldn't resist going over and talking to him when I saw him. Mind you, I never thought I'd see the day he had his ass parked in a kid's chair. He's not the smallest guy. And than to be covered in icing and candle sprinkles? Priceless."

Sam laughed. "There's not much he wouldn't do for his son."

"Or for you," Devon said. "I can just tell by looking at him that he's totally and helplessly in love with you. It's written all over his face."

Sam smiled and nodded slowly. "I'm really lucky. I found him at a time in my life that I needed someone the most. He's helped me through a lot. More than any guy should have to deal with. But he never complained or made me feel that I wasn't worth it."

"Hold onto that than," Devon told her. "Him. Hold on to him. Because not many find that these days. And trust me, you'd regret it if you let him slip away."

Sam was tempted to ask if Devon was regretting it herself but was interrupted by the sippy cup slipping from her son's hands and bouncing off her knee and onto the floor. He gave a small whimper and his thumb popped into his mouth and his head flopped forward.

"Wish I could fall asleep that easily," Devon laughed, and retrieved the sippy cup.

"It would be nice," Sam agreed, lifting her son up under his arms and turning him around so that his head rested on her shoulder and his chest and stomach were tight against her.

"I should get back to the girls," Devon said, standing up. "It was really nice talking to you, Samantha. Especially under friendly circumstances."

The brunette smiled. "It was nice taking to you, too, Devon. And I'm sorry things were so nasty between us. I was just trying to protect what I had. I had just gotten engaged and found out I was pregnant and I was desperate to hold onto Don. And I felt threatened. Big time."

"Back than you had a reason to be," Devon admitted. "I was after him and determined to get him. But he loves you and you have nothing to worry about. On either of our parts. Look, I was thinking," she snapped open her purse and rummaged around before coming up with a small cream coloured business card. "If you ever just want to hang out or grab a coffee or go shopping or something, give me a call."

Sam accepted the card and looked down at it. Devon Maxford. Bridal consultant. "You actually work?" she asked playfully.

"Shocking, I know," Devon laughed. "I just started there a couple of months ago. I went back to school when my folks kicked me to the curb. Took a wedding planner course through night classes. It's not bad work. Could be better. But I was just thinking, maybe we could attempt to be friends. Seeing as we have so much in common now."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sam told her. "Congratulations. On your engagement."

"Thank you. If you give me a call, maybe I can get your address and you and Donnie could come to the wedding."

"Maybe," Sam said.

"And congratulations to you. On getting married and this adorable little guy here."

Sam smiled and watched the slinky strawberry blond head off.

"So?" Danny asked, taking the opportunity to slip into the chair that Devon had vacated. "How painful was that?"

"It was relatively painless," Sam replied. "I guess she wants us to be friends."

"Why?" Danny asked.

"She apparently thinks we have a lot in common now that she's engaged to marry a cop."

"Engaged? Little Miss Rich Bitch is engaged? You kidding me?"

"She seems very happy," Sam said, pressing a kiss to the side of Kieran's head.

"Just 'cause she's marrying a cop doesn't mean you two have a lot in common. Only thing you have in common with her is the fact that you both have fucked Flack."

Sam frowned. "Be nice, Messer," she scolded.

By the grace of God, the in laws had decided to head home from the party with Gus and Adam and had announced that they were quite possibly staying overnight. So they could get in their visiting with both children. Flack had wanted to hug his mother in law for giving him the best possible Christmas gift she could ever toss his way. Peace and quiet and serenity, And his own bed back. Although he suspected that either Gus or Adam, sensing the tension in the air between Samantha and her mother, had been the ones to put the plan into action.

First thing he did when he got home, other than carefully peel his sleeping son out of his snow suit and boots and place him in his crib for the rest of his nap, was take full advantage of having his bed back. He stripped off the sheets and pillowcases and put all fresh ones on. The second thing he did was strip his wife and himself down and get some decent baby making time in. Without having to worry about her parents being in the next room or having alcohol in her system, Sam was able to fully relax and enjoy herself. Even if she did find herself face stomach down on the bed and had to bury her face in the pillows to hold back the ear splitting noises that threatened to erupt from her.

Afterwards they dozed. Completely naked in each other's arms, buried underneath the thick comforter. Samantha was the first to wake up. Her eyes slowly opening as her ears, and brain, registered the sounds of Kieran babbling happily in his crib and shaking the bars noisily.

She yawned noisily and managed to roll over onto her back despite the heavy arm draped over her. She rubbed her tired, weary eyes and turned her head sideways to look at her husband. Fast asleep, his dark eyelashes falling on his pale skin and a soft smile curving his lips. She reached out and ran a gentle hand alongside of his face and leaned in to press a soft kiss to his mouth. Giggling when he wrapped both arms around her slender frame and deepend the kiss and rolled over onto his back, taking her with him so she ended up on his stomach and chest.

"You were faking," she scolded, running the knuckles of both hands along his jaw line.

He smiled and nodded but didn't open his eyes. "Were you?" he asked.

"I never fake," she responded and kissed him deeply.

"Baby's awake," Flack told her.

"I know. I was just on my way to get him. He's probably hungry. It's a little later than usual for him to be eating supper."

Flack cracked open an eye and checked the bedside clock. "Almost quarter to six," he observed.

"That's late for him. I should go out and make him something to eat and than get him."

She attempted to climb off her husband's prone body, only to have him tighten his grip on her.

"I'm not finished with you yet," he told her.

"Well unfortunately, for both of us, it's time to retire our 'let's fuck like wild animals hats' and put on our mommy and daddy ones."

He sighed heavily. "You just know how to ruin a good thing, don't you," he stated.

"I'm surprised you can even function after our little activities earlier," she said, pressing kisses along the hallow of his throat and on the underside of his chin.

"I'm like a fine wine, baby. Older I get,the more I improve."

"I'll remember that when we're in our forties and I'm at my sexual prime," she said, kissing him long and hard and deep one final time before climbing off of him.

"You mean you'll be hornier and even more willing than you are now?" he asked curiously.

"Mm-hm," she responded, as she found a pair of joggers and a t-shirt to slip into.

"Thank the Lord. I must have been a very, very good boy in my previous life to deserve someone like you."

"Yes," she agreed, pulling her hair out of the back of her t-shirt as she headed for the door. "You must have been."

He frowned and sat up and grabbed a hold of one of the pillows and tossed it at her. "You just do wonders for my ego, you know that?"

"Trust me, baby. There's nothing wrong with your ego," she bent down to pick up the pillow and threw it back onto his bed. "I mean, how many times did I need to call you God to make you feel good about yourself?"

He just smiled.

"Do you want me to start anything for supper?" she asked as she opened the door. "Or should we order in or…"

"We'll order in. Chinese sounds good. That okay?"

She nodded.

"Actually," Flack said, as he lay back down and stared at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. "Sushi sounds good to."

Sam made a gagging noise. "You hate sushi," she said. "We both do."

"Yeah…but I heard of this place that does naked sushi. And I figure, you can just lie there and I'll eat you."

"Didn't you just do that an hour ago?" she asked teasingly. "Or did you forget that part?"

"You're pretty unforgettable, baby," he said with a broad grin. "You and everything that goes with you. I just think that would be kind of erotic. Put food all over your naked body and eat it off of you. That just does something for me."

"Don, these days, a stiff breeze does it for you."

"Maybe I'm hitting my sexual prime," he said.

"If so, I'll be trading you in for two twenty year olds when you hit forty."

"Baby, they would not know what to do with you."

"Precisely. The best part is teaching them everything they need to know."

"Yeah?" he asked, rolling over onto his side. "Well I'm a big fan of instructions. So why don't you come back to bed and show me exactly what it is you need me to do?"

"Why don't you take a cold shower," she replied, and slipped from the room.

She was preparing a Gerber Graduates entrée for Kieran when Flack joined them in the kitchen. The instructions on the package said to feed the macaroni and cheese and fresh veggies meal to kids older than twelve months and showed they could chew food properly. Well the latter was true for their son so she'd gone ahead two weeks before and bought every available flavour they had. And Kieran was entirely grateful for the change.

"What's on the menu tonight?" Flack asked, as he turned the kettle on to make himself an instant coffee and grabbed the take out menus from a drawer by the fridge.

"Mac and cheese," Sam replied, squirting ketchup onto the meal in front of her. Kieran loved ketchup. His first foray into it being at grandma and grandpa's house in Queens and grandpa introducing him to chopped up wieners mixed with white rice and ketchup. A delicacy as far as Kieran was concerned.

"Lucky kid. Getting out of that crappy tasting jarred shit he was subjected to for nearly six months."

"I didn't see him starving," Sam said, as she stirred the red condiment into the mac and cheese and than pulled one of the chairs over to the high chair where Kieran impatiently waited for his meal. "He's like you'll. He'll eat just about anything."

"I remember when he was still on nothing but milk," Flack commented, as he fixed his coffee and made her a cup of tea that he left on the counter while he took a seat at the kitchen table. "And you were still doing nothing but breastfeeding him. Now those were fun nights. Getting up and bringing him to you every three hours. Every two when he first got home. Remember that?"

"How could I forget?" she asked, spooning macaroni into her son's mouth. "I almost fell asleep feeding him so many times. Good thing we were on the bed. It wouldn't have hurt him if I'd dropped him."

"You were an amazing mother, Sam. You still are."

She smiled at her husband over her shoulder. "That's it. Kiss up to me some more for leaving me alone with your crazy ex girlfriend."

"Hey, you even said yourself she wasn't that bad this time."

"She wasn't. She's just a little…I don't know. Flighty. But for the most part she's harmless and she seems really, really happy with this guy. And he seems very nice."

"He came across as decent," Flack said. "She's changed. I was pretty shocked to hear she'd gotten engaged. Especially to someone that much older than her and with kids. And one of them with special needs at that. Devon never came across as too compassionate."

"Never judge a book by it's cover," Sam reminded him. "Or, to stick with the season, a present by it's wrapping."

"I guess," Flack said and sipped his coffee. "What's all this?" he asked, taking a look at the various store advertisements scattered across the table. All featuring toys. Girls toys at that. "Are you trying to tell me something by shopping for a girl? Are we having a daughter I don't know about?"

"No. I was just browsing."

"At dolls?"

"Cabbage Patch Kids, actually," she told him.

He frowned. "I remember those things coming out in the mid-eighties or somewhere around there. They were huge. Than someone brought out those Garbage Pail Kids collecting cards."

"And let me guess," Sam grinned. "You had every one in the series."

"I was the hockey card collector. Chris was into those things. He was always spending his allowance on them. So why are you looking at these Cabbage Patch Dolls?"

She shrugged. "I've always had a soft spot for them."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "And I was thinking about going and getting myself one."

He stared at her. "Get outta town."

"I know. I know. I'm almost thirty-three and that's the stupidest thing you've ever heard."

"I never said that. I'm just…I don't know. Surprised. You just don't strike me as the doll type."

"I always wanted one," she explained. "I used to beg and plead for one when they came out on the market. I wanted nothing more three Christmases in a row. But I never got one. First it was my mom telling me it was because she couldn't find one anywhere because of how popular they are. Than the next two years she was telling me they couldn't afford to get me or Adam anything. But I always wanted it and I saw a little girl at the day care with one the other day when I dropped Kieran off and…well, it made me want one all over again."

Flack just nodded and stared down at the cherubic looking dolls in the ad. Than looked up and across the kitchen at his wife. "You were actually going to get one for yourself?" he asked.

"Just something that crossed my mind. A little something to keep for my daughter if we ever have one. I just thought of how sentimental it could be."

"I don't really think it's something you should go and buy yourself, Sam," he said.

She sighed. "I know. Totally immature for someone my age. It was just a silly little wish, really."

He didn't respond. Instead he reached for a pen sitting on top of the mail to his left and jotted down the number for Toys R Us that was on the bottom of the flyer.

Her wish was his command.

Everyone needed a little surprise. Even at her age.

Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing! Even thanks to the lurkers for their support! Please review people! If you like it, please, please, please review. It would make my day!

Thanks to:

Hope4sall
Brttmclv
Forest Angel
Laurzz
Marialisa
Wolfeylady
ImaSupernaturalCSI
Laplandgurl
TruLuv
GregRox
Shopaholic20
bluehaven4220