Renee has thrown a Christmas bash at the Palace and most of our favorite people are in attendance. Despite the occasional dirty glance and underlying tensions between certain characters, things were going splendidly. Gabrielle and Max had finally had their long-awaited conversation a few weeks before during Thanksgiving and had put most (but  not the good parts, thankfully) of their conflict to rest. They had even managed to find a friendship with each other and Al was happy to see 
his parents in a place he had not seen them in years: comfortable with each other. 

Bo was off doing some kind of unofficial business for Viki, leaving Gabrielle to arrive at Renee's party with Al. Bo had promised to be there for at least one dance and she was satisfied with that. Besides, it would give her a chance to see if Al had remembered the lessons she taught him in their one-room apartment. How lovely, she thought, to dance in this big ballroom. As she was walking around trying to get the general fashion sense of the guests, she spied Max walk in with Roxanne. Poor Max, she thought with a smile. 

Max was feeling absolutely awful that Roxy had dragged him to this party. For one thing, he was not in the mood, and for another, he had to walk in with Roxy. But he spotted Al talking to some girl and without thinking, his eyes searched for Gabrielle. At least he'd be able to talk to one person with a brain at this shindig. Roxy smiled her goofy smile and his stomach churned. Hopefully Asa's plan kicks into high-gear soon, he thought. 

Al saw his dad walk in and decided to save him from Roxy and pried her arms off of Max citing some father-son stuff needed to be taken care of. "Thanks," Max whispered to Al. 

"No problem, Dad. Besides, I really did want to talk to you. What's going on with you and Mom?" 

"What do you mean?" Max asked. "Nothing's going on." 

"C'mon, Dad!" Al replied. "I know you guys. Something's happening even if 
you two don't know it yet." 

"Listen, Al, your mother's with Bo Buchanan now and she seems very happy so I'm very happy for her. End of story. I thought you would be happy we're on speaking terms now." 

"I am happy. I'm just noticing something in the eyes, that's all," Al laughed and gave Max a hug and walked off to dance with his mom. 

Max walked over to the punch bowl and quickly walked in a different direction when he saw Roxy talking to some poor soul who was too nice to walk away. He felt sorry for the guy. Max walked up to Renee to wish her a Merry Christmas and then watched his son dancing with Gabrielle. He thought he saw her noticing him, too. 

"Mom?" 

"Yes, Al," Gabrielle replied. She was a bit distracted since the night was winding down and Bo still hadn't shown up. So much for that dance, she thought. 

"I was wondering if... well... I don't really know how to put this," Al trailed off. He quickly decided that it was none of his business and covered by asking if he could get a job at the Banner. Bo was nice but he knew his parents. Something was going to happen sooner or later and he might as well keep his nose out of it. 

Gabrielle was happy to see her son so stable after that horrible situation with that Rappaport girl. Thank goodness he came to his senses. She asked him for another dance but he spotted the girl he had been talking to earlier in the evening and suggested that she go dance with Max. 

Why not, she thought. Someone has to save him from that woman and she'd love to see the look on Roxanne's face. She saw Roxy trying to drag Max onto the dance floor but he wasn't budging. The perfect moment, Gabrielle thought. 

"I don't feel like it, Roxy, and besides, I don't know how," Max exclaimed. "Go dance with Asa or whoever, I don't care!" 

"Oh, Maximillian, you need to loosen up!" Roxy replied, and tried to yank his arm but it was hard doing that and holding onto that bottle of champagne she had gotten from the bar. 

"How are the Holdens doing?" Gabrielle interrupted. She knew it was rubbing it in but she couldn't help herself. She hoped Max wouldn't take it personally. 

"Fine, fine," Roxy replied. "I was just trying to get my husband out on the dance floor but you know, he's no Ginger Rogers. Can't dance." 

"Really?" Gabrielle said and she shared a smile with Max. "Well, why don't I give him some lessons for you and maybe he'll be good enough for another party." 

"No, Gabrielle..." Max started but she interrupted him. 

"For old time's sake?" she said softly. Max relented and he took her hand. They walked to the center of the floor and the song changed from a mid-tempo number to something very slow. Gabrielle didn't see but Max saw Al walking away from the band. Still the romantic, Max thought. Roxy looked on in amazement and said, "Hey, that Gabby is a great teacher," but then realized that Max had lied to her. 

"Where's Bo this fine evening?" Max asked. He had her in his arms but he brought up Bo to keep himself in check. He felt himself slipping, though. 

"Oh, off on some adventure with Viki as usual," she replied somewhat bitterly. Despite her efforts, she still couldn't bring herself to be okay with Viki's reliance on Bo. But she didn't want Max to think there was anything wrong in her relationship with Bo so she quickly added, "But he'll be here soon. He promised me a dance." 

"That's good. I would've had some words with him to leave such a beautiful 
woman unattended like this at a party. There's no telling who might try to steal away her affections," Max said. He kicked himself after he said it but there it was. He was flirting with her. She didn't seem to mind, though. 

"And what brave man would risk approaching me after all the things I've done?" Gabrielle replied with a slight smile. She felt herself responding to Max's flirtations. It's the dancing, she thought to herself. Max was always very good at that. 

"Well, someone who has borne the brunt of a lot of what you've done," Max 
whispered into her hair, "someone who knew the real you..." She pulled back but he wouldn't let her go. They kept on dancing. "Someone who still knows the real you," Max finished. Max noticed the song had ended and something faster was playing but he liked the movement they were in. He suddenly realized that despite all their past transgressions, he really didn't want this dance to end. 

Gabrielle felt herself listening to Max words and felt them travel through her. Parts of her resisted but even thoughts of Bo couldn't jar her out of this fantasy. It feels like home, she thought. Get ahold of yourself, Gabrielle, she suddenly scolded herself. This is the Max Holden who has brought you nothing but misery. The other part of her was saying the complete opposite, however. She looked up into his eyes and saw herself. She looked higher up and noticed they were standing underneath the mistletoe. Max followed her gaze and smiled. 

"Ah well, Renee put that up there for a reason," Max said, "it'd be a shame to waste it." 

"Of course," Gabrielle agreed. "We wouldn't want Renee to think she spent all that money for nothing, right?" He nodded in reply. And for the umpteenth time, she felt the breath go out of her waiting for Max's kiss. 

Max leaned in and just before their lips touched, he paused. Something in him warned him that he shouldn't do this. That something was going to start that he wouldn't be able to stop. But before he could pull back, Gabrielle leaned forward and their lips gently locked. They both felt the electricity and familiarity jolt through them. So much so that they pulled back at the same time. 

"Merry Christmas, Max," Gabrielle said, a little out of breath. Before he could reply he noticed Bo walk in with a searching look on his face. Max squeezed Gabrielle's hand and walked away before Bo could see them together. Her eyes followed him, but suddenly Bo was standing in front of her. 

"Bo!" and she smiled. The safety of Bo surrounded her once more. 

"Am I just in time for that dance?" 

"Of course, I think I heard the bandleader say there were a couple more songs left before the night was over." 

While they were dancing, Bo asked, "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?" 

After a moment's pause and her eyes spotting Max watching her, she replied, "Nothing that interesting." She knew she was lying and pulled Bo closer to her to help push these feelings away. She closed her eyes and wished more than anything that she couldn't feel Max's gaze burning into her. 
 

THE END