The snow had stopped overnight.  The snowploughs had been out since 5am and all the roads were clear by breakfast.  Sara stood in the lounge, with her easel in front of her.  She cast a critical eye over what she had done last night.  Mainly pleased with it, she turned to find Luke standing right behind her.  She gasped.  “You made me jump!” she told him.

“Sorry.  Are you....?”  He broke off as the phone rang.  He answered it.  “Hello?  Morning Sir.”

Sara left him to it and went into the kitchen.  She grabbed her notebook and sat at the table.  She spent fifteen minutes writing, while Luke was on the phone. 

He came into the kitchen with a black look on his face. 

Sara looked at him.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”  He sat opposite her.  “Are you okay?  After last night?”

“Huh? Oh the nightmare. Get them every night, have done for months. That one was the worst so far though.”

“Have you spoken to anyone about them?”

“What? Counselling? No way. I’m not crazy, only crazy people need shrinks.”

“You should.” He nodded at the notebook.  “What’s that?”

“Shopping list.  I thought now that I’ve lost the cast, we could go out and.....”

“No!” came the sharp response.

“We need food and some Christmas present shopping.”

“I’ll order the food over the net like I usually do.  And the other things too.”

“That’s not fair!  Leftenant.  I need to get out!  I have been cooped up in here for weeks.  Except church and the hospital.  It’s nearly Christmas and I’m missing it.”

Luke rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation.  “I got a tree.  What more do you want?”

“Where’s your Christmas spirit? I want carols and mince pies.  To be in the shops with the crowds and long queues.  The Salvation Army band in the streets playing carols.  I love this time of year, all the streets decorated, and carols in all the shops, tinsel and lights.  I can’t even send cards this year.  Even if I could go out and get them!”

Luke slammed his hand down on the table.  “Sara you know very well what protective custody means.  Or have you forgotten?”

Sara glared at him.  “How could I forget?!  But remind me anyway,” she said icily.

Luke did just that, ramming his point home.  Then he concluded.  “Austin is out there Sara.  He found you once in Norfolk because there was a leak in the department.  For all we know, he already knows you are here!  If we lose you then the case against him will collapse and he will get away with murder quite literally.  Again.  Is that what you want?  Is it?”

“No.”

 “Then we do this my way.  I have to keep you safe.”

She stood up. “And we can’t do anything to jeopardize this case or your career now can we Leftenant?”

He watched as she got up and stormed from the room.  He sighed.  “It’s not my career or this case I’m worried about,” he whispered.

Sara grabbed her coat and put it on, pulling her hat on firmly.  Wrapping her scarf round her neck, she grabbed Luke’s coat and took it into the kitchen.  “You’d better come too then,” she said tossing it too him.  She tore the list off the notebook and put it in her pocket.

“Didn’t you hear what I just said?”

“I heard.  All I want is one trip Leftenant.  That’s all.  Now I either go alone, in which case it’s the bus, or you take me in the car.”

Luke put his coat on and grabbed his keys.  “Put like that, I don’t have a choice.”  Furious with her, he got the car out of the garage and drove her into the town centre, not speaking to her the entire journey.  She could be so unbelievably stubborn at times.  Not to mention infuriating and awkward and why was he letting her get to him like this?  If he did not care so much, then things would be so much easier. 
 
Sara knew he was angry with her and she knew why.  She was determined not to let it get to her though.  Why couldn’t he see it from her point of view?  Just once.  That was all she was asking.  Was it so wrong?
    
Luke parked in the main shopping mall car park, amazed that he found a space.  He locked the car, putting the ticket in his pocket.  Then he took Sara’s hand.  As she started to protest, he cut her off.  “You are my wife remember.  Darren and Judy always hold hands when they go out shopping.”

“Even with four kids in tow?”

“Yes.  Plus this way I don’t lose you.”

Sara sighed heavily but left her hand in his. It actually felt nice, not that she would ever admit that.

Despite his initial reluctance, Luke enjoyed the next two hours.  Sara’s enthusiasm rubbed off on him as they wandered through the brightly decorated streets and shops on the High Street, listening to the Salvation Army playing carols outside the bank. 

Sara shopped happily, buying bits for her aunt, a dress for Antonia’s party and a couple of everyday maternity outfits. On impulse she bought an angel for the top of the tree, as they did not have one. She dragged Luke into a card shop and looked at all the Christmas cards, mentally working out how many she would need.  In the end she decided on a box.  Then she looked at the cards for relations.  It didn’t take long.  There was only Auntie Shelia as Jamie had no relations at all.

Luke, finally caught up in the festive spirit, chose cards for his family.  Sara caught sight of the cards for husband and a tear rolled unbidden down her face.  She hastily wiped it away before Luke noticed.  He was a bit further down the aisle, looking at the cards for Mum and Dad.  One card caught her eye.  ‘For the one I love at Christmas’ it read.  She picked it up and looked at the inside.  Glancing at Luke, she added it to the pile in her hand and went over to him.  “You realise we have missed the last posting date,” she grinned.
 
“Yeah, but who cares?  It’s Christmas.”

They paid for the cards and then Luke took all the bags.  “You can’t carry all of them,” Sara protested.

As they came out of the shop, Sara spotted Mothercare across the road.  “Can we?”

Luke sighed.  “Okay then.”  He gripped her hand as she almost slipped on the ice in her haste.  “Hey slow down!  You’ll fall and hurt yourself.”
 
“Oh look at the teddy bear.  He is gorgeous.”

Luke grinned at her enthusiasm.  “He is kinda cute I suppose.”
 
“I want him.”
 
“For you or the twins?”

Sara blushed slightly. 

Luke’s grin broadened.  “Let’s go inside then.”  He could see how taken she was with the teddy bear.  They had several with different coloured ribbons - red, green, yellow and blue. 

Sara picked up one with a yellow ribbon.  “This one,” she said.

Luke held out his hand.  “Give.  My treat.”

 “I can’t let you do that.”

 “Don’t argue.  Give!”

She reluctantly handed him the bear. 

Luke picked up two more with different coloured bows.  “P1 and P2 had better have one too.  Can’t have you fighting over them can we?”  Ignoring her protests, he put the three bears in a basket and gave it to her to hold. 

Catching sight of the baby clothes, Sara wandered across to them.  She touched the fabric gently, lost in thought. 

Luke stood behind her.  “Do P1 and P2 have any clothes yet?”
 
“No.  It’s too soon.”
 
“Maybe, but it wouldn’t hurt to get a few bits would it?”
 
“I don’t want to jinx anything.”
 
“Okay.  Just the bears then.”  He saw her hesitating.  “Or is that jinxing it too?”
 
“Maybe. I don’t know.”

Luke squeezed her hand.  “Do we leave the bear then?  Or can I get them anyway?”

 “I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”

 “Okay.”  He led her to the till and paid for the bears.  He reorganised the bags and took Sara’s hand again. 

“Coffee?” he asked.
 
“Please.  I am starting to wilt.”  She also had a nagging, occasionally sharp stabbing pain under her ribs, but wasn’t going to say anything.  He would only want to take her home and she was having too much fun.  Besides it was probably indigestion.

They went back out into the snowy streets.  The snow had started to fall again, gentle flakes this time without the harsh wind of the night before.  They made their way into a warm cafe and sat at a table. 

The waitress took their order and Sara took her coat off, putting it over the back of her chair. 

Luke followed suit, realising that he wouldn’t feel the benefit of it otherwise.  Christmas music was playing in the background and tinsel hung from all the pictures.  Lights twinkled in the windows and on the tree in the corner.
 
Their coffee and mince pies arrived.  Sara dug into hers enthusiastically. 

Luke grinned.  It was nice to see to her eat.  She had colour in her cheeks today as well.  He realised that he had fallen for her in a big way.  ‘Smitten’ was the word Darren would use.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this though.  He suddenly realised that Sara had asked him a question and he had no idea what it was. He apologised.  “Sorry I was miles away.”

 “I noticed.  I asked what you were doing for Christmas.”

 “With you for the duration of course.”

 “What about your family?  Aren’t you seeing them?”

 “They are in the States.  I’ll probably ring them though.”

 “Don’t policemen get holidays then?”

 “We are supposed to be married.  It’d look slightly suspicious if I went off on my own for two weeks within six months of us getting married.”

 “I guess.”

Sara waved as she saw Antonia, Daniel and another man come into the café. 

Antonia came across.  “Hi!” she said.  “How are you?”

“Fine,” Sara smiled.  “Join us?”

“Not this time. We have a business associate of Daniel’s staying for a bit while he has the builders in his place.  I just wanted to give you this.  It’s an official invite for the 20th. We just picked them up from the printers.”

Luke started to refuse. “I’m afraid…”

“That would be lovely,” Sara said speaking over him.  “Thank you. We’ll come.”

Luke shot her a look.  “Don’t forget how ill you have been Sara.”

“As if I could but I’m fine now.  Ignore him, we’ll be there.  Thank you.”

“Good.  See you later.”  Antonia went back across to where the others were sitting.

Luke glared at Sara.  “I suppose you think that’s clever!”

“It would have been rude to refuse.  Anyway it’s only next door.” 

They looked at each other across the table, the comfortable feeling replaced by the reality of the situation once more kicking in.  Luke sighed inwardly, wishing Antonia hadn’t seen them.  “So,” he said.  “Anywhere else you want to go?”

Sara shrugged all the magic of this trip taken away.  “No… the house will do.”

“Sara,” Luke said, reaching across the table to her.  “Things were going so well.  Don’t let this spoil it.”

“It’s a little late for that. Just take me back to the house.”

Luke pulled his hand back. “Sure,” he said quietly.

Sara pulled on her coat and stood up. She looked at him. “But first we need to go find something for Carole and Dave.” She held out her hand. “You’ll need this too.”

Luke nodded and stood up. He took her offered hand and led her back outside into the snow.