"Carol! Carol!"  Natalie had to shout to make herself heard over 
the caucophony of "Jingle Bell Rock" blaring from the CD player 
accompanied by Carol's less than on key contralto.  Oblivious to Natalie 
presence, Carol continued to rhythmically transfer the stack of reports 
in her hands to the file drawers, along with the occasional bump and 
grind in tempo with the music.  She slammed the last drawer shut with a 
swing of her hip, pivoted around on one foot, still singing at the top 
of her quite generous lungs and spotted Natalie standing open-mouthed at 
the open door.

        "Hi, kiddo.  Sorry, let me just turn this down a bit."  Carol 
swiped at the volume button on the tabletop system and Johnny Helms 
receded into relative quiet.  "I'm going to get in the Christmas spirit 
if it kills me."  Carol grinned at Natalie and waved her hands to draw 
her attention to the decorations which had magically appeared since 
Natalie had been at the latest crime scene.

        ""And me too, huh?"  Natalie slowly turned in a circle, taking 
in the sight of what had been, until recently, her lab.  "Geez, Carol, 
it looks like the North Pole blew up in here."
        
        Natalie could have sworn that she'd been gone less than an hour. 
   
Multi-colored, tinsel hung garlands were strung from every corner of the 
room nearly obscurring the overhead lights, giant snowflakes were 
shedding sparkles on the once sterile tiled floor and it looked as if 
Carol had raided her childhood stuffed animal collection and brought 
them all to the morgue.  Large and small teddybears of every description 
 perched on and in every available nook and cranny in the room.  Each 
and every bear was dressed for the occasion, sporting a satin bow, a 
hand knitted vest or hat, all in red or green, of course.  Natalie 
stopped counting stuffies when she got to thirty.

        All of this paled in comparison to 'the tree'.  "How in the 
world did you get _that thing_ in here?" demanded Natalie, pointing 
accusingly at the eight foot noble fir, surmounted by what looked to be 
an antique blown glass angel, standing next to her desk.  At least, 
that's where her desk had been when she'd left.  All Natalie could see 
of it was a huge overstuffed reindeer sitting in her already overflowing 
in-basket, wearing a huge red bow, a smile and eyelashes that would be 
the envy of a certain religious personage's ex-wife.

        "Isn't it great?" Carol beamed like a proud parent and lovingly 
rearranged an errant piece of tinsel or two on the already laden tree.
        
        "This is too much.  It's got to go." Natalie shook her head and 
took a firm tone.  

        "Nope.  No way, not doing it."  Carol just kept smiling and 
tucking ornaments more securely on the drooping branches of the tree.

        "I mean it, Carol."  Natalie had on her stern 'I am the boss' 
face.

        "Nope.  I'm going to be in the spirit and so are you.  If I have 
to drag you there kicking and screaming."  Carol deftly plucked 
Natalie's purse and bag from her, steered her towards the desk chair and 
gave her a small push.  Natalie sat down warily, afraid she might sit on 
one of Carol's furry friends and surveyed what used to be her domain.  
She cast her eyes heavenward in exasperation.  "Carol.  What is _that_?" 
 There was a beribboned ball of greenery hanging ominously over her 
chair.

        "Misteltoe, as if you didn't know."  Carol smirked and pursed 
her lips together in an exagerrated kissing pose.  Natalie just put her 
head in her hands and groaned.  "Here, have some of this; you'll be 
singing along with me before you know it."  Carol thrust a large 
steaming mug into Natalie's hands.  The fragrance of cinnamon spiced 
cider rose up to her and she sniffed appreciatevly, then sipped 
carefully.

        "Umm, this is good, Carebear."  Natalie savored the feel of the 
hot mug in her hand and the taste of the sweet cider on her tongue.  "I 
guess you can leave this stuff up, since it's already Christmas Eve."  
Idly, Natalie ran her fingers over the plushy fur of the reindeer in 
residence on her desk and flicked the tiny bell on the bow.  She smiled 
in spite of herself.

        "Yep, it's already Christmas Eve."  Carol sighed and then cast a 
sideways glance at Natalie.  "What are you doing tonight?"

        "Nothing."  

        "Yes, you are.  You're coming to midnight mass with me."  

        "Oh, I am, am I?"  Natalie peered at her over the rim of her 
mug.

        "Yep, I figure we can just go from here."  Carol forestalled 
Natalie's objections.  "And, you look fine.  So, that's all set."  Carol 
turned up the music again and smiled at Natalie, just daring her.

        "All right, Carebear, you asked for it."    The twice as loud, but still off 
key rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock" echoed throughout the now 
appropriately festive morgue.

*************   
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

        Outside in the hallway, Nick stopped short, his hand on the door 
handle.  Was that Natalie singing?  He recognized Carol's voice not only 
from the tone, but more definitely from the sheer volume.  He winced as 
the duo rendered a particularly discordant passage, giggling all the 
while.  Quietly, he pushed the door open just a fraction.  Natalie and 
Carol were standing, arms around each other, toasting each other with 
mugs of what smelled like spiced cider, evidently very much in the 
Christmas spirit.

        Nick had to smile; he was glad that Carol had managed to cheer 
Natalie up, even if it was just for a while.  Christmas wasn't exactly 
the most convenient time of year to be a vampire, or be involved with a 
vampire.  They had both been through so much in the past few months, he 
was glad that Natalie could relax and let herself go with Carol.

        Watching the two friends, Nick felt weighed down with centuries 
of memories, Christmases past and friends lost, time passed, people came 
and went, but he was still here.  The memories were especially painful 
this time of year, but, some things were worth remembering.  He 
remembered the blazing heat of the yule log as he stood warming his 
hands, the look on his sister's face when she beheld the first snowfall 
of the winter, the taste of heavy, spiced wine drunk with friends and 
family in celebration of Christmas Eve.

**********
/\/\/\/\/\

        Her fingers trembled she proferred the welcome cup of heated 
wine to him.  The heady scent of good wine and foreign spices rising 
from the goblet was intoxicating, but not as alluring as the lady who 
stood before him.  She was an angel come to life, spun from his dreams.

        "Sir Nicolas de Brabant, this is my only daughter, Annalee, 
mistress of my house."  The baronet stood, watching his only daughter 
fondly.  

        "My thanks, lady."  Nicolas took the goblet from her hands, 
brushing her delicate skin with the rough leather of his glove.  "Thanks 
to you for the welcome and the wine."  He drank deeply, holding her gaze 
with his deep blue eyes, smiling a slow, disconcerting smile.  He placed 
the goblet back into her shaking grasp and gently closed her fingers 
around the bowl to keep it from clattering to the flagstones at their 
feet.

                As if suddenly aware that she had been staring at him in 
a most disgraceful way, Annalee hurridly cast her eyes down demurely.   
The lord of the manor clapped Nicolas heavily on his mailed shoulder.  
"Pay no mind to my  daughter, Sir. She is young and unused to the 
worldly ways of men." 

        "Then it is the loss of men everywhere, my lord...my lady."  
Annalee wasn't the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, but there was 
an ethereal quality, a fragile tenderness about her; looking into her 
clear, hazel eyes he could tell that she had a most beautiful soul.  She 
was real, not a mere figment of his imagination, this angel in womanly 
form standing before him was as solid as the castle walls rising around 
them.  He appreciated her high cheekbones, a faint blush upon them, her 
lush lips, ripe for kissing.  The barest wisp of a chestnut curl escaped 
endearingly from her maidenly coif and made him want to reach out and 
wind the strand around his finger, binding him to her.    But, he did; he had seen her 
countless times in his dreams, both waking and sleeping, but had 
despaired of her actual existence.  He had looked for her in vain in 
every woman he had met, and found them wanting.

        Nick shook himself out of his reverie, eased the morgue door 
shut and quietly made his way back the way he had come.  The filtered 
sounds of a rollicking chorus of "We Need a Little Christmas" drifted 
out to him, the singers still off key, but no less sincere in the 
effort.

        The night was breathtakingly still, the traditional midnight 
clear of Christmas Eve.  The old church stood, a gothic monument of 
stone paying man's tribute to God; many faithful hands had carved and 
placed each stone along with their prayers.

        He watched, a shadow among others, waiting for Carol and Natalie 
to appear.  He knew he would have no trouble discerning Natalie's 
telltale heartbeat in the crowd, it was so dear to him, as she was.  
Besides, Carol knew he would be there, waiting for them, for Natalie.  
He held no parcel in his hand, but held a gift for Natalie in his heart. 
 

        "Nick?  What are you doing here?"  Nick stepped quietly into the 
pool of light spilling from the church doors to greet Carol and Natalie. 
 Natalie was more than a little surprised to see him, trying not to 
betray just how alarmed she was to see him so close to the church and 
all the dangers it held for him.
        
        "Waiting for you.".  He smiled at them both but it was a special 
warming smile for Natalie, a reassurance.

        "See you later, kids."  Before Natalie could turn around, Carol 
was gone, slipping into the crowd moving into the church.       

        Natalie spun back to Nick, wonder and questions on her face.  
"What's going on, Nick? What _are_ you doing here?  I mean, isn't 
it...?"  Her voice trailed off selfconsciously; she didn't want to hurt 
Nick by her thoughtless words.  

        Nick slipped her arm through his and smiled down at her.  "Come 
on, take a walk with me."  So saying, he led her past the churchyard and 
up a narrow walkway to the crest of a small hill.

        Their breath frosted in the cold air as they climbed the 
embankment, Natalie's heels slipping on the icy steps once or twice, but 
each time Nick was there to steady her and hug her closer to him.  As 
they reached the summit, Natalie caught her breath at the spleandor laid 
out before them.  Multicolored lights sparkled like raindrops on the 
city streets, she could see forever, the peace of the scene below 
stilled and soothed her weary heart and brought a single tear to her 
eye.  

        "It's beautiful, Nick.  Thank you for bringing me up here."  She 
gazed up at him and blinked the moisture from her eyes.

        "So are you, Nat.  I just don't tell you often enough."  Nick 
leaned down and kissed her softly, a featherlight carress.

        Surprised at Nick's sudden show of affection and not knowing 
what to say or do, Natalie looked back at the church and then asked him 
again, "What are you doing here?  You didn't just come to show me the 
view, did you?"  Her tone was light, but she couldn't keep the emotion 
from her eyes.

        "Yes, as a matter of fact, I did, come to show you the view.  
And to tell you a story."  He pulled her back against him and wrapped 
both arms around her, protecting her from the chill wind.

        "A Christmas story?"  Natalie settled into his embrace, resting 
her head trustingly on his shoulder and folded her hands on top of his, 
holding him to her.

        "You might say that.  Once upon a time..."  Nick's breath 
tickled her ear and ruffled a stray curl on her neck.  She twitched and 
shivered.

        "Stop that, it tickles."

        Nick ignored her and continued,  "As I was saying..."

        "I know, long, long ago, in a land far, far away.  Is that how 
it goes?"  Natalie chuckled over her shoulder at him.

        Nick breathed in the scent of her and doggedly went on with his 
story.  "Yes, long, long ago, in a land far, far away, on a Christmas 
Eve much like this one, a man met an angel."

        "Uh, huh.  An angel.  A real angel, Nick?"  Natalie twisted a 
bit in his grasp to look him in the eye, daring him to go on.  Nick was 
more than up to the challenge.

        "The man was a knight on his way to the Crusades and the angel 
was the daughter of his friend.  She was very beautiful..."

        "Aren't all angels beautiful, Nick? I thought that went with the 
territory."

        "Shhh, Nat.  Do you want to hear the story or not?"  This time 
Nick blew cold breath down the collar of her coat in earnest, making 
Natalie jump with the sudden chills running down her spine.

        "OK, OK, I'll shut up.  Tell me the story, Nick."  She sounded 
repenitent but there was still the sparkle of mischief in her eyes.

        "Her name was Annalee and before she sent the knight off to face 
his destiny on the battlefield, she told him that they would meet again. 
 He had imagined an angel, in his dreams and looked for her everywhere, 
but he never found her until that Christmas Eve, long, long ago."

        Natalie closed her eyes and let herself be caught up in the tale 
that Nick spun.  Mesmerized and lulled by his soft and compelling voice, 
she was vaguely aware of church bells ringing, solemnly, slowly from a 
distance.

        They stood silent, expectant, listening to the devil's knell. 
Their breath mingled in the promise of love, frosted in the midnight air 
and hung between them in frail wisps.  They were strangers, yet bound by 
a mystical power that neither understood.  They only knew that each was 
the mirror image of the other, the missing half of their soul, the love 
they had sought in vain.

        "Do you hear it?"  The fair haired knight and the angel in his 
arms gazed up at the sky, listening for the silvery peal of time being 
marked.
        
        "Aye, the bells ring out the years of Christ."  

        "And count the days of our lives."

        "I fear I shall not have many more days.  War is a hungry 
master, my blood may be demanded of me on the field."  The knight bowed 
his head before his fate, as if he knew that no good would come to him 
in his venture.

        "And yet you go?"  She questioned him, questioned his faith to 
follow blindly on this, doubtless yet another bloody and foolish 
crusade.

        "Willingly, lady.  For the Church and my salvation.  For the 
message Christ brought us mortal souls, for the redemption of our 
spirits."  It was his destiny to go, to fight, to preserve the honor of 
the Church, the honor of his soul.

        "You will leave me, just when God has brought us together?"  
Tears stood in her hazel eyes, witness to the grief in her heart, the 
shattering of her hope.

        "But, unwillingly, lady.  I shall carry your memory with me to 
the battlefields and beyond, through all my days until we shall meet 
again."  A righteous God would not bring him to the angel of his dreams, 
the only woman he would ever truly love and then take her from him.  
There would be a tomorrow.  He had faith, he had been lessoned well in 
it.

        "Take this."  Annalee reached up to the jewel ornamented clasp 
of her knight's cloak and tenderly tucked a tiny sprig of holly between 
the folds.  "They say that holly holds eternal life.  Bear this for me, 
in token of your promise to come back to me."

        "No matter what life may hold, we shall be together, forever.  I 
swear it to you."  Nicolas bent his head to hers and captured her lips 
in a kiss of warmth, of promise.

        The bells continued their tolling, ringing out their celebration 
of the devil's departure from the earth, the silvery chiming shimmered 
in the air around them as they clung to each other in the night.

        "Do you know what that is, Nat?"  Abruptly, Nick brought them 
both back to the present, their uncertainty in each other, their 
wavering hopes and dreams.

        "The bells?"  Natalie hurridly brushed the tears from her eyes. 
 The story Nick had woven so vividly, so sadly, tore at her heart.  She 
was well acquainted with tragedy, perhaps that was one reason that she 
understood Nick so well, even when he didn't understand himself.

        "It's called the Devil's Knell, Nat.  At least that what they 
called it in the old days.  The bells will ring once for each year since 
the birth of Christ.  To chase the devil from this world, to keep evil 
in it's place.  Or, so I was taught, so I used to believe."  He still 
stood, holding her as if she was his rock, and he the stormtossed sailor 
in a sea of confusion.

        "You still believe, don't you, Nick?  A little?"  Natalie turned 
to face him, and lightly caressed the marble of his cheek with her hand. 
 

        "I have to, Nat.  I have to believe."  His voice was full of 
longing, of dreams of the past and future as yet unfulfilled.

        "I do too, Nick.  And you have to believe that even after all 
that's happened this past year, I love you, just as I did the first time 
I saw you.  Remember?"  Natalie smiled briefly in memory of the night 
Nick had come into her life and taken ten years off her life from the 
shock.

        "The first time I looked into your eyes, Nat, I knew that I 
loved you, that you were an angel.  But, I've never felt truly worthy of 
your love.  But, I have hope now, Nat.  Hope and faith that you've 
restored to me."  Nick folded her hand in his and kissed first her 
forehead as a benediction and then her lips in passion. 

        "I'm hardly an angel, Nick."  Natalie shook her head in denial. 
 "I'd almost lost my faith, too."  She fought to keep the tears from 
spilling down her cheeks.  It had been so long that she had wanted, 
needed to hear these words from Nick, for the walls to be broken down 
and the honesty to come through.

        "But, even when you doubted, Natalie, you had enough faith for 
both of us.  And love, and hope."  He kissed her again, lingering, 
savoring the taste of her, the warmth of her, basking in the love that 
shone from her.
        
        Finally, Nick set her away from him and took a deep breath.  He 
was close, so close to the end of his journey, to the fulfillment of his 
quest.  The spell of the moment broken, Natalie began to rummage in her 
pocket for her handkerchief and her fingers instead encountered 
something else.  "Oh, I almost forgot that I had this.  Carol had this 
stuff all over the office and I put a little piece aside for you."  
Natalie held the tiny sprig of greenery in her hand and then carefully 
tucked the holly in the buttonhole of his overcoat.

        Natalie's eyes met his, hazel gazed into blue, the years between 
them vanished, the snowy air whirled around them, leaving them in a 
cocoon of magic.  A sudden sense of wonderment filled her, Natalie 
gasped for breath, she felt filled with a light and the chiming of the 
bells filled her mind.

        "They did meet again, didn't they?"  Her voice was the merest 
whisper; she yearned desperately for his answer and yet she already knew 
it, she felt it in her heart.

        "Yes, they did.  You're my angel, Natalie, didn't you know 
that?"  How many times had he wished for just this moment, an overlap in 
time, in the past that would remind her of him in that long ago.

        "It's not possible." She was stunned, unable to move, to 
breathe, to grasp the enormity of what she felt and knew in her heart.  
"Is it?"

        "Now, do you know why I never really stopped believing?  Why I 
trust in your faith in me, our hope for a future?  You asked my why I 
came here tonight, Nat.  Isn't this where you come to pray for miracles? 
 I prayed that you would remember, remember me, remember that Christmas 
Eve."

        "I do, Nick, but I can't."  Natalie closed her eyes for a moment 
and then looked up at the midnight sky.  She abandoned all her maybes 
and couldn't-bes and gave herself up the the mystery of the season.  
"But, I do, Nick.  And you kept your promise; you came back to me."  
Natalie was heedless of the crystal tears coursing down her cheeks as 
Nick swept her up in his fervent embrace, holding her as if he would 
never let her go; his promise was indeed truly kept and never would the 
knight and his angel be parted again, come the ends of the earth.

        A miracle had taken place tonight; the miracle that faith and 
hope and love, eternal and everlasting will not be denied, cannot be 
lost in the waves of time and will ever endure to those who truly 
believe.        

finis

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