There is also nothing like watching your prey give you the proverbial bird by flipping over the can of orange soda in his tiny nearly three-year old little hand and dumping the sticky stuff onto your perfectly clean carpet.

"REESE!! NO!!" Todd squinted his eyes and hit his fists against the side of his head in aggravation. "Reese...da...dang-it....aww man....gimme the can...give me the soda..."

The little one looked up at Todd and smiled as big as he could, scrunching his nose. "DANG Da- eee!!" he yelled, then padded down the hall before Todd could physically stop him. Splashes of orange hopped out of the near-empty can as he ran, the droplets hitting the wall. A flash of reddish hair glistened in the lunch-time winter sunlight. Todd sighed and shook his head, watching the soda at his feet slowly spread into a larger stain and muttering under his breath, "God, that little..." Then with more force, he cried out, "HEATHER!! STOP HIM!! He has a CAN in his hand!!"

From the other side of the house, a youthful far-away voice shot back, "Got'im, Mr. Manning!"

"That little...angel?" Tea walked up to the mess, having just come in from the front door. They were meeting at home for lunch - a bit of a drive for both but worth it. "What's the matter, amor? Did he get away?" Tea laughed lightly at her ruffled husband. "Did he...run?"

"Yup. Why does he do that? He would rather sacrifice his...prize...than let me have it. I sure as hell didn't teach him that."

"Really? Which part? The running or the sacrificing?"

"Ok....maybe I'm responsible for the running part...but not the sacrificing..."

"I guess then we have to blame genetics." Tea giggled to herself. "Payback's a bitch isn't it?"

"I don't sacrifice something I want...if I can't have it...." He stopped and looked away. "In the past...maybe I did...but not anymore." He laughed sorely and pulled his hair back, looking at her with a hint of frustration around his eyes. There was nothing like routine Reese battles to bring them close together. Tea chuckled again and brought Todd into a warm hug, he hugging her back. She said softly, "It's really lousy to lose to someone who's less than three feet tall, isn't it?"

He nodded, nuzzling her neck and hair, "M-hm." The past few days had not been easy for Todd. He had a real mutiny going on at the Sun and on top of that it was Christmas, a holiday that always brought about a deep sense of loneliness and sadness for him. Despite his mood, Todd made sure the house smelled and felt Christmas-y thanks to a goodly number of wreaths and floral decorations, a rather imposing but perfectly decorated tree, and various and sundry pots of potpourri. He did it for Tea and Reese. Starr, too, even though she was at an age where it didn't matter so much. Nevertheless, Todd stuffed down instinctive reaction against the holiday and gave his family all he could.

Tea knew that, too. "How are you today?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

Todd gave a small smile, still embracing her loosely, "I'm alright. I...uh...fired five people this morning...had security escort their back-stabbing butts out the front door." He nodded, looking reflective, then added, "I feel good."

"What's going on? What happened? You've been so quiet about it."

"Found out those...people were leaking information to...Joey Buchanan. He was paying them on the side...all to get in good with Viki...and Kevin, that egomaniac. You know Joey's never been happy relegated to just a photographer...but I think he needs to learn to read and write first. You just can't be a good reporter unless you master those basic skills."

"Todd...I'm sorry about the reporters. Are you going to be short? Tonight?" Todd pulled out the embrace just as Heather, their au-pairs from Llanview University, came bubbling up to them with Reese in her arms. A very humbled Reese. "I wuv oo da-eee," he said, defenseless as a baby bear. Tea laughed and took Reese out of Heather's hands. The young lady took one look at the spill and flitted out of the living room.

"I love you, too, you little troublemaker," Todd grumbled, leaning over and plopping a kiss on Reese's head.

"Come, mijito. Why did you spill the soda?" Tea was looking very stern, holding Reese in her arms.

"I 'piyo da soda, Mommy."

"Yes...yes you did. You're not supposed to do that. That's a big 'no.' No spilling. Only drinking."

"No 'piyo. Dwink da soda." He smiled at Tea, his eyes twinkling with plans to take over the world. Todd shook his head just as Heather was returning to the room with some rags and carpet cleaner. He cringed at the damage. Today it bothered him, but usually it didn't. Christmas was reversing his and Tea's roles and wreaking havoc on his finely tuned family system. It plain pissed him off.

Tea put Reese down and she and Todd watched him. At first he stood by and watched Heather clean up the mess. Finally, he squatted next to her, moving his hands the way Heather was. He smiled at her and chattered away.

Tea looked over at her husband, noticing the increased irritation on his face and leaned over to him. "I'll help you," she said. "Today, tonight...with those articles. We'll get everything done."

"But it's Christmas eve. Tea...I-I can't ask you to do that. Reese, the thing...the thing over at Viki's. Come on....I'll handle it...I will. You go - don't worry about me." He gave her a slight nod of his head, a wink, all meant to assure her. It was the truth, though. He really didn't mind skipping out on the party. He'd still have what really counted with Reese and Tea - he'd have Christmas morning. That was fun - to see Reese opening his toys and playing with the boxes and the wrapping paper. Tonight would be stuffy. Fluff. He didn't need it. Didn't need to feel more sad, more reminded.

Tea bent down, grabbing one of the cloths, picked up some 409 and began spraying the wall. Cleaning up the soda spots. Todd picked up Reese and the two of them "talked" without words, just with kisses and giggles.

On the other hand, Todd would be sorry not to spend Christmas Eve with Viki. She was the subtle star of the night for him. Ever since he came home from New York, from Hell, nearly seven years ago, each Christmas Viki would give him something inspirational as a gift. A book, a small portrait with a poem, a picture framed with a special insignia; something always meant to encourage his fight - his continuing battle to toe the lines, to stay clean, to stay grounded. He in turn, would do the same for her. Only he gave her charms for a bracelet of hers, meaningful charms. It was all quite sappy and syrupy, sure - he'd always make some snide comment to her - but they would look into each other's eyes and know the holiday was special. The gifts were special because they had both been to Hell and back.

Viki's gifts had started his first Christmas following his return, a painful time. Todd had been home for about four months and was starting therapy for the third time having fallen "off the wagon" twice previous; he was ... recovering. Viki had decided to spend Christmas Eve just with him up at her cabin. They ate together and drank egg-nog; he moping and sick, she being the nurturing caretaker. He was so out of it, he even refrained from nasty comments. As the night wore on though, they talked for the first time openly and honestly about his life, about his experiences. No games, no lies, no covering up. He even cried with her.

It was that first Christmas eve home that he truly learned about having a sister.

The next morning, he had awoken with a sense of what love was. A feeling. It was like instead of pressing his nose up against the window looking into "love's" room, he was instead at an open door. Not quite inside the room, but almost there. Close to the music, close to the scents. He had also found on the bed, wrapped in a ribbon, a book about loving oneself, about believing in one's inner spirit. She had written on the inside, "To Todd, may you never forget that I love you. May you always know in your heart that strength comes not from the outside, but from the inside. Your true sister, Victoria Lord Carpenter."

Although his recovery had been slow, he did recover. He did learn to "love" himself to a certain degree. He learned to love his wife, his sister. Even learned to love his children, because in reality, he had left his daughter behind when he ran. He had not shown her the kind of love he thought she deserved.

Todd gave Reese one last peck on his little nose and plopped him down on the floor. Reese looked up at him, shaking his head, "Reese no piyo da soda...huh, Da-eee?"

"That's right. Only drinking."

"Onwy dwink da soda." Todd then took Reese's hand and the two headed to the kitchen for lunch. Heather then sopped up the last of the orange drink and sprayed away the last of the stain. Tea came back into the room and handed the spray bottle to Heather, saying thank you. With a smile, she then walked toward the kitchen to join Todd and Reese, glancing back at the cleaned- up mess, hoping this Christmas would be as heartfelt as the last four had been.

***

Llanfair was undoubtedly the most beautiful home at Christmas time, what with the white lights decorating outside trees and flowery pine decorating the front door. When Tea and Reese walked in, the smell of cider and the tinkling of Christmas music was enough to soothe even the fiercest of tempers. Reese took off immediately, pounding past Viki and jumping into Jessica's arms, he eventually being brought back to pay his proper respects, "Hi, Aunt Biki," he said shyly, scrunching his nose.

"Hi, sweetheart," Viki responded back, giving him a kiss. "And Merry Christmas!"

"Where Santa?"

Viki looked at him with serious eyes, "Oh he won't be here until very late...you will be fast asleep! When he sees Reese in his bed, then he'll slip down the chimney and leave you a special gift...but you have to be asleep."

"No seep!!" he announced.

Tea rolled her eyes and smiled at Viki, "Oh he'll be sleeping all right...won't you..." She held his face in her hands and gave him a kiss on his kissable mouth. He giggled terribly at his silly mommy.

Jessica laughed and after welcoming Tea, she carried Reese away to join the others. Viki then asked, "Tea, where's Todd?"

"Didn't you hear?"

"Hear what?"

Tea looked away, not wanting to be the bearer of this scandal so she chose not to say anything. Viki had been on sabbatical to work on her memoirs, a pet project she had been putting off for a long time, not wanting to re-enter her dark past, but Clint had encouraged her and she finally decided to do it. Kevin had been running the Banner while she had been away. Viki purposefully did not inquire into office politics. She returned her gaze to Viki, "Todd had to fire five reporters today and he's pressed to get the paper out. So he's skipping tonight."

Viki looked concerned, "Oh, Tea...oh dear...what happened? Why couldn't he have waited?"

"It was pretty bad - they were..." Tea smiled slightly. "They were divulging Sun business...to a...competitor."

Just at that moment, Kevin walked up to Tea and gave her a knowing expression, "Tea. Merry Christmas...how's everything...?" He glanced around, clearly checking for Todd.

"Kevin," Viki said firmly. "Todd had some problems with his reporters today...do you know anything about it?"

Kevin looked guiltily at his mother, "I thought you didn't want to hear any business, mom."

"You better tell me what's going on." Tea gave Kevin an open smile and shook her head. Shrugged and walked into the living room. For that egg-nog. Spiked.

***

Todd was damn tired. It had been horribly long afternoon and he was nowhere near done with his work even with his crew working overtime covering for the loss of the reporters. He was majorly screwed.

"Shit," he groaned aloud, looking at the snow falling outside his window, the flakes illuminated by the office light. It was 7:30 and the paper had to go to press no later than 10:00. He wasn't going to make it. He missed Tea and Reese. Fine...ok....I give in, he thought, gone are the days when I liked to be pissy and on my own and hating Christmas. A little on my own is okay. A lot on my own isn't. Damn. Love had spoiled him. Tea had spoiled him. Took his rotten soul and made him feel a little less so. He smiled. Christmas had been ruined for him. What once had been a completely lousy, crappy, I-just-want-to-be-fucked-up holiday had turned into something...nice. First there was Viki that initial Christmas home, then there was Tea.

God. He remembered his second Christmas home. He had been "recovered" for about a year and his and Tea's relationship was undefined, vague. They weren't really dating, per se, but rather, working on being friends again. It wasn't easy. He had been living at Llanfair because he knew living alone was a guaranteed one-way ticket back to Hell and he really didn't want to go back. Despite its constant call to him, its hum in his ear. But he kept fighting it and Tea kept helping. With her own pissiness, with her own...hum. So there he was, one year "clean and sober," sulking in the corner of Viki's livingroom surrounded by caroling Buchanans. Angry as all get out at his "accomplishment", aching for some good old-fashioned numbness. Just one day in Hell...please...just one day.

Tea had flopped in the chair next to him and grumbled, "What's your problem, Santa? Did the toy factory get overloaded?"

He had turned to her and gave a snotty expression, "Yeah...overloaded...with little...drunken elves...painting dollhouses black...and toy cars pink...and teddy bears red...it's a goddamned mess."

Tea had glared back at him, "Why don't you then take some control over that toy factory, Todd? Get off your jacked-up ass and get rid of the dissidents the way you know how. Stop fighting the people who are trying to help you. Only then will your...factory...run smoothly and productively."

She stormed off leaving him alone, staring at the cup of cooled cider in his hand. He felt even crappier. And he then realized that he loved her. He loved her getting in his face, he loved her swaying hips as she walked away, he loved the way she held her head up and offered a fake smile to one of the singing Buchanans. Get rid of the dissidents. The rebel voices in your head that want to push you back into your dark, empty life. To that life he had been living in the armpit of New York City. Let the people who love you, love you. Isn't that what Sam Rappaport had told him once? Let them help you.

Todd took a breath and when he looked up he saw Tea in the doorway of his office, grinning at him. God, he loved her. That power she possessed. "What are you doing here, chica?" he asked, smiling back at her. Appearing right behind her momentarily was first Viki and then Kevin and then two of their better reporters.

Tea said, "We're here to help you. To get your dang paper finished."

Kevin humbly said, "It's the least we can do...after what Joey did. I'm sorry..."

Todd didn't know what to say. "But...but...you'll know stuff...sources....notes...." This was not good. He had a choice. Risk exposure of secrets, newspaper secrets, or not make the deadline. Let people help or flounder in Hell. Todd looked away, looked down. Looked at his screen, the snowflakes. Shit. Everyone could see his reluctance. He rubbed his face and then leaned back in his chair, a headache suddenly pounding down on him.

Sacrifice the paper or give it up. Which will it be?

The lead reporter, Ethan Dryer, then said assuredly, "We've been sworn to utter secrecy, Mr. Manning. In no uncertain terms, Mr. Buchanan told us that if we use anything we learn this evening to further our paper, it will be our butts on the street along with your...saboteurs, your dissidents."

Todd smirked at hearing that word. Dissidents. But his thoughts went back to the danger of having the competitors stomping around his camp. With a heavy sigh, he said, "I can't. I just can't risk this..."

Viki chimed in, "We will hold to our word on firing these reporters - our best...if they screw up. Let us help you. You shouldn't be scrapping Christmas Eve because of someone's poor judgment. Someone close to me. To us. It's not fair to you or your family."

He looked at Tea and she nodded her head, trying to say it was okay to trust Viki. To trust Kevin. He finally shook his head, shrugged, "Ok. Whatever...Kev - take them downstairs - Kaela'll show you what has to be done. This is so weird...."

Viki laughed as Kevin led the reporters away. "Oh you are a stubborn one. You weren't going to accept this little gift, were you?"

"No...Kevin...sheesh...he'll be...rifling through my....office...through my....kingdom. That's asking a bit much of me, Sis."

"It is a lot to ask, but sometimes...you need to let go a little - to give in a little so you can get to the heart of what's really important." Todd gave her a serious look, knowing she was talking about so much more than just tonight, than just this paper. She then added, "And after we get your paper out, we can all relax at my place...and wait for Santa Clause...together." She winked at him and left the office, off to help Kevin. And the reporters. To do what she could.

Tea smiled at Todd as she sashayed closer to him, the two not releasing each other's gaze. "I love you," she said softly.

"Love that I'm a chump...that I just let in four...Jesus...four reporters from a competitor into....oh God...I think I'm gonna be sick."

"No - I love your...unwillingness...your pride. I love seeing you wager - battle - whether to sacrifice your paper or give it up...for a few hours to a Buchanan."

He chuckled and looked down, thinking of Reese dumping the soda rather than give it up, knowing that was exactly what Tea was talking about. "I guess it's in the genes," he said.

"I guess so." Tea laughed and moved around to Todd, easing herself onto his lap. They kissed each other and they hugged. He loved her. He loved her gall at bringing Viki here...at bringing Kevin here. Her pissiness.

"I love you, Delgado. Thanks."

"Anytime."

Their laughs could be heard down the hall as they settled in for just a little while longer to get that paper out. To meet the deadline...so they could go home and wait for Santa. Together.

Tea was laying on her stomach on the carpet in front of the twinkling Christmas tree in their living room. She was wearing a long white cotton nightgown, soft and warm. Her feet were bundled in some wool socks. Being the only source of illumination in the room, the lights in front of her were mesmerizing and she would close her eyes periodically, sleepily. Christmas Eve. Actually, technically, it was Christmas morning. 1:30 a.m. They had met the deadline for the Sun newspaper. They then had all enjoyed a cozy remainder of the evening at Viki's with quiet chit- chat, with hot cider and sweet pastries. An exhausted Reese had slept in Tea's arms as she sat close to Todd on the couch in Viki's livingroom.

Tea had studied her son's sweet face as he lay without a care in the world while listening to Todd talk with Viki and even Kevin about better controlling leaks and what not in the newspaper business. She could feel the tension gone from him, his worries resolved. She smiled to herself because he was as warm and as happy as he could be. He would kiss Tea's hair every so often, would squeeze her shoulder. Would caress Reese's head and cheek as he looked at him. She loved them...her boys. Her men. She loved their similarities and their differences. She felt so lucky at that moment.

The lights continued to dance in front of Tea and she sighed when she felt Todd lie down next to her, also on his stomach, also looking at the tree. "Did I say thank you for tonight?" he asked softly.

"Yes...yes you did." She turned to him, seeing his eyes move up the tree, finally resting on an angel they had at the top.

"I never really had an appreciation for .... this ... holiday stuff you know. Sometimes ... Tea... truthfully .... Christmas music and trees and light ... they make my teeth itch ... you know..."

Tea giggled, "Yeah, I know."

"But - what I like is...you...and Reese... Starr ... and even, Viki. I... like knowing that I have a place...in this world... I like that."

Tea smiled at him, nodding slightly, reaching back and slipping off her wool socks. She wanted to touch him with her feet. She wanted him. He looked back at her, saw her face, saw that look of desire and reached out to kiss her. They lingered with the kiss, knowing what it was going to lead to. Knowing how they wanted to be as close as two people could be. Todd rolled onto his side and pulled Tea to him, their bodies now laying alongside the other. Tea wrapped her arm around Todd, kissing him openly, their tongues touching and roaming. The stayed that way, soothing each other beneath those lights. Beneath the twittering Angel up top, who watched over them.

Todd with a sudden burst of strength pushed Tea onto her back, his hand pushing her nightgown up, then across her hips. She could hear his breathing change as he kissed her more fervently, more forcefully. He finally sat up, sort of straddling her, staring down at her. She lay vulnerably, with her hands resting on the carpet near her head, looking up at him. Willing. Ready to give herself up. No sacrificing for the sake of winning.

He pushed her nightgown up higher and with both hands, felt her stomach and ribs, watching her face as he touched her. Wanting her bare, he finally wriggled off the nightgown, leaving her naked with him still covered in sweat pants and a tee-shirt. He liked seeing her this way - so trusting of him, so free with him.

"You are so beautiful, Tea," he said, eyeing her gentleness, her fierceness. His hands touched her stomach again and this time he moved them upwards, over her breasts, Tea sighing and arching to him, closing her eyes. With both hands, Todd touched her nipples, lightly grazing them. Feeling them grow stiff. She heard him make a sound in his throat, a soft groan. He was so sexy from this angle, beneath him. She reached her hand up to his shoulders and their eyes met.

At that he kissed her again, hotly, wetly, his hand reaching around her bottom, grasping her tightly. Tea then pulled off his tee-shirt, he getting up on his knees. He pulled down his sweats over his hips and maneuvered himself out of them completely, revealing his erection, his almost painful yearning for her. Close...to be closer. He lay down on top of her and they rubbed against each other feverishly. Touching again, kissing again.

They whispered to one another between heated kisses beneath the Christmas tree, Tea feeling the rough carpet underneath her, a harshness in her soft world. Todd's skin was smooth, his muscles tight. They separated and with parted lips, with heavy breaths, waited a moment before they would mix it up, before he would enter her. With a grunt, Todd then did what he wanted, did what she wanted: he thrust into her. Both closing their eyes at the intensity of the sensation.

There weren't any words necessary as they moved in their unique rhythm, speaking with soft moans and sometimes with their eyes. Tea felt Todd begin to pump harder into her and she wrapped her legs around him, but he lifted himself up a bit and pushed her knee back, opening her up more for him. He gritted his teeth as he moved faster and harder, his hair dangling, tickling her chest as he moved back and forth on top of her.

Spurred on by his ardor, Tea then grabbed onto Todd's hanging hair, pulling it into her fist as her head tilted back, scraping against the floor with his force. Soon she felt the wave of an orgasm begin to wash over her and she bit down, soundlessly coming, her body shaking with the fury of her passion. Todd opened his eyes to watch her and smiled slightly at the sight of her, of her sexual bliss. "You...," she whispered. He kissed her while thrusting quickly, at last exploding deep within her, a low growl coming from him which rumbled against her throat. When the spasms of his own orgasm waned, he settled down on top of her, kissing her lightly on the mouth, kissing her cheeks, her neck. Touching her hair. They stayed that way for a long time, wrapped up in each other, talking about what they had, what they treasured.

He loved her. She loved him. Simple. They were each other's soul-fix and were thankful for that. On this special night, on this special morning, beneath the Christmas-ness, beneath the colors and scents, beneath that Angel that looked down on all of them, they understood that each day was special, that each day was meaningful. That in order to move ahead, one had to be willing to give a part of oneself up. No sacrifices.

Just get rid of the dissidents and you'll get there.

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