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Both of them walk to their cars, Kathy suddenly feels a shiver run down her spine. It's already dark, the shadows have grown long in the moonlight.

She's glad she isn't alone right now, she doesn't scare easily but today's events have taken their toll on her nervs.
"Hey, you haven't had dinner at all yet. How 'bout we meet at the chinese place? I didn't have time to go shopping. I think once I've rested for few minutes I can eat too, it's been hours.."

John nods, "yes, I guess I need to eat something. But let's order and take it home. I'm not in the mood for more people right now."

"You won't hear any protest from me. That way I get to be alone with you sooner. I'm planing to give you a big reward for what you've done today. A reward that might go on all night long - or well, at least for half of the night. My hero!"

In answer John rolls his eyes and laughs, "stop it already Kathy. It was more a coincidence than anything else that I found that movie and..."

"No - you stop it Nash. You found it, you made the connection so therefore you are my hero and I'll stick to that. Maybe the others would have found it sooner or later, but fact is, you found it and I'm so proud and I will tell anyone again and again if they want to hear it or not. But hey...if you don't want your reward.."

John pulls her away from the car fast as lightning and just manages to growl out, "I didn't say that" before he crushes her against his lips.

Kathy squeals in his arms and it takes a while for them to come up for air. She angles her head when his face gets serious, "you know you can't really talk about this, right. Others might overhear you and...this is probably not over yet.
In fact, I don't like the thought of you working at the bookshop the next couple of days. That man is still out there and who knows what he is capable of. Why don't you stay at home, work on your resume a bit and..whatever it is you do at home."

She frees herself from his arms and walks the few steps back to her car, "oh come on. Nothing will happen tomorrow. I don't even know if Ann and Ralph will open the store and if they will need me. There are so many people around if he should show up. And maybe... he just needs to talk, sort these things out. What would he want with me? I don't have money."

John sighs, what could he want with her if not money?
"Kathy promise me you'll be careful and not stay alone at the shop. This man does not need someone to talk, he is very dangerous. Unpredictable from what I can tell. Cold blooded. Do not stay here tomorrow alone at any time. You hear me?"

Getting in the car Kathy nods, "yes but he must be confused and maybe..."

"Kathy! He hurt Ann. Haven't you seen that look on her face? You have to get over this thing that there is something good in everyone. You need to be careful! We all have to be, but especially you women!"

John has stepped next to the open car door and his voice has raised to almost a shout.

"John?"

"What?"

"My car won't start again."

"Take someone with me? I haven't thought about that. I thought I'd go alone but I Ann has mentioned that it is for two people, hasn't she? I suppose that one of the men would like to join me for a sports event in New York or even abroad. Maybe Thorne - you always say he needs some cheering up."

John parks the car smoothly waits for Kathy and walks without another word to his condo.

Kathy pokes her tongue out at his back and is very tempted to pinch is behind. Instead she gives him a beaming smile when he sits down to take his shoes off.



"That is a great idea! You do that. Take Terry. along. I'm sure he'll enjoy it and hey, he might even cuddle up to you and keep you warm at night."

She stands before him and adds, "You don't mind sleeping on the couch tonight and then for a while longer, do you?"



John smirks, gets up and pulls her towards the bedroom. She knows him too well by now. A few months ago he could have fooled her into believing he really meant what he said.
"Jealous darling? Don't worry, Terry doesn't do it for me. That new man Roberts on the other hand..."

"Nash! Give me an answer dammit."

"You are coming with me. No one else but you. But I haven't made up my mind on where we will go. And I'm debating wether I should let you know in advance or only tell you five minutes before we leave so you can pack only 40 pairs of shoes instead of 80..."

This time she does pinch his butt, just before he picks her up, half throws her on the bed and mumbles, "now how about keeping me warm right now? You know friction....causes warmth - heat even. I think we can raise the temperature some degrees here.."

Kathy comes home from her first day of work at the strawberry farm. Her back hurts, her arms feel like lead but it still wasn't the worst job she's ever had. She's met a lot of people from all over the world who worked there too and has chatted to a nice woman from Trinidad all day long.

She had stayed an extra half hour longer to pick some more berries to bring home.



At first she sets some of the best looking fruits aside and puts them in a small glas bowl. These would be hopefully put to special use later...



In the kitchen she spreads out the recipes she's found in one of the cook books at the Library and gets to work.

Three hours later there are at least fifty little bottles and jars filled with strawberry syrup, jam and chutney.



She hopes she can sell most of them in the bookstore or they'd have enough strawberry things to eat for the next year.

After cleaning up she goes to work to make a lasagna and salad dinner.

It's rare that her work days start earlier than John's but today she had to get up at five and it's catching up with her.
Pretty wiped out she plops down on the couch where the cats soon join her and falls asleep. That's where John finds a little later snoring not so softly.

Kathy had insisted on a real tree in a pot so they could plant it somewhere after the holidays. She had explained to John that it was horrible that so many trees had to die for christmas.

John had tought that she didn't have a problem to eat turkey at Thanksgiving but had wisely kept that thought to himself. He had been amused by how serious she took all the decorating and other christmas preparations. It was so endearing to him. The place did look more than ever like a home.

During the four days, they've had the tree Pythagoras had managed to dig out the soil at least ten times. All in all the little devil had tried his very best to create havoc



Kathy kept repeating that it must be because he is his cat and that Tabby and Moe have never ever done anything like it in all those years she's had them. Until yesterday evening, when he had showed her something that should have convinced her of the opposite




But she had only furrowed her brow and told him that Moe must have learned it from Pytha. Could he never win with this woman?

She feels his fingers tenderly stroke her hair away from her face.

Then soft lips on hers.

She keeps her eyes closed for a while longer and enjoys waking up fully to his kiss. "Mhhmmm, morning babe. Merry Christmas."



John smiles and hands her a cup.

Sitting up Kathy sniffs, "hot chocolate? Homemade hot chocolate? The real thing with milk?"
He nods, "you told me it's what you had every christmas morning when you were a child."

"You remembered that?" After a taste she makes a happy sound, "soooo good. I think I'll keep you."

"And I can think of a way to show me how much you appreciate it", he grins, while his hands move to open the buttons on the shirt she wears. If he had his way she would wear his shirts and t-shirts around the house all the time.

"Uh uh, no way. I want presents now."

Kathy jumps out of bed and like the little girl she once was runs to check for gifts.

"You go first", she decides and points to a pile of boxes wrapped in all kinds of different colorful christmas gift wraps.

"Here open this one first, remember when you always laughed at my toy cube and said it was a kid's toy? I know how much you like a good problem where you have to find a solution for. Well, here's one they call the Professor's cube and it should be just the right challenge for you! I bet this times it'll take you longer then half an hour to figure it out."



As soon as John opens the box Kathy grabs the thing out of his hand and starts to twist it in all directions.
"There - that should keep you from being bored."



She pokes her tongue out at him and points to the next box, "this one next."

A second later John holds quite a tacky cat shaped candle in his hand.



"The lady in that store downtown said it should be burned for love and passion -not that I think we need it but I liked the shape. Now this one."

John opens the plastic food container and smiles at her, "are these what I think they are?"



"Yep, I made them. All your favourites, cinnamon, vanilla and dark chocolate muffins and cookies."

He takes a big bite and chewing he opens the next gift.



Kathy has a gleam in her eyes, "Open them and smell."

He squints, now this look on her face he knows...from intimate moments. John sniffs at both bottles and looks puzzled, "strawberry and raspberry ..something?"

"Body oil John. *Edible* body oil. I only made these two bottles, only for us. I will not sell this." She pours a little on her finger and holds it out to him, "taste."

He does sample it and it takes him quite a while because he wants to do it correctly.

"Oooh, okay, I guess that means you like?"

"Yes Kathy, I do. A lot."

Her eyes are glassy and when he holds out his hand he has to wait a bit for her to come back. At least he angles his head and pretends to clear his throat.

"Uhm...what?"

"My next gift Kathy, there are still two boxes."



"Right, I....right....this one."



"You always say that you like that photo of me and I thought I'd get a frame and maybe you want to put it in your study or on your desk at work or even just in a drawer there..."

She looks down shyly and quickly hands him the last one.
"Here - your old one looks like it's about to completely fall apart so I got you this one. Feel it, the leather is so soft."




"Merry Christmas!!!!"

Much later...

"You ready? Don't forget that we have to drive by the animal shelter so I can bring them all the pet food I bought. Guess we'll have to take a taxi back here, if we both want to try Ralph's eggnog. Something tells me his might be stronger than the usual."

"I haven't forgotten about the animal shelter, I just hope you haven't forgotten that we agreed three pets are enough dear."

*continued at the Library*