Title: My True Love Gave to Me
Author: Carina Scott
Pairing: Warrick/Jim
Rating: FRM
Summary: Jim surprises Warrick while he's away.
Story Notes: For Laura, I hope you like it.

~*~

What the hell was I thinking? I must have been crazy to suggest it, but I had. A father daughter cruise.

It was a great idea at the time. Jim had been slowly mending his relationship with Ellie since he was shot a few months back. And I had been in full support. No matter what they think, a daughter needs her father, and vice versa. When Jim had watched Ellie walk away, I could feel his heart shatter. And I did my best to help mend it, but nothing was working. Sure, Jim put up a pretense around our friends and coworkers, but when we were alone together at home, the mask fell. Jim was depressed and lonely. And this kind of depression, this utter loneliness; I was not the cure.

So I had arranged a trip to Los Angeles to visit my cousin, who had just recently given birth to a baby boy. While I was there, I found out where Ellie was and went to her apartment. At first she slammed the door in my face, but after a little convincing, I was able to get her to let me in. I told her about my relationship with her father. She wasn't' surprised, she said she had assumed something was going on from the way I had cornered her when he was in the hospital. I asked her if she disapproved of our relationship. She told me she didn't care who her father was involved with, as long as he left her alone.

I talked to her for over an hour, trying to convince her to give her father a second chance. I told her that I realized that there was no way for Jim to make up for not being the best father, but he could at least try to be a father to her now. She told me she didn't need a father now, and threw me out.

I caught my flight home the next morning, kinda bummed out that my efforts had been in vain. But when I got off the plane, I saw Jim waiting there for me. Smiling. He hadn't smiled since he had been released from the hospital, at least not like this. His whole face was lit up. I asked him about it, and he told me that Ellie had called him that morning.

I feigned surprise, which I really didn't have to do since I was honestly surprised; but he told me that she had told him I had spoken to her. I was prepared to apologize for interfering, but my apologies were pretty much cut off by the breathtaking kiss he gave me.

Over the next few months he spoke to Ellie on a pretty much weekly basis, she even visited at Thanksgiving. I was surprised when she showed up, and even more surprised when she pulled me aside after dinner, and thanked me for coming to talk to her, even giving me a hug. She left the next morning, but told us she would call when her plane landed.

Jim was so happy during that time, and I could tell that he wished she lived closer. But I told him that it was probably too early for him to even suggest she move to Vegas. I secretly hoped that maybe if they got closer she'd agree to move to Vegas to be closer to him, especially since her mother had died a year earlier. Jim often worried about her being alone in a city like LA, but I told him she would be fine.

Then I was reading the newspaper, and saw an advertisement for a father-daughter cruise. I investigated it, and found that it was legit. I called Ellie, and asked her if she was interested. She said she'd go if her father would. And of course Jim said yes.

And that's how I found myself alone the week before Christmas. And I was miserable, and tired. I missed Jim, and I couldn't sleep for too long without my Cuddlebear. I tried to be happy and upbeat, but knowing that I was facing a week alone in our house wasn't making it easy.

Then on Sunday, I opened my locker and found a 2-lb bag of Blue Hawaiian coffee sitting there. The card simply read, "Thought you might appreciate this more than flowers, I'm sure Greg will." I laughed, Greg was always griping at us about stealing his coffee, now I had my own. Well, at least until I ran out.

The next day I found a gift in my locker again. This time it was wrapped in bright red wrapping paper, with a green silk tie as the bow. The card on the tie read, "Simply because I hate all your other ties." Ripping the paper off the wrapping paper, I pulled out a gorgeous pair of silk pajamas, a deep chocolate brown like Jim's eyes. This came with a card as well. "Can't wait to watch them slide off your gorgeous body."

By Wednesday I had received two more gifts. A pair of boxing gloves complete with a membership to the gym around the corner from our home, as well as a laminated ticket stub from our first movie. With each gift I was missing Jim even more, and although we had talked on the phone whenever they docked somewhere, it just wasn't the same as having him right there with me.

On Thursday, as I was settling in to watch the morning news, there was a knock at my door. I opened the door to find a delivery guy standing there with a bear in his hands. I signed for it and closed the door, ignoring the snickers as the delivery guy hurried back to his truck. According to the accompanying card, the bear's name was Cuddles. And he was dressed in pajama set with little police badges all over it. I couldn't help but smile, I knew Jim loved his nickname, and now I had proof. The card simply read, "For you, until I am home." That was the first time since Jim had left that I was able to sleep.

The next morning Catherine stopped by with a package for me that Jim had requested she give me. Of course, she wouldn't leave me until I opened them. The first one was a locket. It didn't come with a key, so I couldn't open it. The card, which was becoming a theme, read "I have the key to your heart." The next gift was a locking cock ring, also suspiciously missing the key. The card read, "As well as your release." I laughed outright at that, and the look of shock on Catherine's face only made me laugh harder. She left pretty quickly after that. Teach her o be nosy in the future.

When I got to work that evening, still smiling from the gifts I had received earlier, I was surprised to find a beautiful cut-glass flower waiting for me in my locker as well. I was beginning to think Jim had an inner office accomplice that was dropping these gifts off, and from the looks Greg was giving me; I had a pretty good idea of who it was. Carefully, I picked up the flower, and upon closer inspection I noticed that there was a W/J engraved in one of the rose's petals. Blinking back the tears, I read the card, "I was rethinking the flower angle. A real flower doesn't suit us, so I give you this glass one as a symbol of our everlasting love." It took me a few moments longer before I was able to leave the locker room. I was missing Jim terribly, and Monday couldn't come fast enough.

When I went home the next morning, I was shocked to find a handsome 8 x 10 picture of Jim lying on my coffee table. I was scared at first, but then I realized that Jim probably had Nick drop it off. The note scribbled in Nick's writing on the pad next to the picture confirmed that. Looking at the photo I smiled. Jim was so handsome. Reading the card that had been hidden underneath the photo, I couldn't be happier. It was an appointment card for us to have a portrait taken together. I was always begging Jim to take more pictures, and he knew how much I wanted us to take a photo together. Now my wish had come true.

The next day, Christmas Eve, as I was lying on the couch, where I had been dozing off an on for most of the night, I heard a knock at the door. It was yet another delivery man, but looking at the large truck behind him, I didn't think it was another bear. I signed for the package, and two men carried it in. After they left, I went into the living room to unwrap it. This time, I didn't care that I was crying. Jim had gotten me a hand painted portrait of my mother. It was the same as ratty one I still carried in my wallet, but it was a painting, and on a much larger scale. Jim knew it was the only remaining photo I had of my mother. I sat in the floor of our living room bawling like a baby. I really wanted Jim to be there with me, and his flight wasn't due until 2pm the next day.

It was about one in the morning when I heard a knock at the door. Figuring it was Nick, I opened the door without looking. But it wasn't Nick. There stood Jim with a bright red bow wrapped around his waist.

"Merry Christmas baby."

As I kissed my lover, I agreed. My Christmas was definitely merry now that he was finally home.

THE END