Early Morning Bobby and Lindsay exit the elevator heading towards the D.Y.D.&F. office.

"So you all prepared for the Dyson trial?" she asks.

"Yes. Did you ask Helen that last night?" Bobby replies with a grin.

"As if she'd tell me," Lindsay says laughing "I am sleeping with her opposing counsel."

"Lucky me!" Bobby says as he opens the door to the office.

They both stand in the doorway stunned.

"I guess it's that time of year again," says Bobby staring at the elaborately decorated office, "Lucy has outdone herself this time. It looks amazing."

"Just stay clear of the mistletoe this year." Lindsay jokes giving him a friendly push into the office.

"Unless your there with me right?" he says closing the door.

"Exactly."

"I can't believe its Christmas already." He says watching her unpack at her desk.

"I know."

"You know what that means don't you?"

She looks up unsure, "What?"

"Us! We got together last Christmas; the best Christmas present I ever received."

She smiles and comes out from behind her desk. He takes her in his arms kissing her tenderly "I can't believe we've been together for almost a year already. It's been the best year of my life."

She looks up at him surprised, "Really! I'd change a few things."

It's his turn to be surprised but before he has time to ask what she means, the door opens and Rebecca, Ellenor and Jimmy arrive, full of exclamations of amazement at the appearance of the office. Lindsay is caught up in exploring the rest of the office with them leaving Bobby to ponder what changes she would make to the life he is so content with. The stabbing and all its repercussions, sure he'd change them too, but what else?





That night - Bobby and Lindsay's apartment

They are seated at a table eating.

"I was thinking of Christmas today." Bobby begins.

Lindsay laughs "How could you not?"

He smiles and continues "I was thinking we should have a party here. Invite my dad and your family. Start a Donnell Dole family tradition; Christmas at Bobby and Lindsay's." He looks at her expectantly.

She is stunned. She doesn't know what to say. He looks so excited about the idea but to her it sounds like a nightmare.

"I don't know Bobby. … Maybe its too late to organize for this year."

"It's over three weeks away." He says a little irritated "How much time do you need?"

She just shrugs.

"I wasn't suggesting we have 50 people over just family. There'll be six of us, seven if your brother brings someone." She still doesn't say anything which annoys him.

"Well what does your family normally do for Christmas?" he asks eventually.

She considers lying to him but he knows her so well he would be able to tell. "Nothing much. We just get together for a meal. Nothing big."

"Same here. I spend the day with my dad. I want you there too this year but I don't expect you to chose between your family and mine so … why not combine?"

"No it's fine Bobby I'll just go with you to your dad's. My family won't mind, really."

He looks at her intently. He cannot believe the turn the conversation has taken. He'd expected her to be as pleased and excited about this party as he is. Why isn't she?

"You do like my dad don't you?"

"Of course I do Bobby. I love your father. Why?"

"I don't know" he says getting up and pacing the room, "You seem like you get along but ..."

"We do Bobby! Don't I go there with you every Sunday?"

He nods as he thinks, then with a puzzled statement asks "Why don't we ever visit your parents?"

"Where just not close like you and your dad. We don't have a regular arrangement but we see them often enough."

"THREE times?"

"What?"

"I've met your parents three times. Once in the hospital, which wasn't organised, and they left as soon as I arrived. Once at the engagement party when everyone was too busy to talk and that time we went to the theatre together. We met there five minutes before the show and didn't even go out for coffee afterwards." He looks at her challenging her to dispute these facts. She doesn't.

"What do you want me to say?" she asks eventually, worried by the look in his eye.

"I've never been to their house and they've never been here. I've never had a conversation with them and I would be lucky to recognize them if I bumped into them in the street." He says angrily.

"Bobby." She says reaching out for him trying to calm him down.

"No!" he says shaking her off "Tell me the truth. Are you ashamed of me?"

"What!"

"Are you embarrassed by us?"

"No! Of course not! … Why?"

"You're shutting me out. … I'm not good enough for you. Why else would you try so hard to keep your parents and I apart. You know that's what they'll think because … it's what you believe too."

"No. You know that's not true Bobby." She says astonished "It's ridiculous. I…."

He cuts her off.

"Ridiculous is being engaged to someone who is embarrassed by you. … I've been so blind." He grabs his coat. "I can't help where I've come from or who I am but I sure as hell don't have to put up with this."

He storms out of the house slamming the door. He is fuming. He'd always been insecure about Lindsay knowing she would fit so perfectly into life "across the street" in the big firms with their "blue chip" clients: the world he's never been comfortable in and will never be accepted in. He'd always wondered why she stayed with him when she hated the firm's seedy clients and sleazy tactics but, until now, he'd never considered she might be as disenchanted with her personal life as with her professional life. Maybe she looks on him as she does the firm: a stepping stone to a better life. Something to do until she returns to the world she was brought up in and really belongs to. Maybe she is just biding her time with him too. Waiting for the day when she will accept a lucrative offer and jump ship, join a prestigious law firm and marry a suitable man. Someone she will take home to her parents. He needs her so much the idea of her moving on without him tears him apart but he decides; if it's going to happen it's going to happen now and on my terms. He's not going to waste anymore time on someone who's going to hurt him. He believes it has to end now because the more he's with her the more he loves and needs her.

Lindsay sits on the couch dazed. She has no idea what just happened. Why is Bobby so angry? What did she do? What will she do? "He just needs time to cool off" she thinks "when he gets back we'll talk about it. We'll sort it out." She gets up and tidies up their dishes with one ear listening for the front door to open. It doesn't.





Next day - DYD&F office early morning

Everyone is there except Lindsay.

Bobby, Rebecca and Ellenor are gathered around Ellenor's desk discussing Rebecca and Ellenor's case. Everyone else is working. Lindsay arrives. She's greeted by Jimmy and Lucy, who are at Lucy's desk, and then by Rebecca and Ellenor. She looks expectantly at Bobby but he turns his back on her calling to Rebecca and Ellenor "Let's finish this in my office."

The atmosphere in the office becomes undeniably cold. A surprised and disappointed Lindsay sits down at her desk and starts to work. Lucy rolls her eyes at Jimmy and mouths to him "Here we go again."

In Bobby's office Rebecca asks, "Bobby is everything alright?"

"Sure Bec. Why?" he says trying to sound calm.

"You're acting a little strange. Are you and Lindsay fighting?"

'If we are it's none of your business. Its personal." He says a little too harshly.

"If its personal Bobby," says Ellenor backing up a hurt Rebecca "then stop bringing it into the office. It's not easy for us tiptoeing around you two when you're like this."

"I know I'm sorry. But this is the last time. I promise."

Ellenor and Rebecca look at one another surprised. Is Bobby saying what they think he's saying? Is it really over? They drop the subject and finish discussing their case before leaving for court.

"Good luck." Lindsay says as they walk past her desk.

"Thanks." Rebecca and Ellenor reply but Bobby walks past without acknowledging her. She is hurt by this, picks up her work and takes it into the library. She doesn't want the others to see her cry. "What on earth is going on?" she wonders.





Later that day - Courtroom

Bobby and Helen are trying a case against one another. The judge calls an hour recess. Helen approaches Bobby. "Can we talk?"

"No deals Helen. My client's not interested."

"No this is personal."

"Oh … o.k."

They head to her office. They enter and sit down. "So what's going on with you two?" Helen asks.

"Why? What did Lindsay say?" he replies bitterly.

Helen is surprised by the tone of his voice. "I haven't spoken to her yet. I'm asking because you were distracted in court this morning and the only thing that can distract you from your work is Lindsay. If you're such a mess I hate to think what she's like and if I'm going to help her I need to know what's going on. … So, what is going on?"

He looks at her. He wants to talk about it but with Helen? It's completely illogical to discuss it with her, she's Lindsay's best friend, but she's here now, she knows them both so well and he wants to talk to someone.

"It's over." He says in a shaky voice and with tears welling in his eyes.

An astonished and sympathetic Helen asks "Why?"

"She doesn't love me." He says emotionally with his head in his hands.

Helen gets up and walks around the room shaking her head. She turns to him and barks "Are you a complete idiot?"

He's surprised by the vehemence of her outburst. "Helen?"

"Well you must be if you don't know that Lindsay loves you, always has and always will."

"But she's ashamed of me."

"Why? … What did you do Bobby?" she asks coming towards him intrigued.

"Nothing! … It's just … I mean … she's embarrassed about who I am and of being with me. … I'm not the right 'type' of man for her not someone she'll spend the rest of her life with. She's just amusing herself with me. …We have no future together."

Helen stares at him as if he's speaking another language. "He's serious," she thinks "serious but delusional."

"Where on earth did this idea spring from Bobby?" she asks.

He explains about his idea for the party and the argument that arose out of it. How it made him realise Lindsay was keeping him out of her life. She wasn't incorporating him into her family because they are the life she will eventually go back to when she's tired of slumming it with him.

"You haven't spoken to her about this?"

"No."

"And you think ending it now is better than waiting for her to end it later?"

"Yes" he says starting to feel at ease because Helen seems to understand.

She turns and walks away from him. She sits back at her desk and puts her head in her hands. When she looks up again she is smiling. "You are an idiot." She says but tenderly this time.

He's surprised he'd thought she'd agreed with him "Why?"

"She doesn't have issues with you Bobby. She has issues with her parents."

He sits up eager to hear "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Have I ever been wrong about Lindsay?"

"It's just that she's…"

"Too good for you," she interjects "I know that and you know that but she'll never believe it." She smiles at him and continues, "She's trying to protect you by keeping you away from her parents."

"What? Why?'

"Look they're nice enough people it's just … they don't … get involved."

He looks at her not understanding what she means.

She continues "Lindsay is very determined; very goal orientated. She pushes herself harder than anyone else I know, which is great because she makes us all work harder too just trying to keep up." He nods knowing exactly what she means. "Do you know why Bobby?"

"No. I've never really thought about it."

"To impress her parents. To hear them say they are proud of her, congratulate her, encourage her, acknowledge she is … important, special, loved … all that stuff … but she has never and will never get it from them. It's not that they don't love her, in their own way I'm sure they do, but they've never told her. They are so caught up in their own affairs that the kids are just people who they cross paths with now and then. … Lindsay is such a giving person it's hard to believe she's related to them. … The sad part is she knows she'll never get what she wants from them but, it's a habit of a lifetime, she'll never stop trying. … That's why Anderson Pearson's so important to her. He was the first adult to really encourage her, to admire her and say he was proud of her. He was everything she wanted her father to be."

Bobby is contemplative. Everything Helen is saying makes sense. It explains many of Lindsay's insecurities and, if he's completely honest with himself, Lindsay had hinted about it to him too. She did tell him Pearson was like a father to her and in fact Pearson believed in her more than her own father.

"Take the stabbing," Helen continues "if that was you in hospital in a coma do you think we would have been able to drag your father away?"

"Not a chance."

"But Lindsay's parents came for the obligatory visits, never stayed more than an hour and then went back to their country club lives. They are cold people Bobby. They don't do it deliberately but it breaks Lindsay's heart. … She's not as tough as she makes out to be. …You know that right?"

He nods.

She continues "All her life she's been hurt by their reserve and she's keeping you away not because she's ashamed of you but because she doesn't want you to be hurt by them too. She loves you Bobby. More than you deserve."

"I am an idiot!" He says smiling at her relieved. This is a far better explanation than he had come up with."

That's what I've been saying." She laughs "Talk to her. She needs you to but don't push. She's got a lot of built up pain, years of it, waiting to be let out. … But now, Bobby, we're due in court."

He groans. That's the last place he wants to be right now. He wants to be with Lindsay. Tell her he is sorry and make everything alright between them again.





That night - D.Y.D&F office

Lindsay arrives back from her meeting with a client. Bobby is working in his office. Everyone else is preparing to leave. Lindsay heads to Ellenor's desk.

"How did it go in court today?" she asks.

"We did well. Bobby, not so good."

"Has Helen got plans for tonight Ellenor? Do you know?"

"Oh don't tell me your not speaking to her either?" says an exasperated Ellenor.

"Funny! No it's just I haven't had time to speak to her today."

"Well she's in court and you know how she gets during a trial. She'll be home tonight."

"Would you guys mind if I crashed there tonight?" Lindsay asks in a voice barely disguising her emotions.

Ellenor surprised shakes her head in sympathy "Of course you can, anytime, but you have to talk to him Lindsay."

"I would but he's avoiding me." She says tears welling in her eyes.

As she is speaking Bobby opens his office door, "Lindsay?" She turns to him. "Can we talk?" he asks holding the door open for her.

Ellenor picks up her bag, squeezes Lindsay's hand for luck and heads out of the office followed by everyone else. No one wants to hang around and get caught up in the middle of something. Only Bobby and Lindsay are left. Lindsay hesitantly walks past him into his office afraid of the confrontation to follow.

"I'm sorry." He says as he shuts the door.

She spins around wide eyed to look at him. She had expected more accusations not contrition.

"I'm sorry." He says again as he approaches her.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens them again tears are streaming down her face. "I was so scared … I thought … I didn't know what I was going to do without you." She sobs.

He takes her in his arms "Me neither … I thought I'd lost you … it hurt so much … I'm so sorry Lindsay."

They hold one another in relief. Now isn't the time for explanations: now is the time to hold onto and cherish that which was believed lost. Eventually he pulls away "Let's go home."

They travel home in silence.





Bobby and Lindsay's apartment

They arrive home. Bobby says "Let's just order takeout and talk."

"Fine."

He places the order and then joins her on the couch.

"Bobby I'm not ashamed of you. I'm sorry if I ever gave you that impression." She says turning to him "If it's important to you to have my parents here for Christmas then we will."

"Not if you don't want them. It's important to me that you are happy that's all."

"It isn't that I don't want them. It's just … with my parents it's difficult … your father is so great; he's genuine. He's made me feel so welcome but my parents … they won't do that for you Bobby and it's got nothing to do with who you are. You must believe that." She's stroking his face as she talks trying to keep him calm. She's afraid of upsetting him again like last night.

"I know." he says tenderly taking her hand and kissing it.

She looks at him in surprise. This morning and last night he was so angry and yet now everything seems fine. He sees the confusion on her face.

"Don't be angry with me Lindsay but I spoke about it with Helen. I was distracted in court and she confronted me about it. I was so angry with you and I believed we were finished I needed someone to talk to and she was there."

"What did she say?" Lindsay asks not angry but curious.

"You mean besides that I'm an idiot who doesn't deserve you?"

"She didn't?"

"She did!"

Lindsay laughs.

"She just said your parents are nice but they aren't very …" he struggles to think of the right word "… affectionate … and sometimes this hurts you, and we haven't spent time with them because, you don't want them to hurt me too."

She nods relieved Helen has explained it to him. It's something she has trouble admitting to herself. She's not sure she could have made him understand but Helen seems to have.

"It is that but it's also … they're cold … and I know Bobby that sometimes I'm cold too. … I'm scared that if you spend time with them you'll think that’s what I'm going to be like and … " she looks up at him "I'm terrified of losing you."

"Don't be. I'll always be here for you Lindsay. I love you." He says stroking her hair. He smiles "Besides if I do go off half cracked again we can always rely on Helen to set me straight."

"I should call and thank her."

"Not right now. There's more important things to do." He says kissing her passionately. All the tension, anger and bitterness of the past 24 hours lost.



The doorbell rings. They are reluctant to separate but Lindsay eventually manages to free herself to Bobby's immense disappointment.

"Hold that thought." She says laughing as she runs to the door.

It's their dinner and, although neither will admit it, they are secretly glad. Neither has been able to eat since last night and they are famished. They curl up together on the couch with their meals.

"Lindsay?" Bobby begins hesitantly.

"What?" she answers worried.

"Yesterday you said you'd change a few things about this year."

She nods.

"Like what?"

She takes a deep breath and thinks about it. He watches her curious but at the same time concerned. Finally she turns to him.

"Three things. Firstly George Vogleman. I'd remove him completely from our life."

Bobby nods he'd expected that.

"Second Kittleson."

He rolls his eyes at her. They have been over this so many times.

"I know it's irrational but she bugs me. I just don't trust her. I don't like her"

"And the third?"

"Ellenor."

Bobby's surprised "What?"

"If I could do it over again I'd work harder at keeping her friendship and I definitely wouldn't jump the table and attack her."

He laughs relieved "But you two are fine now aren't you?"

"Yes but its taken a long time and it was hard when we weren't. If I could do it again I would make sure there was never any animosity between us."

"And that's all you'd change?"

"Yes."

"Nothing about us."

"No. Would you?" She asks worried.

He thinks about it for a moment then smiles "Not a thing."

She smiles back, leans across to him and kisses him. He holds her to him, leans back taking her with him until they are laying on the couch. "So where were we." He asks.

The food is forgotten there is now a different hunger needing to be satisfied.



Christmas Day - Bobby and Lindsay's apartment

Bobby's father is seated on the couch with Lindsay. Bobby is rearranging the presents under the tree.

"You don't mind coming here for Christmas?" Lindsay asks Stephen Donnell.

"Of course not," he says reaching out for her hand "good food and good company what more could I want?"

She kisses him on the cheek, he looks up and grins at Bobby who is watching them together delighted.

The doorbell rings."They're here." Says an excited Bobby rushing to the door. He opens it to the sound of raucous laughter and Helen and Ellenor come in laden with presents.

"Let the party begin." Says Helen dramatically as she pulls a bottle of champagne from a bag.

Everyone laughs.

They are all seated around the dinner table eating a sumptuous Christmas lunch, laughing and having a wonderful time.

Stephen Donnell turns to Lindsay and says "This is the best Christmas dinner I've ever eaten, and as you can see I've had a few." Everyone laughs. Lindsay thanks him. "Thank-you so much Lindsay for inviting me." He says to Lindsay before turning to Bobby "Bobby this is a wonderful woman you've got here. You’re a very lucky man."

"Don't I know it." Says Bobby looking at Lindsay as she hugs his father. He knows now how much it means to her to be appreciated and is so proud of his father for praising her so openly and easily.

He leans over and whispers to her "Are you happy?"

She turns to him her face aglow and he knows she is.

"Yes. This is what Christmas should be. This is family," she says looking around the table at the happy laughing faces then she turns to him "this is our family Bobby."

He kisses her causing Helen to loudly and vividly protest about their nauseating behavior in public bringing everyone at the table to hysterics.

"Merry Christmas Lindsay." He says placing his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him.

"Merry Christmas Bobby." She replies resting her head against him.

-------------------------------------