AN: Well, this is another silly, pointless one shot for the 2013 Holiday season, though this one follows on one of the Christmas pieces from last year. While not needing to read it, I do recommend reading All I Want for Christmas which you'll find in my profile and at s/8837757/1/All-I-Want-For-Christmas. I apologize now for the stupidity as well as the pointlessness of this and any mistakes. This is completely unbeta'd, written without any changes, and the second offering of my Harry and Ruth Advent calendar.

One Year Later

"Harry, go home."

He looks up from the file with reading glasses perched on the end of his nose at the man standing in the doorway to his office. It's Christmas Eve and though he had plans to leave during the afternoon, a last minute meeting between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister on December 27th has found him tied to the office.

Something he greatly resents.

Ruth had understood when he had quickly called her on his way to a lunch meeting. Of course she had. She knew the stresses and hours that came with the job. That's not to say she wasn't disappointed but only in that he wouldn't be there with them; not that he was canceling something yet again.

Still, it didn't make him feel any less the heel or a disappointment as a father and husband.

His hope of being out in time for super had vanished as well with the additional security and checks that needed to be completed with the news that while the President was having his breakfast meeting, his wife and children would be taking a tour of the British Museum of History.

Incognito.

Or as incognito as a woman and three children with highly trained bodyguards can be.

It was evenings like this he missed his wife working for him. Ruth would have been through half the checks by now while still having time for a bit of tea and a bite to eat.

"Harry, did you hear me? Go home. We have everything under control here."

Frowning at his Section Chief, Harry pulled his glasses off. "Lucas, we have the President of the United States arriving in our airspace in two days. Three days from now, he'll be meeting with the Prime Minister in a highly public venue while his wife and children take in the sights of one of our most visited tourist attractions, and you're telling me to go home?"

"Yes, I am. It's Christmas Eve. You've a wife and children at home who you openly have admitted to regretting the circumstances that kept you apart for over two years. This is the first Christmas for …" Seeing the glare on his bosses face, Lucas changes tactic. "What I'm trying to say is you have a few someones at home waiting for you. I don't. Let me handle things for tonight and tomorrow."

"While the sentiment is appreciated, I don't have the luxury of…"

"But you do in this instance." Interrupting, Lucas leans again Harry's desk. "There's nothing you can do. Except supervise and that's being handled. Go home. Spend what's left of tonight and tomorrow with your wife and children. If there's something I can't handle, I'll call you."

He admits to himself the offer does sound good. And it's not like Lucas can't handle the remainder of the checks. But he's Section Head and he should be there with the team; except he's also a father of young children who is trying not to repeat mistakes of past years.

"Go." Lucas says, anticipating the debate the older man is having with himself.

Closing the folder, Harry nods. "You'll call me should anything suspect?"

"Of course."

"Alright than. I'll go." Handing the folder to his section chrief, Harry stands. "And Lucas – thank you."

Closing the door, Harry steps into the hall and closes the door. As he hangs his coat on the rack, he takes in the state of the entry way, smiling at the fairy lights wrapped around the banister and door frames. Stepping to the sitting room, his smile falters as he finds the crates of decorations but no family. It's only as he catches the scent of pasta sauce that he deduces where his family is. Crossing to the kitchen door, he pushes it open to see Ruth and the boys at the table, eating.

"Is this a private party or is anyone invited?" he asked, leaning against the frame.

Turning in their seats, Dante and Jordan see their father and yell. "Daddy!" Dropping their forks, they clamor from the table and run to him.

Laughing, Harry squats down and hugs the boys, giving each of them a kiss before letting them go. Standing, he crosses to Ruth and bends down, kissing her softly as the boys run into the sitting room. "Hello my love."

"Hello darling." she whispers, wrapping her hand around his and squeezing. "I thought you were working late."

"I was. But things worked out to where I could come home." He's about to say more when a faint crying can be heard over the monitor sitting on the table. "I'll get her."

Ruth smiles and watches as he leaves the room, sending the boys back to the table before heading upstairs. She's turned back to her dinner when Harry's voice, low and velvety comes over the monitor. "Hello Miss Anna. How's my princess tonight?" It's quiet a moment before she hears his voice again, louder than before. "Shall we change your nappy? And tell your mum to finish eating?"

Laughing, Ruth reaches out to turn the monitor off before picking up her fork.

"Someone wants their mummy."

Putting her fork on the table, Ruth turns towards the hall and sees Harry standing there, a purple bundle in his arms. In the time he was upstairs, he's changed to a pair of tan khakis and a green jumper, his feet bare as he crosses to her.

"I've changed her diaper, but she's hungry; and unfortunately I've not sprouted bre..."

"Right!" Ruth says, blushing as she reaches for their daughter. After everything they've gone through and done together, he still manages to bring out her blush. "I'll just feed her if you'll take the boys and start on the tree?"

"Tree!" Jumping from his seat, Dante runs towards the sitting room, his brother following closely behind.

"Don't touch the Nutcrackers! They're mine."

"Thomas mine!"

Watching them run through the door, Harry smiles before turning to watch as Ruth feeds their daughter, his smile deepening as she looks down on a head of blonde curls. Reaching out, he rests a hand on those curls before leaning down to kiss Ruth.

Curled on the couch, a boy on each side, Harry reads from 'A Christmas Carol'.

Again.

Just like last year, only this time, Harry will not have to leave.

Instead, once the boys have fallen asleep, he'll carry them up to their rooms, tucking them in. Ruth'll change their little girl, feeding her again before tucking her into the bassinet in their room and then they'll quietly put out the gifts under the tree. Harry will drink from the glass of milk while Ruth eats the biscuits and then they'll turn in, curling together and falling asleep. There'll be no quiet lovemaking this year; not with Ruth having given birth just the month before.

Come morning, the boys will wake them up, clamoring into their bed and rousing them from their dreams. Their squeals and laughter will wake Anna and though still early, Harry and Ruth will give in and take them down to open their presents, knowing that the early morning will mean a nap in the early afternoon, leaving their parents some quiet time for themselves before Catherine and Graham come round for Christmas Super.

Only last year this had all been a dream.

AN: Well, I say this classifies as another pointless fluff piece, but as I said before, it's Christmas and fluff is allowed. If you've a moment, please leave a review. They're my only presents this year and I'd love to unwrap them. =0)