Title:   Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You
Author/pseudonym: Candy Apple 
Rating: E
Pairings: (J/B)

Status: (NEW, complete)
Date: 12-6-97
Series/Sequel: Nope.

Disclaimers: Jim, Blair and the denizens of the Cascade PD belong to
UPN-TV and Pet Fly Productions.  No infringement intended, no
money being made.  The mistletoe and the cheese balls are mine.

Notes: This is a response to Taya's "first time challenge", and also a
substitute for the Christmas ep we probably won't get.  I love Christmas
eps, and think it would be the perfect time for a revelation of love.  A
tip of the hat to Billy Squier for the title, as it is named after his
*incredibly terrific* Christmas song of the same title that I fell in love
with on Mtv waaaaaaay back at Christmas of 1981.  It's remained my
favorite ever since.

Summary:   Jim and Blair and mistletoe.  Need I say more?

Warnings: Scrooges beware.  Contains festive images of Christmas and
romance. 

***********************************************************
Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You
by 
Candy Apple


     The loft was alive with party guests, conversation and laughter
mixing with the Christmas music pumping out of the living room
stereo speakers.  Taggert, who had impressed everyone with his fine
weight loss record over the past year, was lecturing Brown on the evils
of saturated fat as the younger man took up residence with his partner
at the end of the table boasting four flavors of cheese balls.  Simon and
his date, an attractive assistant DA, were among a few couples who
decided the living room made a good dance floor, and were swaying to
the music.

     "Jim--we're almost out of crackers," Blair announced as he
opened the last box at the counter in the kitchen while Jim was refilling
the punch bowl, liberally adding the "spike" that was keeping everyone
festive.  Despite his initial misgivings at Blair's idea, he was thoroughly
enjoying this party.  Or maybe he was just thoroughly enjoying
watching Blair play host and loving every minute of it.  The younger
man had a real knack for putting on a party, not to mention for
preparing some of the snacks and holiday treats the guests were
ingesting in large quantities.

     "Don't tell *me*.  Tell Ryf and Brown, the cheese ball
brothers."  Jim shot another stream of booze into the punch bowl.

     "The object of adding the liquor is to spike the punch, Jim, not
knock out the guests," Blair snatched the bottle out of his hand, leaning
close at the same time.  Jim seized the opportunity to catch a whiff of
herbal shampoo, very faint aftershave and Blair himself.  With his hair
down and brushing the shoulders of his red shirt, face alight with the
festivity of the evening, Blair was a vision.  "Jim?  You okay man?" 
Blair was standing there, holding the liquor bottle, looking at him
worriedly.  "Did you zone out or something?"

     "Hey, look who's under the mistletoe!"  Jim called out toward
Ryf and Rhonda, who both giggled a little uneasily and then complied
with tradition.  Blair had booby-trapped the loft with tufts of the
notorious kissing foliage before the party.  Jim hadn't been caught so
far that night, and he was nothing short of shocked when Brown issued
the next "mistletoe alert".

     "Hey, Jim--take a look overhead, man," he shouted with a very
large grin on his face.

     Hesitantly, Jim ventured an upward glance.  Sure enough, he
and Blair were standing directly under a particularly fat puff of
mistletoe.

     "Looks like we're busted, Jim," Blair responded, laughing a
little, secretly rejoicing that his mistletoe-hanging plot had worked so
easily.  Now what else could Jim do but the obvious?  And even if Jim
was faking it, a nice long liplock with the man Blair had been attracted
to for years seemed like a hell of a Christmas present.

     "Well, when in Rome..."  Jim said, shrugging at the onlookers. 
Turning to Blair, he shocked the smaller man completely by very
tenderly sliding a hand along the side of Blair's cheek, letting the
fingers tangle in his hair.  "Merry Christmas, Chief," he said in a soft
voice, just before leaning in to gently press his lips against Blair's. 

     As Blair's arms came around Jim's middle and Jim's arms
encircled his friend's body, and the kiss deepened, the festive crowd let
out the predictable whoops and cheers, at first thinking they were
getting a performance to remember.  When neither man let go or broke
the kiss for long moments, some of the merry-making began to quiet a
bit.

     When the two men separated to take in some needed oxygen,
Blair smiled up at his partner, and saw the same loving smile reflected
back to him.

     "Merry Christmas, Jim." //Go for it Sandburg,// the voice inside
prompted.  "I love you," he said so quietly that only Jim could hear
him.

     "I love you too," Jim responded in a whisper.  Then he pulled
Blair close again to take further advantage of the mistletoe.

*****************