We Wish You a Merry Christmas ...
A Houston Knights/Touched By An Angel Crossover story.
By Starwinder

Part 3
Continued from Part 2

The party was in full swing when Lundy and LaFiamma arrived. Santa had already given out the presents to the orphans and was sitting at the table with Carol, who was dressed as Santa's helper, holding her hand, while the children ran around shouting and playing.

Lundy went in search of Chicken to give him the present while Joe mingled. He returned just as Joe was leaning over the table where Carol was sitting with Santa, just in time to hear the exchange.

"Hi, Carol! Merry Christmas!" Joe shouted over the noise.

"Merry Christmas, Joe!" Carol shouted back.

"You dating Santa, now huh?"

Carol laughed, "Yeah, this is Nick! He's a real good Santa!"

"Reckon you'll get your Christmas wish, huh?"

"I already did," She laughed back, smiling happily at Nick.

Joe laughed and reached across to shake Nick's hand, "Merry Christmas. Santa!"

"Merry Christmas, Joe ... and what do you want for Christmas?"

"Something I ain't gonna get."

"But what?"

Joe shook his head then grinned and said, "Snow ... and a visit from my folks. Neither of which is gonna happen. Okay?"

"I'll have to see what I can do!" Nick said with a twinkle in his eye.

Joe spotted Levon watching him and went to join him, "You find Chicken?"

"Yeah."

"He like the present?"

"Seemed pleased."

"Bet he woulda liked the other one better."

"Probably. He'll still get it." He headed out the door, "Come on. We might as well get started getting ready for the meet."

"We got some time yet, Lundy."

"I know, LaFiamma. I know." Lundy kept walking. "Thought we might spend it at your place." They had reached the Jimmy and were standing in the shadow of it out of sight of the party. Lundy turned and pulled Joe into his arms. "Thought we might relax a little 'fore we had to spend God only know's how long at that meet."
By nine thirty they were in position waiting for the meet with d'Saville. The RV was parked on a dirt road, backed up under some trees. In the front where they would be visible from outside it someone flashed a light in, Slikowski and Paulsen sat fidgeting. They kept looking toward the back where Lundy and LaFiamma waited in the darkened interior of the vehicle.

"You guys really think that he's gonna try to kill us?" Paulsen asked worriedly.

"It's a possibility." Lundy said.

"One you shoulda thought of before you got involved in this." LaFiamma added.

"Yeah, well you try being outta work for over two years. We was desperate!" Slikowski snapped. "Living on Welfare ain't no life. My wife was ashamed to go to the grocery store, payin' with food stamps. Kids ain't had a decent Christmas since we was laid off."

"d'Saville didn't say nothing about no killin' till after we'd done the kidnappin'. We thought that he just wanted ta use a fake kidnappin' ta get money from his wife's dad. Wasn't nobody supposed to get hurt and we'da had the money ta give our kids a decent Christmas." Paulsen tried to justify what they'd done. "By the time he sent that so called Doctor to deliver the baby, get rid of it and fix up that IV on Mrs. d'Saville ..." He trailed off.

"We was already in so deep that it seemed like we didn't have any choice but to go along." Slikowski finished for him.

"You could've backed out anytime. You wouldn't've been in anymore trouble than you are now. If you'd have turned yourselves in, turned State's Evidence, chances are you could've gotten immunity for testimony." LaFiamma told them.

"Lt., said that if you two kept helpin' she'd talk to the DA." Lundy put in, "Now turn around, look out the front. It's almost time for the guy to show up. Don't want him wonderin' what you're lookin' at back here." Lundy told him. He exchanged a look with LaFiamma.

They'd been waiting in the back of the RV for the better part of half an hour. The Lieutenant had wanted them on the scene early in case d'Saville showed up early to case the meeting site. Looking at his watch Lundy saw that it was just two minutes till ten o'clock.

Moments later a van passed them, slowed and then turned in, backing up under the trees on the other side of the road. The van's driver turned off his lights then, blinked them on and off three times, the signal that d'Saville had told Slikowski and Paulsen to look for.

Lundy spoke softly into the microphone he was wearing, "Show time, Lieutenant."

"We've got you, Levon. I've got Joe Bill and Esteban concealed in the trees across the road from you. They should be in position to help if anything goes wrong."

"Then they oughta be right close to the van. It's straight across from us."

"Understood. Let Paulsen and Slikowski go on ahead then slip out to cover them."

"Gotcha. Will do." Lundy turned to the two men. "Time to do it. Keep the lights off and leave the door open when you go out so that we can slip out behind you to cover you. Okay?"

"Yeah," Paulsen agreed nervously.

Moments later, Paulsen and Slikowski were standing in the middle of the road waiting for the two men from the van to join them.

Lundy and LaFiamma were concealed behind a couple of trees at the road's edge. Seeing the second man, Lundy whispered into the mike, "Looks like you were right, lieutenant. Two men. Second one fits the description of the doctor."

"Understood." Beaumont replied.

Paulsen and Slikowski exchanged a look then, Paulsen demanded, "What's he doing here?" indicating the doctor.

The thinner of the two, a well dressed man with black hair spoke. "Well, he's here to show you that I don't need you anymore. I know where my wife is and I have the key to the room. So I don't have to pay--"

"Like hell!" Slikowski yelled. "She ain't there no more! You think we're stupid? Soon as he showed up we knowed you wasn't gonna pay us so we moved her!"

The other two men exchanged looks, "That was not smart." d'Saville said.

"Oh, yeah. Well if you want her now you're gonna have ta pay us." Paulsen put in. "We're the only ones knows where she is."

The well dressed man scowled, then turning to the other man he said, "I was afraid that something like this might happen. Get the money out of the van." He turned back to Paulsen and Slikowski, smiling an oily smile, "No reason to get all upset, we can still do business."

Remembering that they were supposed to be trying to get d'Saville to say on tape that he'd ordered the baby killed Paulsen said, "Speakin' of business, we didn't sign on ta kill nobody. That business with the baby ..."

"Yes, well, I understand that Doctor Randall took care of that. He tells me that you refused to put the brat in the bag. He had to do it himself. He was very upset." He smiled that oily smile again.

Paulsen looked at Slikowski, wondering if what d'Saville had said was enough to satisfy Beaumont so that she'd help them out.

Randall returned with a bag and handed it to d'Saville. Still smiling d'Saville reached in the bag, "Here's your payment, gentlemen." He said pulling a gun out of the bag and firing point blank at Slikowski.

The impact knocked Slikowski backwards. He hit the ground screaming just as Lundy and LaFiamma leaped out from behind their trees yelling, "Police! Drop the weapon!"

d'Saville had swung the gun toward Paulsen, now he changed directions, aiming toward Lundy.

Seeing d'Saville round on Lundy, Paulsen gave a shout and jumped him, wrestling him to the ground.

LaFiamma ran up and stomped on d'Saville's wrist making him lose his grip on the gun. Bending to pick up the gun, he yelled at Lundy, "We got this one! Where's the doc?"

Lundy looked around, then saw Esteban and Joe Bill dragging the other man toward them. "In custody." He turned back to Paulsen, "I don't know how anybody else feels about it, but you just earned yourself a recommendation of leniency from me."

The man smiled. "I never was real happy about this deal ... and when that doc showed up wantin' ta kill the baby, I was really hopin' we'd find some way out of it. If I got to do jail time at least I won't have ta do it thinkin' about having killed a kid."
By the time that the paperwork was done and Lundy and LaFiamma made it to Lundy's place it was nearly midnight.

Lundy dropped down on the couch with a sigh. It had been a long day, even if a satisfying one.

LaFiamma on the other hand continued on to the back of the house, returning in a moment with a gaily wrapped present.

Lundy looked up. "I'm tired, Joe. You really wanna exchange gifts tonight, 'stead of tomorrow."

"Yeah. You said I oughta establish some traditions of my own down here. Well, this is one that I'd like to have. It reminds me of my mom. Before dad died, her and him always exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve night so that Christmas morning would be for us kids." He paused, "I know we ain't ever gonna have kids, Levon but I still would like this to be a tradition with us. Okay?"

The hopeful look in his eyes was more than Levon could bear. Tired as he was his heart softened, "Okay." He smiled. "I'll go get yours." He rose and headed for the back of the house.

"And I'll get the eggnog."

"Eggnog?" Lundy froze in the doorway, at the word. Turning back to LaFiamma, he hesitated just a second then said, "Joe, I'm sorry but I just don't care much for eggnog."

Joe smiled at him, "That's okay. You do like chocolate." For just a second the smile turned to a leer.

Lundy couldn't help but grin back at him at the memory before saying, "Yeah, I do like chocolate."

"Then we'll make hot chocolate our traditional Christmas Eve drink. I'll go make it."

Levon continued to the back of the house to get Joe's present, still grinning at the memory.

<<The previous Fourth of July,

Levon lay on the sunning rock in the lake, dozing, naked and happy. He'd heard Joe slip back into the water a while before and roused up enough for Joe to reassure him that he'd be right back. Now he heard his lover climb out of the water and drop down beside him.

"You're done on the back, Cowboy. Turn over." Joe's voice was softly amused.

Mumbling something about bossy Yankees, Levon obeyed, still basically asleep. After a moment he felt something cool land on his chest. He shifted a little and sighed. Nice of Joe to go get the suntan lotion. The coolness spread, across his chest, down across his stomach to his groin. Then it stopped. He cracked one eye to look up at his lover leaning over him, Joe was grinning.

At that, both Levon's eyes popped open. He knew that grin ...and it wasn't an 'I'm being nice, putting suntan oil on you grin'. It was Joe's patented 'I'm a sex obsessed devil and you're gonna love this!' grin.

Raising his head, Levon looked down at himself. He was covered with whipped topping. It spread from chest to groin, covering both nipples then tapering to a point like an arrow aimed at his cock. He looked at Joe. His lover was shaking up a squeeze bottle of chocolate syrup. There was a gleam in his eyes.

He turned the bottle upside down and began to drizzle syrup over the whipped topping, making swirls and loops with it. Then taking careful aim he began to completely cover Levon's cock and balls with the gooey stuff.

"What do you think you're doing, Boy," Levon tried to fake annoyance.

"Making dessert ... you're it." Joe grinned. Leaning over he began to lick the concoction off Levon, starting with his left nipple.

Levon groaned with pleasure and lay back, grinning at his imaginative lover's idea of dessert, letting him enjoy himself and ... . He opened one eye, "Do I get some of that chocolate?" He asked.

"When I'm done, Cowboy. You can do whatever you want with the rest of the chocolate ... and the whipped topping." Joe grinned back at him. "I got enough ...for two desserts!"

Levon closed his eye back and began plotting his revenge, till Joe's tongue began to lap at his chocolate covered cock and his mind began to shut down. His revenge could wait ... till Joe had finished his dessert!

When Levon returned with Joe's present, Joe was still in the kitchen. Levon couldn't keep his gaze off his gift. Wrapped in bright gold foil paper with a huge red satin ribbon overflowing the top it looked for all the world like a hat box. He wondered if Joe had actually gotten him something he could use this year, something other than some electronic gizmo that he wasn't even sure what was.

He'd just reached out and was about to give the box a shake when Joe appeared in the doorway. "Huh-uh, Cowboy. That's no fair! I ain't even got ta see my package yet."

Levon gave a guilty start, like a kid caught trying to steal a peek at his presents and getting caught by his parents.

"Chocolate's almost ready. You can wait one more minute." Joe grinned and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Sighing again Levon sat back on the couch, resigned to letting Joe have his way. After all it had been his suggestion that Joe start Christmas traditions, maybe he should have thought about the fact that he'd have to live with whatever traditions Joe came up with.

It wasn't long till Joe returned with two mugs of steaming hot chocolate.

Taking his, Levon noted the two big marshmallows floating on top and smiled. Most people used the miniature ones in hot chocolate but then Joe wasn't most people, not by any stretch of the imagination.

Sinking onto the couch at Levon's side Joe slipped one hand behind Levon's head to gently twist his fingers in his lover's hair, while raising the cup to Levon with his other hand, "A toast." He began, "To us, may we share many more a'Christmas, may they all be merry and bright. May we always be as happy and content together as we are tonight. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Levon echoed then after taking a sip of the hot sweet liquid he teased, "That rhymed. You gonna start writin' poetry now?"

Joe drank then set his cup down on the table beside the presents and leaned in close to whisper in Levon's ear. "Who said I'd have to start?" He paused then continued in a husky whisper, "You looked at me. I could feel your eyes upon me, trailing fire across my skin, Setting my blood a'fire, Branding your name upon my heart. Enflaming my soul, Till I was lost in blind desire! Just because ... you looked at me!"

The raw passion in his voice enflamed Levon. He reached out to set his mug on the coffee table, groping blindly, his eyes already closing as his body responded to Joe's words. The mug made contact with the table and Levon shoved it back to be sure it wouldn't fall then turned into Joe's waiting arms. Suddenly no longer tired, he claimed Joe's mouth in a hungry kiss, pulling his lover into a tight embrace. When he finally broke the kiss he murmured into Joe's ear, "You write that for me, Boy?"

"That and a hundred more 'tween that day at the airport and the night we made love the first time. Couldn't talk to nobody. Had to do something or go crazy." Joe gasped as Levon bent to nip at the sensitive spot at the base of his neck. Then he pushed against Levon, forcing himself to remember what they were supposed to be doing. "Whoa! Whoa, Cowboy! Dis part is supposed ta come after we open the presents!"

Levon couldn't help but chuckle, "You planned on this, huh?" Reluctantly he released Joe.

Joe grinned back at him, "Let's just say I was hoping that we'd get to it!"

Levon shook his head, "Okay, reckon I can wait a few more minutes." His body however was still buzzing with desire. He definitely wouldn't be getting to sleep unless they did get back to it.

Joe reached over and picked up Levon's present to him, starting to open it.

"Now, who said you get to go first?" Levon teased.

"My tradition. My say!" Joe grinned back at him, tearing the paper off the package, to reveal what appeared to be a lingerie box. He raised a brow at Levon before lifting the lid.

Levon just shrugged at him, then grinned at Joe's expression when he saw what was in the box.

Laughing with delight, Joe said, "I guess I wasn't the only one thinking about it leading to that!"

Levon blushed a little as his lover lifted the gift out of the box, and held it up to look at it.

In Joe's large hands the two scraps of silk seemed even smaller than they were and they were pretty small. He was holding a pair of bright red silk running shorts, very skimpy running shorts, and a matching top. "You gonna let me wear these out running?" He teased.

Blushing, Levon swallowed hard, "You know better'n that, Boy! Only running ya gonna be doin' in those is when I'm chasin' ya round the bed!"

When Joe laughed again at that he added, "The blue ones was getting a mite worn out. Near ripped'm last time we ..." he trailed off blushing again.

Joe laid them aside and picked up Levon's gift. Handing it to his lover he said in a husky voice, "You'd better open yours, now before we forget it ... and we wouldn't want that."

Levon looked at the package a moment then realizing that the lid was wrapped separately so that it could just be lifted off he raised it and stared at the gift inside. Well, it was a hat ... a hat unlike anything he'd ever seen before. It looked like a Stetson but it was bright red, with a white fur hatband. Tucked under the band and hanging over it were sprays of plastic holly leaves with bunches of red plastic berries. Wound around the crown over it all was a string of battery powered Christmas lights. He looked over at Joe, "I'm gonna kill you, Boy!"

Joe laughed, reaching over to flip a switch that turned on the lights ... and music. The lights began to flash to the squeaky electronic tune of 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' as Joe said, "Easy, Cowboy. You're the one that always told me that it's what's under the hat that counts!"

Levon looked back at the garish monstrosity in the box. He wasn't certain that he even wanted to touch it but if Joe said that his real present was under it ... . He gingerly lifted the hat out of the box and looked under it. His mouth went dry. It couldn't be ... a ring box. Suddenly oblivious to the blinking lights and squeaky electronic music coming from the hat he clapped it on his head freeing up that hand to reach into the hatbox.

He pushed the box off his lap onto the floor and dropped the top beside it. He snapped open the jewelry box and found himself staring at two identical rings. The tops were miniature police badges, gold shields, detective badges. He could see HPD and the word detective clearly. He had to look closer to see that one had his badge number, the other Joe's. In a choked voice he whispered, "Are these ... I mean ... Does this mean what I think it does, Joe?"

"If you're thinking what I hope you are, it does."

Taking a deep breath he looked up at Joe, "Maybe you better say it. We don't want no misunderstandings about this."

Joe smiled gently, "Read the inscription first."

Levon pulled one of the rings out of the box, the one with his badge number. Tilting it so he could see inside he read aloud. "JL and LL Partners and Friends. Life is a journey. I'm glad I share my journey with you." He found himself blinking back tears. "Oh, Joe." He whispered.

Joe reached out and gently removed the hat from Lundy's head and lay it on the table. He took the ring box, pulling the other ring out he lay the box aside. Reaching out to take Levon's left hand in his he said, "Levon Lundy, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you share your life with me, accepting this ring as a symbol of my love and my promise to be faithful to you for as long as we both live?"

Levon looked up at him, unable to hold back the tears any longer he let them roll down his cheeks as he whispered, "Oh, Lord. Oh, Lord. Joe ... Yes, yes!"

Joe slipped the ring on Levon's finger and leaned in to kiss him gently before drawing back and holding out his left hand to Levon.

Levon wiped at the tears still running down his face and tried to compose himself. He took Joe's hand trying to remember the exact words that Joe had said to him, wanting to repeat them to Joe. After a moment he began, "Joseph LaFiamma, I love you." His voice broke slightly but Joe didn't seem to mind. He waited patiently for Levon to continue. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you share your life with me and accept this ring as a symbol of my love and my promise to be faithful to you for as long as we both shall live?" Unconsciously he add the 'shall' found in formal wedding vows.

"I will." Joe said solemnly.

Levon slipped the ring onto Joe's hand and leaned in for his kiss, closing his eyes.

Joe slipped his arm around Levon's shoulders, drawing him close, kissing him deeply as he guided one of Levon's arms up around his neck and the other down below his arm. Then slipping his other arm under Levon's knees he lifted him and headed for the bedroom. Levon moaned and held on tightly. Having Joe carry him to bed was one of his favorite things and it made this night even more special to him.

Joe kicked the bedroom door open and lay Levon on the bed.

With a shiver of pleasure Levon thought [It ain't just my bed, anymore. From now on it's our bed!] As Joe followed him down on the bed, laying atop him, he found himself trembling with anticipation, as if this were the first time, as if they'd never done it before. He looked up at Joe, at the joyous, loving expression on his face and knew what the difference was. He knew that what had passed between them in the livingroom wasn't legal, wasn't binding but he felt like it was. He felt ... married, like this was his wedding night.

Then Joe's hands were tugging at his clothes, removing them as his lips kissed and his hands caressed all the special spots that he knew drove Levon mindless with pleasure and Levon's ability to think dissolved in the ecstasy of their love.

Continued in Part 4