The wind rustled through the trees as Trixie stared out onto the white blanket stretching for what seemed like miles. Inside she could hear the words to Auld Lang Syne being sung but her mind was far away, drifting back to the cases they had solved in the previous months. Some of the memories were frightening, and some, not so much so, but she remembered all of them with a little hint of satisfaction. She heard a noise behind her and turned her head to one side.

"Just came to see if you were going to come back in? Pat and Katie brought champagne. You know that it’s a rare occasion for us," her best friend laughed.

"Oh, Honey, I know. But right now… it’s just so peaceful. Every New Year's Eve night I always stay up and think about the last year. I ask myself if it was what I wanted it to be… maybe think about the most important things that have happened to me over the year. Maybe even," she reluctantly admitted, "some of the things I should have changed. And it’s so… I don’t know. So calming to do it."

"I can understand that," Honey said, coming to stand beside her at the railing. "I used to write in my journal on New Years Eve night. Sometimes, I would even try and write a poem about how I was feeling. Of course, before I met you all, the poems weren’t exactly happy. Definitely not something I would want to read now… but sometimes I do. It reminds me of how thankful I am for all of you."

Trixie smiled and looked at her friend, drawing closer. "We’re thankful to have you too. I think all of our lives have changed since meeting each other." She smiled at Honey, who returned the grin. The two friends stood beside one another, just breathing in the crisp night air and reflecting. Presently, Honey turned back to Trixie.

"Well, I’ll leave you alone now. I’m going to go inside and be a little bad for… oh… at least one sip’s worth," she laughed.

"Okay, Honey. I’ll be here… just… thinking."

Honey searched her friend’s face for a moment more and went inside. She walked towards the coffee table where she found that glasses had been set out with bottles of champagne. She poured a small amount in one and walked over to Jim, who was standing near the fireplace with Brian, Mart and Pat, holding a similar glass. She whispered something in his ear and left him, a sly smile on her face.

Back on the balcony, Trixie didn’t bother turning around the next time the sliding door opened. She had been staring at the small Christmas tree just at the corner of the lodge that had been decorated with natural pine cone decorations and Christmas tree lights. The sparkling lights seemed to have hypnotized her. "Champagne all gone Honey or did you bring some outside for me to be a little bad as well?"

"No, there’s plenty more. But she didn’t. I did."

She still hadn’t turned around and so Jim could not see the smile cross Trixie’s face. She held her breath for a few moments, not daring to hope that it was really he, but when his hand crossed in front of her face handing has a glass, she knew she’d better look, just to make sure that it was.

"Thank you," came her whispered reply.

"You’re welcome. More than welcome." He hesitated. "Do you… mind if I’m out here with you?"

"Of course not."

"Here… I brought a small plate of these as well." He laid a plate on the railing that had a number of small petite fours and small sugar cookies on it.

"You’re trying to get me to be double bad, aren’t you. I’ll have to do some more skiing to work these off."

"I don’t know why you insist on thinking that anyone has a problem with your weight but you, Trix."

Thinking he was teasing her, she looked at him ready to swing the teasing-sword back in his direction. But his face held no signs of teasing. She sighed. She could have told him about all the comments she’d endured from Mart growing up, but figured it would be pointless. Determined to make this a true New Year, she did what she normally would never have done.

"Thank you, Jim, for saying that."

"Again… you’re welcome." He smiled at her and reached out to brush a stray curl off of her forehead. She simply stared at him, a question in her eyes that was not yet ready to be answered by his mouth.

He cleared his throat. "Actually, I have something for you. Let me go get it."

It was a minute before he returned and when he did, he held a small box in his hands. He took her glass from her and held it while he handed her the box. "It’s just a little something that… well… you’ll see."

She could tell he was nervous, and after their interlude a few moments ago, she could understand why. Her own nervousness was riding an all time high just then. She unwrapped the box with shaking hands, giggling a little as she glimpsed what it was. Jenny had either already possessed, or had made a puzzle in the shape of a "J". It was painted in bright blues and greens.

"It’s wonderful, Jim. You’re sneaky too, I didn’t know you’d gone back to talk to them."

"Well, with a little help from Linda and Wanda, it was not any trouble," he smiled. He started to speak again, but then fell silent, waiting to see if she could grasp on her own how he meant the puzzle.

She looked up at his face and grinned shyly, her blue eyes seeking out his green ones. "It means… it means a lot Jim." She lowered her head for a minute as one of her small feet seemed to gain a life of it’s own, moving towards him. "It really does."

He mentally shrugged and bridged the rest of the gap, placing first one tentative, and then another arm around her, just holding her, one hand around the back of her head, bringing her close. They reluctantly let go but kept one arm in place so they could turn and look out at the trees once more.

Trixie began to speak, but a finger across her lips silenced her. Jim took the hand at her mouth and pointed towards the edge of the woods. A deer stood quietly looking at them for what seemed like ages, and then slowly and gracefully slipped away.

"Beautiful," was Trixie’s only comment.

"Very," he replied. He was not referring to the deer.

Each knew it was getting late and that they must get back inside, or be missed by the others. He suspected though, that Honey had taken care of that potential problem, for no one had remotely stuck their head out to check on them, they both began to show signs of retiring for the night.

"Are you finished?" he asked, indicating her still half-full glass.

"Yeah," she laughed. "A little went a long way for me." She started to take her glass from the railing but his hand reached out and stopped her.