"Danny, you don't have enough water in there. You're going to burn it," Mac scolded, watching as the younger man gave him a disproving look. The turkey sat precariously close to the edge of the oven rack.

"Boss, you can't mess with a Messer family recipe. It's okay, Ma told me what to do. We're good..." Danny reassured, as Flack and Sheldon gave Mac a dubious look. There was an obvious consensus that they were questioning Danny's cooking ability.

"Messer, have you ever cooked a turkey before? Because watching your Ma do it and physically doing it yourself are two different things," he stated, watching as Danny closed the oven door and checked the timer before turning to his worried friends.

"Guys, I got this under control. No worries." His words of reassurance were not doing much to placate his friends. "We are going to cook this turkey so good; those girls out there won't know what hit 'em." A chorus of 'okay' followed; Danny finding his support was definitely lacking.

"That's what we're afraid of," Flack's words were mumbled but did not go unheard.

"If my cooking can pass the hormonal, pregnant woman with weird cravings taste buds, I think I can handle a turkey," Danny stated slightly annoyed. "Hey I learned to walk again; anything else is a piece of cake."

At this comment, the three other men looked away uncomfortably. Despite the fact that Danny had been reinstated in full, back out in the field, his friends still felt the need to caudle him. They kept expecting him to break. Danny was tired of it and he knew no other way to make them understand—he was okay. Mac cleared his throat, finally looking up to Danny and giving him a nod.

"I suppose we could give it a little longer. You do seem to know what you are doing."

Sheldon and Flack nodded in agreement.

"Listen, I'm just saying you burn the turkey and we will have to do this again. I don't know about you guys, but this isn't my thing. Give me a crime scene or even an autopsy any day- I do not know my way around the kitchen .There is a reason the local pizza joint is on my speed dial," Hawkes said as he leaned against the counter, beer in hand.

"I can attest to that. The pizza place down the block is almost outta business since Sheldon left my place," Mac confirmed with a chuckle. He carefully turned down the burner on the stove as the potatoes began to boil over. He did likewise with the vegetables and sweet potatoes.

"Well as long as Messer has his game on, hopefully we can avoid repeating this situation." Flack cocked his eyebrow as he looked around to his friends.

"Listen, it was your smartass comment that got us into this situation," Danny retorted, pointing a finger accusingly at Flack. "You mouthed off to the hormonal, sleep deprived mother..."

"I heard that Danny!" Lindsay called from the living room, causing Danny to cringe. "Messer, you better hope that Dinner is spectacular or you're sleeping on the couch tonight."

A chorus of chuckles echoed throughout the kitchen, causing Danny to shake his head.

"Danny, you might want to quit while you're ahead. That hole you're digging is getting mighty big," Hawkes stated with a smile.

"No good can come from saying anything else Danny, not unless you want to spend Christmas Eve alone," Mac offered sagely, as he turned off the stovetop burners. He had gotten himself into trouble more than a few times with Claire, shooting his mouth off never helped him any. Mac had learned that the hard way.

A small pang of regret sprang up at the thought of Claire; despite the time that had passed Mac still felt her absence acutely. Even all these years later, Mac was moving on but Claire was still very much a part of him.

"Mac?" Danny's concerned voice drew him back to the conversation. As Mac looked up, his friends wore worried expressions.

"What was that Danny?" he asked, moving the conversation onward. His colleagues were all aware enough to have an idea of where his thoughts had been diverted. Mac gave them a stern look, causing them to busy themselves immediately. No one but Stella had the nerve to challenge that look.

"You wanna take care of those potatoes boss?" he asked again, watching as Mac nodded and began the process of mashing potatoes. The mindless task did nothing to help move his mind onward however, until he felt a small hand gripping his leg tightly.

Immediately stopping his actions, Mac looked down to find Lucy staring back at him. She was using his leg to balance and now had pulled herself upright. She reached a small hand up to him, a smile spreading across her face as she tried to entice her godfather to pick her up.

"Hey Lucy," he greeted, carefully leaning down and picking up the young girl. "Who is a big girl now?" Mac stated, rewarded with a wonderful laugh, Lucy clapping her hands in delight.

Although Mac had not been around many children before, he was amazed by the calming effect Lucy had on him. Lindsay had been quick to point out that Lucy had plenty of unsettled times, with lots of screaming and kicking. Watching how calmly she sat in his arms at present made it hard to imagine if Mac had not witnessed it a time or two.

They were mysterious creatures, babies and toddlers had no way to tell you what they wanted and yet sometimes they could convey meaning so plainly without any words. Lucy picked this moment to reach out and grab Mac's nose, her slobbery hand squeezing it almost painfully before touching her own nose. Mac chuckled at her obvious curiosity, Lucy laughing too as she watched her godfather give his full attention.

"Catching isn't it—a baby's laugh?" Stella's voice drifted to him, Mac raising his head and realizing he was now alone in the kitchen. Sensing that his partner had been sent in deliberately, he gave Stella a smirk. Inside, he wanted to belt Danny and the others upside the head. Apparently, he was not as good at hiding those feelings as he thought.

"I'm fine Stell," he reassured, Lucy nodding her head as if she understood. She then rested her head on his shoulder, thumb firmly planted in her mouth.

"Lucy has a way of doing that doesn't she?" Stella commented as she stepped forward and rubbed the little ones back softly. She watched as Lucy's eyes started getting heavy, eyelids at half-mast.

Mac nodded, Lucy settling her body into his. He smiled as he watched her rhythmically sucking on her thumb. Stella could see the regret plainly on his face, as much as he thought he was hiding it. She could see the want, Mac had wanted kids and as much as he loved Lucy he wished he had one of his own. Stella gave her friend a knowing look; she had those same feelings, those same needs.

"You still have time Mac," her statement caused him to look at her, feigning confusion. She knew he understood. "To have kids. I know you wanted them with Claire and that you have Reed but there is still time to have a little one of your own." His partner's statement caused him to shake his head slowly.

"I'm not getting any younger Stella. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not in a relationship. I think that option is out of the picture for me, but I have my goddaughter to help raise." Mac shifted the little girl in his arms. "And spoil," he added with a smile.

"Well, maybe you just haven't found the right woman yet. Don't rule it out completely Mac, you never know." Mac met Stella's gaze, a small smile on her lips. She raised her eyebrow when he did not reply. "Okay?"

"Alright," Mac conceded finally.

"You two finished with your meeting in there?" Flack's voice filled the kitchen, causing both of them to laugh. "Not that I want to rush you two, but we're starving out 'ere."

Both turned to find Don's head peaking into the kitchen. He wore an apologetic look, obviously not wanting to be the one to disrupt them. There was an unsaid rule around the lab, you saw Stella and Mac having a one-on-one, you did not interrupt them unless the lab was falling down around you.

"Lose the toss Don?" Mac asked as he moved to exit into the dining area. This caused Flack to shake his head and curse under his breath.

"Messer is still riding my ass about this bet," Don replied good-naturedly before going to sit at the now ready table.

Lindsay rose and removed the sleeping toddler from his arms, placing her in the playpen near the table. Lucy never moved, obviously down for the count.

Once everyone was sitting at the table, Mac looked to his friends with a smile.

"Before we begin, I just wanted to say a couple words," Everyone gave him their attention, but Mac swore Don almost cried a little. You would swear he had not eaten in days. Feeling the urge to make him squirm, Mac called him on it. "Something wrong Don?" At his name, Flack looked up sheepishly and promptly shook his head.

"No problem Mac. Toast away."

Danny began snickering, Lindsay putting a stop to it quickly. Danny looked to Mac rubbing his shoulder gingerly.

"I just wanted to let everyone know that after everything we have gone through this year, we remain together as a team. We have helped each other get through some very tough situations." Mac looked to Danny and Lindsay, "Lucy's birth, Angel's death," Mac noted Don specifically did not make eye contact with him. "Family discoveries," Mac paused, looking to Stella who gave him a warm smile.

"And we all became acquainted with how precarious our lives' hang in the balance. In keeping true with the season, let us take this time to celebrate each other. It is our connections that bind us together like an intricate web. Connections we use to help get us through an investigation, a birth, a death or just through a bad day."

Raising his glass, he watched as his friends did the same. He noted the tear welling in Stella's eye and continued onward. "To a new year and to our journey there together."

Clinking of glass followed as the chatter resumed.

"Nice boss." Danny stated before he gave Lindsay a kiss on the cheek. She nodded her head in agreement, wiping at her eyes with a sniffle.

"Nice words Mac," Sheldon agreed.

"I knew you were a hopeless romantic," Stella jested, reaching out and squeezing Mac's arm, before removing it quickly. She noted the blush to his cheeks with a smile.

"One question..." Don's voice asked, everyone turning to him expectantly. Mac smiled, he had an idea of what the question was.

"Go ahead Don."

"Can we eat now?"

Groans echoed around the table. "What. Is it a problem that I am hungry?" he shrugged his shoulders as he avoided a glare from Lindsay.

"Do you think of anything else Flack?" Stella asked, giving him a playful look.

Mac held his hand up, signalling the end of the Flack bashing.

"Go ahead Don."

Flack gave a big smile as he began dishing food onto his plate eagerly. Mac waited his turn as the dishes made their way around the table. Listening to the banter at the table, specifically between Don and Danny, Mac sometimes felt like a parent.

The table quickly became engulfed in quiet conversation in between mouthfuls of food.

It was at that moment Lucy made her presence known once again. Mac watched Danny and Lindsay groan slightly, the young man muttering something about impeccable timing.

"I got it," Mac held his hand up, indicating for the others to stay seated. Danny and Lindsay thanked him as they continued to eat.

Lucy stood in her playpen, a few tears sliding down her pudgy cheeks. Seeing her uncle, she held her hand up; very clearly indicating she wanted out. Swiftly pulling the toddler into his arms, Mac bounced her on his hip and Lucy laughed.

The two of them stood there watching the others at the table. "You know Lucy, you are one lucky little girl," he stated, giving her a squeeze. A slew of words left her lips and she laughed once again. Mac agreed wholeheartedly.