I wasn't going to leave them there, here's the happy ending!

And a very happy Christmas to you all, thank you so much for all of your support.

On the plane Harry and Emily agreed over plastic tumblers of gin and tonic that they would book into their hotel in Greenwich Village and head out into the city immediately.

However in the taxi Emily Began to feel sick. She was deathly pale and half an hour after arriving at the hotel she'd vomited twice and lay curled in the bed clutching her stomach. Harry had located some painkillers and juice for her.

'I feel awful, I think it must have been the fish on the plane, you didn't eat it. I'm so sorry Harry, dragging you all this way. Just leave me to sleep this off and go out and enjoy yourself.'

'I can't leave you like this.'

'Please, I don't need to feel guilty about you on top of everything else, I'll be fine, I just need a few hours sleep. Go and look up your handsome American.'

'He may be a handsome American but he's definitely not mine,' Harry protested, but Emily had already closed her eyes.

XxXxXx

Brooklyn, New York, NYPD 78th Precinct

'Jim, Jim!'

Dempsey was wearily shrugging his coat on as Len came running up to him.

'What now?'

'Need a favour from you, that's all.'

'I already offered to work Christmas Day but they didn't need me.' Dempsey huffed.

'You can sing can't you?'

'Huh?'

'You can sing, I've heard you and I know you were in the choir in the early days.'

'Ah Len…no I don't.'

'Jim listen, AJ's got pneumonia and we're a baritone short for the carol singing this evening, you'd be doing me a huge favour.'

Len had the good grace not to mention the time he'd saved Dempsey's ass during a drug's bust five years ago or the several times he'd covered for him when he'd had to leave in a hurry to pull Simone out of another downtown bar. But Dempsey remembered all too well the favours he owed this man as he sighed, 'okay but just this once, Len, I ain't rejoining the choir.'

Len grinned and patted his arm 'good man, Dempsey. Seven thirty at the Rockefeller Centre, in uniform.'

XxXxXx

New York was cold. People bustled along the pavements, cars blasted their horns. Harry emerged from the subway and followed the crowds heading towards the Rockefeller plaza. The city looked magical and she began to understand why Dempsey loved this place and how much he'd given up to come to London.

The enormous tree shone gold and green and there were squeals and shouts from the skaters on the ice rink. Harry suddenly felt very alone, acutely aware of the absence of the one person who had been by her side for the last three years. He would have loved all this with a childlike delight and she could almost hear his voice, cajoling her onto the ice 'c'mon Harry, I'll catch you if you fall.'

She shook her head to dislodge the thought and was drawn to the sound of carol singing. A crowd had gathered watching a brass band and a choir of uniformed men, Harry watched from the back mesmerised by the song, a favourite from her childhood

Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices…

She'd been watching for a while before she spotted him; he was right at the back behind a taller man as if he'd placed himself for minimal exposure.

Harry knew she should walk away but she couldn't, she was numbed with shock, hardly able to believe what she was seeing; James Dempsey was here, singing in a choir, in public wearing an NYPD uniform.

As the final chords of O Come All ye Faithful died away the men started to disperse. Shuffling backwards to the edge of the crowd, she watched as Dempsey stood deep in conversation with another man. Suddenly he looked up and straight at her, almost as if he'd known she was there all the time, however the look of surprise on his face told her otherwise. It was Dempsey who moved first, his eyes never leaving her as he started to walk in her direction.

'Harry' his voice was barely a whisper. He reached out and touched her arm 'Harry, it really is you, what are you doing here?'

She'd been so angry with him after he left and had fantasised about meeting him again, convinced that Dempsey would be as arrogant and brash as ever, still maintaining his upper hand in their argument. But here he was in front of her, wary and nervous, gripping her arm as if afraid she would disappear if he let go.

'You came to see me?' He said in a hesitant voice.

'Uh, no well, um…' he looked so hopeful, not at all the Dempsey he'd been in their final weeks together.

Harry sighed, 'it's freezing, can we go somewhere warm?'

'Uh , yeah, let's walk.' He loosened his hold on her arm as they started to walk towards the stalls of the Christmas market but he kept glancing sideways as if afraid she would run off.

They found a booth selling food and drink with wooden benches and outdoor heaters and they squeezed into the last remaining spare seats, sitting together in silence sipping mulled wine and watching the crowds, Harry became aware of Dempsey's gaze on her and as she turned to face him he said, 'why are you in New York Harry?'

She explained about Emily's last minute assignment and her subsequent food-poisoning, Dempsey made no effort to hide his look of disappointment when he realised that he was not the reason for her trip.

'You would have got in touch though, if you hadn't seen me in the choir?'

'Yes,' she lied 'I planned to call you on Boxing Day.'

'Come tomorrow!' He said with the old Dempsey enthusiasm, 'come for Christmas, bring your friend. Mom will be delighted, she's been chewing my ear about you.' He stopped suddenly and looked down at the table, fiddling with his glass.

'What did you tell her?' Harry asked gently.

He turned and gazed at her for so long that she had to look away.

'She asked what happened between us, said I looked sad.' He reached across and laid his hand on hers. 'I'm sorry Harry, about what happened, I'm so sorry.'

She turned her palm to his, 'I'm sorry too.' She shook her head with a smile, 'we're a pair of idiots!'

And that was that, weeks of tension, a furious row, angry ill-considered accusations and a parting neither of them planned or anticipated - all swept away with a few words of apology, and an acknowledgment of how foolish they had been.

Over the next hour they talked about everything and nothing, Harry's family, news from the office. But they both avoided the subject of 'them' and the feelings between them that they'd been trying for months to ignore, feelings that had ignited one rainy London afternoon erupting into anger rather than passion.

'I need to get back to Emily' Harry said at last.

'I'll come with you, make sure you get back safe.' He grinned at the look on her face. 'I know, I know Harry, you don't need protecting, but you're in my city now, just let me do this.'

As they walked through the streets back to the hotel their hands touched and their fingers entwined and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. For the first time in months Harry relaxed, all of a sudden everything felt absolutely right and she knew then for certain that she couldn't do this on her own any more. She needed James Dempsey by her side.

They stopped at the corner across from the hotel. Dempsey shuffled his feet in the snow, nervous again, then he took her coat lapels and pulled her closer. 'Will you come tomorrow, Harry?' He asked.

'I need to see how Emily is but yes, I'd love that.'

He put his arms around her, hands stroking her hair, 'I missed you Harry, God I missed you.'

And then, standing on the corner of a busy New York Street they kissed, as softly as the dusting of snowflakes that started to fall. A kiss full of desire and apology and promise for the future.

When they broke apart they stood just looking at each other, smiles playing on their newly-kissed lips.

'Dempsey?' Harry said cautiously 'you will come back won't you?'

He smiled and kissed her again 'Yes, Harry, I'll come back, I'm not leaving you again.'

'James?' She whispered against his lips.

'Mmm?'

'Happy Christmas!'