Seasons Greetings Robson fans! This is a Christmas ghost story with a bit of Robson thrown in for good measure – No, hang on, I got that the wrong way round – this is a Robson tale with a bit of a ghost story thrown in; no major angst, just the fluff hitting the fan. Fingers crossed I get enough time to finish it before next Christmas.. . lots of love to you all

ML x

"A pint, sir, along with many thanks"

James Hathaway carefully placed two brimming pint glasses onto the table in front of him, positioning one of them on a crisp cardboard coaster in front of his boss.

It was an early afternoon, three days before Christmas, and the two colleagues had finished work for the week, indeed for the very last part of the year. Live cases had been temporarily shelved or passed onto a skeleton staff, desks had been cleared and all major paperwork had been completed for the Christmas and New Year break. Jean Innocent, full of Christmas cheer and benevolence towards the two colleagues had relieved them of an extra afternoon's work and so it was that Lewis and Hathaway found themselves enjoying an early afternoon pint.

"Are you absolutely sure, Sir?" Hathaway took a long draft of his pint and regarded his boss with a serious expression and a tilt of his head.

"I am, absolutely. If I can't help out my sergeant with a favour after a year of hard work then there's no hope for anyone" Robbie replied to James, also taking a welcome drink of his pint.

"Cheers" he continued, placing the pint back down on the coaster

"Well, I do appreciate it. It doesn't look like my car will be fixed this side of Christmas, let alone the new year" Hathaway said, his long fingers rotating his pint glass with absent fastidiousness, centering it onto the coaster on the table. James Hathaway had plans to spend his Christmas and New Year in York, with some friends and acquaintances he had met at a religious philosophy seminar in the summer. His car had developed a major engine fault and without the benefits of a courtesy car he had been at a loss of how he would get to York for the Christmas break. Thankfully, Lewis had offered to give him a lift to Leicester where he would meet up with a friend with whom he would continue on to York with.

"You're very welcome. Wouldn't want to deprive you of what sounds like a right bundle of laughs" Robbie said taking another drink of his pint as Hathaway smirked wryly as he regarded the contents of his pint glass.

"Seriously, I appreciate it Sir" he said before taking a drink.

"It's no problem, I've told you, I'm heading up that way to go to Lyn's so it's not too much of a detour to go up the M1 before I turn off to Manchester" Robbie loosened his tie and sat back into the padded pub bench. He was glad that work had finished. It had been a busy year and he'd hardly seen Lyn apart from a day trip to Birmingham, a halfway point between Oxford and Manchester, when they'd both been able to get time off work that complimented both of their busy schedules. If truth was told, however, Robbie was happy to drive the extra few miles to kill a bit of time before he headed over to see Lyn in Manchester. Since Val had died being alone at this particular time of year was always difficult. Even just spending a bit of extra time in the pub with Hathaway helped shorten the time he would have to spend on his own in his flat. Hathaway was in a similar position; he enjoyed the older man's company and despite having various friends and social distractions he could occupy himself with, he too didn't enjoy being alone at this time of the year.

So the two men chatted and drank and discussed various topics as they usually did. Outside the sky was darkening not just from the dwindling daylight but from thick dreary cloud cover that had also drafted in a steady rainfall. The streets looked miserable and grey, despite the colourful Christmas lights which reflected and contrasted off the wet ocher coloured pavement slabs

As they discussed a case they were working on, Hathaway and Lewis' conversation was interrupted by Robbie's mobile phone buzzing and jumping in his jacket pocket. Hathaway politely cut short his diatribe to allow him to answer.

"Hello? Laura?" Lewis said into his mobile. Hathaway noted how his boss' face had broken with a smile once he had seen it was Dr Hobson on the phone. It was a reaction that Hathaway had noticed had become commonplace. While his boss was on the phone James checked his messages and personal emails on his own phone but could ascertain that the conversation between Lewis and Hobson was mainly about work followed with good wishes for a pleasant Christmas break. As the call ended Hathaway saw his boss was still smiling, simply from just talking to the Doctor. There had always been a spark between his two older colleagues and Hathaway knew that Laura Hobson had a soft spot for Lewis, as well as a vigilant care for his wellbeing that she didn't have for her other colleagues. Hathaway had often thought about trying to steer Lewis romantically towards the doctor but he knew he had to tread a careful path. Although Lewis was lonely and, quite frankly miserable because of his loneliness, he still tortured himself over the loss of his wife. Still, Hathaway had seen progress recently and had had it confirmed by his own observations that Lewis clearly enjoyed the Doctor's company and she his.

"That was Doctor Hobson, just letting us know that those forensic results have been fast-tracked, by her own hand no less, despite the holidays, and will be ready and waiting for us in the new year"

"Where would we be without the good doctor?" Hathaway said with a genuine smile which in turn precipitated a slight almost imperceptible blush on Lewis' cheeks.

"Is Doctor Hobson going away for the Christmas break?" Hathaway saw the blush and swiftly and discreetly rescued his boss with the seemingly innocent enquiry.

"Er, yeah, Liverpool early tomorrow morning and then onwards to New York, apparently; off to visit family. Funny how you're going to Old York and she's off to New York eh? I wonder who'll have the most fun?" Lewis rescued his composure with a gentle fun-poke at his sergeant

"Indeed" Said Hathaway, suddenly very aware that as far as he knew, all three of them would be spending Christmas alone, at least as far as a significant other was concerned. The thought suddenly made him glum.

"Let's have another pint, sir" he said.

"Aye, go on then" Lewis agreed, also thinking of his own predicament over the festive period. He wondered idly if Laura was seeing anyone at the moment and with that thought he felt a squeeze of jealousy inside his chest. He took a drink of his pint and tried not to think about his feelings. He looked out onto the street outside. A steady and heavy continuous downpour was drenching the city and seemed to make everyone miserable. Rainwater gushed down the roads and poured into the drains with loud gurgles and people walked quickly along the pavements which shone with the rain.

Hathaway returned from the bar with another pint and the pair of them turned their back on the gloomy weather and chatted about a cold case until darkness fell and they both made their separate ways home.