Submitted as a Happy Holidays VII GWP for Zap's Trixie Belden Fan Fiction Page.

"I hate this time of year," Cal Proctor complained. It was the week before Christmas and he and Dan were sitting in their squad car, drinking coffee and trying to stay warm.

Dan grinned at his partner. "What’s wrong with it?" 

Cal sighed. "For one thing, it’s expensive. Trying to buy gifts for people that already have everything they need. I hate shopping at any time, but in the weeks before Christmas, it’s a nightmare. People just go insane. I’ve lost count of the number of calls we get about shoppers gone mad. Nobody’s rational. Then there’s the family duty. I only see some of my family members at Christmas, and every Christmas I’m reminded of the reason why. Thank goodness I’m working this year. Sometimes I think I’d rather spend the day with a bunch of drunks, than spend it with my family."

  "Alright, alright," Dan laughed. "Shall I just call you Scrooge?" 

Cal grinned. "I’m not that bad, really. It’s just all the expectations and commercialism. It’s over the top. Did you notice that the stores had Christmas stuff out back in October?! It’s just hard to get excited about it anymore. I have a hard time finding that Christmas spirit, but maybe I’m just getting old." 

"It seemed so much better when I was younger," Dan mused. "Simpler. It was hard after Dad died.I think Mom tried to make the best of it for me. We used to make our own decorations. Gifts were simple. I remember Mom giving me a pair of binoculars one year. She must have saved all year for them, but they were something that I really wanted, and I really appreciated it. Some kids get so many gifts, how can they really appreciate it?"

  "The kids of today. You’re starting to sound like an old man. Just wait until you’re a father, I bet you go overboard," Cal teased. 

Dan was contemplative. He’d never really thought about children of his own. He and Fiona hadn’t even discussed the issue. They hadn’t been living together long. The thought of having children scared him a little. He wondered if he would be good enough. It was such a huge responsibility. He only had a few memories of his own father.

    Dan arrived home to the sounds of a Christmas CD being played. Fiona was making Christmas cookies in their tiny kitchen, and was singing along with the current song - "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer." It wasn’t one of Dan’s favourite songs. He hadn’t listened to a lot of Christmas music until he and Fiona moved in together. She had numerous CDs of Christmas carols and seasonal songs. She’d confessed to Dan that Christmas was her favourite time of the year. He’d come home from work last week to find the apartment decorated and the tree up. It was only a small fake one, but still looked great. Dan and Mr. Maypenny had always had a real tree, and he missed the fragrance - that was the drawback with artificial, no scent.

She looked up as he entered the kitchen. "I hate this song, but I can’t help singing along with it," she said with a grin.

He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. She tasted of cinnamon and sugar where she must have brushed her hands against her face. Her long light-brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"How was work?" he asked as he scooped some cookie dough out of the bowl with his finger.

She pulled a face. "Same as always. Another PFO. How was yours?" She put a tray of cookies into the oven and began the next batch.

"PFO?" Dan queried. He thought he was getting familiar with some medical terminology, but this was a new one.

"Pissed and fell over," Fiona elaborated. Dan grinned. He thought that nurses had some wonderful names for things. 

"My day contained lot’s of irritable people. Store fights over the last toy that every kid wants, and will be unbearable to live with if they don’t get it. We also had to pick up a drunken Santa." 

Fiona giggled. "He was celebrating a bit early wasn’t he, or was he just trying to survive putting up with the hoards of obnoxious children?" 

"I think it was a little of both," Dan replied. He wouldn’t play Santa for all the tea in China. He couldn’t imagine spending hours of having children sitting on his knee telling great lists of what they expected for Christmas, while pulling at his beard to see if it was real. Otherwise they were screaming and crying because they didn’t want to be sitting on Santa’s knee in the first place.

"We haven’t really talked about what we’re planning on doing this Christmas," Fiona said. "We’re both off which is nice. My parents usually have a huge meal on Christmas Day, and we’ve been invited to join them. My sister and brother will be there with their families and it will give you the chance to meet the clan – or it may scare you off for good," she laughed.

"I’d like that," Dan said.

"What, to be scared off?" Fiona teased.

"No. To spend time with your family." It had been some time since he had had a real family Christmas. Not since his father died. He’d spent some time with the Beldens, but it wasn’t the same. As much as they made him feel welcome, he always felt as if he was intruding. He’d always volunteered to work Christmas so that those with families could spend the day with them. He didn’t have any commitments. It would be their first Christmas together, and he was surprised to realise just how much he was looking forward to it.

Later that evening, they lay curled up together on the sofa. Dan wondered if it could get more perfect than this. He was pleased that they had decorations up. It reminded him of Christmases when he was younger. He remembered helping his Mom decorate the tree. He was always given the task of putting the angel on top. He wondered what had happened to it. He regretted losing it because it had been his grandmother’s. So many things had disappeared after his mother died. He decided then that he and Fiona would make their own traditions, and start their own keepsakes.

  The following day was just as cold. It looked likely to be a white Christmas. When Dan and Cal returned to the station after lunch, they found it surprisingly quiet when they came through the heavy front doors. There were only a few people sitting on the benches opposite the desk, which was currently being manned by Officer Jenna Stroud. A cardboard box was sitting just inside the door. They hardly gave it a second glance until it suddenly made a noise. There was a mewing sound coming from the box. They stopped and looked closely at it.

"Sounds like a cat in there," Dan said.

"Who would send a cat to a police station?" Cal asked. He bent down over the box. As he went to open the flaps, Dan grabbed his arm.

"Wait," he said. "Do you think that’s wise? What if it’s a bomb or something?"

"A cat suicide-bomber?" Cal asked sceptically.

Dan sighed. "I don’t mean that, but I do think we should be cautious." They’d been advised to be suspicious of strange packages that had been left lying around. There was the very real possibility that it could contain a bomb.

"I think you’re overreacting," Cal said, opening the box. Dan shut his eyes, preparing himself for the imminent explosion. He opened them when he heard Cal swear softly. His heart was racing, had Cal found a bomb? He watched as Cal carefully lifted a yellow bundle from the box.

"What have you got there?" Dan asked. He was relieved that it wasn’t anything dangerous - at least he assumed it wasn’t. Cal didn’t seem afraid, only confused.

Cal straightened and turned to him with surprise on his face. "A baby," he whispered. Dan peered at the bundle, certain that Cal was having him on. But no, he was telling the truth. Nestled in the folds of the blanket was a small baby. Dan wasn’t experienced enough with babies to even hazard a guess to its age. He was pretty certain that it wasn’t newborn, because it wasn’t wrinkly enough.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Dan asked. He was reminded of a time when a baby had been found at Crabapple Farm in Reddy’s kennel. He never expected to have the same thing happen again.

"I don’t know. How do we tell?"

Dan gave him a look of disbelief. "Cal, has no one told you that boys and girls are a little different?"

"Shut up, Dan! You know what I mean. Is there any other way of telling without peeking you -know- where?"

Dan had to fight back a laugh. Cal had a reputation a bit of a ladies man, and would have peeked plenty of times you-know-where.

"What have you got there?" Jenna called from the desk. She was young and plump. Her medium length blonde hair was pulled back in a clip. Strands were forever coming loose and falling around her heart-shaped face, making her seem even younger. Although he hadn’t had much to do with her, Dan found her pleasant and noted that she always had a smile on her face.

"A baby," Cal told her. Jenna’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

"You’re kidding!" she exclaimed. Dan and Cal shook their heads. Jenna came out from behind the desk. She gasped when she saw the baby in Cal’s arms. She looked up at Dan and Cal.

"Where did you find her?" She gently touched the velvet skin of the baby’s cheek. There was a sparse amount of fine blonde hair.

"How do you know it’s a girl?" Cal asked ignoring Jenna’s question.

Jenna shrugged. "She just looks like a girl. But, there is one way to tell for certain." While Dan and Cal looked away, she pulled back the blanket. Undoing the snaps on the legs of the body suit, she pulled back the leg of the cloth nappy.

"Yep, she’s a girl all right." She rearranged the baby’s clothing and blanket. "So, where did you find her?"

"Sitting in a box just inside the door. We heard a sound coming from it and thought it might have been a cat," Dan explained.

"Was there a note or anything?" Jenna asked. Dan looked at Cal who shrugged.

"I don’t know, I didn’t think to look."

Dan walked back to the box. He searched every part of it, even tipping it upside down and shaking it, but there was nothing there. He rejoined Cal and Jenna.

"Nothing," he said. "Is there anything pinned to the baby? Isn’t that what they do in movies - pin a note saying please look after little whatever?"

Cal and Jenna checked as well as they could while holding the infant.

"Nothing," Cal sighed.

"What are you three standing around for?" came the booming voice of Bob Wallace, the desk sergeant. "You can’t tell me it’s been so quiet you can stand around chatting. There must be paperwork or something you can do."

"Cal and Dan have a baby," Jenna said grinning mischievously. Dan and Cal both coloured as Sgt. Wallace fixed them with a look of astonishment.

"Is there something I should know about you two?" he asked.

"No!" Dan and Cal exclaimed. Jenna giggled at the look of horror on their faces.

"We found her," Dan said. "In a box over there." He pointed to where the box lay just inside the door.

The sergeant turned to Jenna. "Did you see anything?"

Jenna shook her head. "The first I knew about it was when they told me. I’d only been on the desk for ten minutes. Just before you left," she reminded him.

"So this box could have been sitting here for who knows how long." He sighed heavily. "So much for the extra vigilance we’re supposed to have, when anyone can walk in and deposit something. Come on you two, we’d better speak to the lieutenant."

Dan followed the sergeant. Cal went to follow but stopped and looked at Jenna. He was at a loss as to what to do with the baby.

"Give her to me," Jenna said. "I’ll take care of her." She took the baby from a strangely reluctant Cal. He followed Dan and Sgt. Wallace to the lieutenant’s office. They explained to the lieutenant how they had found the baby. He said that Social Services would need to be called. Until they sent someone around, the baby would remain at the station. He would authorise any baby supplies that were needed.

When they returned to the front desk, they found the baby surrounded by a group of admiring officers.

"One of your previous girlfriends hasn’t dropped her off for you, has she, Cal?" came one teasing comment.

Cal paled. "Hell," he said looking at Dan. "You don’t think...?"

"I doubt it," Dan said. He gave Cal a reassuring clap on the shoulder. "If it was one of your exes they would have been announcing it to everyone. You wouldn’t have been left in any doubt." Cal sighed with relief.

Cal couldn’t help feeling protective of the infant. He had to fight the overwhelming urge to snatch her out of the arms that were cradling her. He told himself he was being ridiculous, some of these people had children of their own. It was just that she was so small and fragile, and had been abandoned. He couldn’t understand why anyone could abandon his or her child. What a thing to do at Christmas?!

It wasn’t until Dan and Cal’s shift was nearly over when the social worker arrived.

"What will happen to her?" Cal asked.

"We’ll put her with a foster family while we do our best to locate her mother," the social worker replied.

"We’re also carrying out an investigation," Dan said. "We’re trying to find anyone that may have seen whoever left the box. We’ll keep you informed."

"Thanks. Come on then, little one. Let’s find out where you’re going to be staying tonight."

"Bye, Holly," Jenna said waving from the desk.

Cal turned to see Jenna wiping tears from her eyes. "Holly?" he asked.

She shrugged. "It’s Christmastime and the name seemed to fit. We couldn‘t keep calling her ‘Baby’ It‘s funny how quickly you get attached to them," she said.

Cal smiled at her. "I know what you mean," he replied. "We only had her for a few hours, but I liked her and I don’t like babies in general. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I found her, or maybe because it’s Christmas. There’s just something about babies at this time of the year."

"It was the birth of a baby that gave us Christmas," Jenna reminded him.

"True. I guess sometimes you need to step back from the rushing around and remember the reason we have this time of the year."

Two days before Christmas, Dan took Fiona to the small Christmas party that was being held at the station. Cal was there with his current girlfriend, Julie, - a tall thin dark-haired woman who spent most of her time clinging possessively to him with one arm, while holding a drink in her other perfectly manicured hand. Dan had met her a few times and had struggled to warm to her. He also struggled to have a conversation with her, and noticed that Fiona wasn’t having much success either. He couldn’t understand what Cal saw in the woman. He took comfort in knowing that Cal’s relationships seldom lasted long. Dan’s wish was that Cal would find someone decent.

"Cal, can you get me another drink?" Julie asked. Dan felt like telling her that she was perfectly capable of getting it herself, but elected to hold his tongue. It wasn’t his place to interfere in other people’s relationships.

"Does anyone else want a refill?" Cal asked. Dan shook his head, but Fiona held out her empty glass.

"Thanks, Cal," she said. She liked Cal, and they had become good friends. She credited him as being the reason she met Dan. After all, if Dan hadn’t visited him in hospital, they might never have met. She did tend to worry about him, as he tended to act before he thought. Dan was more cautious, and the two of them balanced one another nicely.

Jenna was standing near the punch bowl talking with several other female officers. She smiled at Cal when he approached.

"Hi Cal," she greeted.

He looked over at her briefly. "Oh, hi Jenna." He began filling the glasses. He looked up as something green dangled in front of him. "What the…?" He turned around to find Andy Nicolson holding a fishing rod with a piece of mistletoe hanging from it.

"What are you doing, Nicolson?" he asked.

"Just carrying the mistletoe around," was the reply. "I thought it would be a better idea than sticking it up in one place. You do know what it means don’t you?"

"That you’re an idiot?" Cal had very little time for Andy Nicolson. He was too fond of practical jokes. Cal thought he had a reasonably good sense of humour, but found Andy’s pranks tiresome.

"No. You have to kiss someone. I’ll even give you a choice by holding it over this group of lovely young ladies."

Cal gave Andy a dark look before turning to Jenna. He didn’t know the other women and Jenna was a good sport. He didn’t think she would hurt him if he picked her. Jenna looked as if she wanted to run.

Cal bent his head and kissed her. "Merry Christmas, Jenna," he grinned. He turned and picked up the glasses of punch.

"M-Merry Christmas, Cal," she stammered, blushing furiously. Her companions laughed and nudged her. They said she had all the luck.

Julie was glaring at him when he returned to where she was standing with Dan and Fiona.

"What?" he asked. "Are you mad because I kissed Jenna? For goodness sakes, it was only Jenna. Kissing her is like kissing Dan." Dan made a small choking sound.

Fiona punched him lightly on the arm. "Have you been kissing my boyfriend?" she asked smiling. "Should I be jealous?"

"What? Oh, no! I didn’t mean it like that. Jenna’s just Jenna. You hardly even know she’s a girl."

Dan shook his head. Poor Jenna, Cal didn’t have a clue that she had a crush on him. It was something he could sympathise with. He pushed that thought out of his head. This wasn’t the time or the place to dwell on those feelings. He had done his best to bury his feelings for Trixie. He did love Fiona. It was different to how he loved Trixie, but it was still love.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Fiona leaned her head against Dan’s shoulder. He placed his arm around her and held her against him.

"Just thinking how much I love you," he said.

She looked up at him and smiled. "I love you too," she replied. Dan felt content standing here with Fiona. He looked around the room at his colleagues and friends and smiled. Christmas to him was about spending time with those you cared about.

Author's Note: Thanks as always to my wonderful editors Robin and MaryF. I have used the following elements for the GWP: unexpected guest (the baby), holiday decoration, holiday song, family tradition, gift, holiday food. Have a very Merry Christmas!

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