by Nutmegger911
A/N:This is in response to Champagne Challenge No. 133 - The Holidays. The muse has been in hiding for a while, so I tried to coax him out with the challenge. Thanks to our Challenge PTB for their tireless efforts to coax us on.
Okay, so here it is - Untitled, unbeta'd, not aged, and probably as corny as hominy tamales, but a valiant attempt to kick-start the muse. If you're still with me, here's hoping you enjoy this literal stocking stuffer. Oh, and feel free to suggest a title, if you so choose.
Disclaimer: I'll cop to the story, but the characters are on loan in hopes of getting more folks exposed to them. Oh well.
An Old Tin Star for Christmas
by Nutmegger911
Mick and Beth were enjoying a quiet Christmas Eve together. They had decorated a small tree and were now reclined on the couch, wrapped in each other’s arms. Christmas music played in the background and they took turns toasting the good times while watching flames flicker up through the fireplace crystals. Beth had just started snuggling closer into Mick’s arms when her phone started ringing. It was Talbot. Mick started to curse the man’s timing when he saw Beth’s eyes go wide.
“Really? … Are you sure? ... And there’s no mistake. … No, I believe you. It’s just so… so weird. Thanks, bye.”
Mick’s brow furrowed. “Is something wrong?”
Beth stood up and slipped into her shoes. “We need to go to Logan’s place.”
“What - now?” Mick looked confused.
“It’s important. Come on, Mick, let’s go!”
Six Hours Earlier
Beth thumbed the screen of her iPhone and tapped Logan’s image. Something had to give, and if she didn’t do this herself, Mick would give up their Christmas Eve together to fit in a visit to his awkward geek on call.
“Hey, Beth! You and Mick on your way? This is gonna be so fun. I got Guitar Hero Christmas edition, and fresh sangria, and … oh, and eggnog for you. It’s gonna be so cool.”
No wonder Mick gets reeled in. “Logan, it’s only 4:30. We aren’t supposed to be there for another three hours.”
“Oh, yeah, I lost track of time.” She could hear the disappointment in his voice. “But hey, it’s okay if you guys want to come by earlier, if you want.” He said, a little too perky for the situation.
“About tonight, I, we, I just got a case and we’re not going to be able to make it.”
“But it’s early, just stop by after you wrap it up.”
“Logan, it’s going to take longer than that. There was a home invasion. The parents were held at gunpoint while the robbers picked the place clean. What’s worse, their baby girl woke from her nap and walked in on them. The poor thing; she can’t be more than two and all she understands is that the bad men took Christmas and mommy and daddy are terrified. I’m sorry, Logan.”
“That sucks! Where are you?”
“Logan, I’m working a case, you can’t just stop by.”
“I just want to do something nice for the family - anonymously.”
“Oh right, of course.” Beth felt the hot flush on her cheeks as his words crushed her heart. It hadn’t occurred to her that he might send them a few bucks. She rattled off the address and hung up.
Not five minutes later Logan slipped alongside the house without notice. He inhaled, mentally sorting the clues. He peered in a window at the side of the house. The young couple sat in the living room, answering a police officer’s questions. The story was simple enough, two small males and one large gun. They were wearing green hoodies. They took everything, even the Christmas tree. Really? Who does that? The mother clung to baby as they spoke, taking, while ostensibly giving comfort. The babe’s fussing might subside, he thought, if the mother would just loosen her grip a bit.
Suddenly Logan froze. He’d been made. The baby was staring directly at him and pointing. He ducked and disappeared into the hedges at the front of the house. Just then he heard a familiar voice.
“Is everything all right, Ben?”
Ben sighed. “You know how it is in these neighborhoods, Beth. Everyone is afraid of the cops, and even more afraid of the crooks. Rodriguez is taking up a collection for the family. The best we can hope for is that they’ll remember that some time.”
“So what are we going to do, have CSU dust for prints and leave?”
“No. We stay and canvass the neighborhood. It’s a good community relations opportunity. And who knows, maybe someone will be in the Christmas spirit and speak up.” The tight lines of his face belied his faith in that outcome. “Come on. The sooner we get started the sooner we finish.” The pair headed down the sidewalk together.
Logan crept closer to the porch and concentrated on the scent of the burglars. Once he had imprinted their scents, he was off.
Tracking them was easy. They lived less than two miles away and the old Honda they drove was leaking fluid. Besides, the Christmas tree was real and had been left sticking out of the trunk. Catching them was even easier. It took less than three minutes from the time he found them to get both thugs hog tied in the trunk of his trusty Dodge Dart. Another minute was all it took to pack the young family’s Christmas in the large burlap sack the crooks had used to haul the booty. He carefully placed it in the back seat. Now he just needed to make a quick stop at the party store and he would be ready.
*******
The young couple was just about to turn in when the screen door rattled and someone pounded on the front door. The wife held the baby while the husband went to answer. He looked through the peephole and could only see the old tin star that had graced their tree, shimmering in the light of the streetlamps. When he opened the door a pudgy man with a bad Santa suit emerged from behind the tree. “Ho! Ho! Ho! I’m glad you’re still up. Here’s your tree.” The man winked, then entered with the tree. “I had brought it up to the North Pole earlier to fix a light that didn’t light on one side.” He plugged the tree into the outlet near the empty spot in the living room. “There we are, better than ever! Oh, and sorry about the elves. Seems they got carried away. They were only supposed to pick the tree up for repairs.”
The young couple stood slack-jawed, staring at the oversized elf. He stood staring back for a moment and then remembered his task. “Oh yeah.” He ran outside and returned with a large sack on his back. “You don’t mind if I leave your presents now, do you? We ran into rain in Louisiana, and Vixen has a cold, which is slowing down the whole trip.”
The stunned silence was broken by the toddler, who began bouncing in her mother’s arms and pointed at the man shouting “Tanta! Tanta! Momma, Tanta!”
The young mother finally found her voice. “Thank you. Please join us for Christmas.”
Logan looked at the family. He wanted to stay, but he knew he shouldn’t. The woman’s next comment brought him back to his senses. “We have plenty of food.”
“Um, well, I gotta go. So, um, you know… Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.” With that he bolted.
******
Mick and Beth were enjoying a quiet Christmas Eve together. They had decorated a small tree and were now reclined on the couch, wrapped in each other’s arms. Christmas music played in the background and they took turns toasting the good times while watching flames flicker up through the fireplace crystals. Beth had just started snuggling closer into Mick’s arms when her phone started ringing. It was Talbot. Mick started to curse the man’s timing when he saw Beth’s eyes go wide.
“Really? … Are you sure? ... And there’s no mistake. … No, I believe you. It’s just so… so weird. Thanks, bye.”
Mick’s brow furrowed. “Is something wrong?”
Beth stood up and slipped into her shoes. “We need to go to Logan’s place.”
“What - now?” Mick looked confused.
“It’s important. Come on, Mick, let’s go!”
******
Beth was dancing and singing along with a disco version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” but after that last eggnog, she didn’t really care if she hit the right keys on the toy guitar. The TV was on in the background and the news was running a story about a home invasion. According to police, the criminals had returned all they took and turned themselves in to police, claiming that the ghost of Christmas future visited, and made them change their ways.
Mick smiled watching Beth’s performance as Logan refilled his sangria. “You know, that was one Hell of a chance you took, Logan.”
“What makes you think it’s me?" His cavalier response was followed by a concerned look and his voice dropped to a whisper. "Did Beth say something?”
“Come on, man, you reek of Douglas fir.”
Logan's smile returned. “Oh yeah, right. Dude, not everyone has a million bucks to throw at the world’s problems. Besides, those guys won’t be saying anything. Maybe no one ever put the fear of God into them, but they do have the fear of El Diablo.” Logan grinned.
Mick clapped his hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Merry Christmas, man.”
Edited to Name the Fic. Thanks Luxe.
It sounds like they had a great time, especially Beth. 
How about 'The Oversized Elf'? Gives too much away? What about... 'An Old Tin Star for Christmas'? 
