"Daddy! Daddy! It's Christmas! Wake up, Daddy! It's Christmas!"

Before he knew what hit him, Tony felt Lisse scramble up the side of the bed, land on his stomach, and put her tiny hands on his cheeks.

"Merry Christmas, Daddy. Wake up."

"I'm awake," he muttered.

"Then why aren't your eyes open, Daddy?"

Tony knew why his eyes weren't open. He had worked late finishing up a case, then stayed up most of the night playing Santa--putting together toys for Lisse and her little brother Antoine. But he couldn't tell his almost-5-year old daughter that.

"Coffee. I need coffee."

"Right here, Tony."

He smiled and started to sit up, rolling Lisse next to him on the bed. He bussed Lisse's cheek, then turned to reach for the coffee.

"Merry Christmas, Tony."

"Merry Christmas, Jeanne."

In one hand, Jeanne held out a cup of coffee, the other steadied 2-year old Antoine on her left hip. Tony took the cup and took a sip.

"Ahhhh," Tony said. "That's just what the doctor ordered."

"Are we ever going to see what Santa brought?" Lisse sighed.

"Oh, eventually," Tony teased. "I thought I'd just get a shower and get dressed first, maybe eat some breakfast. . ."

"Daddy!"

"Okay, okay. Let me grab my robe." Before he was out of bed and had his robe on, Lisse slid from the bed and was bouncing with excitement at the bedroom door.

"What do you think, Mom?" Tony asked, tousling Antoine's hair and staring intently at his wife.

"I think Lisse has been pretty patient with her slug-a-bed father."

"So do I." He turned to Lisse and added, "Go on. See what Santa brought."

Lisse ran shrieking in delight down the hall and into the living room. Not to be left out the excitement, Antoine squirmed in his mother's arms. Jeanne bent down to set him on the floor, and together Tony and Jeanne watched him toddle from the room.

"Have you been a good girl this year?" Tony asked, slipping his arms around Jeanne and pulling her close.

"Yes, Santa. I've been very good," Jeanne's eyes sparkled with love for Tony. As he leaned in to kiss her, he knew that he was the luckiest man in the world.

"Mommy! Daddy! Come see what Santa brought," Lisse squealed with delight.

"We're being summoned," Jeanne said.

"I know," he whispered.

"Daddy!"

"Be right there," Tony called.

"DiNozzo!"

Tony sat up in his chair and looked around the bullpen, confused.

"Go home and sleep on your own time," Gibbs chided.

"Right, Boss. Sorry."

"Why are you still here? Don't you have somewhere better to be?"

Truth be told, Tony didn't have anywhere better to be.

"Of course I do, Boss. Just finishing up some last minute paperwork."

"Paperwork can wait, Tony. It's Christmas Eve. Go home," Gibbs said warmly--or warmly for Gibbs at least.

"Thanks, Boss. Merry Christmas,"

"Merry Christmas, Tony."

Tony grabbed his coat and backpack and headed for the elevator. He pressed the button, then surveyed the bullpen as he waited. McGee was spending the day with his sister. Ziva was visiting with friends in Baltimore. Even Gibbs, who never seemed to have holiday plans, was spending Christmas with his father. His mind played on the edge of his dream, fondly recalling a family Christmas that would never be. He shook his head. That was a dream. What he needed was reality.

"Baby steps," he told himself.

The elevator doors opened and he stepped in. It stopped on the next floor and when the doors opened, Dolores Bromsted stood, holding a large box, waiting to step in. She paused when she saw Tony, and the not-as-dour expression on her face turned to a pleasant smile. He smiled back, amazed at the difference a smile made in Dolores's countenance and pleased with himself that he could impact someone so dramatically.

"Special Agent DiNozzo," Dolores said, shyly.

"Dolores," Tony nodded.

The doors closed and an awkward silence filled the air.

"Are you . . . ," Dolores started.

"Do you. . . ," Tony stopped.

Both chuckled.

"Go ahead," Tony offered.

"I was going to ask if you were seeing family for Christmas."

"No family," Tony said, looking up at the elevator's floor numbers.

"Me either," Dolores replied. "I was thinking about seeing a movie tomorrow."

"Really?" Tony's curiosity was aroused. "Which one?"

"Sherlock Holmes."

"I was thinking about seeing that myself."

Another awkward pause filled the elevator.

"Would you. . ." they said simultaneously.

Both laughed.

"Would you like to see 'Sherlock Holmes' with me tomorrow?" Tony asked.

"I would like that," Dolores smiled.

The elevator doors opened and Dolores turned toward the door, hitting Tony with the box.

"Here, let me take that for you," Tony said as he reached for the box.

"Thank you," she said. She smiled at Tony and stepped from the elevator.

"Baby steps," Tony repeated to himself.