Disclaimer: Neither the characters or the song belong to me...I'm just putting on my own little Christmas play.

This is for you, Elizabeth, in the hope it brightens this Christmas for you.

-------------------------------------------------------- Blue Christmas------------------------------------------------------

Christmas was never his favourite holiday… not since his daddy went MIA in Vietnam when he was six and shattered all his dreams including those of Santa – filled Christmas delights.

Harm never cared for Christmas Eve as anything but his dad's day. The one and only must-do thing on his list every December 24th was to visit The Wall and see his dad. Once that was done he was free to participate in whatever Christmas Day activities were on offer.

It had been that way forever; they were his stock standard plans but this year it was different, very different. The toll of a hectic year had left Harm feeling more than a little disenchanted with the impending Yuletide. The case he had acquired on the 16th of the month had taken him out of town and once he knew it wasn't going to be resolved quickly his plans went out the window.

Christmas Eve arrived and Harm was still in Milton, Florida at the Whiting Field Naval Air Station, more than eight hundred miles away from his home, from The Wall, from Mac…He shook his head, Mac, now where did that come from?

Not wanting to argue with himself in the endless 'Mac' debate, Harm turned on the stereo. Jingle Bell Rock was in its last verse, the bright, boppy song bringing a slight smile to his face.

"Now, for a change of pace," the DJ said, "this is for all those who are a little blue this Christmas…"

I'll have a blue Christmas without you;
I'll be so blue just thinking about you.
Decorations of red
on a green Christmas tree
won't mean a thing if
If you're not here with me.

And the wind knows blue, snow flakes start falling
when those blue, blue memories start calling,
you'll be doing all right
with your Christmas of white,
Oh, but I'll have a blue, blue Christmas.

You'll be doing all right
with your Christmas of white,
Oh, but I'll have a blue, blue Christmas.

And when you needn't pray on this Christmas day
Remember I have a blue, blue Christmas
Remember I have a blue, blue Christmas

Harm resisted the temptation to throw the depressive device from the third floor balcony of the Officer's Billet. Instead, he found himself listening to it intently.

It summed up his mood, not just Christmas Eve but the last few months…he had been blue. It hadn't been anything serious, just a dose of melancholy. It was something he could cope with, he always did….it was just always easier to deal with when he was home with family, those he loved, in DC. He shook his head again. His mom and step – dad were in San Diego, they were his family, Sergei was back in Russia, he was family. In DC there was…what was there? Mac, Bud and Harriet and the kids, Mattie and Jen, Mac... He shook his head again realising he'd said her name twice.

Knowing he needed to talk to her before he gave himself whiplash shaking his head so much, he flipped open his cell and hit number two on his speed dial – her home phone number. There was no answer. He hung up before hitting one on his speed dial and got an answer on the third ring.

"Hey Flyboy," she said brightly, and he smiled just at the sound of her voice.

"Hey Mac, sorry to ring you so late," he said.

"Not so late – besides I was awake anyway. What's happening with you?" Mac asked eagerly.

"Case is still progressing slowly…think we may be able to strike a deal before New Year's…" he said wearily.

"Good. How are you? You sound tired." Harm smiled, she knew him so well.

"Yeah, I guess I am," he admitted.

"Is that all it is?" Mac asked, concern evident in each word.

"Yeah…why wouldn't it be?" he replied.

"Well, you're away from home for Christmas…" she began.

"Won't be the first time," he sighed, "or the last." Despite his best intentions his despondency echoed down the line.

"Got plans?" Mac asked.

"Nah, not really. There's the whole Christmas dinner thing in the Officer's Mess at 1300 but I haven't decided whether I'll go or not," he lied, knowing he was not going, he never had the intention to sit amongst strangers on Christmas Day. "I might just ignore the whole thing. What about you?"

"Not sure, Big Bud took ill so plans for the Roberts have changed. Maybe I'll just curl up on the sofa with my favourite guys and watch some movies," Mac said.

"Um…favourite guys?" Harm questioned in the least jealous tone he could muster.

"Yeah, Ben and Jerry. They always help to chase the blues away."

Harm sighed deeply. "Might have to invest in a couple of pints myself then." Mac laughed, Harm eating ice cream alone in the dark, in front of the television, was just to obscure a thought. "You're the expert, what do you recommend?"

"Cookie Dough's my current favourite…but," she paused for a moment. "I think Chunky Monkey's more to your liking."

"Chunky what? Hold on a minute, Mac, someone's at the door. Harm moved across the room and opened the door.

"Monkey," answered Mac.

Harm stared as Mac held up two pints of Ben and Jerry's finest – Cookie Dough for her and Chunky Monkey for him.

"Are you going to invite me in?" she asked, dumping her heavy bag on the threshold when he failed to speak or move.

"Oh yeah, sorry," Harm apologised. He grabbed her bag and ushered her in, still not ready to believe she was actually there.

"Harm, you can hang up the phone now," she instructed gently.

"Oh yeah." He flipped the phone closed and tossed it onto the armchair.

"Spoons?" Mac asked.

"Oh yeah!" He moved to the small kitchenette, retrieved two spoons and a couple of napkins before making his way back to her.

Mac sat cross legged on the sofa leaving plenty of room for him to sit next to her. She had strategically positioned herself so he wouldn't sit on the armchair. As anticipated he sat down at the end of the sofa, leaving a small space between them. He handed her a spoon.

"Cheers!" she said, raising her ice cream tub.

It took a long few minutes for Harm's shock at her presence to subside but before long familiar banter was being exchanged and the two friends caught up on the latest happenings and reminisced about Christmases past.

When the ice cream was declared finished Harm stood and took the empty tubs and deposited them in the kitchen. He returned to her, sitting a lot closer. He picked up her legs and rested them in his lap.

Slowly, he ran his finger across her top lip. "Ice cream," he whispered before licking his finger clean. "Cookie Dough's not bad at all."

Mac smiled and inched forward. She crooked her finger and he leaned in. She wiped a small dab of Chunky Monkey from his chin before licking her own finger.

"So, you like Chunky Monkey?" he asked quietly.

"As a rule – no, but…." Her voice trailed.

"But?" he prompted.

"But it all depends on what it's served on." She smiled shyly.

"And?" he questioned nervously.

"I like…very much," she whispered.

Harm inched closer. "You know, Mac, it's now…um... Christmas Day."

"Is it really?" She smiled, knowing full well it was. Mac withdrew her legs from his lap before kneeling up beside him and kissing him tenderly.

"Merry Christmas, Harm," she managed between kisses.

"Merry Christmas, Mac," he replied more than enjoying the Cookie Dough experience her mouth was providing.

As the early hours of Christmas morning progressed many beautiful exchanges took place. And with each one Harm's blue Christmas transformed into one of marine green. As Mac lost herself once again in his eyes, Mac's Christmas became bluer – Navy blue to be exact and she couldn't have been happier.