Fanfic - Lonely this Christmas?

It's a short one for the holidays, enjoy.

Lonely this Christmas?



It's three days before Christmas and the LAPD homicide department is getting into the right spirit.
The squad room is decorated, people are making last minute plans and shopping lists are made.

"Hey McCall, my mom would really like it if you joined us for Christmas Eve dinner," Hunter looked at his partner with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"You know I can't, I have other plans."

"What's his name?"

She sighed, "It's not a he, remember Mrs. Lawson my next door neighbor?"

"How could I forget the elderly lady next door."

"She moved into a retirement home last month and asked me to come have dinner with her on Christmas Eve. She's feeling kinda lonely this time of year with her husband gone and the kids living all over the country."

"Is she still mad at me?"

McCall laughed out loud, "She mentions it every time I see her. How you parked your car in her prizewinning flowerbed. Is this maniac still your partner, she always asks."

"I don't know how many times I told her I was sorry. She's never gonna forgive me is she?"

"No, you screwed up big time partner."


Later that day McCall decided to leave early to do some last minute Christmas shopping, she still had to get some presents for the family.
When she finally got home she threw a TV dinner in the microwave, poured herself a drink and went to the living room to turn on the TV. That's when the phone rang,

"Hello. Hi Mom," she walked back to the kitchen to get her dinner (thank god for cordless phones) and sat down on the couch.
"Yeah Mom I'm gonna be there on Christmas Day and no I'll be alone. Mom please we have this discussion every year, Rich has other plans. No, I'm gonna spend Christmas Eve with Mrs. Lawson she invited me. I won't forget, bye Mom."


"Morning,"

Hunter greeted her the next morning as she sat down at her desk.

"Morning yourself."

"Done shopping?"

"Yeah finally and I got everyone a present too."

"Even me?"

"Even you and don't start fishing cause I won't tell. Mom called last night asking me the same question as every other year, will I be bringing anyone for dinner. I told her you were busy. They should really stop trying to fix us up."

Hunter just smiled not saying anything.

"I tried calling Mrs. Lawson," McCall continued.
"But I got no answer."

"Maybe she went out."

"She never did that's the odd thing about it."

"Maybe she's settling in and found a friend."

"Could be but it still bothers me."

The bothered feeling wouldn't leave McCall alone and tried to reach Mrs. Lawson a couple of times that day but got no answer.
Charlie had a tight leash on all of them wanting the huge pile of paperwork gone before Christmas so sneaking out was impossible.

Finally after leaving several messages Mrs. Lawson called her later that evening at home.

"I'm so sorry Dee Dee but I've been busy the last few days. And I'm sorry to tell you that I have to cancel our dinner."

"Cancel our dinner?" McCall repeated her words.

"I've met someone," Mrs. Lawson said followed by a giggle.
"His name is John Weatherby and he lives just down the hall. He's so romantic, brings me flowers when he comes to visit. He asked me to join him and his family for Christmas Eve dinner I hope you don't mind. We could do ours some other time."

McCall felt disappointed, she had been looking forward to this evening. But she was also happy to know that Mrs. Lawson wouldn't be lonely this Christmas and was felling at home.

"No I don't mind. I'm glad you found a friend. Have a very merry Christmas."

"Thank you dear, the same to you."


The day before Christmas, Hunter had come in early cause the pile of paperwork wasn't getting smaller very fast. An hour later McCall walked in looking a bit depressed. She planted her purse in its usual place and got herself a cup of coffee before sitting down.
Hunter watched her all the way,

"You look like you got dumped the night before the prom."

"Very funny Hunter."

"Did Mrs. Lawson call back?"

"Yeah she did."

"And…?"

"I hate to say you were right, she found a friend. A male friend."

Hunter put two and two together pretty fast and his expression changed from funny to more serious,

"She's not gonna be the lonely one at Christmas, you are."

"Thanks for rubbing it in Hunter." McCall stood up and made her way to the copy machine.

Hunter followed, "My offer still stands if you want to."

McCall turned around to look him straight in the eye,
"On one condition," she said.

"Anything."

"That you join me for dinner on Christmas Day with my family."

Hunter sighed, "Okay, you got a deal."


And so it was a very merry Christmas after all.