[Fanfiction] Winter
Title: Winter
Author: Aragarna
Characters: Neal Caffrey, Sara Ellis (N/S)
Genre, rating: post-series feels, fluff, gen, G.
Word count: ~800
Summary: Neal and Sara are Christmas shopping
Author's Note: A very happy birthday to my friendsheenianni !!! :) This is part of my Four Seasons series, set between Fall and Spring (doh!). Many thanks to reve_silencieux for the brainstorm and the beta work! :)
Winter
A light snow was falling down. It wasn’t cold enough for it to stick to the ground, as is often the case in London, but Neal didn’t mind. It was still enough to add a little Christmas spirit to the air. It was actually something Neal missed a little, living in Paris. Their winter was nowhere near a good New York winter. He missed the snow, that feeling that Christmas was just around the corner. The previous winter in Paris, it didn’t even snow once.
Sara might have a different opinion though, judging from the way she was clinging to Neal’s arm, trying to steal as much of his body heat as she could. Ever a gentleman, Neal wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Sara pointed to a shop and they rushed inside. The warmth seized them immediately and they quickly took off their scarves and hats.
“What do you think a one year old would like?” Neal asked.
Sara sent him a quizzical look. “How on Earth would I know? You asked for a toy store, I brought you to a toy store. That’s as far as my expertise goes with children.”
Neal chuckled and started wandering through the rows of toys, looking for inspiration.
“Do you think he’d even understand what Christmas is?”
Sara laughed. “The whole Jesus thing, probably not. But who doesn’t love gifts? Even if only for the primal joy of tearing apart the wrapping paper. Everyone loves that, kids or adults.”
Neal tried to picture his namesake, sitting by the traditional Burke Christmas tree on Christmas morning, happily tearing apart whatever esquisitely wrapped gift Neal would have bought him, under the supervision of his father - who would probably be just as excited.
A wave of nostalgia suddenly overwhelmed him. His heart ached for New York, his home, his family. He wanted to go visit them, right then and there. The Atlantic ocean suddenly felt like an impassable frontier.
Neal was torn. He enjoyed his new life in Paris, with now the occasional trips to London to see Sara, but New York kept calling. His heart was longing for his former life. It was easier before, when all ties were cut and there was no turning back. But ever since they had renewed contact, the call had become more persistent, almost imperious. After each visit to his friends, the temptation to stay was growing stronger. He had to go back.
Neal startled when Sara grabbed his arm. “Are you considering buying this gigantic purple elephant?” she asked with a mocking grin, pointing at an - indeed - gigantic plush elephant that Neal had been staring at without actually seeing it.
He quickly turned away. “No, no, hum, maybe something more… portable?”
Sara nodded. “As much fun as Little Neal would have unwrapping this, I’m not sure Peter and Elizabeth would be particularly thrilled to have to stash this somewhere in their house…”
“Do you think they’d stash me?” It blurred out of Neal’s mouth before he really realized what he was saying.
Sara stared at him, her eyebrow raised.
“I mean, would they have a little place for me…” Neal went on, blushing with embarrassment.
This time, Sara frowned.
“I was thinking of moving back to New York,” he admitted finally. “I just… I miss it there. I miss them. I want to be there for baby Neal, I want to see him grow up, take his first steps, tear apart all the wrapping paper. I want to teach him things. I want to be the uncle Peter wanted me to be.”
Neal stopped and held his breath, looking at Sara, who was standing still as a statue. Her expression was unreadable.
“I mean, it’s just a thought,” Neal said quickly. “I haven’t really thought about it…”
“It sounds to me like you have,” Sara said softly.
“It wouldn’t change anything between us,” Neal pressed. “I’d still come and visit you. It’s different now. I don’t have a radius anymore. And I want this for us.” Neal pulled her close and kissed her tenderly. “I really do,” he added in a whisper.
“Okay,” Sara said simply. She held his gaze, her face still not betraying a single emotion, good or bad. Neal wasn’t sure what to make of it. Then she blinked and suddenly turned around. “Why don’t we start by finding the perfect gift for your little namesake? How about a smaller elephant?”
She picked one from a stack of cuddly toys. Neal shook his head unconvinced. He grabbed a cute baby panda instead and brushed Sara’s cheek with it.
“See how soft this one is. And it is so cute. I’m sure Neal will love it.”
Sara smiled. Neal slid his arm around her waist, and she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Things would be alright.