"[i]Good morning and merrryyyyy Christmas to all of..[/i]" Radio stated before Robert slammed his alarm clock. Some days he enjoyed himself a tune or two before rising, but last days had been nothing but Christmas carols. He didn't hate them, but it wasn't what he enjoyed listening at in the mornings in his single bed. Robert had been single for two years since the last half year affair. He tried, but the job took it's toll. Or his women, rather. 

His apartment was quite decent, with 700 square feet to fill with living room with small place cut for his bed, kitchen and separated shower and toilet. Like most mornings, Rob made an omelet and let it cool down while he took a shower. This morning he took extra time to shave his beard, and a rare ten seconds to look at himself in the mirror. The man from Minnesota no longer had the dark brown hair. Neither was his face rock solid but instead softened with the wrinkles. And the fire from his eyes had dimmed to some degree, no longer the piercing look nor the tough guy ten ears ago, but a tired man despite swimming and exercising several times a week. 

He shook his head and dressed up at his wardrobe. Woolen trousers tad more thick that he usually wore, white shirt and brown vest to complete the look. He examined himself from the mirror attached to the inner side of the wardrobe's door before facing the cooled down omelet. He ate his breakfast while checking the day's news on his laptop. Then the E-mail from Sol, which said there was a new case. Which basically translated into that he couldn't come too late to the job. Not that he did usually, but some of these dark mornings were harder than others. Especially in winter.

After finishing the omelet Robert started to make his leave. He put on his winter jacket - A long black woolen jacket- and his fedora with ear warmers underneath before leaving to the PHI. He felt the top-break revolver against his hip in the holster and few moon clips in jacket's pocket. Not the most efficient model around, but it had served him a good twenty years; Only his bullets had changed to silver ones with PHI. Robert made one last look into the apartment as afraid to never see it again before he closed the door.

Weather had been worse that he thought, though the travel to the office was always quick one. Robert opened the doors leading to the office. It wasn't a normal sight, it was Christmas. Decorations were all over the place; A small Christmas tree had appeared on his own table and Jacob's workplace could have been from Santa's house. Morgan, Sol, Jacob and Emma had already came to the office, Jacob with her daughter to cheer things up at the place. He wondered who else were invited to solve the new case. He passed the mornings and made his way to rack, where he left his fedora, ear warmers and his jacket. 

Robert liked the ancient building. It was one thing older than him, never changing, always welcoming Robert every morning. Even the iron racket was putting good mood on Robert's mind, always keeping his jackets. Even if computers and laptops and coffee machines were on the shelves, underneath it was the bricks and planks laid down decades ago.