"Looks like you had a lot of luck," Fox said when she and Harrington were meeting up again at the parking lot where the director's car was.

"You too," she replied. Harrington asked, "Did you get your stuff covered?"

"I did, so we can put them together?" Fox inquired.

"We might want to put them in separate places," Harrington replied with a smile before they were walking to her car. "I'll put mine in the backseat," she said, not surprised when her girlfriend was nodding in agreement. Once they'd put their bags away in the backseat and trunk she said, "Did you want to head straight back to the house?"

"A drink?" Fox asked.

"Alcoholic?" Harrington replied in surprise.

"No, tea or coffee," Fox replied.

"Would you mind if we did that back at home?" Harrington asked.

"Not really," Fox said, though she was taking her girlfriend's hand and leading her back to the sidewalk.

"Where are-" Harrington started to say before her girlfriend was interrupting her.

"Trust me," Fox said simply. They continued back to the main street and she took Harrington over to the florist. Inside she let go of her hand and went on her own to the poinsettias before she was picking up a pot.

"That's for the house?" Harrington asked as she had followed her girlfriend.

"It's a tradition," Fox said.

"I remember seeing yours," Harrington commented with a smile.

"Do you like it?" Fox then asked.

"I do, it's good for the dining room table," Harrington said, touching one of the red petals. Walking after the officer to the registers she pulled out a pick with a 'bouquet' of snowflakes and said, "We'll split this."

"I'm buying," Fox said firmly. She watched Harrington pull back the pick and smiled before she was turning her attention to the cashier. After she had the purchased pot in her arms again she watched as her girlfriend was buying a few more picks.

With their purchases in hand they left the store and Harrington said, "I couldn't resist."

"For the kids?" Fox asked her while they made their way back to the car.

"Mmm-hmm, they're incredibly cute," Harrington said. "If we hadn't gotten invited to another house I would have suggested we watch them. They'll love the house on Christmas."

"An indoor pool?" Fox asked.

"And an arcade," Harrington replied with a smile as she was opening the doors of her car. "Bernard was a little kid…"

Seeing the slightly pained expression on her girlfriend's face, Fox wished she wasn't holding the pot or around the car. But she watched Harrington hurriedly put the picks into the back before she was doing the same with the flower on the other side. When they were both sitting in the front she squeezed her girlfriend's arm, not surprised she was smiling briefly before they were driving away.

Back at her house, Harrington did her best not to look at Bernard's cars before she got out to get everything. "They'd been talking about covering the path," she said suddenly while they were trying to get everything to only make one trip.

"That would be a good idea," Fox said. "A breezeway would be a good idea," she added. She couldn't help laughing when her girlfriend was looking at her in confusion and she said, "Covered and walled?"

"Oh, well I should because it's open to the front," Harrington said before she frowned and a sob left her lips. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No, it's ok," Fox replied. "I'm not surprised it's a little hard for you. I shouldn't have suggested it."

Frowning, Harrington wanted to reassure her before they were stepping out of the garage and they were at the door where she set some bags down. After they were inside she said, "That's everything?"

"The poinsettia," Fox said before she hurried outside.

Watching her go, Harrington gasped when she realized she was seeing drops on the cement and she looked for the officer before she was jogging back. "Did you get wet?" she asked her in concern.

"I managed to avoid the first flakes," Fox replied. "Want to get this set up?"

"After I get a kettle on," Harrington said. They moved through the mudroom to the kitchen and after she'd washed her hands she was going to Eileen's kettle and filling it with water. "Pick from my tea," she told her girlfriend, aware she was watching her. "Thank you for bringing that box by the way."

"You're welcome," Fox said. "Are we still on for the market?"

Laughing at the wording, Harrington said, "I think so. But how are we going to split the bill?"

"I'll pay you back?" Fox asked slowly.

"Alright," Harrington said before she watched the officer getting the poinsettia out of the bag it was in before she was speaking with a smile.

"Are you going to decorate it?" Fox inquired.

"I would, help me?" Harrington asked.

"I trust you, plus you did buy those," Fox replied firmly before she looked on as the director was getting everything set in the soil. "Looks good," she said when Harrington had finished and turned to her.

"It does," the director replied. She then had to hurry to the stove since the kettle had begun to whistle and she turned to the mugs that were ready. "Would you want me to show you the pool and arcade?" she asked.

"I'd love to see them," Fox said while he was nodding at the same time. She then smiled and said, "Do you think we could take the tea to them?"

"Yeah, Bernard didn't mind if you drank," Harrington replied. "And we would have beers or margaritas during the summer."

"Or tea in winter," Fox replied.

"Come on," Harrington said, taking her hand and pulling her with her until they were going inside the room off the family room.

"Wow," Fox said, looking around with wide eyes.

"Again, he was a little kid," Harrington commented. She smiled and then said, "Like a little kid."

"Eileen was okay with that?" Fox asked as they stepped further in and were at the entry into the pool.

"Mmm-hmm," Harrington replied with a nod. She then smiled and said, "They both wanted slides and a grotto… almost a wet bar but they told me it put the price a little too high." They turned at the same time towards the arcade that was raised above the pool half of the room and she said, "They were both kids of the eighties and Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man were a must."

"Pinball machines too," Fox said.

"They met over one," Harrington commented, tears welling up in her eyes as she could almost see the two recreating that moment over the same themed machine for her. "He had come up to watch Eileen and she thought Bernard was cute. He offered to buy her a drink and she agreed before that was it." Biting her lower lip as her tears spilled down her cheeks she said, "They kissed after first meeting."

Taking her girlfriend's mug, Fox set it down on the table near them and went back to Harrington, pulling her into her embrace. "You are their daughter," she said, trying to cheer her up. "We've kissed already… shared a bed. Though maybe they wouldn't approve of me because of that last part."

"You behaved like a lady," Harrington said a little laughingly. "And it's different times."

"It is," Fox said, kissing the side of her head. Feeling the director settle a little more against her she said, "Should we head back inside?"

"No, I… indulge me in something okay?" Harrington asked. Before her girlfriend could say anything she was kissing her, relieved the officer was responding and they were soon doing so sensuously before they parted.

"Mia-" Fox breathed out. She cut herself off when her girlfriend was brushing her lips to her jaw and she told her, "Are you sure?"

Pausing for a moment Harrington said, "Are you sure you want to?"

"There's the argument we're moving… way too fast," Fox said.

"And who's making that argument?" Harrington asked.

"We have tea getting cold," Fox told her.

"Then we should head inside," Harrington replied before they were reluctantly letting each other go. After they'd grabbed their mugs they went inside and she said, "I didn't plan on this when I asked you."

"I believe you," Fox said, aware they hadn't really agreed on anything yet. "And why don't we go up to the room and see how we feel?" When Harrington squeezed her hand in response they walked to the sink and rinsed out their mugs before they grabbed hands and made their way up the stairs in the family room. She let the director lead the way to the bedroom before she herself closed the door and turned her attention to her girlfriend while she spoke softly.

"Who's saying we're moving too fast," Harrington said slowly.

Gently kissing her hands Fox said, "To be honest it's a way to gage where you are with things. We went through a hell of a lot today."

"And that's why I kind of want to take this step," Harrington replied before she made a face. She smiled and then said, "Though I do just want to."

"Me too," Fox replied, letting her hands go and then wrapping her arms around her girlfriend.

Accepting the officer's lips on her eagerly, Harrington was holding onto her tightly before they were slowly parting. Watching Fox take her hand they were walking to the bed and she said, "We're starting right now."

"Was that a question or a command?" Fox asked her with a smile before she was growing serious at the expression on her girlfriend's face.

"I… I haven't been with anyone since Eaton," Harrington explained, making a face at the woman's name. Seeing the officer appeared startled she said, "It's been hard for me to be honest and her reaction the day after basically ruined things for me."

"Then we'll have to work on that," Fox said, reaching up to gently brush the director's hair off of her face.

About to tell her girlfriend that she desperately wanted to do that with her, Harrington was instead responding to her kiss. Holding her tightly she shuddered when she felt Fox's hands slipping underneath her sweater and lightly caressing her skin. She raced to return that, though she had to pull her blouse out of her trousers to manage that. They had continued to kiss one another, though they were caressing each other more and more.

"Wait," Fox said as she ended the kiss they were on. "This… I was thinking we were going to work up to this point."

"But it was just a thought," Harrington said, a thrill shooting through her at the sensation of her swollen lips brushing against each other as she spoke.

"True," Fox said slowly before she leaned into her eagerly. Their kisses that time were more passionate and their hands were sliding a little frantically eventually over each other's bodies.

When they needed to breathe normally Harrington said with a smile, "Are you uncomfortable?"

"Extremely, but I didn't want to push you onto the bed yet," Fox explained.

"Oh, you could now," Harrington said though she was taking her girlfriend's hand and pulling her to the bed. She had thought they would sit on the end of it first, but she was gasping when she was suddenly on her back in the middle of the mattress. "How-" she started to say as the officer joined her.

"I'll remind you I have to be in some kind of shape for my job," Fox replied simply. She wasn't surprised when Harrington grabbed her and pulled her in for a kiss, so she was able to respond eagerly before she was reaching in between them.

Letting out a slight groan when she realized what her girlfriend was doing, Harrington stopped her and made her pull away slightly before she was beginning to unbutton her blouse. She wasn't surprised when Fox was joining her and she smiled before they were finished and she lay back watching her remove it. "If you want us to take turns I would be in complete agreement," she told her when her girlfriend was looking at her.

"Great," Fox said simply, making her sit up before she was pulling up on her sweater. With that off she was gently holding her by her sides and said, "We're not rushing."

"No," Harrington said, realizing her voice was a little thicker than normal. She bit the side of her mouth for a moment before she said, "Your turn."

Leaning down a little so she could kiss her gently, Fox pulled away and let her girlfriend open her pants. Pulling them off herself she was surprised she could do so without her hands shaking with Harrington leaning into her, her still clad breasts brushing against her arm. After they were off she rushed to get back on the bed and she said, "Hurry, I don't want to take too long."

"We won't," Harrington said though she couldn't continue before she was being kissed. She felt Fox opening her fly at the same time and she was overjoyed it didn't take that long. Though she didn't want to, she moved to take off her pants and she said, "We're not moving from this bed for a while."

"No," Fox said in agreement, wrapping her arms around her as soon as Harrington was on the bed with her. They kissed again and while they were doing so she carefully made her girlfriend lay back. Doing that for some time she pulled away and said, "We need to… finish."

"Why did you hesitate?" Harrington asked, trying not to laugh.

"You want to," Fox replied. "There's no going back you realize."

"And you don't want to," Harrington said in amusement.

"Oh no, I'm ready," Fox said, looking hungrily at her girlfriend.

"Me too," Harrington replied, bringing her into her for a kiss. Their tongues were meeting very shortly after and tangling around each other, continuing with several more kisses before she stopped her girlfriend. She wasn't surprised when the officer immediately moved back and she sat back before Fox was reaching for the clasp in between her breasts. Helping her, her mounds were soon bared and she watched her girlfriend swallow hard, gazing at them intently before she bowed her head.

Lightly brushing her lips against the tops, Fox could feel the director trembling before she moved around to her nipples and lightly lapped at them before she pulled back, looking at her questioningly. "I don't know what you like," she explained swiftly when she saw her girlfriend was frowning at her.

"Oh, that was fine," Harrington replied. She then began to blush as she said, "More than that."

"Keep going?" Fox asked.

"Please," Harrington breathed before they were kissing again. It was a rough kiss and she was overjoyed with it, though it was too short since her girlfriend was pulling away from her. But she looked on while Fox went down to her breasts again and proceeded to kiss them briefly before she was capturing each of her nipples in turn and sucking at them lightly. Moaning in pleasure she caressed the officer's light brown locks and ran her fingers through them before she managed to move.

Startled when she was stopped Fox asked, "Your turn?"

"It better be," Harrington said roughly before she kissed her girlfriend. She was startled when she stopped her, though her words soon explained why.

"Before we get lost in that…" Fox started to say.

Harrington couldn't help smiling at the way her girlfriend was nodding down before she reached behind her, almost scrambling, but she didn't say anything until her bra was off. Seeing the way the officer was staring at her she said, "Should I ask?"

"Ask what?" Fox replied with her own question, a little startled.

"What you think," Harrington said. "And then ask me."

Unable to help laughing out loud, Fox quickly stopped herself and leaned into her girlfriend to brush a kiss to her lips. After they'd parted she said, "I don't know if my opinion matters but I'm very… appreciative."

Sighing and arching her back while the officer was caressing her breasts and thumbing her nipples, Harrington said, "So am I."

"As small as they are," Fox said, pretending to be self-depreciating. She gasped when Harrington suddenly sat up and pushed her hands away before she nuzzled her breasts. After she had kissed at her nipples she gently cupped Harrington's cheeks and led her up to her lips before they were kissing tenderly. She gradually deepened the kiss and was caressing her tongue against her girlfriend's before they were slowly parting. "I can't wait," she told her seriously.

Letting Fox lay her back, Harrington was holding onto her and drew her in for another kiss, that one sensuous before they were slowly parting and she pressed herself back against the bed before the officer was kissing down her body. Moaning in pleasure at the sensation, she spread her legs a little wider than they already were and was gasping as Fox's tongue was lightly flicking at her clit. "Philippa," she gasped to her girlfriend.

Not responding, Fox was licking a little harder and she was grasping at the director, Harrington arching her back and writhing before she moved lower on her. She started out slowly pleasuring her but was soon spurred on to do so faster and faster until her girlfriend was breaking. She was shocked when Harrington suddenly pushed away before she was sitting up, still panting hard from her orgasm.

"That…" Harrington started to say before she grabbed for Fox and pulled her close. She initiated that kiss and was doing so hard, feeling her lips throb at the pressure between them. She didn't stop until she needed to breathe and she was hurrying to grab the officer.

Before she could say a word, Fox found herself on her back and she looked at her girlfriend with wide eyes. "You couldn't wait?" she asked her.

"Can you?" Harrington replied simply. She wasn't surprised when the officer merely shook her head and she smirked before she was leaning over.

Grasping at the director when she proceeded to suck at her nipples in turn, Fox was moaning and gasping in joy at each new stimulation. Eventually Harrington was between her legs and feeling her tongue inside of her and fingers rubbing her she broke, her orgasm such a rush she nearly pushed herself into the headboard. "You…" she tried to say before she had to trail off.

"Okay?" Harrington asked with a slight smile, trying to fight her arousal at the taste of the officer still in her mouth.

"Very," Fox replied, pulling her down to lay with her. Wrapping her arms around her tightly she said, "And you don't regret the timing of this."

"No," Harrington said firmly. She smiled and said, "I'm glad we did to be honest."

"Me too," Fox said, sighing in pleasure. She kissed the hairline at Harrington's forehead and said, "Do you have plans for tomorrow?"

"No," Harrington replied, growing a little serious. "I thought I should have the museum close until Tuesday."

"Good idea," Fox said firmly. "What do you need to do."

Sighing, Harrington said after she'd thought that over, "I need to look at the newest cars, the museum itself and figure out a tribute."

Feeling her girlfriend's body tensing up, Fox hurried to pull the covers over them both before she said, "I had a feeling you might do that."

"Their… what they have in their will," Harrington started to say.

"I saw it," Fox said. "They asked me to look through it since I'll likely have to testify at the trial."

Nodding briefly Harrington said, "That urn I want to have there at the museum. Skye McDouglas suggested that. But there's a lacquer cabinet here in the living room that Eileen loved, I'm going to put it there and have their picture above it in the lobby."

"It's a good idea," Fox reassured her since she could hear the slight hesitation in her girlfriend's tone of voice. When Harrington didn't say anything else she asked, "Do you need my help?"

"With the cabinet," the director said, shaking herself. "I'll get the urn with their ashes on Friday."

"I'll go with you," Fox said firmly. "You'll need the support." Looking down at Harrington she said sternly, "Don't tell me no, I went through the same thing myself."

About to speak, Harrington stopped herself before she said, "I forgot."

"I'm not surprised, it was almost fourteen years ago," Fox said, gently running her fingers through the director's rich auburn hair. She shook her head and said, "I'm just letting you know I don't mind helping."

"I'm grateful," Harrington replied. They were silent for a moment before she said softly, "Does it get easier."

"It does," Fox said reassuringly, feeling her girlfriend pressing a little harder against her. "It takes time but what you're going to do for them will work."

"What did you?" Harrington inquired. "If I can ask."

"You can, and we placed them with our grandparents," Fox replied. "All four of them since they ended up becoming really close once my parents had them have a barbeque together while they were dating. It was what they wanted so… we did it and it made us very happy to know the family was all together."

Harrington frowned and said, "This got a little grim but thank you for telling me."

"I want to help," Fox said seriously, looking down at her while the director was peering up at her. She moved a little and gently kissed her girlfriend, overjoyed to feel her responding after their conversation. When they had parted she pressed her forehead to hers and said, "Could we do something tomorrow night? Just us?"

"I'd love that," Harrington said seriously. "And…" she began.

"And this," Fox told her breathily before she was crushing her lips to Harrington's. She had no idea how long they were kissing before they were panting for air and the director was murmuring to her pleadingly.

"Please tell me we're not going to stop," Harrington said.

"We aren't," Fox replied, moving at the same time her girlfriend was to start their lovemaking again.

"Thank you again ma'am," the man said to Harrington.

"Mia is fine," she told him. "Your position is beneath Glazer's isn't it?"

"It is," he said with a nod.

"Do you know what the responsibilities are for his?" Harrington then asked. When the man nodded again she smiled and held her hand out saying, "Then congratulations Mr. Chastain, you've been promoted."

"Are you sure?" Chastain asked in surprise.

"Very, Bernard told me about everyone here and he did trust you," Harrington replied. "I know Glazer… but you have no idea about the tiers of families do you?"

"I'm not one of them if that's what you're asking," Chastain replied. "Thank you," he said hurriedly as he moved to shake her hand.

"You're very welcome Mr. Chastain," Harrington said before they were letting go of each other.

"Ray is fine," the man said. "Is it alright if I change offices?"

"It is, I already talked to Adalberto and he's waiting to take your office," Harrington replied.

"Thank you again," Chastain said before he left.

"Knock, knock," a voice said from the open doorway.

Looking up, Harrington saw it was her girlfriend and smiled telling her, "Come in."

"Did you get everything set?" Fox asked, closing the door behind her.

"Super set," Harrington said, smiling at the officer laughing. She then said seriously, "They were really happy for the promotions and with that I'm feeling a lot better about the museum now."

"Are you keeping it open tomorrow too?" Fox said, sitting on the chair in front of the new museum director's desk.

"I am, but closed until the twenty-seventh," Harrington answered. "Like Bernard wanted." She made a brief face and said, "Adalberto warned me more people might come next week… since school is off and what happened."

"It's good for the museum though," Fox said hesitantly.

"It is but I warned the employees when I talked to them earlier that we need to keep the door to the offices locked at all times," Harrington said, glancing around the room, cleaned up after what had happened to them in it the day before.

"Good idea," Fox said in agreement. "Will you be able to?"

"Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem," Harrington said, walking around the desk.

"Do you have much else you need to do?" Fox asked, standing up.

"No, I think I got everything done," Harrington said slowly, looking around again. She then turned her attention to her girlfriend and said, "What would you like to do?"

Smiling widely Fox said, "What we talked about before. Lunch and then back to the house to decorate that tree."

"Great," Harrington said, about to move to the door before she was being stopped. Turning to the officer she was a little startled at first before she realized Fox was leaning into her. She accepted her kiss eagerly before they were parting and she let her girlfriend take her hand before they were leaving the office.

"It's a beautiful tree," Fox said, looking up at the top where Harrington was putting the topper.

"It's too tall?" the director asked with a smile down at her.

"It brings back memories," Fox replied, waiting until her girlfriend was about to step off the ladder she had.

"Bad?" Harrington asked worriedly.
"Bittersweet but I don't want to stop," Fox said firmly. She then sighed and said, "It's hard during the holidays."

"At least you have the kids," Harrington said.

"Yeah, they've been… great for all three of us," Fox said, smiling before they were taking out ornaments from the first box her girlfriend had brought from her first home. "You'll see on Sunday."

"You don't do anything for Christmas Eve," Harrington said to make sure.

"No, we just have quiet nights," Fox explained while she was hanging the bunch of ornaments she'd taken out of the box. "Christmas is the big day."

"It sounds like it, all day basically?" Harrington replied, smiling. At her girlfriend's nod she said, "I can't wait. Especially to show them the pool and arcade."

"The adults will enjoy that too," Fox assured her.

"If you want to head over there tonight we could," Harrington said. "You brought your bathing suit right?"

"You told me so I did," Fox answered. "And I'd love to."

Since they were standing next to each other, Harrington wasn't surprised when the officer leaned into her for a kiss before they returned to their task. Once they'd finished they grabbed their lunch and sat in the living room, looking at the tree before she said, "I wasn't going to change the furniture."

"It's modern," Fox replied.

"And new," Harrington replied. She wasn't surprised when her girlfriend was looking at her questioningly and said, "They changed everything this summer… Eileen had me help." She wasn't surprised when Fox squeezed her shoulder and she reassured her she was fine before she said, "But I will likely change decorations."

"You mentioned," Fox replied. "And it makes sense but you're still keeping that picture here?"

"I am," Harrington said, looking at the one of her friends' wedding day. "To honor them." She smiled a little when her girlfriend took her hand and kissed the back of it before they were talking about what they would do after their meal.

"I thought you had more to do," Fox teased her since the director had suggested they go to the pool room then.

"No, we've unpacked our stuff," Harrington began. "We've done the tree and eaten now."

"Okay," Fox said. "We should change then." She was startled when her girlfriend grabbed her and she laughed since she was aware it was done jokingly.

After they'd cleaned everything up they went upstairs to Harrington's room and were changing into their bikinis before they were entering the pool room.

"I forgot to tell you," Fox said first once they'd laid towels over the lounge chairs next to each other. "I love the plants."

"They had me pick them," Harrington said. She smiled at her girlfriend's surprised expression and said, "They're both terrible with plants and they always said I had a green thumb."

Quickly embracing her girlfriend when she heard the slightly wobbly cadence in her tone Fox said, "Keep those here then."

Nodding, and enjoying the way the officer was rubbing her back, Harrington said, "I will. You know if you ever want to talk to me about your parents please do."

"I'll keep that in mind," Fox assured her before they were kissing briefly. Turning to the pool they went together and stepped in, swimming through the water to the grotto where they stopped and sat. She was pleased when Harrington responded to the kiss she'd begun, and they were involved with that for a while before they were slowly parting. Smiling she leaned down and gently kiss the director's shoulder telling her, "I'm going to get used to this."

"You don't have to work remember," Harrington said, teasing her as her girlfriend had done.

"Oh I know, but if I ever find something to do that's not police work I'll let you know," Fox said, watching her laughing.

"I'm glad to hear that," Harrington said before she slipped off the seat and then went under the water. When she resurfaced back in the pool she laughed when Fox was right behind her and she was swimming away from her playfully.

Once they'd swum after each other a little more, the pair moved to sit on the lounge chairs, talking idly and holding hands in the small space between them before they sat together. At that point they began kissing, doing so for some time before they moved to play in the arcade together to leave their desire for each other once they were in the director's bed that night.