A year later Pauline laughed softly as she spoke to Lady Sandra it was the Yule ball and she was waiting on Halt to arrive, she hadn't really given him a choice over he past few years when it came to his attendance. Pauline smiled as she watched he mistletoe toe move around the room it was dangling from the string on a pole lead around by one of the kitchen boys who dangled it over couples to liven the party. The Baron approached his wife in the small group with Pauline, Rodney, Crowley and Chubb and the boy quickly brought it over and Lady Sandra leaned over and kissed her husband the group around them clapped and he boy moved on "where is Halt this evening?" He asked with a smile. Pauline smirked "there is no telling last I heard he was on his way back from Celtica" she said their relationship was not public but the Baron and Sandra seemed to know anyway that there was something between the couple even without knowing precisely what. As if on cue Pauline saw Halt slip into the room she let out a breath she wouldn't admit it but she had been worried about him, he was returning from Celtica and she wasn't sure if he would make it back in time. He approached the group silently. "Ah Halt there you are happy Yule" the Baron said. Halt bowed his head in greeting "Happy Yule" he said smoothly "I apologize for my tardiness I only just returned I came strait here." Pauline gave him a soft smile above her glass of cider. "No apologies my friend we are just glad you are here" the Baron said "Master Chubb come show me what you have created this year" the Baron said eyeing the desert table. "I'll second that" Crowley said eyeing the table of delicious sweets. The remaining four watched them slink away. "Well I for one will not assist in the Barons growing midsection instead I think I'd like to dance" Sandra teased "Sir Rodney would you be so kind?" She offered her hand and he took it and nodded his farewell to the other two leaving them alone.
Pauline smiled over at him softly at him and he returned it carefully "how was your trip?" She asked. "It went well" he said softly. "You look tired" she said caressing his sleeve briefly she wouldn't get to personal in public but she wanted to let him know she still cared and had worried about him while she was gone. She was actually surprised at how badly she had missed him lately. She had found herself laying in bed at night missing the days when he had lay beside her. She shook the thoughts away as he spoke "I've been riding for two days strait to get back in time" he said wearily "I haven't even been to the cabin to get a fire going in the place." She sighed softly that was why he looked so tired "you can't go home on your own tonight and try to get everything settled you have been gone for months it'll take a day at best and you look about to keel over, I'll go help you in the morning stay with me tonight" she said her hand resting on his arm. He looked at her "Pauline..." He said softly surprised by the request unsure of how to interpret it, they hadn't done more than kiss over the past several years this was quite the change but he could see in her face that something had changed. He had been gone for months before but he hadn't ever seen her look at him like this. She blushed embarrassed when he didn't answer "I'm sorry I shouldn't have... It's not my place to go changing things on you like that that..." She said starting to turn from him but he caught her arm stilling her. "Alright" he said softly. She looked at him curious and surprised. He nodded softly confirming his words. She smiled softly "alright."
They spent the rest of the night trying very hard to dodge the mistletoe which had apparently been sicked on them as a joke courtesy of Crowley and the Baron. Finally guests started to dissipate. Pauline said good night and left shortly after wishing everyone a happy Yule and Halt faded away presumably to return to his cabin for the evening. Little did anyone know that the ranger had slinked his way up to the apartment of a certain courier for the evening.