Greetings All! I hope that you are enjoying the lovely Advent season. And happy Hanukkah to all of those who are celebrating over the next week.
This next story is inspired by a holiday tradition in my hometown. As always we don't own the characters, any story lines referenced from the show, or the songs.

Song: Away In the Manger
Preferred Version: Pentatonix


Sometime JJ really had no idea what to think about certain situations. In her line of work she saw things that would seriously frighten most people and she handled them with all of the grace that she had. But sometimes there were just no words for what you were seeing. And in this case her speechlessness was caused by her husband, who was currently appearing before her in a tattered, brown bathrobe with a black cloth over his head. The head covering was currently being held on by what appeared to be an old karate headpiece. Once she got over the initial shock over the piece meal costume, she chuckled, reflecting on the events leading to the situation.

Earlier in the day JJ, Will, and Henry had come to Louisiana to visit Will's family for Christmas. And they had no sooner stepped over the threshold of his cousin's house when Noel was desperately begging for Will's help.

"Will, please, just this once."

"No, Noel. I'm not dressing up in some itchy bathrobe and walking from church to church all night long. Especially not after doing a six hour flight after coming off of a night shift."

Noel looked pleading at JJ.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what is going on here," the blonde agent replied.

"Oh, it's a parish tradition. Thirty years ago, this area had several churches of different denominations popping up. The pastors wanted to find a way to promote unity among their congregants so they came up with a 'Walk to Bethlehem.' Each church takes a character from the Christmas story, we start off with Mary at the Methodist Church and then walk to each church, read a scripture, sing a song, and take the next character with us as we go to the next church."

JJ nodded in understanding. "And your church is responsible for…"

"Joseph. And the person who was supposed to play him this year tore his ACL and the others are either too old, too young, or need to walk with their own kids." Noel shot a sharp glance to her cousin, "and Will was our last hope to save it."

Will was about to protest when he caught JJ looking sympathetically at Noel. And it was then that Will knew it was a losing battle. He heaved a long-suffering sigh,

"Alright, I'll do it. Just… make sure the bathrobe isn't too scratchy." The giant hug he got from Noel was almost worth it.

So, later that evening, JJ found herself standing in the second pew of St. Nicholas Catholic Church, watching her fiancé hand a baby doll to the young lady playing Mary. The priest read a passage from Matthew, but the blonde didn't quite pay attention until he motioned for everyone to stand for the selected song.

Away in a manger,
No crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
The stars in the sky,
Looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The simple song, sung acapella, struck a chord with JJ. Her parents had never really celebrated Christmas and that season was always overshadowed by despair of some sort. Even after leaving home she had never considered Christmas worth celebrating outside of the standard acknowledgements. But she could appreciate the simple hope and goodness that radiated from group she was currently surrounded by. The feeling was contagious. And not even the off key offerings of these humble people could keep the joy from spreading. And JJ could always use a little more of that in her life.

With a lingering glance to Will, she heartily entered into the last verse-

Be near me Lord Jesus,
I ask thee to stay,
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.